#will go ahead and pin this one since these 2 are actually my OCs

[lemongingerart]

Chapter 1 - Departure (I)

Fic summary: The second arc of my Armitage Hux x OC fanfic, “chocolate cookies and tarine tea”, in which both need to deal with the mess they got into (and each other, eh eh eh). Involves cookies that won't be eaten and tea that will get spilled. Same goes for certain feelings... they are going to be hungry ant thirsty 😏

You can find the link to AO3 and other chapters on Tumblr in the pinned message on my dash, both for the first and second arc 😊

Rating: Explicit. This is going to be very NSFW. So, Minors, do NOT read or interact. 18+. Family, friends and colleagues, please don’t read this. :’-)

Tags & warnings: TRoS fix-it (kind of), Hux!lives, Hux doesn’t like Kylo, Not a Redemption Arc, maybe a little bit, shameless fem!OC insert (there are cliches but entertaining ones imo), slow emotional burn, medium sexual burn, Enemies to Enemies With Benefits to Lovers, Hux is still a villain don't forget, Virgin Characters, masturbation against the door, pinv, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Awkward Sexual Situations, Past Child Abuse, dubious first kiss, Dom/sub Undertones, Mental Breakdown, Unprotected Sex, wet Hux, that deserves a tag/warning on its own, Minor Character Death

I will add tags as we proceed in the story, please let me know if I forgot one!

Taglist: @mylifeisactuallyamess, @morby and anyone who’d like to join 🥰

A/N:     Hello dear, it's been a while! I wasn’t actually planning on publishing yet (I still need to finish up the header and the last scene) but after attending star wars celebration I am so high on Hux again! As an extra, I'm also uncharacteristically impulsive. This is not going to end well, ah ah ah.

Arc 2 has been written, up till some very *interesting * scenes! The whole thing got out of hand a bit, I already have almost 23k words for part 1 of this arc (part 2 will follow with the same amount, but still working it through) I should be able to more or less update on a regular basis for the next 11 chapters now, since I only need to review them!

Because I know some of you have read arc 1 a good while ago, let me give you this short recap: Hux, Miko and PC just left Utapau Four and are heading to Taris, so they can obtain the coördinates to the Resistance base. Hux has been in a stressful and frustrated mood (at least, more than usual), while Miko is gloomy from trying to deal with her new reality: she might not be able to return to her home for good.

Get ready for a whole whirlwind of (mis)adventures.

Armitage was looking to the everlasting hyperspace clouds, as if he was paying attention to it for the first time in his life. If Miko wanted to start a conversation - which she certainly didn’t - his intense gaze would've stopped her from doing so. She wondered what he was thinking, looking so serious and focussed on the void ahead.

This time however, she mused, the silence didn’t feel loaded and somehow had turned into something comforting. They had an actual plan and could focus on the upcoming mission. Everything was more or less under control. 

Miko felt like she finally had the time to study her companion. From the seat she was in, she noticed he was frowning deeply, and she could guess by that serious stern look on his face, he was thinking about the current bantha poodo he was in. 

She sat back in the co-pilot 's chair while keeping an eye on his side profile. She knew by now he had done some horrible things - based on her father's reaction - although she didn't know the exact details. 

Thinking back to the way he introduced himself to her with so much flair, his previous position within the military must’ve meant everything to him. The First Order was probably the only life he knew. And she doubted one could become a general by playing along nicely, so he probably has done and sacrificed a lot to get in that seat. 

Still, he betrayed all that. For what?

Her mind wandered back to the time he miraculously woke up beneath her, onboard the Steadfast . She really was convinced he was dead at the time. She could remember the shock she felt, when she unceremoniously had fallen down on his limp body. But the memory was blurred by the storm of emotions and adrenaline she went through that moment. 

Did I really somehow… revive him, like he said? How could that be even frigging possible?  

The girl looked at her hands and slowly turned them around, trying to see if something happened if she tensed the muscles in her fingers. 

Of course, it was to no avail, making her wonder if he was just making things up for some obscure reason. But why would he do that? 

Nothing made sense these past days . The chaos, violence, the unexpected get-away, everything was wearing her down.

She slowly looked back to the ex-general and noticed how his jaw was slightly moving. 

Was he grinding his teeth… again ? 

At this moment, she was absolutely positive this man was full of frustrations and looking at the bags under his bloodshot eyes and his pale skin, the stress was eating him slowly but surely. 

She closed her eyes. If she was not going to stop paying attention to him, she was going to start getting worked up as well, and that wouldn’t help them any further. 

After a short pause, Miko felt relatively at ease again and decided to follow Hux’ gaze, so she started staring at the hyperspace clouds as well. They were somehow enchanting, the slight rotation of the ship making the clouds swirl and giving the space outside a dreamy aura. 

Honestly, right now, this all felt like a bad dream. She had always wanted to leave Utapau Four behind, and she used to fantasise about steering her own ship, drifting through hyperspace, from system to system. Seeing the most beautiful parts of the galaxy. Looking for a place with more purpose to land. 

She once wished for adventure, but now, the sting of hastily having to say goodbye to her father, maybe for good, was reminding her that she wasn't living her dream. This was all too real and absolutely not how she wanted to leave her home behind. 

She felt the urge to cry slowly rising from her chest, but she refused to give in to those feelings, especially around that pompous manipulative asshole. She gulped and kept her head down, trying to find tranquillity once again.

Only a few seconds later, she noticed a small but very irritating noise originating from the left. She looked back at Hux, who was now grinding his teeth so loud she could hear it from her seat and it was not helping her current emotional state.

Kriff.

‘Could you please stop doing that?? It’s not good for both your teeth and my headache’, she said, grumbling, only then realising she was again talking before thinking things through. 

This frigging bastard had almost choked me to death, if it wasn’t for PC , she hastily reminded herself, cold sweat appearing on her backside.

But the next thought that entered her worked up mind, were those glassy eyes again. Almost instantly she felt her cheeks go red, betrayed by her own thoughts, so she swiftly diverted her attention to the other side of the shuttle and gulped. She sincerely hoped he wouldn't turn around and see the blush under the dim light.

Unfortunately, Hux decided to redirect his energy from destroying his teeth to destroying any hope for a normal conversation, and he slowly faced her. 

‘Just who do you think you’re talking to?’ he replied with a low voice, giving her a dangerous look, as if she had done something extremely rude. Her body already involuntarily responded to his words and made her turn her attention back to him, momentarily forgetting the blush and trying to process his rude comment.  

Was this the tone he normally used when a subordinate had messed up pretty bad? she absently considered, trying to find a way to explain that this reply was somehow socially acceptable in Worst Order context. 

But, despite trying to negate the brusqueness in what he just said, she could not get rid of the feeling that he was intimidating her, that was for sure. And, combined with the reason she had been blushing before, he was tearing her apart with these most confusing thoughts.

Right now, under his persistent, piercing gaze, she felt like she couldn’t breathe easily, feeling mixed emotions of anger, inadequacy from her part (and for what? He didn't have anything to expect from her), getting slightly terrified and some other burning feeling from her abdomen. One that matched well with her pink cheeks.

She abruptly closed her mouth and looked away with a defying glance. There was no good verbal response she could come up with, especially since she felt like he turned her into a mess so easily. 

This was a conversation she wouldn’t take any further, because it was going to end in the both of them shouting again, and maybe worse. 

The next few seconds, her discomfort only escalated further into distress. Miko felt like she was walking on thin ice, scared to accidentally provoke him. Not that she was convinced there were any actual triggers, but the thought of his hands around her throat tended to do that to her. So, she decided she didn’t want to stay in the same room with him any more and left the cockpit without a word.

Armitage watched Miko’s back when she retreated from the cockpit. He made notice of her posture, which wasn't reflecting her usual defiance. Unlike their other unfortunate encounters, she looked a bit resigned but mainly confused, most likely too emotionally disturbed to be thinking clearly. Her face looked a bit worked up, too.

Thinking back on what he just said to her, he may have been overreacting due to his train of thoughts. She didn't actually say something offensive, although it was much more straightforward than any other conversation he has had in the past years. 

Taking into account that she already looked off, he hoped she wasn’t going to do anything stupid because of his response.

Given her mood though, he opted not to go after her, and wait in the cockpit a little longer. The atmosphere was already loaded enough and he wasn't looking forward to more energy consuming drama or useless fights. 

He automatically turned his attention back to the hyperspace void in front of him and picked up where his thoughts were left, before her intermission. 

The stress started eating at him again. He wasn’t used to having time for anything, and now he sat there, waiting, counting the hours before he was to be delivered to the enemy, at his own suggestion, no less. 

Was he going to be able to break Ren? How much more did he need to give up so he could remove that idiot, who knocked him from his ambitious trajectory? Is it all going to be worth it and what's going to be left of the First Order in the end? Will there be a chance for him to start over and get in charge again?

There had to be, it was the only life he knew. He had been there, only a little five year old boy, when the Order rose from the ashes of the Empire. So many sacrifices, harsh decisions and risks were taken to become what they were. He personally had pushed himself to the limits, over the limits, sometimes to the brink of insanity, to achieve greatness for the First Order. 

His mind wandered further,  thinking back about the choices he made, the career path he chose and pushed himself forward for.  The way he crawled up to the chain of command.

Yes, corruption was within their ranks. He wasn’t clean of those tactics either, but that’s part of the game. He learned those tricks from his father. 

Armitage grimaced at the thought of the latter, and how he made sure the younger Hux understood his teachings. 

There’s no way one could keep his hands clean in achieving leadership. But at least, he knew how the giant war machine worked, something Ren lacked. They all underestimated him, they didn't understand how far he was willing to go and up till now that had always worked in his advantage. 

The empire had shown that a strong hand was imperative to attain peace, but it was too flawed. And with insane emotionally unstable idiots like Ren at the top, the First Order was risking the same end. Something had to be done.

But, after literally leaking the Emperor's message to the resistance and letting high ranked resistance members escape, will he ever be able to seize command? Maybe he did go too far, this time? 

 He didn’t have many allies left. Phasma perished as did Snoke. Lower officers like Mitaka could prove to be loyal to him, given Ren’s outbursts on the personnel. But in high command, he was losing popularity because of Starkiller and the Fulminatrix.

And then there was that huge factor he hadn’t taken into account properly. 

Pryde. 

He knew of the sick prick and his reserve forces, but none of the acting officers of the First Order out in the outer rim were aware of how Pryde had strengthened their numbers so fast. The so-called allegiant-general had become a powerful and influential player. Suddenly, the tables had turned and both Pryde and Ren almost succeeded in removing him from the board of command.

Then came Palpatine 's message, and it was as if it announced Hux's demise. Pryde convinced his loyal allegiant officers that going after the message would bring them significant strategic advantages, while Ren was not open for reason.  Hux was automatically on the other end of the bargain, and thus enemy number one within the Order's upper ranks. 

How convenient for both. 

He felt his palms grow sticky beneath his leather gloves. He could try to come up with alternative tactics, go over the scenarios over and over again, but he already knew in the back of his mind that there was no better option than the way too risky plan he had picked now.

His jaw felt stiff and was starting to hurt from the constant pressure, the sting bringing him back to the present. He sighed deeply and rubbed his nasal bone.

On second thought, getting into some drama or a fight with Miko suddenly feels much more appealing than drowning in these thoughtlines , he scoffed.

A/N: I'm ignoring Sloane for a minute because we don't know what happened to her, same goes for Thrawn. They will have a cameo later on though! I love them too much not to include them 🥰

[theboardwalkbody]

Okay so here are the fic ideas (one shots) that I have in mind (and will probably stay there and never see the light of day).

The first is a fluffy fic with reader and Dusty (Twister). Very much a “Two Friends Who Actually Are In Love With Each Other But Neither Has Actually Said Anything Yet Because They Don’t Want To Ruin What They Have Until They Just Can’t Handle It Anymore And They Kiss” thing.

(I did contemplate making a bonus chapter that’s a little more NSFW but I’ll be honest I can’t because to me Twister represents a more innocent time for me and therefore I can’t write such fic for it.)

The others I’ve got floating around in my head are all Q and Reader. They are also all N!SFW.

Read below the cut for a bit more info on those.

18+ and NSFW below cut.

-Again, these are very likely just going to stay in my own head and won’t actually get written but if you do wanna message and talk about any of them or actually want to see one of them or whatever feel free.

You know that DS9 scene where Q backs Vash up to the bed and pins her down until she pushes him off of her? Yeah. It’s that. But without pushing him away.

2. A transfer of power from Q to Reader. Reader has a little bit of fun to see how much Q trusts them. This one has been on my mind for a long time.

3. The last one is very much Dead Dove Do Not Eat. Darker themes ahead. You may want to just hop out now instead of going any further.

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It’s heavy with trigger warnings (both reader and Q are non.con) and other kinks that aren’t for everyone (maybe mutilation and also injury/forced pregnancy, possibly medical stuff? and def some alien tropes in regards to science) so -again- you may want to just hop out now instead of going any further. I’ll put a few indents in for that so maybe you won’t catch it if you’re scrolling but I’m not getting too explicit in the descriptions here either way. Just the general jist and the main points.

I guess it’s also not technically Q/Reader (?) since the physical acts aren’t occurring between the two of them but is happening to reader/oc. But emotionally it is, if that makes any sense. Its darker/harder themed and a way to get into some Whump!Q and Dark!Q and I’m kinda feeding off the way that’s enticing me (for some reason). I've also got another version where it IS physically Q/Reader but it is still non.con for both of them).

(Also might actually not be 'reader' and may be more OC because it might not even be from their POV. It likely will be from the 3rd person omniscient POV.)

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…………….(Watered down description below)………………..

First contact with a new alien race. Q is stripped of his powers (due to events outside this fic so he’s coming into this powerless) and is forced to watch as reader/oc becomes a victim of these individuals. There isn’t going to be a lot of exposition it’s kinda just going to be at the “scene” already, if you will. But that’s a bit of the backstory that will maybe be included as an authors note or a little summary at the beginning.

I’ve got a few versions. The first kinda just has that aspect only but the second one also delves into forced pregnancy/birth (this part is the version least likely to actually be written explicitly though it will be talked about/threatened in either/all versions most likely). But in both/all versions Q is very much helpless and a victim like 'Reader'/OC is. There is a version where Q is also forced to participate.

Spoilers, however, Q will absolutely not just let them walk away after the fact and he will do what he wants/thinks is best to fix it. I very much like to think of and compare Qs power/energy to that of the universe and the sun. What happens when you really piss off the sun?

[sleeping-on-cracking-ice]

pls do part two of “you're everything you once hated” 🥺

Alright! I originally wasn’t going to do a Part 2 of this but a few people have asked so here you go! 😙

You’re Everything You Once Hated | Suguru Niragi

PART 1 | PART 2

{Alice In Borderland Masterlist}

{Main Masterlist}

Character(s): Niragi (ft. OC, Ann, Tatta, Hatter, Kuina)

Summary: You attempt to escape Niragi to replenish your visa by yourself, but he catches you and makes sure you won’t do it again

Warnings: (okay here we go) blood, toxic relationship, abusive relationship, obsessive themes, suggestive themes, graphic violence/torture, needles, being held hostage, deranged behaviour, reader is traumatised, implications of a panic attack, dehumanisation (kind of?), mention of amputation, mention of suicide, guns, knives, reader sees a corpse, minor character death

Word Count: 4.6k

*reader is female

Author’s Note: this is quite heavy and messed up, so I recommend people under 15 don’t read this

The young man leant against the large building, holding a small rose in his sweaty palms as he waited for you to arrive from your after school class. He winced as the thorns slightly caught on his olive skin. He sighed and craned his neck back to rest on the wall behind him. No matter how much he attempted to distract himself, the rate his heart was beating kept bringing the nausea to his stomach.

The sky was painted a soft mix of orange and pink as the sun began to fall asleep below the horizon. Valentine’s Day couldn’t have created a more romantic atmosphere for Niragi, he couldn’t mess it up now or he would let cupid down himself.

“What the hell am I even doing?” he questioned himself, wiping his brow with the back of his wrist. “She probably doesn’t even see me this way. We’ve been best friends for years, if she felt something she would’ve told me by now, right?”

He was stressing himself out, continuing the doubt whether his idea was good or not. He was considering dropping the rose and just walking away, being too afraid of the reality that he had been in love with you for years and had never been able to voice it. He felt embarrassed about himself, making his head fill with insecurities and doubts.

His phone vibrating in his pocket pulled him from his thoughts. Niragi reached into his blazer and pulled out his device, noticing a text from you.

‘I’m on my way,’ it read.

He heard your footsteps around the corner and straightened himself up, letting out a sigh to relieve tension. He knew there was no going back now, so he had no choice but to go ahead with his confession.

Just as he was about to turn the corner to meet you, he noticed a male voice that echoed yours, making him freeze in his tracks. He kept himself pushed against the wall, trying to listen to what you were saying.

“I mean, movies are cheap at the moment. Do you want to go see one together?” Niragi heard the boy say. His heart sank at the males words and his hand holding the rose fell from his chest to drooping towards the ground.

Your voice, that was all too familiar to Niragi, answered him. “Sure! I’m busy this afternoon, but I’m free this weekend on Saturday.”

Saturday. Niragi frowned. You and him always went to the park together every Saturday to have a picnic together. You wouldn’t forget about that, would you?

His disappointment turned into anger suddenly. The exhilarating emotions filled his mind and heart so quickly, it took him off guard. As his hand twitched slightly, he shook his head to remove the thoughts from his head.

“Okay, I’ll send you a text later to talk about times and stuff,” the boy said. Niragi’s curiosity got the best of him and he peeked his head around the side of the building to catch a glance of who you were with. He wished he didn’t.

It was one of the young kids that picked on him in Science class, which you weren’t in. Niragi felt betrayed, but tried to reassure himself that you just didn’t know what this guy was really like.

“Bye Y/N,” the boy muttered shyly, making Niragi fume at his fake behaviour. ‘He obviously is just trying to get in her pants,’ Niragi thought to himself, jaw clenching in annoyance at your blindness.

The boy leaned close to you and left a soft kiss on your forehead making you smile and wave happily as he walked away. As soon as he disappeared up the stairs a few metres up, Niragi leant back so you couldn’t see him.

He felt tears building in his eyes, so he quickly wiped them away before you found him. He jumped as he saw you turn the corner, hiding the rose he held behind his back.

“Hey Niragi!” you exclaimed, having the same gorgeous smile that you always conveyed around him. Usually the small action would make him melt into the ground. But at that moment, he didn’t think anything you did could make him feel better.

“You okay?” you asked, leaning close to his face with your eyebrows raised. His heart beat picked up, noticing how your lips were only a few inches away from his. He turned his face to the side, hiding his blush. “Yeah, I’m just tired,” he lied through his teeth.

As he kept up his innocent façade, small droplets of blood slowly drizzled down his wrist from the tight fist enveloping the thorned rose. His confined anger flowed through the blood that spilled from the cuts in his palm, but he didn’t feel a pinch of pain through his tensed muscles.

Perhaps one day, the world would give him another chance to show his love for you.

***************

You woke with a start as someone busted through the door of the room, looking around in a panic at who would enter so suddenly. Your eyes widened as you caught sight of Niragi, stumbling into the room with his usual sniper rifle slung over his shoulder.

“Sorry love, did I wake you?”

You stayed silent, sitting up properly and watching his movements closely. You didn’t trust a single thing he did or said, so you still remained on high alert whenever he was in this room alone with you, despite the fact you had been sharing the room with him for three days.

“You getting hungry? I brought some food up last night for you while you were asleep,” he said, placing his rifle on a small table. You watched as it collided with the wooden surface, flinching at the loud noise.

You hadn’t been able to leave the room since your injury. You had been shot in the foot by an overly sensitive militant woman who you weren’t even sure was still alive after the beating Niragi gave her in front of you. His behaviour during that time alone was enough to you terrified, especially the fact that it is impossible to run from him now.

But the lack of movement on your foot has proven to help and you have noticed the bullet wound healing quite well. The ointment and bandages you apply regularly on it (no help from Niragi) has been working perfectly, and you were praying for the moment you could move your stuff back to your own room and escape Niragi’s unpredictable and psychotic behaviour around you.

As if he read your mind, Niragi spoke up. “How’s your foot? Is it getting better?”

The sweet tone in his voice was so contradictory to his intentions. You hated the fact that he thought you fell for his fake façade. To be honest, he probably knew you didn’t believe him, but continued with it to keep you on your toes.

You glared at him through the top of your eyelids, keeping your head low in suspicion. As Niragi sighed from your unresponsive behaviour, he strutted over towards the bed that you were laying on. You panicked and used your arms to push yourself away from him, being terrified of his presence alone. Spending only a few days with him was enough to make you realise how despicable of a human being he actually was.

“Shh, calm down. It’s just me,” he attempted to calm you.

You froze as he sat on the bed nearby your legs. A pained expression grew on your face as he slowly lifted your injured foot to place it gently on his lap, running his hand carefully over the bandage you had applied before going to sleep.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, glancing up at you. You shook your head no, watching as he smirked slightly and turned back to it.

“I’m going to have a look at it,” he demanded, beginning to unravel the bandage on your foot.

You remained still, watching as he was unusually careful. It made your adrenaline run rapid, not knowing when he was going to suddenly snap.

As he pulled the final layer off your foot, relief filled you when you saw that it was still fine. The injury had turned into a small hole in the top of your foot, no blood or redness in sight. Maybe perhaps you could walk again soon, and be able to replenish your visa that was due to end in a few days.

Unfortunately, Niragi wasn’t as happy about this knowledge, and he intended to do something about it.

“Hmm,” he hummed in thought, leaning over to the night stand and picking up a small unwashed needle that he had kept there. It was left there by Ann a few days ago, as she had to come to the room to stitch up a cut that Niragi had obtained during a game.

Your eyes widened at the sight of him holding the needle close to your bullet wound. “W-Wait, Niragi,” you stuttered, nervous about his intentions. “What are you doing?”

Niragi glanced up at you, a devilish smirk painted across his face. His expression made your stomach churn and you attempted to pull your leg from his grip. Your heart rate picked up and you began to panic when he refused to let go.

“Don’t worry, this won’t hurt much. Just... try not to scream.”

Just as you were about to protest, Niragi pinned your foot onto his lap and pushed the tip of the needle as hard as he could into your bullet wound, making you let out a silent scream and thrash in his hold.

You screamed and screamed and screamed, a horrific pain continuously shot through your foot to your leg. You swore at some point it felt like he was cutting your foot off.

“NIRAGI!” you wailed. “STOP! PLEASE!”

You begged and begged through your cries of pain. After what felt like a century, Niragi pulled the needle out of your foot slowly and placed his hand over the wound to attempt to stop the bleeding. You were now lying on your back, sobbing lightly into the sheets and given up.

You felt Niragi caress your face with the back on his hand lightly. “My little princess needs to stay here, where I can keep her safe. You can’t leave. There’s horrible monsters at The Beach and I would hate for you to fall prey to one of them.”

You felt like screaming at him. How could he be so blind, so ignorant. He was the monster, and he failed to realise it.

He placed your leg off his lap, making you let out a small cry. Niragi crawled further up the bed next to you and sat on the sheets. You were facing away from him, not even daring to turn to look at him. You could hear him unbuttoning his checkered shirt, seeing it fly over your frame and land on the floor. A shiver made its way up your spine as Niragi’s hot breath hit the nape of your neck and his warm limbs snaked around your torso. He placed his hands underneath your shirt and softly caressed the skin of your stomach whilst nipping at the skin on your neck.

“You’re so pretty. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you over these years.”

His words sounded so loving, so sweet. But your reaction was the opposite of what he wanted. A slow, sorrowful tear traveled down your face and you began shaking in his embrace in fear of having him so close. You wanted to close your eyes and wake up back home, back in your own bed with your family’s hushed conversations spread throughout the house. This wasn’t home, this was absolute hell.

“Why are you shaking? Are you cold?” your tormentor asked. He removed his hands from underneath your shirt and pulled on your shoulders to make you turn over to face him. You kept your eyes shut tight, refusing to submit to his demands.

He pulled you close once again and placed his hand on the back of your head to push your face into his bare chest. Niragi’s usual smell of blood and metal filled your nostrils, making you grimace against him.

You continued to shake, not being able to control your movements. Niragi sighed, tucking his chin on the top of your head and nuzzling into your hair, taking a breath of the all too familiar scent of the shampoo you’ve always used for your hair. How you managed to find the exact one in the Borderland was beyond his understanding.

The smell made him feel at home. The comfort he found in you was too strong for him to handle, making him become deranged at the thought of you being back in his arms. It scared him, how much he actually depended on you to keep him happy.

And while he continued to hold you close and smile happily at the feeling of your soft breath against his chest, he failed to notice the continuous flow of tears that cascaded down your face and the shaking of your hands that gripped the top of your own thighs violently, trying to realise the tension of the adrenaline in your veins.

************

You had had enough.

Niragi did nothing but put you through absolute torture and trauma no matter how much you attempted to reason with his psychotic self. Bruises littered your body from his usual violence, committing to the awful promise that he was going to make sure you couldn’t leave the room.

You were imprisoned. It felt as if you were trapped in a cage that had the easiest lock in the world to pick, only you didn’t have hands to unlock it.

So two days after the needle incident, you decided you were going to escape, even if it killed you.

You had to replenish your visa, considering it ended the next night. You feared that Niragi would just leave you to die, not caring about your visa, so you had to take it upon yourself.

You may have had an infected bullet wound and a nearly crushed spirit, but you weren’t going to let this be your end. You had to at least try.

*************

“Oi, I’m leaving now,”

You shifted your eyes from your hands resting in your lap to the tall, deranged man who stood at the door of your room. He had his usual black and white buttoned shirt on, charcoal hair tied up at the top to keep it out of his face and his relaxed hand tucked into the pockets of his dark jeans. You almost felt disappointed. How could such a handsome man be wasted by such a horrific mentality.

He carried his loaded sniper rifle in his arm, fiddling with the trigger as he awaited an answer from you.

You nodded your head and turned back to your hands, twiddling your thumbs nervously. You stayed frozen as you heard his footsteps make their way over to you.

Niragi lifted your chin with a harsh grip to your jaw and smashed his lips onto yours. You closed your eyes tightly in discomfort, feeling his desperate lips bite over yours hungrily. It made you feel sick to your stomach.

He pulled away, your lips connected by a string of saliva, making him chuckle. “I’ll be back kitten. Maybe I’ll bring you back a present,” he suggested, raising his eyebrows.

You nodded once again. You knew what he meant. Perhaps an amputated hand of one of your friends? Or the eye of a seeker/hunter to remind you of the “monsters” he’s hiding you from? At this point, you were desensitised to it.

The feeling on his lips on your head brought you from your thoughts. He softly stroked his hand through your hair, tucking slightly on the ends, making you wince.

“Stay here, and don’t answer the door if someone knocks.”

And with that, he left. You stayed completely still for a few minutes, waiting in case he decided to come back just to torment you further.

After you were sure he was completely gone, you shifted to the edge of the bed and swung your legs over the edge to stand up. You had practised walking around the room on your injured foot for the past few days when Niragi wasn’t there, so you had grown used to the random aches that shot up your leg from your bullet wound while walking.

You waddled to the door, slowly swinging it open and grabbing the small knife that sat on the table nearby. You had to have some kind of weapon in case something was to happen.

As you stepped outside, a few people were still making their way down the halls towards the lobby. You noticed a young man that you had somewhat befriended when you first arrived at The Beach named Tatta. He stopped in his tracks when he saw you, a smile growing on his face.

“Y/N! Where have you been?!” he exclaimed excitedly, running to you and throwing his arms around you in a playful embrace. You grimaced at his loud voice, being afraid of a certain someone potentially hearing him say your name.

“Hey Tatta,” you said back, giving him a right hug. You swore you felt like you could’ve cried in his arms from how deprived you were from normal human interaction without the fear of being assaulted.

“Are you coming to the games tonight?” he asked, pulling back from the hug and keeping a hand on your shoulder. You nodded. “Can I stick with you?” you asked with hope in your eyes. Tatta smiled and hit your arm lightly. “Of course! I’d feel better going with someone I knew.”

You agreed and began walking down the hall towards the lobby together in a comfortable. Tatta failed to notice you being more cautious, checking around corners before you turned and whipping your head around to glance behind you every now and then.

************

Just your luck, a ten of spades. You swore the world just wanted you dead. At that point, you had become used to the never-ending bullshit that was thrown your way.

You clawed your way to the table that held the card. Holding the single piece of cardboard between your fingers had never felt more satisfying. You slid down against the wall near the registration area, limbs shaking from the muscle strain you faced during the game. Tatta knelt in front of you, rubbing your knee in an attempt to comfort you, but nothing he could do would make you feel better.

Back at The Beach, you sat in the lobby on one of the leather couches, rubbing your foot to try and ease the aching pain coming from your wound. You had heard when you arrived back that the executives had called a meeting, so you weren’t too worried about running into Niragi.

You closed your eyes and crossed your arms over your chest, rolling your head back to rest against the couch. Moments like that were complete bliss. For a moment, you were able to forget your current situation.

A sudden hand on your shoulder ripped you from your meditation, and you turned your head to see none other than Kuina with a red face and heavily breathing from running. “Hey Y/N,” she started. You sat up and turned around fully to face you.

“The executives want you in the meeting. They heard you collected a high number card and they need you to deliver it.”

Your heart dropped at her words, realising what was coming for you. You had to walk into that meeting room, where Niragi stood. He was going to find out about your little adventure you had without him knowing. Adrenaline filled your senses from the thought of what he was going to do to you.

