#you have no clue how bad i want some toast

[marshmellody]

THIS ISNT WORKING AND IM HUNGRY ALL THE TIME

[shrimpalbuspotter]

I know i always harp about how i prefer canon but by god I adore fanon Snape Gang so much. like yes they are blood purists hanging around with Hufflepuffs biggest muggle sympathiser Charity Burbage. She's the acception. Also shes rich. Aurora? She gives them study prep. She's dating Charity. She gets them into all the Ravenclaw partys. She is basically their big sister despite being the same age. Snape? He is HIM. Charity NEEDS to put him in her pocket. Mulciber wants him so bad. So what that he's a halfblood? It means they have diversity! Wilkes? What a dork. Every friendgroup needs a blonde or two. Who cares that he's demented, have you met Avery! Mulciber? This guy, amiright. What an asshole. Snape can't stop gawking. So handsome... so rich??? Chad alert. Avery? Also, asshole. We gotta love him. Again, handsome. Basically Mulcibers brother. Will put his damn life on the line for these guys then act all cold and distant.

Idk man. I think they are fucking dumb and completely not canon compliant but you gotta let a guy dip his feet in the canon divergence pool every once in a while right. Also the visualisation of Charity smuggling in tons of Muggle supplies to show everyone and none of them have a clue what any of it means except from Snape, halfblood, who thinks it's funny, and Aurora, a pureblood, who just has a hunch that you aren't supposed to use that walkman to make toast.

But hey, let's not pretend they are suddenly saints. They still all wanna become death eaters (Charity and Aurora as the exception) amd they still are all blood purists. I just think a little push in the right direction of character growth, a triwizard tournament, and unexpected allys could really create some yummy scenario's ^_^

(Also I'm a huge Charity Burbage fan so any content with her just makes me happy)

[gourmetjello]

nikto x reader : intimidated

oh gosh loves it feels so good to be back after such a long break! i’m sorry i disappeared for over a month. sickness, late trainings, writer’s block, studying and barely hanging on by a thread took a toll on me but i’ll try to be back ◝(ᵔᵕᵔ)◜

i know it sounds unusual but i’ll try my best to write for other characters too. i know i’ve teased a little list before but now i’m starting to see a pattern form and these are the people i’m most likely going to write for : könig, krueger, ghost, ‘09 ghost, nikto, roach, soap, capt. soap, ‘09 makarov (•̀ᴗ•́ )و

hopefully you all are satisfied with the list! if you have any more suggestions just let me know somehow. now hope you enjoy the fic! ♡

tw ; alcohol, mention of drugs.

—

“drink up, drink up!”

a voice yelled from behind you and all you could hear was the sound of shot glasses being knocked against each other once again. the sound was so familiar by now that you even made a mental note on how glasses sound different when they’re filled and when they’re empty. actually, why was someone raising toasts with an empty glass?

“bottoms up, y’all, don’t be pussies-“

but you didn’t have a glass in your hand, not now. you just stared at the people that were having fun and you couldn’t help but think about how you even ended up here.

there was a friend that you shared with this one guy, that’s quite literally all you were one hundred percent sure about — basically nothing. you could be looking at them directly and you would have no idea who they are, thanks to the cliche ‘friend of a friend’ circle going around this whole party. nobody knew each other, but friends and relationships don’t exist when you’re just drinking, right?

so there was that guy. and when you finally saw his face for the first time, you got the chills down your spine. he immediately seemed like someone you shouldn’t really be messing with — like he was planning something evil? or maybe he already did something bad, it felt childish to think about things like these at your grown age and you couldn’t even put your finger on what your senses told you about this person. just leave him alone and get the fuck out of here as soon as possible.

just as that thought crossed your mind, a yell broke through the happy little murmurs and drunken words.

“y’all, what the fuck! get outta’ here! right now! cops outside! holy fucking shit!”

cops outside? what the hell? why?

before the panic settled in, you blinked outside and you were amost immediately sure this wasn’t the fucking police. at least ten men dressed in black tactical outfits stood right next to the huge outdoors pool in the nicely maintained backyard. the well trimmed trees gave them an even scarier look too, painting shadows in the night all over their already dark forms.

you could even see from the corner of your eye that some were equipped with ballistic shields like it was some kind of movie. you have never seen one of those in real life before, and now it gave you a really bad feeling (pretty obviously). their faces were hidden and they were coming closer and closer to the main building all of you and your.. acquaintances were inside.

the guns hanging from their torsos.. wasn’t a nice sight, to be honest. you were convinced that these men were probably legally allowed to do anything as long as they got a bit closer to what they wanted to achieve. and for that, you weren’t exactly sure what it was. come on, shutting down a (not so) little house party with people who look like came straight out of a counter-terrorism organization? isn’t that a tiny exaggeration?

you could have sworn that you only looked away for a few seconds but the next moment you looked around the whole room was empty. fuck. well that’s a situation coming your way for sure, because one of those monsters was heading right towards your direction with a slightly wrinkled paper in his hands.

you wanted to yell and scream at him, to let him know that you absolutely had no clue what this whole thing was about and that you weren’t involved with whatever stupid drug smuggling anyone around you did — since you were sure that you weren’t the target, and they knew that too. but they had to listen to anyone they could catch.

“party’s over..” a deep voice mumbled with a heavy accent. you could recognize it anywhere. a russian accent, gosh.. you’re fucked.

and soon the paper was pressed right into your face. your nose was rubbed against the thin material, not even allowing you to see whatever was printed on it. but it was most likely a person, or at least that was what you could make out when he held it a little further away from you.

“missy, you know this fella?” the man asked.

you had no idea who was on the photo. it was a man with a beard and he seemed way too damn old to be right here, in a house party with some silly college students? he couldn’t be here, you’ve never even seen his face before.

you hesitated a little, not knowing which answer would get you out of here quicker.

“do not keep that mouth shut, come on. you’ll get outta’ here faster, come on.”

your brain immediately sobered up and a small whine left your mouth as you finally took the time to examine the terrifying person that was standing right in front of you. face mask made of kevlar, a gun hanging from his side and a pistol on his right thigh. bulletproof from head to toe. ballistic shield placed next to his other leg.

this guy was going to kill you. one hundred percent. or at least le looked like he would try to do that.

“come on, we don’t bite?”

he tried to speak normally but his statement sounded a lot more like a question, like he wasn’t sure about it either. it could have been the fact that it probably wasn’t usual for them to talk to people that look like they don’t even know where they are. and you were just like that right now. lost as fuck.

you stared up at the photo of the man once again. the black and white printing was so bad that you were barely able to make out the details on it.

“i- um.. no idea w-who’s on the photo.”

“do not lie, missy.”

“i really- i don’t know!”

“well, then let me tell you so you maybe remember, hm? this dude right here,” he gently knocked the face of the man on the paper, the material gently crumbling under his heavy, gloved finger “whose house you’re at right fucking now, has a fuck ton of cocaine under these,” now he kicked the flooring, “these little tiles.”

your eyes widened and to a person who had no clue that you were just as lost here as they are, it would probably come across as some realization. but no, it wasn’t any kind of realization — you really didn’t know about any of this! and it was hard to believe too. you didn’t even see a single line of coke on this party, it was too expensive to be wasted on little college student get-togethers?

“s-sir, i really don’t-“

“we know you know.”

“but i don’t!”

the man’s eyes widened as you started losing your shit. he probably heard the unsure shake in your voice as you slightly raised it — which was probably a stupid idea, but the situation was already bad enough when you’re locked into a burning hot little room that smelled like alcohol with someone who’s straight up dressed in carbon from head to toe? this was getting out of hand.

“missy, i’ve got the legal right to shock you, and if you refuse to give out any information then i’ll just have to do that..”

you were becoming annoyed. you were intimidated as hell and you knew that you couldn’t do anything in a situation like this, you were shaking scared. this man was making you feel so uneasy.

maybe he did it on purpose because as you stayed silent he just stared into your eyes, like a madman. he wasn’t even blinking behind that mask, the black face paint covering the area around his eyes making the color of his irises pop out from the black atmosphere around it. you just weren’t sure why he was doing this.

he placed a hand on his gun now, like he was about to slip out his pistol. but he didn’t have the right to kill or shoot you or anything like that, right? right? panic was filling your brain and goosebumps were running up and down your body as you had no idea about what these men could and could not do to an innocent civillian that actually had no clue about whatever was going on!

“we can play this game, missy. but you won’t like it.”

“i’ve said everything i know! nothing.”

“for fuck’s sake, just say something, anything.”

“but i don’t know! i accidentally ended up here, too.”

“whatever. fuck you, missy.” the man grunted as he finally let his pistol down, letting you back out from the corner he had held you in this whole time. it felt like you could finally breathe again and the cold sweat running down your temples felt like a normal reaction again.

“get the fuck outta’ here and if you know anything. keep your mouth fucking shut. am i understood?”

“y-yes sir.”

you were breathing heavy as you finally made it out of that room. it was a feeling you never wanted to experience ever again — you almost got yourself killed. and you were 99% sure that if you said the wrong stuff he wouldn’t have hesitated to use that pistol. what is wrong with humanity..

the man peeked above his shoulder to look at you walk away. he didn’t take his eyes off of you until you finally exited the whole damn house. you’re never ever coming back and that’s for sure. holy shit.

—

sorry about how bad and rushed this was! :(

[strawhatkia]

love you more when the day is new.

INCLUDES ! katsuki bakugo, eijirou kirishima, and hitoshi shinsou x black!fem!reader

GENRE ! fluff

SYNOPSIS ! weekend morning antics or, what it's like to wake up to the boys !

WARNINGS ! y'all live in an apartment (not the dorms), characters have been aged up, if i miss anything let me know (it's so fcking late)

WORD COUNT ! i have no clue...

A/N ! imma do a pt.2 because i wanted to add sero and izuku but i can't fucking focus so y'all have this for now !

SONG SUGGESTION ! breakfast in bed by rayana jay, breakfast by fana hues, one love by cleo sol

reblogs and comments are welcomed and loved, so leave some please ! i will respond ! 🤍

MAIN MASTERLIST | BNHA MASTERLIST | TAGLIST

— ☾⋆⁺₊🧨💢✧ KATSUKI BAKUGO !

with how early this boy goes to sleep, waking up before him is quite literally impossible

usually it's you waking up to him on his phone as he rubs your side with his free hand, tucking you in closer to his chest while looking the most relaxed you will ever see him

he always knows when you're about to wake up, and og i am not kidding, the boy picks up on when you're heart rate changes

but there's a reason, i promise ! kats is vv afraid of losing his hearing one day due to his quirk so he kinda asked recovery girl to teach him how to pick up on someone's pulse from their neck

after that, he always positioned himself so you would be laying on his arm and his hand would be on your neck some how cute right?

this is the best time for cuddles because he is so pliant and peaceful and warm

the moment you look like you're getting up, he immediately puts his phone down (he really didn't care for it but he was bored waiting on you to wake up)

he quietly accepts your hug, tangling his legs with yours and tucking his head into your neck with a sigh as you slowly wake up

"morning suki" "g'morning" "did you sleep okay?" "hm...i was bored waiting on you" "my bad, how long did you wait?" "not long...go to bed early" "not everyone is an old man like you kats" "shut up, talking shit this early- don't laugh-"

his arms tighten around you when you shift and he continues to rub circles on your back and rub your sides in hopes of you getting to relax more so you don't get out of the bed

"babes, we gotta get up" "hm." "we can't stay here all day" "like hell we can't" "kat-"

prepare for some soft kisses to shut that nonsense up because he ain't hearing none of it

i feel like if you had a scarf on and the knot was pressing into his face, he would just snatch that shit off in the middle of your sleep and either redo it or put a bonnet on for you

"kats...where's my scarf?" "hm? i took it off" WHAT-" "the damn knot was hurting my face" "...i oughta whoop yo ass" "oh shut up, i know you feel that damn bonnet on your head ! it's not like i left your head unprotected !"

how he gets away with taking it off without you noticing is a mystery (and a profound skill)

when it comes to breakfast, he is definitely making it and no you can't help

"one of these days you'll get tired of making breakfast every morning we have off" "dumbass, if that day comes i'm either sick or you need to come knock some sense into me" "i can cook, kats, you do know that right?" "i didn't ask, you do know that right?" "aight, nigga-"

he'll never say it out loud, but you're his girl and he's supposed to take care of you so breakfast is the least he can do; plus you're still sleepy, he doesn't want you to burn yourself (never mind the years you spent making breakfast for yourself)

big on french toast with brioche bread just because he can and he loves the way you struggle a lil to bite into that thick ass piece a bread ; you stuffing your face with food he cooked always makes him happy

(if you're the type of person that dances or hums or makes a face when eating good food, just know he's looking for that cue and won't be satisfied until sees it)

also food = love pipeline !

— ☾⋆⁺₊🐈‍⬛🌀✧ HITOSHI SHINSOU !

you always wake up first, always

toshi has trouble sleeping most days and with him being a stealth hero, sleep often alludes him

sleeping with you helps as much as it can but he still struggles sometimes so in the morning, you let him sleep as long as he wants

i'd like to think that he runs a little cold most nights so the bed being warm is important to him sleeping peacefully so in the morning when you wake up, you don't get out of the bed too quickly

he's such a cat, even in his sleep, so cuddling with him will get you an immediate response; if you tuck him into you chest and rub his back, he'll snuggle closer to you and sigh, relaxing even further into your hold ; if you kiss his forehead and rub his side, he'll roll into your touch; if you try to spoon him and nuzzle into his back, he'll hold your arms in his hands, stroking his thumb against your forearm

blankets *

it's getting out of bed that is incredibly hard because there's a chance he'll wake up which we don't want= mf needs sleep ; even if he sleeps for a little while long, he'll notice the bed get cold almost immediately

technically, this is the morning but y'all don't roll out the bed until noon because toshi needs sleep and you'll feel bad if you wake him before he actually gets up

great cuddler tho !

— ☾⋆⁺₊ 🦈🪨✧ EIJIROU KIRISHIMA !

one of the few times, his hair isn't trying to impale everything near it

despite how much gel the boy puts into his hair, his hair is very soft and fluff (also do to the fact you make him take better care of his hair bc whew-)

smooth, silky, and soft ! it's hard not to touch as soon as you wake up because it's just right in front of your face and so you run your hands through it (kiri definitely wakes up the moment you start stroking his hair but like hell he's moving away, to relaxed to move)

when he does want to wake up, he stretches very slowly before letting out the loudest groan and popping every bone down his spinal cord

"well damn, kiri, you good" "never better" "okay well don't break your back, old man, we ain't even got out the bed yet" yea haha very funny"

another cuddle bug but definitely more aggressive, pulling you on top of him and wrapping his arms around you while kissing your cheeks multiple times, laughing when you groan or yell at him to put you down

he doesn't

i envision kiri as the type to just go back to sleep as soon as he's comfortable again so getting out of the bed is a very long affair

even so, he does not stop trying to kiss you anywhere he can reach (ofc a lil softer than before) and humming when you kiss him back

he's just so soft and loving in the morning, shit is almost overwhelming

just letting you know, i fully believe that if you let him start or start it yourself, he'll kiss you the entire morning and start tearing up because he just loves you so much

©STRAWHATKIA ━ all rights reserved. all content published on this blog belongs to starsoir. please refrain from copying, stealing, profiting off my works, or using my works for asmr related work. i don’t allow my works to be used or adapted in any way without my permission.

reblogs and comments are welcomed and loved, so leave some please ! i will respond ! 🤍

wanna read more ??

boyfriend. | f. | katsuki bakugo

lip gloss, lil mama. | f. | bakugo, sero, shinsou, hawks, and mirio.

taglist : @mypimpademia @sevvnt @cosmiles @megurulvr @dreampurpledreams

eijirou kirishima taglist: @cosmiles

[multiversed-daydreamer]

Pet: Chapter 4 - The First Day

WC: ~4k

Summary: Joel and Tess finally clue you in on their plans and you three have a discussion about how this will all work. You disagree with most of it.

Tags: MDNI, Obsessive behavior, Possessive behavior, Hostage, Joel and Tess keep Reader against her will, Reader is disabled. This one is where it gets a little sketchy. Reader doesn't like being touched, Hints that reader has PTSD if you squint.

