#Jayd's in trouble again

[caelyne]

clunk-clunk-clunk. the skies overhead were grey, and there was a slight chill in the air. clunk-clunk-clunk, went the crumpled soda can along the pavement that lied between the sparse highway and a dried up riverbed.

fuck this can in particular, the blue-furred feline thought as she sauntered up the path, rearing her leg up for another kick.

THUNK!! she watched it go flying into the nearby bushes. it was a little more excessive than she intended, but she wasn't about to go fishing through all those branches to find it again. she shrugged and kept moving. she figured some good samaritan would come along and clean up her mess at some point. regardless, the real problem at hand now being that she had nothing to vent her frustrations on. she plopped down on the curb.. not a soul in sight, save for the occasional vehicle that zoomed past. as a line of cars began to form in the distance, she couldn't help but eye the couple of rocks at her side. it was… tempting. but the idea of dealing with someone who cared a little too much about their expensive hunk of metal didn't seem worth the trouble.

she fell onto her back and gazed up at the sky. she needed… someone. or someTHING to yell at. just any way she could exorcise this demonic frustration that welled within her. the faces of her fr- "Friends" flashed into her mind again and her vision went red. with a yell, she stood up and hurled one of those rocks into the dead river behind her. she watched its arc with fury until it disappeared with a puff of sand and a satisfying thud. she breathed heavily through her teeth as she fixated on the spot where it landed. a moment passed before she remembered that she was a person, and that there was more to the world than the white hot fury that she felt. she wiped her eyes and continued onward.

that's why she was out here. away from everyone else. it was honestly such a dumb thing to be this mad over, but she remembered hearing that a walk will fix these kinds of moods.

so here she was. again. she wasn't sure if it was helping really, but it kept her from lashing out at the people around her. that were still around her. she stopped herself before she thought about them again.

the trail eventually opened up into a small park. there wasn't much to it really; a gazebo, a small playground, all while the trail continued along before looping back in on itself. this place was super out of the way and didn't really see much attention, especially not with the weather being this chilly. with a sigh, she let herself sprawl on top of one the picnic tables and listened to the cold air flow around her.

the soft winds tickled her ears as she hanged her head over the edge. she knew her anger would be back, but all she felt in this moment was emptiness. she shook her head at herself. "friends." she scoffed. was she mad because they left? or was she mad that they left this place behind before she could?

are you trying to be charitable to them? rye could've asked you to come with, she thought.

i could've just gone with him anyway, she retorted.

still, Fuck him for leaving, after everything that happened?

i don't blame him. there's nothing for any of us here.

so what's stopping you?

she paused. what WAS stopping her? if rye and ocelot could leave this place behind so easily.. then why is it so hard for her? why does it feel so impossible to set out on her own? her thoughts went to her friends.. to patience, niles, and jayde. her parents.

she didn't know what to do.. but what she did know is that she didn't want to be here. she turned herself over and rested her head against her paws. in the distance, past the mountains, she could just barely make out the hazy silhouettes of the distant skyscrapers that made up lux sidera's iconic skyline. as she wondered if she could make it on her own, rye's dumb face flashed in her mind again. he wanted to go out and protect the people who needed saving. and she knew he believed in himself. as for ocelot.. well. anyone with ocelot's smug confidence could go far. she snickered at how much that cat pissed her off sometimes.

she sat up, and decided then and there that she had had enough of her own moping. after all, she could definitely kick both their asses at ONCE. if they were gonna run away, she was gonna go after them. she Refused to be left behind in this nowhere town.

sinclaire pulled out her phone from her sweater pocket and began to look up train tickets. 'look out, you two. look out, WORLD. i'm on my way.'

[eldritch-spouse]

pinnie mummy thank you for feeding us on the daily mwah. feel free to ignore this as it's very self indulgent but I've just finished work at 2 am again and I can't stop thinking about sth. Who do you think would like (or at the very least be able to handle) a workaholic partner - and who'd absolutely loathe it? Workaholic as in - 'I need to finish this I can't talk to anyone or get distracted by anything till I get stuff done'.

Would enjoy/get along with a workaholic:

Pinter thinks that's the fucking spirit right there! A good worker is a good partner! Your sheer determination to get things done quickly and to never leave loose ends makes him value you immensely as a person and partner. He'll be right beside you pulling 2 to 3am work shifts.

Patches feels a bit more at home with someone who understands what it's like to have a lot of work in their hands. Whether or not you're passionate about said work is a whole other story, but he's the type of guy that will pull all-nighters without hesitation. The dullahan does worry for your health though, he's undead -It can't get much worse- You're alive.

Morell is a hard worker as well. He gets into he hum drum of routine very easily and he's not fond of distractions, to the point where he might tell others to shut the fuck up while he works. This means that he'll understand when you need focus and won't push much, though there comes a time where he forcibly makes you stop.

Cero works harder than you'd expect. Sure, he's an arrogant cunt, but some of his genuine and well-earned pride comes from the fact that he's a diligent worker. He silently admires your dedication, even if all you hear is an insult about not being able to find a balance.

Rieba and Jayde are hard working imps, they see a lot of themselves in you. And while one is more visibly stressed than the other, both are kind of hot messes and appreciate someone who can empathize with their 2am struggles.

**Hudsyn hopes your all-nighters are born of feverish mania and energetic episodes like his, but that might not be the case, it usually isn't. Still, he's there to make sure you don't pass out. And, if you choose to, he's there to pick you up.

Can "handle it":

Zizz can handle a workaholic, in the sense that he'll set a timer for how long into the night you're allowed to stay awake, then will make his way over to you, put a hand on your head and swiftly make you conk the fuck out for as long as he deems necessary.

Belo and Jonesy love your sense of duty! It's truly a beautiful thing to see in a lesser. You're exemplary and so very determined, they swoon at the sight alone. However, Jonesy is quick to dictate that you can no longer keep working after a set amount of time, and Belo will join in on your task when he notices it's getting too late for a human to be up.

Nebul likes discipline. It's nice to know that you don't have trouble focusing on a specific task for long periods of time, that you don't complain about it. He's filing that way for later, when it's time to train you. That being said, the wraith is very much willing to use his authoritative presence to intimidate you out of exhausting yourself.

Flints, much like Nebul, enjoys someone who can focus easily and isn't so easily swayed out of their responsibilities. But he's going to stand next to you silently at some point, tapping a bat on his palm. It's only a matter of time until he starts heading your way with that bat if you don't go the fuck to sleep.

Hates it:

Roch doesn't like seeing you work that much, it genuinely makes him stress out over you. It's bad, like at least take some naps! He'll go out of his way to get on your lap or fall asleep on your work like a house cat. That's enough for a day, stop it.

Fank-e can't stand seeing you so focused for so long at a time. He gets antsy over not having enough interaction with you and can't stay quiet for too long, so your annoyed outbursts will hurt him. He just doesn't know what to do aside from sit there and fidget, forcing himself to be quiet, or just leave.

Fasma won't quit chastising you over how destructive those habits are for your health. Like, you might as well start smoking kid, the way you want to get a burnout, back problems or a depressive episode- You're too young to be doing that shit to your body, take a fucking breather...

Obie likewise doesn't enjoy seeing you stay up so late over things that, to him, seem trivial. Stuff you could finish later or tomorrow. It reminds him of his mom, how she sometimes had to work much more than most sloth demons tolerate, and it would occasionally show in the way her mood would plummet.

Grimbly will perceive this as being ignored and will immediately hate it. There'll be many petty comments about how you don't even really need to work that specific job anyway. Sure, he likes to be spoiled, but working at The Clergy's Eye means he probably makes a lot more money than you, you know?

**[The ending of our little game with Hudsyn will alter him permanently as a character, meaning that depending on how things go, he'll behave very differently in many scenarios. So, in case things sour and you're reading this in the future thinking "That's not the Hudd I know", just know that we're still mid-game here :7]

[mrmxhamato]

The betrayal! RIP Leo please let us know if you survived it after. The travelling sure will be an... ✨experience✨

No direct eye contact with the mother in law maybe. But then again you have grandkids to distract her with so maybe it will be alright? Anyway good luck <3

Oh I'm sure Maia would be distracts. She has three grand kids.

We tolerate each other on the most part for Jayd's sake.

Oh traveling is gonna be 🌟F U N🌟

We aren't going far, mainly to the hidden city. But they live in this weird suburban area. Which is gonna be a good two hour trip.

You maybe wondering. Leo how is it going to be a nightmare for travel?

Well Casey is an over packer. He thinks we'll be gone for a week when it's only a day. (Trauma response with the apocalypse)

Annie fusses ans when she has a tantrum it's a TAMTRUM. Luckily not screaming or kicking but a lot of crying. She's practically unconsolable. It's not loud crying but she does go limp which doesn't help.

And Lou... Man porr Lil Jitsu he HATES new people and environments. Lou is a VERY loud crier. He also goes limp in your arms too. If he's not familiar with a place or someone he doesn't know wants to hold him, good luck. Kid got a death grip.

So NO. Not looking forward to this visit.

Honestly jealous of Raph. He, Francis and their kids are going to Francis's dads place, Vince, for Christmas and their kids are no trouble with travel. It's leaving is their problem.

[ajanefantasy]

Simm - Rise of Trouble Vol. 3: Ch1

Rythwaen Hall

Stille, Berja

“What mess have you gotten yourself into this time, Rythwaen?” Arno entered the study, his boots ringing on the slate flooring.

Jayd’s head shot up and he just kept from swearing. He looked towards the fireplace to check on Magic, but remembered his son was with the cook in the kitchen, supervising the making of a tartberry pie. Magic seemed to have an affinity with all those who baked. Upon Ganos, Magic had charmed Mistress Horn so much, she gave him a sweetbun each time they saw her. Even if they did not go into the shoppe, she would come out and give him a sweetbun slathered in icing.

He stood. “What might I do for you, Your Majesty?”

“You can answer my question.”

“And what mess am I accused of getting myself into?”

“Insulted you have Princess Sari. Insulted her so grievously that I have heard of it. I expect you to apologize to her, Simm.”

Jayd narrowed his eyes, trying to decide which was worse, being called by his Title or by his first name. He was leaning, in this instance, with the king using that tone of voice, towards his name. “’Twould be appreciated did you keep from my business.”

“Your business is my business.” Arno stopped in front of the desk, planted his hands upon it. “Do you ruin any chance of a connection to Artezan, you will care little for my reaction. You will apologize…”

“Tired I am of being ordered about. And tired I am of being informed on. Was it Aunt Fai?”

“You, Simm, understand not the embarrassment you have caused me with your foolishness. I only wish ‘twas from Fai I heard it.” Arno’s green eyes were trained on Jayd like a cat cornering a mouse. “Understand I do that you were recently upon Ganos.”

Jayd blinked at the change of subject. “I was. Magic wished to play with some yullies. Acquainted I am with one whose father raises the animals.”

“I have been informed that Princess Sari was there visiting her grandmother and uncle. ‘Tis the uncle you are acquainted with, yes? ‘Tis his father who raises the yullies?”

“Yes.”

“’Tis good to have that cleared up. And ‘tis the father who is married to Princess Sari’s grandmother, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Know you who her grandmother is?”

Jayd sat, tried to do so without showing his growing apprehension. He disliked the way Arno was smiling at him. “Vylla van Jyn.”

“Very good, lad. Vylla van Jyn. Are you aware of exactly who Vylla van Jyn is? Allow me to enlighten you if you were not. The Dusalla of Fyrwyn she is, mother to Artezan’s fucking king! That is who Vylla van Jyn is.”

He knew all of that, of course he knew all of that, but he thought it best to ignore the genealogical lesson. “Then ‘tis King Usan who informed you?”

“No, if only that were so, ‘twould be easier to bear, but I hear you not accusing the princess of informing upon you.”

“The princess knows not who I am.”

“She knows not who you are?”

“No. Did she, and certain I am that she would have said.”

Arno’s voice turned silky as he glided about the desk, still upon the hunt, his smile dangerous, “And yet you dared insult her for being a princess? Wonder I do if mayhap when lightning struck you at nine, it caused damage to your mind. To be such a hypocrite… No, I go too far by offering you such an excuse. Methinks the House of ayn Gyl flows more through you than the fai Lynn with how fucking hard your head is!”

“Only did I learn she was princess through…”

“I care not! Upon learning that Sari was the crown princess, mayhap you should have confessed exactly who you are. Mayhap upon learning she was princess, a closer connection you should have forged.”

Arno held up a hand, taking a moment to pull in a calming breath. “This is not the path I was upon. We were discussing how I learned of this exchange of words, these insults. I learned not that you insulted Princess Sari from her father—though certain I am by this time he is aware. No, it turns out that Dusalla Fyrwyn has long held a friendship with your grandmother! A fucking lecture I received from your grandmother. Mind you, I received this lecture long after she claimed you to be my problem! But still she wishes not to take you on; still are you my problem because you are fai Lynn and the fai Lynn are of Berja!”

Jayd wished not to be anyone’s problem. He wished Arno would leave him be. To The Firebreath with his constant lecturing. He opened his mouth to say just that, willing to risk the loss of his boat for some peace, “I…”

“You will fix this, lad, and you will fix it soon. I want a connection to Artezan.”

He bit his tongue. Fuck! “My son has Title in Artezan through his mother. There is your connection.”

“Do you think so? Do you think, because he is citizen of Artezan it gains me a connection?”

“That I am his father…”

“Truly you understand very little about the way the world works. You think ‘tis all about you and if ‘tis not about you, then you step upon it. That is not how it works. ‘Twould indeed serve you well did I make you king for the six months next and then mayhap you would gain an appreciation for what I need deal with all before I deal with you! Were Paden about, I would thrash him for allowing this mess. Since he is within The Everafter, I will lecture your father instead, and lecture him well. Mayhap he will finally put aside the guilt and self-loathing he suffers and take you in hand.”

