#*gun to your head* answer it unc

[habibisagi]

this is so ominous

o in ominous stands for….

[smilingformoney]

Three Secrets

Summary: Hans Gruber x reader | smut | You're a member of Hans Gruber's gang of thieves, and when you take the blame for another's betrayal, Hans grants your last request.

Or: you get fucked violently by Hans, and then you die.

I watched Die Hard, got horny, and this is the result.

Dedicated to @snowblossomreads, who so lovingly enables my thirst for this dead old man.

Warnings/content: smut, dubcon, gun kink, all your holes get penetrated (yes even that one)

Read on Ao3 or below the cut:

“Who warned die Polizei?!” Hans roared as he returned to the safehouse, panting and out of breath, his tie askew. When there was no answer from his fellow thieves, he roared in anger and smashed his fists on the table, causing the carefully-stacked Marks to collapse into piles and scatter across the floor.

“I WANT A NAME!”

The thieves began staring at each other suspiciously, agitated by the news of a betrayal and - although they’d never admit it - frightened of Hans’ anger.

With a sudden BANG!, Hans shot down the man nearest him. Probably not the rat, and certainly a good thief - but Hans was angry, and he wanted to punish someone.

You stood up immediately.

“It was me,” you lied.

It wasn’t you, of course it wasn’t. You would never betray your friends. But you also couldn’t sit there and watch Hans take his anger out on them.

The barrel of the gun met the underside of your chin, and you closed your eyes as you steeled yourself for the shot…

But it didn’t come. You dared to open your eyes, and you were met with Hans’ fiery gaze, his face dripping with sweat, a nasty snarl on his face.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t pull the trigger, Schlampe,” he growled.

You knew of a thousand reasons. You weren’t the rat; you were an asset to the team; you liked being alive. But Hans cared about none of those - all he wanted was to sate his anger.

“Do I get a last request?”

Hans’ eyes narrowed, then he chuckled darkly. “Perhaps,” he replied. “What is it?”

“Schlampe, you called me. I am no slut, Hans. No man here has touched me. No man has ever touched me.”

Hans laughed and turned to his men. “Do you hear that, boys? Die Schlampe wants to be fucked before she dies!”

The men laughed, far too many of them looking at you with hunger.

“I don’t want them!” you insisted as you stepped closer to Hans, the barrel of his gun digging deeper into your flesh. “I don’t even want to be fucked. What I want… is to suck your cock.”

As soon as the words left your lips, the men gathered went feral, cheering and whooping, shouting out words of encouragement to Hans. He, meanwhile, seemed merely amused.

After a pause, he grabbed you by the shoulder, spun you around, and marched you out of the room, gun pressed firmly against the small of your back. Wordlessly, he guided you through the house, leaving behind the wooting animals that called themselves men, and once he reached his bedroom, he pushed you inside and slammed the door shut behind him.

“Turn around slowly,” he said in a low, menacing voice, one that struck fear in most, but for you it only sent a rush of arousal through your body.

When finally you could see him again, Hans’ eyes were alight with danger, desire and anger. So long as that gun was trained on you, you knew any moment could be your last, even if your mouth was full of his cock - and, shit, you hoped it would be soon.

“So the little virgin wants to suck my cock, does she?”

He gestured at her body with his gun.

“Take those off. I don’t want any hidden tricks.”

Sure. That was why he wanted you to strip.

You pulled your t-shirt over your head, and Hans licked his lips when his gaze landed on your chest. Next you slipped off your shoes, then the rest of your clothing, leaving you in nothing but your bra and knickers.

Hans raised his eyebrows. “Did I tell you to stop?”

You had hoped to at least keep some of your dignity before your last meal, but this was Hans Gruber you were dealing with. He never did anything in halves.

You reached behind your back to unclasp your bra, letting it fall from your shoulders, then hooked your thumbs under your waistband to push your knickers to the floor.

And that was how you found yourself stark naked in Hans Gruber’s room, staring down the barrel of his gun, not daring to break eye contact with him, no matter how desperate you were to see if he was aroused.

“Show me your technique first, Schlampe. Open.”

You obeyed, and panic shot through your heart when the barrel of his gun - safety most definitely off - slid past your lips and threatened to choke you as it passed over your tongue and settled at the back of your mouth.

“Well?” Hans prompted. “I’m waiting.”

Of course he had a fucking gun kink.

You tried to ignore the metallic taste as you began to move your head back and forth, ever so slightly, trying not to get too close to the trigger. What a way to die this would be.

“Will you suck my cock with this little passion, Y/N? It is your last request, after all. You’re supposed to enjoy it.”

Bastard. Sadist. Psychopath.

You hadn’t been lying; you really hadn’t been with a man before. How were you supposed to show him your cocksucking technique on a gun when you had never even practised on the real thing?

You closed your eyes, hoping it would help you to pretend the barrel was a dick. You tightened your lips around it, telling yourself it was the most delicious thing you’d ever tasted, that it tasted like flesh and sweat, not metal and gunpowder…

You could hear Hans breathing heavily, alongside the sound of a belt unbuckling. You chanced a glimpse, and when you saw his other hand sliding under his waistband, you let you an involuntary moan.

He grinned, looking like a devil as he palmed himself under his boxers, finger far too close to the trigger of the loaded gun you were currently allowing him to fuck your mouth with. Because he was, he had taken over the movement, and while one hand rubbed up against his cock, the other pulled the gun from your mouth, only to send it back in violently, and you grunted with pain as the metal tip collided with the roof of your mouth.

“I could pull the trigger at any moment,” Hans said, speaking aloud the very fear that sat at the forefront of your mind. “You would die sucking my gun, wishing it was my cock, dead before you knew what was happening. How does that sound, Schlampe?”

Fuck. He was asking you a question, and still he was thrusting his gun into your mouth; you were sure he would leave a bruise.

Not that a bruised mouth would matter soon, once you were dead.

Hans suddenly pulled the gun from your mouth, switched on the safety and returned it to the holster on his hip. You gasped for air, glad to be free of the metallic taste and the imminent threat of your head exploding.

He placed his hand on your head and pushed down, forcing you to your knees as he pulled his cock from the confines of his boxers, and you couldn’t help but stare.

You always knew Hans had big dick energy. Now you knew he had the size to match.

“I will show you mercy,” he decided. “You’ll get my cock… and maybe I’ll blow your brains out with my cock down your throat.” He held his erect cock to your lips, and instinctively they parted to allow him in.

Fuck, he was big. Too big; you thought the gun might have been more comfortable. It may have been cold and metallic, and ready to blow your brains out at any moment, but at least you could breathe. As Hans pushed further past your lips and over your tongue, you felt the muscles in your jaw protesting as you stretched them out as far as they could go.

His tip hit the back of your throat and you gagged. If Hans noticed, he didn’t care. Tears began to fill your eyes, and through your watery vision you could see that he was hardly even halfway in.

Hans grabbed either side of your head with his hands and tilted your head upwards, forcing you to look at him.

“So full, and I’m hardly even in,” he growled. “Now, are you going to just stare at me, Schlampe, or are you going to suck. my. fucking. cock?”

You decided to go with the latter.

You tried to pull your head back slightly, but Hans’ large, strong hand on the back of your head kept you in place.

What were you supposed to do? He wanted you to suck, but he clearly didn’t want you to move back. That only left forward, but you rather enjoyed breathing.

Ah, but you had another option - your tongue. At the moment, it was flattened uselessly under his cock, but perhaps you could - yes! You managed to loosen it slightly, just enough to allow it to slide along his shaft. You hadn’t realised before how veiny cocks were, but you certainly knew now as you traced a line along one that ran from the head, down the underside, and past your lips. Curious, you raised a hand to the rest of him and gently ran your thumb from your lip, tracing the vein all the way to the base, where it was lost in amongst his pubic hair, which was surprisingly coarse, much coarser than your own.

Somewhere above you, Hans hummed with satisfaction, and you hoped you were doing well. If you weren’t, you supposed you would know by the prod of a gun in your temple.

You stuck your tongue out as far as you could past your lips, then retracted it. You followed the movements of your own tongue with your lips, and you were relieved when Hans allowed you to do so, his hand on your head loosening its grip slightly as he allowed you to pull back until you felt his lip threatening to pass your lips. You were just about to go back in when Hans decided to take control of the situation - as if he weren’t in control already - and, twisting your hair in his hand tightly, he tugged your head back towards him. The movement was so sudden, so violent, that your gag reflex had no time to kick in, and this time you found your nose buried in his hairs, his thick cock gliding down your lubricated throat.

Before you had chance to adjust to your new position, Hans began to violently fuck your mouth - or, more accurately, he fucked himself with your mouth, as his hips were perfectly still, whilst his fist in your hair tossed your head back and forth, leaving you in a whirlwind of pain as he tugged on your scalp, choked you with his cock, and stretched your jaw beyond what you’d ever expected possible.

Your eyes flicked up, and through your streaming tears you could see him, staring down at you with a hungry snarl. Sweat began to drip down from your temple – whether from exhaustion or fear, you were unsure. You were terrified, you were in agony, you were suffocating… and you were undeniably turned on.

“Mhm… a perfect mouth for fucking,” Hans growled as he wiped a tear from your cheek before bringing it to his mouth and sucking it off his thumb as if it was the nectar of the gods. “Such a shame to waste it.”

Naively, a hope rose in your heart - perhaps, if you were good enough for him, he would spare your life after all, punish you by making you into his personal cockslave. It wasn’t exactly the life you craved, but it was life.

Suddenly, your lungs filled with air as you instinctively inhaled deeply, your body reacting before your mind had even the chance to process what had happened - his sudden withdrawal from your mouth, leaving you a simpering, drooling, gasping mess.

His hand still in your hair, Hans tugged you to your feet. You winced in pain, although you were glad to be breathing freely again.

Your heels had hardly touched the carpeted floor, however, when Hans threw you violently back. The pain in your scalp was replaced by pain in your calves as they collided with the bedframe just moments before your back hit the mattress, and you let out an oof as the air was forced from your lungs.

You gasped desperately, and once you were finally in a state to look up, you saw that Hans had removed his jacket and tie, and was in the process of removing his shoes. Even in his carnal state, he took the time to neatly fold his clothes. This gave you the chance to recover, however briefly, and you adjusted yourself on the bed, finding a more comfortable position with your head against the pillows.

You’d seen Hans’ body before - just last summer, a particularly lucrative job had allowed the gang enough funds to holiday in the south of France, and it was there, seeing Hans in nothing but a pair of swimming trunks, that you had developed an attraction to the man.

You had even seen his arse once, after a drinking game dare from Karl resulted in Hans mooning ein Polizist from a moving car.

And, of course, you had seen his cock just now. But you’d never before seen him completely naked – until now.

He crawled over you like a panther on a hunt, and you fully expected him to continue until his throbbing cock slid into your mouth so that he could fuck your head into the pillow.

Instead, he stopped as his hungry grin reached level with your own lips, and he ran his tongue along them testingly. You parted your lips obligingly, and he chuckled.

“Two years you’ve been with us now, Y/N,” he mused. “Two years that perfectly fuckable mouth has been in front of me and I did nothing. It’s only now, after you seal your fate, that your true talents are revealed. Pity.”

You were tempted to offer your mouth to him, to offer him every hole to be taken whenever he liked, so long as he kept you alive. But that would be begging, and Hans abhorred beggars. No, he had to come to the idea himself.

“How many other secrets are you keeping from me, Schlampe?” Hans growled. He shifted his weight back slightly and for the first time you realised he held his tie in his hand. He grabbed your wrists, crossed them over one another above your head, and used the tie to secure them to the headboard. Once satisfied with the tight knot, he began to run his hands down your body, starting from your face and down your neck towards your chest, as if challenging himself to touch every inch of your flesh before it turned cold.

He took your nipples between his fingers and twisted them harshly, eliciting a loud yelp from your throat.

“I asked you a question,” Hans said plainly. “How many secrets do you still keep?”

Was he seriously interrogating you right now? Was that what this whole thing was, just a way to torture information from you?

Information you didn’t have, because you weren’t the rat.

You had to draw his attention away, to remind him what a waste your death would be.

“Two,” you gasped as an idea struck your brain. “I have two more secrets.”

“Only two?”

You nodded, trying to suppress a whine as his fingers squeezed on your nipples again.

He surveyed you for a long moment, his amber eyes staring into yours, as if hoping he might find some hidden information in there.

“It would be a shame if your secrets died with you,” he growled. He sat up fully now, and his cock came back into view, still erect, throbbing and glistening in the light with a mixture of precum and your spit.

He let out a sigh of relief as he stroked himself, his eyes never leaving your squirming form beneath him. With his spare hand, he pushed open your legs, tugging on your hips to bring them close to him. You took the hint and wrapped your legs around his waist, presenting your soaking wet cunt to him.

“Will you tell me your secrets before you die, Y/N?”

“Yes,” you replied immediately, understanding his meaning.

“Good. I would hate to take the from you by force.”

You felt his cockhead pushing against your lower lips, then past them, then – it slipped inside, aided by your gushing juices.

Hans gave you no time to adjust. If he remembered you were a virgin, he didn’t care as he sheathed himself inside you, cock crawling up your tight walls, forcing them to stretch open for him.

You bit down on your bottom lip hard, trying to ignore the pain as he finally bottomed out. He barely gave your walls a chance to adjust to his size when he withdrew again, only to thrust forward again. He was nothing short of stabbing you with his cock, venting his anger at your apparent betrayal.

His thrusts picked up pace, and soon enough the pain had subsided, leaving only the pleasure.

And oh, what pleasure. Was this what you had been missing out on for so long? You had never dared make a move on Hans, never dared risk his anger if your proposal angered him. You wished you had made a move, that you had spent the better part of the last two years getting railed.

What a wish to make on your deathbed.

If you weren’t already busy moaning with pleasure, you might have laughed.

This was your deathbed, quite literally – and you were getting fucked into it like there was no tomorrow, because for you, there wasn’t.

Hans not only had a massive cock, but he had incredible stamina too. He pulled out, and you weren’t ashamed of the whine that left your throat when he did so, leaving you feeling suddenly empty. His cock was throbbing, almost twitching, and leaking so much precum it seemed as if he might cum just from a change in the wind.