A/N: Thank you so much for those of you who have stuck with me from the beginning and welcome new readers to the ride! I hope you guys like it! Please let me know what you guys think and if I missed any warning tags, let me know so I can add them in! Check out my Masterlist for more!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When you wake, it’s slow and a little sluggish. Your head feels foggier than usual and you’re warm and cozy against a dark green couch. You frown, why are you on a couch? You look around and immediately regret it because your vision spins for a moment. Ugh, what the fuck? But you do remember where you are now. You’d stayed over at Tess’ because you’d been too busy doing shots instead of paying attention to curfew. Fucking idiot.

You debate on sneaking out before they wake up just to avoid the utter embarrassment of facing the scariest people in the goddamn QZ hungover. Fuck, Nick was right, Tess was not supposed to be someone you got close to. You should’ve said no, should’ve bailed again. 

A creak of the bed behind the wall alerts you to someone getting up, a moment later you hear the bathroom door close. You sit up with a quiet grunt. It’s not that bad, you’re not gonna puke or anything, just a little spinny. You slowly get your bearings, your shoes are under the coffee table, and your jacket is hanging on the back of the chair you’d sat at last night. You sigh, leaning down and snagging a shoe, pulling one on and then the other. There’s something a little too intimate about walking around Tess’ apartment in your socks. You stand as the toilet flushes as you cross the floor to put on your jacket. A sink turns on and as you zip up your jacket, it turns off, a few seconds later Tess emerges, flicking droplets of water off of her fingers. 

You give her a tight smile, nodding to her. She smirks a little at the sight of you already in your shoes and hoodie. “Planning on leaving early? Told you I’d walk you home.” 

You shrug. “I was planning on waiting for you. It would’ve been rude to just up and leave.” Tess eyes you for a moment. 

“Would you like some eggs first?” She asks tentatively. You frown, you don’t really want to stay much longer, and you don’t know what time it is. 

“What time is it? I’d like to be home around nine. Nine thirty by the latest.” You respond. 

“It was about seven when I got up. Let me get you some food, and maybe some water. How’s your head?” She smirks a little, likely knowing you had drank a little past your limit last night. You smile a little easier at her teasing. 

“A little slow… and a little spinny.” You admit. She chuckles quietly and moves further into the kitchen. 

“Water and some eggs will help settle you.” She points to the bathroom. “Go ahead and freshen up.”  You nod and mutter a soft thanks. You really had to pee. You slip into the bathroom, using the toilet, and flushing before washing your hands. You glance into the mirror and glare at how wild your hair is from sleep. You take out your ponytail and comb shaking hands through your hair. It’s not the best method, but it felt weird to dig around for Tess’ hairbrush. So you did your best to tame your hair with your fingers before putting it in a messy bun. You’ll fix it at home, it’s presentable for now. You sigh, bracing yourself for breakfast with Joel and Tess. 

You open the door and intentionally avoid the bed where Joel is still sleeping. You step over to the table, finding a glass of water waiting. Tess was at the stove with a spatula in hand, the smell of eggs and toast wafting over from her. It smells good. “Thank you for breakfast.” 

Tess smiles over at you. “Of course.” She dishes the food and butters some toast, before bringing the plate to the table. Right on cue, you hear a creak of the bed and a soft grunt as Joel gets to his feet and shuffles to the table, sitting down next to you.  Tess sets a plate in front of you and a plate in front of Joel before going back to the stove grabbing a plate for herself, and sitting on your other side, which surprises you. You had expected her to sit across from you to be next to Joel. 

You take a bite of toast and sip some water. You wonder where they found butter but you don’t ask. Joel’s presence unsettles you and you’re a little relieved that the meal passes in silence. The food helps your stomach and your head and you’re grateful . Joel finishes first, sitting back and eyeing your jacket. 

“Look at you. Already ready for the day.” Joel hums. 

You look down and shrug. “Yeah, I have a shift at eleven.” 

“What shift?” He asks, and again, his curiosity surprises you. 

“Sewer detail.” You grumble, not happy with it but it’s one of the best-paying jobs available. You finish your own breakfast and sit back. Your eyes flicker to Joel who grimaces in sympathy.

 “Oh, that’s rough.” 

You nod in agreement. “But the pay is great.” You point out. 

Tess is stabbing some egg onto her fork as she speaks up. “Is Nick joining you today?” The way she phrases it makes your hackles rise immediately. Did Joel tell her about the argument the two of you had a few days ago? 

He tenses at her question, eyeing Tess for a moment with a disapproving look before turning to you with a raised eyebrow. “Is he?” 

It’s only right now that you notice Joel has big brown eyes and full lips. He’s… handsome you realize kind of secondhandedly and you suddenly notice just how good-looking a couple Joel and Tess make together. You look down, a bit surprised by your thought process for a moment. “Uh… Yes, he’s meeting me there.” 

“Thought I told you to stay away from him.” His voice is low and level, and he’s watching you with an intensity that freaks you out.

You shrug, “I mean… we’re bound to overlap on shifts sometimes.”

Joel raises a pointed eyebrow at you. “And what about your days off?” 

Your jaw clenches. Motherfucker. Tess told him. You’re not surprised, and not even shocked. You tell Nick everything. Of course, Tess is gonna come home and bitch a little about how you bailed on her at the market and got high with a boy. But it’s not like you technically had plans with Tess that day. You two just end up walking together whenever you see each other. It’s never a planned meet-up. You shrug at him but don’t say anything. You stand instead. “I think it’s time I got home.” You scoot your chair in and turn to the front door. Tess and Joel don’t move from their spots and part of you is glad. You’re pretty sure if Tess insisted upon walking you home it would’ve ended in an argument. You’re not one for fights typically but everybody had their limit and you were at yours with their bullshit about Nick. You really need to apologize to him for not taking his worries as seriously as you should’ve. 

You make it to the door and unlock the deadbolt, twisting the handle to open it. It doesn’t budge though. You’re eyebrows furrow and you assess the door. The deadbolt is unlocked there’s not a little lock on the doorknob. When you look up you do realize that there's another lock about a foot above the other deadbolt. It looks like it belongs on the outside of the door, not the inside. It requires a key to unlock it and when you peek into the little crack between the door and the doorjamb you can see a second bolt glinting ever so slightly in the sun. You turn back to them. They’re just watching you silently, waiting for you to realize that you couldn’t leave without their help. You meet Tess’ eyes and raise an eyebrow in silent question. In response, she nods towards your chair. “Come sit for a minute.” 

Your jaw clenches and your stomach twists up in a knot. Something is wrong and fear slams into you as you realize you’re stuck here. “Why?” You stay by the front door, unwilling to move any closer to them. 

“Because she asked you too,” Joel said back, his voice a warning. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Nope… this is gonna end terribly. You walk over to the chair and grip the back of it with your hands, sitting feels far too vulnerable right now. 

“What?” You ask lowly, staring at the table, not meeting their eyes. 

~

Tess frowns at you. She’s not too pleased with your behavior, but you’re not outwardly defying them so that’s something. You’re starting to get scared, they could tell by how tense you are that you’re freaking out a little. “We want you to stay here for a while,” she says gently, preparing for the immediate backlash you might go for. 

Your brows furrow with confusion. “I have to get ready for work.” Next to Tess, Joel’s jaw clenched. 

“Don’t worry about work, we’ll get you excused so you’re not in trouble,” Joel assures. Not that FEDRA would ever get to you now, not that anybody would. 

“Why?” You ask again. Tess can tell you’re low on patience, you want to leave, and the thought pisses her off a little. 

“Because we want to keep you.” It probably wasn’t the best way to reveal you to your new life, but you’ve always seemed to enjoy Tess’ honesty.

~

Your eyes snap to hers, and you blink at her, completely speechless for a moment. “I’m sorry... You what?” You can’t believe the words that just came out of Tess’ mouth. ‘You can’t leave.’ you remind yourself. Finally, after months of looking for a red flag with Tess, she gives you one when you’re trapped in her fucking apartment. 

“You shouldn’t be working with your condition anyway. You’re gonna end up hurting yourself.”  Joel points out. Fury and embarrassment warp through you at his words. Condition? Just because you were disabled doesn’t mean you can’t work. You meet Joel's eyes with a fiery glare. 

“I am perfectly capable, thank you very much.” You snap at him. You expect him to respond in anger, instead, he smiles. 

“I know you’re capable, I’ve seen it. But they should minimize your hours at the very least. Burnout is still a thing, and you give off the impression that you’ll go until you literally can’t anymore.” Joel responds, once more giving you wide-eyed pointed look. “We’re trying to help.” 

“No offense, but that’s none of your business, Miller. I am an adult, I’ll figure it out for myself.” 

Joel sighs, shaking his head and standing up. You step back, making sure to stay well out of arms reach of him. Joel looks to you in surprise for a moment, pausing the same way Tess had last night, before turning and heading back towards his and Tess’ bedroom area. Your eyes flicked to Tess, who nodded toward the empty chair. “Please sit down.” 

You sigh and take a seat, pulling your chair back from the table to keep your distance from them. Joel rummaged around in his dresser for something. Tess leans her forearms on the table, bringing your attention back to her. “Joel saw you first when you first came to burning shift. Said he was surprised FEDRA would ever let you sign up for it.” Joel was now on his way back to the table, hiding whatever he got up to get behind his back so you couldn’t see it. He ends up sitting back down next to you. 

“Shouldn’t have been working in burning shift. Ever.” Joel pipes up. 

“It pays good! And it’s not like there’s a whole lot of options, I was just trying to grab what was available.” You defend. 

“I saw you a few weeks later at the market.” Tess continues as if you and Joel's continual argument about work didn’t exist. “Joel told me how you showed up on burning shift. I was surprised. After having a discussion we decided we wanted you.” You open your mouth to protest but Tess continues, “You won’t need to work anymore, you’ll be completely taken care of. You’ll stay here with us, for now, you will not leave this apartment and one of us will be here with you at all times. Once you get settled, we’ll start taking you back out again.”

You shake your head… what the actual fuck was she talking about? Her words make your panic flair. ‘You’ll’ not ‘you’d,’ they’ve made this decision without you’re input and you want to think you’re smart enough to change their minds about it. “No thank you.” That is all you can come up with. “I’d rather do the work myself and figure it out myself. I have no interest in relying on anybody.” 

~

Tess smirks at your words, ‘Well… aren’t you a prideful one.” She can’t help but taunt you just a little bit. You’re cute when you’re trying to figure out how to outsmart them. “Let me know when you successfully figure out how to leave.” She sits back in her chair, feeling more than a little smug. She gestures to Joel, who had grabbed the collar and a small padlock to put on it so you couldn’t take it off. 

Tess wiggles her fingers at you. “Give me your hands.” You sit back, eyes flicking between the two of them. Tess gestures again. “Come on now, it’ll just be for a moment.” She’s thanking you mentally for putting your hair up in the bathroom, it won’t be in the way when Joel gets the collar on. You shift but don’t move, already testing Tess’ patience. Joel stands and you startle a bit. Tess leans forward and grabs your hands gently, soothing you softly. “You’re safe here. We’re not gonna hurt you.”

~

You jerk against Tess, trying to pull out of her grip. Her fingers tighten around your hands and you try to stand up again, feeling Joel step up behind you. A large hand lands on your shoulder, keeping you in your chair. “Relax. Nothin’s gonna hurt, I promise.” Joel murmurs quietly.

“What are you doing?” You don’t even bother to hide your panic as you try to escape them. They’re too close, they’re touching you, and you want to scream. “Stop touching me.” 

Tess shushes you, shifting to kneel down in front of you, her hands moving up to grip your forearms. “You’re okay. We’ll let go in just a minute. Count to thirty for me.” Tess coaxes you gently into some deep breaths and into counting with her.

~

 Joel’s thumb rubs your shoulder gently, waiting until you are counting with Tess before moving his hand to wrap the collar around your neck. He’s as quick and gentle as he can be, looping the end of it through the buckle and tightening it to the correct size. 

~

As soon as you feel the leather tighten around your throat you yelp and move your hands upward to fight Joel. Fuck counting. Tess keeps your arms in place, she leans forward to put some weight onto your thighs, keeping you pinned in the chair as Joel quickly fastens the collar and hooks the tiny padlock into it, and snaps it shut. 

“Easy. Easy, I’m done.” Joel tugs lightly at the padlock and dips two fingers under the collar, making sure it isn’t too tight. Once satisfied with his work, Joel steps back. “I’m done. I’m done.” 

Tess squeezes your arms before pulling back with a soft smile. You immediately reach up to claw at the collar. “What the fuck.” 

“Easy,” Joel says again, taking his seat and gently prying your fingers from your throat. “It’s just a reminder. You’ll be fine with it on. You won’t even notice it after a few hours.”

You scoff, glaring at him. “Reminder? No. No, take it off.” You’re losing, you realize. They’re not listening to you. You swallow, focusing yourself on your goal. Escape. “I don’t want this. I want to go home now.” 

~

Tess has to admire your stubbornness and your focus on trying to talk them down from this. “You are home, pet.” She replies. Joel’s eyes darken at her words, and his hands twitch around yours. 

“Welcome home, pet. We’ve been preparing for you for months.” Joel squeezes your hands. 

~

You shake your head “I don’t want this. I don’t want to do this. I’m sorry, but I’m not interested in whatever this is.” You try to pull away from him but he keeps his grip, fingers strong around yours. 

“You’re not leaving. I think you’ve figured that out already. We already told you, we are keeping you. You’re not going to change our minds.” Joel’s voice cut through your head like a knife. You yank away from him, standing up and pacing to the living room and back again. 

~

Joel stands to intercept you but Tess stops him. “She can’t go anywhere. Give her a minute to process.” Joel looks back over to you, but your back is to him, you’re looking out the window. So he sits back down and looks at Tess who shrugs. 

~

You glare at the window. They’re by the wall of the QZ, which makes sense for smugglers you suppose. There are no people outside this close to the edge and their place is too high up to survive jumping. You frown. What the fuck were you gonna do? You turn back to them, you don’t go back to the table, but you do lean against the white shelf on the wall giving them your attention. 

“We have one basic rule for you right now.” Tess addresses you. “Just do as you’re told. That’s it.”

Joel glares at you. “Something you haven’t done yet.” 

You glare back. “I’m my own person, just because you’ve offered advice to me doesn’t mean I have to take it.” 

“It wasn’t advice, I told you to stay away from that kid and you didn’t listen.” Joel growls, clearly pissed you still hang out with Nick.

“Yes.” You nod, “Because why the fuck would I listen to you?” Knowing their plan now, at least now you understand why they hate Nick so much. Tess has been planning on taking you for months now, and yesterday you openly admitted you had a thing for Nick. No wonder she responded weirdly. 

“Because,” Tess cuts in smoothly, “you are not you’re own person. You are ours, and if you disobey us, we’ll punish you.” 

You pause at that threat, it stops you in your tracks. No. This isn’t a situation you were ever supposed to be in. The whole reason you pushed your group to go to a Quarantine Zone in the first place was to avoid raiders and slavers. You were supposed to be safe here from this exact situation. Fuck, you really owed Nick the nicest home-cooked meal you can make, and a huge ass apology. “What happened to ‘we’re not gonna hurt you?’”

Tess sits back and eyes you with a sharp look. “We have no interest in hurting you. But what is the first thing you start with when bringing home a new pet?” She asks you. 

You glare, jaw clenched so tight that in any other circumstance, you’d be worried you’d chip a tooth, but you’re too freaked out and angry and scared to care right now. 

“People train pets so they know how their owners want them to behave.” Joel interferes when you refuse to answer Tess. You stare at the ground, letting his words sink in. “We won’t hurt you, but we will discipline you so you learn what to do and what not to do. Just like any other pet.” You nod in acknowledgment and glare at the lock on the door that keeps you from your freedom. They have to go out at some point. It’s only a matter of time before you at least figure out where the key is… likely on one of them. 

You watch Joel stand up, he looks at you before once more heading back towards the bedroom area. He disappears behind the wall for a moment before coming back with a giant pink pet bed in his arms. He places it next to the shelf with the radio on it, right underneath a ring thats been drilled into the wall. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that they’ll probably leash you there at some point. It makes your body tense and you edge away from Joel. 

He turns and spots you backing away from him. He holds his hands up in surrender and steps away from the bed. “We found this for you. We figured you might like it.” 

You eye the bed and then Joel. “Are you expecting me to sleep there at night?” The bed seemed comfortable to sit on, like a beanbag chair, but you’d definitely fuck your back up if you had to sleep on it. 

