#I CAN TASTE IT

[estrellami-1]

If I Should Stay

Just a friendly reminder that I missed the last post so I’m posting part 26 and part 27 on the same day, so make sure to go back and read 26 if you haven’t already! ❤️

Part 1 | . . . | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28

Eddie doesn’t laugh the way Steve thinks he would. Instead, he frowns slightly. “Should be careful,” he mumbles. “Some dealers don’t care what they give you, long as they get their money.”

Steve hums in response. “Well, I won’t have to worry about that now, right?” He shifts on the roof, laying down to look up at the stars. Feels, more than sees, Eddie do the same. “You’re staying.”

“That I am,” Eddie replies, sighing as he looks at the stars. “Wish we could see ‘em all.”

Steve glances over, and Eddie lifts a hand, waves it lazily at the sky. “The stars. Can’t see but half of ‘em cause of all the lights. But they’re so pretty. So bright. Almost enough to make me want to brave my dad again.”

Steve hums. “He’s still alive?”

“Yeah. ‘S he not? In four years?”

“I dunno exactly. Just… the way you phrased things made it sound like he wasn’t.”

“Well, hell,” Eddie laughs, raising the blunt like it’s a glass. “I’ll drink to that.”

Steve snorts and knocks his knuckles against Eddie’s, accepting the joint again after Eddie takes a drag. “So,” Eddie says, rolling over to lay on his front, propping himself up on his elbows. “Tell me the Steve Harrington hierarchy for dates. What comes first?”

Steve chuckles. “Why?” He asks, then answers regardless. “First date is getting to know each other, y’know? If you run out of things to say twenty minutes into it, how the hell’re you supposed to make a relationship work, right? So first date is making sure you’re…” he waves a hand around, looking for the right word. “Like… making sure you match.”

“Compatible?” Eddie suggests, and Steve snaps at him.

“Compatible, that’s it, yeah. Making sure you’re compatible. Second date’s for making sure you’re serious about it, making sure there’s still more to talk about, that you’re not gonna end up staring awkwardly at each other twenty minutes into that date because maybe you’re compatible enough for one date, but not really two, right?”

“So every subsequent date is just making sure you’re compatible.”

“I guess, yeah. Except when you know you are compatible, then you show ‘em who you really are. You put away your nice shirts and start getting out the everyday ones. The dates aren’t as planned out because they don’t need to be, because you already have fun together. Maybe you go to the arcade and you don’t let ‘em win. Or not as easy, at least. I’m still terrible at bowling. I don’t think there’s any hope for me.” He shakes his head with a chuckle.

Eddie raises a brow. “You’re telling me there’s a sport in which you don’t excel? This I have to see.”

Steve laughs and nudges his shoulder. “Man, shuddup.”

“No, but seriously,” Eddie says, and he sounds serious, so Steve drops his smile and listens. “If… if I were to go on a date, on a few dates, with a guy, maybe someone like you, and it’s going well, and we get to that point… I could imagine us doing pretty much exactly this.”

“Getting high on a roof?”

“Spending time together,” Eddie says quietly. “No expectations.”

“Oh,” Steve says quietly, sure his cheeks are scarlet.

“And,” Eddie says even quieter, practically a whisper, “I maybe wouldn’t mind trying with you.”

“As excited as that makes me,” Steve says, “and trust me, I’m pretty damn excited, I can’t help but think maybe we should wait until we’re past the end of the world.”

“Sure,” Eddie says, and brushes his knuckles against Steve’s. They both watch the movement. “Figure I’ve waited this long, what’s a little bit longer, right?”

“Yeah,” Steve murmurs, pressing his thumb to one of Eddie’s knuckles. Wishes he was pressing his lips to that knuckle instead.

He suddenly sighs. “It’s not just gonna be a week or two, y’know. It’s… when this is over, we can’t stay. Robin and I, we’ve gotta go back to the future.”

“Well, sure, but there’s some version of you that’s gonna stay, right?”

“And if that version of me doesn’t know that any of this happened? ‘M still an asshole, Eddie.”

Eddie grins and rolls over until they’re face-to-face. “I don’t think you’re capable of not being bitchy,” he says, laughing when Steve good-naturedly shoves his face away. “No, but hey,” he says quieter, more serious. “The Harrington Charm might be legendary, but us Munsons got a few tricks up our sleeves too, m’kay? If I have to win you back, I’ll do it. Or could you write yourself a note, maybe? Alli’s staying, she could give it to you. You could write to ask any one of us about it, and we’d tell you.”

Steve hums. “How do you do that?”

Eddie blinks. “Do what?”

“Make me feel like everything’s gonna be alright.”

Eddie blushes, but doesn’t answer, just offers Steve the joint again.

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[raayllum]

i'm gonna get my broyals angst / ezran feels abandoned arc aren't i?

[zephyra-in-the-house]

Second Chances Update

Chapter 26 Update: 75% finished!!

I am slowly inching closer and closer to the finish line my dudes bear with me I should be done in just a few days *fingers crossed*

[naamahdarling]

.

[harlot-of-oblivion]

The Devil's In The Details

You get ready for a night of fun at the local bar, but you didn't expect to face temptation when a certain devil hunter comes to play.

Things are starting to heat up, but it's not explicit...yet 😏

Enjoy!

Chapter 12: A Devil Walks Into The Bar

Take some time off…and that’s an order, Detective.

The Lieutenant’s concerned voice rings in your mind, stirring the boiling anger in your gut as you stare at the various crime scene photos pinned to a cork board. You came home a couple hours ago and immediately began to set up what you call your “investigative nook”: a corner of your living room dedicated to your current cases so that you can continue to work in the comfort of your flat.

But you haven’t been able to focus. You’ve just been staring at the grisly photos while the ever-present anger simmers beneath your skin. This isn’t the first time that Hard Ass has ordered you to take time off…but it still feels like gasoline has been thrown into the fiery pits of your temper whenever he pulls his rank on you. You know that you’re not equals anymore, and you still respect your former partner…but he can fuck right off if he thinks that fighting a few demons would shake your resolve.

You’re getting too close to seein’ those ghosts, Hot Head.

You tear your tempestuous gaze from the cork board of grisly crime scene photos to check the time on your cellphone. It’s a little past 5 o’ clock, and if you want to make it in time for some good food, strong drinks, and some dancing with your closest coworkers…you need to start getting ready. So, you step away from your investigative nook and push your buzzing anger down as you make your way to the bedroom.

Carmen always suggests a night out when you’re at your angriest, so close to tipping over the edge before exploding in a fit of rage. So, when she texted you earlier about a night at the cantina you instantly accepted. You’ve never shared your furious feelings about being benched by the Lieutenant, but she’s picked up on how much you hate it. And she never fails to suggest a get together with Graves at the cantina to unwind and work out some stream in a “more fun way” as she puts it.

And you appreciate it since Fuego del Diablo is a damn fine bar with a vast dance floor for salsa dancing. You always want to take out your anger with your fists or daggers, but when you’re at that cantina…you can take it out with a salacious swivel of your hips and the confident steps of your high heels. And if you’re lucky…with a mysterious stranger in your bed.

The image of a flirtatious smirk surrounded by a scruffy fuzz of white hair suddenly enters your mind. Your thighs clench at the thought of…you throw out that notion of spending a night with your current partner with a shake of your head as you enter your bedroom and stride straight into the adjacent bathroom.

But it’s easier said than done. Thoughts of how his lips would feel against your skin, his hands roaming your body, his tongue licking your…you shake your head again as you turn the shower on in your bathroom. Then, you get undressed and step into the hot spray with a relieved sigh, savoring the feel of hot water beating against your skin as it eases the tension in your body.

Your mind is blessedly silent as you take a shower. You wash your hair, your body…and since it’s a night at the cantina, you shave your legs and make sure your armpits are smooth before moving onto the apex of your thighs. You reach out of the shower curtain to grab the slim trimmer on your sink and begin to shear the curly hair between your thighs. Then, you take your razor and drag it across the sensitive skin with care, slowly shaping the short hair into a pleasing sight that you hope will entice anyone who’s lucky enough to see it.

Perhaps a certain devil hunter with white hair and an annoyingly irresistible smile…

You cut that line of thought out of your mind as you turn the shower off. No, no…anyone but him, you chastise yourself while shoving the shower curtain to the side. Sleeping with my partner is out of the question, you continue, trying to convince yourself as the old and bittersweet feelings towards your previous partner dampens the desirous thoughts churning in your head. 

Instead, you think about what happened between you and Jayce as you step out of the shower. Both of you were good together for a while, always butting heads and getting into heated arguments but there was an unspoken attraction. But it never led to anything…both of you knew that sleeping with each would just complicate things. And after what happened…you’re very glad that you kept your distance because it would’ve hurt worse if you didn’t, especially when he turned his back on you after…

You glance up at the foggy mirror above your sink. Your bittersweet feelings turn sour and regretful as you stare at the ugly scar on your left breast, an eternal reminder of that fateful case. The very helpful consultant for the police turned into a malevolent demon when you and Jayce confronted him with the evidence of his vicious crimes. Your scar burns as you remember the impact of his sharp talons slamming straight through your chest, barely missing your heart as Jayce unloaded a full clip at the fucker in a desperate attempt to save your life. You survived but…you lost the respect and trust of everyone around you.

All you had in the end was this hideous scar marring your breast like some mark of failure.