“I owe the princess no apology.” No they had parted on good terms. At least mostly good terms. And she had yet to write him. Wait. Why had she yet to write him? Should she not have written to him? They were to meet for the Winter Celebration. And…

“Oh indeed you do! But that is not all I heard. Aware I am that Princess Sari demanded you bring Magic before her at least twice a year. I expect you to comply.”

“Or what?” He was forced all the way back in his chair when Arno leaned over him, their noses nigh touching.

“Do not push me to such a point, Simm.”

“She wants not a Titledman for husband!” And he told no lie. Sari wished not a stuffy Titledman for a husband. Did she not marry him as pirate? But that was something Arno need not know, that he and Sari were married. He would not have Arno crowing with smugness.

“Then change her mind!”

Jayd was wondering if he should just set fire to his boat and be done with this mess, then naught would there be for Arno to hold over his head. And if his uncle wanted to take Title from him, well, Arno could fucking have it.

©A. Jane

<—— Read: Summer Dae - Rise of Trouble Vol. 2: Ch1  

Where to buy: Simm - Rise of Trouble Vol. 3: Amazon | Smashwords

Website | Bookshelf |

[theirkenshavethetardis]

so i may be missing something here, but it always annoys me when people talk about mario villains and say they can’t appear again because they’re “dead”(i most often see this said of Fawful and Dimentio, but i’m sure it comes up with other characters too). like, ignoring how many times bowser has “died” only to come back later, death doesn’t necessarily mean anything! 

we’ve seen the afterlife of the mario multiverse in super paper mario, and it’s... super poorly managed. bowser just existing there caused enough chaos that they closed off the passage between the Underwhere and the Overthere. Mario and Luigi were allowed to Just Leave. Luvbi, who was vitally important due to being a pure heart and should have been under constant surveillance, could travel the whole place with no trouble. who’s to say there aren’t occasional(or even frequent) escapes that just aren’t noticed or acknowledged? I certainly don’t trust Queen Jaydes or Grambi to keep decent track of this stuff.

anyway after spm and bowser’s inside story fawful and dimentio met in the underwhere, became friends, and left. they’re now awaiting the perfect moment to have their perfect villain teamup/revenge no i don’t take constructive criticism.

[spoopy-but-safe]

WARNINGS: Childhood trauma, including bullying and being hit by parents as punishment. Self harm. Panic/anxiety attack. Major mentions of teeth and biting.

When I was 7, my canine teeth began to grow long and sharp. 

At that age, I didn't know that wasn't normal. To me, growing up and transitioning into Healing were the same thing. So, I thought nothing of my new fangs. I couldn't exactly say the same of the other kids. 

You wouldn't know it from looking at me now, but I spent a lot of my time back then smiling. Not the tiny smile I do sometimes now, with my lips pressed tightly together. I smiled wide every chance I got, unknowingly showing off those fangs to all the other kids. I was a little quiet and a little shy, but still very friendly. 

I was a bit oblivous, and didn't yet realize that children like me could be cruel. I didn't notice right away that they started treating me different. Kids I had been friends with talked to me less and less. Ones who I didn't know well began to avoid me. There were always "already enough" people playing if I asked to join a game, or it was just about to end already as soon as I appeared. 

I still clearly remember the incident that made it all click. It was during lunch one day. I was eating my sandwich, and I looked up to see the kid a seat down from me staring at me. I can't for the life of me remember his name, but I do remember that look he was giving me… Like he was trying to figure out what exactly I was. 

Like I said, I was a bit oblivious. I thought he wanted to talk to me. So, as I had a habit of doing, I smiled at him. The same wide smile as always. 

He shrieked at the top of his lungs. It startled me so badly that I froze. The next thing I knew, a teacher marched over and demanded to know what happened. The kid was in tears now. 

He pointed at me and cried, "She tried to bite me!"

"I did not!" I said. 

The girl sitting next to him piped in, "Yes she did! I saw her!"

A handful of other kids around me agreed with her. It was so overwhelming that I started to tear up. 

That was the first time I can remember getting in trouble at school. I pleaded with the teacher to believe me through the most tears I had ever cried at that age. I insisted that I hadn't done it, that I had just smiled at him, but she wasn't having it. I was put in time out for the rest of the day, and my parents were called. 

As I sat alone in the corner, I wondered to myself if I had actually tried to hurt him, and just forgot about it somehow. That type of thinking haunts me to this day. I still catch myself wondering if something evil lives within me and makes me do horrible things without my conscious knowledge. 

By the time I got home, I had given up on trying to defend myself. I told my parents the teacher's version of events. My mom was disappointed, but my dad was angry. I got spanked for it and hid in my room to cry. It wasn't just the pain or the fact that I was in trouble, but the fact that I wholeheartedly believed in that moment that I deserved it. 

How could I? How could I try to bite that poor boy and just forget about it like it didn't happen? I cried and cried at this wickedness I'd hidden from myself. I cried so long and so hard that I threw up. 

That was the point where my older sister, Jayde, decided to step in. She gave me a popsicle and held me while I sniffled and chipped away at it. 

"It's over now, Kiera, you don't have to cry anymore. You know what you did was wrong and that you shouldn't do it again, right?" She said. 

I nodded, but in my head, all I could hear was a little nagging voice. It said that if I could do it without knowing once, it could happen again. It said there was evil in me that would come out again one day, and this time, I really would hurt someone. 

Of course, I know now that this wasn't true. As hard as it is to admit to myself, I am not evil. I don't bite people. I never have. 

After that day, I was no longer just a little quiet and a little shy. I was silent most of the time, and scared to so much as look at other kids. I developed a nasty habit of only watching my feet while I walked that I still carry to this day. I started to hate the sensation of eyes on me. And, at least for a while, I stopped smiling. 

Not long after that, I started hearing whispers of a rumor that I was a vampire. That was easy enough to ignore. Healers are immune to vampirism, and I figured they'd eventually realize I wasn't burning up in the sun.

The next year, sometime after my 8th birthday, I was given my piece of stone to receive my charm and unlock my animal form. A wolf, to my sheer delight… For a little while, anyway. 

The rumor changed then. I was apparently a werewolf now, not a vampire. I tried to ignore this one, too. The Raven region doesn't really get werewolves. This one persisted for a good few years, through primary and into middle school. 

The story about my "incident" had changed since 1st grade. Rather than thinking I "tried to" bite that other kid, they believed I had actually bitten him. The reason why depended on who was telling the story.

When new kids came to school, they often heard this story about the freak with the sharp teeth who lashed out for nothing. My first encounters with people were often them warning me to stay away, or threatening to beat me up if I tried anything. There was also a fair amount of people just plain insulting me. 

I retreated further and further into myself. The harder I tried to be quiet and invisible, the worse it got. No matter how little space I took up, it was still too much. More than I deserved. Before I knew it, I was a prime target for the school bullies. 

I won't describe everything that they did. That's a story for another time. There is one thing I won't forget, when I humiliated myself in front of a crowd. 

One of many of the groups of friends I was targeted by was following me around the walking path during recess. They were pretending they didn't know I could hear them heckling me. The "head" of the group was a redhead with glasses. I don't remember her name, either. Just the awful things she'd say about me. 

Fat, dumbass, ugly, creep, on and on. They knew I wouldn't react out loud. They loved to watch me squirm in agony until I turned red. The head girl knew exactly what to say to make me twitch the most. Escalating and escalating. 

I held my tongue until, finally, she called me a "useless waste of air". I snapped for her to stop over my shoulder and tried to leave the path, but she and her friends surrounded me. 

They prodded at me with their words, demanding that I prove that I wasn't useless. What was I capable of? Anything?

"None of your business. Let me walk." I said.

They closed in and I began to feel like I couldn't breathe. It was like I was drowning in them and their sheer disgust for me. 

I froze again in fear, curling in on myself. I didn't know what to do. My emotions felt like boiling water in the hollow of my chest. 

One of them- I didn't see who- stepped on my tail, and that made me boil over. 

Before I could stop myself, I whirled around, bared my teeth, and snarled in the most inhuman way. Several of them jumped, and I realized what I had done. 

My rage turned to fear as they backed off. One of them yelled, but I couldn't make out the words over the ringing in my ears. My body shivered uncontrollably and tears started pouring down my face. 

A hand fell between my shoulders and I hazily turned to see a teacher standing over me.

My voice came out horrifically broken as I tried to beg for forgiveness. 

"I didn't bite anybody. I didn't. I don't remember." I cried, slinking back away from him, "Please, I didn't do it. I didn't. Oh, god, please don't tell my parents. They'll kill me. God, they'll kill me."

Or at least, that was what I tried to say. You can't really understand someone who's crying as hard as I was. I heard the muffled sound of a few people laughing. 

The teacher yelled something and made a gesture at someone behind him. Another teacher appeared. The two tried to speak to me, but the words were just noise grating against my eardrums. At a certain point, they stopped talking and started leading me back into the school.

I stopped following after a second because I thought they were taking me in to be punished. 

I remember shouting "no, no, no" as they (or possibly some other staff members) grabbed me and started forcing me into the building. It was a distressing blur that ended in me sitting on a cushioned bench in a room I couldn't make out, sobbing and heaving ragged breaths in and out. 

"They've brought me to the principal's office and I'm going to be in trouble for lashing out." I thought, scaring myself further and further. 

Despite myself, I eventually started calming down. I wasn't in the principal's office, but the nurse's office. I was in human form again somehow, I suppose having shifted in my panic, and I was holding a soggy, half melted bag of ice to my head. 

I'd had some kind of anxiety or panic attack out in the field. The teachers who came out to help me had seen the whole incident play out. One of them was already on the way to break up the circle of bullies when I had my breakdown. 

He saw one of them step on my tail, and he saw me growl in response. I hadn't bitten anybody, and the teacher considered it self defense.

In the end, I wasn't in trouble, but that group of friends definitely was. They continued to give me hell whenever the teachers turned their backs after that, but they were no longer ballsy enough to try anything in full view. 

I begged the nurse and the teachers not to tell my parents about this incident, but they did anyway. I fortunately wasn't in trouble at home, either. Even so, the incident left a mental bruise that stayed horribly sore long after the events that caused it passed. 

The bullying overall escalated after this, and I again began to wonder if I had hurt someone and forgotten. Did I hallucinate the teachers' defense of me? My parents assuring that I hadn't done anything wrong? I couldn't trust my own mind. 

I felt guilty, that I had done wrong and gone unpunished. That was when I made a horrid discovery… I could turn my teeth

on myself and deliver the punishment I believed I deserved. 

I really hurt myself a couple times. I never broke the skin, but I did once pinch a nerve in the back of my hand. It tingled like it was asleep for weeks. That hand is fine now, thankfully. I'm lucky I didn't do any permanent damage. I obviously don't do it anymore. 

I don't know if I can consider biting myself as biting a person. The ones who drove me to do it would certainly say I can't. I'm just too much of a freak to be a person. Despite knowing I'm not, I still feel inhuman from time to time.

As for the rest of what happened to me in school, that's a whole set of more stories for some other time. For now, I just want you to remember: I don't bite people.

[ionlydatesassyelves]

been dabbling a little more on that fic concept so here’s the next little bit of Mr. L holding Dimentio hostage

"This is a touch obvious, is it not?" Dimentio noted, glancing around. The small house L was dragging him towards was, indeed, the only residence in the surrounding area. But it was also standing in a vast clearing, closer to the empty shoreline than the thicket of trees they were leaving the safety of.

L approached the house anyway, quickly skirting along the edge of it and glancing inside the dark windows. "Out of the city," he quickly reasoned. "Vacation house. Winter's 'round the corner. Too cold for beach trips."

The house was, indeed, entirely empty. It was also locked, L discovered when he tried the doorknob. He jerked his arm that was tied to Dimentio's and prompted "Get us in."

"With what?" Dimentio laughed incredulously.

L rolled his eyes and muttered "useless motherfucker" as he shoved the pistol into the waistband of his pants. He ran his fingers around the top of the doorframe, the welcome mat, the pathway stones, until he produced a spare key that had been hidden in the dirt of one of the window mounted flower boxes. "You got no fucking magic either?" He snapped, a little louder, as he opened the door and let himself in.

Dimentio stumbled in after him with another small chuckle. "Had I a single drop of magic in my blood still, be certain I would not have allowed you to wrestle me to the filthy ground."

L slammed the door shut and locked it behind them, then shoved Dimentio's back against the door and held him there with an arm across his chest and the gun pointed under his jaw. "This funny to you?" he growled.

"Comedy and tragedy are but two sides of the same coin," Dimentio said playfully.

L just snarled in anger and grabbed the collar of Dimentio's cloak to drag him further inside. He selected one of the wooden chairs at the dining table to push Dimentio into. Then he took the scarf binding their wrists in his teeth and tried to pry the knot undone without dropping his weapon again. Dimentio helpfully held a palm up and offered "Shall I hold that to my own head for you?"

L knocked the blunt end of the handle against Dimentio's head, startling a sharp cry out of him. He did, somehow, manage to untie them and wriggle his own wrist free. He knelt down and set his gun on the floor to properly secure both of Dimentio's hands behind the back of the chair, and even tied the scarf to the framework itself for good measure.

"If you split my skull, we will both be quite out of luck," Dimentio quietly complained, gently shaking his head to clear his viion somewhat.

"Don't be a smartass," L advised. He stepped over to the adjacent chair and angled it to face the magician before collapsing into it. The gun raised to point at Dimentio's head again, and L prompted "You come up with any good answers yet?"

Dimentio shifted in his chair, trying to wiggle his shoulders into a more comfortable position. "Well, I would venture to guess you have no answers of your own."

"I don't have a gun to my head," L pointed out.