He wouldn’t, though. Of course not. He was Hans Gruber, and he came only when he chose.

He made no clever pun about secrets now. He just took your hips in his large hands and turned you over, ignoring your grunt of pain as your wrists rubbed against your bonds.

He also ignored the veritable scream of pain you let out when he stretched open your arsecheeks and pushed inside your final hole, the last secret you hadn’t known you were keeping from him.

You sobbed into the pillow. You couldn’t help it. Although painful at first, his cock felt good in your cunt, the stretch painful but pleasurable too. This, however, was nothing but pain.

Any hopes you might have had of your own orgasm were now dashed. You felt nothing but pain as Hans stabbed into you again and again, and over your own sobs you heard him, growling and muttering something to himself under his breath.

“Dumme verdammte Schlampe,” you heard. “I’ll teach you - oh, I will fucking show you - you don’t - keep - secrets - from - me!”

He stilled suddenly, hilted deep inside your arse, and Hans let out nothing short of a roar.

Your head was dizzy, the world spinning, and you continued sobbing into the pillow as Hans finally withdrew. You couldn’t move, you just lay there on your front, covered in sweat, tears, and - although you couldn’t see to be sure - blood and cum leaking from both your holes. Even so, you missed Hans’ warmth when he moved away from the bed.

After a minute, water began to run from the bathroom. Five more minutes, and the water stopped. Some movement and shuffling of fabric. Still, you didn’t move, too stiff with pain.

You certainly didn’t move when you heard the cocking of a gun, and you felt the barrel pushing against the base of your skull.

“Any more secrets?”

Your hopes were dashed. He wasn’t going to spare you after all. No, he had just fucked you raw, and now he wanted what he had always wanted - the truth. To him, you were a rat, not to be trusted and certainly not to be spared.

The truth, you knew, would get you nowhere.

So you lied.

“Nein,” you mumbled, face still smushed against the pillow. You daren’t move.

Somewhere above you, Hans sighed.

“A shame,” he muttered.

It really was a shame. Those were nice bedsheets, ruined now with her blood…

…and her brains.

[solitude4chiron]

White Ferrari

Miles 42 x black fem reader

Warnings/about: Angst/fluff, Drunk characters, slightly drunk driving, you get attacked by one of Miles’s rivals he feels guilty, frank ocean & skateboarding, caring miles

Slight trigger warning: You get followed and attacked by a rival of your boyfriends, you own a gun and pull it out

& yes this is pt.2 to fashion killa 🫶🏾 thank y’all for the support on my first piece of writing 🥹🥹

Miles took your advice from your last heartfelt conversation, leading his uncle Aaron to take more of the prowler role while he rebuilt your relationship, but after a few weeks off he sadly had to stay out again

During the weeks he had off you felt closer to your villain boyfriend than you ever had before. Him opening up his eyes to your world and you feeling every emotion he expressed he was raised in as a child.

You both went to concerts seeing ASAP Rocky (both of y’all’s fav) JID,  Brent faiyaz (Miles’s favorite he sends you lyrics all the time) and kendrick Lamar. You standing in the pit made miles tense up so he would always end up being right behind you, arms wrapped around your waist while dancing to whatever artist was playing, the tight space pressing your butt onto him which made him go feral, but not purposely of course 🙄 so he always ended up whispering in your ear 

“Espera a que lleguemos a casa, you want to tease huh?” (Wait till we get home)

After his disappearance, and reappearance you communicated your feelings to him a lot, as he understood that his weight was slightly your weight too, and it stressed you out. Even though his identity was safe and your relationship with him wasn’t too public, you felt someone had a hit out on your head.

“8:35 pm not too late…” and while miles was gone you dragged on your baggy evisu jeans while also pulling on a tight cropped shirt, finishing it off with a hoodie zipping it just far up enough so you could still let others see your bellybutton was pierced. Then you left, skating down the street with bktherula blasting in your left ear (miles always told you to keep one ear open when he wasn’t with you)

After a minute you stopped at a gas station for a drink and while walking to the back for your soda, you spotted a man dressed in all black. Shiesty mask pulled down, his dark eyes glared at you screaming disrespectful things

“Why the fuck do I live in nyc..” you muttered

At that moment you snatched the money out your pocket and slammed it on the counter whilst walking out, hoping the fast payment would put some space between you two. You also text miles. A lot..

“Hey miles baby, you free?” 8:49

“Some dude keeps following me miles” 8:49

“Miles please look at my location, I’ll try to stay in the area please come get me” 8:50

“Baby please answer me” 8:50

“Babe” 8:50

“Babe” 8:53

“Miles” 8:53

Miles POV:

“Aye pass that shi bru we celebrating tonight” I said through intoxicated lips while taking another swig of the hennessy bottle, and for a minute my worries went away, and that minute was actually 30 minutes

“Aye y’all imma head home ! My wife waiting on me” I said with a smug look on my face snatching the keys to my motorcycle off the counter, but my unc ain’t goin for that shi

“Gimme the keys miles, airdrop me your address” 

“Alright then dad..” I said sarcastically, but slightly pondered on that sentence because my dad, yeah 

While opening my phone to airdrop the address my heart sank to my crotch

Future wife: 7 new messages

Future wife: 16 missed calls 

Future wife: 1 voicemail 

And immediately I became sober. Hopping on my motorcycle and riding through the oddly warm night climate, leaving my worried uncle behind while tracking y/n’s location 

“Sabes que lo siento, I keep fucking letting you down.” (You know I’m sorry baby)

Y/n’s pov:

Although you tried not to acknowledge the man but something about him was familiar? You’re sure you’ve never seen him before but maybe you’ve heard of him

“Come here ma, won’t be long trust”

“Come on you know you want to turn around and look at me” 

And in that moment you knew who he was, Sidat. (Sigh - dot) Miles’s little “enemy”. Miles told you about him, but the way he was described to you. Made you feel like he wasn’t a threat. Now you realize he wasn’t a threat to miles, but definitely is a threat to you

“Move nigga, I got a man” you snapped

“I know that already love, fuc him” 

And something in you jerked to pull out the gun you tucked in your pants earlier. The gun that had MM (Miles morales) engraved in it, the gun you never realized could swiftly take someone off the earth, the gun that had purple wrapped around it. Personalized for your boyfriends touch 

“I said move nigga, damn.” You said, turning around swiftly while pulling the gun out your waist

And you tilted your head, peering down the top of the gun hoping this would be enough to scare sidat away 

“You ain’t pullin that shi girl” he said whilst jumping on you pinning you to the floor, you kept the barrel of the gun to his chest but he knew you wouldn’t pull it. You knew you wouldn’t too 

He lifted your chin off your chest with his own weapon 

“You so fine, miles don’t deserve yo pretty ass”

And in that moment you heard a motorcycle almost a minute away

So he left, and in the snap of a finger sidat was gone

And you shivered on the floor preparing your words for when miles found you. Tears ruining your pretty mascara 

“Lo siento, cariño, lo siento, salí y me emborraché y pensé que si bebía no tendría que pensar en nada y..” (I’m sorry baby, I’m sorry I went out and got drunk and I thought if I drank I wouldn’t have to think about anything and I..)

“Come on hermosa, I’m so sorry” you saw a tear forming a the bottom of his eyes and you knew if he wasn’t slightly drunk he probably wouldn’t be crying right now 

He picked you up and sat you on his motorcycle. Going straight home

Timeskip: At home

“And yeah, that’s what happened. He vanished as soon as you pulled up.” You said through tears and hiccups 

Miles tried his hardest to comfort you. He took your clothes off slowly trying not to trigger anything inside of you and wrapped you in the satin robe he got you for valentines. He took you into the bathroom and ran you a bath while rubbing a soapy rag along your body. His eyebrows indicating his regret. He made you hot camomile tea just like how his mom taught him, and he slid your bonnet on your braids freshly oiled for bed while he played your favorite, frank ocean

“It’s my fault” you heard him sigh

“No baby it wasn’t your fault, It wasn’t any of ours I’m not too shaken anyways I promise”

“But I should have been checking your texts, just like you always tell me too…” and he buried his head into your breasts trying to hold back drunk tears, and sooner or later you were being showered with kisses. His breath smelled like liquor but you didn’t care. He made sure that night while you both slept he was directly behind you. Never letting go of your hip 

“Care for you still and I will, forever” miles sleepily sang the lyrics of white Ferrari, and you’d wonder if he knew what he sang, or the impact it made in your head. It almost felt like he could only love you this deeply when he was drunk. Maybe he just felt this way the whole time

And through every kiss he apologized, because sober or not it pained him so much someone besides him had hurt you, purposely. The music filled your room and leaked out your shared window freezing time, and all you could do was stare at the boy you loved in awe

Because you never thought he could love someone so deeply 

[mydearsaddiary]

Speakeasy Tonight Neil Season 3 Fanfic- Chapter 8

Author notes: +16, some subjects may be sensitive to some readers. (Violence and harassment)

Hello! Here’s chapter 8! Can’t believe Im almost done with it! I plan on going until chapter 10 or 11, but we are almost done with the Adler saga! Thank you so much for reading until here! Let’s go on until the end! Enjoy!

Candy (08/16/2020)

Chapter 8- Behind the eight ball

There was a tenseness in the air the whole day while I was at the Ice Box. Vince couldn’t seem to be able to quiet down. Cliff dried glasses that were already dry, Neil was on his third bourbon glass, Donovan grunted every now and then as if he wanted to disagree with something. Even Julius and Cleo sounded off key every now and then

Me and Vince going to dinner that night was messing with everybody’s head in different ways. You could feel in your body that it was like walking into the lions’ den, that you’re putting your life on the line. The anticipation never made me feel so alive before, even if I was scared. My heart palpitated inside my chest, reminding me to be ready, attentive and most of all: careful.

Vince was up and running, but I could tell sometimes he felt pain. His tough exterior and his Italian hot-blooded head didn’t permit him to show weakness for long. That was the Mad Dog alright, no one could keep him down more than a night. Some might say Vince is empty headed due to his lack of skills in grammar, math, manners or anything society deems essential to make it big, but they haven’t been in Vince’s shoes. I didn’t know what had happened to his parents although I heard something about a terrible death when he was a kid, but he was always a survivor. On top of it, he had a way of dealing with people much like I did. He was a salesman whenever he opened his mouth, and people were convinced by his words. And in case they weren’t, he carried his fists and his favorite gun “Pearl”. Having him at my side tonight made my fears controlled enough for me to be sure I could make it out alive out of the mayor’s house that night.

In contrast, there was the man I had fallen in love with. If Vince was the tough man that broke, bent and hurt, Neil was there to fix, put together and heal. The steady hands of the Doc were so much different than the vicious, trained fighter that was Vince Moretti. For this reason he had to stay behind. Someone like the mayor wasn’t his job and he knew it. I could also tell it bothered him to an extreme and that he wished he could do more than just sit still and wait. I reckoned it was the same feeling he had in the war

Whenever the riflemen went ahead to fight, as a medic he must’ve always stayed a little further behind, until he heard a cry for him. I must imagine when they came back many were bleeding and most died. He wasn’t in the thick of action but he always had to deal with the consequences, the aftermath. The admiration for him for doing so grew everyday. Not many would have been able to do it, and even for Neil, the darkness of it almost took over completely. So I couldn’t help but feel he was scared of this dinner, because its the action he wouldn’t be able to partake in, but was wondering if either me or Vince wouldn’t come back unscathed.

The only way I knew how to soothe him was to play leader, act confident. So my feet took me to him, and hugged him around his shoulders from behind. Although his focus remained on the bourbon, I could feel the tenseness in his shoulders ease

-Guess who called me this morning, before I came in?- I said and he turned his head to the side- Your mother

-Mother?-This time he turned to me. It was a weird thing hearing that word come out of his mouth. Being estranged from his family for so long... Hearing him mention a parent made him look younger and softer in my eyes. It wasn’t bad, it was just different- What about?

-She said she’s terribly sorry my last visit to Boston didn’t turn out the way it should have and we should come up again for a formal engagement dinner. I’m betting it’ll be incredibly ritzy and she did invite my family, which means Uncle Charlie will be there!

He seemed to ponder over it for a few seconds- And I’m guessing you agreed, so I have no choice but to attend another social gathering. If I knew a wedding involved meeting with so many people so often I would’ve suggested we did it all in secrecy

-Oh, don’t be a wet blanket! You only get married once!

-Thank the heavens for that- He raised his glass and I punched him in the arm, making him spill some of it- Ow! Hey! Fine, I get it. We’ll go.

-Great. It’s this weekend

-Isn’t it too early? With the whole mayor ordeal?

-It’ll be fine, it’s just a weekend. Besides, the wedding planner did say all the invitations finished being sent out yesterday!-I said with a lot more enthusiasm in me than he had in him. I would’ve taken offense otherwise, but it’s Neil. He never really made a big deal out of most things, wedding invitations included

I asked Cliff for a drink and for a while we were just sitting in a comfortable silence, I was about to propose a chess game when the phone rang

-It’s Charlie, MC. He wants to talk to you- Cliff said

I made my way there, thanking him before picking it up- Hey, Unc

-Hey, Kiddo. Been hearing quite a lot about the mayor from over here- He said cheerfully. He sounded healthier, which made me happier about my decision to send him back for a few weeks, even if it turned out being longer than I expected

-Yea, he’s been some trouble, but we’re actually almost done with him- I mentioned the documents and the dinner, catching up on all of the business recently. Then, we spent some time catching up on family and those little things about relatives like Aunt Mabel or cousin Katrina that didn’t really matter much but if was nice to talk about. I mentioned the Boston dinner and I could hear him smiling through the phone, letting me know he’d tell my family

-Listen, MC. It’s time I went back to Chicago.

-We’re almost done, Uncle Charlie. I’ll let you know!

-I know you were worried about my health. I’m glad you sent this old man away for a few weeks. I needed to call you and tell you that even though I set things up for the long term there for you, it’s time I officially retired from the Ice Box and handed over the keys to you

-Uncle...