Joel looks at you and shakes his head. “No. No. Probably wouldn't be too comfy for an entire night. It’s just a spot for you during the day.” He points to the bookshelf. “We got some books you can read, stuff like that. Just a little place that’s yours while we’re busy with stuff.”

You nod but don’t point out that you already have an entire apartment that’s yours that you can go to while they're busy with stuff. Instead, you eye the couch. That won’t be too comfortable in the long run either. 

“You’ll sleep in bed with us at night.” Tess pipes up from behind you. You whip around to look at her. 

“What?” Sleep in bed with them? Next to them? You can’t do that. 

Tess gets up from the table and walks over to you. You flatten yourself against the wall and she steps in just a hair too close, slowly reaching a hand up to brush her fingertips against your cheek. You pull back but she follows you, keeping the contact. You look towards the window again, and you’re glad she doesn’t force you to look at her. You’re pretty sure if you meet her eyes while she’s this close, you’ll burst into tears. 

Joel closes in as well, his hand reaching for the top of your head, gently massaging your scalp with his fingertip, much like one would pet a dog. You swallow against the rising emotions as they gently touch you. “With us,” Tess says, confirming what you’d already heard. “You’ll sleep with us, and we’ll keep you safe and warm.” 

You swallow again, blinking rapidly as tears well up in your eyes. There are so many emotions running through you right now and you don’t think you could name a single one. A tear slips free and slides down your cheek only for Tess to swipe it away. If you were so safe with them, why does your heart feel like it’s shattering into a million pieces?

They stay close, murmuring softly to you as you try to come to grips with this new reality. You won’t get out today, or likely the next few days. They’re on high alert and still trying to set some kind of routine. Your best shot is to play along until an opportunity arises. So you nod, accepting Tess’ words for now. 

You still don’t look at them but Tess leans forward to press a kiss to your temple and Joel presses his forehead against the hand he has on your head. “Welcome home, pet.” He whispers softly. Crowded between them against the wall, another tear falls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Previous | Next

A\N: Thanks for reading, I hope you all enjoyed it! Let me know what you guys think!

[nekassvariigs]

Someone said japanese speaking zoro so i have spawned myself in this dilemma.

i dont speak it but ill try my best to portray what it'd be like.

(my brain is officially fried but i think this turned out fairly cute, ngl i like the style this writing has.Might fry my brain some more with this another time.)

Sleeping tiger

Roronoa zoro x reader

「このように持って。」 "Kono yō ni motte."/"Hold it like this."

The green haired male gestured to your sake cup showing you how to hold it properly, you were in Wano for a while however it was the first time you stumbled upon this man. You listened closely even though barely able to understand his language, you had to get context clues from his actions and make due with what little you knew about the language.

You held the little red cup between your fingers clear liquid closhing gently around it's edges.

「 乾杯。」 "Kanpai." "Cheers."

He clanked your cups the alcohol spilling over your hands as you hurriedly copied him.

With a loud hiss you shook your head a bit, the flavour was strong and rich not to mention it made you throat tingle just from a shot.

「どうだった？」 "Dōdatta?"/ "How was it?"

He poured himself another fill, hands resting on his knees as he asked you, a straw fidlling between his lips.

「うまい! 」 "Umai!/Delicious!" your eyes gleamed looking at him as you responded with your basic knowledge raising a tiny smile from him.

"え? , 日本語を話せるとは知らなかった。なんでもっと話さなかったの？" "Eh?,Nihongo o hanaseru to wa shiranakatta. Nande motto hanasanakatta no?" "Huh? , I didnt know you could japanese. Why haven't you spoken more? "

You chuckled, flustered with this sudden barrage of foreign language, you knew what he meant but explaining it will be a little hard. he slouched back losing a bit of his interest as he watched you piece together words, maybe you didn't know as much as he thought.

「私は話すのが苦手ですが、他の人を見て言語を学びました。 私��発音は大丈夫ですか？」 "Watashi wa hanasu no ga nigatedesuga, hokanohito o mite gengo o manabimashita. Watashi no hatsuon wa daijōbudesuka?" " I'm not good at speaking, but I learned the language by watching other people. Is my pronounciation good?

「わるぅないな！」 "Waru~unai na!" "Not bad!"

he chuckled raising for another toast, clashing the cups once more the liquid seeped down your throat, you celebrated this as a begining to a friendship with this stoic man.

「ごめんね、ずっとここでお酒飲んでるのに、まだあなたの名前を知らないの。」 "Sumimasen, zutto koko de o sake o nonde imashitaga, mada anata no namae o shirimasen." "I'm sorry, we've been drinking here all this time and I still don't know your name."

He sucked in a breath of air the punchy flavour of alcohol stinging his tounge a bit.

「ゾロだ。」 "Zoro da." "Zoro."

He answered nochalantly hoping not to ruin his peaceful moment by saying his name to you. Not that he was worried about it, he just really didn't want to start a fight for no reason.

You choked on your words a little. 「ええ、まじ？！おまえロロノアゾロ？」 "Eeh~ maji?! Omae Roronoa Zoro?" "Huh?! Seriously, you're Roronoa Zoro?"

「そよ、なんかもんかあるのか？」 "Sō yo, nanka monka aru no ka?" " Thats right, Is there a problem with that ?"

Your eyes sparkled watching him, his attitude changed a little to your antics as he laid back arms stretching behind his head like a lazy tiger.

「いいえ、ぜんぜん。」 "iie, zenzen." "No not at all."

You waved a hand infront of your face excusing his comment with a chuckle, the two of you seemed to be getting along well despite the language barier not like there was a big one however it was exhausting to use your brain to talk so much. You adverted your gaze to the scene before you watching as pink petals flew in the wind.

Zoro only huffed, relaxing more he slowly fell asleep before you.

「ほら、眠れる虎。」 "Hora, nemureru tora." "Look a sleeping tiger."

you giggled watching his face scrunch up a tiny bit, a small blush spread on his cheeks as he hid it in the shade.

[acnhconfessions]

i want a game thats kind of, mostly like acnh with all its customization and yes the fact you can keep the villagers hostage bc im evil like that. but with all the charm and coziness that acnl seems to have. listening to the music from that game or looking at screenshots from the game, i get this overwhelming cozy feeling of both like, a warm summer night and a festive winter day. i never got to play it bc i was still tiny when it came out and then when i got interested in ac they stopped selling acnl, also i have no clue how to use an emulator lol.

for some reason it reminds me of like, falling asleep mid-day while reading and laying in the sun. or like, going out for a walk while its raining and seeing all the worms start to come out of the dirt. or just going about your day completely normal until you see 1 little thing and youre suddenly transported back into childhood as nostalgia washes over you. it feels like buying yourself a little snack after work, or like making dinner using vegetables you grew yourself. like home brewed coffee. nl tastes mostly sweet but with a bit of bitterness and saltiness. nl would taste like toast with jam on it.

of course, thats just a romanticized version of it but comparing that with the real experience i have with acnh is just kind of... i know acnh seems to be the most hated game at the moment but honestly sometimes it feels like chore. some days i dont even talk to my villagers and just go straight to the dlc. the flowers multiply too fast and its really bothering if you only want a certain flower color or they spread so much theres not enough room to place things. i use my house as more of a storage unit than something to decorate. it feels... inorganic, far too sanitized (and thats coming from a germaphobe). if i were to compare how thinking of it right now makes me feel and compare that to how just looking at acnl makes me feel its like...

having a job thats technically easy but draining, and then after a long day you see a motivational poster as you leave. feels like throwing your old clothes in the trash instead of the thrift store. its like those shitty 5 minute crafts with the incomprehensible script. its like a starbucks or dunkin donuts, its not bad tasting but you would only get it on your way to work, you wouldnt sit down at the coffee shop and eat there. it feels like having to pay $4 for 2 tomatoes. so... it just feels corporate and clean. not hating if youre all about that acnh capitalism life!!! it just doesnt feel right. animal crossing is supposed to be like, THE cozy game but nh does not feel cozy.

idk, maybe pocket camp is that game? its a mobile but it came out inbetween nl and nh, im just not sure if i wanna spend date on that

[queen-scribbles]

The Long Burning Torch ch 7

Big chapter for my @shepherds-of-haven 20s AU, both in terms of length(9k) and plot happenings :3 Enjoy!

---

Xaeryn woke earlier than she’d intended, largely thanks to barking her sore knuckles against the bedframe in her sleep.

She clenched the hand into a fist, instinctively cradling it close to her chest. Red had done a good job tending to it, it was just more sensitive the morning after. As was the way of injuries in her line of work.

But the thought of Red dragged her the rest of the way awake. She ran a hand down her face, fingers slowing as they passed over her lips. No. She wasn’t thinking about that literally first thing in the morning.

Mr. Syndran was coming by. That was where her thoughts should be dwelling; preparation for that meeting. She needed to be focused. Professional.

A yawn cracked her jaw and Xaeryn glanced over at the alarm clock. Almost an hour’s lost sleep. But her mind was already too busy--with thoughts of the day ahead and ones she was trying not to think--for much success at reclaiming that hour.

Wonderful. She groaned as she shoved back the covers and swung her legs down. She headed to the kitchen, made herself tea and toast for breakfast. She knew when Mr. Syndran was coming, it was Red and Pan who were the wild card for her schedule.

They’d promised to come say goodbye before they headed back to Solhadur, but she wasn’t sure when that would be. Pan hadn’t exactly been a willing early riser during their school days, but he could do it when called for. Like wanting to get an early start on a drive.

Best to be prepared, Xaeryn decided. She finished her breakfast swiftly--at least, swiftly as she could with both elbow and hand sore from yesterday’s scuffle--showered, and dressed in trousers and a coordinating blouse. Professional, practical for any legwork she might do later, and didn’t look half bad if she said so herself.

The thoughts she’d been trying to ignore pushed their way in. The gentleness of Red’s hands as he helped her. Her whispered confession of wanting to do something improper. The irritation she’d swear she’d seen in his eyes at Pan’s timing. Tying it all together, the persistent thought:

I almost kissed my best friend--and he looked ready to kiss me back.

They clearly needed to talk. She just wasn’t sure if there would be opportunity today, with Pan here as well.

Xaeryn threw herself into busy work, putting away her evening gown until she could get it cleaned properly, dealing with the dishes from her breakfast, reviewing her notes from the gala. She’d need to speak to Miss Acquell about investigating the portions she’d seen Stormbreaker heading for before she lost her. If she could find the woman’s destination, that might give some clue what she was up to, either physical or scrying.

A knock on the door broke through her thoughts, and Xaeryn’s gaze instinctively went to the clock. Too early for Mr. Syndran.

A nervous flutter passed through her as she stood from her desk and headed for the door. She glanced at Red’s tuxedo jacket, still hanging over the chair, and reached for the knob. It was, as anticipated, him and Pan waiting in the hall.

Red smiled soon as their eyes met. “I knew you’d be up this early.”

“I’m a bit surprised you two are,” she admitted in return, stepping back to let them join her in the office. “Well, more you.” She arched a brow at Pan.

“Trust me, not my first choice,” he said wryly. “But since Red has a class to teach, we wanted an early start.” He smirked. “And I know how you two like to bump gums; figured this way we don’t have to rush goodbyes.”

She chuckled. “You do know us well. It was good to see you, Pan. However briefly. Maybe next time can be longer.”

“Ditto, Xaer.” He held out a hand to shake. “I’ll try to make myself easy to find when you visit next, maybe we can have more of a chance to chin, if you’ve the time.”

“That does sound keen,” Xaeryn said with a smile, shaking his hand. It would be nice to do some more catching up with old friends. “Where’s likely to find you?”

“His office is just down the hall from mine,” Red chipped in.

“But I’m not there much.” Pan shoved his hands in his pockets. “More likely in the gardens trying to impart my wisdom to a new gaggle of students.” He stifled a yawn. “Now, I’m gonna go sit with our stuff and hopefully not fall asleep. Red, remember we do need to be getting on the road soon, hm?”

“I know, I know,” Red said, raking a hand through his hair, something of his usual confidence lacking from the motion.

“See ya ‘round, Ryn,” Pan winked, and ducked out of the office.

Xaeryn’s stomach twisted with nerves at the loss of his presence as a buffer. Did she bring up last night? Would Red? Was it better to pretend it didn’t happen--or, almost happen--in the name of preserving their friendship?

“You, ah, forgot your jacket last night,” she fumbled, stepping over to the chair to retrieve it. The slight increase in distance didn’t help settle her nerves as she’d--somewhat--hoped.

“Yes, I didn’t realize until we were halfway back to the hotel,” Red admitted with a small laugh. “Seemed silly to come back when we were already planning to stop by today.” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he crossed the room. “I also figured you’d turn in quickly and didn’t want to disturb you.”

Her pulse jumped at the thought of if they’d come back, of him seeing her in her pajamas and Xaeryn cleared her throat to shoo it away. “I did pretty much fall in bed soon as you two left.” She picked up the jacket, held it out. “It was a draining night.”

“That’s one way to describe it,” he said wryly, taking the jacket. “I still had a good time.” His gaze dropped to her bandaged knuckles. “For the most part, anyway. How’s your hand?”

“Sore,” Xaeryn said. Her fingers instinctively flexed. “A tad stiff. But definitely on the mend.” She brought it up, the other hand rubbing the side of the injured one. “Thank you, again, for helping patch me up. That would’ve been much trickier to handle myself.”

“Oh, ah, you’re welcome.” Red draped the jacket over his arm. “Always happy to help, Xaer, you know that.” He was standing so close, barely an arm’s length away.

She nodded. “And I’m always grateful, and willing to return the favor. But that was... a little outside the wheelhouse, far as things I’ve asked of you.”

He bit his lip, hesitating on a question. His gaze flicked to her hand, her mouth, quickly to the bookshelves, grip tightening on the jacket. “Is that... something you have to do a lot, Ryn? Patch yourself up?”

Xaeryn smiled faintly and sucked the inside of her cheek. She rested a hand on his arm. “Do you really want me to answer that?” I know how you worry.

“I...” Red sighed, met her gaze again. “...do.”

“I wouldn’t call it a lot,” she said, still choosing her words with care, “but occasionally it’s called for.”

“Mm.” He shifted, the motion leaning slightly into her touch.

“It’s usually like this or less serious,” she assured him. “Scrapes, bumps to ice, that sort of thing.” A laugh escaped her. “Some are even self-inflicted due to stubbornness in chasing leads.”

Red chuckled fondly. “Of course they are.” He reached for the injured hand, tugging it close to look over. “Glad this one’s healing, but try to be more careful, Xaer? This case seems like it’s pretty high stakes, and thus high risk.”

Xaeryn nodded, trying not to be distracted by the way his thumb brushed the side of her hand. “It is a bit more... involved than my usual job,” she allowed. “And I don’t do unnecessary risk-”

“Having seen some of what you considered necessary during school, that’s not the comfort you might think,” Red interjected wryly. 

She huffed a small laugh and reluctantly withdrew her hand. “My point, Liefred, is that detective work comes with a few more risks than academia, but I know what I’m doing in navigating them.”

“I know.” His gaze ran over her face. “And I trust you, but as your friend” --did his pulse jump in his throat on the word, or was it just a trick of the light?--”I am still going to worry about you. A little.”

“Only a little?” Xaeryn teased.

“I’m trying to be better about it,” he said with an abashed smile, “so it doesn’t get in the way of more important things.”

“A wise plan.” She smiled in return. He’d been a worrywart as long as she’d known him, she wondered how much success he’d have relaxing that facet of his personality.

A sharp knock sounded against her door. They both snapped a gaze toward it, though Xaeryn’s quickly shifted to the clock.

“That’s too awake and impatient to be Pan,” Red joked.

She laughed. “Given the time, I suspect it’s Mr. Syndran. We had an appointment. How lucky you’re still here for introductions.”

“I’ll be on best behavior,” he said, twinkle in his eye as he mimed adjusting a tie he wasn’t wearing and ran his fingers through his hair.

She rolled her eyes and tried to school her expression into something professional on the way to the door. Her guess had been correct. “Good morning, Mr. Syndran.”

“And to you, Miss Shrike.” Mr. Syndran arched a brow at Red. “And your guest.”

“Yes, I didn’t get to introductions last night,” Xaeryn said. “Mr. Riel Syndran, head of Whitestone Couriers; Headmaster Liefred Antiqua of Solhadur Academy in Capra.”

