#I mean too be fair I think Bee was supposed to be painted as in the wrong there

[ghostingcrows]

Also on the topic of RiD

I feel like we moved past the fact that the Bee put bombs in the Decepticons head and was actively threatening their lives if they didn’t behave a little too quickly-

I mean 

The good guys folks

[virgo-mess]

The Birds and the Bees

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Chapter List

1.Alexithymia- The Inability to Express your Feelings Parts 1 and 2

2.The Woes of Adolescence/ What the heck Happened that Summer Parts 1 and 2

3.Caught in a Summer Storm/ What the heck Happened that Christmas.

4.Summer Bluffs? Part 1

5.Disco, Strippers, and Margaritassss Part 2

6.Sleepless in a Hotel Suite Part 3

7.Shades of Pink

8.The Things I’ve Dreamed Part 1

9.Renewal Part 2

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And we've finally made it to part 2 of Chapter 2... Good grief I was hit with the most random wave of productivity. I'm making this post at 2 AM after writing for four hours. Sorry if there's any typos, this was honestly a product of me seeking comfort for my own inner turmoil and the result was FLUFFFF. So let me know what you think in the notes pleaseee, I beg. 👀

TW: Panic attacks, Kissing, and fluffffff. That's really it guys, enjoy!

The Woes of Adolescence/ What the Heck Happened That Summer Part 2

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“Yet the summer which was to change everything was coming nearer every day. When boys and girls are growing up, life can’t stand still, not even in the quietest of country towns; and they have to grow up, whether they will or no. That is what their elders are always forgetting.”- Willa Cather

Shay’s POV

The hours ticked by as Shay and Cash rummaged through boxes full of forgotten memories and unpacked feelings. Any lingering awkwardness from Cash’s prompt proposal for Shay to move in with him was long forgotten by the time Cash slipped away to get them takeout from the Trails End Bar in town. That intimate moment of fellow feeling they had shared had done a great job at prolonging the inevitable conversation they were bound to have for the time being. They spent the rest of their cleaning sipping on glasses of red wine and reminiscing about the happy carefree days of their youth. A prospect that usually had Shay in tears of hopeless yearning was currently filled with bashful giggles, rosy cheeks, longing glances, and fluttering butterflies. Shay supposed drinking wine with Cashton Ewing was a bad idea from the get-go, she was sure the consequences of such an act would be coming back to bite her in the ass soon enough. But she couldn’t help but want to enjoy a face paced blunder with her long-time crush while she could.

“I remember this sundress; you wore it on the last day of eighth grade” Cash mused pulling Shay’s old white sundress with sunflowers stitched on the bodice from one of the boxes with a soft smile on his face. Shay eyed the dress wearily; she remembered that unguarded garment and the scarring memory attached to it very well.

“Yeah, I did…” Shay mumbled before focusing her gaze back on the TV, she’d plugged in 13 Going on 30 not too long ago. The scene of Jenna’s less than stellar thirteenth birthday party was quickly unfolding on the screen. Shay couldn’t help but think about the last day of eighth grade, the day she’d tried her best to forget. Part of the reason she latched onto 13 Going on 30 was because she saw both herself and Cash reflected in Matt and Jenna. Shay felt like the movie was the closest she’d ever get to living out a romantic fantasy with Cash. Sometimes she’d forget she was watching a movie because there was a degree of mirrored likeness between her life and the world painted on the screen, from Jenna and Matt being best friends and neighbors, to Matt taking pictures like Cash, right down to Shay’s vexatious run ins with her own personal mean girl, Opal May Stevens. Shay had her fair share of mean girls throughout their childhood, that could only be expected when you were best friends with the prettiest boy in school. None of them were ever quite as mean as Opal May Stevens however, who had seemed to make it her mission to make Shay’s life a living nightmare about a month or two into that school year. Cash never seemed to notice of course and why would he really, Shay had all but figured out he had a thing for Opal May when she turned up at the movie theater that Valentines Day, she locked herself in a bathroom stall to cry. It wasn’t the first time Shay cried over Cash and Opal May nor would it be the last or even the worst. The worst breakdown she had in relation to her first crush and her childhood bully was reserved for the last day of eighth grade….

 “You do always look great in a sundress you know that, Cherry Blossom. What happened that day anyway?” Cash’s voice lulled through the air, pulling Shay out of her dark inner ruminations quite suddenly. Shay’s green eyes strayed from the screen for a split second to see Cash’s ocean orbs gazing at her intensely.

“What?” Shay asked, her brows knitted together in confusion as she tried to recall what it was, they’d even been talking about. She’d gotten lost with the dull echoes of taunting children’s laughter reeling in the gloomy memory bank of her mind and the tiresome chanting of Opal May’s odious voice ringing in her ears. Shay felt Cash’s finger gingerly brush against her forearm, and she finally let her green eyes meet his blue ones. They gazed at her in a way that made her feel like he was trying to ground her and anchor her to him all at once. She always wondered how he could tell when she was being swept away in the murky currents of the more melodramatic waves of her angst filled musings.

“…The last day of school that year, I asked you to meet me out on the school lawn, near the gardens after school, remember? I waited for you, but you didn’t show and by the time I made it to your window it was locked, and you were hysterical…” Cash trailed, his thumb was now drawing soothing circles down the length of her arm so tenderly Shay thought her heart might burst. Shay found herself leaning towards Cash the way a moth is drawn to the light and warmth of a candle despite the way her brain was telling her it wouldn’t be a good idea. Her usual thoughts of caution were being overpowered by the shrill, odious singsong of Opal taunting “TWIRL” repeatedly.

People always talk about the prominent events in your life that change you for the better or for the worse. The ones that stick with you long after they’ve happened and even longer than you’d like them to. They’re pesky shadows that cling to your every move, tethered with you from the green cusp of adolescence to the weathered qualms of adulthood. Silently lurking, endlessly twisting, constantly weaving their influence over your unconscious thoughts and actions day in and day out.

Well, Shay’s earthshattering, life altering moment occurred on the last day of eighth grade and prompted her very first mental spiral. One that was bad enough for her mother to send her away for the summer and stick her in a therapy center in California. Of course, it was a long time coming at that point with her parent’s contentious divorce, Opal May mockingly reciting her end of the year English assignment to a group of her peers was just the final nail in the coffin that year. It only hurt all the more that the muse of that assignment was sitting right next to her now. Shay couldn’t help but assume Cash had something to do with Opal’s cruel joke to some degree…

“I didn’t show because Pete told me you wanted me to meet you by the science hall instead, remember? And I’m sure you know what happened and what Opal did, you had your fun joke let’s not rehash it.” Shay said dismissively, letting out a long sigh she busied herself rummaging through a box once more to take her mind off the memory fighting tooth and nail to free itself from the murky bank. Cash let out a sigh of his own, his fingers found their way to her thigh and resumed drawing soothing circles, but this time Shay found it more tantalizing than anything.

“Pete told you that… I never told him to tell you that Shay, I swear.” Cash’s voice was soft, but Shay could hear the overarching note of sincerity in his deep vibrato. Shay didn’t respond as her hand clutched a hard, glossy, and slightly weathered book and pulled it out of the box with a ghost of a smile on her lips. Her thumb glided down the picturesque lighthouse on the book’s cover, situated in front of a purple, pink, orange sunset.

“What’s it really matter now anyway Cashton? We can’t change the past and I don’t fancy dwelling on it all that much either.” Shay said again dismissively, her eyes were still trained on the book in her hands intently, Cash had given it to her as a gift one year. A photo guide of the most beautiful lighthouses the world had to offer because Shay loved them so much at the time. She still did, while she was living in New York she often wished the Statue of Liberty was a lighthouse instead. Shay felt Cash place a finger under her chin, gently urging her to meet his gaze and she did. Shay met his gaze with sad green eyes and a surprisingly heavy heart, despite the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach at the intimate action. She wished he would stop doing this stuff, touching her this way especially when it was clear it meant more to her than it did to him. Especially when it was clear it would always mean more to her than it did to him.

“It matters because you were a wreck that entire week Cherry Blossom, seeing you like that hurt you know. You were my best friend, you were so sad, you looked so broken, and for the first time ever I couldn’t fix it. Then you just went away for a whole summer, didn’t call, barely answered my letters, you shut me out and came back a different person Shay, that was scary” Cash admitted in a heartfelt tone, his thumb gently caressed her chin and his blue orbs bore into hers with an unreadable sort of intensity that Shay couldn’t place.

“Please don’t act like you don’t know what happened Cashton, you and Opal May spent the entire summer together while I was gone, and I know she couldn’t resist telling you about it. You didn’t miss me that much and it’s fine, really, I don’t care about things that happened when we were fourteen anymore, alright. I forgive you, let’s move on.” Shay lied, forcing a smile on her face, so she didn’t look as bitter as she felt inside. Cash’s expression hardened a bit, but his eyes looked as intense as ever before.

“Well, if you don’t care Shaylee Rose why is it you can’t tell me what happened or what happened to you that summer huh? I don’t appreciate you accusing me of doing something to intentionally hurt you, I’d never do that so would you please explain what it is you’re passive aggressively forgiving me for. Please… what did Opal do, did she hurt you?” Cash coaxed softly, Shay let out a sigh but made no effort to turn her face out of his grasp or move her body away from his tethering pull. She knew it was the wine talking for the both of them right about now, loosening their inhibitions enough to let his touches linger and to let her heart hope his touches meant more than they did.

“We need to talk about this Shaylee, I think we’d both feel better if we did…” Cash said in a gentle but serious tone, holding her gaze as his thumb trailed from her chin to her cheek. Shay let out an almost defeated sounding sigh, she knew he was right, she would feel better if she could find it in her to utter a word. She didn’t think she could, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to.

“Cashton Micheal, I don’t think I can talk about it, so can we please just keep going through this stuff… please” Shay pleaded feebly. Her panic at his prying was evident with every shaky syllable she uttered with tears brimming in her eyes, threatening to spill over any moment. Shay inhaled sharply and tried her best to blink the tears away, but a single tear broke free, rolling down the length of her flushed cheek seemingly in slow motion. Cash’s expression softened at the sight of the lone, melancholy drop of water almost immediately.

“Alright…shhh, we don’t have to talk about it. Don’t cry it’s okay.” Cash said in a low whisper. He wiped the lone drop away with the pad of his thumb tenderly before placing a kiss where it had just been. Shay fluttered her eyes closed and let out a content sigh at the feel of his lips against her wine flushed cheek. It surprised her how delicate his lips seemed to feel in contrast to his now giant muscled appearance. The gentleness reminded her so much of the Cash Ewing she knew before things changed so dramatically between them that fateful summer. Shay opened her eyes as she felt Cash start to gently toy with the ends of her hair.

“Maybe we should call it a day for now Cherry Blossom? It’s not like your mom is going to be back anytime soon. Why don’t we head out to the beach for a bit” Cash said in a soft tone, Shay felt a pang of guilt in her chest at the obvious sadness swirling in his blue eyes. Though his fingers were still toying with the ends of her blonde hair tenderly, Shay could feel him retreating from her on an emotional level and she couldn’t help but hate herself for it. That wasn’t her intention, she craved his vulnerability more than anything but only because her vulnerability was so difficult to articulate, so hard for her to put into words. She wished it wasn’t.

“Sure, I could go for a swim right about now. Let me just put some of this away first, remember this Cashy?” Shay asked, holding up the book with a trace of a genuine smile on her lips in an attempt to snuff the rising tension in the air. Cash’s blue eyes trailed over the lighthouse on the book’s cover with an almost melancholy expression on his face. Shay wasn’t sure what came over her but before she knew it her fingers were intertwined with Cash’s once more. Much in the same way he had grabbed her hand down in the kitchen though that somehow felt like a lifetime ago with everything that had played out between the two of them since they wandered upstairs. The wine was indeed a bad idea but at least they were holding hands again, Shay knew it wasn’t much but at least it was something. Cash’s expression softened as his eyes glanced down at their laced fingers before meeting Shay’s gaze with a sheepish grin on his face.

“Of course I do Cherry Blossom, I gave you that book for your tenth birthday. You were obsessed with lighthouses back then but judging by the dust on the cover I’d say that’s been up here since you got back that summer, huh” Cash said in a tone that he clearly wanted to sound nonchalant, but Shay could tell by the way his tongue glided over his inviting lower lip, it bothered him. A soft sigh escaped Shay’s lips and she found herself tightening her grip on his large hand quite suddenly. Partly to comfort him and partly to keep him from slipping away from her again.

“It wasn’t like that Cashy, I promise. I love this book, that empty book stand on my shelf was always meant for it, but my mom couldn’t remember where she put it when we started redecorating.” Shay said sincerely, it was true after all. Her mom had misplaced it shortly after they started painting over the pink clouds on her ceiling that September and Shay hadn’t seen It since then but, she looked for it every month for a year. “I have no idea how it ended up in the attic though. I swore I put it in my closet that day we started moving things, but you know my mom. Too nosy for her own good.” Shay tacked on jokingly, Cash chuckled softly with a sheepish grin still plastered on his face, but Shay could tell his blue eyes were searching her green eyes for something.

“So, you never looked inside of it then…” Cash trailed in a way that made Shay think he knew something she didn’t. His eyes quickly darted between hers and the lighthouse situated in front of that picturesque sunset several times before settling back on her face with an obvious blush on his cheeks.

“No, why, did you put something top secret inside of it? Am I going to find the map to DeDe Green’s missing gnome collection in here or something” Shay said in a teasing tone, Cash rolled his eyes, and another sheepish chuckle escaped his lips. Shay looked over at him curiously. She wasn’t sure what to make of his sheepishness, but she could only assume the two empty bottles of white wine they’d shared was the driving force behind the emotional roller coaster they’d taken the other on in the past few hours.

“Pete and I never touched those creepy gnomes Shaylee, I assure you. I don’t know why everyone always assumes we’re behind most of Plymouth’s long-standing mysteries, if anything you and I would be the more likely culprits. We were quite impish if you recall” Cash said with amused blue eyes, now it was Shay’s turn to roll her eyes though she now found herself eyeing Cash up in a sort of bashful curiosity.

“Well, if it’s not a map, what’d you put in here Cashton Micheal?” Shay asked, eyeing him up in lighthearted suspicion through her thick lashes. Cash bit down on his lip sheepishly, drawing small circles on the back of her hand so delicately it had Shay’s stomach swirling with bashful butterflies.