You slowly stood up, wiping your sweaty hands on your shorts and checking your card was still in the front pocket. You gulped heavily and nodded to Kuina. “Okay, I’ll head there now.”

Every step towards the meeting room was another towards hell. The more stairs you climbed, the more nausea filled your stomach, the more thoughts filled your head. You were seriously just considering throwing yourself off the roof of the hotel, as that seemed like a better option than facing Niragi.

You arrived in front of the double doors, freezing in your path. You don’t know how long you stood there, sighing shakily and attempting to crack your knuckles to relieve tension. But still, as you lifted your hand to push on the large wooden door, your arm shook like a leaf.

You trudged in, hearing the room fall silent at your entry. You refused to look up from the ground, keeping your widened eyes locked to the carpeted ground until you reached the end of the table.

“Ah, Y/N. Finally! Care to show your card?” you heard Hatter ask. You glanced up and caught sight of all the executives gathered around the table on chairs. One of which was of course Niragi.

You locked eyes with the psychotic man, and your stomach dropped when you saw the scowl on his face. He was staring directly into your soul, eyes hardened with anger and unforgiveness. If looks could kill, you would’ve been on the floor dead before you even made it to the table.

You focused on the task at hand and pulled the card from your pocket, placing the somewhat damaged ten of spades on the table. Hatter reached over and held it close to his face to examine it as everyone watched. Well, everyone except Niragi, who held his piercing gaze on you. You swore you could feel him burning holes through your skin.

“Hmm,” Hatter hummed in approval. “Thank you very much Y/N, that will be all,” he said, making a shooing movement towards you.

You nodded and thanked him before quickly walking out of the room. As soon as you stepped out, you broke into a sprint towards you and Niragi’s shared room.

You had to leave the room before the meeting finished. You feared the absolute worse.

When you arrived at the room, you ripped open the door and scrambled inside, groaning at the pain your foot was in. You didn’t have a choice, you had to hurry.

You made your way to the large closet, immediately reaching for the top shelf to pull down the miniature machine gun that Niragi stored up there as a spare. You weren’t sure if you were supposed to know about it, but you managed to spot him tucking it underneath the clothes at some point.

As you were shuffling around the cupboard trying to find some bullets desperately, annoyed and stressed sighs and gasps leaving your mouth, you froze when the sound of the door opening hit your ears. Immediately assuming the worst, you grabbed the door of the cupboard and closed yourself inside, attempting to enveloped yourself in the piles of clothes and resources.

The keyhole in the door of the cupboard allowed you to have a small space to look through. You closed one eye and glanced through the hole, spotting Niragi placing his sniper rifle on the bed and untying his hair, running his hands through it in stress.

You didn’t dare even breath, keeping all your limbs tucked close so you didn’t knock over anything. You were so afraid that Niragi would even hear the sound of your heart beating, as it was as loud as a drum in your own ears.

You grimaced as a sudden putrid smell filled your nose. The smell of fresh flesh that you were all too familiar with from living in the Borderland. You turned around in the cupboard and moved to the side so the light of the keyhole would at least somewhat illuminate the small space. The sight in front of you was enough to make you throw up.

There sat Tatta (or at least, Tatta’s remains), empty eyed and leaning against the back of the cupboard. Bullet holes littered his once kind face, probably counting eight at least. You covered your mouth in horror, letting out a loud cry at the sight, pushing your legs against the ground to scramble away from your dead friend.

Once again, just like the other day during the needle incident, you screamed and screamed and screamed. You fell backwards out of the closet, curling into a small ball and screeching into your palm in horror at the now clearer sight of your friend’s corpse. 

Everything was crumbling around you. Your voice was being ripped to shreds at the back of your throat. Your mind was falling apart, not being able to handle the traumatising events that you’ve faced, breaking and tearing itself apart. Your body was broken. Bruises and scars scattered your frame like an artwork, each one holding a connected traumatic event.

Niragi sat on the bed, watching as you screamed on the ground over by the corner of the room, tears sliding down his tanned cheeks.

What had happened to you? Why did you change so much in these few years?

Niragi slowly stood and made his way over to your shaking frame, hooking his arms underneath your shoulders and knees to lift you bridle style. He smiled sadly down at your shivering frame, not being able to control your rapid movements.

“Aw baby, you’re a mess,” he cried, a sob escaping his mouth halfway through his sentence.

He brought you back over to the bed, crawling on his knees to the centre of the mattress and crossing his legs to lay you in his lap with your head tucked into the crook of his elbow.

He brushed your hair with his fingers, trying to ease your breathing as you kept your eyes tightly shut in fear. “I tried to warn you. Look what happened,” he chuckled through his tears, motioning his head over towards the cupboard. “Do you like your present? I saw you walking with him on your way back to the hotel and thought it would be perfect. Why don’t you like it?”

You opened your eyes and looked up at him with fear all written all over your face. You didn’t dare move from his embrace, being too afraid.

Niragi smiled as he caught sight of your glistening eyes, reaching a hand up and stroking his thumb along your cheek. “You’re so pretty,” he breathed out, leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on your lips.

You brought your shaking hands up and rubbed your face before finally speaking up. “I want to go home,” you desperately whispered, turning your head and pressing your face against Niragi’s clothed chest. He watched as you brought your hand up and gripped the material of his shirt in your fist tightly, conveying anger and stress through your grip.

“You are home kitten,” he states, rubbing his cheek against your head. “I’m your home. I always have been.”

He wasn’t lying to you, and that was the pill that was hard to swallow. Niragi had been your source of comfort for so long, and for once in your life, it felt foreign to lay in his arms and to look into his night eyes.

Oh how weird it felt to look at something that conveyed such sweetness, such delicacy and such empathy, only for it to be utterly ruined by its environment.

You’d like to think that it wasn’t either of your faults. But in the end, it doesn’t depend on the environment, it depends on how you react to it.

Neither of you were perfect, but you were both incredibly different. It never would’ve worked between the two of you, and being in the Borderland did nothing but strengthen that fact. In the end, your differences would either tear you apart from each other emotionally, or you would tear each other apart limb from limb.

Author’s Note: Hi everyone! I’m back to finishing off the fanfic requests that have been sent to me because I finished all the prompt scenarios. I won’t be doing another part to this because I honestly struggled for so long trying to figure out a plot for this one 😭 But anyway thanks so much for your patience. I’ll be uploading these fanfics as quick as I can! ❤❤

Small addition to this fanfic talking about Niragi’s motives and intentions

[peachyysugaa]

blood castle i. || enha 02z

♚──────────────────────────♚

♜ main pairing: vampire! 02z x gn! reader

♜ genre: hogwarts au, mystery, fluff/angst

♜ wc: 2k

♜ warnings: mentions of blood (pg13), purposefully lowercase

♜ other pairings: lisa x namjoon, slight rose x jungkook

♜ a/n: disclaimer that i don't actually ship these pairings, i just find it fitting for the story :] also kinda boring chapter but we're setting things up <3 also hearts at the end of each chapter to keep track of how oc gets along with 02z hehe lmk what you think!

♜ index: teaser | next | masterlist

♚──────────────────────────♚

i. make the most of it

"what will i do when you're both gone? jennie just left and you two are next!" you pout in your train seat as your best friends exchange teasing smiles. as you get closer and closer to hogwarts, you can't help but keep thinking about rose and lisa inevitably graduating this year.

"i don't know y/n, maybe find some friends your age?" lisa teases. you groan outwardly, tilting your head back.

rose, the ever-exemplary hufflepuff, extends her hands out to yours on the table and grabs hold of them. you stop your obnoxious groaning to stare back at her kind smile. "lili has a point, y/nie. it wouldn't hurt to branch out this year so that lisa and i don't have to worry about you."

your eyes widened. "worry?! what's that supposed to mean?"

rose lets go of your hands to cover her mouth as she laughs while lisa is losing it. the gryffindor 7th year is wiping joyful tears out of her eyes, which isn't helping your case.

you sit, pouting once again and waiting for them to explain.

"two words, y/n," lisa begins while holding two fingers up in a peace sign that you know is anything but peaceful. "you're. clumsy."

"am not!" you defied. your best friends exchange looks once again before raising an eyebrow at you. "tell me one time when i was clumsy!"

"remember that time you tried to shut a mandrake up by putting your hand on its mouth and then it bit you?" rose asks.

"oh! that was so funny!" lisa says, trying to hold back her laughter. "my favorite is when she made a lizard instead of a mini dragon in transfiguration but then it burned her eyebrows off!"

as they share your most embarrassing moments, your ears begin heating up and all you want to do is transfigure yourself into the train seat.

"i stand corrected..." you mumble out unwillingly.

"we love you, y/nie. we only want someone to look out for you when we graduate," rose says as lisa nods.

"fine, fine. i get it, moms."

"you love us."

"yea, yea, i love my two moms who come after my clumsiness all the time."

"as you should, now let's get changing. the train is almost at school."

the older hufflepuff was right. you could see the tall towers of the second home you've come to love in the distance as you glance out the window. this year may be bittersweet since the last of your friend group would be leaving you behind, but you were determined to make the most of it with them and perhaps make some new friends this year.

"i'll stay to keep our spot, you two go ahead," lisa tells you and rose.

"going to text your joonie?" rose teases. the gryffindor's ears have a red tinge at the sound of her nickname for her boyfriend.

"just go before the changing rooms fill up," she mumbles. but as you close the door to your shared booth, you can see that she has already pulled out her phone with a cheeky smile as she waves hi on facetime with namjoon who is slightly older than her and currently working as a magizoologist for the ministry.

you smile to yourself, remembering their relationship when you were just a first year. "come on, yn!" rose calls out.

you break out of your daze and see her several feet away from you. "sorry, eonnie!"

you take your hand off the handle, which you didn't register it was still on, and start to move towards her, carrying your blouse, tie and skirt. before you could reach her, you bump into a hard chest.

you hear a deep oof noise from the figure as you rub your forehead.

"i am so sorry!" you hurriedly whisper.

"you're alright, y/n." you recognize the voice and look up to see sim jaeyun from your house and year. "did you hit your head too hard?" he kindly worries.

"i—"

"yn!!" rose shouts.

"sorry, jaeyun," you apologetically smile as you brush past him. "coming, eonnie!!"

you could've sworn he said something like it was nice to see you, but you were far too focused on not letting rose wait any long. she's definitely amicable like most hufflepuffs, but like most hufflepuffs, you probably don't want to see them angry. you should know since lisa says you're already bad hangry.

it's a quick in and out of the changing room and back to your booth where lalisa waits, staring out the window and watching the castle come closer. it's like a wrestler tag team as you and rose high-five her on your way in and her way out. immediately, the two of you settle down and as you get comfortable in your seat, you notice that she's smirking with you, her eyebrow raised.

"why are you looking at me like that, eonnie?" you ask hesitantly. your fingers look more interesting picking fights with each other.

"oh, nothing," she replies, not giving up her smirk. "just wondering when you and jake were close."

"he's literally the same year and house as me. i can't go a year without a class with him."

she hums like she doesn't believe you. "really?"

"really, really."

"really, really, really?" you groan at her response as she starts to giggle.

"do you wanna talk about your crush on jeon jungkook then, eonnie?" she shuts up then and there, and it's your turn to smirk. "thought so."

"that's hogwarts' idol right there, yn. everyone likes him one way or another, so hush!"

"hush about what?" lisa asks as she slides the door open.

"nothi—"

"jeon jungkook." rose glares at you.

"ohh, rosie's crush of 6 years?" your other friend confirms as she closes the door.

"the one and only."

"you know, he and i are co-captains this year for quidditch. you should just come to our practices."

"will he even notice me? i mean..." your focus on their conversation starts to waver as you glance through the door window. outside your door is the familiar trolley witch with all her pastries and drinks, and you can't help but have a craving for your favorite chocolate frogs. you also can't help but notice the other figure with the trolley witch: the very same sim jaeyun you bumped into earlier.

"eonnies, i'm going to buy some chocolate frogs. do you want any?" you ask, keeping an eye on the figures outside your window.

"cauldron cake for me please!"

"let's have every flavor beans for old time's sakes!"

"alright," you say as you slide the door open and close. they go back to their conversation about a plot to get the hogwarts idol that you're sure is bound to go wrong.

"7 blood lollipops please." you hear jake order. you recall him having a large group of friends across different houses and different years, but for all of them to like blood lollipops is quite unheard of.

"you're not going to have all of those, are you?" you ask him, approaching the trolley.

"y/n," he greets with a smile and a shake of his head as he hands his coins to the witch. "no, my friends and i all really like them. i think i would have a headache if i were to eat all 7."

"2 chocolate frogs, bertie's beans, and a cauldron cake please," you order before turning back to him. "does it really taste like blood, or is it just to trick people into thinking you're vampires?"

jake's face pales though it's hard to see because he's already on the pale side and you're counting out your coins to give to the trolley witch. "personally, i think it tastes like cherry."

you hum as you gather your goodies together, and jake is thankful that you're not paying too much attention to how he reacted. "i'll take your word for it."

the trolley witch moves along, doing what she's done for many years and more to come. you're finally focusing on him more now that you have all your snacks and accomplished being a good citizen by paying the fees. your eyes search his face, go past his sharp jawline, and make their way to the shiny prefect badge on his black and gold robes. the prefect engraving is hard to see against the blinding gold of the hufflepuff badge, but it's hard to miss.

"oh, are you a prefect?" you ask curiously.

"yup, so don't stay out too late. i might have to write you up," he teases.

you playfully roll your eyes at him. "please, when am i not a model student?"

"i would say right now because we're about five minutes away from the castle, and you still don't have your robes on, miss l/n," he jokingly tsks at you.

"ahh, but you see, that's not my fault there, mr. prefect," you banter back.

"oh? then maybe i won't have to give you the first detention?"

"well, mr. sim, i was only taking care of my precious eonnies and buying them snacks. i paid my fees and also engaged in conversation with my fellow classmate, so i've been a little preoccupied," you acted out, playing the role of an innocent student.

"hmm.. engaging in conversation with your classmates on the first day does seem to follow the rules," he lightheartedly agrees. jake is about to add more, but his friends call out to him.

"hey, jake, what's taking so long?!"

"you'd better go take care of your friends, mr. sim," you tease. "be a good hyung, won't you?"

his beaming smile causes your heart to skip a few beats. "alright, miss l/n, but make sure not to let me catch you out of uniform." he waves before hurrying to his own booth.

when you open the door to yours, a chorus of oooh's from your eonnies is what you receive. you roll your eyes at them before shutting the door and grabbing your robe. you can see theirs were already on, the equally shining, gold head girl badge pinned on rose's robe.

"i think she'll be just fine on our own when we're gone, rosie," lisa teases as you slip your arms through your sleeves and tuck your wand in your pocket.

"just don't keep one of my prefects distracted, y/nie," rosie adds.

"so long as you aren't distracted by your head boy, rosie," you tease back.

"no way, jeon jungkook is head boy," she gasps at you.

"i don't know, but i just caught you simping in 4k!" you stick your tongue out at her as she whines and lalisa throws her head back in laughter.

"there really is only one choice though, so it probably is him," lisa affirms.

"i swear, if you two are wrong..." rose pouts.

"but if we're not, you'll get to spend more time with him and get to know him instead of just admiring him from afar like everyone else!" you console.

"well, we'll find out soon enough. we're here," lisa announces as she grabs her trunk from the top rack, helping you get yours and rose hers.

"thanks, eonnie! so glad your long legs are so useful!" you thank.

"yah! they'll be useful for kicking you too, ungrateful brat," she jokingly chastises.

"oh no, lisa eonnie is going to kill me!" you shout dramatically. "rose eonnie, save me!"

"it's going to be a long year," she sighs with a smile keeping close behind as you run off the train and lisa chases after you.

jake's expression mirrors rose's as he watches the trio run off to the nearest carriage. a crack forms in his blood lollipop as he sucks on it harder, the sweet taste of blood running across his tongue. "hyung, come on. let's get in the carriage," jungwon calls to him, his own sucker making his words slightly muddled.

"coming," he mumbles, securing his trunk and stepping into the carriage where his 6 friends wait for him.

their fangs are dripping with the blood of the lollipops.

♚──────────────────────────♚

jake: ♥ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ (lvl. 1)

jay: ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ (lvl. 1)

sunghoon: ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ (lvl. 1)

[wiypt-writes]

Stark Spangled Destiny

Ch 2- Touche, Kiddo.

Chapter Summary: Tony and Natasha take Katie back to the first of several key points of impact in her life- the day Tony returned from Afghanistan…

Chapter Warnings: Bad Language words.

Chapter Pairings:  Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

A/N: So these chapters contain flashbacks of sorts- but they’re not flashbacks as Katie is watching the events unfold in front of her-a “Time heist” of sorts. However, to keep it clear and hopefully not confusing, the events she is watching are depicted in itallics instead of me trying to keep calling her 2010 v 2030 Katie…

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Katie Stark and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

Stark Spangled Destiny Masterlist // Main Masterlist

You’re dead.” Katie spluttered, looking at Tony.

“Yeah, so they tell me.” He mused, taking a look around, observing his surroundings. “Which is kind of a bummer.” “So what the fuck is this?” She swallowed, shaking her head. “Am I dreaming? Having some kind of mental breakdown hallucination? Or are you a ghost? And where the fuck have you been for the past seven years, asshole?”

“I wasn’t needed.” Tony shrugged. “But, this is your party so to speak. I can be whatever you want to be if it makes you feel better. I mean, you did have strange dreams at times when you were younger. I distinctly recall one about a giant white rabbit chasing you through the streets of London with an ice cream cone as a hat.” “I was high when I fell asleep.” Katie shrugged, then she gave a moan. “What am I doing talking to you? This is insane, I need to wake up.” She closed her eyes, pinched herself, yelping at the pain. When she opened them, she saw Tony leaning against the tree trunk, one knee bent as his shoe pressed flat against the trunk behind him, arms folded. “Yeah, sorry Kiddo. Still here.” “This is all inside my head.” Katie took a deep breath “This is all inside my head, this isn’t real.” “What was it that Dumblebee dude said? You know the Wizard from Harry Potter?” Tony clicked the fingers on his right hand, pointing at Katie as she rolled her eyes.

“Dumbledor."

“Whatever, the point is what he said. You know, that quote you loved ‘Of Course this is happening inside your head, but why on Earth should that mean that it is not real?’ You can’t have forgotten, you had it stencilled on the wall in your apartment.”

“I haven’t, trust me.” Katie said softly. “It’s Jamie’s favourite too. He has it above his bed, Steve did it for him along with a painting of the Hogwarts Castle"

“Wow, he read them all already?” Tony raised an eyebrow. “He’s smart.” Katie smiled. “A real bookworm, and an artist. Announced the other day he wants to write and illustrate kid’s books now, not be a Baseball player anymore. Steve insists there’s time for him to come to his senses but…” 

"Cap still with the giddy optimism huh?" Tony arched an eyebrow and she felt her eye begin to prick, and that familiar stinging sensation associated with trying to stave off tears filled the upper inside of her nose and she looked at Tony before she rushed forward and he stood up straight. At the last minute, before she threw herself at him she stopped dead and reached out with a shaky hand, her palm pressing against the pin striped material of his waistcoat. He was solid, warm, she could feel his heart beating. 

“I-“ she looked up at him, the tears once more pouring from her eyes, “I don’t want this to be in my head."

Tony smiled, his own eyes brimming with tears as Katie slid her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. She breathed in his familiar cologne, a smell she hadn’t forgotten but one that hadn’t filled her senses in a long time. His hands gently rubbed at her back as he held her close, one hand creeping upwards where it rest on the back of her hair as he dropped a kiss to her head. His familiar fatherly-brotherly touch was seeping into her bones, quelling the deep, dark aching she’d been feeling since, well, she couldn’t remember. Steve was her home, her safe place, her rock, there was no denying that, but Tony was her childhood pillar of strength. He was the man that had band aided her knees and palms, tucked her in, fought the monsters under her bed and for that reason, he would always be a source of comfort and strength.

Even if this was just some whacked out hallucination.

And then, she felt another emotion. An emotion she remembered feeling before many a times watching Steve catapult himself off buildings, bridges, hanging off helicopters before dropping into rivers. It was anger. Anger at the self-sacrificing nature that drove her soldier to act first and think later, but she was feeling it here at her brother. Unable to quell it she pulled back and her right hand laid a stinging slap to Tony’s left cheek. His head snapped to the right and he gave an angry yell.

“Jesus Kiddo! What the fuck was that for?” “For dying, dickwad!” She yelled, the tears falling down her face. “You died and you left me!” “It wasn’t like I had a choice.” Tony sighed, dropping his head. “This was always the end I was going to get, not the end I wanted but…”

“She took it well then.” A voice drawled and Katie stiffened in her brothers’ arms, and looked up at him, eyes wide as she turned slowly to see another familiar face looking back at her, green eyes sparkling, red hair shining in the stray rays of sunlight that crept into the thicket as it fell forward around her face and shoulders over the top of a black leather jacket with a bounce Katie hadn’t seen for years.

“Nat,” she swallowed, wiping her eyes, “you look-”

“Yeah, better.” Natasha shrugged, “Whatever this is, it took us back to a time before it all went to shit. I think this was my hair in 2015 or 16…” “Leipzig you looked like that.” Tony mused as Katie stepped away from him, to scan Natasha up and down. “I, on the other hand, I’m not sure. But I look good so…” “Modest as always.” Katie grumbled as she stopped in front of Natasha, before they embraced as well.

How’s my little man?” Natasha asked and Katie smiled.

“Not so little anymore. He’s like up to here now.”  She held her hand up to a point at the top of her rib-cage. “Growing like a weed and he looks just like Steve.”

“Yeah, we actually know.” Tony cut in. “We know about all five of them, she’s just making conversation. I gotta say, I’m kinda liking the fact Emmy hooked up with Parker. They'll make cute babies"

"Oh God, don't. Steve's already freaking out about them wanting to move in together." Katie laughed and Tony grinned before he pondered something.

"Henry, that wasn't after Hank Pym was it?" He asked and Katie shook her head.

"It was a name Steve liked. I picked his middle. And it was the other way for Flossie."

Natasha snorted. “I gotta say you gave Aurora a perfect name. After a princess.” “The Star Spangled Diva." Katie shook her head before she grinned. “She’s awesome, they all are.” “She’s a Stark that's for sure.” Tony smiled proudly.

“Steve says that. Says she looks like me and has your attitude. Drives him insane.” Tony smirked. “Good to know. Been dead seven years and still bugging the crap out of Spangles.” He nodded, clapping his hand together, rubbing his palms against one another in glee.

Katie looked at her brother for a moment before she shook her head. “Okay, so is this the part where the two of you give me some kind of pep talk, you know about the kids and my outburst before or…” “Well, we could.” Tony wrinkled his nose, “but you always responded better to visuals, so we’re gonna show you.” “Tony I have no desire to see any of that again.” She shook her head. “I already know I fucked up.” “We’re not here about the fact you cussed out Jamie.” Nat said gently

Katie frowned. “Then what is this?”

“We’re more concerned with the fact you don’t seem to understand how much you matter to everyone.” The red head continued. “What was it you said before? Something along the lines of not seeing the point of being in their lives?”

Katie looked down at her feet.

“You’re human, Kiddo.” Tony said “Humans are flawed. They fuck up. Some of us less than others, granted.” Katie raised her head, cocking an eyebrow at Tony. “You’re such a conceited bastard.” “True.” Tony nodded, “But all things considered I think I have a right to be. I mean my best achievement is stood right in front of me.” He shrugged. “I’d like to include Moo in that but, well Pep’s done the hard work there really, bringing her up. You on the other hand, well that was all me.” He stepped forward and took both her hands. “And I’m smug as fuck about it, because you’re an amazing woman Kiddo, you just need reminding of that fact so we can get you over this sudden lack of self-worth you seem to be displaying.” Katie shook her head, tears forming in her eyes, “Tone…” “It’s true.” He shrugged, letting go of her hands. “But, you’ll see for yourself. Come on.”

He turned and started walking up the path towards the Memorial Gardens and Katie watched him before she turned to Natasha. Nat nodded her head towards Tony’s back and with a shrug Katie turned to follow him.

“Might as well see what whacked out journey my subconscious has planned.” She muttered to herself, following her brother as he walked ahead of her slightly. As they emerged from the thicket of trees, Katie noticed the Gardens were completely empty and it was eerily quiet. Eventually, Tony stopped by an orange Audi and Katie shook her head.

“What?” Tony asked. “I liked this colour.”

Natasha walked passed Katie and opened the door, folding the seat forward so she could slip into the back. Katie watched Tony as he settled in the driver’s side before she took another look around. The sun was starting to set, sending streaks of lilac and burnt red across the sky, and with another deep breath she climbed in and shut the door. Tony fired the engine and the familiar sounds of AC/DCs Back in Black hit her ears. Despite herself she gave a smile, glancing out of the window as Tony drove the car forward, the music filled her senses.

Suddenly, she frowned. Her head flicking to look out of the window to her side before she turned back to the windscreen as she recognised her surroundings which seemed to have changed when she blinked. “How…”

“We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.” Tony looked at her as she turned her head to meet his eyes.

“No, we’re in fucking California!” She practically exploded. “How? That’s not possible!”

“Neither is seeing dead people but you’re managing that just fine.” Natasha drawled. Katie ran her hands over her face letting out a groan.

“I’m tripping. I have to be. Did someone spike my coffee before?”

Tony smirked as he pulled the car off the road onto the Military air base and drew up behind a row of blacked out SUVs, each flanked by an armed guard.

“Wait,” Katie leaned forward, looking at three familiar figures waiting on the tarmac as a huge C17 taxied towards them. “This, this is the day you came back from Afghanistan.”

Tony nodded as Katie opened the door and climbed out. She took a few steps forward stopping in front of the car bonnet. Natasha stood by her left, Tony by her right as she watched the aircraft come to a stop.

“Come on.” Tony strode forwards. “You know how I like to make an entrance, be kind of cool for me to actually watch it for once.” They weaved their way through the line of SUVs and Katie paused, stopping. Curiously, she cocked her head to one side and waved her hand in front of one of the guard’s faces. He didn’t even blink.

“They can’t see you.” Natasha informed. “Think of it as being like A Christmas Carol…”

Kate looked at her, before she took a deep breath. “So not quite a Time Heist?”

Nat smirked and nodded. “Almost, but not quite, no.”

“Fucking hell.” Katie shook her head and turned to make her way over to Tony who was now stood just behind Pepper.

“God her ass looks great.” He mumbled. Katie gave a snort as she stopped behind her 2010 self.

“Was I really that skinny?” She muttered, taking in her frame. Her waist was ridiculously tiny, emphasised by the sharp, black tailored suit she wore, her hair pinned back into a bun. She moved round to the side, taking in her profile. Her eyes were shining, her jaw tense as she held back the tears. “Mind you, I don’t think I ate properly for the entire time you were gone.” “You’re not exactly fat now.” Tony scoffed. Katie ignored him, her eyes still fixed on herself. As she watched, 2010 Katie turned to Pepper who looked at her, the pair of them sharing a smile as Katie extended her hand, Pepper taking it, squeezing her fingers.

The tars of happiness trickled down her face, as the ramp on the aircraft carrier opened to reveal her brother. His hair was longer, he looked thinner but he was alive and all things considered he looked pretty good. Dressed in a sharp grey suit, brown shirt and a brown tie sporting white polka dots. His face was a little bruised but his goatee was well groomed and he still wore that determined, arrogant look she knew so well. As Rhodey helped him down the ramp, he waved away the gurney that was being wheeled towards him and unable to stand it any longer, Katie shot forward. Tony was barely at the bottom before she flung herself at him, not caring that his arm was a sling.

“Hey, Kiddo.” He said softly as she buried her face into his neck.

“You fucking asshole!” She sobbed. “Next time, you ride with Rhodey, you got that?”

“Trust me, there will be no next time.” He chuckled as she pulled back and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Afghanistan is a shit hole.”

“It was you know.” Tony mumbled and Katie turned her head away from watching her past reunion with her brother to look at him. “But there was one thing that kept me going in that hell hole. And that was getting back to you. I couldn’t leave you. Not after what happened to Mom and Dad.” Katie swallowed and turned back to see herself and her brother walking towards Pepper, her hand linked in his as they stopped.

“Your eyes are red.” Tony looked at Pepper. “A few tears for your long-lost boss?”

“Tears of joy.” Pepper smiled back. “I hate job hunting.” “Yeah, vacation's over.” Tony said simply, and he headed past Pepper towards Happy. Katie watched as the two men embraced and she turned to Pepper.

“Twenty bucks says the first place he goes is for a cheeseburger.”

“You know me, knew me, whatever, so well.” Tony looped an arm round Katie as they watched their 2010 selves climb into the car and set off.

“I didn’t even try and convince you otherwise.” She sighed, looking at him. “I knew you’d refuse to go to the hospital. I didn’t see the immediate press-conference coming though. That was certainly a curve ball.”

“Yeah, it was an interesting one for us too at SHIELD.” Nat mused. “As soon as Fury got the call about how you’d escaped and that you’d called said conference he dispatched Coulson.”

“God.” Katie blew out a breath. “This was like twenty years ago now. I was so young, a baby.”

“Well, now you don’t look a day over forty-six.” Tony said, patting her shoulder. She glared at him and he chuckled “Come on.”

Katie cast her eyes once more at the tail of the Rolls which was heading over the airfield tarmac and the three of them walked back to Tony’s Audi.