You clench your fists before snatching up the nearby hair dryer with a determined scowl, refocusing on getting ready for a night of fun. Once you’re done drying off, you leave the bathroom and take a look in your closet. You eye the small collection of dresses before pulling out a sexy red one that reminds you of…

What do you wanna do to me, Honeybee?

“God fucking dammit!” you berate yourself while glaring at the dress with an irate scowl.

But you still slip the dress on, refusing to think about that heated moment down in the abandoned station with your insufferably handsome partner. Dante has a knack for wriggling his way through the icy cracks of your control, but you won’t let it get to you tonight. I just need a night of drinking and dancing…and maybe a one-night stand to distract me from him, you thought, fully adamant on keeping your partner at a professional distance as you continue to get ready.

You brush your hair and apply your makeup with meticulous care before taking a good look in your bathroom mirror. And you smile at the saucy image that greets you. The dress hides the nasty scar on your breast, but it still shows just enough cleavage to entice anyone brave enough to approach you. And when you turn around to inspect the back, your lips curl into a smug grin at the sight of your silky-smooth legs that instantly brings the eye to your ass thanks to the short cut of the dress. Your back is bare, but the scar that you got from the demon’s talons is faint and not as noticeable as the one on the front. It’s easier to ignore and so long as you keep the dress on…there’s no way that your one-night stand will be ruined by the uncomfortable questions.

Your brow furrows as you walk out of the bathroom to check the time on your cellphone. Then, you send a quick text to Carmen before slipping into some strappy high heels. You grab a small clutch purse and dump your cellphone and wallet into it before making your way to the front door of your flat and walking out with a confident stride. It only takes a few minutes until Carmen pulls up on your street in her car. You open the passenger side door and hop in an excited huff before she drives off.   

“Hey, Quickdraw! Lookin’ good!” she comments with a bright smile.

“I really needed this…thanks, Sandiego,” you murmur with a grateful smirk as she steers through the streets towards the cantina.

“Oh, it’s no problem at all!” she replies with a cheerful shrug of her shoulders as she weaves through traffic with an intense focus.

Carmen doesn’t talk much along the way, which is really abnormal for the sunny crime scene analyst that you consider a friend. You squint at the subtle curl of her lips that depicts her usual happy smile, but there’s something more to it. But you don’t get the chance to question her unusual demeanor as she swings her car into an open spot right at the corner of the cantina.  

“Time to get our margarita on!” she exclaims with an excited wiggle of her brow before stepping out of the car.

You open the passenger car door and follow her along the sidewalk in front of Fuego del Diablo, glancing up at the flashy red sign of a horned man engulfed in flames as both of you enter the lively cantina. Carmen greets one of the busy servers with a friendly smile as you scan the bar, the dance floor…before pausing on a familiar face at one of the tables in a secluded corner. You pat Carmen on her arm and nod your head in that direction before leading her through the crowd of servers and excited patrons towards Grayson.

“Hey there!” he greets with a small wave as you and Carmen take a seat. “Already got the drinks for ya!” he exclaims while gesturing towards the large pitcher of margarita in the middle of the table.

You give him a thankful smile as you reach for the pitcher. “You’re the best, Graves,” you murmur while pouring yourself a glass before handing it off to Carmen. “What’s the special today?” you ask while raising your glass for a sip.

“Besides this pitcher of salty sweetness,” he begins with an excited smile. “It’s homemade guacamole and scrumptious tacos with an endless supply of tortilla chips.”

You grin at the promise of a delicious meal as you swallow the first of many sips of margarita. Carmen flags down a server and requests a tray of chips with homemade guacamole with a cheerful smile before taking a sip of her freshly poured margarita. Then, she smacks her lips and begins to chatter with you and Graves with her usual bubbly fast pace.

The first hour of this night of fun passes as all of you engage in carefree conversation with the occasional tortilla chip being dipped into the delectable guacamole. You savor the chips and dip along with the companionable company of your coworkers and friends, basking in their support despite the reputation you gained down at the station. After what happened a couple of years ago, many of your fellow officers just kept their distance in case it would compromise their position in the department.

But Carmen and Grayson never backed down, and it’s at times like this that you truly appreciate them for having your back when your previous partner deserted you for a promotion. I should let them know how grateful I am, you thought while chucking back your third margarita. And you’re about to say that thought out loud when Carmen and Grayson turn towards the entrance of the cantina with excited glee.

You turn your gaze in that direction….and your eyes widen as Dante looks in your direction. Why is he here? What the fuck? you thought as you hide your surprise with a generous sip of margarita. Your eyes flit between Carmen and Grayson before focusing on Carmen’s delighted expression, still very genuine with a hint of devious intent.

God fucking dammit, you curse internally as you realize why she was so tight lipped on the way here…she invited Dante and didn’t tell you!

Your partner strides up to your table with a confident swagger. “Mind if I join you?” he asks while his brilliant blue eyes flicker between Carmen and Grayson before honing in on you.

“Not at all!” Carmen insists with an enthusiastic nod towards the empty chair right next to you.

Fucking traitor, you seethe as Dante settles down into the chair and reaches for the nearly empty pitcher of margarita.

“Might need a refill,” he suggests with a flirty smirk while checking you out.

You keep quiet but agree that you need more drink…much more drink now that the object of your desire is sitting so casually beside you as Carmen requests another pitcher. Your eyes flicker over of their own volition towards him as you raise your glass to your lips. He’s still wearing the same clothes, but you notice that his white hair seems more lustrous in the low light of the bar. And the short and scruffy hair around his chin and smirking lips has been trimmed, showing off more of his handsome face.

Did he do all that for me? you wonder, quickly looking away before he notices your subtle staring.  

You finish the rest of your margarita with a hearty gulp and sit rigidly in your seat until the server comes back with a full pitcher. Then, you give the waiter your order of tacos and tortilla chips with the spiciest salsa, and since both of you came to agreement…you order the house pizza for your partner before nodding towards Carmen and Grayson to put in their orders.

“Another non-traditional pizza, huh?” Dante inquires close to your ear as the server scurries away.

“You’ll see,” you provide with a confident quirk of brow.

The flirty curl of his lips stokes the embers of your ire and desire as all of you refill your glasses with more margaritas. Then, all of you just continue the casual flow of conversation. You listen to the woes and hilarity from Carmen and Grayson while Dante offers his opinion that gets a good laugh out of them. But his eyes keep finding their way towards you, making your skin tingle under his blatant focus during this friendly conversation.

You avert your gaze, trying your hardest to not give him any ideas about what you really want those smirking lips to do between your legs. The food arrives soon and you feel relieved as everyone digs into their meal. You bite into your taco and moan happily while glancing towards Dante from the corner of your eye.

“What’s the matter?” you ask while leaning in close. “Afraid of having a taste?” you suggest with a quirked brow as he stares hesitantly at the large tortilla covered in delicious meat and toppings.

Dante looks down at you and your skin bursts with goosebumps as that flash of red sparkles within his gaze. “Oh, I’m not afraid…far from it.”

His purring response makes you feel like he wasn’t talking about the pizza before he looks away and picks up a slice. He looks at it intently, and you know that he’s searching for olives…which you could tell him that there are none. But you stay silent and secretly admire the subtle shifts of his handsome face, honing in on his lips as he finally bites down on the tortilla slice of pizza.

“Mmm hmm!” he moans while giving you a wink. “You never disappoint, Honeybee.”

“Told you that I knew the best places for pizza and uh….this isn’t beer but maybe you’ll make an exception?” you ask while refilling his cup with margarita.

Dante leans in close and whispers by your ear. “Only for you.”

You glance up and see a fire behind those striking blue eyes. But the light and easy conversation of your closest coworkers and friends tears his gaze away from you, leaving you feeling…no.

Hell no.

You shouldn’t want more of his attention. But something in your gut wants those striking blue eyes on you, and despite your better judgment along with the first couple pitchers of margarita…

“Let’s dance, Sandiego,” you demand while rising from your seat with a confident tilt of your chin.

“Uh, yeah sure!” she responds with a cheerful grin before looking between Grayson and Dante. “Sorry, boys…girls only,” she claims while leaving her seat with a playful wink before following you on the dance floor.

Your lips curl into a smug smirk as you and Carmen walk onto the dance floor. The previous song ends but another track with an upbeat rhythm plays through the speakers. Fucking perfect, you thought as the pounding drums urges you to finally let loose.

You and Carmen flit across the dance floor, smiling broadly while quickstepping around each other with a lot of hips shaking and flashes of leg. The buzzing anger in your gut is replaced by the thrill of dancing with no care in the world. And the eyes of many patrons on both of you stirs something more hot and primal deep inside you…but you yearn for the striking blue eyes of a certain devil hunter, longing to see that spark of red igniting in his hungry gaze as they watch you.

Your head turns toward your table before you can stop yourself. And you almost lose the rhythm of your steps as the blazing heat in your partner’s gaze rocks through your body and straight down between your legs.

“Holy shit,” you softly gasp, actually feeling his eyes on you.

His shameless eyes leave a trail of lustful fire upon your skin as they roam every inch of your body. And you suddenly want to give in to this sizzling attraction between you two. You need to feel his hands snaking around your hips, you ache for the taste of his lips on your tongue, and you crave the explosive pleasure those striking blue eyes promise as he watches your every move. 

