#I know i promised before that i wouldn't strangle you once again

[cubur]

サスナルの日 7/3

Big collaboration with @snow124-art ！ It wasn't planned but here are many lovely pieces for sasunaru day ^^！ Thank you for giving me another opportunity to draw with you！！Words cannot express how much it means to me…✨❤️

[pacifythots]

ⓘ hey, know what they say? "a good blow job will help you relax in no time!" gn!reader — nsfw. "pretty" is used once.

you have got zero idea how you managed to convince him of this.

the man before you, your sweet, often stoic husband, is gripping his office chair like his life depends on it. normally, he wouldn't allow such a thing.

sex, in his office? at his place of work? you must be mental.

but those sugary words, your pretty doe eyes, and soft tongue teasing his lips. not to mention your hands grasping his tough thighs while push your cleavage towards his face. "pleeeease," you plead and pout until you successfully make it onto your knees and in between his legs.

"i promise, i'll help you relax."

'you need it anyway,' you mumble. your hands slide up his thighs, massaging them through the material of his pants. his eyes watch your manicured nails feel lightly for his soft cock. "you okay ... ?"

the man narrows his eyes at you, "mhm ... i guess ." a chuckle leaves your lips as you quickly unbutton and unzip his pants. "you guess ... ?" he huffs above you, lips parted to respond, only halting when he feels something slide along his clothed cock, dampening the fabric of his boxers.

your hand slides into his pants to cup his balls. a hiss leaves his mouth as you slide your tongue along him again. a small smile grows on face at the way he twitches beneath the darker spot of his boxers.

his breathing becomes shaky; the grip on the arm of his chair becomes tighter.

"aww, you love my tongue that much?" you whisper, watching his election twitch to life, simply from a few licks of your tongue. his lip twitches as yours mouth at his hardening cock. he let's out a sarcastic laugh, though there isn't much more but a strangled groan when you slide down his dampened boxers.

"c'mon, lift your hips, help me out!"

the man sighs, lifting his hips from the bottom of his chair so you drag his boxers and pants down his legs. "better?" he grunts, glaring down at you. normally, you'd be offended, but by the look in his eye, you can't help but laugh.

"yes, actually."

your pretty eyes peer up at him and the both of you ponder how the hell he was convinced of this. though his mind can't remain on the topic of how too long as his abs contract and release from pleasure.

"y'know," your tongue licks a long slow stripe across the bulbous head of his cock and you swear he almost whimpered, "the point of this is to get you to relax. not tense further."

a chuckle leaves you before his saliva and pre coated cock is back in the warm heat of your mouth. you feel him shudder at the feeling. his hands clench the arms of his chair harshly, they have been for the past 15 minutes, and as a result the sound of wood splitting reaches your ears.

"feel good, baby?"

you slobber along his cock, teasing the head with your index and thumb formed in a circle. your tongue swipes along his balls until you focus on one, lightly sucking on it.

his foot slams against the desk on accident, earning a small 'fuck- ' to leave his lips.

an amused hum leaves you and you give attention to the other side, licking and sucking lightly.

his breathing is ragged; one of legs bouncing quickly next you. his hands grab anything and everything except for you in fear of being too rough with you. "l- love, sweetheart," he stutters, eyes shut closed.

the tip of your tongue slides languidly up and around the head. the man has to struggle to prevent his knees from knocking, moans from leaving his lips, and his hips from slamming against your face.

his cock twitches as you pepper wet kisses along it, your moans creating vibrations that nearly bring him to the edge.

"you wanna cum?" you whisper against him, immediately receiving rapid nodding from him.

his abdominal muscles are clenched, his body hunched forward, and eyes screwed shut. "pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease," he mumbles over and over again. its then that moans slip, huffy and shaky breathes leaving his lips.

"yes, sir ... "

he hears the purposeful sound of mouth opening. the wet muscle circles his tip, your hand pumping his length. it isn't until the tip of your tongue slides along his slit does his whole body tense before shooting ropes of cum into your mouth.

you take the whole length, gagging a bit which only furthers his orgasm.

he hears you gulp, feeling your throat contract around him as you swallow every last drop of his cum.

your slowly lift your head, licking him clean before looking at him with low-lidded eyes. his body collapses against the back of his chair; his once tense muscles fully relaxed. his chest stutters as his watery eyes look down at you.

a smirk is present on your face as you speak, "told you it'd make you relax."

ORTER MÁDL, higuruma hiromi, nanami kento, zhongli, NEUVILETTE, + elijah mikealson came to mind. though tag who you thought of!

i need to work on writing for blowjob fics, like i imagine it, but i can't write it. any tips ^.-

[alicerosejensen]

Mistake

Warning: death of the reader; indirect mention of Leon's infidelity.

This is a re-posting since my account was blocked on the same day I posted this.

It was a mistake to let you go alone. It was a mistake to believe that a stupid trip would end well and you would return to his house unharmed. And that was his mistake.

Leon holds you in his arms and the noble ladies from the old portraits look disapprovingly at the one he dared to save. You can feel his firm grip on your hip and under your armpit as he carries you to the evacuation site with a pale, cold-blooded face down which tears are flowing. What should he feel besides the searing pain in his chest from just your bloody appearance? Through the veil you hear his strangled wheeze and quiet orders not to dare to die. His fingers dig deeper into your once tender skin when you feel the cool breeze blowing under your dirty white shirt, the only thing left for you besides underwear. The hair was tangled because of blood and dirt, but for Leon it was all so unimportant. He kept carrying you to save you, promising himself that you wouldn't die.

Not having the strength to scream, you would like to regret your last stupid quarrel because of which you left him because of the influx of stupid jealousy. But you just didn't have the strength to go back to your sad life anymore. Leon's jacket still warmed your body, but the stopped heart suggested that you left this world plunging into a dark space, black as the night itself, thickened in the sky where there is no longer any heat, heat, pain or abyss.

It's a nice strange feeling when death enchants you.

And now you are like a fallen petal of a rare flower, floating between the seasons. If either of you understood each other well, you and Leon would never have parted. But when Leon, after a few shouts of your name, squeezes you in his arms, he realizes that you have gone limp… his heart stops.

You left him alone. Sad and lonely.

"Don't you dare die!" Leon is screaming out of breath, trying to get your heart to beat again. As if, having heard him somewhere from the outside, you felt such pity for him. He put so much effort into finding and saving you. All the last few months of imprisonment were like a requiem before a fateful finale without a happy ending. Leon hugs you to his chest, trying to share his warmth; kisses your thin wrists and dirty face to return to your embrace and kind love. This feeling of hopelessness in his chest was never like what he experienced when Simmons attacked Ada.

He realized that he had lost you.

"Sweetheart" Leon tucked his blood-soaked hair behind his ear. Your hand is in his. Sticky and cold where the wrist does not feel the pulse. "forgive me..."

It was your ticket to hell. With all these terrifying bloody rides for a stupid girl who knows how to hold a gun, just because at the beginning of the relationship Leon took the liberty of taking you to the shooting range. No physical or psychological training. Even if you hadn't died, your brain would have turned into a recurring nightmare for the rest of your life. Fortunately, like any attraction, everything tends to end, and the road to hell led you to the gates of paradise with a white ocean, cool water and complete silence where a small flimsy boat was ready to take you to the other shore.

To your personal paradise. In which there are no mutated monsters, no blood, no pain from wounds, no deaths, no Leon Scott Kennedy, who previously broke your heart.

You've seen enough to make the desire to live leave you, but Leon kept trying to make your heart beat with useless indirect heart massage. You went to the deep bottom, as if she had never been with him and did not love him. Leon's tears are dripping on your cheeks, laying clean paths, washing away dirt and blood from you. The human brain lives for about five minutes after death and your precious seconds are almost running out. This man tore you into a thousand pieces and now he's holding you to him, but it should have been done before. The eternal scarlet sunset would never have caught up with you if the day before your trip and on the day of the quarrel Leon grabbed you in his arms, chaining you to him with hot hugs without letting you go anywhere.

This horror could have been prevented.

But when you were thrown like a mangy puppy, he cherished his love for Ada Wong. No one knows what happens in those last moments when the soul leaves the body, but that very last second of your life without hearing or seeing him, you wanted him to be as hurt as you were when you found out the truth.

One single second before your feet dipped into the water and you got into the boat, and your wish was fulfilled…

You died in the middle of the night, despite the fact that you loved him very much anyway. Every creature has a mate but you don't have anything else. Let anyone but you be Leon's mate from now on. Before that ill-fated quarrel, you could even die for him, only Leon would quickly move away from your unnecessary sacrifice.

How monsters surrounded you from all sides and the light of your soul was extinguished forever. Then why did you continue to love his light half-smile and the expensive suit in which you first met him until the end? It is always cold outside, but inside of which sabantuy is raging. Leon is a man who often contradicted himself and you're just unlucky that he didn't dare to push you away.

There was no point in saving you anymore, but Leon continued to carry your body, pressing it closer to him, as if you were just unconscious and his legs were failing him, as if you were an unbearable burden, although before he always carried you lightly in his arms. He won't have a chance at redemption and he'll always live with the guilt of your death. But if you were alive, Leon thinks that you would be sarcastic to him right now, like Ada would be able to comfort him. And Leon is angry even though he knows it's stupid. You're silent in his arms.

He doesn't care how dirty you are. He kisses your face, squeezing your wrists tightly and for some reason trying to warm you up. His lips will imprint a kiss between eyes, temples, cheeks and lips themselves, leaving him a salty taste of blood. Leon catches you comfortably so that his jacket does not fly off you. your face is pressed against his shoulder, but he's not looking anymore. He thinks that maybe there will be a first aid kit in the helicopter from which there will be no sense. And even when they're taken away, Leon doesn't give you to anyone. He strokes your hair, begging the medic in his team to do something, but she looks at him with an indifferent look and then at the gaping wound on your chest and is silent, realizing that their captain has in fact already brought a corpse.

But in the end, you still end up in a corpse bag where they put you right away, taking you out of Leon's hands. No matter how he tried to take you back, he was not allowed. You didn't have time to see the sunlight and Leon feels like he let you down. Did not save. Shouted at the doctors, shouted at those who without regret stuffed you into this black cloth with a lock hiding from him like those scoundrels who ruined you. And then when everyone cooled down, he was simply confronted with the fact.

If dead, then the body belongs to forced sterilization.

But Leon won't even get your ashes... as if you kept torturing him while he drowned his pain in a bottle, breaking all the glasses. He kept your chiffon scarf close to him on purpose so he could smell you. His weakness... he just wanted you around again.

And all because of one damn mistake he made.

[theawkwardsiren]

Toxic - Veneer x F!Reader (angst/fluff) part 4

summary - you've been abducted, will Veneer find you before your ex tries to kiss you? part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5.

warnings - your toxic and insane ex, angst (little bit)

The house that used to once be comforting and safe for you now felt cold and hostile, filled with dread and unsung threats. The couch that once held so much warmth and love now felt like you were sitting on ice, hard and devoid of heat.

Where you once felt happy, you now felt sick and afraid.

Food he'd provided over an hour ago sat stale on the coffee table in front of you, although you could have warmed it up with the heat and intensity of your gaze. You couldn't look anywhere else.

You wouldn't.

"Oh come on, don't be like that."

Your head didn't even move as he sat down next to you, driven by your refusal to cast your eyes on something so horrific.

"You should eat."

"No thanks," you replied flatly. "Might just throw it back up."

He chuckled, "There's that sense of humour." He shifted closer, but paused when he noticed the way your body tensed up at his proximity. "Seems like you've forgotten how close we used to be."

"Happily, yes."

"You know, I was nice the first time around, but you didn't want to listen-"

"As if that's an excuse to become crazy and psychotic-"

"I'm not crazy, I just love you. I do, you know."

"Uh huh. I suppose you didn't say that to your new toy?"

He grit his teeth hearing you say that, "She's not important. I just needed her help getting to you. But after all of this, I'll make her leave and we can be together again." He leaned in uncomfortably close, hand coming up to touch your cheek. "I really want to kiss you."

You flinched away from his touch and gagged at his words, "Don't touch me."

"Hmmm, I think you need a few more hours. Then you'll be ready."

Unlikely, you thought. But if he was going to leave now, you didn't want to say anything that might extend this disgusting conversation. You let him get up and leave, burying your face in your hands afterwards and letting the tears fall.

"Where are you, Veneer?"

-

"Okay she's not at her house."

"They wouldn't take her there, too obvious," (Friend's Name) shook her head. "And I know where he lives, so he wouldn't take her there." She sighed, then her eyes lit up. "Or maybe he would."

Veneer looked at her sceptically, "No one's that dumb."

"He is," she argued. "I don't think he'd take her to his bimbo's house, she doesn't seem very happy about his fixation on (Name)."

"She's not the only one," the green-haired singer grumbled.

"But obviously we can't just pull up and expect him to just hand her over," (Friend's Name) went on, "So we're going to have to figure out how to trick him into bringing her out."

"You could always just set up a fake meeting with him, tell him you'll act like you're walking by while they kiss, and fake break up with her when it happens," Velvet suggested, earning looks from your friend and her brother. "What? You won't actually do it, when he brings her we just surround him and force him to give her up."

"And call the authorities," (Friend's Name) finished, "I like it. Best idea we've got."

Veneer wasn't so convinced, "What if he doesn't believe me?"

"He will," (Friend's Name) assured him. "He is that stupid."

"But I'm only helping on one condition," his sister stood up, "I am going to strangle that sorry excuse of a man."

"No complaints here," (Friend's Name) conceded, "I might even help."

'"I feel sick," the male twin admitted once his sister had left the room.

"That's normal," (Friend's Name) assured him, "You're just really worried. But we're going to get her back, I promise."

"The thought of her with him..."

"Don't think about it, she won't let him kiss her. No way. She'll delay him as much as she plausibly can, so we just need to hurry with this plan. She's so obsessed with you, you know."

"She is?" Veneer's eyes widened.

"Oh yeah! She gushes about you after every date, talks about you first thing in the morning, and frees up her schedule for all your performances. I've never seen her so in love, actually. So I'm really grateful to you, you helped her get over that scumbag so she could find real love."

Veneer's eyes glistened. He had no idea he'd had that effect on you. he wasn't used to hearing such good things about himself, he was rarely complimented by Velvet.

He glanced down at your phone, turning it on to look again at your lockscreen. It was you and him, hugging and laughing as you kissed his cheek. His heart ached at the thought of how you might be feeling at this moment, and he clutched the device to his chest.

"Let's go get our girl."

-

"Really? And why should I believe you?"

You tried not to listen in on his conversation, but other than staring at the wall you didn't have much to do.

"I see. I'm glad you're finally seeing reason."

You wondered who it was, and what they were discussing. Some part of you hoped it was Veneer trying to strike a deal for your return, but you knew that the conversation wouldn't be so calm if it was.

"Let's do it this afternoon. I want it done as soon as possible."

He hung up then, and footsteps told you he was coming into the lounge where you were sitting stubbornly.

"Looks like you really don't know your boyfriend after all," he taunted, sounding amused - and suspiciously smug. "I guess his fame and reputation mean more to him than you."

"What are you talking about?" You hissed, finally looking up.

"He just agreed to let me kiss you in public, and then break up with you afterwards. Isn't that great?"

Your heart sunk to the bottom of your stomach. Bile was quick to form in your throat as a sick feeling overtook you, dread and disbelief making your stomach churn unpleasantly.

"No...you're lying," your voice cracked, "He wouldn't..."

"I was on the phone with him just now," (Random Name) flopped down beside you. "We're meeting this afternoon. Need a hug?"

He opened his arms invitingly but you pushed him and got up, running to the bathroom with your hand covering your mouth. It wasn't long before you were retching into the toilet, tears flooding your eyes and streaming down your cheeks.

Was everything you knew about him wrong? Did history really just repeat itself, a boyfriend betraying you? You found it hard to believe, but (Random Name) was so smug you knew it must be true.

Were you doomed to never be happy with someone you loved?

-

The afternoon came a lot faster than you wished it would, fear and dread gnawing at your insides. You felt weak and dizzy as you were escorted out the house and into his car, your knees wobbling as you walked.

"Don't worry honey," he kissed your cheek, much to your disgust, "This will all be over soon, and I'll make sure you're never unhappy again."

You didn't think you could anymore sick or creeped out. You had reached your limit, and now slumped back against the seat dejectedly. There was nothing you could do, so might as well just accept it.

"I hate you."

"Oh quit being dramatic," he glared, "Your supposedly perfect and loving superstar boyfriend just tossed you aside like it's nothing. I'm trying to help."

"Help?" You laughed in exasperation. "None of this would have happened if not for your obsessive and creepy behaviour!"

"You're going to thank me!" He raised his voice, hands tightening on the steering wheel. "You belong with me. Always have, always will. And one day, you'll realise that. I can wait."

The conversation stopped there, because soon the car stopped outside a familiar public area. The restaurant that you had originally made a reservation at for his and your date, but had gone to with Veneer instead.

Despite it only being a month and a half ago, it felt like forever. So much had happened.

You spotted a familiar white limo, and your heart crawled into your throat. Was this really happening? You barely had time to pinch yourself before the door was opening, and you were pulled out of the car. Immediately, you heard gasps and saw people pointing.

"Is that Veneer's girlfriend? With another guy?"

"Is she cheating on him?"

"How could she? No, how dare she?"

Your head automatically lowered as you took in their harsh and accusing words, biting your lip as you stared at the ground.

"Look up, sweetheart," (Random Name) whispered, tilting your chin up. "It's time."

"No," you uttered weakly, so soft nobody heard. You were broken.

As his arms slithered around your waist - he was clearly enjoying himself and making a show of it, the limo door opened and a familiar figure stepped out, right as (Random Name)'s lips met yours.

The kiss didn't last long, because your ears picked up the unmistakable sound of someone being punched. You opened your eyes to see (Random Name) had been ripped away from you, a pale fist hanging in the air where his face had just been.

"I'm getting really tired of saying this," Veneer snarled, tone laced with fury that chilled you to your bone, "Get away from my girlfriend."

"Veneer," you sobbed, getting the teen's attention.

"(Name)!" He rushed over to you, pulling you flush against him and bringing a hand to your cheek. "Hey, princess. It's okay, I'm here. It's going to be okay."

You only sobbed harder, your body shaking so violently it hurt Veneer's heart. He was quick to push your face into his neck as his arms engulfed you, kissing the top of your head. He held you tightly, cradling you against his chest and turning you away from the sight of Velvet screaming at (Random Name) while strangling him as she promised.

"It's over, baby."

a/n - i hope this doesn't disappoint! we are now done with the angst, so expect a buttload of fluff in the fifth and final part!

[ancuninfiles]

Lithium Pt. 4

Screenshot by @lavendarr00

9.3k words - F/M - Astarion x F! Durge - 18+

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence.

Summary: Astarion nearly walks in on Ronnie during a very private moment. Mortified, Ronnie throws her toy under a pillow, pulling up her pants and… letting him into her apartment, as he's found a better way to restrain her this time.

Oh... and Ronnie makes Astarion watch Twilight: New Moon

꒦꒷♡꒷꒦

Tags: smut, AU modern setting in London UK, mental illness, p in v sex, creampie, cunnilingus, shibari, bondage, TW domestic violence (not with Astarion and Ronnie), roleplay, dirty-talk

MASTERLIST (Other works and chapters)

Read on AO3 for full tag list and proper formatting (recommended)

꒦꒷♡꒷꒦

Beginning notes: CONTENT WARNING for this chapter, but Astarion will always be a softie :3 I promise.

9.3k words. Like Comfort™, This one has been sitting in my files—over 90% done—for a long time. I guess sometimes I just agonize over how to finish a chapter... it's like... my motif or something LOL.

I really got my Gonzo on with the beginning of this chapter. I was ✧*̥˚𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯' 𝘪𝘵˚*̥✧...

Anyways, to the few people who like to read fucked up shit like this, enjoy <3.

꒦꒷♡꒷꒦

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒: 𝐀 𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭

꧁꧂

The dildo: an object shaped like an erect penis used for sexual stimulation—according to the Oxford Dictionary. 

—Boring, basically useless phallus. Does nothing. 

   —Good for nothing. 

      —Takes thirty minutes to get me off; If I do at all.

   —Fucking sucks. 

—Waste of my Godsdamned time.

...

Jen had taken Ronnie to a sex shop when she first got together with Alfira, suggesting it would "spice things up". However, the extra "spiciness" became unnecessary once Alfira’s trachea nearly collapsed in Ronnie’s grip.

It happened in Jen's bed, the morning after one of her parties. While Jen was making breakfast, Alfira and Ronnie had taken over her bed. They'd been intimate before—always at Jen’s place. Although they weren't exclusive, their relationship was certainly developing. At that time, Ronnie had only ever been a danger to herself—her violent outbursts occurring solely in the privacy of her own flat. She didn't yet know what she was capable of.

From what Ronnie could recall of the incident, one moment she was giving head, and the next, she was on the floor of Jen's bedroom while Jen tried to calm Alfira down.

Apparently, Ronnie had straddled Alfira and was attempting to strangle her to death—her hands like a vice on her lover's neck. Alfira had been screaming, calling for help until her throat was seized. Jen barged in at the perfect time, put Ronnie in a headlock, and dragged her off Alfira.

Jen did the damage control—she let Alfira know that nobody would ever believe her and that if she told anyone, she would never be allowed at her house again. Shortly after that, Alfira was completely excommunicated from their “friend group"—if you could even call it that.

And it was true that nobody would've believed her. Ronnie was known to be a pacifist, even standing back, unable to form words and frozen in place as she watched Jen get into fights. Jen always said it was better that way so that Ronnie wouldn't get hurt.

Since that day, she hadn’t seen Alfira— hadn’t been able to apologise, get closure, or make amends. Nothing . She knew Jen was only trying to protect her, but the rot in Ronnie's stomach grew tenfold that day; not only from discovering the boundlessness of her violent ailment but also from the guilt of what she’d just done.

Remembering such things didn't aid in Ronnie's climax—or lack thereof. 

—Distractions

—So many distractions.

So she pulled the phallus from her top drawer, eyeing it with scepticism, knowing it would bring back bad memories. 

However, in it went.

It was a wretched pink silicone thing—a “rabbit” or something of that nature. Press a button, and it tickled the outside and undulated on the inside; both futile operations if you're too anxious to get off

—Fuck.

Trying to cum was a regular occurrence for Ronnie—at least once a week. She didn't care for porn—it was all made for men, so she relied on her own broken imagination.

Lately, her imagination brought her to Astarion; but with the thoughts of Astarion came the shame of wanting him, and, subsequently, the knowing that she'd never have him.

The cycle would repeat in circuits of two minutes or so, on and on for thirty minutes until she gave up or fruitlessly orgasmed on the wretched, pink, silicone phallus.

—Useless.

Not like sex is important, anyway. Sure, it felt good.

Well...

It felt great; but was it necessary? Certainly not.

Especially in regards to friendship—and she and Astarion were just friends… Barely friends.

—Just met.

   —Wretched friends.

      —Just kill me, already.

—Anyways...

Resisting the nymph would prove challenging; thankfully, it's extremely responsive to “no” and “stop”. 

But, likely, also very responsive to “fuck me” and “kiss me” and “spank me” and—

—Kill me... Maybe not that one...

Of course, Ronnie knew she was attractive, but her naked form was disfigured with jagged, protruding scars all over. She felt like a monster—her beleaguered skin only matching the sickness within.

Nothing a long-sleeved shirt and leggings couldn't hide—that is until you're spread open. Maybe then, the darkness would help, but eyes adjust eventually, and Ronnie would only be lying to herself if she thought otherwise.

She felt ill, her stomach lurching at times by simply staring at her own reflection. Other people surely would feel the same. The only reason she’d felt so comfortable being nude around Alfira was because Alfira has similar scars.

Yet, Astarion had seen her nude form and...

reverence, every time. Washing her like an expensive car, stitching her like a cherished doll, and touching her as if—

... as if she mattered to him, God knows why.

Well... maybe it was because he wanted her to kill his boss—however that would go down, she wasn’t sure.

She got the impression that he wanted to teach her how to win—how to cheat at poker in exchange for her assistance… as if she could control it. As if she wanted to “bask in gore” as he did.

—Gods... what a freak.

There are limitations to what a friend would do. Ronnie might kill for Jen if she asked—if she needed her to...

Jen would kill for Ronnie—without a doubt, or a second thought. That's what friends do—that's what Jen says.

But to build a friendship based on murder? Well... that was—

... different, to say the least. She'd come close before—to murder—but never succeeded. She never wanted to succeed.

She wanted a break: a drink.

꧁꧂

Movie night at Jen's place was the day after Friday afterparties, where Jen would invite some close friends to watch cheesy classics, horror, and comedy—but mostly horror.

Nocturne would sit on the couch with Jen and Wyll. Sometimes, others would join—the flatmates—but Ronnie sat in her own seat, away from the fray of intimacy, not speaking to anyone.

The movie night-goers were accustomed to this. They let her watch quietly in the corner because they were nice people —respectful adults. Jen wouldn't have it any other way, of course, lest they wish to be tossed in the teeming rain on their arses.

And so they sat with the TV as the only light source, eating popcorn and drinking vodka straight or mixed with anything.

A proper Saturday night—in recovery from Friday night. Jen's hand-me-down velvet chair more than sufficed as a routine seat. Nag champa incense burned on the coffee table, and tarot cards might be read later, as Jen was an avid believer in their prophecy.

This night’s movie was Twilight: a supposed romance about a vampire and a teenage girl who fall hopelessly in love with one another.

Bella, the main character, moved from Arizona to Washington to live with her dad in a small town called Forks. Shortly after, she met Edward, the aforementioned vampire who happens to sparkle in the sunlight.

Bella's eyes lit up upon seeing his glittering form, but Edward recoiled in shame at her admiration. “This is the skin of a killer, Bella,” he said.

Everyone in the room giggled when he said that, and Ronnie joined in the joviality, realising that it was indeed a very silly interaction between the two characters, considering the inoffensiveness of sparkles.

At one point, Edward seemingly teleported into Bella’s room where he watched her sleep, to which Wyll said, “That's just not right.”

It was discomforting to watch the choked-up vampire talk about how he wanted to kill Bella... just because he thought she was hot? And because he couldn't read her mind like he could with everyone else?

Perhaps he confused lust with hunger somewhere down the line. To Ronnie, craving chips felt quite different from horniness. However, they allegedly abstained from sex until marriage in the penultimate movie because Edward was too afraid of hurting Bella while shagging.

—Relatable. But as if marriage would make him less dangerous.

It could have made more sense, and the story could have been better, but Ronnie actually enjoyed it overall.

How wonderful it would be to be lifted from your mundane reality by a romance with a supernatural creature. Also, she related to Edward in the way that she, too, felt like a monster—always on edge, worried about being a danger to others.

That night, she slept in the spandrel as usual, only to be woken by the sound of plates smashing in the kitchen. Lae'zel—Jen's girlfriend—had stayed over, and their relationship was tumultuous, to say the least.

At times, they would almost seem like the perfect couple. Other times, however, they were at dire odds, and Lae'zel would hurt Jen in a myriad of ways.

“You think you're such a princess because Vic takes care of you. Some of us have experienced real hardship,” Lae'zel would say, but it was untrue.

Jen had been kicked out plenty of times, and she'd had to fuck for a place to rest her head at night. Vic was anything but merciful when it came to Jen, and it didn't help that she was her landlord, her boss, and a huge philanthropist to the hospital where her dad stayed.

Vic had kicked Jen out for a slew of unjust reasons, those being:

Not paying rent on time, but Vic hadn't sent Jen's pay that month.

Not cleaning up after her disgusting flatmates.

Jen struggling with addiction.

The list goes on, truly. Unfortunately, it was after these bouts of verbal and physical violence perpetrated by Vic and Lae'zel that Jen would spiral further into substance abuse. Ronnie had seen it many times—where Vic would leave after letting Jen know how “worthless” she was, or Lae'zel would slam the door after claiming that it was “over”; though she would always be back within a week with a box of cheap chocolates, apologising and claiming that she'd change.

“I love you to death,” Lae'zel would ominously exclaim, as if she'd be the one to end Jen.

Ronnie knew the look on Jen's face too well by this point—the pursed lips and wet eyes. Surely, her stoicism was crushing her throat. But there was no stopping her in her ascent to her bedroom, where she'd lock the door behind Ronnie, unwilling to accept any comforts—the type that she'd consistently given Ronnie. No , she'd dig her stash from under her bed and get to work, meaning: get as fucked up as needed to numb herself.

It often ended in Nox having to knock the door down, lest Jen drown in her own vomit or overdose on ketamine or whathaveyou. Vic and Lae'zel weren't aware of Jen's fragile disposition—or, at least it didn't seem that way, considering their unrelenting cruelty towards her. Jen would never tell them about what she'd done after they’d stormed out—it'd probably not make a difference, anyway.