Dimentio flicked his gaze to the weapon again, then back to L. "Where did you obtain that?"

L narrowed his eyes.

Dimentio let a sort of frustrated sigh escape him. "Honestly, Mr. L, we are like blind leading the blind down a cruel and treacherous path. We can compromise, at least, can we not? No tricks, all cards on the table, and we can sort this mess out together."

A very tense silence filled the room.

L's rather displeased expression did not shift, but he did eventually mutter "Nicked it off a d-man. A dead one."

Dimentio's brow rose at that claim. "So, they are slaughtering d-men? No wonder Jaydes has yet to regain control of the situation."

"What are they?" L prompted again, tipping the gun to redirect Dimentio's attention.

Dimentio sighed. "Something long forgotten. 'Inklings' they call themselves. Only fragments of memories of what they used to be."

"What did I say about your bullshit riddles," L snarled.

"You asked what I know, and that is what I know," Dimentio said. "They are unknown. They are nothing but an idea of something that no longer exists. They are not made to exist and live in a world that has forgotten them."

"Then how are they here?" L argued. "That's not a small group, either, that's an army."

Dimentio took a moment to very sincerely flounder for words. "I… do not know," he admitted. "I had thought these worlds safe from them, because it rejects them. I am unsure how they were able to cross over."

L frowned, obviously unsatisfied with that answer. "What're they after you for?"

Dimentio shrugged and leaned back in the chair with a heavy sigh. "Who in these worlds does not have some grudge to settle with me? You, yourself, delayed your own escape from the depths of hell to seize the deliciously irresistible opportunity to smite me."

"You shouldn't have- …been there…" L said, impulsively angry before he managed to bite back his tone and stop volunteering information.

Dimentio met his cold stare evenly. Eventually, he took a very deep breath and looked around the room, shifting his feet anxiously on the floor. "My magic missing is no happenstance…" he said slowly. "I do not feel… complete. I believe I may have miscalculated when I took my final bow. My soul is rather damaged."

L shifted in his own chair and felt his finger itch at the trigger. "Yeah. Mine too."

Dimentio laughed once. "Ah, yes. Unfortunate that we had to part ways on such terms."

L didn't have a response to that beyond raising his other hand to steady the gun. Not to take aim and fire. To hide the shaking in his hands. Dimentio noticed anyway, but decided not to comment and instead tilted his head back inquisitively. "No. I should not have been at the castle," he volunteers. "I suspect I was being pieced back together before Her Infernal Majesty could weigh my sins and decide how to dispose of me."

Dimentio shifted, slowly, to lean forward. L flinched when he did and jerked the gun as a warning. "Do tell me, Mr. L…" the magician continued. "What were you doing at the castle? When I beckoned to you in the depths of Luigi's mind, my call went unanswered. I had assumed that you were eradicated from him completely."

"Dunno," L snapped, his voice tight with anger. "Just woke up. Last thing I remembered is you fucking lighting me on fire."

Dimentio grinned, and flicked his gaze over L. "Ah. Then these are not from our final act."

L's brow pushed together in confusion, caught somewhat off-guard by the comment. He was caught more off-guard by Dimentio's face suddenly falling, the magician's gaze darting across the floor as he thought frantically. He slowly sat back up in his own chair as realization began to dawn on him. "...Luigi did not fall with me. I left him behind."

"The fuck's that mean?" L pressed.

Dimentio surveyed his captor again. "We may have been in the castle for the same reason," he said, slowly and carefully, as if he were defusing a bomb. "Perhaps your soul is incomplete as well. Waiting on what remains to join it in the afterlife."

L shifted uneasily. "...you think… Luigi's not dead."

"I would wager, yes," Dimentio confirmed.

L squinted at him. "But, I am."

"I assure you, Mr. L, I am no less baffled by the situation," Dimentio said with a small smile. "Listen to yourself… do you know him? Your memory troubled you greatly when we both toiled under the count."

L shifted again and felt his heartbeat somewhat falter. It became more of a conscious effort to not let his gaze drift from Dimentio. "It's… fuzzy," he decided at length. "I know he's… me… or, I guess I'm him. He was here first."

Dimentio nodded calmly. "Nastasia hypnotized him to serve the count. It pushed aside his memories of a former life and old allies to make room for the unwavering loyalty she required. I thought, when I killed you, that I had successfully reversed the process to - how would one phrase it… 'switch back' to Luigi. But, as I have previously lamented, I failed to switch him back to you."

"Because I was gone," L supplied. "Because I was dead. You killed me."

Dimentio shrugged. "Luigi survived. Enough that the Damned Queen herself recognized his soul as one of the living, and allowed him to walk out freely."

"But you killed me," L growled louder. "You fucking said it, that's what you were trying to do."

Were the glowing sockets in his mask any less empty and vacant, Dimentio might have rolled his eyes. "Linger on faults of my improvisational skills all you like - or, we could move along to the moment at present and begin the arduous process of remedying the situation."

A bark of shocked laughter escaped L, and he couldn't help smiling. "I'm not helping you! Are you insane?"

"Why not?" Dimentio asked, clearly baffled. "We are in the same situation - incomplete and unstable. Our souls could not last inside the realm of Her Lowliness' protection, much less beyond it. But, perhaps if we could locate our missing- "

"You're not gonna touch him," L snapped.

Dimentio's face fell, and he narrowed his eyes. "Mr. L… do try to be reasonable about this."

L's lip curled into a snarl, and he cocked the hammer on the gun as a warning. "You're not gonna touch him," he repeated louder.

Dimentio's hands snapped forward and grabbed the gun, yanking it aside just as L instinctively pulled the trigger. L let go with one hand to elbow Dimentio in the face, and both of them tumbled out of their chairs and onto the floor. L tried to keep a sturdy enough grasp on the gun to take another shot, but he was so focused on that endeavor that Dimentio managed to get the upper hand on him and end up straddling his waist.

The gun slipped from his fingers, and a wave of sheer panic crashed over L as his arms flinched over his head reflexively.

The noise that halted the brawl was not a gunshot, but the clattering of metal against the wooden floor. L glanced in the sound's direction and saw the gun several yards away from them both.

As he shakily struggled to breathe again, Dimentio grabbed his wrists, pulled his arms away from his face, and pushed them to the floor on either side of his head. "So dramatic," Dimentio muttered. "Calm down. It would do me no good to kill you now."

L's wide eyes flicked over Dimentio's calm face, then glanced to the hands holding him down. One wrist still had the scarf loosely wrapped around it. L took a stuttering breath to settle his nerves and took care to clearly pronounce "Get the fuck off me."

Dimentio adjusted himself to sit more squarely on L's stomach and stop him from trying to squirm away and made no effort whatsoever to remove himself from L's personal space. "Let me speak. And then I will be silent," Dimentio promised. He waited cautiously, and when L did no more than narrow his eyes angrily, he continued. "You know I am not dangerous unnecessarily. Luigi has been - and still is - safe as long as he is useful to me."

L sucked in a sharp gasp through his teeth, and a tremor of anger swept over him. "Get fucked, psycho," he decided to spit out.

Dimentio sighed, somewhat disappointed. He deliberated internally, then he slowly pushed himself up off the floor. Landing his foot on L's chest to step over him was probably on purpose, but L could really only manage to grunt and roll over in response, pushing himself up onto his elbows to watch the magician carefully.

Dimentio stopped by the gun and stooped down to carefully pick it up. "I would prefer to handle this in a civilized manner," he said slowly. He turned the gun carefully in his hands to examine it as he drifted back to where L laid on the floor. "How is this? I will not pursue Luigi without you at my side. We can stay put in this pleasantly shabby abode until you decide that you realize I am in the right and elect to join me."

Dimentio grinned down at L's very confused face. L glanced the magician up and down, then finally took the bait. "...and I should just believe you?"

"I am stranded, lost, and magic-less," Dimentio reminded him. "And Luigi has bested me in battle previously. The task would be easier with a companion."

"I'm not gonna help you fight him! What's wrong with you?" L snapped angrily.

Dimentio shrugged, and he took the pistol by its barrel to safely offer it to L. "Then you are gambling that the fragmented mess you are presently can survive without him. You will see I am correct, and agree to aid me. Or you will destabilize and vanish entirely - at which point I will simply proceed without you."

L snarled up at him. He snatched the gun from Dimentio's hand a little too forcefully before he pushed himself up off the ground. L swallowed the urge to punch Dimentio to the floor, and instead pushed him aside with a hand in the middle of his chest and gruffly stated "Start looking for food. Don't leave the damn house."

"As you wish, my liege," Dimentio said with a grin and a small bow. He made his way into the kitchen, carefully unwinding L's scarf from his arm as he went. L chose a door in the opposite direction to investigate and did his best to stop thinking too hard about what was happening.

[werewolfdays]

Snippet - First Date

here have these two going on their first date and being extremely cute with a cute song rec. Ringing in the new year with some major fluff - 

I couldn’t recall a time when I was this nervous and there were a lot of times in my life to choose from. My own reflection in the bathroom mirror stared back at me in judgement as I scrutinized every detail about myself. Was I wearing the right clothes? Should my hair be up or down? Did I even smell nice? I became more embarrassed because I felt like I should’ve gone through this kind of crisis years ago. My very first date. I bet Jayde was a veteran at it, looking good without even trying and confident in her charm. Meanwhile, I went through every shirt I owned and kept fussing with my hair every five seconds.

An exhausted sigh escaped my lips and I checked the watch on my wrist. I had to meet Jayde in the Den in five minutes. “Well,” I said to myself through the mirror, “I guess this will have to do.”

I haven’t really made this much of an effort to look good before, so I guess if the usual me was good enough for Jayde, then this one was too. Remembering what she told me earlier, about how freaked out she was about asking me out, made me feel better about it. If I can make Jayde as nervous as she made me, then maybe there was hope for tonight after all.

My fingers tapped on my thigh anxiously as I made my way to the Den. Every part of me wanted this to work out. I’ve never met anyone like Jayde and it wasn’t just because she was a werewolf. Everything about her drew me in and I wanted to know her more than anything. Then I started thinking about our kisses. Maybe I’ve only ever kissed one other person, but kissing Jayde was a completely different sensation that couldn’t even compare to my first in the barest sense. Kissing her felt like what a kiss should be, what everyone in the entire world wouldn’t stop fussing about. Now I get it, was my first thought when her lips touched mine. I knew I had to do everything I could to not mess this up.

That’s what I was terrified of…

Jayde was waiting for me at the bar, facing the entrance so her gaze met mine as soon as I set foot in the dining area. Her charming grin grew broad at my approach and she pushed herself away from the bar to meet me halfway. I was relieved at her casual attire, some of my embarrassment drifting away, but I could see that she did make an effort to look nicer. Her face looked fresher, her blonde hair more kempt than usual, and her clothes didn’t have any rips or old bloodstains. It was nice to see her looking like she takes care of herself.

I smiled back at her when we came face-to-face, “You look good. Well, you always look beautiful, but… you know.” Smooth, I thought to myself.

I watched as her smile became shy, “You’re a hell of a looker yourself.” she reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear and all I could think of was how grateful I was for not tying it up. “You hungry?”

“Starving.”

Jayde grabbed my hand, pulling me along with her, “Then follow me.”

I was expecting her to lead me to one of the tables, but Jayde took me outside. The air was cold, luckily I put on a jacket for it in case we did find our way outside, and Jayde’s warm hand holding mine was even better. I got the urge to lean into her more, but I wasn’t quite bold enough for that yet. Hopefully Jayde’s presence would ease my nerves because I didn’t want to hold back any of my urges anymore.

We passed the general outside eating area with its enticing firepits and continued on a wooded trail that ran alongside the edge of the lake. My curiosity was about to win out and I opened my mouth to ask where we were headed when I saw it. A single picnic table nestled in a private little clearing overlooking the moonlit lake. It looked straight out of a postcard. There were lights strung up in the branches of the nearest trees, hanging over the table itself to provide enough light. The table was done up with a fancy cloth and what looked like handmade dinner plates. Freshly picked flowers rested in an empty beer bottle of all things, but I loved that little touch of Jayde. Next to the table was a roaring firepit that warmed the whole clearing, and there were skillets and a grill set up all around it with the scents of freshly cooked dinner.

All I could do was stare at it all in awe. I was completely baffled that she did all this for me.

“Do you like it?” Jayde asked beside me.

“Jay, it’s… it’s perfect.”

She let out a small, relieved breath, “I’m glad. Here, let me set up dinner.”

I watched as she carefully plated the most delicious smelling meat and potatoes with a side of grilled asparagus, taking one of the skillets and drizzling on a type of sauce. My stomach was growling like a fiend when I sat down and I saw Jayde smirk at the sound.

“Can you blame me?” I retorted, “Look at all of this! I can’t believe you went through all the trouble.”

“I want this to be special for you.” she told me sincerely.

My eyes looked around, still in disbelief, and I came across a realization. Something that was completely unexpected when you look at her, but made total sense once you started to know her. “You’re a romantic.” I stated with an unshakable grin and a small chuckle.

“You’re making fun of me again?” Jayde asked, a crooked grin present.

“No,” I shook my head, unable to look away from her, “Just a very lovely surprise.”

“Yeah, well,” she paused to place the empty skillet back by the fire, “Get used to it, I guess.”

“Something tells me I won’t have a problem with that.”

Jayde leaned over the table and looked at me for a few quiet seconds before reaching for the bottle of wine that was next to the flowers, “I don’t know if wine is your thing or not, I’m more of a whiskey girl myself, but this is a good bottle of it. I also brought a kettle if you prefer tea. Or I have water too, if you just want that.”

I smiled at how she thought of everything. “Wine sounds great.”