**** “Higher Daddy!” Harry giggled as Steve pushed him on the swing lazily with one arm, all the time keeping one eye on Rori who was currently with Jamie, the pair of them hanging off the climbing frame upside down whilst Stark sat at the bottom, barking at them. Whilst all his kids seemed to have inherited some of the serum’s benefits in that they were rarely sick and on the whole pretty robust, they were still fifty-percent ‘normal’ for want of a better word, and Steve’s heart was constantly in his mouth when they did stuff like that. To his horror, he watched Rori pull herself up and then tuck herself into a ball, flipping herself backwards off the frame, landing on her feet.

“That’s how to stick a landing.” She looked at Jamie, her tongue poking out at him before she trotted back over to her Dad ignoring her brother’s shout of “loser…” as she headed off.

“Can you not do that?” Steve sighed exasperatedly as she stopped by his side.

“Do what?” She looked up at him, her green eyes frowning a little. “Throw yourself off stuff.” “Momma says you did it all the time.” Rori looked at him “She said you threw yourself out of an elevator with her on your back.” “That, that was different.” He finished lamely.

“How?” “Because I had no choice.” “Why didn’t you just push the button to take the elevator down?” Rori looked at him like he was an idiot and he groaned.

“Rori, just, oh, I dunno, go and play on the slide or something. And by that I mean slide down it, not jump off it.”

“Hey Dad?” Jamie appeared by his side and Steve looked down at him. “You wanna play catch?”

“Why don’t you play with Stark?” Steve suggested. “I need to keep an eye on Harry and Flossie, buddy.”

“Stark just runs off with the ball. He never brings it back.”

“Well, try teaching him.” “I have.” Jamie whined.

“Jamie, don’t start.” Steve looked at him sternly “You’re skating on thin ice as it is. I’ll bring you out to play ball just the two of us one night next week, I promise.” “I’ll play.” Rori offered. Steve could see Jamie was considering his options before he shrugged.

“Okay.”

The two of them headed off towards the small sandlot to the side of the park, Steve watching as he continued to push Harry in the swing, his gaze then turning to Florence who was asleep in the stroller. Eventually, Harry got bored and wanted to play on the slide so Steve lifted him out and they made their way over, Harry’s hand wrapped around Steve’s as he pushed Florence with the other. He watched Harry as he climbed the steps and then moved to the bottom of the slide, crouching as the little boy whizzed down laughing, Steve smiled as he caught him and tossed him into the air slightly.

“Again!” Harry demanded. Steve let him down and he repeated the motion a few times before Steve checked his watch. It was getting a little late, granted it was a Saturday but he didn’t want to deal with the fall out of them all being over tired and cranky over dinner. There had been enough tantrums and tears today.

“Kids, think we should head back.” He said as he approached the older two. Jamie looked at him, about to protest and Steve glared at him.

“What did I say before?”

Jamie took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, Dad.”

Together they walked back, Jamie and Rori a little ahead as Steve kept pace with Harry. They took the path through one of the green parks that led to their road and Rori stopped at a bank of wild flowers.

“Hey, can we pick some for Momma?” She asked, turning to look at Steve. “The blue ones are pretty.”

Steve smiled. “I think that’s a great idea.”

“Make momma happy?” Harry asked, looking up and Steve nodded.

“Yeah, yeah it will.”

Steve watched as Jamie and Rori headed off to a patch to the left to pick a few and Steve crouched down consulting with Harry as to which ones he wanted to get. He helped him pick a few before he turned back to see Jamie and Rori clutching handfuls each.

“You leave any for the bees?” He quipped and Rori looked at him.

“There are looooads.” She gestured with her hands, giving an eye roll that was ridiculously comparable to those of her mother.

“Well that’s me told.” Steve arched an eyebrow. “Okay, give them here.”

He took them gently, adding them to Harry’s and he laid them on the little shelf at the bottom of the stroller before the five of them made their way back home.

**** Tony parked the Audi haphazardly in a space outside the Stark Industries HQ main building.

“Nice parking.” Katie quipped.

“It’s our company, I own this parking lot. Well I did. And besides, like you keep saying, this isn’t real so what does it matter?” He asked as the three of them exited the car. Katie glanced over to where Obadiah Stane was waiting with the press and their employees, laughing loudly and generally acting like the big shot.

“Dick.” She mumbled. “I never liked him.”

“Yeah, I know. You told me a lot. And it turns out you were right about him.” Tony shrugged. “Who knew?”

She snorted and Natasha gave a chuckle. “I’ll leave you two to this one.” She said gently, leaning against the car, folding her arms. Katie looked at her, before she turned and followed Tony as he strode forward, watching as the Rolls pulled up. The people stood round the turning circle all started to applause and when the car stopped and Obadiah strode forwards, arms open.

“Look at this!” He opened the door, presenting Tony to everyone and pulling him into a hug “We were going to meet at the hospital.”

“No, I'm fine.” Tony said, turning to Happy who offered him the Burger King bag from which Tony pulled another cheeseburger.

“Look at you!” Obadiah chuckled “You had to have a burger, yeah?”

“Which reminds me,” Katie nudged Pepper as they walked around the back of the car, “you owe me a twenty.” Pepper snorted and shook her head, “come on.”

Katie and Pepper headed inside, following Tony and Obadiah who were chatting away, the cameras flashing as they walked through the cool, marble clad reception area of HQ where the podium that the press conferences were held from stood to the side. Katie and Pepper stopped, Katie taking a breath as she watched Tony walking through the group of people, speaking to various until a voice by her side made her jump.

“Miss Potts, may I speak to you for a moment?”

Katie turned to see an unassuming man, with short dark hair and a kind face dressed in a black suit, a Visitor Tag attached to his breast pocket. She looked at him for a second before her attention turned back to Tony who was busy talking to a woman in a red suit.

“I’m not part of the press conference,” Pepper spoke to the man, “but it’s about to begin right now.”

“I'm not a reporter. I'm Agent Phil Coulson, with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.” The man spoke and that got Katie’s attention. She turned to look at him, smiling.

“That's quite a mouthful.” She grinned and Agent Coulson gave her a smile.

“I know. We're working on it.” He smiled as Pepper took the business card he was holding. Katie arched an eyebrow and smiled, once more turning her eyes back to her brother.

“You know, we've been approached already by the DOD, the FBI, the CIA...” Pepper continued and Coulson cut her off gently.

“We're a separate division with a more specific focus. We need to debrief Mr. Stark about the circumstances of his escape.”

Katie turned to him, frowning and wondering exactly how they knew about it. Reading her facial expression, Coulson shrugged slightly and Pepper nodded. “I'll put something in the book, shall I?”

“Thank you.”

Katie was about to quiz him more when she heard Tony calling for her. She looked at her brother and he gestured with his head.

“Excuse me.” She strode forward and Tony put an arm round her shoulder.

“I need to speak to you, before I talk to the world.”

“God, I remember this like it was yesterday.” Katie turned to Tony as they followed in the wake of themselves, everyone parting as Tony steered his sister towards the little break out room at the back, which housed the coffee and vending machines.

“Yup.” Tony said as they ducked inside the room with themselves. “It was a pretty life defining moment. For me anyway…”

“It was for both of us.” Katie watched as 2010 Tony clicked he door shut. “This is where it all began. Iron Man, SHIELD, all of it.”

Tony smiled and they both turned their heads to watch their past selves.

“I’m shutting down the Weapons Manufacturing.” Tony said and Katie frowned.

“What? Why?”

“I saw out there what our weapons are being used for.” Tony shook his head. “I don’t know how those terrorists got hold of them, because I sure as hell didn’t approve any bids to that particular group, did the Commercial Department negotiate them without me, using your delegated authority?”

“Of course not!”  Katie replied indignantly “What do you take me for? They must have been traded on the black market…”

“And that is exactly my point!” Tony nodded at her. “We can’t police it all. So I want to shut it down. Focus our efforts elsewhere.”

“What happened to you out there Tone?” Katie considered her brother for a moment and he took a deep breath.

“For the first time I met my Jiminy Cricket.” He shrugged. “Tony Stark doesn’t want to be the most famous mass murderer in the history of America anymore.”

Katie frowned. “That Vanity Fair article. You read it?”

“Of course I read it, it was about me.” He shrugged “The reporter…erm..”

“Everhart?” Katie looked at him. “You forgot her name after you banged her as well?”

“Whatever, that’s not important.” Tony waved her off “But Kiddo, all those lives we’ve saved by advancing medical technology and the starvation prevented from intelli-crops, she mentioned none of that.”

“Because that doesn’t sell papers.” Katie shook her head “Whereas dubbing us Merchants of Death does.”

“War profiteering she called it. And she was right.” Tony implored “You know, Dad always said that peace means…”

“Having a bigger stick than the other guy, yeah, you told me” Katie looked at her brother.

“And it’s a great line coming from the guy selling the sticks.” Tony shook his head. “But what if no one was selling the sticks?”

Katie took a deep breath. “People would then just make their own sticks, and they’d be harder to police.”

“But what if I told you I had a pretty big assed stick of my own to stop that? The biggest stick anyone could have.”

“I’m not-” Katie sighed, rubbing at her temple. “Tony you’ve lost me”

“I wouldn’t have escaped if it hadn’t been for my cell mate out there. He saved my life,” Tony tapped his chest, “not only did he build an electromagnet to keep a bunch of shrapnel from shredding my heart, he sacrificed himself so I could escape. His last words were an instruction, not to waste my life, Kiddo, and I have no intention of doing so anymore.” He looked down at his feet taking a deep breath before he raised his head to meet her gaze. “I don’t want my legacy, our legacy, to be about how many deaths we may or may not have been indirectly responsible for.”

“You really did have an epiphany didn’t you?” Katie looked at him, not a shred of sarcasm in her voice.

“It was my moment of clarity” Tony nodded “And I have a permanent reminder, as you know already.”

He moved his arm gently, wincing as he did so, loosening his tie a little and undoing the top few buttons on his shirt. He gently parted it and Katie gave a gasp at the small circle of light in the middle of his chest.

“This thing powered a suit I made. A metal suit. I shrunk the Arc reactor down in a damned cave, and that’s what’s now keeping the shrapnel in place, but it powered a heavy assed suit for fifteen minutes. Just think of all the good we could do with it with it. Renewable technology, medical equipment, maybe some other form of potential peace keeping initiative with a slightly smaller metal suit.”

“Is this the big stick you were talking about?” Katie asked, arching her eyebrow. “A metal suit.”

Tony took a deep breath. “In a fashion, yes. It could remove the need for other sticks so to speak.”

Katie took a deep breath before she stepped forward and began to do his shirt back up for him, not saying a word as she mulled over what he had said. The fact they traded weapons had been something she tried not to think about, justifying it in her mind as a means to an end- if they didn’t someone else would. But if you were to remove that completely…

She re-knotted his tie and slid it up to his collar before she straightened it and stood back, rolling her eyes as Tony loosened it once more.

“I need you to trust me on this, Kiddo.” He said softly and she looked at him, her eyes searching his. There wasn’t a single ounce of doubt there, quit the contrary. This was obviously something he vehemently believed in. And for that reason, she decided to back him.

“Okay.” She nodded “We’ll shut it down.”

Katie watched as her 2010 self and brother embraced, turning to Tony. “You have no idea how much of a head fuck that was” she said as they followed themselves out of the room.

“Oh, believe me I do.” Tony said, as they stood at the back of the room, watching as Obadiah greeted the press, 2010 Katie walking up to stand beside him.

Tony sat down in front of the podium. “Hey, would it be all right if everyone sat down?” He asked, fishing the cheeseburger out of his pocket “Why don't you just sit down? That way you can see me, and I can... a little less formal and...” Tony took a bite of the cheeseburger as Katie glanced at Obi, giving a shrug, before she sat to Tony’s left.

“Good to see you.” Tony looked at Obi who smiled.

“Good to see you.” He said, reaching out and touching Tony’s shoulder.

“I never got to say goodbye to Dad.” Tony looked around. He glanced at Katie, “we never got to say goodbye to our father.” He swallowed his food and placed the half eaten burger on the floor as he considered his words. “There's questions that I would have asked him. I would have asked him how he felt about what this company did. If he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts.”

Katie glanced at the floor as Tony paused for a second.

“Or maybe he was every inch the man we all remember from the newsreels.” He once more turned to Katie who gently placed her hand on his back, giving a small rub over his suit jacket. Taking a deep breath he looked out over the room. “I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them. And I saw that we had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability.”

Out of the corner of her eye, as the members of the press began to call Tony’s name, Katie saw Obadiah shift slightly, frowning a little at what Tony had just said.

“Hey,Ben.” Tony nodded to one of the reporters.

“What happened over there?”

“I had my eyes opened.” Tony stood and moved behind the podium, Katie watching his every move. “I came to realize that I have more to offer this world than just making things that blow up.”

He glanced down at Katie and she gave him a small nod.

“And that is why, effective immediately, me and my sister are shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International”

The room erupted in commotion, everyone standing and talking at the same time. Katie took her position by her brother as Tony simply continued speaking

“…until such a time as we can decide what the future of the company will be.”

Obadiah placed his hand over Tony’s shoulder, trying to cut in a little and mentioned something about selling a lot of newspapers but Tony ignored him

“…what direction it should take, one that we’re comfortable with and is consistent with the highest good for this country, as well.”

At that he turned to Katie and the two of them left the stage, Tony’s arm looped around her shoulder as he dropped a kiss to her temple.

Obadiah continued to speak as Katie turned to Tony, watching themselves as they left the room.

“Wanna go watch the follow up fireworks?” he grinned and she gave a chuckle.

“Why not, we’re here. May as well.”

They walked out to see their past selves climbing into Happy’s car and Natasha straightened up as they headed to the Audi.

“Have fun?” She drawled and Katie looked at her and shrugged.

“I suppose I never really understood the significance of that moment. Like I said to Tony in there, this is what kicked it all off. How Iron Man was born.”

Natasha looked at Tony, giving him a little nod “You were right to bring here her then.” “Just like I said.” He shrugged as he opened the door to the Audi, gesturing to it with his head “Now, get in Losers, we’re going Arc Reactor viewing.”

Katie rolled her eyes at Natasha as the two of them climbed into the car and Tony followed the Rolls that was working its way across the Stark Industries site. Eventually it stopped outside the large, glass fronted building which housed the Arc Reactor that powered the plant. The three of them exited and followed 2010 Tony and Katie inside.

“So this is a larger version of what was in your chest.” Natasha looked up at the huge power source, giving it the once over.

“Yup.” Tony nodded. “Pretty cool huh.”

Natasha gave a hmmm of agreement as Katie’s eyes strayed to herself as she stood with Tony, the two of them stood side by side, looking up at it.

“Not sure Obi is gonna be happy.” She turned to look at Tony who shrugged, his eyes not leaving the Arc Reactor.

“I don’t much care.” He shrugged. “We’ve bowed to him and the board for far too long.” “Well, that’s kind of the point of a board.” She looked at him.

“Yeah, but the two of us make the majority, as you know.” Tony shrugged. “Look, Kiddo, this is the right thing to do, we just gotta ride out the bow of this shit storm for a while.”

“That’s a mixed metaphor.” Katie snorted and Tony grinned. At that point the doors to the building opened and they turned to see Obadiah stood, cigar in his mouth, hands on his hips.

“Well, that..uh...that went well.”

“Did we just paint a target on the back of our heads?” Tony asked reaching up to undo his tie.

“Your heads? What about my head?” Obi asked walking behind them, pacing slightly. “What do you think the over-under on the stock drop is gonna be tomorrow?”

“Uh, optimistically, forty points.” Katie offered as Tony whipped off his tie.

“At minimum.” Obadiah nodded.

“Yup.” Tony agreed, hanging his tie over his jacket which was draped on the railings around the reactor.

“Tony, we're a weapons manufacturer.” Obadiah said softly, looking at him.

“Obi, I just don't want a body count to be our only legacy.” Tony turned to face him.

“That's what we do. We're iron mongers. We make weapons.”

“It’s our name on the side of the building.” Katie chipped in and Obadiah sighed.

“What we do keeps the world from falling into chaos.”

“Not based on what I saw.” Tony shook his head. “We're not doing a good enough job. We can do better. We're gonna do something else” “Like what?” Obadiah asked “You want us to make baby bottles?”

“Tony thinks we should take another look into arc reactor technology.” Katie spoke, clearing her throat. “And I agree.

“Ah, come on.” Obi looked at her, then shook his head, waving his hands towards the item in question “The arc reactor, that's a publicity stunt! Guys’ come on. We built that thing to shut the hippies up!”

“It works.” Katie said simply and Tony smiled, catching her eye for a second as Obi scoffed.

“Yeah, as a science project. The arc was never cost effective. We knew that before we built it.” He shook his head once more pacing behind the siblings, neither of who turned to face him “Arc reactor technology, that's a dead end, right?”

Obadiah’s tone was almost sarcastic and Katie understood instantly that he knew about the one in Tony’s chest. From the smile on her brother’s face he’d also reached the same conclusion.

“Maybe.” Tony said, his smile growing bigger as he looked up at the larger arc once more before he turned to Katie, his smile growing bigger. She gave him one of her own as they both turned to look at Obi.

“Huh? Am I right? We haven't had a breakthrough in that in what? Thirty years.”

“That's what they say.” Tony said, narrowing his eyes as Obadiah looked straight at him. Katie snorted.

“Obi, could you have a lousier poker face?” She rolled her eyes.

“Just tell me, who told you?” Tony looked at him.

“Never mind who told me.” Obi pointed towards his chest. “Show me”

“It's Rhodey or Pepper.” Tony continued

“I want to see it.” Obadiah continued.

“Okay, Rhodey…” Tony undid his sling and looking around he began to undo his shirt to show Obadiah the reactor in his chest. The older man looked at it for a moment, glancing to the larger arc before he chuckled a little

“Okay.” He said as he began to button Tony's shirt back up, the same way Katie had earlier.

“Okay? It works.” Tony looked at him.

Obadiah sighed, giving a smile and looped his arm around Tony’s shoulder. “Listen to me, Tony. We're a team.” He gestured to Katie. “The three of us, do you understand? There's nothing we can't do if we stick together, like your father and I.”

“I'm sorry I didn't give you a heads-up, okay?” Tony looked at him. “But if I had...”

“Tony. Tony, no more of this "ready, fire, aim" business. You understand me?”

“Wasn’t that another one of Dad's line?” Katie asked and Tony looked at her, nodding.

“You two have gotta let me handle this.” Obi looked at them. “We're gonna have to play a whole different kind of ball now. We're going to have to take a lot of heat.” He said as Katie helped Tony back into his jacket. “I want you to promise me that you're gonna lay low.”

Katie, Tony and Natasha watched the other figures leave the building and Katie sighed, her eyes flicking back up to the arc reactor.

“You know, that was a great trip down memory lane and everything Tone, but you’re gonna have to help me out here as to how, exactly, that’s supposed to relate to my apparent sudden lack of self-worth.”

“You backed my decision.” Tony stated simply. “You were one hundred percent behind me when I said I wanted to shut down the weapons manufacturing.”

“I know, but…” “If you hadn’t been, Tony would never have done it.”  Natasha shrugged

“Red’s right, you were always my sanity check. Despite what you may have thought to the contrary, I trusted your opinions, Kiddo. Every key decision I made with SI was done with you by my side.” “That’s not true.”

“It is.” Tony pressed. “Think about it for a second. The Charities, the deals, the partnerships, the take overs, the Arc Reactor, not one single big thing I did with that company, with our company, was done without you. Even when you disagreed I took that into consideration and modified stuff so that it was more in-line with what you suggested or thought.” Katie swallowed, shaking her head slightly, lost for words. Eventually she took a deep breath and looked at her brother. “I didn’t realise. I always thought you did that simply because you needed my vote on stuff to make a majority…”

“Well you thought wrong.” He shrugged “But I’ll forgive you. The world only has space for one Stark genius.” “Good job you’re dead then.” She shot back and he looked at her, his eyebrow arching slightly, an incredulous smirk on his face as Natasha snorted.

“Touche, Kiddo. Touche.”

 **Original Posting**

[eerythingisshaka]

Will the Bell Ring? Pt. 7

[Erik Killmonger x Black!OC]

Word Count: 5.5K

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Nine Years Ago

Kimara stares at T’Challa blankly, digesting his words until they make a little more sense.  Kimara sits up straight on the couch, putting her face in her hands.

“Do you understand what I am saying now?”  T’Challa says.quietly across from her.

She pulls her hands down, shaking her head.  “No.  He isn’t like that.  Who would do something like that?.”

“I cannot let you think that with all the lives I have lost under his reign.  This is serious,”  T’Challa says sternly.

Kimara denies it.  “I know this is a serious allegation but he couldn’t have done this on his own, why is he getting all the blame!?”

T’Challa sighs.  “This was his mission of revenge, and he wanted all of the glory.  There is no way he could do all he wanted with a team, he was bloodthirsty.”

Kimara stands feeling her blood boiling.  “You need to get out, I can’t take this right now.”

T’Challa steps up to her, pleading, “It would be best if-”

“Can I ACTUALLY do what’s best for me!  He doesn’t know, and neither do you!  Let him figure this out on his own, how dare he try and ask for me to-” 

Before she could finish her sentence she bends over feeling herself cramp up in her abdomen.   She was acting up too hard.  The pain is so swift and sharp, she gags from the pressure she is under.  

“Kimara, are you alright?”  T’Challa takes you under the arm to hold you up. She gets the urge to cry from his compassion, but holds out.

“I’m fine.  Just leave me alone.”

T’Challa stands Kimara up straight looking at her in her eyes powerfully.  She gazes back at him, taking in his presence for once.  His features aren’t very close to Erik’s but his handsomeness is unique in his own right with an unblinking gaze that manufactures authentic confidence in anything he says.

“He almost died at my own hand, Kimara.  During a time when I lost family, I gained another and had to fight him to the death.  I have been riddled with worry and guilt over how I could’ve handled things differently but I was forced to act quickly as he grew stronger.  While he is recovering, he has asked for you several times under anesthesia and since he is now stable, we think it is best he sees a familiar face, if you can do it.”

Kimara lowers her head, feeling her ferocity break at the thought of Erik laid up in pain in a foreign land.  It’s not fair.  This time was hers to have.  When she wanted him with her, he didn’t have time, but now she is supposed to jump?

Kimara nods.  “But how will I get there?  I don’t have plane ticket money.”

T’Challa puts a hand to his heart.  “I will take care of everything.  You go ahead and pack some things.  I can take you whenever you are ready.”

Kimara tells him to give her a couple days to get some things together to go.  She hadn’t been feeling well at all and had to cancel her rehearsals to accommodate this trip.  Miraculously, her symptoms subsided substantially with a couple prescribed pain pills as she drug her luggage out to T’Challa’s car.  He opens the door for her in the early morning hours.

“You pack with preparedness, eh?”  he says with snide humor.  Kimara ignores the remark as she gets into the passenger side and he loads her baggage in.  

T’Challa drives them up to an open field and parks, turning off the engine.  He leans back in his seat, looking out at the horizon.  She looks from him to the open area with confusion.

“Aren’t we going to an airport, or-”

“Isn’t this a beautiful sunrise, Kimara?  The colors being a bright orange and yellow ombre to greet us today.”  Kimara sits still, staring at the sky herself.  The colors are just as he described:  so richly beautiful but also blinding in spite.

“It is, T’Challa.  But what are we doing here?”

He grips the steering wheel tightly, making the leather squeak under his palms.  “This gift is something you can only experience here on Earth.  And it can be taken from us without much effort, so quickly.  There is no price you can pay to get something like this, and yet my god provides it daily whenever they see fit.  How can anyone want more?”

You look over the sun’s rays peeking out and stretching across the sky.  “The world isn’t built to appreciate this.  People will always want more because life requires more thanks to capitalism.  I shame people who say that the world is yours and hold it for themselves and make you feel small for trying to get a little bit to survive.  It’s gaslighting 101.”

When she looks at T’Challa, he is already looking at her intently, listening to her words.  A sound in the distance breaks their conversation as an aircraft lowers out of thin air in the middle of the field.  

“That’s why I am glad you are here, Kimara,”  T’Challa says, getting out of the car and leading you to your ride in the sky.

On board, Kimara buckles herself in tightly in your seat and keeps her eyes closed for the ride.  T’Challa sits next to her.  

“You know, turbulence is not an issue with us here.  If something rattles, it means we are under an attack.”

Kimara groans, feeling her stomach churn with the vision.  “Our Father, who art in heaven…”

T’Challa chuckles as you finish praying.  “I apologize if that made you more uncomfortable.  The aircraft is cloaked.  Invisible.  No attack will see our way either.  We are almost there.  I am surprised you didn’t say you get sick in the air.”

Kimara grips her armrests, feeling sweat bead around her forehead.  “I am a silent sufferer.  Not until it absolutely cannot stay in, will I let people know that.”

T’Challa tuts at her.  “That is not healthy.  You should be more vocal.”

“Yeah, well I’m saying it now so…”  she laughs nervously feeling a slight descent that makes her belly button tingle.  “What’s that?  Are we landing?  Are we there?”

T’Challa steps over to a nearby window.  “It appears we have made it.  You are robbing yourself of the visions outside.”

“I am saving myself some misery and you some clean up if I make a mess, so you’re welcome.”

As the aircraft lands, the thud of wheels to earth gives her some peace as she opens her eyes to see T’Challa speaking to a warrior looking woman in the corner.  T’Challa turns to Kimara, motioning her to follow him out of the aircraft.

“Your bags will be put into a room for you but as of right now, you can follow me to the medical chamber where Erik is.”

“Is he ok?”  she asks.

“He is awake,”  T’Challa says curtly.

As they descend in the elevator, they are greeted by a guard who leads them outside of a room with more guards out front.  

“These are the Dora Milaje.  They are my guard here in Wakanda, trust them with your life.  I am keeping my distance from Erik for now as he stabilizes but they will be here if you need any help.”

Kimara thanks T’Challa as he dismisses himself, signaling to his guard.  They step aside from the entrance, her leeway to step in.  Kimara gets nervous, wondering what she may find him like, if he is conscious.

As she walks in, her breath hitches as she sees him lying still with an oxygen apparatus and a large patch over his chest.  His marks along his body is something she hasn’t gotten used to yet as he lays shirtless.  Kimara walks up to him, grazing her fingertips along each soft, bulby keloid along his arm.  She wished she could make them go away.  Each tear that came from the strike of the blade that did this to him, to the hold in his chest.  It didn’t have to be this hard for him, why would he choose this?

Erik’s eyes flutter open, seeing Kimara, he takes a sharp breath before coughing harshly.  Kimara grabs his hand, feeling him squeeze hers so strongly makes her feel secure.

“Hey baby, take your time.  Don’t talk too much.”

Erik looks around the room. “Why you here?”

She smirks, running her fingers over his locs.  “I had to come see you.  I don’t want to talk about it now, but after what I heard, I couldn’t stay away.”

Erik tries to sit up, speaking with labored effort, “You shouldn’t have...came.”

Kimara lets loose his hand.  “Erik, you almost died.  Should I stay away from your funeral too?”

“If I died...you never would’ve known.  No one knows I’m here...How did you get here?  You hate flying.”

Kimara shrugs.  “I mean, in an emergency I will.  Your cousin offered.  Just met him.”

Erik glares at her.  “You shouldn’t be around him.”

“Trust me, I didn’t want to but-”

“Did he force you here?  Are you safe?”  He coughs, speaking too fast.

“Erik, stop getting upset, I’m fine...for the most part.”

Erik looks you over and at the door where the Dora stands.  “Ok...But when I have my shit together, I’m gettin the fuck out of here...You should leave now.”

Kimara scoffs at the thought.  “Not so fast, you got stabbed after all.”

“It’s fine.  They healing me the regular way cuz they don’t want to heal me the Panther way.  Took my power and everything.”

“Power?”  she asks.

“You shoulda seen me.”  Erik falls back looking at the ceiling.  “I was fucking superman.  You don’t know how good my body felt, indestructible.  It’s what I always wanted that feeling, chased for I don’t know how long.”

“Is that why you got mixed in with the special forces?  You wasting your brain being in that.  They turned you into a human pin cushion with all these marks.”

Erik stares at her blankly.  “You always saying that.”

“What?”

“Making me feel dumb for doing the military.  Acting like I’m nothing but a test dummy.”

Kimara motions to him laying there.  “Did it not get you here?  This ain’t even something you get a medal for?  You down here for a personal vendetta instead of real shit!”

“Real shit?  Hell, I didn’t know saving my father’s legacy wasn’t real shit to you.  Plus that military training gave me insight for what this world had coming at me.  Once I had people on my side that taught me what I could have?  What I could take back?  All I needed was to go get it.”

“And you lost it in the end Erik.  It wasn’t worth it.”

“I made my damn point.  Even if I died, I would’ve left my mark.”

“Stop talking about that.”

“About what, Mara?”

“Dying!  Why you so ready to die all of a sudden?  Why you want to act like it’s you against the world?  Erik, I wanted you to stay safe with me.  There was no reason to go except your pride.”

“Mara, we weren’t…”  Erik’s voice trails off.

Kimara feels her heart sink as silence wades between them both.  “We weren’t what?”

Erik doesn’t look at her, licking his lips and thinking on his next words.  “Kimara, I wanted you to let me go.  You didn’t like me in the military and shit, so I wanted to say goodbye, make it easy for the both of us.”

“I didn’t get a goodbye that night, Erik.”

“I know cuz it was hard to go and of course, I cared about you.”

“That fucked me up Erik.  You know that?”

Erik shrugs.  “I know.  It wasn’t easy for me either.”

Kimara’s emotions flood over.  “No Erik, it wasn’t just…”  she holds her face and takes a step back.  