Oh, no…HELL no. No, no, no, no, you fret silently while looking away from your table with an exasperated flick of your head. What the hell is wrong with me? you wonder while stamping the desire for your devilish partner out of your mind.

You refocus on your dancing, vigorously channeling the conflicted frustration muddling your mind into every step and swivel of your hips. Carmen struggles to keep up but manages to hold her own and matches your fire until the song ends. Both of you smile and collapse into a spirited hug, but the thought of going back to your table to face those piercing eyes that threaten to break through your icy resolve…

“The margaritas are gettin’ to me,” you murmur by her ear while turning your back towards your table. “Wanna hit the bathroom before going back to the table?”

Carmen nods. “Yeah! Gotta follow the girl code!”

“I just need to pee,” you grumble with a roll of your eyes.

“That may be, but there’s strength in numbers!” she exclaims with a cheery grin. “Besides, we both know that it’s a great place to have girl talk!”

You exit the dance floor in a rush with Carmen in tow. She pauses for a moment to look towards your table and gestures between you two and the corner of the bar with a wave of your hand. Grayson gives her a thumbs up and continues to chat with Dante as both of you head to the restrooms. You avoid glancing back at your table, but you can still feel your partner’s eyes on you along the way.

Carmen opens the door in the corner and steps aside as a couple of ladies leave before leading you into the small dimly lit restroom. “Hot damn! We set that dance floor on fire!” she exclaims while both of you enter separate stalls.

“We’ll burn it down if we’re not careful,” you reply with an amused grin.

“Totally worth it!” she quips back through the thin wall of the stall. “I don’t condone arson, but the way that everyone was staring at us…talk about an inferno!”

Only felt one set of eyes on me, you thought before shaking your head in frustration. You remain quiet while both of you finish up and flush the toilets before exiting the stalls. Your body is tense as you approach the sink to wash your hands. Carmen joins you and keeps glancing your way with concern gleaming in her eyes before speaking.

“Hey, so uh…I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I invited Dante.”

You flick water from your hands with a curious quirk of your brow. “Why didn’t you?”

“Because…I just knew if I told ya, you wouldn’t show up looking like a total snack!”

“Damn right, I wouldn’t!” you fume while ripping a towel from the plastic dispenser. “He’s my partner and I’d never-”

“Dante isn’t like Jayce, Quickdraw.”

Your angry words dry up as Carmen turns the sink off. “I know that, but still…” you trail off while vigorously wiping your hands with the paper towel.

“Oh, c’mon! He’s not even part of the police force like the Lieutenant!” she rebukes while ripping her own square of paper towel from the dispenser. “So, if something were to happen…”

You throw the paper towel into the trash bin with an exasperated huff. “It will only distract us from solving the case.”

“See, I think that’s bullshit!” she exclaims, quickly drying her hands before chucking the crinkled square of paper towel into the trash bin. “You sacrificed so much and…why should you give up the chance to be with a hot devil hunter who looks at you like you’re his wet dream come true?”

You’re taken aback by her sudden ferocity for a moment. Then, you turn your conflicted gaze towards the mirror above the sink. “Yeah, but I’m sure he’s staring at all the other pretty ladies in this bar as we speak,” you argue while checking your makeup for any smudges.

“Uh, no…I can say for sure that his eyes never left you while we were dancing.”

You wipe your head towards Carmen as she moves in close to check on her own makeup. Both of you are silent for a few moments while both of you fix yourselves up until you can’t stand it anymore and have to ask about more details.

“Really? He didn’t even…”

“Yeah! He looked like he was in some sort of sexy trance or something!” she reveals with an excited grin. “I even saw a few ladies pass by the table, but he didn’t even glance their way…just kept on staring at you.”

You remain quiet and turn back to the mirror, running your fingers through your hair to untangle some knots that happened during your spirited dance session while your mind processes Carmen’s words. It pleases you to hear that Dante only had eyes for you, but it also terrifies you.

Of all the women in the city…he just had to notice the detective with a lot of baggage and a controversial reputation that still haunts her every day. You thought that he was just playing with you since he definitely knows how to get under your skin, and you always got the impression that he takes some kind of twisted pleasure out of pissing you off. But after seeing the way he looked at you on the dance floor, the unbridled yearning and the promise of satisfying your every desire in those devilish eyes…

No, no, no…don’t think about that, you chastise yourself as you focus on the ramifications.

It’s true that Dante isn’t part of the force, so it wouldn’t be such a big faux pas if you two were to…but the press would have a field day if they found out! The detective who cried demon hooking up with the most notorious devil hunter in the city…that would be a juicy scoop. And you know that if the Lieutenant found out, the tiny shred of dignity you’re clinging to would snap and you’d find yourself on suspension before getting the boot later.

You open your mouth and plan to wholeheartedly shut down the idea of being intimate with your partner…but you find yourself more hesitant than assured as you speak.

“It’ll complicate things, but I…” you trail off, unable to translate your rational thoughts into words as painful memories and feelings choke your lungs in a vice grip.

Carmen has always been really good at sensing people’s feelings, and she doesn’t disappoint when she takes one look at your face and knows the turmoil brewing inside you despite your best efforts to hide it.

“Yeah, it probably will,” she agrees. ”But it’s obvious that Dante believes you and will have your back this time around,” she assures with a comforting shove against your shoulders before looking towards the mirror with a devious grin. “Plus, the fiery chemistry and banter between you two…I like this ship more!”

“Oh, my fucking god,” you mutter while pinching your furrowed brow between your fingers. “Not this again.”

Carmen giggles. “What can I say? I’m a sucker for workplace romance!” she admits while flipping her hair over her shoulder. “But this is totally different from what you and Jayce had going on, always dancing around each other but never…but I’m really glad that nothing ever happened,” she discloses while meeting your eyes in the mirror. “Cos I thought you’d find a slice of bliss with him, but he just…” she pauses and takes a deep breath before continuing. “You deserve just a lil bit of fun and happiness, and that handsome devil hunter out there is the crack in the case of your lonely heart!”

You laugh softly under your breath. “Not many can put up with my bullshit,” you remark while turning to her with a thankful smirk. “You’re a really good friend, Sandiego.”

“Of course I am! I give the best hugs!” she claims while spreading her arms wide.

You’re not one for touchy feely emotions, but you never ignore one of Carmen’s infamous hugs. It doesn’t happen often with you, but you know that she’s very perceptive to your testy mood…and she’s gotten really good at knowing when to pull a hug out on you. So, you step into her embrace and wrap your arms around her gratefully as she squeezes you in close.

“I know that you find it difficult to open up, but I’ll always have your back,” she murmurs while drawing back from the hug. “And Graves too in his own weird and awkward way,” she adds with a soft and charming giggle.

You clutch her arms for a moment before breaking away from her friendly and supportive embrace. Everything she said about your rational objections to finally giving into the desire for your partner lessens a little, but you’re still apprehensive…mostly because you know it’ll still complicate things, maybe lead to losing your job. But as you look over your shoulder to gaze at the faint scar on your back in the mirror…you wonder if the spark of passion in his eyes will remain when he…if he…

“You don’t think that he’ll…” you trail off, looking away from your reflection while palming the deformed breast beneath your sultry dress.

Carmen looks at your reflection in the mirror and understands your unspoken question. “Oh hell no…I’m sure he’s seen his fair share of battle scars as a devil hunter,” she explains with a reassuring nod of her head. “But if you don’t feel comfortable…you don’t have to show your boobs to have a good time!” she suggests with a playful wiggle of her brow before scrunching her brow in defiance. “And if he makes a big deal of it, I will personally march right up to him and give him a stern talking to cos dammit I want this ship to sail!”

You laugh softly at the image of a pint-sized Carmen railing into a tall and intimidating Dante. “Never change, Sandiego,” you murmur with an appreciative smile.

“Back at ya, Quickdraw,” she replies, smiling warmly while pulling you in for a quick side hug.

It’s the third hug of the night, but you let it slide since you know that’s just how Carmen expresses…well, everything. Her support and friendship has always been a blessing, so you give in to the hug for a few moments before turning back to the mirror. Both of you finish touching up your hair and makeup before leaving the restroom with excited smiles.

Your chat with Carmen has softened your icy resolve, but you still feel hesitant about letting go of your control. The steely mask you wear has helped you get through some of the shittiest moments of your life, and it kept everyone away so that you’d never have to feel so betrayed ever again. It was necessary to keep that mask up just so you could go on living without fear of getting hurt while protecting others from your vile temper.

But as you weave through the crowd of patrons and approach your table, the sight of your partner turning his heated gaze towards you shakes that hardened mask out of place. It infuriates you that this dangerous and foolhardy devil hunter has somehow gotten under your skin and knows exactly what buttons to push to make you fly off the handle. And yet, a part of you likes that he’s been able to wriggle past your mask and see the deep-seated anger constantly raging inside you…and he’s still here looking at you like you’re the sexiest woman in the bar.   

He's fucking crazy, you thought as your icy resolve melts a bit more.

Carmen glances at you with that See? Told ya! look as both of you make it back to the table. “Hey guys! Sorry to make ya wait!” she exclaims while taking her seat.

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all!” Grayson responds with an amused smile. “Me and Dante here were just talking while guarding these drinks for you two,” he explains while waving towards an array of drinks on the table.

“Offers from interested patrons?” you inquire while taking your seat.

Carmen claps her hands excitedly. “Wow! We really made an impression, Quickdraw!”