“Ah, yes, I know it.” Mr. Syndran stepped into the office, giving a formal half-bow of greeting. “We’ve handled some artefact deliveries headed there, though nothing recently.”

Red inclined his head in answer to the bow. “Hasn’t been much coming in for study, sadly. We’ve had to content ourselves with teaching and research.”

“Yes, what a struggle for you,” Xaeryn said dryly. “Liefred’s been helping with the historical research for Solimer’s Torch,” she explained to Mr. Syndran.

He cut her a sharp, knowing smile. “So he’s the one who prompted your inquiry about outsourcing?”

She nodded, flashed a smile to Red. “I felt it was smart to use an expert I trust. And his help has been... invaluable.”

“I see.” Mr. Syndran ran a glance over Red; the half-rolled sleeves, wrinkled waistcoat(at least it was buttoned this time), the tuxedo jacket draped over his arm. “And the gentleman trying valiantly not to nod off in the car out front? Is he another outsource?”

“No, he’s my ride,” Red said with a laugh. “And on that note, I should be going. So he doesn’t doze off.”

Frustration flared in Xaeryn’s chest, but she quickly clamped it down. Yes, they needed to talk, but that was a conversation she wasn’t keen to have in front of a client. So she just nodded farewell. “Thank you again for all your help,” she said, flexing her fingers to keep them from stiffening.

Red nodded, bit his lip, and stepped closer to give her a quick hug goodbye.  “Anytime, Ryn. And I’ll have that information together by lunch tomorrow for you to come pick up.”

That seemed ambitious, if he had a class today, but if he wasn’t done when she got there, it would be a chance to visit more. “See you then.”

One last dimpled, lingering smile, something unsaid in his deep green eyes, and he was gone.

Mr. Syndran waited until the door clicked shut behind him to fix her with an appraising look. “You truly trust him?”

“Implicitly,” Xaeryn said with a firm nod. “He’s top notch and won’t blab about working on it.”

“He looks too honest by half,” Mr. Syndran muttered, and she couldn’t deny that, but he rolled on before she could comment. “What information is he gathering for you? I’d think you have all the background you need by this point, Miss Shrike.”

“And you’d be correct.” Xaeryn moved behind her desk, gesturing for him to take a seat as she settled in her chair. “My handbag was stolen, and my notes happened to be inside at the time. I copied down what I remember-”

He held up a hand. “Your notes were stolen?”

“My handbag was, yes, and with it my notes. Which are written in personal shorthand, so I wish anyone who might try to read them the best of luck.”

“This is still a distressing development,” Mr. Syndran mused, twirling his walking stick against the floor. “though I do applaud the precaution.”

“It might be, but as I said, I copied down what I remember, and Liefred’s reassembling the historical data he found for me in case it becomes relevant. Nothing about this is slowing down my search.”

“Mm. And you rewarded his efforts by bringing him along to the gala?” he asked archly.

“I needed a plus one to get in,” Xaeryn reminded him just as archly. “It was more asking him for an additional favor. One he didn’t mind granting, given what he got to see. He’s my best friend and helped me a lot. Even if it was a reward, would that be so bad?”

“I simply do not care for you to get distracted from the task for which you were hired.”

She bit the tip of her tongue, forcing down irritation at being lectured like a child.  “I assure you, I am still focused, Mr. Syndran. Some mingling and taking in the exhibits between... interviews was called for to avoid drawing attention.”

“And, to the point of this meeting, were those interviews fruitful?” He steepled his fingers over the walking stick as he asked.

“They were, and there’s more besides...” Xaeryn gave him a recap of the chats she’d had with Ms. Aescar and King Kaza, as well as mentioning the odd behavior of the latter’s bodyguard. “My hope for today is to pick up her track, see what she was up to, where she went, if anyone else was there. This ties to her and the king somehow, I just need to find the connection.”

“That does seem likely, but do keep an open mind, Miss Shrike,” Mr. Syndran said, lips pursed.

“Of course, comes with the territory,” she returned.  There was something in his look that made her wary, like he was about to suggest a theory she wouldn’t like. But he didn’t, instead nodding toward the battered knuckles she’d been idly rubbing the latter half of the conversation.

“Have to fight someone over the punch bowl, did you?” he asked drolly.

She snorted a laugh. “No, just a bit of excitement on the way home from the gala. I’d had Liefred leave with the car while I was following Stormbreaker, so I had to walk back and was... menaced by a thug for ‘sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong’.” A thin smile. “I handled him. This is just scrapes.”

“I should see the other fellow?” Mr. Syndran said, arching a brow. “A pickpocket and a menacing ruffian in the span of a couple days? Miss Shrike, your neighborhood is not that dangerous.”

“Oh, the latter incident is undoubtedly tied to the case. Means I’m getting close. They’re trying to make me breeze on it, or at least slow me down.” Xaeryn shifted in her chair. “Unfortunately for them, this sort of thing only makes me more determined. And I have some solid angles to follow today so I get even closer.”

Mr. Syndran’s eyes glittered. “Good to hear, Miss Shrike. Whitestone Couriers is eager for a positive resolution to the matter.”

And a rapid one, from how you keep nudging, But he’d made that clear from the start, so she could hardly complain. She’d already missed one deadline--the gala--and wanted to wrap this up quickly herself. “I’m close to giving you one,” she promised.

One side of his mouth twitched as he picked up the subtle hint. “Best of luck in your efforts today, Detective.” He stood, then paused, lips pursed. “You are quite certain no one will read your notes, should they fall in the wrong hands?”

She thought briefly about bringing up she’d had this conversation with Ms. Aerin last night, but that might seem like deflecting. “Yes. I developed it with Liefred in school for faster note-taking and then further altered it when I took up detective work, so I doubt even he could read it anymore.”

(Not entirely true; Red could probably figure it out with a little time, but she didn’t like the suspicion crinkling Mr. Syndran’s brow.)

He seemed satisfied, giving a nod. “Very well, I’ll take you at your word, Miss Shrike. Again, best of luck today.” He inclined his head in farewell and was gone.

Xaeryn blew out a breath and deliberated on the better course of action from her options. She could go back to the museum, see if Miss Acquell would let her in to try and pick up Stormbreaker’s trail. The earlier she got on that lead, the better her odds of it going somewhere. She could also scry on the woman, or on the green-haired man from the alley. That could be fallback, she mused. The museum was the best bet, and staff should be there for the day by now.

She called the direct number the curator had given her, fervently hoping Miss Acquell was in her office rather than roaming the floor.

It was answered--slightly breathless--on the fourth ring. “Shery Acquell’s office.”

“Mis- Shery, it’s Detective Shrike.” Xaeryn glanced at the clock. “I was wondering if I could swing by the museum to follow up a lead or two from last night.”

“Oh, detective.” She gave a frazzled-sounding cough. “Of course. We’re closed to the public today, gala cleanup, but I’ll tell the doorman to keep a watch for you. When do you think you’ll be coming?”

Xaeryn shrugged. “Earlier’s better; does five minutes work? Maybe a little more?” It might be prudent to walk in case she wound up following something away from the museum; she wouldn’t have to return later for her car.

“Certainly. I’ll let them know you’re coming and allowed in.”

“Thank you, Shery.” She hung up, fetched a hat, and was off.

--- 

The museum, much to her chagrin, did not prove fruitful. She followed the same route as the night before, branched in each direction Stormbreaker could have gone. There were only a half dozen display rooms and they were all undisturbed, no matter how closely she scrutinized. The second hallway, however, did have an exit at the end of it. Stormbreaker could have either stepped out or simply talked to someone without being observed. Security had been mostly focused around the gala. Miss Acquell confirmed nothing was missing and Xaeryn, annoyed, headed back to her office.

Scrying it is, then, she thought, trying not to dwell on the wasted time in the museum. 

If she’d just stuck with Stormbreaker instead of getting distracted... but there was nothing to be done about it now other than work with the problem. She just had to decide if it was a surer thing to scry on the green-haired man or Stormbreaker. One she’d only seen in a previous scry, the other was guarding a person likely to have warding or protective sigils.

It only took a few minutes’ deliberation to settle on the green-haired man. It would take some extra effort to scry on someone she’d never met in person, but she’d bumped into protection sigils before. They gave her a monster of a headache. If King Kaza was utilizing those--and he seemed the type--it was a surefire way to make her day worse.

Xaeryn took out the polished bronze disk she used for scrying, set it on the desk, then locked the door and took the phone off the hook to minimize distraction before getting down to business.

A present-day focus was at least easier than trying to see something from the past. Her vision shimmered, the dish clouding over before clearing to reveal a silent, sepia-tone image of the man she sought.

He was walking briskly along a street, the shadow of other pedestrians few but present. The stores her passed were all too blurred to give any clue of his whereabouts. His newsie cap was tugged low but couldn’t quite hide the flash of green hair, the scar on his neck just showing over his shirt collar. He slowed, checked something on a scrap of paper, and ducked into a café.

That she did recognize. It was only a few minutes from her office, she’d lunched there frequently. Xaeryn broke the scry, hurrying to collect handbag and hat. Lucky for her it was lunchtime, so she could snag a peek without drawing too much attention.

As long as her quarry was staying a while, not just meeting someone to head for a secondary location. Hence her haste. She pinned on her hat once more, confirmed the desk was locked, and headed out, careful to lock the office door as well.

----

The weather was nice, so Xaeryn found herself with plenty of company as she walked. She was the one one to step into the café, which was a relief. A glance around the space quickly revealed the man she sought.

Her search was made easier by the fact other patrons appeared to be giving the table a wide berth. The unusual hair colors of the occupants made them stand out as Diminished even more; her quarry’s hat was off, and his companion’s pale pink hair was corralled by a dark red ribbon.

A companion Xaeryn recognized, though she tried to keep that recognition off her face as she took a seat at a relatively close booth. The One-God works in mysterious ways. She was far dressed down from last night, but Green Hair’s emphatic conversational partner was none other than Stormbreaker, King Kaza’s bodyguard. She was also rather agitated about something.

“...no Diviner, whaddya want me to do?” Green Hair muttered.

“He’s only planning to stay in town a few more days, Darius,” Stormbreaker hissed back. “Our window’s closing.”

“That knowledge doesn’t magically give me the ability to track things down,” Darius growled. “I wanna stop him as bad as you, Bry, but-”

They both fell silent as the waitress approached with Xaeryn’s order. She sent up a small prayer they didn’t look too closely at the booth. Stormbreaker at least would recognize her.

Apparently the One-God was feeling kind. After an extra minute or so of silence, their conversation resumed, albeit in more hushed tones. Good job she’d always had keen hearing.

“You don’t have any idea where he would’ve squirreled it away?” Darius asked, so low Xaeryn barely caught it.

“Nothing more than we’ve found. I thought he was gonna keep in at the hotel, where he could have eyes on it. But he’s not, and whatever the details of what he and Jarkyth are doing, they’re playing cards close to the chest.”

Xaeryn’s brows twitched even as she bit into her cucumber sandwich. Assuming ‘he’ was who she thought, not only was there more going on than appeared with Solimer’s Torch, but King Kaza was plotting something with one of the most influential religious and political figures in the known world.

Which presented her with a conundrum-- if King Kaza was involved in the theft but these two weren’t, she should probably talk to them. They could fill in some blanks, maybe point her in the right direction. But if they weren’t on the up and up, she’d be making things worse to show her hand. They could have their own selfish designs on the Torch.

The dilemma was at least partially taken out of her hands even as she turned it over in her mind. “Circe??”

Fortunately, she’d used the alias for a few other cases, and still had the instincts to react to it without too much of an interval. “Hm?” The pause at being pulled from her thoughts wasn’t an affectation in the slightest. “Oh. Stormbreaker, right?”

The woman grimaced slightly. “Only when certain parties are trying to show off. I prefer Briony.” She cocked her head, expression riding the fine line between curiosity and suspicion. “What a coincidence running in to you here.”

“It certainly is,” Xaeryn said with a light laugh. “My office is nearby This is my go-to when I want to step out for lunch.” She held up the uneaten portion of her sandwich as evidence. “And you? Did you find time away from your duties to see some sights today?”

Briony nodded, cheerful smile and hard eyes, her companion gone stone-faced. “A few. Haven’t gotten much time away. His highness doesn’t care to be unprotected for long.”

If her distaste were any more thinly veiled, it would be sheer. Xaeryn’s gut said to gamble, and she listened to it. “Well, I’m glad you managed it, Haven has a lot to offer.” She set down her sandwich. ”I’m also glad I bumped into you; I was hoping to speak when we could be more... open.”

“,,,What about?” Briony asked cautiously.

“There’s a piece I’m trying to track down with possible ties to Elinden. Wouldn’t want King Kaza to think I’m accusing him of involvement in it’s disappearance with no proof, now would I?”

Briony’s eyes narrowed, likely judging, in turn, if this gamble was worth her taking. She gestured for Xaeryn to join their table, shushing her companion when he started to protest. “And what would this piece be?”

“An artefact from the Jalis desert,” said Xaeryn, still measuring her words. It would really put her behind the eight ball if she read this wrong. “I’ve been tracking it on behalf of the proper owner”--Or near enough, she thought to herself--“and signs are starting to point toward Elinden.”

“Is that why you were chattin’ up his highness last night?” Briony asked with a keen look and faint smile playing at her lips.

“More or less, He has previously tried to claim this artefact through legal means and failed. But his is not the only faction on Elinden, either.”

She didn’t miss the look between the two her words prompted.

“So why were you hoping to talk to me?” Briony asked, tracing one finger ‘round the rim of her cup.

“I happened to note your... early exit and couldn’t help wondering if that was related,” Xaeryn said coolly.

“I told you s-!”

“Darius, close your head,” Briony cut him off, squeezing his arm. She looked back at Xaeryn. “I think we should continue this bull session somewhere just a bit more private, don’t you, Circe? If we’re gonna be discussing things like that.”

“Probably a good idea,” Xaeryn agreed.

“You said you have an office nearby?”

“I do.” And that would work nicely. Familiar ground and all. “Though one thing you need to know if we’re moving there... My name is not Circe Blackwood.” She pulled out a business card and slid it across the table. “I’m sure you can understand how aliases might come in handy for my line of work?”

Briony nodded, but Darius still looked suspicious. “I can,” she said. “Shall we?” 

The three of them settled up and left the café, Xaeryn carrying the uneaten half of her sandwich wrapped in waxed paper. They were all silent as they walked. She spared only a brief moment to muse over their thoughts before sinking into her own.

They had agreed to go to an unfamiliar location with an unknown actor with surprisingly little fuss, and it made her wonder if they were planning something she needed to worry about. Or maybe Briony had a gut instinct as good as her own. She’d deal with any scenarios that arose accordingly. Her true concern was how much of her hand to show.

When they reached her office, Xaeryn let Briony and Darius examine the room as she settled in her desk chair. After they’d prowled around enough to satisfy themselves it was safe, they sat opposite.

“So,” Xaeryn said with a searching look.

“So,” Briony echoed, holding her gaze steadily. 

Apparently the first trust fall was on her. Very well. “I was hired to locate an artefact stolen from the collection on display at the museum and return it to the proper owner. Certain... aspects of what I’ve learned in my search have pointed very firmly toward Elinden  So, of course, it was of great curiosity to me, seeing the bodyguard to the current--controversial--king of that island slink away from her charge.”

Briony snorted, ignoring Darius’ uneasy shift in his chair. “Oh, he’s actually quite a brawler. I’m more... flaunted for show and paranoia.” A sharp, bitter smile curved her lips. “He doesn’t really need me, just wants people to think he does.”

“Well, he might want to do something about the number of records describing him as warlord,” Xaeryn said wryly. “That certainly conjures images of ferocity. It’s also not my point. What were you doing?”

“Why should I tell you?” Briony crossed her arms with a shrug. “No offense, Xaeryn, but what reason do I have to trust you?”

“Fair.” Xaeryn steepled her fingers. “Assuming King Kaza is involved in the theft of the relic I’m tracking, I have a feeling you’re also trying to get it away from him. This would, I hope, put us on the same side, and we could work together looking for it.”

Darius scoffed. “Y’want us to trust you, but that’s blazing hard when you won’t even tell us what you’re looking for.”

She grimaced. “My client specifically requested discretion. I’m trying to give you enough while still honoring that-”

“Is it Solimer’s Torch?” Briony blurted. “B’cause that’s what we’re looking to get away from Kaza.”