-I won’t go anywhere, I’ll come in once in a while. It’d give me the chance to take it easy, now that I know the place is in good hands. We’ll still work together at the appliance store- He paused, thinking about his next words- But before I do, I can’t just drop everything on your shoulders. I know the Ice Box has risks and I’ve been in this business way longer than you have. I have plenty to offer before I step down for good. I wanna work on this one last job together.

I didn’t know if his desire was out of pride, or if he was missing his true home and family that he found within the Ice Box. I knew I couldn’t keep Uncle Charlie away for too long, but there was a resolve in his voice that I had to respect

-I could use you here, Unc- That was my answer

He laughed- I thought it’d take more than that to convince you. When we meet in Boston, I’ll come back to Chicago with you and Neil

-Sounds like a plan. I’ll let everyone know.

____

As the afternoon went on with preparations for the dinner I still had one thing on my mind. I needed to tell Neil I was expecting, that much I already knew. But either something seemed to get in the way, or I got too nervous to say anything. Part of me wondered if it was the universe telling me to tell him later. However, I knew that going to this dinner without telling him would betray his trust

At night when the Ice Box opened and people started to fill up the place, I decided it was time to tell him. With less than an hour before I left and everyone doing their jobs I pulled Neil away from the loud music and excited dancing to the back room

-Did you really pull me here for necking?

I laughed kissing him gently- I could have but... No. I actually need to talk to you. Remember I was trying to tell you something last week? I-

-MC, you in there?-I could hear Vince knocking- We have to go

-Oh for Pete’s sake, this isn’t happening tonight- I grabbed both of his arms looking into his eyes- I’m pregnant.

His eyes weren’t wide with surprise, but the shock was visible, more as if he had just realized something rather than just found something out. His brows twisted, trying to read in my face if I was joking or being serious. Something in my eyes must’ve convinced him, because he let out a sigh, and I could tell he was trying to find the words to say.

-MC!-Vince called again

-I have to go, now... We’ll talk about it tonight- I opened the door

-Wait a second...-He turned to follow me and I knew he was going to try to stop me.

Against my better judgement I forced myself to move to move faster- I have to go!-I repeated myself- There’s no other way

-MC!-I heard Neil’s voice but I was already far away. I could hear him following me outside but I stepped in Vince’s car and told him to drive away

I didn’t allow myself to feel heartless. A decision had to be done and it was the hard one. Although I knew within me I made the right choice by telling him before I went, I knew I had to go. I would probably face the consequences of it later, but what mattered is that the Ice Box would be safe, and Neil would still know.

-You alright, there?-Vince asked while driving

-Yes, there’s just too much going on at once- I answered- Once this night is over it’ll be a weight lifted off our shoulders. Are you ready to steal those documents?

-I am. Going to the John upstairs, his office is third door on the left and the documents are all in folders on the bottom drawer of his desk

-You got it. If you have time though, find out if there’s anything anywhere else, There must be some more important papers laying around.

-I got it, doll. You just focus on distracting the mayor

____

The moment Vince parked and the roar of the engine stopped, I swear I could hear both of our hearts struggling to not beat out of rib cages. Vince was in his fanciest suit, I was in my ritziest evening dress. He got out and in a respectable manner opened the door and offered his hand to me.

On the gate there were two mean-looking goons, keeping the mayor’s palace safe. We said who we were and easier than I imagined, we were allowed the entrance to the grand house that scared me but pulled me in just as much

When we stepped foot in the immense living room, the main door was closed behind us. The noise it made when it shut echoed throughout the room, as if it reminded us that we were outsiders, peasants and minuscule in the presence of the king, the mayor, who we could see ahead of us in the dining room. The table was set and the gigantic chandelier fell right above it like the sun of his world

-Welcome, Vince... Miss Granger. Sit down-He motioned to two chairs in front of his.

Our slow and steady steps took us to the dinner. Each step made my heart beat faster. Me and Vince hadn’t said anything since we stepped foot in the house, but we must’ve been making a pretty good job out of remaining stone-faced, because the mayor kept smiling unknowing of our plans to betray him in his own house. Vince had made a good job of saving his life. He admired him and now, he trusted him

We ended up sitting opposite to him, and the silence was almost unbearable. Adler’s eyes watched the both of us for a few seconds before he started talking- Don’t be shy. It doesn’t fit the personality of the Mad Dog or the Ice Box flapper... Oh!- He paused as if he had realized something- Don’t tell me you’re intimidated!- He looked at me- Let bygones be bygones, Miss Granger. I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but... We’re all working to our mutual benefit now.

I breathed deeply, calming my nerves- That’s right. What matters for me is that the Ice Box is safe. As long as that’s the case, everything’s the cat’s pajamas

I looked at the food in front of me, inside I wondered if it was poisoned, or if he was the one fooling us. But with Vince not being the sharpest tool in the box, he dug right in, eating everything in front of him. He didn’t die or started getting sick so I safely assumed I could too

Once the anticipation of the dinner ended, the whole event was actually pretty boring with the mayor talking on and on. It reminded of dinners with Momma’s friends on Sundays. Suddenly, I was a little girl again and I couldn’t wait for it all to be over. This time, however, I knew more things were at stake. As we finished dessert a signaled to Vince discreetly with my eyes

-‘Scuse me, Adler. This was all fine and well and I’ll be right back- He started getting up- I need to go to the john. Where is it?

-Closest one is upstairs, first door on the left- He pointed up. He agreed and was on his way to, instead, steal all the documents we needed. The tick of the clock seemed to slow down, as if it was letting me know this was a very important moment, one that I would never forget

-You’re looking lovely tonight, Miss Granger- Adler said. It was his turn to get up, only to walk around the table and occupy Vince’s spot by my side. The gesture made my skin tingle, as if millions of ants crawled on it. I wanted to run, to scream and escape. However, if I could keep the mayor talking it’d be the chance we needed to end him for good

-Thanks, Adler. I see you didn’t give up on your advances towards me. Even though you know I’m a taken woman, engaged in fact.

-Oh, I know that- He touched my hair. Why was I shivering? Was I not able to control my fear? Why did his dark eyes scare me so much? I impulsively backed off, looking into his eyes seemingly brave- But- He continued either way- I know that women like you, Miss Granger, don’t consider themselves a lady, and I’ve no doubt that you’d hate to be treated like a porcelain doll, a gentlewoman- His face approached me- No... No...-He whispered- You’re different, MC. You’re fierce, you’re the leader of a group of gangsters. You got dangerous men tied on a leash.

-The Ice Box is but a small operation, there are much bigger competito-

-You’re right- He interrupted- But none of them faces the odds of society, of judgement and underestimation. No, you are an incredible woman. Any man would be lucky to call you his wife- He grabbed my jaw making me look at him. I was trying my hardest not to show any fear, but it was hard- And one thing you should know about me is that I hate when somebody claims a treasure before I do. Lucky for me, you are not married, just engaged.

-Mayor Adler- I tried to pull his hands away, but he was bigger and stronger- This wasn’t what we agreed on

-Here’s my new proposition!-He sad grabbing my jaw tighter, making me yelp- Together we should have control of the entire Chicago’s underworld. You’ll be first lady, my wife! And I’ll give you the keys to be the most powerful and biggest operation Chicago, no, the United States has ever seen. Imagine how much power you would give me. Imagine it, the First Lady of Chicago. You’d have your own empire!- His other free hand pushed my dress up my thighs, I could see the disgusting lust he had in his eyes

A force came upon me, I didn’t know where I found the strength, but I punched him on his nose, making him back away from me. I got up, pulling my gun off my leg holster and pointing it at him- Don’t you dare touch me again. I’ll never belong to a man like you.

It gave me satisfaction to see his nose bleed. But it died quickly when he laughed- Take her.

Before I realized two big men grabbed me from behind overpowering me. My screams must’ve been loud enough because I could hear steps coming towards us, and soon Vince had his gun to the mayor- Let her go!

-Vince, watch out!- I said as another one of his goons fired a shot, which hit Vince’s side. He groaned and collapsed on the floor.

Everything was slow once again. The red forming on his side, the blood gushing from his wound onto the floor. The sound of his beloved gun pearl crashing against the tiles. The sound of his body hitting the ground. The way all the documents we needed spread from inside his suit all over the floor, painting a white that contrasted the deep red around my friend. My uncle’s adopted son.

-You were planning to deceive me all along!-Adler said in rage as he saw the papers. Betrayal showed in his eyes towards Vince

-Don’t you ever dare to threaten my family again- Vince said in a quiet, hurt voice- Way to get your skull cracked

-You know what I do to those who betray me? I make them suffer- He approached Vince’s body on the floor. I sentence you to death.

-Wait! No! I’ll do it!- I yelled, but it was too late.

The two men holding me started to take me away until the whole scene was out of my vision. All I heard was a single shot

-Vince!- I yelled, to no avail

____

The next thing I remember was being taken down these dark stairs and thrown into some sort of basement. The two goons climbed back up and locked the door.

I took some time to weep. For my friend, for the fact that we failed, and for the reason that I didn’t know what I would do know.

Once I calmed down, I looked around. The basement was old fashioned, mostly grey. It was poorly lit and there was no sign of anywhere sunlight could come in. For a basement it was pretty spacious. It had a bathroom with a shower, two old mattresses on the floor, a bookshelf that was almost empty, some spider webs and a table.

I went up the stairs to try to open the door to find out it was truly locked. I climbed back down, defeated, and positioned myself on one of the mattresses, unsure of what to do next.

-I can’t believe he’s gonna keep me prisoner here...

-You best believe it. He will. And there’s no way out. Now what did little Miss Granger do to put herself into this situation?- A deep familiar female voice echoed throughout the room. From the darkness the once elegant figure emerged. The one who once was the main source of my troubles

-Vera...-I said looking up. She looked nothing like the glory she once was. Her dirty clothes and messy longer hair indicated that she was in there for too long of a time. It didn’t take me long to put two and two together and realize she had been there since she disappeared

-Well, this is a pleasant surprise. And so we reunite- She sat on the other mattress

-So you didn’t shoot the mayor and ran away from Chicago...

She snorted- You believed that story?

I shook my head- No, I just wouldn’t put it past you

-Nice of you to start with the unpleasantness, MC. Will make our time as roommates much more agreeable- She laid down- Now I’d like to get some sleep.

-Vera, how are you okay with this?!-I got up- We have to escape! He can’t do that

-I tried. There’s no way- She replied calmly, too calmly- I don’t care about any of it anymore. Politics, mayor, Chicago. It can all go to hell.

I observed the woman for a few seconds. The woman I knew would never even say “hell” before. I don’t know if I hated her more or was starting to actually like her

-Well, I ain’t staying here- I said going up to the door again.

I pushed my body against it. Pulled it with all my might, tried throwing stuff against it and everything I could. But it was useless. I was tired and I was getting nauseous. Defeated I walked back to where I was

-Finally giving up?-Vera asked

I didn’t bother answering- Just... Exactly how long have you been here?

She thought about it for a second- Must be... A few weeks now- She shrugged- I stopped counting, makes you go insane.

-He’s the only one who’s insane- I replied- I ain’t staying here!- I repeated myself, trying to give my confidence a boost. I tried to get up again but felt a pain. My hand instinctively went to my stomach, caressing it

She eyed me curiously. Then with amusement, which quickly turned into surprise-MC, you’re pregnant.

-Thanks for letting me know.-I responded sarcastically. Man, I was spending too much time with Neil.

Oh, man, Neil... I rubbed my eyes thinking about how much he must be going bonkers right now. Guilt overcame my body. He knew being the head of a gang meant I was always putting myself in danger. However, he didn’t sign up to be told he was going to be a father, and then have the gal completely disappear and have herself kidnapped. I was being so selfish. Especially after everything Neil had been through I just had to know something

-Is Adler gonna bump us off?

Vera stared at me- No... No- She shook her head- Adler only kills when he’s being merciful. Those he really hates, people like us, he likes to see them suffer.

-Sounds like the cat’s pajamas- I said unenthusiastically

-Don’t let him know you’re pregnant, MC. Don’t let him know- She said before turning away, falling asleep rather quickly for someone who was in her position.

I made a promise to come back home. To be safe. How many times had I said “I’ll be fine”.

Sometimes you just have to realize how young and stupid you really are.

____

Author’s note: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! A sneak peak on what’s coming next:

MC and Vera are stuck in Adler’s basement with no hope of rescue or a way to escape. However, that won’t make the Ice Box Flapper give up.

“I have yet to find a lock I couldn’t open”

Thank you so much! Please reach out if you need anything!!!

Coming next: Chapter 9- First, do no harm

[afewmarvelousthoughts]

Fated Ch. 2

Master List: @afewmarvelousthoughtsadmin

Pairing: Hades!Bucky x Persephone!Reader

Summary: Humanity has broken the world. How they did it doesn’t matter. What does is that in doing so they quickened the old gods once more. A century later things are settling into a new order but all is not as it seems. As Fate draws two gods together the cracks begin to show in this new age.  Will their bond tip the delicate balance or restore order to a broken world?

Warnings: N/A (I don’t think.)

A/N: You’re all fucking incredible! Seriously. You’ve been SO damn patient with me here. This is my first AU and it’s haaaaard! I don’t even know if I’m doing this ‘right’ but whatever. I really hope y’all enjoy this and hopefully, you won’t have to wait for another age for chapter 3. 

LOVE YOU PUMPKINS!

OH! And if I missed your tag please let me know! 

Tags are open!

James tears down the passage into the Underworld, clutching the bleeding wound at his side.

“Sir?!” Charon stares shocked, as much to see him here as at the ichor flowing down his master’s side. James didn’t spend much time down here recently, Anthony thought it best they maintain a visible presence among the mortals with things being so unstable.

However, in this moment, it’s the fastest way to get to his brother and rip his throat out.

“I’m fine,” James growls.

Charon blinks, “Uh… sure… Has fine changed meaning topside?” James doesn’t answer as he continues to walk, leaving a glittering trail. “I mean I know things are kind of fuzzy from before but-”

“Shut up!” James bellows at his old friend. Charon’s eyebrows raise. He may be the lord of the dead but it wasn’t like him to speak to his friends in such a way.