“Just a love letter or two… or fifty. Didn’t you notice it was thicker than usual” Cash said nonchalantly, Shay rolled her eyes at him once more, but they were still very much amused as they gazed into his deeply.

“Fine don’t tell me, I’ll just have to look for myself then huh” Shay said pointedly arching her eyebrow at him. Cash chuckled again; his cheeks were still adorably rosy under the golden hues of afternoon summer sun streaming in through the attic’s window. Shay stared at him for a long while, just admiring how pretty he looked wrapped in golden beams of light and felt her cheeks heat up for about the millionth time today. Still, she was happy most of the intense, mildly bitter tension that hung between them had dissipated even if it wouldn’t last long.

“Why don’t you believe me when I say these things Cherry Blossom, have I ever lied to you?” Cash asked in a teasing tone of his own, but his eyes were surprisingly sincere and undoubtedly vulnerable as they stared back at her intently.

“Probably because you’re Cashton Ewing, one half of Plymouth’s dynamic joking duo” Shay said pointedly, Cash let out a long sigh and resumed toying with the ends of her blonde hair. His thumb continued drawing circles on the back of the small hand that was still intertwined with his larger one. Shay inhaled sharply, having the sudden feeling Cash was going to kiss her though she wasn’t quite sure why. He hadn’t even inched closer to her, there was just a sudden shift in the air and a look in his eyes she couldn’t quite explain.

“You know, Pete and I only became close because I thought you read those letters I stuck in that book while you were away. So, I thought you just didn’t want me around you that much anymore” Cash admitted, his eyes were incredibly sincere, and his expression was quite serious with the afternoon gold dancing on his face. Shay looked at him in suspicious disbelief, searching his eyes for a tell or a ‘got ya’ of some kind but she couldn’t find one nestled in his orbs of ocean blue. Instead, they silently flicked to the thick book sat atop her lap, urging her to open it and find out the truth for herself. Shay wasn’t sure what to think, let alone do with herself if there was really a long-lost declaration of love nestled within the pages of the book he’d given her for her tenth birthday. She found herself replaying parts of the heart-to-heart mother daughter conversation she had shared with Maggie Harris before Cash came clambering through her bay window.

“…take going through your old things as an opportunity to look at stuff with a pair of fresh eyes, maybe there was something you missed the first time around, maybe you might even find yourself up there…hmm. Fourteen is a rough year for everybody, things that seemed easy to say suddenly aren’t…”

Shay swore she felt her stomach do a dozen flips as her green eyes settled on the picturesque lighthouse floating upon purple, orange pink hues and wispy clouds for a long moment. They flicked back to Cash momentarily, spotting the obvious sheepish grin still sat on his face as he gazed at her, and her heart knew he was telling the truth. Still, Shay found herself more conflicted than ever before, all the answers she yearned for from him her whole life were most definitely sat on her lap at this very moment. And yet part of her didn’t want it to be true because that would mean having no choice but to dredge up memories of that lonely summer. It wasn’t like she didn’t think Cash deserved to know, he did but part of her knew he deserved better than her. Shay didn’t want to admit everything wrong with them now, was her fault. She’d felt the pang of guilt in her chest more times than she could deny or play off in the last few days, and most especially in the last few hours. That deep seeded truth that she had quite possibly hurt him way more than he ever hurt her was too much to bear, too much to acknowledge. So, she bottled it all up and shielded herself behind plausible deniability. Habitual late-night mantras to try and convince herself that what she felt for and from him, wasn’t real. That the blushes, butterflies, and giddy hormones were never and could never be reciprocated because guarded, lonesome pining felt safer than unbridled love and passion. But now that Shay knew it was a tangible possibility, she found herself wanting it and him more than ever.

“Here” Cash all but crooned, lowering the hand that had just been toying with the ends of blonde hair he grasped her free hand and guided it to flip the book open. Shay felt a plethora of aroused giddy goosebumps prick her skin at the tenderly adorable action and found herself resisting the urge to crash her lips onto his more than ever before. The book now sat open on her lap and her green eyes instantly recognized photographs of smaller versions of Cash and her cuddled up under bright summer rays and blue skies. She remembered that day in Cape Cod quite clearly, they’d been looking for seashells in heaps of tan grainy sand the first summer after Huck Ewing left. Cash was notably happier that summer, Shay couldn’t help but smile at the memory despite how hard her heart was pounding at present moment.

“I remember that summer” Shay said in a soft breathless sounding tone, finally finding it in her to move and speak. She flipped through the pile of photos with a small smile on her lips, recalling every memory with a wistful feeling in her chest. One lone photo caught her eye, an old polaroid of Cash cuddled up in her bed asleep with the stuffed horse he’d won at the state fair for her the summer before eighth grade. Shay gingerly picked up the photo and closely inspected it with knitted brows. She couldn’t recall a time where she’d ever gotten out of bed before he did, even back then, she wasn’t an early bird like he was. She could tell by the soft glow spilling in through her smaller bedroom window, the picture was taken in the early hours of the morning.

“I don’t remember this one, when was this taken Cashy? We both know I’m never the first one out of bed” Shay said curiously, gingerly picking the picture out of the book and holding it up for him to see. Shay watched as Cash eyed the picture and swore, she saw another dusty pink blush sweep across his cheeks. Cash met her gaze with that emotion she could never quite place swirling in his eyes though her heart now told her what it could be, she couldn’t bring herself to believe it. At least not until three words rolled off his tongue and hit her ears like a warm lullaby, but part of her still felt like she’d never hear them. The nagging thought that his advances were purely sexual and nothing more had been nestled in the back of her mind since they had lunch with Pete and Daisy. Along with the even worse realization that she’d definitely allow it to happen just to finally have him, even if it was just once, even if it was just for a night and even if it didn’t mean the same thing to him as it would her. She’d handle the anguish of that earthshattering truth the morning after because she had to. Because, if his lips even brushed against hers, she knew, she wouldn’t be able to stop…

“That summer you went away I still slept in your room sometimes…all the time really. Your mom didn’t mind; I missed you and you weren’t answering the letters I mustered up the courage to send. I thought about flying out to California everyday just to see you, you know, but you said you needed space, and I didn’t want to intrude on your summer fun.” Cash admitted wholeheartedly, without even a hint of hesitation for Shay to fall back on. Shay took a deep breath, finding it in her somewhere, she turned to face him completely and with the action Cash’s thumb increased the pace of the circles he’d been drawing on the back of her hand. He was trying to sooth her in a way that made Shay feel they were on the same wavelength for the first time since they were thirteen. Shay found herself fighting the almost primal urge to capture him in a kiss once more because their eyes locked with such an intense familiarity it had her feeling breathless. As the first string of pure vulnerability rolled off her tongue with more ease than she thought she was capable of, since that morning they shared brunch. Even then she only scratched the surface, now she supposed she could say more without even going into the deepest crevasses that negatively shaped her woeful adolescence.

“I lied Cash, I didn’t want space, I wanted to be with you, and I wanted to write back but I didn’t know what to say. I was so confused about everything that summer, that whole year really. I just… didn’t know what to do, it definitely wasn’t fun, I was miserable without you, but I didn’t think you’d miss me that much because you had Opal.” Shay said, her voice was soft and trembling with every word, but her tone was perhaps the most honest it had been in years. She knew the confession wasn’t much in comparison to the things she held the closest to her chest, but she did see something within the blue orbs in front of her change. A look resembling realization but of what she did not know. She didn’t really have time to think much about it either because before she could register the fact that Cash’s face was inching closer to hers. Their lips brushed, in a way so unbelievably fleeting, yet so incredibly tantalizing, Shay thought she must have imagined it. In one of her daylight musings about amorous trysts with the boy next door, the only man who ever truly had her heart.

Shay gasped, gazing up at Cashton Ewing flushed and utterly dumbfounded when she realized he was so close to her, his handsome face was out of focus. All she could make out was a mess of blurry blue and the feel of his warm breath waltzing over her plump lips when the thought finally dawned on her that she hadn’t imagined it. Cash had in fact kissed her for the briefest of moments and with that realization, what was left of her faux resolve shattered. Shay didn’t give it much thought before she launched herself into Cash’s arms and crashed her lips onto to his, latching onto him like he was the only life preserver out in a sea of deep blue. Almost as if he was the only thing keeping her from being swept up in a tidal wave, the only thing keeping her from floating away, in a way he was.

Cash let out an audible groan that sent shockwaves of both arousal and pleasure radiating to Shay’s warm core. She felt dizzy as his strong arms snaked round the small of her back, carefully trying to pull her small frame even closer to his than she already was. Shay let out a breathless groan of her own as she tangled her small fingers in his soft grey tendrils the way she’d been dreaming of since they were teenagers. The kiss deepened in a way that teetered on a gentle, demanding sort of synchronized hunger that made everything around them seem to fade away. It was perhaps the most in sync, the most in the moment, Shay had felt with Cashton Ewing since that Valentine’s Day they laid on a frozen pond, staring up at the stars and feather like snowflakes. Shay had thought nothing could top the way she felt that night, lying next to him on a sheet of ice while he stared at her like she was the center of his whole world, but this moment took it all. It almost made the twelve years of silent pining and sleepless nights worth tiresome treading up a slippery slope, worth it. At least before reality set in and Shay found it in herself to let them both up for some much-needed air. They sat there in silence for what felt like forever. Eyes closed, panting, unmoving, and still clinging to each other in a sea of blue seemingly trying to process what had just happened. Shay immediately found herself wishing she hadn’t dared to come up from something as silly as oxygen because the act of doing so, brought her back to earth.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Cash’s POV

            Cash wasn’t quite sure what he had done to get to this moment. With Shay, the love of his life wrapped up in his arms. Kissing him the way he had only ever dreamt of for the past twelve years, part of him still couldn’t believe it was real. Not even when she pulled away to catch her breath, Cash found himself just staring at her. Taking in the way her perfect chest rose and fell while she sat straddling his lap, eyes closed, and cheeks tinted the most adorable shade of pink. It was moments like these Cash wished he had his camera; he’d take pictures of Shay all day if she’d let him the way she used to when they were free spirited kids running along sandy shores. Cash could never quite pinpoint why those days felt so far away. Perhaps it was the weight of getting older. The inability to block out the anxious internal ramblings that plague the dreaded period of one’s coming of age only seems to get harder as the years tick by. It’s only when you muster the courage to no longer let those anxious Broadway shows in your head no longer rule your life. Sometimes, it’s easier said than done but for reasons Cash couldn’t understand everything about that kiss felt easy, freeing even. The last time he’d felt this uninhibited was that summer before eighth grade, the last true summer he had Shay had spent together. Sometimes that summer felt like a lifetime ago, but this one kiss somehow made it feel closer than ever before, he could almost see it now. With the late evening sun streaming through the attic window, cascading over Shay’s sun kissed skin and short, bouncy blonde hair. It always seemed to frame her heart shaped face to some sort of ethereal perfection.

            “How are you even real…” Cash breathed out just above a whisper, more so to himself than anything. His tone was soft but somehow still managed to make Shay jump in surprise where she still sat on his lap as his vibrato cut through the silence they’d fallen into. Cash held back an amused chuckle watching her pretty green eyes fly open to meet his smiling gaze. His smile faltered slightly as he quickly assessed that her green orbs were flooded with a stream of fear. He couldn’t remember the last time Shay had looked at him with anything other than what he could only describe as a cute sort of annoyed look on her face. Sometimes she put in the effort to hide it behind a tight smile that never quite reached her pretty eyes. Cash had grown to appreciate the effort because it meant maybe she thought about him half as much as he thought about her.

 “Didn’t mean to frighten you, Cherry Blossom” Cash cooed, reassuringly tone running his hands down the small of her back in soothing motions with a bashful, yet comforting grin on his face. Shay wordlessly stared back at him for quite some time, her face and eyes were unusually expressive for the first time since they were hormonal teenagers.

“…I’m so sorry…” Shay finally croaked with tears brimming her eyes, her small arms wrapped around her torso in a clear effort to comfort herself. Cash couldn’t help the way felt his heart drop to his stomach at how frail her voice sounded as it floated out of her now quivering lips. This wasn’t the reaction he was hoping to get after an earth-shattering kiss like that, but it certainly put things in perspective for him. Shay’s inability to recount what really happened that day she refused to open her window or why she went away for a whole summer was one born out of anxiety and fear. Fear of judgment, the fear of Cash’s judgment to be exact. Cash watched Shay’s chest heave rapidly up and then down with soft blue eyes, a mix of sweat and tears fell from her rapidly moving eyes. They scanned the room, refusing to meet the blue eyes sat before them, searching for an exit the same way they had that last Thanksgiving they’d seen each other …

            “You don’t have to be sorry, Cherry Blossom. I’m not…that was perfect” Cash said in a soft but careful tone, reaching up to wipe away tears rolling down her cheeks tenderly. He knew what he had to do now. It was something he should’ve at least done that Thanksgiving everything went wrong. Looking back at it now Cash could see that was the day Shay had tried to open the window for him again. He tried to convince himself she was just “asking for a friend” but he knew she wasn’t. Cash would be lying if he said his guilt for that wasn’t what spurred him to beat Tyler half to death in a hotel lobby that snowy day Shay called him in tears. A night Cash was most certain Shay didn’t remember but that was a conversation for another day, for now he’d comfort her in all the ways he wished he could over the last twelve years…

“I shouldn’t have done that. I’ve ruined everything… I’m so stupid!” Shay said between gasps and soft sobs. Cash shushed her, tightening his gentle hold on her now trembling body as she attempted to squirm off his lap. Cash knew what this had seen her like this only twice before. She was pulling away from him again both physically and emotionally the same way she had back then, and he wouldn’t let her do it. He couldn’t let her do it at least not now that he saw a possibility of this ending the way he’d only ever dreamt of… He just had to get her out of her head long enough to see that he’d loved her and always had.

            “You didn’t ruin anything, Cherry Blossom, you’re not stupid. I’m going to take you downstairs it’s okay” Cash said calmly, still wiping away hot tears from her flushed cheeks with determination in his comforting blue eyes. Shay didn’t respond, her eyes seemed to still be looking for a flight-based exit strategy part of Cash wasn’t even sure if she heard him over her hyperventilating. Still, he guided her small trembling arms to grab hold of his neck.

