#oc: ash rajul

[arrthurpendragon]

Hi! I’m Jess. I write for Barry, Ghostbusters, Marvel (Avengers and Moon Knight), Star Wars, Stripes, Succession, Ted Lasso, Veep and possibly more who knows. My writing blog is sexy-skeleton. Here are my OCs and my fics. I have a habit of adding Desi!OCs to all my fandoms. Current muse is Ash Rajul (Hannah Simone) from The Eye of the Moon—my Moon Knight fic. Thank you, Kass. I adore you and all my OC community friends. ❤️❤️❤️

[bruce-slutsteen]

epilogue: she stings like she means it she’s mean and she’s mine

previously - chapter four || masterlist 

Rating: Explicit

Warnings:  swearing, canon-typical violence (punching, stabbing, murder), brief mentions of bad people doing bad things like murder and abuse, drugging (but nothing else happens), mutual pining, unwanted advances of drunk people, drinking alcohol, kissing, breast play, oral sex female receiving, vaginal fingering, dirty talk, PIV sex, little angst, implied child abuse and PTSD.

Note: Thank you to everyone who engaged with this little story. I might visit this polycule again. Enjoy and leave feedback!This covers the post-credits scene in episode 6. Yes, we get to see a wonderful cab driver and his relationship with Ash.

 Lyrics mentioned are from "Angel" by Shaggy and "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj.I do not speak Spanish. I'm learning but it's limited. I used DeepL translate for this. If the tenses are off, I apologize. I do not mean to offend.

Translations: “Siempre te protegeré, hermosa.” means "I'll always protect you, beautiful." “Lo sé, cariño.” means "I know, baby." "Hermosa" means "beautiful" “Hola, cariño. Siento mucho llegar tarde.” means "Hi, baby.  I'm so sorry I'm late." “Sí. Ahora, quita tu mano de mi novio.”  means "Yes. Now get your hand off my boyfriend." “¡Joder! Eso duele, hermosa!” means "Fuck! That hurts, beautiful." "pendejo" means "asshole" "princesa" means "princess" "mi vida" means "my life"

Word Count: 7.950

Khonshu taps on the glass with a white gloved hand. It rolls down and Jake Lockley draws his gun. Ash lights up her cigarette across from him and turns her head. Harrow’s ice blue eyes snap to her.  

“Wait! Ash, please. Wait!”

Her gaze hardens and her jaw tics.  Jake smiles and shoots him with expert precision. Ash watches the light leave his eyes and exhales slowly. It’s done. 

Jake peels out of the parking lot. His black gloved hand squeezes her thigh and she relaxes under his touch. She takes another drag of her cigarette.

“Siempre te protegeré, hermosa.”

“Lo sé, cariño.”

3 years ago

“Rich of Khonshu to ask us to watch over his new Avatar after the shit he’s pulled.” Ash seethes. She watches a man in a black bodysuit with white armor accents fight a gang. Crescent moons decorate his chest, his forearms,  and his gloves. It’s a look she hasn’t seen before from Khonshu. It seems the only thing he kept was the white hood and cape. 

“Just try, my kitten. If it is too hard, we will leave.” Sekhmet tells her. “He says this one is very different than Harrow.”

He pummels a man’s face into the dirt and doesn’t notice the other man raise his knife. Well, that won’t do. 

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Ash moves behind him and lodges his own knife between his ribs. He gasps getting the new Avatar’s attention.  

He lets go of the now dead man’s collar and spins around.  The man struggles against Ash’s grip, so she slits his throat. She lifts her hands and his body flops forward bleeding out into the alley.

“Who are you?” His voice is low with a New York accent. He sounds a little like someone out of Goodfellas. But his tone is in awe. 

In her full gear, Ash tilts her head in her mask. He steps forward and she feels a crackle of electricity between them. So, she runs. She scrambles up onto the roof of a building and leaps. He follows after her in the moonlit sky. She can feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins. It’s not scary. It’s thrilling. She lets him chase her across three rooftops before turning into a cat and hiding. 

“That is Sekhmet’s Avatar,” Khonshu tells him. “I asked her to keep an eye on you.”

Ash waits for him to leave before changing form. 

“Why did you run, kitten?”

“I don’t know. It felt kinda fun.” She smirks. 

A few months later, he comes to her aid in Colombia. She could’ve handled it, but he swoops in and kills two men while she finishes the third. She knows his name is Jake. He knows her name is Ash. They’ve seen photos of each other when outside their Avatar outfits, but that’s it. It feels safer to keep him at a distance. She gives him a nod of thanks and they part ways only to see each other at the same restaurant.

From across the room, Ash sees a drunk woman hanging all over him. Outside of his uniform, he’s very handsome in a black flat cap and tailored jacket.  He seems uncomfortable as the woman continues to paw at him and whisper in his ear. He shakes his head and tries to brush her off. Ash rolls her eyes. She hates people like this. 

“Hola, cariño. Siento mucho llegar tarde.”

Jake looks up with interest at the fact she’s speaking Spanish.

“Cariño?” The woman sounds offended. 

“Sí. Ahora, quita tu mano de mi novio.” Ash asks. She sits down in the vacant seat next to him and places a hand over his. Jake smiles. 

The woman huffs and staggers off. 

“Figured you needed the help.” Ash smirks. 

“Can I get you dinner? To say thank you?” Jake offers.

Ash wants to say no. She wants to keep this Avatar at arm’s length. She let Harrow become her friend. But another part of her tells her that Jake is not Harrow. She realizes she hasn’t answered.

“Only if we split it.” 

Jake nods and follows her to her table. Dinner is stilted at first. Neither of them really knows how to talk to each other. He explains how he became an Avatar. She tells her story. She asks about why sometimes he talks like he’s from Chicago and other times from England.

After downing his drink, Jake explains the system and their diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder. Ash isn’t familiar with it but makes a note to look it up. He explains Steven and Marc and how they don’t know about him. His tone is fiercely protective and Ash notes how he refers to them as his family. Since he opened up, Ash does the same. She explains that since she has been an Avatar, she has looked after whoever Khonshu chooses.  She keeps it short but does tell him what went wrong with Harrow. His dark eyes glisten with something she can’t place and his jaw tics for only a moment. She swears she feels that crackle in the air again.

“I know it’s an adjustment, but I’m willing to help you. All of you.” She offers.

“I appreciate it.” Jake nods.

After that, they work together more actively. They set up burner phones to communicate on. It’s strictly work but it’s not as standoffish as their start. 

In Argentina, Ash walks up to his motel room as a petite brunette leaves. The woman glances back at Jake’s shirtless frame hanging in the doorway but his attention is already on Ash.

“She’s pretty.”

He grunts and opens the door wider.

“I love our deep talks.” She chuckles and walks in. 

He offers her a drink which she declines. 

“Do you ever date?” He asks after some silence.

“Not if I can help it. I fuck and leave.” She answers frankly.

“Smart woman.” He raises his eyebrows.

The mission goes south when the assailant manages to stab a needle into Ash’s arm and drug her. He’s a known predator in the area leaving women dead in various hotel rooms. Jake breaks down the door and slaughters him without delay.

Ash wakes up in a room she doesn’t know with a raging headache. Her entire body tenses.

“It’s okay,” Jake tells her from the chair next to her bed. She relaxes at the sight of him.

“Jake…” Her mouth feels dry and full of cotton balls.

He hands her a bottle of water.

“How long have I been out?” Ash doesn’t hide her surprise as she takes a sip.

“Six hours. He’s dead. I took care of it before I  brought you back here.” 

Her eyes look around the room. His coat hangs over another chair. The television has football on at a low volume. The dark circles under his eyes let her know he hasn’t slept. He’s been in that chair all this time.

“Thank you.” The words feel foreign on her tongue. Even when she thought Harrow was her friend, he didn’t do things like this.  

Jake simply nods. 

She returns the favor in Italy. In a fight, he gets hurt and refuses to let her look at it which makes it even more difficult to get him back to her hotel room. 

“I think it’s dislocated.” She tells him.

“I’m fine.” He trudges through the room trying to ignore the pain.

“Khonshu can heal you better if it’s back in place.” 

He huffs and sits on the bed. His leather jacket falls off from only being draped over his shoulders. 

She lifts it off the floor and places it back on his shoulders. Before he can catch on, she snaps his shoulder back into place causing him to curse loudly.

“¡Joder! Eso duele, hermosa!” 

“Hermosa?” Ash raises her eyebrows.

He grunts and lays back on the bed. She gives him the bottle of water on his nightstand and two valium from her purse.

“Valium. You’ll sleep it off and wake up fine.” 

He takes them and lets himself drift off to sleep. A few hours later, he wakes to see her eating carryout in a chair and watching a movie on the television with subtitles.  He smiles and closes his eyes letting the butterflies settle in his stomach. 

They have known each other for almost a year. The only human connection outside their world of Avatars. Ash has grown fond of Jake. He’s very musical. He’s played guitar for her and gotten her to join him in many tiny karaoke joints.  He’s impossibly handsome. Always wearing tight black jeans that flatter his perfect ass. An ugly jealous feeling claws at her stomach, when she sees those pretty women walk out his door. He makes her laugh which is the most surprising thing of all. And because of that, she doesn’t want to risk it. She doesn’t want to look like a fool in front him.

Jake is used to living in the shadows and not being seen. Marc and Steven have much fuller lives than him and he works hard to keep it that way. He wasn’t expecting Ash when she came along but he’s glad to have her. They’ve moved from burner phones to permanent phone numbers. He trusts her even more than he trusts Khonshu because he knows she doesn’t have an ulterior motive. He feels the electricity between them but doesn’t pursue it. He can’t afford to scare off his only friend. So, he lets himself dream of her at night and reminds himself of the reality in the morning. 

Indonesia is beautiful. Jake has never been there before. It’s warm and he appreciates the climate even more as Ash wears thin camisoles and skirts when they’re not fighting. He isn’t pursuing her but it doesn’t mean he can’t appreciate her beauty. He’s used to the way she can walk through a market and have people offer her everything. He understands the impulse.  She usually pays more than the item is worth, offers a smile, and gives it to a wide-eyed child. 

The mission is a success and Ash joins him in his floating villa on the water. Normally, they would find somewhere that isn’t a resort, but Ash was too intrigued at the idea of having little boats to paddle from room to room and the idea of a man serving pancakes from one of his boats.  She’s relaxed here and soaks up every moment with him. It’s the most he’s ever seen her laugh and he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

It’s almost a disappointment when they’re back in the States and camped out in a much more frigid and cramped Boston hotel room. This mission went on a little longer due to some bad intel. They walk into the first bar they see and take a seat. The atmosphere is fine until it gets closer to game time. The sports fans file in. When Jake is in the bathroom, Ash tries to flag down the bartender for their tab. 

“Leaving already?” One of the patrons asks.

Ash nods. She waves her hand higher. The man grabs her wrist and pulls it down.

“You haven’t met me yet, sweetie.” 

Ash hides her scowl. She could knock this man on his ass but it would bring more attention. She lets out a short breath and looks at his hand on her wrist. He brushes her inner wrist. The anger surges up her neck but before she does anything she hears a familiar low voice. 

“Hermosa, who is this?” 

She doesn’t hide her smile as Jake stands next to her. His hard glare is enough to make the man let go of her. Jake puts his hand on her shoulder. 

“He didn’t tell me his name, cariño.” She coos looking back at him. 

“She’s with you?” The guy asks. 

“Yeah.” Ash smiles. “I’m with him.”

The man nods and slinks off. Ash doesn’t remove Jake’s hand. 

“Surprised he’s still standing.” He smirks.

“A minute longer and he wouldn’t be.” She leans into his side. He smells like leather and sandalwood. 

“Can we get the check?” Jake asks the bartender.

They close out and walk to their hotel. Jake moves his hand from her shoulder to her waist and she doesn’t move it. She just smiles at him. He mutters goodnight to her and slides the keycard into the lock. 

Jake sighs and rolls his shoulders back. He wishes he could’ve hit that man at least once or seen Ash bring him to his knees. It’s not okay to touch people without their consent. He shrugs off his leather jacket and tosses it over a chair. His fingers catch the hem of his sweater when he hears a knock.

He stops and moves to the door. He opens it and sees Ash in a brown Henley and grey lounge pants. She holds two tiny bottles of Scotch and two stacked plastic cups. 

“I raided the minibar to say thank you.” 

Jake chuckles and lets her in. He watches as she sways over to the minibar and prepares the drinks.

“Ice?”

“No.”

“Figured you’d like it neat.” She hands it to him.  “To resisting the urge to commit felonies.”

Jake hums, nudges his cup against hers and takes a drink. Ash sips hers and saunters over to the radio on the nightstand. Her fingers play with the knobs until she finds a Santana song she likes. She looks divine moving her hips around to the music. 

“Am I keeping you?” Ash turns her head realizing he hasn’t moved.

“No. Just changing.” Jake sets the cup down on top of the radio.

“Get comfortable then come dance with me.” She raises her eyebrows.

Jake grabs his clothes from his unpacked bag and goes into the bathroom. When he comes out, he’s in sweatpants and a cotton t-shirt.  He makes everything look hot. 

“Do you sleep with that on?” She gestures to the flat cap. 

Jake shakes his head. He takes it off only to put it on her.

“I feel a sudden urge to talk about the Yankees and drive a cab.”

He pulls her to him by the waist. She looks up, a little surprised.

“You wanted to dance.” He reminds her. 

“Uh-huh.” Her dark eyes are on his mouth.

His hands slide down her hips rocking her to the beat. Her arms wind around his neck. His head dips at the same time she tips hers up and their mouths meet in a soft kiss. A large hand palms the back of her head as her lips move more insistently with his. Her hands find his waist as she deepens the kiss. It takes him by surprise as his mind is flooded with the taste of her and sharp whiskey.

“Wait.” She puts her hand on his chest. “We shouldn’t.”

His hand finds her waist thumb brushing her side. He rests his forehead against hers. She can pull away any time, but he hopes she doesn’t. The electricity crackles between them burning hotter than ever. She lets out a shaky breath. She’s felt it since they met. She can’t remember why she was against this.

“I want you so bad.”

“Then take me, hermosa.”

She cups his face and crushes her mouth on his. He groans. His nails dig into her hips as he pulls her even closer. They break apart only for air.  He kisses her again and lets her guide him to the mattress. 

Her hips straddle his waist as he takes her in. He didn’t expect this to happen tonight or ever but he doesn’t want it to stop. Not if she wants him. 

“Jake?”

“Hmm?” 

“How does the cap look?”

“Very sexy.” He chuckles and gently lifts it off her head. 

“I thought—”

“It’s in my way.” He places it down on the nightstand. He runs his fingers through her hair, and she sighs. “Never knew you wanted me, hermosa.”

“I didn’t wanna risk it but then I saw your face tonight.”

He tilts his head for her to continue. 

“You’re a good liar but you’re not that good.” She leans forward rocking her hips into him. He growls low and the sound makes her shudder with delight. His fingers thread through her dark hair as he licks into her mouth. She gasps and he wants to memorize the sound. He rolls them over and looks down at her. 

“No one should treat you like that, hermosa. But especially not some drunken pendejo who wouldn’t know the first thing about satisfying a woman like you.” 

Ash peers up at him.

“You talk a big talk.” She’s never met a man who knows what they’re doing, so if she sleeps with one, she usually skips foreplay. 

“Allow me to show you.” He sits up on his knees and pulls his shirt over his head. She peels off her Henley and shimmies her lounge pants down her legs. She unclips her bra and tosses it across the room.

“You goddess.” He draws in a sharp breath. 

“I’m sure you say that to all the girls.” She arches an eyebrow. 

“No.” Jake leans forward and cups her jaw gently. “Just you.”

Ash swallows, not knowing what to say. 

Jake inhales deeply skimming his hands over her shoulders to her breasts and down her stomach. Ash watches him. He settles on her wide covered hips. 

“Can I take this off?” 

“Yes.” She lifts her hips and he slides her underwear down her legs.  “You can just fuck me. We don’t—”

“Hermosa, I said I wanted to show you.” There’s an edge in his voice that goes right to her core. She lifts her brows but stays quiet. She hums as their lips meet again. One hand squeezes her breast, and she sighs. Nimble fingers work her over and for the first time in her life she wonders if she might come from a man playing with her tits. He stops before she can find out. He kisses her stomach and eyes his destination. 

His calloused hands are gentle on her knees as he nudges them open. He presses his mouth to the bend of her knee on one leg and then the other. Then her calves. Her ankles. The tops of her feet which makes her giggle. Then her inner thighs. She breathes in and bites her lip in anticipation. He’s done a good job working her up to this point. 

Jake inhales almost crudely before pressing his mouth to her center in a soft kiss. The contrast confuses her. But before she can say anything, she feels the flick of his tongue on her bundle of nerves. She feels her stomach flip. 

“Prettiest pussy I’ve ever seen, hermosa.” His words vibrate against her making her clench around nothing. He licks a stripe up the seam of her and moans. “Like honey.” 

He kisses her like it’s her mouth. He tilts his head and starts off gently before working his lips with more fervor. 

“O-Oh my god.” She feels the sparks on the base of her spine. 

The strong muscle of his tongue drives into her without warning. She arches off the mattress. He growls and presses his arm across her hips to still her as he absolutely devours her. Her fingers fly to his black curls just to hold onto something. Her hips begin to rock and he moves with her. She feels that pull and cannot believe it’s happening so fast. 

“Shit, Jake. I’m gonna come.” 

His eyes look black now as they flick up to hers. He gives a small nod before sealing his mouth over her most sensitive spot. She has no chance as her orgasm crashes over her. She moans his name as his tongue works her through it. She pants heavily. 

“Fuck, Jake. That was amazing.” She giggles. 

But he doesn’t stop. He keeps his mouth and tongue on her bundle of nerves while his thick finger slides into her. He taps the roof of her and she cries out. 

“Ohhh.”

Jake just smiles as her eyes squeeze shut. Her second orgasm sneaks up on her and he does not ease up until she’s wailing into her third. 

“Fuck, Jake. I can’t go again.”

Jake hovers over her and kisses her mouth with glistening lips. Ash can taste herself on his tongue. 

“Yes, you can, hermosa. See how sweet you are?” His tongue moves over her own at the same time two fingers plunge inside her. Ash swears this man is going to be the death of her and he hasn’t even fucked her yet. “One, just one, please. I wanna feel you gush all over my fingers one more time.”

Her mouth falls open at his deliciously dirty words. For a man of few words in every other situation, he spills pure filth into her ear as he coaxes her over another peak. 

Ash doesn’t notice him remove his underwear because she’s too busy returning to earth. Once she can remember how to breathe, she knows she can’t go another moment without him inside her. 

Jake gets off the bed to get his wallet and pulls out a condom. He sees Ash waiting on her hands and knees. He smirks and rolls the condom on. He drags himself through her slick. 

“Do you want this, Ash?” His voice is unexpectedly soft. 

She can’t help the smile that grows on her face. She looks back at him. “Yes, Jake. I want you.” 

Jake eases into her slowly. She hadn’t gotten a glimpse of him but she understands now why he was so insistent on eating her out. He’s big and thick. She gasps and hears him curse when he bottoms out. She feels so perfect. 

“Are you all right?”

“Fuck me, Jake.”

That’s all he needs. He drives in and out of her with his hands on her hips. She can barely breathe from the power of his thrusts. She rests on her forearms and pushes her hips back making him groan. She clamps down each time he pistons back in. His high pitched whine will echo in her brain forever. 

Jake growls and hauls her up against him. His arm rests on her stomach. The change in angle means every thrust is now hitting that spot that makes her eyes roll back. He’s taking her higher and higher. 

“You’re a wild one, hermosa. Exactly how I thought you’d be.”  His breath is warm on her neck. 

“Can’t let you have all the fun.” She pants and bites her lower lip, smiling. She rolls her hips. His thrusts aren’t as steady and she knows he must be close. 

Jake smiles and his free hand massages her bundle of nerves. It sends her over the edge screaming his name. She clenches down on him causing him to follow immediately into bliss. It’s incredible. She collapses on the mattress and he groans slipping out of her. He tosses the condom in the trash and joins her on the bed. 

“Ash…” He smiles at her.

“Jake…” She smiles back. 

He leans over and kisses her. She melts against his mouth. 

They recover only to find themselves in the shower where he has her ride his face until the water gets cold.  He falls asleep after that and she sees her exit.

Jake hears a rustling of sheets and opens his eyes. Ash steps back into her lounge pants and smooths out her Henley.

“Hermosa…” His tone is gentle.

“Um.” She feels the heat rising in her face. It’s much easier for her to take off her clothes than talk about personal things. But this isn’t a one-night stand. She sits on the edge of the mattress and keeps her gaze on her feet. “I have nightmares. Sometimes. Bad ones. Doesn’t make me fun to sleep next to.”

Jake nods. He doesn’t know if he should touch her or not. He doesn’t want to scare her.

“I have nightmares too.”

“You do?” Her brow furrows. 

“About Wendy. Our mother.” 

“Mine are about Henry. My foster father.”

Ash moves back up to the pillows and lays next to him.  She looks at her hands while she gives him the brief version. She notes the way he stiffens and inhales deeply when she tells him their little secret. She’s never told anyone this. He rubs her back as the tears stream down her face. 

“Where is he now?”

“Pittsburgh. I think. I know he’s still alive.”

Jake doesn’t say anything to that. Instead, he tells her about the cave, how Steven protects Marc and how he protects both. She grits her teeth. It’s a good thing she doesn’t know where she lives. 

“She in Chicago?”

“Mhmm. I hear she’s sick. Cancer.”

“Good. I hope it’s slow.”

“I know it would hurt Marc. If I…so I don’t even though sometimes I want to.”

Ash nods, running her hand up and down his arm. Jake looks into her eyes. She expects to see hurt and shame, but it’s just pure adoration.

“You can stay here, hermosa. I don’t scare easily.”

“Can we try tomorrow? It’s just all a lot right now.”

Jake kisses the back of her hand and nods. “Get some sleep. Do you want to get breakfast or order room service?”

“I’ll let you know in the morning, okay?”

Ash gives him a kiss before leaving. She has a dreamless deep sleep once her head hits the mattress. 

For two people who have not dated anyone exclusively in their adult lives (or ever really), it’s difficult to navigate at first. Mostly because neither of them brings up the “what are we conversation” since they’re busy ridding the earth of predators and murderers.  

The waitress in San Diego does her best to charm and flirt with Jake. Ash does her best to keep her laughter down. She understands. Oh, does she understand, but Jake barely speaks to her other than thanking her. He’s on Ash the minute they enter the hotel room and she rides him like it’s his last night on earth. 

“Our waitress liked you.” She kisses his sweaty chest.  

“Hmm.” His fingers move through her hair.

“You didn’t notice?” She moves up his neck. 

“No,” he says with a curt shake of his head. He tilts her jaw up to look at him. “I just want you, hermosa.” 

“Are you saying you want to be my boyfriend, Jake Lockley?” She teases. She knows it’s childish but if he rejects her, she can laugh it off. 

“I do.” Jake doesn’t laugh or smile. “I’m all yours, princesa.” 

“Right back at you.” Ash leans forward and kisses him. 

They have almost two years together while she keeps away from Marc and Steven. It’s hard to see two people who look just like Jake but have no idea who she is. He’s the one who is most hidden, so she doesn’t get as much time with him as she’d like. Still, he always makes it up to her. 

Jake receives a request from Khonshu and Sekhmet for a solo mission in Pittsburgh. They don’t want him to tell her. He does the job and tracks her to Michigan. He can’t hide it the minute he sees her face. It spills out of him. She doesn’t say a word. She just sits with her hands on her knees.

“Are you upset I didn’t tell you? Sekhmet was worried—"

“Did he suffer?” Ash stands in front of him. 

“Yes.” Jake nods. She places his hands on her waist. 

“Good.” Ash rests her head on his shoulder. 

“He won’t hurt you or anyone else ever again, mi vida.” Jake rubs her back. 

Ash sighs and buries her face in his neck until her lungs are full of him.  The tension in her shoulders relaxes as a wave of relief washes over her. She doesn’t have to look over her shoulder for him anymore. It’s hard to describe and she wouldn’t be able to articulate it, but what she does know is that she is safe with Jake.

Khonshu wants her to be more involved with Marc and Steven. Ash isn’t sure about that. She doesn’t want to make it strange for Jake. 

“Steven will adore you.”

“But Marc isn’t gonna like me.”

“He’ll warm up to you.”

“This isn’t weird for you? I know you’re…protective of them.”

“Yes, but you keep us safe even when I’m not with you. I trust you more than anyone in this world. They deserve to know you too. Just remember who fucks you best, hermosa.” Jake winks.

“Okay, calm down. It’s not gonna go that far. Marc is married.” Ash winds her arms around his neck.

“To your former lover. Sounds sexy to me. I think I know of a porno that starts like that.” Jake runs his hands over the curve of her ass. 

“And Steven—”

“Is going to lose his mind over you.” 

“Shut up.”

“You show up in that tight skirt. He won’t know what to do with himself.” He squeezes a handful of her ass.

“I think someone is projecting.” Ash rolls her eyes.

When Wendy dies, Ash follows Steven from Chicago to their London flat. She peeks in the window first and hears the knife hitting the cutting board with swift precision, so she goes around to the door. Steven prefers to bake and Marc doesn’t have a lot of flair like this.

Jake opens the door and pulls her into his arms. 

“I’m here now, baby. I’m here.” She squeezes him tight.

Present Day

“Hermosa…” Jake growls, pinning her hands above her head and pushing her further up the mattress. He sucks and bites the thin skin of her collarbone leaving a mark Sekhmet will heal before morning. 

“Fuck!” She cries out, dragging her nails down his back. Every thrust punches that spot deep inside her sending her soaring into oblivion.

Jake follows soon after and collapses on top of her. He chuckles pressing his face into the valley of her breasts. He kisses the skin and moves up her neck where he mouths over the mark he left.

“You’re all cuddles when you’re fucked out.” Ash looks at him. 

“Those gorgeous lips say the dirtiest things.” His thumb traces her full lower lip.

“Yeah? And you love it.” She nips at the pad of his thumb.

“I do” He pulls his hand back and cradles her jaw. 

Jake is always tender after sex as if the demon had been exorcised. His fingers drag through her dark hair.

“Rest.”

“But—”

“I’ll be here when you wake up. Rest. You’re going to need it. Not done with you yet.”

She giggles and closes her eyes as he strokes her hair. 

It feels like only moments later when his palms run over the love bites he’s left on her neck and chest. It stirs her awake which is exactly what he wants. 

“This body.” He drags his mouth down her neck making her sigh. He smiles and looks up at her. “Your breasts.” His calloused hands cup the flesh feeling the heavy weight in his hand before continuing his journey south.  “Your stomach.” They drop to her thighs to trace his handiwork. “Your thighs.”

Ash watches him. 

“Steven. Marc. They don’t know what this body needs. Maybe Layla.”

“Don’t be jealous.”

“I’m not. I had to make sure they were taking care of you.” He nudges her legs open with his knee.

Ash laughs. “How thoughtful, Mr. Lockley.”

“I wasn’t talking to you, mi vida. I was talking to her.”  His fingertips trace her opening ever so slightly. “You know I can’t deny my favorite pussy. Not when she wants me so badly.”

“J-Jake.” She bites her lip and rolls her hips seeking more of his touch. He’s right. Her body is aching but she needs him to fuck her senseless. How does he get her so hot so fast?

“My goddess. First time I tasted her, I was addicted.” He opens her legs wider and his eyes darken. His face is inches from where she wants him.  He inhales deeply nudging her entrance with his nose. His fingers slip inside her and she throws her head back. “Look how she swallows my fingers. It feels so good, doesn’t it, my pretty kitty?”

“Ohh.” Her eyes roll into the back of her head.

 She loves it when he talks dirty. His head is between her thighs as he whispers more filthy praise against her skin. She whimpers at how quickly the fire is stoked in her stomach.

“That’s it. Ride my fingers. Go on, kitty. Go on.” 

Her hand tugs at her hair. It’s too much too soon. Then she feels his tongue. So hot. So wet. Her heart skips. “Jake, baby. Jake.”

His dark eyes flick up watching the way she grips the sheets and whines his name. She’s writhing engulfed by pleasure. She’s just drowning in it. Fuck! She gasps when he twists his fingers and the tightened coil snaps. Her hands move from the sheets to his curls. She pulls a little too hard and his moan vibrates into her skin. She cries out. 

Ash barely catches her breath when he tips her on her side and moves his body  behind her. He squeezes the round globes of her ass. She lets out a breathy moan.

“Such an amazing ass, too, hermosa.”

She turns her head and their eyes meet. She reaches back and takes hold of him. Her thumb teasing his tip ever so slightly. He growls low in his throat. 

“Need you inside me, Jake.” She knows how whiny she sounds but she doesn’t care. 

“You need my cock?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Say it.”

“Jake…”

“Say it, princesa.”

She lets go of him and hears him huff when she turns her head away. Her hand  swipes through her folds collecting the wetness. It takes everything she has not to get herself off with her fingers.  She coats his length and he hisses. Their eyes meet again. She smirks. 

“I need your cock.”  

He smiles devilishly. 

Jake uses her hand to guide him. The familiar stretch is everything. He’s so thick and so much better than her fingers. She clasps the back of his neck for leverage. Her hips are desperate to meet his rhythm. She chants his name feeling the tension building again. She can hear his skin slapping against hers. 

“That what you wanted?”

“Yes.”

“Take me so well. You love it, don’t you?”

“Y-Yes. Mmm. ‘Cause you fuck me so good. So good, baby.”

He growls peering down over her shoulder.

“Look how these tits bounce for me. Who fucks you best?”

Before she can answer, she feels the drag of him hit that spot inside her and she gasps.

“There?” Jake chuckles against her shoulder as she moans wantonly each time he drives into her. “That’s your spot, hermosa? Right there?” 

“Mmm.” 

“Who fucks you best?”

“Y-You! Jake, please.” 

“Gotta give my goddess what she needs. Come for me, goddess. Come.” He grabs a handful of her ass.

She clamps down on him and he bites her shoulder. She screams too full to speak.  Her body flutters around him and he fucks her right through it.  His hand cups her large breast playing with the flesh until it’s taut and the other disappears in between her legs. Her head lolls back and he chuckles. She loves being a spitfire in bed, but Jake has the ability to tame her until she’s boneless and pliant to his will. He knows how hard that is for her—to give up control—and he’s never taken advantage of it. 

His hot mouth leaves kisses on her neck and shoulder in time with his thrusts. His pace is rough and she’s in heaven. Everything he’s ever wanted to say he says with his body. He’s right. He knows how to worship her.  

When they’re done, they’re wrapped up in each other, just breathing and gazing into each other’s eyes.

“I can’t believe they took you from me.”  His dark eyes are hard and angry. He wishes he could’ve had more time to destroy Harrow.

“They took you too.” She doesn’t hide the tears swimming in her brown eyes.

Jake pulls her into his chest as she cries. She doesn’t know what she would do if he didn’t come back. She doesn’t want to think about it. He’s the only one who knows her completely. They see each other. The same piece of a ripped tapestry. 

“I couldn’t even grieve you, mi vida. But I am so grateful they brought you back to me.” He kisses her hair. 

She tips her head up and sees the tears in his eyes. She leans forward and kisses him. 

“I love you.” Jake cups her face in his hands. “I love you so much, hermosa.”

“I love you, Jake.” Ash presses her mouth to his. He kisses her back slowly before running his thumb over her cheekbone. 

She sighs, closing her eyes, and tucks her head under his chin. 

“That’s my girl.” She feels the pads of his fingers make shapes on her skin as he hums a song she doesn’t know. 

“What’s that?”

“A Spanish song about a man in love with a beautiful woman he cannot have.”

“Hmm. Why?”

“He is poor.”

“Wow, she sounds like a bitch.”

Jake laughs and she feels the vibrations echo through her skin. Ash smiles into his chest.

“Want me to stop?”

“Nope.”

Jake is very musical. It’s something they bonded over right away.

“If I said ‘pussy put his ass to sleep now he’s calling me NyQuil.’ What would you say?”

“Why are you singing Anaconda?”

“Just testing you.”

“Remember Miami? It played in the bathroom.”

“Ohh yeah.” Ash grins. 

On the plane, Jake never lets go of her hand. They’ve agreed that he will tell the others about him soon. He doesn’t want her to have to lie anymore. They trust her now and he doesn’t want to ruin that. Ash looks out the window.

“Who asked out Steven’s co-worker?”

“Hmm?” Jake is glad she’s not looking at him or she’d see him smile.

“He had that dinner with the steak?” Ash can’t remember the name.

“He did?” Jake feigns ignorance.

“It was you! You were jealous.” Her eyes narrow at him.

“What about the woman at the club? In the bathroom?” He challenges her.

“Oh, I just did that to fuck with Marc. She got sick and I helped her.” Ash rolls her eyes.

“Such a wild thing you are.” Jake kisses her neck. “You minx.”

They get back to London without Marc or Steven being any the wiser. Ash secures the ankle restraint and checks her phone. She isn’t quite sure what the point of it is now but it’s what they want. Layla texted her she wouldn’t be back for two more days. She has a small mission with Taweret and wanted the guys to rest. Ash couldn’t go because of Harrow. She types back quickly and stares at the aquarium. Pets aren’t her thing. Or permanent addresses. Any kind of roots.  Jake is never constant, so he doesn’t count. She wanders over to Steven’s desk and looks out the window. 

Sekhmet gathers her hair at the nape of her neck. Ash can feel her nails on her shoulder. 

“I’m glad you have people to care for you. I am.” She purrs. 

“For now.” She chuckles, trying to hide the crack in her voice.

“I have a feeling. Trust me like you have.  All will be well. I love you, my kitten.”

“I love you, my goddess.” She whispers and blinks the tears out of her eyes. 

“Whatcha doin’, angel?” 

“Talking to Sekhmet.”

She turns her head and sees Steven looking at her with such wonder. It’s completely different than Jake’s devotion. She doesn’t know how to handle it. Steven’s worship. Layla’s warmth. Marc’s protection. She isn’t sure she deserves any of it but she wants to bask in it all the same.

“C’mere. Fore I wake up and you’ve run off.”

“I’m not running.” She crawls into bed next to him.

“Not used to being an indoor cat?” Marc teases. She’s going to have to get used to how quickly they switch now. 

“Something like that.” She brushes a stray curl away from their forehead. 

“Don’t worry. We won’t make you too domestic.” Marc pulls her to them by the waist. She rests her head on their chest. Their calloused hand threads through her hair and her body finally relaxes. Steven speaks up again.

“Thanks for paying off the damages.”

“Hm? I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.”

Steven laughs and presses a kiss to her forehead. 

“Donna left a nasty message about how just cause it’s paid doesn’t mean I can get my job back.”

Ash looks up at him. “I’m gonna get her. I’ll—”

“I know, dove. No need. I’m very content right here.”  

“What if you went back to school? Got a PhD?”

“I’ve thought about it before. Think I could do it?”

“I know you could. Put that big beautiful brain to work.”

“I got something else for you that’s big.” His face gets hot as soon as the words leave his mouth. She giggles. 

“Mmm. That so?”

Ash lifts her head and cups his face pulling him into a kiss. It doesn’t take long before the clothes are on the floor and Ash uses the ankle restraint to her advantage teasing them both until even Steven snaps as she rubs her folds over their tip for the eighth time without letting them fully inside. 

“Please!”

She gives in and lowers herself down. Her body hasn’t fully recovered from her time with Jake or she’d keep it up. Instead, she waits a moment feeling a slight ache before taking them in fully. She grips their shoulders and bounces on top of them.

“Slow down.” Marc hisses and grabs her hips. She doesn’t listen. They flip her over and she sees Steven smiling at her and stroking her hair.

“We’re not in a rush, yeah? So be good.”

“What if I wanna be bad?” Ash pouts. She’s not used to them calling the shots—especially not together. She tilts her hips up and they groan. Teeth graze her earlobe and her legs get pulled around their waist taking them in deeper. She sighs.

“Behave.” Marc’s back. 

She’s starting to get a better idea from how they kiss and what sounds they make who is fronting. They keep switching clearly becoming even more comfortable with one another. Their large hand stills her hips when she tries to move faster to chase her high. 

“With us, with us, honey.” Marc whispers against her throat. 

“S’close.” She bites her lip. It’s not even her fault this time. 

“I know, angel. We’ll get you there. Just a bit more.” Steven pleads before peppering kisses down the column of her neck to her collarbone. His fingers are still learning and tentatively circle her bundle of nerves. “Here, darling?”

“Y-Yes.” Ash closes her eyes. “A little faster.”

Steven obeys and she feels her stomach drop. It’s exactly what she wants. 

She grabs the ample flesh of their ass causing their hips to buck forward. She cries out feeling pleasure rocket through her body. Their thrusts fall out of rhythm and become sloppy. One last thrust and she feels their warmth flooding her. 

“Was that okay?” Steven asks, looking down at her.

“Great. You?” Her hand moves down their back.

“Bloody hell, yeah.” Steven laughs. 

“Marc?”

“Perfect, honey.”

“Do you think Layla will be upset we did this without her?”

“Not our fault she’s away. We’ll just have to make it up to her when she gets back.” 

She stays with them another moment before she feels that restlessness growing. 

“Okay.” She sighs. “Off, boys.”

“You mean we can’t stay inside you all night?” Marc arches an eyebrow.

“That a kink of yours?” She raises an eyebrow of her own.

“Let’s find out.” Marc kisses her fiercely. “Just stay like this until we’re hard again and then fuck you all night.” 

Ash bites back a whine at how delicious that sounds. Unfortunately, it’s not going to happen. 

“I have to pee, so no.”

They roll off of her and she gets up. Inside the bathroom, finally, alone, she lets out a slow breath.

“Can I use your shower?” She calls out.

“‘Course. Fresh towels in the cupboard.” Steven answers back.

“Thanks.”

She takes a deep breath. She isn’t used to being around people all the time.  Except for Jake, she’s spent these past three years on her own. It’s going to take some getting used to. She sighs letting the water hit her tired body. It feels good. Part of her wants to stay in here. She shakes her head.  She can’t.  She finishes her nighttime routine and comes back to bed. 

They’re  fiddling with a Rubik’s cube and wearing sweatpants. The cube is discarded on the shelf at the sight of her. Steven greets her with open arms and she can’t help but throw herself into them. His light is infectious. Ash smiles.

“You look like a painting.” Steven murmurs.

“What?” Ash nearly laughs. 

“Former Gift shop-ist at British Museum, yeah? Seen a lot of art. Compared to you? Michelangelo. da Vinci. Woulda lost their minds.” 

“Didn’t da Vinci and Michelangelo do like…religious paintings?” She scoffs, skeptical. 

“Why you think I call you ‘angel’?” Steven kisses her hair. “You’re heavenly.”

Her throat tightens and she doesn’t know what to say.

“Just gonna have to keep tellin’ ya until you believe me.” Steven strokes her back. 

She buries her face in their chest. She prays they don’t hear her sniffle or feel her tears.

“You okay?” Marc asks softly. 

“Mmm. Yeah. Indoor cat stuff.” She lifts her head up but keeps her eyes closed. She can’t look at them, especially not Marc. It’s too familiar. It really is like looking in the mirror sometimes. 

“I know.” Marc wipes the tear off her cheek. 

“Oh, dove, I didn’t mean to—it’s a good thing, I promise. Please, don’t be upset. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Steven frowns.

“You didn’t.” She finally opens her eyes. “I promise. You’re perfect. Both of you.”

She lifts her head and gives them a tender kiss. They’re both so beautiful. She pulls back. 

“We should sleep.” Marc nods, brushing a hand over her head. “Do you wanna stay?”

“Mhmm.” Ash breezes her mouth over the skin peeking out from their sweatshirt and inhales their smell. A thought pops into her head. “Steven?”

“Yes, angel?”

“Do you know who Shaggy is?”

“Er…”

“Singer from the 90’s.”

“Was he the one like ‘girl, you’re my angel, you’re my darlin’ angel’?” Steven sings awkwardly.

“Yes!” Ash lifts her head off their chest and points her finger.

“Yeah. Why?” Steven laughs.

“Marc doesn’t know that song.” Ash raises her eyebrows.

“Seriously?” Steven pulls a face.

“Okay, enough. We’re going to bed.” Marc huffs. 

“Now it’s in my head.” Steven pouts.

“Girl, you’re my friend when I’m in need.” Ash sings while Steven bobs his head back and forth.

“You two need to stop it.” Marc warns.

Ash rests her head back on their chest and smiles.

Steven and Marc wake up alone to their great disappointment. Maybe Ash wasn’t ready for a full sleepover yet. Before either of them can say anything, the door opens. Ash balances two coffee cups on top of each other and has a paper bag under her arm.

“Took me for-fucking-ever to get a beyond patty. Went to three stores.” She hands them the cup and the bag. 

“Thank you.” Steven smiles.

Ash slides in next to them. She sees the shock on Marc’s face.

“What? Cat got your tongue?” She giggles. 

“I’ll show you tongue.” Marc puts the cup on the nightstand and pinches her side. He caresses her jaw and kisses her. He licks his way into her mouth but then she sucks on his tongue before he can do anything else. His loud groan echoes through the flat.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Ash smirks. 

No, this isn’t so bad. It’s more than she’s ever had before.

[bruce-slutsteen]

THE EYE OF THE MOON - MASTERLIST

Title:  the eye of the moon

Fandom: Marvel/Moon Knight

Pairing: Moon Boys System x Layla x Desi!OFC

Summary: Ash Rajul serves the goddess Sekhmet as her avatar working to keep the most vulnerable safe. 3 years ago, she had a falling out with Khonshu’s former avatar, Arthur Harrow, and seeks to keep the world safe from his vengeance. Marc Spector doesn’t trust her, Steven Grant is enamored with her, and Layla El-Faouly is her former lover who wants her help. They better figure it out because somebody's gotta save the world.

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Canon-Typical Violence, Polyamory, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Canon Character Death and Resurrection. Individual warnings in each chapter.

Word Count: 34,833

prologue: but all i can taste is the blood in my mouth and the bitterness in goodbye

chapter one: she’s on the tip of my tongue she’s on the top of my thighs

chapter two: between my fingers, she leaves, then she lingers

chapter three: she was sweet like honey

chapter four: if she’s gonna go well then i’m goin’ with her

epilogue: she stings like she means it she’s mean and she’s mine

Status: Complete

AO3

Tagging: @ocappreciation @arrthurpendragon

[bruce-slutsteen]

prologue: but all i can taste is the blood in my mouth and the bitterness in goodbye

masterlist || next - chapter one

Rating: Explicit

Warnings:   Implied drugging and attempted murder, swearing

Note: My poly Moon Knight fic is finally here. Continuing my trend of inserting Desi characters into fandoms I enjoy, here is my latest creation. Why have a love triangle when everyone can be together? This will follow the plot of the miniseries. Please let me know what you think. The graphic is made by me.  All chapter titles are from Halsey's "honey".

Word Count: 366

3 years ago

Her throat burns and her heart is pounding. All she can think of is getting away from him. Someone she thought was her friend. She was so wrong.

She keeps her eyes on him as her hands crawl behind her. Everything is blurry and her movements are slow—much slower than they should be. He must’ve drugged her.

The gods are inside the pyramid and they must be distracted. She tries to yell but her voice dies in her throat. She hasn’t felt fear like this in a long time.

He kneels down like he’s approaching a wild animal.

“Listen to me, Ash.”

“Don’t call me that. Get away from me.”

“I know you’re scared.”

“No shit.”

“I thought we were friends.”

“That’s a fucked up idea of friendship then.”

He grabs for her. Her legs feel so heavy. What did he give her? He leans forward and she kicks her leg but the blow doesn’t land.

He frowns and pushes his grey hair out of his blue eyes. He looks at her as if she’s a friend.  Like he isn’t actively trying to kill her.

If she can just get to the pyramid, she might have a chance. None of them will believe her—but she’ll be safe there.

“Stop it. Don’t touch me.” 

“You have suffered, Aishwarya. You don’t have to be in pain anymore.”

She looks behind her. The pyramid seems so far away.

“That’s not your problem.”

“You deserve peace.”

“And you’re gonna give it to me, yeah?” 

She can do this. She can get away. She just needs one chance. So, she stops moving and lets him approach. He helps her to her feet and smiles.

“If you’d let me.”

“I don’t—”

“Sekhmet manipulates you and uses you. I want to set you free. I want to set the world free.” He smiles again. He actually believes this shit.

She places her hands on his upper arms and his smile grows. She kicks him in the ribs.

“And I’m gonna stop you.” She runs as fast as her legs can carry her. 

She calls on any reserve of strength she has left and makes it to the pyramid.

[bruce-slutsteen]

chapter three: she was sweet like honey

previously - chapter two || masterlist || next - chapter four

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: brief mentions of attempted murder, drinking alcohol, swearing, canon typical violence (punching, kicking, hair pulling), kissing, breast play and kissing, PIV sex, angst, vaginal fingering and oral sex (female receiving), brief mention of Judaism, Hinduism, vague allusions to abuse.

Note: Thank you to everyone reading this fic. Please let me know if you're enjoying it by leaving a comment.  I love feedback, so if you enjoy this, please let me know. All chapter titles are from Halsey's "honey". The songs Ash mentions are "Wasn't Me" and "Angel" by Shaggy, and “Anaconda” by Nicki Minaj. This chapter covers episode 3 of the show.

Word Count: 6,835

Ash finally gets up to check on Marc. There were all sorts of noises coming from his room, but since Khonshu didn’t come to get her, she ignored them. She regrets that now. Just because he isn’t in danger doesn’t mean he’s in a good place. Before going over there, she slips on a pair of jeans, a bra, and a tan sleeveless blouse. She knocks. There’s no answer at first. Then she hears something. A grunt. The door opens. Marc is in his boxer briefs.

“Oh.” Her eyes widen and she averts her gaze. “I’ll come back.”

“S’it’s fine.”  Marc slurs. He’s clearly drunk.

“It’s no big deal. I’ll—”

“C’mon.” Marc plants one hand on the doorframe and pulls her in with the other.  He’s strong even when he has been drinking. He gestures to one of the fuller bottles on the floor. “Drink?”

“No, thanks.” Ash bites her lip trying not to laugh. He’s being a good host at least.

“I’d tell you to sit down but…” He gestures to the tipped over chair.

“Right.” Ash nods. She looks around. He’s destroyed the room. That’s what the sounds were. She frowns, unsure of what’s going on in his head.

Marc stares at her for a moment. “Goddamn.”

“What?” Ash tilts her head. 

“Look at you.” He waves his finger over her. 

“I can’t.” She raises her eyebrows. 

“You jus’ walk around like this.” He shakes his head and doesn’t see the face she makes. She has no idea what he’s going on about.  “D’you and him, yeah?”

“What?”

“Did you and him ever…” He gestures to his messy bed.

“Who?”

“Harrow.”

“No! I don’t fuck everyone I meet!” Ash snaps.

“No, no, no. Didn’t mean it like that.” Marc shakes his head.

“Really? Then how did you mean it?” Her hands on her hips.

“You hate him. A lot.”

“So, what I fucked him and he broke my heart? Come the fuck on.”

“How you know him?”

“We worked together. On and off. Just work.”

“Before Ammit.”

“Yeah.”

“Why’d you stop?”

“Attempted murder tends to end a working relationship.”

Marc blinks at her.

“Why?”

“Um, well, if your partner drugs you and tries to choke you—”

“No. Why’d he do it?”

“Big Bird told him some shit. I guess he didn’t like it. Said the world was evil. Too evil for me.”

“Cause of your parents?”

“Someone looked me up.”

Marc shrugs.

“Yeah. Among other things.”

“Sorry. Shouldn’t have assumed you and him—”

“Right. Well, I don’t wanna give him another chance, so, I’ll let you sober up.” Ash picks the bottles off the floor. They’re mostly full. The nearly empty one is by the bed. She moves them to the window knowing he can’t reach them right now. Marc stumbles back on his heels and she grabs him by the biceps.

“Okay, let’s sit down, handsome.”  She guides him over to the bed.

He sinks, back first into the mattress.  He sits up and grabs her wrist tugging her onto the bed. She yelps out a laugh and looks at him.

“What—”

Marc places his head on her lap. Her breath catches in her throat.

“Careful, Spector.” She arches an eyebrow and ignores the heat rising  on the back of her neck. 

“Not my fault.” He mumbles. “It’s the legs.”

“My legs?”

“Mhmm. Good pillow.”

Ash laughs. She strokes his arm and he sighs. Her fingers card through his curls and he relaxes. He’s practically purring when he falls asleep.  All his sculpted features are smooth and free from worry and stress. He looks peaceful. He’s beautiful like this. She shakes her head. She doesn’t need to be thinking like that and closes her eyes for just a moment.

“Hey.” 

She blinks and sees Marc standing over her. His hand is on her shoulder. His eyes aren’t glassy now.

“Oh, hi.” She hopes she wasn’t asleep long and gets out of bed.

“So, did you get any leads?” He’s dressed now in jeans and a black t-shirt.

“Yeah. Ready to go, Shaggy?” She smirks.

“What does that make you? Scooby?” Marc furrows his brow.

“What if I meant Shaggy the singer?”

“Who?”

“Girl, you’re my angel. You’re my darling angel. Closer than my peeps you are to me?” She sings.

Marc shakes his head.

“Oh, what about ‘Honey came in and she caught me red-handed. Freakin’ with the—“ She stops. “Wait, is it freakin’ with the girl next door or creepin’?”

“I don’t know.” 

“C’mon. You don’t know that song? Not even the ‘But she caught me on the counter (it wasn’t me). Saw me on the sofa (it wasn’t me).” 

“This is a terrible song.”

“But it was a hit.”

Marc coughs covering a laugh.

“I saw that.”

“You didn’t see nothing.”

Ash smirks.

They need to find out where the dig site is. Marc lets her lead. She’s all honey using everything nature gave her.  And it works on the stupid ones. It gets them from dive bar to dive bar chasing down a man who helped fund Harrow’s dig.  He gets very angry very quickly. Marc can’t tell if it’s because he actually thought he had a shot or if he sees through her. He grabs her hair and drags her to her feet. 

“Okay, let’s calm down.” Marc puts his hands out. 

“This bitch thinks she bats an eyelash and I’ll just fold?” The guy spits. 

“Marc,” Steven whispers. “Don’t let him hurt her.”

Before Marc can tell him not to worry, she kicks him in the stomach. He flies back and her toe connects with his jaw. 

“Holy smokes.” Steven gasps.

“Who you calling a bitch, asshole?” 

He falls to the ground. Ash straddles him, grabs his phone, and wallet.  

“Ash.”

“Hold on.”

“Ash. Stand up.”

Ash turns her head and sees five men coming toward them.  She grabs the hair tie off her wrist and pulls her hair back into a ponytail.  Marc brings up his fists. 

“Ladies first.”

“Such a gentleman.”

Marc knows for certain now that Ash was holding back when they fought. Because when she wants to hurt someone, she does not hesitate. She takes out two of them by herself. They work together on the rest. She moves and he follows. She pushes one and he knocks them out. He ducks down and she kicks. Back and forth. Back and forth. They’re completely in sync.

Neither of them is sure how it happens. They make it back to his hotel room buzzing with adrenaline. He reaches for her or she reaches for him—it’s a blur that ends up with him fucking her against the wall. Jeans kicked off. Shirts tossed across the room. She unclips her bra with haste because he’s seconds away from ripping it.

Ash clutches at his shoulders as Marc thrusts harder. His pelvis grinds into her bundle of nerves over and over. The sparks are cascading up her spine. The friction is amazing. He’s holding her up but she’s moving with him as best she can.

“Fuck, don’t stop.” She pleads into his neck. 

She moans and kisses his throat. He tilts his head back and she licks his Adam’s apple collecting the sweat on her tongue.

“So good, honey. So good for me.” Marc sighs.  At this angle, she’s wonderfully tight. She whimpers at his praise. 

Their slick bodies rub together and the drag of her heavy breasts on his chest makes him twitch inside her.  His mouth latches onto her breast. Her hand spreads through his drenched inky curls holding him there. He nips and sucks the delicate flesh while he rocks his hips.  She gasps when he sucks hard enough to leave a bruise right between her breasts. His tongue soothes the skin making her shudder. 

His hips pump faster and hers move in tandem feeling the pressure building and building.

“I’m close—where—”

“Come inside me."

“You sure?”

“Uh-huh.”

He sucks on the top of her breast. “So fucking sexy, honey.”  

“Ahh—Marc—yes—yes—yes!” She clenches around him gasping as the wave of pleasure hits. 

His eyes squeeze shut and he lets go. 

“Oh! Ohh! Ash.” He groans and buries his face in her breasts.  “Fuck.”

Their heavy breathing steadies and he unwraps her legs from his waist. She wobbles a bit and he looks at her.

“Shut the fuck up.” She laughs.

“I wasn’t gonna say anything.” He puts his hands up and tries to keep a straight face. 

She giggles when he lifts her up and places her on the bed. He disappears to the bathroom and returns with a towel. He wipes down her center and thighs with a delicate touch. It surprises her. He presses a kiss on the inside of her knee before disappearing again. He settles in the bed next to her with a bottle of whiskey in hand. They stay quiet as the high fades. 

“Does it ever bother you? The violence?” He takes a pull from the bottle. He knows she likes a fight. But she didn’t seem to revel in it. She wasn’t seeking out people to hurt. She was mission-focused. He waits for her answer and tips the mouth of the bottle back.

“Violence… feels good. It shouldn’t but it does. Makes you feel powerful. Makes you forget anytime you weren’t. Any time you had to just take it until it was over.” 

Marc swallows hard. He can’t seem to find his voice, so he just lets her continue. Her eyes are glassy and wet with tears. He doesn’t ask who made her powerless. If she meant her father or the foster family she ran away from. He doesn’t need to know. The pained look in her eyes is enough. He knows that look. 

“We kill people who hurt people. They can never hurt anyone again. Not everyone is so lucky.” She blinks back the tears unwilling to let them fall, but they do. He wipes them away massaging her cheek with his thumb. She sighs and takes back the bottle. She drinks deeply. He runs a hand down her side. 

“Doesn’t  always feel like the right choice.”

“I don’t think we have the luxury of the ‘right’ choice.”

She settles down next to him. He stares at her for a moment. He doesn’t know what to say. He was hoping she’d have a different answer. Some absolution for his sins. 

She brushes an errant curl away from his forehead. He closes his eyes at her touch.

“Aren’t we a pair?” He sighs.

“Like looking in a mirror. It never lasts, does it?”

“Hm?”

“You try everything. Violence. Sex. Booze. Just to feel something different and it works for a little while. But nothing sticks.” She rests her chin on his chest, still holding the bottle. 

He opens his eyes and truly sees her for the first time. He thought she didn’t have a care in the world. She always seems at ease. 

“You’re better at hiding it than I am.” 

“Eh, I’m just not very broody.”

“I’m broody?”

“Mayor of Brood Town.”

Marc chuckles and shakes his head. They pass the bottle back and forth. Marc never takes his eyes off her. He sees the scar on her stomach. It’s old and faded. He has no idea how that must’ve felt especially as a child. How did she survive? How did she grow into this incredible, strong, resourceful, resilient person? Whatever she’s gone through it’s not holding her back even though it hurts. She pushes forward. No matter what. 

He shouldn’t be so drawn to her. It shouldn’t have happened so easily. He loves Layla. He truly loves her with all his heart.  If it wasn’t for Khonshu, he’d be with her right now.  He shouldn’t be so interested in someone else. Who does he think he is pursuing two women? This is wrong. It should feel wrong.  He lets out a heavy sigh. 

“I told myself we slept together that night ‘cause I wanted the information.” 

“Honeypot.”

“But that’s not true.” 

She raises her eyebrows for him to continue. She sits up letting the sheet fall off her chest. His eyes rove over her body before landing on her eyes. Those are his favorite feature. Fuck. Why is she so beautiful? His face contorts, pained 

“I can’t stop myself from wanting you.” He swallows hard. “Can’t stop thinking about you. Like some itch can’t stop scratching.” 

“Maybe you should go to the doctor.”  He doesn’t laugh.

Her hand reaches for the edge of the bed.  Despite everything inside screaming at her to leave and just go back to her room, she stares at him. Her muscles tense ready to spring but she stays. She looks at his big brown eyes, his angular jaw, and his strong nose like some marble statue. He must’ve been what ancient artists thought gods looked like.  She looks away.

Marc sees the debate going on inside her. Everything in her body language says she wants to run. He doesn’t want her to. 

“I know you slept with Steven,” he says flatly. He isn’t jealous. He understands completely. Someone innocent like Steven would absolutely crumble for this woman.  Ash turns her head back to him, assessing the situation.Is Marc judging her right now? He thought she slept with Harrow. He must think she fucks everyone.

 She arches an eyebrow.

“How do you know that?”

“He wanted me to be nicer to you. Wasn’t hard to figure out why.”

“I didn’t plan it. I wasn’t trying to—”

“Seduce him? No, he told me how many outs you gave him.” 

“Well, um, I didn’t think he’d be the type to kiss and tell.”

“He isn’t. He just…wanted me to know how nice you were.”

“Steven’s very sweet like that.” 

Marc nods. She looks at the door.

“Guess you want me gone then?"

“No.”

Her brow furrows not quite sure where this is going. 

“Then what? What do you want?” 

Marc crawls over to her. Her heart is hammering in her chest. He slips his pointer and middle fingers into his mouth before rubbing them over her folds. She gasps and tilts up her hips seeking more. His thumb finds her bundle of nerves drawing little circles over it. She opens her legs wider and he smiles. He sinks the two fingers inside her and she arches her back. 

“That’s what I want.”

He settles in  placing soft kisses on her inner thighs. She closes her eyes feeling his thick fingers drag in and out. His thumb moves again and she moans. She can feel the pressure building in her stomach and, oh, the stretch. Suddenly, he stops. She opens her eyes to see him licking his fingers. She gasps. He’s taking his time and savoring it. The heat spreads as her core aches. He grabs her thighs and throws her legs over his shoulders. He feasts on her. She can barely catch her breath. Her hand clutches his hair tugging at those raven curls. All she can do is hold on.

Marc can’t get enough of her. He’s slept with her twice and this is the first time he’s tasting her. It’s a crime.  She makes the most wonderful sounds. He leaves sloppy kisses on her inner thighs. He looks up and sees her chest heaving. He smiles and licks a stripe up through her folds. Her thighs tremble around his ears. His nose bumps that little bundle of nerves and she gasps. She starts rocking her hips against his face and he knows she’s close. A cold stream of air blows on her inner thigh and she looks down. He’s smirking. He curls two fingers inside and latches his mouth onto her. The combination is enough to send her spiraling. She moans his name as the sudden wave of pleasure spreads through her. He guides her through it until she can’t take it anymore and pushes him away. He smiles cleaning his fingers with his tongue. Before he can look too smug, she’s hauling him up on top of her.

“Get in me.” 

Ash lays back comfortably against the pillows while Marc figures out how he wants to do this. He’s hard as a rock from how she tasted and the noises she made. He wonders if he can test just how flexible she really is. 

“Lift up your legs, honey.”

She raises them. He moves his hands apart until she opens wide into a V. He plants a palm on the mattress and kneels forward. He guides himself inside her nearly folding her in half.

“Fuck.” They both gasp.

Marc’s mouth hangs open. He’s in so deep on the first try. His thrusts are slow but he’s hitting all the right spots

“Ohhh god.” The pressure is so good. She can feel his body drag over that little nub again and again. Her spine is already tingling. 

His eyes flit over to her face.  He grinds his hips and she slaps her hand down on the bed. He watches the way her breasts bounce with every push. He can see every inch of this gorgeous body. She whines and he doesn’t hide his smile. She’s gripping him so tight. He fucks her at a steady pace. The angle is too good and neither of them will last long. He’s holding back as best he can but with each thrust, he climbs higher. Every so often, his eyes meet hers and she feels exposed. His gaze isn’t harsh. It’s warm and that’s so much worse. He sees her. Her throat constricts with emotion.

“M-Marc…” Her lip trembles.

“Ash…” He nods.  He feels it too.

He hits that spot inside her that makes her see stars and she’s gone. Cast into oblivion. Soaring. It’s like she’s left her body. She’s floating. Weightless.  She doesn’t even feel him pull out and lower her feet back onto the mattress.  On his knees, he pushes back in hard, chasing his release finally spilling into her with one last jolt of his hips. They tangle together in a sweaty, boneless heap completely exhausted. 

Marc pants heavily gathering all his strength to get off of her. Ash scrambles and grabs his biceps. She doesn’t want him to move.  It’s one of the few times in her life she hasn’t felt suffocated in this position. She rarely lets any man on top of her. Right now, it feels nice. 

Marc relaxes hoping he isn’t crushing her, but if he was she would tell him. He lets himself have this. When all this is over and Steven has the body, at least he can keep this memory. The feeling of her supple, warm body. Her heartbeat steadies in his ears as he rests his head on her chest. His breath is on her neck as he softens inside her. 

“I want you, too.” Her voice is barely a whisper. 

Marc lifts his head to peer up at her. He’s never seen her look so unguarded. He touches her cheek and she sighs. A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. She tilts her head back when she looks away. He  kisses her neck moving down until he reaches her wrists. He presses the underside of her wrist to his mouth before pulling out. He rolls onto his back and sighs. 

Ash kisses his chest before standing up. Marc watches her walk to the bathroom. Her ass really is incredible. She shuts the door and looks in the small mirror. There are marks forming up and down her collarbone and sternum. Her hand moves over them and she giggles fondly remembering exactly how she got them. She closes her eyes and bites her lip. Then she shakes her head. What is she doing? What’s going on with her? This is exactly how she gets hurt. She finishes up in the bathroom and walks out with a towel.

She wipes Marc down with the same gentleness she did the first time. He hums appreciatively. He loves how her hands feel on his body. It’s a tender kind of touch he can’t help but lean into. She tosses the towel across the room and settles down next to him. Her fingers tap on his chest and move over the chain of his Magen David chain. 

“Are you Hindu?” He swallows.

“I used to be.” Ash shrugs. “I don’t really think about it anymore.”

He nods. It’s not like he’s been a regular attendant at temple. He never really talked about religion with Layla. 

“You wore me out again.” He arches an eyebrow. 

“Pussy put his ass to sleep now he’s calling me NyQuil.” Ash raps poorly.

“What?” A smile breaks out on Marc’s face.

“Your musical education is seriously lacking.” She smirks and kisses him. His fingers spread through her hair as he deepens the kiss. She moans and pulls back. 

“You’re so beautiful, honey.” He relaxes with his head on the pillows. 

“So are you.” She watches as his eyes close and he gives into sleep before he can comment. She touches his curls softly before getting up and gathering her clothes. 

Ash opens the door to her room and sees Sekhmet staring at her curiously.

“What?”

“You had fun.”

“Yep.”

“Why didn’t you stay?”

“I don’t stay, ever.”

“This may not be as complicated as you think, my kitten.”

“It’s not complicated. I have a job and I’m gonna do it. No more distractions.”

Marc hides his disappointment when Ash acts all business in front of their lead. He thought maybe something had changed, but he was wrong. He’s so disoriented from losing time and blacking out, he doesn’t keep track of where she is. All he knows is that he enters the pyramid without her. She has a habit of finding him. Maybe she’s waiting outside. He ignores Steven’s wonder and walks in, bracing himself for whatever is about to happen.  Before they can begin, Horus walks over with a cat. Marc has seen it before. Grey spots and glowing green eyes. He holds the cat by the scruff of its neck and it meows trying to wriggle away.

“Shift.” He tosses the cat into the air and watches as it lands in the shape of a woman. Marc tenses at the sight of her. It’s Ash. She presses her palms into the stone floor and stands up.

“I forgot the orange slices, sorry.”

“She’s an Avatar?!” Steven shouts incredulously. 

Marc can’t believe it. When she said they worked for the same people, he didn’t think it meant this. It makes much more sense now. Why she was always there? Why she was watching him? Why he couldn’t overpower her when they fought? He feels stupid that he didn’t figure it out. And he feels angry. Why didn’t Khonshu tell him? Why was he left in the dark? Why didn’t she just tell him? She could let him inside her body and still lie to him.

“You were not invited, Sekhmet.” Osiris snaps. 

Ash’s dark eyes glow white and her posture straightens rolling her shoulders back. Her head is held high.

“I wish to be witness to the trial of Arthur Harrow.” Her voice is authoritative and commanding in an even tone. 

“As long as you remember your place.” Osiris motions for her to join him. 

Marc has never seen her so obedient. There’s no trace of Ash in that body right now.  It’s this Sekhmet. He’ll have to ask Steven who that is. He doesn’t have long to think on it before Khonshu overtakes his own body. It feels so forceful and strange. He can’t get used to it. Being a literal mouthpiece. He can hear his voice but he doesn’t recognize it. His throat aches every time Khonshu speaks. 

Harrow enters the chamber. He regards Marc and Khonshu first but then those icy blue eyes find her. It makes her sick. Her heart hammers in her chest. She can’t help it. 

“Shh, my kitten. You are safe here.” Sekhmet whispers to her.

Marc pants trying to regain his senses after Khonshu bellows through his own vocal cords.  Tears stream down his face.

“He doesn’t have his stupid pimp cane,” Ash tells Sekhmet.

“Khonshu may be loud but he is not wrong. Curious that Harrow is without his cane today.” Sekhmet steps forward.

“What cane?” Hathor asks.

“Ammit’s cane. I have seen him use it.” Sekhmet looks at the other gods.

“I admit, fair goddess, that as I get older I do need help from time to time.” Harrow laughs.

“He lies.” Sekhmet snarls.

“Sekhmet is not a neutral party when it comes to Harrow,” Horus adds. “She still claims he tried to kill her Avatar outside this very pyramid.”

“He did!”

“Silence. Harrow, continue.” Osiris waves his hand. 

They listen as Harrow turns the accusation onto Marc and Khonshu. He’s so good. So convincing and of course, the gods buy every word. The trial is a farce. No evidence is presented. Even the human court is more thorough despite the crooked system. Harrow is set free. He gives one last look at Ash before leaving. Now, he knows where she is. The thought makes her sick.

The gods disappear and Ash bolts to Marc’s side. He looks so distraught and weak.  Dried blood on his face. Sweat trickling from his hairline.  She helps him to his feet. 

“You okay?” She touches his face and he can’t help but lean into it. 

He stumbles and she steadies his shoulders. He reaches for her waist. Her name is on his tongue. Yatzil, Hathor’s Avatar, clears her throat. Marc pulls back from Ash immediately.

“Ash. Marc. We need to speak.”

They follow her and listen as she tells them Senfu and a clue to Ammit’s tomb. She hopes they can stop Harrow before it’s too late. Yatzil bows her head and walks off.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were an Avatar?” Marc’s brown eyes are full of rage and hurt.

This is exactly what she feared would happen. Marc is so untrusting and guarded. He looks for any excuse to push someone away. Now he has one. She hates the way he’s looking at her. 

“Sekhmet and Khonshu didn’t want him to know until it was necessary. I have to obey Sekhmet.” She reaches for him and he steps back.

Marc turns his head. He can’t look at those dark eyes right now. 

“The gods. They don’t like her. Why?”

Ash swallows hard ignoring the growing pit of dread in her stomach. She was so close. He trusted her and now it’s all for nothing.

“Khonshu helped her when she lost her way.  She’s loyal to him and looks out for him and his Avatars and the gods don’t like that. They’d rather she shamed him like the rest.” Ash explains. 

Marc cards a hand through his hair. He’s questioning everything. Did she sleep with him to keep him close? Did she mean anything she said? 

“We need to find that—”

“No. No, we. You lied.”

Ash inhales sharply and tries her best to push down the ever-growing irritation in her stomach. She doesn’t have time for this. They don’t have time for this. He can’t reject her if she does it first. She shoves her hands back into her jean pockets. Fine. Let him be angry. It shouldn’t matter to her. It doesn’t. This isn’t about them.

“Tough shit.”

Marc gapes at her.  Her eyes glitter with anger.

“Like it or not,  Khonshu and Sekhmet are the only gods who are gonna help with Ammit. Until we stop Harrow, get used to my face.” 

“I don’t—” 

“Let me be clear. I don’t care what you think about me, Marc. I don’t care that I hurt your feelings.” She backs him into the wall. He can’t reject her if she rejects him first.   “No more extracurriculars. Just the job.”  

Marc nods. He’s never seen her like that before. Her words sting but she’s not wrong. They have work to do. Ash turns on her heel.

“Don’t let her go, Marc, please!” Steven begs. 

Ash stops almost like she heard him. She doesn’t look back but her voice cracks.

“Tell Steven, I’m sorry. I really do like him.”

“Marc, please. Please stop her. Please!”

Marc doesn’t say a thing as she walks away. It’s better this way. For him and Steven. 

Ash goes to a market in Cairo. She’s so focused on just putting distance between her and Marc that she doesn’t realize she’s knocked someone over until they’re on the ground.

“Shit, sorry.” Ash sighs and bends down to help. It’s Layla. “Oh, hi.”

“Hi. Help me up?” Layla offers her hand and Ash pulls her to her feet.

“You shouldn’t be here.” Ash arches an eyebrow.

“Oh, fuck ‘em.” Layla rolls her eyes. “What’s got you so distracted?”

“Met up with the other gods. They don’t think Harrow’s a threat. Got a lead. A tomb on the black market.” Ash nudges her with her shoulder.

“Black market? If only you knew someone who dealt with antiquities.” Layla smiles.

“Senfu, ring any bells?” Ash smiles back.

“A few. C’mon, let’s go find Marc.” Layla tugs her elbow. 

Ash licks her lips and shakes her head. “I think it’s best you go alone.”

“Why?”

“Marc’s not happy with me right now.”

“But you just said the other gods won’t help stop Ammit. He should be overjoyed there’s another Avatar.”

“He’s mad I kept it from him.”

“Marc’s a hypocrite. He loves his secrets.” Layla scoffs.

Ash winces. She’s one of those secrets. She’s slept with married people before and never cared. She didn’t know them. She didn’t stick around long enough to find out how she affected things. This is different. This sucks. This is exactly why she keeps her distance. The guilt is so overwhelming she just blurts it out.

“I slept with Marc!”

Layla stumbles back, stunned. 

“When?” 

“Last night. And like a month ago.”

Ash’s heart pounds in her chest as she sees the betrayal paint Layla’s beautiful features. She clears her throat and lifts her head.

“Marc left me. I suppose he can do what he wants.” She bristles. 

Ash braces herself for a hit. What the fuck was she thinking? She wasn’t and that’s the problem. She never should’ve done this.

Layla looks down at her feet. She knows what it’s like to work with a beautiful superhero. How intoxicating they are and how every win makes it feel like you’re on top of the world. And how that high leads to other activities.  It’s happened so many times with Marc and with Ash, years ago. It hurts knowing her estranged husband slept with someone else. But she knows how they felt last night. It wasn’t like he’s been carrying on an affair for years. 

Ash hates this silence. It’s eating her up.

“I slept with Steven too but, um, I don’t really feel bad ‘cause you just met him.” Ash wants to slap a hand over her own mouth. She needs to shut up.

“Did Marc tell you about me before you slept together?”

“No. But I knew about you and the separation.”

“How?”

“I was looking out for Marc and Steven before you entered the picture. Just keeping them safe. Sekhmet feels like she owes it to Khonshu.”

“Oh.”

“Then you two got together and I extended the protection policy.”

As much as she pretends not to, Ash cares. She wouldn’t have told her if she didn’t. She helped her rescue Steven. She took a knife for her. This isn’t a homewrecker. All she has is the life of an Avatar. She has no connection to anyone else.

“Marc is stubborn. Extremely so. Doesn’t always see what’s right in front of him.”

Ash just nods. She has a feeling she’s not getting smacked. She isn’t sure why though. 

“But I do.” Layla leans forward and presses a soft kiss on her lips. Ash stumbles back before it can go any further.

“Don’t.” She shakes her head. “Look I’m sorry about Marc but I don’t wanna be some weird revenge. You go find him and figure out this Senfu shit.”

Ash moves away and Layla takes her wrist. She tugs her back.

“Hey if I kiss you it’s because of you and me. Not me and Marc.  I was with you first after all. Got it?” Layla’s beautiful eyes sparkle with her signature fire. It’s incredibly sexy.

Ash nods and lets Layla kiss her again. It’s tender and sweet at first but gets a little more intense. She forgot what amazing lips Layla has. Her tongue slides into her mouth and Ash moans.

“What are we doing?” Ash laughs, resting her forehead against Layla’s.

“I don’t know.” Layla smiles. She caresses the side of her face. “Meet up with us later. I don’t care what Marc thinks.”

“I don’t want a mess.” Ash winces. “I don’t do that.”

“I know. It’ll be okay. Trust me.” Layla breezes her lips over Ash’s knuckles.

“I trust you.” Ash nods. She really shouldn’t be doing this.  No matter how much she likes any of them. This isn’t going to end well. She knows that. Nothing ever lasts.  But she lets Layla hug her before they part. She hopes she doesn’t regret this.

Ash moves around Cairo and finds out the address of a collector, Mogart. She just needs Sekhmet to tell her when Marc, Layla, and Khonshu are there. She can get there almost instantly. She just needs to keep a low profile until then. She moves through the hallways of the hotel.

“Aishwarya.”

Her head snaps in the direction of the voice that makes her insides turn cold.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

His people flood the hallway blocking her exits. This is gonna get bloody.

“Really? With your track record?” She scoffs and raises her fists.

“I was wrong.” His voice is calm.

“What?” That’s not something she’d ever heard him say for the entire time they worked together.

“I was lost without Ammit. She’s shown me the way.” He breezes forward.  “Removing you from this world was not my call to make. It’s hers.”

Ash resists the temptation to roll her eyes. He really drank the Kool-Aid here.

“That is so embarrassing. I’m embarrassed for you.”

“Always using humor to deflect.” Harrow chuckles. He lifts up his cane. “Let her show you.”

Ash swallows hard at the sight of it. She sees his people move in closer too. She’s not getting out of this. Tears sting her eyes.

“Your cane is gonna kill me. My scales won’t balance.”

“We won’t know until we try. Come. Let me show you the power of our goddess. If you see with your own eyes, you will trust her judgment.” Harrow curls his arm around her waist and leads her down the hall.

Ash grits her teeth. She wants to punch him but she won’t get very far. She doesn’t know how many followers he has or where they all are. She has to behave and get to a more open location.  The woman that took Steven from his apartment handcuffs her.

“Precaution.” Harrow sighs. “We know how talented you are. I’m glad to see you are well. I’ve thought about you often. Hoping that my mistake was not permanent.”

“Nope. Still here.” A muscle in her jaw tics.

Harrow leads her to an SUV and pushes her inside before he and another man join her. They sit on either side caging her in. The driver’s side door opens and one of the followers takes the wheel. The remaining crowd scatters at the snap of his fingers. It makes Ash’s stomach churn.

Meanwhile, Layla found Marc and a boat. Layla tries her best to connect with her estranged husband but another wall is up. She looks out at the water and then back at him.

“I know about Ash.”

“What?” Marc feels his heart drop to his stomach.

“She told me.”

“How do you know her?”

“We worked a couple of cases together. The one with the bejeweled scarabs. Five years ago.”

“Your fling? That was Ash?”

“ Yeah. She was funny and gorgeous and so helpful and badass. You know the same reasons you like her.”

“I don’t like her.”

“Marc.”

“She’s a liar.”

“And you’re the poster boy for healthy communication? Tell me if Khonshu told you to keep a secret would you have to obey?”

“Yes.”

“And did you specifically ask her if she was an Avatar?”

“No.”

“Then I don’t see how she lied.”

Marc huffs. “

“She took a knife for me.”

“When?” 

“Steven was being interrogated by Harrow we had to get in the building. I didn’t see him in time and  she pushed me out of the way. And that’s just the one I know about. She’s not a bad person.”

“Steven says she helped us in the Alps.” 

“I don’t know many liars that endanger themselves like that. Do you?”

Marc grumbles  and looks down at his hands. 

In the SUV, Ash turns her body towards one of the men in an all-black suit.

“Can I ask a question?”

No answer, so she continues. 

“Why do you all follow the white guy obsessed with Egypt? That’s like not a red flag? I mean if a white guy showed up in India like ‘I got the real deal on Ganesh’ they would kick that colonizer out so fast. No? Is this a bad time to talk about this?”

She tilts her head as he stiffens. She wonders if she hit a nerve.

“She’s trying to distract you. Don’t let her rile you up.” Harrow soothes. It’s creepy how quickly they relax at the sound of his voice.

“Or maybe I’m just really annoying.” Ash smirks.

Harrow turns his body to her completely and she freezes. 

“Tell me, Aishwarya. Does Marc Spector know of your dalliance with his wife?” 

“They didn’t even know each other.” Ash clears her throat and doesn’t meet his eyes. 

“You were in Cairo for a week when you returned. A longer fling for you.” 

“Are you calling me a slut?” 

“I would never use such a derogatory term.” 

“Feminist gold star.” 

“Still quick-witted.” 

They reach the secluded house and walk around the vast property. 

“Isn’t it gonna be weird if this dude sees me in cuffs?” Ash looks at both of the guards.

“Relax and it’ll look like you’re just holding your arms behind your back.” Harrow waltzes past her and turns to the guards.  “She stays with you.”

Harrow approaches Mogart with the scarab. Layla’s eyes flicker over to Marc. 

“He has Ash.” She whispers.

Marc looks over at her with the two men in black. Her arms are behind her. They must have her cuffed. 

Ash sees the guards are more focused on what Harrow is doing than her. She shakes her head until her dangly earring falls out. She bends down and grabs it with her cuffed hands. She fiddles with the lock until she hears it click. She sees the purple glow from his cane and summons her suit. She knees one guard in the solar plexus and kicks the other in the shin. She runs as fast as she can away from them. Marc doesn’t need her help this time. 

The valet is nowhere to be found. She grabs a pair of keys and clicks the button. They belong to a Jeep. She can handle a Jeep. She hops in and waits. Harrow and his limping guards appear. They approach the valet. 

“Praise Ammit.” He reveals his wrist tattoo. 

“Thank you, brave one.” Harrow smiles.

They get into a car and Ash follows them back out to the desert. She knows how to tail someone well enough that they don’t notice. She waits and listens to them discuss Marc and Layla on their walkie-talkies. They’ve found them. Ash swaps out her truck for one of theirs (the idiot left the keys on the drop down visor like it’s amateur hour) and drives out with them. They don’t suspect a thing.

The sky dials back in a magnificent, unnatural way that must be Khonshu’s doing.

“Oh no.” Ash heard the warning the other gods’ gave him. They won’t stand for this. 

“Khonshu’s gone,” Sekhmet whispers. 

“W-What?” Ash can’t believe it. That fast?

“They’ve bound him in stone.”

“In the pyramid? Should—we should go release him, yeah?”

“No. We must get to the tomb.”

“But—but Marc and Steven they’ll have no protection. Harrow could—”

“We don’t have time, kitten. Go to them now.”

“I see her.” The walkie-talkie on the dashboard lights up.

Ash cranks the key in the ignition and follows the truck across the dune. Her heart hammers in her chest. It’s all or nothing. 

[bruce-slutsteen]

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**All my fics are listed on AO3 including fandoms not listed here such as Barry (HBO) and Veep. **

DEFENDING JACOB

Log kya kahenge (Andy Barber/Desi!OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: On the worst night of his life, Andy Barber meets Dr. Rashana Rao. A year later they meet again and he asks her out. The odds are against them with her parents' wish for an arranged marriage and his own feelings about his past. (Oneshot) [C] ❤️‍🔥 AO3 || TUMBLR

GIFTED

Don’t Let Me Down (Frank Adler/OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: Mary befriends a literature professor at the university who catches Frank's eye, Samantha Harris. She teases him and Frank falls hard when he least expects it. (Oneshot) [C] ❤️‍🔥 AO3 || TUMBLR

GHOSTBUSTERS

All My Pictures of You (Egon Spengler/OFC) - TEEN

Summary: After the destruction of Gozer, Callie Spengler decides to read her parents' journals to understand their doomed romance in their own words. (Oneshot) [C] AO3 || TUMBLR

MARVEL

AVENGERS

but it's golden, like daylight (Steve Rogers/OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: After protecting her from the Mandarin’s men, Steve Rogers becomes friends with benefits with Tony's little sister, Nicolette Stark. What was supposed to be a little fun becomes much more than what they originally bargained for. Post 2012 The Avengers through Endgame. (Multi-chapter)+ ❤️‍🔥 🩸 AO3 || TUMBLR

MOON KNIGHT

the eye of the moon (Moon Boys System x Layla x Desi!OFC)

Summary: Ash Rajul serves the goddess Sekhmet as her avatar working to keep the most vulnerable safe. 3 years ago, she had a falling out with Khonshu’s former avatar, Arthur Harrow, and seeks to keep the world safe from his vengeance. Marc Spector doesn’t trust her, Steven Grant is enamored with her, and Layla El-Faouly is her former lover who wants her help. They better figure it out because somebody’s gotta save the world.(Multi-chapter) [C] ❤️‍🔥 🩸 ❤️‍🩹 AO3 || TUMBLR

MULTI-FANDOM PROMPTS

FALL 2022 PROMPTS

STAR WARS

Gold Eyes (Din Djarin/OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: Din’s ongoing rivalry with his least favorite bounty hunter becomes something else once the kid enters the picture.(Oneshot) [C] ❤️‍🔥 AO3 || TUMBLR

STRIPES

Rebel Rebel (Russell Ziskey/OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: Before he enlists, Russell Ziskey has an amazing one-night stand and wakes up alone. To his surprise, 18 months later, she interviews him and John about their rescue and doesn't seem to remember him at all. (Oneshot) [C] ❤️‍🔥 AO3 || TUMBLR

SUCCESSION

Can’t Make You Happier Now (Kendall Roy/Desi!OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: Nearly twenty years ago, Kendall Roy made Nisha Asuri a promise to rule the world with her. The son of a media mogul and the sister of two tech wunderkinds. The most formidable power couple New York has ever seen. That was the deal. So, she did her part. Built her reputation as a ruthless corporate lawyer. Had his children. Stayed with him through the highest highs and lowest lows. She deserves to win not realizing that nothing goes as planned when your partner is Kendall Roy. (Multi-chapter) [C] ❤️‍🔥  ❤️‍🩹 AO3 || TUMBLR

TED LASSO

under the mistletoe  (Ted Lasso/OFC) - MATURE

Summary: Ted develops a crush on one of Rebecca's famous friends, so Rebecca invites her to a Christmas party. (Oneshot) [C] AO3 || TUMBLR

mirrorball  (Ted Lasso/Desi!OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: Ted develops a budding friendship with a single mom who happens to be a popular romance author, Priyala Kumari.  Her eldest barely knows who he is while her youngest is a Richmond super fan and the most aggressive player on Phoebe's team.  Priyala knows even less than he does about football, loves tea (chai), and has the sweetest laugh he's ever heard. She likes Ted just as much but wants to support him as his friend. Until they get matched on bantr. (Multi-chapter) [C] ❤️‍🔥 AO3 || TUMBLR

[bruce-slutsteen]

chapter four: if she’s gonna go well then i’m goin’ with her

previously - chapter three || masterlist || next - chapter five

Rating: Explicit

Warnings:  swearing, a brief discussion of F/F sex, canon-typical violence (fighting mummies, Harrow shooting main characters, punching), major character deaths and resurrections, very brief and implied child abuse, racism, F/F sex, breast play and kissing, oral sex female receiving, vaginal fingering, oral sex male receiving, group sex (M/F/M/F), dirty talk, PIV sex, discussion of pegging

Note: Thank you to everyone who is reading this. The next chapter will be the epilogue. Please let me know what you think.This chapter follows episodes 4-6. All chapter titles from Halsey's "honey."

Word Count: 7,422

Layla tosses the lit flare into the bed of the truck igniting the bullets in a hail of sparks. Another truck comes zooming towards her and slams on the brakes spinning with the passenger’s side door open. She doesn’t have anything left to fight it.

“Get in.” It’s Ash. 

“We’re saved. Knick of time.” Steven breathes.

Layla gets in the front seat with her navigation system.

“Khonshu—”

“I know.”

“And Harrow, he—”

“I’m all up to speed, babe.”

Ash drives them out of the desert and onto the road surrounded by caverns. It’s beautiful if she actually had time to look.

“How do you two know each other?” Steven pokes his head up from the backseat.

“We used to work together.” Layla looks down at the tablet. “Keep going straight then make a right.”

“Oh. So like a little kick-arse ladies reunion?” Steven smiles.

“You don’t wanna tell him?” Ash gives Layla a look. 

“Tell me what?” Seven looks between the two beautiful women.

“Okay, now I’m offended,” Ash smirks and turns her eyes back to the road. “We fucked. Twice.”

“Four times, actually.” Layla corrects her. “Remember—”

“The hotel room and the bathroom.”

“And the office and the restaurant bathroom.”

“Oh yeah. Those last two were quick.”

“Had to be.” 

Steven’s mind is flooded with images of these gorgeous women all over each other. This is not the right time to be thinking about this. He thinks Layla is lovely and Ash is magnificent. He thought it was a problem liking two women, but now…maybe once Marc is gone.

Ash rolls her shoulders and cracks her neck. Layla touches her shoulder.

“You’ve been driving all night. Let me.”

They pull over. The women swap and Steven gets in the front seat. Ash lies in the back and looks out the rear window.

“No one’s following us yet.” She allows herself to close her eyes for a few moments. She’s been up longer than this before but she knows Layla will let her know if she needs her.

The truck comes to a stop and they get out on foot. She pulls the hair tie off her wrist and puts her hair into a ponytail. Steven keeps looking back at her like he wants to say something, but doesn’t. 

“Look at you.” She smiles sidling up to him.

“Hm?” He smiles back looking at her with complete awe. It makes her stomach flutter.

“You’ve gone all Indiana Jones.” She nudges him and he laughs. 

“Not quite, love. You two are the fighters.” He jerks his chin at Layla up ahead of them. 

“But you figured this out, yeah?” 

“It wasn’t hard.”

“Steven, take the compliment.” She rests her hand on his shoulder for a moment. 

“Thank you.” He chews his bottom lip. “I like you, too, by the way.”

She just smiles at the random confession.

“In the pyramid, you said you really like me.”

“I do.”

“Don’t think 'cause Marc is cross with you that I’m upset. We’re good.”

“I appreciate that.” 

“I think you’re marvelous and Marc is being a right knob.” He stops walking. “So yeah, I really like you too.” 

Before Ash can answer, Layla whistles for them. They catch up quickly. The dig site has camels, trucks, equipment, and tarps, but no people.

“Something happened. Something not Harrow.” Ash furrows her brow. 

She straps on the belay and rappel equipment.

“Seeing as I’m the only one with healing powers I’m gonna go down first.”

“Be careful.” Steven frowns.

“Of course.” Ash winks.

“We’ll be right behind you.” Layla nods.

Ash jumps down and suspends above the ground. Everything inside her tells her it’s not safe and to leave but her job requires ignoring that instinct. She looks around. It’s dark and she doesn’t really know what to look for. She unhooks herself and turns on a flashlight. So far, nothing has tried to kill her. She keeps moving until she reaches a mirrored room with many doors. She walks back the way she came and sees Marc and Layla approaching. Their energy is sweet but awkward making her wonder what happened while she was gone.

They walk back and immediately Layla and Steven fall into a rhythm like they’re on a trivia game show. They would definitely win. She follows them into a room that reminds her of a morgue. The fresh blood and gore on the slab are definitely new. Steven doesn’t want to follow the trail of blood and bones. Ash nods and summons her khopesh. Steven crawls on the level above to look for a different exit. 

“I know you’re gonna say it’s Hollywood of me but I think we have a mummy situation.”

“What?” Layla stares at her. 

“You said these priests guard the pharaoh and we’re full-on tomb raiding.”

Before Layla can answer, they hear gunshots and Steven tells them to hide.  Layla ducks behind the slab and Ash moves to the side next to her. Her fingers grip the handle of her sword ready to swing.

As she guessed a mummy guts one of the men from the dig. Layla looks at her and she mouths “mummy”.  Layla throws one of the jars and bolts. Steven pushes artifacts down on it.  The creepy clicking echoes and the remaining five priest mummies in front of her come alive. 

“Go find the ushabti.” Ash gets to her feet.

“Ash—“

“I got this. I’ll find you.”

They move fast and swarm her. She lobs off the heads of two of them. They dissolve into sand. One grabs her waist and the another gets her legs. The last one moves the body off the slab. It falls to the ground with a sickening thud. 

Before they can throw her on it, she elbows the one holding her in the stomach. It stumbles back and drops her. She falls on her back with the one on her legs. She kicks her feet and launches that one in the air.  She reaches her arm out and tilts her blade so it lands on it before it hits the ground. She’s hauled up from under her arms. She spins and slices them in half with the curved end of her blade. The final mummy by the slab roars and she roars back. She hops up on the slab and drives the end of the blade into its jaw knocking it clean off.  

“Fucking mummies.”

She takes a moment to catch her breath going out the exit Steven found. She continues into the tomb. It’s eerie to step inside a place no one has been in thousands of years.  She doesn’t stay alone for long because she hears Harrow talking to his followers. 

“This way. It will lead us to our goddess.”

Ash sprints and goes further into the tomb. She finds Layla arguing with Marc. It looks pretty emotional and she hates to interrupt but:

“We gotta fucking move! We got company!”

“Ash, get Layla out.”

“But—”

“Go!”

They don’t make it very far before Harrow and his people reach Marc. 

“He doesn’t have a suit. I can’t leave him.” She presses her lips to the back of Layla’s hand before running. 

Harrow takes the gun from one of his men as Marc hacks them down with an axe. Ash launches her body in front of his. The bullet pierces her stomach. The force propels her into the foot of the sarcophagus. She grunts feeling the wind knocked out of her. She can’t get up in time. Harrow fires one shot into Marc. 

“Marc!” Ash screams.

Marc stumbles but doesn’t fall completely, so Harrow fires again. She hears his body hit the water with a splash. 

With great effort, Ash rushes to him.  The tears blur her vision at the sight of his still body. It looks so wrong. Her heart aches. Marc. Steven. They’re all gone. She was supposed to protect them and she failed. Her shoulders slump forward as she sobs. Harrow’s followers haul Marc out of the water.

“Don’t fucking touch him.” She spits.

A hand tucks under her arm and pulls her up. It’s Harrow. He wipes the tears off her face. 

“Tears? For Marc Spector? Or are they for Steven Grant?”

She looks away. He hums and tips his head to the side.

“Both. I wonder does his wife know?”

She staggers and swings a fist at Harrow. It connects with his cheek.

“Fuck you.”

“Take her. She comes with us.” Harrow rubs his face while his followers take hold of Ash.

Ash tries to fight but she’s too weak from the blood loss. He got her good and not enough time has passed for her to heal. Harrow cups her cheek. Ash swallows down the bile in her throat. He hasn’t moved his hand. His brow furrows with concern.

“You didn’t have to do that. You didn’t have to kill them.”

His hand touches the back of her head and strokes her hair.

“My friend, I hate to see you in such pain.”

He holds her close and guides her out of the tomb. The sunlight barely reaches her eyes before she passes out. 

The roof of her mouth is dry when she wakes up. Her body aches in a way that it hasn’t in ten years. The wound on her stomach hasn’t healed. Her eyes snap open and she feels the heavy metal around her wrists. She’s tied down on a stone slab.

“Sekhmet?” Her voice is barely a whisper.

Nothing. She can’t sense the feline goddess. 

“She is not with you.”

Ash turns her head to the new voice. The crocodile goddess stands next to Harrow. The worst possible outcome has happened. Her stomach churns.

“Where is she?”

Ammit places her hand on Ash’s forehead.

“Mmm. So much pain for one so young.“

“If Ammit had been freed, your mother will still be alive. You would have never met your foster father.” Harrow frowns.

“Shut up.” She doesn’t talk about this. She never talks about this.

“A supposedly godly man.” He spits, disgusted. 

“Shut up! Stop!” She’s begging him. She might actually be sick. 

“Don’t blame yourself. You were a child.” He shakes his head.

“Shut the fuck up!” The hot tears stream down her face as her body shakes. She doesn’t want to think about him.  

“Even our government didn’t protect you.”

“Stop it!” She screams fighting against her bonds. Her mind is bombarded with images she never wanted to see again. Her entire body trembles engulfed in panic. 

Ammit lets go of her.

“Her scales balance.”

“Our goddess sees the good in you.” Harrow smiles broadly. 

“You are a good fighter. Find peace with me.” Ammit tells her.

Ash turns her head despite the awkward angle. She’s still tied to this makeshift altar. 

“Join us, Aishwarya. Help others to never suffer how you did.” Harrow nods.

“Look, I’m fucked up, but I’m not that fucked up. I’m never joining you.” Ash glares at both of them.

“Then I am truly sorry.” Harrow sighs.

“What a shame.” Ammit looks at Harrow who steps forward.  

He points his cane at Ash and a purple light blasts towards her. She screams. Every nerve in her body is lit. She’s never felt pain like this. She can’t fight back. She can’t even think. It grows until she can’t even scream. Her last breath is pulled from her in a gasp and she collapses on the stone, eyes wide. Harrow doesn’t even spare her a glance before walking out of the pyramid. 

Ash comes to on the wooden planks of a ship. It doesn’t stop as she gets to her feet. She expects pain but it doesn’t come. She wears a long blue dress that reaches her ankles. She looks around. Instead of water, it’s all sand.

“Sekhmet?” She calls out but doesn’t hear her. That voice hasn’t been silent in ten years.

“Stay on the ship.”

She turns her head to the unfamiliar voice and sees the giant head of a jackal on the body of a man.

“Anubis.”

“Do not fear.”

“What is this?”

“You are in the Duat.”

“The underworld?”

“Yes.”

“So, I’m dead?”

“Yes. Before your time, I am sorry to say.”

“When was I supposed to die?”

“Not at this age.”

“Okay. What does that mean?”

A large palm settles on her chest and pulls out a white heart. Her heart. It almost looks like it’s made of ceramic. Anubis places it on the scales and it balances. He hums, approvingly. Anubis pushes the doors open and she sees a castle in front of her. She almost laughs at the sight of it.

“Your mind cannot comprehend the Duat, so it has chosen a familiar vessel.”

“I see.”

“As gratitude for your service, I offer you a choice. Your entire life is on this ship. Move through it and at the end, decide. You have until we reach the Field of Reeds.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Decide between returning to your body, to life, to Sekhmet. Or find peace in the Field of Reeds.”

“I want to go back. I have to stop Harrow and Ammit.”

Anubis shakes his head. 

“Ammit has been subdued.”

“Who stopped her?”

“Layla El-Faouly as an Avatar to the Goddess Tawaret. Marc Spector and Steven Grant as Avatars to the God Khonshu.”

“They’re alive?”

“Your mission is complete. You can choose peace.”

“W-What if there’s stuff in there I don’t want to see?”

“Keep moving forward until the end and tell me what you decide.” Anubis drifts away.

Ash takes a deep breath and enters the castle. 

“Where is she?” Marc’s voice gets louder as he glares at the moon god. “Where is Ash?” He hadn’t answered him in the desert. Now, Ammit and Harrow were bound as one and they would make sure they would be put in a place where they couldn’t harm anyone ever again. 

Khonshu sighs and beckons them with a wave of his hand. They move into the chamber where all the gods met two days before. In the corner, Khonshu points.

“There was nothing that could be done.” 

Marc and Layla rush over to the stone altar to see Ash’s lifeless body. It freezes them on the spot. 

“No no no no.” Layla sobs, clapping her hands over her mouth. 

The tears fall freely as Marc approaches. Her dark eyes are wide open as if the life was just snatched from her. The metal on her wrists crumbles in his grip. With great care, he swoops her up. He staggers back only to fall to his knees.  He bows his head, sobbing, and lets Steven take the body. 

His fingers close her eyelids delicately. Now, she could almost be sleeping. 

“Oh, angel.” His voice cracks as he pulls her closer. “I’m so sorry we weren’t here.”

“It’s—it’s not our fault. I don’t understand—I saw Harrow take her, alive.” Layla stumbles over to him and places a hand on Ash’s cheek.  “Tawaret!” 

The goddess appears instantly.

“Ohh, dear.” Tawaret frowns.

“How did this happen?” Layla blinks furiously through tears.

“Ammit. She did her scales and they balanced. She wanted Ash to join her and she wouldn’t.”

“So she killed her? How? She has Sekhmet!”

“The altar. Harrow must’ve separated them.”

“She was so scared Harrow was going to kill her. And she was right.”

“And she was alone.” Steven sighs as the tears slide down his face. “She didn’t deserve this.”

“Where is she now?” Layla squeezes Steven’s shoulder before looking at Tawaret.

“Anubis is handling her journey. He’s giving her a choice. To come back or stay in the Field of Reeds.” 

“Can we see her?” Steven finally looks at the goddess. “Maybe we can convince her to come home.”

“That’s a highly unusual request.”

“She died fighting Ammit and her scales balanced. Make an exception.” Layla stands up.

“Please, Tawaret.” Steven sets Ash’s body down at the goddess’ feet.

Tawaret exhales slowly and offers her hands. Layla takes one and Steven takes the other. 

In the blink of an eye, they’re back on the ship. Steven and Marc have separate bodies again. Layla looks between them but doesn’t ask.

“All right. These,” Tawaret holds up three golden bangles,” signify that you’re visitors. It’ll keep you safe. There is a time limit. You have an hour to find her and talk.”

“Sorry.” Steven frowns. “Find her where?”

“She’s in her memories just like you were. I imagine it’s not a psych ward though.” Tawaret explains and slaps the bangles on each of their wrists. “The bangles will return to you to me. Good luck.”

Layla strides forward to the doors and Marc and Steven follow.

“Hang on. If we’re going through her life, that’s invading her privacy.” Steven’s brows knit together.

“We don’t really have a choice. We have to find her.” Marc squeezes his shoulder.

“If she’s not in the memory, then we just leave. It’s not like we’re spying.” Layla nods. 

They see a stone castle in front of them.

“Definitely better than a psych ward.” Marc mumbles.

They enter the castle. It’s three levels. Marc feels unsettled. He doesn’t like being here.  They all go in the same room.

“Let’s start here.” Layla crosses over to a small door and crawls in. Once inside, she can straighten up. He sees a small girl sitting at a desk with a pretty brown woman in her thirties. They have the same nose.

“And what is this?” She speaks in a crisp English accent and holds up a flashcard.

“Cat!” Ash, at age three, jumps up and down.

“En français.” Her mother corrects.

“Un chat!” Ash beams at her.

“Yes, my darling girl.” She places a kiss on her forehead.

A loud bang sounds in another room and her mother straightens up.

“Closet, love. Now.” Her mother tells her.

Ash bolts to the closet and hides. They can hear a man yelling but he doesn’t enter the room.

“I don’t think she’s here,” Layla tells them and they keep walking.

The next room is a hospital room with a bed. Ash looks older now, about ten, and looks at the woman in a suit speaking to her.

“I’m so sorry, sweetie.”

“N-No. We were gonna leave. She was gonna take me to England.” Tears swim in her brown eyes.

“We can’t seem to get in contact with any of her family. We’re going to temporarily place you in a home until we can find you a family.”

Ash bursts into tears and buries her face in her small hands. Marc frowns and gestures to the door. They leave and enter another room. A tall blonde woman stands with a tall dark-haired man. Two young boys stand behind them. 

“Welcome to our family, Ashley.” The woman smiles.

“But—that’s not my name.” Ash frowns.

“Don’t worry you’ll still have your...colorful name. We’re just gonna call you ‘Ashley’. It’s easier.” The woman nods. 

“Okay.” Ash falls in step behind them to the car. The man turns and kneels down to her height. His hand dips into his pocket and pulls out a small, red lollipop.

“For being a good sport.”

She takes it and puts it in her jean pocket. He puts a finger to his mouth.

“Our little secret.” He winks.

She nods. 

Layla, Marc, and Steven meet in the hallway. 

“I think we should split up. Try different rooms. Just in and out.” Layla suggests.

“Good idea.” Marc agrees.

“Yeah, sure. Is it just me or was that whole family a bunch of wankers?” Steven asks.

“They definitely suck.” Layla chuckles. “See you in a few.”

They each enter a different room. Marc finds a teenage Ash throwing glass bottles at a chainlink fence. Police car lights flash and she bolts. He steps out and goes into another room. 

It’s a bedroom. It’s her bedroom. She sits on the purple duvet cover with her knees pulled to her chest. She must be fifteen or sixteen. Her foster father sits on the edge of the bed. She keeps her eyes on her feet. 

“I’ll be in my study working on next week’s sermon.” He tells her as he smooths out his hair. She doesn’t answer. He gets to his feet and finishes buttoning his shirt. 

“Remember…” He looks down at her. 

“Our little secret.” Her voice is monotone. 

“Exactly.” He chuckles and kisses the top of her head. “Our little secret.”

Marc watches, shaking with silent anger. His hand clenches into a fist.

“M-Marc?”

Marc whips his head around to see Steven next to him. Tears roll down Steven’s face. 

“We—We need to get out of here.” Marc puts his hand on Steven’s shoulder guiding him out to the hallway. 

Steven throws his arms around him and sobs. Marc rubs his back. He knows now why she ran away. Steven wipes his eyes and pulls back.

“Can we go in the next one together? Then we can split up?”

“Yeah.” Marc gives him a small smile and squeezes his shoulder. 

They walk up the stairs. At first, the hallway has no doors. Marc looks at Steven, about to say something when intricate oak doors form on the walls. Steven grabs the first knob and Marc follows him inside.  Ash looks like she’s in her mid-twenties. She’s running along rooftops while bullets are fired at her. She ducks behind a wall and trips the gunman with her foot. She spins and kicks him in the stomach.

“Whoa.” Steven’s eyes grow wide.

“You don’t know the half of it.” Marc shakes his head.

“You done playing around?” A blond man with a Southern accent asks her.

She rolls her eyes and follows him. They walk down the street and move into another building. 

“He’s gonna meet us here?” Ash asks.

“Yep.” Her partner nods. 

Before she can sit down, two men grab her under her arms. She struggles against them.

“What the fuck, Branson?”

“Nothin’ personal, girlie. They agreed to the ceasefire with a little cash and, well, you.”

She screams and they place a black sack over her head. The memory goes dark and when she comes to, she’s bleeding next to a statue of Sekhmet in a bedroom. Marc and Steven look at one another.

“Are you still with me, kitten?” Sekhmet asks.

“I’m dying and I’m hallucinating my last minutes on Earth. For fuck’s sake.” Ash coughs up blood.

“You are not hallucinating. I am the goddess Sekhmet.”

“Sure.” Ash lets her head fall back onto the floor. “You’re a cat statue.”

“I have an offer for you. I can let you die or you can work with me and strangle the men downstairs with their own innards.”

“Jesus, that’s specific.” Ash laughs, almost delirious. 

“Aishwarya. Ash. You are strong. Good of heart. With a healthy sense of vengeance. Be my Avatar. Let us rid the world of scum. Make it a safe place for women, children, and the most vulnerable.” 

“Why the fuck not? I accept.” Ash sighs and closes her eyes. Her spine arches off the floor like a bow as the bruises heal and her blood dries. The armor snaps over her body and the mask appears. She looks exactly like she did the first time Marc saw her fight. She’s stunning.  Steven lets out a slow whistle interrupting Marc’s thoughts.

“Wow.”

“Right?” Marc scratches the back of his neck.

“See, she was being reasonable. Not a manipulative git.” Steven sighs. 

“I guess Sekhmet doesn’t have Khonshu’s baggage.” Marc cards a hand through his hair.

They walk back out to the hallway. Steven points at one door and Marc points at another. They separate.

In another room, Layla watches a memory she knows well. She and Ash running through the streets until the men tailing them got confused. Ash pulls her into an alleyway. They’re pressed up against each other. Ash standing only a few inches taller than her. Their eyes met and then their mouths. The first kiss. Layla cups her face, greedy for more, as their tongues slide together. They break apart, giggling. Layla walks out of the room with a smile. They both have a fondness for that memory. She needs to reach her so it doesn’t stay just a memory.

Steven recognizes his former place of employment immediately. He spots himself sitting with Ash looking at a Sekhmet statue. He feels like a right tosser listening to himself give her facts on a goddess she knows quite well. He’s yammering on while she listens. She pushes her glasses up her nose and laughs. She reaches forward and brushes his upper arm. He stills, eyes wide. She tilts her head and smiles. He couldn’t see it then, but the fondness in her eyes makes warmth bloom in his chest. She looked at him like that before they went into the tomb. Steven inhales a shaky breath. He has to find her. He has to. 

Marc furrows his brow at the sight of his childhood street. Why is this in her memory? 

“I don’t know about this.”

His head snaps to Ash’s voice. She has a Cubs cap on with her ponytail fed through the opening in the back. He knows it’s a disguise but Marc feels a little triumph that it’s not a Sox hat.

“You’ve kept watch before, no?” Khonshu looms in front of her. 

A muscle in her jaw tics as she glares up at him. 

“This is fucking different and you know it, Big Bird.” She snaps. Marc has never talked to Khonshu like that. “This is fucking private. I shouldn’t be here.”

Marc watches a memory he has already seen today. Outside his childhood home, drunk and unable to cope, he’s on the ground. Khonshu’s hand stretches out and points.

“Look!” He bellows.

Ash lifts her head and the tears stream down her face.  She’s crying for him? 

“He can’t handle this. The idiot is about to have control and he won’t know where he is!” Khonshu barks at her. 

“That’s not fair.” Ash sniffs. 

“You said you would help them.” Khonshu reminds her. 

“Khonshu, she understands.” Sekhmet says finally. 

Marc blinks, surprised at the sight of the feline goddess. She looks very annoyed with Khonshu and hisses. 

“Do not speak to her like she is ignorant.”

“Just get them back to London.” Khonshu huffs. “Please.” 

Ash nods and wipes at her eyes. She pulls large sunglasses out of her purse and jogs up the street. Steven looks around, lost. She moves in front of him so he bumps into her.

“Oh! I’m so sorry. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Of course, Steven is too flustered to look at her properly.

“It is okay.” She speaks with an Indian accent. 

His eyes dart back to his phone. “Sorry. I ran into someone. What? Oh. Good idea. Do you know how I can get to the airport?”

“You can take a taxi. Tell them to take you to O’Hare.”

“O’Hare?”

“Mmm. Go up the corner. Taxis gather there.”

“Oh, thank you.” Steven nods and rushes along. 

“Happy now, Big Bird?” Ash spits once Steven is out of earshot. Khonshu doesn’t reappear. 

Marc frowns. He had her all wrong. She really has been looking out for them. 

Layla opens the last door on the second floor. Ash is in a kitchen chopping vegetables. Latin rock is playing with a strong guitar riff. A man with broad shoulders and a black flat cap puts his hands on her hips. He tries to pull her back into his chest. Layla can’t get a look at his face.

“No, I’m cooking.” She warns.

He whispers something in her ear and she sighs. She relaxes and he rocks her back and forth in time with the music. He chuckles and places his cap on her head. She snorts. Layla makes her way out of the room and to the final floor. 

She sees Steven and Marc standing there. Suddenly, one door appears on the floor. Steven inhales a shaky breath.

“Should we?”

“Yeah.” Marc nods.

Layla opens the door. It’s a beautiful tropical garden. A heavy waterfall can be heard in the distance. It doesn’t seem like a memory. It seems way too real. The sounds. The smells. How vibrant the plants are.  They follow a river. Marc spots her first. She sits on a rock in the middle of the water. 

“Ash!” Marc calls out.

She turns her head. He picks up speed and runs into the river.

“Marc?” She stares, confused. He offers his hand and she takes it. He pulls her off the rock and into a tight hug.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“You are? I thought you were still mad at me.” She relaxes in his arms.

“Mad at you? You got shot for us.” He takes her face in his hands.

“Yeah…well don’t make a big deal out of it.” She rolls her eyes, playfully. She’s not used to Marc being so open.

“I thought he killed you, honey.” He rests his forehead on hers. 

“That makes two of us.” She lets out a shaky breath as he rubs her cheekbones with his thumbs. “Marc—”

“Angel!” Steven splashes loudly through the water. Marc steps back as Steven takes her hands in his.

“Wait, what the fuck?” She looks between the two of them. 

“We’re separate in the Duat.” Steven explains. 

“It takes a minute to get used to.” Layla offers a small smile.

“Layla! But Anubis said you—-you’re not dead. Why are you all here?”  She offers Layla one of her other hands.

“Tawaret told us about the deal.”  Layla squeezes her hand. “We came here for you.”

Ash inhales a sharp breath and lets go of their hands. She rubs her palms on her blue dress. 

“I don’t—I don’t want to complicate things.”

“You’re not. We all care about you.” Marc tells her.

“All of you?” She raises her eyebrows at him.

“Yes. I care about you, Ash. I’m sorry. I should’ve trusted you.”

Ash swallows hard feeling her heart thumping in her chest.

“I understand why you didn’t.”

“You’re always looking out for us. We wanna do the same. We want more time with you. I want more time with you.”

“I don’t… She licks her lips, trying to think. “I don’t want to owe anyone. A-And I don’t wanna be owned.”

“It wouldn’t be like that.” Layla steps closer to her. “We would share each other. Not possession. Your life is your own. This is your choice. We just want you to know we want to be with you and take care of you. But if you want to come back and have nothing to do with us, that is your choice. It is your life.” 

“W-What if we fuck up?”

“Oh, we will. It’ll be a huge fucking mess. But it’ll be our mess. We’ll fix it then fuck up then fix it again. Can’t be any harder than serving a bunch of gods, right?” Marc smiles at her with such warmness it makes her heart skip.

“Yeah.” She laughs, letting the tears slip down her face. 

“We want you to come back, angel. But not for us. For you. Ammit and Harrow never should’ve done this to you. You deserve to have a full life. But if you wanna go to paradise, we won’t stop you.” Steven wipes the tears off her face. She kisses his palm and steps back, taking them all in. Marc’s right. It wouldn’t be easy. She’s not a relationship person let alone being in something with three other people. Three people who went into the afterlife to find her. Three people that are looking at her with such care and devotion. Three people who just want her to have a good life even if they’re not in it.

“O-Okay. I’ll come back.” Ash nods. “I’ll come back.”

Steven cheers and lifts her up. She laughs.

“I really need to kiss you.” 

“Sure.”

Steven catches her mouth with his and dips her. Marc and Layla share a look.

“Buddy, maybe let her breathe.”

“Sorry.” He sets her back on her feet. “Didn’t think I’d get to do that again.”

“It was very sweet. I liked it.” Ash smiles at him.

The bangles on their wrists glow and they’re transported back to the middle of the ship. It stills. 

“Have you made your decision?” Tawaret asks.

“Yes. I’d like to go back.” Ash looks up at her.

“Splendid.”

Ash turns her head back to Anubis who stands by her scales. He nods. 

The world spins and Ash wakes up on the ground of the pyramid. She gasps. Marc rushes to her and helps her to her feet. 

“You okay?”

“Y-Yeah.” She looks around. “Sekhmet?”

“Yes, kitten?”

“Whoa, giant lioness.” Steven jumps. 

“Hello, Steven Grant. Marc Spector. Layla El-Faouly. My Ash.”

“I’m so happy to see you again.” Ash smiles at her.

“As am I, kitten.” The feline goddess purrs. 

“Hang on. You two care about each other?” Steven looks between them.

“I love her as if she is my cub.”

“Interesting. I know a silly old bird who calls us idiot and worms.”

“Yeah, speaking of, free us, Khonshu. Ammit and Harrow are bound. Ash is back and safe. We held up our end.”

“As you wish.” The moon god murmurs.

Everything goes blinding white.

They gather around the kitchen table while Ash continues to serve the takeout they ordered. She hands Layla a glass of wine and raises her own.

“Here’s to you all saving the world.”

Their glasses clink together.

“You too, love.” Steven smiles before taking a sip. “Oh, this is nice.”

“I skipped the last part though.” Ash chuckles, slightly uncomfortable.

Marc frowns, dark eyes filling with sympathy. The fight would have ended sooner if she was there and that’s exactly why Harrow took her out of the equation.

“Through no fault of yours.” Layla places a hand on Ash’s shoulder.

“Thank you.” Ash leans over and hugs her. “And thank you for finding me.”Steven wedges his way into the hug even though Marc tells him maybe it’s their moment.

“All of you,” Ash adds when she feels Steven on the other side of her. 

They hold each other for another moment before breaking apart. Silence settles awkwardly while everyone drinks their wine and eats their food.

“So, how come you didn’t tell us you had an apartment in Cairo?” Marc asks between bites.

“We kinda had a cult following us.” Ash raises her eyebrows. She looks around her small place. “I know it’s not a lot but the bed is comfortable and it’s safe.”

“I appreciate it.” Layla beams at her. “It’s fun. Like a sleepover.”

Ash laughs. She didn’t have many of those growing up but she’s happy to have one with them. Maybe things could be different. Maybe they could work out.

After dinner, they help her with the dishes before they all practically collapse in the bed. Even though they started spread out, they’re all snuggled up together by the middle of the night. Marc and Steven have their arm draped over Ash’s stomach while she rests her head on Layla’s shoulder. It’s the best sleep any of them have gotten in months. 

A soft whimper echoes through the apartment. Steven blinks as he tries to wake. He sees the source next to him. 

“M-Marc.” He whispers. 

“Hm?” Marc mumbles. 

Steven turns their head at the sound of another whimper. Ash has her face between Layla’s legs while two fingers drive in and out. Layla moans louder. 

“Oh my god.”

“I know.” 

“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Ash smiles 

Layla gasps as her entire body shudders. 

“Ohhh, pretty girl that’s it. Her mouth kisses the other woman’s breast. “Give me another one.” 

As her mouth seals over her sensitive bud and her fingers curl, Layla barrels into one of the best and strongest orgasms of her life. She can’t even speak. Ash works her through it before leaning over and kissing her. She removes her fingers gently and tastes them. She hums, content. 

Ash pulls back slotting her hips perfectly over Layla’s pressing open kisses down her throat and chest. She rubs her pelvis over Layla’s and moans at the contact. Layla reaches forward and cups Ash’s breasts. The rhythm grows steadier. Greedy hands pull Ash down to meet Layla’s mouth and their tongues swirl together. That familiar pull begins in Ash’s stomach and she picks up the pace as Layla plays with her breasts. She throws her head back and a warm mouth licks the valley of her breasts. She cries out and Layla is quick to follow. Ash rolls off and Layla wraps her arms around her back. They burst into a fit of giggles.

“What a lovely way to wake up.” Layla leans over and kisses her.

“Mhmm.” Ash deepens the kiss. 

Layla is the first to open her eyes and see Marc and Steven staring. She clears her throat and nods. Ash turns her head and cracks a smile. 

“Hi, boys.” Her eyes flit to the sizable strain in their boxers. “We should help you with that. Right, babe?”

Layla looks over Ash’s shoulder and hums. Ash crawls towards them. She gives them a soft kiss.

“Lay back.” She smiles.

Marc lays their head on the pillows. Layla crawls over to them.

“Can I?” She arches an eyebrow with her hands over their black underwear.

“Please.” Steven whines.

“You want Layla to suck you off, pretty boy?” Ash asks, on the other side of them.

“Y-Yes.” Steven bucks their hips at the idea.

Layla tugs down their boxer briefs and grins. The moment she swallows their painfully hard length Ash kisses their neck. Steven lets out an unintelligible moan.

“F-Fuck, baby.” Marc grits out. 

Layla bobs her head up and down and Ash takes it as her cue to drag her teeth from their earlobe down to their shoulder. Her tongue follows the same path moments later while her hand strokes their chest and the other scratches their scalp. The combined sensations are unbelievable. Marc lets out a high-pitched noise Ash hasn’t heard before then growls both of their names. Layla’s wet mouth. Ash’s smooth hands. Layla sucks harder at the same time Ash leaves a love bite right above their collarbone. It’s way too much.

“Oh—oh! Shit, gonna—oh—” Steven’s words are all strangled before they come. “Shit, sorry.” He mumbles as Layla swallows everything. 

“Don’t be sorry, Steven.” Layla gives them a reassuring kiss on their lips.

“We like having that effect on you.” Ash twists her fingers through their black curls. 

“I don’t think there’s a universe where we last long with these two.” Marc sighs relaxing into Ash’s touch. Now that he doesn’t have to feel guilty about it, everything she does feels a thousand times better. 

He shares a look with Layla. She gets up on her knees and places her hands on Ash’s shoulders. She takes the hint and lays down on the mattress. Marc kisses her sternum as Layla moves down her legs. Ash inhales sharply when she feels Layla’s tongue lick her folds. Marc leaves sloppy kisses up and down her chest. Ash arches her back when she feels Layla push in two fingers. Marc watches her hips chase the rhythm of his wife’s fingers. 

“You like having my wife’s mouth on you while we mark up your neck, honey?” Marc whispers before sucking on her neck. 

“Fuck.” Ash bites her lip feeling that pull in her abdomen already. “Yes.”

“Doesn’t she taste good, baby?” Marc cups Ash’s breast roughly.

“Mhmm.” Layla moans and the vibrations shoot up Ash’s spine. 

“Oh, oh, Layla. Please. Don’t stop.” Ash pants. 

Layla seals her lips over Ash’s bundle of nerves and curls her fingers. She’s returning the favor from earlier. Ash throws her head back in a silent cry as her body shudders. 

It feels like moments later when they’re scrambling all over each other. 

“Wait!” Steven pipes up as two women hang off their arms. “How are we doing this?” 

“Hmm.” Ash ponders. “I fuck Layla while you both fuck me from behind?”

Steven whimpers at the suggestion. Layla takes Ash’s place by the pillows and they share a kiss. Their tongues swirl together as she tugs those tight curls. 

Ash kneels kissing the inside of Layla’s thigh.

“You ready for me again?”  She smiles.

“Oh yeah.” Layla winks. 

Ash dives right in devouring her with her mouth and fingers.  Marc takes their spot behind her. He rubs their length through her glistening folds. 

“You want this, honey?”

“Yes.”

