#you nearly put me and my car into a ditch because you didn't want to get over on this tiny ass country backroad

[tieflingsarebadatnamingthings]

I’m sorry but your truck is not the symbol of masculinity you think it is. Your truck is a big buff lady who is sick of being treated like she’s delicate

[egopocalypse]

Haunting

Whumptober Day 10: "Can't you see that you're lost without me?"

No matter where Chase goes, the shadow follows.

He's ditched his car and three others in the last day, driving the gas tanks down to their last dregs in his haste to get away. He doesn't have a destination in mind other than away, yet with each mile down the unforgiving highway, the chill down his spine rankles him even more.

He slaps his hand over the back of his neck, like the sting would make the crawling fade away.

"There aren't any more cameras," he mutters under his breath. "I'm safe now. It's fine."

But how can he be so sure? Ever since those freaky scientists guys were murdered, he's had to hop between towns, losing the trail of whatever people or things want to find him. He hasn't heard from Echo since he escaped IRIS. He has no idea what the public knows about him. (Would IRIS send out a manhunt? Do people think he's a criminal?) He has no sense of where to go or what to do but survive.

Why couldn't this have been a misunderstanding? Why didn't they let him go home?

What does Anti want from him?

The ghost of a breath sends a shiver down his spine, and he cranks the heat in the current old beater to the max. It sputters out a smog of hot diesel from the exhaust; his face screws up at the stench.

He's been in this rustbucket truck for too long. Hopefully the more inland he goes, the easier it'll be to find a rural town to swap cars. The sooner he can find a gas station without CCTV, let alone a WATCHR, the better.

Except the beater doesn't get him that far.

Something rattles under the hood, and a plume of smoke sparks and slithers out through the cracks. Chase curses and slams the steering wheel and pulls over three miles before the next exit, then grabs his meager belongings and sprints away as he hears a resounding boom and a rush of heat scorches his back.

It exploded. The truck fucking exploded.

With his heart in his throat, Chase reaches for his back pocket and nearly falls over in relief. The picture is still there. Even after everything, he hasn't lost it. He can't.

"For someone trying to avoid me, you put on quite the show."

Chase lurches and goes for the gun in his waistband, only to jolt when he comes up empty. It must still be in the center console, melting into a mangled mess with the rest of the scorching hot metal in front of them.

His hands flex and curl into fists. He doesn't want to turn around, to face the nightmare ruining his life, but if he doesn't, it would give it all the opportunities to stab him or snap his neck, like it had with the bodies it dropped right before they started this race.

"How are you here?" Chase asks. "How do you keep finding me?"

Anti's eyes light up with an eerie white glow. "Do you think it's hard?" it says. "I've followed you from the first time you called my name, the first time you saw this face. You've only been able to run because I wanted to chase."

Chase's breath sharpens. There truly is no getting away, is there? He's crossed half the country in the past few days, and yet no matter where he goes, Anti or IRIS will always find him.

"Why me?" He hates the pleading strain in his voice, but it never seems to fall away. "Why do you want me?"

Anti grins. "You still know nothing, don't you? Those people wanted to use you, but they didn't put in the effort to teach you."

Flames spark in Chase's chest, and despite the autumnal chill, the heat from the truck fire drips sweat down his back.

"Teach me what? I want some fucking answers."

"What will you pay to get them?"

Chase balks. "Huh?"

"You heard me," Anti says. "There's a price for answers, Chase--a price for every choice you made. What will you pay to earn the answers you want?"

He bites his cheek. His wallet got confiscated the second IRIS got their hands on him. The now-unusable gun had been picked off the corpse of an agent that Anti killed on its rampage through the facility. His phone and whiskey were lost before IRIS nabbed him. He has nothing of any value to give.

Anti's smile cools. Those dark, dead eyes bore into Chase's skull.

"Stubbornness won't save you, Chase. Refuse, and you'll stay on the run, forever looking over your shoulder until the maggots put you down. You're a danger, and if you're no use to them, you won't survive. I won't save you a third time."

Chase chokes. "A third?"

Anti's voice lowers, regaining some of the rasp it once had, before the gaping wound on his neck disappeared without a sign of its existence. "Make your choice."

The picture burns a hole in Chase's pocket. Other than the tattered, filthy clothes streaked with blood, dirt, and sweat, it's the only thing he has left to his name. The only tie he has to the person he once was. The only sign that before IRIS, before Anti, Chase had a life. He had something to return to, to live for.

What use is a memento of the last light of his life when it's flickered out?

He pulls out the polaroid and burns the image into his retinas, searing into his memory the bright, joyful, loving faces of his family. He kisses the image as a final goodbye, then offers it like a lifeline.

"It's all I have."

Anti studies the picture, studies every inch of Chase's face, and studies the hand reaching out to him. He slips the picture away and clamps a hand over Chase's.

"You made the right choice, Chase. Welcome home."

@seaswalllow @asteriuszenith @pixie-in-trebleland

[lemoncrushh]

Out of Bounds - Chapter 15

STORY PAGE

Word Count: 1913

"Harry," I whispered as I lightly tapped him on the shoulder. "Harry, wake up, baby."

Harry groaned and rolled over to face me, his sleepy eyes cracked open only slightly.

"We have class in an hour," I soothed as I ran my fingers down his arm.

"Can't we skip it?" he grumbled.

"Nuh uh," I declined. "We need to be there today."

"Okay," he sighed as he rubbed his eyes.

"I'm going to take a quick shower."

I rolled off the bed and walked to the bathroom. As I stepped in the shower I heard a voice behind me.

"Can I join you?" Harry asked, standing there naked.

I rolled my eyes. "We're never gonna get to class."

Without resistance however, I let Harry step in next to me.

"Let me wash you, and you can wash me," he suggested with a straight face.

"Harry!"

"Nothing else, I promise. Just washing."

"Okay," I reluctantly agreed.

True to his word, Harry lathered me up and scrubbed my body from neck to toe. After pointing him towards my face wash, he gently applied it to my face which I rinsed off under the shower stream. Then he shampooed my hair, massaging my scalp and almost making me fall asleep. He did kiss me a few times during this, but I wasn't about to protest.

Once I'd rinsed out the shampoo, I began to wash him. He closed his eyes for most of it, until I had to bend down to get his legs, and I chuckled when I realized what I was face to face with.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Nothing," I smirked.

But Harry knew what it was because he began to thrust his hips so his penis would nearly slap me in the face.

"Stop it!" I exclaimed with a laugh.

I quickly stood upright to see Harry with a shit-eating grin on his face. I made him rinse off and then I washed his hair in the same manor he had mine.

"Mmm, that's nice," he cooed.

Once we were all clean, I reached to turn the water off, but Harry stopped me with a kiss. Then another. And then it grew deeper, his tongue filling my mouth. I ran my hands up his wet chest, grabbing his shoulders. As I leaned against the shower wall, he lifted me up by my thighs and rubbed his cock against my clit.

"Harry!" I moaned.

"I'm sorry, love, I can't help it. I want you."

I wrapped my arms around his neck as he entered me. He was rock hard, and I could feel him filling every bit of me. I wanted so bad to open my legs as far as possible, but there was no place to put my feet. All I could do was wrap my legs around him and hold on. Our moans were both loud and in sync. It felt so good I thought I would literally explode.

"Oh God!" I cried.

"Fuck yes."

Harry and I came together, soaked and spent. After one more quick rinse, I finally turned off the water and we stepped out. I handed Harry a towel and after drying off, we walked back to my bedroom. I looked at the clock. We had less than thirty minutes.

"Damn," I muttered under my breath as I hurriedly put on my underwear.

"Remind me again why we can't ditch?" Harry complained.

"Because we have another report due before Thanksgiving and we haven't even started on it."

"Yeah but we wasted our free periods last week. Crawford's not going to give us more. He's probably got a lecture planned for today."

"All the more reason to go," I stated. "Maybe his lecture will give us some ideas."

Harry grimaced and grabbed his clothes from his duffle bag. We got dressed and made it out the door in record time, choosing to take Harry's car. I knew he had his Biology class after Sociology, but I told him I didn't mind waiting.

As we walked together down the sidewalk, Harry grabbed my hand. I grinned up at him, feeling a little better about letting our relationship out in the open. But as we neared the door to Professor Crawford's class, I tensed up. A few steps away, Leslie and her Soc. partner Charice were talking to Liz. Trying to reassure me, Harry gave my hand a squeeze.

"Hey, you guys," Leslie called out.

"Hi," Harry and I said in unison.

"Hey, you work at Mikado's!" Liz pointed at Harry. I wasn't sure if she was trying to play dumb, or if this was actually the first time she'd seen him at school.

"Yes, I do," he replied with a nod.

"Yeah, I know you," Liz continued. "From the bar. I go there with my friend Britney a lot."

"Yes, I remember you," Harry said politely.

"I didn't know you were dating anyone." Liz made sure she looked at me when she said that. I felt my skin crawl.

"You probably remember Tisa," Harry confirmed, moving his hand to the small of my back. "She came to Mikado's one night when you were there."

"Oh yeah, I do," Liz smirked. "I just didn't know she was your girlfriend."

"Well...now you know."

My stomach jumped to my chest, and I sucked in my breath. Then Harry guided me into the classroom, leaving the other three girls with their mouths agape.

Harry was right, Crawford did have a lecture planned. As I sat and listened, I swore I could feel eyes on me. I hated petty high school jealousy, but I was curious, so I took a compact out of my purse so I could see behind me in the mirror. Leslie and Charice were sitting in the back row giggling until they caught me looking. I acted like I was getting something out of my eye and quickly snapped the compact shut and returned it to my handbag.

Sensing what I was doing, Harry silently placed his hand on my leg under the table. I lightly patted it with my own hand and let it rest on top of his. We stayed that way for the rest of the period until Harry had to write something down.

I told Harry I would go to the library to get started on the report while he went to Biology. This time we didn't have to separate in the fork of the sidewalk. I walked with him, hand in hand, the rest of the way since the library was across from the Science building. Harry kissed me goodbye as naturally as anything. I wanted to feel as calm and casual as he did, but I just wasn't there yet. As he walked away, I looked around to see if anyone was watching. Then I made my way up the library steps.

I was already deep into my report when I heard a voice.

"So you and Harry, huh?"

I lifted my head to see Liz, who helped herself to the seat across from mine.

"Um, yeah."

"Hmm," she nodded. "What was your name again?"

I shot her a quick glance over my laptop as I continued to type. "Tisa."

"Right, right," Liz said. Then she cocked her head in question. "Just seems kinda quick, doesn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's just that...my friend and I have been going to Mikado's for a while now. Then you show up once and you're already a couple?"

I closed my laptop and glared at her. "I'm sorry, do you have a problem with me?"

"No," she retorted. "I don't even know you. But I do know my best friend, Britney. And she really liked Harry."

"And?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"Well, he kind of acted like he liked her too. Then all of a sudden he has a girlfriend."

"Are you trying to insinuate that I stole Harry from your friend?" I couldn't believe the bullshit I was hearing.

Liz shrugged. "Either that, or he was just leading her on."

"I think you're mistaken," I argued, folding my arms.

"Am I?"

"First of all, I didn't steal anyone from anybody. Second, Harry wasn't leading her on. He was being friendly and doing his job."

"Hmmph," Liz huffed at me.

"Look," I said, leaning forward. "You can believe what you want. Nothing I can say is going to change your mind, obviously. Harry and I are together, and I'm sorry your friend is so hung up on him that she can't let it go."

Liz opened her mouth like she was going to say something else, but nothing came out. Instead, she stood up and walked off without another word. I wondered if she was stomping off to tell Charice and Leslie about our little talk. I laughed to myself. Not because of what she'd said. But because I had been so worried that those girls knew I was married. They were just pissed off that their friend's crush had a girlfriend. I found it very amusing.

Harry had to work that night, so I just ordered a pizza and watched a documentary of The Rolling Stones on TV. I'd given him a heads up on the Britney situation, and he told me not to worry. I wondered if Britney and Liz would show up tonight, just to spite me, but I shook the notion from my head, knowing it didn't matter anyway.

Around ten I began to get sleepy, so I got ready for bed. I turned off all the lights except the one in the kitchen. As soon as I got comfortable under the covers, my phone rang. For some reason my first thought was Harry, but then I remembered I hadn't spoken to James yet.

"Hi baby," he said when I answered.

"Hi," I echoed sleepily.

"Did I wake you?"

"No, just about to go to bed."

"Oh okay. Well, I won't keep you then. Just wanted to hear your voice and say goodnight."

"Okay," I yawned. "How is New York?"

"It's...good. Going really well," James informed, though he didn't sound very convincing.

"Are they working you too hard?" I asked.

"Nah, you know, you gotta work hard to get what you want."

"That sounds about right," I said, somewhat sarcastically but James took it for fatigue.

"Well, get some good sleep. Are you still going to class?"

"Of course," I replied.

"Okay, good. 'Night sweetheart."

"Goodnight."

I tossed the phone down on my bed, feeling aggravated and perturbed. Am I still going to class? What the hell, did he think because he was away I wouldn't be going? Am I his child? It just rubbed me the wrong way.

I turned out the light, trying to calm down and relax. Harry wouldn't be home for a while, and I knew I wouldn't be able to stay up much longer.

I awoke barely when I heard the garage door. I waited for the sound of footsteps until I saw a form in the bedroom, outlined by the light of the moon shining through the curtains. I knew he was trying not to wake me as he undressed. He left momentarily to go to the restroom, then returned and gently climbed into bed next to me. I immediately reached out for him and he did the same.

"I like this," he muttered after a long string of kisses.

"Like what?"

"Coming home to you."

"Me, too," I said.

Me, too.

MASTERLIST | KO-FI | FEEDBACK

[becomingkatie]

(this post ended up way longer than I'd planned. It's about mental and physical illness and family things.)

Yesterday my dad EMAILED my brother a picture of his truck in a ditch on the side of the road as the way of letting us know he'd been in a car accident. So Andrew forwarded me the email and we were both trying to call him but he wasn't answering. We were trying to decide how big of an overreaction it would be to just start calling hospitals, but the accident didn't look bad, but like... he wasn't answering his phone??

Except, my dad has also been rejecting my calls for a while because he feels like I've taken my mom's side in the divorce (because I won't listen to him vent about their relationship or divorce negotiations). So it wasn't clear if he wasn't answering because he was hurt, or if he was busy dealing with a tow truck and the logistics that come with a car accident, or if he just didn't want to talk to me. He doesn't seem to feel like my brother has abandoned him and he's accepted Andrew's calls more than mine, but he wasn't answering him, either. So we were panicking.

Eventually he called my brother to tell him he was fine, that the truck was being towed, and that was that. No more information.

But then he called me this morning. He was kind - it wasn't the awful, tense calls filled with accusations and vitriol where I have to repeat "I'm not going to talk about this" a half-dozen times. But he's not well. Like, "vomits in the house without warning but doesn't have the strength or energy to clean it up" unwell. Bed-bound, at least today. But when I said I was coming to help take care of him he vehemently refused the offer and cried that he didn't want me to see him like this.

He has a "friend" (girlfriend? friend from high school? how did she get roped into this I have no idea, since she lives like six hours from him) who comes to help him every so often, but she's not coming again for another almost two weeks.

I'm just at a loss. At what point do you say, "I know you don't want me to see you living in filth, but you can't live in filth, so I'm here and I'm going to clean you up and help you."

There's no way he'd let a home care nurse into the house. His delusions mix with reality and he can turn mean and nasty on a dime, so I also don't really want to put myself in that position. But I also love him and can't just let him exist in that state alone, or nearly alone.

As the older sister, I messaged my grandmother on facebook (that's the only way we communicate, and we rarely communicate at all) to let her know about the accident and his poor health. She's panicking wondering what to do, but like... you're his mom? I'm panicking wondering what to do, but it feels like I shouldn't have to be advising her. I don't want us to ambush him and show up, but I also couldn't let her just go on not knowing about this. But it turns out he was just there a week ago and seemed fine?? Which further adds to the confusion around what his condition is and how long it's been this bad.

Anyway, you can have a totally normal and healthy father for nearly thirty years (or be married to a normal and healthy man for 35 years) and then suddenly he's awful and mean and abusive and accusing you of poisoning him, and then suddenly he's sick, puking and shitting and can't clean himself up.

So that's my family tragedy right now. I got "comfort nigiri" yesterday and goodness knows I'm making Ken agree to "comfort pizza" tonight. I have my weekly write-in that I host so unfortunately I have to go out into the world and function.

[westdallasgang]

The time Clyde attempted to meet up with the infamous Pretty Boy Floyd 1933

"Then Clyde decided to get in touch with Pretty Boy Floyd again. He thought he might find him by visiting Pretty Boy's mother. So, they drove to Sallisaw, Oklahoma. By the time they got there, Clyde and Bonnie were crazy drunk. They stopped at a filling station to inquire how to get to the Floyd place. At first, the man at the station wouldn't tell him. Then Clyde took his hat off and asked the man if he recognized him. The man took a good look at Clyde and said, "You aren't . . ." "Yes", Clyde said. "I am Clyde Barrow and I want to find Pretty Boy Floyd. I promised to meet him at his mother's." About that time, a car drove by slowly. Clyde thought it looked like a copper of some kind and asked the man at the filling station if he knew who was in the car. The man said it was the sheriff. Clyde went back to his car. They decided to come back later. Buck drove because Clyde was starting to feel sick. They didn't even get out of sight of the station before Clyde was so sick he had to get out of the car. Bonnie was nearly out cold. But Buck was sober. Bonnie and Clyde told me Buck would take only a couple of drinks because he had promised me he wouldn't get drunk. I guess it was a good thing he stayed sober, because when Clyde got out of the car and walked around to the back, he just passed out and fell into a ditch half-filled with mud-red water. Buck had just fished Clyde out of the water and put him on the ground beside the car, when the sheriff drove by slowly. Buck said all he could do was just stand beside the car with his rifle in his hands, ready to shoot it out with him if he stopped and got tough. He hoped the sheriff wouldn't stop. He didn't. By then, Bonnie had gotten out of the car too. She and Clyde were both helpless. Buck finally got both of them in the car and drove them around until they felt better. Clyde and Bonnie thought the whiskey had been poisoned. They found a place to clean up a little bit, but Buck and Clyde missed the mud on their trousers. When Buck told Clyde what a close call they had, Clyde cursed himself for being such a fool." — Blanche Barrow from her book "My Life With Bonnie And Clyde"

[unhingedexperimenter]

"Papa, I still love you. I still like you. I won't be upset if you fight WordGirl. You won't hurt her, right?" She looked up at him with huge eyes filled with emotions. Hyde quickly shook Henry's head. "No, of course not. I wouldn't dare do that. Trap her and flee with my loot. That is what I would do, outsmart her." Amber still seemed unhappy. "You think I wouldn't like you anymore over WordGirl?" Hyde regretted having put his foot in his mouth once more. "It's not you. It was papas silly thoughts. I just didn't want to risk upsetting you because you're my world. You know that, dont you? My sweet pup. I just fear that I will disappoint you and make you upset." Amber hugged at his legs. "I know you're a crimina, papa. I knew you'd meet WordGirl one day. I thought... it would've been cool if you fought WordGirl and didn't hurt her. WordGirl is the best hero, but you're also the best criminal." Hyde felt himself tear up at that. "No more keeping secrets, okay?" Hyde nodded at that. "Of course, my sweet pup. I'll tell you what I can tell you from now on. I trust you more than anyone. Remember that, alright?" Hyde scooped up Amber and hugged her tight. "Okay. I trust you, too. I trust you and Daddy both." Hyde didn't want to give Henry back control, but he didn't have the strength to keep it up. He quickly placed Amber down before giving control back to Henry. "We'll talk about it more, okay other papa?" Amber knew he would still be listening. "He said, of course. Now let's get going to the park." Amber nodded, but she still looked very troubled. Dr.Two-Brains waited for his older brother to come and pick him up. The villain knew that it wouldn't take very long for the toymaker to arrive. The man always drove incredibly fast and rather crazily. People often thought Victor was a mad man behind the wheel, and they wouldn't be wrong. Though Dr.Two-Brains was used to it by now, knowing that Victor was actually quite competent at driving. He had never once had any type of accident, which was rather impressive. The conservation that went on between him and Becky kept replaying in his head. He was barely holding himself together. His face was already tear stained. Thankfully, Victor had arrived before Dr.Two-Brains got too lost in his own mind. Hearing honking coming from outside which caused the mad scientist to jump up from being startled. The mouse brain had made him more easily startled than before. It made things more difficult and interesting at times. He quickly made his way out of the house and headed right over to Victor's car. The other man got out of the vehicle and immediately went to Dr.Two-Brains, pulling him into a huge, tight hug. “Hey, little bro.” That nearly broke Dr.Two-Brains. The villain clung back onto Victor. “Hey, Vic. I'm sorry for making you ditch your work.” Victor shook his head, refusing to let go of his little brother just yet. “Hey, don't worry about it. Family is more important to me than business. You know that. If I didn't want to come, I wouldn't have. I don't want you to be alone right now anyway.” The mad scientist gave the other a weak smile. “Thanks, Vic. I'll feel more comfortable talking about it in the car. Maybe after getting those cheesy treats for me.” Squeaky still influenced him with those cheese cravings. “No problem. You can get anything you want. As many as you want. That they can comply with.” Victor had to clarify that, knowing his brother tended to get a bit carried away when it came to cheese. “Alright, I get it! Geez!” He brightened up just a bit. Victor finally released Dr.Two-Brains from their hug. “Alright, let's get you that. I'll be all ears, okay?” Dr.Two-Brains smiled gratefully. Though there was pain, sadness and uncertainty in his eyes. They quickly got into the car and headed to the cafe. When they arrived at the cafe, they both went in. When the brothers came out, Dr.Two-Brains had an armful of cheesy treats to consume. It didn't cost too much, surprisingly. When they got back into the car, Dr.Two-Brains wasted no time digging into his food.