With a plate full of food, a glass of wine, and Jayde sitting across from me, I was pretty certain this couldn’t get any better. Then I took a bite of the dinner Jayde put all of this effort into making. It was probably the most delicious meal I’ve ever eaten. Cooked and seasoned to absolute perfection. Every bite was as good as the last. I knew Jayde was a good cook, but this has got to be some of her best work.

“Not to sound like a pretentious food critic,” I started when I finally took a break from chewing, “But this is divine. There’s no other word to describe it.”

Jayde chuckled while poking at her plate, nodding at my compliment, “Yeah, I had to do a little arm twisting to get this cut of meat from the kitchen, but the chef owed me a favor.”

“What’d you do?” I asked curiously and took a sip of wine.

She shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “He has a brother in Wisconsin that was being bullied by a group of hunters. I was in the area a while back so I helped him out.”

“That’s not a small thing, Jay.”

“I deal with hunters all the time. As you know.” she gave me a knowing look.

There’s no way I could forget the fact that I only met Jayde because hunters put her in the hospital I used to work at. I wished that our first meeting had been under different circumstances, but it did bring her to me. And their continued threat is was brought me back to her.

“Well, I’m glad you saved someone’s life so we could eat this amazing steak.” I said, raising an eyebrow lightheartedly.

“It is worth it.” her sentence tapered off oddly like there was more to it. After a couple seconds, she added, “For you.”

Maybe I was imagining it, but that For you sounded like it meant more than how it appeared on the surface. It made my stomach flutter in the way only Jayde could cause. “I’m really glad you asked me out.”

“I’m really glad you agreed.” Jayde replied.

“I don’t have anything to compare it to, but it’s hard to believe my first date could’ve been any better than this.”

Her eyebrows shot up in shock, “You’ve never been on a date before?”

I simply shook my head.

“Our first wasn’t your first kiss, was it?”

My head shook again, “No, I have kissed one other person.”

“Can I ask who?” Jayde brought her glass to her lips with a curiously cocked eyebrow.

I laughed lightly, “It wasn’t a huge thing. There was this girl I had a crush on in high school, but she was straight. One day I got the courage to tell her I was a lesbian and she said she wanted to kiss me to see how it felt. It must’ve been pretty underwhelming for her because she never spoke to me again. I was sixteen.”

Jayde scowled and shook her head. “Christ, what a fucking idiot. She had no right to use you like that.”

A warmth overtook me, her defensiveness was comforting. “It’s really not a big deal. I got over it years ago. Besides… you’re a way better kisser, I can’t even remember what she was like.”

“I’m pretty good at other things too.” Jayde said with a heated twinkle in her eyes.

I felt her sentence heat up my cheeks along with other parts of my body and felt embarrassment through the excited flush. “What about your first kiss?”

“Not as interesting as yours. Just some dumb boy that went to my school when I was thirteen. He was… really bad at it.” she chuckled.

“I can’t even imagine.”

“You don’t want to. It was pretty slobbery.”

“Oh, gross!” I exclaimed through a half-laugh, half-groan in disgust.

“Yeah, you are several steps above that.” she took a swig of wine and held up a finger as she swallowed, “Actually, he was on the ground floor and you’re in the penthouse.”

“It has to be a natural talent because you’re probably way more experienced than I am.” All I got was a smirk for that and we fell into a comfortable silence for a few minutes while we finished our meal. I started to contemplate something in that silence that prompted a question I haven’t been able to ask anyone before. “When did you know you were bisexual?”

Jayde gave me a kind of deer in the headlights look that made me regret asking. “Uh, well…” she cleared her throat and took another swift drink from her glass.

“That’s a really personal question, you don’t have to answer.” I said quickly to ease any awkwardness.

“No, no, it’s not that.” Jayde seemed to be struggling with something and I was about to tell her to forget I asked when she said, “I’m just… worried about what you might think.”

“Jay, you know you can tell me anything.” In a rare form of courage, I reached out and placed my hand on top of hers, brushing her knuckles lightly with my thumb. “I mean, if I could get past all the accusations of you being a terrorist, then how much worse can it really be?”

“Good point.” She laughed and returned my gesture of affection with her own caress against my wrist. “So, I was in a serious relationship for a couple of years. It wasn’t bad, it was good even, but I… I guess I fell out of love with him. I don’t know, I felt a shift inside of myself and I knew I couldn’t make it work anymore, so I broke up with him and went off on my own. During that time I decided to explore myself and that’s when I realized. Only took me twenty-three fucking years.” Jayde ended the sentence with a bitter scoff.

I understood why Jayde was worried about what I would think. I couldn’t deny that the fact she fell out of love with her ex seemingly so easily made me a little nervous because I was already more or less convinced that I wouldn’t be good enough to make this last. And it didn’t take a genius to figure out that explore myself meant that she had some flings with both men and women, her experience making me even more worried for myself and our potential relationship. But through all these doubts I heard her voice from earlier today telling me that things felt different with me. Like she was already promising me that none of what she just told me would affect how she feels about us. That’s what I believed.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Jayde.” I waited until she looked up at me, her gorgeous midnight blue eyes boring into mine, “None of it is.”

Jayde did nothing besides stare at me for a prolonged minute with an unreadable expression. Eventually she mumbled in wonder, almost to herself, “Where did you come from?”

I couldn’t help but feel like I was falling for her.

If there wasn’t a picnic table separating us, I would’ve kissed her. The look on Jayde’s face made me think she wanted to do the same. I grabbed the bottle of wine, pouring another serving into my glass before standing up and walking around the table to refill Jayde’s too. She watched me the entire time and I could only describe her gaze as enthralled. Jayde’s eyes were glued to me like she was watching the most interesting movie on the planet and I truly didn’t know what I’ve done to receive such a look.

I sat beside her and admired the way that the flames from the firepit reflected in her dark eyes. “I really never expected that I would meet someone like you.”

“A werewolf?” Jayde quipped, “Yeah, most humans don’t.”

“No, not just that. I mean someone that’s brave and strong and beautiful. A badass that secretly has a big heart.” I grinned and leaned into her a little more. Jayde leaned back into me too, lightly tapping her forehead against mine and hanging onto my every word. “It’s like you’re from a dream or something.”

“Hopefully a good one.” she muttered.

“The best.” I whispered back.

Jayde kissed me and it made me so giddy that I had to hold onto her lower back or risk toppling off the bench. Her warm fingers brushed the back of my neck as she held me to her too. This was still such a new and amazing thing to experience that I wasn’t sure if I would ever get used to it. The taste of wine and her that graced my tongue was enough for me to want more, so I deepened the kiss, but kept our lazy pace the same so I could enjoy this a little longer.

We pulled back to catch our breath and Jayde caressed my cheek with her thumb, watching me intently again. “I know this is all so new and everything,” she started, her thumb moving down to follow the line of my jaw, “But I feel like I’ve been wanting this since I first saw you, and I don’t want to be in a relationship limbo, so… if you’re ready for it… I want you to be my girlfriend.”

It felt like I did more smiling tonight than I have in my whole life. I pulled Jayde into another kiss, but kept it brief so I could answer her. “Only if you get to be my girlfriend too.”

“I was already yours.” she replied and we shared even more kisses. Ones that were hard to maintain through our matching grins.

We spent the rest of our time outside sitting by the fire and trying to one-up each other with astronomy knowledge. It was a close race, but considering I took an actual class and studied it for hours every week during the course, I ended up winning the game. That didn’t mean I wasn’t impressed with Jayde’s knowledge and she was very pleased that I was able to teach her a few new constellations.

“I should’ve known better than to try and outsmart you.” Jayde said while playfully bumping my shoulder.

“You’re pretty damn smart too.”

“Yeah, but you’re a nerd.”

I gasped in mock-offense, “Insulting me on my first ever date?”

“Who says it’s an insult?” she said smugly, “I happen to think the whole bookworm and glasses thing is hella cute.”

“You do, huh?”

“I can barely take my eyes off you when you’re wearing those damn glasses.”    

Some of Jayde’s awkwardness in the past suddenly made sense. The fact that she found me so attractive made me blush uncontrollably and the wine wasn’t helping. “Had I known, I would’ve worn them tonight.”

Without missing a beat, Jayde replied with, “Nadya, you are stunning no matter what.”

There she goes with the compliments again. I really had no idea how to respond to praise like this. A part of me thought Jayde could tell because whenever she made me blush, I could see the slightest bit of satisfaction in her eyes.

“You’re really good at that.” I told her.

“You are too.”

That made me laugh, “No I am not.”

“You are.” Jayde insisted, “You know, no one has made me as flustered as you have. Not even my ex.”

“I’m an awkward mess.”

“Not as much as you think you are. Believe it or not, it’s actually pretty endearing.”

“You say that now, but one day you’ll get sick of it.”

She shook her head slowly, “I could never get sick of you.”

Before I could reply, a chill made me shiver and I looked over at the fire in the pit to see that it had reduced enough for the cold air to start seeping back into my body. “I think the fire might need some help.”

Jayde pondered the fire for a moment and glanced back at me, reaching out to squeeze my arm, “Or I can clean up here and we can go inside for some coffee or something.”

I didn’t really want to leave this place, but it was getting colder and later into the night, so I reluctantly agreed. Jayde tried her best to fight me on it, but I insisted on cleaning up the mess considering she put all of the work into setting up this beautiful dinner for me. Our compromise was doing it together. The long day finally hit me once we got into the Den. I had woken up early to meet Toby’s parents at the clinic, then I spent the afternoon studying until Jayde came along to take me to the store for supplies, then we finally confessed our feelings to each other and went on a date. This was probably one of the longest days I’ve ever had, but not in a bad way. I was still reeling from the thrill of it.

I tried my best to stay engaged with her while we had tea, but it didn’t take long for Jayde to notice my weariness.

“Why don’t I walk you back to your room?” she suggested with a small, adoring smile as I couldn’t hold back another yawn.

I ran my hands down my face like it could wipe away the drowsiness, “Yeah, probably not a bad idea unless you don’t mind me falling asleep here.”

She made a displeased noise, “I think you deserve a warm and comfy bed.”

I leaned heavily into Jayde as we walked through the halls. She put an arm around me, practically holding me up and I was grateful for her warmth. The Lodge could get a bit drafty. I could hardly blame the place for not focusing on central heating when it was filled with dozens of werewolves that rarely ever get cold. The walk was too short. As we came up to my door, I realized that this was the end of the night. The end to the most amazing day I’ve ever had.

“I had a really great time with you tonight.” Jayde said once she turned to face me.

“It was better than I could’ve hoped for, Jay.” I held her hand and laced our fingers together in the hopes to prolong our goodbye.

“Maybe we can go out again soon.” A hopeful glint appeared in her eyes like she was afraid I would turn her down. “There’s a nice little coffee shop in town.”

I smiled because there was no way I could refuse her. “I’d really love that.”

Her hand came up to pull me into a warm kiss. Brief and simple, but still as incredible as any other time her lips have touched mine. When she pulled back, giving me a smile and letting me go to walk away, I realized I couldn’t say goodbye to her yet. Sure, I was going to see her the very next day, but that felt like a lifetime that I didn’t want to go through right now. So after she said a soft spoken goodnight, I grabbed her wrist to stop her from taking more than a step away from me.

“I…” the sentence wouldn’t form proper words for a moment because I wasn’t entirely sure of what I was doing. “Do you want to come in?”

The question seemed to have taken her off guard. Jayde blinked at me for a second like she didn’t understand me at first, but then nodded, “Sure, yeah.”

Jayde walked into my room when I opened it and I shut the door behind me, trying to make sense of myself. Thankfully, Jayde distracted me when she went over to the desk to look at some pictures I was able to take in the short time I’ve been here. It was mostly from outside, but there were some photos of the intricate wood carvings that I’ve seen around the Lodge with various wolf and moon imagery. I thought they were beautiful, and the way Jayde was smiling at them made me think she thought the same.

She picked up my camera and studied it carefully, “Does this still have film in it?”

“Mhm.” I confirmed, moving to stand beside her.

Her grin drifted over to me, “Can I take a picture of you?”

“Why?” I chuckled.

“Because you’re beautiful and I want a picture of you.” she replied like it was a simple fact.

I realized that I’ve never taken a picture of myself with my own camera and couldn’t really place why, so I nodded, “Go ahead then.”

Jayde’s smile grew excited and she stepped back, holding the camera up to her eye. It wasn’t hard to give a sweet smile with how happy Jayde seemed to be, how happy I was. After the click, she lowered the camera, staring at me like she had been all night. I wish I could decipher what that look really meant. It felt so meaningful, but all I could do was stare back. I was so lost in her unknowable gaze that I barely noticed her putting the camera back down. Or when she closed the distance between us.

One of her hands rested on my hip, pulling me closer, while the other ran through my hair to cup the back of my neck. It wasn’t a surprise when her lips touched mine, but the depth of feeling I got from them was. It was the most passionate kiss I’ve received from her and I could barely keep up. I could feel it was her excitement because after a beat, she slowed her pace while not lessening the intensity. It completely consumed me so that it didn’t fully register when she turned us and started backing me towards the bed. Even if I could think, I wasn’t sure I would be able to stop her, or if I even wanted her to.

The back of my knees hit the bed and we broke away so I could let her lay me down gently. Jayde climbed on next, making my breath hitch when her weight settled comfortably on top of me. Our lips met again and it was so easy to just let it take me. Let her taste and her warmth wash over me and make me feel safe. This felt so good, so right. And when her lips started to travel down my neck, I couldn’t stop a fulfilled sigh from expelling out of my lungs. I shivered when her teeth gently grazed against my pulse point and when she released a light, wolfish growl in response, all I could think was yes.

Of course my anxiety wanted to have the last word. As soon as Jayde’s hand worked its way up my shirt and brushed the first bit of bare skin, a sudden thrill sparked in my body, and not an entirely good one. It made me panic.