“Briony!” Darius growled.

“I’m tired of this cat and mouse bunk, D.” She tugged on the ribbon in her hair absently. “If Xaeryn here is an actual snooper” --an emphatic gesture at the sign on Xaeryn’s desk--”she might be luckier’n we’ve been figuring what happened.”

“I am very good at finding things,” Xaeryn promised, tapping her fingers on the desk. “Maybe if you give me what you know, it’ll fill in some blanks that have been tripping me up?”

“Might as well, cat’s outta the bag,” Darius grumbled, running a hand through his hair.

Briony gave his arm a light punch, which made him rock in his chair, before looking back to Xaeryn. “So the Torch is what you’re looking for?”

Xaeryn nodded.

“Well, then, Kaza Ackshin is your man. He timed his visit to Haven to line up with the gala for two reasons; trawling for support of his claim to the throne, and to steal the Torch. Two birds and all that. I dunno everything about how they pulled it off, but he’s involved.”

“You’re quick to throw over your boss,” Xaeryn commented.

“Because he doesn’t deserve what he has,” Briony said fiercely. “And I’ll do what I have to to set that right--even work for the bastard.”

“What she means is, we’re from Dar-elin, the largest rebelling faction,” Darius explained wearily. “We’ve been workin’ to get that muti off the throne since the moment he took it. Outright conflict was dragging, so we switched to infiltration. Stormbreaker here has spent the last two years ingratiating herself so she has better access.”

“Right, that.” Briony waved a hand. “He’s been after the Torch--obsessed, really--since before I started, though. He can trace his ancestry to some Jalis warlord who owned it. Only problem for him is there’s some gaps where he only has a parent or grandparent’s say-so to back him up, no records. So even though he tried the official route, and outright buying it, he didn’t have any luck.”

“So he turned to thievery,” Xaeryn muttered.

Briony gave a grim smile. “He sees it as liberating, he’s that up his own ass about it belonging to him.”

“What good does he think it will do him, to make him so focused?” Xaeryn got out her notepad to start scribbling down at least rough notes.

“Aside from prestige and pride,” Briony snorted. “He’s superstitious enough I think he at least half believes all the applesauce about it bringing good luck or invulnerability and would use it to try and take at least a kingdom’s worth of the desert by force.”

“What, he’s not happy with Elinden’s throne?”

“Warlords never are,” Darius scoffed, and she nodded a concession.

“And I imagine it’s hard to, ah, increase your territory and influence from an island after a certain point,” she said.

“Well, and he knows there’s at least a chance it doesn’t end well for him, fighting three dissenter factions at once,” Briony added. “He still believes the throne is his because he took it, which is why he’s looking for political and financial support to fend us all off. But if he can establish a place of authority elsewhere, he has a fallback in case the ungrateful masses get to be too much for him.”

“So you’re trying to get the Torch away from him.” Xaeryn doodled a ship in the corner of a page.

“It’s two-fold.” Briony curled a loose wisp of pink hair around her finger and tugged on it. “It’ll mess up his plans, makes it harder to establish himself in Jalis if he’s a random power-hungry outsider. Gods know they have enough warlords of their own without adding a new one.” She caught Xaeryn’s eye and held her gaze as she continued. “And we want the Torch back with its owner, since from what I understand she has a solid claim to it.”

“Well established and documented, yes,” Xaeryn nodded, thinking back to her conversation with Miss Acquell about the provenance. “There’s also... a sentimental connection.” She tapped her pencil against her notepad. “I’m a bit surprised someone from a place as... insular as Elinden has the pull to hire competent thieves or deploy his own in any city on the mainland, but especially a hub city like Haven, with no connections.”

“Who said he doesn’t have connections, doll?” Darius smirked.

“Are you saying he did, despite never leaving Elinden? And it’s Miss Shrike. Or Xaeryn, if you really must.” She would grit her teeth through being addressed as doll by random shop- or barkeeps who didn’t know her name, but not a potential ally.

Darius’ brows arched, but he gave a nod of understanding.

Briony, however, was the one to answer her question. “Talquist Jarkyth.”

“The Western Hierophant?” Xaeryn’s stomach rebelled at the thought of one of the most prominent members of the church being involved, but he did dabble in business and politics, and she had seen King Kaza talking to him at the gala.... “He’s not local, either,” she protested, “He’s based in... Heth Macoll, I believe. He might be powerful there, but-”

“He travels. He’s been in Haven four months,” Briony cut her off. “Attending to business and avoiding the home climates. And d’you really think someone like him didn’t find at least a couple hoods to do his dirty work while he’s here?”

Someone like... The phrasing, and vehemence with which Briony uttered it, made something click for Xaeryn. “Are you saying you believe the scuttlebutt about him being a Faceless Lord?”

“It’s not just rumors and hokum, Xaeryn.” Briony let go of the hair she’d been twisting to lean forward. “Some of it, as we’ve recently found, is very, very true.”

Well, that was news she hadn’t been expecting--and had trouble believing. The Faceless Lords were grown-up bogeymen; powerful leaders in every sphere of influence--political, religious, cultural--manipulating events across Blest for their own ends and profit. Anyone with at least a decent amount of influence or wealth was accused of membership at some point. 

Xaeryn had always felt the ‘cabal trying to control the world’ concept was an exaggeration, a flight of fancy, an excuse. But if Briony was truthful and correct, she’d been very wrong. It was a lot to wrap her head around.

“Assuming... assuming I take you at your word,” she said slowly, “why would Jarkyth be helping King Kaza? I can’t imagine there’s anything in Elinden he’d want to exploit.” She grimaced at how that sounded the second it left her mouth, no matter how true it was. Forthright, huh, Red?

“There’s not,” Briony said with a shrug. “Jalis, however... He looking to establish trade in the region with some of the larger settlements. There’s lots of... specialty goods you can only get from Jalis, and they aren’t cheap, thanks to the difficulty acquiring them. Jarkyth probably thinks if he helps Ackshin get this secondary kingdom running, he’ll have an in for trade with almost no competition.”

“So he’s, what, financing the theft of an artefact as a... business decision?” Her thoughts went to Chase commenting how the ‘butter and egg man’ for a Thieves Guild job on the same caravan had breezed. An interesting coincidence, if it was one.

“Would hardly be the worst thing his blessedness has done, if half of what we’ve heard is true,” Darius said gruffly. “Long as he thinks it’s profitable, in one sense or another. Quite the businessman, he.”

“So, what about you two, then?” Xaeryn asked, partly to change the subject, partly because she was actually curious. “What makes you care so much about the artefact, and what part have you played here in Haven?”

“I’m really tempted to say that would be telling,” Briony laughed. “But there’s something about you I like, and I’m keen on the idea of working together, so. Building trust.” She wiggled a little to settle more comfortably in her chair. “It might seem to make more sense, chasing Kaza off Elinden and saying good plan, go build your sandcastle. But. Who’s to say he wouldn’t either set up in Jalis, build an army, and come after Elinden again, or muff it hard, and crawl back to ��his’ throne in an even fouler temper? We want him stuck with us, so he can’t tuck tail when we win, and has to face justice.” She grinned fiercely.  “B’sides, the Torch isn’t his. Isn’t right to let him keep it.”

“As to the second part...” Darius ran his fingers through his hair, reluctantly accepting this alliance, though it was clear he still had doubts. “I came over early, ahead of the scheduled arrival. Briony was stuck coming with his highness, of course, but that would’ve been too late to be any good, and I’m a known rebel besides. That muti so much as saw us make eye contact the whole game would be up. He’s that paranoid.

“So I scouted ahead with a few others, cased the museum, figured out likely approaches for the caravan when it arrived, and we hammered out a plan or three for keeping thefts at bay til it was safe inside.” He snorted softly. “Only, turned out the schedule we’d found was bogus. False trail. Caravan showed up a day earlier than we thought. Had to hustle to the service entry to keep an eye out. The others posted themselves along different routes, ‘long with a few local street kids we’d been paying for gossip. I asked ‘em after ,and no one saw anything.”

“Nothing?” Xaeryn frowned.

“Nothing.” He gave a sardonic smile as he picked red paint from under his nails. “I was planning to mark the truck we’d been told held the Torch, so I wouldn’t lose it in the shuffle, could keep an eye ‘til it was safe inside. But some hobo started yellin’ ‘bout me bein’ in his alley and rushed me with a blazin’ knife. By the time I’d thrown him off, I’d missed my chance with the truck and a couple of the guards were startin’ to look our way with the ruckus. So I dusted out and hoped for the best. Next time I talked to Briony, she said Ackshin was struttin’ like a peacock over getting his prize, knew we’d failed to keep it away from him. Now we’re shifted to getting it away from him.”

“And not having much luck, though we are on the trail of where he might’ve hidden it,” Briony added wryly.

“So your sneaking off at the gala was...?” Xaeryn prompted, wanting to be sure her original query got answered.

“Part searching display rooms, part checking in with Darius,” Briony said. “We wanted to be sure the Torch wasn’t just stashed somewhere inside the museum.”

“Mm.” She could see the wisdom in that. Xaeryn chewed the inside of her cheek, fingers inching closer to the desk drawer as she debated the wisdom of her next move. In the name of building bridges she went with it. She turned to Darius. “You say this bum in the alley charged you with a knife?”

He nodded. “Just a little one, but it still threw me he was so... fierce about it. Tried to wrestle it from him but couldn’t manage.”

“So you didn’t have a weapon of your own?” Xaeryn pressed.

“Peashooter in m’boot, but I couldn’t get it before he was on me, an’ didn’t want the attention, anyhow.”

“So this isn’t yours?” She withdrew the sheath from the drawer and set it on her desk.

“Hael, no,” Darius scowled, shaking his head. “Got Ackshin’s seal on it and everything.” His eyes narrowed as he looked at her. “Where’d you get it, snooper?”

Briony cut him a warning look, which he ignored. Xaeryn was unfazed; she’d dealt with worse. “The alley behind the museum,” she said coolly. “It was dropped in your scuffle, gave me something of a lead. If it’s not yours, and this ‘bum’ had a knife, I’d imagine it belonged to him.”

She watched the fire flash in his eyes as he connected that his opponent, who distracted him from watching the caravan at a crucial moment, likely worked for Kaza Ackshin.

“That rat bastard,” he growled. “Muti.” He rubbed the scar on his neck before focusing in on Xaeryn again. “How do you know what it’s from, anyway, Miss Detective?”

“I scryed,” Xaeryn said. “Saw what happened. Unfortunately Seer is not my main focus for this talent, so-”

“You’re a blazing Diviner?! Why don’t you just spy on the damn Torch and save us all a load of trouble?!”

Xaeryn sat a little stiffer, a little straighter, at his tone. “It’s scry, and don’t you think I tried?! Divining is a valuable skill as a snooper.” She pursed her lips.  “Attempting to scry on the Torch, however, nets me only... dead air.” It was the best comparison she could think to make. “I don’t know what’s keeping me out; maybe they have some sort of protection.”

“Sigils or wards like that are tricky, aren’t they?” Briony asked with a frown.

“They are. It takes a very skilled Binder to lay and maintain something like that, and it wouldn’t be cheap.” But they were talking about a king and the Western Hierophant(supposedly a ‘Faceless Lord’ of immense influence), surely between them they had the resources. “Had you found any clue where they might be storing it until King Kaza leaves? I assume he’ll take it with him?”

Briony nodded. “That is the plan, far as we know. And we have a few leads, but nothing definite. We think they’re in Ashtown, but there’s a lot of people hiding things there,” she said with a laugh. “So we’re having trouble narrowing it down, and there’s the time limit. And since his highness isn’t personally involved, there’s no reason for his bodyguard to pry for details.”

“He’s not personally involved?” Xaeryn echoed, brow furrowing.

“He saw it once, on arrival, to confirm they nicked the right thing, but otherwise doesn’t want to rouse suspicion by constantly checking on it. He might be a tyrannical bastard, but he’s smart,” Briony said grimly.

“So, then, best way to proceed?” Xaeryn asked, mentally sorting all the new information. “Should we continue separately and check in with developments? Or arrange somewhere to meet and work together?”

“I like the first one better,” Darius muttered. “Lets us spread out more and won’t raise high and mighty suspicions.”

“Agreed.” Briony nodded. “And it’s probably better if you talk to Darius if you find anything; since King Kaza’s met you, it might raise eyebrows if Circe is seen chatting up his bodyguard.”

“Good point,” Xaeryn said. Darius looked less pleased with this arrangement, but still nodded. “Where can I reach you?”

He hesitated. “The Quarssen. Leave a message for Mr. Thrace.”

She nodded. “I’d further suggest, since I imagine the king will be heading home soon? that if we haven’t heard anything either way by... three tomorrow afternoon we meet at either the same café or the curiosities shop across the street, Chandry’s. Either makes a good cover for a meeting.”

She’d done so before, a few times, for clients who didn’t want to be seen visiting a detective’s office repeatedly.

“Works for me,” Briony nodded. “Long as I can get away from his highness again.”

“Fine with me as well,” Darius said, pushing out of his chair and tugging on his cap. “But we should get back to it, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Briony stood as well, flashing Xaeryn a smile. “Glad to make a friend in this, at least. And he’ll warm up,” she whispered, nodding toward Darius. “He just has some hard-learned trust issues.”

“I understand.” Frankly, Xaeryn didn’t cared if the man kept her at arm’s length as long as he didn’t dig in his heels about working together. “Best of luck to you, and I’ll see what I can find.”

“Thanks,” Briony said brightly. “Good luck to you, too.” And she darted after Darius, already walking down the hall.

Xaeryn could hear them talking as they walked, but didn’t bother trying to eavesdrop.

She had a lot of new notes to transcribe.

---

Writing everything down took a while, even using shorthand, but Xaeryn was determined to include all that she’d learned. Even the... disquieting fact the Faceless Lords might be real and not the conspiratorial scapegoat she’d always thought. Election didn’t go the way you wanted? Don’t think someone deserves the position they were given? Easiest to blame some group of anonymous, hidden, and powerful string-pullers. But if what Briony and Darius relayed was correct, this conspiracy, at least, was true. And she did have to admit, of all the various bogeymen she’d heard of in the course of her life, this one was the closest to being plausible.

Xaeryn still sighed as she scribbled a note about it. She knew keeping an open mind was important, but she didn’t think she’d have to keep it this open. What was next, banshees were real, too?

The clock showed early afternoon by the time she was done. Events had been as worthwhile as they were time-consuming, however, so she didn’t mind terribly. With the time left in the day, maybe she could fit a visit to Ashtown; see if Thieves Guild had noticed anyone using a warehouse they shouldn’t be. Given Briony and Darius’s suspicions in that direction, maybe she’d even ask if they could keep an eye out.

What would that cost me, I wonder? she thought wryly, before pinning on a hat and heading for the gates between city circles.

---

It was, for obvious reasons, not that easy to dance in and speak to Chase Trinaeste, even if you had left a favorable previous impression. Xaeryn had to talk her way past two layers of brunos, and even then got stonewalled by the lieutenant she’d met before.

“Chase isn’t here,” Ari said, arms crossed and chin jutting forward slightly. “So you can just scram, Miss Private Dick.”

Xaeryn sighed. She didn’t entirely believe the claim of Chase’s absence, but either way, “I’m not after Thieves Guild, I’m after someone else who might be mucking around in your territory. You’d likely know as well as Chase.” She explained what she was looking for.

Ari cocked her head and thought for a long moment before gesturing negative. “Ain’t seen anything like that.” She grinned wolfishly. “Twenty deucalions a day, we can keep our eyes peeled.”

“Ten,” Xaeryn countered, crossing her arms as well.

“Fifteen, and not a danar less,” Ari said, finality in her voice.

“Deal.” It was an expense she could at least partially claim on her bill to Whitestone Couriers, and it was worth it when they were so close and on a deadline.

“Pleasure doin’ business,” Ari said, looking pointedly toward the door.

“I’ll check in tomorrow with coin for both then and today,” Xaeryn said as she took the hint. There were a few other, minor leads she could check this afternoon. 

She made her way back out of Ashtown--safely once again, despite hearing Red’s voice fretting in the back of her mind.

The other leads didn’t pan out too much, though a little probing at the right sources did confirm what Briony said about Jarkyth and King Kaza. Satisfied with the day’s work, Xaeryn headed home for the night. Tomorrow she’d check in with Thieves Guild before she went to Capra, then her new Elinden acquaintances when she got home. And maybe seeing all the historical information together would jog something.