@thecountoflondonfansite

Though someone this Miss Ito did know Henry Jekyll. Did his brother's new boyfriend get this woman to look into him? If so, why didn't this man just ask Dr.Two-Brains about himself? This raised more questions than it answered. Maybe Henry didn't have the courage to look into his brother after he gave him a little 'friendly' talk. Yet the thinly veiled threats Victor had made shouldn't have been enough to get the teacher looking into Dr.Two-Brains. There was also the fact that Henry had no idea that Victor could find out who was hacking. Perhaps the man was intelligent enough to have the heat on someone else just in case they were found out, but he didn't seem like the type to do so. Especially to someone he had entrusted The Society to. Victor was going to have to get a few agents to take a little trip to check out why they decided to hack like they did. Maybe Robert Lanyon had someone to do with Miss Itos hacking. It would be expected when the man's father had been murdered. Perhaps he wanted to make sure that Henry was safe. Maybe this man was protecting Henry from someone who was threatening him. This could've had the culprit retaliate against the doctor by going after Henry or Robert could be responsible for his own father's murder and for Mr. Carew's attempted murder. The reason both Mr. Hyde and Henry left could be because Robert was threatening one and framing the other. Victor felt a headache coming on. For now, he was going to find out exactly where Robert was. If he wanted to take over The Society, he would've easily done so. Yet he didn't, instead only oversaw important business. He couldn't scratch any of his theories out just yet. He didn't know what was going on, but he was going to find out. He didn't realize that Eris had finally gotten home. He didn't notice the sound of the apartment door opening and closing. “Victor, are you okay? You look like you're stressed about something.” He expressed his concern, brows furrowed. “Eris! I'm fine. I was just overthinking some things.” Eris went over to Victor and placed a kiss on his temple. “Get some rest, my sweet. You'll be able to figure things out better with fresh eyes.” Victor smiled at his boyfriend. “You're right. I'll take a nap. If you'll join me.” Eris smiled at that. He found Victor endearing. The toymaker closed his laptop. Meanwhile in another part of the city, two people were arguing. “Must you stalk these people? I would rather not have the police sniffing around if they take legal action.” The woman shook her head. “It is necessary. I must save that girl from that horrid man. Who knows what he could do to them. I'm doing what is right.” The blond man shook his head. “You admitted that you were interested in our plan.” Calvin frowned at that. “I didn't do anything too crazy. I promise.” Athena muttered under her breath. Athena began to pace a bit. She wanted Dr.Two-Brains to break and admit who he is. “You're making me dizzy, cousin.”

Athena gave a weak glare towards Calvin's rudeness. "You know I can't help it. I haven't been the same after what that demon did to me!" Athena snapped back. Calvin merely huffed. Deep down, he couldn't help but feel some intimidation from the mouse man, especially when he knew what that abomination was capable of. At first, Calvin was shocked to hear what the man did to his cousin. He had always viewed Steven, or Gene, or whatever it called himself, as a sniveling worm with goody moral ethics. He never thought that the man was capable of doing something that heinous, even with his paternal instincts heightened. Things made much more sense to Calvin once he learned of his former coworker's family background. "Very well. Continue with your plans. I have other matters to attend to." Calvin exclaimed in a haughty tone, waving off Athena's anger. Athena gave him a suspicious look. "What are you planning that is more important than my mission?" She inquired. "Well why you have been playing vigilante stalker to a babysitter and her charge, I have been looking into the reason for the Mad Science League's sudden movement here." Calvin explained. Athena looked surprised at that. "Adrian Barton is here?" The B.E.A.W labs' leader has expressed interest in the mysterious Mad Science League. A small group of scientists lead by a self proclaimed immortal man whose made it his mission to fight against tyranny and corruption of the higher classes. Adrian Barton and his associates had proven too slippery for capture due to the man's chaotic and unpredictable movements. Athena was curious and confused as to why he came here of all places. "We don't know why he is here or what business he has, but for some reason he has made himself more open in public though he has maintained a cautious guard. I last saw him talking with Professor Doohickey, though I highly doubt the reason he came to this city was to help the man's predicament." Calvin answered as if he seemed to understand what his cousin was thinking. "Do you think it has something to do with the murder of Mr. Hastie Lanyon?" Athena asked as she recalled hearing about the murder. Calvin shook his head. "I doubt Barton was behind that. He has a clear hatred for the rich and elite, but he would have been more subtle in killing that man, actually making it look like a robbery in progress that went bad. There is another reason why Mr. Barton is here. One in which I intend to find out. So hopefully your antics won't interfere in my mission. Good day Athena." Soon Calvin walked away, leaving the deranged woman to her own thoughts and delusions. "Blimey! Those cleaners know how to clean out goop stains. It looks brand new." Hyde exclaimed in a joyous tone once he received his outfit from Rachel. "Yep. It appears people getting their clothes ruined by goop is a common occurrence around here. So they developed a new way to remove the stains and residue even thought it takes a lot of time. It's definitely well worth it. I must say." Rachel replied with agreement. Hyde ginned widely at his clean outfit. He then looked back towards Rachel. "So, anything happened while ah was gone?" Hyde inquired. Rachel quickly shook her head. "Not really. Like I said, we waited a long time at the cleaners. Also Wordgirl showed up trying to stop a robbery caused by Lady Redundant Woman. She gave a wave to Amber before she flew off. Amber got a little fussy on the way home, but it was likely due to us being out for so long. She's fine now." Rachel explained. Hyde nodded but the usually grinning blonde had a serious expression as he thought back to what happened and what Whiskers admitted to him. "Did Wordgirl seem okay to ye?" Hyde inquired. Rachel looked confused by his question and expression. "She seemed alright to me. Why do you ask?" Rachel was surprised to hear Hyde express genuine concern for anyone that wasn't Amber, herself, or one of the lodgers. Hyde let out a sigh and proceeded to explain what happened today with Two Brains and his sister. @unhingedexperimenter

[whimsicallyreading]

You Don’t Even Go Here

Day Two for Rowaelin Month

A college AU

~

Aelin grins mischievously as she walks up the stairs of the men's dorm at Terresan University. The teal-blue waffle iron clutched under her arm.

Aedion didn't really need it. It had been on the fifty-percent-off rack at the supermarket, and he'd simply thrown it in the cart for good measure. Yet, when Aelin saw the box for it laying the hall, she'd seen opportunity.

It had hit her harder than she'd thought. Aedion leaving. They'd been raised like siblings but grew up something closer to best friends. It wasn't fair that he was nearly three years older and ready to leave when she wasn't prepared for him to go.

Aelin had cried the whole car ride home. Then when they finally got back to the house, she'd called him right away. He could hear how teary she was and happily obliged her call. Narrating his actions as he went about setting up his dorm room. He teased her about missing him, but she could tell that he missed her too.

So, armed with an excuse to visit him, Aelin made the hour-long drive to visit her cousin.

Aelin was halfway up the stairs but not paying too much attention to her surroundings. She was too busy repeating Aedion's room number over in her head because no matter how many times she checked her phone, it just wouldn't stick in her head. Maybe if she'd focused a little more on the things happening around her, she wouldn't have crashed into a half-naked man.

A solid and calloused hand darts out and grips her shoulder before she can go tumbling down the stairs. Its twin desperately clutching the towel wrapped around his waist.

Aelin looks up apologetically, and her jaw nearly falls to the floor. His white hair was still damp from the shower and swooped over the top of his head, and his biceps were too large for Aelin to wrap both hands around. An intricate tattoo coils elegantly from a cheekbone and down the length of his body.

He was a man indeed. Nothing like Chaol or Dorian or any of her junior friends. This was a new breed of man. The apex kind. Aelin is pretty sure she looks like a deer in the headlights, and she's too busy ogling him to understand the words he'd been repeating to her.

"Are you okay?" His eyebrows are furrowed as if he's afraid he'd literally struck her stupid. Aelin felt that wasn't far from the truth.

"Yes, sorry," she apologizes as she steps back, suddenly very aware of how in his personal space she was. "I wasn't paying attention. You just caught me by surprise."

Aelin was definitely panicking. Where was her swagger when she needed it most? Why would it choose now to abandon her?

By some miracle, he doesn't seem off-put by her awkwardness. In fact, a smile curls the edges of his lips, revealing a set of dimples that made her heart stumble.

Gods he had dimples.

"No, I ran into you. It's my fault. My name is Rowan.”

He holds out a hand, and Aelin shakes it clumsily. "I'm Aelin."

"Aelin." She loves the way her name rolls off his tongue. "I haven't seen you around before. Are you a freshman?"

Oh no. Aelin's eyes widen, but she recovers swiftly and smooths her features out. Rowan thinks she's a student. Not some crazy high schooler too emotionally dependent on her cousin.

"I'm actually a junior," Aelin laughs at his perplexed expression. "I don't go here, though. I'm just stopping by to drop off some things my cousin forgot."

White lies. What was a white lie worth? Aelin likely wouldn't ever see him again, and is it so wrong for a girl to enjoy some harmless attention? If Aelin spent more time thinking about it, she probably wouldn't like the answers she'd come up with, but that was neither here nor there.

"Is that a waffle maker?" Rowan's green eyes glint with amusement.

"My cousin loves to eat. What year are you?" Aelin crosses her fingers that he's the same age as Aedion and not a senior or something. Her cousin would murder her if he found out she flirted with a man five years older.

"Don't we all? I'm a sophomore, a bit younger than you, I suppose." Rowan drags a hand through his hair. "Listen, I know you came to see your cousin, but maybe I could get your number, and we could get a cup of coffee before you head out?"

Was this really happening? Aelin inwardly squealed with excitement. Lysandra would die when she recounted this story later. "Sure."

Just as she pulled her phone from her pocket, an all too familiar voice materialized behind her. "Aelin?"

Aedion smiles as he lays eyes on his beloved cousin. He takes a couple steps down the stairs, and that grin quickly fades as he sees the naked man.

Oops, she'd forgotten that detail.

"Rowan?" Aedion's eyes harden as they lock on Rowan. "Why the hell are you ogling my cousin with no clothes on?"

"You know him?" Aelin swears under her breath. She cannot believe her luck.

Aedion laughs coldly as he sizes up Rowan, "He's my roommate, but he's about to be a corpse. Why are you perving on my seventeen-year-old cousin?"

Rowan's looks between the bewildered. "You said you were a junior?"

Aedion laughs harshly as Aelin blushes. "I am...just in highschool. Not college. I told you I didn't go here."

"I didn't realize I was rooming with a pedophile," Aedion grabs Aelin and pulls her to his chest. "Was he bothering you?"

"Pedophile?" Rowan's dimples have disappeared, and he looks at Aedion disturbed. "I'm only nineteen!"

Aelin shoves away from Aedion's boorish grip. "The only one bothering me is you."

Rowan's cheeks are flushed red as the full impact of the situation they were found in dawns on him. Damn it if Aelin didn't find his blush endearing. He is a solid chunk of muscle. How is everything he does so cute?

"Look, I just got out of the shower, and I bumped into Aelin. It was an accident. She was just on her way to give you your waffle maker-"

"You brought my waffle maker?" Aedion cuts Rowan off, eyeing the box under her arm.

That's when Aelin sees it. The twinkle of mischief in his eye and the forced concern. Aedion was playing her. He obviously knew Rowan wasn't a creep and saw the perfect opportunity to cause chaos. Aelin scowls at him, and that spark grows brighter. It's moments like this she wonders why she ever missed her cousin in the first place.

Aedion tugs the box out of her grasp and smiles. "Wow. This is perfect timing. Vaughn and Fen were just talking about making breakfast for dinner." He looks at Aelin and forces a frown. "If I'd known you were coming, I would have invited you, but it would kind of be rude to bring a guest now."

"What?" Aelin sputters. She drove all this way, and he was really going to ditch her? It was embarrassing, but tears prickled at the edges of her eyes. He was an ass, but she obviously came because she missed him, and he didn't even care? She really thought they were closer than that.

"Yeah. Sorry, Lin." Aedion points at Rowan, who was just standing to the side, thoroughly uncomfortable. Yet, despite the awkwardness, he hadn't left. "Hey, you owe me one for creeping on my little cousin. Earn my trust back and see that she has something for dinner and gets to her car safely? She has my phone number, one bad text, and your ass is grass."

Aedion tosses her a wink, and it's all Aelin can do to keep from outright gaping. Rowan looks stunned, his eyes darting between the two Ashryvver's. They settle on Aelin for a moment too long. Some of the tension eases from his shoulders, and he smiles. "I think I can manage that."

"Good." Aedion turns back up the stairs pats the box. "Thanks for bringing it to me, Lin. I'll call you tomorrow, don't send me to voicemail."

Just like that, her cousin, a walking, talking agent-of-chaos, disappears back to wherever he came from.

"So," Rowan starts, "If you want, I know a perfect Italian place we could swing by, my treat seeing as I plowed into you."

Aelin frowns and fiddles with the end of her necklace. "You aren't upset that I lied?"

"You didn't lie." Rowan chuckles, a deep sound that sends a shiver of delight down Aelin's spine. "You don't go here."

Aelin tilts her head as if she's deeply considering the offer. "I suppose it couldn't hurt. What's good there?"

"They have an awesome kabob." Rowan tugs his towel tighter. "It's my favorite."

It's Aelin's turn to laugh. "Isn't that just meat on a stick?"

"Let's go, and I can show you how profoundly wrong you are," he moves to take a step down, but Aelin stops him with a hand to the shoulder. "What is it?"

Aelin points to his towel, "I don't think they will serve guests without pants."

The flush that Aelin loves his back full force as he scrambles the other direction up the stairs. "Shit. Give me five minutes. I'll be right back. Aedion better have not locked out or I swear-"

Rowan's embarrassed tirade quiets as he charges up to his dorm to change. Aelin smiling as he goes. She can't believe she's going out to dinner with a guy like that.

Opening her phone, she sends a quick heart emoji to her cousin. He instantly replies back with one of his own. Aedion may have moved to college, but he still had her back at the end of the day. Even if it wasn't in the most ideal way.

Rowan comes back down the stairs moments later, and she's not disappointed by what she sees. He took the time to put on a flannel shirt and comb some gel through his hair. While the view without clothes had been pleasant, Aelin could definitely appreciate this look too.

"I'm ready if you are," Rowan extends an arm to help her down the stairs.

It's such a fussy, old-man move, and she loves it.

"Let's go."

[major-trouble]

For the fic title thing:

Home for the season

Hello friend!!! Thank-you for your patience pls enjoy

Home for the Season

The airport had been so crowded when they landed. It had taken nearly an hour to get through customs, and another to get their luggage, fighting through throngs of hyperactive children and exhausted parents.

At least finding their car had been relatively easy. Long term parking was a conveniently short complimentary bus ride away from the main terminal. It was quiet. The night had crept up and extinguished the lingering evening, the stars just starting to become visible against the velvet blackness.

Valdo pulled the keys from his pocket, unlocking their car and releasing the latch on the trunk before stowing his bags inside. He waited as Jaskier did the same, though slower and with a great deal more sighing.

At least he wasn't complaining anymore. The younger man had moved past tired into deep exhaustion, and he barely grumbled as he pointed all the available heat vents directly at his face as he settled into the passenger seat.

The tour had been draining for both of them, but Jaskier - the lead singer and therefore face of their band - had spent so much time smiling and shaking hands and hugging people and talking that Valdo didn't entirely blame him for his silence now. It made him a little jealous, though, that their fans got so much of him and he was left with this quiet, tired version of the normally gregarious character.

Not that he minded a little quiet, now and then, but they were home for the winter break now. And he'd been hoping, maybe a little selfishly, that they could spend time together as friends, instead of band mates.

"You're sulking," Jaskier’s voice startled Valdo out of his thoughts.

"I am not," he retorted, squeezing the steering wheel and desperately wishing the car would hurry up and defog enough for him to see out the windows. "You're confusing me with you."

Jaskier made a derogatory snorting noise. "No, I can tell you're sulking because your forehead is all wrinkly and your lips look like a pursed asshole."

"I - ! What the fu - ?" Valdo sputtered. Jaskier just huffed a laugh. "Oh shut up, you complete and utter tit." He rubbed his hands together, hoping against hope that the air would warm up faster. "I'm tired and I want to go home," he added, sounding petulant even to his own ears.

"Me too," Jaskier sighed, looking out the condensation-clouded window. He smiled suddenly. "Do you think it'll be like last time? That Lambert and Eskel will have tried to stay up and have fallen asleep on top of each other again?"

Valdo couldn't help but grin at the memory. He shook his head. "No - I don't think they'll let themselves be caught in such a compromising situation a second time."

Jaskier barked a laugh. "True. I guess I should have used a washable marker instead of sharpy."