Ronnie would wait outside Jen’s door, leaning her back on it as she sat on the ground. “Jen,” Ronnie would say, not knowing what to offer other than her presence. “Please, Jen.”

Jen would not respond. All Ronnie could hear were the rustling of bags, sounds of nasal insufflation, or the sharp exhales after swigs of liquor.

Narcan was kept in the "House of Grief” and it'd been used on Jen before. She always acted resentful when the ambulance showed, metaphorically pushing everyone away because she thought herself deceitful enough to make her friends believe that she was a cunt, after all. To which they would retort with a “nice try” sort of attitude.

— As if losing Jen: my cunt friend would be easier than losing Jen: my friend.

When she'd get out of the hospital, she'd essentially pretend that nothing ever happened—life went on like normal, and “I'm fine” became her two favourite words in the English language.

Cliché.

꧁꧂

Ronnie sat on her shabby couch, scrolling and scrolling. It was a Monday night, and she'd had the day off work. She'd prepped her meals, stretched, exercised, and cleaned her flat—it always becomes a wreck after a few days, but she usually manages to tidy once a week.

Behind the couch was the chipping-white-paint-covered beam and stool, then a blank space, then the kitchen where the ceiling light dimly illuminated almost the entirety of her basement flat, except for her bedroom and bathroom.

The leak dripped, and the mould on it grew every day. Ronnie wanted to get it fixed, but then she'd be alone with the handyman in her flat: a terrible idea, considering her history of violence.

It had been almost two weeks since the tavern and, of course, no sign of Astarion. Maybe he'd changed his mind about her, or maybe he simply got bored.

Ronnie… missed him. They never exchanged numbers, as neither Astarion nor Ronnie brought it up. She would have thought that he'd leave a piece of paper with it written down for her to see when she woke up at the tavern, at least, but no. Nothing . She thought it might be better that way because if she hadn’t scared him away yet with her problems, she'd surely scare him away with her eagerness. She'd have to make a constant effort to text him no more than once a day—at most.

Since the events at the tavern, Astarion had been on her mind more than was justifiable. It bordered on entirely obsessive—obsessed with countering the lustful thoughts, contemplating the meanings behind his words. What was the deal with his boss—was he some sort of mobster? And Astarion—what part did he really play in all of this?

Over the past two weeks, she had likely spent hours staring in her bathroom mirror, admiring her wound, pulled tight like a corset—although not too tight, of course. She would examine it up and down and run her fingers along the sides, feeling the slight burn of her swollen tissue. It felt almost as if the dissolving thread was Astarion himself, diving through her laceration and holding it together. She imagined herself tearing it open and reaching for her heart through her ribcage, handing it to him like a cat with a dead bird at his doorstep.

And then there was the fourteen hundred pounds he'd given her—she hadn’t spent it yet. She didn't know what to do with it.

—Maybe something for Jen.

Jen needed a new laptop—she was always complaining about hers glitching out, freezing, and crashing. So Ronnie browsed the web in search of just that.

It was amazing—the type of laptops one could buy with fourteen hundred pounds; but what brand would she want? Would she want a large screen or something more compact?

— Hmm... I'm bored.

But, out of her periphery starred the wretched, pink phallus—the torturous, useless thing.

Though; useless as it was, Ronnie sought to give it another go—not accepting total defeat just yet.

So she sat up, pulled down her flannelette pyjama trousers, grabbed the thing off the coffee table, hoisted her knees up, and got to work. Facing the black TV screen, she closed her eyes to avoid visual distractions, mainly her scars.

She tried thinking—imagining ideas of what ought to get her off. 

A beautiful woman above her, glistening all over with dexterous fingers. Or maybe a man with a skilled tongue, or maybe—

—Alfira.

...

No. She would stay focused.

The man with the skilled tongue is... doing things with his tongue and he is hot...

— No.

— I need to get groceries. I hate the grocery shop. Maybe I can just use some of Astarion's money to have them delivered.

—Astarion is hot.

— No. I can't think of him while I'm doing this.

—But he...

Ronnie remembered vividly their first night together, when he'd been inside and teased her so. What if he'd continued? What if things went further? They both could have finished—finished with each other. On each other, in—

She was so close. She allowed herself to imagine that maybe he was right there—inside her. She tried picturing his body, and the way his muscles would ripple with the smallest movements—with each thrust, perhaps.

How his hair would be damp with sweat and his expression— oh, his expression would be sinfully picturesque. It would be a face one would never catch him making except for in the moments before rapture. 

And his sounds—his little grunts of pleasure.

“You take me so well, Ronnie,” he'd say. “Such a good girl, all for me.”

It was the closest she’d been in weeks—right on the precipice—

*Knock-knock-knock*

…

She panicked, throwing the thing under a pillow on her couch and hastily pulling on her trousers.

—Who would be knocking on my door at eleven at night?

She tiptoed to the spyhole in her door, making sure not to be too noisy in case she didn't want to answer.

But it was Astarion, standing and waiting patiently with a bag on his wrist and his hands in his pockets. His hard chest was evident under his buttoned-up shirt.

Her face reddened; it couldn't have been worse timing for him to show up—or better timing, depending on how she looked at it. Maybe he could cuff her to the pole and take her on the floor— NO.

She couldn't. What if she lost her wits amid a shag? It would be humiliating for her.

—But he said he would wait there for me—wait for it to be over.

Even still, was that enough insurance? No. She thought she'd better be safe than sorry.

Elated, Ronnie opened the door to look at him through the chain lock, but she suddenly became very aware of how plain and makeupless she was, so she bit the inside of her cheek to ground herself.

“Astarion!” she started, sounding much more eager than she'd meant to. “Hi. What are you doing here?” She smiled, lowering her pitch.

He wore a dress suit again, but this time, with an unbuttoned raincoat. Dressed nicely, as always.

His pocketed hands drew Ronnie's eyes lower to where his narrow hips were, but her gaze didn't linger there for more than a moment.

He looked relieved. “ Ah —finally. I've been coming here almost every night looking for you,” he said. “ Er —may I come in?”

—He's been looking for me? Oh my Gods, yes. I missed you, I missed you, I missed you so much.

Ronnie cleared her throat. “ Ahem —do you have handcuffs?”

Astarion held up his bag. “Yes, I have all the fixings.” He grinned roguishly.

Ronnie wanted to scream into her pillow and punch her mattress a hundred times or more. She had an unignorable rising feeling in her chest that reverberated through her arms—a feeling she knew was bound to make her stupid. What could he possibly mean by “ all the fixings”? Had he brought treats? Games? Gifts? She had to know.

Reeling herself in, she responded coolly, “Right. So the protocol is you have to cuff me to the beam immediately as soon as you come in. That always has to be our number one priority. Yeah?”

Astarion gave a curt bow. “Yes, ma'am.”

“Are you ready?”

“Very.”

—I hate you, you stupid freak.

   —I hate how you make me feel.

—Why do you make me feel like this?

Ronnie gritted her teeth. “Set.”

Astarion huffed a laugh, throwing his head back—which exposed his perfect smile—but ultimately, he bent his knees in a playful battle stance.

“Go.”

Ronnie slammed her door shut and unhooked her chain lock. Astarion opened the door before she could open it for him herself, and she giddily ran to the stool that was always at her pole. He closed the door and laughed mirthfully, approaching her already. She tried to suppress a grin as he ran up and hooked her cuffs on behind her in one swift movement.

Ronnie tugged to test her restraints, and she sighed happily, feeling the stability they provided as Astarion hung his coat on her coat hooks and rolled up his sleeves.

Astarion stood in front of her, arms crossed with his bag on the ground beside him, looking awfully satisfied and smelling delicious. She wanted to bite him, only softly to steal a salty taste... or to immobilise him. She scrunched her features, shooing away the intrusive fantasy.

“Have I ever told you how good you look when you're helpless?” Astarion joked.

Ronnie blushed, averting her gaze from the handsome man. “Whatever. You can quit the evil act. I know you're not going to hurt me,” she spat; although, she wanted him to hurt her—only a little. And she knew he would if she asked.

“ Oh? But why would I do that when you clearly respond to it so well,” he teased with a devious and toothy grin. She wondered how much of her bullshit he could see straight through.

Ronnie chuckled, craning her head back. “What did you come here for, anyway?” He'd been looking for her. It had to be important. Or maybe she was important. Or... what she was capable of. Nevertheless, he was there—right where she wanted him, or close. She preferred him to be closer. But she wouldn't—she wouldn't cave.

He held his chin in thought for a few moments. “To see you,” he started, “and I suppose to teach you a few little tricks—using sleight of hand with card games.” His voice was smooth but raspy, almost like the sound of a bowling ball rolling towards its pins.

“Oh... that’s calm. Okay.” She nodded, looking at his feet.

She should have guessed that he'd only come to continue their “business”—not to simply hang out. It might make it easier to keep it in her pants, but his flirtatious remarks were tugging at her strings already. She was thankful that he'd shown up with a purpose, after all. And she was thankful that he hadn't abandoned her—that he'd been looking for her, even.

She never thought someone could want her after knowing what she was capable of, or what her body looked like—save for Alfira, but it was hard to come by someone with morals as pure as hers. 

He'd called her visage “ominous.” Shouldn't that have meant that he was repulsed? But he still made advances on her after sharing his derogatory and unwanted opinion—maybe he liked “ominous.”

“Also, I've thought of some solutions to the mobility issues that would arise given our use of handcuffs.” He put one hand on his hip, and all of his weight on one leg as he feigned disinterest, looking at his nails. “Although the cuffs are the most convenient, they didn't seem like the most... practical, nor the most comfortable idea.”

Ronnie's lips parted, her eyes sparkling with intrigue, or perhaps enamourment at his thoughtful consideration.

“Do you want to see what I've come up with?” he asked, pulling his phone from his pocket.

She bit her inner lip. “Yeah, sure,” she drawled, unsure of exactly how much gratitude to display, as she had to avoid leading him on.

He fussed with his phone for a moment and then showed Ronnie an image of a mannequin that had been intricately tied around its torso and waist. It looked beautiful, but it also looked quite lewd, somehow.

“This is called ‘shibari’. It's an ancient Japanese roping technique that has been historically used on prisoners. Now, however, people primarily use it for art and— er ... sex, to be quite honest,” he said, briefly chuckling after his statement.

Cheeks flushing, Ronnie kept her gaze on the screen as he swiped to another picture of a mannequin tied similarly, but this time the rope extended through the groin.

“Of course, some of these are a bit more... salacious than others, but I thought I'd give you options. Given your circumstance, it only seemed fair.”

He swiped to the next image, this time showing the back of a mannequin with its arms fastened straight vertically, adorned with knots along their length. It looked much more comfortable than the handcuffs.

“Um... is this okay?” Ronnie asked, rubbing her knees together nervously. She couldn't quell the dirty images in her mind of her tied up—naked and displayed—free for him to touch in whatever way he pleased.

“What, tying you up? Sure! It's perfectly fine— er ... that is, if you want to, of course.” He tilted his head, smiling awkwardly.

—This doesn't have to be sexual. He said it was originally used with prisoners. I am just being tied like a prisoner, she justified to herself.

“ Um ... we—we can try,” Ronnie stammered.

—Fuck. Now I'm stuttering? Stupid.

“Just don't make it weird, please,” she added, only partially confident that she would be able to rein herself in. She would have to count on him.

“ Me? ‘Make it weird’?” He scoffed. “Why, I would never,” he said, frowning disingenuously.

“Astarion... I need your help with this,” she tried her best to sound serious. She knew that shagging him would be wholly reckless—unfair to both of them, given her condition.

“Relax! I'm only joking. Ugh —you’re no fun,” he teased. “ So ... which one would you like?” Astarion asked.

Ronnie squinted at his screen as he flipped through the carousel of pictures, looking for the one that looked the least perverted.

One, in particular, caught her eye: a harness that only hugged the torso and shoulders without riding between the breasts or groin. It was perfect and safer than the handcuffs for both parties involved. She doubted that she'd be able to free herself of the binding, and she wouldn't be able to dislocate her wrists in it either. Additionally, it looked like a comfortable setup, and she'd even be able to traverse a portion of her flat—as much as the rope connecting her to the pole would allow.

“Can we do that one?” she asked.

Astarion looked at his phone. “Of course. This one should be quite easy, actually,” he exclaimed, squatting to grab a red rope from his bag. “Could you stand, please?”

“ Oh —yes, of course,” Ronnie said, standing and moving around the pole—away from her stool.

He unravelled the rope and then folded it in half to find the middle. Then he began his wrapping and knotting. He wrapped above her shoulders and around her ribs, honed into his work as he was when he'd stitched her.

His brows knitted together and he bit his bottom lip while he focused, pulling the rope through the loops made around her shoulders as it brushed against the fabric of her loose cropped t-shirt. Ronnie held her breath almost the entire time, as each brush of his tender digits made her internally recoil in shame.

Next, he moved to her back, fastening her arms to the harness and immobilising them. The binding felt more secure than the cuffs, but without the discomfort.

As he was finishing up, Ronnie had a fleeting recollection of what she’d been doing just before he came in—what she'd been thinking about. But she gritted her teeth and attempted to relinquish the thoughts.

It was a consistent effort, in the silence, though. She thought she might have more luck once he began his lesson.

To be fair, Ronnie didn't really care about learning how to cheat at poker, but he seemed like he wanted to show her, and she was simply happy to spend time with him at this point—she wasn't going to be picky when genuine friendships were so difficult for her to come by.

Once he bound from her shoulders to her elbows, he unlocked the handcuffs and then proceeded to tie his last knots along her upper limbs. Then, he pulled a separate rope from his bag and stuck his fingers under one of the loops in the middle of her back, inadvertently jostling Ronnie and consequently gripping her arm to steady her. She must have been hot because his hand was cool against her skin, and she wondered if she was red like the ogre at the tavern.

He fed the second rope through her harness and knotted it to her before doing the same with the other end on the pole.

At last, she was free of his touch, grateful for the chance to create some distance between them.

Astarion stood in front of Ronnie with his hands on his hips. “All done, safe and secure. You’re free to walk about, but the second rope is only about three metres long. It’s safest to keep it that way.”

Ronnie tugged at her restraints as hard as she could, but they didn’t budge. She walked until the rope connecting her to the pole was taut, then leaned her entire body weight on it, giggling as she balanced on her toes at a forty-five-degree angle.

She felt a slight tug and looked back to find Astarion pulling at the rope towards the beam, also testing its strength.

“As I thought, it won’t come undone easily,” he said, letting go of the rope.

“How’d you learn how to do this?” Ronnie asked as she straightened up.

Astarion paused for a moment, walking around to the sofa with his bag in hand. “Let’s not exhume the past tonight, eh?” He plopped onto the sofa, awfully close to the pillow under which the thing was hidden, causing Ronnie to gasp sharply through her nose.

When it came to exhuming the past, she could do without revisiting what she’d been doing immediately before Astarion arrived. She really ought to have put away the thing before letting Astarion in, but she’d been too distracted by his presence, and she could all but hope she wouldn’t have to pay for that mistake.

She climbed over the back of her sofa in her bare feet and settled on the opposite end from Astarion, feeling the plush cushion beneath her.

He pulled out a deck of cards and began to shuffle, the cards snapping crisply between his fingers. “The first thing is that, of course, you’ll need to know where the cards are in the deck.” He set the deck on the table and flicked the corner up with his thumb, exposing each card for a split second. “That’s how much time you have to take in the contents of the deck. Now—if I’m looking for the Jack of Spades, I can find it right here.” He lifted a portion of the deck and showed Ronnie the card at the bottom of his chosen section—it was the Jack of Spades. “You’ll need to learn the weight of the cards—how ten cards feel versus... twenty-two cards, and so on.”

Ronnie watched him put the deck back together and riffle the cards, her eyes drawn to the way his fingers moved deftly, the muscles in his forearms flexing with each gesture. There was something hypnotic about his movements—a grace that made everything he did look effortless. She imagined those hands on her skin, the same dexterity applied to tracing lines along her body.

He continued shuffling in a myriad of ways, his voice a low murmur. “The most important part, when you’re first starting, is to wait for an opening—wait until your opponent’s eyes are busy. That’s why you’ll begin with Heads-up—one-on-one poker—”

Ronnie could hear the cadence of his words, but her focus was on his lithe fingers, the way they worked through the cards with such precision. His fingernails, perfectly manicured, danced across the deck, and she wondered what those fingers would feel like in her mouth.

“Ronnie?” His voice snapped her from her trance, and she realized he’d stopped talking and she’d been staring at his hands.

She shook her head, trying to clear the haze. “Sorry. I’m just—distracted. Do you think we could maybe watch a movie instead, tonight?” she asked, giving him a tense smile and hoping he didn’t notice the flush creeping up her neck. Though; the mischievous glint in his eye and his roguish grin informed Ronnie that he knew exactly what he was doing to her, and that caused her to stir slightly in her spot.

“If that's what you'd prefer.” He shuffled the cards one last time before placing them in the box and away in his bag. He retrieved the remote from the coffee table and switched on the TV, navigating to the built-in streaming service.

Ronnie hung her head in relief before looking at the list of recommended shows and movies. He flipped through them, witnessing her embarrassing stack of dating shows under the “Continue watching” section. Tensing, she held her breath, but he didn’t seem phased by her taste in media. She could've been sure that he’d tease her about it, but he didn’t say a word.

One movie in particular caught her eye: New Moon, the sequel to Twilight. Her eyes widened with excitement. “ Oh! Can we watch New Moon?” she asked.

“I remember hearing about this one a decade ago. It’s about werewolves and vampires, correct? Infamous for its mawkishness?” Astarion asked.

“Yes! Exactly!” She bounced excitedly. “I just watched the first one at Jen’s not that long ago.”

“ Hm— I’ll entertain this, sure. We have to change it if it's boring, though,” he said, clicking on the movie and then getting up to flick her kitchen light off before returning to his spot on the couch.

“Yes! Okay, I'm so excited. I've never seen it before.” She shimmied, bringing her knees to her chest.

Ronnie watched raptly as the opening scene began with Bella in a forest clearing with Edward. They approached an elderly woman, only to find out she was Bella’s reflection. Glancing at Astarion, she saw his brows knit together in a frown, clearly already entranced by the film.

He was… cute —the way he seemed utterly intrigued.

“He can go in the sun? He's sparkling,” Astarion asked.

“Yeah. He's all bitter about it, as well—haha,” Ronnie giggled.

“Bitter? Gods . You think he would be grateful that he doesn't burn to ash.”

Bella and Edward were standing together in the school parking lot when Edward said: “Jacob's here,” before Jacob was within eyesight.

“How did he know that Jacob was there?” Astarion asked.

“He can read minds.”

“Terrifying.”

“Except for Bella's, but Alice can tell the future, and Jasper is always hungry and constipated-looking,” Ronnie exclaimed.

Bella was sitting at the back of the class watching Romeo and Juliette with Edward. They were casually talking about the movie when Edward—out of the blue—exclaimed that he envies Romeo because he committed suicide.

“He envies Romeo because he killed himself? Edward is a fool,” Astarion said, frowning.

“You're granted immortality, and you can walk in the sun, but you spend your days in high school around a bunch of teenagers? Their master must be some sort of eccentric. Though, it beats rotting away in a kennel.” Astarion seemed personally offended by this premise, causing Ronnie to stifle a giggle.

“Those ‘Volturi’ seem like awful creatures. Quite ugly, as well,” Astarion said, and Ronnie enjoyed his commentary on the movie—keeping her entertained.

Jasper—the constipated one—became feral over Bella's papercut. In response, Edward pushed Bella away from him to protect her, but she flew into a table, injuring herself further. Alice had to escort Jasper away.

“ Oh —I like this movie,” Astarion exclaimed, smirking.

—Of course he would say that during the most chaotic scene, Ronnie thought.

Carlisle—the “father”—stitched Bella's wounds, and he mentioned to Bella that he believed he was “damned” due to his vampiric condition.

“‘Damned’? These vampires are free of a master, they live in a comfortable abode, they can walk in the sun, and they think they are ‘damned’? Ridiculous,” Astarion said.

“I know. It's a little silly, but I guess I understand if they're depressed,” Ronnie added.

“Edward is in love with this beautiful young lady, and he refuses to change her? The stupidity,” Astarion spat.

A scene played where Edward breaks up with Bella in the woods because he's moving away. Bella said: “I'm coming,” to which Edward responded: “I don't want you to come.”

Astarion huffed a chuckle. “I would never not let you come, Ronnie.”

“Sod off.”

As a result of Edward's abandonment, Bella fell into a deep depression, and a scene played where she was staring out of her bedroom window as the months passed by.

“Is this what you do when I'm not around?” Astarion asked, grinning.

“No.”

“I'm hurt,” he said, grabbing his chest in mock offence.

Bella began spending more time with Jacob after experiencing a hallucination of Edward’s presence while riding on the back of a stranger's motorcycle. She realised there might be a link between the hallucination and engaging in life-risking behaviour, so she decided to take advantage of Jacob’s skills as a mechanic. Bella brought him two dirt bikes from the scrapyard, and Jacob helped her fix them. She rode one of the bikes intending to induce the same “Edward hallucination.” While it worked, the distraction caused her to crash the bike and smash her head against a rock.

“He's clearly reinforcing Bella's dangerous behaviour. How does he not see this?” Astarion protested.

The movie continued, showing Bella spending even more time with Jacob, their friendship nearly approaching romantic territory.

“This Jacob boy isn't half-bad,” Astarion said. But when Jacob started lashing out towards Bella and her friends, Astarion changed his mind. “Nevermind. I take back what I said about him earlier.”

Eventually, the plot dragged on and Astarion became frustrated. “There are no vampires in this movie!” he complained, shifting his position on the couch and sitting on the pillow.

The moment he descended on the pillow, it began to vibrate—or rather, the thing began to vibrate under it.

Mortified, Ronnie's eyes widened and she held her breath as Astarion half-stood to search for the source of the buzzing beneath him.

“Wait!” she raised her voice in a panic.

He stood, crouching in front of the couch. “Sorry, I'm just trying to figure out where that sound is coming from. I can rewind in a second, don't you worry. I—” He froze, lifting the pillow to find her toy undulating beneath it. “Oh—I see.” His face of confusion quickly warped into one of mischief at his discovery. 

Grinning, he lifted the phallus and inspected it before switching it off. “We've been very naughty, today—haven't we?” His head was unmoving but his conniving stare landed on Ronnie's face. He smiled, almost strategically so—or that's how it felt. 

He looked away only to pause the movie—a freeze frame of Bella.

Ronnie sat back in horror, watching him examine it . If it wasn't for her restraints, she would've snatched it from him already. Blushing, she frowned, gritting her teeth as her heart raced with embarrassment. 

There was no going back now—not since he'd seen it . If she could've erased it from his mind like her amnesia, she would've.

She hadn’t spent all that much time with Astarion yet, but she already surmised a few of his consistent character traits. 

One: he was an instigator.

Two: he was cunning.

And three: he was opportunistic.

“No,” she denied his allegation, as it was all she could manage in her fragile state of shame—feeling stupid for letting him in; for not putting away her toy properly beforehand.

Her desire crept up on her, its languid grasp much like a boa constrictor. Attempting to ground herself, she shook her head. She knew what was coming next—he wouldn't drop this… wouldn't let her live this down. 

“ Hm ... Good girls don't lie,” he purred, hovering over Ronnie as his shadow cast on her. 

Checkmate.

He had her.

And she felt small under his stare.

“Now—I'm going to give this a little wash, I think, and then I'll be right back.”

Ronnie watched as he waltzed away, past the couch, out of her field of vision, and into the darkness of her kitchen.

Visions of Astarion played in her mind as a needle on vinyl—visions of him “torturing” her with the thing. Her womb throbbed at the idea.

She heard the ominous sound of running water emanating from the kitchen, and then—even more ominously—the footsteps towards her after it stopped.

Astarion—phallus in hand—climbed onto the sofa, facing her. “You must've been in an awful hurry to hide this, considering its location and the remnants that adorned it,” he cooed. “Pray tell—it was within you when I arrived at your door, was it not?”

— How did he...?

Cunning

Opportunistic

Perceptive

Instigator.

Ronnie bit her inner cheek, her brows tensing as she shook her head. Her breath was caught in her chest as her head became weighty on her neck. Instinctively, she laid back, her nape resting on the arm of the couch as she watched him crawl closer, like a feline.

“ Tut tut, Ronnie. You truly are too easy to read, you know,” he teased. “I’ve always wondered: do you think of me when you touch yourself?” 

—Yes, you bastard.

She looked up at him—framed by her thighs—eyes pleading, and excuses stuck on her tongue. 

Her eyes pleaded for mercy—mercy of any breed. All or nothing. But—at this point—she'd prefer the former.

Her thoughts became muddied, snuffing the enervated flames of coherence and obligation.

“Your lips look so pretty when you bite them like that—so... kissable,” he rasped, climbing atop her.

The sudden taste of iron invaded her mouth. She hadn’t realised she was biting her lip—but she’d been biting it hard enough to break skin. 

Ronnie released her lower lip from its toothy restraint, and she saw a flit of something restrained in him when her lip bounced back into place.

The way his palms sunk into the sofa on either side of her made her arch her back expectantly.

He leaned in, and she gasped, feeling his cheekbone fleetingly make contact with hers.

His breath brushed her ear. “You know, Ronnie,” he started, “I wish for you to confide in me—your desires,” he whispered. 

Ronnie's knees neared her shoulders—his hips, hovering inches from hers.

“If it helps, I'll share mine first. Would you like that?” he purred, playing with a lock of her hair.

He rose from her torso, humming low and soft as he watched her, tilting his head condescendingly and sitting on his heels.

And Ronnie felt like something precious was torn from her.

Her skin tingled, yearning for his touch. Astarion's cadence was soothing and his demeanour, benevolent. She let her eyelids fall closed, remembering the safety of his embrace after their first coupling. She'd never felt so cherished before; or at least… not that she could remember.

She wanted it again.

“Tell me,” Ronnie said, her voice trembling with nerves.

“ Hmm... ” He snaked his hand down her shin, leaving sparks in its wake. “I want to roam your body with my touch,” he began. “I want to make you whimper and squirm as I fill you,” he cooed, teasing under her waistband with his fingers. “I want to hear you breathless while I make you come undone.” He splayed his fingers under the hem of her shirt. “Your turn,” he instructed.

Ronnie arched her back, finally finding her breath again as the nerves melted into solace. “I want... your touch,” she whispered. “I want to kiss you again… please ,” she pleaded, rolling her pelvis into his, and—to her delight—finding his hardened length; though, it was imprisoned by his trousers.

Dropping the phallus, he grabbed at her hips and pulled her core to his hardness. “ Mm —there we are. You'll find that I'll reward you for honesty,” he hummed, slotting his fingers under her waistband and pulling her pants off, leaving her fully exposed, scars and all. He leaned into her, caging her in with his elbows. “How innocent of you—to want a kiss; though I'm sure you want more than that,” he whispered, his lips brushing hers as they shared breath.

Ronnie let her lashes flutter shut as she basked in the feeling of his skin—so close to hers. He pressed his forehead into hers—their noses, staggered.

“I'm right, aren't I?” He smooched her experimentally. “You wish to be ravished, don't you?” Teasing, he pecked beside her lips.

Ronnie felt as if her shabby couch had transformed into a cloud as she wrapped her legs around him. Even her disorder felt like a distant axiom, with the way he enveloped her.

“Tell me,” he said, pecking her cheek. “What is it that you truly want?”

Ronnie craned her head forward, capturing his lips, to which he promptly reciprocated. Astarion groaned into her mouth, and she could feel his smile as they kissed. His cunningness was troublesome and inescapable.

She was at a threshold she hadn’t planned to cross with him again, but the safety of her bindings began to feel much like the safety provided by her lithium on the day they’d met—safety that would give consequence to the morrow.

Capitulating, Ronnie pulled from his kiss. “I want…” she breathed, “I want to have sex with you.” She found his lips again, pecking him roughly.

Astarion growled his assent, their lips colliding once more as Ronnie could hear him unbuckling his belt and unzipping his trousers—music to her ears.

Their mouths disconnected with a pop, and Astarion stood to unbutton his shirt. As she'd expected, his body was impeccably toned, and his muscles rippled as he discarded his top on the coffee table.

He slotted his thumbs under his waistband. “What a sight, you are—now that you've given yourself to me, at last,” he teased, relinquishing himself of both his formal trousers and his briefs.

His length sprang free—it was much larger than her meagre toy and it glistened with precum in the television's dim light. She had no recollection of shagging someone with a penis, and, of course, her sexual relationship with Alfira was painfully short-lived. And so, excitation became her, as she laid with her thighs resting on her tummy which bounced ever so slightly as Astarion sat on the couch to pull off his socks.