Or maybe Red will find something new in the process off compiling this, she mused fondly as she settled into bed. He did have a knack for honing in on books that had just what he needed for whatever he was currently researching. It was a talent she’d envied in school and was grateful for now. She drifted off with a smile on her lips. The mental image of Red, tousle-haired and surrounded by books, was a very pleasant last thought for the day.

---

Xaeryn woke in a fine mood, and stuck to her plan for the morning--though she did have to talk herself out of the outfit part of her wanted to wear(a golden yellow dress with red and navy embroidery) in favor of a much plainer grey blouse and deep green skirt. Best to not stand out on her visit to Ashtown.

The Thieves Guild report was about what she’d expected; they’d seen a bit of “unsanctioned” activity at a few warehouses, but none of it stood out as particularly furtive or foreign. Promising to check again later, Xaeryn backtracked to retrieve her car and start for Capra.

Leaving now, if she made good time, she’d get there before lunch. But she could always bump gums with Pan or stroll the grounds if Red wasn’t ready for her yet. She suspected he knew she liked having the excuse to visit, and that was why he hadn’t offered to bring the information to her. After all, he knew where she lived now, Traveling would be much safer and faster. 

She hoped, after he passed off the research, they had a chance for a private chat. They really needed to discuss the night of the gala, what--if anything--it meant for their relationship. He valued her forthrightness, maybe it was time to show some in regards to him, she mused, then snorted softly as she steered around a curve.

If only it was that simple.

Xaeryn sighed and shook of the whirling thoughts as she pulled on to Solhadur’s grounds. Business first, then personal matters. If for no other reason than to help it not distract her at such a crucial point. By all accounts there was less than a sennight before King Kaza headed home, and he would undoubtedly take the Torch with him. She only had a few small losses on her professional record, and no desire to add one this large to the ledger.

She bypassed the desk as she headed inside; the girl was deep in conversation with a security man, and she didn’t want to wait through their chat or be a distraction.

She was a quarter of the way up the stairs when her passage registered and she heard the receptionist’s “Wait-!”

A few steps further when she noted the additional security personnel at the top. Someone must have pulled another prank; the headmaster’s hall was a favorite site for the bolder jokesters. Xaeryn was torn between amusement the tradition held string and annoyance at it delaying her meeting with Red.

Halfway up, one of the security men noticed her and headed down, a hand outstretched. “Miss, you can’t come up here.”

“I have an appointment-” Xaeryn began, still walking.

The guard cut her off. “You need to wait downstairs.”

“It’s alright, Kellan,” a familiar voice floated down before she could protest further, “you can let her by.”

Kellan frowned, looking back up the stairs. “You sure, sir?”

“Yeah, she’s fine,” Pan said, gesturing for Xaeryn to join him. “I’ll talk to her.”

Kellan stepped aside with an uncertain shrug, and she moved past him to join Pan. There was no evidence of a prank, and it made something odd pulse in her chest.

“What’s all this?” she asked, indicating the goings-on with a swivel of her wrist.

Pan sighed. “I tried to call, but guess you’d left already...” He rubbed the back of his neck, then met her eye with a sympathetic smile. “Xaer, Red’s gone.”

The words hit but didn’t fully sink in. “What?!” she blurted, “What d’you mean gone?” We had a meeting. “He wouldn’t just leave.”

“You’re right,” he said, green eyes more serious than Xaeryn could remember ever seeing them. “He wouldn’t.”

Her fingers curled, digging into her handbag. “Panrachus, what are you saying?”

The odd pulse had turned into something foreboding.

“What I’m saying, Xaeryn, is it looks like Red was kidnapped.”

[noneedtoamputate]

Every Beautiful Thing Outtakes - Chapter One

These are scenes that just didn't fit in my main story. The entire chapter is posted here, and is also posted to A03. This falls between Chapters 4 and 5 in Every Beautiful Thing.

The waitress came around to drop off menus. "Get you a drink?" she asked. Ellen ordered coffee, black.

"Do you have tea?" Chuck asked. She shook her head.

"I guess I'll have coffee. Cream and two sugars, please."

"You really don't like coffee, do you?" asked Ellen.

Chuck shrugged. "Never really drank it before I joined up. Then it seemed like I had it all the time. It was usually burnt. And it … reminds me of things during the war." He looked far away for a moment.

"When I came home, tea was a lot easier to make,” he started again, pointing at his left hand. “And tea is great because restaurants never have it, and my friends give me a hard time about drinking it.” They both laughed. “Always had it black in the army, so if I add enough cream and sugar now, it isn’t too bad. Won’t have more than one cup, though.”

Their drinks arrived. “Do you know what you want?” Ellen asked Chuck. He nodded. “You go first,” she said. She scanned the menu quickly and didn’t pay attention to his order.

“Pancakes, please,” Ellen said.

They put their newspaper sections down when the food arrived. A stack of fluffy pancakes for Ellen. Scrambled eggs, bacon, and buttered toast for Chuck.

She reached across for the syrup and saw, just for a moment, Chuck eye her plate. Several realizations entered her head at the same time.

Chuck’s breakfast order was classic. No one would think twice about anything on his plate. It was also easy to eat if you only had one good hand. There was nothing that required a knife.

And she didn’t have a lot of evidence to work with, but she assumed Chuck had a sweet tooth. He devoured the chocolate chip cookies she made for him, and he took his coffee with two sugars.

She doused the pancakes with syrup. She cut them lengthwise, turned her plate, and did the same again.

They dug into their food and sipped their coffees and returned to their newspapers. The waitress refilled Ellen's coffee and brought Chuck a water.

When Ellen was about three quarters done with her breakfast, she pushed the plate away. “I can’t have another bite,” she said. “Help yourself if you want.”

She opened another section of the paper so Chuck couldn’t see her face, but she peered over the page and saw him eye the plate. She quickly darted her eyes back down, pretending to be reading. She heard the plate move closer to him.

The next week she ordered waffles, back to pancakes the week after that, each time leaving some of her breakfast for Chuck to finish. Week four, she got crepes just to mix it up. Chuck asked for one more egg and two extra slices of bacon to his regular order.

“Just in case you aren’t full before sharing,” he said.

She wasn’t sure what to say now that Chuck had figured it out. She looked at him, trying to gauge his feelings.

“Thank you,” he said.

“I don’t know how much you’ll be thanking me later. Just so you know, I’ll never say no to bacon,” Ellen said.

“Just so you know, I don’t offer my bacon to just anyone,” Chuck replied.

*

Chuck liked watching Ellen do the crossword puzzle every week, her eyes scrunched up in concentration while she considered the clues, her face excited when she solved the whole thing.

She tapped the pencil on the table while she read the clue aloud.

“Send a Dear John letter,” she said. “Four letters.”

“Did you ever send one of those?” Chuck asked jokingly.

Ellen put her pencil down.

“No,” she said simply. “I wrote a letter every week for four years. He ended up marrying a nurse he met overseas.”

Chuck stared at her, dumbfounded. “Shit, El. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I was just …”

“I know, Chuck,” she interrupted.

She dove into the whole story.

His name was Steve Somebody. Chuck couldn’t be bothered to remember his last name. They met in college and had walked out together the year before he enlisted. He got sent to India, some desk job.

“India was pretty terrible,” she explained. “It was just so … different. And so far. No USO shows. No Marlene Dietrich.” She sighed. “Guys got dumped every week. They even had a little club for guys who got letters. Just an excuse to go to the bar more than anything, but it was happening a lot.”

“But not to him,” Chuck pointed out.

“No,” Ellen admitted. “He always wrote how the other guys told him how lucky he was to have a such a loyal girl back home.”

And when he came back to that loyal girl, he said he needed time, that things had changed. A month later, he was on a train to Milwaukee. He never bothered to tell her there was someone else. A mutual friend had to tell Ellen. Steve started seeing the nurse the last year of the war and didn't know how to break it to her. So he didn't.

“That’s terrible,” said Chuck. “You must have been …” He couldn’t find the word.

“Annoyed,” supplied Ellen. “I felt annoyed. Annoyed at all the time I spent writing letters and worrying about him. Annoyed at the money I spent sending him things, at having to explain everything to my family, his family, our friends. Annoyed at all the dates I turned down. Do you know how many dates I turned down? I only lived in San Francisco. Not a solider or sailor or Marine to be had for miles around,” she said sarcastically.

She took a sip of her coffee.

“After about two weeks of being annoyed, and eating chocolate, and downing gin and tonics, I realized that if he was the love of my life, I wouldn’t be annoyed. I would have been devastated. I would have been heartbroken. So, I picked myself up, got dressed up, and went out dancing with some girlfriends.”

“And?” Chuck said, knowing there was more to the story.

“Well,” Ellen said slowly, “a lady doesn’t kiss and tell.”

“But?” Chuck urged her on.

“I did let a Navy man know how grateful I was for his service.”

Chuck laughed. “Navy, huh?”

“Well, I was still a little annoyed at the army.” She looked him in the eye. “I’ve gotten over it, though.”

“Good,” he said.

“Jilt,” she said. “Four letters.” She picked up her pencil and filled in the squares.

He walked her home after breakfast.

“You know, we don’t have to go out to breakfast every week,” he said.

“Are you trying to get out of going to breakfast with me?” she asked.

“No, no,” he said quickly. “Just, if you have other things to do on Sunday. I don’t want you to feel like you have to.”

She stopped walking. “Chuck, if I ever have something else I need to do on a Sunday morning, I’ll let you know. But if you every stopped wanting to go out for breakfast with me, I would feel something between annoyed and heartbroken.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want that,” he said.

“No,” she agreed. She squeezed his hand, and they continued on their way.

[variaoftevinter]

hawke x varric

fem!hawke x varric, mention of fenris x hawke i wrote this literally over two years ago (never posted) and just edited it a bit, enjoy!

content: v light smut, hickeys, b0ners, conversation about sex

Hawke and Varric were sat as always in the back room of the Hanged Man, hidden away from the rest of the rabble— to her preference. She never made a fuss when they got a table in the front, but she always got quiet-- surprising for someone as seemingly sociable as her. She said she doesn’t like when people watch her eat. The barmaid walked over and placed a bottle of dark wine and two chalices in front of them. Varric filled both of their cups. 

“I believe we have to keep tradition and get shitfaced, madam,” Varric said. She groaned. “What’s wrong?”

“Trust me, it’s not that I don’t like getting drunk,” she said with a smile, “it’s just that I black out every damned time. Without fail.” He laughed.

“It’s reassuring to know Hawke is bad at something. I’ve never seen someone handle their alcohol as poorly as you. Even Daisy.”

“We have no clue what those Dalish could be chugging on.”

“Hawke, how the hell could they make wine out there?” 

Hawke took a swig from her cup.

“Blood magic.” 

Varric groaned.

“That one was terrible.”

“I thought the delivery was pretty good!”

“I won’t deny you that,” 

She chuckled, her cheeks already flushed. “No one delivers like you do, Hawke.”

“That’s for damned sure. They don’t call me the Whore of Kirkwall for nothing.”

That one earned a hearty chuckle from the dwarf. 

“You’re lucky I’m working to help your reputation, that would be quite the fucking legacy.”

“What’s wrong with being a whore, Varric? I’ve been one all my life. I know how to get what I want from people, fucking is one of the ways I do that. It’s methodical. Often times I know exactly how to get someone off, like clockwork. Or a machine, or something.”

“Isabela’s really rubbed off on you.”

“She certainly has.”

Varric, mid-drink, spat and sputtered into his wine.

“Maker, woman!”

“Oh come now you’re not some prude, are you? Goodness, it’s like I’m sat with a chantry mother.”

“My innocent ears!”

“You’ll be alright,” She said, and refilled both of their now empty cups. “I never really here you speak of sex, come to think of it.”

“Truth be told, it’s not my favorite pastime. There is a lot more to a connection than that, at least for me,” He said. Hawke leaned forward, intrigued. “I have to know a woman, intimately, before it can come to that. I’ve tried casual sex, but it’s just far too vulnerable. It might sound sad, but I have to be able to laugh with that person. It’s such a serious matter when it’s with a stranger.”

“Laughter and sex, huh?”

“It’s necessary, yes. Absolutely.”

“Interesting. In all my days I’ve never experienced that.”

“Well,” he laughed, “I highly recommend.”

“Sex is often how I get to know a person. I don’t know why, but I greatly enjoy it. It tells me all I need to know about a person. What they want from you, if they’re a giver, if they’re a keeper, even.”

“I’ve never seen you find a keeper.”

She flinched at the comment. He quickly apologized.

“I have found keepers. The question is if I’m what they want.”

“Hawke, I don’t know how you couldn’t be. You’re a good, good woman. I mean it.”

“Well, people have specific tastes,” He raised a toast to that. “Like you, Varric. Your commitment to Bianca is unwavering, and that never ceases to confound me.”

“She’s a good bow. She’s sturdy, and-”

“Varric.”

“Right... You wouldn’t get it.”

“Oh trust me, I do. She doesn’t deserve you.”

“You’re hung up on that broody elf, aren’t you? I could say the same for you. He has hurt you again and again... I suppose like she has to me.”

Hawke took a sip of her wine. Varric followed suit.

“You can do better than him, Hawke.” He repeated.

She sighed. “There isn't anyone better than him, in my eyes. But you can do better too. You deserve someone who does need you.”

“You need me,” Varric said. They looked at each other. “If we both can do better then where does that put us?”

She laughed loudly and genuinely— which was a rare sight.

“Maybe that puts us right here in front of each other.”

“What are you saying, Hawke?” Whatever bluff she had, Varric called it. They held eye contact for a moment.

“What are we, Varric? I mean, I’ve never had a friendship like this before.”

“Neither have I,” Varric said. “Family?”

“Maybe…” They locked eyes again. Varric furrowed his brows. 

“I’ve never really liked a woman that wasn’t a dwarf.”

“I’ve never really liked a dwarf.”

“Fair,” he backed off. They thought for a moment. “We’d be good for each other.”

“I… yes.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes,” she decided. “We would, wouldn’t we?”

“Yeah, sure. Absolutely.”

She took a sip of her wine. Varric simply watched. His eyes made their way to hers. She looked back, setting the chalice down. He shifted in his seat.

She stood up. Varric inhaled, tilting his head up to look at her. She stepped over to him in his seat, and laid herself across his lap. He slid a hand over her rump. She brought a hand to his chin, rubbing her thumb gently across his scruffy facial hair as she lifted his face up to hers. They kissed— only for a moment, then pulled away to look at each other. Neither could discern what the other was feeling so they went at it again. As their lips pressed together they wrapped their arms around each other, enveloping them in one another’s embrace. This kiss lasted longer. Slowly, gently, the tip of Varric’s tongue brushed against her lips. She parted her mouth for him, letting him in. They continued. His left hand still wore a leather glove. He gripped her jaw with it, keeping her right against him. She felt him start to press against her, growing hard. She whimpered.

“Fuck.” He whispered. 

She tried to stifle a laugh, to no avail, giggling down his throat. He pulled away, resting his hands on the armrests of his chair.

“What?” He demanded, embarrassed.

“What do you mean, what?” She said, still in his lap, her face almost touching his.

“You laughed in my mouth!”

“You just said... I just felt bad. Or guilty I suppose.”

“Why?”

She leaned in, and started to kiss his neck. He tossed his head back, groaning in surprise. Slowly, she bit and sucked at him, until the skin turned deep red.

“Because,” she whispered into the crook of his neck, “I have you right where I want you.”

And with that, she rose from their shared seat, grabbed the quarter-full bottle of wine, and started to walk away.

Varric, unsure of whether to cover his neck or his bulge, awkwardly stood up and started to follow.

“Hawke! Maker’s breath, wait, woman!”

[longlostreader]

Billy Hargrove- I hate you pt 6

The smile didn’t leave Billys face as he drove home. He hadn’t been this happy in years. You were just so perfect. Sure you could be a bitch sometimes but he loved that side of you too. After tonight he knew he was really falling for you. Billy wasn’t one to be so cliche especially with feeling like love, but he swore he felt sparks when you kissed him. He still couldn’t believe you did it. The moment kept replaying in his head over and over. He was determined to do whatever he had to to make you his girl.