Finally, the fog on the windows had lifted enough for Valdo to see where he was driving without killing anyone and he put the car into gear, pulling out of the lot and making his way towards the highway.

They drove in companionable silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts, before Jaskier spoke again.

"I want you to come to my parents' place for Yuletide this year."

The statement was said with such nonchalance it took Valdo off guard and he nearly drove them into a ditch. He gripped the wheel a little tighter as his brain came back online.

"You what?" he squeaked.

"Come with me. To me parents'. For Yuletide." Jaskier spoke slowly, like that would help Valdo parse the words better.

"But your parents don't like me! They think I'm the whole reason you got into this whole band thing in the first place! They said - and I quote - 'That Valdo is a bad influence and will never amount to anything. Musicians are a plague.' And you want me to what exactly? Make nice with them?"

"Well, when you put it like that…" Jaskier trailed off. "I don't think they actually hate you." He paused and Valdo glanced over to see him smiling wickedly. "Besides, Lambert will be there too. It's not like he's going to let them get away with insulting his boyfriend."

Valdo took a moment to think about what that would look like and started laughing.

"Okay. Okay! Fine. I suppose I could join you and your family on their country estate for the holidays." He said it in the most snooty tone he could conjure. "But," he swallowed, not entirely sure how to phrase his next question. "But - "

"Why now?" Jaskier supplied. "Because you're my friend. And I - I regret that I don't get to be that for you enough." He sat up a little higher in his seat so he could look at Valdo more fully. "Touring is great and I'd never give it up - fuck knows Essi and Pris would hate me forever if I did and don't even get me started on Yen - "

Valdo nodded at the mention of their other bandmates and terrifying manager.

"But we've been friends since grade school and I miss just being, I don't know. Just being us, I guess."

Silence descended again as Valdo mulled over his words. It would have been easy to dismiss them out of hand, and he would have if it had been broad daylight and not the murky depths of deepest night, but they struck a chord with his own thoughts.

Still. "You're a huge sap, you know that?" he grinned. Before Jaskier could protest, he added, "And yeah. Me too."

Jaskier drew breath to speak again and Valdo slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Don't ruin it."

He glared at Valdo but subsided, and they drove the rest of the way back to their shared flat in the quiet, no sound but the hum of the tires on pavement.

[farfromsugafanfic]

Lock & Key

Genre: Best Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Angst

Pairing: Jungkook/Reader

Warnings: cursing, dirty jokes

Synopsis: When Jungkook ditches you on your birthday, your friendship looks like it’s about to crumble. Your friend group becomes tired of your bickering and decides to take the matter into their own hands. Somehow, you and Jungkook find yourselves handcuffed together.

"Have you guys found a present for Y/N yet?" Jin asked, picking up his third pizza slice and taking a large bite, the cheese stretching as he pulled it away from his lips.

"You haven't gotten it yet? Her birthday dinner is tomorrow," Taehyung said. His eyes were tired, but he'd still insisted on joining the party despite having just gotten off a long train ride, as he hadn't seen his friends from high school for months. "I got her the first two manga in that series she's been wanting to read."

"Mmm," Jin said, seeming to consider Taehyung's choice of gift. "I need mine to be really special. He finished his pizza to the crust and turned it 180 degrees and bit into the end. "Jungkook, you're closest to Y/N. What are you getting her?"

Jungkook turned, wide-eyed towards Jin. The younger's face was already a bit flushed from the beers and from the mention of your name. "I'm paying for her part of the meal tomorrow and I got her tickets to that musical that's only in town for one night."

"Woah, that's gonna be hard to beat," Jimin said, "Y/N hasn't stopped talking about that musical since they announced it. Remember how she went crazy over it in the group chat?"

"I'm sure Y/N will like whatever you get her," Jungkook said. "She isn't very picky and she'll appreciate it because it came from you."

"I know. I just have something special planned and I want it to be perfect." The six other guys looked to the eldest expectantly. Jin sighed. "Gosh, fine, I'll tell you. I plan on confessing to her tomorrow."

"What? You like Y/N?! Since when?"

"Woah, congrats man!"

"You'll make such a cute couple."

The group fell to chaos, but Jungkook was notably the least excited. At the mention of Jin's plans, he sunk back against the wall and took a large bite of his pizza, followed by a gulp of beer.

"I'm not sure when I started liking her," Jin said. "I just kind of realized that I do. I figured we are friends and I'll regret it if I don't give it a shot."

"Are you sure her birthday is the best time to confess?" Jungkook asked, finally piping up. "What if things don't go well and you ruin it? Are you going to do it in front of everyone?"

"I thought about it and I'm going to wait until after the meal. Maybe I'll be able to steal her away for a few moments after she opens our gifts."

Jungkook's nose wrinkled and he was obviously unsatisfied with the answer. Yet, he dropped it and reached for another slice of pizza. "Why does it matter to you Jungkook? It's not like we all still won't hang out or that you'll never see her."

"Y/N's been hurt before. I'm sure you remember how upset she was after Minsung. I had to sleep in her bed for two weeks because she'd wake up crying. I never want her to feel that hurt again."

"Jungkook, I won't hurt her. She's more likely to hurt me. Why do you care so much about her heart being broken anyway? You're not the one who broke it and you aren't responsible for fixing it. Y/N's a big girl, she can handle herself."

Jungkook pouted. "I have to pee," he said, standing up and leaving the room, carrying his pizza slice with him.

vVv

An array of appetizers were spread across the table, a few bites taken from each. You were just waiting on the last three to show up: Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook. You expected them to come together as they had been nearly inseparable in high school. As Jin finished off one of the appetizers, you spotted Jimin and Taehyung walking in. You got up and rushed towards them.

"Happy birthday!" Jimin and Taehyung said, nearly tripping each other as they ran to hug you. "It's been too long, Y/N!" The two boys had moved out of the city for college and you rarely got to see them. You didn't know what you do if Jungkook--your best friend--had gone with them.

"I'm so glad you guys could make it! Come on and sit down, we're just waiting on Jungkook."

The appetizers were gone and the missing chair at the table remained. Worry grew in your throat and you glanced down at your phone for the umpteenth time to see if he had texted you. Even, just a simple "Running late!" or "Stuck in traffic!" would calm your nerves.

"Have you guys heard from Jungkook at all?"

The other guys all shook their heads and gave you sympathetic looks. You'd put off ordering, but it'd been nearly an hour since most of you arrived and you didn't want to keep the staff waiting any longer. "All right, let's order."

"I'm sure he just got stuck in traffic or something, Y/n," Jin said, reaching out and tapping your hand.

Your heart dropped as you read his last reply. You felt tears stinging your eyes, but you pushed them back before the other guys could notice.

"He's not coming," you said.

"What?" you heard someone ask, but you were too focused on not allowing your spiraling thoughts ruin your birthday and holding back tears to register who it was.

"He said he got a date or something. I don't know, but come on, we can enjoy this without him."

Due to the solemn looks on their faces, you knew they saw right through your facade. You and Jungkook had been best friends since elementary school where he accidentally trampled you when he was racing his friends. Despite ending up with a badly skinned knee and a couple of bruises, you were fine, but Jungkook had insisted on taking you to the nurse's office anyway. He pretended to sprain his ankle just so he could sit and keep you company.

What had happened since then? You'd never felt like your friendship was dwindling when it came to Jungkook. Whenever either of you dated, it didn't make a difference. High school graduation didn't separate you. Not even when Jungkook forced you to a haunted house in high school and laughed when he saw the stain on your jeans and realized you'd peed your pants in fright.

Despite ignoring for Overwatch or coming to your apartment just for the free food, he always ended up doing small things to make up for it. You often found chocolate bars stashed in the odd drawer or cupboard to make up for all the food he steals. After he finished laughing, Jungkook allowed you to wear his sweatshirt to cover it and bought you new jeans. You still had that sweatshirt stashed in your closet somewhere.

vVv

The tears stopped by the end of dinner, but now anger ran down your spine. How dare he skip your birthday for someone he just met? He'd never done anything like this before, he was the one person in this world that you could depend on, and now he's not. You feel a pang of sadness in your stomach and reach out for your portion of the bill, which Jungkook had promised to pay for.

"Stop," Jin said, reaching for the bill you'd just barely wrapped your fingertips around. "You're not paying. We'll split yours." You nodded, powerless to the eldest's tone.

After the bill was paid, everyone got up and starting readying to leave. You had taken a taxi, expecting Jungkook to take you home afterward. Jin seemed to notice, his brown eyes melting when they met yours.

"Hey, come on, I'll walk you home."

You nodded and waved goodbye to the other guys as you all walked in opposite directions or climbed into taxis. You didn't catch the other guys thumbs upping Jin and giving him reassuring smiles.

"Thanks for coming," you said. "Even though it kinda got ruined."

"I'll always come, Y/N."

"Oh, when I get a hold of his bunny ass--"

"Go easy on him, Y/N. I'm sure he has a better reason than he told you."

"He better be on his death bed then."

Jin let out a snort, which caused you to smile, but the smile soon faded and so did the fake happiness the anger made you feel. Now you just felt hopeless and felt the tears stinging in your sinuses again.

"Do," you said, already your voice faltering. "you think I'm still enough?"

Jin stopped. "What do you mean?"

"Am I still enough for him? Maybe he found a better friend," you said, your gaze painting the sidewalk. "I mean, I always rely on him. He's always my shoulder to cry on. Maybe he finally got tired of it. Got tired of me."

Jin placed a hand on your shoulder. It felt odd, as Jin wasn't one for skinship, but his touch was comforting, even if you were imagining it was Jungkook's. Except you couldn't, Jungkook's touch was old, familiar, warm. Like the fireplace at your grandparent's house or when your car is completely heated on a snowy day. Jin's--sure, it was warm--but it wasn't Jungkook.

"No, no, of course not," Jin said, moving to hug you, your cheek hitting his chest. "That could never happen. You and Jungkook have been friends for years. If he was gonna get tired of you, he would've already."

You scoffed, half in laughter and half in fear. "Thanks."

"Okay, but seriously, Jungkook cares about you. A lot." Jin paused and sighed. You looked up, noticing his eyes weren't on you, but rather he was looking up. His eyes looked glazed, but you didn't remember him having any drinks. "He wouldn't allow himself to lose you, Y/N. Trust me."

The rest of the walk was filled with a comfortable silence. It was only a few more blocks from where you'd stopped, so you reached your apartment in just a few minutes.

"Thanks for walking with me," you said. "Sorry, I got kinda sad halfway through."

Jin shook his head and reached to move a piece of your ponytail that had escaped from the hairband and fallen roguishly over your head.

"You don't need to apologize for your feelings, Y/N. Just promise me you won't kill the kid. I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding."

You nodded, although you weren't convinced that Jungkook didn't now hate you for reasons you didn't know.

"Thanks," you said. "For everything."

Jin nodded. "You're welcome." He turned and walked into the night and you turned your back before he disappeared.

vVv

"How did the confession go?" Jimin asked, as soon as Jin walked into the small apartment he shared with Yoongi, which was now cramped with six bodies.

"It didn't."

Jimin and the other faces in the room all contorted in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't confess."

"But, why? Wasn't that your plan? Don't you like her?"

"She loves someone else," Jin said, his voice deeper than usual, his heartbreak captured in the back of his throat. "And, someone else loves her."

vVv

Two Days Later

You hadn't heard anything from Jungkook since the night of your birthday and you weren't sure what hurt more--the fact that he didn't care enough to explain himself or that he had seemingly replaced you. His Instagram was full of stories and posts of him with the girl you assumed was the one he skipped your birthday for. She was beautiful with large dark eyes and curly hair. His arm was around her shoulders and then eventually her waist. He must really like her because you remember how it took Jungkook nearly two years just to feel comfortable placing an arm around you.

You huffed and threw your phone onto your bed as you ran your hands through your hair. You were still mad, but you didn't want to lose your best friend. You remembered Taehyung mentioning how all the guys were getting together for Overwatch.

You hardly thought as you headed towards Jin's and Yoongi's apartment--the largest of the apartments belonging to those in your friend group.

You didn't bother knocking as you entered the apartment. You found the seven guys all crowded onto two couches and watching Taehyung and Jungkook. They didn't notice you until you slipped in and placed your hand  on Jimin's shoulder—who jumped at your touch.

"Y/N!"

All seven heads turned to look at you. Most breaking into smiles and friendly greetings and offering you snacks.

"What are you doing here?" Jungkook asked, his voice breaking through the revelry. He was normally so soft-spoken, but at this moment, his voice grated through the air.

"I was hoping we could talk."

"You weren't invited here."

Your stomach turned. He'd never spoken to you like this, ever. Jungkook was normally the happiest when you showed up unannounced.

"Since when do I need an invitation, Jungkook? This is Jin and Yoongi's place, not yours."

Jungkook didn't respond but instead unpaused the game. Taehyung barely had time to close his mouth from watching the two of you that he fumbled with the controller as he realized Jungkook had restarted the game.

"Oh, so you're just gonna ignore me then?"

You rolled your eyes at how typical this was of all your ex-boyfriends. Towards the end of the relationship, they always ignored you for something else. Sometimes it was someone else, others it was their job. And yet, others, it was video games.

Jungkook had been there with you for all of these failed relationships. He said you deserved someone better, someone, who would never leave you or ignore you. You thought he was the only constant in your life, the one person who would never leave you, but now, he was just like all the rest.

Tears stung your sinuses. You dug your feet into the carpet and grabbed onto the back of the couch, trying to focus on the game. The guys had gone back to talking amongst themselves, eating, and watching the game. Yet, the air felt different, you caught concerned glances flicking your way and Jin silently offered you a slice of pizza which you declined, only eliciting another puppy-eyed look from the eldest of the group.

Jungkook was close to winning and the tears were soon beginning to simmer and your hands balled into fists. Before you could think or stop yourself, you marched around the couch and reached for the cord that was connected to the Xbox. The screen went black and all the eyes in the room shifted to you.

"Y/N?! What the fuck?!" Jungkook said, his voice rising. "I was about to win!"

"Jungkook, we need to talk and you're being an asshole."

Jungkook's ears were red and his eyes hard as steel. "This is ridiculous, Y/N. You came here uninvited to talk to me and when I go back to playing games because that's what I'm here for, you unplugged the system and demand I talk to you. And, I'm the asshole?"

You wanted to scream and pull your hair out. Yet, the thing you wanted most was to cry into Jungkook's oversized, black T-shirt because you knew it smelled of his cologne.

"Jungkook, you skipped my birthday party and you said we could talk about it, but it's been two days and I just want my best friend back."

"Y/N, why can't you just take the hint you're not wanted? This was supposed to be a guy's night and now you've had to come in here and ruin everything. You're way too clingy, like, this is why they always leave you."

"Jungkook!" Jin said.

You barely registered as the other boys chastised Jungkook as your vision blurred from the tears. You swore you saw his face soften before your eyes were totally filled with tears, but you couldn't be sure.

"Y/N," Jin said. You felt his hand come to rest gently on your shoulder. "Come on, I'll take you home."

vVv

A few days later you found yourself standing outside of Jungkook's apartment. You knew Taehyung and Jimin were staying with him, so you secretly hoped one of them would open the door.

The hallway was silent and dimly lit. It felt like midnight despite being noon. You softly knocked on the door, the sound--while quiet--seemed to echo down the hallway. You weren't sure what you were going to do or say when he opened the door. You were only sure that you missed the way he used to show up at your place at midnight with ice cream sandwiches or the way he let you borrow his sweatshirts when you were cold or couldn't sleep.

Thirty seconds passed and you knocked again. Firmer this time, each knock ringing out in the empty hallway.

"Jungkookie," you said softly.

You heard footsteps on the other side of the door. They were faint, but you recognized them from when he slept over at your apartment when you were sick or going through a rough time.

You listened as the door unlocked and slowly opened. He only opened the door a crack, just enough to peak out, as if you were an unknown person knocking on his door. As if you didn't know the layout of his apartment or that he kept all his mess concentrated to the common areas and his bedroom immaculate.

"Y/N...what are you doing here?"

His voice was softer than the last time you spoke. You knew Jin had told Jungkook how much you cried as he took you home and how you didn't answer his texts all night.

"I just wanted to see you," you said. "We don't have to talk or anything. I just miss you."

Jungkook didn't say anything. His eyes scanning over you. Your hair was unwashed and pulled into a bun and you wore sweatpants and a T-shirt. Dark circles outlined your eyes and even though it had only been a few days, your face looked thinner and your skin languid.

Another set of footsteps approached and the door swung open wider. Taehyung stood there in just his boxers and munching on a piece of toast. His eyes widened when he saw you and he glanced over at Jungkook, who's eyes were looking down at your feet.

"Hey, stop being a dick and let her in."

"Put on some clothes then," Jungkook said, his voice quiet and low, almost a growl. He swung the door all the way open and disappeared into his apartment.

Taehyung met your eyes and shrugged. He offered a small smile as you walked into the apartment. You hadn't brought anything with you, not sure exactly what would happen.

"I won't stay long," you said. "I just wanted to see him."

"At least have breakfast with me," he said, dropping two pieces of bread into the toaster.

You nodded and fell onto the couch. You'd done this countless times. At 4 in the morning after a night out, you'd collapse on Jungkook's couch still in your heels and your makeup slowly wearing off. You usually woke up the next morning in Jungkook's bed, your heels set by the door and your makeup at least mostly wiped off. At 6 pm as you leaned against Jungkook's shoulder as the movie started, your hand diving into the popcorn bowl in his lap. Most of your favorite memories happened on his couch.

"I hope you like Nutella," Tae said, handing you a piece of toast.

You laughed. "I love it," you said. "How do you stay so fit eating like this?"

Taehyung was still in his boxers. While he didn't have a six pack, he certainly wasn't hard to look at and the slight toning of his stomach showed he was putting in some effort.

"I'll gain five pounds just from eating this," you said, and despite your words, you took a large bite.

"Then you should have another," Jungkook said from the other side of the room. You hadn't noticed him there, he must've slipped in when Taehyung distracted you with the toast. "You're getting too skinny."

"I didn't ask you, Jungkook," you said. You crossed your arms over your chest and sat back, your toast abandoned on the arm of the couch.

"I'm just worried about you."

"Since when? When you stopped texting me? Or, when you ditched my birthday party for someone you just met?"

Jungkook's eyes turned soft in the way that would usually make you melt. But, you kept your eyes off of his and your spine straight.

"Y/N..."

"Listen, Jungkook, I might've come here cause I missed you, but that doesn't mean I've forgiven you."

Jungkook didn't say anything. Silence filled the apartment and after what felt like an eternity, he left to his bedroom.

"Are you okay?" Taehyung asked.

You nodded. "I think I just need a nap or something. I'm getting a headache." You looked around the apartment. There was only one bedroom and both Taehyung and Jimin were staying with Jungkook during their visit. "Where are you sleeping?"

Taehyung nodded and gestured toward the couch. "There," he said.

"Oh," you said. "Can I borrow it for an hour or so?"

"Be my guest. But, you know, even though you two are fighting and all, I bet Jungkook would let you have the bed."

You shook your head. "No," you said. "I'm not asking him for any favors and the couch looks more comfortable anyway."

Taehyung shrugged. You laid down and turned your back to him, missing the knowing smile as he cleaned up. You listened as he cleaned up and got dressed before leaving the apartment. It wasn't long before the tears came and you sobbed into the couch cushion as quietly as you could. The last thing you wanted was for Jungkook to emerge from his bedroom and find you like this.