“Jay, wait.” I mumbled, reaching for her hand, “Hold on.”

Jayde pulled back so suddenly that I could almost believe my body burned her. She severed all contact immediately and scooted a few inches away from me like she was preparing to get off the bed. “Fuck, I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“It’s okay.” I reassured her, sitting up and reaching for her hand because I didn’t want our contact to end, “It was just…”

She finished my thought, “Too fast.”

“Yeah.” I confirmed with a sigh.

“I don’t want you to think this was all I wanted.” Jayde continued in a worried rush, “I mean, shit, you’ve never had sex with anyone and here I am with this big special date and I can’t keep my damn hormones in check for one goddamn night and I just-” her palm smacked her forehead in self-exasperation and she let out a groan, “I’m really sorry.”

“Jayde?” I smiled at her adoringly when she met my gaze because her concerned frown was cute and the fact that she thought I could ever doubt her intentions was almost laughable to me, “I want it too.”

“You do?”

“Yes, of course I do. But you’re right. I’ve never done it before and it does kind of scare me. I really do want you like that, but I don’t know when I’m going to be ready for it. And I know that’s not a great answer, but…” I shook my head, shrugging my shoulders and looking down because it was difficult for me to explain.

Jayde’s finger tapped beneath my chin to urge my gaze up and she looked me directly in the eyes, “Nadya, take as much time as you need. You could be ready tomorrow or months from now, I don’t care because I don’t want it until you are one-hundred percent sure.”

“That makes me feel,” A heavy sigh turned into a small laugh because it felt like a weight lifted off me. I knew that being intimate was something that Jayde would want, she was way too physical with me for anything else, and I was intimidated by her and her experience. I just needed time to get used to this and I should have expected Jayde would give that to me without question. “a lot better about this.”

“I would never make you do something that you’re not ready for.” I could see the utter sincerity in her eyes, “You know that, right?”

“I do.” I answered with confidence.

Jayde seemed satisfied with that, nodding and patting my knee. “Okay, I should go and let you get some sleep.”

“Jay?” I prompted when she got off the bed. She stared at me in question and I said, “I want you to stay.”

“For the night…?”

“Yes.” she started looking around the room and I understood she was trying to find a suitable place to sleep. “I mean here.” my hand tapped the bed I was sitting on. “With me. Only if you want to.”

She let out an amused breath, the corner of her mouth twitching up in her signature smirk. The one that always made me weak. “I want to.”

We got ready for bed with an air that wasn’t necessarily awkward, but felt distinctly different. It was a mix of excitement and anticipation because while I made it clear that I wasn’t ready for full physical intimacy yet, this was still incredibly intimate. I have slept next to Jayde one time before in a motel, but that wasn’t the same. We weren’t together and she seemed to be doing everything in her power to be as far away from me as possible. I was mortified with myself when I saw that I had pressed myself against her in my sleep, but remembered how comforting it was, and Jayde told me she didn’t mind. So maybe she wanted it too back then. I was pretty sure she did. 

I settled myself back into bed and looked to Jayde. She still hesitated at the edge of the bed for a beat before tentatively lowering herself on the mattress like she was afraid I’d yell at her to get out any second. We faced each other and she folded an arm under her head and silently watched me. I watched her too, enjoying the simplicity of winding down from a long day with her. Slowly, I saw her body relax like her muscles released a hearty sigh. She reached out, mirroring that one night we spent in the motel, and lightly brushed my cheek with the tip of her finger, tracing my cheekbone until she tucked some of my hair behind my ear.

“I wanted to kiss you that night.” She told me, knowing I was thinking about it.

“I wanted you to.”

“It wouldn’t have been the right time. Or place.”

“Sometimes when you focus too much on the right time and place to do things, you can miss out.” I smiled at some of my past mistakes and missed opportunities, “Take it from me.”

“I’ll try to remember that.” Jayde replied quietly and leaned in.

She kept our kisses delicate and soft, a silent promise that she wasn’t going to try and take it further. I appreciated that and indulged in how amazing it was to kiss her and be kissed by her whenever we wanted. My arm wrapped around her waist and I pulled her against me because I needed to feel her all over me. Jayde eagerly accepted my willingness to be close to her, kissing me deeper for a moment, but only for a moment.

I broke away because I wanted to kiss other places too. My lips touched her forehead, between her eyebrows, the scar on her cheek. Jayde caressed my side while I continued my journey further down, feeling what it was like to kiss the parts of her I’ve always wanted to kiss. I came to the curve of her neck, and remembering what it felt like to have her lips on my own neck, I gave her an open-mouthed kiss on the small scar that I’ve thought about tracing before.

Jayde sucked in a quiet breath, clutching at my shirt. I took that as a sign to slow down. My kisses ceased in favor of simply holding her to me. Her breath slowed, and she settled comfortably against me, the room falling into a comfortable stillness.

I thought it would take me forever to fall asleep, but the warmth of Jayde’s body, the soothing rhythm of her breathing, started tugging me towards sleep. I let unconsciousness take me with the gentle caresses her hand made against my back.

[confettininjabean]

Interview Meme

1. Choose an OC.

2. Answer them as that OC.

3. Tag 5 people to do the same.

Thanks for the tag, @keldae! Lets see, since Im a bit late in the game, I’ll tag all of Clan Piranha if yall want to do it again and whoever else wants to do this. :) 

Jaydzia gonna answer the questions. Pretty much now, in game (24 ATC).

1. What is your name?

Jaydzia Lynn Rand

2. Do you know why are you named that?

Well Rand is my adoptive surname. I only recently discovered why my birth mother gave me my first name, its apparently a mixture of her own mother’s name, Jayd and her Aunt’s name Eziria. As for my middle name? I have no idea.

3. Are you single or taken?

I happen to be very happily married. *She glances over at the tall, dark and handsome man sitting a few feet away*

4. Have any abilities or powers?

Well, technically yes. I am a Jedi. I’m also a pretty good pilot and a decent shot. 

5. Stop being a Mary Sue.

*Frowns at the interveiwer* My name is Jaydzia not Mary, Sue, or anything else. 

6. What’s your eye color?

“Green.” *She says with a frown. 

7. How about your hair color?

*gestures to her hair* Um, its red. 

8. Have any family members?

I have my adoptive parents. My father is a Chiss and my mother a Twi’Lek. They also adopted my brother who is a Mirialan. My brother adopted a little Twi”lek girl, my niece. My biological father still lives and apparently I have a half-brother as well. Then there is my husband of course and child. My Crew, my closest advisers of the Alliance.... 

9. Oh? How about pets?

*Laughs as she glances at her husband* Several, as a matter of fact. A few since I was a child.

10. That’s cool, I guess. Now tell me something you don’t like?

Spiders. Being trapped... among other things. Oh and titles, I dislike titles.

11. Do you have any activities/hobbies that you like to do?

You mean when I’m not too busy? *chuckles* I like to draw and paint. Singing but that’s more a rare occasion or when I’m singing lullabies to my son.

12. Have you ever hurt anyone in any way before?

*Inhales a deep breath* Yes, I’ve fought in some war or another since I was seventeen.

13. Ever… killed anyone before?

*Irritation runs through her eyes* I’ve been through war....The answer is yes. Can we move on to other questions, now.

14. What kind of animal are you?

“Oh....well that’s an interesting question. I don’t have the faintest clue what animal I am. Something soft, cuddly but fierce when it needs to be?” *Smirks*

15. Name your worst habits?

*Snort* Well, there’s staying up late with a disregard to my sleep schedule. *Starts ticking of her fingers* Then there’s drinking caffa when I really shouldnt, part of the reason my sleep schedule is what it is. *chuckles* Cursing or giving dressing downs to “Higher Ups” when they’re being stupid, though can you really call that a bad habit? Especially if the person is supposed to be leading a government? According to my family, I have a habit of jumping into the fray without regard to myself. And they’re guilty of it too, all of them. *She looks pointedly at her husband*

16. Do you look up to anyone at all?

Well, I am petite so yes but on an inspirational basis? My parents. My mother is who i want to be to as a mother and my father is the best...and it helps that he’s really tall. And... *glances at her husband* My husband, actually, not just because he’s tall. 

17. Are you gay, straight or bisexual?

I don’t think that’s any of your business but if you must know, I’m bisexual.

18. Do you go to school?

Well, yes. I was trained as a Jedi and all younglings and padawans study many different subjects, mathematics, galactic history...so on and so forth.

19. Ever want to marry and have kids one day?

*Frowns* I’ve technically already answered this question. I’m already married and have a child. So....perhaps you should pay attention?

20. Do you have any fangirls/fanboys?

Apparently, I do. Its something my husband and Lana like to needle me about. I don’t know why I do but...its a very weird thing to be honest. 

21. What are you most afraid of?

Well, spiders for one. Being buried alive.... having an evil horror stuck in my head....

22. What do you usually wear?

In battle or on missions, usually light armor, my lightsabers. On Odessen, i’m usually in some form of casual but still businessy clothing. In my downtime I’ve got a messy bun and lounge wear like sweats and a tank top.

23. What’s one food that tempts you?

*chuckles* Caffa cakes and chocolate. 

24. Am I annoying to you?

Well, only when you ask me something that I’ve already answered....

25. Well, it’s still not over!

Well, I figured as much.

26. What class are you (low/middle/high)?

I guess being a Jedi is low class? But i’m from a middle class working family but we all have had many interactions and rubbing shoulders with the elite so...I honestly don’t know. Would knowing a Former Emperor be a status changer? *she smirks*

27. How many friends do you have?

A small circle of very good friends. I have many acquaintances.

28. What are your thoughts on pie?

My mother makes the best pies. *Smiles fondly*

29. Favorite drink?

Caffa, and Whyren’s Reserve.

30. What’s your favorite place?

Well...my parents home on Nar Shadda, My home and the family base of operations on Rishi. My old ship.... Wherever my husband and our son happen to be. 

31. Are you interested in anyone?

*Raises her hand with the wedding ring* Um....Happily married remember? So obviously I’m interested in my husband.

32. That was a stupid question…

*Makes a mock gasp* No....honestly i wouldn’t have guessed.

33. Would you rather swim in a lake or the ocean?

An ocean, actually. Oceans tend to remind me of the feel of the Force. 

34. What’s your type?

*Laughs and glances at her husband* The tall, dark and handsome Spy-boy type...who have a penchant for getting into trouble.

35. Any fetishes?

*Frowns* That is none of your business. Next question.

36. Camping or outdoors?

Well, considering how camping is outdoors....Both. There’s a glad on Alderaan that’s perfect for camping.

[briamichellewrites]

95

Brad had finished rehab and was back with Jayde. He had worked through the underlying issues that led him to start drinking. Depression was only the tip of the iceberg. While visiting with Mike, he told them about his feelings about getting older and not wanting to be Brad Pitt, the movie star. He wanted to be William, the guy from Oklahoma who just happened to be an actor. There was a difference. Mike could understand that. He had the luxury of being able to separate his career from his personal life.

He and his wife agreed when he signed his contract that their lives would be private. They had seen what Hollywood could do. He wished he could do that. It wasn’t his job he hated. It was everything that came with it. Ever since his divorce, he had blamed everything on that. But it was just the beginning. He could understand that. Divorce was hard. He had watched his friends go through it.

Unfortunately, they were forced to work together because they were in the same band. It was a process. That was what he learned from them. One of them went into therapy because he was walking out of studio sessions. They both had a lot of anger toward each other. How were they now? They were great friends. He highly recommended talking to Brad and Rob about their experience with divorce because they could help him more than he could.

Brad and Brad sat down together. Brad told him about his divorce from Rob. What happened? They both cheated. After fighting, they agreed to work on their marriage for their son. He then discovered that he continued his affair behind his back. That led to their divorce. It was extremely difficult for him emotionally and mentally. He got to the point where he would have started drinking if it wasn’t for his religion.

What was his religion? Judaism. They didn’t believe in drinking alcohol. He had a lot of anger toward his ex-husband and he went into therapy because he would start crying, even during work. His band would watch as he walked out over and over. He was prescribed antidepressants. It took about a year before he was able to finally let go. It was a gradual process. How was their relationship now? He was his best friend. They were both dating other people and they had each other’s families over for dinner.

He advised him not to rush his recovery. Even though he didn’t have experience with addiction, he knew that rushing depression recovery only made it easier to relapse. Depression was one step forward, two steps back. He nodded and affirmed that was true. How was Jayde while he was gone? She had a lot of trouble.

How come? She had delusions that Jennifer was stalking her and it was because of her, he was in rehab. Was he serious? Yeah, he was.

“She hates her because, in her mind, her showing up pushed you over the edge.”

He laughed. “Nah, she had nothing to do with it. Well, she did a little but it wasn’t her showing up that pushed me over the edge. That just happened. I’ll talk to her later about it. Why did she think she was stalking her?”

“I have no idea. That’s just what Mike told us.”

He told him how much he meant to her. She meant a lot to him, too because she stayed by him and got him help. After his divorce, he wasn’t thinking about getting engaged again but she was making him feel differently. Was he planning on proposing? Yeah, in a year. He wanted to meet her daughter first and have her get comfortable with him being in her life.

Mike. Once Brad left to find Jayde, he told him about their conversation, while leaving out the personal details. Good for him for talking to him. Brad and Brad. He laughed. What did he think about him? He was a genuine guy and he felt like he was exhausted from his fame. They could both understand that.

“He wants to propose to Jayde next year.”

“No way! What did you tell him?”

“I told him to go ahead. Who knows what could happen in a year? They could be broken up”, he said quietly.

He laughed. “Oh my god. She’s beautiful, attractive, and magnetic. Yeah, let’s see what happens. He’s home for now. Did you tell him about her mental health while he was gone?”

“Yes, I did. He thought it was funny. He’s going to talk to her about it.”

Ava was beautiful with long blonde hair that went past her shoulders. He introduced himself to her, Behati and Adam. She told him hi shyly as she shook his hand. After meeting everyone, they went into the kitchen with the dogs immediately following them. The kitchen meant possibly getting food. Plus, they wanted to be with the humans. Ava picked up Bruno and kissed him. She missed him and Bear.

While eating dinner, the five of them talked. Since Brad had just come home from rehab, the dinner was alcohol-free. Instead, they had non-alcoholic beverages. Ava asked about the pillow. She would show them after dinner. What pillow? Jayde explained how her friend, Margot Robbie had bought her a pillow with Leo’s face on it. Has he seen it? Yeah, he came over one afternoon. He thought it was weird seeing a younger version of himself looking back at him.

They laughed. What movie was the picture from? Titanic.

“Oh, no! Did she buy it”, Adam asked.

“Yeah, she bought it and then sent it to me. I have it upstairs on my couch. I laughed my ass off when I first saw it.”

Ava reported she was on her high school’s swim team. Congratulations! Was Megan on it, too? No. She decided she wanted to try something different. That was fair. What kind of swimming was she doing? The butterfly. It was her favorite because she was the fastest with it. They had practice almost every day after school. Could they come to watch them? She could ask her coach. That would be cool if she was able to watch her.

They had to stretch before getting in the water and after swimming. It was about using her muscles to go as fast as she could. As Jayde continued talking with her daughter, she became more comfortable. She was genuinely interested in what she was doing and she was excited to tell her. What she was most excited about was getting her learner’s permit.

“Oh my god. Adam, what are we going to do?”

They laughed.

“She’s your daughter, Jayde.”

“I get road rage at Target. You don’t want me to teach you how to drive.”

“How do you get road rage at Target”, Behati asked her.

“People won’t move out of the fucking way! They park their carts in the middle of the aisle, so I have to go around the other side or awkwardly move their carts. Then, they glare at me. It’s like if they don’t want me to move their carts, don’t leave them in the middle of the aisle! Or they move so slowly and you can’t get around them. It’s a shit show.”

They laughed. It was probably the first genuine laugh Brad had in months. All because of her Target road rage. He needed to see that sometime. They could go the following day since she needed dog food. Ok, he could do that.

@zoeykaytesmom @feelingsofaithless @jovichic-bonjovi4ever @borhap-au @beneathashadytree @duffs-shot-glass @geo-winchester @lokolokong-manunulat

[ajanefantasy]

Hi. Are you still working on rise of trouble 4. I really love your books and the world you’ve created. But I’m starting to lose hope

Thank you so much for writing to me. I'm so happy to hear you love my books! It means so much.

I had a bit of a set back writing RoT4. Not just with the pandemic becoming a thing. I became rather discouraged feeling like no one was interested in Sari and Jayd's story, and progress slowed. So I took a break and sat on it, worked on other things, hoping to find the love again.

Please don't lose hope. I am still working on RoT4, I was just working on it this weekend, but I can't say when it'll be done. I kinda started over. I realized there was more to tell in the time leading up to what had been the initial setting of book 4--the van Wyrn's wedding. Important things to tell. And what led up to the wedding would change how the wedding played out.

I'm much happier with what I'm writing now and am looking forward to seeing where it goes.

Thank you again for writing.

A.Jane

[endgameexecutor]

So my wife, @crazygingerlady, wanted to see how much I’ve changed over the years. So here’s an ask meme I answered ages ago with updated answers. The old answers can be found here.

What was your:

Last drink: Cranberry lemonade, babey!

Last phone call: My wife. OvO

Last text message: (From my sister about a crab she caught): Could be a girl.

Last song you listened to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJAvPsSeXvg

Last time you cried: Bitch I wish I could cry. It would prolly help me get out all these bad emotions squatting in my body, not paying their dopamine rent.

EDIT: My wife informs me I was crying over how cute baby snakes were last night.

Have you ever:

Dated someone twice: Does dating my wife constantly count?

Been cheated on:

Kissed someone and regretted it: Only once, when I poked Jayde’s eye with my nose.

Lost someone special: I lost my grandmother when I was a child. I couldn’t even comprehend what was going on back then. It hit me like a truck a phew years later and I felt like shit when it did.

Been depressed: Been?

Been drunk and thrown up: Still don’t drink. Maybe if I had something blue and fruity...

In the past year have you:

Made a new friend: Lot’s of them in my college classes. Right now they’re on Discord shitposting about Seto Kaiba.

Fallen out of love: That’s an emotional roller coaster I plan to never ride again.

Laughed until you cried: Every time my wife says something funny. Unless it’s terrible terrible terrible.

Met someone who changed you: See: “My wife.”

Found out who your real friends are: I can trust no one in this filthy world but my cat, Arby.

Found out someone was talking about you: Are they? ...Are they saying nice things?

Kissed anyone on your Facebook list: Jayde were we Facebook friends before or after we kissed?

EDIT: She informs me it was before.

General:

How many people on your FB friends do you know irl?: I’m in a long distance relationship with my wife so that one’s a technicality. All my other IRL friends use Discord.

Do you have any pets?: Four cats. One with anxiety, one doesn’t like me, one’s a sweet angel, and one’s Arby.

Do you want to change your name?: Can I add titles like “Duke”?

What did you do for your last birthday?: Get a surprise visit from my wife who I proceeded to hug for a solid three minutes.

What time did you wake up today?: Nine-thirty. Or at least I’m hoping I woke up. I’ve got errands to run.

What were you doing at midnight last night?: Binging Criminal Minds way past bedtime.

Name something you CANNOT wait for: The fall of capitalism.

Last time you saw your mother: About a week ago. I’m the man of the house for now. Those plants you see outside? I watered them. Yeah, I’m a big deal.

What is one thing you wish you could change about yourself: Hi I’d like to return this depression with the executive dysfunction that came with it.

What are you listening to rn?: The dulcet tones of Jayde’s AC because I’m Skyping her while I write this.

Have you ever talked to a person named Tom?: I was on the highschool math team with one but let me ask this; why Tom? Why is that such and important name to you? Are you looking for a Tom? Did he break your heart?

What’s getting on your nerves rn?: The loneliness that comes with being the only person in this house.

Nickname: My wife calls me Bingus.

Relationship status: In a long-distance relationship, with my wife, @crazygingerlady.

Zodiac sign:  ♉

Pronouns: He/him

Favourite tv show: I am fickle man, but right now the first two to come to mind are Criminal Minds and Star Vs.

High school: No thank you I ain’t reliving that. I think I was even more depressed and self-destructive back then.

College: Actually really enjoying my current degree in graphic design!

Hair colour: Still brown. Also why the “u”? Is this questionnaire some sort of data collection means for British spies? Or did I change it back then because I thought it made me look “cultured”?

It really just made me look like a twat.

Long or short: It was long and curly but then Jayde gave it a trim when I last saw her.

Height: Taller than you’ll ever be and that’s all that I need to say.

Do you have a crush on someone?: Golly gee whoever could it be?

What do you like about yourself?: Apparently I look real good in button-up flannel.

Tattoos: I have a plan to get “ARE YA NASTY” penned right on my cheeks before the year is out.

Righty or lefty: Righty.

First surgery: After a cursory check I have confirmed all my organs are in their proper places.

First piercing: One time I had this really bad splinter does that count?

First best friend: I think it was actually this kid who hit me in the face with a shovel. I don’t think we were friend for too long after that.

First sport you joined: Soccer when I was a kid. Went through a child league or something of the sort and stopped. I was not very good at it and am no better as an adult!

First vacation: Seattle as a kid, pity I can’t remember a lick of it on account of being baby.

First pair of trainers: I still have no idea what the fuck this means. Maybe the OP really was from the UK.

Rn:

Eating: Currently digesting a Taco Bell quesadilla.

Drinking: And a Strawberry Icee from the same place.

I’m about to: I’m not sure, I might go to France’s many vineyards and sample their finest wines. Or I might just finish up this questionnaire. I dunno.

Listening to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAbNynH35pw

Waiting for: My family to get home and also dreading it a little as well. Sure it was lonely, but it was also quiet.

Want kids: I already have baby names lined up.

Get married: Jayde’s grandparent’s have been looking at rings for us already.

Career: Remember when it seemed like I was going to be an accountant? Me either. Let’s keep going with graphic design like my wife was right about.

Which is better:

Lips or eyes?: If you’re asking what I like in a partner then I’ve gotta ask why exactly you’re making me choose!

Hugs or kisses?: Excuse me while I fucking embrace my wife.

Shorter or taller? I love my short, fat wife.

Older or younger? Older. My wife has a whole year on me! Grandma.

Romantic or spontaneous? I feel like there’s an overlap but I definitely need to plan more dates to surprise Jayde with...

Nose, stomach or nice arms? This still sounds serial-killer-ish but if I’m to set that aside, stomach.

Sensitive or loud? Bitch Jayde’s both. And I love it.

Hook up or relationship? I’m so happy with the one I’m in now. I ain’t ever gonna stop loving her. Bitch.

Troublemaker or hesitant? I dunno, I guess that would depend on trouble for who? Though given the bad ideas I suggest I’m really glad Jayde doesn’t do any of them.

Have you ever:

Kissed a stranger? Only when I pretend not to know who Jayde is.

Drank hard liquor? I’m not sure how to put a funny spin this. Next!

Lost glasses or contacts? I can’t wear them lest they reduce the beauty of my stunning hazel eye-things.

Sex on first date? That one is gonna be a nada for good.

Broke someone’s heart? I have, I still feel fucking terrible about it.

Been arrested? Nope, my record is clean aside from those traffic tickets.

Turned someone down? Yup, I had to tell Arby he wouldn’t get more food because he’d already been fed.

Cried when someone died? Not immediately. I think the “losing a loved one” covers that pretty well.

Fallen for a friend? Story of Jayde and I’s relationship.

Do you believe:

In yourself? On good days, yeah I do. I also might be too confident in my graphic design skills though.

Miracles? Yes, his name is Sirius and he’s Jayde’s baby boy.

Love at first sight? With my wife, but at the time my dumb-ass didn’t realize it. I’m as dense as lead.

Heaven? I’m not sure how to answer that. I mean I won’t fight against it’s existence but I ain’t but all my chips on it either.

Santa Claus? That was explained to me years ago but like hell I’ll ruin it for my kids. How much do red suits cost?

Kiss at first date? I’m not sure so I just kiss Jayde a lot to cover my bases.

EDIT: Jayde says our first “real” date was at the aquarium, and we kissed a lot.

Angels?: Have you seen my wife?

Speaking of I hope this gives a better idea of how I’ve changed over the years. I love you sweetie<3

[mymothershumility]

"I am quite certain that he meant every obscenity that was spat and every threat that he issued," Laira returned.

Perhaps, if the Tullys had not sided with Robert during the Rebellion, Laira would have attributed the outbursts to fear. Her brief interactions with Lord Tully had shown that he held little favor for her or her sisters. Dragons, he referred to them as. And while the moniker was one that she, Daenerys, and Helaena gladly bore, it was spoken with distain by the Riverman.

When he spoke it, it was an insult. Laira held no trust in him because of it.

Out in the hallway, the sounds of the crying infant had grown far louder. A voice called out to her just as her attention was turning to the room's doors. Laira found one of her maids, Jun, lingering in the open doorway, her daughter in arm.

"I apologize for my interruption, Your Grace," Jun spoke, continuing to rock the little Princess. There was a flicker of panic upon her face. "She will not settle, Your Grace. She has been such a way for over an hour."

Laira turned without hesitation, moving to where Jun was standing. "That is no fault of yours, Jun," she said, easing her daughter out of her maid's arms and into her own. "Leave her with me."

Reina had been fussy since arriving upon Dragonstone, had been near inconsolable for a sennight. While Jun had never had troubles putting the Princess to sleep while on Jayd, such a feat had been impossible since landing upon the island. In her mother's arms, the Princess' cries seemed to begin to lessen almost immediately, though her cheeks remained ruddy and tearstained.

With a deep curtsy, her maid departed back down the hall. As she went, Laira saw a flicker of pale pink and gold out among the torches. A moment later, she felt the brush of wings against her cheek and the light weight of Reina's dragon hatchling alighting upon the shoulder.

"Lord Tully was the Lord of the Riverlands," the Queen corrected, her gaze returning to the window as she crossed back to her original space. As she went, Reina's cries continued to lessen. By the time she reached the window once again, her daughter had gone quiet. With a trilling call, the hatchling upon her shoulder crawled down the length of her arm, pale pink scales glittering in the sunlight that was streaming in through the glass. The little dragoness settled among Laira's arms alongside her daughter, nuzzling softly at Reina's rounded cheek.

Far out over the sea, Laira could just see the gliding forms of Viserion and Rhaegal as they hunted out over the water. So far away, they looked to be the size of birds. Had it not been for the sudden flashes of white and green flames, the two could have been mistaken for such creatures. It would not be long before Reina's own mount was such a size. "My sister's scouts reported after the Red Wedding, lordship over the Riverlands passed to House Baelish of Harrenhal. "

House Frey might have been in possession of Riverrun, yet Lord Petyr Baelish was the acting Lord Paramount of the Trident for then.

"Had Lord Tully not threatened to see my sisters and myself beheaded, such a cause would be one of great promise." Had the events at Highgarden never transpired, Daenerys would have fought to see Lord Tully returned to his rightful station. She would have welcomed banners fighting under his loyalty.

But, while Daenerys would fight to rid the Riverlands of the Lannisters' influence, to see Lord Tully restored to his station would be another matter entirely. "After his threats, he will be most fortunate if my sister allows him to take the black."

Donna was supposed to have died. She knew that, had seen it. Had her task not come to an end?

The relief at hearing that Guy was alive crashed into her like a tidal wave, shaking her to the core. It was a blasphemous feeling, this yearning for someone who was not her Lord of Light. Donna knew this and yet, she was unable to rid herself of such feelings. She clasped her hands together and bowed her head, silent prayers falling from her lips for what else was she to do than to thank her Lord for the man’s continued life. Was this a warning to her? A reminder of where her loyalty must lay, of the work she was meant to be doing? Is this why her Lord saw to keep her alive?

“Thank you, Your Grace,” she uttered as she opened her eyes, focusing back on the presence before her. “I am sure he is grateful for your hospitality,” she continued, “whatever threats he made, he…he did not mean them. He was just agitated.”

She wanted to see him…the desire hurt more than the ghost of the wound that had meant to kill her. Her knuckles turned white as she clenched at the blankets. Your Trout, Queen Laira had said, but he was not hers, he could not be. “Lord Tully is the lord of the Riverlands.” The take over of Riverrun felt like so long ago and yet she could clearly remember Guy and her escaping the siege. He owed her for bringing him back to life, their travels were nothing but him paying his debt. “There are still those who recognize the Trouts as the Lords of the Riverlands. He can bring bannermen to aid in the march to King’s Landing.” Their was a vehemence in her tone that surprised even her, but she wanted to carve a sanctuary of sorts for Guy. This would be the smart thing to do, bend the knee, do everything to ensure that he returned to Riverrun. He did not need to protect her anymore, he could carve his own path now, away from her.

[5sos-kingsandqueens]

The Dealer~chapter13~Calum Hood

*I have no idea where chapter 13 went so I’m reposting*

THE DEALER

CHAPTER 13

JAYDE P.O.V

30 WEEKS PREGNANT

I was ten weeks away from giving birth, if I made it to my due date that is. Lately my stomach had been killing me and it felt as if it couldn't get any bigger. I had called my doctor thinking I had gone into labor but she assured that it was just braxton hicks. They were pretty painful.

Today was my baby shower and I would be making the trip to my sisters house where she decided the party would be. I didn't really need anymore things but she insisted that we have one. I wasn't going to stop her.

I got there early to help her set things up but of course she wouldn't let me.

"Do you have names pick out?" She asked standing in front of me with her hands on my stomach.

"I do, yeah." I smiled. "I'm not telling you." I added leaning over to grab my water. "I've been debating about three names." I confirmed. I was most likely going to pick it once she was born. Once I see her I think it'll be easier to pick her name.

"You're seriously not going to tell me?" She asked.

"Seriously."

"Hello!" Mom shouted coming into the house with dad behind her. "Look how much my granddaughter has grown." Mom said resting her hands on my belly and smiling. I was so thankfully that finally she came around to the fact that I was pregnant.

"She's huge." I laughed. "I love her." I smiled. "So, what type of food are we having?" I questioned.

"Pasta, salad, garlic bread." Julia answered. "It's the oven." She said and I leaned over slightly, as much as my belly would allow, and glanced at it. It was covered but I wanted it. "Don't touch it!" She said from where she was hanging decorations in the living room.

"So Jules, when are you gonna have a baby?" Dad asked her as he held the tape. I moved closer to them to hear what she had to say.

"Probably not for another year. Nick just got a new job." She answered taking a piece of tape from him. Mali-Koa and Joy showed up next and were more than excited about being apart of this.

"Is Calum here?" Joy asked.

"Uh, no. I haven't talked to him in weeks." I commented looking at the cake that was sitting on the kitchen table.

"Oh." She said a little confused but I knew she wasn't going to question it. Not today. Guests started to arrive and I was so excited to see everyone. Tons of people from my office came, even Ashton came which I was surprised about.

"Hey." He smiled resting his hand on my back and kissing my cheek.

"Hi. How are you?" I asked smiling. "Did Calum come with you?" I asked.

"No. He's at home." I nodded. "Are you excited for her arrival?" He asked.

"Super excited." I smiled. "Her room is almost finished and then everything will be all set for her to come."

"Do you need help building anything?" He asked.

"I think I'm good. Luke built everything. Everything else is pretty easy." I answered. "But if you could come over after this to help me carry the presents upstairs that would be awesome."

"Of course. Whatever I can do to help." He answered. We both went to get food and then sat down together. It was a nice day out and since I sweating we sat outside. "What's it like? Being pregnant?" He asked.

"Why are you pregnant?" I asked laughing.

"Just curious." He shrugged.

"It's strange. Like theres a person growing inside of me. Feeling her kick is the strangest thing in the world." I looked down at my stomach. I was wearing a pink flowing dress but could still see my stomach move as she kicked me. "I'm gonna have a baby soon." I said.

"Yeah." He laughed. "You're gonna be a mom." He said. "That's crazy."

"Do you wanna be a dad some day?" I questioned as I sat back after I was finished eating.

"Yeah. Of course I do. Now isn't the time." He answered. " Don't think my girl would be down to have a kid right now either." I nodded.

"It happens on accident sometimes you know." I said. "I didn't do it on purpose."

"I don't think you did it on purpose." He said looking at me even though I couldn't see his eyes through his sunglasses. "Who thinks you did it on purpose?"

"Calum." I answered. He sighed and sat back and crossed his arms. "It's annoying. I'm sorry. I'll stop."

"That's not why he isn't talking to you." He blurted.

"You know why he isn't talking to me?" I asked. "Did I do something?"

"No. He didn't tell me why. You didn't do anything." I rested my hands on my belly and sighed. "Just give him time."

"How much more time am I suppose to give him Ashton? It's been three weeks!" I raised my voice.

"Jayde, just... Let him be." He answered standing up. "I'm gonna go. I'll meet you at your apartment at 6." He said before leaving. I took care of our plates and walked inside.

"Do you wanna open presents?" Julia asked.

"Sure." I smiled maybe that would cheer me up. Seeing the clothes and other things for my little girl. I walked passed a table and looked down at it. "What's this?" I asked.

"Oh. That's a calendar. People wrote down their guess and then put a bet in this jar. Whoever gets the closets wins the money." Julia said. "And this is a list of names." I lifted it and looked at it.

"One of the names I picked is on here." I commented.

"Which one?" She asked.

"Nice try." I smiled and continued into the living room to open the gifts. It mostly consisted of clothes, books, diapers, bath things (which thank god because I didn't have anything for bath time), and toys. I was so thankful for the people around me who wanted to make this day special.

*CALUM P.O.V*

I was still debating if I should change my name and move states. Start all over. Clean slate. Ashton changed my mind. No matter what I've done wrong in this world, Ashton has always been there to remind me that I have someone to talk to.

"Dude." Ashton busted into my room. "Just call her."

"I need time." He sighed. I knew he was dealing with both of us annoying him but he as going to need to put up with it a little longer. "If she calls again just tell her I left. Make her believe that I'm not here anymore." He shook his head and closed his eyes.

"Her baby shower was today. I went." He commented.

"Oh. So obviously she asked about me." He nodded sitting down on the chair at my desk. "What did you tell her?"

"That you needed time. Also told her that I would go over later to help her with the baby things."

"What no." I said.

"What do you mean no?"

"I mean why are you helping her? You're suppose to be on my side."

"Your side? Your side about what?" He asked. "It's not like you got into a huge fight over who is right and wrong." He commented. "Calum, she's carrying your baby whether you like it or not. If you don't want to be apart of that, just tell her."

"How do I possibly tell her that?" I asked.

"See, I can't give you advice because if a girl ever came to me and said she was pregnant, I would just dump her." He answered standing up. "Stand up and be a god damn man." He answered. His phone rang a few minutes later. "Hi, Jayde." He looked at me. "Are you sure? It's no trouble for me to come by."

I rolled my eyes. He was seriously going to go over there?

"Alright well let me know if you need anything." He sighed. "Bye." He sat back down looking at me. "I'll support you through this but I'm also going to support her."

*JAYDE P.O.V*

I was able to get everything into the apartment myself, with a few trips. Of course I had to sit and rest in between the trips but I made it. The apartment was overflowing with baby things. I didn't have room for all of these things. I had the diapers stacked in the closet in the hallway. I needed to get a bookcase for all of the books. I didn't realize I was going to get so many.

I stood back and held my hands to my hips.

"What the hell am I going to do with this?" I asked out loud. Not that anyone was going to answer me back. "Oi." I sat down on the floor and started folding laundry. My life was crazy right now.

I hummed as I folded and organized things. The baby made herself known and I smiled.

"Hi, baby." I said rubbing where she kicked. "So close to meeting you." I smiled as she kicked my hand. "I think I have your name picked out."

"Mae." I said and there was no movement. "Awe. Is that a no?" I pouted. I guess I wasn't going to go with that. I had two other names picked out.

"Violet?" She kicked me making me smile. I guess I was going with Violet Mae. I had a neighbor when I was in high school and her name was Mae and she was the cutest little girl I'd ever seen. Violet Mae Mills. I am so excited to meet you.

[echelonlab-blog]

Reigning Madness – Chapter 76

Masterlist

Disclaimer: Fiction.

Warnings: None

Tagging: @hazeleyedleto @msroxyblog @letojokerownsme @miss-shannanigans @snewsome756   @maliciousalishious   @nikkitasevoli@meghan12151977 @mindlessselfindulgence88 @sanellv@ambolton@jayded-reality @bradlea23@spillinginkwithlove@alexis7215@dezmarz@pezziecoyote@whoistheprettiest@avaj99@iridescxntsolitude@pheenixpeterson@guccilowell@blondiefrommars @rowen1976​

Jared’s POV:

I still couldn't believe Caroline was mine forever. It felt so surreal how things had turned out but I couldn't be more happy about it. If anyone walked up to me back when this all started and told me this was how things were going to turn out, I would tell them they were crazy.

We stayed in Vegas for an extra day, just having fun and relaxing. We did have to come back after that, mostly because Jason had the court hearing in a couple of days. I hoped to God the court would decide in his favor. I made I cleared my schedule in order to be there for him.

I was welcomed back to the Lab to the sound of clapping, laughing at the news of my marriage spreading like wildfire. With Emma planning it and needing some people to help set it up, I knew everyone in the Lab would know it by now. There was still something worrying me. I hadn't figured out who was leaking the information to Susan.

Although, I didn't give a shit if word of my marriage surfaced. I wanted to make sure everyone knew Caroline was mine. After everyone settled back down, I couldn't help but notice someone missing. Shrugging, I made my way over to the kitchen, intent on getting a cup of tea and maybe something I could snack on.

Hearing a hushed voice, I stopped in the doorway, peeking around to watch Rylee talking quietly on her phone. I didn't mean to pry, but when I heard my name being mentioned, some things fell into place.

"Jared just got back and you're not gonna like this." There was a pause as Rylee took a deep breath before speaking. "Apparently, he went off to Vegas and got married." Rylee pulled the phone away from her ear. I knew it was Cynnamon on the end of the other line as I heard her loud screeching.

I stepped into the room, crossing my arms and just waiting for it to play out. "Look, Cynn, we're even. I can't keep doing this for you anymore. I don't care if you go to Jared. I'm done being abused by you. I should have never let you manipulate me. Don't contact me again. Goodbye." She sighed, ending the call and groaning, mumbling out a small 'fuck'.

Turning around, she noticed me, her face going white with shock. "Jared... I..."

I held up my hand. "I knew it had to be someone from the Lab leaking the information, but I never thought it would be you, Rylee. Why? After the chance I took in hiring you, why would you throw it all away like that?"

"I'm sorry..." She broke down sobbing, leaving me standing there without knowing what to do. Having dealt with Susan for months, I knew when someone was fake crying in order to get what they wanted and this wasn't it. Rylee was crying like all hope was gone, not because she had been caught but because she was in despair.

I frowned, debating on what to do before pulling her into my arms. She seemed shocked for a moment, but her body relaxed as I ran my hand up and down her back. No doubt Susan had something big on her. I rocked her back and forth quietly as I waited for her to calm down.

She pulled back after a while, wiping her nose on her sleeve and sighing. "I'll go get my things and I'll be out of your hair soon. I'm so so sorry, Jared."

"Now hold on a minute. I know I'm a hardass sometimes, but I will not let you leave this room without explaining yourself."

She looked like a deer caught in headlights but nodded. We moved over to sit on the couch. Rylee blew out a breath before starting. "I don't know where to begin... Before I started working here, things were really bad for me. I needed money to pay off a debt. You have to understand I was being threatened by the person I owed money to. I didn't know what to do and I didn't have anyone that could help me at the time. I have no family left and..." She sniffled a couple of times and I allowed her a few moments to recover. This was hard on her. "I'm not proud of what I did. I was approached by Richard, the paparazzi that keeps following you around. He told me all I had to do was keep him posted on your whereabouts and then he would give me money for it. I said yes because of all the pressure I was going through... I know it was wrong of me and that I don't deserve forgiveness but Jared, I regret doing it."

"I believe your tale doesn't end there..."

She shook her head. "No, it doesn't. I was one of the few persons that defended Cynnamon and believed she was my friend. One day while we were out, Richard got a hold of us. I had called everything off with him but he was stalking me and begging me for information. She understood what was going on and from that point on, she started threatening me and manipulating me. I would get your schedule for her, keep an eye on you or she would run to you and tell you what I did. It didn't matter that I only gave Richard information once. I knew you would fire me the moment you found out and I still needed a job and... Fuck, Jared... I'm really sorry... I-."

I took her hand in mine. "Look, I'm not happy about what you did but I do understand why you did it. You were new and didn't know what to do. But you could have come to me about the threats. You know I take care of my employers and I would have helped you."

"I know but-"

"I'm not done yet, Rylee. Please listen until the end." She nodded her head, tears swimming in her eyes. I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. "I know how manipulative Susan can be and I don't blame you for falling into her web. There's still a matter of you leaking information to Richard, but I think I can let that one slide due to the circumstances." Her eyes were wide as she processed the information. "With that being said, you're still on probation for the next few weeks. Someone will watch you constantly and will filter the information you receive."

"You mean I get to keep my job?"

"For now, yes and on one condition. I need to teach Susan a lesson. And for that, I'm gonna need your help."

"Of course, Jared. Anything."

I smiled. "I'm gonna need you to call her up and send her false information about my whereabouts. I'll send you the details by email. I won't let her control you or anyone for that matter anymore." I said. "So, what do you say? Wanna help me teach Susan a lesson she will never forget?"

Rylee threw her arms around me, crying some more into my shoulder. "Yes. Thank you for giving me a second chance, Jared. I won't let you down."

I patted her back, moving back to smile at her. "Just promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"Next time you're in trouble, please just come to me, all right?"

She nodded, relief evident on her face. "Thank you, Jared."

[werewolfdays]

snippet - First Kiss revamp

little callback to the very first little drabble that I posted on here about a year and a half ago. pretty cool to go back and read my old stuff and see the differences and improvements. Anyway, enjoy some soft tender shit -

Just like always, my mind drifted to Nadya. I wanted her so bad that every step away from where I knew she was felt like the wrong step. That every room she didn’t occupy wasn’t worth being in. That every mention of her made my chest tighten painfully. Whenever I was in her presence, she commanded my full attention without even doing anything. My skin tingled every time I touched her, like I was losing control, but somehow not in a bad way. Every single part of me ached for her. I’ve never met anyone that could beckon both me and my wolf in such a way. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold out before finally doing something about this. 

My sister’s snapping fingers right in front of my face shook me out of my day dreaming. The sounds of mingling wolves in the Den came flooding back to my senses. “Wow, you were in it pretty deep.” Skye mused, taking a quick sip of her drink, “Have you heard a single thing I’ve said?”

“Sorry.” I told her, taking a swig from my glass of whiskey.

“It’s because of her, isn’t it?” Skye guessed with a knowing smile. 

Her way too accurate guess annoyed me. “No. I’m just tired, okay?” 

She rolled her eyes at me, clearly not fooled by my lie. It made me uncomfortable. Sure, I could admit to myself what I was starting to feel, but Skye knowing it too without me having to say anything left me feeling too exposed. Too vulnerable. Not to mention the fact that it felt like I had to talk myself off of a cliff whenever I got the urge to act on my feelings. 

“You’re reading too deeply into this.” I continued with a sigh, “It’s not a big deal, just an attraction.” 

“Okay,” Skye replied sarcastically, lifting her shoulders in a shrug. I tensed slightly in my seat, knowing her enough to anticipate that she wasn’t going to let it go with a simple okay. Sure enough, she nonchalantly added, “So just fuck her and get it out of your system already.”  

“Jesus, Skye!” The vulgar implication made every muscle in my body recoil in offense. If it was anyone besides my sister who had said that I would’ve throttled them. “Don’t- don’t talk about her like that.” 

I tried not to come off as angry as I was because the shocked look on my little sister’s face made embarrassment bubble up in my chest and I had to look away. Skye wasn’t expecting me to go on the defensive with such intensity. I wasn’t either and I felt my body react to its own shock, blinking and leaning back in my seat. When I looked back up, I saw Skye’s face slowly brighten in a satisfied smile. Then I realized that she had said what she said just to get a reaction out of me. It must’ve been what she was hoping for if her shit-eating grin had anything to say about it. 

I scoffed and shook my head, “I can’t fucking believe you.” 

“What?” Skye taunted, “You can’t hide it as well as you think you can. And you shouldn’t have to. It’s okay to want someone, Jayde.”

“Not her.” 

Skye raised her hands in exasperation, “Why? Because she’s human?” 

My attention focused on the amber liquid held in my solid grasp. I swirled it around, watching a small golden wave slosh against the side of the glass. If I gripped it any tighter, I feared I would shatter it. All I did was shake my head again. The conversation was taking its toll on me. I was afraid and frustrated and the combination was painful. 

“No, it’s not just that.” Skye suddenly became serious herself, “It terrifies you. You have deeper feelings for Nadya and that scares you because you think it will destroy you both.” 

My gaze shot back up to her in astonishment. That was not the kind of reply I was expecting to hear from Skye. It was way more real than I was prepared for and I was left speechless for at least half a minute. It felt like my sister had just opened a trap door right under my feet and watched as I went plummeting into the dark. Of course she was right. I still feebly tried to fight my feelings. I thought maybe I could eventually convince myself to let it go. To let Nadya go. For both of our sakes. But this discussion began to make me realize that it wasn’t possible. Dread filled my heart, making it sink into the pit of my stomach. 

After I recovered from my shock, I downed the rest of my drink and narrowed my eyes coldly, “Thanks for the insight.” I growled, getting up to walk away.

“Jayde,” Skye called, but I didn’t even bother to look back. She knew better than to come after me right now.

At first I wasn’t sure where my legs were taking me, but then it became obvious. I was looking for Nadya. It became a bit of a habit for me to go looking for her when I was stressed. She always helped calm me down. Just her voice, her presence, was usually enough to placate whatever restless demon was banging around in my head. Nadya had somehow become my greatest comfort. Of course I saw the irony in going to her to calm myself down now, but I needed her.

That thought made me stop dead in my tracks. I needed her. Without meaning to, I confirmed what Skye had said yet again. Without realizing it, I was in a deep hole, too deep to climb out of now. And I was the one that had dug myself in it. If I wasn’t careful, I would drag Nadya down with me. But selfishly, I couldn’t bring myself to change direction. I stood there like an idiot, willing myself to turn around, but it didn’t matter because I needed her. Guilt couldn’t stop me from moving towards her, but it filled my bones with lead. 

I eventually found myself standing in front of the door to her room. My hand reached up and hesitated. There’s still time to walk away. I told myself. But I couldn’t. I simply didn’t have it in me. Three knocks sounded when I finally rapped my knuckles against the wood. A long breath expelled from my lungs as my arm fell back down to my side and I waited.

It only took a few seconds for Nadya to answer the door. As soon as she saw me, her face lit up in a gorgeous smile. Just like that, everything melted away to the relief I felt whenever I was near her. “Hi, Jay.” 

“Hi.” I greeted, letting an easy-going smile spread across my face, “Just wanted to check on you.” 

“Oh, thank you.” Nadya said sincerely, taking her glasses off and stepping back to open the door further, “Do you wanna come in?”

“Uh,” I hesitated again, knowing that if I crossed this threshold there might be another line I would attempt to cross. But there was no walking away even if I wanted to, “Sure.” 

“Everything okay?” Nadya asked once she shut the door behind us.

I walked into the center of the room, checking how this new place was working for her. She hasn’t really been living in it long enough for her scent to be fully incorporated into the space yet, but it still hung in the air like a comforting blanket. Nadya’s medical textbook was lying open on the bed next to a pile of handwritten notes. I smiled to myself at her conviction. She’d been torn away from her school life and her career path, but she didn’t let that stop her.

“I’m fine, it’s just,” I reached down to run the tip of my finger along the line of a sentence she wrote, “My sister knowing me too damn well, I guess.” I glanced up to see her giving me an understanding smile. Nadya didn’t ask, but I could tell she was waiting to see if I would elaborate. I knew she wouldn’t make a big deal about it when I didn’t. That made me feel even better. To change the subject, I asked, “How are you settling in?”

“Well enough,” She nodded while she took in her room, “And I’m not getting as many weird looks as I was a few days ago. I think people are getting used to the whole human living here thing.”

I let out an amused breath, “You aren’t the first and I doubt you’ll be the last, but yeah, sometimes wolves like their space away from humans. If anyone gives you trouble, you tell me.” 

Nadya half-shrugged dismissively, “Don’t worry, I don’t think it’s like that.” 

“I hope not.” My biggest worry when bringing Nadya here was territorial werewolves. Especially ones that got a bead on a beautiful young human. As far as I knew, there weren’t any wolves like that here, but you never know. Someone like that might show up someday. One thing is for certain, I wouldn’t let anyone like that near her. Just the thought of it made me inch towards Nadya protectively. 

“I was thinking,” Nadya started somewhat nervously, “Maybe I can help the people here like I helped you. I heard there’s technically a clinic, but nobody really goes to it?” 

“A lot of wolves prefer to let their wounds heal on their own.” I shrugged, usually being one of them myself.

She pursed her lips, “Even if you guys have supernatural healing, that’s still dangerous. Things can heal incorrectly or you can take longer to recover if it’s not treated it right. I can help.” 

“Nadya,” I sighed. It could potentially be a huge risk for her to play doctor to injured werewolves. I could think of a million different ways it could go wrong. Not only that, there was a part of me that balked when she said, like I helped you. I didn’t want anyone else to be touched by her like I was whenever she treated my wounds. It was personal and intimate between us. I wanted it to be only me. Then I realized what I was feeling was jealousy. That I was trying to take possession of her. Stupid wolf instinct. I cursed inside my mind. To spite that horrid emotion, I relented, “I’ll see what I can do.” 

Her excited smile was stunning. It made the effort of fighting off that irrational jealousy worth it. I noted that I had subconsciously taken another step towards her. Drawn in by her entrancing warmth. 

“Thank you.” Nadya’s eyes were brightened with encouragement, “I’ve just been needing to do something useful with my time here. You know, earn my keep? Maybe people might actually want me to be here if I prove my worth.” 

Even with the amusement she expressed in that last sentence, I replied seriously, “I want you here.”

I couldn’t tell if she caught my deeper meaning, but her smile remained. “Good to know I have at least one person on my side.” 

I shook my head at her self deprecating joke. “Everyone will see what kind of person you are soon enough. Then you’ll have dozens of werewolves on your side.” 

Another step closer.

“What kind of person I am?” Nadya brow raised up in question.

“Yeah.” I nodded, standing just a foot away from her, “The kind of person that sees the best in everyone.” My eyes didn’t leave hers and I drank in the warmth of her comforting gaze, “The kind of person that brings light to the darkest places.”

“You sure you’re talking about me?” Her voice spoke quietly, eyes darting down for a split second, noticing the final gap between us closing. 

I was close enough to feel her uneven breath against my skin now. Able to hear erratic thumping in her chest when I listened for it. The sound matched the feeling in my own. “You could make a dead heart beat with hope.” 

The intent written all over my face wasn’t lost on either of us. I hadn’t really planned this far ahead, but I just couldn’t stop myself anymore. Not unless Nadya wanted me to. She didn’t step away. Didn’t say any words of protest. Still, it felt like I was cornering her. Maybe I had read her wrong all along and the rhythmic racing of her heart was panic. Now that I thought about it, I smelled a hint of fear on her. A fear that reflected my own, making my hands shake. The very last thing I wanted was to prey on her. Or make her feel like she had to do something that she didn’t want. 

My entire body was tingling, buzzing like an electrical storm was brewing under my skin as my lips hovered inches away from hers, “Is this okay?” I whispered. 

Nadya’s breathing was incredibly shallow, “Yes,” She said so quietly that I relied more on her nod than her voice for consent.

Unable to withstand the torture any longer, I leaned in. I brushed my lips against hers in the lightest, softest peck I’ve ever given anyone. A part of me was afraid that if I came on too strong it would scare her away. But the experience of contact like this for the first time sent my mind spiraling completely. Nadya let out a quiet gasp that I felt hot on my lips. I realized it was because she forgot to breathe. I must’ve forgotten too, because the buzzing made my knees weak. In an effort to not topple over, I set my trembling hands on her waist to steady myself. Finally touching her gave me enough courage to lean in for a second time. 

The second kiss wasn’t as shy as the last. Nadya reached up to cup the back of my neck, pulling me closer at the same time I squeezed her hips and drew her deeper into me. To my pleasant surprise, it was Nadya that deepened the kiss. Her lips parted mine and I eagerly accepted the invitation. I got completely and utterly lost in how soft she was. Her sweet taste was better than I expected. My tongue brushed against hers briefly, causing the hand that wasn’t at the back of my neck to excitedly grasp at my right arm. 

This was everything I ever wanted. It was more. It was exactly what I needed. I guess I’ve known that the entire time. With the clarity her lips gave me, I realized it was ridiculous to ever deny any of it. I was so overwhelmed by it all that the tingling made my body go numb, but I could still feel all of her. Every inch of her that was pressed up against me. The warmth of her body and her mouth. The way her fingers tangled in my hair. How her breathing got shakier in response to the galloping of her heart. It was all-consuming and remarkable. 

Kissing Nadya made every doubt I ever had about being with her fade away. I knew things would be different with her. I could feel it with every stroke her lips made against mine. I could feel it in my heart. My wolf could feel it too. I sensed its presence come to the surface to experience everything that the girl in my arms made us feel, causing my senses to explode. That’s never happened to me before. Not like this. Not without a full moon. And it wasn’t a lack of control, which was mystifying on its own. 

Buried in the intensity, under her usual scent of mixed autumn spices, I caught a subtle note of arousal. The scent excited both me and my wolf. I started to kiss her harder for a few beats, beyond my control. A growl itched the back of my throat, hungry for more of her, hungry for the kind of contact we had been starved of for months, but I didn’t want to push it. I was content with the gift of her intoxicating kisses. Nadya didn’t need my primal urges ruining the moment. 

I reluctantly pulled away, only realizing now just how little oxygen I had been taking in. Nadya was breathing heavily too, leaning her forehead against mine almost like she was tired. We remained quiet for at least a minute, both of us still basking in the bliss. Each steady breath I felt her take reminded me that what just happened wasn’t a dream. It was real. I kissed her. And she kissed me back. Everything was okay for these precious few minutes. 

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a good while.” I finally told her softly.

“You shouldn’t have waited so long.” Nadya replied.