Erik looks uncomfortable, fidgeting with his oxygen mask under his chin.  “Kimara.  It’s fine, don’t do that.”

“It’s not!  You just go and do whatever you wanna do when you feel like it.  Now you tellin me that we didn’t have nothing in the first place?  You ready to die for a cause that only affects you and it will die with you!”

“You know what this was all about Kimara, I told you.  That don’t mean nothing?”

“Of course it means something!  But how can you come here and get people killed and yourself killed and consider it a good job!  That’s more evil than I ever thought you could be.”

“Yeah, I’m bad then, so?  You knew my bad shit before you came here, why did you come?  What good is you coming here, if I can’t be helped?”

Kimara shakes her head, feeling tired.  “I never said that.  I wanted to make sure you were alright.  I couldn’t have you here alone and you hurt, on my conscience.  But you right, I probably extend too much of myself for you instead of thinking of me first.  I’m tired of doing that.”  Kimara turns to walk out.

Erik calls after her.  “You should do more for yourself.  You act like I left yesterday.  Don’t worry about me no more, Kimara.”

As she stormed out his room, Kimara berrates herself for ever coming here.  Erik doesn’t know a thing about what it means to care for someone, he can’t see anything past what he is going through.  She is tired of trying to convince him that he is worthy and loved because that is all she ever has done, and it’s exhausting.  He can’t say the same for her.

Kimara in her sorrowful state is escorted outside for some air.  Kimara takes in the fresh breeze deep into her lungs and breathes out looking across her new surroundings.   In the distance , she sees farmers in decorated shawls herding rhinos of all things.  Further beyond is the bustling city, filled with patrons and shops and buildings.  

“Would you like to go there?”  T’Challa asks, coming up beside her out of the blue.  

Kimara is too excited for the invitation to question him being there, eagerly agreeing to the tour.

T’Challa takes Kimara all along Wakanda’s city streets, offering her samples of eats that pleased her nose and clothes that made her hands extend involuntarily to feel the handmade material for herself.  

“I can’t take this for free, T’Challa!”  she says.

“It is a royal discount.”  T’Challa speaks to the shopkeep in his native tongue, making their face light up ecstatically, filling a bag with a few pieces of jewelry and clothing..

Kimara shakes her head.  “I wasn’t even looking at that!”

T’Challa takes two bags and hands her the lighter one.  “I know.  This one is yours.”  

She dips her head in shame but humbly takes the bag, finding a couple scarves that she looked at before.

“Thank you, this is way too nice of you.”

T’Challa smiles to himself, looking straight ahead.  “It is only right to offer my cousin’s love gifts of encouragement.”

Her grip on the bag loosens as she bites her lip.  T’Challa notices her silence.  “Is something wrong?”

She hesitates to answer.  “I...wouldn’t call what we have as a love relationship.  I thought it was at one point but I think he just needed support with benefits.”

They reach the outskirts of the city that grow quieter and more rural.  T’Challa takes a minute to pause.

“He never gave indication that he wanted anyone but you and seeing as you aren’t a relative, I assumed-”

“You assumed.”  Kimara says curtly.  “Once again, when there is a mess, I am there.  But when I have one, it’s all on me.”

“Speak on it,”  T’Challa says.  His eyes stare straight into her and he stands so still as if nothing could move him beyond waiting for her words to form.  It takes a lot of digging but eventually, he learns the truth.

“Why can’t you share that with him?  He would listen if you said.”

Kimara shakes her head.  “No way.  He would probably blame it on me too, like I already do.  Why did I let him in?  Why did I love him without clear reciprocation?  I totally thought that because he shows up, that must mean he wants me!  No man comes around that doesn’t want you.”

“You are right.”

Kimara laughs.  “Then we must be both foolish, because a man can want your time but not you all in the same situation.”

T’Challa gives a small chuckle.  “I understand.  But he seeks you out for support because he knows your worth.  He just isn’t mature enough to realize that love can come out of it in the end as well, especially if he could leave your bed without notice.  He wasn’t ready.”

“He still isn’t.  And I hope you aren’t asking me to wait on him, because…”  Kimara holds her hands up, tossing the notion away to the heavens.

“Don’t wait for him, no.  But I am holding out hope of his recovery and learning how special you are.  He will realize it soon.”

Kimara rolls her eyes, landing her gaze on T’Challa’s sack.  “So what are those things for anyway?  They don’t look like your style, green on green.”

T’Challa purses his mouth, looking down.  “I...uh...am expecting someone later and wanted to come prepared with gifts.”

“Is it a date thing, or…”

“A courtship, yes.  Hoping the second time's the charm.”

Kimara brings her arms through T’Challa’s, completely overwhelmed by this new information.

“Oh, see you been in my business, it’s time to get in yours!  Who is she and what does she look like?  Is she one of these red chicks, cuz they are fly as hell, I wouldn’t blame you!”

The next evening, Kimara walks the halls of the main floor, enjoying some kebab-like snack from a vendor she got.  She didn’t visit Erik, but she heard that he was recovering speedily, starting to take supervised walks.  She was thankful but not ready to see for herself.  There was an open cliff on one side of the mountain that she wanted to explore on her own, especially at night so she could bank on being alone.  When she got there however, someone was standing there.  

Chewing on a bite of her kebab, she recognizes T’Challa’s stance, head hung low.  She contemplated imposing on his alone time or walking away.

“Kimara, how are you?”

She jumps out her skin, wondering how he knew she was even there.  

“I’m good.  Full,”  she says, swallowing her half chewed last piece, playing with the stick in her hands as she walked up to him.  

He waits for you before pointing below.  “That’s her, Nakia.”  She squints a little, seeing a little figure wearing green walking off by a river.  

“Nakia?  She seems cute.  Did it go well with your gifts.”  

T’Challa sighs.  “It seems the gifts were a bit overboard.  She felt as if I was bribing her or thinking that was all she wants which I know is not true.”

“How long have you been dating?”

“Only a few months, but she is quite busy so time together has been short.  We grew up together.”

“Aww!  That’s nice, so you’re already friends.  That’s the best!”

T’Challa sighs quietly.  “It is.  She understands me more than most, challenges me.  But she worries our dynamic will change as a couple and she doesn’t want to be stunted with royal duties.”

“Does she have to do queen shit if you marry?’

“For her to be with me, she can do whatever her heart calls her to do, I will not stop her.  But she thinks otherwise, or that I will change.”

Kimara pities T’Challa’s forlorn face as he watches Nakia walk further away.  “Maybe space is all you guys need.  She obviously doesn’t like pressure.  Give it time.”

“I do, and I will continue to do so.  It’s just hard to understand when she will be ready.”

“Don’t even think about it.  Having her in your life is most important, that’s what you said.  And someone also said that once they mature, they will find room for love, so…” Kimara puts her arm through his.  “Don’t wait, but be open.  Enjoy what you have now.” 

T’Challa looks down at Kimara, smiling softly, giving her hand a light tap.  “Smart words.”

She shrugs.  “Eh, they aight.”

Back at her room, when she opens the door, Erik is sitting in a chair watching the stars outside a window.

“Erik, what are you doing here?  Are you even supposed to be?”

Erik gets up, walking up to her.  “Why are you scared?”

She scoffs.  “Hardly ever.  You know I can beat your ass.  I don’t care how many muscles you got now.”

He rolls his eyes.  “Put me in one headlock that I tapped out for your benefit and now you a WWE champion, ok.”

They stand there silent.

“So what is it?”  Kimara asks.

Erik speaks slowly, “I’m… getting better.”

Kimara nods.  “Good, I heard.  So your wound is healing and your lung and heart is stronger.”

“Yeah, amazing what vibranium can do.  Look.”  He goes to lift his shirt but winces.

“Uh uh, don’t exert yourself, just let me.”  She lifts his shirt just enough to see the wounded area.  It’s bruised but sealed with barely any scarring, feels warm under her touch.  She lays her hand on it, feeling his heart rate pulse hard.  All that lying in bed and he lost not an ounce of muscle.

Kimara looks up to him, seeing his eyes get glassy.  “I’m glad you’re ok.”

Erik blinks a couple times, clearing his throat.  “Yeah, I am too.”

She lets his shirt down, walking further into the room.  “So, what’s up?”

Erik follows behind.  “I wanted to ask you something.”

Kimara turns to him, waiting.

Erik stammers.  “So...h-how you been doing?”

Kimara laughs.  “For real?”

Erik shrugs.  “Yeah.”

Kimara looks at him suspiciously.  “Fine, thanks.”

Erik nods.  “Good.  I don’t believe you though.”

“Well that’s all I got to say.”

Erik, gives a humble smirk.  “You can always say more Kimara, that’s what it is about you.  You’re too observant, opinionated to not.”

Kimara puts a hand on one hip, rubbing her forehead with the other.  “I don’t understand.”

Erik closes the space between them.  “Something happened.  And I never want someone to do shit to you and cause you pain.  But that was me.  I did it.  I know we probably shouldn’t have had sex before I left but I couldn’t not be with you.  Shit feels like home when I’m with you and it’s not that I wanted to just release and leave, I swear.”

“It felt like you did.”

“Do you remember it that way or was that just after I left.”

“Does it matter?  You leaving tainted that.”

“You remember me saying I love you?”

“Guys will say the pledge of allegiance in some pussy, please!”

“Mara stop!  I mean it, I said it, then you said it.  That was real.”

“And then you left for a murder mission!  You still don’t get that you left me cold.  Love?  You said you loved me, and what did you do!?  Decide to die because apparently no one did!”

“I know....I know…”

Kimara couldn’t believe it.  He isn’t defending himself?  He looks at her wearily and that makes her worried for his condition.

“Sit, sit.”   Kimara leads him to the couch.  “Why are you saying this now?”

“I’m fine, it’s just...I got a real chance at something here.  This is giving me a second chance at living a normal life, with-with love and real happiness.  I thought what I was doing made me happy, but of course it just made me get deeper into a dark side.  I know you, you the most consistent person in my life, Mara and I gotta do better to you for having my back.”

Kimara is speechless, hovering over the direction of this conversation and the complete 180 Erik has exhibited.  

“I know, it’s gonna take time but I want to rebuild us, square one.  Like college again..”  He holds a hand out to shake and she takes it.  “Now we on level footing.  All problems out in the open, all we can do is go up.”

Kimara holds his hand tightly, feeling her body pull her in multiple directions, mind racing down a hall with multiple exits, but only one seemed clearest.  

“I don’t know if I can do this again.”

Present Day

Erik holds Kimara in his arms as the warm water wraps around them in a cocoon of comfort.  Kimara takes the bubbles up over her body to her chin before reaching for her bottle of essential oil to add soothing fragrance to the bath. 

Erik takes a drag, holding it in as he passes to Kimara, letting the smoke loose in a seductive pace.

Kimara takes her turn, feeling herself become light as the bubbles suspended on the water.  

“That shit smell nice.  I like that one,” Erik says.

Kimara passes it back to him, laying into him comfortably, closing her eyes.  “That’s that peppermint ande eucalyptus.  It’s the same one from before, but I think it wasn’t all the way real.  This time I got the good stuff.”

Erik takes a pull, exhaling,  resting his palm under her breast, rubbing along her nipple.  “Cool.”

He kisses the side of her face, finishing his smoke.  Some nights are like this:  little talk and all lazy.  Don’t worry about dinner or what happened earlier in the day, just a quick run to the dispensary and they know what time it is.

“I love you, Erik.  You know that?”  Kimara says.

Erik chuckles.  “I hoped you would.”

“For real, I do.  I love you.”

“I love you too, Mara.  You know you my world.”

“Even if it’s just us two?”

Erik leans to put out his smoke, and holds her closer, turning her face towards his.  “Til death baby girl.  Nothing about it says anything about anyone but us.”

“For real?”  Kimara says, poking out a lip, feeling sentimental.

Erik pokes it.  “You been too hard on yourself.  And I have too, on me and you.  I get it’s been hard but I don’t want us to have a baby like this.  I want one but-”

“Right, without pressure and busy shit,” Kimara adds.

Erik motions affirmatively.  “Right!  And listen, with your tour and everything, you should do it.”

Kimara shakes her head, going back to playing with the bubbles, blowing them in her hand.  “I think you might be too high.”

Erik slaps the bubbles flat in her hand, holding it.  Kimara looks back at him.

“I believe in you.  I can’t stand us fighting like this, we fight more since we been married than we ever did.”

“I know,”  Kimara mumbles.

“So let’s just do the shit we gotta do.  Before the baby, let’s go ahead and knock out our solo projects, see how they go and then plan, right?  Your ovaries ain’t goin nowhere.”

“And neither are your balls!  It’s perfect!”

“Bet!  But you know my Boeing thing is about to close out and shit anyway.”

Kimara rubs his knee.  “I know, and sorry it’s not working the way you hoped.”

Erik shrugs.  “I’m over it.  It’s practically theirs anyway.  So many flaws in the shit, I tried to tell them but they don’t wanna listen, it’s only about money.  Just sign these papers, cut me my check and they can put their name on whatever.  It won’t be good in the long run.”

Kimara tugs his chin.  “I’m glad you taking it well, baby.”

“Yeah, I may move on completely.  There’s a medical company I been looking into but I gotta talk to some people I know over there.”

Erik so damn smart, he can pass any entrance exam on a whim, and perfect it with a weekend of study.  “I wish you luck, Erik.  Then I’m glad the trip is happening this weekend so we can celebrate for real.”

“Hell yeah, you right.  Gorgeous beach, drinks all around.  Seeing your pretty ass struttin around in a two piece…”

“Ugh, if I can fit my two piece.”

“Oh, it’ll fit.  The more hanging out, the better for me!”

Erik attacks her with kisses, feeling her body under the water, making her splash at his every touch.

“Ok, ok!  Damn!  Now I gotta lay a towel down with this mess.”

Erik relaxes again, leaning back.  Kimara sits up, looking back at Erik, chest studded and splayed out, arms relaxed but permanently flexed from his muscle build.  He doesn’t have a scar where he once got stabbed, thanks to Wakandan medical advancements, but the scars that were there are missing from being healed.  All his scars could be taken away if he wanted, but he refused, opting for a reminder of what he once was and what he doesn’t want to be again.

Kimara sighs, feeling a familiar guilt that gnawed numbly at her heart.  “Baby, we should talk about something.”

Erik waves his hands around happily, “Let me know what’s good!”

Kimara looks off, feeling colder.  “I had an abortion.”

Erik looks up, eyes heavy but focused.  “When?”

Kimara can’t look at him but says, “Way back, before we were together.”

She hears the water shift as Erik sits up, laying a hand on her back.  “Why you sayin this?  If it wasn’t mine, I don’t have any issue with what you did, if you had to.”

Kimara bites her lip, feeling her throat become uncooperative as she sobs a little.

“Mara, is that why you changed so much now, since we started trying?  Don’t blame yourself for that, we will have our baby when God says it’s gonna happen.  If you got pregnant before, that’s kind of a relief.  At least we know-”

Kimara sobs, some more.  Erik tries to hug her but she moves away.

“I’m sorry, I just wish I could earn your pity.”

“Mara, you got my heart, my sympathy, but not pity.  Don’t feel bad!”

“Even if it was yours?”

Erik is quiet.

“How...was it mine if we weren’t together?”

Mara takes some water over her face, holding it until her body gives leeway for her to speak clearly.  “That first time we were together?  Before you left for Wakanda?  I got pregnant then.”

Erik is speechless, holding the sides of the tub to ground himself.  She felt worse and worse each second he was silent.

“Say something.”

“Shiiiit.  You know you should’ve told me.”

Kimara can’t believe this.  “Should I have?  After you almost died and you were beating yourself up about not being your best for me and being alone?  I wanted to hate you for so long but then I saw you in that bed recovering and you still on about your dad and family and T’Challa, I couldn’t do that to you.”

“Do that to me?  Wow, Mara, I left you almost a single mom.  You did what to me?  But shit, knowing me then, I probably woulda said to leave me alone for good.”

“Why?”

“Cuz, if I really lost my chance at a family and you didn’t take me back, it would’ve been too much, honestly.  But you shoulda said something Mara, even after!”

Mara tuts at him, pushing the bubbles around her.  “I couldn’t.  It was done, why discuss it?”

“You speak your mind on everything else, Mara.  Why is this different?  Honestly?  That mouth pretty damn selective.”

Mara shrugs.  “It was a new thing.  I didn’t know how to process it.  And when you came back and everything I just couldn’t believe, wow.  If I waited like a week or two, this coulda been the best thing you ever wanted.  We’d have a fucking 10 year old around here.”

Erik rests his chin in his hands.  “It all happens for a reason.  We wasn’t ready for a kid.”

“We would’ve made it work.”

Erik holds her close.  “Don’t matter.  We will work it out now.”

“I wish I was as sure.”

“You gotta be.  You lose soon as you feel defeated.  Like we said, we gonna work on our career shit, and one day, we will go back to it, see the doctors and make it happen.”

“Ok.”

Erik takes his fingers to her temples.  “Focus on today.  Past is the past.  I love you.”

Kimara feels herself relax, like a rubber band snapped back to its normal form.  All these years, and it was this easy?  Maybe it was good to wait though, he was more ready now than he could’ve then.  

“I love you too, big head.”

“My Mara, My Mara…”

“Never goin farther.”

“...and she finna give me a daughter,”  Erik snickers, biting her ear.

“Uh uh!  Not no spoiled little girl!”

“Oh, look at you.  Already upset over competition.”

Masterlist

Ragtag

@chaneajoyyy @sarcastic-sunshines @muse-of-mbaku@dameshaemonique  @fonville-designs@destinio1@bakarisange l@wakanda-inspired @klaine15689 @savageiz @nickidub718@yoyolovesbucky @alexundefined @forbeautyandlife​ @bakarisangel

[thebiasrekkers]

Doberman, PT 2 || KWS

Plot: Revenge is always sweet.

Rating: R 18+ // NSFW

Genre: modern day // mafia!au

Pairing: Kim Wonsik x Female OC (Kokia)

Warnings: Strong language, sex, violence, death

Links: FAQ || VIXX Masterlist || Admin L’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,564

AN: For Admin E! I wrote this a while back and now that we have a space for VIXX, I figured I would go ahead and post it! PART 1

© thebiasrekkers (Admin L). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

He reported back that she was dead. 

The boss smiled at his results and laughed, relief overflowing his features. The Hunter didn’t like the news but his neutral face betrayed nothing as he stood there and watched the man laugh like he had just conquered something. The history between the Wolf and the Boss had been spread all through the gang for years now. Even the newest person knew about them. So when it came about that she had betrayed him, they all knew that they couldn’t go against the Head. His anger was overflowing to the point that he was wrecking anyone that dared to approach him.

He had taken up so much of her so when she retaliated, Ravi had to marvel how hurt the Boss seemed. He saw that it was all chalked up to reputation and ego, bruised heavily by her. Personally, he saw it coming but he didn’t step in because she was the only one keeping the whole operation afloat. So when she was betrayed, he just sat back and watched. 

Honestly, he should have helped her then but she had done such a good job of shaking things up herself. And he knew that the proud Wolf didn’t want any help. 

So when she had the hit put out on her, Ravi nearly didn’t take it. Deep down, he didn’t want to harm her when it was completely justified but orders were orders. He took the time off to track her down, every little thing that he sniffed out like the Doberman he was. He was the Hunter, the dog of the Boss that always fixed things. He wasn’t going to give up until he had cornered her, which he did. 

Ravi had finally found her. Her wonderful dark skin, eyes narrowed as they honed in on him. She had sized him up and it sent a thrill through him that he never would have admitted to anyone but her. They threw themselves at each other and after several rounds, he had destroyed her. Over and over again, he topped her and fought with the Wolf until they were both spent. Their talents both at an even playing field until an opportunity had presented itself.

Now, he was paying for that choice. Ravi’s face fought to keep neutral as his Boss gloated over the loss. The loyal dog was now disgusted with himself as another, more compliant woman danced her way over to him. It was as if she had never existed and that made him want to bare his teeth even more. Loyalty was everything to him and to see it disregarded like that--he wanted to kill them both. The Doberman was no longer loyal to its master. The hand that fed him had disturbed him for the last time. 

But he had hoped that he could make things right, for the first fucking time.

He finally tore his eyes away from the sickening couple when the phone buzzed. Ravi stood stock still in his corner as he watched the Boss smash the button out of aggravation. 

“Boss, there’s someone to see you.”

“The fuck? I don’t have anyone here so tell them to get lost or die.”

His boss jerked his head after hanging up on the poor man and he walked over to the door. Ravi waited by the door to see who it was but instead, he heard a couple of gunshots. The sound alarmed the Boss as he stood up, the woman almost falling to the floor. He couldn’t help but grin as he opened the door, letting whomever in. His Wolf waltzed through, a gun in her hand and sporting the most beautiful dress he’d ever seen on her body. 

The color would have put the royal family to shame with how brilliant the purple was on her body. The dark color of her skin accentuated the color and hugged every part of her body that he lavished not too long ago. That night when he had finally cornered her and absolutely fucked her until they had both finally given up on energy. He could feel the heat on the back of his neck as he thought back to her naked body beneath him and the absolute horror of his boss when he realized who he let in.

That was a rush for him just as much as her walking in with that sinful dress. The man sputtered, skin splotchy with red as he tried to form angry words towards the both of them. The door clicked shut with a quiet sound, his hand gently closing the door after the entrance of his Wolf. After locking it, Ravi walked over to the desk and grabbed one of the cigars that the man had been smoking on. Clipping off the end near the neat gold end, he stuck the thing in his mouth and pulled out some long stick matches to light the thing with. Ravi then sat down on the desk, his dark eyes watching her walk up to him. 

“Kokia! He told me you were dead!” 

A smile broke out on her face slowly and growing to the point where her canines were showing. The smoke from the cigar wafted up as he took an inhale, eyes still trained on his former boss. Kokia reached him and pressed her body against his, lifting her hand up to take the cigar from his lips. Her other hand caressed his chest, reaching in to feel the warm skin that was underneath his black silk shirt. Her fingers played with the area where his tattoos were as they ghosted over the taut muscles. Goosebumps peppered his skin where she had been touching it but he knew that if he took his eyes off the disgusting man--then he would try something. 

“Oh, Wonsik…. You told him I was dead? Well, that’s not far off.” She put the cigar in her own mouth, dark red lipstick staining the end of the cigar like a promise. “Well, I am dead. Dead to you.”

Kokia let the smoke ease out of her mouth like tendrils and he never wanted to fuck her more than in that moment. He even had the mind of letting the pig watch as he took the beautiful woman, showing him how it was actually done. He stood up and wrapped an arm around her waist, roughly pulling her to his pelvis to show off how turned on he was at the moment. Her eyes got wide before understanding what he meant, a smirk of his own growing on his own face. 

“Leave before you die.” Kokia spat at the woman, who gathered her things and practically ran out of the door. Ravi reluctantly left the warm spot to lock the door again, making sure that they wouldn’t be disturbed. He heard two quick gunshots and the man yelling in pain. Turning around, he saw that Kokia had shot him in the knees--the man spilling out onto the floor from it. 

“You won’t survive after this! I’ll make sure of it!” Ravi crossed the space in what seemed like seconds to grab the man by the collar and throw him into a chair. He took his own tie and the other’s to secure him to that chair, not that he could walk very far regardless. “And you! If I die, the whole gang will come after you!”

“Shut the fuck up. I don’t work for you anymore and I’ll kill everyone else who decides that Kokia isn’t fit for your job.”

She sat there, perched on her new desk and watched him work as she smoked. He pulled at the man’s hair, yanking his head back as his legs bled before making him look directly at her. She stood up and stalked over, gun in hand before kneeling before the former boss. One hand slid up his thigh before grabbing the man by the balls. 

“This is what I think of your gang.” She put the gun directly on his crotch, moved her hand and shot. He howled in pain, trying to squirm away from her affections. “I’ll make this place my bitch and do it better than you. Oh wait… This isn’t news.”

She laughed as she stood up but the moment she did, Ravi pinned her body to his. He was unchained, unbound and willing to lay at her feet. Grinding himself on her, he bent down to whisper in her ear--a naughty thought that had been running rampant in his mind since she entered. 

“Let’s give him one last show, love.” Nipping at her earlobe, Ravi trailed kissed over her jaw and onto her neck. He sucked on that sweet spot there until there was a visible discoloration from where he left his lips. Her body responded to his as she pulled at him with the same ferocity that he came at her with. But the pout on her face is what stopped him, for the moment. 

“He doesn’t deserve to see my body any longer.”

Ravi immediately took the gun and cigar from her hands before popping the smoking thing in his mouth then popping a bullet into the man’s forehead. He then turned to her, placing his forehead on hers as he blew some of the smoke out downward like a dragon. She grabbed his face and threw the cigar away, hitting the corner before devouring his lips. Ravi growled in response as a hand dived into her front, grabbing one of her tits and massaging it in his large hand. The other hand hiked up her dress, exposing her long legs. She then removed his hand and jumped up into his arms as she attacked his mouth again. 

He held her up easily as he walked to the chair that was previously occupied by the dead man. Kokia, once Ravi had sat down in said chair, looped her legs through the arm rests to get a better position on top of his lap. He watched as she untied the back of her dress, letting her top half fall free of the constricting fabric. Her perky tits bounced only for him and he reached up to give them the attention that they deserve when she smacked his wandering hands away. Her mouth trailed down his neck to the exposed skin, unbuttoning several parts of the shirt. 

“No. You’re gonna sit here and take it.”

He nearly groaned at the sound of her husky voice, completely submissive for her in that moment. Ravi knew that she needed to get that out of her system, needed to have some semblance of control back so she could move on. And if she used him in the process? So be it and he would die a happy man. 

She made quick work of getting his belt off the black slacks he had on, wiggling around to expose what was underneath. A moan slipped out, the friction only making him harder but he obediently kept his hands to the side as she worked. The dress she had on was making it a bit hard to do what she wanted so he actually reached up and ripped the dress, allowing her more freedom to grind against his crotch. Kokia grabbed his face, anger in her eyes but he didn’t waver on that subject. 

“I’ll buy you a better dress but for now, please fuck me.” He almost whimpered to her. Her eyes softened at his low words and took him in her hands, stroking him almost agonizingly slow. Ravi knew that she was going to have her revenge for tearing the dress and he accepted it. He just craved the way she felt, the way that she pressed her body against his. The way that his own body carnally wanted her, in every way that he could think of. He would have been harder even faster had the windows actually had people looking, showing them what all she was doing to a killer like him. 

His beautiful killer.

Once she was satisfied with touching him, Kokia lifted herself up just enough to slide his member in all the way. She took him in slowly, every inch had him panting and eager for more. He tried to lift up his own hips but as powerful as they were, Kokia slammed her own hips down and ground him deeper than before. He gave out a cry, a soft keening sound as he threw his head back. He didn’t see the grin on her face before she did it again, working him up and down. Holding onto his shoulders, she bounced on him--the slickness making sounds in the now quiet room. Aside from their heavy breathing, nothing else could be heard since Kokia went on her rampage earlier. Everyone that would have had a problem with them, were now dead and he was so fucking close to losing his mind as she kept the brutal pace going. 

He couldn’t take it anymore, the proud and deadly killer started to beg. His deep voice took on a whine as he chanted for her to keep going. Harder, faster--Ravi moaned loudly as she moved, arms twitching with the determination of keeping them to the sides. He allowed her to bruise him, to touch him and to drive him so close to the edge that it nearly broke him. She brought him so close, then took it away to watch the absolute dejection on his face. Her skin had taken on a light sheen from the effort of chasing that high with him, one that he would gladly indulge in again if she wanted to . 

Finally, with a quick adjustment, he snapped and his arms wrapped themselves around her. He wanted that fucking friction, pounding up with his hips. He wouldn’t take that moment from her but he would help her along the way. Her own cries of pleasure mixed with his breathy moans as the chair kept bumping into the desk with each movement. Ravi finally grasped her hips and pulled them down so hard as he came up--he saw stars. The final movement had her grasping all around him, clinging to the hardness that was currently inside of her. It was over quickly for Kokia but Ravi had other plans. 

He kept rolling his hips, using her overstimulated clit as a buffer for his own chase. Even having his thumb join in to keep her pleasure going. He was so close to finishing inside of her that every little touch she provided was making his brain foggy. A kiss there, a nip and suck there. This time, it approached them both with a vengeance as it washed over them--his hips stuttering from the effort. 

They clung to each other, both gasping for breath to regulate themselves. Her head landed on his, gently knocking them together. Ravi chuckled, peppering her face with small and sweet kisses. 

“Are you ok, love?” He asked her, eyes shining only for her. She nodded, not wanting to say another word about it. He knew that she was hurting from what happened and needed a release but never saying anything to her unless she spoke first. He let her do things at her own pace and only stepped in when needed. He was her Guardian Devil and a dog he would be...

...For her. 

[saiilorstars]

The Girl in the Forest

Chapter 2: The Interest

// Story Masterlist //

Pairings: Klaus Mikaelson x Original Female Character

Summary: Maleny continues her endeavor to get Klaus to listen to her story. In the process, she befriends Davina without realizing the young girl is at her end.

Pronunciation of OC: Ma-leh-nee

No real warnings for now!

Cami had been more than concerned when her best friend, and cousin, hadn't appeared until late at night and partially drunk. Though at that moment Cami did think Maleny would be leaving and hadn't said anything. But today in the morning she found Maleny unpacking her clothes, meaning she was actually going to stay! Cami felt awful in wishing Maleny would just leave but Maleny had no business being in the city of supernatural problems. She had a life of her own and was looking through universities. She had to GO!