You smirk at her enthusiasm but quirk a brow at the various fruity cocktails in front of you. There’s one that catches your eye…not flashy at all, but the deep reddish tint of the drink sticks out among the bright and colorful glasses.

 “Ugh…not interested in these,” you grumble while pushing the fruity cocktails away with a disgusted grimace before grabbing the dark horse of the bunch.

Dante chuckles beside you. “Oof, that’s cold, Honeybee.”

“They took a gamble and lost,” you reply with a shrug of your shoulders. “But this one…hmm,” you hum before taking a sip of the more simple cocktail. The richness of a decadent fruit, the spiciness of ginger, and the subtle kick of lime and tequila bursts on your tongue. You moan softly as it settles down in your gut and you nod your head approvingly at the drink. 

Carmen’s mouth drops into an astounded gape. “Oh my god…someone finally got you a drink you like!”

“I know, right?” you quip with a soft chuckle. “Just wonder who-”

“Glad you like it, Honeybee.”

Your head whips around to glare at Dante with a suspicious squint of your eyes. “You ordered this drink for me?”

Dante leans forward with a pleased smirk. “The free drinks kept rolling in and the ones meant for you…I just knew you wouldn’t like all that sweet frou-frou crap,” he explains with a casual shrug. “So, I went up to the bartender and ordered something that fits you better,” he admits while meeting your eyes. “Something sweet with a kick of spice that keeps you coming back for more.”

Your thighs clench beneath the table at his suggestive words. But you manage to keep your face composed despite the giddiness of receiving the perfect drink from the irresistible devil hunter who seems hell bent on using every advantage to break through your cold façade. Your eyes never stray away from his pleased gaze as you take another sip of your drink, honing on how his eyes dip down low as your tongue peeks out to lick your lips.  

“It’s pretty damn good,” you murmur with a satisfied smirk.

Dante smirks back with a flirty wink. “I aim to please, Honeybee.”

You rub your thighs together to ease the pleasurable ache between your legs as you struggle to steer the conversation towards a more lighthearted topic. But the overwhelming need and desire brewing in your gut takes the reins, wrangling control and directing you towards the fastest route that will bring him even closer.

“Do you know how to salsa?” you ask before taking another sip of your drink.

Dante furrows his brow. “Never taught, but I’m a quick learner,” he reveals while turning his head towards the dance floor. “I’ve been watching for a while and taking in the steps, so I think I can handle it.”

You glance over at the dance floor and back at him before chugging the rest of the drink with a satisfying sigh. Dante’s inquisitive gaze meets your blazing eyes as you slam the empty glass on the table. Your lips curl into a sultry smile as you get up from your seat and extend your hand to him.

“Wanna dance?”

Dante takes your hand and rises from his seat with a smoldering smirk. “Thought you’d never ask.”

The warmth of his hand on your skin sheds another layer of your icy resolve as you lead him onto the dance floor. A part of you thinks that this is absolute madness and clamors to get away from this precarious situation as soon as possible. But your simmering desire spurs you to push that part down as you press your body against him.

“Let’s see what ya got,” you whisper close to his lips, raking your hand along his arm before linking your fingers together and gripping his shoulder with your other hand. 

“Careful, Honeybee…you’ll burn down the bar if you keep this up,” he murmurs with a husky chuckle while wrapping his arm around your waist.

You smirk at his compliment, but instantly straighten your stance as a fun and playful salsa beat starts blaring through the speakers. Then, you wait for him to take the lead with a challenging quirk of your brow. Dante grips you tighter as both of your feet fly across the dance floor, meeting each other’s fiery steps along with some improvised flair. You have to admit…he’s not too shabby after only learning the steps from observation alone. And the way he flings you away with a passionate flick of wrist before reeling you in closer, staring down at you like you’re the only woman in the bar while dancing among a gaggle of scantily clad bodies…it’s too good  to be true.

“You might get some drinks yourself after this,” you comment over the music.

Dante chuckles as he directs you to take a sharp turn. “Maybe…but I don’t want them.”

You quirk your brow as both of your bodies meld together. “Really? Why’s that?”

“Not interested,” he replies while leading you into a wide step before bringing you in close. “Especially if all it gets me is a bunch of frou-frou fruity crap.”

You laugh softly as your hand on his shoulder moves up to his neck. “I wouldn’t buy you one of those kinds of drinks.”

“Oh really?” he questions with a playful quirk of his brow. “What would you get me?” he inquires while turning aside to let you improvise some moves.

You smirk as your leg kicks high before spinning away from him, winding back and wrapping your leg around his waist. Then, you lean closer to his face, barely touching his lips as you utter the answer to his question.

“A whiskey neat.”

“Damn,” he whispers as your leg drags down against his leather pants. “You’ve seen right through me.”

You shrug your shoulders as he leads you into a series of fervid steps. “I just noticed the empty whiskey bottles littering your office,” you admit with a smug grin. “Just a lucky guess,” you add before he’s spinning you away and bringing you back into his embrace while pressing his lips against your ear.

“We both know that you don’t need a drink to get my attention.”

Your body shivers as his candid words tickle your ear. You laugh softly under your breath and glance up at him, wondering if he really means it. The tantalizing smirk on his lips along with that spark of red glimmering in his eyes as he squeezes you closer, pressing that shameless bulge between his legs against you…

Oh yeah, he definitely means it, you concede, subtly swiveling your hips against him as you wonder how much he’s packing down there. 

Both of you continue to touch and tease while holding each other’s desirous gaze throughout the fervent salsa until the energetic music ends. Then, you lead him away from the dance floor by the hand towards the bar and get him a whiskey neat. He gives you a grateful smile and takes a hearty sip of his drink as you order the same cocktail he got you earlier, which is actually called El Diablo. 

“Why am I not surprised?” you murmur with an amused roll of your eyes before taking a sip of your devilish cocktail.

Dante chuckles. “What can I say? Couldn’t resist getting a lil devil in ya!”

You lick your lips with a suggestive quirk of your brow. “Just a little?”

That irresistible spark of red flashes hotly in his striking blue eyes as he leans in closer. “Think you can handle more?” he asks with an enticing smirk.

You chug the rest of your drink before turning your sultry gaze back on him. “Fuck yeah.”

Your heart pounds faster at the sound of his deep and sensual purr of approval. Dante quickly finishes his whiskey in one smooth gulp before offering his hand with an eager grin and a wiggle of his brow. You roll your eyes at his shameless enthusiasm, but your lips curve into an excited smile as you grab his hand and return to the dance floor.

Both of you dance for what seems like all night, but you know from experience that time passes differently on the dance floor. Everything and everyone fades away except for you and Dante. The steely mask you wear like armor has been lifted fully off your face with every spin and turn while holding each other close. You can’t remember that last time you had so much fun…and you never would’ve guessed that you’d be sharing this rare moment with the notorious Legendary Devil Hunter that annoys the fuck out of you, but somehow still manages charm you with his devilishly rousing antics.  

After a few salsas and a fiery samba with a lot of shaking hips, the mood suddenly shifts as a more sensual beat plays through the speakers. You quirk your brow at Dante questioningly as couples start dancing to the slow and smooth music. He studies the small crowd for a few moments, taking in their steps with an intense concentration that you don’t see often on his handsome face. Then, he turns to you and offers his hand with a confident smirk.

Well, he did say he was a quick learner, you thought while taking his hand with a curious tilt of your head. But can he really learn a new dance after only watching for a few seconds?

It only takes the first four beats to get your answer. He easily matches your own subtle swivel of hips before leading you in the smooth steps of the rumba. You thought he was a natural at the salsa because it matches his own level of fiery and flirty fun, but you have to admit that he does this dance justice too. Your eyes stay on his face, but the slow sway of his hips beg for attention as both of you glide across the dance floor.

“Damn, you’re really good,” you remark with an impressed smirk.

“Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself,” he quips back with a teasing smile.

“Not so bad?” you repeat with a disapproving quirk of your brow. “I’m a fucking great dancer and you know it!”

Dante chuckles softly. “Oh I know it, Honeybee,” he reassures while leading you into a spiral turn before facing you again. “You’ve got the moves to keep up with a devil like me!”

Your lips curl into a proud smile. “And we make a pretty team off the dance floor too…it usually takes me a while to put my full trust in a new partner,” you admit with a thoughtful tilt of your head. “But somehow you…” Your words trail off as he spins you around to face away from him, still holding your hand as your hips swivel with your improvised steps that exude sensual anticipation.

“You feelin’ it too?”

The soft and hopeful tone of his whisper by your ear urges you to be honest. “Hate to admit it…but yeah.”

Dante hisses playfully as he wraps his arm around your waist. “Oof, you never fail to sting me so good, Honeybee!”

“I didn’t mean…I’m not good at…fuck,” you stammer with a small sigh before spinning around to face him again.

“Hey, it’s okay!” he assures with a soft smile. “I’m just teasing ya…but I gotta ask,” he begins while staring down at you with an uncharacteristically serious gleam in his eyes. “Is it me?”

Your brow furrows in confusion. “What?”

“Being a half devil and all,” he clarifies with a small shrug of his shoulders. “Can’t really blame ya for not giving whatever’s going on between us a chance.”

“Fucking really?” you growl as that ever-present anger bubbles up in your gut. “You think-” you cut yourself off while turning your furious gaze away from him with sharp snap of your head. Then, you take a deep breath and turn your fiery gaze back towards him as the slow and sensual steps of the dance eases some of the tempestuous fire surging through your body. “I don’t give a damn about that, Dante.”