He'd seen you cry dozens of times and you'd even held him as he sobbed into you. You didn't mind crying in front of him, but you knew it would destroy him to see you like this and to know he was the cause. Even if you mad at him, even if you were losing him, you didn't want to crush him.

You didn't remember falling asleep, but when you awoke, his scent was everywhere. You pressed your face into the pillow and stretched out your legs comfortably. You sighed until a thought crossed your mind. Pillow?

You opened your eyes and found yourself in Jungkook's bedroom. It was dark and the covers were pulled up to your chin. Jungkook wasn't in the room and from the empty feeling in the air, he wasn't in the apartment either. Your phone was next to you on the nightstand and plugged into Jungkook's charger.

You glanced at the time and realized your nap had lasted three times longer than you anticipated and you sat in bed as you realized that you probably needed to go home. However, before you could pull your eyes away from your lock screen, a text notification from a couple of hours ago caught your attention.

vVv

"Hey, sorry, I'm late," Taehyung said, walking into Jin and Yoongi's apartment where the other five boys were already crowded on the twin couches. "Y/N showed up at Jungkook's and I needed to see what happened."

The others all looked at Taehyung expectantly. "Jungkook doesn't know about this, right?"

"We didn't tell him."

Taehyung nodded. "Well, they're definitely in love with each other. Jungkook was jealous as hell and Y/N's heartbroken. I could practically see Jungkook splitting in half when he realized how upset she was."

"Well, didn't you all notice how when she started crying after he got mad at her for unplugging the Xbox, how he just broke? I don't think he cared about the game anymore, but then Jin swooped in and stopped it before he could apologize."

All eyes swiped towards Jin and he shrugged. "What? She was to the point of crying. I didn't know what he was going to do and I didn't want to upset either of them more."

"Does he know that you never confessed?"

Jin shook his head. "He never asked."

"Jin!" all the guys said at one.

"That would change everything! He probably thinks you and Y/N are together."

"It's pretty obvious we're not."

"I don't know the way you intervened during the fight and walked her home. It could be seen as you protecting her."

"Well, whatever, what's the plan? We have to get them to make up somehow. And confess, cause they're gonna drive us crazy pining after each other." Jin looked around at the other faces and all of them were, in turn, watching him.

"Well, we need to force them to be alone somehow," Namjoon said. "We could try locking them somewhere, but that's gonna be difficult cause the party is here and none of the doors lock." Eyes wandered as they tried to find a solution and eventually, Jin's eyes fell on the TV where a cartoon cop was catching a criminal, the handcuffs snapping down on the culprit's wrists.

"I think I might have an idea."

vVv

Taehyung and Jimin were taking the train back to their college town in the morning, so that meant you'd all spend the night before getting drunk and gorging yourselves on all the pizza you could.

Jin and Yoongi offered to host the party and a few of their neighbors offered up their apartments so everyone could spread out. You all invited your extended friends and neighbors if everyone came, you didn't doubt the party would probably get out of hand, but that was half the fun.

As you brushed on your blush and primped your hair for the final time, you felt butterflies in your stomach. Jungkook was going to be there. There was no way he would miss out on a good party and the opportunity for free food and drinks.

You wore a short white dress that was admittedly a little shorter than you would normally wear. But, with Jungkook ignoring you, you wanted attention and you didn't really care who it was from. Plus, you liked the way it hugged your curves and how when paired with the perfect heels, made your legs look longer.

You arrived a few minutes early to the party with the expectation of helping set up, but the party was already in full swing. When the elevator opened, people crowded the hall with cups in hand and music blasting from Jin and Yoongi's apartment. At this rate, the cops would be called in a couple hours, unless Jin and Yoongi had talked to all their neighbors beforehand, but you highly doubted it.

You waded through the bodies and found your friends all invested in a game of beer pong. The younger three on one end and the older four on the other. The older ones were currently winning and you smirked as you remembered just how good Yoongi was at the game.

"Need help?" you asked, placing your arm around Taehyung's shoulders, the heels allowing you to do so easier, although it still looked slightly awkward.

"Ah, finally! Someone who can rival Yoongi!"

You laughed, trying not to allow your eyes to wander over to Jungkook who was standing closer to you than he had for weeks. "Who's turn is it?"

"Yours if you want."

You nodded and walked up to the table. You angled your arm and aimed for one of the back cups, even if you missed, it may still land in one of the front cups that remained. You tossed the ping pong ball and it sailed perfectly into the cup.

"Yes! Drink up, Min Yoongi!"

Yoongi smirked and took the cup and downed it. You two had played this game countless time, both won and lost countless times, to the point that it was no longer about winning, but rather, who could get the other drunk quicker.

Yoongi aimed his shot and tossed it flawlessly into the cup right in front of you. You took out the ball and downed the cup. The beer was pretty much tasteless which meant it went down easily but left a bad taste in the back of your throat.

After a few shots back and forth, you had drunk twice more and Yoongi once. You were aiming up another shot, intending to tie it up when you felt a hand on your shoulder. You looked behind you and caught Jungkook's eyes.

"Are you gonna let us play?"

"Do you want to win or not?" you said, turning back and aiming up your shot. You were already a little tipsy and your head ached as you concentrated.

"Y/N, it'll be no fun to get drunk so early," he said. "Come on." His voice was soft and familiar. He'd done this dozens of times. Prevented you from getting too drunk or going home with the wrong guy. He brought you back when the alcohol began to take over. This time--however--you turned away and aimed the ball. Missing.

Yoongi tosses the ball in what appears to be a haphazard fashion, but it sinks straight into a cup. You pick it up and bring it to your lips, but before you can drink, the cup is being knocked from your hands and the beer spills almost entirely onto your dress.

You see Jungkook staring at you wide-eyed--the obvious culprit--his hand still gripping the cup.

"Jungkook!" you yelled, people turned in your direction, but your yell was soon forgotten as the music continued. All but your small group turned back to their own conversations. "Would you stop trying to be my friend? You made it quite obvious you no longer wanted our friendship and you just keep screwing everything up!"

"Y/N, I..."

Tears were beginning to fill your eyes and the only thing you wanted to do was get drunk and forget this night happened. You stepped forward to push through the crowd when someone grabbed your wrist. You knew from the touch that it wasn't Jungkook and when you glanced back, Jin's lips were upturned in a small smile.

"Wait, Y/N," he said. "I'm really sorry about this."

You cocked your head in confusion, but before your lips could form words to ask Jin what he was apologizing for you felt something click onto your wrist and found a handcuff locked around your wrist and you noticed the other was locked to another wrist. You followed the chain and met Jungkook's dark, confused eyes.

"Have fun, kids. We aren't unlocking you until you talk everything out."

vVv

Ten minutes later you stood in the kitchen as Jungkook tried to work a kitchen knife into the lock. The beer was slowly making your dress more and more see-through and you glanced around the room.

"Jungkook, can we try this somewhere else?"

He looked up at you with his brows furrowed in confusion. You hadn't managed to say anything before his eyes widened and he quickly shrugged off his flannel. It caught on his cuff and he struggled to get the sleeve over the handcuff and chain.

"Fuck it," he said, taking the knife and cutting into the seam where the sleeve met the shoulder.

"Jungkook isn't this a bit drastic? We can just go into the bathroom or something."

"No, it's okay. I can just cut off the other one later."

He brought around the uncut sleeve and brought over your shoulder and brought the cut sleeve over the chain and up your arm. The way the flannel hit it ended up covering your entire dress and draping across your bare thighs.

As soon as you were covered and comfortable again, he once again tried to unlock the handcuffs and your hand was at his mercy as he moved the knife point back and forth in the lock.

"Jungkook, this isn't going to work. You're just gonna end up hurting one of us."

Jungkook sat the knife back on the counter looked down dejectedly at your cuffed wrists. You couldn't help the pang of hurt in your stomach. Jin had handcuffed the two of you so you would talk and all Jungkook could focus was on how to get the handcuffs off without talking.

"Maybe we can break the chain," he said. "If we both pull, our combined strength might be enough."

Your wrist was already starting to become red and raw because Jin had accidentally snapped the cuff on a little tight, but before you could protest, Jungkook began pulling on the chain.

You immediately yelped in pain and your wrist attempted to escape the pain, causing your body to fold in on itself. You found yourself crouched and leaning against the counter, your arm almost straight above your head to remain close enough to Jungkook's so that it didn't dislocate the joint.

"Y/N?" Your name was barely audible over the music and the people around you many of which shot odd glances or coy smiles your way.

"It's tight, Jungkook. Jin accidentally locked it too tight. Can--can we just go talk and get these things off?"

Jungkook nodded, seeing your teary eyes from the pain and helping you to your feet. His free palm came to rest on your shoulder and his handcuffed hand grasped your wrist and he slipped two of his fingers between your skin and the cuff. It was the first time he'd touched you since before your birthday and you felt your knees go weak and something shifted in you with his touch. The plate tectonics of your heart shifting suddenly and with no warning.

"Let's go to the bathroom, first."

You were confused as he pulled you into the bathroom and situated you against the counter. He reached into the cupboard behind you and pulled out some lotion and squirted it onto his handcuffed hand. He rubbed it softly onto your wrist where the handcuff had rubbed the skin red and raw.

"Better?"

You nodded and looked up at his face which hovered not far above yours but was focused down on your wrist. His jaw was clenched and his features were stiff. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the sleeve he'd cut from his flannel.

"I think if we roll this down we can put it between the cuff and your wrist. It might make it feel tight, but it won't hurt you so much."

He rolled the sleeve down under it was a single cuff which he carefully slipped over your hand and under the cuff. It did work, your skin feeling relieved from the lotion and the cloth, although it did still feel slightly too tight.

"Thanks," you said. "But, maybe we should get out of here. I don't want your girlfriend to get the wrong idea."

Jungkook met your eyes. "What? Girlfriend?"

"The girl you went on the date with?"

"Oh, it uh, didn't work out."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

There was a long pause as Jungkook continued to adjust the cuff to ensure it stayed. His eyes were focused on your wrist.

"I'm sorry," he said. "For saying you were clingy and bringing your exes into this. I'm sorry for everything."

You looked down at him, your free hand coming to play with the hairs that grew around his ears. His hair was longer than you'd ever seen it and you smiled as he seemed to lean into your hand.

Jungkook finished adjusting the cuff and looked up at you. "I think Yoongi's room is empty. He didn't want people in there, but I bet he won't mind if it's us."

You nodded and followed closely behind Jungkook as you walked through the crowd to Yoongi's bedroom. It--like Jungkook had said--was empty. The two of you flopped down on the bed and despite laying a foot apart your fingers continued to brush against each other as you adjusted your wrists in the cuffs.

"I can't figure out why Jin handcuffed us," Jungkook said. The music was just a series of thumps now and even though it was still loud, you could no longer make out the lyrics and could hear Jungkook's voice without him having to raise it. "I thought he wouldn't want us to hang out anymore."

"What?" you asked. "Why would Jin care if we hang out?"

Jungkook turned and looked at you. His hair was wet from sweat and his hair curled in thick tendrils over his forehead. "Aren't you and Jin dating?"

"What? No! Jin and I are just friends. What makes you think that?"

"Jin told me he was gonna confess to you at your party."

Jungkook pulled his gaze from you and focused up at the ceiling. You thought back on that night. Jin had been acting more generous and gentlemanly that night, but you just chalked it up to it being your birthday.

"I didn't even know he liked me. Is that why you've been avoiding me? You thought I was with Jin and you didn't want to interfere?"

"That's part of it."

"What's the other part of it?"

His eyes came back to yours and you felt his fingers brushing against yours. But, it wasn't just the millisecond brushes as he adjusted. No, his fingers were practically intertwined with yours.

"Y/N, we've been friends so long...I don't want to ruin it..."

"Jungkook, it's already ruined."

There was a long tense silence between the of you. His fingers fully intertwined with yours. It was far from the first time you'd held his hand, but it felt different. It was softer, yet more intense at the same time. As if your hand were porcelain that could break at even the slightest touch.

Jungkook moved so quickly that you have no idea how he came to hover above you. His free arm resting above his head and the one handcuffed to you still intertwined with yours to the side. "What would've happened if Jin had confessed to you?"

"Kookie?"

"What would've happened?"

"I-I would've turned him down."

"Why?"

"Cause I'm in love with someone else."

His lips were on your before you even finished the sentence. He was gentle but urgent as if he'd been waiting two thousand years to kiss you.

"I'm still mad at you for skipping my birthday party," you said when he pulled away. "I don't care if you're in love with me, your cute ass still has a lot of making up to do."

Jungkook smiled as he leaned down placed a small kiss on your neck. "Well, I never got to give you my gift."

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out two tickets. You grabbed them from his hands and you smiled as you realized it was for the musical you'd been dying to see.

"It's tomorrow," he said. "Pretty good first date, yeah?"

"Hey, don't get cocky yet!" It was hard for you to hide your smile and you didn't want to give him the satisfaction, so, you just leaned up and kissed him.

vVv

You woke up the next morning enveloped in Jungkook's arms and his one-armed flannel. You looked up to see him scrolled through his phone, but when you squirmed, he looked down at you.

"Good morning, baby," he said.

"That sounds so weird."

"What, baby?" He smirked and giggled as you reached up and playfully hit his shoulder.

"Wait," you said, looking at your unbound wrist. You looked down and found the handcuffs on the bed. "They must've uncuffed us last night."

"I hadn't even realized," he said. A blush appeared on his face. "I didn't want to let go of your hand."

"Aww," you said, reaching up and ruffling his hair. "You're such a softie."

Jungkook smirked and grabbed your wrists. "Hey, I'm not completely a softie."

He held your wrists and glanced down at the handcuffs. "Maybe, we should keep these."

[spir1tfar3r]

Eighteen

Summary: Having pretty strict parents, you decided you’ve had enough. So you did something you’d never thought you’d do, you moved in with your best friend Rintarou Suna to piss them off. But you didn’t realize he was developing feelings for you.

Warnings: terribly written angst, underage drinking. I think that’s it?

Words: 1650

a/n: This is a repost from my old account

Masterlist | Haikyuu server | Ao3

18, crazy. Pulled up in your daddy's car. You wanna move in with me. Guess we're off to a heavy start

Suna couldn’t believe it. You, his best friend, stood at his door at 11 pm, asking to move in with him. You visiting would never bother him but you had never come this late within the day. He even noticed that you weren’t in the car he grew familiar with. Clearly meaning your parents had gotten upset with you and took your car, that you bought yourself, away again.

“You want to do what?” He asked, his voice a bit raspy from being woken up. Suna didn’t really wait for you to answer, moving away from the door and allowing you to step inside with your bag and closing the door behind you.

“I.. want to move in. Just for awhile. It’s mainly just to piss my parents off because I’m tired of them being so fucking strict all the time.” You sounded so unbelievably causal about this whole situation, Suna could’ve sworn you’ve done this before.

“So… you came to me why?” He asked, leading you to the spare bedroom. You had a tendency of staying in there whenever you two hung out, always worried about bothering him if you stayed in his room. He never minded. Why would he? You were his best friend and he’d do anything for you. And you knew that too well.

“Because you’re my best friend and I didn’t really have anyone else. My dad doesn’t like any of my friends.” You replied, setting your things onto the bed as Suna carefully leaned into the doorframe. He watched you curiously, not sure why this would have anything to do with him. They hated him the most from what you’ve told him.

‘Oh’ he thought. Finally realizing you were trying to make them super pissed off with you.

He didn’t care though. He would always jokingly kiss your cheek to piss them off himself. But he wasn’t sure if you moving in was the smartest idea. Sensing some hesitation, you turned towards him. “Suna please? I promise it won’t be temporary. Just for a few months”

It’s like you knew what you did to him. He sighed, way too tired to argue with you. “Yeah fine. I’m going to bed.” He muttered, turning and leaving the room to give you privacy and get some rest. This was going to a rough couple of months.

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

If long hair and tattoos are what attract you baby then you’re in luck

“Are you sure getting a tattoo is smart?” Suna asked as you looked through a book full of tattoos. You didn't answer however, humming in response to his question.

He knew what you meant so he sighed, feeling a little uneasy about it. Suna had gotten a few tattoos at this point but your parents refused to let you even think about getting one. After a couple of minutes you set down the book and turned towards him. He raised an eyebrow, already having a bad feeling when he saw the look in your eyes.

“Can we get a matching tattoo? I want a small volleyball but I’m kind of nervous to get one alone.” You felt bad asking him to get a matching tattoo, knowing that it would suck having if you two ever stopped being friends. Suna however didn’t really look bothered by it. In fact he nodded to your idea.

“May as well. I was getting another tattoo anyway.” He replied and you smiled, giving him a brief hug before you both were called to get your tattoos.

**

“Suna look!! They’re so cute!!” You said, showing him the little volleyball that was on the inside of your wrist. He laughed, never seeing someone that excited about getting their tattoo and you could feel the butterflies in your stomach.

“Congratulations on getting your first tattoo. You better let me pick your next one.” Suna said as he paid for the tattoos. You smiled as he took your hand and led you out of the tattoo parlor.

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

Suna realized he was in love with you in the third week of you living with him. He had come home from volleyball practice and saw you asleep at the table, your homework around you. Normally he’d wake you up and make fun of you for falling asleep but tonight was different.

You looked so peaceful and he couldn't think about waking you up. He gently put his bag onto the ground by the door, taking off his shoes in the process. He tried his hardest to make sure to close the door as quietly as possible but the soft click stirred you awake for a moment.

Realizing it was just Suna, you closed your eyes again and quickly found yourself back asleep. He thanked whatever god there was that you were too tired to stay awake. Even though it probably wouldn’t have lasted much longer from what he was going to do.

Walking over to the table, he began shutting your books and putting your stray papers in a neat pile so you wouldn’t lose them in the morning. After that was finished, he pulled the chair you were seated at out slightly. You groaned, feeling the movement so Suna had paused to let you fall back asleep.

When he knew you were out again, he carefully picked you up from the chair and carried you into your room. “Your” was a funny word to him now. So much of his home had become yours as well and he began getting used to the feeling of you being there with him.

He set you down onto the bed, making sure you were still asleep before he put the blanket you stole from him over you. “Night loser.” He mumbled as he placed a feather like kiss on your forehead and left the room. Little did he know, you woke up.

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

I drink, I smoke. You ate it up from the very start. Should've seen this coming from a mile away. I’ll play your game

“Suna!! Truth or dare!” Atsumu said, quite loudly in his drunken state.

You, Suna, Atsumu, and Osamu had decided to celebrate your acceptance letter to the university you wanted to get into. He hadn’t really drank much though. A little sad that you were going to end up leaving Japan for college. You however, we’re almost as drunk as Atsumu and he had to make sure you weren’t accidentally doing things you would regret in the morning.

“Uh… dare I guess?” He replied. The dares hadn’t really been bad. So far it was “prank call Kita”, “go ding dong ditch”, “message your ex”, and things like that. So Rin wasn’t prepared for what Atsumu dared him to do.

“I dare you to kiss Y/n.” The moment those words had left his mouth, Osamu choked on his beer, making you laugh. Atsumu had known about his crush on you so of course he had to use that against Suna now.