 Your parents already seemed to like him too. That was a bitter sweet moment for Billy. Seeing your parents so happy and in love. He knew that’s exactly the type of relationship he wanted with you, but deep down it hurt him seeing how perfect your family was and remembering the home he was driving back too. Billy was already looking up to your father so much. He didn’t even realize it. When your dad called Billy son it was a wild feeling. He didn’t just want you to love him, he wanted your family to love him too. He kept imagining more perfect nights like tonight. You in his arms playing dumb bored games and laughing with your parents. You were his key to happiness. To a better life. Those happy thoughts were caught short when he pulled into his driveway. Thank God Neil wasn’t home yet. 

He walked in and Max was sitting at the table finishing up her homework. “Were picking someone up on the way to school tomorrow. Don’t be weird okay?” “You. Billy. Are driving a girl to school? She must be pretty special.” Billy wanted to tell her to shut up but instead he said “Yeah. Yeah she is.” and went to his room leaving behind a very shocked Max. Billy practically passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow. The last thought he had before drifting to sleep was you. 

Billy woke up early the next day. He cooked himself an actual breakfast instead of just his usual cup of coffee. Max stopped dead in her tracks when she walked in the kitchen to see Billy dancing around and humming to himself. He noticed her mid spin and immediately stopped moving. “Um sit down Max I made you some too.” Max didn’t have a clue what to say as she sat down at the table. Billy had never ever done anything like this before. He presented her with a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast and went to the fridge to grab her some orange juice before he sat across from her and dug into his own plate. She timidly took a bite of the toast never taking her eyes off him. Billy felt her staring and finally looked up from his plate. “What?” He asked with a mouth full of food. “Ew don’t talk with your mouth full. It’s just. You’ve never done anything like this before. This girl really is special isn’t she. I’ve never seen you in such a good mood before.” “I’m crazy about her honestly. It’s really weird. I’ve never wanted to be with someone so bad before.” “Well if she makes you this happy I’m excited to meet her, but seriously when you take her out swallow your food before you start talking.” Billy just responded with an eye roll and they finished their breakfast in silence. 

Billy made sure he looked good. He kept a couple extra buttons of his shirt unbuttoned and probably sprayed too much cologne. Smelling good was just as important to him as looking good and he always kept extra gum or mints on him. He even dabbed on a little chapstick before he yelled for Max that it was time to leave. She climbed into the backseat so she wouldn’t have to move once they picked you up. 

As soon as you heard his car coming down the street you grabbed your bag and headed out the door. You wore a shorter skirt than you usually would to school and put on a little extra makeup. You wanted Billys eyes on you today no one else. Billy parked outside just as you started heading down your porch steps. He stepped out to open the passenger door for you. His eyes widened when he finally took you in. You looked hot. Your shirt showed off your beautiful thighs and all Billy could think about was his head between them. He tried to shake the thought as you approached. “Well look at you being such a gentleman. Picking me up and opening my door, I’m shocked Billy.” You teased. Billy just chuckled and said “You look beautiful princess. Not sure how I’ll be able to keep my hands off you today.” Your face went red hot as you took your seat in the Camaro. “Hi! I’m Max.” You heard from behind you. You turned around to see an adorable red headed girl with a bright smile. “Hi Max, I’m (Y/n). It’s really nice to meet you.” Billy just started to drive away from your house when Max asked “So are you two dating?” “Max! Stop talking.” Billy shouted. She just stuck her tongue out in response and you laughed. “No, not dating. We’re just partners on an English project.” You explained. The rest of the car ride was filled with the loud bass of Billys rock music. You were actually starting to enjoy the sounds and made a mental note to ask him about some bands later. 

Pulling into the school parking lot you got a little anxious. You knew there would be a lot of eyes on you, and you’re sure a lot of angry glares from girls Billy had slept with before who never got a ride to school or even a phone call from him. Billy parked the car in his usual spot and opened up the door for you. Max stepped out behind you and grabbed her skate board. “See ya later (Y/n)” she shouted behind her as she rode over to the middle school. Thats when it happened. All eyes were on you. You froze, your body completely tensed up. You could hear faint whispers around you. Billy noticed how uncomfortable you looked and put his hand on your back pulling you closer to him. “You okay?” He whispered in your ear. The motion pulled you from your trance. Your eyes met his and your body instantly relaxed. “I am now. Can we hurry up and go inside though, I’m not used to so many eyes on me.” “Of course.” His hand never left your back as he lead you inside. Even some of the teachers were staring. No one would have expected Billy Hargrove to show up with a girl, especially you. You were very vocal about how much you hated him, but here you were. Together. In front of everyone. “Whats your first class?” He asked. “I’ve got newspaper with Nancy and Robin.” “Can I walk you there?” “If you want to. You don’t have to.” “I know I don’t have to princess. I do want to, I just wanna make sure this isn’t too much for you right now.” “Well thank you. I really appreciate it.” You made it to the door, thank god there was never anyone in this hallway. Theres only 4 of you on Newspaper right now anyway. You, Nancy, Robin, and Jonathan. Billy turned to face you. “I’ll see you after class princess.” He looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was around before kissing you on the cheek and walking away. 

Why was he being so sweet? This wasn’t the Billy you or anyone else knew of. He was being gentle and considerate. Your thoughts were cut short when you walked into the classroom and saw a very wide eye Robin looking at you. “I saw the whole thing.” She said. “Robin, I’m begging you please don’t say anything.” “Are you two dating?” “No no we aren’t dating-.” “Oh my God did you sleep with him!?” “No I didn’t sleep with him. Please just drop it and I’ll explain everything later.” “Fine, but don’t think you’re finding a way out of this conversation, and don’t think 

I haven’t noticed the short skirt and makeup either.” “I promise I’ll tell you later. I just don’t want Nancy hearing right now.” As if on cue you heard Nancy and Jonathan coming down the hallway. You gave Robin one last pleading look and she held her hands up in defense. You let out a small sigh of relief just as Nancy walked in. “Hey guys! You ready to get started?” She said with a bright smile.

Newspaper always seemed to end too quickly. The bell rang and the four of you left laughing. I’ll see you guys at lunch you said as you rounded the corner. You felt two strong arms grab you and pull you into an empty classroom. You yelped as he pulled you closer into his chest and heard him chuckle. “Billy you asshole you scared the hell out of me.” “I’m sorry, I just haven’t had a moment alone with you since last night.” “Oh and why exactly would you want a moment alone with me?” You teased. “You know why. Now are you gonna let me kiss you again or do I have to take you on a date first?” “You wanna take me on a date?” “Yeah, I was thinking classic dinner and a movie, but I’ll take you to do whatever you wanna do.” “You actually thought about this? Like you seriously wanna take me on a date. In public?” He laughed again. “Thats what I just said isn’t it? Unless you don’t want to.” You responded by kissing him. God you missed his lips. You couldn’t get over how soft they were. He picked you up and sat you on a table standing between your legs. His hands danced up your thighs and he squeezed the doughy skin causing you to let out a soft moan against his lips. He took that opportunity to slip his tongue into your mouth. You could feel him starting to get hard. You almost forgot you were in school. Almost. You lightly pushed him off “Billy, we have to get to class. I can’t be late.” “Fine. So can I pick you up tonight? 7, for our date?” “7 is perfect now let me up I gotta go.” “Okay okay. One more kiss before you leave?” You laughed as you leaned in. He kissed you slower this time. Savoring the feeling. “Bye princess.” “Bye Billy.” The smile never left your face as you walked into your next class. You made it into your next class just in time. The teacher gave you a questioning look, you’ve always been extra early. You just took out your notebook and got ready for the lesson. It was extremely hard to focus. You were going on a real date with Billy. He never took girls out, just slept with them. You weren’t sure what made you different but it made you weak in the knees. 

Your second and third period seemed to drag on today but thankfully it was time for lunch. In your extra efforts to look cute today you totally forgot about breakfast so you were starving. You made it through the line quickly and made your way over to robin. You sat down and your eyes wondered across the lunchroom. You were pleasantly surprised to see Billy sitting between his friends without his usual fan club of girls hanging on his arms. His eyes met yours and he shot you a cute smile and a wink. You smiled back before Robin broke your attention. “So you gonna tell me what’s going on with you and Hargrove now?” “Oh um yeah well long story short were partners on our English project and um. I guess we’re going on a date tonight.” “You guess you’re going on a date tonight. I thought you hated his guts.” “Well I mean I did but he’s a lot different than I thought ya know. At least with me he’s really sweet.” “Well you know if he breaks your heart I’m licking him, and then I’ll write the worlds most embarrassing eulogy in the school paper.” “You laughed at her comment. “Thank you Robin, you’re the best.” “I know I am.” “Where’s Nance?” “Probably sneaking off with Jonathan.” You both continued the rest of lunch talking about the paper and upcoming movies and halloween costume ideas. The thought brought you back to Billy. Would you two be together come halloween? Would he be willing to let you dress him up in a cringy matching costume? It wasn’t long before the bell rang and you said goodbye to Robin again. You were anxiously waiting for last period. You just wanted to see Billy. 

Thank God the bell finally rang and you made your way to English. Once again Billy made it there before you, waiting in the seat behind yours. He watched you walk in with that signature smirk on his lips. “There you are princess.” “Here I am. Gosh Billy its almost like you missed me or something.” “Maybe I did.” “Oh? Well maybe I missed you a tiny bit too.” “So, drive in theater alright with you? They’re playing Terminator at 8:15.” “Sounds great, you didn’t just pick some gore movie so I’d have to hide in your arms right?” “Of course not. I’d never do a thing like that.” You let out a small laugh before turning your attention to the teacher as she began her lesson. The last 20 minutes of class were spent reading more of Pride and Prejudice. After about 5 minutes into the silence a note fell on your desk. You opened it up to see the very sloppy handwriting:

Do You Like me? 

Yes or No

God he was such a dork. You circled Yes and handed it back to him. Pretty soon another note landed on your desk. 

But do you like like me?

Yes or No

“You’re such a child.” You whispered back to him. “Just answer.” He said back. You wrote Maybe and tossed it back. You watched him roll his eyes and start writing again but you were both interrupted by your teacher. “This is reading time not note passing time.” You both mumbled a small ‘sorry’ and got back to the book. The bell finally rang and you’ve never been more excited. Billy walked you to your locker again. “So I’ve got basketball practice again. Did you wanna stay and watch or do you wanna go home before our date tonight.” “I think I’m gonna go home, I’ve got some homework to catch up on.” “Do you need a ride. I can drive you home real quick.” “Thats okay, I can have Robin run me home, or catch the bus. I don’t want you to be late.” “Alright Princess. I’ll see you at 7.” “Bye Billy.” “Bye beautiful.” You were beaming walking into the parking lot. You quickly ran to meet up with Robin and she of course agreed to give you a ride home. As long as you gave her all the details about your date. When you got home you immediately ran to the shower. You may have lied about having homework. You just wanted to look perfect tonight.

[listsofvaryingimportance]

Episodes of Psych Which I Rewatched out of order in Favorite order

The Old and The Restless (Season 2 Episode 12): Peak Henry moments and one of the first episodes I ever watched so it goes at the top

Lights, Camera... Homicido (Season 2 Episode 13): Yo entiendo español y me gusta telenovelas. Plus the killer isn't obvious unless you've watched the episode 5 times.

Extradition: British Columbia (Season 4 Episode 1): When rewatching the show in whatever order I wanted I started with the Despereaux episodes so you know I love them.

Extradition II: The Actual Extradition Part (Season 5 Episode 10): Despereaux and the kissing at the end

Indiana Shawn and the Temple of the Kind of Crappy, Rusty Old Dagger (Season 6, Episode 10) Another Despereaux and he fakes his own death.

100 Clues (Season 7 Episode 5) One of the few episodes that I greatly understand the parody material, and I love the movie Clue. It's just so good.

The Greatest Adventure in the History of Basic Cable (Season 3 Episode 4) It took me far longer than it should have to rewatch this episode. The supernatural reference is a small plus. Overall, has a heartbreaking ending which also reminds the audience that Henry is a reliable dad.

Tuesday the 17th (Season 3 Episode 15) I saved watching this episode until the night I went back to work at camp. Honestly, it's a thriller, and Gus' involvement sets a fun episode premise.

Shawn Interrupted (Season 6 Episode 6) I'm questioning how high to put this because of the bad portrayal of mental illness, but it is a favorite episode.

Dual Spires (Season 5 Epsiode 12) I don't exactly understand the source material, but I was fascinated the whole way through.

Death Is In The Air (Season 4, Episode 13)

We'd Like to Thank the Academy (Season 5 Episode 13) One of the best one episode side characters and a reminder on why Shawn never became a real cop.

Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast (Season 1, Episode 15) I love Juliet! Also, sororities. But also, why is Juliet the queen bee?

Ghosts! (Season 3, Episode 1) I love the episodes where we are reminded that Gus has a real job. This episode shows off Shawn's devotion to Gus.

The Head, The Tail, The Whole Damn Episode (Season 4 Episode 15): Pretty good, but the beginning is a whole lot better than the ending.

Office Space (Season 7 Episode 11) Sometimes I question if ACAB should include fake psychics who accidentaly tamper with crime scenes

Not Even Close, Encounters (Season 5, Episode 3) Although it is an interesting episode, and the ending is great for their childhood best friend. The bad guy is obvious from the beginning. But I do love so corporate baddies.

Lock Stock, Some Smoking Barrells and Burton Guster's Goblet of Fire (Season 8 Episode 1) This might be a surprise because I love Despereaux, but this episode just feels like they wanted one more episode with him for the final season.

Dead Bear Walking (Season 5, Episode 15) This episode could be so much better if they leaned further into the documentary style for it. Also, the whole bit of letting Lassie get his sister's love is a little trite.

Last Updated 6/6/23

Episodes I have watched and need to add to the list:

Six Feet Under the Sea (Season 3, Episode 10)

Lassie Did a Bad, Bad Thing (Season 3, Episode 11)

Ferry Tale (Season 5, Episode 7)

The Amazing Psych Man & Tap-Man, Issue #2 (Season 6, Episode 4)

Dis-Lodged (Season 2, Episode 14)

[fully-caulked-wagon]

Some of my favourite lines/passages from my shitty Aidungeon Zosan fanfics Part 4