“Really?” he questions with a skeptical snort. “Most people would be wary.”

“Well, I’m not most people,” you retort before wrenching yourself from his lead with a sharp twist of your body.

You back up a few steps from him and pin him down with your savagely ardent gaze as you move to the seductive beat of the music. Your body sways slowly with every step, the alluring twirl of your hips flashing your upper thighs with a teasing flick of your dress as your hands caress your neck and chest. Then, you spin back towards him gracefully and press yourself against his chest before wrapping your arms around his neck.

Dante wraps his arms around you with a pleased purr. “No, you’re definitely not.”

“I know I can be a raging bitch sometimes,” you admit as both of your hips sway together. “But I’ve never had a problem with you being a half devil.”

“But if it’s not that…what’s stopping you?” he asks while gripping your hips tight.

You remain silent while collecting your thoughts, basking in the closeness of your bodies as they sway against each other before speaking. “It’s just…all I have left is my flimsy career and a battered reputation that’s hanging on by a thread,” you explain with a concerned furrow of your brow. “I’m on thin ice and giving into this might…I’m nothing without my badge.”

“Not so sure about that,” he counters as his adoring gaze makes you feel like you’re dancing on airy clouds. “I’ve heard some amazing stories about what you’ve done from people who remember how you helped them,” he adds with an admirable smirk. “Pretty sure that has nothing to do with your badge,” he points out before leading you down into a simmering slow dip, never taking his eyes away from you as your legs spread out into a side split. “Besides, I’m just a consultant,” he adds before scooping you back up into his arms.

“Yeah, a consultant who’s infamous for being a devil hunter and the Son of Sparda, which will get the attention of the press who have no problem throwing someone under the bus for a juicy story,” you argue with a vicious growl as both of you fall in line with the sensual beat of the music.

Dante stares down at your conflicted face. “Alright, I’m startin’ to get the picture, and I get it,” he agrees with an understanding nod of his head. “But that just means we’ll have to keep it quiet.”

You quirk your brow skeptically. “You? Quiet?” 

“Yeah, I know…but I can keep a secret!” he promises with a charming smile. “Especially if it lets me be with you.”

You want to believe him…but there’s still a stubborn part of you that refuses to think that he wants a temperamental detective who had no qualms about sticking one of your many hidden daggers deep into his gut just a day ago.

“Still don’t see why you’re so insistent,” you claim with a challenging tilt of your chin. “You could have any woman in this bar without any hangups.”

Dante just smirks and pulls you closer. “But they’re not you,” he murmurs while leading you into another low dip. “So fiery and feisty when you let it show,” he continues as you arch your back and lean down before stopping just above the dance floor. Then, your hair drifts through the air as you shift your body to the side, displaying your cleavage to the surrounding patrons and your devilish partner before popping back up into his steady arms.

“And you’re so smokin’ hot that it sets the devil in me on fire whenever I’m near you,” he admits with a fierce purr while his hands roam your curves.

“Dante,” you gasp, shivering under his touch as the last shred of your control gets blasted to cinders.

Dante clutches your hips and grinds his crotch between your legs. You thread your fingers through his white hair as your dance becomes more…sexual and needy. Every swivel of his hips brushes against your own as he grinds against your soaked panties. And your icy resolve melts away completely as he rests his head between your brow.

“I can smell how wet you are for me,” he whispers with a husky groan.

Your body ignites at his words, both riled up and exhilarated by the arousing thought of him knowing how fucking turned on you are. You moan softly while staring into his striking blue eyes, relishing the gleam of red-hot desire sparkling in his hungry gaze. His fingers dig into your hips as you draw even closer, no longer fighting the headiness of your dance and the scorching attraction to him. The feel of his warm breath brushing against your mouth goes straight between your legs, making you even wetter as both of your lips linger…so close that all you have to do is tilt your head and beckon the devil closer with a fiery kiss.

But the sensual music suddenly ends and the rumbling chatter of the patrons come rushing in, instantly shattering the intimate and intoxicating moment into pieces. You draw back but keep your arms around him as a more upbeat and vibrant song starts blaring through the speakers. Dante closes his eyes and lets out a frustrated sigh but makes no move to let you go.

That makes two of us, you thought morosely as a crowd of people surround both of you.

Your head swivels around to look at the lively patrons flitting across the dance floor and you suddenly feel…really pissed off. You know it’s not their fault, but you resent them for breaking the intense and blazing hot moment between you and your partner. Normally, you’d be thankful for the distraction from giving into this searing attraction. But now that you’ve had a taste, you crave more and there’s no way in hell that a bunch of drunken patrons will stop you.

So, you turn back to Dante with an inviting smirk. “I need some air,” you murmur with a breathy sigh while meeting his disappointed gaze. “Mind giving me a ride?” you ask while grinding against the hard bulge in his leather pants.

Dante moans softly as his eyes light up with a renewed spark of fiery red desire. Then, he leans down close with a devastating smirk that promises to go a lot further than your dance as he stokes the flames of your desire with a sharp thrust of his hips.

“It’d be my pleasure, Honeybee.”

🔪❤️‍🔥🔪

[vexic929]

omg my bestie found the perfect little camper van and I might actually get to have my own place for the first time!!!! fingers crossed!!!!!

[leclercmybeloved]

I'm about to bring out the incense and the crystals fr fr

[jyndor]

me, checking felicity jones news on Google to see if she happens to be in the same area as the andor team, for the next several months

[roadtogracelandx45]

Courage Under Fire| Pre War 4| Band of Brothers

@marycorleone

Dec 17th 1941 

Phoenix Arizona 

The days following the attack on Pearl Harbor were some of the most nerve-wracking ones that Olivia had experienced in her short 18 years on the planet and it was starting to show on her and on Marla who was picking up on her older siblings' queues. Even snapping back at her older sister when she snapped at her. 

Something that was completely out of character for both girls. 

James Sr out of worry for his kids kept all three of them home the next day and they all heard the President’s speech saying how Dec 7th, was going to be a day that would live in infamy and him declaring war on Japan and then Germany turning around and declaring war on them.   Their futures that seemed so bright a few months ago, didn’t seem so bright anymore.  And now Helen, James’s younger brother Michael’s wife was going to Arizona for her cousin's wedding, and Olivia’s presence had been requested by Lewis.

 So his daughter was boarding a train and leaving his line of sight and it made him nervous. Even more so now that his uncle Finn was in charge of the Army Nursing Corp and Michael, his brother who was underneath Finn would want to have Olivia join the Corp and get her nursing training like that. But he wasn't ready to let her go, not after he got her back. "Daddy, don't worry, I am not going to get into that much trouble with Aunt Helen." Olivia's voice came shaking him out of his thoughts. 

"It's not that I am worried about sweetheart," He answered, "If Bobby or Bill were going with you then I would be worried but since it's just you and Helen I am not worried." "You are worried about my brothers."

They hadn't heard from Nicholas or Thomas, James Sr's brother-in-law and all of the other Stewart boys who were of age were shipping out to either the Pacific or to Europe. "And you. I know you Liv, you are going to want to follow your brothers everywhere. Just like you have since you were little." "I can't do much Daddy." Olivia started, "I was born a lady in the middle of a war, what are they going to let me do?" They both knew if Liv put her mind to something she would figure out a way to do something. Including cutting her hair to look like her brothers and dressing as a boy. It worked when she and Robert were younger and he was sure they could pull it off now. 

"The worst  I can do is to keep volunteering at the VA hospitals." He could tell by the stubborn set of her jaw, that she wasn't going to give up that dream to be a nurse and help veterans out. She was too much like her grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and great Aunts do not. "You can't fault me for that."

"I know.' James agreed as a strong New York accent filled the air, "Livvy! Shake a leg baby doll! We got to go!" Helen Nixon-Stewart called. 

"Coming Aunt Helen!" She called back before offering her father a smile.

 "Liv." He started as he stood up and went to cross the room to her. 

 "Don't worry, I am not going to do anything that will get me or Aunt Helen in trouble. And I am not going to run off in the middle of the night and marry Lewis." 

He paused as he was reaching for his wallet to pull out some of the bills he had to give to her.

 "We heard you and Ma last night talking about it. I am a little too young to be getting married to anyone, especially to someone close to Nicholas's age."

 "Can't blame me for worrying can you?" He handed the bills over to her. 

"No, I can't but promise best behavior." She held up her fingers like she had seen her brothers do with the Boy Scouts. Helen appeared in the doorway surprised that Olivia hadn't come right out to meet her like she normally would. She and her husband had a long conversation about their niece and how she needed to do something.  

And something worthwhile. 

*** 

Bill was coming up the walkway as the two Stewart women came out of the house, the younger of the two was talking a mile a minute about something that only made sense to her and her aunt. “Where are you going Liv?’ Bill asked, surprised, Liv had been the constant around the neighborhood the last few weeks and now she was leaving. “Going to Lewis's wedding. I will be home next week.”  Olivia said as she tucked her scarf into her coat to help keep her warm from the cold.  

“This was planned before I even came back home. I can't bail last second,’  Helen paused next to her curiosity filling her, she and Michael had conversations about Olivia and Bill and how she didn't need to be tied down so young. And how she could do better. 

 “Liv.”   

‘Don't start with that now Bill, we will talk about this when I get back.” The girl sounded tired like they had been having this fight for days and she was over it.   She raised herself up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cold cheek before going down the rest of the steps to the running cab that was waiting for the two Stewart girls.  

“What is going on with that?” Helen asked once they were settled in the backseat and she told the driver where to go. “He wants me to get back together with him.’ Olivia replied looking out of the window, “I don’t think I am ready to fully forgive and forget. I really and truly loved Bill. And it feels like a knife to my heart every single time I see him and Evie together. I forgave Bill because I still love him, I want to punch Evie in the face. Make her feel an ounce of hurt that I felt every day for a year.” 

“Livvy.” Helen covered her niece’s gloved hands and squeezed them. 

“The funny thing is, I know that they are still together but yet I am letting myself get caught up with him.”  

“You are 18 years old, you don't have to settle down right now and not be with the first boy you fall in love with. I didn't. Your uncle is my second greatest love.” Helen went quiet for a second as the taxi driver pulled in front of the train station, her hands squeezing Olivia’s again. There were groups of boys in uniforms with loved ones surrounding them. 

“Has Uncle Michael or Uncle Finn found anything out about Nicky or Uncle Tommy?”

 James, her naval pilot brother, had been confirmed to be alive after being on the Enterprise but they hadn't heard about them. Her brother Nicolas was two years younger than Edward and had been stationed on the Arizona, as a naval officer. And her uncle Tommy was stationed at the hospital with his wife Carreen and not a word about them. Helen and the other sisters-in-law were worried that their family was going to finally fall apart.

“Not yet. They are still trying to get everyone accounted for.”  The older girl said as the porter opened the car door, “They will let us know as they do.” 

 Olivia nodded her head as she followed her out of the taxi, her eyes going to the soldiers. The sudden fear that she had been trying to push down in an effort to put on that strong facade she had lived behind for the last few years climbed up her chest and gripped at her heart. She hadn't been sleeping since the news of the attack hit on her birthday. She would fall asleep and wake up in a cold sweat and proceed to stay up the rest of the night reading books by candlelight. She was scared to death about the possibility of losing her brothers or Bill or one of the neighborhood boys. 

Helen put a gentle hand on her elbow and started steering her towards the terminal. For the first time really, she had no real words to comfort her or ease those fears she had. She had been a little girl when the First World War happened and her father rarely talked about his experiences if at all. Taking a deep breath, she hooked her arm through Olivia’s and started the trek to the gate where their train was departing from. 

*** 

2 Days Later 

***

“Hello, Aunt Doris,” Helen replied, “What’s wrong?” 

“Lewis.” 

At the mention of the man, Olivia perked up, “Is he okay?” Doris shook her head, “I think a visit from you will help.”

 “I am on it,” Olivia said offering the older woman a tired smile. 

 “He is upstairs in the suite.” Doris returned with her own smile, thankful that she was here, out of everyone that was there, Olivia was the best bet to get through to him.  

“That’s the first real smile she probably has had since the attack,” Helen muttered watching her niece going to the elevator as a bellman came over. “Excuse me, Mrs. Stewart, you have a call from Washington.’ 

Helen felt her heart drop to her stomach, she knew her husband was working hard in Washington with the Army, in a mad dash to get things ready for deployments.  The only reason why he would be calling her is if they got news about Nicholas and Thomas. 

“Thank you.” She managed to get out before she started numbly walking towards the phone. 

“Micheal? Is everything okay?” Helen questioned once she picked the phone up, her heart already in her stomach  he had told her before  she left that he would only call if he found out anything about Nicholas and Thomas.  

“No, honey, we just got confirmation that Nicholas was indeed on board the Arizona when it was attacked and didn’t get off in time. Thomas was killed by the Japanese shooting at the people in the water.’

"Oh Michael I am so sorry," Helen said into the receiver, her heart aching for her husband and suddenly wishing that she hadn't promised Lewis that she would be here for the wedding. She would rather be in Washington DC with him comforting him. 

"It's okay,"  Michael paused to clear his voice of the building emotion, "You need to tell Liv and tell her that she isn't going back to South Philly like planned. That you are going to Charleston."  

"Are they doing a memorial for Nicholas and Thomas?" 

"Yes and for Pawpaw. He died this morning."  

 If her heart could drop any further it would be in her feet, it was one thing to inform Olivia of her brother and uncle's death it was another to inform her of her great-great grandfather's passing. Almost all of the Stewart kids young and old idolized Fredrick and Franklin, especially the twins who were named after them. 

This was going to push Olivia over the edge completely and there was going to be no going back from it. She was thankful that the girl was upstairs with Lewis, he would be a good source of comfort for her. 

"Michael." 

"We are going to be okay Len, I am worried about Liv, this is a lot of change and quickly. And Uncle Finn is going to try and get her to join the Army Nursing Corp with Elizabeth."

"The woman that he is having an affair with?" 

"Yes, but this is one chance Liv has to get her nursing taken care of without her having to work to support the school and herself." 

"Your brother and his ex-wife are going to flip their lids." 

"They have no choice in the matter, she is 18 and is being hand-selected to be a nurse and sent to an officer's school." 

"At Benning?" Something her cousin said stuck out in her head, he had also joined the army earlier that year and was offered a spot at Fort Benning.

"Yes. It's going to be her and one other girl. Not sure where from yet. Why?' 

"Lewis said something about Benning when I talked to him before he left to come here. It will be good for her to be with him, he cares for her. She is going to struggle without Bobby and her other brothers or Bill."

At the mention of their niece's ex-boyfriend, Michael swore, causing his Uncle who had just come into the office to ask what was going on.

'He wants her back but Livvy isn't going for it. She is terrified that she is going to get hurt again by him."

 "Good, this will help keep them apart. Where is Liv anyway? I was expecting her to be right by you."  

"She is already upstairs with Lewis, Aunt Doris asked her to go up and talk to him. I will go up and talk to her in a few minutes." She was dreading telling her this, this would break her heart into a thousand pieces. 

***

"I said, I wanted to be left alone!" Lewis shouted as he walked towards the door, he had stormed up to his room in a fit of anger after a fight with his future wife. 

"Even if it's me?" Olivia's familiar sweet southern accent asked from the other side.

 "Liv! You came!" He exclaimed as he rushed to pull open the door. 

"Of course, I came, Lew, I promised." She returned offering him a dimpled smile that felt natural for the first time since the attack on Pearl.

His dark eyes flicked over her and his smile faded seeing the faded dark circles under her eyes and the slump of her shoulders. And the unfamiliar concern he only felt towards her bubbled up and he pulled her into his arms holding her against him.

"No, no I am not okay."  she whispered, "I am scared." She rested her head against his chest listening to his steady heartbeat, taking comfort in the fact that he was there and safe.

He squeezed her before he reached out and shut the door. "About what? The war? You don't have to worry about it, you can't be drafted." 

"For my brothers, for Bill, for everyone." 

Pursing his lips,  Lewis squeezed her again and led her back towards the couch to sit down, he was unsure of how to comfort her. She pulled away from him to undo her coat and scarf, it wasn't nearly as cold in Phoenix as it was in Philly but she still bundled up to get off the train and keep warm. 

A habit she had even in Charleston. 

"My mother was there when you sent me that package." Wearing a smirk Lewis turned to her, he had sent her a package with a bottle of Vat. 69, a bracelet that was shining around her wrist and stuff that he should have been buying for Kathy. 

"She thinks that you will steal me away and corrupt me more." 

Lewis laughed, "Does she know the truth about us?"

He had moved over to the cart that held the Vat 69 to pour some of it into glasses.

"Yes, and so does Bill." 

The topper he had in his hand clattered to the glass tray, he was surprised, he thought that it was a secret that they both would be taking to their graves.

 "Blame Katherine, she read my diary. And flipped her top and wanted to send me to a convent.' 

 The picture of Olivia wearing a black dress and habit renewed his laughter, "No way you would give up smoking, drinking, sex,  or the chance to be a wife and mother for that."

"That's what I said that night after she found the wrapper."

"My sweet Livia is turning into a harlot!" He teased, covering his heart, his uneven eyebrows wiggled causing her to laugh and shrug her shoulders as she crossed the room and took the pre-offered glass.

"Wait, you said there are no boys in Philly you would touch with a 20-foot pole then who did you sleep with?"

A smirk quirked on the corner of her mouth as she raised the tumbler to her painted red lips waiting for him to put two and two together.

"Olivia!" He gasped playing into her amusement once he figured it out, "You and Bill? What does Evie think?"

"What that girl doesn't know can't hurt her."

A surge of pride filled him and he lifted his own glass to salute her, she had a devious side that came out to play so often, and he enjoyed seeing it. 

He had been of the opinion when he found out what happened, that Olivia should have taken revenge and been petty and hurt them right back but as he and Helen expected, she took the high road and held her head high and went to Charleston to try and carry on. He wondered what had changed in the 7 months since he had last seen her. 

"How are things with you and dear Ol' Bill?"

The girl didn't answer, instead she drained the rest of the whiskey that was in her glass and held it out to him to refill.  

He wordlessly tipped the bottle and poured more of the amber liquid into it. 

"He wants me to get back together with him. And a part of me wants to get back together with him because he is familiar and comfortable and I do still care for him." 

"But?" 

"I can't picture myself in 5 years being in South Philly, pregnant with his kid, and working at the VA hospital while he works for the factory." 