“You're such a princess, you know?” he teased.

—Princess?

Ronnie tilted her head away, huffing. “ Hmph —I’d be doing more if I wasn't tied up like a... rabid animal.” She scowled.

Astarion threw his head back, chuckling darkly. “That’s not what I meant—and you're tied up like a gift, not a ‘rabid animal’,” he mocked, crawling atop her form. “I'd quite like to unwrap you, my dear.” He tugged at her shirt, easing it through her bindings to crumple just above her breasts. “ Oh —your wound healed beautifully, I see.” He traced his finger beside it, languidly.

“Yeah.” She blushed. “Thanks, again, by the way.”

Astarion quirked up the corner of his mouth as his hands slotted beneath her—one under her back and the other, carding through her hair. He eased her towards him so that her head rested comfortably against the pillow. Consequently, she felt his length brush against her folds. 

“Better?” he asked, peering into her eyes as he caressed her cheek with his thumb.

“Yeah... Thank you,” she said, her eyes, heavy-lidded with desire.

— So courteous.

His face seemed relaxed, except for a barely perceptible intensity in his brow. At last, he descended to her breast with his open maw, flicking her hardened pebble with his tongue. Thumbing her other nipple, he gave her nip a playful bite, causing Ronnie to squeak as he rocked his heavy length between her folds.

He created a trail of small hickies from one breast to the other, thumbing her now-wet nipple. 

Ronnie twirled her pelvis, trying to urge him inwards, but her efforts proved futile.

Groaning, he disconnected from her mound—a string of saliva between them. He kissed her, hungrily sucking on her lower lip and grabbing her waist rough enough to bruise her marred flesh.

Breathless, he pulled away, and Ronnie’s lip bounced back into place. 

“I’m sorry. I seem to be... getting lost in you. Are you okay?” he asked, frantic.

Ronnie welcomed a reasonable level of pain—their first tryst being evidence of that—and his ungentle treatment hadn’t phased her. “I’m good,” she said, attempting a smile to stifle his woes. “Do you want to stop?”

“No,” he said loudly before catching himself. “No. I just... need to keep my teeth to myself, that's all,” he scolded himself, looking away.

“ Hm —I don't mind. Don't worry,” she hummed. “I like it.”

He sighed, closing his eyes as he held her waist. He snaked his hands under her bottom, and crouched, lifting her core to his mouth. He relaxed in his position as he began lapping at her clit, sticking a thumb inside her as he licked and held her up with his forearm. 

Sucking on her bud, he removed his thumb, only to replace it with two digits which he pumped into her at a consistent pace. Astarion closed his eyes, his brows furrowing as he feasted on her like a starved man—lewd, wet sounds emanating from his tongue and lips.

Ronnie's thighs tensed as she approached her climax—breathing heavily, pliable in his grasp.

He placed the flat of his tongue on her, working her similarly to her toy, but—of course—better, as it was Astarion. Astarion, who she'd been restraining herself from since after their first coupling—denying herself the pleasure out of trepidation... because she didn't want to hurt him. But, with her wrapped up, he could more than handle her— devour her. 

One last raucous emission—deep from within Astarion's chest—was enough to break the bough, splintering Ronnie into broken cries of release.

She went limp entirely, his fingers still working inside her, and his tongue relenting before he removed his face. "That's it," he murmured, " good girl." He spread his digits apart inside her. "You're going to take my cock so well, Ronnie. You're doing so well," he said, kissing her clit ravenously and making her hips lurch as she panted, overstimulated from her orgasm. 

Chuckling darkly, he let up, grabbing her thighs and parting them as he aligned himself with her weeping nethers. He sunk into her slowly, allowing her to stretch and adjust to his size as his tip hugged her cervix. “See? You were made for me,” he purred, setting a dilatory pace. “ Really. I should have kept you tied up for me to fuck whenever I pleased the day we met—kept you hidden away for my own personal use—my little prisoner,” he rasped, snapping into her. “You would like that, wouldn’t you—to be my cherished fuck slave?” His rutting quickened.

“Yeah,” she whined, picturing herself, his bound and subservient personal whore. Astarion truly had a way of plucking the right strings, as if he knew exactly what would make her sing for him.

Nobody had ever done that before.

He used her hips as leverage, rotating them forward so that her back arched and he could thrust into her at the right angle. “You wish to be mine to fill whenever I want, I know it. You want me to spill inside you and coat your womb with my seed—to be fucked until you’re swollen and sore from my cock,” he rasped.

Eyes wet, Ronnie nodded, messy with perspiration as she cried her assent.

“ Good girl. See what happens when you’re honest?” he praised, sucking his fingers and then dutifully reaching them to rub her clit. 

Ronnie moaned through gritted teeth as she watched him work her, feeling awfully stuffed by his member—so long and wide and pressing up into where she felt it most.

With a snap of his hips, he sheathed himself fully, stilling as he worshipped her bud with a rapidly moving hand. “I want to feel you cum on me, darling. Cum on me, and you’ll get your reward,” he said,  warming his pulsing girth in her channel.

Tears flowed from Ronnie’s eyes, and her muscles flexed as she felt him twitching inside of her. She let go, weeping, watching him choke out an undignified moan as she quivered around him, violently clutching him with her climax.

Astarion squeezed his eyes shut as he finished with her clit, allowing himself to move again. Grabbing the backs of her thighs, he pushed her knees towards her chest, forcing her to fold in half. Watching himself stretch her folds, he would languidly pull out—almost completely, leaving only his tip sheathed—before thrusting back in with punishing snaps of his hips. Ronnie's bound body was no match, as it was forced up with each sloppy pound of his pelvis.

His lips pulled into a satisfied smirk, watching her bounce haplessly. All she could do was take it; it was everything she wanted since she began to crave him. Her body and mind's reaction to his ruthless sexual treatment came as a surprise to her, as she'd only ever been with the kind and gentle or selfish types; or at least, that's all she could recall. 

His grip on her thighs was pressuresome and wild—sure to mark her skin. Her back rubbed against the rough polymer texture of the cheap couch as he slammed into her, his smirk faltered as his breathing became more erratic. 

Again, he slowed. “Does the princess want to be filled with my cum?” he asked, condescendingly. Entering her fully, he began twirling his hips teasingly so that his girth would compress against every bit of her inner walls in a venerated circle. “Honesty, my dear. What have we learned?”

Ronnie felt entirely debauched with her damp, limp body and her humiliating whines. She wanted to get him back for his incessant teasing, but the euphoria was overwhelming. He must’ve been close, she could tell by the way he kept stopping. So she clenched her lower muscles, squeezing him inside her—babbling out a broken cry of agreement as she took her revenge by bestowing pleasure.

As she'd expected, his composure shattered momentarily at that. He began slurring curses, and leaning in—resting his elbows at her sides. Kissing a line from her lips to her neck, he sucked her skin into his mouth. His rhythm picked up—hard and fast as he chased his climax.

Ronnie closed her eyes, tilting her head, and allowing him to ravish. Although he was glistening with sweat, his cologne still whelmed her, relaxing her as he speared her over and over. She flinched when she felt a sharp and sudden pain on her throat, where he was creating hickeys, but it quickly faded. Unbothered, she let him continue, as she loved the feel of his lips and tongue anywhere on her body.

She wished she could wrap her arms around him, embrace him how he’d embraced her, and she mused about doing so the next time they were somewhere less secluded. 

For now, she pressed her legs into his sides as he slammed into her, emptying himself at last. But he was unrelenting with his latch on her throat. Pity, she wanted to see his o-face, but she revelled in the feeling of his churning tongue on her neck.

Fully within her, he muffled a whine on her skin before tearing his maw from her and licking her where he had placed the bruising kiss. “Shit,” he whispered, pumping into her before lifting his torso from hers and admiring their entanglement, frowning and grunting. 

He thrust into her once more before pulling out, covered in their combined fluids. Sitting back, he stared at his mess for a moment, leaning his side on the back of the sofa and quirking a brow. 

“Are you okay, my dear?” he checked in.

And he massaged her knee…

The reverence…

The tenderness…

It felt like… like nothing she’d ever felt before. 

And she wanted it to last forever.

“I’m good, yeah.” She swallowed, nodding with the smallest smile as if she didn’t just experience a drug-like euphoria because of what they’d just done.

She had to be cool… 

She had to be calm…

He hung his sweaty head, shaking it as he laughed. “Do you remember how I told you that there were things I couldn't disclose to you yet?” he said, his voice quiet and benevolent; although you could hear his smile when he spoke. “I seem to have created a situation that requires my transparency.”

꧁꧂

Read Next Chapter>>

[nomoreusername]

Caption Gally (Part 3)

Pairing:Gally x female reader

Summary:After your last interaction leaves him lost, Gally tries and figure out what you actually feel.

I still can't believe it. Y/N seriously just slapped me before kissing me. What the shuck was that about?

Then, I saw Minho's face, and I knew he had something to do with it.

"Minho. What did you tell her?"I asked frantically.

"Whatever do you mean?"He asked in a tone that says he did something.

"What did you do?"I repeated.

"Why would you assume that? Is it because she just walked up and kissed you?"He asked as if it would be anything else.

"Minho. You have three seconds to tell me,"I warned.

"Okay. She was talking about you so much that I accidentally told her your secret,"He admitted. Except, his face said he did it on purpose.

"Why would you do that?"I asked in disbelief.

"Easy. She wouldn't shut up about you. It's obvious you two have some feelings for each other so I helped out. You're welcome,"He shrugged.

"No. That is not something to be thankful for. What is your problem?"I questioned.

"Oh please. You two shanks are always talking about each other. Plus, she kissed you, didn't she?"He reminded me.

"That's not the point,"I scowled.

"Sure it is. See you at dinner or not,"He shrugged, jogging off. I swear I am going to strangle him.

♡ - - - ♡

Three days. It had been three days since Y/N had decided to waltz up and kiss me, and she was pretending nothing happened. I was only more confused now. What was the point of that?

Which is why I didn't even bother with the fight ring on Greenie night. I just had to find her. I don't know what I would say, but I'd figure it out. I always do.

Except, it seemed like I'd have a while to do so because as I looked around she was nowhere to be found. She pops up at the most inconvenient times, but the one time I'm looking to actually speak to her she just vanishes into thin air.

"Y/N's hanging out by the Maze walls,"Minho spoke up, coming out of nowhere. Once again, everyone but her is around me.

"What?"I asked.

"Y/N, you're looking for her,"He stated. Not asking. No. This shank was positive I was looking for her. He was right, but that's not the important thing to focus on. "She's by the Maze walls. Specifically, the East one,"He added.

I stared at him in a way that said I blame him for this mess. He was unaffected as he walked off.

I stood there before taking a breath. Each step filled me with dread, but I had to talk to her. Even if the thought makes me sick to my stomach there's not exactly another choice, is there?

No. There isn't.

Despite this I dragged my feet the entire way there. As promised she was sitting on the ground leaning against the wall. For a second I thought she was actually asleep.

"What's up Captain Gally?"

I guess not.

"I feel like you should know what's up,"I pointed out.

"Maybe I do. Maybe I don't,"She shrugged.

"Are you actually going to make me say it?"

"Say what Captain Gally?"She asked, feigning ignorance. She is so incredibly frustrating sometimes, and this is probably at the top of the list.

"First, you hit me-"

"I hit you all the time,"She interrupted.

"You know what? This is pointless. I'm going to-"

"I'm sorry for hitting you,"She spoke up. "But I'm not sorry for kissing you. This time not because I wanted to get under your skin. I like you Gally. I really, really like you,"She confessed.

I didn't have the best idea of what to do in this situation. I guess this isn't something I could just figure out. You can't exactly plan for having feelings, can you?

"I really like you too,"I settled on. It was simple, but it was the truth. There's nothing more powerful than that.

Except for love, but we'll get there when we get there. I'm in no rush to see where this leads. For once I'm just looking excited about what's happening in the moment.

[p4nishers]

i need content of codywan that just started working together like the first few months where their dynamic is cody barely resisting the urge to strangle his general and obi wan being like. already fucking head over heels for him.

like cody was expecting someone highly impressive based on his records so he obviously is excited to work with him cause his batchmates already met him on kamino and genosis and they all liked him which was, looking back, probably a prank on codys sanity and his bastard gremlin vode were absulately dying laughing at him. anyway so he obviously has high expectations and then this slutty "hello there" mf turns up with no self-preservation whatsoever, a feral demon child of a padawan, half the republic tailing him for every bullshit imaginable and beef with EVERY SINGLE SITH EVER???? WHICH HE SOLVES BY ???? FUCKING FLIRTING WITH THEM????? so you can imagine codys not having a great time.

meanwhile, obi wan daydreams about cody constantly. draws up their wedding invitations before even meeting him. praises him every opportunity he gets. kicks his feet and giggles about codys sarcastic comments ABOUT HIM while being in a room with CODY. stops talking in the middle of his sentence when he spots cody across the room and waves at him with the biggest smile possible. sets up regular sparring practices with the vode just so he MIGHT have an opportunity to be close to cody. labels the time when cody accidentally fell on him because of an explosion and touched his lips for 0.00001 milliseconds as their first kiss and gossips about it to quinlan. calls bant regularly to update her on everything cody does ever. buys every kind of tea and caf he can afford as an excuse to talk to cody and go into his courters. flirts with cody 24/7 and blushes tomato red when cody smirks at him and thinks about it so much he constantly walks into walls and tables and chairs and shinies and. breaks a table after cody stubs his toe into it. passes the fuck out when cody carries him this one (1) time, not bc of blood loss or anything simply too much attraction. constantly searches the force for codys signature even when they're not in the same system. calls him disgustingly sappy petnames in every other sentence. corners all of codys batchmates and asks thousands of questions about cody bc he cannot get them out of the man for the life of him and yes, wolffe, he absulately will die without knowing codys favorite color what kind of question is that. cody smiles once a month and obi wan thanks him everytime. cody hands him back his lightsaber for the first time and he proposes, loudly, cody ignores him completely and walks away. convinces anakin and ahsoka to drop "subtle" hints that he would be a good husband.

and everyone around them is having the time of their life watching codys right eye twitch whenever he's in a room with kenobi long enough while the man himself doesn't take his eyes off the commander during the entire 4 hour meeting and blushes everytime cody looks at him without a fail. cody barely refrains from throwing his datapad at his general when he suggests some self-sacrificing bullshit again.

it's truly like:

obi wan, beaming and eyes possibly gleaming with adoration: hello there, cody. how are you today?

cody, grinding his teeth together: fine, sir. wanted to talk to you about this report cause it's seems to be mistaken. surely, you're not thinking of blowing yourself up just so that TWO man, who are not even in any immediate danger whatsoever, can escape. right?

obi wan, brightening even further bc he loves their daily "banter": oh but of course, my dear, they're valuable men and anyway, i promised anakin he'd get to use the explosives this time.

cody, right eye starting to twitch horribly: right, of course, stupid of me to ask. one more thing, general, you wouldn't decommission me for anything i do, would you, sir ?

obi wan: what– darling, of course not. why would you–

cody: alright then [punches obi wan then walks away]

obi wan:

obi wan: i'm so in love with that man.

it's said that to this day obi wan still giggles in the most inappropriate times about that punch because cody was SO HANDSOME YOU DONT GET IT MACE THE LIGHT HIT HIM JUST RIGHT AND–

anyway codys hatred lasts till obi wan saves rex by putting himself in danger and when they get back, both bruised and bloody but amazingly alive and obi wan smiles at him like he always does with rex draped across his scarred shoulder, something in cody just settles and thinks. oh. oh. so this is what bly was talking about.

[whumpflash]

Penumbra: Unchained

for Angstpril, Day 5: (alt) Serious Injury

cw: torture, hand whump, general brutality, broken bones

previous ///// masterlist ///// next

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Two priests, each trained in truth and the magic of the mind, were but a few days' journey away, and Cerus remained as stubborn as ever.

The fallen king had been a prisoner for weeks now, denied all but that which kept him alive and under constant abuse at the hands of the guards. Beaten and tortured, then healed only to have the cycle start anew. And despite it all, he refused to yield even an inch.

Every time Nisha removed the bit, they were met with curses and threats and insults. It didn't matter if they were asking questions or offering sustenance. Cerus would not bow.

Though they knew the soon-to-arrive priests would take care of the kingdom's worries of blood magic, Nisha still felt as if they'd failed at their task. Granted, they knew it wasn't wholly their fault. Breaking a man took time, especially someone so steeped in pride and immorality as Cerus, but despite that, they wished they could've given the holy mages someone more…pliable to work with.

Perhaps they still could.

The Shadow King was lying on his back when Nisha entered the cell, chained limbs still spread wide to further restrict movement. His torso and thighs were littered with scourge marks from the previous night's session, half-healed by a mage to keep him from sinking too far into delirium. Weeks of meager food and near-immobilization had left his body visibly weakened, and one would be hard pressed to find even an inch of unbruised skin.

"Our time together is drawing to a close, you know," Nisha said, kneeling to remove the bit in Cerus's mouth. "In a matter of days, your fate will be decided. How does that make you feel?"

"I'll strike your men down the moment I step out of this cell. And I'll save you for last so you can watch them d—nghhh!"

Nisha dug a finger into one of the gashes over his ribcage, turning his threat into a strangled scream.

"And why haven't you struck down any of my men yet, hm? Biding your time?"

"If I weren't in chains you wouldn't dare be so bold," Cerus snapped.

Suddenly, Nisha had an idea. "Then perhaps I'll remove them and prove you wrong," they said.

"You are a fool."

"Perhaps." They stood, moving to the gauntlets that rendered Cerus's hands immobile, and began to unlatch them. The Shadow King flexed weak fingers as Nisha removed each metal glove, seemingly at a loss for words.

"You're mad," he said at last. "What are you hoping to achieve?"

"I only wish to see if you're capable of following through with your promises."

"Unchain me and see."

"Not yet."

Nisha made a point to take off the blindfold before moving to the wall of implements and selecting a heavy cudgel. They decided to leave the bit out. They wanted to see if Cerus was capable of begging after all.

The fallen king's face went ashen when he saw the weapon in Nisha's hands, and they relished the barely-concealed fear in his eyes.

"What are you doing?" Cerus said. It sounded more like a threat than a question, but Nisha didn't care, encroaching slowly, silently on their target.

"What are you doing?" Cerus demanded again, louder, more desperate.

"If I'm going to remove your chains, I need to ensure you can't run away," Nisha said plainly, stopping at Cerus's feet, raising the cudgel over a pale, bruised shin, and bringing it down just above the ankle.

The crunch wasn't unlike a sound they'd heard in battle, the scream that followed much the same. The only difference was how both sounds cut through the quiet in the cell, undiluted.

Once Cerus's screams died out, Nisha moved to the other leg, waiting for the look of horror to cross the chained man's face, the realization that it was going to happen again, before bringing the cudgel down a second time.

The resulting scream was just as rewarding as the first had been, something gutteral, animalistic. More than Nisha had been able to drag out of him so far. As before, they waited for the screams to soften before moving on. This time, to Cerus's exposed right hand.

Enclosed as his hands had been, they were unmarred, looking out of place compared to the rest of his body. Nisha would remedy that.

Cerus's eyes were wild with pain and fear, body shaking and straining against the chains, as if he were capable of doing anything to save himself. Nisha tapped the hand gently, as if marking their target, then raised the cudgel high in the air—

"D-don't— stop, stop, or you'll regret this night—" Cerus gasped out. Still making threats. What a pity.

Nisha brought their weapon crashing down onto the hand, and then, when the first strike didn't quite satisfy, hit it again, drawing another inhuman shriek from Cerus. And as Nisha moved to stand next to their final target—

"No, please, please stop, please!" The words came out as sobs, barely intelligible, but they left Nisha grinning broadly. A victory at last.

They raised the cudgel—

"Please! Please!"

—and brought it down, twice in quick succession. 

They drank in Cerus's ragged whimpers as they hung the cudgel back in its place, then moved to unlock the manacles that bound him.

His chest heaved as they moved from shackle to shackle, unclasping each in turn.

"What— why?" He barely got the words out.

"You're unchained," Nisha said. "Strike me down."

Cerus didn't respond, shaking arms folding in to cradle shattered hands to his chest, legs curling as he rolled onto his side with a great effort, eyes glazed over with pain.

"Strike me down," Nisha repeated, not taking his silence as an answer. They delivered a hard kick to Cerus's torso, then another. A scream tore itself from the man's throat as their foot connected with his wrist.

"Will you?" They continued their assault, heedless of Cerus's choked cries. "Will you?"

When at last they stopped, they were panting heavily, sweat trickling down the back of their neck. Nisha swallowed.

"I thought not." They ran a hand through their hair, tucking wayward strands back. "Count yourself lucky that the priests are expecting answers, or I would've cut out your tongue too."

They left without reattaching his chains; a small mercy. 

He'd be back in them soon enough.

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@whumpwillow @rabbitdrabbles @kixngiggles

[driftingmoonmenace]

Hello you wonderful creature! I snagged a couple different ones for variety in case your mood leans one way or another. Definitely not meaning for all three. "This is the third time youve broken a promise to me. Im staring to think it's on purpose." ---"You said you wouldn't fall in love with me." "I lied."---"I am nothing if not consistent!" "Yeah, a consistent pain in my ass."

"This is the third time you've broken a promise to me. I'm staring to think it's on purpose."

OOF I might've had a little too much fun with this! 🙈💦 LMAO BUT UH YEAH here's a little spicy Club AU drabble! Also thank you for the writing prompts!!

(CW suggestive themes)

Hands lightly ghosted up your chest and over your shoulders causing a shiver to run up your spine. This wasn't your first rodeo but it didn't stop you from getting flustered each time it happened. It was obvious you were inexperienced to this sort of thing.

It was for a good cause. At least that's what you kept telling yourself.

Arms casually wrapped themselves around your neck as the solar-themed animatronic slid into your lap. A coy smile gracing his lips. Your hands gripped the arms of the large, plush armchair in desperation. Knuckles turning white. You would have started to question yourself why you were doing this again, but you were too preoccupied.

"This is the third time you've broken your promise to me, Little Bird." His voice low, dripping with sweetness that couldn't give you even the slightest hint if he was upset or not, as he ran a hand through your hair. Fingers delicately giving your scalp a small massage that made your eyes want to droop closed. "I'm staring to think it's on purpose."

This pulled you out of your lull and your eyes looked up to him, almost pleading for forgiveness or maybe just some reprieve. "I'm sorry, I just..." You paused trying to remain calm as hovering hips started to sway.

He was doing his job. You paid for this.

"I-I wanted to see you again..." It came out strangled and just above a whisper. You were just digging yourself into a hole at this point. A chuckle crackled from his voice box. His body leaning more towards yours and hips coming close. So, so close.

God, your being pathetic. Are you sure you're even here for the same reason you keep telling yourself?

"A-actually I...I just want to ta-" You were silenced when an arm was slipped from your shoulder to place a finger to your lips.

"Shhh, I know what you want." His finger ever so tantalizingly dragged from your lips to settle the hand on your chest for balance as he pulled away from you. Hips slowly rolling and bucking as his other hand was placed on his midriff and sinking lower. So close. Ever so close.

You dragged your eyes away to look up at him again, getting lost in his sultry gaze and ministrations. Words and thoughts were long gone now. Damn him.

No, no, no that's not why you're here! Stop!

"Wait!" Your hands flew to his thighs, causing him to stop abruptly. Sun looked down at you in surprise. Isn't this what you wanted?

"I want to talk to you!"

Sun quickly regained his composure and gently plucked your hands away to place them back where they were before, that smile returning to his face once again. "Sorry, Little Bird, you can't touch but...."

Arms wrapped themselves around your neck once more as he brought his face just inches from yours. Eyes lidded but full of curiosity. "I'm listening."

[jxtina-86]

Bound To You

You always know exactly what I want, even if I don't know it myself. Seth/Siobhan  See here for the rest of the series/order to read.

Warning: Language/Smut incl. Bondage

Rating: MA

The apartment door closes behind me and I lean against it with a sigh. Home.

My purse slides down my arm and I catch the handle at the last second, slinging my keys inside before I dump it on the floor. My blazer is next as I move away from the door towards the bedroom, stripping as I go, desperate to get in the shower and clean off the travel stink that clings to me. By the time I reach the bathroom, I'm down to my bra and panties, my fingers tugging at my hairband. Minutes later, my eyes closed as the water beats down on my face, soaking my hair. 

The only thing missing is Seth. I could really do with his arms curling around me right now, his chin on my shoulder as he whispers in my ear. His days off are few and far between at the moment. And when we get them, we strangle the life out of them, clinging to each other as the hours race past and I'm struggling to keep it together as I watch him pack his bag for another stretch on the road. It doesn't matter how long we've been together, it never gets any easier.

I sometimes wonder what I would do without friends like Lex and Becca. Even though we're displaced all over the country, there's something comforting in knowing that I'm not alone. All three of us know what it's like to devote time and effort to a man that's hardly ever in the same city, let alone the same apartment as us. We know what it's like to sustain a relationship using any means possible, whether that's phone calls, texts or just our imaginations. I never realised how much I'd need that support network – I thought I was as independent as they come, but even the most independent of us need a little help along the way.

I watched Lex do this for a long time before Seth and I gave it a go. Her resilience is admirable and I constantly questioned if I had the same determination to see this through. I couldn't imagine getting into a relationship with someone I would hardly see.

Somehow Seth changed my mind. And I don't regret it for one second. Even when the going gets tough, something pushes me to fight for what we have. I've realised why Lex was so hell bent on making it work with Roman. Because I want the same thing to happen with Seth. Life without him just isn't an option anymore. The thought makes my heart pound nervously, my throat tightening as I imagine what that would be like. 

I blink away the stream of water, pushing those thoughts to the back of my mind. But it won't stop them from creeping up on me again. I'm still scared. Scared that I'm going to fuck this up again. I came so close before and even though it was months ago, it still hangs over me, constantly taunting me. It's an ever present reminder of not only how much of a bitch I can be, but how forgiving Seth is. If the roles were reversed, I wonder if I could forgive as easily as he did. I was astounded by the way he brushed the whole incident aside. He never once let it come back to bite me in the ass, though I'm sure I gave him enough reason to at the time.

But I guess that's what love is. Knowing when to forgive and forget. And to be fair, the whole incident has made us stronger, made us more determined to make this work. Without it, maybe we wouldn't be here today. Maybe I wouldn't be in the process of moving the last boxes from my apartment. Maybe I wouldn't be spending my weekends unpacking and fitting my own possessions amongst his. 

I took the plunge and gave notice on my old apartment two weeks ago. Just like he'd done all those months ago, Seth managed to convince me that this worth a shot, despite of my fears. I don't know if I will ever rid myself of those fears, but with him, anything seems possible. But now, I have no safety net. Now I'm clinging to him, grasping at the promises he made to me in that hotel room and praying that I don't fall. Or at least, I don't fall without him.

Scrubbing my hands over my face, I pause as my fingers brush against my lips. I can't help the small smile that graces my face as I pull back my hands and stare at one finger in particular. The feeling of his lips pressed against the base still remains with me. The sincerity in his eyes and voice sent a shiver down my spine and even the memory still causes my skin to tingle today. His words hung in the air as I struggled to think what to say in response. His fingers slid between mine, tugging my arm up and over his shoulder as he moved closer, his forehead resting against mine as he repeated his words.

“One day.”

Despite the path of our conversation, I never once thought it would end in him promising me that. Scrap that – it's more like, in spite of our conversation, he still promised me that. After all, I had essentially told him that I didn't know if I wanted marriage or children. Yet there he as, still offering me that if I wanted it.

And I meant what I said. I wasn't saying no. I just needed time to think it through.

I'm barely getting my head around Lex and Roman's news. Whilst I'm beyond pleased for them both, there is a tiny tremor of uncertainty. I barely see Lex as it is. Add a baby into the mix and that leaves very little time for other things and Roman has to come first. I get that. I really do. But I don't want to lose my friend.

I feel sick with selfishness, frowning at myself for even thinking these thoughts. But that's what happens. I've seen it before with colleagues – a baby comes into their lives and those without cease to exist in their world. Things they once had in common are irrelevant and the conversation dries up. It can happen so easily, even for those friends who live in the same city. Lex and I barely scrape enough time for a text or phone call and we only seem to see each other when our paths cross at shows.

Yet when I see her, I forget that it's been weeks or months. We slip back into the same old routine, the familiar back and forth. Only last time, when I was back to sort out my apartment and she was visiting her mom, there was a visible bump on display, her hand caressing it tenderly as she joked and laughed. She glowed too. It was the same old Lex, just with an extra kick. It gave me hope that nothing will change.

Although maybe it will, but in a good way. Maybe it'll make me realise that I want that with Seth too. It astounded me that he thought about our future. Call me naïve but I didn't think guys thought that way. Rightly or wrongly, I thought that if anyone would be starting to have those thoughts, it would be me. But no, we swap roles and I'm the one who freaks out at the mention of getting serious.

We haven't spoken about it since. It was like we both made a conscious effort to not let things get too serious the next day. He snuck in a workout before I woke up and then we didn't leave the hotel room until absolutely necessary. I barely made it to the airport in time for my flight back to Iowa. It felt good to just have a day of nothing. Well, nothing mixed into never-ending kisses and slow, teasing touches that escalated more than once.

I feel like we need more of that. More of the slow. More of the gentle. Everything is always so rushed and heated. We're too frantic for our own good, racing to push each other to climax so we can start over again and again until there is no more time left. I love when we leave the apartment. It reminds me what it was like at the beginning, when everything was still fresh and new, that part of a relationship where you're always discovering something new about the other person. I like sitting in bars with him, watching him out of the corner my eye and wondering how I ended up so fucking lucky. I like the way his hand will always find mine without even looking, how his fingers will always brush against my thigh at least once under the table if we're at dinner. I love how when I get up to go to the bathroom or go to the bar for more drinks, I can feel his eyes watching me go. I love how on the way back to the car, he'll always try to steal kisses from me, pressing me up against the car itself, too eager for his own good.

I shut off the shower, a warm glow spreading through me as I remember that tomorrow I will have all of that in real life, not just in my head. And due to his recent hectic schedule, I'm fortunate enough to get him for longer than usual – extra vacation days a reward for his hard work and my patience. He suggested going away, escaping for a few days but I'd rather just be here. I like waking up in our bed together, I like wandering around the apartment and hearing his voice and seeing his bare back as he brews coffee and then sneaks his arms around me for a morning kiss. And sure, we can do that anywhere, but it always feels more luxurious here than elsewhere. Because whilst for some, that would be a regular, everyday occurrence, for me it isn't. And I savour the moments that we get to be normal.

My phone rings as I exit the bathroom and I have to run back to the lounge to extract it from my purse. I can't help the wide grin as I see his name flash up on the screen.

“Hey,” I answer, breathlessly.

“Sounds like I caught you at a bad time,” he chuckles.

“Is your mind always in the gutter, Rollins?”

“Don't act like you don't love it,” he shoots back as I head back to the bedroom.

“Fine, you got me,” I laugh. “Hate to spoil your fun, but you rang just as I got out of the shower.”

“That ain't spoiling my fun, sweetheart,” he drawls with another chuckle. “Quite the opposite in fact.”

I sit on the bed, lying back on the soft sheets as I chew my lip for a second, toying with whether to provoke or tease him. “Showering is only fun when you're with me.”

“Damn straight.” He pauses and I distinctly hear him lick his lips. My thighs instantly tighten, a cool shiver floating down my spine as he takes a shallow breath. “I just can't keep my hands to myself when you're all naked and wet.”

“I really hope you're alone right now.”

There's another pause. “I can be.”

“Seth!”

“What?” I can almost hear the cocky grin spreading across his face. “I'm messing with you.”

“So, you rang me. What's up?”

“Just checking in. So, are you really naked and wet?”

“Seth...”

“See, I got this image of you in my head now and I can't seem to shift it.”

“Se–”

“And you answering the phone all breathless and saying my name over and over again... Well, that ain't helping either, sweetheart,” he continues, his voice gaining an all too familiar rasp. The sound that creeps into his tone when he's crawling over me or scooping me back into his lap from behind. “Fuck, I've missed you.”

“Missed you too,” I whisper. “I was thinking of you earlier.”

“Yeah?”

“In the shower,” I admit. All thoughts of why he was originally calling have gone. I don't know if this was his intention or a happy coincidence but that voice of his is fucking with my mind and body.

“Go on,” he prompts.

“Like you say, it's more fun when you're with me.”

“How so?”

I close my eyes and think back to the last time he joined me in there. I swallow thickly as I realise it was probably one of the last times we saw each other before this stretch apart. The morning that he left in fact. We both had early starts that day, both heading to the airport but on flights to opposite sides of the country. He'd reached past me for the shower gel and I had pulled his arm around me before I could stop myself.

“Siobhan,” he prompts softly and I wonder if he's realised why I've gone quiet.

“Yeah?”

“You okay?”

“Yes,” I say, the single word forced from my mouth before my real emotions can betray me.

He chuckles quietly. “You tasted so damn sweet that morning.”

My stomach flips.

“You think I haven't been replaying that morning over and over again?” he continues. “Fuck, sweetheart, it's what's been keeping me going for the last few weeks. The thought of coming home, crawling over you... Down you... Eating you...”

I bite back the moan that's threatening to break loose, only to let out a wanton whimper instead as I remember twisting in his arms, pulling his mouth to mine. My fingers tangled in his wet hair as he backed me up against the shower wall, his hands skimming over my sides to squeeze my hips, my ass. His dick was already hard against my stomach as I curled one leg around his thigh and brazenly humped, silently willing him to fuck me hard and fast.

But he took his sweet time. A cocky grin gracing his face as he pulled back and pushed my arms above my head, holding them in place with one hand as his other slipped between my legs. He made a big show of licking his fingers clean, his eyes closing as he moaned at the taste.

My mind is starting to fuzz, Seth's voice distant as I remember his mouth on my breasts, my stomach, my thigh. His hand gripping my leg as he pushed it over his shoulder, his breath hot against my clit. Every lick, suck, nip was slow and controlled. It was torture, my grip on his head tightening with every teasing stroke he made with his tongue.

“... Not this time though...” Seth's voice cuts into my thoughts.

“Not this time?” I question hesitantly, not willing to give away the fact that I've been day-dreaming about that morning rather than listen to him tell me what his plans are for us tomorrow.

This time there's a slight edge to his chuckle, an edge that makes my thighs clamp together as heat starts to pool in my stomach. “This time I'm not giving up so easily.”

“Giving up?” I frown at the ceiling.

“I'm not gonna stop, sweetheart. Not matter how much you want me to.”

“I...”

“I'm gonna pin those fucking legs to the bed and eat you out until you scream yourself hoarse.”

Fuck.

“Pin down those hands of yours too,” he adds, the sly grin that's blatantly gracing his face obvious in his tone. “No way are you gonna be able to stop me, sweetheart.”

“Seth...” I manage to exhale, squirming on the bed, desperately trying to keep my nerve as the thought of my thighs on his shoulders clouds my mind, his hands gripping mine as his hair tickles my skin whilst his tongue slowly laps at my entrance.

“That sound good?” He whispers breathlessly and I wonder what he's doing. The thought of him fisting his dick as he talks to me causes that previously held back moan to finally break free. He laughs darkly in response. “I take that as a yes, sweetheart.”

My tongue darts across my dry lips as I stammer out my agreement.

“We ain't leaving that bed for a long time,” he whispers, his voice taking on a slightly softer tone than before. But not for long. A deep chuckle rumbles through the phone. “Well, at least I'm gonna make damn sure you can't.”

My mind, which has until this point been working at breakneck speed, suddenly screeches to a halt. “What do you mean?”

“That would be telling, sweetheart. You really want me to spoil the surprise?”

I pout at the ceiling, my stubbornness fighting to the surface. “You don't play fair, Rollins.”

“There was a time where you didn't play fair either.”

I frown for a second, before realisation dawns on me. “I gave you what you wanted in the end. And don't deny that you didn't enjoy every second of the build up.”

“I told you I'd get my revenge one day,” he reminds me. “And you know revenge is best served cold.”

“Ice cold in your case,” I shoot back. “That happened almost a year ago.”

“And I've never forgotten it. You sliding all over me, your fucking ass bouncing in my face... On my dick...” He lets out a soft groan at the memory and I'm right there with him.

He makes me feel like a fucking goddess at the best of the times, but that was probably the one time I felt like one even before he saw me. I remember standing in the bathroom, staring at my reflection, watching my hand shaking as I took a long sip of wine. I remember wondering why the hell was I doing this, why couldn't I just think of a regular anniversary gift rather than doing something so stupid. And then I took the plunge, opened the door and my nerves vanished with one look from Seth. The entire time he was shifting in his chair, his hands scraping along his thighs, swallowing thickly as I taunted him with my movements. Heat radiated from his skin as I touched him and his kiss was searing at the end, his words rough, his touch determined as he showed me exactly what effect I had on him.

“And I've never forgotten that I was due some payback for that as well.”

“Well, you've had enough time to think about it,” I tease with a grin. “This better be worth the wait.”

“Trust me, it will.”

There's a brief pause. Down the line, there's a loud knock at a door, a muffled voice calling through, followed by a muttered 'shit' from Seth.

“I gotta go,” he says with a heavy sigh. “Some people have impeccable timing.”

“Go,” I tell him. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

I can practically hear the grin that spreads across his face. “Can't wait, sweetheart.”

“I love you,” I whisper as I hear him stand, a chair scraping across the floor.

“Love you too, sweet dreams.”

Silence. I stare at the phone in my hand, his singular image replaced by one of the two of us taken down in Tampa whilst stopping over at Lex and Roman's. I'm perched on Seth's lap as we sit in the backyard, my face scrunched up with laughter, my nose pressed against his cheek as he pulls a face at the camera. He has one hand around my waist, his fingers disappearing under the hem of my shirt, the other casually caressing my bare leg. I shiver at the thought of his calloused fingers dragging across my skin tomorrow.

I close my eyes and I'm right there in the hallway, pinned against the wall in a never-ending kiss, his hands pushing under my shirt as I claw at his arms, his hair, his neck, anchoring him to me in anyway possible. I bite my lip in anticipation.

Sweet dreams indeed.

**

The sheets and blankets hug me close as I twist beneath them, my eyes remaining forcibly shut as I fight the urge to wake up. I snuggle deeper into the bed, my head burying between the pillows as I breathe in deeply and catch a faint whiff of Seth's aftershave. A small smile tugs at my lips, my mind starting to slip back into slumber. My leg automatically shifts as I'm pulled into a world where he's already lying beside me and said leg is curling over his, waiting for his hand to brush against my knee and rock me slowly onto my side where he can claim my mouth in a lazy, breathless kiss.

A soft click disturbs my dream and I frown into the pillow as the image of Seth disappears and is replaced by the harsh reality that I'm waking up alone. I curse early rising neighbours as I open one eye and cast a bleary look towards the curtains which are slowly turning lighter from the rising sun.

A rustle beyond the bedroom door makes me freeze. I hold my breath as the rustling sounds moves closer, the door creaking quietly. My heart is pounding, my brain fighting with my nerves as I somersault from one thought to another as I sense someone behind me, next to the bed, staring down at me as I hide beneath the sheets.

Cool air slides across my neck as the sheets are slowly tugged from my grasp. A familiar scent invades my senses and my fear immediately subsides.

“Seth! What the fuck?!” I twist furiously to face him, but I only catch a glimpse of his arm, tanned and muscular, before his large hand slides over my eyes. “What the–”

His chuckles sends a shiver down my spine. “Good morning to you too.”

My hand scrambles against his, tugging at his fingers, but he refuses to let them slip from my face. “What's with the creeping?” I scowl into the darkness.

“I wasn't creeping. I didn't realise you were awake.” His warm breath tickles my cheek. “I was planning to wake you up in a very different way...”

His lips brush against mine, slow and purposeful. The hand still remains over my eyes, shielding my view as I feel the sheets being pushed away, the cool air hitting my bare breasts. I try to help him, desperate to feel him, all of him, pressed against me. But my assistance is refused, my hands knocked softly back onto the mattress.

I feel him shift above me, his jean-clad thigh brushing against my side, the roughness making me twitch, my body involuntarily twisting away. But rather than a sighed frown, my response makes him snicker and his fingers rub soothingly against my temple as he continues to block my vision with his palm.

“What did I tell you last night?” His voice has that same rasp from our late night conversation and my body reacts in the same way it did then, my thighs pressing together as he continues to drag the sheets down my legs, my nipples tightening slightly and not from the cool air alone. “Sweetheart...”

I swallow hard, trying to remember, but it's so damn hard with his other hand trailing from my ankle to my knee. “You're... You're not going to stop...”

“That's right,” he praises. “And what else?”

Something cool brushes across my stomach. The tip of it teases around my bellybutton and I gasp as it dips inside, my hips pressing into the mattress as I try and fail to squirm out of reach.

“What else?” Seth prompts.

It's silk – the softness gives it away as a large strip of the material flutters across my ribcage, heading north for a second before casually changing direction and curling under my breasts and back down to my stomach.

“I... I won't be able to stop you,” I stammer as the silk trails over my hip, my thigh, between my legs... A quiet curse leaves my lips. There's a pause and then the silk repeats its path. Again. And again.

“Anything else?” He murmurs as the silk drags back up my stomach, between my breasts, tickling my throat.

“You...” I start, but the rest of my sentence is lost in surprise as his hand slips from my eyes. I catch a brief sight of him as I blink in the light, only managing to note that he's shirtless and the top button of his jeans is undone, the dark trail of hair winking at me before my sight is cut off for good.

He leans over me, cupping my head as he ties the scarf, his touch gentle as he lowers me back onto the pillows.

“You okay?” he murmurs in my ear, fingers pushing my hair away from my neck.

“Yes,” I breathe back.

“Not too tight?” he questions as he traces my cheeks with his fingertips. I shake my head, my own hands coming up to adjust the scarf ever so slightly before he engulfs them in his larger ones.

A soft whimper escapes me as he presses his lips to my fingertips, his thumbs running over my palms and across my wrists as he does.

“So what else did I tell you?” he prompts once again.

“Pin my legs to the bed.”

“And?”

“My... my hands,” I groan as his lips brush against my wrists.

“Right.” My hands are pushed back, his grip firm as he pushes them above my head, unfurling my fingers and then wrapping them around the vertical slats of the headboard. “Stay there.”

I feel him move from the bed, feet padding across the bedroom. A drawer sliding open and closed. There's a pause and then the sound of a zipper being undone and I fail to hold back the soft whine. A quiet laugh drifts through the air and I scowl in response.

The foot of the bed dips and my legs naturally shift wider to accommodate him. A hand presses just above my knee, widening them still. The other hand... Fuck.

The cold metal makes me jump. My hands grip the headboard tighter and I hiss loudly as he slides the handcuffs up my leg. The chain clinks together as he adjusts his hold and lets the two cuffs drift over my hip. He straddles my thighs, his bare legs tight against mine, restricting my movements as lays the cuffs on my stomach for a second. His finger circles the restraints, tickling my skin at the same time before I feel his arms rest either side of my head and the warmth from his chest as he hovers above me.

“We can stop anytime,” he reassures as he nuzzles my neck. “Just tell me, okay?”

I nod. “I'm okay.”

His lips pucker into a smile against my skin as he reaches between us and tugs the handcuffs further up my body. The chain clips my nipple and my back arches, another hiss slipping from my lips as I hear one cuff click open. My wrist is captured a second later, the long chain winding through the headboard as he reaches for my other hand and snaps the second cuff into place.

“Much better,” he says and I can almost picture the smirk on his face, his head titled to one side as he surveys me, bound and blinded and completely at his mercy. My fingers feel along the chain, noting its slack and how, as my wrists slide inside the cuffs, I could probably pull my hands free if I wanted. I wonder if its a deliberate move on his part or a happy coincidence in his choice of restraints.

The tips of his fingers stroke my wrists, slowly working their way down my extended arms. They pause half way down, barely-there circles around the inside of my elbows which makes me shiver yet crave more of his gentle touch. I wonder how long the slow will last. Judging by his promises yesterday, I'm in for the long haul. But I have no place I'd rather be than right here, waiting for his next move as his fingers dance down the remaining length of my arms to my shoulders.

A small whimper slips from me as his lips make contact with my neck. He lingers on the edges of spots that he knows drive me wild. No matter how much I twist and turn my head, he refuses to give in, nudging me back to my original position where he can torture me easily.

“Seth...” I groan as the tip of his tongue traces along my collarbone, avoiding the sensitive skin just above it that he usually loves to suck and bite.

“All in good time,” he murmurs in response. “I'll get you there, I promise.”

His words, no matter how well intended, do little to satisfy my cravings. I let go of a frustrated whine, frowning as he pulls back completely.

“Patience,” he reminds me, a hand coming to cup my chin and I can feel his warm breath on my lips as he finally closes the gap between us and his mouth claims my own. He tastes of coffee and chocolate, presumably from his early morning breakfast and I desperately wish there was enough give in the chain so that I could at least run my fingers through his hair as he teases my mouth. His lips slip from mine and he starts to press open-mouthed kisses to my neck.

I hold my breath in anticipation as he makes his way around to the sweet spot just below my right ear. Once again, he pauses, latching onto the less sensitive skin for a second before...

“Yes,” I hiss, a grin tugging at my lips as he suckles, his lips tight. My back arches, my breasts hitting his bare chest as my fingers curl around the chain once again for leverage. “Please, don't stop.”

He sucks harder, his teeth scraping much to my delight as I curse happily at the never-ending sensation, praying that he won't stop until he leaves a mark. I've got no meetings for at least a week, enough time for marks of our adventures this weekend to fade without trace. But he's soon pulling back, a finger tracing the spot and I know there must at least be a faint bruise.

“Beautiful,” he mumbles, his lips brushing across the spot once again before he slides down to my collar bone, nipping at the taut skin.

Fingers edge their way under my breast, running along my ribcage, making me flinch as they hit the ticklish spots that are fully exposed thanks to my position. Back and forth they move, inching higher every so often and then back down, until my breathing is ragged from anticipation and pleas consistently fill the air.

“Seth... Please... I can't... I can't stand... You... Teasing...”

“Don't say things you don't mean,” he responds, his mouth still at my collarbone and I can feel his lips slide up into a small grin. His legs, which until now have been pushing mine further apart, move so that he is straddling my right leg and his thigh slowly pushing against my panty-clad core. “Aw, sweetheart... Seems like you're enjoying this more than you think...”

I feel my cheeks redden as my arousal is completely exposed to him. He's right though. Despite the teasing, the touches that don't quite reach where I want, he still manages to make my skin tingle and my insides clench in expectation.

His lips flutter across my heated cheeks. “Nothing to be ashamed about,” he reassures. “I've always loved how you know what you want. I love how you grab my hand and place it where you want. It's fucking sexy, Siobhan... But you know, sometimes you need to explore a little... You might find that there's something else you like. But you gotta let me show you for once. Let me show you that I know exactly what you want.” His hand gradually engulfs my breast, squeezing softly before pulling back, his fingers pulling at the flesh, until only the tips of his fingers cling to my nipple and he tugs gently before releasing.

I'm gasping for air, straining against the cuffs as my back arches, desperately trying to find his hand once again.

“See?” he whispers as I wantonly grind against his thigh. I can feel him against my hip, his boxers doing little to hide his own arousal. If only I could touch him right now. I want to feel him in my hand, I want to pump my fist around him slowly and see his eyes close as he groans.

“Again,” I beg, moaning loudly as he obliges me with another drawn out grope of my breast. This time his fingers pinch a little harder, making me yelp and then mewl as his tongue carves a path from my neck down between my breasts.

His warm breath makes me shiver as it ghosts over my hard nipple and I grind fervently down on his thigh again as I hear him lick his lips. The tip of his tongue makes never-ending circles, slowly closing in on its prize and I hold my breath as his mouth closes over my nipple, only releasing it with a sigh as he tugs softly.

“Fuck...”

His other hand is teasing my previously neglected breast, his fingers mimicking the pattern of his tongue and mouth. My head feels like its about to explode from sensory overload as he hums around my breast, sending ripples of pleasure through my body. His teeth scrape against the hard tip as he pulls back for a second and I gasp loudly, the handcuffs rattling against the headboard as I strain to push my breast back into his mouth. But all I can feel is cool air hitting the wet tip as he shifts above me and his focus turns to my other breast.

“Just how I like 'em,” he grunts as he finishes teasing with me with his sinful mouth. “Hard... Wet...” He pinches each nipple for emphasis, making me cry out, both my legs wrapping around his thick thigh as I try and push myself closer to the edge.

But he's having none of that. A strong hand grips my left leg and pushes it back onto the bed. “No fucking way,” he murmurs. “You're not gonna get off that easily, sweetheart. I'm gonna take my time, remember? There ain't gonna be any shortcuts, understand?”

A finger curls under my chin, his lips brushing against mine. “Understood?” he repeats and I nod with a whimper. “Good girl.”

I've never felt so vulnerable. I've never felt so charged. It's a weird combination and I'm struggling to understand how it makes me feel. There are many times where he's pinned me to the bed and teased me until I'm on the verge of crying, but this feels different. His words, his actions, whilst they still carry a tenderness that I recognise, there's a hint of something else. It makes me feel dizzy.  I have a sudden urge to be praised again, a desperation to show him good I can really be. It's like he's tapping into something I never knew existed within me. It's as if he knows already that his behaviour is having a deeper effect on me than I could even begin to fathom.

Fuck, I love him. I love how he can read me, how he can play with me and push me to places I never thought imaginable, but that I end up craving more of. He has me on the edge already and I can't even begin to imagine where else this is heading. I'm almost at breaking point, my breathing ragged and heavy as his hands fist my breasts again, harder this time, his fingers unforgiving as they pinch and twist, yanking breathless moan after moan from my throat.

His mouth is warm and wet as he sucks on one nipple again and then the other, his fingers spreading the wetness he leaves across my chest before they climb up my neck and slip into my own mouth. I suck fervently, listening to him groan as I scrape my teeth along his fingertips. I inwardly grin at how so small an action can have an effect on him and I'm reminded that this is a two-way street – that despite my predicament, I still have a power over him too.

Hands brush against my sides, fingers curling under my arched back as he bites at my breast. They slip inside the waistband of my panties, causing my hips to buck up as well, my weight balanced between my shoulders and feet. But I smirk as I feel him rub against my hip, a soft curse floating through the air as he grips my ass harder and grinds his length against me.

“I need you,” I tell him. “I need you inside me.”

“Patience,” he groans, but I can tell his resolve is starting to slip, those deliciously sinful hips of his bucking against me as he fights to maintain control over his body. I twist my head in attempt to loosen the blindfold, desperate to see his face, to watch him struggle with his own urges. Watching him come undone is fascinating. I love when I'm on top, staring down at his beautiful face as he bites his lip and squeezes his eyes shut as I clench my pussy around his dick and ride him hard and slow. I like to bat his hands away as he clamours to hold me down on him so he can thrust up into me instead and reach his climax his own way. Sometimes I let him, but most of the time, I giggle at his frustration, knowing full well it's worth it in the end to see him fist the pillow instead as he jerks beneath me, feeling him pulse inside me as he lets out a long moan, my name punctuating the air.

But not today. Today it's my turn to give myself over to him and let him control what happens to me from here on in. He eases away from my leg, pushing it and the other wider as he settles between them and my breath catches in my throat as his mouth moves away from my breast and his beard starts to tickle my stomach.

He's as slow as ever, open-mouthed kisses pressed to my heated skin as he sinks south, fingers tugging me panties along with him. His tongue swirls around my bellybutton, his hands quick to press me firmly into the mattress as I try to squirm. I'm forced to surrender to the torture, a soft cry tearing from my mouth and my head threatens to burst from the overwhelming frustration.

Sheets rustle as he rises, my legs sliding over his as he pulls me down the bed, the chain tightening, the cuffs digging into my wrists.

“Fuck, you're perfect.”

Tears prick my blinded eyes as I struggle not to break. His hand is running up and down my thigh, a tender stroke that matches the tone of his voice.

“I mean, I always knew I was a lucky fucker to have you in my life, but Christ, Siobhan... You are perfection.” His hand squeezes my hip. “I wish you could see what you look like right now.”

My throat is dry as words escape me before I can stop them. “Take a photo then.”

Seth's hand freezes on my hip. “Are... Are you serious?”

Am I? I don't know. All I can think about is how I want his hand to keep squeezing, how I want him to keep talking. How I want him to describe to me what I look like right now, but better yet, I want to hear the click of a photo being taken when there is nothing I can do to stop it. I want to see, in all its technicolour glory, exactly how I look blindfolded, handcuffed and completely exposed to him.

“Yes,” I gasp. “Please, Seth. I wanna see.”

His hand leaves me and the bed moves beneath me as he steps away. I can hear him scrambling on the floor and then his weight dips the bed again. His hand makes me jump as he cups my face, his thumb brushing against my lip.

“I love you,” I hear him say, but my response catches in my throat. “It's okay,” he breathes against my cheek. “Tell me afterwards.”

He moves back, his hand squeezing my hip again as he presses my legs further apart with his thighs.

Click.

Click.

Click.

The phone bounces on the floor and I feel his hand curl around my ankle, tugging my leg up so he can rest it on his shoulder. His lips brush against my calf and I whine in frustration as he presses his still confined dick against my aching pussy. He rubs steadily, deliberately, hissing at the wetness that is obviously soaking the material between us.

“You're dripping, sweetheart... Just how I like it. I'm gonna clean you up good and proper,” he groans. “And then make you wet all over again... And again... And again...” He thrusts against me a little harder with every word, his grip on my ankle tightening as my leg threatens to slip from his shoulder.

His tongue blazes a path from my ankle to my knee, his hand slipping to grip my thigh instead, bending my leg back towards me and I can feel his length press against my entrance.

“I'm gonna fuck you hard and slow,” he tells me with authority. “Until you scream for me. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes,” I hiss as his lips reach the back of my thigh.

“Good girl,” he mumbles against my skin and I have to bite my lip hard to stop myself from... From what, I don't know, but the pain in my lip, the softness of his lips and the grit in his voice is becoming too much to bear. My hips buck against him, my frustration obvious.

Too obvious.

A hand cracks against my ass, squeezing hard. “What did I tell you before?”

Fuck. I can't cope with that bass in his voice. It's too much. I can feel my own juices slipping between my ass cheeks as his hand squeezes again and my head is spinning and I can't find the word I need right now.

“Tell me,” he commands, his fingers digging into my ass roughly.

“Patience,” I manage to squeak.

His fingers sooth my aching flesh, his mouth soft once again on my thigh as he eases my leg wider, pressing it down onto the bed. He shifts above me and I jump as I feel his breath on my stomach once again, his tongue trailing a path south. His beard brushes against my lower abdomen and I fight the urge to raise my hips.

His nose settles against the small triangle of hair, his mouth so close to where I need it the most, warm breath tickling me insane as he inhales deeply.

“You smell divine,” he murmurs, the words vibrating through me as I whimper and whine and mewl  in order to let him know how fucking torturous this is.

His hands grip my inner thighs, slowly pushing them wider. My feet scramble on the bed sheets until I give in and let him manoeuvre my legs any which way he wants. My feet leave the bed as he eases my legs up, still bent at the knee, all the while his breath is still hot on my clit, his nose still nuzzling against me and I know that the second his lips touch me, I'm going to lose my fucking mind.

Something cool hits my entrance and I realise with a lurch of my body that he's spat on my pussy. I can feel it sliding over my exposed lips and then I cry out as his tongue slowly starts to lap. A muffled moan makes my back arch and I groan as his forearm slides over my hips and presses me back onto the bed. His hand twists over my pubic bone, his fingers tracing the edges of my entrance as he pulls back the skin and licks from the bottom up, stopping short of my clit.

“Seth!”

He chuckles and I can picture the cocky grin on his face as his fingers spread me wide and he repeats his motion again and again, his tongue eating up my juices just as he promised. I'm a mess already, my body completely restrained now, my sensitive core at his mercy as he swipes that devilish tongue up and down, still avoiding my clit. He pulls back for a second and I can hear him lick his lips, the sound sending a shiver down my spine.

“Delicious,” he mumbles, fingers replacing his tongue as he catches his breath. One finger dips inside me, twisting slightly before retreating.

And then I can smell my scent, his finger brushing against my open mouth, slipping inside and I can taste myself. I suck his finger clean, much to his delightful groan and I whine softly when it falls from my lips and trails back down my body.

Two fingers push inside me now and he lazily thrusts them back and forth as his arm moves from my waist to push against the back of my legs, pressing them back further and further until I'm almost bent in half.

Hot breath just where I need it the most and I find myself holding my own breath as I silently pray for that mouth to cover my clit. I need it. I want it. I...

“FUCK!”

My voice is a strangled shout as Seth's lips finally close around me and tug slowly. He releases me a second latter and I'm panting, begging him for more, cursing him as he chuckles and refuses me. His fingers slip from me, the sound of my wetness filling the room as his mouth covers my entrance instead and his fingers find their way up to my mouth once again.

He kisses me as I suck them dry, his tongue pushing inside me, my resulting moan muffled by his digits. His forearm flexes against the back of my legs as he pushes his tongue deeper inside me, humming as he does and making me twitch and jerk against my restraints.

I'm so fucking close already. I've never cum this quick in all the time we've been together. He might be working me over slowly, but I'm unravelling at breakneck speed and I know the second his lips find their way back to my clit I'm going to–

My mouth twists away from his fingers, a howl ripping through me as he sucks hard on my clit, the sensitive flesh pulsing in his grasp as my whole body starts to spasm. I can feel tears breaking free, my lungs working painfully fast to gasp for as much air as possible as I writhe in his grasp, my body shutting down with every second that passes and that mouth of his still works my clit with no sign of stopping.

My body goes rigid, my mind blacking out and then nothing.

A cool hand strokes my cheek. A soft, warm tongue laps between my legs, which are now resting on his shoulders. Fingers dance across my stomach and up to my breasts, teasing my nipples as I let out a groggy moan.

“Sweetheart...” Seth mumbles, his lips moving to my inner thigh. “You okay?”

“Seth,” my voice cracks.

“What? Tell me.” His voice has lost that earlier grit, as if he knows exactly what I need right now.

“Please,” I whimper and I feel him smile against my skin. He presses another kiss to my burning flesh, another slow, long lick of my pussy before he shifts.

“Anything for you, sweetheart. Anything.”

His boxers are long gone it seems and I can now feel him, all of him pressed firmly against my thigh. He's rock hard and my tongue automatically slips out to lick my lips, a gesture that earns a rumbling groan from Seth.

“You want this dick, huh?” The rasp, the grit is back hard and strong.

I nod.

“Where, Siobhan, tell me where?”

“My mouth.”

The silence is palpable.

“Shit...” he exhales.

“Please...” I'm fucking begging. My mind is screaming, my body still trembling from aftershocks of what he's just done to me, but I need him. I want to taste him. I want to feel as much of him as I can.

The bed moves beneath me, his legs brushing against mine as he climbs over me, beside me. His scent drifts over me and my mouth starts to water. His hand tentatively cups my cheek, slipping to the back of my head, easing me up from my pillows.

The tip of his dick slips against my lips and my tongue darts out to tease his slit before he can jerk away.

“Fuck,” I hear him groan as I lean my head further forward and wrap my lips around the tip completely.

I hum in satisfaction as he slides further into my mouth and I let my saliva coat as much of him as possible before pulling back. I know what gets to him – he loves watching me suck hard on the tip, loves it even more if I trail my tongue from his balls to tip, goes fucking crazy if I take him all the way into my mouth in one go. But it's hard for me to do that when I'm bound and blinded.

“Help me out,” I murmur, hoping he gets the hint.

His grip on my head tightens as he angles my mouth just right and I shiver as I feel him guide himself into my mouth, my tongue pressing against the underside as he pushes more and more, making me groan as he hits the back of my throat.

“Holy fuck, Siobhan... Jesus... Oh fuck,” he grunts loudly as I start to bob on his dick, relishing in the way he feels in my mouth, how his fingers are digging into my scalp, how even though I've been at his mercy for the majority of this morning that I'm still able to bring him to his knees as well.

His hips buck forward and my throat tightens around him as I struggle to push back against his hand.

“Oh shit,” he gasps as I squeal around him and he's pulling back fast, his grip loosening as I gasp for breath. “Fuck, fuck, Siobhan. I'm sorry. I'm an idiot. Shit!”

I can feel his hands on mine, fingers fumbling.

“Seth... Stop.”

“I am, I am. I didn't mean to do that. I really didn't. I'm sorry.”

“Seth,” I repeat, my voice calm. “Leave them.”

His fingers still. “Are... Are you sure?”

I smile into the darkness. “Of course.”

“I don't deserve you,” he mumbles and my heart threatens to crack.

“Come here, please...” I feel him settle beside me, his fingers stroking my cheek. “Kiss me, Seth.”

He's slow and gentle, silently begging me to forgive him. But I already have. I kiss him back, my teeth nipping at his bottom lip, encouraging him, pushing him to give me what I want.

“Now fuck me,” I breathe as he pulls back for a second. “Hard and slow, remember?”

His forehead presses against mine. “You're too good for me,” he whispers.

“Hard and slow,” I repeat. “Make me scream.”

I want him to take back the control. I want to push him back to when his voice was deep and raspy and he called me a 'good girl' and made me cry with want and need and pure deprivation.

“I'm all yours,” I whisper.

“All mine,” he growls and I grin in satisfaction as he moves beside me, in front of me, his hands sliding up my legs as he pushes them into the air and holds them wide, his fingers digging into my ankles.

His dick slides against my pussy as he rocks back and forth, the tip rubbing over my clit, making me hiss and curse.

“That's right,” he groans. “Slick my dick up, sweetheart. C'mon, move those hips for me.”

I do as he commands, rocking against him as his dick thrusts back and forth faster and faster.

I yelp as he pushes inside me, the intrusion a blissful surprise as I take him all in, my walls clinging to him as he breathes heavily above me.

“Damn,” I hear him mutter, his hands squeezing my ankles as he twitches inside me and I groan out of desperation to feel him move. “You're so... fucking tight... And so goddamn wet, sweetheart. Fuck...”

His hips rock against me, his dick pushing deeper inside me. He slowly moves them in a circle and I cry out as he brushes against my G-spot.

“Shi-it... Seth...”

“That's right, sweetheart. Tell me how good I make you feel.”

He rocks back and then thrusts forward with renewed strength, making my breasts jerk violently, my fingers tightening around the metal chain for leverage as I try to steel myself against his thrusts.

“You're... It's so fucking deep,” I choke out as he thrusts into me again and again. “Harder... Please...”

He grunts as he gives me what I want, pushing my legs further out, spreading me wide before him as he pounds my pussy and makes me choke on my words, my moans, my inevitable screams.

“You're so wet,” he tells me again. “My dick is covered in you, Siobhan. And you're dripping everywhere. Jesus...”

He lets go of one ankle, my leg dropping to the bed as his fingers once again brush over my lips.

“Suck.”

I wet them enthusiastically, moaning as they slip from my mouth and then hissing as I feel the tips of his fingers slide over my clit.

“Aww, shit... Seth...”

“Cum for me,” he grunts. “Now. Do it. Cum. For. Me.”

He rubs furiously, his other hand slipping from my ankle as well, reaching forward to grab my breast, squeezing it hard. My leg is caught between his arm and body, bending backwards as he leans forward over me, his fingers still working my clit over and over as I feel my orgasm hurtling towards me.

“Now,” he growls against my mouth, my scent still fresh on his breath.

He swallows my scream, his tongue plundering my mouth as I shudder and shake and rut against him, his fingers relentless as I spill over his dick and he slides in and out of me with renewed gusto. I'm broken beneath him, but he doesn't stop. Just like he promised.

“Again,” he mumbles against my lips. “I wanna feel that pussy tighten again. I wanna feel you cum on my dick again.”

“I... Fuck, Seth...”

I can feel a small after-tremor start to build inside me, my clit too sensitive for more, but I can't move away and he's not stopping and I'm crying out, pleading, begging, torn between wanting more and wanting it to end.

My orgasm washes over me once again, his fingers easing off, only tickling as I gasp for breath and curse him and his dick and his fingers. He chuckles into my mouth as he kisses me tenderly.

“Good girl,” he tells me again, his hand releasing my breast and coming up to cup my cheek and I have to bite my lip to stop myself moaning. Once again I wonder if he realises the effect those words are having on me this morning. And just like that... “You like it when I call you that.”

I nod, my cheeks burning.

Another chuckle. “Roll over.”

I whimper as his dick slides out of me and he slowly eases me onto my stomach, the chain scraping together as it twists and my arms are pulled tight. But he's quick to make me for comfortable, moving me higher up the bed, moving pillows to under my head and twisting me so that I can rest my head on one side.

He straddles one leg, his knee nudging the other wider. His hands fist my ass, squeezing with alternate hard and soft kneads. A palm shifts to my lower back, pressing down gently so that my hips rise up and I can feel his dick sliding between my ass cheeks. I raise my hips a little higher, desperate for him to be inside me once again.

“Fuck yeah,” he groans as I rock back wantonly and his dick slips inside me with ease. “That's it, sweetheart, fuck my dick like a good girl...”

I moan in response, his words sending endless shivers down my spine. His fingers dig into my hips as he pulls me back and forth on his length. My arms are starting to ache, my wrists sore from the metal cuffs that despite their looseness are digging in thanks to this position, but I don't care. All I care about is how good he feels inside me, how his fingers are digging into my ass and willing me to rock back faster and faster, how his panting is driving me insane and how desperately I want to cum again.

His hand smacks my ass and I rear up, crying out as the restraints scrape against the headboard. He smacks me again, groaning as my pussy clenches around his dick. A hand slides up my spine, followed by his lips as he flattens his body against mine. The same hand curls in my hair, twisting thick strands around his wrist as he tugs my head up from the pillow, his mouth on my neck, my jawline, my cheek, my lips.

“Again?” he mumbles.

“Please,” I croak as his hand presses between me and the mattresses, his fingers starting to work me over once again, unrelenting as always.

His chest sticks to my back, slick with sweat. His fist is tight in my hair as he pulls my head back further, his mouth latching onto my neck, refusing to let go as his hips continue to snap back and forth against my own. I want to push back on him, but I can't move, my body completely his as he pushes me closer and closer to the edge.

His teeth scrape my throat, his fingers relentless on my clit and I cry out loudly, my skin on fire, my mind fighting to stay focused, but unable to decide on what to focus on thanks to the havoc that he continues to wreak on my entire body.

“Fuck, Siobhan,” he groans in my ear, his tongue curling around the sensitive shell. “Cum with me. Please... I wanna feel you grip me as I cum inside you.”

“I'm close,” I promise. And I am, my body slowly starting to shut down as all focus turns to between my legs, his dick still pounding my pussy, his fingers still rubbing my clit.

The first wave washes over me with a groan... The second crashes against me, sending me flying, screaming as he holds me close, his mouth seeking out mine, warm and comforting as his hips snap against me one last time and he freezes, his dick pulsing as he empties inside me with a grunt.

My mouth slips from his with a gasp. My lungs are on fire as I struggle to breathe, his weight too heavy, my arms screaming in pain as I try to shift beneath him.

“Seth–” I start to choke out, but he's already moving, scrambling above me, his hands on mine, the cuffs clicking open. I breathe deeply, my lungs still burning, my body aching as he rolls me onto my side, soothing fingers brushing along my cheeks, behind my head, the scarf loosening and slipping free.

Warm, brown eyes greet me and I blink back tears that threaten to fall again. I've missed him so much and even though I've felt him and tasted him and heard him, seeing him before me is something else.

“Hey,” he whispers, his hands running down my arms and pulling my hands up to his face where he slowly inspects my wrists. “Are you okay?”

I nod, watching as he kisses the red pinch marks that adorn my wrists. His eyes flicker up to mine once again.

“Hey,” he breathes again, fingers reaching out to brush against my cheeks. “Fuck, Siobhan... I... I didn't mean to push you like that.”

“You didn't,” I swallow thickly, my vision blurring. “That was fucking insane, Seth. In a good way, I promise.”

But it doesn't stop him from pulling me closer, as he fumbles with sheets and blankets and tugs them around us, over our heads so we're engulfed by warmth.

“You're incredible,” he whispers. “I was ready to stop at anytime. I would have stopped before we'd even started if you wanted me to.”

“I know. But I didn't want you to stop,” I smile shyly and then giggle. “How long have you been hiding those handcuffs?”

He grins. “A while... I was waiting for the right moment.”

“How long?” I push with a pinch to his bicep.

“A few months,” he admits. “I remembered you told me once that you wouldn't mind being tied up and teased. Figured it was the perfect way to get you back for teasing me on our anniversary.”

“And last night?”

“I wanted to make sure you were still open to the idea.” He pushes back my hair from my face. “But I still wanted to surprise you.”

“Consider me well and truly surprised.”

“In more ways than one?” His eyes glint and I lower my gaze.

“Perhaps,” I admit, thinking back to the way he commanded me, how turned on I was by his choice of words. A shiver runs down my spine as I remember the click of the camera, how much I want to see that photo so that we can relive this over and over again. And I wonder...

A finger slips under my chin, nudging my gaze up. “You know that's okay, right?”

“I know.”

“You just tell me,” he smiles reassuringly. “You want this again, you just tell me.”

“I know.” And then my emotions take over, all the pent up wants and desires of seeing him in front of me and not having to imagine any more. For now at least. My voice cracks. “I just want you, Seth.”

I watch as his face visibly softens. “You got me, Siobhan. Always.”

His fingers lace between mine and I watch as he pulls my hand up to his lips.

And I'm right back in the hotel room, watching him hold my gaze as he kisses my ring finger again and again. And I'm wondering why I was so hesitant. Because why the hell would I not want to live the rest of my life with a man who cares for me, who craves me, who wants to make me happy more than anything else in the world? Why would I give that up on a maybe?

And I want to give him everything I have as well. I want to be the person he calls when he has good news or bad. I want to be the person that he turns to in times of happiness and sadness. I want to be the constant in a life that is full of ups and downs. I just want to be his. And I want him to be mine.

All I want is for him to know that I am as serious about us as he is. I want him to know that moving in with him is just the beginning. I want him to know that sure, it might take some time, but I do want everything and more with him. I want to share a million other moments just like this. I want to explore my limits, my desires, my entire life with him by my side, pushing me to try new things, whether that's in bed or out of it. 

All I want is to give him a sign, no matter how big or small, that I'm here for the long haul.

Because...

One day.

“I love you,” I whisper.

“I love you too,” he tells me, rocking me slowly onto my back, his mouth covering mine.

Always.

“Mine,” he mumbles against my mouth.

“Yours,” I breathe back.

One day.

My hand curls around the back of his head and I tug him up, staring into his eyes as he hovers above me.

“I...” I stammer, pausing as the rational side of my brain starts to scream. But I strive forward, ignoring the doubts and the worries that always seem to surround me. “I want it all, Seth.”

He stares at me, his eyes shining, his mouth curling upwards. “Siobhan...”

“I want it all,” I repeat, my voice steady and firm.

His eyes lower to his hand in mine. “I wasn't pushing.”

“I know.”

“Are you sure?”

Am I?

But I already know the answer. And so does he.

Fin x

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

Hello, hello! I'm still away today and tomorrow, so we continue with some fanfiction extracts. There will be 4 today, two from Horrortale: Rotten Apple, and two from No Weakness :D

And we're starting with some Skeleton Brothers content!

"What you're talking about? Who killed the monster, Sans?"

His brother seemed reluctant, fleeing his eyes. Papyrus grabbed his chin and forced him to look at him. No more secrets. That was what they decided soon after Frisk left the Underground. Sans had to stop overprotecting him and be more honest, just like he had to stop pretending everything was alright. It wasn't time to back away from that promise.

"Who, Sans?"

"Her. It's Undyne… I… Listen, it's not all that clear yet in my head, but I remembered seeing her before I fell unconscious in Snowdin. She was holding the guy by the neck and she strangled him. He dusted in front of me. I don't know if… She saw I was there. But I won't call her out, alright? I don't want to add more fuel to the fire, or to complicate things even more between you two… But now you know. Do what you want with this."

Papyrus shook his head. Undyne? Killing someone with cold blood? He struggled to believe it. His friend was hot-headed and troubled by the recent events, but to the point of murdering someone?

However, he knew his brother would never lie about something so serious. If he saw it, it was true.

The skeleton sank in his chair, shocked. He couldn't understand. Undyne was strong enough to arrest someone. Sometimes, she could be a little violent, but she never crossed the line, he was sure of it. How distressed was she to not being able to stop herself? Papyrus felt guilty. He should have been more present for her, that would have never happened!

He didn't recognize his friend anymore. It was like someone else took her place.

"I'm sorry." Sans apologized. "I didn't mean to worry you more."

"Thanks for telling me. I… I will need a moment to digest that. Does Alphys…"

"No, you're the only one who knows. I just remembered it actually. I wanted to warn you in case… She tries to threaten me, or accuse me, or… I don't want you to be on the bad side."

"I believe you, Sans. I know you wouldn't lie about this. I'm sorry you're the one who has to carry this on your shoulders, once again… I'm trying… I'm trying really hard to arrange things with everyone, but whatever I'm doing, things keep getting worse! I'm scared, Sans… I'm scared Undyne will make a big mistake, I'm scared Toriel will make a bad decision that will have consequences on all of us again. I'm even scared to go outside! I just want things to go back the way they were. I can't do this anymore! I can't, I can't, I can't!" He screamed, the voice breaking. "I don't know how to deal with all of this anymore. I can't see how I could help anyone Underground when I can't even help my own family!"

A distressed sob escaped his throat. Sans sat up a bit and pulled him to his chest. Papyrus climbed on the bed and held him close. His brother gently started to pet the back of his skull, to comfort him.

"Papyrus, you don't have to arrange all our problems. I know you want to help. Everyone can see it. But please, don't sacrifice your mental health for this. We're all responsible adults, we can deal with our own mess. Look at you, you're exhausted, little brother. If you don't rest, it will get worse. Give some time to everyone to calm down, things will get better eventually. You shouldn't even be in the middle of all this mess, you did nothing wrong, and trust me, you're doing more than enough for everyone."

The small skeleton moved slightly to give him more place.

"Come on, lay down."

"Why?"

"It's almost night, it's time for your bedtime story."

"It's only the beginning of the afternoon, Sans."

"Whatever you say. Lay down."

Skeptically, Papyrus stared for long seconds before he put down the upper part of his battle body on the floor. He crawled on the bed and laid down next to his brother.

"Try to rest a bit." Sans said. "And when you'll wake up, we'll find a solution to Undyne's problem, alright? Both of us."

"Alright…" Papyrus sighed.

With a raspy voice, Sans tried to narrate by memory Fluffy Bunny's story, to a tired Papyrus who didn't last more than five minutes before falling deep asleep in his big brother's comforting arms.

Horrortale: Rotten Apple, chapter 14.

[tallyanimatez]

(Feather Au)Your dorm leader ver about Yuu being executed so amazing.Can I request about it again with the first years?

Everyone's out for blood today ay! *ends call*

I'm probably going on a long break from writing.

Feathers!Yuu execution but with first years.

Tw: mentions of death, angst, possible OOC because I'm learning

Out of all the people who chose to visit you, it had to be the people who cared about you the most.

"I really thought you were joking when you told us yah a wanted criminal"

Ace Trapolla, your first true friend you made in this wretched world. The person you wanted to strangle the most before.

Ace didn't give you the best impression when you two first met, when Grim officially joined the racing tournament. But his attitude has definitely improved a lot better now once you guys got along.

And now? You didn't think he'd muster up the courage to come and bid his last goodbye, you know how terrible ace would be when it comes to moving on, but you guess this is an improvement

After all, as long as he understands that even he can't do anything to save you, atleast he can say his farewell to stop being delusional.

"Well, I guess this is farewell then, but don't think you can escape me in the after life!"

"Typical Ace, hehe."

Ace turned around, good, if you can't watch it, don't look, you keep telling Ace to not act whenever it's not needed. Atleast now he's starting to change, when you're gone...

The next person comes up to bid their goodbye, you expected him to be here if Ace was here.

"I always looked up to you since you gave me so much helpful advice...I never thought you were a criminal Yuu."

Deuce Spade, if there's Ace, there's a Deuce. It's a non-spoken rule that your group knows of.

Deuce was the more helpful person whenever you, him and Ace hung out with each other, often assisting with heavy groceries or gears in general. He is just all on brawns...really.

You know that if none of the 4 will come, at least Deuce will see you to bid his goodbye, he understands the situation atleast.

The reality is more brutal than you think, that's why you shouldn't always be so oblivious to everything, so that it will be easier to move on when the time comes.

"I guess this is really goodbye...Farewell, I'll make sure to follow your advice though!"

"I hope you don't get into anymore fights Deuce."

Upon hearing what you said, Deuce frowned a little bit, but regardless, he moved back. Now the next person...

"I didn't expect this, not from someone like you at least..."

Jack Howl, the tsundere wolf boy you jokingly like to call. He's the main person you can count on when you need to go somewhere else leaving Adeuce unsupervised.

If there's one thing you'd give to him, he's better than any of you in this group when talking about attitude, well almost. His tsundere attitude wasn't always your favorite because you didn't like dishonesty, not like you have never lied before.

Jack is disappointed, you're someone who told him to go with what's right to him, and yet here you are, near your death.

You promised you wouldn't leave them, yet you knew the inevitable fate would come...why did you made it anyway?

"I don't really have much to say, I thought you were better than this"

"Sorry wolf boy, looks are deceiving."

Jack's tail dropped down along with his ears, despite saying things like that, he often can't hide how he feels most of the time, making it easy to predict how he's feeling...

He moved out of the way for the next person to bid their goodbye, the person who probably looked at you like a deity.

"I admired y'ah alot with your sharp tongue to people, but...this is too far ain't it?"

Epel felmier, your person to go with, because you get discount with Epel's pretty face, and he's fun to tease sometimes... and the person who would stop Vil from almost trying to poison you everytime you made him frown for defending Epel

He always wants to appear strong, puffing his chest out and trying to prove he's really strong to even trying to help you with your heavy gears & equipment ( even though jack is there to help and you can managed just fine on your own ), to indulge in his antiques, you just give him mildly heavy object so he won't complain.

Right now? Epel is quite upset, if you're gone, then he'd have to deal with Vil without any help, and noone would acknowledge that he's strong just like you did.

Even though he's often fight through pest and rough times during the country side, it won't be the same as fighting to move on once you're gone...

"I hope you'll get stronger to help more people apple boi~"

"Argh- not everyone is gonna look at me like y'ah do.."

You smirked, teasing Epel was a piece of cake, well almost as easy to tease Jack, but you can't deny that he had saved you from starving before by offering apple pie. You won't be able to repay the favor.

The last one, he's more quiet than his usual...

"..."

Sebek Zigvolt, for the love of god, you have no idea how he made it into this group, and how you survive with your ear drums intact.

He's loud. Especially speaking to his "Waka-sama" whom you have little clue about, and whenever you're bored, just listen to Sebek's rambles, free entertainment I guess...

It's awfully hard to get Sebek quiet majority of the time, you're surprised that he even attended your execution when he always saying he needs to be with his waka-sama, he's really hard to understand sometimes, but you're happy he cares at a somewhat degree.

A foolish human that is blinded by despair, you've made him feel something he shouldn't have felt when he swears to be loyal to his Waka-sama, you'll have to pay the price.

"I don't think you'll have anything else to say, so just back off and look away Sebek."

"..."

All Sebek did was backing down and standing to were the first year group is. You'd thought you'll lose your hearing to him because of how he follows what's moral and what's not alot.

But at the very least, your closest friends came...

You can go, till you meet them again next life.

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

Authors note: I think my brain went from 100%-0% when I wrote Ace to Sebek, possible chances of them being OOC but datz alright because I'm learning :D

Y'all out for blood aren't cha....

[yanderes-galore]

For a event request, could you do a scenario for 2012!Donnie where he uses the Ooze to mutate reader into a humanoid turtle like him?

Oh yikes-

Scientific Reasoning

Yandere! Donatello (2012) Scenario

(Halloween Event - Mutation)

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Kidnapping, Mutation, Manipulation, Forced relationship, Guilt tripping, Delusional behavior.

Your brain was fuzzy, melted could be another term you'd use. You didn't feel like... you. It was so strange to describe, yet that was the only way you could.

"I think... everything worked! Ohhh, you're perfect!"

You struggle to remember who that voice belonged to. It sounded familiar, but you were too disoriented to piece it together. Why did the world feel so different? So alien and odd.

"(Y/N)...? You can wake up now, it's all done and over with. There's no pain, right?"

That was your name, at least you knew that....

You feel yourself groan. Despite this, it doesn't entirely sound like you. It's strange and you try to take in your surroundings.

The room smelled of sewer and you looked to be in a lab. Tubes of glowing ooze were place on a counter away from you. In front of you stood a humanoid turtle wearing a purple mask.

You knew him from somewhere-

"You look so tired. Then again, mutation can do that to you.... This stuff is always so hard to work with. I worked so hard to tune everything right...."

"Mutation?"

Your voice once again sounds hoarse and foreign. You feel yourself panicking at the word he mumbles before looking around. There's no way....

"You don't remember anything right now? I'm sure it will clear up.... Um, I'm Donatello or Donnie as you should know. You're, uh... not human anymore-"

"What-"

"I did it for a good reason! D-Don't worry too much!"

You look down to notice you're... like him. Your skin is green, your have three fingers and toes on your hands and feet, you're shelled. You're not human, you're a turtle.

A mutant turtle.

Donnie notices you start to hyperventilate and is quickly at your side.

"It's okay! There's no need to worry, I'm here for you."

You shake your head and sluggishly hop off the table. Only to nearly fall over due to not being used to your new... physique. Donnie catches you, forcing you into leaning on him.

"I'm a monster..."

"No you're not...! You're beautiful, I promise."

You glare at him, pushing against him despite his strong grip.

"I don't want this...!"

"But now you're just like me! You're... just like my family! We're perfect for each other!"

Once you regain your balance, Donnie allows you to step away. You stare at him in disbelief. Perfect for each other?

"Just what do you mean by that?"

"Well, um..."

Donnie becomes nervous, smiling at you softly.

"You said we couldn't be together before because we were so different... so-"

"You turned me into a turtle!?"

"That meant we wouldn't be different...! Plus, it's safer that way as humans tend to be more fragile than mutants! Don't be made at me, please, I assure you I thought this through-"

"You didn't even consider what I wanted...?"

Donnie looks guilty at your fear and anger. He thought what he was doing was going to benefit you! You just need time to get used to it....

"I was just..."

"Do the others know...?" You croak out, your mind finally pulling up memories.

"No, not yet..."

You make a strangled whine in your throat before pacing about the lab. Walking felt like it was for the first time once again. You felt sick....

"... Let's look at the brightside!"

You glare at him and he shrinks away a little.

"We can finally be together! I always thought I loved you as a human, but you look even better as a turtle!"

He was not helping his case in the slightest....

"Donnie..." You sigh sadly. "I never wanted this-"

"Huh...?"

"Even when I was human, I just... wasn't interested-"

Donnie looked heartbroken at your words. His gaze held disbelief and he walks towards you.

"No, you can't be serious.... I'm sure you felt the same-"

"Even if I did, I wouldn't now!"

You hiss at him, turning away. Tears left your eyes at the state you were in. You never wanted this, you didn't even want to be with him, in fact the excuse you used was to discourage him from pursuing you from what you could remember.

All it did was backfire.

You feel another shell hit yours and arms wrap around you. Tears fell onto your own shoulder and you turn to look at the source. Donnie was crying alongside you.

"I'm so sorry... I should've thought on this more- I got so caught up in what I wanted I..."

"You made me like this Donnie..."

"I know... please..."

Donnie tightens his grip on you before spinning you around. His looked genuinely guilty but that didn't change what he did. He was delusional and selfish, turning you into a mutant just so you two could date.

"Forgive me... I promise this new life will be even better than your old one! You can live here, with me..."

He leans his head into your shoulder, sighing.

"Then you can never leave me... we're intertwined, only I can love you now-"

Donnie went from guilt to reassuring himself that what he had done, despite it being a sin, was fine. What he was doing was fine. Even if you screamed at him that it wasn't.

You felt yourself give up. Reluctantly you give in to your fate. A fate not even picked out by you.

You were now a monster, connected to another monster. Tears would do you no good. Anger would do you no good...

Acceptance seemed like the only answer as of now...

Even if you dreaded the idea of staying with someone like Donnie after everything he's done.

[crimsonredfeathers]

Behind closed doors

Aizawa Shouta x gn!Reader

Warnings: gagging, anal fingering, prostate massage, cum

Word count: 2.1k

Notes: Thank you so much for trusting me with this request, dear anon! I hope this story is what you were looking for ❤️

🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤

🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤

You entered your meeting point, a love hotel that the two of you had stayed at every week for months now for the anonymous check-in and convenient location, a bag slung over your shoulder. Since you always entered the hotel separately to prevent anyone from seeing you together, you texted Shouta floor and room number of the room you'd be staying in for the next few hours. Unpacking your bag, you placed various items on the nightstand next to the huge bed that was placed in the middle of the room, only the headboard made contact with the wall behind. You stripped down to your underwear, not only was it more comfortable that way, but you also wanted to make sure your clothes were kept clean.

As you were folding the last piece of your clothing, there was a knock on the door. Discarding your pants on the pile of clothes, you opened the door for the man you'd been waiting for, face mostly obscured by the hood he'd pulled far down into his face. You stepped to the side, allowing him to enter the room before closing and locking the door behind him.