“Hold on to me Cherry Blossom. You’re going to be okay; I’ve got you” Cash cooed in her ear reassuringly, moving his hands to grip the back of her thighs. He slowly rose to his feet taking great care not to jolt her already form too suddenly as he weaved his way through half unpacked tattered brown boxes. Shay seemed mostly unaware of what Cash was doing or where she even was until he made it to the top of the stairs, her small arms tightened around his neck greatly.

“I’d never let you fall, Cherry Blossom, you know that” Cash cooed along with an unrestrained string of sweet nothings. They poured out of his mouth the way waves crash on the sandy shore, smoothing her over with everything he had in him. And for once it felt easy, showering Shay with praise and care the way she’d done for Cash every night he’d crawled through her window battered and bruised. That feeling he had for her on those nights, that level of reverence he held for her even then at the ripe age of 7 never went away. It only bloomed, blossoming the way a cherry blossom does in spring with dazzling hues of pink.

            “My chest hurts, Cashy, I can’t breathe…” Shay finally said still struggling to catch her breath when Cash finally strode into the kitchen. Her face was pale, and tearstained as she gazed up at him with the most helpless green eyes, he’d ever seen on her in his life. Cash gently shushed her once more, planting a tender kiss in her soft blonde curls, part of him wanted to cry right along with her. There was so much pain in her eyes and Cash didn’t know how he hadn’t seen it before but now that he had he would do everything within his power to snuff it out.

            “You’re having a panic attack, darling. Just breathe honey, I’ll get you some water and your snacks and we can watch some Harrison Ford movies” Cash crooned, attempting to set Shay’s shaky form on the living room sofa but her grip on his neck only tightened. Where she even found the strength to cling to him this was way beyond Cash right now.

            “Please don’t let me go, Cashy” her shaky voice hit Cash’s ear like some soft lullaby, but it was enough to deter him from setting her on the sofa. Cash nodded, silently plopping down on the sofa with Shay gingerly cradled in his arms; the action was enough for Shay’s breathing to slowly even out. Her green eyes were still clouded with a subtle amount of fear as they gazed up into his timidly.

            “I told you, no judgment on my part Cherry Blossom, remember?” Cash said placing a few more reassuring kisses into her soft curls with the same matured reverence he’d harbored for her since his youth. Before he softly wiped and kissed the few lingering tears on her flushed cheeks. It was hard to believe they’d had that conversation some hours ago a few feet from where they were no because it felt like they’d moved mountains since then. Cash felt Shay truly relax into his touch for the first time since they were kids. Smoothly melting into him and his comfort the way sand smooths under crashing waves of blue. Cash was sure it wouldn’t last too long; Shay had made it clear she was going to need a lot of reassurance if this thing between them was going to become anything like the way he hoped. Anything like the way he dreamed but for once Cash felt confident in his ability to get her there and that was more than enough…. That was everything.

🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝

[sl-newsie]

Chapter Thirteen: The Rally (Spot Colon x Female Newsie)

Nighttime comes ‘round all too quickly, and soon enough newsies from all ova New York are swarm’n in. I recognize a few of ‘em, but tha majority is all new to me. 

“Hey, Becs!” Specs comes ova with a white sign say’n STRIKE! “I painted this sign- ya like it?” 

I grin. “Looks like ya’ve been woik’n on your writ’n! Good job, Specs! I godda go backstage now, but wave that sign ‘til your arms fall off!”

Spot’s POV

I let tha Brooklyn newsies take seats up in tha balcony while I go backstage.

“How’s it go’n, Race?”

“Peachy.”

I look around for Becs, then see her stand’n by tha curtain look’n out at tha crowd. I’d about had a heart attack while I was wait’n for her to fogive me- and felt like I’d been born again when she did! I don’t deserve a goil like her. Look’n at her now, I see I’ve neva really seen how lucky I’s is. She looks so… laid back, like she’s done this a million times before. She probably has.

“What ya wonder’n ‘bout? Don’t tell me: Becs!”

I turn back to Race. “Psychic, are we?”

“Wheneva any guy falls for a goil that hard they always has that look on their face!”

“Can it. I ain’t think’n like that-”

“Keep tell’n yourself that.” Race says in a mock-warning tone.

“Shut your mouth before I’s shuts it for ya.”

“Careful, Spot! Becca wouldn’t like ya soak’n me, would she?”

“Have you’s eva thought ‘bout dat’n her?” I ask like it’s no big deal, but inside I’m noivous.

“Yeah, sometimes. Becca’s a sweet goil, but Jack made it very clear when she came to live with us that we’s weren’t supposed to get too close, ya know what I mean? Mush tried once, it didn’t end well.”

“What’d he do?”

Race snorts. “Tried to hold her hand!”

I squint. “And Jack got upset ova that?”

“Yeah! He took Mush outside and gave him a whole speech ‘bout it! ‘Bout how ‘she’s family, and ya shouldn’t try anyth’n funny, and she don’t know anyth’n ‘bout luv,’ and a bunch of odda stuff.” He looks at me with a suspicious grin. “Why you’s ask’n? Is it ‘cause… you’s in luv?”

“No, I’s just curious!” I see David and Les join us. “Hey David! Jack still bring’n your sista?”

David looks annoyed. “Yes, and I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fair enough.”

“Sarah talked to Becca,” Les comments. “After she left she said she liked her.”

“Les! Don’t go telling people gossip!” David scolds.

“She did?” I ask a bit too urgently, ignor’n David’s remark. “What’d she say?” 

“And you’s said you’s ain’t in luv!” Race teases.

“I ain’t! I’s just concerned ‘bout her!”

“‘Cause you’s in luuuv!” Race chants.

I punch his shoula. “Shut it! So, what’d she say?” I ask Les again.

He grins shyly. “She has a wish.”

“Oh yeah? What is it?”

“Pay- pay me 2 bits first!” Les asks boldly. David looks at him in surprise.

I raise my eyebrows. “Ya got moxie, kid. I’ll give ya that. Here,” I hand him 2 bits from my pocket. “Now will ya tell me?”

Les take it eagerly. “She said she wants to have a first kiss.”

My mouth drops. She ain’t neva been kissed?

“You could help make that wish come true, Spotty!” Race suggests.

“How’s she neva kissed a guy?”

“Ya really need ta ask why?”

I look up. “Jackie boy?”

“Yep. Kept her life tight as a drum. Neva let a guy near her.”

“S’uppose I should be think’n I’s lucky to be hang’n around Becca, then.”

“Yep.”

Rebecca’s POV

So many newsies! I don’t think I’ve eva seen so many people! I think I’m just about to turn around and march straight out tha exit, when I hear a voice behind me:

“Noivous?”

“As noivous as a sinner stand’n before God,” I tell Spot. And you’s mak’n me worse!

“Don’t be- your voice is beautiful. If ya can handle tha regular crowds, ya can handle this. And if one guy even tries to blink at ya, I’ll-” he begins to bring his fists up.

“Whoa, whoa!” I laugh as I grab his wrists and bring his fists down. “There won’t be any of that! I can take it, believe me! Just don’t go soak’n any odda guy that looks at me, alright?”

“No promises,” he says mysteriously as he backs off toward the side of tha backstage. “Who knows? Some guy might try to kiss ya.”

“Fat chance. I’s neva been kissed,” I say madder-o-factly.

Spot looks surprised. “Ya ain't neva been kissed?”

“Nope.”

“Why?”

“Neva found a guy.”

“Really. Don’t ya know what you’s miss’n?”

“Yeah- five whole seconds-a noth’n?”

Spot chuckles. “It’s a bit more than-”

“Showtime!” Medda calls. My heart races.

Spot doesn't finish. Instead, he looks out at tha crowd. “Your tha only goil newsie that showed up.”

“Why’d you’s have to tell me that?! It’s bad enough I’s gotta talk, now I’s tha only goil?!” I breathe heavily.

“Hey, take it easy,” Spot grips my shoulders gently. “You’ll be fine. I-”

“Places, please!” Medda calls again.

Spot looks at me ome last time. “Good luck, Beauty. But ya won’t need it.”

“I hope not.”

 In ten minutes, I’s stand’n on tha stage with Jack and David, and fear’n that at any minute I’m gonna pass out.

“Carry’n tha banner!” Jack announces.

“Yeah!” tha theatre erupts.

“Now, I know that a few fellas know my sista, but fer those who don’t, Becs?” Jack looks over ta me, giv’n me an encourag’n smile.

I give a small, yet can-do smile. “Hey, fellas! I’m Becs.”

I hear a few cheers, but no whistles. Is this what respect feels like?

Just then, Spot steps onta tha stage, gett’n some calls from tha Brooklyn side of tha theatre. 

“Brooklyn’s here! Let’s see what Pulitzer thinks-a you’s now!”

Anodda chorus of yells erupts.

“So, we’ve come a long way, but we ain’t there yet,” Jack begins his speech. “It’s probably gonna get tougha, but we’ll just get tougha with it!”

Everyone claps and cheers.

“But it also means we’s gotta start gett’n smarta, so listen ta my pal David, who says we’s gotta stop soak’n scabs.”

Everyone gets quite, then Race yells: “What’re we suppose ta do, kiss ‘em?”

“Any scab I see, I soak ‘em. Period.” Spot agrees.

“No, no! That’s what they want us to do!” David shouts ova tha complaints. “If we get violent, we’re just playing into their hands.”

“They’re gonna be play’n with my hands. This ain’t what they say, it’s what we say. Nobody’s gonna listen ta us unless we make ‘em.” Spot argues. I have to agree with tha King of Brooklyn.

Jack looks at me, and I’m surprised ta find that he wants me ta say someth’n!

“Listen up!” I scream the highest I can, which be’n a goil can have it’s perks in do’n.

Everyone quiets down and is look’n at me. “Listen! If we’s start ta fight each odda, what good’ll that do? We’ll just be tha gutter trash they’s say’n we’s is! If we don’t stick togedda, if we don’t trust each odda, we’s noth’n!”

“Tell ‘em, Becs!” Blink shouts.

“You heard her! So what’s it gonna be?!” Jack asks tha crowd.

“We’re with you, Jack!” Tha Manhattan newsies shout.

“What’s it gonna be, Spot?” Jack asks tha King of Brooklyn. He looks at him sternly, then at me- as if I’m supposed ta answa for him.

Then he smiles at me, and says: “I say,” he points at us “that what you say,” he point ta himself “is what I say.”

My face begins ta hurt from all tha smili’n I’m do’n. Spot spits on his hand and shakes with Jack. Then, ta my surprise, turns ta me in turn. I spit in my hand and shake his, try’n ta ignore tha anxious feel’n in my chest and keep’n my face from flush’n. All tha newsies scream with joy.

 I then begin to belt:

(Revolting Children from Matilda: The Musical)

“Oo-ooo-oooh!

Never again will they get the best of me,

Never again will they take away my freedom.

And we won't forget the day we fought

For the rights to be a little bit naughty!

Never again will the scabbers come slam!

Never again will I be bullied and

Never again will I doubt it when

My modda says I'm a miracle

Never again!

Never again will we live behind bars!

Never again now that we know we are

Revolting children living in revolting times,

We sing revolting songs using revolting rhymes!

We'll be revolting children 'til our revolting's done,

And we'll have Puhlitzer bolting, we're revolting!

We are revolting newsies living in revolting times

We sing revolting songs using revolting rhymes!

We'll be revolting newsies 'til our revolting's done

And we'll have Puhlitzer bolting, we're revolting!

“We will become a screaming horde!” I yell inta tha crowd, throw’n up my fists.

“Take out your broom and use it as a sword!

Never again will we be ignored!

We'll find out where the chalk is stored,

And draw rude pictures on the board!

 It's not insulting, we's revolting!” I stomp my foot.

You say we oughta stay inside the line

If we disobey at the same time

There is nothing that Pulitzer can do

He can take his hammer and SHU

You didn't think you could push us too far

But there's no going back now we are revolting!

We are revolting newsies living in revolting times,

We sing revolting songs using revolting rhymes!

We'll be revolting newsies 'til our revolting's done!

It is too late for you, we are REVOLTING!”

I stomp my foot and thrust my fist in tha air, look’n out at tha audience with a look of defiance. 

“Becca, that was great! I didn’t know ya could sing!” Mush screams ova tha crowd.

“Neitha did I,” Jack says, bewildered. Spot just grins at me.

I smile back. Maybe I really do have a good voice. Then I turn to tha crowd.

“Becca, I’m so happy I could kiss ya!” Race yells.

“There ain't’ gonna be none-a that, Race.” Jack warns before go’n to find Sarah.

“Hypocrite,” Race muddas. “Don’t worry, Becs. I’s leave’n you two’s alone…” he backs off dramatically, leav’n me with Spot.

“Love you Medda!” Someone shouts.

Medda steps out with a bright smile.

“High times, hard times. Sometimes the living is sweet.”

 “Is Medda performing?” David asks excitedly.

“Careful, David. Your eyes get any bigga and they’ll fall out!” I tease.

“Hello, newsies! What’s new?” Medda calls and continues to sing, and all tha newsies fawn ova her. Jack’s sitt’n with Sarah, and when I see him get up and walk ova to Medda I see Sarah’s face change to one painted with slight concern.

I walk ova and wave my hand nonchalantly. “Don’t worry, Sarah. Jack ain’t interested in Medda. Besides, if he eva tired to leave ya, I’d thump in tha head!”

Sarah smiles a shy, but relieved, thank-you, and continues to watch tha show.

“So your old lady don't love you no more?

So you're afraid there's a wolf at your door.

So you got street rats that scream in your ear.”

I make my way up to tha balcony, with Spot follow’n me.

“They really like her, don’t they?” I wonder out loud.

“Yeah. But I like you bedda,” Spot says.

“Yeah, well, as nice as it is to get tha official approval of tha King of Brooklyn, I’s can’t compete with Medda. Besides, I can’t let Jack get suspicious of… ya know.”

“Maybe. But ya still admit that me opinion maddas.” Spot says, lean’n up against me.

“Yeah, yeah,” I playfully punch his his shoulda and we continue ta watch tha show. 

“So when there's dry times

I wait for high times and then

I put on my best, and I stick out my chest,

And I'm off to the races again!”