“They’re drunk. I’m not doing that.” He replied, feeling like shit if he took advantage of your drunk state. You rolled your eyes, moving over to him. You carefully took your best friend’s face in your hands before pressing your lips to his. Suna nearly froze, not sure what to do before he melted into the kiss, pulling you closer to him.

You pulled away first, smiling at him. “See! It wasn’t that bad!” Heading back to your original seat Suna took a drink from his beer.

You were going to be the death of him.

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

And I know it's just a phase, you’re not in love with me.

“You’re… moving out?” Suna asked as you sat on the opposite side of the table. You couldn’t even look him in the eyes. Why were you so hurt? You knew that this was only temporary. So why was it so hard?

“Yeah. I said it was only for a few months right?” You asked, laughing halfheartedly. You stopped whenever you noticed the way Suna was staring at you. He liked… hurt? That wasn’t the right word for it. He was heartbroken. The best friend he had gotten so used to being his daily routine was leaving.

Sure he could see you in school but it was almost over. You were about to graduate and leave him. Again. He didn’t say anything. Trying to process the words you had told him before he got up, giving you a very forced smile.

“Come on. I’ll help you pack.”

**

Closing your father’s car's trunk, you turned on your heel, nearly hitting Suna. You both hadn’t realized how close he had gotten so he took a step back, making sure he wasn’t in your personal space.

“Thank you for letting me stay with you. They finally realized they can’t keep forcing me to be their perfect child anymore.” Suna gave you a smile, but it was clear it wasn’t genuine like all the ones he had given you until today.

“I’m glad. Let me know if you need anything else.” He replied, opening your door for you and you nod, getting into the car. As he took a step away, you turned it on and began heading back to your parents home. Leaving your best friend alone.

As Suna got back into the house, it already felt empty without you. Rin couldn't help repeat the phrase “you were being used. This didn’t mean anything to them.” He tried to stop but it wasn’t long before his eyes began to stung and the tears began to prick at his eyes. Sinking down onto the floor in front of the door, he stared at the volleyball on his wrist, missing you so much already.

You wanna piss off your parents, baby. Piss off your parents. That's alright with me

[iammarylastar]

9. FAREWELL

"So, you're leaving without saying goodbye?"

She said, her voice like a ghost.

Shit.

Cal leaned his hand on the door frame, his forehead followed and he closed his eyes. He could feel Jess trembling behind his back, he could foresee her face soaked in tears, her sobs stuck in her chest.

Shit.

Leaving her was the hardest thing he had ever done, he doubted he could gather the strength to walk out the door, but now she was awake, crying, he knew it would be impossible.

Yet, he had to.

"Chris?" She begged.

He had planned everything, every little detail, like he already had, to break Oyster out.

He got all his stuff ready: a car fueled up, the maps with all the secondary roads highlighted, 4 different options to cross the Canadian border. His backpack, enough military rations to survive for 2 weeks, in case he'd have to ditch the car and cover the distance by foot. A compass. An extra pair of trekking shoes, just in case. Water. Lighter. Headlamp. Emergency kit. US dollars. Canadian dollars.

No phone. 

No pics, not even one of Jessica. He wouldn't risk to get caught and have her involved. Beside it would be too painful to look at her beautiful face. Dealing with her memory would be hard enough.

But he had no choice. More than 3 years he hadn't see his brother. 3 fucking long years he hadn't heard his voice. Teddy, his little brother, the reason he had kept living after their mom died, the one he had fought for. And kept fighting for.

He'd all planned in his head, playing every scenario again and again at night, all those sleepless nights, Jess cuddled against his chest. Looking blankly at the ceiling, on the hunt for what could happen, what could turn wrong, and come what may: keep walking.

Until he reaches Lac-Sainte-Marie, Quebec, 260 miles from here. Until he meets his brother again.

"Chris!" She yelped, like she was drowning.

For a millisecond, he thought he could just give up: forget his little ass of a brother, forget his oath to his mother, forget his responsibilities, drop on his knees and beg Jess to marry him, give her 3 kids, get a pet and live happily ever after. Why not? He deserved a little of happiness, didn't he?

"What is happening?" she whispered, her voice torn by sobs, like stabs in his back.

What the fuck was happening, good question. He was happening. That fucking deceiving Cal was freaking out and ruining everything again. Like it was meant to be.

Like he was meant to screw up every chance of happiness.

"I have to see him. Jess, he got back in touch with me. Those postcards. There must be a reason." He said under his breath, not daring to glance at her.

"Chris, you're still in probation! A single step out of the State and you're in parole violation! You're going to get caught and thrown into jail again!" She knew this argument wouldn't work with him, but she was a lawyer, well almost, she had to plead for her case.

"I know..." Chris whispered. The next words would be excruciating to pronounce.

"That's why I won't come back..."

"Noooo!" She totally broke down.

As he listened to her heart shattering into pieces, taking his own heart down, he couldn't help thinking about time.

It took her days to tame his fears, weeks to heal him for his trauma, months to forge deep, trustful ties between their hearts.

Ties they both thought were unbreakable.

And as it took a heartbeat to fall in love with her, he'd been quick to break her heart.

Now he was running out of time. With her. For Oyster. Fuck.

"At least wait for your probation period to be over! You'll be a free man and you could go wherever you want!" She begged.

Like he didn't know. Like he hadn't spent the last days counting how many days it would take to be reunited. Like he hadn't thought of it from top to bottom. Like he hadn't been obsessed and torn about that fucking choice he had to make.

"Three more years! Jess, I can't leave him alone for 3 more fucking years! He needs me!" He let his anger flow out of his chest.

"What about me????" She thundered, gripping her nightie where her heart ached, then pointing a furious index finger out.

"He's not a kid anymore! He made his choice! You don't owe him anything anymore! When are you going to start thinking about yourself? About us?"

Touché.

Cal wavered at her words. The more she spoke, the more his determination weakened. He had no choice but cling to his same old song.

"I'm his legal guardian, I promised mom I'd take care of him. I can't break my oath. Not again..."

It would have been easier if Chris was the selfish type. But he didn't choose Marine corps and law enforcement by mistake. He was a man of principle, loyal, honest, trustful. A man with Semper Fidelis inked in his flesh forever.

"Chris!!" Jess was burning with rage and desperation. She was fed up with his sempiternal lame excuses.

She would have slapped his face full force if she could have moved, again and again until he got it, but violence never fixed anything, she was dead certain of this.

Chris’ childhood to adulthood, his former job in the Marine corps, his time in jail, his whole damn life had been nothing but violence, he deserved better from her.

She breathed in and out slowly to calm her nerves down and regain control of her thoughts.

Give him what he needs, that's the only way...

"You're strong Chris. You're a good man! Why can't you see it?"

Cal shook his head, tears threatening again behind his lids.

"I failed. I failed to keep my mom alive. I failed to protect my brother. To serve my country... To make you happy. I don't deserve you..."

"When are you going to stop punishing yourself for things, you're not responsible for? Jesus, your mom died, who's to blame? Not you! You struggled to provide for your brother though you were barely an adult, Chris, you did your best! Oyster made some bad choices, his choices, he fucked up but it was not your fault!"

Gone his sweetheart of a girlfriend, he was facing a new, fierce, unstoppable soldier ready for anything for her love.

Anything. Maybe, even ready to throw everything away for him.

Cal slowly extended his hand to a trembling Jess. This gesture was a dangerous step back, he had promised himself not to touch her, not to smell her nor to get too close. No way he could leave this place without her if their hands were linked.

Jess nearly jumped forward to take it, intertwined her fingers so tightly with his, their knuckles turned white. She closed her other hand over their clasped ones, then pulled them against her cheek, nuzzling against the slightest piece of his skin she could.

The contact of her skin against his made him jolt. His plea slipped through his lips before his brain realized their impact.

"Come with me. I hate to put that on you but... Jess, come with me. I don't want to lose you..."

His words were like slaps in her face. Her jaw dropped down and the look she threw at him slapped him back.

Shit.

She thought she had won. She thought he had heard her words. She thought he would stay. Why would he have offered his hand otherwise?

"Wh..? But... Cal, what are you doing?"

"Come with me Jessica. Let's start a new life in Canada. I love you. I love you!"

His turn to wrap his hand around hers and pull her closer, so his gaze pierced hers, his taut body hovering over her. This could fix everything.

Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!!

Jessica froze in shock, her pupils widened. She would have left all she had behind to follow him. The solution was easy: just go with him!

Just go with him, and become an outlaw. Say goodbye to your family, your career, your dreams, your life. On the run forever with the man she loved. With no future but hiding and lying.

"And you saved your first 'I love you' for the day you leave me..." Jess whispered under her breath, defeated. He killed her hope the second before, and kept doing an excellent job to trample on her heart.

Her whole body slumped down; Cal had to tighten his grip on her hands to get her upright.

Her pale complexion and her trembling voice made her look like a ghost.

"No. I can't. You can't... do that. You can't drag me into a runaway and make me a fugitive. I... I'm... My family is here, my career is here, my life is here... with you!

If you really love me, STAY!"

Chris wobbled, his knees weak under him. She was right, he knew it. He was wrong, doing all wrong, as he always had done. Jessica saw her chance in his hesitation, and played her last card. Faithfulness, Chris' obsession.

"That's not what you promised me. Chris, you promised me..." she burst into tears again, clinging onto him like he was a lifeline. Their love was like the Titanic, they thought it beautiful and in submersible, but it was irremediably sinking in the middle of nowhere and will end up broken shipwreck.

Hold on Rose, you have a chance.

Sorry Jack, you're screwed.

Shit.

He promised her, that day he talked his heart out, in the wee hours of a beautiful day, lying in bed, slowly brushing her delicate face with his fingertips. That day he told her about his plans for the future, their future. Openly daydreaming of his will to marry her, build her a house, have kids with her, three he said, if she agreed. Plus, a dog. One day, he promised, when she would graduate and he would have a better job.

He solemnly promised her to make her happy, happy ever after.

"You deserve to be happy, Chris. We've been so happy together. For fuck sake, why couldn't we just be happy?"

Because happiness is not meant for me.

"Jess, I miss him so much... I have no choice."

"There's always a choice... Let me help!" She begged a last time, squeezing his hands even tightly.

Chris closed his eyes, his sigh shaky through his tight throat. Just do it. Say it.

Now.

"No. Not this time... Let me go, Jess, please..." Chris grudgingly untied their fingers but Jess kept gripping at him, his wrists, his arms, his hoodie. He patiently unhooked each of her attempt, gently but firmly holding her wrists together.

It was so hard, Jesus, to see her face, desperate and drowned in tears, to hear a plea, to hurt her so deeply. But it had to be done. Like ripping off a band-aid. Just do it.

"No, no, no, no, Chris, please, nooo!" She begged, she would have given anything, everything to have him think, find another way, change his fucking mind. To have him stay. Choose her.

All her expectations vanished when Cal took her hands in his large palms, bent to kiss them but just leant his forehead on them, shaken by both their sobs and cries. He knew he couldn't leave if his lips touched her skin again. She knew it too.

Slowly, too slowly, he extended his arms until her fists laid on her chest, her fingers writhing in pain, and stepped back. Unable to look a last time in her eyes, Cal turned his heels and grabbed the doorknob.

"What if I'm pregnant?"

He froze, like punched in his guts.

"What?" His world collapsed. He had all the scenarios figured out, even the worst, but not this one.

He had made love to her earlier that night, knowing it'd be the last time. He made it last long, savoring each second with her, kissing each piece of her body, learning each of her curves by heart with his fingertips. He made it sensual, passionate, beautiful. He had given her all, all of him.

He had laid on his back for hours, his love cuddled on his side, her arms around his chest, like to keep him from running away. Like she felt it.

He had stayed like this forever, staring at the ceiling, listening to her deep breathing, feeling her, smelling her, until he was drunk from her.

"I said, what if I'm pregnant." She stated again, interrupting his thoughts.

"Are you?" He blankly asked.

She might be. From tonight.

She could be. They've been careless for a couple of weeks, their desire so strong they skipped to put a condom on. They both silently agreed, since they had a talk about it: they wanted to spend their lives together and grow a family, one day or another...

Jess had tried the pill, but it hadn't fit her. She tried 3 different brands but every time something went wrong. Cal hated seeing her with cramps or moody and IUD was a big no no due to her young age, so he decided to take the responsibility of the birth control, and simply pulled out at the right time.

Which was, according to Jess, like a firework without the final. Several times, half of the time in fact, she trapped Cal between her legs so he came inside of her. She found it so sexy and powerful.

Sexy but likely give rise to a baby.

Their baby. His.

"You won't stay for me. Would you stay for your child?"

Bitch. She knew how push his button, where it hurt the most. Given what he was doing to her, it was fair.

His guts twisted painfully and nausea invaded his throat at the thought. His deepest nightmare resurfaced: a kid with no father to take care of them, ruffle their hair, tickle them until they're breathless from laughing, play football with them, hug them tight when they're scared or sad. A kid with no dad to love them. A kid like he'd been, grown up before his childhood even had started.

A missing father. That was what he would become if he left now. The worst of the worst. A man he promised himself to never be. Fucking never hurt someone like he'd been hurt.

He unsuccessfully was trying to clear his mind from sadness and anger to redo his math and remember when was her last period. Calculate the odds of a pregnancy. Rate his chance to stay.

Zero.

He sucked. He wasn’t worth anything.

Maybe living was the best he could do to save this child from himself. He was no better father than his own, unable to make a good decision.

Chris dropped his head, his hands tightened in fists, his eyes closed in a frown. He stopped breathing for a long time, until he made his decision.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, grabbing the doorknob.

That was it. She couldn't go, he couldn't stay. I guess that's just the way the story goes.

Such a waste.

Chris pushed the door open, wiped his tears with his sleeve and walked out, without a last glance at her.

[izzielizzie]

can you do a one shot of addy interviewing to work at Contigo and maeve goes for moral support and sees Luis there? Maybe an AU where they didn't sit together at lunch?

Yes. Maeve and Luis sort of know each other, and this is in the weird point of time where Luis has a crush on Maeve and Maeve doesn’t have one on him yet. Enjoy!

I know there is always a point where your love for your best friend is tested, but I just didn’t know it would be so soon after I met mine. Addy Prentiss, usually the most confident girl in the room, is now clinging to the door of my mom’s car like her life depends on it.

I sigh for what feels like the billionth time. I’m starting to get a little light headed. “Addy. It’s just an interview.” I’ve been saying this since dinnertime yesterday.

“Maeve. I can’t do it,” Addy wails in response. Again. I’m glad I took my sister’s advice and drove Addy here an hour early. It’s taken forty minutes to get her to unbuckle. Now I’m standing outside the open passenger door. Addy is twisted at a weird angle to remain seated, but also be able to hold the handle. Even though Addy only has an inch and a half on me, I know I won’t be able to drag her out of the car. I wish Bronwyn was here, but she’s ditched me to go study across the country.

I crouch in front of the door so I’m closer in height to Addy. “Ads,” I put a hand on her knee, “I’ll be there the entire time. I promise. And you said yourself the restaurant owner is really nice. All you have to do is be yourself. He’ll hire you.”

Addy’s blue eyes narrow. “If you lie to me Maeve Rojas, I’ll-”

“Have my head, I know,” I interrupt calmly. Addy gets a little formal when she’s threatening people. I tilt my head to the side and wait Addy out. She’ll cave eventually.

“Okay, fine. Let’s get this over with.”

“Thank you.” I stand and hold my hand out to Addy. She takes it hesitantly, but lets go when I slam the car door shut. We walk side by side to the entrance of the restaurant, and Addy seems her bubbly self for a moment. When we walk into the restaurant, however, it’s a different story. Addy stops in her tracks when she sees the deep blue walls, tin roof, and tiled tables. I do too, but only to take in the beauty. I’ve never been here before, which is surprising since it’s so close to my house.

“Addy, now what,” I hiss. She had made a weird shrieking noise and now she looks like she’s seen a ghost.

“That’s Luis Santos.”

I follow Addy’s gaze to see a tall boy who seems about our age with dark hair, a sharp jaw, and tanned skin. I vaguely remember him from when he sat with Bronwyn, Addy, and their friends at lunch. He’s standing behind the counter, wearing an apron.

“So?”

“So? What if he’s interviewing me?”

I make a face. “Doubtful. He probably just works here as a waiter. Like you will be doing if you ever go through with this.”

Addy ignores me and instead puts a hand to her forehead. “I feel faint.”

I think she’s being dramatic until she starts wobbling. “Oh, okay.” I rush forward and grab her around the waist, helping her lower herself into a chair.

She stares ahead for a second before she grabs for my hand. “I’m so nervous!”

I let her hold my hand. It’s only three more minutes until her scheduled interview anyway. About one minute later, I regret letting her hold my hand though, since her grip is so tight I can feel my blood circulation stop.

“Addy, do you mind loosening your grip a little?” I ask irritably. Addy’s nervousness has made me nervous too, which is making me annoyed. All in all, it’s not a good look.

Addy obliges, but squeezes again a moment later when Luis walks towards us. I can feel one of my joints crack. I didn’t even know finger joints could crack.

“Hey,” Luis says when he reaches us. He drops into a chair in front of us.

Addy squeaks in response. Luis looks at me, confusion etched across his face. I just shrug. Luis shakes himself a little. He looks kind of affronted, as if Addy had interrupted a speech he had planned.

“Um, did one of you have an interview planned today?”

Addy nods frantically. I don’t know how close Addy and Luis are, but Luis clearly thinks she’s insane. “Addy has in interview,” I supply.

“Oh. What are you doing here then?”

“Moral support,” I say, holding up my hand, which has surpassed red and is now purple.

“That looks painful,” Luis says. I widen my eyes and nod. Luis smiles at me, and it makes my heart flutter a little. He has a really nice smile.

“Well, when you’re ready Addy, my dad’s in the back room. Just pass through the beaded curtain. Good luck.”

That’s a very obvious cue for Addy to get up, but she doesn’t. “Um, Addy? You gonna get up, babe?” I ask.

Addy looks on the verge of hyperventilating. I sigh. “Addy, if you don’t get up right now I’ll call Bronwyn and tell her you stole her favorite sweater and lost it.”

Addy balances even more. My sister is a force to be reckoned with, and Addy, since she has logic, knows that getting on Bronwyn’s bad side is a bad idea. Addy pushes her chair back from the tables, sighs, and stands. “I’m gonna walk over there myself, Maeve.”

“Okay,” I say. I’d make a comment about how I wasn’t planning on walking over her to begin with, but that would be mean considering Addy’s current state of mind. I watch her walk away, her fists clenched at her sides. They’re tapping a rhythm on her thighs, and I’m positive that if the treat of Bronwyn’s anger wasn’t hanging over her head, Addy would have already been out of the door and halfway back to her sister’s apartment by now.

“So, you’re Bronwyn’s sister, huh?” Luis asks me. I turn back to see him staring at me. I nod. “I knew I recognized you. You sat with us at lunch sometimes, right?”

“Yeah.” I pause for a moment. “Your dad owns Contigo?”

Luis leans his chair back and smirks. I’m suddenly reminded of Nate Macauley, Bronwyn’s boyfriend. “Yep. We’re looking for some new waiters for the fall. You sure you don’t want to apply?”

“I’m pretty sure I’d be a terrible waitress.”

Luis shrugs. “You might be. But you might not be.”

“Yes, thank you for laying out the only two possibilities.”