The black-haired man removed his hood. He looked tired, but a smile grazed his lips nonetheless. "Good to see you, Aizawa-sensei," you chuckled, a hint of a mocking undertone present in your voice, knowing how much he disliked it, when you addressed him that way. "Cut it," he scoffed, shaking his head.

"Shouta," you grinned, resting your palm against his cheek for a moment, his stubbles tickling your sensitive skin as he nuzzled in, "I've prepared everything. Take your clothes off, tie your hair, and make yourself comfortable on the bed." Without a second thought, he complied to your request.

You couldn't help but keep your eyes focused on him as he revealed his perfectly toned body bit by bit, many old and fresh scars covering his skin. And once again you wondered, just how tough it had to be on him, being a hero and taking part in missions, while also being a teacher and taking care of a bunch of students at the same time. His eyes were always tired and bloodshot from the use of his quirk and the sheer amount of work he had to do, successfully preventing him from getting the rest he needed. Well, he wouldn't get any rest from you today either, but you'd make sure to take good care of him, just like you always did.

Shouta sat down on the bed, fumbling with the rubber band he had placed around his wrist beforehand, securing his long black hair in a messy bun, so it wouldn't interfere with the beautiful agony that you had promised him once again. Resting his head against the headboard, he eyed the assortment of toys you had brought along, refraining from commenting on anything, though.

You grabbed a simple ballgag to start the game the both of you had anticipated all day long. Positioning yourself on top of him, legs placed to either of his sides, you pressed the ball against his calloused lips and, as soon as his mouth opened, pushed it into his mouth. There was no need to tell him what to do anymore at this point. He lifted his head and let you secure the straps behind his head. One good pull and the gag was successfully preventing Shouta from closing his mouth or speaking. "Well done," you praised, something that he usually wouldn't care for too much, but helped him relax in this vulnerable situation. "You do remember how to make me stop at any time, right?" He nodded, tapping your arm three times. It wouldn't matter where he touched you, as long it were three taps against your skin. "Good."

Your hands roamed his chest, pinching his nipples every now and then, while you leaned in to press a few kisses against his jaw. Strangled but soft moans were escaping his throat while he put his arms around you, a proud grin formed on your lips. How much you enjoyed those sounds of pleasure when he was close to being like putty in your hands. Continuing your assault on his sensitive skin, you rolled your hips, his dick twitching against your clothed privates, and all you could do was hum in approval. His grip around you getting tighter, he bucked his hips up. "Uh-uh," you scolded playfully, "I'm in charge, Aizawa-sensei." A grumble left his chest as the only way of protest at hearing that name again, accompanied by a string of saliva seeping out of the corner of his mouth, running past the ballgag between his lips.

"I've brought something new for you today, Shouta," you whispered against his ear, "wanna get rid of that stupid, boring thing there?" His eyes widened in anticipation, and he agreed by firmly nodding his head. You reached behind his head, opening up the strap of the ballgag. Removing the toy from his mouth, you watched in delight how the ball connected to his mouth with a string of saliva before it dripped down his chin and neck. Shouta used this moment to take in a few harsh breaths of air and close his mouth to give his strained facial muscles a short rest.

Changing the ballgag for your new toy, you held it in front of him. "What do you think, Shouta?" You grabbed the little pump that was connected to the roughly penis-shaped inflatable by a tube and gave it a squeeze. Shouta's eyes widened as the toy grew in size. His hands wandered to your tighs, squeezing them lightly to reassure you that he'd be able to take it as he opened up his mouth willingly. You used the small valve to release the air and get the toy back to its original size before slowly inserting it into his mouth. "Relax," you breathed as he accommodated the penis-shaped object. The moment you fastened the straps around his head, his grip on your legs tightened, and a gagging noise could be heard. Leaning back, you admired the sight in front of you. Small tears pricked at the corners of his tired eyes. "You like that, don't you?" Shouta replied with a deep groan, the artificial penis holding down his tongue, tip brushing against his soft palate.

"I need you to lay down," you said softly, removing yourself from sitting on top of him, losing the contact of his calloused fingers against your skin. He slid down to lay onto the bed, the gag pushing against all the right places, causing him to cough, when his head leaned back against the pillow. You traced his abs with your fingertips, soothing him until his coughing fit subsided. He was ready for more. Your fingers wandered to the pump, closing around the air filled ball of rubber and pushing down on it. Shouta's hips bucked upwards, fingers digging into the soft fabric beneath him, as he sharply drew in air through his nose when the silicone expanded like a balloon inside of his mouth cavity, saliva collecting at the corner of his mouth.

You let go of the pump for now, shoving his legs apart and kneeling between them. As your hands caressed his tighs, fingernails lightly scraping against his skin, you could feel him shudder underneath your touch, wiggling around as he yearned for more. "Looks like you're ready, Shouta," you muttered and leaned over to grab one of your latex gloves and a sachet of lube the hotel offered for free, before getting comfortable between his spread legs again. You put on the glove and opened the seal of the little bag, pouring the content over your fingers. The empty sachet got dumped on the floor, and your ungloved hand pushed his tigh back, holding it in place for easier access. Your lubed fingertips rubbed against his entrance, coating the sensitive area in gel. His cock twitched as you playfully dipped an inch of your index finger into him, before retracting it again. "You like that, huh?" You repeated the action a few more times, before sliding your finger in completely. Shouta had his eyes closed, heavily breathing in and out through his nose. "Shouta," you whispered, loosening the grip on his tigh for a moment to reach for the pump, "one more time and I'll reward you." A sound of disapproval stifled by the growing gag erupted from his throat, followed by a strangled cough as you gave the pump a good squeeze. His fingers desperately tucked on the fabric of the sheets underneath him. Your hand wandered back to his tigh to hold it in place, your thumb rubbing small circles against his skin.

As you slowly pulled your index finger back out to add your middle finger to the game, you felt Shouta's hand resting on top of yours. You looked up, smiling as you saw his flushed face. "You're doing great," you reassured him, wiggling your hand free from his grip to guide his calf onto your shoulder. His leg now supported, you took his hand into yours, kissing the calloused skin of his calf.

You leaned your head against his leg, concentrating on what you were about to do. You slipped your index and middle finger between his ring of muscles, watching as the muscles slowly stretched to accommodate both of your fingers. Once inside of him, digits buried to the hilt, you curled your fingers upwards, giving his insides a few experimental strokes before you could feel his prostate. And his stifled moan and the tightening grip on your hand told you that he could feel the pressure of your fingers, too.

His gagging became more violent, he coughed against the inflated silicone part, saliva now freely running down Shouta's chin and neck as you continously rubbed against his prostate, cock twitching between his legs. Glassy eyes shot open wide as he lost control only moments later, cum now decorating his abdomen in milky white strings as the muscles that enveloped your fingers twitched around them. You rested your head against his trembling leg as you slowly pulled your fingers out.

"You're quite the sight for sore eyes, Aizawa-sensei," you teased, taking in the sight in front of you. A few of Shouta's black strands were sticking to his forehead, tired bloodshot eyes looked at you, eyebrows slightly drawn together in annoyance. His chest was heaving heavily as he tried to catch his breath through his nose, and saliva was running down his stubbled chin and neck, already damping the pillow and sheet beneath his head.

You kissed his calf once again before letting go of his hand and helping him to take his leg off of your shoulder. You took off the latex glove, making sure it was inside out, and discarded it on the floor close to the empty sachet before reaching up to finally release Shouta. Opening the valve, you could see how he relaxed as the pressure inside of his mouth decreased. Leaning into him, you unbuckled the strap, slowly pulling the gag out of his mouth. The action was accompanied by a few coughs, and once you had the toy placed on the nightstand, you took a bottle of water you'd placed there prior to Shouta's arrival. Opening the lid, you held it to his lips and slowly lifted the bottle up so he could take a few sips. He laid his hand on your wrist, carefully pushing down on it to signal you that he has had enough.

You took a few sips yourself and closed the bottle before putting it back on the nightstand. Pulling a few tissues out of the box next to the bed, you cleaned up Shouta's chin and neck, followed by the mess on his belly. You leaned in to softly kiss his sweaty forehead. "I'll pack up and leave first," you mumbled, getting up from the bed, picking up the glove and empty sachet from the floor, discarding them together with the tissue in the trash bin closest to the bed. You wordlessly packed your toys into your bag and got fully dressed under Shouta's observing eyes.

You had already reached the door when you heard Shouta's voice. "See you next week?" He sounded hopeful. "Sure. Take care, Shouta," you chuckled and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind you.

[halothenthehorns]

Chapter 15: I WRESTLE SANTA'S EVIL TWIN

Magnus read the new title with that usual feeling he was taking two steps forward and one step back in the constant insanity of this book. "Santa's real?" He repeated. "And has a twin?" Okay, fine, can't get any stranger. "Percy can wrestle?" Nope, the trifecta left him forgetting how to function like a normal human. Which he probably wasn't...

"Deep breaths Magnus," Alex always had such a domineering way of speaking, always being so easy for her to keep everybody's attention. Especially his. "Maybe Percy gets an early Christmas present if he wins. Like Annabeth. With a bow around her neck."

"Was that supposed to make me feel better?" He asked blearily, even though it had. It was a nicer way to think about than the constant insanity like getting past the fact that every stupid sitcom that never questioned where the magic presents came from were more right than their reality somehow.

"Yes," Alex said as confidently as ever. "Now hop to the part where Percy uses cookies and that beard to put saint nick in a headlock or I will."

He knew if she'd really wanted to she would have snatched the book away from him to read it herself. Instead he found himself smiling as he took a breath and firstly informed, "I don't know anything about wrestling, so I hope the rules get explained first."

"When is it ever that easy?" Percy reminded as he lounged back in his chair and kept doing his best to remind Thalia she wasn't being abducted by angels flying off with her right now by making gusts of water soak into her socks and then absorbing it back. She had a pretty specific scowl on him as she kept trying to kick him for doing it, so his plan was at least working.

"Tell me when it's over," Thalia said. Her eyes were shut tight. The statue was holding on to us so we couldn't fall, but still Thalia clutched his arm like it was the most important thing in the world.

"It was," Thalia promised, she still looked a tad green around the edges just remembering the feeling. Her hands were in a strangle motion though because she was still considering wringing Percy's neck if he didn't cut it out.

"Everything's fine," I promised.

"Are... are we very high?"

"Lie again," Jason mock whispered, but he was completely serious.

I looked down. Below us, a range of snowy mountains zipped by. I stretched out my foot and kicked snow off one of the peaks.

Thalia went from green to the ugly pale of glue gone wrong.

"At least you knew Zeus wouldn't strike you down for this one," Will clearly thought he was being helpful while Thalia tried to get in a shuddering breath. "This was sanctioned by him."

Percy rubbed the back of his head and muttered an awkward apology, quickly waving Magnus on before they had to linger on this long enough for Thalia to come back to herself and pulverize him for sharing that.

"Nah," I said. "Not that high."

"Good man," Jason sighed, resisting the urge to squeeze Thalia's shoulder for comfort. She probably wouldn't take well to anybody but Percy right now as she sat as far back in her seat as she could with her feet planted firmly on the ground.

"We are in the Sierras.'" Zoe yelled. She and Grover were hanging from the arms of the other statue.

Thalia gulped at the visual she hadn't needed and took a deep breath. Then another, this kind of situation called for it.

"I have hunted here before. At this speed, we should be in San Francisco in a few hours."

"Hey, hey, Frisco!" our angel said. "Yo, Chuck! We could visit those guys at the Mechanics Monument again! They know how to party!"

"Oh, man," the other angel said. "I am so there!"

"You guys have visited San Francisco?" I asked.

"We automatons gotta have some fun once in a while, right?" our statue said.

"What kind of Toy Story shenanigans caused security not to notice whatever I just heard," Magnus rubbed at his ear like that one physically pained him.

"That's an interesting one," Will grinned as he considered. "Would the Mist have the statues there when they weren't so as not to have the humans freak out they could move? Or were they programmed to have memories and personalities? I'll ask a few Hephaestus kids when we get to Camp if they have any insights."

"Looking forward to it," Magnus said only a bit reluctantly. If one of them told him to open a hatch, he would bail.

"Those mechanics took us over to the de Young Museum and introduced us to these marble lady statues, see. And—"

"Hank!" the other statue Chuck cut in. "They're kids, man."

"At least somebody remembers every once in a while," Alex frowned.

Percy looked as relieved as anybody to have that interrupted, even as he wondered about those creepy lifelike marble statues he'd seen and what exactly he wouldn't want to hear a bunch of Yancy morons try to brag about in comparison.

"Oh, right." If bronze statues could blush, I swear Hank did.

"Now that takes some talent," Jason grinned.

"Being able to make a robot that can blush, or making a robot blush?" Percy asked.

"Both," Jason nodded.

"Back to flying."

We sped up, so I could tell the angels were excited. The mountains fell away into hills, and then we were zipping along over farmland and towns and highways.

Grover played his pipes to pass the time. Zoe got bored and started shooting arrows at random billboards as we flew by. Every time she saw a Target department store—and we passed dozens of them—she would peg the store's sign with a few bulls-eyes at a hundred miles an hour.

Jason let out an impressed whistle as he watched Thalia. She gave him a weak but genuine grin as she elaborated, "we might be blessed with talent when we join, but it still takes time to build up being that good. Zoe could still outshoot practically anybody I know," she finished a tad wistfully, almost chasing away her tight fear.

Thalia kept her eyes closed the whole way. She muttered to herself a lot, like she was praying.

Thalia swallowed hard against admitting the truth. She'd been reciting an old song Luke had made up. Some goofy one-minute tongue twister he'd play on an old harmonica while collecting money in a cup while she'd gone around and picked a few pockets. She wasn't sure now any more than she was then why that memory had come to mind.

"You did good back there," I told her. "Zeus listened."

It was hard to tell what she was thinking with her eyes closed.

Same as in here where she purposely wasn't looking at anyone now to give away her massively twisted feelings about Percy reminding her of that. Zeus had saved her, twice, but what had he let happen to his son? Had her guess been skewed by hindsight and her path to Annabeth was just pure luck? Or was her father and his favorite daughter guiding them along on a fate's string to her family all this time? She was getting sick to her stomach even trying to figure it out, let alone dumping all of this on anyone else.

"Maybe," she said. "How did you get away from the skeletons in the generator room, anyway? You said they cornered you."

"Percy never told you that," Alex frowned. "He showed up and you started arguing about burritos."

"I figured it out from the way he came bursting in all hysterical," Thalia shrugged, which at least looked casual again while she was still shaking slightly.

I told her about the weird mortal girl, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who seemed to be able to see right through the Mist. I thought Thalia was going to call me crazy, but she just nodded.

"I can still call you crazy if you want," Thalia offered.

"There is no right answer to that," Percy sighed.

"Some mortals are like that," she said. "Nobody knows why."

Will raised his hand like they were in class and even said, "ooh! Oh!"

Magnus slowly lowered the book with an uneasy smile, like he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer to this. It would probably be more confusing than the idea itself.

Will's smile was inviting, the kind that made you grin along just for being around him as he told Thalia, "I have this theory they're descendants of other demigods! I know most of us die young and they're mostly mortal now, but they have just a hint of godly blood left."

"Like a legacy," Jason agreed slowly, clearly likening to the idea.

"Most of us don't live long to populate that well," Thalia didn't seem very convinced.

"My mom's like that," Percy murmured for himself. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, since that might mean he was descended from some other god than Poseidon, or worse, some long, long line of inbreeding might have happened? Both ideas freaked him out to much to want to know more.

"It's a cool idea though," Magnus nodded. At least it hadn't made his brain hurt worse.

Suddenly I flashed on something I'd never considered.

My mom was like that. She had seen the Minotaur on Half-Blood Hill and known exactly what it was. She hadn't been surprised at all last year when I'd told her my friend Tyson was really a Cyclops. Maybe she'd known all along. No wonder she'd been so scared for me as I was growing up. She saw through the Mist even better than I did.

They'd all guessed that from the beginning. Sally had never batted an eye or made any strange comment about Grover's goat legs, and even the way she spoke of Poseidon seemed...more than any mortal should.

"Well, the girl was annoying," I said.

Percy groaned and looked at Rachel's empty seat. "First time I'm glad she got poofed away, she might have stabbed me with a marker."

"And that's starting kind," Thalia snorted.

"But I'm glad I didn't vaporize her. That would've been bad."

"At least I still got that going for me," Percy smiled.

"I'm sure she'll be glad to know you still don't want her vaporized," Thalia agreed.

Thalia nodded. "Must be nice to be a regular mortal." She said that as if she'd given it a lot of thought.

It had been on her mind near constantly while going to school with Annabeth. Slowly learning how to use a keyboard and constantly glancing over her shoulder while girls around her texted without a second thought. Their careless laughter and loud shrieks, hugging the same friends before and after every class as they casually wondered what was for lunch while Annabeth whispered and muttered about battle strategies to employ if this or that attacked them next.

"Where you guys want to land?" Hank asked, waking me up from a nap.

Thalia looked at him appalled. "You slept while we were dangling for our life!"

He gave her a sheepish smile and said, "at least I didn't try to hold your hand? You would have opened your eyes just to watch me die."

"True," she nodded grumpily. It was worlds better batting the drool off her face than having him keep trying to talk to her. At least she'd been able to pretend just for a few heart-stuttering moments the world wasn't going to end if she opened her eyes while imagining whatever she wanted in her head without interruption.

I looked down and said, "Whoa."

I'd seen San Francisco in pictures before, but never in real life. It was probably the most beautiful city I'd ever seen: kind of like a smaller, cleaner Manhattan, if Manhattan had been surrounded by green hills and fog. There was a huge bay and ships, islands and sailboats, and the Golden Gate Bridge sticking up out of the fog. I felt like I should take a picture or something. Greetings from Frisco. Haven't Died Yet. Wish You Were Here.

"Your mom would love that," Will nodded.

"And me without a stamp," Percy sighed.

"There," Zoe suggested. "By the Embarcadero Building."

"Good thinking," Chuck said. "Me and Hank can blend in with the pigeons."

We all looked at him.

"Kidding," he said. "Sheesh, can't statues have a sense of humor?"

"They can if it's a good one," Nico muttered.

"I'll take a bad sense of humor over no sense of humor," Will offered.

Nico watched him nervously for a moment, wondering if Will was implying he thought he had no sense of humor? Will just kept smiling at him without explanation though and he had no idea why.

As it turned out, there wasn't much need to blend in. It was early morning and not many people were around. We freaked out a homeless guy on the ferry dock when we landed. He screamed when he saw Hank and Chuck and ran off yelling something about metal angels from Mars.

"Poor guy," Alex said with a kind of sympathy that meant she'd have rolled her eyes at another person needing medication they couldn't afford and mildly indulging this.

Magnus felt a quiver of guilt. Were the countless people he'd met like that not crazy at all, but just seeing through the mist and constantly suffering for it? Even if he told them all they were right now, it would only make them feel better for a moment before their world collapsed like his did realizing monsters were real and it wasn't all in their heads.

We said our good-byes to the angels, who flew off to party with their statue friends.

That's when I realized I had no idea what we were going to do next.

We'd made it to the West Coast. 

Jason let out a blistering sigh of frustration. Percy had ended up here, twice, and he was starting to feel like there should be a laugh track mocking him for why that still felt so important. 

Artemis was here somewhere. Annabeth too, I hoped.

"So near, yet so far," Magnus muttered anxiously. Thalia at least didn't seem too distressed over Annabeth's fate, and he knew the world hadn't ended at the very least, but wondering what agonizing details would be awaiting all of that in between still left him on edge.

But I had no idea how to find them, and tomorrow was the winter solstice. Nor did I have any clue what monster Artemis had been hunting. It was supposed to find us on the quest. It was supposed to "show the trail," but it never had.

"You've had a surprising lack of monster attacks on this," Jason agreed in surprise. "We all didn't think it could be the lion. Only the skeletons and the manticore really. Grover summoned the pig, so I don't think that counts."

Thalia kept the comment to herself Jason was slacking, not counting something as cute as Bessie as a monster.

"The one time I can't be grateful I wasn't chased across the country by some fearsome beast," Percy agreed with a scowl.

Now we were stuck on the ferry dock with not much money, no friends, and no luck.

"Percy, I'm hurt," Thalia pressed her hand to her heart. "I thought we made friends along the way? Grover would be crying right now! and Zoe-"

"I get it, you breeze brain," Percy swatted at her.

"That's worse than air head," she scoffed.

After a brief discussion, we agreed that we needed to figure out just what this mystery monster was.

Magnus swallowed the traitorous comment to Percy he'd switched up his priorities. He was still adamant finding Annabeth, and by proxy Luke, was the most important task and everything would follow.

The argument between him and Jason had never come to a head, let alone simmered all this time as they focused on the path to get there, but Percy said now with his own sense of justification, "Grover and Zoe both agreed finding the monster was about the only thing we could do and I didn't have a better idea how to start finding anything." He glanced at Thalia who had still gone oddly quiet since the metal angel ride.

She gave an unconvincing smile and said, "err, yeah, needed to get the urge to kill something out of my system." She had not been looking forward to confronting Luke. It had been her only driving force as she ran headlong towards it.

"But how?" I asked.

"Nereus," Grover said.

I looked at him. "What?"

"What do you mean what?" Will looked personally offended like Percy had forgotten he was in the room.

"How do you forget advice from a god?" Jason seemed just as baffled at Percy's existence once again.

Percy had to really think for moment, going back a few chapters to recall why he vaguely recognized that name. It had come up around the time he'd been assigned haiku homework. 

Apollo had helped them quite a lot, his passage stopping right before the town where Grover had his Pan breakthrough. Yet the prophecy, as always, was only clear with hindsight, and they still had no clue what the rest of it was going to lead to.

Sure they'd gone as far west as they could without leaving America, but they felt no closer to the answer. There had yet been a bane of Olympus? The Hunters and Campers hadn't exactly prevailed along the way so much as just learned not to hate each other while losing one. The last two lines felt as ominous as ever as Percy stewed over what they didn't know. As much as when they'd started all of this. With one day left to figure it all out.

"Isn't that what Apollo told you to do? Find Nereus?"

I nodded. I'd completely forgotten my last conversation with the sun god.

"How do you even?" Thalia would swear he didn't have a brain sometimes if she wasn't forced to hear it right now.

"I've had other things on my mind," Percy reminded with a very obvious look at her. He'd been well distracted by running for his life by a pig and saving Thalia's bacon, then losing Bianca. It hadn't crossed his mind again since.

"The old man of the sea," I remembered. "I'm supposed to find him and force him to tell us what he knows. But how do I find him?"

Zoe made a face. "Old Nereus, eh?"

"You know him?" Thalia asked.

"I'm starting to think she knows everybody," Will said, clearly impressed.

"Being immortal has to come in handy for something," Thalia muttered, still coming to terms with the idea herself.

"My mother was a sea goddess. Yes, I know him, he is never very hard to find. Just follow the smell."

"Err," Magnus looked from the book and around like he was missing something. "Are we still talking about evil Santa? Are you chasing peppermint cookies in San Fran?"

"I couldn't guess," Percy reminded with his own bewildered stare.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Come," she said without enthusiasm. "I will show thee."

Percy was pretty sure Zoe liked him enough now she wouldn't be so unhappy about leading him to his doom, but he still wasn't feeling better about the coming wrestling match. There was just to much he didn't know about what was left of all this.

I knew I was in trouble when we stopped at the Goodwill drop box.

"Because you have no good Will with you?" Will asked innocently.

"I am going to duck tape your mouth," Percy tried to say through a laugh.

"You're only mad because he's right," Thalia chuckled.

Five minutes later, Zoe had me outfitted in a ragged flannel shirt and jeans three sizes too big, bright red sneakers, and a floppy rainbow hat.

"Letting your real colors out I see," Alex studied Percy in a way that concerned him. "If you ever want another wardrobe change, do let me know."

"I will keep that in mind," Percy said nervously, clutching his orange shirt closely while Nico swallowed uncomfortably. At least Percy hadn't started screaming his disgust at wearing a rainbow.

"Oh, yeah," Grover said, trying not to bust out laughing, "you look completely inconspicuous now."

Zoe nodded with satisfaction. "A typical male vagrant."

Magnus looked a little ruffled what that was supposed to mean. He still had on the same clothes he'd been dumped in here with, five layers of shirts with one ripped up black jacket with the stuffing threatening to fall out and the only pair of jeans he owned with hiking boots a half size too small. Did he look like a typical male vagrant?

Compared to Thalia's punk clothing with pins underneath her silver camo, Nico's black aviator jacket that looked just as worn and held on by the seams, and not even getting started on Alex, he wasn't sure what a typical anyone looked like anymore.

"Thanks a lot," I grumbled. "Why am I doing this again?"

"I told thee. To blend in."

"Pretty sure we already looked like homeless kids by that point," Thalia smirked. They'd been running around for days with little sleep in the same clothes they'd left camp in. Grover even still had a chunk of guacamole in his hair she hadn't the chance to mention.

"You couldn't have mentioned that then?" Percy protested.

"And ruin your makeover?" She asked innocently. "Those clothes smelled better than what you had on."

"I'm going to glue a cowboy hat to your head and ruin, this," he waved at her outfit for emphasis.

"I would rock a banjo," she said without concern.

Percy sighed and let it go, knowing a win he couldn't have when he saw one against her.

She led the way back down to the waterfront. After a long time spent searching the docks, Zoe finally stopped in her tracks. She pointed down a pier where a bunch of homeless guys were huddled together in blankets, waiting for the soup kitchen to open for lunch.

Magnus and Alex were both starting to get creeping sensations up their spines. Like they were waiting for the others to turn to them and ask if they were okay and wanted extra blankets. When none did, they unintentionally exchanged relieved looks, and sympathized with Nico keeping his mouth shut about his dad more than ever. Nobody wanted to walk around with a label you couldn't pick for yourself.

"He will be down there somewhere," Zoe said. "He never travels very far from the water. He likes to sun himself during the day."

"How do I know which one is him?"

"Sneak up," she said. "Act homeless. You will know him. He will smell... different."

Jason's nose dilatated on instinct, like he was trying to get a whiff of that now. The smell of the ocean never brought up a pleasant memory in mind, but he'd swear on the styx he should have an idea what Zoe meant. For a moment the flutter of a purple cape rippled in his mind before Thalia gave him a painful nudge, dislodging him from his scrunched up face.

"Like when you accidentally mix cologne and perfume together different?" Alex asked. "Like play-doh you baked? Like fur on fire?"

"You worry me," Percy told her. "I didn't want to ask her what she meant, I'm terrified of how you know any of those."

"I've clearly led a more interesting life than you," she shrugged without concern, and wow was it worrisome to the others she really seemed to mean that after all she'd heard.

"Great." I didn't want to ask for particulars.

"How!?" Jason looked at him dumbfounded anew. "How do you not want to know every detail of what you're about to get into?!"

"I do best when I go in without a plan," Percy shrugged. Why dwell on something that would go wrong anyways?

"And once I find him?"

"Grab him," she said. "And hold on. He will try anything to get rid of thee. Whatever he does, do not let go. Force him to tell thee about the monster."

Jason opened his mouth with a sharp, "make sure the second net has cross-patterned to throw over-" before he stopped with such a strong sense of deja vu. He looked around at Thalia and didn't recognize her for a moment. Equal bouts of pain and electricity zinged down his neck before he shivered. He didn't want to shake it off! Percy was in the area for one page and already actual memories were starting to come back of some life he couldn't begin to guess at.

"I wish we'd thought to bring a net," Percy nodded as he watched him just like everybody else with concern what he'd gotten up to in another life.

"We've got your back," Thalia said. She picked something off the back of my shirt—a big clump of fuzz that came from who-knows-where. "Eww. On second thought... I don't want your back. But we'll be rooting for you."

Grover gave me a big thumbs-up.

I grumbled how nice it was to have super-powerful friends.

Which they were all getting a live reaction of as their chuckling accompanied it.

Then I headed toward the dock.

I pulled my hat down and stumbled like I was about to pass out, which wasn't hard considering how tired I was. I passed our homeless friend from the Embarcadero, who was still trying to warn the other guys about the metal angels from Mars.

Magnus stamped down on the comment Percy was doing a good job off the bat. Maybe they could hang around in line sometime and compare traumas if it wasn't for the fear he still had of Sally getting involved.

He didn't smell good, but he didn't smell... different.

Jason still looked like he wanted to pull his hair out Percy was just going in expecting to figure out what one thing didn't belong in a sea of the strangest people mortals had to offer.

I kept walking.

A couple of grimy dudes with plastic grocery bags for hats checked me out as I came close. "Beat it, kid!" one of them muttered.

"On brand," Thalia sighed, making Alex and Magnus do double takes at her. She'd never said how much time she spent on the streets looking after Annabeth, but it seemed time enough for her to know they wouldn't get sympathy spots to go in first just because of their age. If anything they often got resentment, some assuming they could just go back home if they shut their mouth and sucked it up.

I moved away. They smelled pretty bad, but just regular old bad. Nothing unusual.

There was a lady with a bunch of plastic flamingos sticking out of a shopping cart. She glared at me like I was going to steal her birds.

Magnus was almost smiling for a second, a strange thing in itself to anybody but him. There were crazy bag ladies in every city, it made the world feel not so strange for a second.

At the end of the pier, a guy who looked about a million years old was passed out in a patch of sunlight. He wore pajamas and a fuzzy bathrobe that probably used to be white. He was fat, with a white beard that had turned yellow, kind of like Santa Claus, if Santa had been rolled out of bed and dragged through a landfill.

Magnus squinted his eyes at the book for a moment before he nodded in conclusion. "Got it, Santa still isn't real and you were just being, you."

"I didn't name these chapter titles!" Percy protested. "Don't blame me every time you have a meltdown at them!"

"Fair point," Magnus nodded, "I blame Oceanus."

"Got to give the guy mad props for his writing style though," Alex said with honest admiration. "He's clearly a grumpy old coot at the bottom of the ocean, but he's got a knack for describing all this bizarre stuff."

"Gods help me if it is that Titan posting my thoughts," Percy groaned.

"Gods help him," Thalia smirked. Percy was going to inevitably have a brawl with him before this was over, she knew him to well.

And his smell?

As I got closer, I froze. He smelled bad, all right—but ocean bad. Like hot seaweed and dead fish and brine. If the ocean had an ugly side... this guy was it.

"Fascinating," Will said genuinely. "Does your sweat smell like that Percy?"

"And you all think I'm the crazy one," Percy sighed, and that was the only answer Will was going to get.

I tried not to gag as I sat down near him like I was tired. Santa opened one eye suspiciously. I could feel him staring at me, but I didn't look. I muttered something about stupid school and stupid parents, figuring that might sound reasonable.

"More than you think," Alex muttered. It was the first time she hadn't said something loud and proud for everyone to hear, and it made Magnus want to lean in even closer.

Santa Claus went back to sleep.

I tensed. I knew this was going to look strange. I didn't know how the other homeless people would react.

"Depends on the individuals there," Thalia said. She and Grover would have stepped in if any of them had rushed to help, but most had run before the cops were called, and a fair few just stood there dumbfounded. Only two looked like they'd really want to jump in, so she'd snapped the Mist into helping them see a couple of sea lions wrestling instead.

But I jumped Santa Claus.

"Ahhhhhl" he screamed. I meant to grab him, but he seemed to grab me instead. It was as if he'd never been asleep at all. He certainly didn't act like a weak old man. He had a grip like steel.

Jason gave one last eye roll Zoe might have thought to warn Percy of a trick if the guy had asked, but it was overshadowed by his sickening sense he'd known this himself. It was a great feeling of frustration not targeted at Percy. Whatever plan they'd tried to concoct catching this guy, he got the feeling it hadn't worked.

"Help me!" he screamed as he squeezed me to death.

"That's a crime!" one of the other homeless guys yelled. "Kid rolling an old man like that!"

Nico was surprised that any of them cared. He was homeless and not many people looked at him twice when he was chased by anything the Mist had them see.

I rolled, all right—straight down the pier until my head slammed into a post. I was dazed for a second, and Nereus's grip slackened. He was making a break for it. Before he could, I regained my senses and tackled him from behind.

"I don't have any money!" He tried to get up and run, but I locked my arms around his chest. His rotten fish smell was awful, but I held on.

"I lived through Smelly Gabe Land!" Percy cried triumphantly, not even plugging up his nose.

"Not something I'd brag about, but I see your point," Thalia was waving her hand under her nose, she could still vividly remember that reek and she'd been breathing through her mouth as much as possible talking to him.

"I don't want money," I said as he fought. "I'm a half-blood! I want information.'"

"I'm surprised he doesn't just know that," Will frowned. "If he's supposed to be wise enough my dad recommends him, shouldn't he already know the question you want to ask and is just fighting you to earn it?"

"Will, I think you're putting a little to much faith in your dad," Percy tried to say not unkindly.

"Maybe he's like any old man and needs some time to wake up," Nico managed slightly better until he started snickering.

That just made him struggle harder. "Heroes! Why do you always pick on me?"

Thalia was still watching Jason from his last little episode and saw the tick that crossed his face. She felt a pain lance through her, like she was sharing his headache. Heard her mother managing the awful words again through her slurred speech. He'd been in California all along, a place she'd fled when she couldn't find him. What if she'd stayed, tried harder?! Had he been a part of that homeless camp and she'd passed right over him...

"Because you know everything!"

He growled and tried to shake me off his back. It was like holding on to a roller coaster.

"Cool," Alex said.

"How many amusement parks have you been thrown out of?" Magnus asked with resignation already. At least that was one thing he'd never have to worry about paying to get into, sneaking would already be involved when they went- shit-wait-what?

"I'll never tell," she raised a single brow and grinned in a way that made his stomach preform a roller coaster ride of its own.

He thrashed around, making it impossible for me to keep on my feet, but I gritted my teeth and squeezed tighter. We staggered toward the edge of the pier and I got an idea.

"Oh, no!" I said. "Not the water!"

"Percy, with the mad acting skills over here," Jason at least got a good laugh out of that.

"Thank you," Percy grinned, giving his wrist a flippant little twirl he'd learned from Rachel.

The plan worked. Immediately, Nereus yelled in triumph and jumped off the edge.

Together, we plunged into San Francisco Bay.

"That poor, poor fool," Will almost sounded sorry for how bad this guy was about to be beat now.

He must've been surprised when I tightened my grip, the ocean filling me with extra strength. But Nereus had a few tricks left, too. He changed shape until I was holding a sleek black seal.

"Cool!" Magnus blurted. "I didn't think this could get weirder than Santa Claus!"

Alex was studying Magnus, and the book in his hands, and seriously considering turning into a seal right now just to show off. She decided she was going to do it, maybe Magnus would scream, or want to pet the seal...but it didn't work. An eerie, creeping sensation surrounded her for a moment, the horror of being unable to change again- but she had been. She'd felt as normal as ever yesterday. So why couldn't she change animal forms?

And how was it fair Percy had got to keep his hydro powers?!

I've heard people make jokes about trying to hold a greased pig, but I'm telling you, holding on to a seal in the water is harder.

"More like impossible," Thalia said confidently. "You're basically the only one who could."

"Good to know I'm useful for something, wrestling wild hogs into snow and seals in the harbor," he rolled his eyes.

"We can write a children's book about you when we get back," Will snorted.

Nereus plunged straight down, wriggling and thrashing and spiraling through the dark water. If I hadn't been Poseidon's son, there's no way I could've stayed with him.

Nereus spun and expanded, turning into a killer whale, but I grabbed his dorsal fin as he burst out of the water.

A whole bunch of tourists went, "Whoa!"

I managed to wave at the crowd. Yeah, we do this every day here in San Francisco.

"You're a walking tourist attraction," Jason looked a little envious of that like he was thinking of selling tickets to the next show. Like that city needed more revenue.

Thalia could only guess what his real problem was. How much time did he spend in the Bay area? Was it possible he'd been there at that moment, a ghost in the crowd she'd been to distracted to notice by watching Percy pull a Sea World stunt?

Nereus plunged into the water and turned into a slimy eel. I started to tie him into a knot until he realized what was going on and changed back to human form. "Why won't you drown?" he wailed,

"You just said he changed back to human form," Will smirked for the pun.

"You have the worst sense of humor of all," Percy sighed, "nobody laughs at puns except the person who made them."

"Aw, Percy, nobody's ever told me I have a sense of humor before," Will's grin widened, so Percy just let it go before this got any worse.

pummeling me with his fists.

"I'm Poseidon's son," I said.

"Curse that upstart! I was here first!"

Finally he collapsed on the edge of the boat dock. Above us was one of those tourist piers lined with shops, like a mall on water. Nereus was heaving and gasping. I was feeling great. I could've gone on all day, but I didn't tell him that. I wanted him to feel like he'd put up a good fight.

"I don't know if that would win you any favors with him," Nico shook his head. He could probably tell Percy was faking. His admiration was there as always, Percy really was kind to everyone he met.

"I get credit for trying?" He asked innocently.

Nico's heart did a swoop, a tiny little one almost like his emotions had forgotten how to do it as Percy smiled at him and looked away. "Uh, yeah, sure," he muttered far to late.

My friends ran down the steps from the pier.

"You got him!" Zoe said.

"You don't have to sound so amazed," I said.

"She could sound a little more impressed," Magnus agreed, he couldn't imagine anything close to doing that.

"It's quite amazing when Percy manages to do anything without blowing something up," Thalia reminded.

Nereus moaned. "Oh, wonderful. An audience for my humiliation! The normal deal, I suppose? You'll let me go if I answer your question?"

"I've got more than one question," I said.

"Only one question per capture! That's the rule."

I looked at my friends.

This wasn't good. I needed to find Artemis, and I needed to figure out what the doomsday creature was. I also needed to know if Annabeth was still alive, and how to rescue her. How could I ask that all in one question?

"How do we win the quest," Alex said sharply.

"This isn't a game," Jason scowled as he tried to cobble together the best answer.

"There's no downside to what his answer would be though," Alex still shrugged without that much concern.

"What if it has to be more specific and you wasted a question, he just bolts and Percy can't-"

"Hey you two," Thalia put a placating hand on Jason's shoulder while watching Alex carefully. "Let's focus on what did get asked." Swallowing a wince of guilt as Magnus was trying to hold his breath so he didn't read ahead, while side eyeing Percy who looked immensely sick to his stomach.

She knew as well as anyone what he'd most desperately wanted to ask, and a part of her wanted to go back and duck tape Zoe's mouth shut so she couldn't complain when they did ask about Annabeth.

They needed one goal though. The beast a goddess had thought would sway Zeus to their side. It's what Annabeth would have wanted.

A voice inside me was screaming, Ask about Annabeth! That's what I cared about most.

But then I imagined what Annabeth might say. She would never forgive me if I saved her and didn't save Olympus. Zoe would want me to ask about Artemis, but Chiron had told us the monster was even more important.

"We really should have just brought Chiron on this quest," Thalia smacked the side of her head. "Not me and Zoe being right, not even Annabeth! Nooo, it's Chiron!"

"He would have been a faster ride too," Percy nodded like she'd made a great point.

I sighed. "All right, Nereus. Tell me where to find this terrible monster that could bring an end to the gods. The one Artemis was hunting."

The Old Man of the Sea smiled, showing off his mossy green teeth.

"Ew," Magnus muttered, once again wondering how the homeless people up above had better descriptions than some of these gods.

"I bet I could pull that look off," Alex said.

Magnus once again just watched her, like he was imagining it. He still didn't turn away with anything resembling disgust.

"Oh, that's too easy," he said evilly. "He's right there."

Nereus pointed to the water at my feet.

"Can, can he play made you look?" Jason asked mystified.

"Dionysus sits around playing games all day, I wouldn't put it past any of the others," Percy huffed.

"Where?" I said.

"The deal is complete!" Nereus gloated. With a pop, he turned into a goldfish and did a backflip into the sea.

"Now he's just showing off," Alex scowled, and she looked a little more hacked off than usual somebody other than her was doing that.

"You tricked me!" I yelled.

"Wait." Thalia's eyes widened. "What is that?"

"It's not that sea monster Chiron thought it could be is it?" Magnus asked wearily.

"You'll certainly never see it coming," Thalia said with a grim smile.

"MOOOOOOOO!"

Alex and Magnus's mouths flopped open. They didn't even laugh like they had the last two times. Jason looked like he'd tried to swallow Bessie tail first. Percy was cross-eyed.

Thalia smirked she'd been right, again.

I looked down, and there was my friend the cow serpent, swimming next to the dock. She nudged my shoe and gave me the sad brown eyes.

"Duude," Jason finally sounded like his brain was melting too. Percy gave him a commiserating fist bump.

"I don't get it," Magnus was looking from the book to them like he was still waiting for a trick. "Is it a shape shifting monster? Is it trying to steal Percy's heart?"

Alex gave him a distasteful look he'd slipped into calling Bessie non-gender pronouns just because she was revealed to be a monster and decided she was grateful she had kept some of her secrets to herself.

"Oh trust me, Zoe explains," Thalia sighed. There was a hint of unease in her expression again, she was not proud of what happened next and swallowed back the usual selfish need to steal the book away and just gloss over the rest. Her friend had already learned one of her secrets, did Percy need to remember what a gullible selfish idiot she was too?

Jason hadn't judged her fear of heights, maybe she'd get lucky again and her little brother wouldn't want to disown her finding this out too. She still held back a longing she had no idea what kind of hero he was. Did he perhaps have the same fatal flaw as her and would have hesitated too, or was he better than her like she'd always hoped he could be?

"Ah, Bessie," I said. "Not now."

"Mooo!"

Grover gasped. "He says his name isn't Bessie."

"It's comforting that's all he said to Grover, instead of like, die, or, doom," Alex shrugged.

"But why did he hear a cow at the dam but heard Bessie now?" Magnus frowned.

"Eye contact matters," Jason chuckled. He had no clue, but who knew, it usually did elevate conversations.

"You can understand her... er, him?"

Grover nodded. "It's a very old form of animal speech. But he says his name is the Ophiotaurus."

"Why can't things in Greek ever have pronounceable names?" Percy sighed.

Nico bit back the laugh that sprung to mind about Bob the Titan not being as menacing as Iapetus. Some names just had a certain ring to them.

"The Ophi-what?"

"It means serpent bull in Greek," Thalia said.

"Of course it does," Percy sighed.

Jason's face was glazed over with sudden want as he asked greedily of her, "do you have a translation book handy?"

"I study, unlike this dingdong," Thalia smiled in surprise, even a hint of joy. She could still impress her little brother.

"But what's it doing here?"

"Moooooooo!"

"He says Percy is his protector," Grover announced. "And he's running from the bad people. He says they are close."

I was wondering how you got all that out of a single moooooo.

"Dude, I've been wondering that since the poodle," Magnus said.

"Wait," Zoe said, looking at me. "You know this cow?"

I was feeling impatient, but I told them the story.

Thalia shook her head in disbelief. "And you just forgot to mention this before?"

"When would it have come up?" Percy huffed. "When we were running for our lives from that helicopter and Bianca was talking about magical subways? When you weren't talking to me in the car? Oh I know, during that awesome flight with the metal angels!"

Thalia looked ready to spear his guts if he didn't shut up, so Magnus graciously kept reading to prevent that mess.

"Well... yeah." It seemed silly, now that she said it, but things had been happening so fast. Bessie, the Ophiotaurus, seemed like a minor detail.

"I'll give Percy that," Will nodded. "He did say he goes out and rescues hippocampi from that situation all the time. Unless he just sporadically mentioned it for no reason, it didn't seem like it would come up."

"Thank you," Percy grinned.

"He's still a smart ass," Thalia scoffed.

"We have that in common," Percy smirked.

"I am a fool," Zoe said suddenly. "I know this story!"

"What story?"

"From the War of the Titans," she said. "My... my father told me this tale, thousands of years ago. This is the beast we are looking for."

"I still feel like that Nereus question was wasted," Percy grumbled, knowing he probably would have mentioned Bessie to Annabeth and she probably knew that myth too. They'd have figured it all out together.

Thalia fidgeted with her bracelet in silent relief Percy hadn't thought about the rest of what Zoe had just said. That Zoe's father apparently put her to sleep with bed time stories of monsters destroying the world.

"Bessie?" I looked down at the bull serpent. "But... he's too cute. He couldn't destroy the world."

"That is how we were wrong," Zoe said. "We've been anticipating a huge dangerous monster, but the Ophiotaurus does not bring down the gods that way. He must be sacrificed."

"MMMM," Bessie lowed.

"I don't think he likes the S-word," Grover said.

I patted Bessie on the head, trying to calm him down. He let me scratch his ear, but he was trembling.

"How could anyone hurt him?" I said. "He's harmless."

Zoe nodded. "But there is power in killing innocence. Terrible power. The Fates ordained a prophecy eons ago, when this creature was born. They said that whoever killed the Ophiotaurus and sacrificed its entrails to fire would have the power to destroy the gods."

"And Percy just, stumbled across this thing?" Jason looked like he was being had. "In the backyard of his camp? Is this some sort of trap?"

"It's always a trap," Percy shivered at his words. It all felt very final all of a sudden, and the cold chill breaking out on the back of his neck promised the end would not go quietly.

"MMMMMM!"

"Um," Grover said. "Maybe we could avoid talking about entrails, too."

"Would one of you please learn to censor yourself around the embodiment of the innocent creature," Will chuckled.

"At least he probably didn't hear our dam jokes," Thalia grinned.

Thalia stared at the cow serpent with wonder. "The power to destroy the gods... how? I mean, what would happen?"

"No one knows," Zoe said. "The first time, during the Titan war, the Ophiotaurus was in fact slain by a giant ally of the Titans, but thy father, Zeus, sent an eagle to snatch the entrails away before they could be tossed into the fire. It was a close call. Now, after three thousand years, the Ophiotaurus is reborn."

"You know what Percy, I take it back," Alex laughed. "I've never met someone in person who would name a world destroying creature something as cute as Bessie."

Magnus grinned to himself as he imagined showing her the sign Hearth made up for Hagrid, knowing she'd get a kick out of that later. Maybe they could sit around and read that book next...

"Why thank you," Percy gave a gracious bow.

Thalia sat down on the dock. She stretched out her hand. Bessie went right to her.

Thalia placed her hand on his head. Bessie shivered.

Thalia's expression bothered me. She almost looked... hungry.

"I'd always wanted to try rattlesnake," she tried and failed at convincing sarcasm. She had been in awe Percy had found this thing, the power he could have had without even realizing it, but of course he'd fallen naturally into the roll of protector first and foremost. How the prophecy seemed shaped in that moment like countless times before to pin them against each other... and who would come out on top.

"We have to protect him," I told her. "If Luke gets hold of him—"

"Luke wouldn't hesitate," Thalia muttered. "The power to overthrow Olympus. That's... that's huge."

"Glad we can agree on that," Percy muttered uneasily. Thalia looked, conflicted, in here. That look of hunger was long gone in memory only, but it disturbed him a bit she hadn't denied it either.

"Yes, it is, my dear," said a man's voice in a heavy French accent.

"Oh gods, not the French," Alex smirked.

"I'd rather somebody try to convince me to eat a snail than have this guy back," Magnus groaned.

"And it is a power you shall unleash."

The Ophiotaurus made a whimpering sound and submerged.

I looked up. We'd been so busy talking, we'd allowed ourselves to be ambushed.

Jason looked nauseous at such a fumble while Percy shifted from his usual bemused expression at how his life was going, to battle ready. The power that lit up his eyes should have that manticore running.

Standing behind us, his two-color eyes gleaming wickedly, was Dr. Thorn, the manticore himself.

"This is just pairrr-fect," the manticore gloated.

Percy had never thought he'd agree with a monster, but his sword in hand did so for him. He owed this manticore a world of pain...if only he hadn't been caught at the worst time! He had to protect the Ophi-whats-it-Bessie!

He was wearing a ratty black trench coat over his Westover Hall uniform, which was torn and stained. His military haircut had grown out spiky and greasy. He hadn't shaved recently, so his face was covered in silver stubble. Basically he didn't look much better than the guys down at the soup kitchen.

"Sounds to me like he grew a wee bit obsessed," Nico muttered. Yes he was speaking from personal experience.

"He should have more than one hobby," Will agreed brightly, making Nico snort in surprise.

"Long ago, the gods banished me to Persia," the manticore said. "I was forced to scrounge for food on the edges of the world, hiding in forests, devouring insignificant human farmers for my meals. I never got to fight any great heroes. I was not feared and admired in the old stories! But now that will change. The Titans shall honor me, and I shall feast on the flesh of half-bloods!"

"I knew that," Jason grinned with delight. "I don't know where I read that, but I knew it."

"I never really wanted to know what a monsters dream job was," Magnus looked a little uncomfortable, he'd never thought he'd tell someone not to follow their passion before.

"Well the guys about to be famous now," Percy's scowl promised. "The first manticore to ever be drowned by me!"

On either side of him stood two armed security guys, some of the mortal mercenaries I'd seen in D.C. Two more stood on the next boat dock over, just in case we tried to escape that way. There were tourists all around—walking down the waterfront, shopping at the pier above us—but I knew that wouldn't stop the manticore from acting.

Percy's confidence was already starting to feel weighted down though. He didn't know how he'd made that toilet explode. He couldn't possibly use the water to just shield his friends without causing a massive hurricane, and even if he could, he was not comfortable setting up mortals to die like he did that pig Ares set after him. They were plenty trapped.

"Where... where are the skeletons?" I asked the manticore.

He sneered. "I do not need those foolish undead! The General thinks I am worthless? He will change his mind when I defeat you myself!"

I needed time to think. I had to save Bessie. I could dive into the sea, but how could I make a quick getaway with a five-hundred-pound cow serpent? And what about my friends?

Magnus bit back the comment they weren't likely to be followed into the water, and he'd used an air bubble last time to at least make sure Annabeth could keep breathing. He didn't know the extent of how Percy's powers worked, maybe even he didn't know that.

"We beat you once before," I said.

Nico made an uncomfortable little frown as he swallowed the idea of correcting Percy on something. Technically they really hadn't, Annabeth had saved them.

"Who's this we?" Alex had no problems calling out. "You're on this quest because Annabeth pulled this guy over a cliff."

"What I said sounded better than reminding me of that," Percy scowled, though he'd happily launch Thorn over another cliff with Annabeth safely beside him if that was how this monster was destined to die.

Nico let out a brittle sigh and a good mental scolding. It was no wonder Percy never took notice of him, he never gave him a reason to. There had been no good reason not to say that and at least garner Percy's temporary eye roll like Alex got. He had no one to blame but himself for constantly feeling invisible to him, but there was still that fear lodged in him. That if he ever did try to have anything resembling a conversation with Percy, it would somehow be worse than he was feeling now.

Though that was hard to believe at the moment.

"Ha! You could barely fight me with a goddess on your side. And, alas... that goddess is preoccupied at the moment. There will be no help for you now."

Help. The word still burned in Thalia's memory of all the ways it had come in vastly different forms. Her own father, Apollo and Artemis, Athena, hell even Dionysus saving their bacon while Percy always helped her remember the best parts of herself. Thorn had no idea what kind of help they had on her side, and her dark smile set all of their hair on end to much to ask. Nobody would ever make her feel helpless again.

Zoe notched an arrow and aimed it straight at the manticore's head.

"I'm more surprised she didn't do that while he was monologuing," Alex admitted.

"She was probably feeling a little homesick, Persia being mentioned and all," Thalia shook her head. Alex still had a unique form of annoyance, picking on their surprise.

The guards on either side of us raised their guns.

"Wait!" I said. "Zoe, don't!"

The manticore smiled. "The boy is right, Zoe Nightshade. Put away your bow. It would be a shame to kill you before you witnessed Thalia's great victory."

"What are you talking about?" Thalia growled. She had her shield and spear ready.

"Surely it is clear," the manticore said. "This is your moment. This is why Lord Kronos brought you back to life. You will sacrifice the Ophiotaurus. You will bring its entrails to the sacred fire on the mountain. You will gain unlimited power. And for your sixteenth birthday, you will overthrow Olympus."

Percy's nerves quivered in place like an interpretive dance. A flimsy idea that had gained more traction the more he thought about it and always sounded more believable each time.

It was like she'd told him, she'd already lost everything. This quest was supposed to get her only family back, but somewhere along the way even Thalia had shifted her focus to finding the monster over Annabeth. She was losing faith in why she was fighting.

Percy would just have to remind her, and he opened his mouth to do just that before Magnus kept reading, and the vivid scoff followed by his disparaging voice showed how much Magnus thought of that idea himself. He might not have spent much time around his cousin since they were little, but they were quite similar. Annabeth would never lose faith in Thalia, she'd remember that.

No one spoke. It made terrible sense. Thalia was only two days away from turning sixteen. She was a child of the Big Three. And here was a choice, a terrible choice that could mean the end of the gods. It was just like the prophecy said.

"We actually don't know the exact words of the prophecy," Jason reminded sharply, sounding very much like Chiron. A scholar not letting his class get away from the thesis. "For all we know neither of you are, stop worrying about details you can't control."

"This coming from the guy who's been marking every little detail he can find," Thalia's smile was a bit strained. She was about to massively disappoint Jason and take back whatever pride he might once have had on her when he heard she'd actually hesitated.

I wasn't sure if I felt relieved, horrified, or disappointed. I wasn't the prophecy kid after all. Doomsday was happening right now.

"The worst part is always the waiting," Magnus agreed like he had some degree in psychology he'd never shared.

"The worst part is the constant interruptions," Nico muttered. They'd be done by now otherwise.

I waited for Thalia to tell the manticore off, but she hesitated. She looked completely stunned.

"I think you compartmentalized too well," Jason told her with a little to much confidence. "You filed the idea away and managed to lose it in the shuffle."

She looked miserable as her eyes darted to him and away. Jason had her spot on, she had been managing to put off the worry of everything except finding Annabeth so well she'd barely felt a thing during this quest except angry, tired, and for one brief moment drunk and loopy with laughter before fear took over. Her mother and all who Beryl reminded her of, Bianca, even her impending birthday had been collecting dust in safe corners of her mind until that moment where Thorn threw in her face she could fix it all. Have the power to do anything, like bring her brother back, fix her family.

"You know it is the right choice," the manticore told her. "Your friend Luke recognized it.

He'd managed to say the exact right thing to her too. He'd answered a question she'd been asking herself since she woke up. Luke had seen no other way out, and there had been a moment, a split second as her mind conjured up the image, she could have him back too. Happy, beside her, to finish what they'd started together...

You shall be reunited with him. You shall rule this world together under the auspices of the Titans. Your father abandoned you, Thalia. He cares nothing for you. And now you shall gain power over him. Crush the Olympians underfoot, as they deserve. Call the beast! It will come to you. Use your spear."

"Thalia," I said, "snap out of it!"

She looked at me the same way she had the morning she woke up on Half-Blood Hill, dazed and uncertain. It was almost like she didn't know me. "I... I don't—"

'I don't know how to give it up,' she'd almost stuttered. The power, the yearning for more. If her fatal flaw wasn't hubris like Annabeth's, than it was certainly a craving to be needed. Like her father. Not in charge, she'd resented Zoe for a multitude of reasons, but sharing the decisions was a personal problem she tried to over come. No, Thorn had dug right into her strongest desire to make the world bend to her will so nobody could ever take her family away from her again.

"Your father helped you," I said. "He sent the metal angels. He turned you into a tree to preserve you."

Her father who had let her die, let her brother vanish...the same father who might have led her right to Annabeth and Luke when she'd needed them most and saved enough of her to be reborn in just the right circumstances. It had to be impossible he'd know one day she'd get a chance to come back, but Percy had looked at her and promised yet another answer she'd woken up in this world needing. Maybe Zeus had let her tree be poisoned, had done nothing to save the camp, because it helped get her out.

Her hand tightened on the shaft of her spear.

I looked at Grover desperately. Thank the gods, he understood what I needed. He raised his pipes to his mouth and played a quick riff.

The manticore yelled, "Stop him!"

The guards had been targeting Zoe, and before they could figure out that the kid with the pipes was the bigger problem,

"A rather dumb mistake on their part, those things are the most dangerous weapon there," Magnus said confidently. They could both do magic and bash someone's head in.

the wooden planks at their feet sprouted new branches and tangled their legs. Zoe let loose two quick arrows that exploded at their feet in clouds of sulfurous yellow smoke. Fart arrows!

"And here I thought she reserved those only for me," Thalia said with her usual grin in place like nothing had happened.

Percy breathed a sigh of relief and gave himself a mental kick for each time he'd doubted her in here.

Jason was still looking at her kind of wearily, but in a concerned way, like he wanted to ask if she was alright but thought she might use that spear on him if he tried.

The guards started coughing. The manticore shot spines in our direction, but they ricocheted off my lion's coat.

"Grover," I said, "tell Bessie to dive deep and stay down!"

"Moooooo!" Grover translated. I could only hope that Bessie got the message.

"What would happen if he spoke ox right then or something?" Magnus couldn't help but laugh even in this most serious of situations.

"He'd tell Bessie with an accent I hope," Percy frowned with plenty of worry for both of them.

"The cow..." Thalia muttered, still in a daze.

"Yes, very good Thalia," but there was no mocking in Alex's voice for Thalia somehow unintentionally repeating her and Magnus's joke this whole book.

"Maybe next time I'll identify what Percy is," she agreed with a cheerful, if reluctant enough smile.

"Come on!" I pulled her along as we ran up the stairs to the shopping center on the pier.

We dashed around the corner of the nearest store. I heard the manticore shouting at his minions, "Get them!"

"I always hated redundant orders like that," Nico rolled his eyes. "After them, catch them, stop right there, action speaks louder than words!"

"If I ever have an evil mad man chasing me I'll be sure to tell him he's being cliché," Will grinned.

Tourists screamed as the guards shot blindly into the air.

We scrambled to the end of the pier. We hid behind a little kiosk filled with souvenir crystals—wind chimes and dream catchers and stuff like that, glittering in the sunlight.

"This isn't the kind of bad vibe I think they'll be able to take away," Percy scowled.

"I bet the kiosk person will still try," Jason squirmed, still watching Thalia more than paying attention.

There was a water fountain next to us.

"Could you squirt them in the face with that Percy?" Magnus asked with a resigned air of having to ask.

"Maybe to annoy them," he frowned.

"To bad there's not a bathroom around, we could use you becoming one with the plumbing again," Thalia smirked.

"You guys are never letting that go," Percy groaned.

"Nope," she agreed.

Down below, a bunch of sea lions were sunning themselves on the rocks.

"At least somebody's having a good time," Jason muttered, squinting a bit at nothing in here. He'd still swear this whole scenario should feel familiar, minus the being chased by an angry French manticore, though that didn't seem as wildly out of place as it should have.

The whole of San Francisco Bay spread out before us: the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the green hills and fog beyond that to the north. A picture-perfect moment, except for the fact that we were about to die and the world was going to end.

"Couldn't ask for better circumstances?" Will offered.

"The not dying part!" Percy scoffed.

"You didn't," Will waved at him obviously, "and now you get to remember that lovely view you'll probably never see again."

"I'm going to shove your optimism so far up your-" Percy sounded more exasperated at his kidding at a time like this than anything, but Nico still cleared his throat to get a move on already.

"Go over the side!" Zoe told me. "You can escape in the sea, Percy. Call on thy father for help. Maybe you can save the Ophiotaurus."

Percy had just reminded Thalia that their parents weren't uncaring, but he still swallowed a bitter taint of his own his father might deliver one scrap of help, and a self-serving one at that in protecting a beast who could destroy him. If he asked his dad for anything more, like saving all of his friends too right there on the ocean front, it would probably be to close to that whole pesky interfering business.

She was right, but I couldn't do it.

"I won't leave you guys," I said. "We fight together."

"You have to get word to camp!" Grover said. "At least let them know what's going on!"

"The most awkward part is I don't even think a tsunami in California would make the headlines in New York," Alex said. More likely the reason Percy couldn't do that was he didn't have control enough of his powers to not swipe up his friends and countless pedestrians in the crossfire, again. Man it would be more helpful if the bad guys would stop catching up to them in places Percy couldn't conveniently destroy.

Then I noticed the crystals making rainbows in the sunlight. There was a drinking fountain next to me...

"Get word to camp," I muttered. "Good idea."

I uncapped Riptide and slashed off the top of the water fountain. Water burst out of the busted pipe and sprayed all over us.

Thalia gasped as the water hit her. The fog seemed to clear from her eyes. "Are you crazy?" she asked.

"Always," Percy agreed. "What does that make you Thals?" His smirk grew at calling out how similar they were.

She smirked in the exact same way and agreed, "crazier."

"Bet I'm declared craziest by the end of this," Percy said with way to much confidence.

"Only because we're following your adventures," she reminded with an even more annoying smirk than the last one. "Now if we were following the Hunters around-"

"It's not like that's my fault," Percy groaned, giving her a shove. "If I could trade I would!"

"No you wouldn't," she said softly, her mind on one person.

Percy sighed, but agreed, "no I wouldn't," his mind on the same blond.

But Grover understood.

"And that is why Grover is my first best friend," Percy said with pride, elbowing Thalia even more. "He goes right along with my crazy schemes while you were in a fog!"

"I was having an identity crisis," she agreed without a drop of chagrin. "You're lucky I came out of it, or you would have been my first victim."

He laughed again, properly without a bit of hesitation, and she sighed everything felt almost back to normal for a second.

He was already fishing around in his pockets for a coin. He threw a golden drachma into the rainbows created by the mist and yelled, "O goddess, accept my offering!"

The mist rippled.

"Camp Half-Blood!" I said.

And there, shimmering in the Mist right next to us, was the last person I wanted to see: Mr. D, wearing his leopard-skin jogging suit and rummaging through the refrigerator.

Percy slammed his palm into his face in an almost painful sounding strike, and then dragged his hand down to his chin like slowly dripping acid.

"I'm very sad to see you didn't learn your lesson about this the first time," Magnus agreed with that display.

"Chiron is one less syllable than your camp, it's faster," Jason agreed like that was going to make all the difference next time.

Percy still had his head bowed towards his hand like he wanted to slap himself again. How were they not all dead?

He looked up lazily. "Do you mind?"

"Where's Chiron!" I shouted.

"How rude." Mr. D took a swig from a jug of grape juice. "Is that how you say hello?"

"Hello," I amended. "We're about to die! Where's Chiron?"

"If that place ever got a phone, that should be the recorded message," Alex nodded.

"Who says it isn't?" Will grinned. "It's option two though, you don't want to know what one is." Why Dionysius had insisted on offering a connection to Olympus that left you on hold forever first they'd never know...

Mr. D considered that. I wanted to scream at him to hurry up, but I knew that wouldn't work. Behind us, footsteps and shouting—the manticore's troops were closing in.

"About to die," Mr. D mused. "How exciting.

"Is it really though?" Magnus frowned. "It sounds to me like it happens at that Camp all the time."

"Maybe iris-messaging has more entertainment value than the real stuff," Percy rolled his eyes.

"I doubt the quality is better, and the off screen developments have to be lacking," Thalia sniffed with distaste.

I'm afraid Chiron isn't here. Would you like me to take a message?"

"I have several for him," Alex's tone promised an expletive after every word.

I looked at my friends. "We're dead."

"You're not doing a very good job of that," Jason at least sounded relieved to contradict that.

Thalia gripped her spear. She looked like her old angry self again. "Then we'll die fighting."

"I really don't want that to be your last words," Percy said, while sounding genuinely in awe of his friend.

"Hasn't happened yet," her smile was grim but proud as Percy gave her one of those looks that meant he was on the exact same wavelength as her. Jason, to her surprise, was still watching her with the same concern like she was still in that foggy state. It was surprisingly kind of him, though she couldn't imagine why he was.

"How noble," Mr. D said, stifling a yawn.

"Does he have a permanent hangover?" Alex rolled her eyes.

"Wouldn't surprise me," Magnus couldn't imagine any hair of the dog could cure him.

"So what is the problem, exactly?"

I didn't see that it would make any difference, but I told him about the Ophiotaurus.

"Mmm." He studied the contents of the fridge. "So that's it. I see."

"You don't even care!" I screamed. "You'd just as soon watch us die!"

"Let's see. I think I'm in the mood for pizza tonight."

Percy looking grudgingly respectful of that for a moment. He'd want that to be his last meal too. Didn't make him less of a jackass.

I wanted to slash through the rainbow and disconnect, but I didn't have time. The manticore screamed, "There!" And we were surrounded. Two of the guards stood behind him. The other two appeared on the roofs of the pier shops above us. The manticore threw off his coat and transformed into his true self, his lion claws extended and his spiky tail bristling with poison barbs.

"Excellent," he said. He glanced at the apparition in the mist and snorted. "Alone, without any real help. Wonderful."

"Well now he went and done it," Will scoffed with the same amount of confidence as ever. The one way to piss off any god was to tell them what they couldn't do.

"You could ask for help," Mr. D murmured to me, as if this were an amusing thought. "You could say please."

"When pigs fly!" Percy snapped. He'd go down in any fight with his head high and pride intact before he pleaded for help, only to hear the maniacal laughter from the wine god!

When wild boars fly, I thought. There was no way I was going to die begging a slob like Mr. D, just so he could laugh as we all got gunned down.

Percy managed a smile through his gritted teeth as he kept a tight hold on his pen. It was a relief in some part he hadn't changed to much over the years.

Zoe readied her arrows. Grover lifted his pipes. Thalia raised her shield, and I noticed a tear running down her cheek. Suddenly it occurred to me: this had happened to her before.

Thalia had never felt shocked before. She was usually the one doing that. The kind of heart-skip, breath catching feeling as she quickly rubbed at her cheek to hide any such thing had been there as she did a double take at Percy. Damn this boy for always noticing everything but the battle at hand!

She couldn't say what sort of expression would have been on his face at the time. Her sole focus had been on Thorn. She saw now though. It was pity mingled with yet more understanding in those sea green eyes. He would have done anything to save her in that moment.

Like make a pig fly, or something even more unthinkable.

She had been cornered on Half-Blood Hill. She'd willingly given her life for her friends. But this time, she couldn't save us.

How could I let that happen to her?

"Please, Mr. D," I muttered. "Help."

"Percy," she didn't have the words. She hadn't heard what he'd said when he'd muttered all those years ago. She'd thought it had been a self serving act, that Dionysius had changed his mind when Thorn had spoken to spare her. Even Mr. D wouldn't want her falling into the wrong hands, it was more convenient to save her.

Her friend just gave her a casual grin of no regrets. Percy gave her a little tip of his head, and then pressed his finger to his lips and pointed at the book. Despite his calm mood back as placid as ever, he clearly was going to pretend he didn't know if it had worked until the book said so. Not to spare her having to choke out a thanks or anything.

Of course, nothing happened.

The manticore grinned. "Spare the daughter of Zeus. She will join us soon enough. Kill the others."

Magnus felt like the words were being jerked out of him one syllable at a time. Camp Half-Blood had felt like a morbid place to him the second it was described, a 'home' designed to train kids that were just going to die inside the boarders as quickly as outside.

He found in this moment though a sense of understanding, like group therapy. A way to accept an outcome all those kids were going to face, because he was obviously the only one still gob-smacked over the careless words out of that monsters mouth.

The men raised their guns, and something strange happened. You know how you feel when all the blood rushes to your head, like if you hang upside down and turn right-side up too quickly? There was a rush like that all around me, and a sound like a huge sigh. The sunlight tinged with purple. I smelled grapes and something more sour—wine.

SNAP!

It was the sound of many minds breaking at the same time. The sound of madness. One guard put his pistol between his teeth like it was a bone and ran around on all fours. Two others dropped their guns and started waltzing with each other. The fourth began doing what looked like an Irish clogging dance. It would have been funny if it hadn't been so terrifying.

"I think it can be both just fine," Thalia promised. Zoe had been just as guilty as her giving a self pinch and Grover's mouth had fallen comically wide open.

"No!" screamed the manticore. "I will deal with you myself!"

His tail bristled, but the planks under his paws erupted into grape vines, which immediately began wrapping around the monster's body, sprouting new leaves and clusters of green baby grapes that ripened in seconds as the manticore shrieked, until he was engulfed in a huge mass of vines, leaves, and full clusters of purple grapes. Finally the grapes stopped shivering, and I had a feeling that somewhere inside there, the manticore was no more.

Percy's fingers twitched once in regret. That he hadn't gotten his revenge for this creature making him think Annabeth was dead.

It only lasted a moment as relief swept over him and he gave a cheerful high-five to Thalia. Another day they lived!

She gave him a rueful shake of her head as she gave him an enthusiastic answer by doing so back.

"Well," said Dionysus, closing his refrigerator. "That was fun."

"Was it?" Magnus asked in concern. "Because I'm now over here shitting myself how long range he has!"

Nobody answered him, as usual, which probably meant he'd never stop hyperventilating if he got an answer.

I stared at him, horrified. "How could you... How did you—"

"Such gratitude," he muttered. "The mortals will come out of it. Too much explaining to do if I made their condition permanent. I hate writing reports to Father."

"They have to file reports?" Alex looked personally offended paperwork existed at that moment.

"I'm sure he just makes the satyrs do it," Will grinned, making them all smile for a moment as they realized Mr. D was just brushing off his moment where he'd saved their life.

He stared resentfully at Thalia. "I hope you learned your lesson, girl. It isn't easy to resist power, is it?"

Thalia blushed as if she were ashamed.

"We really are a lot a like, it's eerie how Annabeth called that," Percy told her without surprise. "We both over came our fatal flaws on our first quest, got our asses saved by a surprise god, Grover even got to start both by saving some dumbass kid."

"Hey," Nico frowned, even if he found himself glowing with shock and pride Percy had really just compared them. The words had really come out of his mouth, he'd seen it in person!

"Stop trying to be all happy and encouraging Percy, it's creepy," Thalia was doing anything but flushing with shame now as she rolled her eyes at him with her usual grin.

"Mr. D," Grover said in amazement. "You... you saved us."

"Mmm. Don't make me regret it, satyr. Now get going, Percy Jackson.

Magnus stuttered over his name like he was Jason trying to read Greek. "Did he just say your name?"

"Holy toledo!" Jason yelped just as loudly. "I didn't think he learned your names!"

"He has to get them wrong on purpose somehow," Percy looked just as dazed, even plugging his nose up for a moment to make sure that crazy smell of grapes and minds snapping wasn't affecting him.

Will looked downright smug as he savored all of their shock. It was almost sad, he was the only one not surprised. Mr. D did care about them, in his way. It took some time to get used to him and his subtleties, but considering he'd never actually blasted a kid, he'd always been sure of it.

Nico picked at his lip curiously for a moment before he said to nobody in particular, "names have power. It's possible the god was even evoking a little something extra, never saying any names unless he meant it."

Percy looked at him like he was crazy now. "Have you been sniffing the grapes? There's no way Mr. D thinks of us as worthy of that kind of idea."

Nico didn't feel very abashed though, especially since Will looked extremely interested beside him like it was something he'd want to ask Mr. D about. Nico watched as Percy turned back to the book, and then made himself look away too without expecting more, which was growing easier with practice.

I've bought you a few hours at most."

"The Ophiotaurus," I said. "Can you get it to camp?"

Mr. D sniffed. "I do not transport livestock. That's your problem."

"Isn't his sacred animal big cats or something? Shouldn't he be able to oversea that?" Magnus asked. He figured that was why he always wore the printed jogging outfit.

"In some myths it's also a donkey," Thalia snorted.

"I have so many questions," Magnus muttered, rubbing his forehead in exhaustion.

"I'm sure the answer in this particular case is, he's done more work in those five seconds than he's had to in centuries," Alex reminded.

"But where do we go?"

Dionysus looked at Zoe. "Oh, I think the huntress knows. You must enter at sunset today, you know, or all is lost. Now good-bye. My pizza is waiting."

"He didn't even threaten to throw you off another building," Jason said in admiration.

"Must have been a good pizza," Percy said, just as dumbstruck.

"Mr. D," I said.

He raised his eyebrow.

"You called me by my right name," I said. "You called me Percy Jackson."

"You weren't supposed to point it out!" Alex laughed. "Now he might have been the one to erase your brain just for this!"

Percy flinched uneasily, that wasn't a joke he'd laugh lightly at, but it didn't feel right either.  Dionysius could have been sporadically causing memory problems to all the kids at Camp if he'd ever cared enough about one before.

"I most certainly did not, Peter Johnson. Now off with you!"

He waved his hand, and his image disappeared in the mist.

All around us, the manticore's minions were still acting completely nuts. One of them had found our friend the homeless guy, and they were having a serious conversation about metal angels from Mars.

"Now where's my B Alien movie over that," Magnus grinned.

"Awaiting popcorn and the Claymation on us," Alex smirked. Magnus wondered for a moment if that crazy juice was leaking through the book. That wasn't a date proposal. Right?

Several other guards were harassing the tourists, making animal noises and trying to steal their shoes.

"I swear you bring the strangeness of New York with you everywhere you go," Jason told while giving one last annoyed sigh as he curled his toes up in his sneakers and rubbed at his forehead. He still felt like the crazy one in the room for swearing some of this should be familiar!

I looked at Zoe. "What did he mean... 'You know where to go'?"

Her face was the color of the fog. She pointed across the bay, past the Golden Gate. In the distance, a single mountain rose up above the cloud layer.

"The garden of my sisters," she said. "I must go home."

"Do they still remember she exists?" Magnus asked, his mouth dry as sandpaper, his tongue feeling rough with the stress even if he wouldn't be the one reading it. "What happens when you're blotted out of existence and try to go back."

Percy was making grumbling noises of protest and had his eyes closed to bully down the pain of any idea what was coming, so Alex quickly made a swipe for the book. The more he paid attention to these books rather than whatever that was, the better for all of them.

[tinisprouts]

The Façade of Happiness

Chapter Two - Forward They Persist

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Synopsis: Kel always seemed the happiest out of his childhood friends; back then and now, and maybe in a way, he was if he just didn't think too hard about it. But when he heard of Sunny's soon departure, Kel knew he had to try and reach out to him again. All is well, everyone had come back together again and Kel could say he was happy. Yet, it is falling apart once again after Sunny reveals the truth behind Mari's death. Kel wasn't there for his friends the last time, he didn't have the capability. It was different now, he would make sure he wouldn't lose his friends this time, not after finding real happiness.

Word Count: 2.5k+

Warnings: Basil talks about s*ici*e in the beginning of the chapter, proceed with caution!

Although Kel was not as keen on emotions as others, Basil found he surprisingly was a good listener. He also noticed how well Kel could keep a poker face despite the horrible things Basil told him. Basil wondered if Kel had always been like that. From his memory, he was typically very expressive, heart on his sleeve. His giveaways were when his hand would tense in Basil’s and the inflections of his occasional words.

"Why did you hold it in for so long? Why didn't you just tell the truth?" Basil thought and then thought some more, trying to find the right words, till his thought consumed him becoming darker. But before he could sink deeper, he was pulled out, by a firm squeeze from Kel while the boy called his name, worried.

"I- I never wanted to believe that Sunny did something like that. I wanted to believe it was something else," Basil lets out a strangled half chuckle, "So hypocritical, I know. How could I do something like that to Mari's body? At some point, it wasn't just about protecting Sunny; it was about protecting myself, from the truth, from what I did…."

Kel felt his throat growing tighter at Basil's words. Would he have done the same in Basil's position, he figured he would never know. "Is that why you and Sunny fought?"

"I think Sunny had come to terms with everything, but I was still in denial. I snapped; I wanted to get rid of the thing I thought was controlling Sunny, so I…. Kel, something is wrong with me; I need help. If Sunny didn't try to stop me, I was ready to end it. I was going to kill myself! But I don't want to die; I was just so tired, and I'm still tired." Basil couldn't stop the tears if he wanted to. Kel's heart broke, just how helpless and alone Basil must have felt? Why didn't he realize? Why couldn't he have been more perceptive? Why, why, why?! 

Kel could only scoop up Basil's fragile body in his arms, hugging him so firmly, hoping that if just for a moment, he could forget the feeling of loneliness. He repeated the words he kept close to his heart, the words he would repeat to himself every day before getting out of bed, the treasured words from Mari that gave him hope for the future. "It'll be okay, Basil. It's going to get better, I promise."

Basil clung to Kel like he was his only lifeline in a chaotic sea that was ready to swallow him whole. Maybe he would feel embarrassed about it later, but it felt good to let it all out, so Basil cried like a baby. Crying to exhaustion, till his sobs quieted to sniffles, till he could feel how good Kel's hug was and realize how much he missed them. The pounding in Basil's heart slowed, as he slackened his hold on Kel. He took this as his sign, and Kel oh so carefully pulled away till he could see Basil's face again, this time Kel was holding both of Basil's hands.

"I'm sorry, I got your shirt all wet." Kel looks down at his jersey, spotting a big wet spot on his chest.

"That's okay, we are matching,” Basil looks at his shoulder, and there on his gown is an equally big wet spot, which causes him to smile. Hesitant Kel brings up his concerns, “Basil, I don’t want to leave you alone right now, but I’m worried about everyone else. You saw how Aubrey reacted, Hero didn’t even say anything, and Sunny….” Basil’s smile became wistful.

“You can go Kel, I’ll be okay.” Kel searched Basil’s eyes to see if Basil really meant it, but he couldn’t be sure.

“I’ll call you. You have to pick up, alright?”

“Of course, but you should hurry if you want to see Sunny. I talked to his mom when she visited me a few days ago, she said she wanted to leave as soon as Sunny was able, and I think he’s ready to go now. I’ve already taken a lot of your time so you don’t have much left.” Kel is shocked he didn’t think they would leave so soon. Sunny had only woken up from surgery a week ago, but he had been in a dazed state since then like his mind was somewhere far away. He didn’t talk at all, till today; was he really okay to go? Kel was going to find out.

"Thanks, Basil. I'll call you as soon as I'm out! Let's give Sunny a proper goodbye." Kel was feeling now that he knows he was on a time crunch, maybe Sunny was already gone. Basil waves Kel off with a smile. When Kel was out the door his smile faded as he thought. He was alone now, but he didn't feel as lonely as before.

Basil occasionally wondered how his childhood friends would act if they knew. Worried they would hate him and he would no longer be loved by them. If they somehow still loved him, would it be less? Would he still be valued as a human? Would they still look him in the eyes?

Aubrey and Hero couldn't look at or speak to him and Basil could understand why. If he was them he wasn't sure if he'd have the capacity to forgive so easily. Yet, Kel looked at Basil, held him, and promised not to leave him; He couldn't understand that. But he wanted to take the kindness that was given to him. 

I lost Grandma, Sunny, Aubrey, and Hero…, but I still have Kel and Polly. Basil thought about the two; Kel still stayed despite everything. Polly, sure she didn't know, but she cared for Basil these past 2 years and he always shut her out emotionally, and she still comes to see him every day even though she is busy taking care of things at home. His parents only bothered to visit for one day before deciding it wasn't serious.

Basil thought it was enough, more love than he deserved. Still, Basil would try to be worthy of it, to love them in return. To live for tomorrow that would surely be better than yesterday. To love himself on days when it was hard. Despite everything, Basil would love. Grandma would've liked that…

The buzzing of his phone snapped him out of his thoughts, and Kel's name was displayed on the screen, causing Basil to smile wholeheartedly. Even though it had only been a few minutes, Kel was relieved when Basil answered his call. Starting their conversation about nothing in particular as Kel was speed-walking to Sunny’s house. Kel made Basil feel like they never even had their tearful conversation and he appreciated the normalcy of their interaction. 

"Basil, I see Sunny! You're right he looks like he's about to leave." Basil hears Kel call for Sunny and he tries to imagine what both of their faces look like right now. Kel laughed, "He looked. One moment Basil." He could hear Kel running to Sunny and the way he tried to catch his breath when he stopped.

"Kel?" Sunny's voice was only heard faintly through the phone.

"Hey Sunny, Hello Ms. Tokimitsu." 

"What ar-," Sunny is cut off by the loud voice of his mom.

"Oh my Kel, look at you, it's still so surprising to see how big you've gotten!" Kel grins. "You must be here to say goodbye to Sunny?"

"Yeah, me and Basil," he says, holding his phone towards them showing he was on call. Basil and Sunny's mom exchange a few words.

"Well, I'll just finish talking the rest in the car, you can stay here Sunny." She left before Sunny could even come up with a response.

"Why did you come here?" Sunny questioned.

"I said I'd see you later." So he really did mean it. "I didn't mean to send you off like that at the hospital…. Me and Basil wanted to see you off, well I guess Basil can't really see you but you get it, haha." Kel was determined to see Sunny, but now that he was in front of him he didn't know what to say. In the awkward silence, Basil spoke.

"Sunny…, I'm sorry. I wish I could take back what I did, everything. As selfish as this sounds, I hope one day you can forgive me." Sunny looked for the right words, there was so much between them, they had given each other lifelong scars that would connect them for the rest of their lives.

"I've already forgiven you Basil and I'm sorry too, for so many things. But we can't change the past. I think the best thing we can do is forgive ourselves and move forward…. At least I feel like that's what Mari would say." 

Mari, Sunny felt how her name rolled off his tongue so easily. He would never say her name before like it was a word that would burn his insides, just she, her, my sister. Now it came from his mouth as it should. He already made the decision to cherish everything that was left of Mari.

"Yeah, that sounds like something Mari would say. Then let’s both try to live happier lives. I don’t really know how to do that, but I have people that want to help me…. I hope you can find the people that want to help you too.” There was a loud creak and the shut of a door coming from Basil’s end. They could only hear one end of a short conversation before Basil spoke to them once again, “I should get going, but Kel can you hand the phone to Sunny I just need to tell him something.”

“Uh yeah, sure.” Kel was taken aback but obliged, taking his phone off speaker mode for the first time since the start of their call and handing it over to Sunny. 

“Hello?” Sunny questions.

“Sunny, I have a favor to ask.”

“What?”

“I don’t think I can do it right now, but can I tell Polly about everything? …I’d like it if she knew.” Sunny’s eyes widened as he connected the dots. Polly is one of the people that want to help Basil. 

“It’s just as much your secret, as it is mine. Besides, I already told everyone the secret without asking you, it doesn’t matter to me.”

“Ah, thank you. Um, also, Kel was telling me how you don’t have a phone and he was really sad about that. If you can help it, keep Kel by your side, he really cares about you." A light flush spreads across Sunny's face without his notice as he rubs at the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I've been realizing that." Sunny steals a glance at Kel seeing he has his head turned looking at nothing in particular. Kel could feel Sunny's stare so he looked back causing Sunny to avert his gaze, his face becoming noticeably warm. Kel felt even more awkward just standing there, like suddenly he had become a third wheel. 

"Well, I really should go now, I want to spend some time with Polly. Bye, Sunny."

"Bye Basil." Sunny hands the phone back to Kel and exchanges goodbyes with Basil as well before hanging up, and putting away his phone. Sunny is the first to speak, "Kel, thank you for coming for me."

"Of course, I have to give you a proper goodbye!" 

"No, well yes this too, but I mean for knocking on my door. If it wasn't for you…" 

"Don't mention it. I tried at first but at some point, I gave up trying to be there for you. Just think of it as me making good on my promise to Mari." Kel smiled at the memory that only he, Sunny, and Mari shared. The corner of Sunny's mouth quirked into a grin as he laughed through his nose, recalling the memory as well.

"Do you think you can keep your promise after this?" Sunny held out his pinky, "It's going to be hard making new friends and-" Kel snatched up the pinky wrapping it with his own. 

"I already decided I wasn't going to desert my friends. Whenever you need me just call and I'll be there for you." Sunny let go of Kel's pinky but kept his hand raised, hesitation clear in his eye. He realized he would miss Kel a lot more than he originally thought and hesitation became longing. Doing the unexpected, Sunny's hand finally reaches out and he goes in for a hug, cherishing his friend. 

"Aww Sunny, you don't have to be shy about wanting a hug!" Kel wrapped Sunny up in a big bear hug. Joy and regret mingled if only he had knocked on the door earlier. If he could spend just a little more time with Sunny. He wished that Sunny didn't have to go, and he hugged him tighter like it could stop him from leaving. "You have to come visit, Sunny." Kel choked on his words, there was more, so much more he wanted to say but they were all stuck in his throat.

"Mmn, I'll come knocking this time." Kel chuckled, tears pricking the corners of his eyes. Kel pulls away first wanting to wipe away the build-up of tears.

"You better, or I'll come find you." Sunny shook his head at Kel's silly reply. As if on cue Sunny's mom came out of the house carrying an open box of stuff. The boys saw how she fumbled with the key while still holding the box. Kel ran up to her, taking the box from her arms. "Don't worry, I got it."

"Oh, thank you." Kel carries the box to the car while she locks the door for the last time. Taking a few steps back, she looked at everything she was leaving behind. There were so many memories that came with this house, the good and the bad, it would stick with her for the rest of her life. Her eyes landed on the roof where she spotted, Mari? Like a ghostly apparition, Mari was smiling as she waved goodbye to her mother.

She stared and stared until she couldn't see through her tear-filled eyes anymore. She shut them, wiping at her face, but when she looked back Mari was gone. Sunny's mother waved back at where Mari was, saying goodbye to her daughter. She walks back to the car where Kel has shut the trunk.

"Alright, now we are all packed up again. It's time to go Sunny."

"Wait, can I get your phone number so I can stay in contact with Sunny?" She smiles, thankful her son really has a good friend.

"Of course." After exchanging numbers she says goodbye to Kel before stepping inside the car and starting the ignition. Sunny and Kel looked at each other.

"I'll see you later." Kel holds out his fist waiting for Sunny.

"Later." Sunny lightly bumps his own against Kel's. Just like that Sunny gets inside the car. Kel watches as they drive away waiting till they are out of view and he sighs. I need to check on Aubrey.

Kel felt doubt in his own abilities, could he help Aubrey? Did she even want him to? Would he just make things worse? These were the same fears that kept him from going to her when they were younger, he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

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