"I'll even pitch in and help pay for the ticket if you need help," Cami continued saying.

Maleny sat on the foot of her bed, cross-legged, and was simply watching in silence Cami pacing. She probably shouldn't think it, but it was actually very amusing watching Cami act like this. From the implanted stories she recalled Cami being overprotective of nearly everyone she cared for so Maleny wasn't surprised of this behavior. Still, she did feel guilty for letting Cami get all worried over her when in reality Maleny should be worrying over what kind of business Cami had to do with Klaus.

"Why the rush for me to leave?" she innocently asked Cami. It seemed like Cami was well informed about the supernatural creatures she lived among but to what extent?

Cami stopped pacing and looked at Maleny, "It's for your safety. This city is not what it seems, believe me."

Maleny smirked, knowing just how different the city was. It contained supernatural beings bent on world domination. Though she decided to mess with Cami for a bit and continued asking innocent questions like she had no idea.

"But don't you want to spend time together? It's been how many years since we've seen each other?"

Cami sighed, "Two years..."

It was probably the longest time the two women had seen each other, Cami thought. Maleny was twenty three and now that she could travel on her own Cami expected a lot more visits. They were awfully close and now that she was here, it hurt Cami a lot to send Maleny away. But it was the right thing to do...right?

"So why can't I stay?" Maleny threw a fake pout, making Cami sigh again and fill her with even more guilt.

"...because, the city is dangerous. There's thieves and assaults and besides, you know what happened to Sean. The O'Connell's aren't very liked right now."

"I don't care," Maleny shrugged carelessly, "I've never cared what people say about me. Plus, you and I both know that Sean didn't go crazy."

"And he didn't," Cami assured once again, "but that's not what everyone else thinks. Please, you just have to go. I can come visit you later in the year-"

"Cami, I'm not going anywhere," Maleny felt Cami deserved to know at least that detail. Maleny had no interest in leaving the city when she was so close to finding about her mystery.

"Why not?" Cami groaned and came up to Maleny, "This is city is dangerous. It's filled with-"

"Vampires?" Maleny raised an eyebrow, smirking widely as Cami looked at her with wide eyes.

"How did you...?"

"I met one last night," Maleny began to explain, deciding to leave the part where she'd done endless research out on supernatural beings out of the talk, "Well, I was almost dinner to two of them-"

"WHAT!?"

"But then another came to save me," Maleny finished with calmness, "He bought me some drinks and we talked."

"You had a drink with them?" Cami asked, knowing this wouldn't be good already, "Exactly which one?"

Maleny's smirk returned, "He was a good looking one. English accent like mine?"

Cami's eyes nearly popped out of her eyes, her face going pale as she began figuring it out, "Oh no...please tell me it wasn't..."

"The one you threatened last night - because yeah, I followed you - then I was caught and assaulted and saved and blah, blah, blah," Maleny shook her head, "But if you mean Klaus Mikaelson then yes, it was. He's kind of hot, isn't he?"

"Okay, this has gone all wrong," Cami sat down besides Maleny, her gaze stuck blankly ahead as she considered all te ways her cousin could turn out dead, "You cannot be serious..."

"He didn't eat me, clearly," Maleny gestured to herself, "No," she smiled to herself, "he was...fun - in a darkish way," she also decided to leave the part of her odd visions out of the talk. No one needed to know about that.

"Maleny, please," Cami turned to her, "please, just pick up your things and get out of here before you end up hurt."

But Maleny jumped off the bed and shrugged, "No can do. Tickets were all booked for today and besides, I've got to visit a new friend."

"You are not seeing Klaus anymore!" Cami snapped and pointed a violent finger at her cousin.

"Cami, I love you, but you can't tell me what to do," Maleny set her hands on her hips, "I'm going to go see Davina today."

"But she's at the..." Cami trailed off, feeling her heart nearly stop at the realization, "...no. Absolutely not, Mal! Look, Klaus is very dangerous, not to mention a lunatic."

"I'm more interested in seeing Davina," Maleny shrugged, "But I probably will be seeing him again. So please, don't pull a mum on me and 'ground me' or anything like that."

"Mal, just listen, please," Cami clapped her hands together, "Hear me out!"

"I'd love to but I'm heading out," Maleny walked for her bag on a table and headed for the doors. She knew Cami would bring out an entire list of pros and cons regarding her stay in the city - it was such a Cami thing to do. But unfortunately for Cami, Maleny had made up her mind and there was no changing it.

Cami ran after Maleny up to the front door, "Mal!"

"I'll see you later!" Maleny gave a big wave and hurried off.

Cami took a long breath and looked around, there was no getting rid of Maleny if the woman clearly didn't want to go. She was as stubborn as a mule. Cami would have to come up with another way to convince Maleny to leave. In the meantime, she'd be keeping a very close eye on her and try her best to keep Maleny safe.

~ 0 ~

Maleny walked into the compound's courtyard and stopped at the sight of a blonde woman: Rebekah. She tried her best to look calm and not like the woman who had watched Rebekah yesterday like a hawk. That was a sure way to die.

Rebekah was sat at one of the tables and looked up at the sound of footsteps, seeing a brunette woman across, "And you would be...?"

"Friend," Maleny said, feeling a bit sad that Rebekah didn't know how much that word actually described the relationship they apparently had. It seemed like they had been best friends by what she was beginning to remember.

Rebekah stood up with an almost condescending look, "Funny, I don't recall making any new friends today."

"I meant of Davina's," Maleny crossed her arms, "And you are?" it would be rather strange if she suddenly spoke Rebekah's name like nothing. She had to act like she knew nothing of Rebekah.

"Rebekah Mikaelson, and you?"

"Maleny," the brunette sheepishly said.

"I thought I heard the voice of the human," Klaus's voice made both women look up, Maleny frowning at the name she had been branded with, "Something wrong?"

"If we're going to keep meeting I'd appreciate if you didn't call me 'human' as my name," Maleny crossed her arms.

"I'll let you know what I come up with," he shrugged.

Maleny sent him a glare that did not go unnoticed by Rebekah, "Prick," Maleny spat.

Rebekah raised her eyebrows, "I like her," she declared with a grin.

"I've yet to decide how I feel," Klaus muttered and shook his head, motioning for Maleny to come up, "Well come on, your little witch friend woke up in a rowdy mood today."

"Well I'd be too if I was hunted down by vampires," Maleny called.

"Mm, not quite," Rebekah said, making her glance over, "Try 'upset because my one true love was poisoned by a sadistic hybrid'."

Maleny's eyes widened as she looked up at Klaus, "You did what?"

"Yes, yes, old news, really. Are you going to come up or not, Maleny?" he made sure to articulate her name for emphasis.

Maleny was still stunned of what she had heard, but she shouldn't be so surprised. She'd seen those kind of things so many times before.

"Maleny?" Klaus nearly snapped, "Hurry up."

"Was it that hard to use my name?"

"I think you should just be happy I don't call you lunch," he warned as she came up.

She scoffed, "Please, you wouldn't eat me."

Klaus felt like this was a challenge he was just itching to win. He liked to prove her wrong. In no time he had the human pinned against the wall and fangs out for display, making her shriek.

"Okay I believe you!" she cried, eyes wide with terror. Klaus smirked and let her go, receiving a slap across the face a moment after Maleny had recollected herself, "Prick," she said before going off to find Davina.

Rebekah had been watching from below and decided she now really liked Maleny, "Oh, she's good."

Even after he had felt the sting of the slap, Klaus still let a small smirk escape his lips as he followed after Maleny. After a bad-turn-of-events he could use a bit of amusement. Maleny was surprisingly good at it.

Maleny was led to Davina's room where she was greeted by a hostile Marcel who marched up to the doorway, blocking the entrance, "What the hell are you doing here?" he recalled her from yesterday.

Maleny rolled her eyes, "Is everyone going to seriously keep asking me this? I just came to see Davina, my friend."

"Marcel, move aside," Davina ordered, but the man refused, "Marcel."

With a final glare at her, Maleny was able to walk towards Davina, taking a seat beside her bed. Davina studied the brunette woman and looked back at Klaus and Marcel, "You haven't compelled her to forget?" she asked with surprise.

"I'm curious to see how this one works out," Klaus shrugged.

Davina looked back at Maleny, curiously asking, "Why are you here?" this was no place for her, just like Cami, it was best for Maleny to stay away from the compound to avoid more compulsion or trouble. Why would Maleny purposely come here? And better yet, why would she be allowed to come here? Klaus had to be having a second intention with the woman, something sinister and harmful no doubt.

"I came to see you, of course," Maleny responded, unbeknownst to her she'd pulled Davina out of her thoughts.

"Me?" Davina blinked, "Why?"

"Because we're friends," Maleny sighed with a smile, "Feel like I'm repeating myself a lot. Although I'm hopefully not getting this totally wrong because then that would be very awkward," Davina chuckled which genuinely relieved Maleny, "So are you okay?"

Davina looked at the two men and nodded for them to leave, she wanted them no where near her nor Maleny, "Go, now," she ordered.

Surprisingly, Klaus left with no arguments, Marcel opening his mouth to make a comeback but with Davina's glare he knew it was best to just go and please her.

Maleny watched them leave with a bit of confusion, "Suppose you're still a bit upset about being captured."

"'A bit' is an understatement," Davina rolled her eyes, leaning back on her bed's headboard.

"I'm sorry the plan didn't work," Maleny truthfully said to the girl, "Klaus eventually found me and I guess I just sort of put him in a worse mood which he took out on your friend."

"That was not your fault," Davina declared immediately, "that was all Klaus. He was prepared to kill me, you know. But I was thankfully protected, though it doesn't excuse them."

"I'm really sorry," Maleny sadly smiled at her, "Who was the friend, if you don't mind my asking."

"His name was Tim," Davina smiled to herself in genuine joy to recall her friend, "He was kind of special...and really talented. He could play violin like no other."

"Sounds ideally romantic for a date," Maleny commented with a sigh, "Were you and him...?"

"No," Davina looked down, "Things got in the way and we never actually started anything."

"I'm really sorry, Davina. I know what it's like to lose people," she instinctively took hold of her golden necklace that hung around her neck.

"You do?" Davina was blinking rather rapidly trying to see what Maleny was stroking.

Maleny nodded, gesturing to a locket she had around her neck, "I lost my mum, years ago...it's hard. This is kind of the only thing I have left of her."

Davina was surprised to realize she hadn't even noticed the locket on the woman's neck. What was stranger was the difficulty she had trying to see the necklace, "But…but she wasn't murdered…" she tried to act like nothing was wrong. Maleny didn't even realize there was something wrong with her necklace. She would've never actually shown it to Davina and Davina herself knew that.

"True, but in the end the pain is the same. Someone you love is dead and...there's nothing you can do about it."

"I'm gonna kill him," Davina declared in a mutter.

"Who?"

"Klaus of course, he's responsible for this. All this."

Maleny didn't know how to word her next sentences so as to not upset Davina even more, "Davina...we're friends, right?" Davina nodded, "Well, in the name of this new friendship, can I ask for a favor?"

"Sure," she shrugged.

"I need you to sort of...not kill Klaus," Maleny said, Davina's eyes widening, "Look, I know it's strange that I know you're a witch, that I know there's vampires here, but something is happening and I need Klaus to help me."

"What is it?" Davina eyed her, that feeling still not shaking off her with Maleny still holding her hand.

"It's...it's complicated, and confusing. But I really need him alive. Please don't kill him. I know you have the power to do so but please," Maleny took Davina's hand in hers and put her other hand over it as well, "I'm asking you not to."

"This is serious, isn't it?" Davina observed by the expression of urgency Maleny wore on her face.

Maleny nodded, "It really is. This is...practically my life."

"What if I can help you instead? Hm? Tell me what's going on and maybe we can do something together," Davina offered, "Like you said, I have the power."

"I'd rather not tell you here," Maleny whispered, knowing just how vampires and their super hearing worked. They could be listening to this entire conversation.

"Tell me something," Davina caught on and talked in a lower tone, "Something to get an idea."

Maleny bit her lip and let go of Davina's hand as she considered talking. Davina was a witch after all and she knew Klaus wouldn't be able to help with everything. Maleny took a breath, "Davina, I'm not going to lie, I have absolutely no idea what's going on with me. I'm scared, I'm really, properly scared. There are times where I dream of these people, these women, and I have no idea who they are. But...about a week ago, I started seeing this different women and..." Maleny's eyes watered up, "...she was me. But that woman, she was the real me, not the me you're seeing right now."

"What do you mean by that?" Davina raised an eyebrow, "I'm not seeing you for real? ...or...?"

"Davina this isn't my body," Maleny gestured to herself, "This isn't my hair," she tugged on her short, brown hair, "These aren't my eyes," she pointed at her brown eyes, "And did I mention that this isn't my body!?"

"Are you saying you jumped bodies?" Davina leaned back with suspicion. That could be part of the reason why she felt something weird whenever she touched hands with Maleny, "You're really not supposed to do that, you know. The original owner is tucked away in the mind and if she's anything powerful than she'll try to claim her body back."

"I know," Maleny rubbed her face with a deep sigh, "and it scares me to death. I don't know how I got into this body, nor why, but I really want to get out of it."

"I don't get this, then, why do you need Klaus' help? If anything, you really need a witch."

"Because I know this has something to do with him," Maleny lowered her hands from her face, "I have dreams of women that he knew perfectly well - and I mean like, really knew well," Davina shivered and looked away, "and then I saw myself, the real me, with him...also really knowing him.

"Aw c'mon, you can do so much better," Davina made a face at the idea.

"What ever happened to me is related with Klaus. So I need his help to figure out what's happened to me. I can't remember many things about the original me. I only have bits and pieces from the other women I dreamt about."

"Okay," Davina started to really think, "well, first thing's first, there's a perception filter placed on your necklace," she pointed to said necklace on Maleny.

"What?" Maleny quickly grabbed the locket and looked at it. It bore no picture of her true mother, but all she had knowledge of her original life was that the locket belonged to her birth mother.

"Yeah, at first I didn't really know what it was, but now that you tell about this, I'm pretty sure," Davina nodded, "Someone placed a perception filter on your necklace so no one can really tell you're wearing it unless you bring it to their attention - like you did with me."

"Why would someone do that?" Maleny scowled.

"To keep you hidden, I suppose," Davina studied Maleny curiously, "Are you human?"

"What?" Maleny blinked at the sudden question.

"Yeah, are you human?"

"Well...no, I don't think so...or...I don't know, really," Maleny scratched her head, "I'm not a vampire, I know that one for sure. Um, no wolf either..."

"Witch, then?" Davina began to smile, "Maybe you're one of us."

"I don't know, Davina," Maleny shook her head, "For right now, I just really want to get back to my body. And I have no idea what that could possibly be."

"I can help you," Davina assured, getting on her knees and nodding with determination, "You helped me when you had no idea who I was. I like you Maleny, and I'm going to help you."

Maleny smiled brightly through her watery eyes that threatened to spill her tears very soon, "Yeah? You mean that?"

Davina nodded, "Yeah, I can start by maybe-" but suddenly, she gasped deeply and seemed like she was choking. Maleny jumped out of her seat when Davina started vomiting dirt, "Oh my god! Davina!" she screamed.

At the commotion, Klaus and Marcel re-entered the room, Marcel immediately running to Davina's side, "What did you do!?" he demanded from Maleny.

"I didn't!" she shook her head frantically, "She just...she did that on her own!"

"Bloody hell is going on?" Klaus looked at the dirt on the bed.

"I didn't do anything," Maleny turned to him desperately, "I promise!"

There was no chance to say more when an earthquake, a rather big one, struck the entire building. Maleny stumbled back against the wall, watching in horror as her friend simply continued coughing up more dirt.

~ 0 ~

Later on in the day, when Davina had calmed down, Rebekah entered the room in a rather displeased manner. Maleny had been taking care of the girl, despite Davina's pleads for her to leave as something was not right and she didn't want Maleny getting caught in the middle of it. Maleny wouldn't have it and that was the end of that argument.

"I need to talk to Davina," Rebekah announced to Maleny, "A moment, please?"

Maleny looked at Davina who nodded for her to go. Maleny stood from her seat and walked out of the room, but not before grazing Rebekah's shoulder and receiving another vision.

"Rebekah, really, all you have to do is gather the fruit," the blonde woman, Maleny, huffed and put her hands on her hips.

Rebekah shook her head at the basket on the ground beside her, "I always pick out the mushy ones," she picked up the basket and held it out for Maleny, "You do it," she said with a clean smile.

"Oh, and in the meantime good ole Rebekah is going to lounge around the place, searching out for potential playmates," Maleny rolled her eyes.

"You insult me," Rebekah put a hand on her chest.

Though the two blondes looked at each other for a moment before bursting into a laughter together.

Maleny stopped in front of the railing and rubbed her temples as the pain from the vision slowly faded away.

"Something the matter, little human?" Klaus wondered from across, having been watching her the moment she'd stepped out of Davina's room.

"Again with the name," Maleny sighed.

"I was just curious of what was bothering you, seems like pain," Klaus observed the closer he got to her, "Something in your mind, perhaps?" he reached to touch her.

"No!" Maleny swatted his hand away and stepped back, "I'm fine, thank you."

"What's got you so troubled?"

"Mm, apart from the fact that I learned you murdered practically a child, my new friend vomited dirt and caused an earthquake," Maleny reminded, "Yes, perhaps it's the change of climate that's got me troubled."

"I could make you forget," Klaus reminded as if it were a threat for her.

"Like you did with Cami," Maleny crossed her arms, "Don't you even dare to do that with me, got it?" she warned, pointed at him, "I've got a lot of things I need to remember."

'Like what?" he took her finger and used it to take her.

Maleny let out a small gasp as she saw something more, but this time it wasn't just her that saw it...

"Ouch, it really hurts," Maleny, as blonde, limped as she walked through the forest.

Klaus was beside her with an arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders as he helped her walk through, "You ought to be less of a klutz you know."

"Oh, that's polite," Maleny hit him on the chest, "Have you no manners?"

"No, I think Elijah took all that."

"Doesn't work that way, I'm afraid," Maleny sighed, "My father is going to be so upset when he sees me. He'll yell at me and tell me it was all my fault, which it probably was."

"It was not your fault, Maleny. He'll have to understand that," Klaus said, though neither he nor Maleny believed that one bit.

"Mine will when yours will," Maleny said instead.

"When my father sees you he'll surely blame me and then proceed to say how one of my other siblings should have accompanied you instead," Klaus rolled his eyes in a 'discreet' way, "Perhaps like Elijah."

"This would have happened whether it was you, Elijah or even Finn for that matter. You're right," Maleny chuckled, "I'm a terrible klutz who can't walk two inches without tripping."

"Be sure to say that when you explain that to the others, yeah?"

Maleny glanced at him with a soft smile, "Don't let go until we get home?" she countered, consciously knowing he'd been holding her a bit closer.

"I think that sounds fair," he pretended to think about it, making her chuckle.

Klaus let go of Maleny's hand and stepped back, both horrified and confused of what he'd just seen, "How did you...how did you see that?" he demanded.

For the first time, Maleny felt frightened of the man that stood before her, "I...I don't know," she turned and tried hurrying off.

"Oh no you don't, love, you're staying here," Klaus yanked her back by the arm, "It seems we have a lot to talk about."

"I don't know what's going, I promise," Maleny insisted, shaking her hands.

"Those were my memories and there is no way a simple human could see that unless I granted them permission," he sneered, "And I most certainly did not give you permission."

"Klaus, I don't know what's going on..." Maleny looked down, her tears streaming down her face, "...this is what I needed help on."

"How do you know her?" he demanded, though his voice had lowered down to that of a mere whisper. It appeared no matter how long it had been he was still not quite over her disappearance.

"I'm really sorry," Maleny yanked herself out of his grasp and rushed away, deciding it was best to leave the compound for the moment.

"What the hell is going on out here?" Rebekah came out of Davina's room, only half-hearing the conversation that had occurred.

"We need to talk," Klaus declared with a grim face. He could later, and would, find Maleny and discuss the matters they'd seen together.

~ 0 ~

The Mikaelson siblings were gathered in the living room, a very displeased and secretly frightened Klaus pacing back and forth, describing what exactly had happened with Maleny earlier.

"And you saw my old best friend suddenly?" Rebekah raised an eyebrow, leaning back on her spot on the couch. She wasn't taking his brother's words seriously, to be honest.

"Yes!" Klaus nearly shouted.

Rebekah and Elijah glanced at each other, not sure on how to act upon the situation.

"You saw Maleny Rowan?" Elijah questioned for confirmation, "As in the village girl our family was so fond of back in our days before we were vampires?"

"The very same one," Klaus sighed with frustration at the lack of attention his siblings seemed to pay, "It was my memory."

"And what? Maleny stole it?" Rebekah rolled her eyes, "Look, so you meet a girl with the same name and you start thinking about your lost love, big deal. I hardly see the concern here," she stood up and sighed, "If you ask me it's more of your guilt finally catching up to you."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Klaus raised an eyebrow.

Rebekah looked back at Elijah but the man simply raised his hands and let her remind their brother of the story, "Fine," Rebekah muttered and stared directly at Klaus, "We all know that Maleny Rowan disappeared a while after we became vampires. The funny thing was that there was never any body found," she stepped closer to Klaus with narrowed eyes, "Nothing was recovered, there were no animals nearby, certainly no wolves, nothing that could show it had been some animal attack."

"And what are you trying to say, hm?" Klaus took a step forwards, both siblings confronting each other with dark glares.

"Maleny Rowan was like a sister to me, the woman you once loved as a human and vampire. Don't act like you had nothing to do with that."

"I didn't!"

"Just admit it," Rebekah scoffed, "Anything that loves you ends up hurt and/or dead. That's exactly what happened to Maleny Rowan, wasn't it? It's the story that repeats itself with any other woman."

"No, I don't know what happened to her," Klaus snapped, "She just disappeared and it had nothing to do with me."

"Mhm, right," Rebekah looked him over with disbelief, "Well you know what, that's always been a mystery to me and everyone else, so I'm gonna go ahead and discover what happened to her. And when I confirm that you killed her...well, it'll be a fairly interesting battle between us, you'll see," Rebekah turned on her heels and walked out of the room.

"That went exceptionally well," Elijah sighed.

"Oh go ahead and blame me for the girl's death as well," Klaus threw his hands in the air and headed for the small bar counter across.

"I do not blame you, brother. I can tell your honesty just by remembering the grief you wore on the day Maleny disappeared," Elijah stood up, "It's the same face you're wearing right now. It can't be faked."

Klaus had grabbed a glass and started pouring himself a drink, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"There is no shame in mourning a lost loved one," Elijah joined him at the counter, "Maleny was a very sweet girl, she truthfully had the hearts of everyone in our family, including father's and we all know how difficult it was to please him."

"Maleny had the quality we all seemed to lack," Klaus said before drinking down his entire glass.

Elijah smiled, letting a small laugh escape from him, "I always wondered what it was, did you ever figure it out?"

"No, I didn't want to. But, if you don't mind, I'd like to know why a human has knowledge of my memories," Klaus set his glass down with a thud, "And I think I shall go do that right now."

"Brother wait," Elijah said before Klaus even stood, "I know your tendencies are...well, for lack of a better word, rude, so perhaps you should try a new approach?"

Klaus remembered Maleny's words from last night, recalling her plead of help, and nodded, "I think you may be right," he smirked, heading for the doors.

"What exactly are you going to do?" Elijah called.

"Be the good person and say, 'of course I'll help'," Klaus mocked a sweet person's tone, "What I always do. In the meantime, go talk to a witch about Davina, no? Get some errands done."

Elijah nodded, and motioned for him to go on. Klaus gave a small salute and headed out to find the human with his memories.

~ 0 ~

Maleny walked down the streets with Kieran beside her, the man adamant that she take her belongings and leave the city, and if possible with Cami as well. He had taken Cami's words from last night and listened, both of them were in danger if they stuck around. He'd already lost one nephew, he would not lose Cami and Maleny, a girl who was almost like a niece as well.

"I'm not going anywhere and that's that," Maleny muttered, her arms crossed.

"But why not? Weren't you looking into universities back in England?" Kieran reminded, "What are you going to do if you stay here?"

"I can try to enroll here where Cami goes."

"Maleny, please listen to me," Kieran stopped walking and turned to her, "Please, go away."

"I can't, I really can't," Maleny shook her head, swallowing hard, "There are things that I need to fix and I can't leave without doing so."

"What things? Tell me and I can fix them for you!"

"Doesn't work like that," Maleny continued walking, "I'm staying and that is final."

"Smart choice, love," Klaus came from around the corner, bumping into the woman, "because we need to talk."

Maleny's breath hitched as she stepped away. She knew what occurred back at the compound wasn't over but she didn't expect Klaus to appear so early, "What do you want?"

"Question is what do you want?" he countered.

"You're...you're helping me, now?"

"Show me your proof, proof of whatever is going wrong and perhaps I'll help."

"Maleny," Kieran moved over to them again, "I'd rather you stay away from this-"

"Not happening," Maleny cut him off, her eyes locked on Klaus, "If you're going to help me then fine, I'll be around later and give you everything I have," she looked at Kieran with a nod, "I'll be at Cami's if you need me."

"Actually," Kieran began but the woman had already started walking away, "I'd rather you start packing!"

"Oh give it a rest," Klaus shook her head, "She's not going anywhere."

"She is going to get herself killed like Cami!" Kieran argued.

"Who exactly is 'Maleny' to you and Cami?"

"Maleny was adopted by my sister and her husband in England."

"Adopted niece, got it," Klaus nodded, motioning with a hand for Kieran to continue. He needed to know all he could find out about Maleny, no matter how small.

Kieran sighed, "Maleny was about six when she met Cami and Sean, all three became like best friends. So you will understand that I will defend Maleny like Cami, blood or not, she is family to me."

"You'll be relieved to know I have no intention of harming the woman," Klaus waved him off, truthfully meaning that for the moment, "Now on to other business, we need to talk about some...chaos," he couldn't find another word to describe the oncoming dilemmas the city would be enduring.

"How do you mean?"

"Davina's basically on a self-destruct sequence. The Harvest, being incomplete, has finally taken a toll on the girl."

"What?" Kieran frowned.

"I got the phone call," Klaus mimicked a phone with his hand, "It was Elijah who spoke to Sophie. Davina can't last with all that power she took from the other Harvest Girls and so she's starting a very deadly cycle here. According to Sophie, as Davina self-destructs, she'll cycle through four stages that represent the four elements that bound together the Harvest."

"The earthquake?" Kieran blinked as he just now realized.

"Yes. Earth stage comes first. Then comes wind, and since each stage is more intense than the last, let's just say you'll blow the roof off this place. Then after the wind is water. Rain, flood..."

"How bad?"

"Quite bad, actually, but that's not the worst of it. The last stage is fire, and since it's the last it will be by far the worst. But, I didn't take over this town to watch it burn to the ground."

"You can stop this, right?"

"Yes, but you're not gonna like how."

Kieran closed his eyes, knowing exactly what needed to be done, "They need to complete the Harvest, don't they?"

"Exactly," Klaus nodded, not too happy himself about it. Finishing the Harvest meant the witches received more power.

~ 0 ~

Maleny was running about in her room of Cami's house when there came a knock. She knew it couldn't be Cami as she was out of the city for the day. She ran out of the room and opened the door to find Rebekah on the other side, "What are you doing here?"

"Yeah, probably not the person you expected, am I right?" Rebekah stuffed her hands inside her coat's pockets, acting so casually despite all the chaos that was happening outside.

"I don't...I don't understand," Maleny leaned out to check for anyone else, "Is Klaus sending you to make sure I don't run or something?"

Rebekah scoffed, "I'm no babysitter. I came to talk. Can I come in?"

"As the rules go I don't own the house, Cami does and she's not home," Maleny crossed her arms, her eyes suspiciously narrowing down, "What do you want to talk about with me?"

"Quite a lot, beginning with that vision you had about my brother and an old friend of mine. Ring a bell?" Rebekah noticed how Maleny seemed to tense at the mention, "I take that as a 'yes'."

"Look, your brother finally agreed to take a look into my issue. And when he and I have spoken, I'll be more than glad to explain it to you."

"You seem very nice," Rebekah began, "And let me tell you that 'nice' is going to get you killed in this city. But that's apart from everything else. Right now, my brother sees you as something interesting, something of an asset, do you understand?"

Maleny crossed her arms, "Like a toy, yes, I get it."

"So the moment my brother sees you as a useless asset he will kill you."

"He won't," Maleny said, surprising Rebekah with the assurance the brunette woman had in her tone.

"You don't realize it, but if he agrees to help you it'll be because he's interested in what you can offer to his 'kingdom' and power," Rebekah insisted.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Maleny asked, it was really no surprise Klaus would see her like that. She did manage to recall some of his behavior with power and it was never good.

"Because, if you are going to sell yourself as an asset then you might as well join the right team," Rebekah smirked.

Maleny raised an eyebrow, "I'm not selling myself as an asset," she frowned, "…what kind of team?"

Rebekah smiled, "The one that takes the entire city of New Orleans."

"I don't want the city," Maleny declared whilst making a face, "That is probably the last thing on my mind, believe me. And, anyways, why would I join this team? I'm trying to get on your brother's good side and I'm pretty sure the moment he finds out that I joined his sister's little conspiracy team I will be dead."

"I thought you said he wouldn't kill you," Rebekah tilted her head with a cheeky smile.

"If there is one thing your brother despises is treachery," Maleny remained firm, "and I will not make that mistake."

"How would you know that, though?" Rebekah raised an eyebrow, now even more intrigued, "You just met him."

"I know a lot more than you think," Maleny informed seriously.

"Then for that same reason you should consider my offer," Rebekah shrugged, "I'll help you in what ever you need or want, and in return I ask for your help to take what's rightfully mine. This city was not constructed just by Klaus, nor him and Elijah. I helped too and I deserve to get a share, most importantly I deserve to be happy."

"And you think by taking the city you'll be happy?" Maleny crossed her arms, "I can tell you I accept your offer and we can take the city, but I can tell you right now that even if you did that…you still wouldn't be happy. Ever heard of 'money and power isn't everything?'"

"I'm leaving you to think about this," Rebekah warned, careful not to let teary eyes slip up her authoritative appearance, "And I implore you to consider my offer. Unlike Klaus I will not double-cross you and I would never harm you."

Maleny sighed, "Was this all?"

"No. I also came on behalf of Davina."

"H-how is she?"

"She's...sedated," Rebekah finished slowly, Maleny's eyes widening with horror, "She's basically dying and if we don't do something then she'll take the whole city, if not the world."

"Why are you telling me this? What can I do?"

"She was asking for you," Rebekah shrugged, "Figured it'd do her good to see you there when she woke up...when she wakes up," she winced, "I sort of sedated her a bit too much."

"Look, I will be there as soon as I get some things I need," Maleny promised, "Tell her I promise I'll come quick."

Rebekah nodded, "Alright, do be careful though. There's a flood to come."

"I will."

"And think about my offer, please."

Maleny gave a slight nod and closed the door on the Original. She turned and leaned against the door, taking a deep breath. Everything seemed to be spiraling out of control, and her only hope of true help was currently dying.

~ 0 ~

After discovering that Davina had been stolen by Marcel, Rebekah and Klaus had set out to find her in the meantime Elijah looked over the consecration of the witch Celeste to begin the Harvest. Unfortunately, things were not going as well as Sophie had figured out that Celeste's bones had no magic in them.

They would need another powerful witch.

And what other powerful witch than Esther Mikaelson?

And that was how Esther was consecrated into New Orleans land, thus concluding the preparation for the Harvest and allowing Sophie to conduct it herself. In the meantime, Rebekah had managed to find Davina and Marcel somewhere near the docks. It had taken a lot to get them both into the city, though Marcel agreed when Davina agreed and Davina agreed only when Rebekah agreed to a certain desire.

"Why am I here?" Maleny hissed at Rebekah as the two walked underneath an umbrella in the cemetery. It was pouring rain and she was shivering under her thin coat.

Maleny had been surprised to find Rebekah once more at the doorstep of Cami's house and was even more shocked to find that she was needed at the cemetery on a request of Davina. Rebekah had withheld the information on the reason why Davina was at the cemetery until it was absolutely necessary. The two, along with Klaus, Elijah and Hayley, walked down the cemetery, trying their best to ignore the foul climate.

"Because Davina wanted you here," Rebekah hissed right back, "Now shush."

"Don't you shush me," Maleny snapped, although all conversation was lost when she saw three girls, that were quite dead, laid down in a row on the ground.

Sophie Deveraux stood beside them with the ceremonial athame over the flames, awaiting the needed girl. Maleny looked in horror, not sure of whether to run or help the girls...well, they were dead how could she help them?

"What is going on here?" Maleny whispered, glancing at the others for help.

Rebekah sighed and whispered into Maleny's ear what exactly was about to happen. Upon hearing the explanation, Maleny's eyes widened in terror. She didn't have the chance to say anything on it when a fire sprouted near the entrance, startling the whole group.

"Fire," Sophia breathed.

A couple seconds later, Marcel arrived at the site holding Davina, more fire following him with each step he took. Once at the altar, Marcel set Davina down. She looked past Sophie to see Maleny standing with teary eyes, "I'm going to help you when this is over," she promised.

Sophia took the athame and moved to stand in front of Davina, "Do you believe in the harvest?"

Davina took a breath and nodded nervously, "I believe."

Sophia raised the blade up and slit Davina's throat, the girl falling back with a stumble as the blood oozed down her neck. Marcel caught her before she fell and laid her on the ground along with the rest of the girls, everyone noticing how her skin glowed gold as the magic left her body and flowed back into the earth was was planned. The pouring rain had come to a stop and the sky was cleared once more.

"After the Harvest comes the Reaping. Their sacrifices made and accepted. We call upon our Elders to resurrect the chosen ones," Sophia said and awaited for the resurrection to begin. When nothing happens, everyone looked at each other with growing nervousness, "We call upon our Elders to resurrect the chosen ones..." Sophie tried again but nothing happened, making her come closer to tears, "Resurrect your chosen ones..."

Nothing.

"Please?" Sophie choked out, "I beg..." but nothing happened.

Something had gone wrong.

Sophie dropped to her knees and started crying, knowing she had failed her sister and niece. Maleny blinked with tears in her eyes, looking at Rebekah, "You went with this plan?" she whisper-shouted, "This is...awful."

Marcel looked at everyone with a glare, but none harder than Klaus, before he sped off. Not a few seconds later did Klaus speed away to follow. Maleny shook her head and moved closer to the girls, her tears streaming down her face, "Oh Davina..."

It didn't even matter that her hope for a witch's help had disappeared. Her friend had just died. A sweet, innocent girl had died on account of a crazy witch myth or whatever it was. She actually had to stop and wonder if she truly wanted to find out what was going on with her life, why she kept having those visions and why she wasn't in her own body.. Would it mean she'd enter this kind of world of utter chaos where the innocent died? Was it worth it?

~ 0 ~

Klaus and Rebekah sat back in the study of the compound, having a drink after everything that happened...it was necessary.

"This whole thing was doomed from the start, you know?" Klaus leaned back on his spot, "Yes, we saved the city, and I'm not complaining about the witches losing their power, but this did not go down the way I thought it would. You surprised me, though. You were quite resourceful today. How did you find them down at the docks?"

Rebekah flashed a smirk, "You're not the only one with clever little spies in the quarter, Nik."

"Sometimes I think I don't give you your due, little sister."

"I knew Elijah's plan was mad, but I really thought it would work," Rebekah sighed.

"So did I. I was sure Davina would survive. There was so much life in her."

"What about the power?" Rebekah raised an eyebrow, "Four were supposed to rise, and none did. Where did all that power go?"

Klaus considered her words with actual thought, a bit surprised he hadn't thought of that sooner. Rebekah was right, the Harvest had worked with the power. It flowed back into the earth and then...it had just vanished? Power like that couldn't just disappear.

His thoughts were cut short when a familiar scent filled the room, "Well I have to admit you coming back is an actual surprise," he glanced over to Maleny.

The woman had changed into pure black clothes, her hair tied into a low-ponytail. She stood at the doorway with a shoulder bag, "I brought proof," she announced in a low-volume voice.

Rebekah raised an eyebrow, "Proof? Of what?"

Klaus ignored her as he stood up, setting his drink on the table and walking up to Maleny, "Well, let's talk shall we?" he gestured for her to walk out first.

Without a word, Maleny turned and walked. Rebekah stared after them with growing curiosity but decided to stay back for once. Too much had already happened today, she needed a simple break.

~ 0 ~

Maleny looked around at all the paintings that surrounded the new room she found herself in, Klaus's room. She took several steps around as she took some in, "You did these?"

"Don't believe it?" Klaus put his hands behind his back, standing beside a table where he expected to see such evidence Maleny said she'd brought.

"They're so...grim," Maleny made a face as she turned to face him, "Why?"

"Art critique?"

"Simple curiosity," Maleny corrected before sighing, "I'm into art as well but...I like the lively ones, not the ones that make me think of death," she moved over to the table and set her bag on it, "But I'm not here to talk about art, I'm here because I need help."

"And what exactly do you need help with?" he raised an eyebrow.

Maleny took a small breath as she spread out several yellow folders in a row on the table, one paper faced down at the end, "I don't know whats going on nor why it's going on," she began, "But I believe that I am having dreams of women that are dead, simple women with no special pattern...except..." her eyes looked up at Klaus, "...except they all knew one person."

Klaus gave her an odd look before going ahead and opening up the folders, leaving the paper faced down. He blinked incredulously at the pictures and descriptions he read from each file, "What the hell is this?" he demanded.

"I have no idea," Maleny sighed, "But I keep dreaming, or having visions, whatever you want to call it, about these women. This is a recent," she pointed to the folder nearest to them, "Maya Sterling," she tapped the picture of the woman, "From what I saw she was American, lived in the 20th century of New Orleans...then died in a fire, apparently. There's one not too far apart after her, but I haven't gotten all the details. Her name was Khalinda Ayama and she lived in New York, late 20's."

As Klaus took a look at Maya's file, Maleny moved around him to the other end of the table where she'd placed the paper faced down. She picked it up and held it to her chest, recalling her last vision she had only about an hour ago, the one that made her decide to come and ask for Klaus's help. She needed to do this, she needed to.

"And then I had visions about her," she turned to Klaus with the paper now facing him, bearing the picture, or a small painted description, of a blonde woman with blue eyes.

"Maleny..." Klaus whispered and took the paper from her, "...not you," he clarified a minute later, "This was...how did you even get these?"

Maleny swallowed, "I keep seeing them, Klaus, all of them. And there is nothing special about them, only one thing in common...and we both know what that is."

"It's all the women I've ever had affection for," he nodded and set the paper down.

"No, it's the women you grew to love," Maleny snapped, "Don't degrade them in front of me. Please..." she shook her head, sighing deeply, "...there's something you need to know, apart from all this," she swallowed and took a small pause, "...Klaus, that picture you were holding, of the 'other Maleny', um...I sort of am that Maleny," and she tried really hard not to shake under Klaus's glare, "You have to believe me, alright? This body you see is not mine. That one's mine," she pointed at the picture, "I am Maleny, but this is not my body."

"Impossible," Klaus declared without a second thought. The woman had to be lying. There was no way his Maleny could ever stand in today's world, alive.

"You think I'm lying, of course," Maleny sighed, "Why wouldn't you? I should be dead, right? But I'm really not. I'm here," she gestured to herself, "Someone put me in this body."

"You are not Maleny," Klaus declared, nearly warning her to say otherwise.

"I am, even if I can't remember most of that life," Maleny stepped closer to him, "And I'll prove it," she took his hands and placed them on her temples, forcing him to look into her mind, "Look," she closed her eyes and took a breath, showing him her vision, the reason why she stood there at the moment.

"Come back wretched girl!" a middle-aged man yelled as he ran with all his speed, through the forest.

A young blonde woman was running ahead of him, away from him. She grabbed the sides of her dress in an effort to increase her speed. Her long, blonde hair bounced wildly as she made several turns here and there, anything to escape the booming roars of the man.

"I will teach you to respect your father!"

"No!" she cried, tripping on a branch and landing on her knees on the ground. She heard the distance sounds of mens' voices and glanced to the side, seeing two very familiar figures not that far from her. She sighed, even though she was in great possible danger, she felt her heart warm at the sight of one of them, "Klaus..." she whispered with a smile.

"Maleny!" her father neared, making her snap out of her short trance.

She yelped, reality snapping back, and she quickly scrambled to get up, "No!"

And she continued on her way, not noticing the two Mikaelson brothers looking in the direction she was in, barely catching her figure run off...followed by the furious father.

"Maleny!" he screamed.

When Maleny opened her eyes tears strolled down her face, "I was confused whether or not to come here and ask for your help. But do you see it? For some time I wasn't sure how I was feeling. I knew something was wrong but I didn't know what. And then I saw this vision. I remembered. This is not my body. I am that girl in the forest but I don't know how I got here. There is an entire life-story in my head that belongs to this body, and it's not mine. You have to help me. In the name of what you once felt for the girl in the forest, help me."

Klaus simply stared at her with a blank expression, there were no words to describe how he felt after seeing what he'd seen. He remembered those days before he'd actually met Maleny Rowan. Her father had been just as terrible and cruel as his own was, the only difference being that Maleny Rowan was truly alone. She had no one but her father. He remembered the stories she'd told him after they'd met and...'courted', or what ever it'd be called in those times. He truly did come to love her, as a human and vampire, he could not ignore that as much as he tried. If there was even a chance to save the true Maleny, he would do it.

For Maleny Rowan, he'd do it.

"You've piqued my interest," he declared, trying to act as unattached to the case as possible, "We have a lot of work to do, Maleny Woods."

Maleny nodded, looking down as she took a breath, "Thank you," she whispered with so much relief.

Perhaps...this was the beginning of her peace as well.

[kalle-and-lita]

Homecoming Pt. 2

Forewarning, this piece of work contains my own interpretations of characters and no one else. Therefore Konrad Curze, Horus, or any other canon character is under my interpretation with OCS like Atina from @goddessatina​ were used with permission. Thank you and enjoy~~

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Lita couldn't tell where it was coming from, and because it was hard to tell the passage of time in her cell, she couldn't even begin to tell when it had started.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

The cell was pitch black, which unnerved her a bit. She had grown up on Nostramo, it was literally a planet of eternal night. But even then, even in the lowest darkest wards, there was still some sort of light. But here, she couldn't see her hand in front of her face.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Maybe she was going crazy....

It wasn't that far outside the realm of possibility. She'd been locked in here for who knew how long without any sort of stimulation, her brain was probably starving for something.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Lita tried to keep retrospect, of all the deaths that could have happened to her...

Drip. Drip. Drip.

She supposed going bat shit insane wasn't that terrible.

Drip. Drip.

She just wished...

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Lita felt her blood surge and her hand struck the wall, leaving her palm tingling with pain. She stilled as the metal hummed with the impact, listening for the infernal dripping sound.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Lita groaned in frustration, laying her head against the wall she leaned up against. A small part of her wished he'd just killed her outright; fuck she'd even go for some old fashioned painful torture than this.

Then, the something on the other side of the door. Lita stilled, trying to pin point a location in complete darkness. Heavy, footsteps if she was correct.

Was she hallucinating?

They paused in the hallway, shifting from one edge of the door to the other. As if they were unsure if they should enter or not.

Who was it?

And seriously, was she still hallucinating?

Then, the door creaked open. She stiffened on the cot, waiting with bated breath for something to happen.

Hard metal on metal slid across the floor with the door slamming shut soon after. The footsteps faded away into the distance, leaving Lita to crawl about the darkness to see what had been left in her cell.

If it was anything at all, she still wasn't sure if she was hallucinating or not.

Her hand brushed upon the foreign object upon the floor, a smell permeating her senses that was dull but very welcome.

Food.

Definitely not a hallucination. It was meager, but it was something.

Yet...

It gave her pause for thought.

He was having her fed now, why? Was he trying to draw out her inevitable end, make sure she went completely nuts before killing her. That would be a new level of cruelty, even for him.

Defiance surged in her chest, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction. So she pushed away the plate, despite the gnawing pains in her stomach. If she was going to die she was going to do so her terms, not his.

And so she fumbled her way back to the cot, hoping that by falling asleep she could ignore her hunger.

~~

Three more times the footsteps came to bring her food, and three more times she turned upon the cot to ignore it. She felt weak, unimaginably so, and the temptation to break and eat what she'd been given was great.

But the need to die on her terms was greater; he was not going to break her. He absolutely was not.

But something happened.

The fourth time the footsteps came to pause hesitantly outside the cell door, something changed. The door opened, she turned to her side to pointedly ignore whoever it was as the plate scrapped across the floor back through the door.

Then, a noise. A grunt of frustration. One that she knew very well. You don't spend over twenty something years with a person without learning a thing or two about them.

It had been him, this whole time. Coming everyday to pause outside the cell door before sliding her food.

And now she could hear him open the door wider to step into the cell with her. The atmosphere in the room changed dramatically. There was a tension in the air that stilled her and everything around her, with her heart pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it.

Slowly, his footsteps approached. Methodical, as if he was allowing her to hear him. She knew as well as anyone he could be deathly quiet. She didn't bother to try and close her eyes to feign sleep, he'd see right through that in an instant. So she kept her eyes staring pointedly ahead of her, do her best to remain unblinking.

She felt him move to the cot side, his boring into her as if he was trying to reduce her to dust on his gaze alone. He said nothing, and Lita dared not move until something hit the cot right in front of her.

She jumped a mile out of her skin, realizing he'd thrown the plate of food right in front of her face.

"Eat." His order was cold, his tone like gravel. Lita did not want to be cowed and so ignored him to settle back on to her side.

"The silent treatment? I never took you to be so childish."

Her upper lip twitched without her meaning to.

Childish? He had the audacity to call her childish when he threw a temper tantrum and took her away from the only real happiness she'd ever known?

Don't give him the satisfaction.

She tensed her jaw in response, curling in on herself in a silent hope that he would just give up and go away. In all honesty, she preferred the insane monotony of the water dripping to this.

He moved closer still, the fabric of his clothes rustling as he knelt down next to the cot. His breathing was slow, rhythmic, if the situation wasn't so tense it could've put her to sleep.

"Lita..." This was the first time he'd actually said her name since she'd gotten here. His tone had become softer, but didn't quite lose his usual bite and gravel, "Did you honestly believe you meant so little to me?"

The question came from out of no where and floored her like she'd been run over.

And the worst part?

She didn't know how to answer him....

What was she supposed to think? Of course, she thought that! The Imperium had come and he had left without a second thought to fight in his father's Great Crusade across a nearly infinite galaxy, leaving her in charge of a failing monarchy that only worked because he was there to enforce his rules. Once he was gone, the barons of Nostramo reverted back into old habits, completely running her over.

And why wouldn't they? She wasn't the Night Haunter, she didn't have his charisma or his brute strength, or the intimate knowledge of his targets fears to cow the barons into obedience. She was just some broken little human, nothing more.

But being with Atina? It had changed everything about how Lita saw herself. She was more than just some loyal servant, a pathetic little girl striving for the attention of someone who would never look her way. She was a woman deserving of happiness and respect and who was more than capable of finding these things on her own, as long as she put the effort into achieving these things herself.

Being with Atina allowed her to realize that she didn't have to spend her life wallowing in self pity, wondering why she wasn't good enough when in fact she was. She just needed to figure that out for herself.

But how to tell that to him? How to tell him that the woman who spilled every single unrequited feeling for him wasn't the same person he was looking at?

Her uncertainty paralyzed her, fighting to say something, because the second worst part was she couldn't pin down what he was even thinking about right now. In some aspects he was predictable, like how he hunted criminals or dealt with the Barons.

But heart to heart conversations that required him to actually be vulnerable.

Yeah... That was new territory.

He grumbled irritably under his breath, moving and shifting the cot. But with how dark it was she couldn't quite tell what he was doing or where he was. There were no footsteps, so he hadn't left and she could still hear his deep breathing somewhere nearby. The pair of them sat in the darkened cell together, neither making a move to speak or break the silence.

"Is this what we've been reduced to? Childish mind games?"

That irked her, and she spoke before she could even stop herself, "Says the man who threw a galaxy sized temper tantrum over a human."

"Ha. She actually does speak."

"What do you want from me?"

"An answer, Lita!" He snapped, "Did you honestly believe you meant so little to me?"

"You never did anything to make believe otherwise," She snapped back, a coldness in her voice she thought she wasn't capable of, "Decades of service, bending over backwards in every attempt to please you, to help, and you threw me aside like I was nothing! And when I was attacked by rebels, in the company of a High Ranking Official of the Imperium? You couldn't even spare the time to check in until hours later!"

The fury she felt made her heart beat wildly in her chest while the adrenaline spurred her to sit up. She squinted in the dark, attempting to find him, but everything was so disorienting she couldn't tell which way was what.

"I am a Primarch, Lita!" His shout was nearby, she heard him move from the cot, irritated footsteps in the dark paired with heavy breathing that gave away his aggravation, "I have far more important things to worry about than some nobody upstarts."

"Is that why you left me in charge of a planet that had no actual peacekeeping force!?"

"Because I wasn't going to just leave you there!!" His words left her stunned for a long moment, but he was far too irritated now to let her get a word in edgewise, "They took me for formal combat training under one of my brothers while they built my legion, and yes it took much of my attention, but I had no intention of just leaving you on Nostramo."

"You have a funny way of telling me these things." she said softly, her voice thick with emotion.

"Because it was---" He hesitated only a second before heaving a heavy sigh, "It was supposed to be a gift, a way to thank you for everything you've done for your planet. For me. You were one of the few who ever had any sense, any drive to do what was right. But then, you just quit. After saying... those things... After I tried to get a hold of you for hours only to find out that my brother's little whore smuggled you off planet."

"It hurt, didn't it?" Her question was spoken softly, but seemed like it echoed loudly between them than anything ever said before, "Thinking 'how could she? Didn't all of it mean something?'."

She hear him sigh irritably again, the sound of something heavy hitting the metal wall and the slide of cloth against a surface. If she had to guess, he was probably sitting somewhere nearby. More maddening silence stretched between the pair until she found the courage to speak what was probably on his mind too,

"So what now?"

"I suppose I'm not sure."

"Well, we're in the same boat then."

"Then why don't you tell me what you want."

"Respect."

He moved, fast judging by the quick rustle of his clothes that had him nearly in her face, "Don't you dare," he hissed, teeth grinding, "I respected you more than I should have, the fact that you're still alive after all the bullshit you've put me through should be proof enough of that."

Lita pushed back, her hands flailing out in the darkness and finding his face to strike him, "You did that to yourself!" she hissed back, "You could have just left me alone, that would have been showing me respect. Instead, you took me away from the only real happiness I've ever known!"

His hands grasped her wrists and squeezed, not tight enough to break bone but enough to keep her from striking him again but it certainly take the fight out of her.

"Why couldn't you just leave me alone?!" When she was met with silence it only served to anger her further, "Why?!"

"I don't know! You irritating little human, I don't know!"

It took her a moment to realize she'd started crying, hot tears streaking down her face as he clasped her wrists. She was tired, hungry, and so confused and hurt. And once she started she found she was having the damnedest time trying to stop.

"I haven't seen you cry in a long time..." he whispered above her strangled sobs, and it earned him a scoff,

"No, you idiot, you didn't like it when I cried so I just stopped crying in front of you."

"Certainly more mouthy than I remembered too..."

His muttering made her laugh, to the surprise of them both, "It's funny," she said, pulling her arms back in attempt to get him to let go of her, which he allowed, "It only took a year with Atina to teach me something I hadn't learned in the fifty something years I've been alive."

"And what's that?"

"Self-respect." It was his turn to scoff, but he said nothing more. She curled back up onto the cot, pulling her knees close in an attempt to ground herself, "You asked me what I wanted, what do you want?"

Lita could sense his unease from here, getting him to open up was always like pulling teeth, but a part of her knew she needed to hear his words. But as always he had habit of surprising her; she heard him moving in the darkness and she figured he was just going to leave her now. But instead of hearing the cell door opening and closing shut she felt a pair of strong arms heave her from the cot. He held her firmly against his body as he left the cell, the darkness of the hall just as disorienting as the cell until they stepped into the lift that had brought her into the depths before.

The lights were dimmed, and she found herself looking up at him, and though his gaze was pointed deliberately at the wall she could see a rush of thoughts moving behind the well placed mask. What they were, however, she could only begin to guess.

Up and up they traveled until they came to a jolting stop and the doors opened with a ping. The hallway they stepped into was empty, stretching both left and right into what seemed like an eternity. He took the immediate right, his tunic billowing with the fast pace he set until he stopped at fifth door on the left.

With his free hand he entered a quick series of numbers into the control pad and entered the room when the doors hissed open, and what lay beyond rendered Lita speechless. The garden was fast, towering trees creating a darkened canopy in the already dim space, ferns and other flora in soft beds. And as they walked deeper she noticed pulsating bluish bulbs starting their climb up the vast trees.

Nostramo Night Blooms...

They reached the center of the garden, and he set her down upon one of the benches that were found there, staying knelt by her side as she tried to take everything in.

"Do you know how many architects I had to go through to get this room installed," he said idly, his own gaze wandering before it settled back on her and his tone turned mocking, " 'But your Greatness, this is a Gloriana Class Battleship you can't just make adjustments to where you see fit'."

It made her laugh, "You didn't kill them did you?"

"I don't like the word 'no'." She laughed again, louder this time, and she could even see a hint of mirth in his facade. "Lita, I want you here. I always have, I mean I built this for you, but I need you to understand that what you said before, about... everything you felt. I don't know if I can be what you want me to be, and I just need to know that you're going to be okay with that."

Lita found herself lost in thought at that, she had changed in this past year. The people pleaser she'd been no longer existed, and she felt no desire to win his approval. Yet all of these things did not mean she didn't care about him any less than before, it was that she cared about her own well being just as much now.

"I never wanted you to be anything more than who you were," she said after some time, "and I grew to care for you because of that. Can you be okay with the idea that it won't change how I feel about you?"

He mulled it over for the longest time before he rolled his eyes in mock irritation, "I suppose it isn't so terrible to know that there's someone out there who gives a damn about my well being."

She smiled at him, his mask slowly chipping away the more at ease the pair of them became, and for the first time since coming aboard the Nightfall she felt like things were going to be okay after all.

Author’s Notes Below

//This turned out way longer than I thought it would! Hope you enjoyed, and if you did give it a re-blog, cause I'm super proud of this work! Thanks for reading!

I hereby thank and blame Elvis Presley's "I can't help falling in love", and subsequently Pink's "Hurts 2B Human" and "Walk Me Home." songs.

[manggojooz]

Sugar & the Beast (Part 2)

pairing: Suga/Yoongi x Jin (not yet) x OC

word count: 1,580-ish

genre: drama, sageuk (Joseon dynasty stuff)

summary: A very loose Joseon adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. There’s a rumour about the Prime Minister’s son, that he sometimes act like a human and sometimes acts like a beast. Dang Seol’s only family, Myeongjo, left for Hanyang one day and never came back. Seol finds out that Myeongjo was taken to the Prime Minister’s house and seeks to find her only family back but ends up coming face to face with a human-beast.

warnings: none

previous parts: Part 1

“Min Yoongi!”, bellowed the dignified-looking nobleman who wore a long beard and a tall elaborate hat. The dozen swordsmen following him moved to surround the younger nobleman and the woman crouched on the ground.  

The young man couldn’t look any more apathetic, aura unflinching. “Hate it when he calls me that...”, Seol could hear him muttering under his breath.  

The older man sauntered up to him demanding as calm as the seas before a storm, “Are you going to cause a scene or should we go back quietly?”  

There was a moment as intensity pounced between father and son.  

“I’ve already found her”, Prime Minister Min declared.  

---  

Myeongjo sits in a dark chamber surrounded by scrolls of books. The only light filtering in was through the paper windows that were unusually thick. The room wasn’t too shabby but she knew this was nonetheless a form of captivity.  

Despite the humongous amounts of books she had in front of her, she constantly worried whether Seol was safe, whether Seol would be wondering why she hasn’t returned, whether Seol will stubbornly try to look for her.  

But her thoughts were snapped when the next page she flips to catches her attention. It recorded a case of a woman who had been cursed by a skilled shaman and was marked with a mysterious tattoo. Myeongjo flips to the next page wanting more information, but it was blank, causing her to frantically flip through the remaining pages, but they were all empty.  

---

Seol tailed the entourage of Minister Min back to their mansion. She loitered around the entrance, hiding amongst the street vendors.  

After what must have been an hour or so, she saw a man walked up to the mansion carrying a wooden box and a small silk bag. The wooden box clearly looked like what Myeongjo used to carry when she would go out to treat the villager’s illnesses, Seol deduces that the man must be a physician. A group of house maids walked up the steps leading to the door of the mansion close behind the doctor and Seol quickly followed behind them, granting her own entrance into the Min family’s yard.  

A servant approaches the doctor and offers to take his belongings. Seol watches closely from behind a pillar and notices the doctor putting down the wooden box. Their attention was focused on the silk baggage that the doctor still held in his hand. As the two of man hastened away with the silk bag towards a side room, Seol snuck over, picks up the doctor’s wooden box aiding her physician disguise. She started sneaking her way deeper into the mansion.  

If they took Myeongjo they would definitely keep her hidden somewhere. Seol spots a random house maid sweeping the yard. She braces herself, putting on an air of confidence, she walks up to the young girl.  

“Excuse me, I think I am lost. They asked me to come over because they said a woman was sick.”  

“A woman?”  

“Yes, they told me she is only recently came to the mansion. She wears a hair pin that has a gold flower...”

“Ah yes, there was a woman who have been staying here for the past few days but her room is on the other side of the yard, just follow that corridor all the way down and you should see it. It should be easy to spot since they stationed two men outside her room all the time.”  

“Thanks”, Seol smiled sweetly at her. On one hand she wanted to finally locate Myeongjo but on the other she really hoped that the woman they spoke about was not Myeongjo. What was Myeongjo doing here and how will she get Myeongjo out? 

As she walks through the long corridor towards the east side of the mansion, a man who was patrolling spots her and shouts after her “Hey! What are you doing here? Where are you going to?”  

Seol pretends not to hear him, ignoring the loudness of his voice and the minor pause in her steps. She hastens her pace and her ears could pick up that the man had started to run towards her. She brisk-walks the remaining length of the corridor and as she turned the corner her head thumps against a man’s chest, causing him to fall backwards and Seol loses her balance and trips, falling on top of him.  

She apologises hastily and moves to get up but her body froze from the face she saw. It was that same pale face; the son of Prime Minister Min. He scowled in pain as she was still lying on top of him. She quickly scrambles off him and he managed to stand up.  

He was still straightening his clothes when the guard who had chased Seol down came running around the corner. He sees Yoongi and bows to him, apologising for alarming the young master of the house.  