She’s so talented… suddenly a hand brushes against mine. I stiffen, and quickly glance at Spot. He ain’t look’n at Medda- he’s look’n at me! I give a noivous smile, which makes him grin wida and squeeze my hand more. 

“Happy strik’n,” he whispers.

What does this mean? I hope Jack’s not look’n…

I’m just ‘bout to say someth’n when… my eyes widen. 

It’s Snyder! Here, in tha theatre! He’s near the entrance- 

“No,” I whisper and stand up abruptly, lett’n go of Spot’s hand. He looks confused.

“What? What did I-”

“It’s Snyder!”

His eyes squint. “What?” 

I point to him, and Spot’s face shows deep concern.

“Snyder! He’s here! We godda tell Jack-” I say.

“I’ll tell Jack, you stay here.”

“I can do it-”

“I won’t let ya get hurt!” Spot grips me tighter.

I frown. “Fine. But make sure Sarah and Les get out too.”

“Aye aye!” Spot hops down and outta sight. I don’t wanna alert tha otha newsies in tha balcony 'cause there might be mass panic-

“Scram! It’s the bulls!” Jack yells. So much for keep’n things cautious.

Newsies start to scramble all around me. I get shoved, pushed, kicked, and eventually land on tha ground. I quickly get up again and follow tha remain’n newsies towards tha hallway lead’n ta tha stairs.

“Get Jack Kelly!” Snyder shouts. “And his sister, too.”

Uh-oh.

“Beauty!” I hear Spot call from somewhere.

“Spot?!” I call back. Where is he-?

Smack!

I crash and fall (once again) onto Spot Colon- and my hand still somehow finds his bare chest.

“Sp-”

“You say ‘sorry’ one more time and I’ll kiss ya!” Spot threatens like it’s a bad thing, then seems to rethink his statement. “Actually…”

“Can it! We godda help!” I scramble off of Spot and help him up, then take off run’n towards tha stairs. Slid’n down tha railing, I see that lots of newsies are crowded up against a barricade of bulls on horses. A few of em try to grab me, but I dodge and kick em in tha knees.

“Spot!” Skittery shouts. “Get her oudda here!”

“No! I’m help’n-!” I protest.

“Go!” Boots and Mush yell back. Spot then suddenly grapes my wrist and pulls me toward tha door. Be’n a goil, I can squeeze behind him through a broken window- though I can already feel tha deep cuts in my sides from tha glass. Thankfully my corset takes some of tha damage. When we get outside, I turn back to see Jack gett’n carried away by Snyder’s goons.

“No! Jack!” I rip my arm oudda Spot’s grip and try run’n back to help, but Spot wraps his arms around me and keeps pull’n me away while I kick in protest.

“There’s noth’n you can do!”

“I godda try! He’d do tha same for me-!”

“Hey, girl! Stop!” Some bulls shout at me.

“And, he’d want me to get you’s oudda here!” Spot then proceeds ta lift me up-

“Spot Colon, don’t you dare-!” I scream in warning.

-and begins carry’n me on his shoulder.

“I can at least run by myself!” I yell, kick’n ‘n scream’n. I also notice that 2 bulls are right behind us! “Put. Me. Down! We’s got 2 bulls on our tail!”

Spot looks behind us, then does as I ask, but still grips my hand.

“Where’re we go’n?” I pant as we zig ‘n zag through tha Manhattan streets.

“To Brooklyn,” Spot pants back.

[mccall-me-maurice]

In Hopes You’re on the Other Side, Talking to me too

Pairing: Jack Merridew/Ralph

Word Count: 2016

Warnings: Mentions of alcohol

Jack was trying his best to be Ralph’s everything. But in the end, it wasn’t enough. So every night the redhead finds himself talking to the moon to try and win Ralph back through words that he’ll never really say to the boy. All in hopes that perhaps a certain someone is doing the exact same.

Jack hates himself more than he hates anyone else in the galaxy. Okay, maybe that’s a lie. Maybe there are a couple people worse than him but it really can’t be all that many. It’s probably one of the shortest lists to ever grace this planet, but for now he’s focusing on the fact that he just lost the best thing that has ever happened to him.

Ralph and Jack never really got along until 2 years ago. They had a horrible past of bloody fights and words that chilled the other to the bone. They were so used to painting old school tiles with each other’s blood that they didn’t really get the time to know each other much further than hatred. Until 2 years ago, on the last day of their senior year. Ralph had finally held his hand out to Jack, letting the redhead take it instead of trying to maim him. That was all that it took for the boy who previously was his rival to become fascinated with Ralph in a way other than what he initially thought. Of course, it was supposed to be a horribly inconvenient time for both of them and if he had to guess, Jack would’ve said Ralph planned it so he wouldn’t have to face the freckled boy again. However, fate had different plans for them and on their first day of college, the two had been shocked to figure out that they were located in the same hall for the next four years.

Flash forward 1 and ½ years and Jack and Ralph were helplessly in love with each other. Nobody had suspected the pairing of an easygoing business major and finance major to pair up with each other. Jack himself didn’t really notice when the shift from friends to boyfriends occurred but before he could blink an eye, he was abandoning homework assignments to be with Ralph and staying up hours past when he usually drifted off to sleep to hear the tired voice of his boyfriend giggle about people he had seen in class. 20 years old and Jack really believed he had found his soulmate. He really believed that they would be together for as long as they lived. As long as the sun burned in the sky, his hand would be in Ralph’s. Even once they passed, they would be dancing together as ghosts.

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

It was March 3rd, the weather had shifted to overcast and Jack was slammed with studying for exams. Ralph’s exams had passed a week prior and the boy had flopped on his boyfriend’s bed, eyes scanning through a phone screen. Every so often he would hammer Jack with a series of questions and the redhead would be so tired he wouldn’t really give coherent responses. Late nights studying pages that were swimming with words and an excessive amount of monster energy drinks really turned someone’s brain to absolute mush. Not to mention Ralph had been sickeningly sweet to him, as if he could persuade Jack off of his swivel chair and onto the bed. As much as he wanted to be over there, running his fingers through Ralph’s hair and whispering the boy to sleep, all he could do was let the red ink of his pen slide across paper knowing that he was one sentence closer to the warm embrace of the blond.

“Jack…”

“What’s up?” Ralph sounded wary, like the news he was about to break would simply crush Jack. Little did he know, it would.

“Jack we need to take a break.” Jack choked on his spit. “Not forever. I don’t want to be away from you forever… Unless it has to be that way. Just for a couple weeks, a couple months. However long it takes for you to realise that there’s so much more to life than what lies in those textbook pages. I mean… You have been straight up ignoring me lately and I talked to Simon about it… He agreed that what's best for us is to just take a break. I suppose I’ll see you around.”

Which leads Jack to the present day, lying on the bed Ralph once laid on, scrolling through the text messages that Ralph once sent with tears in the corners of his eyes. He wants nothing more than to have the boy back, the heat of the soccer player's body warming Jack as he presses his cheek against blond hair. The energy of the night has been doing this to him recently, the darkness shrouding him as he lets himself sun quietly into the pillow. He can’t imagine that it’s not his fault. He gave Ralph his everything but even then the boy deserves so much more. He deserves the best and Jack clearly isn’t that for him. He will never be.

Jack shuts his phone off, placing it on the nightstand that lies to his left. The only thing that lights up the room is the beam of moonlight through his awfully cheap curtains. The flimsy white fabric barely blocks out anything, but even the inanimate object seems to be trying harder than Jack. The clock on his nightstand reads 23:57, signalling to the boy that even though exams are long over, he will still be up for at least another 3 hours. Not studying like he used to. No, he stopped studying the day that he took his final test, body filled with too much sorrow to even review the content properly. Recently the redhead has picked up the hobby of sitting cross legged in front of his window on the second floor of building B and he talks. He talks to the moon, to the stars, but most importantly he talks to Ralph. Whether the blond listens or not, he really isn’t sure. It’s not like his ex-boyfriend would ever be able to hear his cracked voice stumble over words as he spills his heart out to the endless night. Normally Jack wouldn’t even let himself be weak enough as to think about a head of blond hair for one more minute of one more day. And he does play a very clever façade in front of Roger and Maurice. He acts like Ralph doesn’t exist, like the hole in his heart doesn’t ache every time tan skin and ocean blue eyes filled with joy cross his path. On the days he isn’t sitting in his room, all alone, he’s out with his friends letting sweaty bodies press up against him as music blares. Drinks spill from red cups and onto the floor and all Jack can think about is how none of the people that choose to plaster themselves to him are Ralph. None of the people who cover his mouth with theirs, only to be quickly shoved off and sworn at, are the boy who he wishes would drunkenly kiss him. As much as he prays that Roger will show up empty handed with a party invite, at least once a week the raven haired boy is smirking at him with a bottle of booze clutched tightly in his fist. In order to seem like he’s the same sick person he was before he dated Ralph, he gives his friend an equally mischievous smile and takes the bottle.

Perhaps all of these emotions that Jack is feeling are Ralph’s fault. Or at least a byproduct of the fair boy. Before he let the boy ruin his life with ease, he was so cold hearted and had no fucks left to give. But for once, he had something to fight for that wasn’t himself. For once in his 20 years of life, Jack had someone who loved him just as much as he loved them. Which is why Ralph had always mattered more than a stupid party or nagging from his mates. He would’ve dropped the world to hold Ralph. Yes, that has to be it. All the crying had been because the blond’s soft heart had destroyed Jack. It had left him in a million pieces and as much as he didn’t want himself to be weak, as much as he hated himself for crying, it was happening.

Jack lets his body move over to the window, legs almost giving out underneath him as he falls into the place he’s become to know so very well over the past months. Roger didn’t invite him out today, but he doesn’t exactly blame the boy. There’s at least one party Roger attends every night, but bringing the heartbroken finance major who shoves off anyone who tries to make a move probably isn’t the best look for him. So instead Jack is sitting in the oversized pullover sweater with the college’s name plastered across the front that he got at orientation. He doesn’t need a mirror to know that his hair is all mussed and he probably looks like the human embodiment of death.

“Hey Ralph. I know you’re not talking to me… And you probably can’t even hear me. But I miss you. A lot. It’s really not in my character to miss people so that’s probably why this feels so weird.” Jack can’t help the sad laughter that bubbles up in his chest and escapes his lips. It just happens as naturally as breathing. “You know, I never thought that it would be you that I fell in love with. But here we are. I would’ve torn apart galaxies with my bare hands and rebuilt ones that would shield you from any pain. I don’t know how you’re feeling but I do know how I am. I miss the big smiles that you would give people when they said something hilarious, I miss the genuine laughs that you only did when we were alone. I miss the way your eyes mimic the ocean waves and dance like the sea. I miss the soft press of your hand against mine, and how they fit together like pieces of a puzzle. I miss you.” The same words that have been rolling off of his tongue for weeks come easy now, eyes not watering with tears quite yet. This is always the easy part. Simple things that anyone would miss when they lose their lover. However, Jack isn’t even close to finished and he knows his freckles will be stained with tears sometime soon.

“I miss the way you used to jump into my arms after you won a game despite being hideously dirty. I miss how you used to drag me out to look at every sunset because you wanted to find a beautiful part of every day…” His voice cracks at the end, memories swarming around like bees to honey. Every simple thing the fair boy did, probably without thought, now haunted Jack. The sweet gestures lived behind his eyes now, only as memories. A part of him wants to stop missing Ralph and just get on with his life. Live like a normal human being instead of one who can barely function without someone else there. He knows that eventually it will happen. It always does. Ralph has probably already moved on, found someone new to waste the days away with.

“Hey Ralph…” Jack starts tracing a pattern onto the knee of his sweatpants with his finger, eyes locked on the stars. Everything about the moment slows, the dancing lights in his peripheral, from a party in another building, the twinkling of the stars, the rush of wind against his face. Jack lets his heavy eyelids flutter shut, praying that one day, at some point, he’ll finally have an answer to the question that lays heavy on his tongue. All the sleepless nights and words that only he can hear lead to the same place. Like a winding road that always spits you out right where you began. All he can do is hope Ralph hears him, hope Ralph is right there with him whispering words to the moon that sits high in the sky.

“One day, will you love me again?”

[beck-a-leck]

For the kiss prompts, i feel like #23 is too obvious for Fraeger but...

#23 for Fraeger plz xD

I mean, I feel like every time I write Raeger, I end up going on a sensory journey, so I feel like #23 was the only appropriate one for the two of them!

Send me a Smooch Prompt and some characters for all your self-indulgent ficlet needs!

#23 A kiss that tastes of the food they’re eating.

Fritz kicked open the restaurant door – he kicked it gentlyfor the record, it wasn’t like he broke the door down and really what else was he supposed to do? His hands were full, and he was too excited to knock and wait for Raeger to get the door, and it was raining cats and dogs out there so…

Fritz kicked open the restaurant door and loudly proclaimed, “I have procured for us a feast!” before setting the heavy basket down on the countertop.

Raeger raised an eyebrow and surreptitiously checked his poor, abused door for any marks in the paint before pushing it closed behind Fritz. While the farmer shucked out of his dripping raincoat, the chef removed the towel covering the basket and gave its contents an approving smile.

Fritz had done exactly as he had promised, he had procured a veritable feast for them, but he seemed to have forgotten one important thing. “None of this is cooked.”

The basket was filled with fresh produce, fruits and vegetables, a bottle of fresh, creamy milk, and half a dozen eggs, along with a few fragrant mushrooms and fresh herbs. Raeger began removing food, setting it out on the counter, a few apples, leafy spinach, an onion, some peppers, a couple of sweet potatoes, and a small jar of golden honey.

“Well,” Fritz said slowly, coming over to assist in the unpacking. “I was going to cook everything, since our original plan was to go on a picnic, but with the rain forecasted for today…” he shrugged and said quietly, “I thought maybe we might cook this up together. I know it’s your day off, and you’d rather not work today, but—”

Raeger cut him off with a finger pressed to Fritz’s lips. “It’s not work, cooking for you.”

Fritz’s cheeks went red, and he very quickly returned to organizing the food. “Everything’s from my farm. Even the honey, it’s from the last I got harvested from the bee boxes before I gave them over to Elise.” He picked up the jar and ran his finger around the lid. “Should be really good, those bees ate well off of summer nectar this year.”