"What are you seeing in your future?" He was curious, he had heard his cousin and her husband's opinion on who she should be with along with her older brothers' opinion. Everyone had one when it came to what she should do and who she should be with. He didn't think anyone had asked her what she wanted. 

"Not being a house in South Philly living in the same neighborhood with my parents and his parents." 

 “You could always move to Nixon with me and Kathy. I am sure Stanhope and Doris will pay for your schooling.” 

Olivia pulled a face and shook her head, “I would rather assist Andie in unmedicated childbirth again before I ever move anywhere close to Kathy.”  She had met Lewis’ future wife twice and both at her grandparent’s house and to say the girls didn’t mesh well was an understatement. 

“But it would be worth it to be close to me.” He waggled his eyebrows at her again. “I am not gonna be your mistress, Lew, I deserve better than that.” 

There was a sudden sharp knock on the door startling them. “Who is it?” He called putting his glass down, he didn’t want anyone to ruin this one-on-one time that he had with Liv. “It’s Helen. I need to talk to Liv.”  “It’s open!” He grasped Olivia’s elbow in his hand and steered her towards the couch, deep in the pit of his stomach he knew that his cousin was there for her and his heart was already aching for Liv.�� 

No one deserved this.  

Helen came into the room and her eyes quickly found her niece and she sighed, “Liv, we got to talk.” 

“No. Whatever it is Aunt Helen, I don’t want to know.” The girl said as Lewis pulled her down onto the couch next to her, his arm settling around her shoulders and pulling her into him. She didn’t care if she sounded like she was a 3-year-old like Steven but she didn’t want to hear the truth, she didn’t want to hear that she had lost her brother and her uncle in an attack. 

“Olivia.”  Helen started as she crossed the room and lowered herself to sit down on the coffee table in front of them, not surprised when Olivia reached her hands up and covered her ears.  The older girl exchanged a look with her cousin who pulled down her hands so she could hear.

 “I talked to Michael.” 

 “No,” she repeated as Lewis pulled her into him tighter.

 “They got confirmation today that Thomas and Nicholas were both on the Arizona at the time of the attack. They were able to get Thomas’ body back, he was killed in the water. Nicholas was still on board.”  

The sob that escaped Olivia broke her heart, she was so close to all of her brothers, having different relationships with each one of them.  

“There is more Livvy, and I am so, so, sorry.” She reached her hands out and grasped the hand that wasn’t clutching Lewis’s shirt in a white-knuckled fist, “But Fredrick passed away this morning.”  

The sobs renewed and Lewis started muttering words of comfort to her and rocking her back and forth. Unsure of how to help her if they could help her. No words could fix the parts of her that were broken now because of these deaths and her fear. 

“I got her.” He muttered over Olivia’s head to his cousin who looked torn, “Go help, Doris and Kathy, with the wedding stuff.” 

“Don’t do anything you will end up regretting Lewis.” Helen hissed before she stood up and pressed a kiss to the side of her niece’s head.

Lewis pulled a face at her retreating before focusing back on the sobbing girl. Yes, he had done some things he wasn’t proud of in the past but he had more respect for Olivia than he did for his future wife or even himself than to take advantage of her when she was grieving. 

“Liv, it’s okay.” He soothed, “I know it’s not what you want to hear but it’s the truth. Everything is going to be okay.  I know you are scared.” The girl took a couple of steadying breaths and shifted to pull away from him and clean up her face. 

“For me, for your brothers, for your family.” He paused and handed her the handkerchief that was sitting on the table near them. “For Bill.”  

She nodded her head not trusting her voice just yet. Lewis smoothed his hand over her curls before standing up and refilling the glasses figuring drinking would help. It helped him and it could help her. 

“Nick was going to ask Clara to marry him.”  She sniffed as she crumpled the handkerchief in her hands, “came to Charleston and took me and Marla out to shop for the ring, he saved his salary from the Navy for 3 months to get it.” 

The man nodded his head and rejoined her on the couch and handed her the glass. knowing it was probably best for her to let it all out and then keep it in, especially with having to be at the wedding and be around Kathy.  

"We were so excited for them, we loved  Clara for him. Thomas and Careen were going to start trying for a family. These damn." The now-empty glass flung across the room and shattered against the wall. 

"Liv!" He exclaimed sitting up straight worried eyes on the girl.

"What were they thinking Lew?!" She was on her feet, her tears and grief shifting into anger.

White hot burning anger. 

"Attack us where we are the weakest, destroying all those airfields, boats, and equipment. While the men were still sleeping? Or getting back to the boats?" 

It struck Lewis as odd at first that she knew so much about the attack but then it hit him, she probably sat next to the radio listening to everything she could to find out the news or reading the newspapers. She was more involved with what was going on than Kathy was, she barely knew that there had been an attack that happened. 

"Has it ever crossed your mind to join the Army Nursing Corp?" 

The girl paused in her stride and looked at him, surprise filling her features like she hadn't thought about it. 

"You have to be like 21 to join. I think."  

"There are ways around it, sweets." He smirked, he could easily get her in contact with some of the shady guys he had met at Yale to get her fake documents. He knew she couldn't sit there and do anything while all the boys were off fighting, himself included. He could see the wheels turning in her head as she started working it out. Then her eyes landed on the pressed uniform that hung next to his tux. Ready for his trip out to boot camp after the extremely brief honeymoon.

"You are in the Army? After all the times we talked in the last few weeks and in all the letters we exchanged! You couldn't tell me that you joined the goddamn Army!'   

Not wanting to stroke the fire that she had built, he got to his feet and moved to where he was standing in front of her.

"It never came up, Liv." He finally said his hand caught her wrists so she wouldn't slap him. He had joked one too many times about her being like Scarlett O'Hara for her not to slap him like Scarlett slapped Ashley and Rhett.  

"Lew, let me go." She ordered, twisting her hands around in a circle trying to free them. Instead of letting her go, he pulled her into him, his free hand curving her waist pulling her as close as he possibly could. 

"Lewis!'  

"Olivia!"  He parroted back.

“Let me go.”  She ordered again,  she didn’t know if it was the booze that she had been drinking or if it was being that close to Lewis again but all those swirling emotions were morphing into want and need, something to distract her from the hurt, pain, and fear.  

For several long moments, he didn’t say anything, it was almost like he was trying to make up his mind if letting her go would be for the best or if holding her and trying to comfort her as he had in the past when Katherine destroyed all of her self confidence and self-love that Olivia had for herself in three swooping awful comments.  It hadn’t taken long for him to realize that as much as she needed emotional comfort, she also needed physical comfort.   

“Lew.’ She started giving a slight tug on his hold, “We can’t do whatever you are thinking about doing. You are getting married tomorrow, your whole family plus Kathy and her family are here.”  

A smirk formed on his mouth and he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. “I really don’t care about all that. All I want right now is you.”  

They both knew it was wrong but Olivia didn’t care anymore, she had always played by those rules that were set up by her family and Southern society and she always got burned for it. She had learned in the short few months back in South Philly that she didn’t have to play by those rules or what society thought was right.  If it was okay for the men to do it then it should be okay for her to do it. 

‘Then take me.” She whispered. 

**** 

There was a loud knock on the door, waking Lewis up from the slumber both he and Olivia slipped into, “What?!” He called, pushing himself to sit up, careful not to wake the girl next to him who was probably getting the first real sleep since the 7th. The answering laugh from his older sister Blanche caused him to groan and flop back onto the bed, “What do you want Blanche?” “Mother wanted me to let you and Olivia know the rehearsal starts in an hour. And to make you both of yourselves presentable.” 

It was no secret within the Nixon family and to a point Kathy’s family that Stanhope and Doris wanted Olivia to be in their family, and not just of her uncle’s marriage to their niece Helen. Stanhope at the engagement party that was given called Kathy, Olivia sent everything into a tailspin that led to Kathy wanting to disinvite Helen who said from day one that Olivia would be her plus one because Michael could never get time off of work to attend family events like this. He had almost been late to his wedding 5 years prior because he couldn’t get out of the meetings that he and Finn had been in. 

“We will be.” Olivia’s sleepy voice called. “Thank you Livia!” The older Nixon sibling returned still laughing.   The man next to her went to apologize for the rude awakening, but her sleepy giggles stopped it.

 “It’s fine, we both knew this was going to happen. Sides used to be woken up at odd hours.” She shuffled around a bit before rolling to her side to look at him, “Steven didn’t want to sleep in his room with Bobby, so he would sneak into my and Marla’s room and if it wasn’t him then it was Bill climbing through the window.”  

Lewis’ bushy eyebrows raised surprised, the last he heard was that Bobby hated Bill for hurting his sister and had gone as far as to curse his name and beat him up. “And your brother lets that happen?”

 The girl shrugged her shoulders, “He doesn’t know. Normally Bill is gone before we get up anyway.”   That unfamiliar feeling of being proud of her rose again, his girl was realizing what she wanted and wasn’t going to let things like her sex or society keep her down anymore.  

“Good girl.” He pressed a kiss against her forehead before rolling over and getting out of bed. If Blanche was the first line of defense then Helen would be next and his father and then his mother as the last line of defense. And he really, really didn’t want to have Doris come up to the room and make a scene.   

The younger girl lay there for several long moments moving the cross she had on back and forth on the silver chain before sitting up, “Lew come here.”  

Lewis paused pulling up his briefs and looked at her, “What?”