He drags his free hand over his face, “I’m sorry…”

“Zeus?” Charon knows only one being alive that can induce this reaction in his master.

“Anthony,” he softly corrects, “but yes.”

“Ah. Should I… call someone…”

“Why?” James stands in front of the door that leads to Anthony’s New York tower. “So they can interfere?”

He slides the door open and stalks through.

When James’ cold stare falls on Peter, annoyance rankles. He didn’t want Anthony’s youngest to be here for this fight.

“Unc-Hade-James,” the boy’s eyes are wide as they notice the wound. “Oh! Do you need a healer I can-”

“Move,” James’ voice is low and menacing.

“But I-” Ever one to do his duty he tries to stand in James’ path.

“I have words for my beloved brother,” he snarls.

“Oh… uh… Zeu-Anthony isn’t seeing anyone he’s-” James whips the weapon from his waistband and aims it at the boy. “In his lab…” 

He slams the door to Anthony’s workshop open with a clatter. Despite the noise doesn’t even look back.

“I thought I said no-”

James fires the weapon, just barely missing his brother’s head. The bolt crashes into the wall, shaking the whole building. He releases another and another causing everything around them to tremble ominously.

“What in the fuck!” Anthony’s voice booms, cracking one of the panes of glass.

“That’s what I’d like to know,” James doesn’t need to below to prove his point. He throws the weapon at his brother and collapses into a chair. Anthony catches the gun-like device staring at it and his brother, in turn, trying to understand why he almost lost his head.

“Explain to me,” James grimaces, “how your fucking grandson ended up with that. Explain why you sent me in there blind and-”

“Wait,” Anthony examines the weapon, “you’ve really gotta be more specific. Which grandson?”

James’ eyes roll back, “Don’t.”

“Hey, I’m not exactly known for my chastity.” James glares at him. Anthony sighs setting the weapon down, “Ok. Yes, I knew it was Heph’s kid. I assumed it would be easy, that he’d be… pliable.” Like his father were the words Anthony doesn’t speak.

Groaning James leans forward a touch, eyeing his brother. “You give your son too little credit. Are you honestly going to tell me you had no idea?” He gestures toward the weapon.

“That some demigod brat had a god-killer?!” Anthony’s fingers tentatively graze the metal. “No, James I didn’t know. Why the hell would I send you in-”

“Why do you do half the things you do brother?!” His anger is cold as ice in his veins as he spits the next words, “Because they suit you. In one way or another, you do as you please when it pleases you, consequences be damned.”

The vein in Anthony’s neck throbs, “What do I gain in killing you?” He says through clenched teeth.

James had to admit it was a fair point. No one truly wanted to do his job, even with the perks that came along with it…

“Hephaestus,” Anthony grumbles.

“I don’t think this was his doing…” Though who’s else it could be he didn’t know.

Anthony levels a dark glare in the middle distance, “I’ll handle this.” His eyes fall to the gold staining James’ side. “Are you gonna be ok?”

James doesn’t respond. Instead, he studies his brother, unease settling in his gut. “How will you handle it?”

“I’m going to talk to my son.” James raises a brow at this. “What?!” Silence hangs.

Anthony sighs heavily. “I am not who I once was…”

None of them were. Not for the first time, something itches in distant corners of James’ mind, something forgotten�� fractured. He doesn’t have the energy to waste on such things now.

“If there is a traitor amongst us we need to find out quickly. I need you to-”

“No,” James huffs as he stands. “I’m done for now. You sort this mess, I have no ties to it and I want nothing more to do-”

“So you think if they revolt, if all this goes to shit, it won’t affect you brother?!” Ignoring him James turns to leave.

A small bolt of lightning scorches the marble floor before James’ feet. Far too similar to the actions of Anthony’s grandson earlier.

“You have a duty! To all of us, to your king-” Before his brother can think to move James wraps cold metal fingers around his throat, lifting him inches from the ground, silencing him.

“Duty,” James growls. “I suggest you refrain from words you do not truly understand.” The air around them is electric. “I have a duty to something far greater than you my king.” He spits the title before flinging his brother across the room. “Because you were too weak to bear it.”

“How dare-”

“How dare I what little brother?” James’ voice is velvet which somehow makes it all the more sinister. A subtle dark mist begins to lift from around him in delicate curls. Anthony says nothing more.

“That’s what I thought.” Sighing James turns to leave, Anthony remains on the floor. 

Before he’s out the door James says over his shoulder, “Never forget, I serve her before all others and she is greater than any god. All bow before Death at the end of things brother, even you.”

-

It had been almost two weeks without incident. Despite that, you couldn’t convince yourself that all was well within you.

“Kore?”

“Yes, Mother?” She doesn’t take her eyes off the plant she’s infusing with her power.

“Will you bring me a bit of mint from the greenhouse, with the roots attached?” You were creating hybrid medicinal plants for Hecate—er, Wanda, to use in her craft.

“Of course,” after hours in the lab, fresh air would be nice.

It had rained lightly that morning leaving the ground soft beneath your feet. Each step sent the scent of the soil and the tender grass flooding to your nose. You breathe it in deep. The smell of decay, always present in the earth, was beginning to comfort you, in fact, you were beginning to find yourself seeking it out. That intoxicating odor would be even more present in the greenhouse, you know. The thought quickens your pace.

You take longer than necessary separating a portion of the mint plant, wanting to spend as much time as possible in this humid place filled with that dark, rich, scent. Any longer and Mother will have questions though. With a disappointed sigh, you head out.

As you walk the short distance back to the lab a slight glint in the dark soil ahead of you catches your attention. 

Kneeling you reach your fingers into the damp earth, moving it to reveal three shiny copper coins, their markings long worn away. A smile lifts the corners of your mouth. You’d been finding coins like this for as long as you could remember.

Mother only ever mentioned them in the garden that day you’d killed the tomato plants and you never volunteered the information to her. The coins were yours and yours alone, gifts from the earth they seemed. You kept them in a box, always grabbing one or two when you’d attend a birth or healing—never knowing if you’d need to give one away.

In truth, you never thought much of it, why these coins found their way to you. Now though… Whispers of the strange feeling from before tingle through your body, the desire to plunge your hands into the earth.

Down, something seems to whisper. From the corner of your eye, you notice the movement of shadows.

No. You will not fall prey to whatever this is, not now. Shaking your head you walk briskly back to the lab.

“Finally,” Mother sounds exasperated.

“Sorry,” you say softly, fingers rubbing the smooth surfaces of the coins in your pocket.

Over the next three days, you feel as though a serpent is writhing, painfully, in the pit of your stomach. You try every distraction you can think of to calm it. Burying yourself in your duties only fills you with more dread that you’d have another strange mishap again. Surrounding yourself with the women feels suffocating. Even the pleasures of the flesh do nothing to soothe this ache—as all you can feel when you touch her is the inevitable death hiding beneath her supple skin.

The ache grows leaving you with one clear and present truth—you need to leave. In the past, you had dreamed, fleetingly, of what it would be like to be free of this place but now… This was no passing folly. Something within you screams that if you don’t get away, soon, it will be your undoing.  

You lay on the roof of one of the dorms. The shingles, warm from the midday sun,  provide a kind of hollow comfort. Birds swoop above you against a background of blue and soft white clouds—weightless, untethered, free…

An idea which had been flitting around the outer edges of your mind lands heavy in your chest now.

Wanda would be here in a few hours. Wanda whom Mother knew and trusted. Wanda… who was as free as the birds above you, who had her own house, her own acolytes, and duties which overlapped with your own. Maybe she would allow you to come to Tría House, serve with her for a time… Just… Maybe.

You know the chances are small. Many decades ago you’d asked to go into the city and Mother had raged at you about abandoning your duties for weeks. Any other time you’d tried to broach the issue it was always met with rancor. This may be the only way she would willingly allow you to leave. And leave you must. If she doesn’t allow you... it didn’t warrant thought now. 

As you walk by Mother’s side at sunset to meet Wanda your fingers nervously stroke the coins in your pocket. Three coins you’d found three days before the three-faced goddess arrived… desperately you pray it’s a sign. Though who listened to the prayers of gods you didn’t know.

“Wanda!” Mother proclaims warmly as she enters the front gate.

“Deme,” Wanda embraces her warmly, “so wonderful to see you!” Releasing Mother she turns to you, “Kore, how are you?” She takes both of your hands in hers, drawing you in to kiss your cheeks.

The goddess has the power to hear the unspoken, you know this. Silently, you whisper over and over that you must speak with her alone. There’s a tingle where her skin meets yours. When she pulls back a faint red shimmer colors her irises. Almost imperceptibly she nods.

“Wonderful, thank you.” Your words holding more than a casual greeting.

“Come in, we have food and wine waiting.”

You’ve only just sat down in one of the oversized chairs in the living quarters you share with Mother when, as she turns to pour wine, a red haze colors the room. Immediately her movements cease, a deafening silence falling. 

For a moment you freeze, panic that you’ve somehow done this flooding your system before the obvious cause registers.

Slowly you turn your gaze to Wanda. She’s transformed from the beautiful but earthly creature she was a moment ago. Her modern fitted burgundy and black garments replaced with flowing red and ash robes, her face shifts from youthful to beautiful to haggard so subtly you doubt you’re actually witnessing it, red tendrils of power flow from her coloring everything.

This is the goddess of witchcraft in her true form. You’re awestruck. Her power is great and terrifying but a warm smile fills her face removing any traces of fear.

“Tell me Kore, why would you ever think you’d done this?” Lazily her hand gestures to the room.

“Strange things have been happening to me of late…” Saying more seems like a risk.

Wanda nods as if she understands. “What did you need to say to me, sweet one?” Your eyes slide to your Mother’s still figure. “She cannot reach us here.”

“Where is here?”

“Don’t trouble yourself with that.” A smirk plays on her slightly shifting lips, “Tell me what you need.”

Guilt holds you back for but a moment until you feel the churning need in your gut once more, solidifying your resolve. “I need to leave this place, goddess.”

“This is your home Kore, your seat of power to be shared eternally with your mother.” She pauses, appearing to wrestle a bit with her next words, “As it has always been.”

You catch her gaze, holding it with determination, “But… must it always be? I don’t know how to explain it, Wanda, but something is wrong—inside me.”

Suddenly it feels like she’s looking through you. It isn’t painful but to say it was pleasant would be a stretch. Something dark flits across her features causing the red of the room to flicker a bit before strengthening once more.

“I wish I had the words. But this… restlessness is driving me mad. There is something pulling at me and I know I will not find it caged here for the rest of time.”

She nods, “And what would you have me do?”

“Let me serve you.”

“You’re a goddess Kore-”

“I serve mother. I have no altar to accept their offerings, none raise up praise in my name. I’m a goddess in title alone.”

“Are you certain this isn’t what is causing this unrest within you? Would you not have them raise the name Kore to their-”

“No,” you say with utter conviction. “I do not desire their worship, I don’t long to hear my name in prayers. I’d rather be nothing than have that.” You can see this is confusing to Wanda. Gods should crave these things… “At least not now. I cannot serve nor seek praise from a world and a people I know nothing of…”

“Ah,” this seems to make sense to her. “You seek pilgrimage, not servitude.”

“Perhaps I can do both under your guidance… if you’d take me.”

“Kore…”

“Mother will not let me leave this place… She never has.” Your desperation breaks, pushing yourself from the chair you hit your knees before her, grasping at her flowing garment.

“I beg you Wanda, Hecate, mighty goddess help me get out so I can tame this monster growing inside of me. I will forever be in your debt.”

Her hand reaches down, tilting your chin up. “You don’t need to grovel my dear, Kore. I’d be happy to help you.”

The room is devoid of that ethereal red glow in an instant. You’re back in your chair though you don’t recall moving from the floor and Mother seems entirely unfazed. Quickly you dart a glance to Wanda, a slight red glow at her fingertips. She gins and gives you a wink before your mother turns back with the wine for the goddess.

You listen as you always have when another member of the pantheon visits, a perfect image of an obedient child, despite being a grown woman—despite this feeling of being torn apart from the inside out. For now, you must appear as Mother would expect, the fear that even the slightest deviation would alert her to your plan.

“Kore is doing exceptional work in the lab, truly creating some miraculous specimens which I believe will aid you greatly.” Mother smiles at you.

“Thank you, Mother.”

Wanda looks at you appraisingly, “You know Deme, I would love to teach Kore some of my craft. It could be incredibly helpful in her work to know the intricacies of the work her specimens contribute to.”

“I’d love that!” You throw mother an excited smile, hoping it’s not overdone.

“I think that would be wonderful. Would you have the time to come here though, Wanda? I know your plate is so full.”

“Well,” Wanda takes a sip of her wine, “I’d prefer to have Kore at TrÍa House with me. It would be better to-”

“I’m sorry, Wanda, but I cannot allow that.” Mother’s features look stormy. “Kore belongs here.”

“Of course she does,” Wanda’s tone is thick as honey, “I would never think to remove her from her seat, simply to allow her to learn in a new environment. I’ve learned a great deal from working in-”

“I understand. However, my answer is no. If you’d like to teach her the craft it can be done here.”

“Mother,” it takes all your effort to keep your desperation from coloring your voice, “I would like to go, please. Learning from the goddess would be an honor and to see Tría House would-”

“My answer is final, Kore!” Mother’s voice booms in the space.

Red pulses around Wanda for a moment. “Demeter, is that necessary? It was only a suggestion.”

“A suggestion!? Taking my daughter from me is not just a suggestion. I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

“What I understand is that you would deny her the opportunity to gain the gift of knowledge to keep her here.” There’s more venom in Wanda’s voice than you’d ever anticipated.

“Please, Mother. I must grow to become worthy of my title. I… I can’t do that here.” You voice behind to shake at the end.

“So you want to leave, is that it?!”

“No! I need-”

“Need,” Mother’s tone is mocking. “Go to your chambers, Kore. I must speak with Wanda.”