“I’m sure it’ll be delicious.” He scanned the rest of the produce on the table and reached for the sweet potatoes. “Best to do with these is bake them, we’d better get them in the oven soon if we want to eat them with the rest of the food. As for the others…”

“I was thinking omelets, or maybe a frittata.” Fritz offered. “Something easy, that way you don’t have to work too hard. Heck, even I can cook those if you don’t want to do any work at all.”

Raeger smiled. “That sounds great. Now, what about the apples?”

“Oh, that’s easy. Eat them plain!” fritz picked up one of the apples and polished it on his shirt for a moment before offering it to Raeger. “I won’t let you have these any other way. They’re too good for anything else.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Raeger grabbed a knife from the drawer and took the offered apple. He took a moment to admire the shiny red skin against the blade of his knife before he applied pressure and broke into the crisp flesh. Almost immediately, juice welled up from the cut and dripped into his palm. He could smell the light and sweet scent of the apple and he could only imagine it would tase that much better.

He cut a neat wedge from the apple and offered it to Fritz. He pushed it away. “Nu-uh, first bite’s yours.”

Knowing better than to argue, Raeger took the slice back and put it in his mouth. The skin snapped cleanly beneath his teeth, and the sweet juice coated his tongue. Raeger closed his eyes and smiled as he chewed. An apple was such a simple treat, but there was a certain kind of pleasure that came from eating a perfect one. And Fritz grew perfect apples.

While he chewed, he cut another slice of apple for Fritz and the farmer took it without protest. Piece by piece they shared the apple until there was nothing but the core left. Raeger licked the sweet juice from his fingers as he left to put the sweet potatoes in the oven, and when he came back Fritz was already slicing up the second one.

“These are very good apples, Fritz.” Raeger picked up another slice, and his eye caught something sitting on the counter. He grinned and put the slice down. “But I bet I can make them better.”

Fritz scoffed, a look of mock offense crossing his face. “You dare to suggest that these prize-winning apples need any kind of improvement?”

“I do. And I think you’ll agree with me once I’ve done it. But close your eyes, it’s a surprise.”

Fritz rolled his eyes, but dutifully closed his eyes, and covered them with his hands for good measure. Once Raeger was certain he wasn’t peaking, he opened the jar of honey as quietly as possible and spooned some over an apple slice.

“Open your mouth.”

Fritz did as commanded, barely holding back a cheeky grin. Raeger put the honeyed apple in Fritz’s mouth. Almost as soon as the food touched his tongue, he threw his hands down and opened his eyes.

“Okay, I have to admit, you may have improved the apples. That was a pretty good idea, honey.”

Raeger laughed and rolled his eyes at the moniker, as he licked a bit of honey off his own fingers. The sweetness melted across his tongue and mingled with the faint aftertaste of the apple. He wanted to try a bite of his own honeyed apple.

Fritz was already ahead of him, holding a ready slice with a streak of golden honey on top. Raeger reached for the slice, but Fritz pulled it away.

“Ah-ah, turnabout is fair play.”

“All right, fine,” Raeger opened his mouth to accept the bite, but Fritz pulled the slice farther away.

“Nope, not like that.”

“What, you want me to close my eyes too.”

The farmer grinned, “It’s only fair.”

Raeger rolled his eyes, but smiled and sat back, obediently closing his eyes. What touched his lips was not apple, nor honey. Fritz’s kiss had been quick, but when he pulled away he left behind the faint taste of apples and honey on Raeger’s lips.

Raeger’s eyes shot open to see Fritz much closer than he had been a moment ago. “Fooled you,” he teased before putting the apple slice in Raeger’s surprised open mouth.

“Sneak.” Raeger chewed quickly, not truly savoring the flavor of the crisp apple mixed with the sweet honey, in the back of his mind he was aware of the delicious combination, but he had something more important in mind.

Before Fritz could retreat back to the other side of the counter, Raeger caught him by the chin and pulled him in for another kiss. This one much longer than their first.

And they passed a rainy afternoon trading honey and apple kisses. It wasn’t the picnic they had hoped for, but it was a very pleasant date none the less.

[skinsharpenedteeth]

kinktober 3

A/N: 3rd Kinktober piece. Smutty smut. Sex pollen, in heat, mate or die type fic so the normal dub con warning is there, but otherwise it’s Malex being dirty together. lol. hope you enjoy. Prompts filled: In Heat / Bondage / Multiple Orgasms. You can also check out this fic on AO3.

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                Michael came to slowly. The thing he noticed first was the grey concrete ceiling above him. He was in the bunker? He turned his head and noted the lamps and side tables to either side of the bed. Definitely not his bunker then. His mind felt like he was having to swim through honey to make simple deductions. Why was this place familiar? He pulled at his arms so he could prop himself up and met with resistance. Jerking his head to either side, he looked at his wrists and noted the sturdy leather cuffs around each one. He pulled his arm again, straining to see if there was any give in the restraint and found none. He tried to reach out with his mind, to access his telekinesis so he could undo the securing straps, but found he was having trouble focusing his power. A shuffle from across the room drew his attention and he saw Alex descending a ladder into the bunker with him.

              “What the fuck, Alex? Where the hell am I? Why have you got me chained up like this?” Michael yelled, immediately enraged as he took in Alex’s resigned, determined look. It was his soldier face and Michael hated it because it usually meant he was about to be unreasonably logical and stubborn about something.

              “You’re alright, Guerin. Max and Iz helped me get you down here. They had to knock you out. Apparently, Mr. Jones hit you with some alien powder and it made you go nuts. Kind of like the pollen that mutes your powers, but different. You were insensible they said, and they didn’t know how to handle you, so they brought you here. Apparently, I’m their top choice for babysitter. I’m sorry about the restraints, they thought it would be the safest bet until we had an idea what the powder would do to you long term.”

Alex had kept moving towards Michael as he talked. The lights around the room had taken on a shiny, haloed quality to them, like looking through the dark windshield of a car in the rain. The closer Alex got, the harder it became for Michael to think through what he was saying, he just felt… thirsty. Alex sat next to him on the bed, his voice coming in and out of focus as he continued musing about the possible effects the alien powder might have had. Michael’s joints ached like he needed to relieve some tension in his muscles that wasn’t there. He stretched against the mattress, fidgeting, and trying to get comfortable, pushing and pulling. He didn’t realize he was trying to get closer to Alex until he managed to press his hip to Alex’s where he sat. Alex stopped talking and looked down at where they were touching.

              “Michael? You okay?” Alex asked, eyebrows furrowed in concern as he laid what was supposed to be a comforting hand on Michael’s chest. There was a sound like metal protesting against too much pressure and Michael shut his eyes as a blinding headache came over him.

              “Michael!? Michael!” He heard Alex yelling his name from so close, but so far away. He didn’t know what was happening to him, what he needed, but it felt like his skin was going to burst open and pour out his insides if he didn’t get it. He felt a cool hand on his cheek, tapping slightly, and it was like someone had put out one small flame in the middle of a forest fire.

              “Alex…” Michael moaned, canting his head into the touch on his cheek.

              “Michael, I’m here. What do you need?” Alex asked, his voice sounding almost like it was coming from the other side of a tin can telephone.

              “Touch me,” Michael cried, his voice breaking under the pain licking through his body.

              “I am, Michael, I will,” Alex answered desperately, putting his other hand against Michael’s neck, smoothing it over all the skin he could reach.

              “I need more, Alex. Please, so much more. It hurts,” Michael begged. He didn’t know how he could feel tears on his skin outside of all the other sensations he was having, but he knew he was legitimately crying.

              “Okay, okay… let me think,” Alex said, keeping his hands on Michael’s face as he looked down Michael’s body. “Okay. I’m going to have to let go for a minute.”

              “NO!” Michael yelled, body writhing against the sheets as he continued trying to push his way closer to Alex’s body.

              “Just for a minute, Michael. I have to get undressed and… and grab some scissors.”

              “Wait, wait, please, Alex, no. Don’t stop touching me, don’t stop, please. Alex, ALEX!” As soon as Alex’s hands left Michael’s face he was screaming and arching off the mattress. It felt like someone was twisting his guts and roasting him alive. He wasn’t aware of anything that Alex was doing. He had no concept of how long Alex was taking, only that it was too long. He was too far away from Michael and Michael needed him. He needed him like he was oxygen or water. He needed him now and not later.

              “Hold on, Michael. I hope you’re not in love with any of these clothes you’re wearing,” Alex tried to joke and Michael heard the snip-snip-snip of scissors before cool air rushed over his skin. It was a relief, but only for a second before the flames inside of him started up again.

              “Oh…” he heard Alex say, sounding like something had just been made very clear to him. Michael opened his eyes a fraction to stare at him, to see what had caused him to make that noise. Alex was staring down his body and Michael lifted his head, terrified of what he’d find. Was he missing a limb? Was he covered in wounds that made him feel like he was being grilled alive? What was…. Oh.

              Michael was rock fucking hard. His cock was red and angry, hard enough to pound nails, and was dribbling precome onto his stomach like a leaky fucking faucet. Michael didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to react, because he hadn’t been aware he was hard until he looked down. Now that he knew, it was like that was all he could think about. He needed Alex to touch him, needed to feel him everywhere, needed to mark him up with his come and claim him.

              “Wait- you need me to claim you or you want to claim me?” Alex asked, looking at him in confused shock. Apparently, Michael had said that last part out loud. Michael couldn’t explain, a fresh wave of heat, need, and pain rolled through him and he had to grit his teeth to keep from screaming again.

              “Okay, okay. You seemed to do better when I was touching you. I’m going to get undressed and lay across you, try to get as much skin to skin contact as possible. We’ll see if that helps you enough to let you be able to talk to me,” Alex said in a rush, standing and stripping out of his clothes in record time. Michael barely had time to appreciate the expanse of tan skin and muscle exposed to him before Alex was climbing awkwardly over him and stretching out to cover him with his body. As soon as Alex’s weight settled, it was like Michael had gone from a car wreck to a bee sting in levels of pain. His mind cleared, his muscles began to relax, and he took great gulping breaths of air. He felt Alex’s hands on him, petting his neck and chest as Michael started to calm down.

              “Is this working, Michael?” Alex asked, his face so close to Michael’s that he almost couldn’t focus his eyes on him. Alex pushed himself further up Michael’s body and pressed his cheek to Michael’s before repeating the question. The movement against Michael’s cock reminded him how hard he was and he moaned again, but this time in pleasure.

              “Yeah, yeah it’s working. Fuck you feel good,” Michael commented as he found himself once again straining to touch more of Alex’s body. His hips hitched upwards under Alex’s weight as he struggled to get some more friction.

              “Thanks,” Alex replied dryly. “Do you think you could answer some questions?”

              Michael nodded weakly, eyes closing as he tried to concentrate on Alex’s words.

              “What did you mean when you said you needed to ‘claim’ me?” Alex asked, voice low and serious. The word ‘claim’ sent a spark down Michael’s spine and he clenched his jaw so hard he thought his teeth would crack. He tried to sort through what his body was trying to tell him about what it was feelings and what it needed, but he could feel Alex’s cock starting to get hard from the friction of his movements underneath him and it shattered his concentration. His body was starting to heat up again and he whined as Alex pulled his hips back to stop Michael from focusing his attention where it didn’t belong.

              “I don’t know, Alex! It just… it feels like I need to mark you. I’ve got so many urges right now just flooding through me. I want to fuck you, I want you to fuck me, I want to gag on your cock and have you paint me in your come, I want to mount you from behind like a fucking dog and just rail you for hours. I want you to smell like mine and taste like mine and I want to rub myself so deep into your skin, you’ll never wash me away. It’s… it feels so instinctual. It doesn’t feel logical or politically correct. I feel like I’m going to lose my fucking mind if I can’t keep touching you right now. It’s so hard to concentrate, Alex, because I need you to touch me,” Michael rushed the words out of him without considering what he was saying. “This isn’t like having blue balls, Alex. This is like being set on fire and electrocuted at the same time. Please touch me.”

              “Oh, Michael,” Alex sighed, his voice sounding so sad. Michael knew it wasn’t fair to ask Alex to do this for him, to lay his hands on him when he was in such a new thing with someone else and Michael was barely free of Maria.

              “Please Alex, I’m in so much pain. Just please,” Michael begged, voice beginning to go thick with desperation.

              He waited for Alex’s move. He could feel the tiny puffs of his breath ghosting over the pulse point in his neck. Alex’s hands were rubbing up and down his arms like he was trying to soothe a spooked horse, slow and meditative. His lower back was starting to have that feeling like his muscles were trying to cramp. It wasn’t sharply painful like a Charlie horse, but more like a bone deep ache that pushed outwards. It was like the pain was between his bones and growing and there was no movement, no solace he could give himself from it. He needed Alex to agree to help him. He needed to come.

              “Please…” he whispered, raising his head and laying a gentle kiss on Alex’s shoulder. His tongue sneaked out and he tasted the skin under his lips. Alex tasted clean and a little like salt. He felt Alex’s hands freeze on his biceps and Michael kissed him again, moving his lips up Alex’s shoulder to his neck. He pushed his power out on instinct, pressing down on Alex’s lower back to bring their hips back together so he could grind upwards against him, even as he sucked and bit at the most prominent muscle in Alex’s neck. A high-pitched, broken whine was his reward and Michael felt a possessive wave surge through him. He wanted to swallow that noise, wanted to eat it as his breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He let go of the flesh of Alex’s neck and tilted his head to suck Alex’s earlobe, teeth teasing the sensitive skin, before he let is fall from his mouth.

              “I need you, Alex,” he whispered. He was answered with a whimper before Alex lifted his head and pushed his lips against Michael’s. It felt like ecstasy. Michael opened his mouth immediately, tongue snaking out to meet Alex’s in a series of hungry, biting kisses. Alex’s hands clenched around his upper arms and Michael felt his shift his body on top so that he could get some leverage between them and move his hips against Michael’s with purpose. On the first downward grind from Alex’s body, Michael felt his body’s tension ratchet up from 75% ready to blow to 99%.