Luis laughs and brings his chair back to the ground with a bang that makes me flinch. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

We sit in silence for a few more minutes, and I’m starting to wonder why Luis is still here when he suddenly says, “you should swing by more often.” I tilt my head quizzically, and Luis shrugs sheepishly. “I mean, if, you know, Addy gets the job. Which she probably will. It’s good to support your friends, you know.”

“I know.”

“Good. So, you should, you know, stop by.”

With that eloquent sentence, Luis stands jerkily and heads back to the counter, where he busies himself with the cash register. I don’t have much time to figure out what Luis meant, because a second later, Addy comes barreling towards me, nearly crashing right into a chair. “Oh, whoops, damn that hurt. Maeve!”

“Yes?”

“I got the job!” I let Addy pull me into a hug.

“See? I told you'd get it, Ads.”

Addy grabs my hand - gently this time - and leads me towards the door, talking a mile a minute. “You have to come hang out sometime.”

“I’ve already been invited to, actually,” I say when Addy pauses to take a breath.

“By who?” she asks as I pull open the door.

“By whom. And to answer your question: Luis.”

“Wait, Luis Luis?”

“How many Luises do you know?”

Addy ignores that. “He likes you Maeve.”

“No he doesn’t,” I mumble as I glance back inside the restaurant. Luis is watching us, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed. He nods at me when our eyes meet. I smile at him, and his gorgeous smile is the only thing that I can see in my mind as Addy leads me away. She studies my face as we sit in the car.

“Oh yeah, you like him.”

“I-”

“Don’t. Yeah, okay. I think we should get ice cream to celebrate!”

Addy switches topics so fast I nearly get whiplash. It isn’t until we’re sitting in Glenn’s Diner sharing one of their sundaes does she bring up Luis again. She goes on and on about how we’d be a perfect couple, and I’m not really paying attention to her because I’m too busy figuring out how I can get Luis to smile at me again. 

I guess maybe I do like him.

Notes:

ahh okay so that ending was rushed and sucked and I apologize

that was fun to write though

feel free to request more

especially stuff with Maeve and Addy being besties

I love their relationship.

[fangirlspammer]

Sparks Fly (part 5)

I'm not entirely happy with my writing in this chapter, so please bare with me🤧 this took longer than I wanted

Gif credit @regal-roni

6 weeks had come and gone since you had been suspended from NCIS, since you had refused to talk...since you kissed Jack. Since then you had apologized to Vance and agreed to talk to someone. Vance had suggested Agent Sloane, but you had been quick to request Dr. Grace instead. He hadn't questioned it, only agreed and informed you that Dr. Grace would determine when you could return to work. As frustrating as this whole situation had become you had agreed. The longer you were away from the team, the more anxious you became. 6 weeks was far too long to be away. Bishop and you had gotten drinks with Torres a few nights, but the case they were working on now was a big one and they hadn't really had time for social calls.

"Waiting on her to come out of that thing?" Travis' voice caused you to nearly jump off of the kitchen island.

You furrowed your brow and let go of the phone you had been staring at for the past ten minutes. "What?"

He shook his head with an amused smirk dancing on his lips. "Nevermind. You're popcorns done you know," he gestured towards the microwave and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl beside you. He watched you go back into your daydream and sighed. "You haven't heard from her have you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," it took all you had to hop off the counter and retrieve your popcorn from the microwave. You pouted when it was just barely warm now. You must have dazed off longer than you thought. "Besides, how would you know?"

Travis chuckled and rolled his eyes. "You won't stop staring at your phone, and you've been extra distracted," he shrugged and grabbed some frozen waffles from the freezer. "Besides, popcorn for breakfast? You must be distracted," you hated that he knew you so well.

"Well it's just the opposite. I have heard from her," you sighed and locked your phone for the third time in 60 seconds. You looked up to see him put the waffles in the toaster and hopped back on the island. "Sorry," you mumble when you realize that you came in here to do just that.

"Then what's the problem?"

You focused in on your fingers fiddling in front of you and shook your head slightly. Travis set a plate out and then took a step towards you. You swallowed. "I just don't know how to talk to her right now. I've been dodging her calls for 6 weeks," you looked up and ran your hands through your hair with frustration.

Travis reached over and stole a piece of popcorn, popping it into his mouth and gave a teasing smirk. "Well, I'm not sure how to help. You see, I myself am in a serious relationship now, and am no longer succumbed to the problems that come with the single life."

You rolled your eyes and kicked at his shin. "You really are an ass sometimes," you stuck your tongue out. In reality you were happy for Travis and Lydia. Things had finally worked out for them, it only took forever, but they were happy. Engaged even! You envied them.

"I think you need to suck it up and face her," he was serious now and you silently cursed him for throwing your own words back in your face. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Uhm, she could hear me??" You scoffed and crossed your arms.

"Oh come on, what's that pout for now? You're going to see her today regardless. You may as well make it less awkward," he shrugged.

"Because you're right," you muttered in annoyance, "and I hate it when you're right," you rolled your eyes and hopped off the island.

You walked over and grabbed your popcorn before heading for you room. You had a stash of M&Ms in there and you needed the privacy. Lydia would be over soon to talk about the wedding and you knew if you stayed she would pull you in, and you needed to talk to Jack as well as get ready for work. Just as you sat down at your desk your phone rang. How did she manage to do this?

"It's like you can sense my every move," you answered after the second ring. You tried to sound light hearted but you were nervous.

"I figured my 50th time had to be the winner," she retorted sarcastically.

You could hear the smile in her voice and your stomach did a flip. You frowned. This was exactly what you were avoiding. "I know, I know. I'm really sorry about that Jack," you sighed, running a hand through your hair.

"Are you coming in today? Vance said you had been given the all clear."

Did she sound hopeful? "I mean I may have to be persuaded. After all, I was sure hoping to get in one last week of lying in my pyjamas and eating my weight in take out and tubs of ice cream," you smirked. Falling back into this playful banter was easier than you thought, and that put you at ease.

"Hmm," she sighed. "It's not exactly ice cream, but what about coffee and a blueberry muffin? My treat," she offered.

You let out a dramatic sigh as you pretended to think about this offer. "Alright, I've be persuaded."

"Great! See you in 10?"

"See you then," you agreed and hung up the phone.

You jumped off the bed and raced around the room to find the perfect outift. You grabbed some black jeans, a green cashmere sweater, boots and your leather jacket. You tied up your hair in a high ponytail and quickly painted your face. As you rushed out of the room you nearly tripped over your go-bag and Travis snorted in amusement.

"Going somewhere?" He asked knowingly. "Thought you weren't due for another hour?"

"Change of plans," you huffed and tossed your bag over your shoulder. Just as you rushed out the door you ran into Lydia walking up the path. You said a quick hello and goodbye before jumping in your car. You hadn't realized how eager you were to let your guard down and face Jack. Maybe it wasn't facing her that you were eager for, maybe it was just seeing her again. Either way, you couldn't get there quick enough.

*

Jack sat in her usual booth in the back of the diner. She had already started her second cup of coffee and eaten part of her breakfast donut before you had even arrived. She tapped her fingers nervously while glancing out the window every few seconds. The only thing on her mind, when she had a free moment, was that kiss the two of you had shared. She just couldn't shake the feelings that surged inside of her when your lips touched. It was something she hadn't felt in a long time, but even still it was different. When she had pulled away it was only to make sure it was what you had wanted, but when you told her to leave it was all but confirmed that it wasn't what you wanted at all. She had tried calling and texting, but you never returned any of her messages.

That night had helped her see things for what they truly were, and seeing that hurt. When she had dropped by to meet you that first night, with that faulty story, she hadn't expected you to be... Well you. She hadn't expected to be invited for dinner, let alone stay in your home unsupervised. That there told her all that she needed to know about you. Once she got to know you her thoughts had been confirmed and this feeling in the back of her mind kept becoming more clear as time went on. These were feelings she had to keep bottled up, because from past experiences she knew getting involved with a co-worker was dangerous. San Diego had proven just that and she wouldn't put herself out there like that again. If you didn't want to talk about it then she was going to pretend like it never happened. It's what was best.

The bells rang as the diner door opened up and Jack couldn't help but look towards it eagerly. She gave a small smile as you walked over and took a seat. Her fingers tapped the side of her mug until she noticed you watching curiously, and realized that neither of you had said a word yet.

"You got here fast," she moved the coffee to her lips to busy herself.

"I was already prepared to ditch out any minute," you lied with a little chuckle.

"Oh?" Her brow arched curiously.

You shrugged. "Travis' fiance was coming over to talk wedding and I didn't really want to stick around."

"Travis is engaged?" She couldn't help but sound surprised.

"Oh that's right," you grinned. "I forgot you meet him when-" you stopped quickly when you remembered the kiss. You broke eye contact and looked to the glass of water in front of you. You cleared your throat and decided to bypass that conversation. "He got engaged three weeks later. They've known each other since grade school."

Jack gave a small smile when you carried on. By the way you avoided the conversation she figured you weren't going to acknowledge the kiss at all. It probably wasn't the best option, but it was the easiest for now. "Y/N," she started, but when you made eye contact she couldn't bring herself to carry on. "Don't forget to order. It's on me remember?"

You felt your shoulders relax and breathed out quietly in relief that she didn't carry on. You knew it couldn't be avoided forever, but you could try couldn't you? What was the use in getting all flustered and risking losing one of your closest friends? After you ordered, and the food came, you both began to relax and fall into easy conversation. You admitted how you were nervous about returning after your big scene, and Jack told you about the case they were currently working on.

"It's Gibbs," you confessed as the phone rang and quickly answered. "Hi boss," you greeted with a smile, but it vanished when he carried on about a body and hung up. "So much for that morning work out," you sighed, standing and grabbing your purse.

"Got a lead?" Jack asked curiously.

"Another dead body by the marina," you gave an apologetic look. "I'm sorry."

Jack shook her head and forced a smile. "Don't be. I'll catch up with you later on," she shrugged and waved you off with a smile. A part of her was relieved to see you go, only because it gave her that much time to figure out how to talk to you.

*

The moment you came back into the office things had been non-stop. First was the discovery of a body, and when you all arrived at the scene of the crime you were to discover that the male had been bludgeoned from behind. Secondly was the discovery that the male Lieutenant Cromwell, had a wife and a child that were now missing. As of now your suspect was the wife, and you had issued a BOLO on her.

"Coffee, anyone?" Jack entered the bullpen with a big, sympathetic smile on her face while carrying a tray of coffees for the team. She had gotten wind of the big case you all had been working on from Jimmy, and knew that this would be a long night for the team.

"God bless you, Agent Sloane," McGee accepted his steaming cup and took a long drink.

"You are an Angel," Bishop chimed in with a wide smile.

Jack just rolled her eyes and laughed. She turned to you and handed you your cup. "Sugar with a dash of coffee and cream," she smirked. The two of you shared the same order, and you both got teased for it often.

"She brings me my lifeline too?" You grinned, but immediately blushed and took a long said to hide it. You saw her eyes focus on you a little longer before her attention was turned to Gibbs as he cleared his throat.

"I didn't forget about you, Cowboy," she laughed and set his cup on the edge of his desk. "How's the case getting along?" Gibbs only grunted in response, so she looked to the rest of you for some sort of an answer. "Do you need any help?"

"Nope," Gibbs stated simply.

Just as Jack turned to go, McGee spoke up. "Actually, Y/N mentioned needing some," he admitted innocently.

"Oh, well, I think I've got it for now," you shook your head and forced a small smile. "I'll let you know though," you locked eyes for a moment before she nodded and slowly retreated. If the two of you were left alone you had a feeling that something would come of it, and you didn't need the distraction.

Just then Jimmy came into the bullpen out of breath. It was as though he had run all the way up here. "Gibbs!" He called out and the entire team looked to him. Gibbs greeted him with a glare. "Agent Gibbs... sir," he rambled on.

"Get to it, Jimmy."

"Right," Jimmy cleared his throat and looked down at the clipboard he held to his chest.  "It wasn't the wife," he began and paused, but Gibbs' stare told him that there was no more patience to be held.  "With closer observation, I noticed that the wounds were about 4 inches deep and towards the top of his skull.  Kasey and I were discussing it, and with the full description she was able to find on the wife, it couldn't have been her."

"Well, why not?" Gibbs barked.  He hadn't been in the greatest mood today.  Toress had made a comment to the team about Fornell coming in that morning, and so it was concluded his mood might have to do with Emily's drug problem.  No one knew for sure though, it was all just pure speculation.

"She was 5'4"," you spoke up, looking up from your paperwork.

"That's right, and the Lieutenant was 6'2", wasn't he?" Jack piped up this time.

"Exactly," Jimmy nodded and handed the clipboard to Gibbs to show the results of his investigation.  "Kasey did some digging on the wife, and it showed that Mrs. Randall had her last round of chemotherapy 4 months ago.  She wasn't tall enough to bludgeon the Lieutenant from that angle, and she wouldn't have been strong enough for the murder weapon to go that deep," he explained.

"So what does this mean?" McGee questioned fearfully.

"It means we have two missing people on our hands," you looked to the team and then went back to your desk to do some more research.  This night had gotten much longer.

*

For the rest of this week this case was your sole focus.  NCIS was sent a ransom note the day before last, and your team had been working hard to come up with the right plan all while trying to figure out a way to abide by the ransom.  Every night this week you had come home after midnight, completely exhausted, and you started all over at 7 am. With everything on your mind you had been able to get rid of the thoughts of your kiss with Jack.  The two of you had been busy enough that you didn't have to work to hard to avoid her when it wasn't case related, and you hadn't seen Travis enough for him to tease you about it.

You woke up at 5:30 am Friday morning, completely restless.  This case was only getting worse, and you wanted it to be over with.  If you couldn't get to Mrs. Randall and her daughter in time, you didn't think you would be okay.  The child was only 5 years old.  The thought of putting a child through something like this made you sick, and it had you questioning the humanity of these suspects and murderers that you saw day in and day out.  The only reason you survived this job was, because as much sickness you saw on a daily basis, you saw twice as much goodness when the cases were closed.  Even when a case didn't turn out the way you hoped, you told yourself that at least you were able to give their families closer.  It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep you going when you needed it the most.

As you got out of bed, you lazily made your way through your morning routine.  There was no use trying to get that extra hour of shut eye.  You made a fresh pot of coffee, threw a waffle in the toaster and went to hop in a quick, cold shower to wake you up.  Jack popped in your mind as you ran your hands through your hair.  You could still feel her lips on yours, the way that she had kissed back for a split second.  Your heart began to race and you let the cold water run over your face for awhile before turning off the shower. You stepped out and began to dry off and get dressed.  By the time you grabbed your breakfast and made it out of the house, Jack was the last thing on your mind once more.

You focused on the case the whole drive, and when you arrived at NCIS you realized that you were the first one on the team there.  The silence was killing you when you sat and tried to get some work done, and with a huff you stood up and made your way down to the gym.  You needed to clear your head and get a fresh perspective on everything. You tied up your hair and slipped on your gloves, standing ready at the punching bag.  It wasn't long before you were going at it, music in your ears, and you could feel your thoughts cleansing as the time went on.

"Thought I'd find you in here," a voice came from behind after awhile and you froze up a bit.  You didn't know how long you had been down here or how long she had been standing behind you at this point.

This was what you had been avoiding all week.  Once Ellie told you that Jack had been asking about you all day, you knew that it was only a matter of time before she found you.  Of course, you had assumed she had gone home hours ago, but apparently not.  Now you were trapped in the gym with her, and you didn't have an excuse to get out of it this time.

"Jack, I don't really have time to talk," you knew she wouldn't buy it.  She didn't answer and you stopped hitting the punching bag to look behind you.  She was bent over with her hair flung over her head, trying to tie her hair up and out of her face.  You swallowed hard seeing how her sweats formed to her body so well.  Your mind started to wander and you had to turn away when she stood up.  "What are you doing?"

She shrugged as she began to pull on some gloves.  "This seems to be the only way that I can get you alone."

You shook your head and walked over to your bag.  "I was just leaving," you hated yourself for being so distant with her, but what else could you do?

She stood in front of you now.  "Y/N, please just talk to me," her big brown eyes had a certain longing in them.  "We can be professional about this, can't we?"

"Professional?" you almost scoffed and her eyes widened a bit.  "Jack, I can't be professional around you when all you want to do is discuss the least professional thing I've ever done."

"You were upset," she was trying to make excuses that not even she was buying.

"Because you wouldn't stop prying.  I shouldn't have done it," you shook your head.  "It was stupid and unprofessional, and it's not like it meant anything to me anyways," you didn't even realize what you had said before you saw Jack step back.  That was too far.  Did she look... disappointed?  No.  She couldn't be.  Why would she be.  "Jack I-"

"No," she put her hand out and forced a small smile.  "You're right," you swore that you heard her voice crack.  "It didn't mean anything.  You were going through something, and I just happened to be there for you."

She was playing this off to easily for your liking.  "Right," you whispered and looked away.  She turned to leave and you didn't know what came over you, but you reached out to stop her.  "Did it mean something?" your eyes were hopeful this time.

Jack's big brown eyes searched yours for some sort of angle, but she couldn't find one.  You wanted an honest answer, and she wanted to answer honestly, with all of her being, but if you didn't feel the same way then she could risk losing you.  "Y/N," her voice was so low that if you weren't looking at her you wouldn't have heard.

"It meant something, Jack," you confessed and felt hot tears sting your eyes.  "I didn't mean what I said before, but I didn't think you wanted me to admit how much it did mean.  I was vulnerable, you aren't wrong about that, but that is something I had wanted to do for a long time," your confessions just seemed to flow out of you with no filter now.

Jack looked up at you, her eyes flashing with hope and longing. You watched her tongue come out to wet her lips. She swallowed hard and you could see her chest rising and falling a bit heavier now. You looked back up at her as soon as you realized that you were staring, but it was no use. She had seen your eyes wander and a smirk played upon her lips now. "Do you mean that?"

You nodded slowly, closing the distance between the two of you now. Your heart was racing more than ever and you felt her hand reach out, her fingers slowly entwining with yours. Now you were the one wetting your lips. "With every fiber of my being," you whispered.

It wasn't long before Jack closed the gap between the two of you. Her hand reached up to brush the loose strands of hair from your face and her nose brushed against yours. Her breathing was shaky and it was the sexiest sound you had ever heard. You couldn't wait anymore and leaned in to brush your lips over hers. Once...twice...your lips locked this time and a soft moan escaped your lips as the kiss deepened. Your arms reached up and wrapped around her, pulling her closer than before until you both were lost in a heated moment of passion. The moment was cut too short by a clearing of the throat from behind you both. You both jumped back, hearts racing and eyes wide, to see Director Vance standing in the doorway. His arms were folded and he didn't look too happy.

"Leon," Jack was the first to speak up. You silently thanked her for that, since the two of them were so close. Maybe that would soften whatever form of punishment would come your way? "We were just-"

"Never you mind what you were just doing," he frowned. "Gibbs got a lead. He's been trying to get ahold of you both, but I can see you were otherwise occupied."

You bit your lip nervously and decided to grab your things as quickly as possible. You looked at your phone. 2 missed calls. You knew Gibbs didn't like even 1 missed call. You held the phone to your ear as you played the voicemail and your eyes widened. "They have a lead on where they're being held. I have to go," you rushed towards the door.