“Just come here.” She repeated as she reached around her neck and undid her necklace. 

“Liv.’ He started, he knew what that necklace meant to her. Ever since her great-grandfather gave it to her, it had hardly left her neck. 

“Hush, it will keep you safer than me, I am not going anywhere except for the VA hospitals. And I think Great Aunt Lydia would agree.” He sat back on the edge of the bed and let her hook the fine silver chain around his neck.  

“You know I love you right Liv?” 

There was surprise in her eyes as she pulled back to look at him better, she knew that he cared for her, the presents, the letters said it all. The sticky remains of his seed told her that. 

“Lewis.”  He pressed his lips against hers to stop her from protesting his sudden confession. “I love you too.” She muttered, “But I am not letting you back out of this wedding with Kathy.” He nodded his head before pulling away from her, “If only you were just a little older.”  

Shaking her head with a small sad laugh, she got out of bed and started pulling her clothes back to go get dressed for the rehearsal dinner.  “Housekeeping Mr. Nixon! Mrs. Stewart sent her niece’s dress up so she didn’t have to leave you.” A voice called from the door causing him to go straight toward the door, “One second.” 

“Are you eager to keep me for yourself?”  She asked, shaking out her dark red skirt.  

“Always.” He returned as he took the dress from the maid and then walked back to where the girl was at, "I am planning on keeping you until I have to get married."

**

Kathy wasn't happy when she saw Olivia Stewart, her soon to be cousin's niece coming off the elevator on Lewis' arm having a hushed conversation with him. She had been leery of the girl since she had met her and how close she was to Lewis and to the rest of the Nixon

 family. She didn't miss how Stanhope exclaimed her name and crossed the room quickly with a champagne flute for her or how Doris and Blanche quickly floated over to them.

"I wouldn't let that little girl take what is yours." Kathy's mom Anne hissed into her ear as she came up behind her, "You worked too hard and loved him too much to let her come swooping in from wherever she was at."

"I know." She returned before squaring her shoulders and walking over to the group.

"Lewis." She extended her hand towards him which he didn't take right away because of his grip on Olivia. The girl offered her a sad smile as she pulled her arm away from Lewis' and then Kathy saw the garnet ring resting on Olivia's middle finger. Something she had found in Lewis' bag and assumed it was for her. "What a pretty ring Olivia, where did you get it?" 

"Oh, um."

 "I gave it to her." Lewis stepped in, "It goes with the necklace that belonged to Belle."

 As Olivia got older her great-grandparents started to pass on items that either belonged to Lydia, Franklin, her great-grandfather's twin sister, or belonged to Belle. The garnet necklace had a long history within the Stewart and Lévesque family, it had been passed on from Belle's great- great grandmother who was gifted it from a member of the French Royal Family, and how Isabella, was a favorite mistress of the king and she along with her husband were smuggled out of Paris just before the French Revolution started.

"It's a birthday present." Lewis stepped in before she could say anything like he knew that the two were going to start fighting. 

"My birthday was on the 7th," Olivia said after clearing her throat.

"Did they find out about your brother and uncle?" Stanhope asked as Helen joined them, hooking her arm through her niece's.

"Yes, Nicholas was on the Arizona and didn't get off in time." There were sudden tears in her voice and Lewis pulled her back to him whispering orders of comfort to her. 

'And Thomas was killed in the water.' Helen added. "Oh, honey." Doris cooed, embracing both girls causing Kathy to roll her eyes. "Couldn't this have waited until after the wedding?"

 "Excuse me?"  It was Olivia who spoke, "You wanted Helen to tell me that my brother and uncle died in the attack? That I have been worrying about since we couldn't ahold of them! After the wedding?!"

"Liv." Helen soothed taking hold of her hand tighter, glaring daggers at Kathy who smirked.

"You are a cold-hearted bitch!"

"Olivia Stewart!" Doris exclaimed, covering her heart with her hand like it was going to stop it from racing, she was surprised that Olivia knew those words and used them like a full-grown man would. "You know what, I am not hungry, I am going back upstairs." 

"No, Liv, you need to eat," Helen said. 

"I am not hungry." She repeatedly pulled her hand away from her aunt only to be caught around her waist by Lewis, 'I agree you need to eat sweets." He turned his head so only she could hear him, 'You need to build

 up your energy again." There was an unspoken promise in his voice and she shivered before nodding in agreement.

"Good girl."

**

"May I have a word?" Kathy asked, following Olivia into the bathroom halfway through dinner, she wanted to teach Olivia a lesson that just because she was sweet and cute didn't mean that she would get anywhere in life. "What do you want?" She asked pushing around her to go to the sink to wash her hands, the woman sitting at the end counter perked up, normally at these events, nothing exciting ever happened.

"Stay away from Lewis."

"There is nothing going between me and Lewis. We are just friends."

"Friends."Kathy spat grabbing a hold of her wrist and spinning her around to face her, her brown eyes studying every inch of Olivia so that she could see the red love bites that littered her neck and collarbone, "Don't sleep together before the other's wedding."

"This is,"  Olivia motioned to the bites with her free hand. "from Bill, not Lewis." The girl sat up straighter reaching for the hand towels ready to hand it over. 

"You think I believe that?" The older girl spat, tightening her grip on the other's wrist painfully hard.

 For her part, Olivia didn't flinch at the sudden pressure, her expression staying the same. "Kathy, you will find that I don't give a damn what you think about me or what I say." 

"I am going to be Lewis' wife, not you." 

"And that's great for you, I am 18 years old, and I am not ready to settle down." She snapped back, "But if he wants to fuck  me tonight, tomorrow, or any day after that. I am going to let him."

In pure anger, Kathy backhanded the young girl across the face, her diamond engagement ring cutting her cheek. 

"Ma'am!' The attendant cried getting to her feet, she had been okay with a verbal spat between the two especially since it was entraining but as soon as the older woman did that. It crossed the line. "That is enough." There were tears in Olivia's eyes and she twisted her wrist to get out of Kathy's hold, "Let me go. Now."

"What are you going to do Olivia? Cry?" She taunted smugly, she had made the girl hurt and that's what she wanted, she wanted to make sure that she stayed away from her and Lewis, "God you are pathetic. Your mother should have killed you when she had the chance.'

 She had overheard Lewis and Helen talking about how Olivia had been put in the hospital by Katherine when she was 15 and visiting her father's family in Charleston and her mother tried to kill her out of spite and anger. Olivia was the favorite of not only Fredrick but Franklin and Belle and it angered the former Mrs. Stewart so much that she took a sharp kitchen knife from the block and tried to kill her but she fought back and started screaming and Katherine was pulled away from her by Edward and James Sr.

 Olivia blinked  her eyes several times as her hand formed a tight fist.

 "You know it's only a matter of time before Lewis gets bored of you and stops all contact with you. You aren't good enough to be a Nixon or Stewart."

"Kathy! What  is wrong with you?" Blanche Nixon asked as she stormed into the bathroom and over to the two girls, she had heard the tail end of the comment and was furious. Not any child should be told that or have to live through an attempted murder like Olivia did.

"Let her go now!" Kathy didn't listen to her future sister-in-law and was met with Olivia's fist in her eye. "What the heck is your problem!" She cried, releasing her arm and her hands flying up to her face and Blanche went over to Olivia's side to examine the cut  of her face while the attendant went over to Kathy's side to make sure the punch didn't do too much damage to her face. 

"It doesn't look too bad," Blanche said as she reached around her for one of the white towels to wet it to clean it up.

"I am fine,  I have had worse." Olivia said, taking the towel from her and pressing it against her cheek, "I am going to go upstairs and go to bed."

"I will send Helen up in a few minutes." The older woman commented, knowing that the girl shouldn't be alone, especially with the news about her brother and uncle and now this.

**

It wasn't Helen who went into the small hotel suite that the Stewart but Lewis who had been informed of the argument and after being forced to check on Kathy went upstairs.

"Livia?"  He called pushing the door shut, there was no answer causing a wave of panic to go through him. "Olivia!" The second bedroom door opened and the girl appeared, her hair wrapped in a towel on the top of her head and bundled in one of the bathrobes.

"What?" He crossed the room and reached out tilting her chin back and forth to look at the cut on her cheek.

"It's not  the worst I have had. Katherine did worse." She commented pulling back slightly. 'It doesn't matter sweetheart. She should have let it go. And left you alone." Olivia shrugged her shoulders trying to fight her tears back that rose up, she had been sobbing in the shower, and thought she had herself together enough for this but she didn't. 

Shaking his head, Lewis took her hand in his and led her into the bedroom, she didn't need the words of comfort at that point, they both needed that physical comfort. The wedding and any leftover emotions be damned, all that mattered was them.

[not-really-a-guest]

My “buddie rising” tag is about to be “buddie risen”

[teratodentata]

Blease,,, consider commissioning me,,,,

[hazele-omega]

everyone (...well...me...) loves October content so here's a quick black and white of them

[velnica]

Hey folks, I'm going on holiday for a few weeks from tomorrow so this place is gonna be a bit quiet. Not going to force myself to do XIVWrite everyday, only when I have time to do so. Anyway still trucking along with chapter 8 of Breathe In which I'm prioritising over the promptfics. See you all on the other side 💛💚

[201xs]

i would give anything to try courtneys soup

[siniov]

i need rina to do a purely metal album on a primordial level

[caterpillarinacave]