“Get up now! What are you doing in this part of the compounds?”, the guard exclaimed at Seol, bending down to hoist her to her feet.  

“I lost my way... I am looking for the... the...”, Seol was pretending to be lost while she raced to make up a story.  

“She must be the physician I just called in”, Yoongi suddenly said.  

The guard looked back at Seol and she stammers, “Uhh... Yes I am... the doctor... he called.”  

“Sorry to alarm you, young master”, the guard apologises again.  

Yoongi stares at him with a stern expression, “Then why don’t you let go of her now...”  

The guard belatedly realises he was still holding onto Seol and lets go of her, bowing once more before leaving.  

Yoongi starts to walk towards his room but Seol stood shell-shocked and glued to her spot. He turned around before asking, “What are you waiting for? Follow me.” There was something subtly different in his voice.  

Seol jolts back to her senses and follows Yoongi, but her heart was pounding against her chest in fear, scenes from earlier flashing back to her mind. Why did he not expose her? Or does he actually think she is the doctor? Could it be that he doesn’t remember her from just now?  

Yoongi enters his room and sits down at his table, turning his attention menacingly towards Seol. Seol shuffles in as inconspicuously as she can, trying her best to keep up the disguise. Good thing she has some pretty solid medical knowledge acquired from following Myeongjo around when she treated the villagers. 

Yoongi stared at Seol, waiting for her to approach him but Seol stood awkwardly near the door of his room.  

He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, “I haven’t seen you before, but you seem to be afraid of me.”  

Seol was confused, so he really doesn’t remember her from just now... she barely managed to utter a word, “Huh?”  

He laughs a little and Seol’s expression turns even more fearful. He waves at her with his huge sleeves, “It’s nothing, I’m not laughing at you. It’s just that it never fails to amuse me. But where is Doctor Kim? How come they sent you today instead? Doctor Kim is the one who usually takes care of me. Are you new?”  

“Ummm... yes... it’s my first time...”  

“It’s your first time here?”, he cuts in in disbelief. “So... did Doctor Kim tell you about my condition before you came?”  

Seol blinked a few times, trying to wreck her brains for a generic answer that could save her.  

“Not exactly... I was only told that you weren’t feeling that well... umm and that I should come and figure it out...”

“Oh right... so you can figure it out? Right here right now?”, he asked curiously.  

“I will try... my best...”, Seol attempted her best to sound like the real deal without stammering too much.  

“Go ahead... do what you need to...”, Yoongi said with an expression that showed great interest in this conversation.  

Seol carefully walked up to where Yoongi sat and took hold of his wrist, trying to get a reading on his pulse signatures.  

Yoongi put his free arm’s elbow onto the table and rested his face in his propped up hands. “So? What’s wrong with me?” He was looking at Seol’s face that was illuminated by the light.  

“You seem fine... but umm... do you tend to forget things often?”, Seol asked the question as if it was part of the diagnostic procedure.  

“Wow... you are good... how did you know that?”, he sat up straight and answered with a face looking like he was impressed with her.  

“Does your mood change a lot during the day?”, she continued asking.  

“Not really... I’m usually ok... but I’m not so sure about him...”

Who’s him?  

Seol wanted to back out of this as fast as she can and so she took out a bottle of pills from the wooden box, generally used for improving one’s mood. “Take this, once a day, and get lots of rest... for now. If it doesn’t work then we will try something else.”  

Yoongi nodded silently and took over the tiny porcelain bottle. He watches Seol as she tries to make her retreat.  

Seol reaches out her hand to push open the door when suddenly she was forcefully turned around. Yoongi’s face was inches away from hers and he looked at her with a smile. This time around, seeing his face at such a close distance has made Seol realised, there was an indescribable difference in him. His skin was still pale, features still dainty but his eyes... they reflected light. Her heart probably skipped many beats.  

“Hey doctor, game’s over... now tell me, what are you really here for?”  

[deztinywarriors]

The Linked Charms - Episode 27 (Multi Liverpool players)

[sassypandacandy]

Character Creation Tag

Tagged by @minny-king, this is a new one for me!

Since Mia is one of the lead MCs for After/Effects, I’ll go ahead and do this one for her!

1. What was the first element of your OC that you remember considering (name, appearance, backstory, etc.)?

Technically her appearance, since the first mention of her in A Day Out of Time was originally just as a brunette agent. I really struggled with it at first, but once I realized/decided that she was mixed race (African American/Caucasian), the rest of her appearance just came together!

2. Did you design them with any other characters/OCs from their universe in mind?

The first time around, no, because she was just a random white agent. Somewhere in the second draft of After/Effects, I realized that almost every POV that I was using was a white character, so I went around switching up the races that I could (some, like McNab, were already canonically white in A Day Out of Time). So in a way, her final design was influenced by several other characters.

3. How did you choose their name?

It honestly just came to me!

4. In developing their backstory, what elements of the world they live in played the most influential parts?

The concentration of wealth in Manhattan had a lot to do with her background. Her father is a major real estate developer, which means she grew up in a world of privilege - one that she eventually turned her back on.

5. Is there any significance behind their hair colour?

Nope.

6. Is there any significance behind their eye colour?

Nope, other than the fact that dark eyes are underrated.

7. Is there anything significant behind their height?

It demonstrates that size does not equal ability! Mia is pretty short (5′2″), and she’s a lot more tenacious/tough than many larger Watchdogs. 

8. What (if anything) do you relate to within their character/story?

Her teasing nature and need to write her own story.

9. Are they based off of you, in some way?

Not particularly, although the world travel part of her backstory is something that I’ve dreamed of doing.

10. Did you know what the OC’s sexuality would be at the time of their creation?

No, because at the time she was just a background character. Her relationship with Fahd didn’t develop until After/Effects.

11. What have you found to be most difficult about creating art for your OC (any form of art: writing, drawing, edits, etc)?

Probably her aesthetic for the moodboards. Her personality revealed itself pretty easily, but I had a hard time pinning down her aesthetic until I actually saw it.

12. How far past the canon events that take place in their world have you extended their story, if at all?

A couple of years, actually, since only A Day Out of Time has been published so far. Mia’s story extends all the way to Book 3.

13. If you had to narrow it down to 2 things that you MUST keep in mind while working with your OC, what would those things be?

Her claustrophobia and her hair. I have to remember that certain things might trigger the claustrophobia (like really big bear hugs), and since she has very different hair from me (curly and thick vs. straight and thin), I have to remember that what works for my hair won’t work for hers.

14. What is something about your OC that can make you laugh?

Her snappy responses to things.

15. What is something about your OC that can make you cry?

Nothing canon that I can talk about!

17. What is the most recent thing you’ve discovered about your OC?

That her parents are divorced, and her mother is happily engaged to another woman.

18. What is your favourite fact about your OC?

That she still holds the Doghouse record for the fastest time getting through perimeter tape, which is a tool the Dogs use to contain living things. It’s sort of like a poor man’s forcefield, and while it’s possible to break through, it takes one hell of a stubborn personality.

Tagging: @thebloodstainedquill @rosegoldsunrays @katekarl and @sweetpopcorno

[eerythingisshaka]

Will the Bell Ring? Pt. 4

[Erik Killmonger x Black OC]

Word Count 5.8k

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Erik has a meeting one morning to discuss the upgrades he has planned for key components of the new model Boeing airplane that is set to begin manufacturing early the following year.  Erik stood at the sink in the master bathroom reciting lines to himself that he had prepared with notes on his phone.

“As you can see, the planes trajectory following take off can be more smoothly….more smoothly...smoother?  Uhh-- SHIT!”

Erik curses to himself as the blade angled in the wrong direction, cutting his jaw.

“You ok in there baby?”  Kimara calls out from the bedroom.  

Erik watches the blood begin to bubble and drip onto his shirt before he could get a tissue to catch it.  

“Fuck!  Yeah...I’m aight.”  Erik calls back.

Kimara is putting on an earring when she walks in to see him.  “Oh damn, Erik. You cut yourself today of all days?.” Kimara reaches for the tissue to survey the damage.  

“Ain’t it some shit?  I gotta be at the office in one hour and I fucking maim myself and stain my fucking shirt.”  

“Ohh, now stop.”  Kimara pats his chin as the blood begins to clot instead of run.  “At least now you have an excuse for the bald spot right around there.”

Erik pins her arms down giving her slight shake.  “What I tell you bout that?”

Kimara cracks up uncontrollably.  “HAHA! About what?!”

Erik stares her down sticking his chin in her face.  “Say it again, I dare you…”

Kimara bites her lips choking back her laughter.  “I meant to say...you look very handsome.”

“Uh huh.”  Erik says unconvinced but satisfied.

“So now the white men with toupees can swap Rogaine recommendations.”  Kimara adds swiftly.

“YOUGONNAADDTHATWHILEIGOTYOUSNATCHEDUP??!!!”  Erik barks at a cackling Kimara, tickling her neck and the sides of her torso mercilessly.

“OK! OK! You finna make me pee, STAHP!”  Kimara orders in between breaths.

Erik backs off eventually, checking his chin self consciously.  “You playing too much this morning. Since this your week for laundry, make sure you don’t forget the softener this time.  That shit smell good as hell to let it sit.”

Kimara goes over to the toilet to relieve herself, leaning on her knees as she regains her composure.  “Whatever. You got time to eat something before you go?”

Erik pulls off his shirt in all studded and scarred glory.  “Nah, I took too much time at the gym this morning, so Imma have to pick somethin up later on.”

Kimara flushes and goes to her sink rinsing her hands.  “Ok. Let me know when you get off, I wanna go out.”

Erik pulls out an new shirt from his closet to put on.  “Aight bet. You got a place in mind?”

Kimara thinks a moment.  “Not really, but I’ll look up some stuff we can come to a decision on.”

Erik shakes his head.  “Uh uh say less. I got you.  Lemme surprise you with somethin good for once, ok?  You got enough on your plate, imma fill it with something tasty, ok?”  

“Oh my God, you being corny, but I like it.  Thank you…” Kimara says sweetly with smile to match.  Erik pulls her to him for a kiss and a goodbye smack on her ass as he finished up and headed out for the day.

Erik’s meeting with the board went on practically without a hitch.  Erik was always more nervous during preparation than when it came down to performance.  His presentation ran according to his plan and all the old white men looking back at him seemed slightly above average in intrigue over what he had to say.  No one was ever too excited for the meetings unless lunch was included, which today it wasn’t. But by the end he got a round of applause and a series of questions that he answered effortlessly.  When the meeting was dismissed, the cordialities and congratulations were passed around to Erik which he took lukewarmly. He’d been doing this long enough to know that a handshake and a smile does not a deal make.

“Hey Erik, great presentation today son.  You really knocked it outta the park with this one.”  Edward Hawkins, the engineering department head and Erik’s boss, says to him.

Erik nods appreciatively.  “Sure thing. I looked as deep into it as I could and I’m pretty proud of the outcome.”  

Edward subconsciously brushes his comb-over over.  “Yeah, it shows, the details were amazing and your stats very appropriate.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I heard from Dave tomorrow morning with a deal to move forward with a couple things you proposed today.”

“I won’t hold my breath for news that quick, but drinks on you if that’s the case.”  Erik claps Edward on his back and goes to leave.

“Oh, Erik! ��I did want to talk to you about something.  I was talking with some of the board members and we thought you might work better with a team, just one extra partner to kind of share the load.”

Erik puts his hands in his pockets walking slowly to Edward.  “Whatchu mean?”

Edward stutters.  “Well I-I mean it's a lot of research and money riding on what you do so to protect you and the company, we feel having a teammate with you would be beneficial!”

“Who you want me with?”  Erik asks curtly.

“Uh, Bryan actually.”  Edward says nervously.

Erik scoffs.  “Your son? The intern?”

Edward gets defensive quickly.  “Now hang on, he is an entry level employee now and he went to Brown, he has the mental capacity to keep up with you.  You think?”

“I don’t think so, nah.”  Erik adds.

Edward sighs.  “Well hell, Erik.  I don’t know what to tell you.  But this isn’t an if but a when situation so I just wanted to give you a heads up so you weren’t blindsided.”

“Cut the bullshit man and tell me what’s this really about.  I been handling mine, no problem. I thought y’all didn’t have the budget for hiring new people any damn way.”  Erik rebuttals. He knew the white folks around there complain most about money. Edward wasn’t gonna pull this over on him so fast.

“It’s not technically a hiring, just a promotion.”

“Ohhhh, that’s nice.  Well since I’m babysitting his ass, I expect a heavier drop in bank account, and that ain’t a promise, issa threat.”  Erik warns, walking towards the glass doors.

“Oh!  Erik, come on!  You’re expecting a helluva lot outta me here.”  Edward calls out.

“I know you good for it.  Make it happen.” Erik walks out leaving Edward to ponder his proposal.  

The meeting was the biggest portion of his day, and judging from his calendar, he is free the rest of the day.  Erik texts Kimara to see if she’d be down to go out still while he attempts to read her mind for a perfect evening ahead.  

In the meantime, Erik calls his cousin to pester.  “Aye T! The hell you doin nigga?”

T’Challa sighs deeply.  “Yes, N’Jadaka. How have you been?”

“Pretty good right now.  I got through with work early so I’m tryna get ready to go out.”

This elicits and even biggers sigh from T’Challa.  “N’Jadaka, there is no way I can go out with you again this week.  I doubt I would want to for the rest of the year to be honest.”

“Not with you, fuck you mean?  I’m talking about Kimara!” Erik says.

“Ohh, well then that is good.  You both are doing well?” T’Challa’s tone brightens suddenly at the relief of not getting blasted drunk in the club again.

Erik approaches his office, closing the door and the blinds.  “Yeah man, I tell you! These past few days have been so good man, we vibing for real.”

“That is great to hear!  She deserves some stress free days concerning all you have planned to do together.”

“Yeah, we haven’t heard back from my doc about the results yet so it’ll be any day.  But she hasn’t even brought up nothing bout it. No text reminders about ovulating and shit, no scheduled sex, just regular spontaneous freakin that-”

“Eh eh, N’Jadaka you are overdoing it again!”  T’Challa warns.

Erik scoffs putting his feet up on his desk.  “Shit my bad. I thought we were having a moment.”

“No your thoughts and desires were having a moment.  So on that note, and keep it clean, what do you and Kimara have planned to do tonight?”

“That’s the thing man.  I’m still tryna figure it out.  I’m bout to pull up some four and five star spots so she can get all cute and fancy for a nigga, you know?”  Erik powers up his computer to being his search.

“Doesn’t she usually Asian foods?”  T’Challa asks.

“Yeah, them beepbeebop meals and shit?  She loves the fuck outta all the side dishes they give with the meal.  More bang for the buck she says, but we ain’t been together….probably since we been married.”

“Bibimbap.  But good, there’s a Korean grill place that opened up downtown  you might want to try with her. I met with Nakia there recently and it was pretty good.”  

“Hold UP!  You and Nakia went out?  Nigga, details!” Erik says excitedly.

“I have asked you countless times to stop calling me that.  But yes we did, only to go over ideas about the outreach center .”

“Annnd?”  Erik asks.

“Erik…”  T’Challa mimicks Erik, but in a stern tone.

“Ooh, ok, you serious using my government name.  I see you. So are you still fucking that one girl from the club?”

“I’m hanging up.”  T’Challa says.

“Wait wait, you can’t talk to me about that either?”

“I don’t parade my conquests for everyone to hear about.”  

“Aha, so y’all still fucking.  Ok, well knowin your ass, she must be a serious situation now.  Especially if you ain’t giving Nakia the time of day.” Erik says matter-of-factly.

T’Challa hesitates before answering.  “We are considering things still, but it is an appropriate adult partnership.  Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Well at least you gettin something on the side while you waiting for scraps at Nakia’s door.  Listen, what’s the name of that Korean place?”

“Palmi, it is not an uptight place but she will enjoy the atmosphere and food, I’m sure.”

Erik types in the place by name and reads over the reviews.  “Cool, this should work. Thanks man.” Erik’s phone dings with a notification from Kimara confirming their night out.  

“Ok T, Imma let you go.  I got some time to pick some roses up or something to give her.”  Erik says getting ready to go.

“Get calla lilies instead.”  T’Challa offers.

Erik pauses.  “What? She likes them more?  I got her roses on Valentines, she liked them just fine.”

“Exactly, that was that manufactured holiday Americans love so much.  Lilies are sweeter, more elegant, sends a better message.”

Erik nods.  “Ok T, I might try that after all,  good looking out.”

Erik clicks off the phone call with T’Challa and makes his way home to get changed.  Kimara was still at the studio so he texts her to meet him at the Korean restaurant in an hour.  There is a florist up the street from his job that he stops by to get Kimara a bouquet of ten lilies with some eucalyptus leaves.

When he gets home, Erik takes his time washing the funk of white elitist off of his skin and slips into his real nigga attire for the day:  dark navy canvas jacket over his chocolate colored Henley with black distressed jeans and timbs. Erik spritz some cologne, just enough to make her lean into him to get a better whiff.  He refreshed his locs, banding them atop his head and giving himself a once over, feeling his excitement build as the time drew near. Erik wanted his lady to know she was appreciated and tonight would highlight that for them.

Pulling up to the restaurant, Erik saw her car was already in the parking lot, a soft glow through the tinted windows indicated she is sitting and waiting for him.  Erik gets out the car with flowers behind his back as he crouches, hopping over to the back end of the car. He glides toward her driver’s side window before knocking loudly against it, causing her to honk the horn in fright.  

“Dammit, Erik!”  Kimara shouts rolling down her window.

Erik leans into the window.  “Ma’am, there’s no loitering in the parking lot.  Spaces for patrons of the restaurant only.”

Kimara turns on the light in her car to check her makeup in her phone.  “Made me smudge my lips.”

“That’s gonna be a problem you have all night. Com’ere.”  Erik pesters Kimara who gives him a light smooch before reapplying.  

Erik opens her car door, helping her out of it.  “Babe, you ain’t had to fuck up the game like this!  I thought you was coming home from work, I know I ain’t let you out the house in this!”

Kimara wore some denim cut off shorts, making a dream out of her deep toned thighs with flesh colored platform sandals adorning her feet.  Her voluptuous frame stood out as her best accessory hugged by her ‘COCO Butter’ baby tee with a scoop neck that let her girls breathe a bit.  

Pulling back her wavy 18 inches back, Kimara shrugs.  “So what about it? A queen comes prepared for any meet and greet, understand me?”

Erik rubs his chin, not able to take his eyes off any part of her.  “That ain’t a fucking problem one bit baby. I just hope these shits don’t wilt from you showing them up tonight.”  Erik takes the bouquet from behind him, giving them to Kimara.

“Awww, Erik!  These are so gorgeous!  And…” She gives them a good sniff.  “MM! Good call on that eucalyptus. How did you know I love me some lilies?”

Erik takes her hand and leads her to the restaurant.  “I know what my lady like. That’s why we finna feed my Mara well so she can go to bed with a smile on her face, you hear me?”

Kimara giggles.  “Good cuz I’m starving too.”

A hostess greets the, warmly before setting them at a table and giving them menus.  Erik and Kimara look over the options.

“The pork belly is good for sure, but the marinated bulgogi never fails me either…” Kimara mutters, looking over their options.

“Get whatever you want Mara, you know this better than me.  If it’s meat, I’ll eat.” Erik professes.

Kimara calls over a waitress and asks for her two faves to order.  “And couple bottles of soju please.”

“What’s a soju?”

Kimara grins sneakily.  “Just a little something to warm us up, you know?”

“Ahh, ok.  Tryna take advantage of me.  I ain’t falling for it neither.”  Erik smirks.

Kimara puts a hand up to his face.  “Skrrrrt! In ya dreams!”

Erik takes her hand, kissing her knuckles.  “You right, woman of my dreams all day every day.”

Kimara rolls her eyes but can’t stop her smile.  “So damn corny. I guess all this good mood is cuz your presentation went well?”

Erik screws his face up.  “I can be happy to see you too!  But...a little bit of work shit too.  Mara, I KILLED that shit. Those whites didn’t phase me not one time.”

Kimara gives him a quick applause.  “How soon til you know what’ll stick for the roll out next year?”

“Ed made it seem like tomorrow, but realistically I’d give it the end of the week.”

The waitress brings out a tray of little dishes with appetizers for them to share and their bottles of soju with some glasses.  Erik and Kimara get their chopsticks ready.

“What’s that?”  Erik points to one of the dishes.

“That’s gamja jorim.  It’s like potatoes in soy sauce, really good!”  Kimara picks a cube of potato up, moaning at the first bite as she bounces in her seat.  

Erik tries it out but makes a face.  “It’s cold!”

“It’s supposed to be!”  Kimara says laughing at him.  Erik opens a bottle of soju and takes a swig.

“Yo!  You’re supposed to drink it like a shot!  You not tryna drive home??” Kimara exclaims.

Erik sets the bottle down, mulling over the flavor.  “That’s not bad, weak, but not bad.”

“It’s not weak, it’s just smooth.  Your taste buds so used to drinking gasoline, you don’t know good liquor.”

“Not too much on my taste, Miss Thing Thang.  I know what’s good, like some meat right now.”  Erik whines scoping the restaurant out like it was supposed to fall from the sky.

Kimara tastes a couple more of the other appetizers.  “Have some of the kimchi! It’s that red cabbage over there.”

Erik does so, to little fanfare.  “I said MEAT Mara!”

On cue, the waitress comes out with a cutting board and the raw meat laid out in two piles, and a side of three dipping sauces for each of them.  She runs some oil along the grill in front of them and places some meat on the hot plate, flipping them and plating some for them before wishing them luck and dismissing herself.

Erik sits there flabbergasted.  “Imma kills this nigga.”

Kimara places more meat on the griddle. “The pig and cow are already dead, bruh.”

“I mean T’Challa.  He recommended this place and he ain’t told me that we gotta cook shit ourselves.   That meat is $30 a pop! We coulda went to the store and ate at home!” Erik fumes, taking his bottle of soju up for another gulp.

Kimara thinks about this a moment.  “Well I think you’re crazy. I’m thanking T’Challa then when we get home, cuz I guess your imagination lives inside a Big Mac box.  Eat!”

Kimara shows Erik hot to lay the meat out and when to tell that it’s ready to take off and eat.  After a few pieces Erik is setting up the sliced meats himself and plating them for him and Kimara.

Kimara gives him a handclap of praise.  “That’s it! See, This the only time I’ve gotten you to cook for me.  Look at God.”

Erik hiccups.  “I cook for you before, lyin ass.”  Erik clinks a plate down before sloppily eating a piece of marinated beef like a spaghetti noodle.

Kimara takes a sip of soju from her glass.  “Oh shit. Erik, gatdammit! You drank too much?”

Erik sits up with a big smile.  “Never too much, never too much!”  he sings.

Kimara calls over the waitress.  “Now I’m gonna have to get up early and get you over here to come get your car.  Fucking…” She gives the waitress her credit card and starts to put on her coat.

Erik reaches for Kimara across the table.  “Baby….baby...babe….you know this meat was real good.”

Kimara swats his hand.  “Yeah, I told you it would be.”

“I know somethin that taste better though.”  Erik says before cackling out loud. “I can still eat baby, just SAY THE WORD!”

Kimara breathes a sigh of relief when she sees the waitress come back with her card.  

“Thanks for coming you guys!  Have a good night!”

“Thank you miss lady, we ‘preciate chu.”  Erik says. He looks over at Kimara writing.  “Aye! Don’t tip, she ain’t cooked shit.”

Kimara shushes him.   “Damn, Erik, shut up! This is a restaurant, she still served us!”  Kimara finishes writing out the ticket and her and Erik walk out the door to her car.  Erik leans back in the passenger seat until he is completely leveled out. “Come on, sit for daddy…”  Erik reaches over Kimara in the driver’s seat.

“Erik, I gotta drive, just go to sleep or something.”  Kimara says, backing out of the space.

“My wife got the fattest ass, fattest pussy, fattest titties.  Shit too good to let go to waste. That’s why I’m taking you home girl…”

“No, I’m taking you home.”  She corrects.

“...You my leftovers.  I’m eat that ass up later.”  Erik laughs to himself at his dinner puns.  

Erik sits his seat upright again after a while.  “Mara, I’m sorry.”

Kimara looks over at him.  “What’re you talking about?”

Erik leans on her shoulder.  “I wanna do right. I wanna be good to you.”

“Aww, you are baby!”

“But you deserve it all, putting up with my bullshit.”  Erik mutters.

“You just got a little drunk.  I’m not mad at you.”

“I ain’t talkin bout now.  I shouldn’t have left you.”

Kimara tenses up.

“Those last days were so good, but I wasn’t ready for good.  I didn’t want you cuz you made things nice. But I wasn’t a nice person yet.”  Erik says.

“Y-yes you were.  I knew you were, that’s why you came back.”

“I wanted to die.  T didn’t let me. If it wasn’t for your forgiveness I probably woulda…”  Erik slumps down in her lap.

“Watch it Erik!”  Kimara exclaims.

Erik twists his face to her stomach to kiss it.  “That’s why Imma make us a family. I don’t care what a doctor say, we finna have a cute ass baby.  I owe it to you.”

Kimara is silent for a while.  “You don’t OWE me a baby Erik.”

“I do, I do.  I’ll do whatever to get this done right.”  

“Erik, shut up, ok?”  Kimara says softly.

Nine Years Ago (Revisit)

Erik had been gone a month, and Kimara had no one she could talk to about it.  Her days working at the local community center to teach music to kids was her only escape from the day to day.  

“Ok Lala, from the top.  Caro mio ben, Credimi almen…”  Kimara sat at the piano going over the melody as her sophomore student Lala handled the lyrics.  She handled the Italian pronunciations expertly, however getting the traditional operatic tone was proving difficult..  

As Kimara played along a cramp in her stomach made her stop playing abruptly to clutch the source of the pain.  

“Ms. Walker?  Is something wrong?”  Lala asked with concern.

Kimara felt horrible all of a sudden as her condition progressed.  “No….well, not with you. I’ve got to stop this rehearsal early. Keep practicing on your own and I’ll see you next week.”  

Kimara made her way to her car, rooting through her purse for her phone but ran across the prescription pill bottle first.  Staring at the label with her name and instructions, she thinks what may have happened had she not gotten them. Could she have gone on without taking them?

Just then a wave of nausea hit her as she  opened her car door to kneel out and puke all over the asphalt.  The stinging in her throat from the force and volume of it all made her cough uncontrollably, stimulating her gag reflex even more.  Kimara gets back in the car, cursing herself for the predicament she has been put in. This was supposed to be the easier way, at this rate she may probably should’ve rethought things.

Sitting in silence for her body to settle down, Kimara’s phone rings, breaking her calm.  She finds it in her purse but sees it’s an unknown number.

“Hello?”  She asks gruffly, voice strained from vomiting.

“Yes, is this Kimara?”  The voice asks.

“Who is this?”  

“I am T’Challa, Erik’s cousin?  I don’t know if he ever mentioned me but-”

Kimara perks up at the name.  “You said you’re Erik’s family?  You’re from Africa?”

He sighs.  “So he hasn’t told you about me then.”

Kimara grows tense.  “Why hasn’t he? But first of all, why are you calling me?  Where’s Erik?”

“He is with me, in Wakanda, for a few weeks now.”

“What??  He actually made it there…”  Kimara’s voice trails off as she thinks of how Erik told her about the stories of his home, the lost family he was a part of, and claiming his part in it.  “I still don’t understand why I’m hearing from you though.”

“He wants to see you Kimara.  He wants to talk to you about things, make things right with you.”

Kimara let out a grave laugh.  “Ohhh, this is corny as fuck. He is sending his cousin, some foreign dude I ain’t met, to call and ask me to talk to him sounding like a scammer.  You tell his ass to bring himself back here on a plane to the States and maybe we will talk. How about that?”

“He can’t do that.”  T’Challa says.

“Like hell he can!  He got there, he can come back.  You calling me? Call him a plane ticket so he can bring his sorry ass back here and say shit to my face.  I ain’t crawling nowhere to him. He don’t know what he’s left me with!”

“Kimara, I’m sorry it’s coming out like this, but-”

“I said what I said, T’Challa!”  Kimara hangs up in his face. She was fuming as she started her engine and drove off to head home.  If Erik only knew….And he always did things like this: do her wrong, then beg to see her and act like nothing was wrong because ‘leave the past in the past’.  He smiles his way into her good graces and they’d be cuddled up with her favorite movie and snacks. But this wasn’t college anymore, they were grown now, and he left her vulnerable.  Kimara knew they were going to go somewhere this time but he didn’t treat her any different than the girls he ran through in his hoe years. But she was supposed to be different, he convinced her of that.  Not anymore, from this day forward.

Kimara pulled up to her place to see a man standing outside of it.  It was dark out so she really wasn’t sure who it was, but the deja vu was heavy within her.  She slowly stepped out her car and stayed behind it as she shut the door.

“Yeah?”  She asked cautiously.

The figure turned around to face her, giving her view of his face.  “Kimara, I know this is rude of me to insist, but I have to act on Erik’s behalf.  You have every right to be angry, but he needs you right now. I want to help you through that.”

Present Day

The trill of Erik’s phone going off wakes them both up as they take a lazy morning.  Kimara barely got a good night’s rest for Erik having gotten too drunk and staggering to bed noisily and sloppily, only then to snore ridiculously loud for almost the whole night.  Kimara smacked her pillow at him to stir him but soon as he hit REM sleep, he was Foghorn Leghorn in the sheets.