              “Fuck, Alex… just a little more. I’m so close,” Michael gasped after he wrenched back from Alex’s mouth to suck in some air. Alex groaned above him and Michael felt him pull his hand down between them. It took exactly one pull from Alex’s hand for Michael’s climax to start. He heard himself growling as he fucked himself through the sticky mess that had started coating Alex’s hand, riding the tide of relief. It felt like a cool blanket had been put over his skin. He was aware of Alex thrusting his hips against him still, his cock dragging through the cooling mess on his stomach and then with an almost pained grunt, adding to it. Michael wanted to taste it, wanted Alex to lick it off him and feed it to him with kisses, but he didn’t say anything. He let Alex collapse boneless on top of him and he reveled in the afterglow.

              “Was that it?” he heard Alex croak next to his ear. Michael thought about it, catalogued the sensations of his body. He could still feel the fire of need, but it was banked for the moment and he could think clearly. He had no doubt it would return, but he had no idea how quickly. He shook his head and kissed Alex’s shoulder as something of an apology.

              “I don’t think so. I think it’s more like I’m getting a quick breather. I can still feel whatever this is influencing me, it’s just like… like I’m getting a break. God, this feels so weird, Alex. I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry this is happening to us. I… I know this isn’t what you want, I just.. I don’t know if I’d survive just gritting my teeth and trying to do without right now,” Michael babbled his apology, hoping Alex would forgive him someday.

              “Guerin, it’s fine. It’s not a perfect situation, but it’s not the end of the world. If there’s one thing I know I can do for you confidently, it’s make you come your fucking brains out as many times as necessary,” Alex said, laughing weakly at his joke.

              “You are really good at that. You make me stupid and keyed up. If you’re in the room on a normal day, all I can think about is how good you look naked, how much I miss the way our skin feels when we’re alone and sweaty and on round three…” Michael trailed off, recalling some of those times in his mind as he spoke.

              “Guerin,” Alex spoke up, breaking his daydream. “You’re still hard.”

              Michael swallowed and nodded. He’d started to feel the need building in him again.

              “You don’t happen to have any lube in this sex dungeon, do you?” Michael asked in mock casualness, even as his hands flexed and he felt the ache in his joints starting up again, body writhing to try and stem the ache.

              “Shit. Fuck. Okay. You’ll have to let me go upstairs ‘cause I didn’t expect to ever use this place as an actual sex dungeon. Do you think you can go ten minutes without me touching you?” Alex asked, nervously looking over his shoulder. Michael tried to think about it, but his brain was fogging fast and his cock was throbbing where it was trapped between his and Alex’s bodies. Regretfully, he shook his head.

              “Maybe,” he gasped out, glad Alex hadn’t hesitated this time and had taken his cock in hand the moment after he registered his body had given and not his mouth. “Maybe if you go right after I come…maybe I can make it.”

              Alex tightened his grip almost imperceptibly, but it was enough for Michael. He moaned, hips chasing the sensations of Alex’s hand on him as Alex pulled out all his favorite moves. He moved down Michael’s body with his mouth, lips closing over one of his nipples and making Michael cry out. He bit down gently and sucked at him, abusing the rosy bud with this tongue and teeth as he used his hand to push Michael closer and closer to another orgasm.

              “God, Alex, your fucking mouth…” Michael moaned when he felt Alex release one and move over to the other. Once again, he found himself fighting against the wrist restraints. He wanted more. He wanted to encourage Alex to take that talented mouth just half a foot lower on his body and swallow him down. He wanted to hold him there, feel him gagging around his cock, his throat muscles squeezing and releasing him. The idea was hot, but he also knew that he wasn’t in control. So he didn’t ask Alex to go down on him, not yet. It wouldn’t have mattered if he had, he was quickly approaching another orgasm and Alex’s hand was doing a fine job of getting him there.

              “Come on, Guerin. You’re so close, I can feel it. Come for me, baby, and I’ll go get some lube and we can really get each other dirty,” Alex encouraged him, wrist twisting on the down stroke and coaxing Michael to let go for the second time half an hour. It felt good, but it wasn’t as good as the first one. It didn’t feel like it would be enough for the next one.

              Alex tentatively sat up, putting space between their torsos as he looked down at Michael speculatively. Michael was breathing harshly through his nose, but he could stand the separation.

              “Go ahead. Go get the stuff now before it comes back,” he said, closing his eyes so he didn’t have to watch Alex walking away. Alex climbed off him gingerly and Michael could feel every inch that stretched between them as he quick stepped his way to the ladder and up to the main part of the cabin. Sweat broke out across his body almost as soon as he heard Alex moving around in the house above him. It didn’t feel like fire this time, but like pins and needles all over his skin that grew more intense as he waited. His cock had managed to soften slightly after the last orgasm, but he still felt anxious and needy. His skin felt absurdly sensitive and every slight shift in the air around him had him gritting his teeth. His mind tried to concentrate on his telekinesis again, seeing if he could work on the cuffs at his hands, but as with the first time, all he could manage was a brief nudge with his abilities before his concentration shattered.

              “Alex,” he called, his voice sounding weak even to his own ears. He was so thirsty. His mouth felt like the Sahara and he just needed something to drink. He needed Alex whispering soft words of encouragement to him so he could keep coming until he could sleep. He just needed… Alex. And he could hear him moving around upstairs and wondered how long he’d been gone. Somewhere in his distracted brain he knew it hadn’t even been ten minutes yet, but his body felt touch-starved and bereft like it’d been ten years.

“Al-lex…” he whined into the air, hands and legs starting to thrash against the restraints. Why was he like this? What did he do to deserve this? Why wasn’t Alex here taking care of him?  

“Just a sec, Guerin. I’m almost done up here,” Alex’s voice floated down from the upper floor. Michael thrashed harder, body trying to twist and break free. He wanted to be where Alex was. He needed him. Needed to touch him. Needed to be free to mark him. He still hadn’t claimed him. Alex was away from him unmarked, unsafe, not his. Not his, not his, not his.

“ALEX!” he screamed, visions of other men coming upon Alex and taking him in his head. He was tied up, he couldn’t protect him. He couldn’t defend his soulmate. He would die if he couldn’t see him soon, couldn’t make sure that he alright, make sure he was still his.

“Jesus, Michael, I’m here,” Alex responded, sounding a little impatient. Michael watched him climb down the ladder, each new few inches of skin revealed like balm to him. He had a bulky backpack slung over his shoulders that made him more careful with his movements as he descended.

As soon as he reached the bottom, he turned and started walking as quickly as he could towards Michael. He dropped the backpack onto the side of the bed and sat next to Michael, pressing his naked hip to Michael’s waist.

“You look strung out. Shit, I’m sorry I took so long,” Alex apologized as he unpacked his bag. Through clenched teeth and gently trembling muscles, Michael watched him put three bottles of Gatorade onto the nightstand. He also pulled out a frankly indecent sized bottle of personal lubricant that even through a heat haze Michael gave him a raised eyebrow over. “Shut up, it was a gift,” was all Alex could say about it, though he was grinning when he said it. Lastly, he pulled out a package of wet wipes, plopping them onto the nightstand near the Gatorade and promptly pulling one free of the package.

“This might be cold,” Alex warned him before carefully starting to clean off the mess on his stomach. Michael hissed in a breath against the coolness of the cloth. He’d wanted something cool earlier against his skin, but now that Alex was near him his temperature had risen again to the point where even if it was room temp, it was too cold for him to bear. Also, probably more worryingly, as Alex cleaned the old spunk off him his mind started to fog back over into primal need.

“Stop! Stop, Alex, fuck!” Michael managed to get out as the fire and pain returned, seeming to be pinpointed at the where Alex was cleaning him. He was panting against the feeling of pain that had come over him. Alex watched him in growing alarm and then looked down at the cloth in his hand.

“OH!” he exclaimed, tossing the cloth somewhere to the side of the bed. Michael couldn’t see and didn’t care. He watched Alex quickly bend down and start stripping off his prosthetic and liner, his movement practiced and quick, before he turned and straddle Michael’s hips. He immediately covered Michael’s body with as much of his as he could. “Better?”

“Nooooo,” Michael cried piteously. “Need more. Please, Alex, let me have a hand. I’ll show you, please?”

“Non-negotiable right now, Guerin. I can give you your feet back, but that’s about all I’m willing to compromise on. You’re not in control of yourself,” Alex said, immovable in his decision. Michael whined, pressing his head back into the mattress and arching against Alex’s body.

“Please, Alex. I need to be in you. Or you in me. Something. Hand job won’t do it this time, please,” Michael begged.

“69?” Alex offered, pressing his lips to Michael’s cheek and jaw in apology. It wasn’t what Michael had meant, but he’d take it. He’d take anything Alex would give him. He swallowed and nodded quickly. Alex maneuvered his body over Michaels, knees bracketing Michael’s head with his cock swinging enticingly in front of Michael’s face. Michael looked down between their bodies and watched Alex reach down to grab himself and angle his cock towards Michael’s mouth. Michael opened his mouth and licked at the tip with a broad, flat tongue a few times before closing his lips around Alex’s flesh and beginning to move his mouth over the flesh. The angle was strange and he felt like he was only doing half the job without the use of his hands, but it felt amazing to have Alex in his mouth, dick hardening further against his tongue as he sucked and laved at the hot flesh. Alex indulged in a few seconds of just letting Michael work on him before letting his hand fall away, trusting that Michael could keep him in his mouth.

Michael was back to painfully turned on and the first touch of Alex’s tongue had him thrusting up in reflex. He made an apologetic hum through his mouthful of Alex and was rewarded with Alex’s own reflexive hip jerk. He wished he could communicate to Alex that he wanted more of that kind of attention. Alex could fuck his face like this, take what he wanted from Michael, and Michael would let him do so happily. He gathered what little bit of his concentration he could gather with Alex’s mouth working his shaft like his favorite flavored popsicle and used it to once again push down on Alex’s hips, encouraging him to give in to his natural urge to hump forward against the pressure of Michael’s tongue and lips.

“Guerin!” Alex gasped, mouth popping off Michael’s cock as he fought the unseen force pushing at his hips. “Stop. I can’t… there’s no way for you to tap out if it’s too much.”

Michael pulled his head back and let Alex’s cock pull free from his mouth so he could answer.

“It’ll be fine, Alex. I just want to feel like you’re getting something from this. I can’t… do much… at this angle with just my mouth and no hands,” Michael explained, frustration evident in his voice.

“You were doing fine, Michael,” Alex replied, voice going a little soft in affectionate exasperation.

“That is not good enough, Alex. If I’m going to be giving a mediocre blowjob to someone, it isn’t going to be you!” Michael said a little insulted and looking at Alex like he was insane.

“Oh my God, Michael,” Alex replied, leaning his forehead on Michael’s hip while he laughed weakly. He tipped his body sideways and laid half on top of Michael, curling his leg over Michael’s chest and propping his head up on his hand as he looked down towards him still grinning. “You must be feeling better because I have no clue how else you would be worried about my pleasure right now. I mean, would you give the same consideration to Max?”

Michael gagged. It was such an immediate reaction to thinking about Max in any sort of sexual sense that his body responded before he was even sure he’d fully comprehended the question. His reaction did give him a moment of clarity as he quickly filtered through his body’s reaction to literally anyone else being here with him for this.

“I think…. I think that my reaction is based on my relationship with you? Like… obviously I have no clue how to test the theory and I don’t want you getting ideas to play scientist like Liz, but…” Michael paused, trying to ride a spike of need that traveled through him. Alex seemed to get the hint and started moving his hand while watching Michael’s reaction. Michael nodded and took a couple deep breaths. It wasn’t enough to get him off, but Alex’s slow, steady strokes kept him from dissolving back into mindless need and pain. “…so, as I was saying… If I think about Max being here, I don’t feel horny. I feel like getting into a fucking fight, because he is not the boss of me no matter what he thinks. Ugh. Sanctimonious jackass. And if I think of Isabel I just feel… protective? Like, I definitely don’t want to see her naked or to touch her sexually. She’s my sister. I just want to keep her safe. Maria? Eh… it’s more indecisive. Valenti? Fuck that dude, I will fight him also. I’d probably fight Rosa also. I feel like this stuff just like… takes the noise out of my feelings for people. It’s like… whatever my gut instinct is? I don’t know, I just… I wouldn’t hurt you. I would never hurt you like this.”

Alex looked like he was thinking over what Michael had said, his eyes fixed on some point across the room as he sorted out what Michael had been saying. He didn’t slacken his grip or stop moving his hand, which Michael was profoundly grateful for since it was seeming to take some of the edge off. He didn’t know how much longer it would work, but for now it was working.

“Max had said, you seemed to be attacking him after the powder hit. You wouldn’t stop trying to hit him, and you kept pushing Isabel away like you thought Max was the enemy…” he mused, looking up towards Michael’s eyes again. “Lot of unresolved hostility with Max?”

Michael bit his lip before answering.

“Probably more than I’m comfortable admitting to myself right now,” he answered, suddenly wishing they were talking about anything else but his issues with Max. Maybe Alex picked up on it because he just hummed in understand before he leaned over, and with a casualness that Michael didn’t know one could have in such a situation, took Michael back into his mouth with probably the dirtiest slurp he’d ever witnessed outside of porn. Stars collided behind Michael’s eyes at the unexpected sensation and he let out a strangled moan at the sudden hot-wet-tight pressure surrounding his cock.

“Al-lex! Shit,” he gasped out when he could. Alex kept his mouth and tongue moving over him, hand following and keying Michael’s voice into the higher notes. Alex was right, of course; he was feeling better. His head was starting to feel clearer and he with a gentle push he found that he could unlatch one of his ankles. He had to take a breather afterwards, had to lay back and simply enjoy the feeling of Alex’s mouth on him, but then he gathered his strength and unlatched the other ankle. He tried to keep his legs still, tried not to let on to Alex that he was able to use his powers much more than he had on him earlier. He wanted his fucking hands. He wanted to hold Alex down and remind him how good he was at blow jobs… and eating ass… and pretty much every sexual thing he could possibly do to the man with his willing participation.

Michael got momentarily distracted from his goal with Alex maneuvered back to hovering over him so he could deep throat Michael’s cock. The sensation was beyond explanation to him and he was sure it was about to be over for him until Alex, like an absolute asshole, squeezed him with a thumb over his frenulum seconds before he was going to finish and stopped his fucking orgasm.

“You motherfucker…” Michael coughed out before leaning his head back and groaning in frustration. He looked back and saw Alex grinning back up at him, looking smug and completely unrepentant.

“You didn’t seem ready,” was all he said before releasing him. Michael rolled his eyes. Alex started to climb off him then and Michael watched him in horror.

“Where are you going?” he asked, nervous about the tingling that had already started back in his nerve endings as soon as Alex wasn’t touching him.

“Nowhere. Chill, I think I’ve got a handle on this. I’m getting some lube,” Alex explained, reaching over towards the nightstand. His hand bypassed the lube, however, and he grabbed a bottle of Gatorade, uncapping it and taking three long swallows before offering it to Michael. It was weird trying to drink while laying down without hands or the ability to roll to his side, but they managed it without too much of it rolling down his cheek into his hair. Alex recapped the Gatorade and grabbed the lube bottle.

“What’s your plan?” Michael asked, eying the bottle of lube in both apprehension and anticipation. It was, after all, a lot of lube. Alex smiled at him softly and leant over, pressing a kiss against his lips before answering.

“Obviously, I’m going to fuck you. And then I figure you’re going to fuck me. And if we do it well enough, I’m pretty sure this is going to wear off and we can have a fucking nap together. Then you can panic and formulate a proper response as to why the fuck you left the Pony during my obvious public declaration of love. Especially since apparently after a hit with some weird alien emotional baggage eraser, you admit to me that I’m the only person you want to ‘claim’,” Alex finished, squirting lube into his hand and giving Michael a look.

“Shit,” Michael mumbled, overwhelmed by Alex’s little speech and his observation.

“Shh… you’ve got at least two more orgasms to go and a nap before you have to tell me you’re not going to pull anything like that ever again on me.”

Michael swallowed and nodded mutely. Alex watched him and smiled, before giving him another quick kiss and scooting down the bed. Michael felt pretty sure this was the best thing to ever happen to him.

[galaxies-unknown-a]

👉👈 ((curious and open to crossover ideas too))

[SEND 👉👈 FOR A PLOT IDEA IF WE HAVE BEEN MUTUALS FOR A WHILE BUT HAVEN’T INTERACTED YET || Answering!]

I'll answer this under a read-more, for everyone's sanity~ (glad you're open to crossovers, I shall keep that in mind~).

Given how Harmony seems to act, I think it'd be fun to throw TFA!Bee at her.- After all, he may be old by organic standards (VERY MUCH SO) but he's still a kid at spark, and always down to play! Honestly, I could see him and Harmony getting up to all sorts of mischief- randomly howling in the streets, painting cars/walls, street racing, possibly even getting into a fight against a Decepticon or two (given Harmony's power, I'd guess she'd be able to hold her own against Starscream, maybe Blitzwing!).

I just want to see that bit about Orange running away from Harmony through to completion, not gonna lie. In other news, I wonder how Orange and-- crap forgot his name-- Voltage Lightfox there it is!- I wonder how those two would interact? I mean, they've both seen some sh!t (pretty sure anyway) so maybe it'd be nice for them to be able to relate over that? Bonus points if it takes place either right before or right after a mega-fight in Orange's universe.

I could also see Orange actually coming to Harmony's aid in a fight, althouuuuughhhh I don't know if the enemy in question would stick around when Orange came charging in... XD

I'll admit I still haven't read up on the infection event, but maybe Harmony could go to Al-An for help? I realize that would be injecting the scientist into the main story, so really don't feel obligated- they just have experience in dealing with viruses (and, due to being made fully of tech, they might have less a chance of being infected). Still. Curious and curious meet curious-

I kinda wonder how Wall-E would fair if they met Harmony/Volt? The only thing that comes to mind is one (or both) of them get stuck in Wall-E's world and have to find a discarded (but still useable) warp ring amongst the trash, while learning about Wall-E's world and helping the 'bot out. Call it an excuse to RP the little trash-monger but I want to use this robot more.

Honestly? I just want to see this guy bumble about trying to explain timelines to Harmony and/or Volt. But I suppose I could see him accidentally crossing his bubble-portal with one of their Warp Rings, causing it to go haywire? Bonus points for being stranded between dimensions in a decaying bubble-universe that they have to work together to escape from.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (Couldn't think of a plot but I think they'd make for interesting muse combos):

Bismuth

Chrysalis

Rouge

Shade

Tails

V. I. N.

[tsuki-chibi]

Blueberry Peach (Adrien AUGreste) Part 13: Found family

Or read it on AO3: Blueberry Peach

Also find the other parts of the series AO3: Fruitful verse

---------

“Kid. Kid, look at me.”

With effort, Adrien obeyed, turning his head to look into his kwami’s eyes. He hadn’t even known that Plagg was capable of that much sympathy, but it was all there painted across Plagg’s little face. It was enough to make Adrien’s stomach flip over, because if even Plagg was feeling that badly for him…

“Ah, shit,” Plagg muttered as fresh tears welled up in Adrien’s eyes. “Tikki is so much better at this than I am. She has way more experience than me. I hate this part of it.”

“What do you mean?” Adrien asked thickly, lifting a hand to wipe his face.

“It’s not usually the cats who lose their bugs. It’s the other way around,” Plagg said. “We’re damned lucky that Marinette wasn’t wearing her miraculous, or we’d really be up the creek.”

“Yeah,” Adrien mumbled, though he didn’t feel very lucky. In fact, he was feeling worse than ever. The emptiness in the back of his head was maddening, like an icy chill settling into his very bones that he couldn’t figure out how to escape.

“Look, I know this is hard for you. I get it,” Plagg said earnestly. “But you have to focus. Lady Bee needs your help. She can’t do this alone. This akuma would be hard for you and Ladybug to take down, but it’s also Lady Bee’s mother that she’s fighting. She needs you.”

Adrien didn’t say anything for a moment. He knew that Plagg was right. It wasn’t fair to send Chloé out there on her own. She had only ever participated in one akuma fight, and that was as Queen Bee, not Lady Bee. She was at a big disadvantage here.

As the only other miraculous holder around, he needed to step up.

He squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a shuddery sigh.

It hurt.

It hurt so much…

But Chloé needed him.

She was more than just his friend; she was family. A found family, not blood, but family nevertheless. Like a sister. After Marinette and his father, Chloé was the most important person to him. She needed him. Adrien had to be there for her.

“Okay,” he croaked, looking at Plagg at last. “Okay. I – I think I can do this.”

Plagg beamed at him. “Yeah you can. Go get your lady back!”

“Right. Plagg, claws out!”

Green light swirled around him, and Chat’s breath caught on a ragged gasp. The feeling of empty loss was even stronger now that he was transformed, which in retrospect made sense. The miraculous had always amplified their bond, and had even caused their bond to deepen faster than usual. So he supposed he should’ve expected the loss to be way more intense too.

But he hadn’t.

He pressed a hand to his chest, feeling his racing heart. Sweat broke out across his forehead, but he found himself shivering.

Okay.

This was the worst pain he’d ever felt, but he could do this.

He had to do this.

He straightened up, reaching for his baton, and shakily made his way out from behind the trailer to assess the situation.

Neither Lady Bee nor the akuma noticed him right away. Lady Bee was running away from the akuma’s blasts, dodging each one with a nimble skill that made the akuma screech in fury. Keeping himself largely hidden, Chat slowly got closer. The statues, horrifying as they were, made it easy to hide.

He ducked behind a small one and squinted at the akuma.

It was fast, but then all akuma were fast. He wasn’t sure where the akumatized object was, but if they could get that staff away from her then the akuma really wouldn’t have a way to fight them. That would make it a lot easier to get at the object. He would just have to wait for the right moment to pounce. He glanced around, spotted a tree a short distance away, and stood.

Only then did he look at the statue, and promptly did a double take. Was that Félix? He stared in surprise at the statue’s smooth, gold face, which looked almost identical to Adrien’s.

“I’ll get you!” the akuma screamed.

Chat snapped out of it and quickly scuttled towards the tree, scaling it easily. The thick leaves hid him from view, so that when Lady Bee ran underneath the tree and the akuma followed –

He dropped.

For a split second, it worked.

He felt the akuma’s hard gold body beneath him and grabbed for the staff.

And then the akuma vanished.

Chat hit the pavement with a yelp.

“Chat!” Lady Bee ran back to him.

“She can teleport?!” he sputtered, sitting up.

“Apparently,” Lady Bee said, reaching out her hands. He took them and allowed her to pull him just as the akuma reformed with a cackle.

“Nice try, you stupid cat. You’ll have to do better than that to pull one over on Style Queen,” she sneered.

“What are we going to do?” Lady Bee hissed, looking at him expectantly.

“Uh,” Chat said, momentarily drawing a blank. This was normally the time when Ladybug used her Lucky Charm and came up with a fantastic idea to defeat the akuma, but she didn’t usually do that until they had figured out where the akumatized object was. He was about to ask if Lady Bee had any ideas when he glimpsed a glitter of gold out of the corner of his eye.

There was no time for a warning; he grabbed Lady Bee around the waist and used his baton to propel them both out of the way. The blast of magic hit the tree Chat had been hiding in and immediately turned it to solid gold.

Chat landed on the ground several feet away and set Lady Bee down too. He turned to her and said, “Any ideas on where the akuma is?”

“I think it’s the rose in her hat,” Lady Bee replied.

He glanced back at Style Queen as she approached, tracking the rose in her hat. “Okay, then we need to get it away from her. Try your Lucky Charm while I distract her.”

“Be careful,” Lady Bee said, looking at him worriedly.

“Don’t worry. I’m purr-fect,” Chat said, giving her a wink. He was pleased to see Lady Bee roll her eyes just like Ladybug would have.

He really did think that Marinette and Chloé could be good friends someday. They just had to get Marinette back first.

Determined, he extended his baton and ran at Style Queen. He dodged a blast of gold and then jumped at her; she swung her staff up to meet him, and his baton and her staff connected with a clash that rattled his bones. He fell back and she laughed.

“What’s the matter, kitty?” she taunted. “Didn’t you know leather is out of season?”

“I’d be more concerned about that if I were actually wearing leather,” Chat shot back. As though leather would ever hold up to the kind of beatings that he took!

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a flash of red that meant Lady Bee had summoned her Lucky Charm. Grimly, he held up his baton and went at Style Queen again while hoping that Lady Bee was getting a stroke of inspiration. Because otherwise, he had no idea what they were going to do.

[magnoliasinbloom]

Crash Course Love

Infinite thanks to @lcbeauchampoftarth​ and @anna-swims​ for being awesome betas. 

AO3 :: Previously

3: Surprise [Claire]

Despite the fucked up situation, it was the best I’d felt in a long time. Seeing Frank’s pictures burnt and in the bin was strangely cathartic, even if I didn’t remember setting them on fire. There was probably a lot of Frank’s shit around that I had overlooked that I could also burn.

Jamie and I stood awkwardly in my tiny kitchen for a few minutes, his Viking warrior frame towering over me. I had a hard time meeting his deep blue gaze; it wasn’t uncomfortable, just strangely intimate given our surprise encounter this morning, and possibly last night. Finally, I cleared my throat.

“Um, well. It’s Sunday…” I trailed off. I didn’t have anything to do, but didn’t really want to prolong the morning-after-that-wasn’t.

“Och, aye, I’m sorry.” Jamie looked embarrassed. “I should go. Do ye work on Sundays?” He patted his pockets, probably searching for his phone or keys.

“No, but I should go down to Sainsbury’s for groceries. It’s just a short walk. St. Enoch is a couple of blocks away if you need it.” I began washing the bowl in the sink.

“I usually take the tube, but I do have a car. It’s mainly for driving up to see my family, though. I took an Uber to the pub. Since I’d planned on getting pissed—ifrinn!” he exclaimed suddenly.

“What?” I dropped the bowl, startled. It didn’t break, but it clattered noisily.

“I was supposed to meet my sister Jenny for lunch at St. Judes.” Jamie turned his phone to face me and I saw it was already noon. He ran a hand through his hair in desperation, making it even more tousled.

“No problem. I can take you in the van.”

“The van? Ye just said—”

“I’ve a van, for my flower shop. Beauchamp’s Blooms,” I said, not a little proudly.

“Yer last name’s Beauchamp?” He pronounced it the French way, and it sounded beautiful, but I corrected him.

“Bee-cham. I guess we were French at some point in history, but we’re English now.”

“So what’s a bonny sassenach such as yerself doin’ in Scotland?”

Sassenach. I bristled. “An Englishwoman like myself followed her dickhead boyfriend who had a teaching position at the University of Glasgow. I opened my own flower shop, got dumped, and now, I’ll be staying here for the foreseeable future. Unless it bothers a Scotsman such as yerself.” I imitated his brogue as much as I could, injecting it with a fair amount of venom.

Jamie turned bright red. “Och, Claire, I didna mean any disrespect. Sassenach just means English, or outlander. It’s nice to see ye’ve made a home here, and a business as well, despite yer hardships.” His tone softened. “Have others made ye feel unwelcome here in Glasgow? I apologize on our behalf.”

“A couple.” I sighed. “I Google-translated sassenach the second time it happened. Sorry if I came off touchy about it. When they said it, it didn’t sound very nice, that’s all.”

“I think ye should appropriate the word then. May I call ye sassenach? As a wee nickname?” Jamie smiled impishly.

I laughed. “Alright, why not?” I dried my hands on a tea towel and laid it next to the sink. “Well, let me find my keys and we’ll be off.” I found them in my purse and hoisted it on my shoulder as we left my flat.

We traipsed down the steps of my apartment building slowly, no doubt his head pounding as much as mine. The aspirin had helped some, though.

“Are ye a photographer then, Sassenach?” he asked conversationally.

“Oh, the pictures. No, Frank took those. It is—was—his hobby.  I personally like herbs, flowers, and medicinal plants. I’m a botanist, actually. Hence, the flower shop.”

“Ye kept some on the walls.”

“They were the best ones. And the flowers, those are mine. I think we can spare them a fiery death.”

“I couldna help but notice…” I glanced at Jamie, who was turning all shades of red as he rucked up the hair on the nape of his neck in embarrassment. “Ye have this tattoo on yer back, like…”

“Oh, yes.” It was my turn to go a bit red. “It’s a gladiolus. It means strength.”

“Bonny.” Jamie smiled crookedly at me while he pushed the entrance door to the building and held it open for me. “It’s funny, I dinna even ken where in Glasgow I am. I havena been…” he trailed off as we came down the steps onto the street. The chilly November wind nipped at our exposed faces.

“Is it familiar now?” I laughed, jingling my keys. I sobered up when I saw the look on his face. “Are you alright?”

“Och, aye. I—it’s just that yer apartment building’s right next to my—”

“James?” A high-pitched, accented voice pierced the air.

“—ex’s building,” he finished weakly.

I turned to the source of the voice. A woman about my age walked towards us. She had sleek brown hair—perfectly coiffed—and fashionable matching boots and purse. Her eyes were green, and were trained on Jamie, who stood next to me, pale and silent.

I tried to whisper discreetly, “Jamie, that’s your ex?”

Before he could answer, the woman was upon us. “James! I thought it was you! What are you doing here?” She gave Jamie a kiss on each cheek, hugged him tightly, and pulled back before he could react.

Jamie swallowed visibly. “Hello, Annalise.”

Oh, no. I could sense anxiety rolling off Jamie in waves. He was speechless, while there was something smug about Annalise’s own smile. The cow probably thought he was stalking her; still pining, after all this time. No wonder Jamie looked so panicked.

He was almost shaking, while Annalise waited for him to explain why he was there. And she was pointedly ignoring me completely.

Oh, this wouldn’t do.

“Hello! Did you just move in? I’m Claire, I haven’t seen you around!” I chattered brightly, channeling one of my old friends from university. Keeping it light and bubbly, but still honed like a knife. I practically shoved a hand in her face, forcing her to step away from Jamie.

Finally, Annalise took my proffered hand gingerly with her fingertips, like it was a dead fish. I flashed another insincere smile, even though I wanted to wipe my own hand on my jeans.

“Well, Claire, as it happens, I’ve lived here for quite some time now.” Her tone was condescending and forced. “James and I… we used to go out awhile back.” She glanced at Jamie as she said this, and he stared at his shoes. He looked trapped and desperate.

Admittedly, I had known him less than 24 hours, but he had helped me forget about a hellish night and torch some of Frank’s memories; I was his unconditional ally now.

Fuck her. Let’s do this.

“Oh really? Jamie, darling, you didn’t mention that!” I giggled and pressed myself against Jamie, lacing our fingers together.

Jamie only had time to look at me with wide, stunned eyes before Annalise butted in. “James, you are dating her? Since when?” Her nostrils flared, though she tried not to show her agitation.

I ignored her implied insult. “Hmmm, let’s see… about six months?” I replied. I leaned in and kissed Jamie’s surprised open mouth. “Best six months ever, am I right darling?” He still tasted faintly of booze.

“I, um, I think that…” Jamie stammered.

“So, we have not seen each other in almost a year, have we James?” Annalise crossed her arms over her chest, heel tapping. Where did this bitch come off acting self-righteous? I nuzzled Jamie’s neck lightly and turned to Annalise.

“Well, we’re moving in together. We just clicked, and everything happened so fast and it’s so intense, but just wonderful!” I gushed. I gave Jamie a light pinch on the arm; he shook his head as if to clear it, and I took the opportunity to stand on my tiptoes (damn his Viking height!) to plant another kiss on his cheek this time.

“Moving in?” Annalise’s naturally high-pitched voice went up another octave, sounding strangled.

“Oh, yes, which reminds me, we’re late for the meeting with that realtor, so we should get going.” I nudged Jamie and stepped on his foot.

“Ann—Annalise, it was… good seeing you… again, and I, um…” Jamie gave me a side-long glance, urging me to help us escape.

“James, you never liked for me to call you Jamie,” Annalise said, still ignoring me.

“Actually, I do like it. ‘Twas you who didna care to call me that,” he managed, finding his voice at last.

“So, anyway, nice to meet you, Annalise! Have a good day!” I grasped Jamie’s forearm, locking it with mine and dragging him away.

Annalise stood there for a moment or two, before stomping off on her chunky-heeled boots, coat swinging. I tugged on Jamie, who was still out of it.

“Come on!” I hissed in his ear, and then we rounded the corner. Jamie slumped against the faded brick wall, and I let go of his arm.

“Oh Christ. It’s like I couldna even think, she made me shut down…”

“Breathe, Jamie. She’s gone.” I patted his back gently.

“It’s just… I didna think she still had that effect on me,” he said, wincing.

“The power to make you hurt?” I supplied. A feeling I knew all too well.

“Aye,” Jamie grimaced. He inhaled deeply until some color returned to his face.

“Are you feeling better now?” I asked, stamping my feet in the cold. The wind was still whipping against us.

“I think so. Where are we goin’, by the way? I thought the van was—“

“Well, I wanted to walk away from your ex in the opposite direction, so she wouldn’t know which was my car.”

“Why?” Jamie looked puzzled.

“You know, in case she felt inclined to scratch it with her fingernails or key the paint job, throw eggs or something.”

“Och, exacting revenge on the new girlfriend?” he teased, nudging me with his massive shoulder as we turned back; the coast was clear and blessedly Annalise-free.

It was my turn to stutter and flush red. “By the way, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. You know, with the kissing and hand-holding. Annie there was getting to me too.”

“Nah, ‘tis fine. That was some quick thinking. Thank ye for rescuing me like that.”

“My pleasure.” I stopped in front of the delivery van. “Here we are.”

Beauchamp’s Blooms was printed on the side of the van, in curly script, with purple orchids and violets in the background. Jamie traced his finger over the letters.

“I like it. The purple suits ye.”

“Those flowers are some of my favorites. Orchids mean love, luxury, beauty, strength. The violets symbolize that the giver’s thoughts are occupied with love about the recipient.”

“Ye speak the language of flowers,” Jamie said with a smile.

“It’s an easy one to learn,” I replied simply, before we climbed into the van and drove off. As Jamie fiddled with the radio on the van, I let the sounds wash over me.

For the first time in months, it felt like things would be alright.

[bitchardhendricks]

Well I’ve Never Been to Heaven (But I’ve Been to Oklahoma) pt 11

As you can imagine, I’ve been having a lot of feelings about my hometown this week in particular. But while on a national stage it’s painted as being full of fanatical zealots hellbent on worshipping at the altar of a fascist demagogue, the reality that I’ve seen from the majority of its citizens this week is compassion, empathy, care, and concern. That mix is the brutal reality of the place that made me - a place not unlike a lot of your own hometowns, if I had to guess. I think overall, that’s the feeling I want to capture in all the parts of Tulsa fic. I wrote this part weeks and weeks ago, before any mention of the rally, but it feels fitting to post this week. I hope you’re all doing well out there, staying strong, staying safe, and taking care of each other.

***

They spend a few hours exploring the myriad shelves at Gardner’s; every time they walk into another room, Jared expects them to finally reach the end of the labyrinth, and every time there’s yet another room beyond. Richard shows Jared the spot tucked into a corner by the sci-fi section where he would spend long summer afternoons discovering new worlds with Bradbury and Asimov, Heinlein and Herbert. 

Jared finds a used Pioneer Woman cookbook to buy for Diane - “Do you think she’d like this? I noticed she didn’t have this one when I was perusing her cookbooks this morning.” 

Richard has no idea, but tries to be enthusiastic. “Um. I mean, yeah, probably, she’ll love it.”

Richard wonders what it must be like to be a person who notices things like that, makes notes of gifts to buy for people. Someone who’s thoughtful and kind and just fucking nice. He wonders, not for the first time, why Jared isn’t somewhere better, with better people, people who are like him. He wonders, also not for the first time, if his vision - Pied Piper, the company, changing the world one compressed byte at a time - is worth enough for Jared to stick around when the reality (when Richard himself) is so vastly disappointing. 

He stops paging through back issues of Fantastic Four and looks up to watch Jared flipping through records in the section across the aisle from him. Sometimes Jared’s very existence throws Richard off-balance. His posture, his competence - everything about Jared is so put together and accomplished, like he’s been practicing for hours every day to make being a grown-up look so simple. His long, nimble fingers move over the records with ease and surety. Like a pianist, Richard thinks. Good with his hands. Jared must feel the weight of his gaze, and he looks up with a bemused expression that Richard knows means, Goodness, I’m so sorry, was I being too distracting? Richard’s face grows inexplicably warm. He shakes his head sheepishly - no, you’re ok - and Jared goes back to browsing. 

He only watches for a minute or so before another guy squeezes past him trying to get to the Daredevil comics, and he jumps guiltily out of the way. “Hey Jared, we should ah, get going. Lots more to see.”

As they pay for their purchases, the sunny blonde cashier’s hand lingers against Jared’s long pianist fingers when she hands him his change. 

Richard snatches his bag of books out of her hands and stalks off before she can finish saying, “Have a nice day!” 

***

They drive for 15 minutes or so, the air conditioner cranked up, until Richard slows down in front of a huge pavilion with a banner advertising GUN SHOW flapping disconsolately in the muggy June air. Jared pales, hit by a vivid memory of a Saturday afternoon spent with Uncle Jerry and his friends at a civic center filled with the smell of testosterone and gun oil and the sounds of boisterous laughter and Lynyrd Skynyrd bouncing off the concrete walls. “Richard, I don’t--” he begins, but the car pulls into a neighborhood directly across from the huge building.

Richard puts it in park and turns to see the look on Jared’s face. “Oh - fuck, Jared, did you think I was taking you to an actual gun show? Jesus, c’mon man. No, it’s ah,” he opens his door and stands up, wedged in the vee of the car door and turning to point. “Better angle from here. See the statue? It’s the Golden Driller.”

Jared also gets out of the car to look and follows Richard’s indication. Towering above the pavilion is what looks to be a giant man made of stone the color of sand standing next to an oil derrick. The figure he cuts is imposing - Jared estimates he must be at least 7 stories tall, with his workman’s boots the size of school buses splayed shoulder-width apart, one hand on his hip and one hand resting possessively on top of the massive derrick like a hunter posing with a prized kill. His face is cut in austere lines, a square jaw, a long slash of a nose, a heavy brow hidden under a hard hat of some kind with a wide brim. He’s shirtless, and his broad shoulders narrow to a waist with a belt around it that says TULSA.

“He’s very tall,” Jared says, which makes Richard laugh. With a darted glance to confirm Richard isn’t laughing at him, Jared also laughs, surprised and a little dizzy. 

“This is like - he’s THE symbol of Tulsa, you know. The baseball team is named after him, the stadium. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with this statue, we’d pass it and I’d just start like,” Richard mimes shaking his fists back and forth in the air in wild jubilation, “‘It’s the Tulsa Driller!’ I don’t even know why, heh. Kid stuff. I think probably everyone who lives here has a picture of themselves with that statue. It’s like a Tulsa rite of passage.”

He reaches over the roof of the Camry palm up and looks at Jared, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Wanting, expectant. Jared can hardly stand it, rooted to the spot and captured by that look as neatly as a rabbit in a snare. With a sly grin, Richard finally speaks. “C’mon, gimme your phone. You wanted to document the trip, right?”

A Tulsa rite of passage, he thinks, and fumbles in his pocket for his phone. Richard unlocks it with his fingerprint - thank goodness for the day Jared had insisted they spend setting up their emergency contacts and preparedness protocols - and gestures for Jared to come around the car and pose in frame with the colossal statue. “A little to the right - ah, my right, sorry - and uh, put your hands y’know - “ Richard half-attempts the Driller’s pose and ends up more akin to a little teapot before he aborts the gesture, embarrassed. “OK, look stern. You’re an oil man now, you gotta - yeah, that’s, that’s great,” he says, giggling as Jared puts on an exaggerated scowl. The shutter clicks in rapid succession as Richard crouches down, getting a better angle. “Yes, perfect, you’re a natural, Jared,” he teases lightly and Jared’s scowl disappears, replaced with a grin so wide he hears his jaw creak. 

Richard lets the phone fall from in front of his face for a second, faltering, and just looks at Jared with a matching grin that’s febrile, electric, before taking a few more photos. When he hands the phone back to Jared, he avoids any further eye contact, looking down at the ground and hurrying back to hop in the car. 

Jared follows, hoping the spell hasn’t been entirely broken on this inexplicable wonder of a day. As they drive to their next destination, Richard is quiet, contemplative. Just as Jared is about to ask if there’s something bothering him, Richard breaks the silence. “There’s a plaque by the Driller - we went to Expo Square there, that building, on a field trip in middle school for some like, multicultural fair, I don’t know. But my teacher, she made a huge deal about this plaque, right, and I still remember it, it, it said something like um, ‘Golden Driller, dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry, who um..with their uh vision and bravery uh, benefitted all mankind.’” 

“Ah. Perhaps not all,” Jared cedes, and Richard nods furiously. 

“Right, like, I mean look how that fucking worked out for everybody. And they’re y’know, displacing Native Americans and like, if you’re not white you’re fucked, and just annihilating the goddamn planet, and they’re building monuments to themselves like they’re so, so fucking magnanimous. Right?” He grips the steering wheel with knuckles going white and Jared nods along with him, attempting to remain afloat on the tempestuous sea of Richard’s emotions. 

“You’re thinking of Gavin,” he says, and Richard’s jaw clenches mutinously in a way that tells Jared he’s right. The wound that Gavin has inflicted upon Richard’s soul is so raw and ragged, even after all this time, and it makes Jared ache to see him lash out like this, a proud lion tortured by the venomous thorn in his paw. 

“He doesn’t have a case, Richard - you know that and I know that. In the annals of history, people will remember Richard Hendricks far longer than they’ll ever remember Gavin Belson, and not because you erect monuments to your greatness in the sky. The most enduring legacies are built by leaders who inspire love, not fear.”

Richard snorts, “Great. I can’t inspire either one for shit.”

The words clamor in his throat like a swarm of bees, and he can’t quite keep them contained. With his hands clutched tight in his lap, Jared says in a rush, like a compulsion, “Oh, Richard, that’s just not true.” 

Richard glances at him, looks away. Glances back. Jared offers up a smile he hopes is reassuring rather than ghoulish, and decides the safest course of action is to redirect Richard’s focus away from Gavin. This is supposed to be a vacation, after all. “Anyway, let’s focus on Tulsa and all her hidden wonders. Where are we going next on the grand Hendricks magical mystery tour?”

The digital clock in the car reads 4:50, and Richard appears to do some mental math in his head. He shifts in his seat, perking up a little, and Jared breathes out a sigh of relief. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.

“We’ve got time for one more thing and it’s...well,” