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mintyjin · 6 years

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neighbor au: yugyeom

sorry for less posts lately- it’s finals season and I got into a super cool thing but that means I gotta plan for it and life is crazy

no one likes the graveyard shift, not really

you definitely don’t like it, but what can you do? gotta pay for university somehow

but it’s not all bad, you know. the graveyard shift is how you met yugyeom

he’s the only other tenant who gets back to the building at 4:12am

that breeds an odd sort of friendship

the sort of friendship where you run into each other with tired eyes and hoods pulled over your heads, meet each other’s eyes and laugh

like dude... why the fuck aren’t we asleep?

you’ve grown accustomed to each other, so much so that you’ll pull out your earbuds to talk to each other for a few minutes before going into your respective apartments and collapsing

yugyeom knows all about your job and it’s horrible, monotonous shifts spent staring at a glaring computer screen until your eyes ache, but you actually don’t know why he’s out this late

guessing by the bag he carries at all times, he’s probably a student

you feel like you remember seeing some math books outside his door

yeah, he’s a student. that’s gotta be it

in the elevator up to your floor, yugyeom will pull a protein bar out of his pocket and offer it to you

like... he always has them

finally you ask him if he ever eats anything else. like does the boy have a balanced diet or does he live entirely off protein bars cause uh

“I ate some ramen for breakfast!”

“....I’m sorry I asked.”

“Ah, Y/N, so judgmental.”

and you’re like listen here you little shit if you stay up this late all the time then you need to take care of yourself

besides, being a regular student makes it hard to stay healthy, so night classes? you really got to take care of yourself

yugyeom stiffens up a bit and looks at you cautiously out of the corner of his eye

“Night classes?” he repeats

“Aren’t you a student?” you ask

“Yes... but only by day.”

and you’re about to ask what he means when the elevator doors open and he gets off, waving goodbye with a smile and trudging off to bed

so... yugyeom has a secret

the next day, you go out of your way to walk by yugyeom’s door before you head to class

to your surprise, there’s a note taped to it

“Yugyeom, back to the usual place tonight. Call me. JB”

...what? what? what?

what! does! that! mean!

date? drugs? what?

and like, you could just text yugyeom and ask him, but that would mean admitting to having snooped around a bit, so... no

you see him after your shift the next day and you almost ask him what he meant by only being a student by day but,,,, he looks rough

his eyes are bloodshot, he’s sweaty, he’s pale

“Are- are you ok?” you ask, feeling concern rise in your chest

“Uh, I had a rough night. I’ll be ok, I just need sleep. And coffee. Tomorrow.”

“No, seriously, Yugyeom. You look like you just survived a tsunami. What happened?”

and he’s obviously exhausted, no doubt from staying up so late nearly every night combined with whatever happened to make him look so dreadful

but when you fret over him, he looks shocked for a second, his mouth forming a little o, and then he smiles

and sure, it’s a pretty thin-lipped smile, but it meets his eyes

and if you were paying attention, you would’ve noticed his ears get pink

“It’s just my hyungs,” he says by way of explanation. “It’s a long story- I’ll tell you next time, ok?”

“Um, ok,” you say, watching yugyeom take a step out of the elevator

the doors start to close behind him but you can’t hold back

you stop the doors closing and call, “Yugyeom!”

surprised, he whips his head back to meet your eyes

“Take care of yourself, ok? I can’t lose my 4am elevator buddy.”

finally, he grins

“You, too, Y/N,” he says, waving and stifling a yawn

you smile back, feeling a little better as the elevator doors finally close

totally unaware that you’ve completely turned his attitude around

he’s gone all smiley and blushy and he’s like... y/n... is pretty cute...

the next night, your shift goes on longer than usual

something came up and your boss demanded you stay after to fix a minuscule problem that anyone could’ve fixed, really

but she seemed especially insistent that you do it

the life of a corporate slave, amiright

and as you make the trek back to your building, the sky is already starting to get brighter

bruh...

needless to say, you’re in a terrible mood

with the looks to match, surely, with messy hair and hooded eyes, red from you rubbing them every few minutes

you stumble into your building, heading blindly to the elevator

“Y/N!”

is that....

it’s yugyeom

“I was waiting for you to get back.”

you’re stunned. “What?”

he nervously fidgets with his hands. “We’re 4am elevator buddies, right?”

you can’t help but laugh at that

“It’s not exactly 4am anymore...”

“Still, it feels wrong to ride the elevator at a weird hour without you. Also, I told you I’d explain something.”

oh yeah! you’d almost forgotten about yugyeom’s deathly appearance in the midst of dealing with your boss

“Yeah, what was up with-”

“Do you want to go up to the roof?”

and you’re exhausted. you’re so so so very tired. but yugyeom has hopeful eyes and a smile begging to pull at his lips and you can’t help but want to see him smile all the time so you sigh and say you might as well go up to the roof

and when his face lights up, you feel yourself mirror his expression

cause listen- yugyeom is cute

always doing some dorky shit to make you smile

you want to spend time with him outside of an elevator. and if that means going to the roof of your apartment complex instead of falling into bed, so. be. it.

yugyeom never disappoints, you know. on the elevator up, he offers you a protein bar

“Sure!”

“Chocolate brownie or cookie dough?”

“Honestly, Yugyeom, you’ve got to start eating some fruit.”

“Stop nagging me! Yah, between you and Jinyoung-”

and when the doors open, you’re laughing your ass off at yugyeom’s whining, totally forgetting about sleeping

who needs sleep when you have a cute boy? exactly

it’s a bit cold so far above the ground, though, especially this early in the morning

you cross your arms, content to just bear with it, but then yugyeom drops to the ground and unzips his bag and pulls out a blanket, holding it out to you

and you’re like,,,, yugyeom wtf

but hey! blankets are warm! so you take it, wrapping it around your shoulders and sitting down on a raised concrete slab, motioning for yugyeom to sit next to you

and he does, albeit hesitantly

“So...” you start, “you promised to explain?”

“Uh, yeah. It’s kind of a long story...”

“Well, I’m already up this late, so I might as well hear it.”

yugyeom just nods a really quick, tense nod and clears his throat

“So, you were right. I am a student. But I don’t take night classes. I’m out so late all the time because I’m on a dance team.”

“A dance team? But why does that-”

“There’s seven of us and our schedules never line up, so we rehearse late at night.”

and like,,, that’s weird, but it makes sense

“The other night, when you said I looked terrible, we had a fight. We’re ok now, but... fighting with friends is never fun.”

“Oh.”

“...Yeah.”

“So, can I see you dance?”

“Right now?”

“Right now.”

“I don’t have music!”

“You have a phone, don’t you?”

“....OK, just let me find the song.”

you’re like yes!!! this is going to be so good

but when a familiar kendrick song starts playing from his phone and yugyeom starts to dance, your jaw falls open a bit

you didn’t expect him to be this good

it’s just that he looks like he was born to do exactly what he’s doing

wow

when he finishes, you applaud somewhat unintentionally

and yugyeom is blushing and running his fingers through his hair and he’s a little winded and boi he’s attractive

you swallow to keep yourself from drooling and lose your shit because yugeyom... how come you never told me you’re so good at dancing omfg can you teach me actually no I'm hopeless but can I come to one of your shows maybe? wait do you have shows? you never got into that I still don't know a lot but you’re so good! so hyped to call you my friend!

and yugyeom laughs and pulls you to your feet

“I’ll teach you to dance.”

but it’s different from what he did

one hand tentatively rests just above your waist, the other lightly takes your hand

and you’re freaking out cause omfg is kim yugyeom going to dance with me??? but also this blanket is falling off my shoulders oh dear

but then yugyeom starts to move ever so slightly to the side, guiding you, and you just let the blanket slide off

who cares about the blanket

and neither of you want to admit it, but the dim light of the very early morning makes the scene ethereal

and neither of you would ever admit to the deep blush coating your cheeks

but you’re smiling, too, and laughing

cause yugyeom twirls you and keeps you literally on your toes trying to guess what he’ll do next

he’s just so sweet and fun and... well, you’re about 99.99% sure he’s flirting with you

so you take a chance and rest your hands on the sides of his face

yugyeom’s feet stop moving, his hands still against your sides

you hear him take in a sharp breath

and your heart is pounding but you’ve come this far come on y/n you can’t back out now

you lean forward, standing on the tips of your toes, and lightly kiss his nose

and when you pull back, yugyeom’s face follows yours so that your lips are mere centimeters away

“Is- is it ok if-”

you cut him off, planting your lips on his

and it’s feather light and barely three seconds, but when you pull away, yugyeom tilts your chin slightly up and kisses you again

this time a little harder, with more feeling

and you are over the moon

coherent thought is a thing of the past

and this time, when you both come back up for air, you smile up at him and say, “Maybe we should hang out before 4am?”

he’s just like, “I really don’t know what you’re doing to me, Y/N.”

#got7 #got7 fluff #got7 scenarios #got7 imagines #got7 reactions #got7 yugyeom #yugyeom #got7 yugyeom scenarios #got7 yugyeom imagines #got7 yugyeom fluff #got7 au #neighbor au #kim yugyeom #yugyeom scenario #yugyeom scenarios #yugyeom imagine #yugyeom imagines #yugyeom fluff

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kimjongdaely · 7 years

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The War [Epilogue]

Mafia!AU

Pairing: Kai x Reader x Xiumin

Warnings: Language, violence

Summary: After the tragedy of your ex-boyfriend, you find yourself constantly thinking about him. Memories are hard to erase, after all. Then in comes a man you met by chance and who stole what’s left of your heart. You find yourself stuck between your old love and new love.

A/N: Who will it be? Kim Minseok or Kim Jongin?

Prologue│Chapter 1│Chapter 2│Chapter 3│Chapter 4│Chapter 5│ Chapter 6│Chapter 7│Epilogue

Jongin has been in the emergency room for over three hours now. A few people have gone in an out the room occasionally, including Minseok who is worried sick about his brother.

“He won’t stop bleeding.” Minseok tells you when he finally sits down next to you after his third visit into the ER. “The bullet hit a large artery.”

“Will he…?” You choke, unable to bring yourself to finish your question. Minseok falls silent, his eyes downcast and you feel your stomach drop.

“No.” Minseok insists, trying to persuade you and himself. “He’ll be fine.”

The way Minseok’s hands are shaking just the slightest bit tells you otherwise.

You clasp your hands together, your fingers feeling so cold as you pray. You keep repeating it like a mantra, he’ll be okay, he’ll be okay, he’ll be okay.

Please let him be okay.

Minseok wraps an arm around you, a way of comfort. You lean against him, feeling the tears come again, but you’re too exhausted to cry. You hear his rapid heartbeat, hearing how scared he really is.

You squeeze your eyes shut, trying to block everything out. You want to just forget everything, wish this never happened, wish this was all just a nightmare.

You let darkness embrace you.

You feel someone shaking you, a familiar voice call your name. “Wake up, he’s out.”

You jolt up, focusing on Minseok’s face, wondering when you had fallen asleep. Minseok motions for you to stand from the uncomfortable hard bench and head over to the room that Jongin had been moved to.

Minseok lets you enter the room first before he enters himself, closing the door gently behind him.

You walk over to Jongin’s sleeping form, your heart squeezing and suddenly it feels hard to breathe as you lay eyes on him. He’s so pale, deathly pale. Some gauze can be seen from where the blanket doesn’t cover.

“Jongin?” You sink into a chair next to his bed, gently taking his ice cold hand in yours. “Minseok, why isn’t he awake?”

“He was just operated on, so he was put to sleep. He should wake up in a bit.” Minseok answers as he stands next to you, his eyes softening on his brother’s form.

“He’ll be okay now?” You ask quietly, your eyes refusing to leave Jongin. He looks peaceful now, just sleeping, not pained like he was on the way here. You doubt you can ever erase the image of him bleeding over the car seats, his chest heaving as he struggles to get air into his lungs, his pained groans every time the van moved a little more violently.

“He’ll be okay.” Minseok whispers, placing a hand over your shoulder and giving it a soft squeeze. “Just let him rest.”

“Can I stay here with him?” You turn to look at Minseok, your eyes glossy with emotion. “Please.”

Minseok let’s out a soft sigh before agreeing, “Okay, but not too long. You need to rest too.”

You nod absentmindedly as you hear Minseok’s quiet footsteps leave the room, the soft click of the door as it closes. The silence is suffocating, but it lets you clear your head.

There are so many thoughts running through your head, every new thought destroying you a little more inside. It feels like your whole life is now crumbling into pieces. How did you get here?

Maybe meeting Jongin was the biggest mistake of your life. If you haven’t met Jongin, you might not have met Minseok, and even if you did meet Minseok, maybe the two of you would be happily married already without all this complication.

And then your mind begs the question: who do you love more?

You take a shaky breath as you focus on Jongin’s face. His handsome features, his chiseled jaw, his soft golden skin that now looks much too pale. The way he seems to be struggling to breathe, as each breath he takes is excruciating.

As you watch from the sides of the man you loved—love?—in so much agony, still at the edge of death, it’s easy to make promises.

Promises you may not be able to keep.

It’s easy to say that you’ll do anything as long as he comes back alive, healthy. So easy to say you’ll go back to him in a heartbeat once he wakes up.

But at a time like this, faced with life and death, isn’t this when your heart is truest?

If it wills for Jongin, shouldn’t you stay with him?

But then what about Minseok, who you love as well?

You close your eyes and let your heart pray, promises and decisions already on the tip of your tongue, but you stubbornly keep your mouth shut. In time, they will be told anyways.

Four weeks later, Kim Jongin wakes up.

It took longer than anticipated due to too much blood loss. He wasn’t allowed to leave the hospital yet, since his wound hasn’t completely healed and it would be easy to irritate it. He was kept there just in case.

But after another two weeks, he was allowed to go home. Minseok goes to pick him up with a wide, relieved smile, but then softly asks if you would like to go with him.

He was obviously expecting you to grin, or laugh or cry in relief, but he finds a simple smile on your face as you decline his offer.

You see the way his eyes widen just the slightest, not expecting your answer, but he nods nonetheless and gives you a small smile as he leaves.

You make your way to your room, closing the door and letting its darkness envelope you for a moment.

You close your eyes and take a deep breath.

You had time to mull over the promises and decisions you’ve made. Now is the time they are breathed into reality.

About forty minutes later, Jongin and Minseok arrive at the mafia. Everyone in the mafia comes to greet Jongin, with big hugs and slaps on the back—only to be thoroughly scolded by Minseok, the overly worried brother.

Upon hearing the commotion, you slowly make your way to the lobby, the room growing quiet as you enter.

There’s a tension in the air when they see your face, devoid of the joy they were expecting you to have.

You stare at Minseok and Jongin, their faces immediately smoothing out into a neutral expression.

“Let’s go to my office.” Minseok says softly and you nod, as the three of you make your way to his office.

Minseok takes his place in his seat behind the desk, you and Jongin sitting on the couch that aligns the wall.

There’s a soft sigh that escapes Minseok’s lips, Jongin staying unusually quiet beside you. “You’ve made a decision.”

“I have.” You reply with a calm, confident voice.

You feel Jongin hold his breath, see from the corner of your eyes the way he looks at his clasped hands, the way he’s trembling the slightest bit.

You then turn to Minseok, who looks defeated and hopeful at the same time, preparing for the worst and praying for the best.

You try to find your words, having planned this for weeks and yet when the time has come, being unable to say it properly. You don’t want to confuse or cause any misunderstandings.

“I…” You start, your soft voice breaking the thick silence. “I’ve decided I won’t marry you, Minseok. I’m sorry.”

You see the way he seems to deflate, his eyes darkening and yet, a smile manages to appear on his face. “I understand.”

You give him an apologetic glance, your eyes sweeping over him again as if to memorize him. You never want to forget the joy he brought you when you were filled with grief.

Your words seem to bring Jongin new hope as he lifts his head to look at you with wide eyes. His face seems brighter than a second ago as he waits for you to say something, anything, to him.

“Jongin.” You gently take his hand in yours, relieved to feel the warmth in his hands that didn’t exist a few weeks ago. He gladly laces your fingers together, eager to hear your decision that maybe—just maybe, might be in his favor. “Nini.”

“Choco.” He breathes, his eyes searching yours frantically, trying to find an anchor to hold his belief that you might come back to him.

You look at him for a moment longer before you turn away, your eyes deliberately avoiding his. “I’m sorry.”

Your words ring out, and his hand falls from yours.

“W-What?” He chokes out, having all his light stolen from him once more.

“I’m sorry.” You repeat, finally mustering enough courage to look at him once again. “Jongin, I love you. Even when I started loving Minseok,” you turn to meet the dark eyes of Minseok, “even then, I knew I still loved you more.”

“Then why?” A sob makes its way into his words, his eyes glazing over in disbelief. “Why, Choco?”

“Because I can’t.” You feel your own eyes start to sting as you stand up, putting distance between you and him. “I can’t be with you, Jongin. At least…at least not right now. I…I need time…to heal. I need to heal from all of this before I can love again.”

You shake your head, trying to stop the tears that are threatening to spill. Jongin stands up as well, wanting to hold you but you take a step back.

“But—” Jongin starts, his voice broken, but you stop him with another shake of your head.

“No.” You say firmly, turning away. “This is my decision and it is final. Please, give me some time away.”

You leave the office and close the door behind you, immediately rushing to your room. You grab your almost full suitcase as you finish packing away your things. You close your suitcase, rubbing away the tears that have escaped, trying to suppress your sobs. You make your way out the mafia, several people trying to stop you.

Minseok and Jongin comes, and you were scared that they might stop you too. If they did, you might not have the will to leave anymore.

But they don’t. Instead, Minseok orders for his men to let you leave.

You nod at him gratefully, seeing their crestfallen faces.

You’ve planned this for so long, and now it’s finally in action. You’re going to leave, to take some time away, to think and figure out what to do from now on.

You need to know if you can still go back to Jongin, and you won’t know if you stay.

You make your way through the doorway, closing your eyes so you don’t look back.

Previous Chapter │ Next Book

The War Mini Masterlist

A/N: Okay, the ending is a bit abrupt and might be surprising. You might be wondering ‘so what does this mean?�� It means that this isn’t the end. No, this is only the end to one part. This story will continue, and this time I assure you that both Minseok, Jongin and even Choco will find their happiness! So please anticipate what will happen next and tell me what you thought about this one! Thank you guys so much for reading this series, I love you all so much 💛 Please also check out my other series!

©kimjongdaely

Request and let’s love!

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wobbling-grapes · 7 years

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The Winter Flu (oneshot)

Synopsis: Bakugou's sick, and Kirishima is the only one who can take care of him while the school is on a trip. Contains whump, sickness and fluff.

It was the winter and Yuuei High School was currently on a trip for all of their first years. The were visiting various places around the country. Class 1-A managed to get into a historical mansion where heros of the olden days used to live. It should've been pretty enjoyable, even for Bakugou who was known for cussing people out and always having a resting bitch face no matter what. The class full of 1st years were going to the historical mansion and then to training grounds and back to the hotel where they would eat dinner, spend the night, and then go to an supernatural aquarium, seeing creatures that normally didn't exist.

That was the plan. And eventually they would all head back to the school and dorms where classes would resume like nothing happened. But for Bakugou... that was far from what was going to happen. Considering how early everyone had to wake up (4:30 a.m. to be exact) and how cold it was (15°F) it seemed like there was not a reason Bakugou would get sick. He has an explosive quirk and his body temperature was higher than everyone else's it seemed as though it wouldn't happen. Yet it did.

The 16 year old ash blond was huddled under many blankets he found in the hotel room. He even turned up the heat but nothing seemed to be working. The heat was seeping out of him in waves and whenever Bakugou fell asleep, he was jolted awake again by the violent shivers all over his body. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It read 5:50. 'Only... what? 2 more fucking hours...? I think I can make it....' Bakugou's thoights were on a constant ramble until he finally gave into the heavy dropping of his eyelids and sleep enveloped his whole body in warmth and darkness.

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"Bakugou. Bakugou. Bakugou." Somone was shaking his shoulder. It hurt. Why didn't they stop? Fucking why? The shaking didn't stop. "Pst. Bakugou. You gotta get up bro. We were supposed to meet the others downstairs hours ago." It was Kirishima. They both shared a room that night. Bakugou groaned and put the pillow over his head.

Kirishima started shaking a little more. "C'mon Bakugou. I know you hate mornings but seriously..." The red haired teenager grabbed Bakugou's wrist and immediately let it go. "Hey, Bakugou." Kirishima put his hand onto the tired boy's forehead. "Dude! You're burning up!"

Bakugou opened one eye at that. "No I'm fucking not..." he mumbled under the mountain of blankets. "Get the fucking hell away." He breathed, while rubbing his red and irritated nose. Bakugou weakly pushed Kirishima's hand away and rolled over to one side. He closed this eyes again and fell asleep as a low snore filled the hotel room.

Kirishima grumbled. 'Fine my ass. I know that he's not feeling good. Should I tell Aizawa-sensei? No... then it'll be a bigger issue than it already is. Oh!' Kirishima came across the best idea he's ever had. Literally. 'I'll talk to Midoriya. They used to be best friends, right? So he should know what to do.'

--------------------------

Kirishima got down to the dining hall in record time. It seemed as though time had stood still when he was on the staircase. He glanced around for Midoriya, trying not to look to upset.

"Hey."Kirishima swirled around, startled, and smiled. It was Midoriya, the person he was looking for. Kirishima sighed a sigh of relief. "Dude, don't scare me like that!" Midoriya smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. What do you need?" He said, wiping his hands on his pants. He just came from the bathroom and there were no paper towels.

Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck. "So... if someone... per say a pretty explosive person got sick, what should happen?" Kirishima finished, rocking back and forth on his heels. Midoriya cocked his head to the side. "Kacchan? He's sick?" His eyes widened. "Oh. Well, when we were kids he usually got sick at this time of year." Midoriya rubbed his eye. "I think it was because of how he was always forcing himself to train and stuff so he fell sick to those yearly sicknesses." He explained.

"Well... what should someone do if he has gotten sick?" Kirishima asked, trying to not let out that Bakugou has fallen ill. Midoriya stuttered before talking. "Kirishima, is umm... Kacchan sick?"

Kirishima sighed and nodded. "Yeah..." he sighed quietly and pointed up the stairs with his thumb. "Do you want to come see? I think it'll be better if you do." Midoriya closed his eyes and thought about this for a moment. "Ok, but let me eat first. Then we can go. Have you eaten? I think if you eat first some of your energy can come back." He laughed awkwardly. "Taking care of an explosive, uncooperative person may take it out of you...." He guided the red haired teen to his table with his other fellow classmates.

---------------------------

Midoriya was right. Going without eating anything at all really made you feel more tired then you generally were. Kirishima thought about this as he climbed the staircase with Midoriya behind him. It took about 5 minutes to fully make it up to the hotel room Bakugou and Kirishima were sharing. Kirishima placed the card inside the slot and as the door clicked, he opened the door, letting Midoriya go in first as he followed suit.

Inside they found Bakugou, sprawled out on one of the beds covered in blankets. His back was to them and they could see the rise and fall of his chest. The pillows were on the floor and the quiet sound of snoring filled the room. It wasn't annoying, like someone else's, but more natural. Midoriya walked closer. He saw that Bakugou's usual tan skin had taken a shade lighter, almost like he was pale. There were bags under his eyes like sleep was hard to come by. In short, Bakugou looked terrible. Worse than he did when they both fought against All Might in the End of Term Exam. He walked closer and shook Bakugou's shoulder.

"Kacchan. Umm... Kacchan. C'mon, get up." With enough poking and prodding, Bakugou eventually opened his eyes, turned over, yawned, sneezed once, and sat up slowly. He rubbed his eyes and looked at his visitors. "What the actual fuck... Deku? Why the hell are you here?" Bakugou's voice was hoarse and strained. It sounded like talking took almost everyone ounce of energy out of him. He glanced at Kirishima and growled, "Did you fucking bring him here?"

Kirishima nodded. "Yeah. Sorry, but I needed to ask him to tag along. I wanted him to see everything, even though he's not a doctor." He finished, sheepishly. Midoriya rolled up his sleeves. "Okay, so Kacchan? How do you feel?" He put his hand onto Bakugou's forehead before the sick teen could slap it away. "You do have a fever."

"I fucking told you guys. I'm fine, dipshits." The ferocity in Bakugou's voice made Kirishima blink and Midoriya take a step back. "I'm probably just tired or something. I don't need any of your motherfucking pity." With that he pulled the blankets back over his head and turned over, ignoring the world around him. Midoriya and Kirishima exchanged worried and frustrated glances. "Do we need to do something?" Kirishima whispered. Midoriya sighed quietly. "He's always like this. I think it'll be better if you do it by yourself, though because of... yeah and... I can relay you information on what to do does it sound like a plan? I hope it works. Oh nooo..." he spoke.

Kirishima nodded. "Yeah. It's worth a shot. This guy is gonna work himself into the ground before he admits he's feeling under the weather. And maybe he'll admit it in front of me. You never know."

Midoriya nodded, embarrassed. "Umm, right. And so everything's fine... right? Yeah, he's not deathly ill and he's not dying either, Kacchan still is cursing and angry and still is uncooperative and can move and talk and--" Kirishima laughed and patted Midoriya's shoulder. "Stop mumbling. I'm pretty sure everything will be fine. It'll be okay."

Midoriya nodded and walked closer to the door. "Umm alrighty... so you want me to tell you..? Or can you do it yourself? Because me and Urakara had something we needed to do..." he trailed off. Kirishima's face brightened. "Hey, if you need to be with her, go for it."

"I'm pretty sure I can handle everything here. Plus," he winked. "I can understand. Now go." He pushed Midoriya to the hotel room door. "I'll text you if I need anything else. Alright?"Kirishima finished. "Everything's gonna be fine." Midoriya looked skeptical but Kirishima's reasurring smile made Midoriya finally give in and opened the hotel room to walk out. "Okay...okay... b-but if you need anything then I can help you! Kacchan can be ruder than normal when he's like this, so keep it in mind. Bye Kirishima." Midoriya gave a weak smile and closed the door behind him. As he finally heard footstoes go down the hall, Kirishima breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the lump under the bed covers. He walked over, just like before, and quietly repeated aaid teen's name. "Bakugou, man, wake up please. Midoriya's gone."

At that, Bakugou's shape under the covers moved slightly as he coughed harshly. "Fucking finally." Bakugou sat up in the bed. His voice seemed more hoarse and groggy than before. "Idiot. I thought I told you I was fine." He rubbed his red and tired eyes. Kirishima sat down on the bed across from him and put his elbows on his knees. "Well, considering that you look like this," he emphasized Bakugou's condition. "I don't think you are. Does it matter how many times you say it? I mean look, we're bros. You need to tell me stuff like this so it won't get outta hand like it is now." Kirishima sighed and stood up. "But I honestly think that you now need someone."

Bakugou turned his head to glance at Kirishima. His look was confused and muddled. Kirishima stared back before he realized something. Bakugou just forgot what had happened. Kirishima's worry reached the breaking point. Yeah Baukugou cursed and was antisocial... but they managed to become friends. Maybe even more than that. So therefore Kirishima placed his hands on his forehead. "Bakugou," he said, worried. "Get up. We're going to the hotel doctor." Bakugou turned back to look at him. Kirishima could tell it was taking almost all of Bakugou's will power to say no. But considering the current situation, the explosive teen managed to swallow his pride and finally cooperate this once.

Bakugou nodded in acknowledgement and started to get out of the hotel bed. He shivered noticeably as the covers fell from his sickly frame. Kirishima held his shoulder. "If you need anything, tell me alright? Don't pass out on me while changing." Bakugou grunted in response along with a low stream of curses then shakily made his way to the bathroom to get changed. Kirishima sat down on the hotel floor, turning on his phone and started to play various shooter games he had. When he finished his fifth round, Kirishima decided to check up on the ash blond teenager. He hadn't come out the bathroom in what seemed like 30 minutes. Did something happen?

Kirishima's mind swirled with worry as he slowly pushed open the tall door. Inside was Bakugou, and he somehow fell asleep halfway through putting on his clothes. His pants were on ('Thank God', though Kirshima) but his shirt was halfway on, showing part of Bakugou's toned stomach. Kirishima blushed profusely. 'He doesn't look half bad...' Kirishima thought before walking closer and pulling the arm of the shirt and slightly taking Bakugou's arm and pulling it through before shaking the explosive teen awake. Bakugou opened his eyes slightly.

He rasped a, "The fuck...?" before slapping Kirishima weakly away, standing up shakily, and walking towards the hotel door. Kirishima quickly shook his head to forget the situation that just occurred and followed Bakugou. Bakugou opened the door and grabbed his head, dizziness overtaking him. Kirishima held his shoulder and guided the sick teen out of the hotel door. "Are you good enough to walk?" Kirishima asked. "The elevator is down this hallway. Think that you can make it?"

Bakugou coughed wetly into the back of his hand and nodded.

Asthey walked down the hallway, Kirishima slowly tugged on Bakugou’s shirt, making sure to keep him awake as they walked down the hall.

#mha #bnha #boku no hero academia #boku no hero season 2 #bakushima #katsuki bakugou #bakugou x kirishima #bnha bakugou #whump #sickfic #anime #bnha kirishima #caretaker kirishima

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sheadre · 7 years

Text

Behind the Mask (Loki x Reader) Part 4/9

Masterlist

When you closed behind yourself the doors of your room you could feel your face still burning hot from that feather like kiss. You bet he was only trying to seduce you but you wanted to let him. You needed to make him like you so he would choose you as his wife and would help you finish your plan. You needed his help and assistance in this, you needed an ally and he seemed to be a good one.

‘I have heard about your little outing with the prince, your majesty’ smiled at you mischievously Senna walking closer to you and pulling you away from the doors. You followed her numbly not processing what was happening until she skillfully took your clothes off of you and pushed you into the hot water in the bathroom. Your muscles relaxed as you blinked surprised at the warmth but it felt soothing so you leaned back and sighed.

‘I just got back from the ride and you already know of my meeting with Loki’ you watched Senna move around and placing things here from there.

‘I am sort of a servant and I can get information out of the other servants easily. That is why you know so much about your aunt and uncle’s plans for Vanaheim. I can be your ear and eyes if you need me to be’ she answered knowingly. You chuckled darkly.

‘Yes, Senna… you are and I am grateful for that, you have to know that. When the day comes and I can finally put an end to Iwenta’s and Gorm’s rule you can ask me anything it will be granted.’ you smiled up at her kindly.

‘It will be enough to see the lands green and abundant again, our people merry with smiles on their faces’ she shook her head. ‘Tomorrow you do not have anything to do, my princess. The All-Father decided to only put up a challenge for you later however the breakfast, lunch and dinner is to be spent in the dining hall.’

‘Ugh… I really do not want to deal with that Ynera woman… she is so… annoying’ you rolled your eyes. ‘Seriously, she does not have enough wit to challenge me in come-backs and yet she tries to insult me and get out of it victoriously.’

‘As long as she cannot get to you, your majesty, you do not have to worry about it. Never give her anything to hurt you with’ furrowed her eyebrows Senna worriedly.

‘Darling, there is nothing which can faze me anymore. I got enough scolding and beating to grow immune to it’ you answered and got out of the water which started to get cold. After Senna helped you dry and in your night gown you went to bed and wished her good night. However when you were left alone your thoughts turned back to Loki and how he pulled you in a warm embrace from the wind on the beach. It made you feel warm and giddy inside but you fell asleep with his lips’ memory on yours.

The passing few days till the next challenge was quiet challenging for you. It seemed that the challenge was pushed of later because of a rebellion on Muspelheim. Thor and the Warrior Three was sent to deal with it Loki in their tracks leaving you to deal with boredom alone. Thrita and Erena were accompanying you on your walks in the garden or to the market in the city but usually you stayed in the library to read.

You sat in an armchair reading a book about potions when someone approached you.

‘Would you mind if I join you?’ asked a gentle voice snapping you out of your thoughts. You peered over the book and saw Frigga smiling at you kindly.

‘O-of course, your majesty’ you nodded and pointed at the armchair across from you. You gulped in nervousness hoping she didn’t recognize the book in your hand. The book was about deathly potions and how to detoxify the victim. You couldn’t get caught, not yet… not ever.

‘I see you are interested in potions’ her lips stayed in that kind smile.

‘I am’ you nodded not knowing what you were supposed to answer or think right now.

‘Everytime I find out something more about you makes me certain why my son has his eyes for you’ noted the queen making you blush immediately thinking about that almost half an hour with Loki at the shore. ‘I have heard about rumors… concerning you but all of them seem to be false when I look at you.’

‘How so?’ you asked trying not to harden your expression. It was a natural instinct since your parents’ death.

‘The rumors are about how cold hearted and cruel of a princess you are’ explained Frigga with a gentle voice. ‘However since you arrived here all I can see is that you are kind and caring. If you would be as cold hearted the little Thrita and the other princesses would not linger around you.’

‘You could have thought that it is only for show, my queen’ you suggested wanting to know what she really thought about you. You needed to know if she was seeing through your plan.

‘But it is not’ she smiled at you again as she stood up. ‘The eyes are the mirror of the soul, my child.’ she said before she disappeared behind the bookshelves leaving you alone.

Time skip~

In the afternoon when the sun started its way down towards the horizon you were walking down the corridor to the garden to get some fresh air. You wore a nice gown with emerald green fabric as you thought back to the previous night. Loki’s lips felt perfect on yours and you cursed yourself for always thinking about him since he left.

Suddenly yelling interrupted your thoughts and when you snapped your head in the right direction you spotted Thor, Wolstagg, Hogun and another Einharjar soldier run down the corridor towards the infirmary with a black clad body. You narrowed your eyes to be able to make out who was the injured soldier and you gasped in horror when you noticed raven hair falling in blue-green eyes. Loki was lying limp on a stretcher while crimson blood was dripping from a large wound on his left side. Your heart sped up in your chest but you followed them into the infirmary where Frigga was already preparing a bed for her son.

‘Where is Eir?!’ shouted the blonde haired prince angrily.

‘She was asked to go back to her home because her father just passed’ explained a nurse averting her gaze.

‘Damn it!’ slammed a fist on a table Thor. Confidence struck you and you were at his side with furrowed eyebrows.

‘I can help’ you said already washing your hands and grabbing a wet cloth from a stunned nurse. You turned to another with a serious expression. ‘Get me Dragon Cumin, Cherraron and Acary! Now!’

The nurse winced at your harsh commands but soon she was mixing the three ingredients into a dollop. You washed away the blood and grabbed a needle before you made sure everyone saw you stitch the wound instead of healing it with your magic. You closed the wound enough for it to stop bleeding and smoothed the dollop on the wound. Loki suddenly snapped awake by the pain the dollop caused for a half second.

‘Easy, easy!’ you pushed him back on the bed. You asked the nurses to take his armor down from him so you could get a closer look on his other wounds. You didn’t notice the queen, Thor and everyone else looking at you with shock. It wasn’t expected from a princess to know the ruse of healing. You wiped off the sweat from your brow as you placed the bandages on Loki’s wounds. He fell unconscious again after the pain subsided and now he was lying peacefully on the bed. You watched his handsome features relax while you dabbed his skin with a cool wet cloth to get the fever down and the sweat off of him.

The infirmary returned to its peaceful state leaving you alone with Loki. You didn’t know why you did that. You could’ve just let the nurses take care of him… but you couldn’t. You were still worried about him but you couldn’t place it. You never cared about anyone before but with the way you had to grow a mask on your face it wasn’t a surprise. Someone grabbed your shoulder making you jump in surprise.

‘Do not fret, my child’ smiled Frigga at you.

‘My queen’ you nodded turning back to the prince.

‘You just read about this potion and you already know how to use it’ she said. ‘It is quite exceptional.’

‘I just read it this morning, my queen, it would be strange if I would not remember of it’ you replied honestly. ‘I have to apologize that I just acted as I pleased but I thought it best.’

‘No, (Name), you do not need to apologize for saving my son’s life’ she sat down at the side of Loki’s bed. ‘Thank you.’

‘I will leave you alone’ you bowed slightly and left the infirmary with your heart pumping fast and hard in your chest. You didn’t realize that it was already time for dinner and so when your stomach grumbled you sighed tiredly turning towards the kitchen. The dining hall was already empty because it was way past the usual time for dinners. Servants turned to you surprised when you entered the kitchen but served you when you asked them to give you something to eat.

You watched them prepare the next morning’s breakfast, chopping fruits for pies, mixing dough for bread or pastries and placing everything close to the chef. You hated that you didn’t have anything to do just learning different kinds of dances and learning etiquette. It was boring. You realized that you loved the feeling of doing something… working. In the infirmary you felt in your element. You knew what to do and when to do it, you felt in control… but of course, you were a princess and other nobles would look down on you if you started acting as a healer or just as a commoner. After you finished you went back to your room to get some sleep. It was a tiring day.

The next morning you woke with a start sweat covering your forehead and chest as it rouse and fell. You looked around snapping your head left and right till you were sure the haunting blue eyes weren’t watching you anymore. You took a deep breath and got out of bed. You only noticed that the sun hasn’t risen yet when you walked over to your closet. Senna was still sleeping and you wanted to let her sleep so you made your bath quietly, picked out a dress and had a warm bath.

The warm water eased your muscles but you couldn’t shake the images out of your mind. The pale slender fingers crawling up on your waist to your ribcage to your breasts through the fabric of your dress, the thin lips brushing your skin on your neck before they reached your earlobe. Raven hair brushing your cheek before blue eyes met yours and the hands of the dark prince’s pulled you towards his groin by grabbing your bums making you gasp. You slid your hands up on his armor covered chest to run your fingers through his black hair and pulled his face towards yours until your lips met his.

You opened your eyes gasping for air sitting up from under the water making the liquid splash slightly out of the pool like bathtub. You couldn’t help but blush furiously and notice the way your body reacted to the memories from your dream. You cursed under your breath and tried to calm your hammering heart and your pumping blood in your veins. You were deep and you knew you couldn’t get out now. Not anymore.

In the infirmary~

Loki slowly stirred awake but with a smirk on his lips. He knew he was successful with reaching out to (Name) with his magic. As he lied there in his bandages he started to think about his actions. During the days he was fighting alongside Thor his thoughts turned back to the Vanir princess. He couldn’t shake the image of her silky (h/c) hair and fiery (e/c) eyes out of his mind.

His heart leapt up in his chest with the realization that he could want more than just a pleasant night with her. Loki turned on his good side and curled his hand in a fist. He couldn’t be weak and let her too close to him. She could have another face.

To be continued…

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sarissophori · 5 years

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Hither Yonder, Chapter 3

Yuta’s Departure

Spring bloomed to summer, then matured to autumn. Outside their homes, the people of Thargorod hung charms over their doorways and lit bundles of sage on the window sills, filling the streets with a pungent aroma; such was the customary farewell to the final days of the harvest, predating the rise of the Imperium. Pumpkin, squash, potatoes and corn abounded in the marketplaces. The city’s fields were picked bare in preparation for the festival marking season’s end, as were the private gardens of the nobility. Wine and ale were rolled out by the barrel and consumed in equal volume. In the spirit of this merriment even the serfs received libations, and were treated with a limited dignity.

The hour of the king’s feast came with the setting sun. The palace was lit with torchlight, the marble pillars gleaming from the mound, shining on the bay. Supply ships were moored on their piers, sails battened for the night. A group of merchants stepped off the plank of a skiff docked in a harbor reserved for foreign trade, when they were immediately seized by a contingent of soldiers by sword point. Their leader stood forth and ordered the apprehension; it was Avangar.

“Bind them. Search everywhere.”

The soldiers boarded their ship and upturned all its cargo, throwing much of it overboard. The merchants kept silent, though fidgeted nervously. The soldiers eventually found what they were looking for, concealed in a false panel along the inner hull: small bags of white powder.

The captain was unimpressed.

“Be this the poison, lord? It seems more to be flour, and smells like potpourri.”

“Small wonder, then, so many officers as yourself fall victim to its application.”

Avangar held up a vial of blue water and sprinkled a pinch of the powder into it. A few shakes, and the concoction blushed red in the lamplight.

“Ithliya” he said. “Damsel’s rouge; a toxin that dissolves in water, leaving a fragrance best drowned in wine. It needs only minutes to attack the senses and render one witless, leading to a deathly paralysis. A favorite in the courts of Ahn.”

“Why be it here, then?”

“Why indeed?”

Avangar showed the vial to the merchants, letting them see it.

“I want answers, and I shall receive them quickly, to my satisfaction, if a most unpleasant fate is to be avoided. Start talking.”

So a plot to poison the king was revealed, masterminded by families of lesser nobles and carried out by their servants, including, with bribery, the king’s own. Names were given, and Avangar sent his men to arrest them at their homes, moving swiftly amid unsuspecting and inebriated crowds. Those suspected were rounded up and sent to the prisons within the keep, pulled indignantly from their revelries. Avangar himself led his personal guard to the king’s palace; outside the hall, royal servants were readying the feast’s final course of sugar bread and sweet wine, very much alarmed at the intrusion.

“Seize the tables” Avangar said. “Seize everything.”

The servants were then herded into the courtyard. Avangar and his captain inspected the trays, speaking in quite discussion. Once laced in food or drink, Ithliya was almost impossible to detect, its sweet aroma effectively disguised. Which tray, if any, had the poison, was a guessing game. Avangar’s mood leaned away from games. He confronted the servants as he did the merchants.

“A plot has been confessed to me, to poison the king and usurp his throne. What promise of payment was made to those who assisted in this coup I cannot say, but it won’t be honored. There won’t be any reward for your treachery. Step forward and admit your guilt, and you will be judged with leniency. Do not, and you will suffer our law’s fullest wrath.”

None came forward. Confusion and worry gripped them, as they slowly understood the severity of the moment. There were whispers, murmurs, but no confessions.

“Step forward! You won’t have another chance.”

A few of the women started crying. Some of the men shook and sweated. Their whispered pitch rose in their panic. If no one dared accept the blame, then all would be punished by law. So it seemed they would. Avangar was about to have them carried away when a lone man stepped forward.

“T’was me, lord! I held the poison!”

“Oh? You?” Avangar pointed to the trays of bread and wine. “Tell me then, conspirator, which of these is poisoned?”

“I, I, ah –”

“Ah? What is ‘ah’ to me? Do you know or do you not?”

The man stuttered out, falling silent. It was clear he was no conspirator. He barely had the nerve to sacrifice himself for the rest, still trembling.

“You at least have courage, if not sense” Avangar said. “Your neck shall be spared the noose, I’ll see to that.”

He ordered his guards to take the others to the holds, while he would inform the king of this plot against him, once the court had sobered.

“What of the bread and spirits, lord?” the captain said. “Which is poisoned and which is not?”

“Think a moment, if you will” Avangar said. “What good does poison do, if it goes uneaten or undrunk? No assassin worth their pay overlooks such amateur chance. All of it is poisoned.”

The captain looked suspiciously at the trays.

“If you are certain. How then shall we dispose of it?”

“In a manner befitting of the crime. Come with me, and bring the trays.”

The guards obeyed and carried the trays into the palace kitchen, where the maidens were still cooking.

“’Tis a night of celebration, is it not?” Avangar said to them. “Then everyone, partake!”

He had the cups handed out through the kitchen to cheers and laughs. In came Yuta with an empty platter, curious of the liveliness.

“What be this?”

“A way of staying the cold” they said. “For you, child!”

Yuta took a cup and smelled it. “I don’t think I should while I’m on duty.”

“Just one, to warm the bones!”

So Yuta drank, and they cheered. She coughed a little.

“Warm the bones indeed.”

Halli was out in the fields, sitting by a campfire with other slaves, telling stories and laughing, since the autumn festival afforded even them that luxury. Old lives before servitude were the main topics, getting the most knee-slapping, back-patting and belly howls, trivial happenings that, now more than ever, meant the world. Halli’s own telling went to her sister and their barn, their little village by the stream, as the rest recalled their bygone families and livelihoods. It was almost enough to feel the weight of them again.

Siri ran to the fire, hiking her dress.

“Halli, is Halli here?”

Halli stood. “Here I be, lady.”

“You must come with me to the keep. It’s your sister.”

An instant cold gripped Halli’s spine. “What mean you by that? Where is Yuta?”

“With Sador, now come!”

They went into the city, up the high battlements, the only tinge of worry in a sea of jubilation as the night wore on. Halli began to sweat in her anxiousness, her heartbeat heavy. They were allowed through the palace courtyard and taken into the maiden’s commons. Yuta lay in her bed, shivering from fever. A damp cloth was draped over her brow. Sador was by her side, getting her to sip medicine from a bowl.

“I don’t understand” he said. “What sickness could affect one so young and healthy? What disease? What am I missing?”

Halli ran to Yuta’s bed and looked on her, alarmed at how pale she had become, how ill. She nudged her shoulder, but Yuta was still, breathing shallowly. Tears welled in her eyes.

“What’s wrong? Why doesn’t she move?”

“I’m not sure” Sador said. “I have not the skill to diagnose it, and my leech-craft is failing. It may be as I fear; not a sudden sickness, but poison, and that only raises more questions: Who? Why? What kind? A most fowl intent.”

Halli reached for one of Yuta’s hands and clasped it, rubbing it tenderly in her palms.

“She will pull through, won’t she?”

Sador was silent, preferring not to answer. He mixed another bowl of herbs into a potion, mulling over every cure he knew with the suspicion that none of them would work. The poison was too strong, and though Yuta fought valiantly against it, her health was fast waning. So Sador administered yet more ineffective doses, Halli watching on as Yuta’s face lost color, and skin lost warmth. Soon there was no tenseness left in her hand. In the hour before dawn Yuta finally succumbed, and suffered no more.

Halli’s chores resumed with the sunrise. She dried her tears and tended the fields in quietness, solemn and stone-faced, under the lingering merriment from the festival. She buried her anguish, and spoke none of it to anyone.

In his suspicions, Avangar was right in one assumption. The wine, not the bread, was indeed poisoned, though only a single cup; a cup to be given to the king by hand, to ensure his sole part as victim, instead given to Yuta by chance. A small consolation, if that it be.

The day was unbearably long, but night came, and Yuta’s body was carried out from Thargorod on a litter, having been washed and cleansed per custom. In the fields by the harbors a pyre waited for her, secluded by the trees. She was placed by servants as if she were sleeping, adorned with cuts of sage and sweet grass. Torches were thrown at its base and the pyre burned in a bright steady flame that engulfed the timber, crackled the sage, and consumed the body of whom it bore, silhouetted in its crimson-amber glow.

Halli stood witness without word, without thought, in a blank stare entranced by the burning, and who the flames devoured. The stars shone overhead, wavering in the heat, flecked by the rising embers. It did not stay the cold, and Halli’s skin soon felt numb. Still she remained, watching, as evening turned to midnight, to the first twilight of morning. Overseers kept an eye on her from the trees, yet here she stayed, uncaring of their patrol. She would not run, nor entertain the fantasy. Apathy had sapped her inner strength, and quenched her own heart’s fire.

Her little sister was gone, while she was left behind. A punishment for failing to save her, as her honor-word demanded. So Halli told herself in that bitter dark, with nothing but the shadows for company. Her duty as the eldest was over. Halli had no greater purpose now than to serve her masters with the same fealty she once gave to Yuta. The realization of that made her drop to her knees, and she cried.

The pyre continued to burn, high and roaring. A subtle wind blew through the boughs in the night; the reddening fire blazed as torchlight, helping the spirit to find its way to the Undying Lands, as was believed since the first sunrise in the forgotten lands of the east.

#story #fantasy #hither yonder #sarissophori

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politicalstash · 7 years

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Members if campground dvd selection on one shelf lol

Movies 3 pack- Dodgeball, Me,Myself and Irene, There's Something About Mary 4 pack- Mo'Nique I Coulda Been Your Cellmate, Katt Williams 9 Lives, Bruce Almighty Losin It, Tony Roberts Wired 5 pack- Edge of Darkness, Conspiracy Theory, We Were Soliders, Payback 4 pack- Robocop, The Terminator, Red Dawn, Road House. 4 pack- Miami Vice, Jarhead, The Kingdom, Ray 4 pack- Casino, Carlito's Way, Mobsters, Carlito's Way Rise to Power 4 pack- GoodFellas, The Departed, The Aviator, Mean Streets 3 pack- BraveHeart, Gladiator, Hercules 8 pack- Knockout, Valley of Angels, Bloodrayne, Lords of the Street, American Breakdown, Garrison, Extracted, After The Dark 8 pack- The Code, On The Edge, Dead Heist, King Of The Adventure, Way of War, Sacrifice, Elephant White, Act of Vengeance 4 pack- Office Space, Mrs. Doubtfire, My Cousin Vinny, Super Troopers, 4 pack- Midnight Cowboy, The Usual Suspects, Thelma and Louise, Platoon 3 pack- Patriot Games, Eagle Eye, Echelon Conspiracy 4 pack- The A-Team, A Good Day To Die Hard, Unstoppable, Man on Fire 4 pack- Trouble with the Curve, Gran Torino, J. Edgar, Invictus 2 pack- Little Man, White Chicks 4 pack- Which Way Is Up, Brewster's Millions, Carwash, Bustin' Loose 4 pack- Liar Liar, Bruce Almighty, Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison 2 pack- The Outlaw Josey Wales, Pale Rider 5 pack- Trading Places, Dream Girls, 48 HRS, The Golden Child, Another 48 HRS 3 pack- Juno, Napoleon Dynamite, Little Miss Sunshine 3 pack- Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers In GoldMember 3 pack- Revenge Of The Nerds, Revenge Of The Nerds ll, Revenge Of The Nerds lll 3 pack- Legion, Priest, Gabriel 3 pack- Animal House, Dazed And Confused, Fast Times At Ridgemont High 4 pack- Me, Myself, And Irene, Super Troopers, The Girl Next Door, Grandma's Boy 2 pack- P.S. I Love You, The Lake House 2 pack- Kevin Hart Laugh At My Pain, Kevin Hart Seriously Funny 4 pack- Act of Valor, Limitless, Machine Gun Preacher, Paranoia 3 pack- Gamer, The Next Three Days, Setup Forest Gump Special Collector's Edition Pablo Escobar The ATV Movie Destroyer Librium World Surf Inspiration 3x Hypnotic Ocean Journey Accepted Ace Ventura Pet Detective Ace Ventura When Nature Calls Anger Management Alex Cross All About Steve Gabriel Iglesias Aloha Fluffy Anchorman Aviator Alien Outpost 2x A Knights Tale American Hustle Armageddon Armored The A Team Alice in Wonderland Avengers AVP Alien vs. Predators AVP Requiem Bad Boys Bad Teacher Barber Shop 2: Back in Business Batman Begins Battleship Beastly Because I Said So Bedtime Stories Benchwarmers 3 pack- Beverly Hills Cop, Beverly Hills Cop ll, Beverly Hills Cop lll The Big Lebowski Collector's Edition Big Top Pee Wee Biker Boys Bill Cosby... Far from finished Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure Little Black Book 4 pack- Blade, Blade ll, Blade: Trinity, Blade: House of Chthon Blades of Glory The Blind Side Blow Bowfinger Blue Collar Comedy Tour The Body Guard The Boondock Saints ll: Saints All Day The Bounty Hunter The Bourne Supremacy The Bourne Ultimatum Boys Don't Cry Braveheart Brian Regan Standing Up Bad Words Brother Grimm Bride Wars Bruce Almighty Blast The Bucket List Camp Rock 2 Captain America: The Winter Solider Captain America: The First Avenger Cars 3x Click 3x Chuck and Larry Center Stage Charlotte's Web Coach Carter Cliffhanger Cold Mountain Collateral Con Air Casper Catch and Release The Condemned Coraline Couples Retreat Cowboys and Aliens Coyote Ugly Crank Chicken Little Crank 2: High Voltage Crazy Beautiful The Crucible Dance Flick Dane Cook Vicious Circle The Dark Knight Rises Dark Shadows Platinum Comedy Series Dave Chappelle Dawn Of The Dead Dear John Death Race 3: Inferno Death Race 2 Definitely, Maybe Descent 2 The Dilemma Dirty Dancing Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights Django Unchained Dolphin Tale Doom Doomsday The Davinci Dead in Tombstone Dodgeball Domino Due Date Double Jeopardy DrillBit Taylor Finding Dory Drumline End Of Days The Dukes of Hazzard Easy A Envy Eragon Escape Eternal Sunshine Everybody's Fine The Expendables The Expendables 2 Facing the Giants The Family 2x Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer Fight Club Fire With Fire 50 First Dates 2 pack- Footloose, Flash Dance Forrest Gump Free Willy Freedom Writers Friday the 13th From Hell 2x Four Brothers Four Christmases Fun With Dick And Jane Gabriel Iglesias Stand-Up Revolution Green Lantern The Gambler George Carlin: It's Bad For Ya And Life Is Worth Losin Get Hard Grease: Rockin Rydell Edition Get Rich or Die Tryin' Ghost Ghostbusters Ghosts of Girlfriends Past Ghost Rider 2x G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra G.I. Joe: Retaliation Gladiator GoodFellas 13 Going On 30 Goldmember A Good Day To Die Hard The Goonies 3x The Green Mile Gridiron Gang How The Grinch Stole Christmas Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn 2x Hancock The Hangover The Hangover Part ll Hansel and Gretel Harold and Kumar: Go To White Castle Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets The Heat Hellboy Hellboy ll: The Golden Army Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy High School Musical 2 High School Musical 3 3x Hitch Hitman Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 1 2x The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Hulk The Incredible Hulk The Hurt Locker Identity Thief The Illusionist Immortals Inception Independence Day Inglorious Basterds Insurgent The Internship Into The Blue Invincible Idle Hands I, Robot Iron Man The Island Jack Frost Jack Reacher Jeff Dunham Spark Of Insanity Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special Jeff Dunham Minding The Monsters Jennifer's Body Johnson Family Vacation Joyful Noise Jumper Just Go With It Just Married Just Like Heaven From Justin To Kelly Katt Williams: Pimpadelic Killer Eliter Killers 2x King Kong Kingsman: The Secret Service Kingdom of Heaven Knockaround Guys Kung Fu Hustle Kiss The Girls Kung Fu Panda Ladies 49 Land Of The Dead The Last Castle The Last Dragon The Last Stand Looper Legally Blonde 2 Lemony Snicket's: A Series Of Unfortunate Events Let's Go To Prison Liar Liar The League of Extraordinary Gentleman Life Of Pi The Longest Yard Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers 2x Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring Lost In Space 2x Man On Fire Madea's Big Happy Family Madea's Witness Protection Madea Goes To Jail Madea's Family Reunion 3x Matrix Reloaded Maggie The Magnificent 7 Martian Child Max Mad Max Major Payne 2 pack- MIB, MIB II Mario Bros MIB Michael Clayton Michael Jackson: History: The King Of Pop Mr Deeds Mask Meet The Fockers Meet The Parents Men Of Honor Michael Jackson Number Ones Michael Jackson Mr 3000 Mrs Doubtfire Miss Congeniality Mortdecai Monster Monster's Bail Monster-In-Law The Monuments Men 2 pack- Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat Annihilation My Super Ex Girlfriend Napoleon Dynamite National Treasure Neighbors 2x Never Back Down My Baby's Daddy Never Been Kissed The Nice Guy Night At The Museum: Secret of The Tomb Night at the Museum Margaret Cho: Notorious C.H.O The Notebook The Nut Job O'Brother, Where Art Thou? Non-Stop Ocean's Twelve Ocean's Thirteen Kill Bill Old Dogs Open Range Pacific Rim Vin Diesel the Pacifier Paddington Padre Kino: The Legend of the Black Priest Parker The Patriot Poltergeist Peter Pan The Phantom of the Opera Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest Point Break Practical Magic Predators Premium Rush Premonition Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Princess Bride The Proposal Pearl Harbor P.S. I Love You Pulp Fiction Mo'Nique Phat Girlz 2 pack- The Purge, The Purge: Anarchy The Pursuit of Happyness Real Steel Redline Rush Hour 2 Red 2 Remember the Titans 3 pack- Pitch Black, The Chronicles Of Riddick, The Chronicles Of Riddick: Dark Fury Rise of the Planet of the Apes Robin Hood Prince of Thieves The Rock Rocky ll Rocky Balboa Ron White A Little Unprofessional The Rookie Rounders The Rum Diary Saving Private Ryan Sabotage 2x The Sandlot School of Rock The Shawshank Redemption Snitch Scott Pilgrim Silent House Shaun of the Dead Sherlock Holmes She's the Man Step Up Revolution Snow White and The Huntsman The Social Network She's all that Soul plane Scooby Doo Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed Shallow Hall Son in Law Song One Sorority Row Spider-Man 2x Spider-Man 2 3x Spider-Man 3 Space Jam Spy Stand and Deliver Starship Troopers Star Wars: The Force Awakens Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Stuck on You Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street Taken Taken 2 Taken 3 This is 40 The Ringer The Croods Thor Tomb Raider The Time Machine The Time Traveler's Wife Toneloc T.V. 2 Tombstone Total Recall The Exorcist Trading Places Training Day Transformers Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Transformers: Dark of the Moon The Bucket List The Eye Transformers Beginners Troy Directors Cut Two for the Money The Man From U.N.C.L.E True Grit UFC: Best of 2012 Unforgiven Unknown Uptown Girls Unfinished Business Van Helsing The Vow Warm Bodies The Wedding Date The Wedding Planner The Wedding Singer A Walk to Remember Walking Tall Wanted The Waterboy War Dogs We Bought a Zoo Where the Wild Things Are Kevin Hart What Now While You Were Sleeping White Chicks The Whole Nine Yards Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit Wild Card Wild Hogs Wings of Life The World's End World War ll X-Men Origins: Wolverine The Last Stand 40 Year Old Virgin Zombieland Zookeeper Zoolander 2 Guns 8 Mile

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emetofiend2dand3d · 7 years

Note

I would adore for you to write another fic where Sousuke is super sick! (and maybe for a little twist, Haru is the caketaker)

Just a little warning I added fainting but it’s really fluffy

Hope you enjoy!

“Rin? I brought the stuff you asked for.” Haru knocked on the door to Rin and Sousuke’s room and Rin opened it.

“Haru! Thanks so much for coming.” He sounded grateful.

Haru raised an eyebrow. “Rin… I thought you were sick? Why did you have me get all this stuff?” He held up a bag of things that Rin had asked him to get. It included various medicines, a cold pack, popsicles, and Gatorade.

“Huh?” Rin was confused. “Oh! No, it’s not me whose sick, it’s Sou.”

“Oh…” Haru peered inside the room but Sousuke was nowhere in sight.

“Come in, please.” Rin practically pushed Haru inside and shut the door. “So listen, I’ll be back by 4:30 okay? Thanks again for doing this.”

Haru was so surprised he didn’t even have time to process what was happening. “Doing what?”

“Watching Sousuke?” Rin thought it was obvious.

“Huh?” Haru was lost for words.

“Coach asked me to fill in for him today and I promised him I would. There’s no one else who can cover for me so I need you to keep an eye on Sousuke for me.” Rin explained.

Haru felt trapped. Rin appeared to be counting on him, so he didn’t want to let him down but he wasn’t prepared for this. “What do I have to do?”

“You just have to make sure he gets to and from the bathroom safely and try to keep him hydrated.” Rin instructed.

“So… he’s really sick, huh?” Haru felt a bit bad for thinking so selfishly about what was convenient for him and ignoring the fact that Rin’s friend might be really sick.

Haru’s wondering came to an end when he heard the sound of someone coughing, coming from the bathroom and the toilet flushing.

“Sou? How ya holding up?” Rin went to check on him.

“Ah, I still feel like shit.” Sousuke moaned, he was leaning over the toilet, then looked up in surprise as he saw Haru standing behind Rin.

“Hello.” Haru said, rather forcefully.

“Ano, Rin- what’s he doing here?” Sousuke tried not to sound rude but he ended up coming off that way. His voice was slightly hoarse and he had dark shadows under his eyes.

“Yeah, see… about that. I promised coach I’d fill in for him today and I can’t back out of it now…” Rin said nervously.

Sousuke gave him a cold glare that looked even colder given his condition. “I don’t need a babysitter Rin.”

Rin crossed his arms and frowned. “You couldn’t even make it to the bathroom without waking me up three times in the middle of the night.”

Sousuke made a pained expression, Haru couldn’t tell if it was annoyance or embarrassment.

“Yabai! I’ve got to go! I’m ganna be late!” Rin scrambled around the room picking up his things and shoving them into his bag. “Thanks again Haru! I owe you one.” He winked at Haru before slamming the door shut.

Haru stood petrified in the room feeling like a caged animal, wanting nothing more than to escape.

“You don’t have to stay you know.” Sousuke told him. “Rin’s just being overprotective.”

Haru put down the bag of things he bought and thought about what to do.

“Is that the medicine?” Sousuke asked, seeing the bag.

“Oh, yeah did you want some?” Haru pulled out some of the bottles.

“Is one of those stomach medicine?”

“This one is.” Haru held it out for him to see. He felt awkward about entering the room.

Sousuke pushed himself into a standing position and came to get the medicine. He only made it halfway there however, before clutching his head and turning to lean over the sink.

Haru was suddenly struck with a strange feeling of worry but didn’t know how to react.

Sousuke was only leaning over the sink for a moment before he ducked into it and vomited.

Haru cringed and turned around, it felt like the room was getting smaller all of a sudden.

“I’m- really sorry about that.” Sousuke leaned against the door frame panting. He really did look quite ill. He was shirtless, his chest glistening with sweat and his face was deathly pale.

“Eto- here…” Haru handed him the stomach medicine and Sousuke gladly drank some of it. Then he collapsed into a chair.

“Wouldn’t you be more comfortable in bed?” Haru thought.

“I can’t keep climbing up and down the ladder.” Sousuke explained, pointing to his upper bunk. “I can’t easily get down on my own.” He leaned his head on his arms and rested his head on his desk.

Haru stood feeling anxious, not knowing what to do. “Ano- sono- I could… help- if you want to sleep.” He offered tentatively.

“No, I couldn’t ask you to do that.” Sousuke said plainly.

“I don’t mind, really.” Haru didn’t really understand what came over him to offer such a thing.

Sousuke considered it, not being able to deny that the desk was terribly uncomfortable. “You- sure you don’t mind?”

Haru nodded and Sousuke scratched his head feeling awkward. “I guess.” He gave in.

Haru helped him and up, carefully guiding him as Sousuke climbed up into his bed. He collapsed with a grateful sigh and fell asleep almost at once.

This was a relief to Haru, and he felt more relaxed. He sat down and took out some of his books to do some studying. He was only at it for about half an hour, when he heard a moan.

“Rin?” Sousuke asked weakly.

“Sousuke?” Haru stood up and Sousuke’s eyes widened as he saw Haru standing in his room.

“Where’s Rin?” He seemed flustered.

“He’s not back yet.” Haru explained.

Sousuke looked at the clock and saw that only half an hour had passed. He laid back with a moan. His stomach was flip flopping like crazy and he knew if he didn’t get down, he’s be heaving his guts out all over the side of his bed and that was the last thing he wanted to have happen.

“Do you need help down?” Haru asked, trying to spare Sousuke the conflict of asking.

He nodded and Haru climbed up and helped him get down. He put Sousuke’s arm around him and helped him walk to the bathroom. Before they made it however, Sousuke gagged into his hand and a wet sounds came from his throat.

Haru hurried to the bathroom, and Sousuke desperately made for the sink and dodged towards it. He lurched forward with a gag and puked up the stomach medicine he had taken. “Damn.” He coughed, wiping tears out of his eyes. “I guess it’d better stay down here awhile.” He tried to sound lighthearted but he didn’t receive much of a response from Haru.

He helped Sousuke sit on the floor in front of the toilet and went back to studying on Rin’s desk.

Haru studied for an hour or so then found himself feeling sleepy, so he laid his head down briefly. He awoke when he heard a strange sound and looked at the clock. It was already 5:00. “Rin should have been back by now.” He thought, and went to go check on Sousuke. “Sousuke?” He pushed the door open and saw Sousuke laying face down on the floor.

Haru’s heart skipped a beat and he ran to check on him. He carefully turned him over and laid Sousuke on his back, pressing his head to his chest to check for breathing sounds. He was breathing normally but Haru noticed that his skin was boiling hot. He took out his phone and called Rin at once.

Even after calling three times, Rin didn’t pick up, so he lifted Sousuke up and somehow carried him, laying him down in Rin’s bed. He rested quietly, not waking up, and Haru wondered if he should consider calling an ambulance.

“Haru?” Sousuke opened his eyes slightly and spoke in a whispered voice.

“Sousuke, can you hear me? You fell.” Haru was glad he was awake.

“Ah, that’s right. I got up to wash my face but felt dizzy and I guess I just collapsed.” Sousuke told him.

“Are you hurt?” Haru realized he hadn’t even considered that, but luckily Sousuke shook his head.

“I’m going to try calling Rin again.” Haru paced around the room for some minutes listening to a dial tone until he heard a noise and jumped in surprise.

Sousuke was leaning over the side of Rin’s bed, and he had started vomiting.

Haru nearly dropped his phone as he scrambled to bring Sousuke a trash bin.

“I’m sor-uhg sorry.” Sousuke winced.

“It’s okay. I should have thought of it sooner.”

“Why are you doing this? You hardly even know me.” Sousuke suddenly sounded down.

Haru thought briefly. “You’re Rin’s friend. If you’re Rin’s friend then… you must be an okay person.”

Sousuke looked up at him. “Haru-” but their moment of bonding was interrupted by a wet hiccup that led to Sousuke being violently sick into the trash bin.

As soon as he was finished, Haru got him a towel and some water.

“You’re a good guy too you know.” He told Haru. “I don’t think most people would put up with this for someone they hardly know.”

Haru shrugged. “I guess-”

The next moment, the door flew open and Rin ran in panting. He leaned forward trying to catch his breath and sighed loudly. “Sorry I’m late I-” his jaw dropped when he saw Sousuke in his bed.

“You!” He pointed at Haru. “How could you let that germ magnet sleep in my bed?”

“Oi, he had no choice Rin.” Sousuke defended Haru

Haru looked up, surprised.

“I fell in the bathroom… it was my fault. Honestly it was a good thing Haru was here.” Sousuke looked away, embarrassed.

Rin’s face softened and went to pat Haru on the back. “Looks like I really owe you one.”

#free iwatobi swim club #emetophilia #yamazaki sousuke #haruka nanase #sick Sousuke #caretaker Haru #fainting #vomiting #feverish

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larry-2010-ziam · 8 years

Text

One Direction FanFiction

good or nah??

Malik Manor

(louis pov)

I walked to my friend’s house and rang the doorbell. About 5 minutes later she came downstairs and opened the door. “Hey you finally showed up!” She exclaimed and i rolled my eyes. “Ya, ya shush.” I said. We walked further into the large 6 bedroom house and sat down in her bedroom. 6 other people were there; my best friends Liam and Niall, the other 4 people were Cara, Ashton, Perrie and Jade. We were all invited to Cara’s house for a sleepover/party for her 17th birthday, and now we were playing would you rather. “Louis, would you rather stay in Malik Manor overnight or would you rather tell your crush you love them in front of the whole school.” Ashton said with a smirk, a few gasps were heard and I paled. But Niall looked confused, “What is that?” “Oh yeah that’s right you’re new here last year, weren’t you?” Perrie said. “Malik Manor is an old castle like mansion that housed; a father, mother, 3 daughters and 1 son. I’ve learned in history class that the Malik’s were a very wealthy family that owned a company that hired out guest rooms, bodyguards and limousines to famous celebrities. The company was doing very well until one cold fall evening. It was a very important day for the Malik’s as they were expecting a famous singer. The son figured that this guest would be like every other one, so he invited his best friend over, Harry Styles, he was the son of a wealthy business man that owned an oil refinery. But little did they know that when they said goodnight it would be their last. Both boys were murdered in their sleep by the famous singer/songwriter. He was tried and later convicted of the murder of Zayn J. Malik and Harry E. Styles.

That was over 70 years ago, the family never actually told the press how both boys were murdered but some say they were hung while others say the 2 boys were stabbed. And today there is a myth going around saying that if you go into Malik Manor, go into Zayn’s bedroom, and say his name he will appear. I heard that one time a girl did it and she was never seen again.” Cara said lowly as she explained to niall. He cowered back and curled up into his boyfriend, Liam. “Now back to the game, Louis what would you do?” Ashton asked. I gulped and said the first one. “You guys know that I don’t believe in that crap story right?” I said, avoiding the question. “Alright then let’s go…whose car are we taking?” Ashton said, I rolled my eyes and grabbed my jacket. “You are so childish.” I said while shaking my head. We got into 2 cars and drove to the estate. “Here, now go inside and do it.” Ashton said as he gave me a flashlight. “O-ok f-fi-ne.” I got out of the car and walked up to the house. I reached out to the doorknob and opened the door.

(3rd person POV-with Zayn and Harry)

“Harry, we have guests.” Zayn said as he stood in the window, looking down at the small boy that was walking to the front door. Harry came to stand next to Zayn and chuckled darkly. “Yes we do, shall we pay them a visit?” He asked, Zayn nodded and they both phased to the living room. The boy slowly walked into the living room and grumbled. “This is absolutely bull, there is nothing here anyways. It’s just a stupid myth.” Harry, being the more outgoing one, chuckled in that dark manner that sent chills up Louis’ back as he turned around. Harry manifested and Louis dropped the flashlight, he backed up and stared at harry. “Oh doll, it’s not just a myth.” Harry said in that deep slow tone. Harry reached out and caressed his cheek, Louis immediately raised his hand and pushed the hand away. Harry returned his hand with an animalistic growl. “Fuck!” he growled and Louis looked down and seen his silver ring that his mother gave him for his 15th birthday. Harry lurched forward to grab the boy but Zayn took it upon himself to make his appearance and scare the living daylights out of Louis. Zayn manifested next to Harry, Louis seen the shadow and quickly picked up his flashlight. The light shown on Zayn and Louis let out a blood curdling scream; the demon wasn’t his ‘human’ self. Zayn had deathly white skin, black eyes that were bleeding (the blood was also black), a smirk that shown 2 pointed fangs and his clothes were a black tattered robe. A boney pale hand reached out and touched Louis’ face and he fainted.

“Louis?!” The 2 demons quickly dissolved into black smoke and floated to the vents. Ashton, Niam, Cara, Perrie and Jade walked into the large room and seen Louis on the floor. They all huddled around the boy and shook him awake. “W-w-we n-need t-t-to leave, NOW!” Louis stuttered and they all froze when the door slammed shut and locked itself. 2 deep chuckles were heard and the lights flickered on. The 2 boys appeared and Zayn stepped forward. “Harold, would you like to play a spot of hide and seek?” Zayn said with a posh accent. “Why yes, you know I love to play with my food. Don’t you?” He chuckled lightly. Zayn nodded and snapped his fingers. All 8 were in the center of a maze (A/n: the maze is indoors with stone walls and cobblestone floors). “You have 72 hours to find your way out, anyone who doesn’t get out dies. If you are lucky enough and actually make your way out of the maze, we let you go.” Zayn said. “Ready set go!” All 6 teens ran into the maze. Liam and niall took one path, Ashton and Cara took another and Jade and Perrie took another pathway. Louis went on his own path and ran into a dead end. He stopped and looked around, his breathing heavy. A scream was heard and a name was shouted soon after. “JADE!!” Louis took a sharp breath in, for the girl was gone. Ashton and Cara came to a dead end also but when they turned they seen Perrie hugging Jade’s sweatshirt that she was wearing. “Oh my god! Per are you ok?!” Perrie turned towards Cara’s voice and she ran over to the girl, Ashton trailing behind. They all group hugged and walked in a new direction.

Liam held his trembling boyfriend as they walked down the dark stone hall, they came to a cross roads. “Li Li, I’m scared…I want to go home.” Niall sobbed. Liam stopped walking and held on tightly to the boy. He pulled Niall into a kiss and they were interrupted by a deep chuckle. “Aww young love, so fragile and so naive .” Both boys turned to see Zayn with black eyes and his arms crossed behind his back. Liam protectively pushed Niall behind him and glared at the demon. Zayn chuckled darkly and advanced forward, circling the two young boys. “Now now that’s not wise, do you really think that you could protect him? ” He said, eyes now turning red. Harry on the other hand was having fun tormenting Louis. “Come out come out wherever you are…” He teased. Louis had his back pressed against the wall harry’s dark figure coming closer and closer to the corner. Louis bolts and tries to run away. “Tsk tsk tsk, is that really a smart thing to do?” He fazed to in front of louis and the small boy stopped in his tracks, he turned the other way only to be met with a dog like growel. “Hell hounds, lovely creatures they are.” Louis felt a strong jaw clamp down on his calf and was pulled off his feet. “Invisible to you as well, but if they weren’t where would be the fun in that?” Harry smirked and snapped his fingers and the weight off of Louis’ lower half disappeared. He looked up to harry’s figure and panicked, a sadistic smile was on the demon's face.....

#demon #supernatural #larry #niam #darkharry #darkzayn #one direction

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jackfollmanwriter-blog · 6 years

Text

Frat House

Part I

It’s the sorority houses that are supposed to be haunted, not the fraternity houses. Regardless of stereotype, the Theta Chi house in Morgantown, West Virginia was haunted as shit. I found this out one when I lived a college boy’s cloudy dream that slipped into sweaty nightmare on the hot nights of my twenty-first summer.

May 14, 2007

I was the envy of every single one of my friends once they heard about the situation I lucked into heading into my senior year at West Virginia University. My dad’s construction company was going to be remodeling the Theta Chi fraternity house during the summer months when almost all of the school’s students fled back home for the summer and he worked into the deal that I would get to live in the house by myself while the work was being done.

I was not in a fraternity and I could tell that it bothered the last of the gang of Thetas as they packed up to head back to their out-of-state suburban parents’ homes and suck at the teat of mom and dad for a few months. The last few departing frat guys would barely even make eye contact with me when I carried my shit into their main lounge and set up my bed in front of a huge window that overlooked campus.

I could practically still hear the frat boys’ footsteps walking away from the building when I cracked my first beer on my inaugural night in the house. I pounded the first can while I stood in the setting sunlight the expansive window in front of my bed ushered in and thought about everyone I was going to invite over for an opening night party.

May 15, 2007

I woke up with a pounding bladder, stomach and head with the lights of downtown Morgantown twinkling off in the distance from my window. The alcohol had started to wear off. I glanced at my phone and a displayed time of 4:30 a.m. confirmed my suspicions, this was usually when I woke up already a bit hung over for a long beer piss on drinking nights.

My middle of the night beer piss wouldn’t be as easy as it used to be. The nearest bathroom in the house was on the second floor, a good walk away from where my bed was, especially in the cavernous darkness of the old house. But I had to go. The 12 Coors Lights pleading to be let out of the prison of my urethra left me no choice. I took to the stairs that led up to the bathroom naked and weary with the camera light on my phone combing through the black of the night.

I had barely explored the house yet, but the entire thing reminded me of the schools, YMCAs and churches I had spent time in throughout my life. Cold, drafty and dusty, the entire place was linoleum-floored and perpetually hummed with the rumbling purr of heavy air conditioning.

The stinging smell of chlorine started to waft at me from the bathroom that was now just down the slippery hallway from me once I topped the stairs and got to the second floor. The soft light of the bathroom called to me like a fire to a moth and I looked longingly at the siren that was the relief of my aching bladder. I clicked off the camera light on my phone and surfed along the slick linoleum in my socks until I reached the glittering haven of the bathroom.

There is a true freedom to standing completely naked amongst a line of eight urinals in an empty bathroom and relieving yourself. I let out an audible, throaty groan as I finished up.

At first I thought what I heard was the sound of my disgusting grunt echoing in the expansive guts of the house, but those assumptions were tossed out the window when I heard the sound relay a second time from out in the hallway. A swift shiver trickled up my spine and rested at the back of my neck when I heard the sound maintain its volume.

Holding my junk and my phone awkwardly in my hand, I tip toed out of the light of the bathroom and into the darkened hallway. One of the last remaining frat guys had tried to explain to me how to work the lighting situation in the house, but it went over my head and I didn’t want to admit it at the time, so I had been living in the dark the entire first day and night there other than for the few rooms which had automatic lighting like the bathroom, kitchen and dining hall.

The sound whimpered out again and now I could tell it was coming from the opposite end of the hallway from where I had walked up to the floor, near the dead end wall where a line of small dorm style rooms flanked the hallway. I couldn’t really make out what the sound exactly was, but from my distant vantage it sounded like a high-pitched yipping.

“Hello,” I called to the end of the hallway in an attempt at an intimidating tone.

I flipped my phone out in front of me and hit the camera light on to give me some illumination as I walked towards the end of the hallway slowly. The doors of the dorm rooms started to box me in as I made my way towards the sound. I had been told that all of the dorm rooms had been locked, but I couldn’t help but feel horribly vulnerable when I walked naked by them, waiting for something to burst out.

But nothing did. I found myself sweating and relieved at the end of the hallway.

That relief evaporated when I heard the sound kick up, from just across the other side of the wall at the end of the hallway.

It was a cry. The unmistakable whine of a dog. It squealed a few times while I stood there with my ear to the wall to confirm what I was hearing.

A tour of the place my dad had given me a week ago let me know that a maintenance area of the building was on the other side of that wall. A dog had must have wandered in there and gotten locked in. I headed back to the soft comfort of bed, prepared to call my dad in a couple of hours and let him know that a dog is stuck in the maintenance room.

May 18, 2007

Watching Gavin roll his Midnight Special tobacco up into his rolling papers caused me physical pain.

“You know you can go into any store and they sell those things already rolled up for you?” I asked snidely.

Gavin took a second to respond, his mouth occupied with licking the paper shut.

“I’m not putting that mass-produced chemical garbage in my mouth,” Gavin fired back in disgust.

Gavin was my school-assigned alcohol counselor. A pseudo hippy with a long gray pony tail at the back of his nearly bald scalp, he was born just a little too late to truly be part of the flower child generation and instead spent his formative years dousing his insides with vodka and working in record shops before they all closed down and he turned his midlife-formed sobriety into a career as a drug and alcohol counselor.

“Because you want to make sure you are making healthy choices when you are putting cigarette smoke into your body,” I shot back. “You probably used to smoke some American Spirit bullshit before you started rolling like a complete poser.

Gavin’s lack of a response confirmed my suspicions.

I loved and hated Gavin at the same time. He was such a ridiculous wanna be hippy with good intentions that he was hard to hate, but at the same time he was an utter blowhard and whiner who loved to drone on about his past, frequently shared Upworthy videos and I only saw him because I legally had to. The reason for me being pointed in Gavin’s direction was no biggie, I just got drunk and crashed my truck into the drive-thru window of a McDonalds when I passed out waiting for two cheeseburgers.

Because of this, I had to go to Gavin’s fern-filled office every Thursday afternoon and talk about my addiction issues while fighting the urge to inform him his sweat smelled like chili cheese Fritos and was so awful it almost burned my fucking eyes.

“But you mentioned something about not sleeping well in the house?” Gavin asked after a long drag of hand-rolled tobacco.

“Yeah, not really, it’s not a big deal though, I think I’m just not used to sleeping in such a big drafty place,” I said, neglecting the fact that I was getting hammer drunk every night since I moved in likely played a role in my sleep difficulties.

“Oh-but-it-is,” Gavin ripped off the words, deathly serious. “Sleep is everything. You said something about a dog barking?”

I really regretted mentioning the dog incident. I only mentioned it because Gavin was putting the screws into me about looking so tired and disheveled. The truth was I was out of it because I had hosted booze-fueled parties every night since I moved into the house, but I obviously couldn’t tell him that. So I pinned my tired eyes, yawns and greasy hair on the dog in the maintenance wing.

“There has been a dog every night since I moved in getting trapped in a maintenance room in the house. It barks and cries, but when my dad and his crew show up in the morning it takes off,” I explained dismissively, leaving out the part where there were no openings in the room for the dog to get in and out of and how that mystery was playing a part in me struggling to sleep every night.

May 19, 2007

The barking woke me up earlier than usual. The mournful yipping and yowling pried my eyes open around 3 a.m. this time. I woke up in a sweat on top of my covers still dressed in the uncomfortable outfit I had worn to try and impress the girls who never actually showed up to the mini-party that had wrapped up a couple of hours ago. When I moved into my own personal frat house I had visions of every night winding down into a Playboy Mansion-style orgy, but every night so far came to a close with a bunch of guys singing “Nothing Else Matters” around the fire pit.

The jangling opening notes of the song were ringing in my head when I got out of bed and trudged up the stairs to the bathroom too drunk and groggy to be unnerved by the mysterious Hound of Baskerville that was playing its disappearing act in the maintenance room again.

“Shut the fuck up,” I called out through the fog of a nearly-crippling headache before I fully ascended the stairs.

I shoved my next planned words back into my throat when I reached the top of the stairs.

Waiting for me at the palely-lit entrance of the bathroom was a German Sheppard - it’s bushy coat furrowed and agitated to a raise on its back, it’s lips curled back grotesquely as if they were being pulled back by a dentist’s speculum, it’s yellow eyes shimmering in the darkness of the hallway, dead set on me. The dog’s painful howls had been replaced, by a low, rolling growl that sounded like the menacing purr of an idling Harley sitting outside of a blue collar bar.

At first glance, I thought it was just a random dog, but a few frames of vision provided me with an unmistakable identification. Jutting raggedly from tip of the dog’s cold, wet, black nose was thick cake of a trail of scar tissue that meandered back up the dog’s face and curved around one of its eyes and spiraled round and round just above its eye like a deflated noise maker you would get from a child’s party.