Fic 4: ‘Bartender's outfit, although you wouldn't quite think it, given he refuses to wear it like an actual human being: his bandana is tied around his forehead for once, masking that veritable tenhead.’ - Sanji about Zoro (This is an excerpt, mind you. I realise a sentence starting with ‘bartender’s outfit,’ is grammatically incorrect. I swear I do-) ‘After a moment, a man who looks to be the sheriff appears,‘ (...) "Welcome to our neck'a the woods, good sirs. Mah names Adam Bronson,” - Straight up just Starlight Glimmer if she were Southern and also Sheriff Sheriff Bronson Stone from Mystery Inc. (Cause, fun fact: this fic is literally just a modified one piece version of the mlp season 5 premiere. Initially it was just meant to be an excuse to have cowboy Sanji and it just devolved from there.) "Alright then, we're Usopp - that's me, Zoro - the green one," "Oi." "And Sanji, the blonde one.” - Usopp (And Zoro) to Adam Bronson. ‘Weight training reps as he swung the weight... stick... thing, whatever the fuck it's called.‘ - Sanji about that giant fucking weight thing Zoro uses. (I project in my writing sometimes, don’t worry about it-) ‘Usopp and the Shitty Swordsman take the lead of their walk - or rather, Usopp takes the lead and the Marimo constantly veers off to the left or backwards and Sanji has to tug him by the collar back to the right direction.’ - Sanji about Usopp and Zoro. (I essentially just write Zoro getting lost the same way I play car arcade games.) ‘The female whips out a notepad and pen, speaking in an all too drone-like voice, sounding more static than simply rehearsed, "May ah take your order, sirs? We have buttered toast...." ‘ - ‘She trails off and it's then that Sanji realises, not only is a bakery of all places serving buttered toast - which isn't incredibly out of place but still feels weird - but it is their ONLY item. Jesus Christ.’ - Bootleg Sugarbelle to Zoro, Sanji and Usopp + Sanji about Bootleg Sugarbelle "Enjoy, sirs!" (...) ‘Sanji feels an eery shiver down his spine before he looks down at their plate and freezes. He almost snorts when he hears Usopp mutter, "How are we meant to ENJOY the carcass of a volcano..." - Bootleg Sugarbelle serves them the toast + Sanji and Usopp about the toast. ‘Rather than buttered toast, it's more like crumbled ashes in the shape of toast, slathered in what honest-to-god looks like congealed piss. And there's a full plate of it.’ - ‘Ugh, it's times like this where Sanji has to question whether his never wasting food rule applied to cases like these if he wasn't sure it even was food.’ - Sanji about the toast. ‘He puts on a fake smile, "Ah~ Tastes better than it looks." - ‘He then whispers under his breath,’ - "It tastes exactly how Franky's balls look - but after they were set on fire and drowned in a toilet." - Usopp about the toast. ‘Since Usopp obviously won't want to eat anymore of this and the Mossball is a dick, Sanji'll be the one who has to eat the rest of it.’ - ‘Gagging slightly at just the smell, Sanji glances at the twins. He startles as they approach them, still smiling until the cows come home apparently, with a dark look around their eyes.’ - Sanji about Zoro, Usopp, the toast, knockoff Sugarbelle and uh... knockoff... no fucking clue yet, honestly. Maybe Party Favor, idfk. ‘Around half an hour later, Sanji gags, covering his mouth as he finishes, a grim look taking over his face as he feels very fit to throw up directly on whoever was responsible for training these two in the kitchen.’ - Sanji after eating the toast + about the bootleg twins. ‘Usopp and the Mossball stand up as well, the Marimo stiffly stating in the worst acting voice Sanji has ever heard, "Oh no. It seems the perverted, horny, swirly, curly, dartboard brow, annoying, terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, shitty--" "Alright, get a move on, asshole." "-Cook has eaten ALL of our food! Can we order some more?" - Sanji about Zoro not being able to act. This also contains a reference to a book I think maybe one other person on this site has read. (Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.) ‘Sanji glances behind him and sees Usopp and Zoro sharing a look before Usopp mouths to him, 'Are we gonna be killed or what? They sure are taking the scenic route if we are.' Sanji mouths back hastily, 'How the fuck am I supposed to know? Give it a minute!' The Marimo simply yawns and mouths lazily, 'Who cares? There isn't enough sake in this entire town to get me to care even a second before they're actually waving their weapons in our faces.' ‘ - Sanji about the second instance of non verbal communication in this fic because apparently I was feeling that when I was writing it. ‘The female one continues, "Ah. Ahm sure y'all've noticed the citizens here come off a lil..." ‘Sanji offers, "Strong?" Usopp and Zoro in tandem, for once, follow up, "Hysterical?" - Sanji grins over his shoulder teasingly, "Wow~ Didn't realise you had four syllable words in your vocabulary, Marimo~" - The Mosshead apparently also has human blood cells in his body, - another surprise, if you ask Sanji, considering how much he has to have lost by now over the last 3 years or so - given that his cheeks turn a light pink and he mutters, "Shut up, Shitty Cook. Didn't realise you had.... shut up." - Sanji, Zoro and Usopp’s recurring shared braincell moment I keep writing. ‘While the Marimo has his eyes narrowed and Sanji can almost hear the smoke coming from his tiny brain as he, Sanji can only hope, formulates some kind of plan.‘ - Sanji about Zoro.

[starseedfxofficial]

The Only Momentum Trading Guide You'll Need to Master the Dead Cat Bounce When it comes to momentum trading, most traders treat it like catching a speeding train—exciting, sure, but it can leave you with a face full of coal dust if you don't do it right. And then there's the "dead cat bounce"—the moment in trading when even the biggest drop gets a temporary rebound. It's like watching your cat fall from a bookshelf, miraculously land on its feet, only to tumble over seconds later. Yup, the dead cat bounce is exactly what it sounds like, but in the world of Forex, it's a trading opportunity disguised as a bad joke. But what if I told you that understanding these awkward market hiccups could be your golden ticket to riding profitable momentum swings? Sit back, grab a cup of coffee (or something stronger), and let's dive into some expert-level tricks to turn these seemingly unpredictable bounces into a steady part of your trading portfolio. Dead Cats and Momentum—Sounds Like a Band Name, But It's Not Momentum trading revolves around the concept of "riding the wave," while the dead cat bounce is more like sneaking in when the wave looks like it's over but has just enough oomph for one last push. It's often misunderstood and even feared by new traders who don't want to be left holding the bag when the wave finally breaks. Here’s the first secret: Momentum trading is not about luck. It’s about recognizing patterns and market psychology. Imagine momentum as that one friend at a party who’s still dancing well after the music has stopped. You know the vibe—there’s just enough juice left in the tank, and if you time it right, you get to enjoy the fun without the embarrassment of hanging around too long. The Sneaky Bounce: How to Spot a Dead Cat in the Wild Think of the dead cat bounce as an emotional rebound in the market. Prices plummet, everyone freaks out, and then suddenly, there's a flicker of hope. This brief recovery is where momentum traders can step in, but it's not without risk. The key is learning to spot when the market is genuinely ready to recover and when it’s just a fleeting blip. Tip #1: Track Volume for Clues One surefire way to sniff out a dead cat bounce from an actual recovery is to watch the trading volume. If there's a significant volume spike without a corresponding significant price change, it's probably just the dead cat being thrown around (yup, dark humor—but accurate). Serious traders know that strong momentum comes with real conviction, which translates into rising volume alongside price. Tip #2: Support Levels are Your Wingmen Another helpful trick for momentum traders? Treat support levels like your trusty sidekick. When a price rebounds off a strong support level but lacks volume, it’s often the market faking you out. This isn’t a hero’s comeback; it’s more like a last-minute encore from a washed-up rock band. Only a sustained move with volume should have you thinking about entering a momentum position. Momentum Trading Missteps—The Things That Make You Go "Meh" We've all been there—you think you've caught the perfect momentum move, only to have it stall, dip, and wipe out your profits. It’s kind of like buying a flashy pair of shoes on sale, only to find out they pinch your toes and no one else thinks they're cool. Mistake #1: Ignoring Overbought/Oversold Conditions The biggest myth about momentum trading is that it’s all gas, no brakes. In reality, ignoring overbought or oversold conditions is a surefire way to lose money. Indicators like RSI (Relative Strength Index) can help you avoid getting caught in a momentum trap. Think of it as reading the room before deciding if you want to keep dancing. If everyone else is already exhausted, maybe it’s time to call it a night (or cash out). Mistake #2: Forgetting Stop Losses—Seriously, Don’t Do This A momentum trader without a stop loss is like a tightrope walker without a net. One unexpected gust, and you're toast. Always know where to bail if things go south—even dead cats need a backup plan. Hidden Momentum Gems: Advanced Techniques to Consider If you're serious about leveraging dead cat bounces in your momentum strategy, you need to understand a few less obvious tricks. Here’s where we go from good to elite: Elite Technique #1: The Divergence Setup Hidden divergence between price action and indicators like MACD or RSI can be a goldmine for spotting dead cat bounces. If the price makes a lower low, but the indicator shows a higher low, that’s your divergence—and potentially a trade setup no one else sees coming. Elite Technique #2: Riding News-Driven Momentum Big news releases can often lead to exaggerated market moves. Remember, a dead cat bounce doesn’t always happen on its own—sometimes, it’s fueled by misguided headlines or overreactions. Use tools like the Latest Economic Indicators from StarseedFX to stay on top of sudden market movers and exploit the volatility. Get those updates here. Let the Momentum Ride—But Don’t Miss Your Exit Momentum trading isn’t about endless optimism; it’s about controlled enthusiasm. The whole idea is to hop on for the ride—but not the entire journey. Using take profit levels strategically can make all the difference. Pro Tip: The Fibonacci Exit Plan A great way to plan your exit is by using Fibonacci retracement levels. If a dead cat bounce reaches the 38.2% or 50% retracement, that’s usually a sweet spot to consider taking profits before momentum fades. Remember, everyone else is either riding the hype or running scared—you’re the calculated trader who knows when enough is enough. Join the Momentum Master Class—Your Next Steps If you find yourself wanting to dig deeper and learn advanced momentum strategies, why not join an actual community where people talk the talk and walk the walk? The StarseedFX Community offers live trading insights, daily alerts, and direct access to expert analysis. You can be part of a circle that isn’t just riding waves but making them. Check it out here. Quick Recap—The Tricks of the Momentum Trade - Track Volume: A dead cat bounce with low volume is not worth chasing. - Support Levels: Use them as your checkpoints—don't believe a rebound unless it has volume and conviction. - RSI & Divergence: Overbought/oversold indicators are critical to avoiding false signals. - News Momentum: Be the one with foresight when the market is overreacting. - Exit Strategy: Use Fibonacci levels to decide when to jump off the ride. Trading momentum and exploiting dead cat bounces are both about timing and finesse—it's the art of knowing when to jump in, how long to stay, and when to gracefully back out. Kind of like a good party, honestly. Not everyone gets it right, but if you do, it makes all the difference. Final Thoughts: Momentum May Be Temporary, But Skill is Permanent Remember, the market's ups and downs are inevitable, but your reaction doesn't have to be. Leverage momentum trading not just to chase returns, but to build the confidence that comes with understanding what most others overlook—like why even a dead cat can still bounce (albeit just for a little bit). Have thoughts on dead cat bounces or a particularly funny trading story? I’d love to hear them—drop a comment below! —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated Read the full article

[ducknotinarow]

SF Mikey - Have you ever ... questioned the readings yvonne gives you

| send my muse ‘have you evers’ and they have to answer truthfully!

Was Mikey maybe too invested in the so called idea of cards being able to to tell the future or whatever? Yeah maybe but it severed as a nice distraction and even a bit of a comfort as well. With everything going on? Sensei..Dad was gone. He was just here in the lair and suddenly he was sucked away like the dst bunnies under the couch. Not even a trace of Splinter was left behind taking his belongings with him. Seemed just t far fr this mystery spooky ghost guy and his stupid portals .

If they hadn’t taken his dad away Mikey might actually be enjoying how everything felt like his vide games he was often playing all night long. They could even get power ups? And if they were beat to hard they get yanked back to the lair like a game over nearly. It was like everything Mikey ever hoped real life to become like. Too bad his Dad was in danger. Splinter hadn’t even a clue where he was. That terrified Mikey to his core.

Sure he didn’t know a lot of things himself but that’s why he had his brothers and father for, so they could KNOW all those things in his place. Well not s much Raph he was more dense than a brick sometimes. But the rest f them? Yeah, he counted on them. And maybe it was naive of him but to him his Dad just had the answers to everything. Not in the way Don might but in his own wise old guy way. And without that? Mikey just felt so lost.

Ashe was mindlessly toggling the buttons of his controller, he sometimes like to mess with the mapping of his buttons for games he had played over and over again to points of knowing even inch of the levels. Added some difficulties for a sort of challenge. Well Von sat beside him shuffling her deck of magic cards. Mikey slightly listened to the sound of the card’s shifting around in their place. He had asked her before to do a reading about Splinter.

He kind of forgot most of what she said. Well more like the way she worded it all but that happened a lot when he spoke to Von. All Mikey wanted to know was was Splinter at least okay? Her cards said he was in the least okay he wasn’t being hurt. But that felt almost worse? Why was he being kept then? What were they using thier Dad like this? Splinter might be a mutation but he didn’t deserve to be treated like this!! Like some captive. Was that even right?

More like a prize? Yeah that seemed more fitting and the just rubbed Mikey the wrong way. Splinter was their last prize to earn. Mikey noticed Von was staring at him now as he smiled at her. “Sorry Vonnie I ain’t spill my beauty secrets” He joked which did earn him a smile from the butterfly mutant.

“What’s up Von born?” She mentioned if he was okay or in need of a card reading even. Mikey blinked though hard to tell with the whites of his eyes only visible right now. “Oh I was just spacing out sorry Von. Donnie says it takes more brain power for me to think so everything else shuts up ya know?” He answered with not fully joking but keeping the more funny humor in their conversation at the moment. “About your card reading and all just wondering if Dad is okay ya know?”

That might be a bit a surprise with how all in Mikey had gone in when it came to the readings a such. “But I mean ya been dead on with everything else. Like about what cereal I should have. You said if I ate cinnamon toast then we would be more fortune or something like that? And we got back Dad’s apron that same day.” The truth on some of his more insane reading requests were coming to light now. “I know Raph aint much for the cards and all but I dunno.”

Of course, poor Von was very much aware of how little Raphael care for the card reading stuff.

“If they can tell me the day will be great cause I ate the better cereal than I think it also means that Dad is okay…wherever he is that is of course.” Mikey says relief showing on his face. “I just kind of hate that they are using my Dad as like a game achievement. I’m glad he aint being hurt by why take him ya know?” Mikey continues to word out his thoughts to Von then he thinks more and set the controller down so he can properly give her his attention slightly rubbing at the back of his neck. “But uh sorry for how much I been bugging you with everything. I don’t mean to just ya know wanted to see how much I could trust what you told me I can lay off though I’m sure it’s getting annoying after all.” Mikey was good at doing that after all.

[doctors-journal]

4 November

I got back from my shift this afternoon to find Justin sprawled across the floor of my flat. It gave me a shock after a long morning in the operating room. I could see that he was breathing, and his eyes belatedly opened as I entered. He groaned, but held up a hand to stop me from hurrying to his side to examine him.

“I’m fine,” he said, sounding anything but, “unhurt, at least.”

“What is it, then?” I asked as I closed the door behind me, still keeping an eye on him. “Do I need to call Emma?”

He didn’t move from the floor. “Please don’t, I couldn’t bear the embarrassment.”

“I think it’s a little late for that.”

“No, I never told her. She can’t know I was so stupid.”

I sat down on the floor next to him. “Justin, what did you do?”

“I was out investigating, I just had to know. There were so many cases, it couldn’t be a coincidence that all of them had something to do with Sherlock Holmes, right?”

“You mean you found something after all?”

He stared up at the ceiling as he ticked them off, “My informants were just a couple of con artists who cut their losses when I stopped paying them for their ‘clues’, the dancing figures were probably just drawn by a child, the wedding dress was thrown in the Serpentine by the angry groom, and the plaster bust was destroyed by a wayward cat named Macavity. Need I go on? It was all just a bloody case of selection bias—I fooled myself by seeking them out.”

I gently put a hand on his shoulder. He twisted away at the touch. So, I stood to give him some space.

He let out a terrible moan.

“That’s it,” I said. “I’m calling Emma.”

“No! You don’t understand.”

“So, you drew some false conclusions, I don’t see how that’s any more foolish than getting addicted because Sherlock Holmes did.”

“She knows I don’t make good decisions, but I’m supposed to at least be intelligent. That was all I had. We all had to have something to stand out from the crowd, and I was supposed to be the clever one.” Justin was shaking.

I knelt down beside him and this time he let me put my hand on his side. “Come on, Justin.”

I tried to help him up, but instead he fell into my arms.

“It’s okay…” I gently rubbed his shoulder. “There’s no risk of you not standing out from the crowd.”

“Please, it hurts so bad! Just a little! It’s all I need! What’s left to hurt?”

I felt a little foolish myself for how long it had taken me to realise what was really going on. I gently helped him up off the floor and onto my second hand sofa.

“What you need is food. I know it’s not fun, but the cravings will go away, you just have to wait them out.”

I went to the kitchen to find something quick and edible.

“Is eggs and toast all you can make?” he asked, coming to loom over my shoulder while I fried some eggs. I could feel him at my back.

“No, it’s just easy and digestible,” I insisted.

He looked dubious, but accepted the plate of eggs on toast when I was done. “What about you? If I have to eat, you do too.”

I couldn’t argue with that, so I made some for myself too. He picked at his food a little, but eventually he finished it, and I think it did us both some good.

“Sorry you had to put up with that,” he said while I was occupied with the dishes. “I didn’t want Emma to see, but I couldn’t trust myself on my own.”

I looked over my shoulder to meet his eyes. “It’s good that you came.”

I turned back to the dishes to give him some privacy. As soon as I turned away, he collided with my back, his chin against my shoulder and his arms around my waist.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

On an impulse, I managed to turn my neck enough to kiss the top of his head.

We lounged around my flat for the rest of the afternoon. It’s still a bit bare since between work and visiting Justin, I haven’t spent much time there, but just having him there made it more comfortable. It feels emptier now that he’s gone back to Emma’s—eventually, he texted her and she came to pick him up. I suggested that on my next day off maybe he could stay the night, and he seemed pleased with the idea.