“I am not a child!” Your voice cracks through the room as you thunder from your chair, sending the furniture flying back. Power pulses in your body, your eyes meeting your mother’s rage filed glare without flinching. For a moment, there seems to be a shaking beneath your feet, a distant cry of something from far below.

“I am a goddess! I need to grow outside of these gates Mother. Or would you rather I wither and die here?!” You were inches from her now. She showed no sign of budging until your final words but she says nothing more.

“Am I a prisoner or your daughter?”

“Of course you’re no prisoner…”

You let the rage slip from you a bit, “Then if I am not a prisoner give me your blessing to leave. I need this, Mother. Please.”

“I will keep her safe, Demeter. You must know this.” Mother throws Wanda a murderous glare before turning tired eyes back to you.

“It is a simple request, Mother.”

“If I didn’t know better I’d think the two of you plotted this.” She pauses and you don’t dare breathe. “Fine. Forty days, Kore. After that I expect you to return with a wealth of new knowledge to better serve our purposes here.”

“Thank you, Mother!” You drop to your knees before her, clasping her hands and kissing her knuckles. “Thank you.”

“Forty days. No more.”

“I swear it.”

“Gather your things. I will help Wanda with the plants.”

You exchange a grateful look with Wanda before bolting, not wanting to give Mother time to change her mind.

In moments you’re pounding on Abigail’s door. “Abigail!” You’re practically giggling.

“Kore,” she smiles at your obvious excitement, “what’s happening?”

“I’m going to Tría House for a time to study with Wanda!” Taking a breath you attempt to calm yourself, “I… I was wondering if I could borrow a bag. I haven’t had need of one until now.”

“Of course!” Abigail beams at you, “How exciting! Tría House is stunning you’re going to love it! Come in while I find one.”

Abigail’s room in the main dorm had been her home for over ten years. It was a small space but Kore always felt comforted here, grounded. Even though Abigail was a human she had a way of making everyone around her feel at ease.

“How long will you be gone?” She asks over her shoulder, rifling through the closet.

“Forty days, so not too long.”

“Long enough,” Abigail says with a touch of melancholy handing you a large bag.

“I’ll be back before you know it.” You take it gratefully. “Besides, you’ve been gone on missions longer.”

“True, but I always expect you to be here when I return.”

Your heart swells, if you could take her with you this would be perfect. You can’t linger, “I have to hurry.”

“Of course. Have a wonderful time.”

You pull her into a tight embrace, “Thank you, Abigail.”

“Anything, always goddess.”

Truthfully, you live a simple life here at Eleusis House compared to that of the other houses of the gods. Because of this, you don’t have much to fill your bag with. The copper coins you have found over the years you tuck into the bottom covered with your simple garments, your small ceremonial dagger, and… that’s it. What more did you need? There was a world out there waiting ready to fill your bag with its gifts. 

Mother and Wanda wait for you by the front gate, wrapped in tense silence.

You aren’t sure what to say, you’d never had to say goodbye to your mother.

“Thank you,” it seems as good as anything.

“Yes… well… forty days.”

“I know.” You reach out to her but she doesn’t take the offer.

“Travel safe daughter.” With that, she turns away.

“Ready?” Wanda’s face is warm.

“Absolutely.”

Wanda wraps her glowing power around the plants you and Mother created, effortlessly levitating the boxes and steps out the gates.

You pause at the threshold though. This place was all you’d known, all you remembered. Life began and ended here up until now. Despite the slight desire, you don’t look back, lifting your foot you take a confident step out into a new world. In an instant, the churning within you ceases and you know you’ve done the right thing.

As you follow Wanda neither of you see the three women in the alley across from Eleusis House, their hooded capes covering them head to toe. You do not see them turn to one another and nod in seeming approval before fading into the shadows.

-

James’ nose fills with the intoxicating scent of Narcissus flowers, rich damp earth, and rain. His heart flutters oddly at the smell.

Suddenly he gasps for air. Choking—he’s choking… no. Drowning. He can feel the water flooding his lungs, even with their supernatural strength they cannot force the liquid out.

Dull light glitters through the dark water above him. He reaches for it with his left hand but there’s nothing there, just the dull ache of absence. Would Lady Death take him in such a way? Was his duty over?

A loud roaring bark next to his ear wrenches him from the clutches of the dream. He shoots up, body trembling, glistening with moisture. Cerberus licks the back of his hand, looking up with worried eyes.

The hounds had broken down the door to make sure their master was alright. He couldn’t even be angry.

“Thank you.”

Sleeping would be impossible after that dream. With a groan, he stands padding over to the balcony doors. Flinging them open he steps into the cool night air taking in the glittering city skyline.

A breeze picks up, running its fingers over his damp skin, making him shiver not unpleasantly and filling his nostrils with the scent of Narcissus flowers… damp earth… and rain.

Something had changed. He can feel it to his marrow, in the tingling at the back of his skull.

Cerberus follows him out, raising their heads to the air sniffing. A small whimper escapes the beast drawing James from his thoughts. He mistakes the noise as a sign of hunger. 

“I could use a snack too. Come on.” He looks out into the night once more, pushing the feeling aside, before turning his back on the night.

The hounds linger behind, eyes on the three shadowy figures standing on the roof of the building opposite whom its master didn’t seem to notice. In an instant, they’re gone but the scent of someone familiar lingers.

Tags:

@mywinterwolf @disagreetoagree @breezy1415 @peachthatdrinkslemonade @wonderlandmind4 @stevehesaidabadlanguageword @buckysstar @cinderellarhea @nerd-without-a-cause @musical-doll-x @for-the-love-of-the-fandom @gotham-city-muse @egos-r-life @jewelofwinter @callie-bear15 @-lilacnialler- @libbymouse @siriuslycloudy2 @capkitkat @courtmr @emilysallysmith @brilliantkey @achishisha @ayanemoonlight @wildmoonflower @captain-hammer-of-asgard @a-hardcore-romantic

[troublemakerfiction]

29.

Trouble

 Looking around the waiting room I shook my head at the tears I saw pouring down everybody’s faces. Tonight went from everybody having a good time to everybody being stressed the fuck out.

Xavier was sitting down with his head buried in his hands while Vick was leaning against the wall with a look of cold blooded murder in his eyes. Imani had her head resting on Kason’s shoulder and NuNu was sitting with Haze.

“You good bro?” Dominic asked me while we sat down waiting to find out what was going on with Millz and especially Darnell.

“I will be when they tell us what the fuck is going on,” I answered him then stood up. I went over to Vick and put my hand on his shoulder.

“You know we’re going to handle whoever did this right,” I said to him and he nodded.

“Victor!” Hearing his name being called we all turned around to see his mother walking over to where we were with Nasir right behind her. Vick went over to her and as soon as she had her arms went around him he started crying.

“Fuck,” I shook my head at the sound of Vick’s crying. I haven’t seen this man drop a tear since his father’s funeral. Vick isn’t a crier by any means, that nigga doesn’t even like showing his emotions so to hear him break down like that really fucked me up.

Nasir came over to me and I already knew he wanted to know what happened but the only people that could answer the question couldn’t right now.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know, they were outside the shop talking and we heard gun shots come outta nowhere.” I told him. “Prophet is dead; Millz fell out so we’re still waiting on news about them both.”

“You said Prophet?”

“Yeah,”

“Damn, somebody call his father?”

“Nah, I don’t know how to get in touch with that man.”

“I’ll do it then; we go way back it’ll be better coming from me anyway.” Nas said and I nodded.

“Family of Amilia and Darnell Diamond?” A doctor walked up and said. We all walked over to her to hear what she had to say.

“I’m their uncle, how are they?” Nasir said since Vick and his mother were both too emotional too speak.

“Well Darnell had some complications, we had to surgically remove the bullet and we got it out. We almost lost her twice but she’s a fighter she came back each time. Once she’s settled in her room you can go see her, two at a time. She’s on heavy pain medication so she probably will be asleep or too weak to speak to you right now.”

“What about Amilia?” Nas asked.

“Her blood pressure was sky high when she came in but we got that to come down. The baby is doing fine but it’s important that her stress levels stay down.”

“Wait so she’s pregnant?”

“Yes she’s about to hit ten weeks. We’re going to keep her overnight to observe how she and the baby keep doing but she should be fine to go home tomorrow.”

“Thank you doctor,” Nas said to her.

“You’re welcome, oh Amilia is asking for,” the doctor looked at the paper again, “Messiah and Darnell, I’m assuming it’s the patient Darnell.”

“Yeah, I’m Messiah, can I go see her?”

“Yes of course, I’ll have a nurse take you to her.” She waved a nurse over so she could take me up to Millz’ room.

When I walked in the room and she was sitting up with a somber look on her face. Her eyes and nose were red and puffy because of her crying.

I went over to the bed and pulled her into a tight hug. “Is Darnell okay?” She asked mumbling.

“Yeah she’s going to be fine, and so is the baby.” She looked up at me confused.

“So I’m pregnant?”

“Yeah, ten weeks.”

“Wow,” She chuckled shaking her head.

“What’s wrong? You’re not happy about this?”

“I am, it’s just weird because you have a child on the way already and I have two other kids. Two kids that have to grow up knowing their father was murdered. I never wanted them to deal with that,” She said with a crack in her voice. “Their father is dead,” she looked at me with her eyes filling up with tears. “He irked the shit out of my nerves but I never thought about some shit like this happening.”

“Nobody ever does Millz; it’s not something you can prepare for.”

“I know but what do I tell them? Dyce, Darius your daddy is never coming back because he wanted to jump on mommy and protect her.”

“What?” I looked at her confused.

“When the shots started he pushed me down and covered my body with his. He was protecting me and he ended up dead. We had just agreed to be cool and move forward, he was going to pick them up tomorrow and now he’s dead and it’s my fault!”

“The fuck? No it’s not your fault Millz, he protected you but that doesn’t mean his death is on you.”

“It does if those bullets were meant for me.”

“Now you talking crazy, you need to relax aight. The doctor said you can’t stress.”

“I’m not talking crazy Messiah, I know exactly what I’m talking about and I’m telling you I feel like those bullets were meant for me.”

“Why?”

“Who is shooting at Cameron? He aint no punk or anything but he doesn’t have drama. His money comes from selling bitches and that’s it. Darnell is my cousin so getting her is just as good as getting me. I don’t care what you say, somebody was trying to kill my ass tonight.”

Before I could even say anything Nasir came in the room with Vick, Haze and her brothers with him. They all went to her one by one and gave her hug then a kiss on the cheek.

“How you feeling?” Nas asked her.

“I’m not doing too great right now, Shante has my kids?”

“Yeah they were knocked out when I left the house. Millz before the cops come in here we need to know what happened tonight.”

“Somebody shot at me unc, that’s what happened.”

“What you mean they shot at you?” Vick questioned.

“Somebody was shooting at me, Darnell and Cameron took those bullets but they were meant for me.”

“Wait I need you to start from the jump because you aint making sense right now. What happened when you went outside? Start from there,”

“Alright Cam asked me to go outside so we could talk. We talked; Darnell came out and told me to come back inside. We were about to walk back inside when the shooting started.” Millz explained.

“You didn’t see anybody or anything suspicious outside?” I asked her.

“No, nobody was out there.”

“Nobody?”

“Well I saw Dro in his car looking like he was arguing with somebody then he hurried up and pulled off. I figured a bitch had him pissed or something.”

“That nigga did leave and never came back, he wasn’t there when shit popped off.” Haze said.

“Wait did y’all say Dro?” Dom asked out of nowhere and we all looked at him.

“Yeah, you know the nigga or something?”

“I mean I know a nigga named Dro but I’m not from here.”

“Where is Dro from Vick?” Millz asked him.

“New York, Vick answered her then looked at Dom. “The nigga you talking about, he light skin? Got a beard, tattoos and on some cocky shit?”

“Fuck,” Dom shook his head letting out a bitter chuckle.

“What Dom?” Millz asked with an anxious look on her face.

“That’s Manolo’s son,”

“The fuck is Manolo?” Haze asked confused.

Dom looked at Dylan then at Nas before his eyes went Millz. “He killed our fathers,”

Dro

“So who the fuck did you take out if not the one person I told you to?” My pops asked me while we sat in his office.

“I know Darnell is down and her punk ass baby daddy jumped on her. I aimed straight for her but the nigga got in the way so I hit Darnell too just to make sure niggas felt something.”

“Well you took Solo’s daughter down but I wanted that little bitch Millz. That little nigga don’t know Darnell, he won’t feel shit about that. It does get his attention though; how did he even get out?”

“Trouble, he found out where they was hiding that nigga Ash and deaded everybody in that bitch.”

“He did or he had it done?”

“He had to do it, the only time he don’t handle shit is when I’m doing it.”

“Damnit, I was gon kill that nigga anyway but fuck. I needed him to take the stand against that little fuck Dom.”

“Why didn’t you just kill the nigga when you had the chance?”

“I don’t want the nigga dead, I actually respect the muthafucka. I do want him to know who the fuck he dipped on. I told him when he got down with us; it’s only one way out. Lucky for him I explored other options. Sitting for the rest of his life in that bitch and that’s if he even lived because you know I was putting the word out.”

“So now what?”

“Now we wait, we’re still going after that bitch but maybe killing her isn’t the way to go. Let’s snatch the bitch, if they want her back they’ll move my work.”

“They’re not about to push your work pop and you know it,”

“If the nigga wants his bitch he will.” My dad shrugged his shoulders.

For the longest time I couldn’t figure out why my father had a vendetta against The Diamonds but when I got older I understood what it was. It’s a pride thing, when you’re in this life and niggas like Dice and Solo Diamond publicly humiliate you, you have to handle it. That’s what my pops did; he got them out of the way with the help of Dice’s wife, she wanted him gone just as bad as we did.

What we didn’t know was taking them out didn’t stop their money at all. In order to really shut them down Trouble and Vick have to be out of the way too. Their time was definitely coming but for right now the main focus was getting to Dom.

I would rather just put a bullet in that niggas head and call it a day but my father was on some making him suffer shit. Honestly it irritates me because that nigga quit on us out of nowhere and him quitting meant some of his team left too and we lost a lot of money behind that. When the money starts getting fucked with is when shit gets hectic, now he gotta pay for that shit.