I was there when the dog got that scar.

August 27, 1991

I wasn’t supposed to play in the cabins at the back of our property, but there was no way any red-blooded boy of my generation was going to be able to resist playing cowboys and Indians in a cluster of cabins connected by a boardwalk of rotted wood that looks like they were stolen from a John Wayne movie set. I spent my first summer break sneaking all around the outside of the cabins crafting childish storylines in my head and playing characters.

My dad had tried to scare me away from the rustic playground with a bit of a rural legend. He told me that the cabins had been part of a mining camp in the 1800s, but were abandoned decades ago after one of the miners, Mountaineer Jim, had gone crazy and murdered everyone there with a pick axe. He claimed that the ghost of Jim still haunted those cabins and that if you listened closely at night you could sometimes hear his pick axe beating against the rocks in the wood behind the cabins.

Even at the age of six, I was skeptical of my dad’s story and figured that as long as I only played there during the day, I should be fine. Ghosts were allergic to the light of the sun, I was sure of it.

My belief in that theory would vanish on this sunny August day as I tried to wrap up my imaginary heroic story line in one of my last days of freedom before I had to head back to school.

I was in the middle of a gunfight in my head between two steely desperados on the porch of the biggest cabin when I noticed the rickety wooden door of place slightly ajar. All of the doors, were supposed to be locked, I had never seen one open. My little heart stuttered when I saw the door sitting there, drifting just a little bit in the wind and it clenched when I felt hands upon my back.

I escaped my assailant’s loose grip with a whirl, turned around with a scream and locked eyes with a decrepit man covered in gray hair who scowled at me with a mouth splashed with a sloppy pinch of Copenhagen.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” the old man hollered.

I was so shocked and disgusted by the old man’s face that I hadn’t noticed that he had a thick hunting knife poised for slicing clasped at his waist. I fell over backwards once I laid eyes on the thing and left myself helpless as the slobbering old man towered over me.

I smashed my eyes close, waiting for the worst, but threw them open when I heard a frothing sound, felt a heavy tumble on the boardwalk next to me and heard the painful cries of the old man replace his vulgar threats. What I saw was my German Sheppard, Shotzee, ravaging the old man with a furious combination of bites, growls and scratches.

I cheered Shotzee in my head and scrambled to my feet, eternally grateful for her defense, especially when I saw the old man’s hunting knife swiftly slash the brave dog across her face just before I ran away back to my house.

August 28, 1991

I was horrified when my dad pulled me out of bed a little bit after midnight before the first day of school. My mom had scolded me just a few hours before for drinking a Pepsi that’s caffeine could keep me up past my bedtime and make me tired on such an important morning.

My dad put a silencing finger to his lips before he pulled me out of bed and we tip toed out the backdoor of our house and into the dark of the night. Even at that young of an age, I knew not to even question my dad, especially when I saw the presence of a red can of Schmidt wrapped up in his palm as we crossed the backyard and headed towards the stale blackness of the woods behind our house.

An unmistakable cry cracked through the still of the chilly late-summer night out in the woods. We seemed to follow the sound as it whirred like a police siren until we were surrounded by the swaying trees of the forest and stood in front of Shotzee who was tied to tree, head bowed, snout still bleeding, eyes welled.

“No,” I shouted at my dad for the first time in my life when I saw his hand drift over to a shotgun that had been propped up against the base of a tree.

I tried to stop him with my body, but there was zero chance, I ended up just harmlessly clinging to his legs as he went on.

“There is an order in the world that needs to be upheld. A dog cannot bite a man without consequence.”

The last thing I heard before my dad did something that permanently cemented him as a dark figure in my brain and heart was a cry that I wouldn’t hear again for nearly 16 years.

May 20, 2007

“It’s funny how the brain works. That story took 20 minutes for me to tell you through my mouth, but it flashed through my head in less than a second last night when I saw Shotzeeand as soon as I called out her name she vanished before my eyes. I was back in the house by myself.”

Gavin looked down his nose at me through his glasses. He sat forward in his squeaky chair and then let out a deep exhale that I felt from across his desk. I swear Gavin saw a few movies or TV shows with psychiatrists in them and crafted his own persona around it.

His eyes swept whimsically around the room before he slapped his hands together and slowly stated one word.

“Totems.”

I let it absorb for a moment before getting up out of my chair.

“Seriously Gavin, I stayed here longer than I had to because I like that you were going to give me some real counseling on this shit, not that heavy bullshit that you usually scoop onto the alcohol counseling.”

Gavin shot up from his chair.

“Oh, but I couldn’t be more heartfelt about this. I know the word totem is something that you associate with Native Americans which is something you probably have your long list of ‘shit Gavin talks about that you tune out’ but I could not be more serious.”

The honesty dripping in Gavin’s tone held me at the back of the door of his office. I would hear him out.

“I truly believe that you encountered a totem for something that triggered this vision. Something that you saw, you may not even realize it and it fired up the section of your brain where these memories are stored. I don’t believe in ghosts, but I believe in the power of the mind.”

May 21, 2007

Another night of beers, guys and unfulfilled desires where I ended up standing in the front doorway of the house somberly saying goodbye to my friends, secretly wishing they had crashed at my place so I wouldn’t be left alone with the ghastly feeling that weaved me in. I felt a heavy presence wash over me once I closed the heavy double door behind my friends and returned to the drafty near silence of the frat house.

At least the three-fourths of a fifth of Wild Turkey that I had coursing through my veins was doing its work, coaxing me into a boozy sleep.

It seemed once I placed my head down upon my pillow, I was asleep.

*****

I awoke to the vibration of my phone tickling my thigh in my pocket. My college-aged male senses twitched just like the phone knowing all too well what a text in the middle of the night meant.

I didn’t have the number saved in my phone, but the text couldn’t have been more ideal.

U up?

I could not have replied any faster.

Yeah. You know where I am staying?

This was a delicate game. I had no idea who this was, but I didn’t want to ask or tip that off in any way, knowing that even the slightest misstep could put me back where I started, sleeping alone.

Theta Chi?

My heart started picking up in pace like the score to a thrilling movie. My fingers flew across the screen of my phone.

Come over.

*****

I couldn’t believe that I had blown it when I woke up. I laid down for just a second while I waited for my mystery partner to arrive and must have fallen asleep.

“Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck,” I cried out and scrambled for my phone that was resting on the bed next to me.

I was a little bit surprised to see that I had not received any more texts during my snooze and it looked like I had only been out for about 20 minutes.

Maybe all was not lost.

I fired off a text to the mystery number as fast as I could.

You still coming over?

The number replied almost immediately.

I’m here. You weren’t up. I crashed in the lobby.

Without hesitation, I took off out of the room towards the lobby which was just a small hallway away from the lounge that served as my bedroom.

I stormed into the hallway, but lightened my pace once I was greeted by the sounds of muffled sobs.

I stopped myself just before the edge of where the lobby bled into the hallway and peeked around the corner.

I could see the producer of the tears from my vantage point. She was young, probably not yet college-aged and I didn’t recognize her but was unnerved by her presence. She was far too young to be the girl I had been talking to and she was far too distraught to be anything but bad news. Fuck, I could have sworn that I locked the front door when I said goodbye to my friends and headed to bed. How the hell did she get in?

The cries pitched up an octave and I threw my body back into the hallway when I saw the girl’s head of brown hair turn in my direction. I felt her eyes glimmer on me for a second just before I slipped into the safety of the dark hallway.

My heart raced when I heard soft footsteps flutter in my direction. I fought my fears though and held my position just inside the doorway, until…

I saw drops of blood start to drip upon the marble floor just outside the doorway. A slashed and pale arm wrapped itself around the side of the door and reached for me.

I screamed with the highest pitch I have ever heard my body emit, sprinted naked out of the hallway and tore up the stairs that led to the floor with the bathroom. Running to the only light on the floor, I slipped into the room that was covered from top to bottom in moist tile and threw myself into a stall so I could catch my breath.

What the fuck was that? My brain asked itself before being interrupted the slap of a bare feet entering the bathroom halted my train of thought.

I slipped my feet up onto the toilet seat and squatted while cursing myself for my moronic decision to run into the bathroom and lock myself in. The footsteps clumsily staggered around the bathroom aimlessly. I couldn’t see anything on the floor from my vantage point, but I started to focus my gaze out of the crack of the door on the right side and peer out into the hollow yellow light of the sink area.

I watched a figure step into my field of vision and stop just in front of the stall. My vision was distracted by the sound of tiny drips on the floor and I looked down to see deep red drops of blood collecting like flakes of snow on the floor just in front of the pale green door.

My eyes raced back to the crack of the door and I saw a clear reflection in the bathroom mirror of who was just outside of the stall. It was no longer a girl in her mid-teens, it was a girl who couldn’t have been much older than five, her hair frizzy and messed, her eyes a piercing green, I recognized her even before we locked eyes. It had been nearly 15 years since I had seen those eyes, that scared face, that frizzy mess of hair.

All these characteristics were already imprinted on me because they belonged to my sister Sara.

July 12, 1995

The first 42 days of summer vacation had been nothing but telling my sister that there was no way we would ever go out to the cabins at the edge of our property. I deeply regretted telling her about my attack at the cabins on the bus ride home on the last day of school after she asked for about the hundredth time about why we weren’t allowed to play any further away from the house than the immediate back yard. I thought telling her the story would chill her to the bone enough to where she would never even consider asking again or going out there.

I was wrong.

A plucky five-year-old fresh off a year of kindergarten, my sister Sara was one of those little kids that seemed to be wise and curious beyond their years. She already had an incredible knack for sniffing out the perpetual bullshit that adults and older kids feed little kids to get them to quit talking, but that knack would fail her in the summer of 1995.

I still remember the unseasonably cold darkness of that summer night as if it was yesterday. I sat in the living room pretending to watch cartoons, but I was really paying attention to the perpetual flood of adults that were coming in and out of the house, holding flashlights, lightly flecked with summer rain and carrying heavy looks of concern on their faces.

Judging by the number of hugs the other adults where laying upon my dad and the length of time it had been since I had last seen Sara, even my nine-year-old brain could do the math about what was going on. My brain created the image of Sara’s little footprints crunched into the tall grass that led to the rickety cabins that were tucked up against the edge of the dark forest.

I pictured her innocently walking up onto the boardwalk of the cabins, playing wild west the way that I would, lost in the euphoric imagination of a whimsical setting. I pictured one of those cabin doors opening. I pictured the old man tearing out. I pictured the knife. I pictured things that I had seen on the video tapes of R rated movies that I had watched at friends’ house while their parents weren’t home.

I pissed myself watching Nickelodeon.

I was cleaning myself in the bathroom when I heard the screams through the open window that looked to the backyard that would haunt me for years. Looking like the horde that chased down Frankenstein, I saw the adult group maraud through the backyard and toward my house with lanterns, and flashlights cutting into the night.

Sprawled out and motionless in the sinewy arms of my dad, I saw the source of the group’s hysteria… my sisters body, splashed with blood, head rolled back in slack, face pointed toward the cold glow of a full moon that tanned the grass of the backyard in yellow gold. The next time I would see her body would be in the numbing fluorescent light of the Theta Chi bathroom.

May 21, 2007

I jumped up from my seat on the toilet with a jolt when the stall door started to rattle, a force on the other side fighting against the little metal swivel of a lock, shaking the entire row of stalls. My jaw quivered, tears started to well in the corners of my eyes, I felt cold, urged to vomit.

“S-a-r-a,” the one syllable word dribbled out of my mouth as if it was an entire sentence.

I was answered by a slight breeze that swooshed down into the stall and forced me into a spastic shiver.

“Sara,” I called out again sheepishly.

No answer.

I stuck my head out to get a better look at the crack, but halted when I felt an itchy tickle on my shoulder. I felt the itch crawl over to the back of my neck and jumped up with a scream.

I turned around in a flash to see the hideous form a jet black spider scurry across the toilet and tuck itself underneath the pearly white of the seat. The sight of a real life terror shocked me back into the real world. I ripped a wad of toilet paper, smashed the spider into a mess of loose legs and abdomen splatter in one quick motion and flushed the toilet.

I watched the little crumple of toilet paper and bug splatter spin helplessly into the dark hole at the bottom of the toilet.

Part II

May 22, 2007

“It’s funny for so many men the fear of admitting that you are afraid is actually worse than the fear of the real terror of the world,” Gavin said as he rolled an earthy booger between his fingers and reclined back in his chair.

“Seeing my bleeding, dead, fucking little sister isn’t funny to me though,” I spat back with a steely glare wiped upon my face. “

“The waltz of the masculine male is such a difficult dance, why do we even still try?” Gavin asked stoically.

I questioned the absurdity of a guy using the word “we” in that sentence when he had a ponytail so long that it flirted with his ass and was so juvenile that he had spent the past 10 minutes pretending to itch his nose when he was really just picking it.

“Have you given any thought to what I told you last time?” Gavin asked.

“That Indian shit?” I replied snidely before I reminded myself that Gavin was seeing me unscheduled without payment and I softened up. “Totem poles, or something?” I polished the cynicism off of my second sentence and let my eyes linger on the baby blue dream catcher that hung in his office window.

“Totems,” Gavin said with a little less grandiosity than usual, trying to get me to take him a little more seriously despite the lingering odor of Nag Champa seeping out of his desk.

“I remember.”

“I definitely think there is a totem at play here,” Gavin said with widened eyes that revealed the spider webs of bloodshot that dominated his eyes.

I wasn’t 100 percent on board yet, but I didn’t say anything to let Gavin know it was okay to go on with whatever theory he was prepared to present.