"I'll go with you!" Jack called out and reached for her things.

"I don't think so Agent Sloane," Vance shook his head with curious eyes. You weren't sure if he was upset or if he was just looking out for a good friend. "You'll best serve here."

Jack looked to you apologetically, but you just smiled and shook your head. "It's fine Jack," you assured her before you turned to go. This was certainly the start of something new. You only hoped that it wouldn't cost either of you too much.

[elejah-verse]

Always/9

Fanfiction

Part 9

Elijah Mikaelson x reader/Elena Gilbert

AU TVD/TO story a/n: Thanks for reading. I posted it without adding tags. Sorry. 😓 And now I can't do it on phone here for some reason - 😫

😘💕💕

_______________

Weeks after

In California

"To lose oneself is a state that I don’t  know how to describe. You feel like nothing is there anymore. You are there, but you are not really, You feel like you are caught up in the riptide and  it's pulling you down and you can't do anything to break free. And you just sink. Forever sink. And you wish to swim, to move, to do something, to stop from drowning, but for some reason your legs, your arms are not moving. You hear voices calling you to do so. But you don't. You don't care what they are saying. And then there is nothing. Just nothing"- 

Y/N/E wrote in her diary. She put the pen down and looked out to the ocean. 

***

At the same time in New York, Elijah put his suit on, adjusting his tie as he looked then at his watch. It had plenty of time to meet his sister for breakfast before work. His phone rang and he answered.

"I will meet you there"- Rebekah said-"sorry, but I will be late a bit"

"Fine"- Elijah replied. Put his phone inside his jacket pocket.

He looked at himself in the mirror and straightened his sleeves.

Flashback

The first phone call after Y/N/E left for California, as soon as she walked in Vicky's holiday home

"Y/N/E-"- Elijah said as he picked up the call.

"Elijah-"- she said and then there was silence. Long silence. And Y/N/E then breaking it with-"I got here ok. I love you."

"I love you, too."

And silence again.

In his therapy session with Camille he voiced their inability to talk.

"We used to talk about everything. And I can feel that something is keeping her locked away. It's like she fell in a coma yet again. But this time I can't do anything. And I saw in her eyes that she was feeling that she was letting me down and I could not persuade her that it wasn't so"

"She had a break down. A silent one. It's not always the case that people scream or get hysterical. Many things happened at once. The loss of a child - even when it is due to a miscarriage can cause a tremendous pain. In her case it is so much worse. We all react differently to loss. Everyone grieves differently. She could feel she had let you down because she had lost the child and she blames herself connecting it to her brother"- Camille said.

"Through her brother?"- Elijah didn't quite understand how.

"The loss happened at the violent attack on her which was connected to her brother- she is transfering it - all the troubles she had with her brother are the cause of her shut down"- Camille continued.

"But she is not to blame for any of it"- Elijah uttered.

"But she unfortunately doesn't see it that way. I do hope she is still seeing a therapist."- Camille concluded-

"She is"- Elijah said.

He opened the conacts icon on his phone and looked at Y/N/E's name on his favourite list. But he didn't make the call.

But then  the alert buzz popped out and it was an e-mail from her. It was a video she sent. He clicked the play button and now listened to the song and the messages Y/N/E put inbetween pictures of them-

But you are always here with me Oh inside me❤️ I find my way❤️ Back to you❤️

Calling your name in the midnight hour

Reaching for you from the endless dream

So many miles between us now

But you are always here with me

Two words

In your hands

In your heart❤️

It's whole universe

You are always here with me

Elijah watched it and his heart fluttered, the words filling it with hope and love. ****

Days after

The Mikaelsons felt shattered, but they carried on. The most dangerous currents never could break them, not entirely.

"We don't give up! Remember what father taught us"- Rebekah said to Klaus-"never give up hope!"

"Where is this coming from?"-Klaus wondered-"Oh- is this the wisdom of Dr Salvatore- are you sure dating him is sane?"

"Please- you've all give up on Kol and done everything to ostracized him. It's not right. We have to pull him out of this shit and help Sophie get him back!"

"I have not ostracized him- he has done it. He left his wife, he turned his back on all of us. You've been there, you heard him how he spat on us and said he doesn't want anything to do with us and that is his life! After everything we've done for him- I just haven't got the strength for him anymore"

"Right. Is this your final?"- Rebekah asked.

"It is. I am sorry sister, but he made his choice"- Klaus said-"got to go. See you later"

Klaus hanged up leaving Rebekah fuming. She had always fought for them to stay one united pack of siblings. This time she felt she lost her powers to keep them together.

Elijah now called her.

"I am sorry I have to cancel breakfast. Father needs me in the office asap"- he said.

"What is this today- ditch Rebekah day?"- she said disappointed.

"Rain-check. Sorry got to rush"- Elijah said and hung up.

"Great. When I find the person who put a curse on us- I will not take any hostages"- she thought miffed entering their favourite artisan bakery.

**** The day went on and everyone was wrapped in their work.

Later in the evening, as Caroline finished for the day, she checked her phone smiling at Klaus' message.

"This is the first piece of the map that will lead you to the hidden treasure." - it said.

"Hidden treasure?! Right"- Caroline raised an eyebrow and now pressed the speed-dial.

A second later Klaus picked up saying-"Yes, love-"

-"Do you ever work?"- Caroline said with a sarcastic tone in her voice.

"All the time. So- watched the news. The interview was - well- you slayed him."- he replied.

"Well- they hired me to ask tough questions and keep it real. But now I have a meeting, so the treasure hunt will have to wait till tonight"

"Sounds perfect"- Klaus said smirking happily to himself.

In California, Vicky waited for Elena outside a doctor's practise.

As she saw her she asked immediately how the check up went.

Elena passed her the paper with the blood results.

"What?"- Vicky read and looked at Elena in disbelief.

"Yeah. I had to read it like there times."- Elena said tearing up-"I couldn't believe it. I  am pregnant!!"

"Oh, Elena- that is so great!"- Vicky exclaimed.

"I know!"- Elena said smiling-" I don't know why I am crying - it's wonderful, isn'it?"

"It's amazing! I am so happy for you"- Vicky said hugging her friend.

"I can't believe it"- Elena muttered.

Vicky now looked at her friend in tears as well saying-"It's like a double surprise for Elijah."

"I have to change the flight. I need to fligh back asap."- Elena said.

"Yeah- come on. Don't need to pack. I am driving you to the airport now. I'll sed you your stuff on."-Vicky said.

"Yeah, thanks"- Y/NE smiled happily. ****

In New York, Kol drove to the place where the exchange of a large drug shipment was to happen. 

"It's now or never"- he thought as he got out of his car.

After the Ball, after his cover got nearly blown, he met by an Agent as he went to his home.

"You will have turn away completely from your family and cut ties with them. Find whatever excuse you can. You have to be believable. We can't afford any mess like it happened tonight. The other guy needs to be sure he has got you in his pocket. Tell me if you can do it now. If not, you have to tell us now"

"I can. I have messed up so many times with my family that they would kick me to the curb."- Kol said.

"Good"- the Agents said-"you're a born trixter. Later"

But was he  really a born trixter?

___

Caroline stood in front of the beautiful sailing boat where Klaus was holding his hand out to get on board smiling charmingly at her.

"You could have just sent me the address and the invite- it would have been just as right"- Caroline said still standing on the dock"

"It would not have been half the fun. And I know how you revel in the investigation- I hope you like sailing?"

"Well, I grew up in New Orleans. We have sailing boats down there. My ex was -"- and she stopped there.

"But I doubt he had taken you out in such beauty?"- Klaus said.

"Your confidence has no limits?!"- Caroline remarked.

"None"- Klaus confirmed smirking a bit.

From the first day they met - it was like they entered a dance of Paso Doble. Always so close and always one step away. Klaus figured out immediately that her heart was trempled on, but it didn't discourage him. And he did not push her, not in a way someone else thought and he had told her at the Ball-

"You are not ready to date. I see that. But please allow me to be there. Let's dance. And see where we get at the end of it"

And she went for the dance, then and everytime he had asked her out since. To a gallery opening, to dinner, to one event or the other. And behaved as a perfect gentleman. She was enchanted by him, but still kept her guard.

"So, are you coming on board? Or I should I leave the supper for the fish? I doubt they love cajun"

"No. I am coming on board."- Caroline said taking his hand now.

**** Elijah finished work and looked at the clock. It was nearly ten. He got up and put the tablet aside on the side table. Then walked out to the kitchen and got a beer out. The defeaning silence of the penthouse was nothing new. It was like a normal thing- or? No. This is not the normality he wanted. Not the normality he deserved. Why did the things turn out the way they did? Why him? He had done nothing but be there? Done everything in his manly power to make things better. Why? But there was no answer. Only complicated explications.

He took a swag of the beer and looked out through the window into the night. His thoughts wondered from one moment to the next - and strangely he felt a chill struck his whole body.

Flashback

Wedding night, Mystic Falls

"I want us to promise something here"- Elena said.

"I promise everything!"- Elijah smiled giving her a small kiss as his hands roamed up and down her back.

"Elijah, I am serious"- Elena put both her hands on his head making him look at her.

"Promise, that if any of us stumble along the way for whatever reason- we would be honest about it. If you stop loving me or feel like this is not it- you will tell me and be fair about it- no matter how hard it is"

"What are you talking about? We've been married for about five minutes and you already have worst case scenario that we won't make it?"

"Promise you will always be open about how you feel. Always!"- Elena said.

Elena had her quirky moments, he knew and loved her for it- so he said-

"I promise. Always! I love you. And it will be forever!"- Elijah said-"didn't you hear my heart?"

"Oh, I heard your heart. I am hearing it now, too. It will be forever!"- Elena gazed in his eyes as he swept her up taking her over to bed, both  kissing wildly now.

The incisive ringing of his phone brought him back and he went back to the room to answer it.

"What are you doing?"- Rebekah asked.

"Just finished the budget for the new project for father. Having a beer. Drowning my sorrows. Thinking of flying over to California"-Elijah replied.

"No. Let it be. I know you love her like crazy, but no."- Rebekah said-"she wanted time and space. She can have time and space"

"Why did it get so fucked up?"- Elijah muttered.

"I don't know. But I know things will be good again. Right. Stefan and I are in this swanky new restaurant and you should come"

"Thanks, I know you mean well, but I am no third wheel"- Elijah said-"I am going to bed. I had a long day. You know how demanding father can be"

"Yes. That is why I would never work for him. Right. Talk to you tomorrow"

"Yeah, tomorrow"- Elijah said hanging up and went to have a shower. **** At the marina, Klaus and Caroline finished with the very late supper, and commenting about the news of the day.

Caroline swayed up to look at the moon in its round glory.

"I've calculated out for this to be the perfect romantic setting and listened carefully to your forecast guy-"- Klaus remarked having noticed how her eyes twinkled away in the moonlight as he poured them some more champagne.

She turned thr gaze away to Klaus-"How many times have you produced this line?"

"Never. Didn't ever dated a news anchor before"- Klaus said.

"You said you never dated before"- Caroline caught him.

"True. Dating was never my strong point. Elijah did this. I never saw the appeal of it. Until now"- Klaus said.

"Oh, yeah. Now you will tell me that I am very special"

Klaus sighed a little as he took a sip of the champagne-"what did he do to have put you off men in such a manner?"

She looked at Klaus seriously putting the glass on the table-"Thank you for the food"- she stood up and now walked towards the exit part.

Klaus cursed himself for having asked the damned question and hurried after her apologizing for being tactless.

"Please don't leave"- he asked with a regretfully.

Caroline turned around just before the exit and faced him blazing at him-"Your charming moonlight suppers and your-"-she couldn't think what to add as anger and hurt blocked her linguistical skills-"flowers and those blue eyes - can just leave me alone!"

"I really apologize.This was out of order. Please- can we rewind and - Caroline, please- I am in love with you. Don't you see-?"

Caroline stood still. No one had declared it to her like that. So dramatically, so wholeheartedly. And she didn't want to think anymore - be hot and cold. He neared her now and their eyes met not being able to hide what was in their hearts. And they both disappeared in the kiss.

**** Elsewhere, Stefan and Rebekah got out of the taxi.

"Thank you for a nice time"- Rebekah said.

"My pleasure"- Stefan retorted as they walked towards her building.

"Really- I haven't had so much fun since- I din't even remember. And I feel sort if bad as my best friends and my brothers are going through a neverending tough time"-Rebekah babbled.

"I had a great time, too."- Stefan said-" life unfortunately is a labirynth of twists and turns"

And now they stood in front of her building and he took her by the hand and she felt like she was twelve- all the butterlfies inside her stomach flew up as he neared her and kissed her. And if she could fly she would have taken off at that moment. And then her phone crash-landed her back because it wouldn't stop even though she ignored it twice.

"It must be important"- Stefan said-"answer it.

It rang again and Rebekah got it out - seeing it was Sophie she first blurted out that she would call her back but then Sophie's sobbing voice saying Kol was shot made her freeze for a second replying-"How- When-What?"

The next thing she knew was that Stefan put her in a taxi and she was on the phone to Elijah and then trying to get to Klaus, who wasn't answering. **** Y/N/E arrived somewhere around midnight. She got into the taxi. All the way in the car she felt uneasy and was impatient to get home. It seemed like the trip took twice as long. Her emotions were running high and she knew she had to balance them out. So, she focused on a mental game Bonnie taught her when she started feeling anxious. **

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Kol was still undergoing surgery. The FBI Agents who worked with Kol now took the siblings aside explaining them what went off that evening.

"So- you are telling us that Kol- our brother was working for you all this time?"- Rebekah was stunned at the revelation.

Elijah was quiet but tried to get his head round it.

"I sincerely hope he pulls through, He did a great job"- the Agent said before he left them.

Sophie could now tell them that she knew about it all along. But she had to keep it to herself.

"He just had to do it"-  Sophie said-"the whole thing with Jeremy was not letting him be."

Both Rebekah and Elijah just comforted Sophie now as she could not calm down, but refused to be given a sedative. Mikael and Esther arrived completely devestated at the news. **** Elena finally arrived to the building. She was home and it felt good even though a strange kind of uneasiness was not letting her go. She got into the elevator and pressed PH.

"Why is everything so slow tonight"- she thought as the elevator seemed to take forever to get up.

As she got out of it eventually, she remembered that she had no keys on her. She was miffed that she had to wake Elijah up as she wanted to surprise him. She rang the doorbell but there was no answer. She rang again and there was nothing.

She thought of calling the doorman for the spare key but she opted to give Elijah a call.

In the hospital, Elijah took his phone and simply answered it without looking who it was-"Yeah?"

"Elijah?"- he could hear Y/N/E's voice that threw him a bit and he authomatically said-"Y/N/E?"

"It's me. Sorry to wake you up, but I don't have my keys on me and can't get in"

"Can't get in?"- he repeated like shell- shocked.

"Yes. I am outside the door. I am here. I've just arrived"- she said.

"Y/N/E- huh, I am not at home. I am at the hospital."

"Hospital?"- she said worryingly.

"Yes. Kol's been shot"- Elijah then said.

"What?"- and the same how- when- what questions followed.

As he briefly explained she made her way to the hospital.

"Did you just talk to Y/N/E?"- Rebekah said having overheard his conversation.

"Yes. She's back-" 'Elijah said.

"Really? Just like that?"- Rebekah looked a bit gone out at Elijah.

Klaus and Caroline then appeared not long after together.

Elijah now went to get some refreshments for everyone as Y/N/E arrived.

It was somewhat surreal seeing her there. This was not something he expected.

They stood for a second as if they had been apart for a thousand years and yet at the same time not even a nanosecond. They went into a hug. Firm, warm, healing.

"I am so sorry"- Y/N/E whispered holding her husband tightly. "He is tough. He will pull through." "He will"- Y/N/E said as she now moved a little out of the hug.

They moved out of the hug slightly. Y/N/E put her palm on his cheek saying-"I missed you- so much"

He embraced her again, more warmly than before.

The moment broke as Rebekah came up to them announcing that Kol is out of the OR. He was still critical, though.

They suggested then to all of them to go home and rest.  Esther and Rebekah stayed on. Rooms were arranged for them to sleep if they needed some rest as this was a private hospital, for which the Mikaelsons regularily donated. **** After the night they had, both Y/N/E and Elijah just dropped into the bed. Whatever talk and all that needed to resurface had to wait as they needed to refresh.

Their phones woke them up at some time in the morning. Elijah had Rebekah on the phone and Y/N/E Vicky.

Elijah stayed on in the room, but Y/N/E ventured out to the kitchen. As she informed her friend about Kol, she started the coffee and put the bagels into the toaster.

"I don't know yet. He is on the phone to Rebekah. Yeah- we're hoping for the best. No. How could I tell him? How could I burst out in the middle of everything that I'm pregnant- "

Elijah now stood at the door and said astonished- 

“You’re pregnant?!”

____

[dukereviewsmovies]

Duke Reviews: The Fast And The Furious

Hi Everyone, I'm Andrew Leduc And Welcome To Duke Reviews, Where I Realize That It's Been A While, I Know I Haven't Done Anything With This Page In A While (Mainly Because Of My Other Tumblr Pages And For Those I Suggest You Check Out Power Rangers/Sentai Reviews (prreviews) Duke Reviews TV (dukereviewstv) Oncer Reviews (oncerreviews) And Arrowverse Reviews (arrowversereviews)) But I Hope To Do More Because As Of Today I Am Back With New Reviews On The Fast And Furious Movies...

I Say The Fast And Furious Movies As I'm Going To Be Going Over All Of Them And Not Just Do 4 Movies And Make A Month Out Of It, That Made Me Feel Compressed For Time And I Really Don't Want To Feel Like That When Doing This, I'm Gonna Do This The Way I Want To. So, The Fast And The Furious...

Starring Vin Diesel And The Late Paul Walker This Film...Well, I Would Talk About The Plot But That Would Spoil Some Twists That Happens In The Movie So, No Plot For This Episode...

But Instead Let's Get Right To The Fast And The Furious...

The Film Starts As Some People With Helmets And Fast Cars Hijack A Truck Full Of Electronic Goods...

The Next Morning, We Meet Brian Spillner (Played By The Late Paul Walker) Who Stops By Toretto's Market And Cafe Where Mia (Played By Dallas' Jordana Brewster) Works With Her Brother, Dom (Played By Vin Diesel) But When Dom's Crew (Which Includes Dom's Longtime Girlfriend, Letty (Played By Lost's Michelle Rodriguez) Vince (Played By Matt Shultze) Who Is Sort Of The Muscle, Jesse (Played By Chad Lindberg) Who's The Brains And Leon (Played By Johnny Strong) Who's Just There, He's Not The Brains Or The Muscle, He's Just There) Arrives On The Scene, Vince Gets Into A Fight With Brian (When He Doesn't Like Brian Flirting With Mia) Which Forces Dom To Get Involved...

What Kind Of Fight Song Is That?

That's Got To Be The Worst Song I've Ever Heard In A Fight Scene...

Telling Brian To Never Come Back Here, Brian Says That That's Bull But Knowing That Brian Works An Autoshop With A Friend Of His Named Harry, Dom Tells Brian That He's Fired. Going Down To Harry's, He's Mad At Brian, Saying That He's Messing Around With His Buisness...

He's Good, Man! Really Good...

Telling Harry, He Needs Nos...

Nos? What's Nos?