“So how are we going to do this then? I don’t know where shorty lives and even if I did after this shit they’re definitely going to have her guarded.”

“We just gotta wait it out, nobody saw you right? Dom didn’t see you?”

“Nah I got outta there before he could even see me.”

“Good, you go on about your business as normal. I’ll tell you when to handle those niggas.” He told me. Nodding I got up and was about to walk out the door until he stopped me. “When this is done, their territory will be up for grabs. You wanna be a king right? This is your chance, don’t fuck this shit up.”

Millz

“Miss Diamond, there is a man by the name of Caine to see you.” My assistant Ashley said on the phone when I picked it up.

“Send him up,” I told her before hanging up. Today was my first day back at work since everything went down on Thanksgiving last week. I really wasn’t in the mental space to be at work but I needed something to get my mind off of everything even if it was only for a few hours.

When my office door opened and Caine walked in I got up and went over to him hugging him immediately. We stood there in a tight embrace for a good minute before finally letting each other go.

Caine and I have a very interesting relationship. Even though we didn’t see each other much whenever we did it was always a good time. I love Caine to death actually; he’s just a laid back cool old nigga and he loves me too. He’s told me on more than one occasion that he didn’t care if me and Cam stayed together or not I was always going to be like a daughter to him. Plus he was cool with my dad so he’s good in my book.

“How are you?” He asked while I wiped the tears that fell down my face.

“I’m alright I guess, as good as I’m going to get right now. How are the arrangements coming?”

“Just about done, the funeral is on Friday.”

“Okay I’ll be there, why didn’t you call me and tell me to help you arrange everything you know I would’ve.”

“I know that but I didn’t want that burden on you especially when you have the boys. Have you spoken to them?”

“Yeah and it’s weird because Darius doesn’t really understand but I think Dyce does.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sit down.” He sat in the chair that was in front of my desk while I sat in my own seat. “Alright so they know my dad is in heaven, I tell them that all the time. So I told them that something happened and now their dad was with mine in Heaven. Darius kind of shrugged it off but he’s 3 he doesn’t understand the concept of death, Dyce cried. He really started crying hard, it’s like he understands that his father is dead.”

“He probably does, Dyce is a different kid. His whole outlook is different. Not saying you should show one child more attention than the other but Dyce is special.”

“Special how?”

“I can’t explain it like I want to without you thinking that I’m crazy because like you said they’re only 3 years old.”

“Alright what are you talking about Caine?” I was highly confused about what he meant. Dyce being ‘different’ isn’t something that I noticed. I mean he is a little bad ass and he’s smart as shit for his age but I wouldn’t say he’s different.

“I see a lot of your father in Dyce.”

“What do you mean?”

“First off a 3 year old shouldn’t have a temper problem but he does. I know Cam told you about the time we took them out to eat and he lost his shit.”

“You mean the plate throwing incident?”

“Yeah that, do you know any other three year old that holds enough power to  deliberately throw a plate across the room? The shit went across the room Millz, not across the table across the damn room.”

“He has a bad temper that doesn’t mean he’s like my dad that just means he’s a bad ass and let’s not act like you and your son don’t both have anger issues.”

“I don’t have anger issues; I don’t have time for bullshit. Fuck that though, I’m telling you the truth. Dyce is different, if you don’t see it now you’ll see it in a few years.”

“Okay Caine I hear you. I’m glad you’re here though because I need a favor.”

“What’s up?”

“Well I know who killed my father, and the same person that killed him had his son shoot at me except Cam jumped on me so I didn’t get hit.”

“You know who killed my son?” He looked at me with a hard glare.

“Yeah and my family is going to handle it but I need you to keep Dyce and Darius until all of this shit dies down. The person who did it was shooting at me and they hit Cameron instead.”

“So you think they’ll try and come for you again?”

“Yeah and if they can’t get me they might try to do something to them and I can’t have that.”

“I hear you, I got them don’t even worry about it. They can keep Karma company, she’ll need it.”

“Karma? Are you keeping her for a little while?”

“If a little bit means the rest of her life then yeah,”

“Wait, what? Where is her mother?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care all I know is the bitch found my address and dropped the little girl off on Saturday. Talking about without Cam being here to help she won’t be able to give her daughter a good life so she’ll be better off with me.”

“What the fuck?”

“Exactly what I said; I already didn’t like the bird but now she pulls this shit. I told the nigga not to have kids with a bum bitch and he got that ho pregnant.”

“Damn, so what are you going to do?”

“I went to my lawyer this morning and got some papers for her to sign so it could be documented that she gave up her parental rights. I don’t want this bitch coming back out of nowhere with her hand out thinking she’s going to have a clean come up.”

“Wow,” I shook my head. I thought Bianca got her shit together and actually grew up some. I thought she really loved her daughter but nope, her daughter was a chase for a check and now that Cameron’s gone she doesn’t want her anymore. That’s a damn shame. “So you’re going to raise her?” I asked with my face screwed up.

“Why you doing that face?”

“Caine you know I love you but you’re a retired pimp.”

“Okay?”

“Okay and you have three bitches in your house that used to work for you posing as your maid, cook, and what’s the other one for?”

“Lisa is my main woman aight; Claudette and Marie are just employees.”

“Either way they were prostitutes, I mean they’re good people and all but they were still some hoes. How are you going to raise a girl when you don’t know the first thing about how to treat a woman that’s not your wife?”

Caine’s mentality about most women is fucked up. He has told me multiple times that besides his wife I’m the only woman he respects. Everybody else is pretty much disposable and replaceable for him. Not saying that he’s going to abuse Karma but I can’t picture him raising a little girl.

“I’ll just have to figure it out. Her mother doesn’t want her so what am I supposed to do? Let her go in the system when she doesn’t have to?”

“No but I’m just saying. Lisa is only the main right now because Paula tried to steal from you. As soon as Lisa fucks up she’s getting put out too.”

“So what do you propose I do Millz? I’m not about to put her in the arms of a stranger and I don’t know anybody else that would take in a little girl unless.” He looked at me with his eyebrow raised.

“What? Why you looking at me like that?”

“What if-“

“Nope, I have two kids of my own, one on the way and Trouble has his ex-pregnant too. I can’t add in another kid.”

“You’re pregnant?”

“Yeah I’m pregnant, the second time I’m involved in some hood twins shit.”

“I know it sounds like a lot but like you just said, I can’t raise a little girl. I mean I will if I have to but if it’s somewhere better for her to go then why not?”

“You want me to raise my baby’s father side baby?”

“Shit does sound crazy when you put it like that. I’m just saying think about it, she’s good either way but she’ll be better with you.” He got up and came behind my desk giving me a kiss on the cheek. “Just tell me when you’re ready for me to take the boys.”

“I will, I’ll see you at the funeral.”

He nodded then left. Letting out a deep breath I looked at the ceiling. “Not even alive and your shit is still coming to me, Cam really.” I said aloud to myself. Even in death this niggas baggage is affecting me, I can’t. “You’re so lucky I actually loved you nigga.”

***

“He wants you to do what?” Trouble asked me with a confused look on his face. We were at my apartment in my bedroom watching Vampire In Brooklyn when I brought up Caine coming to my office and what he asked me about Cameron’s daughter.

“Take Karma and raise her.”

“Wow, so that would automatically put you in the bracket of having four kids.”

“Exactly, and I don’t know if I’m mentally equipped to deal with four kids. My two are enough then I have one coming, you have two coming and now I’m supposed to raise Karma and I don’t know that little girl from Adam. I saw her one time and that’s it.”

“Are you really thinking about it?”

“I mean, he asked me to think about it so I am. Her mother bonked out, her father is dead and Caine is a good guy deep down but he has whores around him all the time. He wouldn’t know what to do with a little girl. What do you think?”

“You actually care about what I’m thinking on this?”

‘Yeah, this affects you too. If you’re with me you’re going to be around my kids, if I take her in she’s going to be one of my kids.”

“I don’t know, I mean we’re both about to have our hands full but I understand why he would bring that up to you. Whatever you decide to do I’m behind you.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It means you do what you want to do and I got your back. This is your decision; you obviously want to do it so why are we even entertaining this conversation?”

“Why do you say that?”

“I know you, if you didn’t want to do it you would’ve said no from the jump. Once you make up your mind nothing is going to change it so you clearly want to take her in which is understandable.”

“I don’t know how the fuck am I supposed to handle that many kids? How did this shit even become an option I never even wanted kids.” I was always the main one t

“True,” he started laughing, “I guess working in that daycare actually did more help than you thought because you’re a really good mother.”

“I guess, I’ll keep thinking about it. Tomorrow I have to go to his apartment and clear his things out.”

“You’re going to be good with that?”

“I should be fine. You’re not bothered about me crying about his death right?”

“Nah,” he shook his head. “I understand it, y’all have kids together and y’all were still cool so I get why losing him like that would hurt you.”

“Thank you for understanding, most niggas probably would’ve been insecure as fuck.”

I was happy as shit that he didn’t lose his shit about me being sad over Cameron. Despite how much he pissed me off Cameron has been a huge part of my life since the day I met him. Him dying, especially while protecting me isn’t something I can just shrug off, that shit hurts.

“I don’t have a reason to be insecure so we good. I’m going to have Don go with you.”

As soon as I heard the name Don I rolled my eyes. No offense to him, I know he’s been down with the team for a long ass time but I’m tired of hearing his name and seeing him. Not only was he with me all day at my office, he has to go with me tomorrow too?

“Don’t even do the attitude shit, until Dro and his pops is out the way Don is going with you everywhere if I’m not there.”

“Fine, what’s the deal with that anyway?”

“Waiting for this nigga to show his face. He’s been MIA since Thursday, but he’ll come around. Nigga text Vick saying he had to go out of town, he aint went nowhere.”

“I just have one request. When y’all get to that Manolo nigga, make him suffer. He caused my family a lifetime worth of pain. Make sure he feels that shit.”

“I got you.”

[shervonfakhimi]

The Cliche List of 2019 Draft Prospects I’m Planting My Flag For

Every year, as a basketball fiend, I find myself watching basketball all year from October to June. That includes both the NBA and the college ranks. As I watch what teams value in players in the NBA and how they impact winning on that level, I try to see if there are college players who can bring a skill-set to the NBA and help teams there. There are guys I’m right about and others not to much. It’s an inexact science and, quite frankly, no one truly knows how good some of these guys are going to be. So, I decided to throw my hat in the ring, because why the hell not. Here are 13 guys who I think are getting a little slept on and are high on as they enter the NBA.

The Top 10

Jarrett Culver SG TTU: Outside of Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, who seems too big and redundant to make this list since pretty much everyone knows they’ll kick ass in the NBA, there isn’t a player I like more in this draft than Jarrett Culver. Sure, you could argue some are better, but I think Culver is the 4th best player in this draft, behind only Zion, Ja, and RJ Barrett. He’s a long, versatile player on both ends of the floor and uses his length to his advantage. He guarded just about anybody on the floor in Texas Tech’s smart, switching defense and routinely made plays. Culver moves his feet extremely well and his hands to get steals, blocks or deflections are one of the best I can remember. But that’s not to say Culver isn’t just a defensive specialist. While a midrange maven (he’s a career 52.2% 2 point shooter), his career 34.1% from 3 point range is enough to keep defenders honest. As seen in the last play, Jarrett Culver can really create as well, averaging 4.6 assists per 40 minutes, though he also averaged 3.3 turnovers in that time frame, but should be helped by being surrounded by NBA level spacing (Take a drink any time you hear that with a prospect. Actually, don’t because I care about the well-being of anybody reading this because it applies to basically everybody.). Athleticism isn’t doing Culver a ton of favors body-wise (Childish Gambino fans better get that line or I will be very disappointed), but he drives with force and his long strides allow him to get inside the lane. He’s a good cutter off the ball and moves well off the ball to get to his spots. Sure, Jarrett Culver was slowed down in the NCAA Tournament, but that didn’t stop him from stepping up in the biggest of stages, including this pull-up 3 against Michigan State in the Elite Eight and this gorgeous hesi spin move, dusting fellow lottery pick De’Andre Hunter, in the National Championship, letting us know he’s got plenty in his bag. He put his bag all together in full display in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, putting together a 29 point, 8 rebound and 7 assist masterpiece against the Norse of Northern Kentucky. To wrap it up: there are very few players with Culver’s blend of defensive versatility, playmaking, and ability to create his own shot from all areas on the floor. While Jarrett Culver has some flaws to his game, such as not otherworldly athleticism or the most fluid of jump shots, his flaws are mostly ones that can either be fixed or worked around. I just don’t think they will be much of an impediment to him in his career with his beautiful compilation of skills that mesh with everything teams are looking for in today’s NBA: length, versatility, size, and smarts defensively and playmaking both on and off the ball offensively. Jarrett Culver has it all. He should be a Top 5 pick come June 20th.

Darius Garland PG Vandy: If you like scoring guards, then Darius Garland is one for you. It’s unfortunate he got hurt because he could’ve drawn a crap ton of hype. He’s probably best in pick and roll. He has a deadly handle that lets him do a multitude of things. He can dance with the ball out on the perimeter and rain 3s on your head, snake his way to a mid-range jumper (first two examples evidenced here), or split doubles (here’s another example because he makes it so damn pretty). Having variety is a must. Not every team is constructed the same. Some will trap pick and rolls, some will drop, some will switch. Garland has an answer for it all. What’s interesting about Garland is, as ESPN’s Mike Schmitz noted in an extended preseason breakdown here, he initially made his hay as a catch and shoot artist. He can be effective in a multitude of ways. Basically, his shot is about as lethal as John Wick’s. Now, he has limitations too. Defensively, he will get hunted very similarly to how smaller point guards in the mold of Stephen Curry, Lillard, Kyrie, Trae Young, Terry Rozier III, and others. He is not stepping in and running the show from the jump. He is a hunter, a mercenary who rains buckets and sends his defenders breakdancing. He will get better with running the show and allowing everybody to eat and get their touches in time. He also played only five games because of a meniscus injury suffered early in the season. He couldn’t accumulate a lot of experience. Teams will have to be ok with his medical information. But, assuming all is clean on that front, he is the type of guard in vogue after Steph Curry revolutionized the sport. He ain’t Steph, but he can cook a little like him and some of the other scoring guards in the league that came after him.

Coby White PG UNC: If you like scoring guards, then Coby White is another one for you. White is a fiend in transition. He can either jet down the floor doing his best roadrunner impersonation and get to the rim before the defense is set or set up his teammates running down the floor with him or in front of him. In a halfcourt setting, his go-to scoring move is busting out a James Harden-esque step-back 3 but can have difficulties getting that off over quicker, sturdier defenders like Tre Jones. However, his 35.3% 3 point shooting percentage on 6.3 attempts per game, attempts which included those of the more difficult variety like those step-back 3s, perhaps illustrate his shooting is more legit than not. His decision making and feel could use some improvement though in halfcourt settings, evidenced by White’s 4.1 / 2.7 assist/turnover ratio. However, he has shown selflessness and willingness to make the right play, indicating this is an area he can improve upon with more experience under his belt. No matter where Coby White goes, he will instantly up the tempo and produce easy points right off the bat. His defense, while not perfect, can help in that department as well by getting stops and gunning it in transition immediately afterward (as can his rebounding, which he averaged 5 per 40 minutes). Coby White is one of the more fun and entertaining prospects in this draft. No matter where he goes, he will bring a juice and energy a faltering team sorely lacks. Sooner than later, he’ll help them win games too.

Round 1

Cam Johnson SF UNC: Cam Johnson is 23 years old, one of the few prospects (mercifully) older than I am. Those guys typically don’t get drafted in the first round, let alone inside the Top 20. I personally think he should. Why? Because he projects as the exact ‘3-&-D’ prospect the NBA is craving. His quick release and precision from deep (Johnson was a career 40.5% three-point shooter on 7.5 attempts per game in his five-year college career at Pittsburgh and North Carolina) and size helps in that projection. But it isn’t just spot-ups where Cam Johnson. Per Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report via Synergy, Cam Johnson was efficient in almost every type of shooting scenario. Johnson is listed at 6’9” 210 pounds with a 6’10” wingspan, which can unlock multiple versatile lineups around his ability to guard different positions. He should be able to contribute right away. I think he’s going to last in the league and help whatever team he goes to for a very long time.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker PG Virginia Tech: When you are long and smart, you get certain built-up equity in my book. That’s precisely what Nickeil Alexander-Walker, cousin of Los Angeles Clippers Point Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (again, take a drink when you hear that because it is destined to be blown out of proportion), is. He’s a bit like a Ricky Rubio type of player; he doesn’t burn you with athleticism but he can still get downhill and to his spots. His feel is tremendous. He’s a superb passer able to fit dimes through the tightest of crevices. He can sling cross-court passes when he sees one of his teammates open in the corner. The man drops more dimes than a less fortunate person does. He’s a pest defensively who uses his size and length to his advantage, being able to guard all across the perimeter, bothering guys like fellow Canadian RJ Barrett. Alexander-Walker is a bit of a throwback player. Though he can create his own shot, a steady diet of that probably is not the best way to use him. He can sprinkle that in. I think his best trait is setting an offense up or dissecting it on secondary action and creating within the flow of the offense, something he did a lot of in Virginia Tech, like that first clip. He moves well off the ball. Teams have to respect his shot, shooting 38.3% from deep on 303 college attempts and 76.3% from the free-throw line on 207 attempts. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is one of those guys who isn’t great at one particular thing per se but can do a little bit of everything. He’s only 20 years old too; players can learn new skills regarding how to score and create their own shot. A lot of players can’t learn his feel. I’m buying.

Eric Paschall PF Villanova: Eric Paschall is a unique player. He is big at 6’8” 255 pounds, but make no mistake, he can FLY. He posted a 38-inch vertical leap at the combine, and you can see come into fruition on the court. Not only does he use his vertical to his advantage, but he drives and leaps hard with ferocity, as evidenced here yamming on the heads of 4 Georgetown Hoyas. He is stout defensively, able to protect the rim or handle defending on the perimeter. Offensively, he was miscast, in my opinion, as a primary option. His efficiency plummeted compared to when he was playing a complementary offensive role on Villanova’s National Championship winning squad. He won’t play that role his last season at Villanova in the NBA. But he is effective in a complementary role and should stick to that role at the next level. Paschall is a versatile, smart, tough defender who can protect the rim and stifle the perimeter. He can launch it from deep and finish possessions moving off the ball. He will make the right plays. He plays HARD. He can impact winning, and I think he will for a while. If he falls into the 2nd round, he’d be a steal. He shouldn’t though.

Mfiondu Kabengele PF/C FSU: I’m not sure there’s anybody, outside of Zion Williamson, who plays harder than this dude. He runs like a gazelle. He loves contact both on offense and defense. He gets triple teamed in the post and just plows through everybody doing his best Marshawn Lynch impersonation. He tries to dunk everything and is not afraid to get caught on a poster protecting the rim. He averaged 2.8 blocks per 40 minutes at Florida State last year, but also made the verticality plays and eliminated shot attempts from even occurring that don’t come up on the stat sheet. Oh, he can shoot too. He was a career 37.4% three point shooter and 72.4% free throw shooter. He’s skilled enough to create around the block and take advantage of mismatches too. He is not much of anything as a passer so far, though. He has a career 0.3/1.2 assist/turnover ratio. Not great! But the impact he can make with his defense, spacing, toughness, and intangibles is readily apparent. He’ll make an impact for a while. Also, did I mention he’s Dikembe Mutombo’s nephew?

Dylan Windler SG Belmont: Ja Morant isn’t the only Ohio Valley Conference player that could get selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. Don’t sleep on Dylan Windler either. Windler is excellent at moving without the basketball within the flow of an offense, whether it be slicing to the basket or finding space to splash threes. That’s not to slight him as a guy who can’t play with the ball in his hands. Don’t worry, he can roast dudes too. While it’s probably not wise to expect him to carry an offense, he can create for himself or others and has a mean stepback jumper to create separation for himself. He’s got versatility defensively and can help finish possessions; he averaged 9.3 and 10.8 rebounds the previous two seasons at Belmont. If anybody subscribes to the ‘board man gets paid’ mentality, it is Windler. He showed he can play against upper-tier college competition too, putting up 35 points and 11 rebounds against Maryland in the NCAA Tournament, shooting 11-23 from the field and 7-14 from the field, looking like a lefty Klay Thompson in the process. Windler is a career 40.6% three point shooter and 76.1% free throw shooter. He impacts the game in a multitude of ways. He should be a first-round pick.

Round 2

Daniel Gafford C Arkansas: Gafford could have been a first-round pick had he declared for last year’s draft. He didn’t, however, and got thrust into a nearly impossible situation where he was relied upon to be a primary option on the post when that isn’t his strength offensively. But what he is best at, is running the floor, rolling to the rim and protecting the rim. He has shown flashes of switching onto guards and flying down the floor afterward (seriously, how many 7 footers can throw down a windmill like it ain’t nothing?). He’s good at the Roy Hibbert-verticality at the rim and isn’t afraid of getting yammed on himself trying to send opponents back to the stone age like he does here on Tennessee skywalker Yves Pons. He is susceptible to the Hassan Whiteside disease of chasing after blocks he has zero chance at and freeing up easy put-back dunks for the opposition. He is not the primary post-up option Mike Anderson’s archaic offense forced him to be (this same type of misusage is what caused Robert Williams to fall to the Boston Celtics at 27 in last year’s draft); he’s more of a Nerlens Noel rim running roll man. But a big man who can hang on the perimeter defensively, protect the rim, run the floor, hit the offensive glass and be a lob threat at the rim? You can do worse in the late first or second round on a guy who would’ve been a surefire first-round pick a year ago.

Kyle Guy SG Virginia: As I dove into “Sprawlball: A Visual Tour of the New Era of the NBA” by Kirk Goldsberry, a point was brought up that I hadn’t entirely considered. Sure, this new three-point crazed NBA is looking for shooting all around the floor, but the speed at which shooters shoot is widely undervalued. Kirk brought this up to bask in the quickness and precision of which Kyle Korver shoots, but, among many others in the NBA who are undervalued, I thought of Kyle Guy when reading that chapter (this could apply to Cam Johnson and/or Dylan Windler as well). Here’s a stat from the book: from the 2013-14 season to the 2016-17 season, the average time it took a shooter to shoot from catch to release was 0.831 seconds. Remember that shot that Kyle Guy got fouled on against Auburn in the Final 4? It took him roughly 0.7 seconds to get that off. And it isn’t as if he can’t make those with regularity, though Guy missed the shot he got fouled on. He was a career 42.5% three-point shooter during his three-year stint at Virginia. In his previous two years, where he played more than 30 minutes per game, he converted 41% of his threes, taking 6.86 per game. Add that with his 112-135 free throw shooting splits, including his ginormous cojones factor clinching free throws against Auburn to advance to the National Championship Game, and the sample size is large enough to know the man can shoot. Sure, there are questions about whether he can defend the physicality of the NBA and make an impact offensively other than barrage from deep, but he showed at the combine he can make stuff happen with the ball in his hands and run an offense as well. But that still isn’t his strength. His strength is being able to hit tough shots quickly and on the move like this. In a league so starved for shooting, it’s really hard for me to believe a guy like Guy, who has proven himself in the biggest of stages, can’t stick in the NBA for a long time with how lethal his burner is. (Also, go buy Kirk’s book! Join in on the nerdfest with me!)

Jontay Porter C Missouri and Chuma Okeke SF/PF Auburn: Porter is a center who can stretch the floor and pass. Okeke was awesome in the NCAA Tournament before tearing his ACL, showcasing a damn good ‘3-&D’ skill-set. Both of these two are first-round talents who could fall into the second because of ACL injuries. If I were running a team (which would not go very well!), I’d be looking to stash either of these two on the cheap if I could.

Justin Wright-Foreman PG Hofstra: If you need buckets off the bench, do I have the guy for you. Wright-Foreman was one of the best in college basketball. According to Synergy, Wright-Foreman ranked amongst the tops in all of college basketball in points per possession running pick and roll and in transition. The man is instant offense who routinely carried his Hofstra squad, getting buckets like this. He gave NC State and Maryland the business too. I think he should get drafted and make a team.

[janniaragon1]

Opinion Roundup: Student protests, background checks, energy modernization, obesity epidemic and more

Student walkouts

Thursday, March 15, 2018 — A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Nationwide student walkout, restricting firearm access, Duke Energy’s planned grid modernization, rising child obesity rates, NC’s heath ranking and more.

PROTECTING OUR KIDS PAUL MURPHY & GIANLUCA MEZZOFIORE: At N.C. school, he was only one of 700 who walked out (CNN reports) — At 10 a.m. Wednesday, Justin Blackman got up from his desk and calmly walked out of Mr. Mendez’s Spanish class. When he got outside, he discovered he was the only one. Of the approximately 700 students at Wilson Preparatory Academy in Wilson, North Carolina, 16-year-old Justin was in a company of one during the national school walkout.

GOV. ROY COOPER: Our Kids Deserve Action (Medium column) — After the tragedy in Parkland, Florida, conversations about school safety and gun reforms have taken place all over America. Brave students are making their voices heard, and it’s clear they want action. I do too. At my request, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety has directed law enforcement and school administrators to ensure their rapid deployment training and school emergency response plans are in order. Preparation and open communication lines can make all the difference in a life or death situation. But preparing for the worst and praying it never happens isn’t enough. We need smart changes to our laws that will help keep dangerous weapons from getting into the wrong hands.

GARY ROBERTSON: Cooper wants background checks, higher age on some gun sales (AP news analysis) — In the wake of last month’s deadly Florida school shooting, Gov. Roy Cooper wants North Carolina lawmakers to pass gun regulations requiring background checks and permits for people looking to buy some semi-automatic rifles.

LAURA LESLIE: Cooper calls for tighter gun laws in NC (WRAL-TV reports) — On the day of the National School Walkout, Gov. Roy Cooper called for banning bump stocks and raising the minimum age and requiring a purchase permit for assault rifles as well as handguns.

ADAM OWENS: Proposed legislation would raise age to buy rifles to 21 in NC (WRAL-TV reports) — In the wake of the deadly Parkland, Fla. shooting, several states have discussed changing laws in order to make it more difficult for people to purchase certain firearms, including one North Carolina lawmaker who is proposing his own piece of legislation.

SCOTT SEXTON: Will build up of pressure be enough to crack resistance to gun law change? (Winston-Salem Journal column) — Like water falling on a flat rock, small pockets of protest against gun violence broke out across the community over the last few days and nights. Drip, drip, drip.

MYRON PITTS: Cumberland County students join national walkout (Fayetteville Observer column) — I have heard some folks ask why the students walked out of schools on Wednesday. Life presents tough questions sometimes. This is not one. These kids walked out to save their own lives. And I’m proud of them, inspired by them. Many Cumberland County school students held a protest or vigil.

POLICY & POLITICS Anti-harassment training provided to General Assembly, staff (AP news analysis) — North Carolina state lawmakers are getting opportunities to learn more about what constitutes workplace harassment so as to prevent it within the legislative branch.

MITCH WEISS & HOLBROOK MOHR: Cherokee County illegally removed kids from homes (AP news analysis) — When Brian Hogan got a call that his wife had suffered a massive heart attack, he knew he had to get to the hospital fast. So Hogan asked his neighbor to take care of his 10-year-old daughter, then headed 60 miles east to the intensive care unit in Asheville, North Carolina.

GARY ROBERTSON: Cooper to appoint N.C. elections board this week (AP news analysis) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper will appoint members to a combined state elections and ethics board this week, even while he continues to fight in court over the legality of the board’s latest iteration.

TRAVIS FAIN: Cooper agrees to appoint Board of Elections (WRAL-TV reports) — Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday that he’ll make his appointments to a long-delayed new State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement this week while simultaneously continuing to fight the Republican-mandated changes to the board in court.

ANDREW DUNN: Why even Charlotte millionaires should care about affordable housing (Charlotte Agenda column) — Affordable housing has never been more important in Charlotte. It’s a moral issue, to be sure. But let’s be honest: Charity will only go so far. True progress on fixing our affordable housing problem will only come if we view it as a problem for everyone instead of just the right thing to do. Why should the millionaire in a gated SouthPark neighborhood care about affordable housing?

TRAVIS FAIN: Campaign paid for Cooper’s ACC Tournament trip to Brooklyn (WRAL-TV reports) — Gov. Roy Cooper’s four-day trip last week to Brooklyn for the ACC Tournament was a campaign trip. There were no official meetings. The governor’s campaign and the Democratic Governors Association covered trip costs, including airfare, hotel, meals and incidentals, according to the Governor’s Office. Campaign strategist Morgan Jackson said trip costs, including tournament tickets the campaign bought through UNC-Chapel Hill, will be detailed in Cooper for North Carolina’s next campaign finance filing, due in July.

Sign Fontenot’s petition to give voters a choice (Wilson Times) — Who should sign Ken Fontenot’s ballot access petition? Republicans. Democrats. Libertarians. Independents. Supporters. Opponents. In short, anyone who believes in the democratic process and wants to give voters a choice in November. The Wilson pastor, middle-school teacher and Marine Corps veteran announced his Republican Party-backed bid to challenge Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield, D-Wilson, in House District 24 last month. But before he can campaign, he has to stump for signatures — about 2,200 of them.

AMANDA THAMES: Onslow BOC calls White House visit ‘outstanding’ (Jacksonville Daily News) — The White House called and Onslow County commissioners answered. With speakers like Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, and Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, the board had quite the day.

Rick Perry for VA? Not a good fit (Fayetteville Observer) — Speculation out of Washington indicates that President Trump is on a “You’re fired” roll, that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will be leading a procession of high-level administration officials out of Washington. And the name atop most insiders’ next-to-go list is Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin. The VA chief reportedly angered the president when he got caught up in a scandal over misuse of travel funds.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT KIRK ROSS: THE N.C. FRACKING BOOM THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN (Carolina Public Press analysis) — North Carolina’s Oil and Gas Commission returns to work today for the first time in two years. Whatever resources were underground when the commission was last in business have gone untapped, so that the same resources remain buried today. Above ground, however, things are very different. Once expected to join the fracking boom, North Carolina is now farther away from taking the plunge and is now more remarkable for its growth in alternatives like solar and wind.

JOHN DOWNEY: Critic claims Duke Energy’s $7.5B ‘grid modernization’ plan doesn’t pass muster (Charlotte Business Journal analysis) — An expert witness contends there is little modernization in the 10-year program and that less than 1% of it will support Duke Energy’s much-touted goal of more renewable energy on the grid.

JENNIFER ALLEN: Groups Try New Strategy on Debris Problem (Coastal Review analysis) — Local governments and environmental groups are taking a new, more strategic approach to address the problem of rubbish, derelict fishing gear and abandoned vessels along the N.C. coast.

HEALTH JAYSON DEBRUYN: New health ranking show disparities in N.C. (WUNC-FM) — The more money you make, the better your health outcomes. That’s according to new data from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. In North Carolina, for instance, Wake County residents have the highest median income, according to Census figures. The county also ranks as the No. 1 county by health outcomes. On the other end of the spectrum, residents of Scotland County have the lowest median income, and rank No. 99 in health outcomes. Only Robeson County ranked lower in terms of health outcomes and its median income was only 2.2 percent higher than that of Scotland.

This region’s health issues are killing us (Fayetteville Observer) — This is not the state’s healthiest corner. In fact, health outcomes in this region are among the worst in all of North Carolina. In Robeson County, outcomes are the worst in the state, according to the annual County Health Rankings Report compiled by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. It’s a deadly problem.

TAYLOR KNOPF: Pediatric Obesity Rates Continue to Increase (N.C. Health News analysis) — One in six children in the U.S. is considered obese. And in North Carolina, the rates are on the higher end. Newer research shows excess weight on their growing frames is causing musculoskeletal problems.

EDUCATION UNCG joins the madness of March in college basketball (Greensboro News & Record) — The tournament returns to North Carolina, and UNCG returns to the tournament, one of six schools from the state playing in this big-time event.

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Read More At: http://www.janniaragon.com/opinion-roundup-student-protests-background-checks-energy-modernization-obesity-epidemic-and-more/

[beverlymunoz]

Profile of a possible savior: Tim Jankovich

This guy’s been coaching for longer than Will Wade’s been alive.

Southern Methodist University hasn’t made it past the second round of the NCAA tournament since the 1960s, but that could change this spring under Tim Jankovich, who is in his first full year as head man on the Mustangs’ sidelines. Despite a gaudy 24-4 record, SMU is ranked just 17th in the AP poll thanks to the subpar competition in the American Athletic Conference (sorry, PirateWolf), but Jank’s ‘stangs have a championship résumé in KenPom’s rankings with both a top 25 offense and defense.

Jankovich’s squad has won 20 of its last 21 games, with the only defeat coming on the road by two points against fellow POAPSter Mick Cronin’s Cincinnati Bearcats. Though he’s primarily patrolled the sidelines in flyover country, could Jankovich make the leap east and replicate his AAC success for NC State in the ACC?

Important Questions, In Rough Order Of Importance:

1. Has he coached teams that have won a national title, made multiple deep NCAA tournament runs, and/or consistently been highly ranked?

Jankovich, serving in an interim capacity while Larry Brown was golfing due to an NCAA suspension, piloted the Mustangs to a 9-0 start and top 10 ranking a year ago, and, as mentioned above, what is now his team—Brown abruptly resigned over the summer—is in the top 20 now. He’s a ridiculous 33-4 at SMU, but this will be his first NCAA tournament as a head coach.

Previously, he piloted Illinois State to four 21-or-more-win seasons in five years but never made the big dance, falling in the MVC championship game three times (twice in overtime). Jankovich was also unable to make postseason play at North Texas, his first gig as a head coach. Additionally, he had a stint as the head coach at Hutchinson Community College.

The well-traveled Jankovich has had 10 different stops as an assistant, most notably a four-year stint at Kansas. He was part of Bill Self’s original staff that replaced Ol’ Roy after Ol’ Roy changed his mind and decided that he did, in fact, give a shit about Carolina.

2. Has he built a program from the ground up?

The Mean Green have a brutal basketball history. They have been ranked once in the AP poll, back in 75-76, and they have never won an NCAA tournament game (in their three whole trips) during an existence that dates to the 20s. Jankovich inherited a 5-21 North Texas team and promptly won 14 games in his first year. He went from the ground to basically .500. Unfortunately, he never did much better and decided to jettison that basketball desert after four years for Hutchison. The dude that followed him for the Mean Green managed a high of seven wins during his four-year stint.

I think of ISU as one of those sneaky mid-majors that springs Big Dance upsets, but the Redbirds actually haven’t been to the tournament since ’98 (under Kevin Stallings, whose name seems to keep coming up in my POAPSmears in some sort of Kevin Bacon degrees of separation sort of way). The Redbirds, in fact, were coming off a couple of losing seasons when Jankovich arrived, including one where it managed a brutal 55 points per game. Jank’s first team improved by 10 wins over his predecessor, Porter Moser, but he could never break through and win the MVC tournament in his time in Normal. While Dan Muller is thought of as a hot name in the “up-and-coming” ranks, ISU declined significantly in the couple years subsequent to his taking over for Jank.

3. Has he substantially improved the program from when he took over?

That’s more or less alluded to above, but heck yes. North Texas’s 9-win improvement was the second most in the NCAA that year. And he did it with…(wait for it)…defense! The Mean Green went from 298th to 99th in points allowed from pre-Jank to Jank. (Sorry, no fancy KenPom numbers from way back then.) Same story at ISU; his first team climbed from 67th before him to 26th in KenPom’s defensive metrics. That rise led to the aforementioned 10-win improvement. Last year he was undefeated at SMU; when Larry Brown came back, the ‘stangs were a still respectable but less impressive 16-5. Now, SMU is arguably the best it’s ever been.

4. Has he succeeded at more than one head coaching job?

The answer here depends on how you define success. Until now, he’s never been a head coach at a school with a genuine opportunity to make a sustained run in the tournament, but he’s been much better than the status quo wherever he’s coached. In short, I’d say yes.

5. Does he have significant high-major experience as either a head coach or an assistant?

His head coaching exploits are already well chronicled above. In chronological order, Jankovich has been an assistant at the following high-major (and high-majorish) programs: Kansas State, Texas, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Vanderbilt (under Stallings!), Illinois, and Kansas. He’s got a total of 34 years under his belt as a college coach; I’d say that’s pretty significant.

6. Is his team one of the best in its conference right now?

SMU is the best in just about every measure, leading Cincinnati in KenPom, the AAC standings (by half a game), but trailing the Bearcats by a hair in RPI.

7. Do his teams actually play, what is this thing called, "defense"?

I give you this delicious quote: “If they…play their tail off on defense and rebound at a high level. If they do that, they earn more freedom on the offensive end.” Defense is first in Jankovich’s philosophy, and the numbers bear it out. The Mustangs are 20th in AdjD. If he had just said fannies, a la Chuck Amato, we’d know he’d be a perfect fit at State.

8. So how about offense?

Jankovich, unlike his predecessor, is a proponent of the three-point shot. The Mustangs are 122nd in percentage of points from the bonusphere this season, up from 275th a year ago. His teams seem to understand shot selection, taking over 70% of their total shots from either the arc or at the rim. His teams are, however, deliberate, like Virginia deliberate. It might not be fun and gun, but SMU’s offense is resulting in 1.12 points per possession this year and a KenPom AdjO ranking of 21st.

9. Any indication that he can recruit McDonald’s All-American-type players?

Jankovich’s first pledge as head coach at SMU was Elijah Landrum, a three-star point guard who also held offers from Houston, Texas Tech, and VCU. There are a couple of other three-star pledges in the class of 2017, both top 300 type guys. The top recruit is William Douglas, who is ranked 115th by 247sports. Shake Milton is the only SMU-recruited consensus four-star on the roster, though Duke transfer (and former top 30 prospect) Semi Ojeleye has blossomed into a stud after not getting much floor time for Coach K.

This is not ACC level recruiting, but it’s good enough for a 24-4 record with an experienced and competent coach. Jankovich, who was well regarded as a recruiter when an assistant at high-major programs, would likely lure better talent to Raleigh. He’s also been handcuffed a bit by scholarship reductions due to an NCAA violation that occurred under Brown’s watch. He has a slew of top 100 recruits listing SMU from the class of 2018, when scholarship levels will return to normal.

10. Does he have any connection to NC State, North Carolina, or the ACC?

He was “coach in waiting” under Brown, but his footprint is basically Texas and the Midwest.

11. Any other random red flags or positives?

The major red flag for Jankovich is his association with some pretty shady dudes, Brown chief among them. The Dean Smith protégé had numerous run-ins with the NCAA, most recently an academic fraud scandal (gasp!) that cost him nine games. It was more costly for SMU, which was given a postseason ban a year ago and a loss of scholarships. (Aside: note that this bit of justice was meted out for exactly ONE case of academic fraud that occurred before a recruit was even enrolled at SMU. Meanwhile, a decades-long, institutionalized system of academic fraud designed to keep players eligible at UNC is yet unpunished).

Eddie Sutton, who Jankovich also coached under, nearly killed Kentucky, getting the school a two-year postseason ban and one-year TV ban for a laundry list of violations that included bribing recruits, though Jank joined Sutton much later when he was at Oklahoma State.

Some of us who are getting long in the tooth might consider this a positive, but Jank has coached for longer than some POAPS candidates have been on the planet. He’ll be 58 when next season gets underway. That still gives him 7-10 years of coaching life in all likelihood, but can he relate to the kids these days? Do you want to bring in a guy that, even if he’s wildly successful, will in all likelihood have a short tenure? In just a few years, opposing whippersnapper coaches will be whispering in players ears: “You sure you want to play for a guy that might not be around to see you graduate?”

On the positive spectrum, the dude shot 91.7% from the line in his college career and over 50% from the floor from the guard position. Maybe he can teach some free throwing around here?

Another bit of intrigue is that Semi Ojeleye should be a grad transfer possibility. Could Jank bring him along?

Summary:

Would he be better than Gottfried?

I don’t think there’s any question that Jankovich could beat Gott’s players with his players, or his players with Gott’s players, and his history of immediately improving programs from year one is intriguing.

OK, so what is his ceiling?

Let’s see how far he takes the Mustangs. If he makes a run with the talent gap he’ll face perhaps as soon as the second round, then there is no ceiling on what he could accomplish with ACC talent, provided he can lure said talent to Raleigh. If he doesn’t recruit at a high level by ACC standards, he’s probably Jim Larrañaga. Hey, if that’s your floor, that’s pretty good.

Would he take the job if offered?

Probably not. Damn, I spent all this time on this for nothing. Despite the fact that he’s not a 40 or even 30-something, Jankovich should be a hot commodity for high-major schools coach shopping this offseason. An Indiana native who has spent nearly his entire career in flyover country probably has his sights sets on a Big 10 or Big 12 job. Maybe he returns to K-State, his alma mater, after we hire Bruce Weber! (I kid, I kid.)

Indiana, Ohio State, Oklahoma…those would probably be Jank’s dream jobs if he is even job hunting, and he may well have a shot at all of the above.

How would I feel if he were hired?

I can get past the age thing. I love the experience and the results he’s had as a head coach, especially this year at SMU. As the weight of losing buries my moral compass, I find the association with a who’s who in crooked coaches to be less untenable, but Larry Brown? Larry Brown??? I question the man’s judgment there.

How would the fan base as a whole feel if he were hired?

The answer here is also dependent on how SMU does in the tournament. If the Mustangs were to make the Final Four, I think the average State fan would be pretty excited to get the guy that led little old SMU to college basketball’s biggest stage for the first time since it fell to the San Francisco Dons in the 1956 Final Four. If Jank gets jerked from the tourney early, I think the response would largely be, “Who? We totally screwed this up again!”

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