Kimara rounded off her pillow upside his head once more to get him to pick up his phone, this time Erik has gained more coordination to register his surroundings.  He picks up his phone without acknowledging the caller ID.

“Hello?’  Erik asks with a heavy tongue.

“Yes, Good morning Mr. Stevens.  This is Doctor Tracy from Jocelyn Elders Fertility Clinic.  How are you this morning?”

Erik sits up slowly.  “Oh hey, yeah, I think you should be telling me that, right?”

The doctor laughs.  “Sure, that’s fair. I would like to speak with you and your wife in person about the results, if you have time this afternoon?’

Erik lightly hits Kimara on her shoulder.  “Aye Mara, you got anything to do this afternoon?”

“I always got something Erik, why?”  Kimara mumbles.

“The doc wants to see us about my results, but I can schedule it later.”

Kimara shoots up with renewed energy.  “Shit! They wanna see us?” Erik nods, covering the mic part of his phone.  Kimara motions to him nodding as she gets up and heads to the bathroom.

“Uhh, yeah, this afternoon will work for us.”

At the doctor’s, they sit in a room waiting to be seen.  The doctor’s normal office seems as sterile and bland as an examination room with the smell of unidentified solutions and the overpowering whiteness of their surroundings, Kimara’s nerves are on the edge.

“What do you think they’re going to tell us?”  She asks.

Erik is leaning on his knees looking blank in his face.  “Whatchu mean?”

“I mean, hell, if it was good they would’ve just told us on the phone!  Did you fuck up your balls doing your duties overseas and you ain’t told me?”

“Hell nah!  Shit like that don’t happen.  Females swear guys gets kicked in the balls every other day or somethin.”  Erik retorts adjusting himself.

“Well it’s gotta be something.  Maybe your time in Africa you got mixed with some shit that didn’t agree with you and wound up making you sterile.”  

“Mara, you don’t know anything about Wakanda or vibranium so chill on that theory.”

“Then tell me something I don’t know Erik, cuz you’d be wasting both our time holding back.”  Kimara warns.

Erik peers over at her.  “The only thing getting wasted is my time and money sitting here cuz ain’t shit the fuck wrong with me.”

Kimara hated when Erik brought up how much he was doing for her by just showing up or dropping some cash on a situation.  She wasn’t with him for everything he could do for her, she was with him because she loved being with him, wanted the best for him, and she put in too many years with him to get that notion twisted.

Before she could really let him have it, the doctor walked in.

“Good Afternoon folks.  I’m glad you were able to make it on such short notice.”  Dr. Tracy greeted them both with a smile and a handshake.

“No problem!  We’ve been waiting on these for a little bit so no way would we miss this.”  Kimara says, looking over at Erik with a smile, who looked bored with it all.

“Yeah, so whatchu got for us doc?”  Erik says scratching his beard noisily.

Dr. Tracy nods.  “Of course, so I won’t delay it any further.  Erik after reviewing your sample, we found nothing abnormal with your sperm count, their mobility, or make up.  You seem perfectly capable of being able to conceive a child with your wife.”

A moment of silence washed over the both of them as they looked wordlessly at one another.

“Soooo, I’m fine?  Chamber loaded, no blanks?”  

“Erik!”  Kimara chides him.

Dr. Tracy chuckles.  “It’s ok, I’ve heard all the euphemisms.  But you are correct. They are...clear for takeoff!”

“Then why are we not pregnant yet?”  Kimara asks in a hollow tone.

“Well, there’s a multitude of scenarios that can contribute to it but what we know right now is that Erik’s sperm is prime for conception and your uterus is beautiful for harboring a baby, just an example of good genetic make up.  I would want to be reborn again from you if I had the chance!” Dr. Tracy adds.

Erik grips the bridge of his nose in frustration.  “So what do you recommend we do from here?”

“Well honestly I would say to just keep having your regular routine.  If you want to keep track of ovulation that’s fine but honestly I wouldn’t put too much pressure on it until it’s been a year of trying.  I know they taught us in school it only takes one time, but as we get older and just leaving it up to God, it sometimes takes just that one good day after many for it to happen.”

“Ok.  I got the answer I needed.  Are we done here?” Kimara says, getting up before she could answer.  

“Yes.  Like I said folks, this is good news.  It means this can still happen naturally and cheaply.”  Dr. Tracy says with a slight chuckle that drops to a tight smile when she reads their expressions.  

As Erik and Kimara get in her car, Erik starts.  “We need a new doctor.”

“What?”  Kimara asks with contempt.

Erik taps on his window nervously looking outside.  “This one don’t know what she talking bout clearly. How she finna joke about this?”

“I mean, she wasn’t laughing at us, she was trying to make us feel better.”  Kimara says.

“Nah, she don’t need defending.  She need to give us some real solutions instead of a punchline.  This ain’t a night at the Apollo, or is she taking us as a joke cuz we Black?”

“Erik, she gave us good news, right?  Are you gonna take any piece of that positivity and just be happy with it?  I don’t know why you’re being mean with her.”

Erik scoffs.  “Trust me this ain’t mean.  I’m just being real. You know these doctors give less of  a fuck for us then they do white patients. She would been giving us fertility referrals and brochures and clinics out her ass if we were white.  But with us it’s ‘well just keep fucking like you niggers always do’.”

“ERIK! Shut the fuck up!  I don’t know what the hell has gotten into you, but you don’t have a damn place to be this upset right now.”  Kimara yells, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

Erik’s neck practically snaps to face her.  “The fuck is-”

“Nah Erik, you been talkin.  Soon as we got there you had stank on you, callin her ‘doc’ and talkin all vulgar.  You need to quit acting like such a child! I almost think you WISH your balls were empty.”

“Mara, ain’t nobody-”

“AND NOW you wanna say let’s switch doctors, when we been working with her since I first told you I was worried about not getting pregnant yet.  She’s spent all this time with us, changing doctors ain’t easy or quick. You know I’m the one that has to carry this right? I’m going to be the one to have to go through treatments if it comes down to it?’

“I know.”

“Nah, you really don’t Erik!  You don’t know what this will do to me having to hear this shit over and over again, when this coulda been mine already.”

Erik’s demeanor softens slightly.  “What’re you talkin bout?”

Kimara’s face becomes wet with tears.  “It wasn’t this hard, you just don’t know.  It could’ve been so damn easy, but you won’t let it.”

Erik looks around out the window.  “Where we goin Mara?”

“And you got the nerve to blame the doctors?  That’s some bullshit nigga, real fucking bullshit.”  Kimara stamps on the brake when she reaches the outside of the Korean BBQ place.  “Get your damn car! I’m going for a drive, don’t wait up.”

Erik looks at Kimara with concern.  “Mara, that’s my bad about the doctor.  I just-”

Kimara clicks the unlock button.  “Get out Erik!”

 Part 5

Masterlist

Ragtag

@chaneajoyyy @sarcastic-sunshines @muse-of-mbaku@dameshaemonique  @fonville-designs@destinio1@bakarisangel @wakanda-inspired@klaine15689 @savageiz @nickidub718@yoyolovesbucky @alexundefined @forbeautyandlife @bakarisangel

[genogenocrazycatman]

You - RM | Kim Namjoon x OC

You [Archive of Our Own]

Characters: RM | Kim Namjoon, Original Character

Sweater Weather Jin | Suga | J-Hope | RM | Jimin | Taehyung | Jungkook

***

Beep.

I glanced up from the book I was trying to read. For what was probably the fifth time in the past ten minutes, Namjoon had the remote for the thermostat in his hand.

Joon and I were currently in his studio. He was working on something. What, I didn’t quite know. I was pretty sure it was Bangtan related, but I wasn’t really paying that much attention, so it could’ve been for RM 2 or literally anything else.

According to Jin, Joon had been holed up in his studio for days, only coming out to eat and to sleep. Hard work was important, but he was going to burn himself out. That’s why the eldest had called me. If there was anyone, that would be able to get him to come out and take a break it was me. Well at least in Jin’s mind.

In reality after multiple efforts to pull him from the studio, I had given up, opting instead to join him. At least he wasn’t alone. He had gotten up and dragged me a chair form only god knows where, and I had plopped into it, lifting my legs and draping them across his lap.

We had talked over the food I’d brought with me, but once our meal was finished, he was back to work. I picked up my book and started to read.

This wasn’t uncommon for us. Often times, we would be together, but not necessarily interacting. Being around each other was comforting, but not smothering. He got lost in his music. I got lost in the characters and settings of whatever I was reading.

Our only tether to the real world was each other. The weight of legs on his lap reminded him that there was someone there in a world outside of the beats and bars, and the gentle drumming of his fingers across my shin kept me from getting to caught up in the emotions and drama of people, who didn’t actually exist.

Today however, was different, because while Namjoon seemed perfectly lost in his own world, I kept being pulled out of the on written by Koraline Jaxx by the stupid beeping of that dumb remote.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I glanced up once more, but it was unnoticed by Joon. His eyes were still straight ahead focused on the screen in front of him.

I sighed, turning back to my book.

Three minutes later.

Beep. Bee-

This had been going one, since I had arrived approximately three hours before.

“That’s it,” I said, standing up and snatching the remote out of Joon’s hand, causing him to look up at me, and take off his headphones.

“What- “

“You’re driving me insane with that beeping,” I said, cutting him off.

According to Joon, the AC in his studio was obnoxious. Turn the AC on and it was too cold. Switch it to vent, and it was too hot.

I personally hadn’t detected that much of a difference. It was a bit too warm for my taste, but it wasn’t my studio, so I hadn’t said anything, until this point.

I hit the stupid button turning it down.

“It’s gonna get cold,” he complained.

I grabbed my sweatshirt off of the back of the chair and pulled it down over his head. “There.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’m ridiculous? We’ve been in here for over three hours. I’ve put up with that annoying beeping for over three hours. Honestly, I think that qualifies me for sainthood. You’ve been here for a minimum of six hours today, if Jin is to be believed, meaning you’ve been messing with that damn thermostat for over six hours. I’m not ridiculous. You are,” I shot.

“Babe, I have to get this done.”

“I’m not arguing that,” I said, sitting down again. “Go ahead and work, but you’re not getting this back.” I placed the remote on one of the shelves behind me.

Joon sighed, relenting. He knew there was no arguing with me. He pushed his arms through the sleeves, pulling the fleece down over his torso, and sliding his headphones back on.

I leaned back in my chair and put my feet up on his lap once more. He was resistant at first, obviously irritated, but eventually his hand landed on my leg again, and I knew that all was well.

My sweatshirt served its purpose. Joon didn’t even seem the slightest bit effected by the cooler temperature. He didn’t even so much as glance at the remote. He was able to work better, more fluidly without having to adjust the thermostat every two and a half seconds. And I got to read in relative peace as a result, a win-win if I do say so myself.

A couple more hours passed, before Joon slid his headphones off and stretched, causing me to look up at him.

He rolled his neck and pulled me by my legs, my chair rolling right beside his.

“You done?” I asked.

He shook his head, but rolled my chair closer, pulling me by my legs. He draped his arms across my thighs.

“Not even close, but I am for today.”

“Good,” I said. “You need a break.”

“I know. I know. I feel bad that you’ve just been sitting here for hours, and I’ve barely even spoken to you.”

“Even after I brought you lunch,” I teased, rubbing it in just a little bit. I truly didn’t mind, but it was fun to mess with him, and maybe just maybe it would discourage him from doing this again. (It wouldn’t.)

He sighed in concession. “Yes, even after you brought me lunch. How about we go get dinner and then watch a movie or something.”

“Go find something for us to watch, and I’ll shut everything down and order dinner.”

I smiled softly at him, nodding. “Alright.”

A short while later, we were on his bed, his laptop playing some documentary on the fall of the Roman Empire, takeout containers in hand.  

“So, do you think she’s real?” Joon asked.

I had just given him a rough summary of the novel that I was reading. Everyone in a while, Joon would chime in with his opinion or bring up something that I may not have noticed, having been skewed by the main character’s narration.

The book was about a boy, who had attempted to kill himself by throwing himself off of a cliff but was saved by a mermaid. However, we didn’t know if the mermaid was real or if she was just something created by his brain to cope with the trauma of a near death experience.

“I don’t know, but I hope so. Not so much for the obvious happy ending, because honestly it probably won’t be happy. It’s not likely that he’ll ever see her again, and even if he did how would they work? But I feel like if she isn’t real, then this going to take a turn, and the ending is going to be another one of those stupid novels that ends with an overly long monologue that’s supposed to be profound and deep but is ultimately meaningless.”

Joon chuckled. “I hope she’s real,” he said. “For the obvious, but unlikely, happy ending that you won’t admit you want.”

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up.”

Joon’s fingers tapped along the container in his hand. I recognized it as the same rhythm from earlier, which wasn’t really surprising.

“So, what were you working on earlier? You’ve been tapping the same beat all day.”

His fingers froze, and he let out a heavy sigh, the weight of his work bearing down on him.

He put too much pressure on himself. I know that he was a huge creative force, but there were seven other members, and multiple producers. He didn’t do it all on his own. He shouldn’t have felt like he had to. No one was expecting that of him.

“It’s something that Gukkie started,” he said. “I told him that I was going to try to have some ideas for him and I to expand on tomorrow, but that didn’t happen.”

“I doubt he’ll care. That just means you can come up with some stuff together. He’ll probably be happy that you get a chance to do this together. The boy looks up to you. It’ll mean a lot to him. Plus, you deserve a break. You worked hard.”

He snorted. “Worked hard. I was so distracted I was hardly working.”

“Distracted by what?” I asked.

Once we got past the air conditioning issues, he was so in the zone that I was fairly certain that a car could’ve crashed through the wall and as long as it didn’t hit his equipment he wouldn’t have noticed.

“You.”

“Me?!” I asked offended. “Don’t go trying to pin this on me! You’ve worked perfectly fine with me in the studio before.”

Once I realized that there was no pulling him from the studio until he was ready, I had been on my best behavior save for when I nabbed the remote for the thermostat.

“All your fault,” he shot back, an amused grin playing at his lips.

It was so easy to get me riled up. We both knew it, but I would fall for it every time regardless. “How?”

“Because of this,” he gestured to my sweatshirt that he was still wearing.

I rolled my eyes. “You were not so cold that you couldn’t work.”

“No, but it smells like you, and that is extremely distracting.”

My planned retort to stop just short of leaving my lips. Instead, I peered at him in confusion.

“First off, you’re always a distraction,” he started. “Whether you’re here or not, my thoughts typically drift to you, even when I’m working.”

“I’d apologize, but I’m not even remotely sorry.”

The corner of his mouth pulled upwards. “I know you’re not. When you’re sitting there reading, I can kind of forget your there, because you’re not disturbing me, and I’m no disturbing you, but this stupid thing smells like you.”

“Uh huh… As things tend to do, when they belong to and are worn by one person.”

He rolled his eyes at me. “It’s distracting. Every time I breathe, it’s just a reminder that I’d much rather be here with you doing this than working.”

I had no control over the stupid grin that took over my face.

Even though Joon made it a point to remind me that I was an important piece of his life, it still felt good to hear him say it. Music was his passion. It was his world. It was how he expressed himself. To hear that he’s much rather spend time with me than work on it meant a lot.

I dipped my head, hiding my face in the crook of his neck.

“So, what I’m hearing is that next time I want to get you to quit working yourself to death, instead of showing up with like thirty dollars’ worth of food, I can just spritz the room with a twelve-dollar fragrance and you’ll be so distracted that you’ll come running to me.”

“I’ll always come running to you.”

“You two are disgusting,” Yoongi walking by the open door.

“It lives!” I cried out in shock. “I didn’t know you knew your way out of the studio.”

He rolled his eyes at me. “Go back to being disgusting. You’re less annoying that way,” he shot.

“You’re so mean to me,” I whined. “Yoongi! Why don’t you love me!”

“You got Joon for that.”

I turned my attention back to Namjoon, grinning up at him. “Yes, I do, and I wouldn’t want anyone else.” I leaned up and pressed a kiss to his lips.

“Disgusting,” Yoongi said, voice fading as he headed down the hall.

***

Author’s Note: I hate this. I hate this so much. No matter how are I try, I can’t seem to make this translate the way I want it to, and I’m so annoyed, because RM is my fucking bias. But I’ve spent way too much time on this to not post it. I don’t think it’s going to get any better if I work on it some more, so here it is. Maybe one day I’ll get a new idea to plug into this series, but for now, this is it for Joon.

***

Master List | Mobile Version

[benene-the-banana]

Ask Blog News!

So since I have noticed that this is my most followed active social media (surprisingly!) And seeing as sadly most of my “posts” here nowadays are just reposts from my Insta just so I dont constantly have to keep reposting it to my socials medias an I can post more efficiently that way and stuff which I will continue to do and post art that will be just here or post it without it being a repost because I should do that more often

But since I do feel bad about it being just mostly being reposts or me occasionally posting something different or new even tho I should be doing better for my more followed acc I decided that I would make a more official post for my ask blog and say that I do have it open!! And I will be working on a carrd specifically for my ask blog Why make a carrd just for that? For a few reasons actually 1. A carrd allows me to better organize the information about the blog and rules and give a list of ocs you can ask questions to and stuff. And I can make it more visually appealing. Im sure yall would rather it in Carrd Format than Tumblr Post Format anyways 2. So I know with me posting and reposting stuff the information if I do post it as a regular Tumblr Post it can get easily lost. And I am aware I could just pin the post but the thing is since Tumblr doesnt exactly have a bio thing and stuff I like to use my pinned post for that And considering I plan on remaking that pinned post again so when I’m done making the carrd along with the other links that will be on the pinned post And along with saying stuff like Oh if youre interested in checking out my commissions heres a link for that! I’ll have something like that for my ask blog too and Ill have everythong important and that I want pinned all in one place and its easy to keep up with and all that But yeah thats what I plan on doing for the info for the blog And if I get some freq asked questions I can make a section for that easy for ppl to find quick answer they want and so I dont have to keep answering the same thing over and over And a basic and general idea for ya for what the ask blog will be about is this will be an ask blog about me and my ocs Meaning you can ask me questions or ask my ocs As a fun interactive thing You can use it to get to know me and the characters as long as what you are asking is appropriate and stuff The ask blog isnt closed rn so if you do have any questions about of that matter than go ahead and ask! Even tho the official rules and stuff and all that info is yet to be out and completed I feel like the basic and general rules for this type of thing is common sense so just follow those basic ones for now until the carrd with all of the additional rules and all that kind of stuff is out I do plan on making update posts about this and what not and I will be giving a heads up for when I’m making a new pinned post that will include the new carrd as well so you guys know when that is all coming out But yeah Ask Blog Carrd is in the works and the Blog is open so if you wanna go bug me or my ocs with questions go ahead! That’s all I have to say for now so i’ll see you guys next post!

[zenithgays]

Chapters: 5/5 Fandom: Fire Emblem Heroes Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Summoner | Eclat | Kiran/Alfonse/Bruno | Zacharias Characters: Alfonse (Fire Emblem), Bruno | Zacharias, Summoner | Eclat | Kiran Additional Tags: Polyamory, Fluff and Humor, Angst, Literal Sleeping Together, Alternate Universe - Soulmates Published: 2018-07-16 Completed: 2018-07-20 Total Word Count:4823 Summary:

a collection of unrelated kiran/alfonse/bruno one-shots for tumblr user polyshipprompts' polyship week

my thoughts under the cut, it’s a REALLY long post this time because i’m covering all 5 chapters instead of making 5 separate posts

alright so. polyship week is something i try to do once a year over on @polyshipprompts, i basically give everyone tags to use prompts from for each day and just let them all go wild. 2016 i chickened out of posting anything because i just wrote for my ocs (one of those eventually got posted but not until a long time afterwards). 2017... there was no polyship week. i had planned to move it to winter, and then my laptop broke and i couldn’t really host it from mobile since i never use mobile tumblr

2018 was back to summer, though i think i held it earlier than i did in 2016. and i also decided “fuck it, let’s participate” so... i did. posting this is also reminding me that soon enough (in a couple of months) i need to start thinking about this year’s polyship week

anyway. i wrote kiran/bruno/alfonse (i’m calling the ship kirbrufonse, i hope more people make content for them and use this ship name so it catches on) because i was like “hm. ot3... well. this is the only thing coming to mind”

all the chapters have the prompts i picked in them already, i think most of them were prompts i came up with in the first place. it’s kinda funny

also i HAVE a summoner oc and i use him in all my fics that involve the summoner. kiran’s actually his nickname, but i use it instead of his actual name (cirino) so i don’t have to explain that to people. it’s fine

day 1 was fluff. it turned out a little bit more humorous than i thought/hoped but i still like it

of course it involves sleeping, because it’s me and that tends to come up in a lot of my fics (fun fact! “you and i have come such a long way” keeps getting called the “sleeping together” series by some of my friends. i guess that’s fair, my titles are pretty wordy bc i take them from song lyrics)

favorite part: Kiran married Alfonse, so technically the two of them were husbands. But that wasn’t the point, nor did Bruno particularly want to pursue that conversational topic because they’d had the discussion before. Many times, in fact. Kiran still felt like it wasn’t a completely valid marriage, even though Feh was technically ordained and qualified to perform the ceremony.

day 2... angst. tbh i don’t usually write angst, i’m not really about writing things that feel hopeless! feels like any time i do it, it’s more for someone else? which is okay with me

i came up with this weird au for this that i will literally never write because it confused the hell out of me to even think about. basically it involved kiran meeting modern reincarnations of alfonse and bruno. bruno remembered his past life, alfonse didn’t (and bruno hadn’t told him yet because it seems hard to believe). and the three of them got close again, even starting to date, AND THEN canon!bruno and alfonse figure out how to temporarily open portals to kiran’s world and... yeah. yeah it’s a clusterfuck. i think you can see why i didn’t and won’t actually write anything involving it. it’s just fun to think about a little

also i keep going back and forth on whether or not time passes here while kiran’s in askr? for the angst factor, i went with not for this fic since the idea of it being like nothing ever happened was too good to pass up. however i probably could’ve gone with yes, time did pass, and it’s suddenly years later which is... kinda horrifying to think about honestly! like did people think kiran died? (probably) how would he, or anyone, explain what happened? Who Knows

i could speculate on this some more, especially with regards to other heroes, too, because it is fucking INTERESTING and i have things to say on it but also this post is already real long and i have 3 more fics to cover so maybe some other time

favorite part:  “... Alright,” Kiran said, pulling the princes into a hug, sniffling only a little when they both held tight to him. “I’ll miss you.” He turned his head to kiss Alfonse on the cheek. “Both of you,” he amended, doing the same to Bruno.

“We’ll miss you, as well,” Bruno murmured, rubbing his hand up and down Kiran’s back.

Alfonse buried his face in Kiran’s shoulder. “I promise, one day, we’ll figure out how to get back to you.”

Kiran nodded. “Right. This isn’t goodbye forever. It’s just for now.” Maybe if he said that enough, he’d believe it, himself.

day 3! silly. god i wish i could think of a better name for that tag on the blog

it’s... another fic involving sleeping! alright. it also didn’t turn out as funny as i’d hoped it would. somehow my fluff fic was more humorous than this, at least in my opinion. it’s not a bad fic, by any means, but it sure isn’t how i wanted it to be

so my kiran’s a college student. communications major, which was an effort to make sure he wasn’t a self-insert since i was a liberal arts major. when i was in college (and even in high school tbh) i would stay up super late at night working on stuff, too. it’s not good, though, kids. don’t do it (i say, even though i STILL stay up until like 3 am most nights... it’s different now bc i don’t usually need to wake up before like 10 or 11)

rereading this to think of things to say about it reminds me how cute this is, honestly. i really am a sucker for characters sleeping together

favorite part:  “I’ll be done, soon, I prom--” Kiran was cut off as Alfonse pulled him down to the bed, moving so he was partly on top of his partner.

Kiran sometimes forgot about how strong Alfonse could be, but being pretty much pinned in place like this would ensure he never forgot again. “You’re heavy,” Kiran groaned, trying-but-not-really to push Alfonse off with his free hand.

“Be thankful it’s me and not Bruno doing this,” Alfonse quipped, and Kiran could feel his smile against his shoulder.

day 4 is au! aus are hard to write sometimes because they require like... being set up so you aren’t just thrust into everything without any idea what’s going on. luckily, i had the excuse of writing kiran as the pov character so i could explain things because he also wouldn’t be used to this

this day gave me some trouble. i made three separate attempts at this day. first attempt was like... a modern day college au that involved alfonse being set up by his parents with a childhood friend of his (zacharias) but because alfonse wasn’t interested in dating someone he hadn’t spoken to in years, he and kiran ended up fake dating for some kind of dinner they were all going to. but, true to fake dating form, they both actually had crushes on each other already

being polyship week, there’s really only one way for that to end: alfonse realizing “oh shit, he really is cute and i do still like him” about zacharias and then asking him out TOO in addition to clearing things up with kiran

i think i got stuck on Why alfonse’s parents would set him up w/ zacharias because i didn’t like the idea i had for it, so i ended up ditching it

attempt two was another soulmate au, this being one of the ones where you have your soulmate’s name on your wrist. but it was a zenith thing, not an “our world” thing. so alfonse and sharena had names, but kiran didn’t. sharena had fjorm’s name, though i don’t think i wrote that far ahead. fjorm/sharena is a cute ship and i should absolutely write something for it some time. but i did write abt sharena, who is trans because she’s trans in all my fics whether i mention it or not, being worried about what name her soulmate would have on her wrist. i probably wasn’t gonna follow up on that since it’s an ot3 fic but fjorm would absolutely have had the name sharena on her wrist

BUT THAT’S VERY MUCH NOT THE POINT anyway, alfonse has bruno’s name on his wrist... which has him thinking he hasn’t met his soulmate since bruno was going by a different name at the time (zacharias, of course)

i think what tripped me up is i tried to add in something about how the names would be on someone’s wrist in the handwriting they had at the age they’d meet? so it’d be implied he already met his soulmate but he wouldn’t know, which i think made things a little difficult for me to continue. had i gone on, i obviously would’ve gone through the reveal that bruno was alfonse’s soulmate

and i didn’t link what prompt i was using in my document like a fool. assumably it’s one of the ones i wrote about how soulmates aren’t The most important people possible, and people can have good relationships with people that aren’t their soulmates

what i’m saying is, alfonse and kiran would’ve gotten together anyway despite not being soulmates. i really can’t remember where i was going with this one though, tbh

anyway those both got scrapped bc i had issues with them, but third time’s the charm and i ended up w/ a red string soulmate au instead

i felt so bad writing kiran turning the both of them down even knowing the ending! i was like “no... come on, you could all be happy together” despite knowing exactly how i wanted this fic to end

i remember this one actually came pretty easily to me, thank god

one of my favorite things about it, that i don’t think many people might’ve picked up on, is the section with kiran and bruno. i mention there being too much food for two people, and kiran passing alfonse in the hallway as he’s rushing back to his room

what i was implying, and what i don’t think many people picked up on, was that alfonse was going to join the two of them so they could all talk about it (intending to tell kiran they were soulmates)

i don’t have any reasoning for bruno being able to see the strings between him, alfonse, and kiran. bruno can’t see everyone’s strings, it’s just those two because they’re his soulmates. but not everyone can see the strings, not even of their soulmates. really my reasoning was just “that’s how i can make this fic work” so i... did it. it’s fine

favorite part: Bruno averted his eyes, laughing nervously. “Well… I might have… fallen in love with you.” At Kiran’s face falling, Bruno went on, saying, “At first I was just grateful that you were so willing to help me. I’ve heard your eagerness to bring me home rivaled even Alfonse’s. But then, when I was finally back here in Askr, I got to see your kindness firsthand. It wasn’t just you wanting to repay a debt. You’re just compassionate by nature.“

You didn’t see me as Bruno, Prince of Embla. You saw me as an equal. I wasn’t used to it. I’m still not. The only people who treat me like an equal now are those who knew me when I was in hiding. It was more than a little refreshing.”

day 5 was a free day, where i could choose literally any prompt on the blog that i wanted. this one also gave me trouble and took 3 attempts to do. the other two both involved clothes swapping, which is another thing i’m weak for. one of those fics also had trans kiran and trans bruno in a way that was more than implied but still not like the center of the fic. honestly it’s something i should work on because i need people to know characters are trans when they read my fics, but i can’t just tag it without it being something actually PART of the fic

anyway. the end result i got was basically written the day it was posted, and like i said in the notes on it, written while i’d only gotten 3 hours of sleep. geo, my beta reader, is literally the reason this fic was any good at all. i’m not that fond of it personally? it’s not bad, exactly, just i don’t really like it much

i think parts of it were pretty good, and i did kind of like having kiran and bruno be the ones to get together first, instead of kiran and alfonse or alfonse and bruno. i should totally write some more about the dynamic between the three of them+in pairs.

i do like that i had alfonse sandwiched between kiran and bruno at one point. that was good and very galaxy brain of me. thanks to geo for helping me properly explain that part because it was very important to me people knew how the three of them were positioned

favorite part: Still, he stepped back, allowing the door to swing open more. The very moment Zacharias closed it behind him, Kiran practically threw himself at Alfonse. “We’re sorry!” Kiran cried out, pulling Alfonse into a surprisingly tight hug. The only reason the two of them hadn’t toppled over due to it was that Zacharias was upon them in the next instant, pulling them both upright. He also spun them around in the process, so Alfonse’s back was up against his friend’s chest.

aaaand since this post is technically about 5 different fics, i might as well include...

favorite fic: it’s a hard choice, but probably day 3! it might not have turned out how i wanted it to go, but i think it was probably the best of the bunch. i’m also super proud of day 2 and day 4, though