“There is something in that house that triggered these memories and images. You don’t even know that you have seen it, but you have and it has latched onto your brain like a lamprey. It’s like that old horror movie adage, ‘houses aren’t haunted, people are,’ but it’s true. Your brain is haunted, not Tappa Tappa Kegga house. Your brain creates these ghosts, but it doesn’t make them any less scary, or important, and only you can wash them out of your brain. The only way you can do that is be first identifying what planted them in your brain in the first place.”

Gavin interrupted himself by opening a drawer in his desk. He took a half-eaten wrapped up chocolate bar of mysterious brand and slid it across the table with a wink as if he was a mob boss offering me a bribe.

“Eat this, it will ease the nerves, then go back there and do a thorough search of that house to try and figure out what the hell in that place might have set this off. It’s the only thing you can really do.”

***

Gavin’s chocolate bar tasted like bitter shit. I have eaten my fair share of edibles and the taste was usually awful, but Gavin’s magic chocolate took it to a new level. It was probably some kind of fair trade weed chocolate or some bullshit that Gavin picked up at the Whole Foods version of a drug dealer.

The shit did its job though when I started tearing through the Theta Chi house, inspecting just about every inch of the place for something that could have infected my brain with a ghoulish parasite. I got that hyper kick of shaky adrenaline just as I was ripping through a dusty trophy case filled with plastic awards handed out for various drinking accomplishments.

That tingly high would linger for a couple of hours due to the generous amount Gavin had slid over to me. I had just about made my way around the entire house by the time I began to feel the cold dead hands of sobriety wrap around my neck. The melting of my high had made me tired though as I combed through a collection of old porn magazines stacked neatly in the corner of the top-story lounge which housed an old piano littered with dead keys and a filthy pool table with no balls.

The slow malaise of the weed mixed with the nausea brought on by the beers I had foolishly swigged while doing my search were taking their toll. The room started to tilt in my field of vision, just a little bit making me feel like a kid who had just run in circles to give themselves the spins for fun.

I had to lie down or I might vomit. I staggered over to a filthy couch that was probably well marinated with rotten beer and semen, but I didn’t care, I collapsed onto the haggard thing and closed my eyes to stop the world from spinning.

Fucking Gavin.

May 23, 2007

I awoke to the sounds of broken piano keys, their muted tones waking me up when they sent waves of hollow melodic vibrations through the room. I sat up in a sobering fog and was greeted by cold darkness all around me and the fading tone of the piano.

I felt a presence in the room, heard a shuffling over by the door where I walked in, heard an low human groan cut through the black that was all around me. My eyes started to adjust to the darkness, but I still couldn’t see anyone else in the room, just the motionless bookshelves figures of the room – tables, chairs, rows of books and cliché college bro posters barely illuminated by my tired eyes.

The numb melody of the piano leaked into the air again and I stumbled to my feet. I pried my phone out of my pocket before I made any more moves and pushed the flashlight on, casting a bright beacon out in front of me towards the piano.

Nothing there. Just a hanging mist of dust that swirled in the powerful light of the phone.

I slowly walked away from the couch and towards the piano and door, my footsteps clapping against the hard tile of the floor easily allowing any presence that wanted to track me to keep a close watch. I made it to the door unscathed, but just the groan returned once the palm of my hand met the cold hard metal of the door handle.

I turned around and the light of my phone beamed upon a gaunt grey figure. Grotesquely pale, the figure’s complexion was that of old uncooked chicken, bathed in a litter of billowy silver body hair that washed his chest in a shimmering coat of follicles and led up to a scraggily beard which hung from a sunken face of mean green eyes and a bald scalp littered with liver spots. Just looking at the thing made me want to barf and not just because of the hideous nature of the being, but because I knew this person… it was the old man who had attacked me all those years ago at the cabins on my dad’s property.

I didn’t even notice the sharp knife clutched in the old man’s hand until it slashed through the air and nearly skimmed my nose. Just like I had all those years before out by the cabins, I sprinted away from the old man, racing down the slick linoleum of the hallway until I came to a horrible realization.

Falling asleep in the top story lounge was a horrible idea. The room was essentially a hidden secret in the house, accessible only by an unmarked closet in the back of one of the dorm rooms on the third floor that led to a small staircase. I always heard guys in the frat talking about it on campus, about how they would leave girls up there and it would take them hours to find their ways back because the only way back down was to remember which of the many rooms that lined the hallway outside of the lounge contained the staircase that led back down to the third floor.

The hallway stretched out in front of me felt like something out of an Escher painting – rows of six unmarked, wooden doors taunted the memory the high the weed had wiped clean. I was going to have to open those doors until I found the one that contained the staircase that descended into the third floor, and I was going to have to do it with the darkest figure of my past slashing behind me.

With a little space between me and the old man who staggered forward at a thankfully slow pace, I attacked the first door to my right.

Cool, blue light washed over me once I opened door and it felt as if I was sucked into another existence. I was no longer standing in the dusty hallway in the Theta Chi house with the knife-wielding old man behind me. I was in the door of a hospital room, the steady beep of a heart rate machine serving as a discomforting metronome.

I had been here before. I instantly recognized the chlorine smell of the room, the feeling of the moisture upon my skin that seeped in through the windows on the rainy day, the sound of the heart rate monitor, and most of all, I felt a painful ache of childish confusion in my stomach that instantly turned to crippling sorrow when I saw my mother’s tired face turn to me from the hospital bed.

“Zach… she whispered from the bed, repeating the script of her last word to me when I last saw her in her hospital bed when I was just four years old.

I crashed my way out of the room.

I was back in the hallway, the old man growling just to my left. I dodged the old man’s weak slash and plunged into the door that was across the hallway from the first.

I was greeted by a chorus of crickets once inside the room. The frat house ceiling had turned into a canvas of twinkling stars and walls were now a dark thicket of trees splashed with moonlight.

A new fear had been planted in my heart.

In a flash, the source of my newfound fear was right in front of me, stalking towards me up a muddy path that cut through the knee-high foliage of the woods was Sidney Grass. The older brother of my friend, Howard, Sidney was a developing sociopath who would terrorize us whenever he had the chance. He loved nothing more than to cut off the heads of cottonmouths and chase us around with them.

Sidney had somehow stepped up his game from poisonous snakes this summer night though. He woke up Howard and I in the middle of the night with his dad’s shotgun jammed in our groggy faces. He chased us out into the backyard in our pajamas and then further out into the woods where Howard and I tried to hide while we heard Sidney comb through the woods, hooting and hollering.

I knew exactly what was going to happen next when Sidney flashed his pearly whites at me in the night and raised the shotgun up to my eyes. I was not going to wait for him to pull the trigger and have it click empty this time and then watch him laugh and punch me in the chin.

I rushed back out the door and returned to the stale hallway.

The old man was there waiting for me. I felt the hot piercing of his wielded knife strike across the hard bone of my kneecap and I erupted with a scream. Like a running back escaping an undisciplined attacked, I spun out of the old man’s ambush and rushed into the first door I could get to with my knee weeping hot blood.

A chucked bottle of Old Crow whizzed by my head and smashed into a hundred little pieces of glasses when it hit a wall right behind my head. I stood with wobbly legs staring at my beaten and bloody dad who stood in just his white briefs that were now stained red and fumed in front of a broken TV. Based on the fact that he looked like he had been run through a meat tenderizer, he had gotten his ass kicked again down at Gil’s Tavern again and based on the fact that the next thing he winged at my little head was my Joe Montana plaque, I was probably 11-years-old.

Once the setting started to sink in, I found my footing and realized that I needed to get moving or I was going to get belted across the face with a copy of Easyriders magazine, I inhaled the smell of alcohol soaked mildew and turned myself around to escape the hurls of my dad.

“You run away like a coward. Like you ran away from your sister,” my dad yelled with a swollen mouth that made it sound like he had a southern drawl that he actually didn’t.

I didn’t try to decode his comment, I just took off for the hallway where I knew the safe haven of my sister’s room still remained almost untouched since the day she passed. I ran down the hallway that was lined with a coat of flimsy fake mahogany and led to the bedrooms of the trailer. The hallway shook as I sprinted down its dirty carpet and the shadow of my dad started stalking me from behind. The smoked and faded portraits of our family cracked and fell from their perilous perch on the walls and started breaking at my feet, sending shards of glass nipping at my ankles.

My dad’s Romeo-booted feet were gaining on me, but the stray ink marks of colorful markers and half-peeled away Care Bear stickers that marked the door to my sister’s old room were within arm’s reach and I burst through into the room before my dad could get a finger on me.

I was back in the frat house hallway with the old man who at least was a few yards away from me. I was far enough away to avoid the slashing of his knife, but I could now hear him speak. His voice was familiar for a reason that I could not put my finger on. Listening to him was like hearing a song that you recognized in a movie, but couldn’t remember from where you knew it.

“Zach,” the old man gasped from cracked lips that looked like the shed skin of a snake.

I locked eyes with the fossilized man for the briefest of moments before he charged and I took shelter in the next-closest door.

The setting the door tossed me into was not nearly as instantly upsetting as the other ones. I was now in Gavin’s office with my nose tickling with the scent of incense. The only thing that was actually upsetting was the smug look plastered upon Gavin’s wrinkled face as he leaned back in his chair with his hands clasped and index fingers pushed into a point.

“You might think your fears are unique, but they are just like everyone else’s,” Gavin philosophized. “What if you are all wrong and they are all right? What if you are a bad person? You can’t escape the prison that is your own mind no matter how hard you try. There is no way out. You are trapped and if something goes wrong in there, there is nowhere else to go.”

This was the first scene I had been thrown into that I didn’t distinctly remember already happening. Maybe it was because I tuned out Gavin’s bullshit at the time he said or maybe we smoked out before the session, but I didn’t remember this at all.

“I get a sense that a lot has gone wrong in that head of yours Zach. And I get a sense that you have run from all of it. You don’t confront your demons. You look the other way when they pass you by, like an awkward old friend that you bump into at the mall. You act like you don’t see them, hoping that they will act like they won’t see you. You drown them with alcohol in hopes that when you do encounter them you will be numbed enough to take the edge off, or to soften their horns, but when you and them sober up the same problems are still there and your head aches. But, what are you going to do when you have so many dark spots crawling around your head that you have nowhere to look but the black? You run from one demon only to always find yourself dashing into the cold embrace of another.”

I didn’t have an answer for Gavin. I let him go on. He leaned across his desk with his grimy teeth giving off a rotten smell that made me stop breathing.

“That’s when you have no choice but to face the demon.”

Without a word, I got up and walked out of Gavin’s office.

The Theta Chi hallways seemed a little bit lighter when I returned. Maybe the sun was beginning to rise outside?

I thought about trying one of the few remaining unexplored doors for a moment, but was lured back towards the doorway that led to the fourth-floor lounge by a faint wail.

I followed the little cries back to the room that I first woke up in.

The sun was starting to rise. Out the windows that glimpsed out to the eastern horizon, the slightest tease of a yolky yellow sun was creeping up into view, just slightly brightening the hue of the lounge.

As I expected, the old man was waiting for me in there, looking a tiny bit pinker in the hints of sunlight. I stood cold and still for a few moments until he noticed me and his wails picked up into shrieks.

The old man lowered his bald head and charged me yet again, but I waited this time, my fingers wiggling in anticipation of having to slap the knife away.

We collided with a force heavier than I anticipated his age-riddled body delivering and tumbled to the floor. I was able to get a firm grasp upon his wrist that was holding the knife, but it was far from steady as we slipped around upon the hard floor and crashed into the wall.

Our smash into the wall sent numerous framed pictures that were hung from the wall above our heads crashing down upon us. I knew that the pictures were framed group pictures of every West Virginia Theta Chi pledge class since the late 1800s even before one fell square on the back of the head of the old man.

Suddenly the fight was over. The man was lying motionless with all his cold weight upon me. The knife fell out of his grasp and skittered harmlessly onto the floor.

I looked down upon the heavy framed picture that had knocked him out with love, almost feeling like I wanted to hug it. I stared at the thing for a few moments – the pledge class of 1940. I studied the faces of the 10 or so young men frozen in black and white time, looking like a classic photo of some Al Capone-era gangsters as they stood around an unlit fireplace.

I couldn’t take my eyes off of the picture of the young man in the top left – mustached, wild eyed and capped with a plume of slicked-back hair, his face was far, far younger than how I recognized it know, but it was unmistakable - it belonged to the deflated mass of grey human that was lying upon me. My eyes raced to the name index of the picture and laying my eyes upon the name of the slick-haired young man made so many things make so much sense – George Holverson, a name I had heard before, a name that belonged to my grandpa.

May 29, 2007

“People didn’t really have an understanding for mental health back then, especially men. Mental illness was treated either like leprosy or just a common cold – it either got you an ice cream scoop out of your brain or people just acted like you were a little bit crazy and looked the other way like it would just go away on its own. It sounds like your grandpa got schizophrenia or really bad PTSD and your parents thought they could just hide him out in the cabins, take care of him and hope nothing would happen.”

I picked at my teeth with the cap of a pen and nodded along with Gavin.

“I’m not gonna argue with you on that one.”

Gavin gave a smile and adjusted his glasses.

“But you’ve been staying at the frat house still?”

“Sleeping like a baby ever since and I haven’t even been drinking.”

“And you said his name that morning when he was on top of you and he was gone?”

“It’s hazy, but I felt him start to wake up and I greeted him as ‘grandpa’ and like Shotze and Sarah, he disappeared once I said his name and I was alone in the house again.”

Gavin shook his head in disbelief.

“But I found something up there in the lounge when I went back up there this morning to clean up the glass and grab the pledge picture with him in it,” I went on. “And I want to give it to you.”

I was already clutching the item I wanted to give Gavin as it rested in my pocket. I gave it one last squeeze before I took it out of the darkness of my pocket and placed it on the edge of Gavin’s desk.

A slow smile eased its way onto Gavin’s face when he saw what I had brought to him.

A small totem.

Originally published by Thought Catalog on www.ThoughtCatalog.com.

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