Marc doesn’t need telling twice. Steven silently asks him to take the lead because it’s all too overwhelming. He lines them up and pushes inside. He groans loudly at the feeling of bottoming out inside her. All he has to do is tilt their head and he can see Ash between Layla’s legs. Layla’s beautiful face is in bliss. She’s making all sorts of whimpers and whines. Just like this morning but now every time he thrusts it nudges Ash’s mouth against her further. His hand slips in rubbing Ash with a calloused thumb. She moans.

“C’mon, Steven. I know she showed you how to make her come.” 

“How’d you—”

“Cause a beautiful woman like this…” Marc pulls out all the way only to slam back in. “…knows exactly what she needs to get off.”

Steven moans at the sight of them all connected. He went from never having sex before to having his first group sex session in about a week. It’s marvelous. He follows what Marc said and strokes Ash just like she told him. She gasps so he keeps going. Layla comes first shattering against the pillows. Ash is soon to follow from the drag of them inside her and how Steven is touching her. 

“Fuck, honey, fuck.” She’s fluttering all around them. “Where?”

“Inside.” Ash cries out. 

His hold on her is tighter as his hips begin to stutter. She clenches and they’re gone over the edge. It’s even stronger than the first orgasm and Marc and Steven feel dizzy when it’s over. 

Marc carefully slips out of her and they tangle up in a heap catching their breath for a while. Ash goes into her bathroom and comes out with two washcloths. She cleans them off first and then Layla. She moves over for Ash who tosses the washcloths into the hamper. She strokes Ash’s arm as she lies down. Marc and Steven try to catch their breath. They don’t really pay attention to the women’s conversation until:

“We should use the strap next time.”

“Oooh, I like that.”

“Wait what? So we watch again with our dick in our hands?”

“No, you could fuck the one who has the strap.”

“Oh.” 

“Or?”

“Hm?”

“One of us could fuck you.”

“Like…pegging?”

“Yeah.”

“That sounds interesting,” Steven says way too casually.

“What?”

“The nerve endings are all there, Marc. It’s supposed to be really good.”

Ash and Layla share a smile. Ash turns over and kisses them softly.

“You’ll come so hard and I won’t even have to touch you.” She winks at the boys’ open-mouthed stare.

Things settle into a comfortable silence as Ash feels her lovers on either side of her. They aren’t crowding her. Just all cozy on the mattress like last night. Ash finds her head in Layla’s lap and lets her stroke her hair. Marc and Steven are tracing light circles and swirls on her arm. She lets herself give in and relish how nice it feels. 

“How long have you been with Sekhmet?” Layla asks, sweeping her fingers across her brow.

“Ten years,” Ash replies.

“Isn’t it lonely?” Steven asks.

“Sometimes.  But I have Sekhmet.” Ash looks up into those worried brown eyes.

“And you have us. If you want.” Marc’s voice is soft not wanting to scare her off. 

Ash swallows hard. She’s spent so many months with him wary of her waiting for her to betray him. And now? She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. The fingers still in her hair and on her arm. She opens them and takes in her lovers gazing at her.

“Why don’t we start with breakfast?”

Marc's warm laughter echoes through the flat. 

“Breakfast sounds great.”

[bruce-slutsteen]

chapter two: between my fingers, she leaves, then she lingers

previously - chapter one || masterlist || next - chapter three

Rating: Explicit

Warnings:  brief mention of attempted murder, swearing, kissing, talk of masturbation, oral sex (male receiving), protected PIV sex, vaginal fingering, canon typical violence (punching, hitting with a cricket bat, stabbing, fighting an evil jackal, murder), self-loathing, drinking.

Note: Thank you to everyone who has left comments. I love feedback, so if you enjoy this, please let me know. This chapter covers episodes 1 and 2 of the show. All chapter titles are from Halsey's "honey".

Word Count: 6,200

Despite having the location of the scarab, neither Marc nor Ash gets to it before Harrow. Marc has a lead on a small village in the Alps to recover it, but he needs supplies first. He moves through the storage unit double checking the mental list in his head.

“It might be easier if you let her help.” Khonshu echoes in his skull.

“I don’t wanna see her if I don’t have to.” Marc’s eyes flicker over to the flip phone she gave him. He feels so guilty. Three weeks later and he hasn’t stopped thinking about her. He even reached out to an old research contact for more information on her but hasn’t opened the file. Of course, it’s in the bag he needs. His hand ghosts over the file. He sighs, giving in and grabbing it. Maybe he’ll read it on the plane.

“We don’t have time for your romantic squabbles. You sent the divorce papers and it’s over. This is the fate of the world.” Khonshu snaps. 

“And I’m gonna handle it. Alone.” Marc rolls his shoulders back. 

In the air, he keeps the file in his lap and finally opens it. Aishwarya Rajul is not her given name. It has her listed as Aishwarya Manne. Born to Neel Manne and Disha Rajul on August 3, 1987. Same age as Marc and a year older than Layla.  Her father had a long rap sheet filled with domestic violence. He killed her mother, stabbed Ash, and then killed himself.  Ash was unconscious when the police found her. She was only ten years old.  After that, she bounced from foster home to foster home until she was adopted by a community leader and Evangelical pastor, Henry Preston  and his wife. Despite her great grades, she constantly got into fights at school and even ran away when she was fourteen She made it to New York when they brought her back. After that, she filled her rap sheet with minor theft, breaking and entering, and underage drinking. She got to Recruited by the CIA after hacking into one of their databases at age seventeen. Aptitude for languages and multiple fighting styles. There are no details on her missions but she definitely didn’t ride a desk. Spain. Italy. Istanbul. Berlin. Moscow. Mumbai.  London. Paris. Morocco. Johannesburg. Consistent missions for seven years. Her final mission was in Egypt. Ten years ago. She never returned and was considered killed in action. But she isn’t dead. She’s very much alive. Marc inhales sharply. He doesn’t know if the new information makes him feel better or worse.

Ash keeps her distance but she watches him run through the Alps and get the scarab. Then poor Steven gets involved. She almost intervenes when Harrow confronts him but he gets away in a cupcake van. She watches from her spot with her sniper rifle. She squints and shoots one of the chains holding back the logs on a truck. It comes crashing down allowing Steven to get out of harm’s way.  Marc takes over the body and drives away.  She leaves the village with both Marc and Harrow completely unaware of her involvement. Marc makes it back to London and Steven believes it’s all a dream. 

“Thank you.” Khonshu looks at Ash as she sits on top of the roof of Steven’s flat with Sekhmet.

“You’re welcome.” She sighs. She wants to go back to her flat and sleep. 

Sekhmet is as tall as Khonshu with the head of a lioness  with green glowing eyes. They narrow into slits as she takes in the moon god. 

“Why must we keep things so hidden? He can shove his dick inside her but he can’t—-”

“I had nothing to do with that.”

Sekhmet growls knowing that’s not entirely true. 

“Marc has enough to deal with. No need to complicate things yet. I’ll see you both soon. Harrow won’t take the loss lightly.” Khonshu warns before disappearing into the night. 

“I don’t trust him.” Ash sighs.

“I know and you have every right, my kitten.” Sekhmet places her large hand on Ash’s shoulder. 

“You know what he told Harrow. That’s the only way he could’ve known.” Ash sighs. “This is basically all his fault. If he could be good to his Avatars, Harrow wouldn’t have found out about Ammit.”

“Khonshu has a complex relationship with his Avatars. Something I am glad to say, we do not understand. But Khonshu was the only one to help me in my time of need so that I could help you. Do you understand, dearest?”

She knows how close they are which is why she can communicate with Khonshu—a rare gift among Avatars. If Sekhmet wants Marc to see her, he could but for now, she follows Khonshu’s wishes. After ten years, Ash trusts her judgment. She owes the feline goddess her life.

“Yes…I understand.” Ash sighs. However, Khonshu and Sekhmet won’t face Marc’s wrath.  She will. He already doesn’t trust her.  It was so much easier the old way. Before Harrow knew about the scarab, she would simply watch and lend an invisible helping hand. Then Khonshu felt it was necessary for her to make herself known but in his timing. Control freak. 

Marc walks out of the museum. His side aches every time he breathes. He just needs to get back to the flat. He sees a white sedan flick its lights on before driving slowly over to him. The window rolls down.

“Really punched your way out, huh?”  It’s Ash. 

“Are you always following me?” He really doesn’t want to see her right now.

“No, not always.” She stops the car next to him in the middle of the road. “C’mon, tough guy.”

“I’m fine.” He winces and clutches his side.

“It’s no fun walking with a bruised rib. Big Bird’s healing is gonna take a bit. Lemme help you get home.” She frowns. 

Marc’s eyes widen. She knows about Khonshu?

“How—how do you know about—-”

“We. Work. For. The same. People.” She claps after every pause. The door to the sedan opens. 

Marc bows his head and gets in the car. He sighs. 

“Do you know where to go?” He asks, putting on the seat belt.

“I don’t have it like memorized if that’s what you mean.” She snorts.

“Turn left here.” Marc keeps his eyes on his hands.

“You okay?” She asks when they reach a stoplight.

“What?” He looks at her. Her makeup is simple tonight and she has on a brown leather jacket. She looks good, but that’s kind of her thing. She always looks good. 

“Are you okay? I know Harrow was in there. I’m sure he didn’t make it easy. Trying to bait you like that. Using Steven.” Her brow pinches. She looks a little upset.

“You know about Steven?” He folds his arms across his chest. Steven would’ve mentioned her on those voicemails he has to delete if she had any real presence in his life. 

“He’s very sweet. Don’t worry. He doesn’t know what I do. He thinks I’m an academic.” Her tone is gentle. 

“Using those CIA skills?” He arches an eyebrow.

“Always.” She winks. 

He wants to laugh. He wants to trust her. But people like her don’t just fall from the sky offering to help. There has to be a catch. 

“So, are you okay?” She asks again. No one asks him that anymore. Not since Layla. 

Marc’s throat feels tight, so he just nods. He reaches forward and brushes her hair away from her eyes. She inhales a shaky breath looking into those piercing eyes. He leans over but before he can do anything, someone honks. The light is green, so she hits the gas. 

He keeps his gaze away from her. He smells her perfume making him think of their night together. Her sounds. Her touch.  She repeats her question and he mumbles directions at her.

She helps him from the elevator to the door while he keeps his eyes on his feet. He knows it’s immature. But he’s not too sure of himself when she’s around.  To her credit, she doesn’t make things awkward or make him talk. He gets ready for bed while she waits by the aquarium. Ash doesn’t want to press him. She watches the fish. Marc slips the ankle restraint in place and sighs. He hopes this doesn’t come back to bite him.

“I have the scarab.” He admits, not looking her in the eye.

“Wow.” Ash turns around and folds her arms across her chest. “Did you want a gold star?”

“I…” He sighs. She isn’t going to make it easy for him. “I think we should work together.”

Ash holds back her smile and just nods. “Still have the phone?”

“Yeah. I’ll call you.” He clears his throat.

“Cool.” She straightens up, ready to walk out. She reaches the door when she hears him gasp. She doubles back. 

“Hey, are you—”

“Where the hell—” His eyes dart around the room and settle on her. “Dr. Devi?”

It’s Steven. Fuck. How is she gonna explain this? She actually freezes.

“Knock him out,” Sekhmet tells her.

The gods didn’t always have the most tactful suggestions. She’s not going to punch Steven. He doesn’t deserve it and she would never be able to bring herself to hurt him. She meant everything she said to him before they kissed. She likes him. It’s mind-boggling to her that he doesn’t have a partner. Donna is wrong. Anyone would be lucky to have him. He’s so sweet.

“Dr. Devi? Why are you in my flat?”

“How do you know this isn’t a dream?”

“Cause when I’m dreamin’ about you—you’re not wearing jeans or American.” He shakes his head.

Ash is flattered. “What am I usually wearing or not wearing?”

“Are you with him?” Steven looks frustrated and a little scared, so her smile fades.

“Who?” She lifts her brows.

“The man from the—the scales man.” Steven straightens up. 

“Harrow. No.”  Ash moves over slowly and undoes the ankle restraint gently so that they’re on somewhat of an even playing field. 

“Why do you sound different?”  He watches her with narrowed eyes.

“This is my real voice, Steven.” Ash puts her hands up and sits on the edge of the bed giving them distance.

“Mirror Man send you?”

“No.”

“But you know him.”

“Yes.”

Steven inhales sharply. He rubs his eyes with the heels of his palms. “You were lyin’ the whole time. No PhD.  No glasses. Fake name.”

“Real first name.”

Yeah, sure. Why fake the accent?”

“Habit from my old job.”

“What job?”

“CIA.”

Steven lets out a hysterical laugh.

“Now you’re really puttin’ me on. You want me to believe the CIA hired a gorgeous woman like you as a spy? They just thought people would forget the most beautiful woman they’ve ever seen?”

“It didn’t come up as an occupational hazard.”  Ash shrugs. No one remembered her long enough to make it an issue. She could make herself practically invisible if she wanted.

Steven huffs trying to hide the sting in his chest. He thought she really liked him. Donna was right. That should’ve been the first clue something was up. He shakes his head.

“Why should I believe a word you say? This whole time you—was I just a joke to you? You having a laugh? Acting like you liked me.”

Ash sees how hurt he is and she hates that he thinks that. “You’re not a joke to me, Steven. You’re sweet and handsome. Really smart.”

Steven shakes his head. “You’ve been caught. You can give it up.”

“I’m trying to help you.” 

“Sure you are.”

“Remember in the Alps when those logs came crashing down killing those two guys?”

Steven furrows his brow. How does she know about that? He tilts his head. She raises her hand.

“That was—was you?”

“I’m here tonight because after that jackal attacked you I wanted to make sure you got home okay.” She stands up. “And you did, so I’m gonna go.”

She crosses over to the door. She grabs the knob when Steven touches the door.

“How did snogging in front of Donna help me?”

A flush grows across her cheekbones and she giggles. It’s a wonderful sound.

“I kissed you because I wanted to.” She smiles. “And because Donna’s a cunt.”

Steven shrugs. She’s not wrong. It’s a lot to process and his head hurts from it all. For six months, he thought she was one thing and that was all a lie, but she did save his life. She’s waiting and he knows he needs to say something. He just blurts out the first thing in his head.

“You really think I’m handsome?”

“Gorgeous.” She scans him up and down as she says it making his stomach twist. 

“What do I call you?” Steven straightens up.

“Ash.” 

“Short for Aishwarya?”

“My mom used to call me that. She was English.”

“Oh. Was?”

“She died when I was ten.”

The pain on her face tells him that’s not a story or she’s the world’s greatest living actress. He doesn’t think it’s the latter. He frowns. 

“I’m sorry.”

“Thank you, Steven.” 

Steven swallows hard. He didn’t realize it but he’s kind of pinned her to the door.  He removes his hand and steps back.  He doesn’t really know what to do here.  He just knows he doesn’t want her to go. She slides out the first lock before moving to the others.

“Jesus. Have you been robbed before or something?”

“I-I thought I had a sleeping disorder. Not so sure now.”

Her hand reaches the doorknob. 

“You don’t—er—have to run off if you don’t want to.” He manages to get out. 

She looks back at him and arches an eyebrow. “Yeah? You wanna keep talking?”

“Uhh…” Steven lets out a high-pitched noise. “We can?”

Ash arches an eyebrow higher.

“Or…” Steven leans in and ghosts his lips over hers. The angle is awkward. “Sorry. Don’t do this much.” 

He looks up at her and sees her smiling.

“God, you’re the sweetest thing.” 

“I am?”

She just nods and steps forward away from the door.

“Ash, I would very much like to kiss you again.” 

She nods. Steven’s hands tremble slightly as they rest on her waist. He kisses her softly like he’s afraid she’s going to break. Her tongue sweeps over his lower lip and he moans. She grips the back of his head deepening the kiss. She leads him forward until he stumbles back on the bed. She kneels on the edge and looks down at her hands.  

“This has been a crazy day for you.”

“You don’t know the half of it, love.”

“Maybe we should stop.”

“You jokin’? For six months, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Now, you think I wanna stop?”

“Just checking.” Ash beams at him.  “This only goes as far as you want it to, okay?” 

“You’re lovely.” Steven smiles at her. He hadn’t expected her to be so kind.

Ash stands up to unzip her boots and shimmy out of her jeans. She shrugs off her brown leather jacket revealing a Rolling Stones t-shirt underneath. Steven licks his lips. She smiles realizing he’s watching her. She tugs the ends of the shirt over her head leaving her in a black bra. His eyes grow wide. It’s not polite to stare, but goddamn. 

“What?” She tilts her head to the side. 

“I just—look at you.” He grins.

“I think you need to catch up.” She smirks.

He pulls his shirt over his head hastily and kicks off his sweatpants. She gets back on the bed and stalks towards him. He’s caught in her sights but is the most willing prey.  She settles on her side resting her head on one of his pillows.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” 

Steven smiles. He likes this closeness.  He reaches over and strokes her arm. Her skin is like velvet. She’s so smooth. He leans in and kisses her letting his fingers trail along her jaw. She sighs, pressing her mouth back against his. He should feel exhausted but he’s wide awake. Even in his wildest dreams, she didn’t look or taste this good. He pulls back looking at her in awe.

“So.” Her hand runs down his neck. “You said you thought about me.”

“Y-Yeah. All the time.” He sighs feeling her hand move across his collarbones. 

“Did you ever touch yourself when you were thinking about me?” That hand moves to his stomach while she buries her face in his neck.

Steven feels his face burning and is glad she’s not looking at him. “Guilty. All those pencil skirts.” 

“Mmm. I did too.” She chuckles, her breath leaving goosebumps on his skin. 

“Care to share with the class, darling?” Steven closes his eyes when he feels her mouth on his neck.

“You wanna know?” Her lips move to the underside of his jaw.

“P-Please.” He moans when she kisses the hollow of his throat. 

“How gorgeous you’ll look when I suck your dick.” She puts her mouth to his ear and nibbles on the earlobe.

Steven’s eyes snap open darting from the smirk on her lips to the now throbbing tent in his boxer briefs. 

“How I’ll—when you—“ He gapes at her. 

She pouts looking down. “That looks uncomfortable.”

Steven lets out a delirious laugh. How is this his life?

“C’mon, Steven. You’re so pretty. I bet so many people have wanted to suck you off before.” 

“Dove, I dunno if you noticed, but I’m not exactly a man about town.”  He rubs the back of his neck. “Haven’t done this a lot…or ever.”

“Ohh, Steven.” She leans forward and kisses him. He’s so cute. 

“What?” He feels a little embarrassed. Maybe he shouldn’t have told her. 

“You’re so amazing. I’m trying really hard to hold back here.” She smiles. She doesn’t want to scare him off. He’s already had a rough day.

“What…what if I don’t want you to hold back?” Steven meets her eyes. He really hadn’t gotten around to sex. He wasn’t religious or saving himself. He just had never been in this position. The fact it was with someone who he really fancied and was absolutely gorgeous was like a sign from the universe. Yeah, she wasn’t an academic. She was a former spy who took out a bunch of assassins and saved his life. If anything, that only made him want her more. 

“Yeah?” Her grin is wicked. 

“Yeah.” Steven grins back. “I want you, Ash.”

“Me, too.” She kisses him again and it’s filthy. Her hands are everywhere while her tongue explores his mouth. He might pass out from how dizzy it makes him. She deserves an award she’s so good. “Lemme show you how much.”

“Can I take this off?” Her hands hover over the waistband of his boxer briefs. 

“Absolutely.” Steven nods. “Have at it.”

She pulls his underwear down and over his legs. A slap echoes in the quiet apartment as his length rests against his stomach. He’s completely exposed now. He must look nervous because she strips. 

“See? Same page.” She pops her fingers into her mouth and licks her palm before grabbing hold of him.  He gasps. She starts off slow barely kissing his tip. Then a little kitten lick here or there before taking him in her mouth. Steven groans loudly and nearly sinks into the mattress.

“Oh, fuck, that feels good.” He closes his eyes. 

Her head bobs up and down and his hand finds its way into her dark hair. He struggles to open his eyes to see her peering up at him gauging his reaction. She moans around his length and he sputters. Her hand pumps what she can’t fit and it’s way too soon when he feels that pull. He wishes he could last longer because it’s fantastic but he can’t.

“A-Ash, I’m gonna—I’m gonna—stop, love. Stop.” He tugs her hair and she lets go with a lewd pop. He swallows hard and tries his best to calm down. He doesn’t even look at her beautiful body or it’ll be a lost cause.

“I’d rather the first time be with you if that’s all right.” He runs a hand through his sweaty curls. 

“Yeah. That’s all right.” She beams at him again. 

“I have condoms in the desk.” Steven tells her. “Just for—if this ever happened.”

Ash gets to her feet and Steven groans. She snaps her head to him. In the lamp light of his desk, he can see her hourglass body properly. Large breasts. Perfect arse.

“That’s just bloody unfair.”

“What?”

“Love, we need to get you a better mirror or something because have you seen you?”

Ash laughs and bows her head. He treats her with such sweetness. She doesn’t know what to do with it. She finds the box of condoms in the drawer and walks back over. 

“Lay down, Steven. Get comfortable.” Ash tells him.

Steven rests his head against the pillows. She has much more confidence and experience in this area, so he continues to let her lead. She tears open the packet and rolls the condom down his length. 

“Er, Ash?” He looks concerned.

“Yeah?” She lets go of him.

“You didn’t get off though. Isn’t it better if you get off first?” His brow furrows. 

“Steven Grant, you’re perfect.” She smiles. “I’ll be okay.” 

Ash straddles him.  She moans at the slight ache as her body pulls him inside. She looks over at Steven who can’t catch his breath. Steven has never felt anything like this before. No wonder everyone is obsessed with sex. It’s fucking fantastic. She’s tight and warm.

“Oh my days, you feel perfect.” He pants. “I don’t ever wanna leave.”

Ash giggles and begins to sway her hips. Steven groans. It surprises her how vocal he is. 

“Ohh, uh—ohh, that’s—amazing.”

She leans back resting her hands on the bed for support taking him in deeper until he hits that spot that makes her tremble. She rocks herself back and forth giving Steven the most amazing view of her gorgeous body. 

“Ash. How are you real, angel?” He whispers. 

She grabs his hand and places it on one of her breasts. “Does this feel real?”

Steven squeezes her breast and she moans. His free hand cups the other one running his thumbs over the tender flesh. He touches her like she’s something delicate. That’s never happened before. He looks down a little mesmerized by how well her body takes him and how she knows exactly how to get off with barely any effort from him. But he doesn’t want to be a lazy lover. Not with someone like her. 

“Oh, angel, you’re so beautiful. I wanna make you feel good. I just don’t…” 

“Steven?” 

“Show me how to make you feel good, love.” 

Ash smiles at him. She takes one of his hands and places his thumb on her bundle of nerves. 

“Alternate between circles like this and strokes like this. And when I come, don’t stop, okay?” She pants.

“Got it.” He smiles. His fingers move down. “Love, you’re absolutely dripping.”

“Sucking you off got me all hot.” She whines feeling him drag over that spot again. 

“Ohh.” He bite his lip.

Steven follows her instructions and she gasps. He makes little patterns that are so delicious it sends sparks up her spine. What a smart, smart man.

“Uhh, Steven, that’s really good. That’s…” She gasps. “Oh.” 

A grin spreads across his face.  She lifts her hips only an inch before popping back down and he grunts her name. His heart gallops so fast he thinks it’s going to burst through his chest. She squeezes him and he whines an undignified noise.

“Uhhhnghh.”

“Are you close, Steven?” 

“Al—Almost.” 

Steven watches the sweat roll down from her hairline to her breasts. She’s perfect. He moans at how tight she’s gripping him. He remembers something in a novel he read and pinches that little nub. It sets her off like a rocket. 

“Steven!” She flutters all around him and moans. He doesn’t even care if he gets complaints from the neighbors because she looks gorgeous. If they saw her, he doubts they’d complain. He keeps touching her like she asked and god, the noises she makes. It’s the last straw before he’s thrown completely off the edge. His head hits the pillows as he sees stars behind his eyelids. Everything goes white. He gulps down air feeling absolutely wrecked. She bends forward and kisses his sweaty neck.

“You okay, Steven?”

“Me? I’m aces. Brilliant.” 

He hears her giggle again and opens his eyes. He cups her cheek with his hand.

“And you are so lovely.” 

“You’re so sweet, Steven. Never change.”

Sleep takes hold of him before he can even think of something to say. 

The hard smack on the floor wakes Steven up. He gets up and realizes he’s alone. Yesterday was the wildest day of his life. Cults. Scary men. Giant jackals. Whatever Marc is. Ash. God. Ash.  She’s a dream.  An absolute vision. It strikes him that she may not even realize that.  He might not be a Casanova but he knew not to pass up a chance with her. The feeling of her mouth on his skin replays in his mind. How soft she was.  He sighs. Is everyone’s life this complicated? Or just his?

Ash wakes up in the flat she’s renting. She can pay cash and no one asks questions. It’s in a seedy part of London, but she can handle herself. 

“Sore?” Sekhmet purrs looking down at her from the edge of the bed.

“No comment.” Ash sighs. She can still feel Steven’s hands on her. It was different than Marc. Marc’s sole purpose was to make her come and his dedicated touch showed that. It was really hot. But Steven. He was delicate even precious at times. He treated her like…she was something special. She didn’t know what to do with that. 

“I don’t think he would’ve kicked you out, kitten.” Sekhmet touches her hair.

“I-I’m not that person. Not with them. I fight. I fuck. I don’t stay around.” Ash sits up and tucks her hair behind her ears. “It’s how it is.”

Sekhmet hums in reply. Ash knows she wants to say something but she rushes off to the bathroom before she has the chance. She has more important things to worry about.

Layla tries to steady her breath as she moves up the roof. She barely got away. She has no idea what Marc is doing or what or who Steven is. But she has the scarab. She has what they’ve been fighting for. Now, she just has to get down.

“Layla…”

Layla snaps her head towards the voice. She nearly loses her footing because it’s…

“Ash?”

“Hi.” Ash gives her a tiny smile. “Need some help?”

“Uh, sure.” Layla laughs in disbelief.

Ash pulls her against her. Layla grabs her waist and they jump. The suit forms as they land. Layla stares. It’s been five years since they’ve seen each other. In the suit, Ash looks powerful and strong. 

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Layla whispers. 

“Well, when some idiot wants to release an evil alligator goddess who doesn’t believe in free will, I kinda got to get involved,” Ash smirks.

Twin brown eyes lock as they look each other over. Layla is as beautiful as ever. Cute freckles and curls. Ash places her hands over Layla’s as they still rest on her waist.

“You okay?” 

Layla’s brow furrows.

“Can I get a different question?” 

“Are you happy to see me?”

Layla looks down and finally removes her hands. She feels the heat rise up her neck. “I’m not…unhappy to see you.”

Ash shrugs. She’ll take what she can get.  She had several missions in Cairo where she needed Layla’s help. No reason to stop now. One in particular sticks out. 

“Can you please tell me what’s going on? Does Sekhmet know anything?”

“Sekhmet wants to stop Ammit. Just like Khonshu. We can’t let Harrow get the scarab.”

“You know about Khonshu. So you know about Marc.” Layla stiffens. 

“Yeah. Kinda been looking out for him.” Ash really doesn’t wanna get into an awkward conversation right now.

“So, you’re going to help him in there?” Layla gestures back to the flat building.

“No, I don’t fuck with Harrow’s people.” Ash folds her arms across her chest.

“Oh. So, they’re not cops.” Layla furrows her brow.

“Definitely not. Don’t really fuck with cops either.” Ash shrugs. 

“So you’re gonna let them take him?” Layla raises her voice slightly.

“Yes and then we’ll rescue him once he’s with Harrow,” Ash explains.

“Why not now?” Layla huffs.

“Because I don’t want Harrow’s people to know about me. Harrow can’t know I’m here.” Ash puts her hands up.

“Why?” Layla’s hands are on her hips.

“Cause last time we saw each other he tried to kill me.” Ash sighs. “He wants me dead and I can’t give him another chance.”

Layla frowns then nods.

“That’s a pretty good reason.”

Everyone is inside when Layla and Ash make it to the little cult neighborhood on her moped. The whole ride over Layla tried to focus on anything but Ash’s hands on her hips. Ash inhales her perfume and reminds herself to stay on task. It was five years ago. 

“Do you have a gun?” Layla asks as they approach.

“No. Guns are loud.” Ash picks up a discarded cricket bat. “And we need the element of surprise.”

Layla nods in agreement and watches as her suit forms over her body. Her face is hidden by her mask. There are guards outside the door. Four of them. Layla sprints and kicks one in the solar plexus and then delivers an uppercut to knock him out. Ash takes the bat and cracks the other across the jaw. Two down. Layla swallows hard ignoring the fluttering in her stomach. Ash points the bat at the man in front of her. He backs up and she runs after him. She grabs the back of his head and slams it into the wall. Three. She turns her head and sees Layla fighting with the last guard. A silver gleam catches in the moonlight. Ash shoves Layla out of the way. A knife pierces through her armor. She growls and rips it out, slashing the guy’s throat. Four. 

“You okay?” Ash puts her hands on her knees.

“Are you?” Layla touches the wound. Ash hisses. 

“Mhmm. It’ll go away.” She nods and straightens up. 

Layla frowns and grabs the door. “Thanks for having my back.”

Ash winks and they slip inside.  She jerks her head at the upper level. It’s less occupied. Layla nods. She has to hide. She can’t blend in like her. 

They both watch as Steven eats soup with Harrow in the weirdest cult cafeteria. Harrow’s delivering the honey before the sting. Ash can hear Khonshu and rolls her eyes. She doesn’t even know why he’s talking. He’s just lurking on the upper level like she is but unlike her, he can’t actually do anything. She tenses as the goons surround Steven. She counts six and misses her sniper rifle.

As they keep talking, she watches more of his cult members activate ready to pounce. Harrow lifts his cane and Ash makes a fist. Her heart beats faster. She can’t jump down. Not with Harrow right there. He can’t know she’s there. But she can’t leave Steven. 

Layla makes herself known and takes care of Steven. Ash takes her cue and begins taking out Ammit followers as quietly as she can. She watches as the floor sinks down into a glowing, purple hole. Two jackals claw their way out. They skitter up the stairs and bang on the door Layla and Steven must be behind. Ash leaps on them as they come crashing into the room. One goes for Steven and the other for Layla. 

Ash growls and grabs the leg swinging it across the room. She moves in front of Layla and hears Steven screaming about a jackal. She knows Layla can’t see it and she’s in more danger. It lunges at Ash with gnashing teeth. She groans as she takes its nose and jaw in her hands. The wound in her side is seeping with blood now but she can’t think about that. She screams through the pain. She plants her feet and rips them in half. She watches its body disintegrate into sand. Panting, she looks at Layla. Before she can say a word, Steven falls out the window and the other jackal goes after him. 

“Shit.” Her hand goes to her side. She needs a minute.

Layla tries her best to help Steven (in a completely different suit) fight something she can’t see. Marc takes over and gives chase to the jackal. Ash jumps down from the window and approaches Layla.

“Marc’s got the scarab and the jackal’s attention.” Layla tells her.

“Sounds like he’s handling it.” She takes a deep breath.

“How’s the wound?” Layla eyes the hand clutching Ash’s side.

“I’ll live.” Ash nods. 

They walk back over to her moped in time to see Harrow kill a homeless man for the scarab. Fuck. She looks at Layla.

“Get somewhere safe.”

“Where are you going?”

“Cairo.”

Layla nods and drives off to get ready for a trip of her own. 

Ash follows the sounds of Khonshu’s booming voice and sees Marc kicking a mirror. She’s no longer wearing her suit. Just jeans and a leather jacket.

“Yeesh. 7 years of bad luck, handsome.” She winces. 

“You my travel buddy?” Marc doesn’t look at her.

“Don’t get all excited.” Ash rolls her eyes. 

They board the flight as a couple which means Marc acknowledges her when they have eyes on them. When the flight attendant asks for their drink orders, Marc holds her hand while she talks about their extensive honeymoon trip. It gets them free champagne.  Ash forces a smile and he brings her knuckles to his mouth. She turns her head and he looks past her.  Otherwise, he focuses on everything but her. It stings a little since she thought they made progress last night before Steven woke up. Does he know about Steven? Would he care?

“You might wanna get some rest. Long flight.” She closes her eyes and rests her head against the window.

“Mmm.” Marc grunts and lets go of her hand. 

The exhaustion from the fight and her healing stab wound causes her to fall asleep immediately. Marc sees his reflection on his watch. Well, not his. Steven’s. 

“Be nicer to her.” Steven sighs.

“What’s it to you?” Marc snaps. He runs his hand over his mouth so no one sees him talking. 

“She’s trying to help.” Steven frowns.

“Oh, you’re sweet on her, huh?” Marc shakes his head. 

“She saved us. In the Alps.”

“Doesn’t mean she’s not trouble.” 

“I don’t think she is. I think she’s—”

“Oh, my god, Steven.”

“What?”

“Don’t tell me you fucked her.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Look, she’s beautiful and great in bed—”

“You slept with her too?”

“She had information I needed.”

“But you’re married.”

“Separated. Divorced.”

“Not bloody yet. At least I wasn’t using her.”

“But you let her use you. Got you wrapped around her finger.”

“Shut up. You have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

The flight attendant comes back. 

“Can I get you something, sir?”

“Do you have a blanket…for my wife?” He swallows.

“Absolutely.” She disappears and comes back with the blanket. 

“Thanks.” He takes it and drapes it over Ash.

They find a small hotel in Cairo. It’s the afternoon. The jet lag is messing with both of them and Marc didn’t sleep on the flight like Ash did. 

“Get some sleep. You kinda look like shit.” Ash smiles.

“Thanks.” Marc scoffs.

“I’ll reach out to some people. White man leading a dig is gonna attract attention. See you later.” Ash leaves.  

“Khonshu?” Marc knows he’s there.

“Yes?” The moon god appears.

“Pick her. She’s a better choice than Layla for my replacement.” A former CIA agent would know what to do. She would be able to handle it. 

“She’s not an option.” Khonshu practically glides away.

Marc hangs his head.

“Marc, let me out,” Steven begs. 

Marc ignores him. He can’t deal with Steven right now. He can’t be with Layla. Being near Ash makes him feel guilty as shit. And he lost the fucking scarab. He goes down to the hotel bar and buys three bottles of whiskey. In his room, he drains half the bottle to drown out Steven.  Then throws the furniture around and kicks the mirror before covering with a bedsheet. Steven needs to shut the fuck up. He tosses the lamp, the chair, and anything he can get his hands on. He just wants to disappear. Then he rips off his clothes and passes out in the bed.

[bruce-slutsteen]

OC MASTERLIST

MINORS DNI WITH ANY FIC ABOVE TEEN RATING

18+ only (to be safe)

+ = Work in Progress

[C] = Completed

❤️‍🔥 flaming heart emoji  =  Smut

🩸 blood drop = Canon Typical Violence (never explicit)

❤️‍🩹 bandaged heart = Mentions darker themes (never explicit)

E means rated explicit so minors DO NOT INTERACT ( DNI )

JOIN THE TAGLIST

**All my fics are listed on AO3 including fandoms not listed here such as Barry (HBO) and Veep. **

DEFENDING JACOB

Log kya kahenge (Andy Barber/Desi!OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: On the worst night of his life, Andy Barber meets Dr. Rashana Rao. A year later they meet again and he asks her out. The odds are against them with her parents' wish for an arranged marriage and his own feelings about his past. (Oneshot) [C} ❤️‍🔥 AO3 || TUMBLR

GIFTED

Don’t Let Me Down (Frank Adler/OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: Mary befriends a literature professor at the university who catches Frank's eye, Samantha Harris. She teases him and Frank falls hard when he least expects it. (Oneshot)  [C] ❤️‍🔥 AO3 || TUMBLR

GHOSTBUSTERS

All My Pictures of You (Egon Spengler/OFC) - TEEN

Summary: After the destruction of Gozer, Callie Spengler decides to read her parents' journals to understand their doomed romance in their own words.  (Multi-chapter) [C} AO3 || TUMBLR

MARVEL

AVENGERS

but it's golden, like daylight (Steve Rogers/OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: After protecting her from the Mandarin’s men, Steve Rogers becomes friends with benefits with Tony's little sister, Nicolette Stark. What was supposed to be a little fun becomes much more than what they originally bargained for. Post 2012 The Avengers through Endgame. (Multi-chapter) + ❤️‍🔥 🩸 AO3 || TUMBLR

MOON KNIGHT

the eye of the moon (Moon Boys System x Layla x Desi!OFC)

Summary: Ash Rajul serves the goddess Sekhmet as her avatar working to keep the most vulnerable safe. 3 years ago, she had a falling out with Khonshu’s former avatar, Arthur Harrow, and seeks to keep the world safe from his vengeance. Marc Spector doesn’t trust her, Steven Grant is enamored with her, and Layla El-Faouly is her former lover who wants her help. They better figure it out because somebody’s gotta save the world.(Multi-chapter) [C] ❤️‍🔥 🩸 ❤️‍🩹 AO3 || TUMBLR

STAR WARS

Gold Eyes (Din Djarin/OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: Din’s ongoing rivalry with his least favorite bounty hunter becomes something else once the kid enters the picture.(Oneshot) [C] ❤️‍🔥 AO3 || TUMBLR

STRIPES

Rebel Rebel (Russell Ziskey/OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: Before he enlists, Russell Ziskey has an amazing one-night stand and wakes up alone. To his surprise, 18 months later, she interviews him and John about their rescue and doesn't seem to remember him at all. (Oneshot) [C] ❤️‍🔥 AO3 || TUMBLR

SUCCESSION

Can’t Make You Happier Now (Kendall Roy/Desi!OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: Nearly twenty years ago, Kendall Roy made Nisha Asuri a promise to rule the world with her. The son of a media mogul and the sister of two tech wunderkinds. The most formidable power couple New York has ever seen. That was the deal. So, she did her part. Built her reputation as a ruthless corporate lawyer. Had his children. Stayed with him through the highest highs and lowest lows. She deserves to win not realizing that nothing goes as planned when your partner is Kendall Roy. (Mult-chapter) [C] ❤️‍🔥  ❤️‍🩹 AO3 || TUMBLR

TED LASSO

under the mistletoe  (Ted Lasso/OFC) - MATURE

Summary: Ted develops a crush on one of Rebecca's famous friends, so Rebecca invites her to a Christmas party. (Oneshot) [C] AO3 || TUMBLR

mirrorball  (Ted Lasso/Desi!OFC) - EXPLICIT

Summary: Ted develops a budding friendship with a single mom who happens to be a popular romance author, Priyala Kumari.  Her eldest barely knows who he is while her youngest is a Richmond super fan and the most aggressive player on Phoebe's team.  Priyala knows even less than he does about football, loves tea (chai), and has the sweetest laugh he's ever heard. She likes Ted just as much but wants to support him as his friend. Until they get matched on bantr. (Multi-chapter) [C] ❤️‍🔥 AO3 || TUMBLR

[bruce-slutsteen]

Share 10 facts about one of your OCs! :)

Hi! I finally have time/energy to answer this. Thank you for sending it in. I updated my OC masterlist with these little infographics. Here's one on Ash.

Name - Ash Rajul

Occupation - Avatar of Sekhmet

Pronouns - she/her/hers

Love interest of Layla EL-Faouly, Marc Spector, and Steven Grant

She's been an Avatar for 10 years.

She used to work for the CIA.

Unlike Khonshu, Sekhmet treats her well and she sees her like family.

She calls Khonshu Big Bird to his face.

She loves food and gets upset whenever there isn't time on a mission to try local foods

She can be very annoying and she knows it. She doesn't care.

You can see her in action in my fic, the eye of the moon on AO3!

[bruce-slutsteen]

chapter one: between my fingers, she leaves, then she lingers

previously - prologue || masterlist || next - chapter two

Rating: Explicit

Warnings:  brief mention of human traffickers (as in they’re mentioned as the bad guys), swearing, canon typical violence and fighting (slapping, punching, stabbing, etc), kissing, thigh riding, unprotected PIV sex

Note: Thank you to those of you who have interacted with this little fic. Please enjoy and leave comments so I know you're liking it. The song Ash sings is "The Clapping Song" by Shirley Ellis. All chapter titles are from Halsey's "honey".

Word Count: 6,072

3 years later

The first time Marc Spector lays eyes on her, she’s watching him kick a man in the solar plexus while peeling a tangerine with her hands.

A deep brown-skinned woman with nearly black hair and dark eyes. She’s perched on the roof above him.  He blinks. Yep. Tangerine.

He shakes his head and finishes his Khonshu crusade for the evening. When he’s done and panting, she’s gone.

He hasn’t been sleeping well and it’s been a month since he left Layla. Was he seeing things?

A month later, he’s tracked down some human traffickers in Durrës.  By the time he gets to their headquarters though, he thinks he sees her again.

She wore an intricate black mask with the rounded features of a lioness. The eye cutouts and nose were decorated in gold and the mask stopped above her lips. The giveaway is those same dark eyes.

Standing straight, she’s his height with her flat boots.

She wears a black jumpsuit with gold accents on the necklace, breastplate, wrists, hips, and boots. It’s exceptionally well-made and practical, not a sexy catsuit.

Considering his own outfit, he’s not one to judge.

She allows the four men to approach her first. She rolls her shoulders and cracks her neck.

She holds a wide stance rocking her weight from one leg to the other. He recognizes the limber movement from his boxing days. The men don’t. 

“You lost, girl?” One asks.

He sees her lips move and gets closer. She’s singing? It intrigues and confuses the men because they step forward.

“Three six nine, the goose drank wine. The monkey chew tobacco on the streetcar line. The line broke, the monkey got choked. And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat.”

She taps her foot and looks at each of them.

Marc blinks, watching her. He wonders if Khonshu sees this.

“Should we—”

“No.” The deep voice echoes in his head.

“Clap slap.” She slaps the first man hard across the face and he stumbles back. He gets his balance and lunges.

“Clap your hand, pat it on your partner's hand.” She grabs his hand and pulls it behind his head in an unnatural bend. It snaps and he screams.

She pulls her short sword with a gold handle from her thigh holster and stabs him in the chest.

A different man comes for her. 

“Clap pat clap your hand, cross it with your left arm.” She takes his left wrist and rolls him over her shoulder slamming his back into the dirt.

He’s got the wind knocked out of him.

She stabs him in the stomach with expert precision clipping his spleen.

These are men that are used to abducting scared women and children. They have no idea what to do with her. 

Marc can’t really pinpoint her style. She’s clearly trained but it’s a combination of things.

She keeps singing her little song.  Her fighting style is almost like a dance. Every move is deliberate and agile.

She uses her grip on the third man’s elbow to flip over his shoulder.

She lands on her ass with her legs out and drags him down with her.

His head hits the ground with a hollow echo. Blood seeps from it. 

From her spot in the dirt, she sweeps her long leg kicking the last man’s ankle out from under him, and smiles. 

She gets to her feet and surveys her work.

She pulls both swords from her thigh holsters and hovers over that last man. 

“Where are they?” She’s American?

“N-No one is here.”

“I know you bring the children here. Where are they?”

“I don’t—”

She repeats her question in Albanian surprising him and Marc.

Marc’s is rusty but he can tell the man gives her an answer. She nods politely.

She steps over him, but he snatches at her ankle.

She growls planting her free foot on his chest.

A blade pops out from her toe and she jams it into his neck.

He gasps and lets go.

Who the fuck is this woman?

Marc sees the children bolt immediately from the building and when she steps out, she has plain clothes on—jeans and a white tank top, and no mask. Those eyes.

His armor disappears and he approaches her.

Before he can think of a cover story, she removes a match from a packet.

“Was wondering when you’d say hi.” She chuckles.

“Why are you following me?” He stares at her.

“Ehhh…you’re following me this time, aren’t you?” She tilts her palm from side to side and steps back from the building. “I’d keep your distance.”

“From you?” Marc asks, wondering if that’s a threat.

She strikes the match on her denim-clad thigh. He realizes what she’s about to do and steps back.

She tosses it towards the building.

It catches fire immediately. She pats him on the chest.

“Good talk. See ya.”

Another month passes, and Marc tails a lead to a club in Madrid.

He beats out of him the information he needs to know and decides to get a drink before he leaves.

That’s when he sees her.

No suit. Tight jeans and a low-cut top showing a hint of her breasts.

 He watches her drinking and eyefucking a woman with short blue hair across the bar. The blue-haired woman moves over to her and they talk.

Marc pretends to drink his whiskey as they walk into the bathroom together.

Fifteen minutes later, they walk out, disheveled.

She approaches him.

“Concerned or jealous?” She asks.

He doesn’t answer.

Standing next to him without those boots, she’s only an inch shorter than him. She doesn’t seem like a threat.

If he hadn’t seen her fight, he never would’ve guessed what she was capable of. 

“You gonna drink that?” She points to the shot.

He shakes his head.

She tosses it back. “Thanks.”

Now that he sees her, really sees her up close, without the mask, she’s…beautiful. Dark eyes. Dark hair. Her brown, olive skin is a shade darker than his.

Her eyes move past him ever so slightly. She leans on the bar towards him.

“We’re being watched.”

His shoulders tense. It was a mistake to linger. Of course, someone was going to come looking.

“Don’t look.” Her face is close to his now.

She laughs even though he didn’t say anything. She touches his arm. “Act like we’re a couple.”

He tries his best to smile at the pretty stranger in front of him. 

Her eyes fall to his mouth and he does the same. She has very full lips. 

“Blend in. Kiss me.”

Marc nods.

She grips his shirt and tugs him to her.

It’s the first time someone has kissed him since he left Layla four months ago. He hasn’t kissed anyone else in three years.

She’s not sweet or gentle. Her mouth works aggressively against his in a way that makes his head spin. She really must want them to buy this. 

He grabs her bicep, noting how firm it is. She pulls back suddenly and breaks the kiss. Her eyes flick over his shoulder.

“We’re good.”

He still has his hand on her arm. He flips her wrist up and looks for a scale tattoo. She doesn’t have one.

He checks the other arm. Nothing.

“You’re not with Harrow?”

She pulls her arm out of his grip.

“Arthur Harrow?” She spits on the floor out of instinct before relaxing. “Just think of me as a friend, Marc.”

“Can’t be friends. I don’t know your name.”

“Ash.”

“Ash what?”

“Ash.”

Marc watches her leave possibly more confused than before.

Marc slams a man into the wall and rips the crescent from his breastplate.

He shoves it into the man’s neck and watches him bleed out onto his armor. He lets go and watches the now lifeless body fall to the ground.

His eyes scan the ledges of the building looking for her. Instead, all he finds is a grey spotted cat watching him with glowing green eyes.

It’s been four weeks since the bar and when he’s not running ragged for Khonshu, he’s thinking about her: Who she might be. Who trained her. What she meant by a friend.

He shakes his head. He has to focus.

Marc finally found a lead on the scarab in an office building in Italy of all places. A map to it. It’s been months of nothing.

Of course, as he crawls on top of the skylight, Ash is already in the maintenance room.

Her arms are bound behind her while a big man holds her by the shoulders.

The tallest man keeps pacing back and forth. There’s a third man by the door.

He finds it odd that she’s been caught. Maybe she’s human after all.

“Why are you here?” The tallest man is getting agitated.

“Rome is lovely in the spring.” Ash chuckles.

Smack. Her eyes widen. She looks insulted.

“How did you get in here?”

“Somebody left a window open. Uh oh. Was it you?”

This time he hits her she would’ve fallen over if the big guy wasn’t holding onto to her.  

“Why are you here? I won’t ask again.”

“Huh? Sorry couldn’t hear you over the—”

She’s cut off by a fist connecting to her jaw. She spits out the blood and laughs.

She looks up and smiles. Marc knows she sees him. 

“Oof, this is gonna hurt.”

“What is?”

Marc  swoops down crashing through the skylight. He kicks one of them in the stomach.

“That.” She scrunches her nose. 

The man on the floor gets up with the help of another man.

They circle Marc.

A punch to the ribs.

A crescent moon to the gut.

A kick to the head.

He turns to see how she’s doing.

She steps on the foot of the big guy holding her then kicks him in the shin with her heel.

He curses and lets go of her.

She jumps and kicks him in the jaw sending him to the floor. She lands on her ass, laughing. 

Marc walks over to her, crescent in hand and cuts open the zip ties.

“Oh my god. You shouldn’t have.” Her mouth falls open.

“Ready to play?” He’s smirking even though she can’t see it. 

A smile grows on her full lips.

The door opens but before the men can even get to them, she’s cartwheeling over to them. She’s all legs.

Her mask is back on even though Marc has no idea when she grabbed it.

She jumps up and grabs the pipe above her using it as leverage to get her thighs around a man’s neck.

Marc’s all for flair but he’s never seen anything quite like this.

The man claws at her but she strangles him with her thighs.

Marc is horrified but a little turned on. He hears a sickening snap.

She pulls herself up and the body falls. The other man is stunned and doesn’t move.

She takes the opportunity to kick him in the nose.  He falls to the ground and she pounces with her gold-tipped knife drawn.

Marc knows she doesn’t need his help.

She leans over the dead body of the man who was beating her and takes a keycard out of his pocket. That’s why she let herself get caught. 

She waltzes out the door.

He sprints after her.

They fight every person that gets in their way until they reach a locked door. 

“It’s in here.” She tells him pulling out the keycard.

“I know.” Marc knows they only have seconds before they send more men.

“Ooh, good for you.” She narrows her eyes.

The sound of boots thundering down the hall gets his attention.

She slips into the room while he fights them off.

By the time he’s done, she’s gone.

He climbs up one of the bookcases to get to the balcony and sees her walking outside. He leaps.

“You have something that belongs to me.” He says walking behind her.

“I don’t see it that way.” She shrugs. 

Marc stands in front of her and she stops.

“The map to the scarab. Give it to me.” He puts his gloved hand out.

“You can fight me for it.” She smirks. 

“What?” Marc stares at her.

“I’ll give it over if you win.” She unzips a pocket on her thigh and places the USB drive inside.

Marc huffs. She’s getting on his nerves now. She knows about the scarab and she knows about Harrow, but she’s still playing with him. Does she actually take this seriously or is it a game?

“Sparring not fighting. That better?” She offers.

“Fine.” He nods. With the suit, he’ll win in no time. 

Marc lunges for her but Ash places her hands on his shoulders and leapfrogs over him.

Every time he tries to swipe at her, she’s practically bouncing out of reach. He’s getting frustrated now.

He starts circling her. She follows his lead, smiling.

He does finally land a blow on her side but when he tries again, she grabs his wrist and rolls him onto his back.

He springs to his feet and pushes her into the wall.

His forearm pins her throat but she hooks her foot around his ankle and kicks his legs out from under him.

Her thighs straddle his waist while her hands hold down his wrists. She lets go now that she’s made her point but doesn’t get off him.

“Guess we’re just gonna have to work together.”  

His chest heaves as he looks up at her. Those dark eyes are watching him curiously.  She’s breathing hard too.

He stares at her mouth.  The way she looks at him makes his stomach jump. He ignores the heat rising up his neck. 

“Kiss her and take the map.” Khonshu snaps in his head.

Marc has never done something like that.  He’s not a spy. He’s a hired gun. Mercenary. This is beyond him. 

He lunges forward and kisses her, completely forgetting their masks. She just laughs.  He grunts hiding his anger and embarrassment.

She grabs the mask from the end above her mouth and pulls it off.

His mask disappears and he stares at her. He needs to sell this. He cups her cheek. 

“C’mon, honey, I know you wanna kiss me. ” He raises his eyebrows attempting to recover.

“That so?” She smirks. 

“Mhmm.” He nods licking his lips.  “Bad.” 

“I think you wanna kiss me so bad you—”

He slides his hand around the back of her neck pulling her to him. Their mouths meet. Since they don’t have an audience, her lips move gently. It feels nice. Her entire body on top of him feels nice too.

She sighs and his hands begin to roam. One goes to her arm and the other falls to her waist stroking her side in between short kisses.

His fingers graze the zipper on her pocket. She pulls back. 

“Uh uh uh.” She’s staring down at him. “I might share if you ask nicely.” 

“Please. I need that to find—”

“We—” 

“No.”

“Kay. Good talk.” She gets off him.

“Ash!” Marc scrambles to his feet. He takes her wrist and pulls her back to him. He kisses her softly. “Can I have the map?”

“Aww, you’re bad at this. It’s so sweet.” She smiles and walks away. 

Marc takes a deep breath. His suit dissolves away and he’s in his normal clothes again.

Khonshu strides in front of him, angry.

“Go after her!”

Marc cards a hand through his hair and shakes his head.

“She’s right. I don’t know how to do this.”

“Then figure it out. This is life or death.”

“I just sent Layla the papers. I’m not—it’s weird—I can’t—”

“The world hangs in the balance and you worry about your marriage? Go.”

Marc sighs, nodding. He walks down the street and keeps his eyes open. A few blocks away he sees her sitting on a patio drinking red wine. She’s clearly visible like she wanted him to see her.

He crosses over to her and she gestures to the chair across from her. Her jumpsuit is gone. She stands up and pulls the chair out for him.

She wears a tight burgundy skirt and a white scoop-necked camisole that clings to her well-endowed chest. Her curves are on full display and impossible to ignore. How did she change so fast? She must have the technology for that. It’s not unheard of.

“You want something to eat? I’m always starving after a fight.” Ash looks back at him.

“Sure.” Marc hasn’t eaten tonight. It’s not something he always remembers to do. Khonshu tends to remind him. How can you serve me if you waste away? Her invitation is friendlier. 

The waiter comes by and she asks for another glass of wine. She puts in an order for Bucatini Amatriciana and he orders Cacio e Pepe because he doesn’t want any meat tonight. He takes a sip of the wine. It’s good. Dry and not sweet. He likes that in a wine.

“I’m Marc.”

Ash nods.

“Marc Spector. But you knew that, right?”

“I did.”

“And you’re still Ash.”

“Mhmm. Short for Aishwarya.”

“So…that’s Indian, right?” He scratches his temple.

“Winner winner.” She smiles a truly wonderful smile.

“Could see that or Egyptian.” He knows he’s just projecting on that one, but she could’ve been Arab.

“Hmm. Yeah. Just Indian though.” She drinks her wine.

 He tells himself he’s doing this to find the scarab. That’s his only motivation.

“Thanks for helping me out.”

“Yeah. You’re a great conversationalist.” She teases.

“Handsome stoic type.”

“Never been much of a talker.”

“How do you know me?”

“We work for the same people.”

Marc scoffs and shakes his head. “Doubt that.”

The waiter comes out with their food and he watches the couples dancing in the street to the music from a small band of players sitting in chairs. The pasta is delicious and he’s so hungry. He forgets to keep up the conversation and struggles not to shove the food in his mouth. He looks up and sees her devouring her plate. Maybe she isn’t much of a talker either.

“This is amazing.”

“Yeah.”

“Have you been to Rome before?”

“Not long enough to eat.”

“A crime.”

Ash is clearly a person who enjoys herself wherever she goes—whatever she’s doing and Marc envies that. She just seems so relaxed.

It’s been a long and tiring day and right now, he wants to stop. He has a goal here and he hasn’t forgotten that but he wants so badly to just hit pause. Maybe enjoy his food, the excellent wine, and steal a couple of looks at the beautiful woman in front of him. Guilt pangs in his stomach for thinking she’s beautiful. She is, of course, but it feels strange to admit it.  

“So American?”

“By way of Pittsburgh. You?”

“Chicago.”

“I’ve only been there once.”

“I don’t get back often.”

“Neither do I.”

“You military?”

“No. CIA.”

“If you were CIA you couldn’t tell me.”

“Only if I was still with them.”

“I see.”

“And you?”

“Ex-Marine.” 

The more wine he drinks the more he takes her in. Her dark hair is long and straight with side-swept bangs. Her skin looks flawless. Those full lips are now stained with red sauce.

He thinks back to the club and how she went into the bathroom with a stranger. Was it hard for her to keep quiet or did she let everyone know what she was doing? The thought makes the crotch of his jeans tighten.

Her elbow rests on the table as she eats and he can see her cleavage when she leans forward. Now, he can’t even stand up or everyone would see the growing hard-on in his pants. The image of Khonshu in a Marilyn Monroe dress springs to mind and he relaxes. He’d never tell him that though.

The waiter comes by with the check and she puts down cash. Marc can’t let her go yet.

Marc takes a deep breath and stands up. Ash watches as he extends his hand. Her brow furrows but she takes it. He guides her to the street where people are dancing.  He puts both hands on her waist and her arms rest on his shoulders.

“Ten and two, Marc Spector.” 

“Please, I’m a gentleman, Ash.”

“Rajul.”

“Hm?”

“Ash Rajul.”

The music is slow and easy to dance to which he’s grateful for. He isn’t much of a dancer. Layla would always have to beg him. He winces. There’s that guilt again.

Ash tilts her head but doesn’t say anything. He keeps his eyes on hers and the respectful space between their bodies disappears from song to song. He spins her without warning and she laughs. It’s as pretty as the music.

As the song comes to an end, he dips her and doesn’t hide the look he takes down her top. She notices and arches an eyebrow.

“We should get out of here.” He sighs.  He doesn’t trust himself not to kiss her in front of all these people. 

“Come with me.” She takes his hand. 

Marc holds back as far as the door to her hotel room.  He brushes her hair away from her neck breezing his mouth over the skin. She moans. What a sound.

He ruts himself against the cleft of her ass and she nearly drops the keys. She finally unlocks the door. Just as she shuts it, he backs her into it. 

“I wanna kiss you.” He breathes his face inches from hers. 

“Stop talking and do it.” She smirks. 

He captures her mouth in a bruising kiss.  She moans as he backs her into the wall.  His hands get lost in her thick dark hair. She tastes like wine, tomatoes, and something sweet. Their tongues battle for dominance. He isn’t sure who’s winning. She breaks the kiss and he goes for her neck. His head is swimming with the scent of her jasmine and amber perfume.

“You have a great ass.” She smacks it for emphasis.

“Somethin’ for you to hold onto when I’m fucking you.” He grips her hip. “I know I won’t be able to keep my hands off yours.”

“Mmm.” She bites her lip.

“Want me to fuck you, honey?” His teeth graze her pulse point. 

“I’d love it if you’d do something instead of talking about it.” She chuckles.  

He lifts up her hips and plants her down on his thigh. She gasps. He likes that sound. She scrambles for his biceps. He flexes his thigh pushing it up to her clothed core. She gasps again. 

“C’mon, honey, ruin these jeans.”  

“Marc.”

“I bet you look real pretty when you come.”

Her pupils are blown wide with lust. He arches an encouraging eyebrow. She rocks herself back and forth riding his thigh and moves her hands to his shoulders. Her sounds—the whines, the gasps, the moans—make him impossibly hard. His stomach twists realizing they haven’t even touched each other yet. She goes rigid and squeezes her eyes shut. He was right. She’s even prettier right now: face flushed and mouth open shuddering with bliss. He picks her up and moves her to the bed. 

  It takes her a moment to recover but when she does, the match has been lit. They’re pawing at each other’s clothes discarding them on the floor. The feeling of his bare skin on hers is electric. He kisses her before settling on top of her. He knows how this is going to go. His hand moves down her side. Her skin is so soft. She bites at his lower lip and licks her way inside. He moans completely caught off guard. 

Her nails scrape the base of his neck and he gasps. Her other hand brushes down his chest over his Star of David necklace. She was holding back before. She’s a fantastic kisser. Every press of those full lips is confident and deliberate. It knocks the breath from him. 

She flips him onto his back and smiles. He sits up slightly with his back against the pillows watching her. She leans over him letting her large breasts brush against his bare chest. Her tongue swipes a long line from his neck to his collarbone making him shudder. She kisses the spot right below his ear before dragging her teeth slowly down until he arches his back. He feels the shocks pulse up his spine. Whatever plan he had is completely gone. She kisses the hollow of his throat kissing a path down to his stomach.

“No wonder you’re so confident.” She purrs. 

He sees her eyeing his length. He swallows hard at the hungry look in her dark eyes.  She looks like she’s going to devour him and he wants her to, fuck does he want her to.

She’s straddling him now. Her hips hovering over him slowly. He can’t take it anymore. He needs to be inside her.

“Fuck me.” 

“Are you sure you want this?” Her eyes meet his with complete sincerity.

“Yes. Please, Ash, fuck me.”

She smiles and turns around with her back to him. He lets out a shaky breath. He would never tell her but he’s glad he doesn’t have to look her in the eyes. It’s way too intimate. She takes hold of him and eases her way down. He grunts. 

“So tight, honey.”

“You feel good too.”

His palms skim down her sweaty back to the globes of her ass. She’s so hot. 

Her hands tug at her hair as she begins to ride him. She sets the pace grinding back and forth. He watches her ass move as she impales herself on him again and again.

He grits his teeth, bucking his hips and she gasps.

“You like that?” He sighs.

“Yes, do it again.” There’s a chuckle in her voice. 

He does and soon they find a rhythm.

Her hands hold onto the meat of his thighs to steady herself as she speeds up. He knows she’s close from how she’s gripping him.  She just needs a little push.

Marc bends his knees and shifts slightly offering his thigh. 

“Lemme help. Y’know what to do.”

They fall back into a rhythm again but this time she’s rubbing herself all over his thigh. It’s even better than before because he can feel just how slick she is. 

He can feel her pulse around him— hips wild as she chases her peak. She cries out and slumps forward into the mattress letting him slip out. 

To his surprise, she stretches her hands out in front of her and wiggles that perfect ass. He gives her a playful squeeze. A smile grows on his lips.

“C’mon, Marc.”

He walks over on his knees and dips his hand in between her folds. She hisses.

He gathers her wetness and strokes himself with it. His other hand grabs that ass and pulls her flush against him.

He buries himself to the hilt in one thrust. She moans. He can’t get over how good she feels.

His fingers ghost over her neck and tilt her jaw up. He keeps his grip gentle just wanting access to her full lips. He kisses her fiercely. She trembles. 

“Marc. Please.”

He starts off steady but when she pushes that gorgeous ass against him he can’t hold back. 

“Yes! Yes!” Her cheek is pressed into the mattress. 

He snarls, pulling out only to slam back in again. The sounds she makes are unreal.  

“Oh my god. I—Marc—I can’t.”

“You can, honey.”  His thrusts are harder. Her body arches. “That it? Right there?”

She moans in reply. He reaches between her legs stroking her with figure eight patterns. 

“M-Marc.” She whines—whines his name as she shatters. 

“So—fuckin— good— ” He could fuck her all night and it wouldn’t be enough. This should be illegal.

“Ohh, oh, shit.” He’s gonna come. He grits his teeth calling on every ounce of his self-control to pull out. He hisses, chest heaving. 

To his surprise, she walks on her knees to him and stares. 

“Want some help with that?” She arches an eyebrow. He nods violently.

Her hand takes hold of him and he gasps. Her thumb brushes over his tip and he closes his eyes as she moves down.

Her grip is tight and she flexes mimicking the pulse he’d feel inside her. He’s right on the precipice. He’s gonna jump.

His heart is racing and his skin burns, flames licking him from the inside. 

“C’mon, pretty pretty boy. I got you. Just let go.” 

His eyes squeeze shut and his mouth falls open as he throws his head back. Oblivion overtakes him. Pure bliss as he falls apart.  

“Ohh—ahh—shit—Ash, fuck. Oh, Ash…”

He’s bucking up into her hand, spilling all over. He’s too far gone to care. She lets go and he fails to catch his breath. He feels the mattress dip and hears her padding on the floor.

The water is running in the bathroom. The mattress dips again and he feels a towel dragging over his skin. Her soft mouth presses into his cheekbone while her hand brushes his sweaty curls away from his forehead.

He didn’t expect her to be like this…tender. He blinks his eyes open with great effort and sees her smiling at him. She looks beautiful.

It’s all he remembers before dozing off. 

Marc wakes up and doesn’t know how long he’s been asleep.

He looks around the room. It’s been cleared out. He clears his throat and looks out the window.

Sunlight streaks faintly across the sky in pink and orange. His gaze falls on the nightstand.

There’s a large envelope with his name on it in crisp, uniform print. He grabs it and opens it quickly.

He sees a note, a USB drive, and a flip phone.

Marc —

You trying to honeypot me was super cute. I told you I’d share if you were nice. And you were much nicer than I expected. Would’ve settled just for dinner. Wore you out though. A for effort. Here’s a burner if you wanna reach me.

See you around

Xoxo,

A

Wednesdays are Steven Grant's favorite day of the week. All because of one particular visitor: Dr.  Aishwarya Devi.

She’s been working on a paper for the past six months and Wednesday is her artifact research day. Steven felt his heart skip the first time he laid eyes on her. She was as close to perfect as he had ever seen.

A tall hourglass-shaped woman with straight, long dark hair, dark eyes framed by retro cat-eye glasses, high cheekbones, and full lips that always wore tight blazers and pencil skirts. She spoke with a posh accent which wasn’t surprising considering her Oxford pedigree.

In the break room, he’s heard many different people talk about how beautiful she is. Even JB remembers her name.

Donna hates Wednesdays because of the tizzy Dr. Devi causes on the staff. But her looks aren’t Steven’s favorite thing about her.

When she first started coming to the museum, she found her way to the gift shop and asked him for directions to Donna’s office. She knew everything about the feline goddess Sekhmet surprising even Steven.

She explained her thesis to him and how when it’s finished she hopes to get published and do a lecture circuit. Steven would love to do something like that—be paid to share his knowledge with an interested, captive audience. 

She’s asked him about continuing his education but he isn’t sure he’s ready for something like that. Still, the fact she asked means the world.

Steven loves his conversations with her. She’s confident, funny, whip-smart as well as book-smart.

There have been quite a few times when he’s reading his novels that he’s pictured her as the captivating heroine.

She’s absolutely perfect but he doesn’t really know how to go out asking her out. Maybe he’ll bring it up this time. Maybe.

“What are you daydreaming about, Stevie? Dr. Perfect?” Donna snorts pulling him from his thoughts.

“N-No.”  Steven looks down at the cash register.

“Good. You’d have absolutely no shot with a girl like that.” Donna continues. “Hell’d freeze over first.”

Ash clears her throat making herself known. He wonders how long she’s been standing there. He can smell her amber and jasmine perfume. It’s heaven. 

“Hi, Steven.” Ash smiles at him. It fades when she looks at Donna. “Donna.”

“How much longer do you think you’ll be working on this paper, Dr. Devi?” Donna asks. Steven knows that translates to “How much longer are you gonna show up here?”

“I’m not sure. There’s just so much research. Do you need me to refile the paperwork?” Ash tilts her head.

“No. It’s valid.” Donna huffs. “Steven, take those plush alligators down to the basement. They’re not selling. Not that you know how to upsell anyway.”

Ash watches as Donna walks away and approaches Steven.

“Why do you let her talk to you like that?”

“I mean, she’s my boss.”

“She’s a raging bitch.”

Steven chuckles.

Ash smiles at him and looks back.

Donna is still watching them.  Her eyes fall to his mouth watching as he sucks his lower lip in between his teeth.

“Steven?”

“Hmm?” He brings his coffee cup to his mouth.

“Can I kiss you?”

Steven nearly spits out his coffee. 

“Can you w-what?”

“Can I kiss you?” Her tone is gentle and inviting. 

“Why?” Is he being pranked? 

“Cause you’re smart, cute, and sweet and Donna’s a bitch, and I wanna prove her wrong.” She fixes the collar on his button-up shirt and his brain nearly short circuits.

He’s engulfed by her perfume now and her ruby red lips are so close. 

His eyes widen. She thinks he’s cute? And smart? And sweet? And she wants to stick it to his boss? By kissing him? Is she real?

“So,” She rests her elbows on the desk. “Can I?”

“Y-Yes. Absolutely.” Steven nods so quickly his head might fall off his shoulders.

She smiles before leaning over.

She takes his face in his hands and he can see Donna freeze out of the corner of his eye.

He follows Ash’s lead as she kisses him full on the mouth. He wonders if he’s dreaming but part of him doesn’t really care. If he could dream like this all the time, he’d love going to sleep.

It’s a sweet, chaste kiss that all the novels in the world couldn’t have prepared him for. The real thing is so much better.

Her lips are soft and warm and he nearly topples forward from how dizzying it all feels. 

She pulls back, smiling.

He opens his eyes, dazed.

He peeks over her shoulder to see Donna standing with her mouth open.

He snickers.

Ash looks behind her and grins devilishly.

She sighs happily turning her attention back to him. He’s hanging on her every word.

“I should go. But god, you’re so cute.”

That’s it. He must be dreaming. He can feel the flush burning his cheeks as he smiles from ear to ear. He doesn’t know what to say.

She’s still smiling. 

“I’ll see you around, yeah?” Her eyebrows wiggle. 

“Definitely.” He nods, dazed.

“Bye, for now, Steven with a V.” She holds up her pointer and middle finger making a V.

“Bye, Miss Devi—er—Doctor. Aishwarya.” He gives her a little wave.

Steven sighs dreamily as she walks away. Yes, Wednesdays are his favorite.

[bruce-slutsteen]

Thank you soooo much

THE EYE OF THE MOON - MASTERLIST

Title:  the eye of the moon

Fandom: Marvel/Moon Knight

Pairing: Moon Boys System x Layla x Desi!OFC

Summary: Ash Rajul serves the goddess Sekhmet as her avatar working to keep the most vulnerable safe. 3 years ago, she had a falling out with Khonshu’s former avatar, Arthur Harrow, and seeks to keep the world safe from his vengeance. Marc Spector doesn’t trust her, Steven Grant is enamored with her, and Layla El-Faouly is her former lover who wants her help. They better figure it out because somebody’s gotta save the world.

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Canon-Typical Violence, Polyamory, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Canon Character Death and Resurrection. Individual warnings in each chapter.

Word Count: 34,833

prologue: but all i can taste is the blood in my mouth and the bitterness in goodbye

chapter one: she’s on the tip of my tongue she’s on the top of my thighs

chapter two: between my fingers, she leaves, then she lingers

chapter three: she was sweet like honey

chapter four: if she’s gonna go well then i’m goin’ with her

chapter five: she stings like she means it she’s mean and she’s mine

Status: Complete

AO3

Tagging: @ocappreciation @arrthurpendragon

[bruce-slutsteen]

You are the sweetest and I will miss your comments. I’ll let you know if I write any more for them. There is a fall prompt with her and Jake here.

chapter four: if she’s gonna go well then i’m goin’ with her

previously - chapter three || masterlist || next - chapter five

Rating: Explicit

Warnings:  swearing, a brief discussion of F/F sex, canon-typical violence (fighting mummies, Harrow shooting main characters, punching), major character deaths and resurrections, very brief and implied child abuse, racism, F/F sex, breast play and kissing, oral sex female receiving, vaginal fingering, oral sex male receiving, group sex (M/F/M/F), dirty talk, PIV sex, discussion of pegging

Note: Thank you to everyone who is reading this. The next chapter will be the epilogue. Please let me know what you think.This chapter follows episodes 4-6. All chapter titles from Halsey’s “honey.”

Word Count: 7,422

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