Researching This I Discovered That Nos Is Another Word For Nitrous Oxide Otherwise Known As Laughing Gas...

However, It Is Used In This And Other Motor Sports As A Rocket Propellant...

However, Harry Knows That Brian Is A Amateur And Isn't Ready For Nos Just Yet But Needing It Now Brian Tells Harry To Place 2 Containers In His Vehicle. That Night, Brian Goes To A Street Race That He Knows That Dom And His Crew Will Be At There He Meets Edwin (Played By Rapper Ja Rule) And Hector (Played By That One Guy Who's Known For Playing Mexican Gangsters In Movies) I'm Serious That's All He's Known For, But I Guess It's Better Than Saying The Guy That Got A Monkey Out Of His Ass In Bruce Almighty...

(Start Video At 1:06)

When Dom Arrives, Everyone Places Their Cash In Except For Brian Who Places The Pink Slip To His Car, Stating That If He Wins He Takes The Cash And The Respect...

Looking At His Car, Dom Accepts His Terms As They All Drive To Where The Race Is At.

With All The Racers At The Starting Line, The Race Begins!..

Activating The First Nos Canister, Brian Passes Edwin And Another Racer But When He Activates The Second Canister, He Loses The Bottom Of The Back Of His Car As He Passes Dom, But Dom Gets The Better Of Brian By Activating His Nos Canister...

But As Brian Finally Makes It To The Finish Line, The Police Start Showing Up Which Causes Everyone To Get The Hell Outta There, Ditching His Car, Dom Is Nearly Arrested By Police, However He Is Saved By Brian Who Says He Only Saved Him In An Effort To Keep His Car...

Losing The Police, Dom Tells Brian He Had Jesse Do Research On Him Discovering That Brian Did 2 Years In Juvie For Boosting Cars...

But They're Soon Followed By A Rival Gang On Motorbikes With Machine Guns That Is Led ByJohnny Tran (Played By Rick Yune) And His Cousin, Lance (Played By Grimm's Reggie Lee)

Saying That They Just Got Lost, Tran Lets Dom Go However...

They Place Bullets In Brian's Car, Setting The Nos On Fire And Causing The Car To Blow Up...

With A Long Walk Home, Dom Explains His History With Tran To Brian, As It Turns Out That It Was A Buisness Deal That Went Sour, Plus He Slept With Tran's Sister

Arriving At Dom's House, Dom Tells Brian To Come In For A Drink Before He Gets Mad At His Crew For Not Going Out And Finding Him...

With Dom Going Upstairs With Letty To Give Her A Massage Which Is Code For...

Saving Brian From Another Fight With Vince, Mia Talks With Brian In The Kitchen...

The Next Day, Brian Is Arrested By Police And Is Taken Back To A Safehouse Where It's Revealed That Everything We Know About Brian Is A Lie!

Turns Out His Real Name Is Brian O'Connor And He Is An LAPD Officer Who Is Involved In A Joint Mission Between The LAPD And The FBI To Find Out Who The Gang That Has Been Stealing Electronic Goods Is And To Arrest Them

The Officer That Arrested Him Is Sergeant Tanner (Played By Ted Levine Who Played The...

Guy In Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) And Is The LAPD Officer In Charge Of The Mission And The Black Guy Is The FBI Agent Bilkins (Played By Thom Barry) Who I Suggest You Get Used To Seeing As He's In The Next Movie As Well...

They Go Over A Bit Of Exposition Stating That People That Are Good With Precision Driving With Three Honda Civics With Green Neon Glow Beneath The Chassis And Have Mashimoto Z-X Tires Have Done 4 Truck Hijackings In 2 Months And If They Don't Have Something Soon They'll Have A Revolt Of Truckers On Their Hands...

But Despite Knowing That The Street Racing World Revolves Around Dom, Brian Doesn't Think That He's The One Behind These Attacks But He May Know Who Does All He Needs Is Time...

But Bilkins Says That Brian Doesn't Have Time...

Before Brian Leaves, Tanner Warns Brian To Be Careful Around Dom As He Nearly Beat A Guy To Death...

Getting Another Car From Tanner..,

And A Shitty One At That...

He Gives It To Dom Saying It's His Car...

Telling Jesse To Pop The Hood, Shows Dom To Not Judge A Book By It's Cover...

Dom Tells Brian That When He's Not Working At Harry's, He's Working At His Garage...

We Get A Brief Montage Of Dom And The Crew Buying Stuff From Harry's For The Car, While Jesse Shows Brian What The Car Will Look Like When The Car Is Finished...

Going To A Barbecue At Dom's House, Vince Takes Off The Minute He Sees Brian But Let's Not Put A Damper On This Scene As Everyone Sits Down To Eat We See One Of Dom's Traditions Which Is Whenever Somebody Grabs Food First That Somebody Has To Say Grace...

Just They Eat, Vince Arrives Mainly Because He's Hungry And Not Because He's Dropped His Beef With Brian...

Helping Mia With The Kitchen, Brian Asks Mia Out But Despite Her Saying She Doesn't Go Out With Her Brother's Friends She Does This When Vince Bosses Around Brian Again...

The Next Day, Hector Visits Harry's Shop For Equipment For 3 Honda Civics...

This Is Starting To Get Suspicious...

That Night, Brian Sneaks To Hector's Hangout Over Near The El Gato But Unfortunately The Cars Don't Match The Description. Getting Out, He Is Caught By Vince Who Takes Him To Dom Who Demands An Explanation Which Is Where Brian Tells Him That He Was Only In Hector's Garage To Analyze The Competition For The Upcoming Race Wars...

Despite Vince Believing He's A Cop, Dom Takes Both Brian And Vince To Johnny Tran's Where Dom And Vince Look At Tran's Car To See That It Has No Engine But Brian Is More Interested In All The Electronics That Tran Has...

But They Get A Call From Jesse Who Says That Tran And His Gang Are On Their Way Back A Fence Named Ted Who Was Supposed To Get Them An Engine For Their Car But He Didn't So They Decide To Torture Him...

Telling Tanner And Billkins What He Saw, Billkins Wants To Move On Tran Believing That They Have Enough But Brian Wants Hard Evidence Before They Do...

He Also Mentions That Hector's A Dead End And Dom Is Too Controlled For This, Vince Maybe But Not Dom, This Leads Tanner To Show Brian A Picture Of The Guy Dom Beat Up Years Ago...

That Afternoon, Brian Works At The Garage With Dom As He Tells Him That Tonight Is His Date With Mia...

Wow, Not One For Subtlety, Are You Dom?

Taking Brian To His Garage At His House, Dom Shows Brian A 1970 Dodge Charger That He Worked On With His Father When He Was A Kid, It's Here We Learn That Dominic's Father (Who Was A Pro Stock Racer) Was Killed By A Fellow Racer Named Kenny Linder Who Knocked Into A Wall (Which Set His Car On Fire) And That The Man That Dom Attacked Was Linder Which Leads To The Best Line Of The Entire Movie...

Taking Mia Out, She Tells Brian The Story How How Dom And The Gang Met, Saying That Vince Knew Dom Since They Were Kids And Letty Was Basically The Girl Next Door Who Was Interested In Car But Could Never Get Dom's Attention But Then She Turned 16...

So, Their Relationship Is Basically Like Phineas And Isabella's...

And Jesse And Leon Just Showed Up One Night And Never Ever Left. Mia Then Compares Her Brother To Gravity Stating That Everyone Who Comes Around Him Gets Pulled In, But Brian Tells Mia That The Only Thing That Pulled Him In Was Her...

Meanwhile, Another Heist Goes Down Which Makes Bilkins Decide To Move On Tran In 1700 Hours, And They Let Brian Know About This As He's Screwing Mia...

Bad Timing, Guys...

The Arrest Of Tran And His Boys Looks Similar To The Baptism Scene In The Godfather To The Point That All That's Missing Is The Murders And It Could Use A Guy With A Horse Head On His Bed...

And If You Thought Brian Having Sex With Mia Was Hot During The Raid We Get Scenes Of Dom Having Sex With Letty, She Was Hot In Girlfight So Why Not?

However, Tran And His Boys Are Innocent, Turns Out The Electronics Are Legal And All They Got On Them Is Low Rent Weapons Charges And Outstanding Speeding Tickets, Bilkins Tells Brian To Bring Toretto In In 36 Hours Or He Can Get A New Job.

Knowing That Brian Can't Look Past Dom Because Of Mia, Brian Tells Tanner That Knows Dom Won't Go Back To Jail Easy...

With The Car Ready And Raring To Go, Dom And Brian To A Test Run Down To The Coast Where They Stop By This Restaurant Called Neptune's Her Where Brian Tells Dom That He Knows He's Doing Something On The Side To Pay For Everything And He Wants In, Dom Tells Brian To Win Race Wars Then They'll Talk...

And What Can I Say About Race Wars? It's A Mix Of Woodstock And Coachella Except No Music Just Racing...

With Letty Racing First, She Beats The Hell Out Of This Ass That Tried To Hit On Her...

You Just Got Owned, Pal...

Meeting With Brian, Jesse Tells Him That He's Up Next In A Pink Slip Race, That Is The Good News, The Bad News Is That He's Driving His Jailbird Dad's Jetta And That His Competitor Is Johnny Tran....

Can't Wait To See How This Goes Down...

Yep, Jesse Loses But He's Like No Way In Hell I'm Giving Up My Dad's Car And Drives Off Til He's Out Of Fuel...

I Have A Feeling We Won't Be Seeing Him For A While...

Telling Dom To Get Jesse's Car For Him, Dom Tells Tran To Watch Who He's Talking To Which Is When Tran Tells Him That S.W.A.T Raided His House...

Shermar Moore Was At Your House, Boy, I Wish I Was There...

Thinking That Dom Was Behind It, Dom Gets Into A Fight With Tran...

That Night, Brian Watches Dom And The Others Take Off To Go On Another Heist Which Leads Brian To Confront Mia On It Forcing Him To Tell Her That He's A Cop..

(Start At 3:41 And End At 3:44)

Despite Telling Her That Everything He Felt For Mia Was Real, Brian Tells Her That The Truckers Aren't Laying Down Anymore And That If She Cares About Dom And The Crew She'll Help Him...

Mia Tells Brian Where The Cats Are Stashed But Brian Knows That The Highway Where They Are Is Too Well Patrolled So, He Decides To Do A Cell Phone Trace...

Driving Up To The Cars, Dom's Ready To Go But The Others Don't Feel Right Doing This Without Jesse But Dom Doesn't Want To Give Up On This One Saying That It's The Motherlode That They've Been Waiting For. So, Getting In The Cars They Ride Off...

But As They Go To Pull Their Heist, The Driver Tries To Shoot Vince With A Shotgun Vince Tries To Untether But He's Just Stuck...

Eventually Though Vince Gets Tossed To The Side Where His Arm Gets Stuck, Dom And Letty Try To Save Him But Dom Loses A Tire And Letty Gets Sideswiped Off The Road With Dom Telling Leon To Go Check On Her...

Dom's Engine Gets Hit Causing Him To Pull Off The Road But Luckily Brian Arrives With Mia To Save Vince...

With Dom Arriving, Letty And Leon Drive Out Of This Movie And With Only Letty And Vince Returning For Sequels We Say Goodbye To Leon. We Hardly Knew Ye...

With Vince Bleeding Out, Brian Calls The Police To Bring An Ambulance While Also Blowing His Cover. Returning To Dom's House, Brian Confronts Dom Saying There's Nowhere To Run But Dom Tells Him That He's Not Running Because He Has To Find Jesse Before Tran Does But Luckily Jesse Finds Them...

With Tran And Lance Closing In, Dom, Brian And Mia Take Cover While Tran Kills Jesse...

With Both Dom And Brian Going After Tran, Tran And Brian Both Shoot At Each Other As Lance Goes Behind Brian To Shoot Him But Dom Stops Lance From Doing So By Causing Him To Jump Into A Field...

It All Eventually Ends When Tran Is Shot By Brian Killing Him Instantly. With Tran Dead, Brian Sets His Sights On Dom Who He Follows To A Railroad Track Where Dom Tells Him That He Used To Drag Race Here In High School And That On Green He's Going So, The 2 Decide To Race Each Other One Last Time Or Until Fast And Furious But That's A Different Story...

Jumping At The Track As The Train Is About To Cross, Dom's Charger Gets Hit By An Oncoming Truck Causing To Flip Out Of Control...

Surviving, Brian Lets Dom Take His Car Saying That He Owes Him A 10 Second Car And So Dom Rides Off To Fight Another Day...

And That's The Fast And The Furious And It's A Good Film....

The Cast And Story Are Great, The Stunts Are Fantastic, The Car Designs Are Amazing I Just Love This Series. A lot Of People Around My Mom's Age Say That These Films Are Just Violence , Sex Basically Stuff You Would Find In A Grand Theft Auto Game And While It Does Have Some Violence And A Few Sexy Scenes It's Not Just That Throughout The Entire Movie It's Much More Than That, So, I Say See It And Give It A Chance...

Till Next Time, This Is Duke, Signing Off...

[cuuno-moved]

tw for extensive talk of suicide and mentions of animal death

"I'm an old dog, Orv."

The van was nearly dead silent, except for the sound of gravel pinging off the bottom. Rick snored a little in the back, shifting quietly. Orville glanced in the rearview mirror briefly at him, before looking back at the road, unblinkingly, rubbing his fingertips against the stitching on the steering wheel.

QBD hadn't said anything for nearly an hour until now, and Orville wasn't really sure how to respond to the comment. What kind of sentence even was that? An old dog? QBD was younger than Orv, and if he had to think of an animal, he'd probably liken the other man to an alligator or a tiger.

"Uh," He said, squinting at a shape on the road that could be anything from a plastic bag to a human skull. "Like, you can't learn new tricks?"

"Naw," QBD said, scraping at his nails. "It's 'cause I need to be put down."

Orv laughed at that, although he wasn't sure it was a joke. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. Like, you know when a dog gets old and blind and they start drooling in their sleep, but everyone pities them because they remember the good old days?"

"...Yeah?"

"Yeah. And then the dog bites someone, like, really bites. Sinks their teeth in and yanks. And then suddenly no one remembers the good old days, they just see a rabid beast."

"QBD-"

"Back at the mall, I sunk my teeth in, Orv. And I don't want to let go."

Orville sucked in a breath, shakily, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel as he pulled to the side of the road and turned off the car. He glanced at Rick again before turning to glance at QBD.

He looked weird, without the face paint, his face blotchy and pimply. His glasses sat crookedly on his face, and one of his earrings had been ripped out. There was a mottled bruise on his jaw that matched the one on Orv's fist, and his hair was greasy and matted like… like an old dog.

His expression was grim, eyes focused on his nails, jaw tight, eyebrows drawn together, but as soon as Orville sighed, he glanced up, challengingly.

Orv still hadn't come up with anything to say, no good line that would make things better, so he just sighed again, heavier, glancing at the road ahead.

"Have you ever wondered what will happen when we get the vaccine to the capital?" He asked, finally. "Will life go back to normal? Will… will we go back to normal?" 

"Mm," QBD hummed. "I don't see how it can. Half the population is gone."

Orv's eyes darted to the rearview mirror to make sure Rick was still sleeping, although he wasn't sure why he was worried- he was 13, he was old enough to understand death.

"Promise you won't join them?" He asked. "Won’t give up and leave me? Promise you're going to stick around?"

QBD ran his fingers over the stitching of the seat and kept his mouth shut, drawn in a grim line.

"We need you," Orville muttered, starting the car again. He wasn't sure why his chest was starting to burn, anger building between his ribs and scalding his lungs. "You know that, right?"

"You don't need me," QBD said. "I almost got us- got Ricky- killed at the mall. What would have happened if you hadn't pulled me off?"

"That doesn't matter," Orv said, sharply. The rage inside him was burning, and he coughed into his sleeve to try to get it out. QBD glanced over at the sound in concern, but Orville wasn't done speaking. "What matters is I did pull you off. You didn't kill him. You didn't even hurt him too bad."

"But what if I had?"

The self righteous flames of anger in Orv's lungs flared, burning through him, melting up into his throat and out his mouth as he yanked on the wheel, sending them into the ditch, whirling on QBD and grabbing a handful of his collar. 

"Fuck the 'what if's," He snarled, his finger tips tingling in rage. "'What if's get you nowhere. I need you, far more than you need us, and I'm not going to put you down, you stupid fuck. You're not an old dog, you're my friend, and it doesn't matter whether you're biting or not, because I've got antibiotics in the trunk and bandages in the glove compartment. So you're not going to die," All the flames died, fizzling out into smoke that stuck to his lips, leaving him gasping and floundering for air. "You can't. Okay?"

QBD stared at him, his expression somewhere between fear and anger. His lips parted for a moment, before he snapped his jaw shut again. "Okay," He whispered, before clearing his throat and trying again. "Okay. Okay, I'm sorry."

"Are you guys kissing up there?" Rick rasped from the back, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. "Where are we?"

"Arizona," Orv said, letting go of QBD's collar and leaning back in his seat. "You've been out a while."

"M'kay," The bruises on his neck were visible under the collar of his polo, and Orv noticed QBD flinch when the kid rubbed at his throat. "Can we stop for food soon? I'm starvin'."

Orv chuckled, putting the car in drive and glancing out the windshield. "Yeah. I need to refill the tank anyways."

QBD nodded silently, slouching back in his seat. He was unbuckled, Orv noticed with annoyance.

"Safety first," He muttered, reaching across him to grab the seatbelt. "Come on man."

"It's the apocalypse," QBD huffed, but he obliged. "I don't think car wrecks are our biggest concern."

Rick said something in the backseat, but Orv didn't hear him, just focused on getting the car back on the road. There was a gas station up ahead a good ways up, with an attached Juicy Burger, which seemed like a good option for lunch.

The next ten minutes passed by slowly. Rick didn't seem to notice anything was up with the adults and kept rambling away, occasionally ramming his heels against the back of Orville's seat to get his attention when he asked a question. QBD didn't seem to be listening either, staring out the window dully at the horizon.

"Why is DC the capital?" Rick asked, suddenly. "And why is it there?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, New York City is bigger, and California is prettier, and Saint Louis is in the middle of the country, like-" Rick hesitated. "It's just weird."

"It's because back when America was founded, DC was in the middle. And it was big, too," Orville explained, patiently, steering around a dead body in the street. "Although I guess New York was bigger then too."

"Hm. What's your favorite city?"

"Uh," Orv squinted at the rearview mirror, where Ray was staring at him intently. "I mean, LA is pretty nice."

"California is ass," QBD muttered, uncrossing his arms to mess with the door lock. "Fuck California."

"Language," Orv scowled. "Dude."

"No, he's right," Rick nodded sagely. "Fuck California. Hey Blockhead, what's your favorite city?"

QBD winced, but he relaxed a bit. "Uh, like… I mean, I like Philadelphia a lot."

"Boo," Rick jeered, slamming his feet into the back of the passenger seat. "Boo, you're wrong. Fuck Philadelphia."

"Yeah? What's your favorite city then?" QBD snapped, twisting around to stare at him. "Coming from the kid who's never left the fucking state."

"Houston," Ray announced, with an air of determined finality. "Houston is the best place ever."

At that, both QBD and Orv started booing him, QBD reaching back to grab at his ankles.

i have like. a scene from my original story written. and theres no context but i really want to post it.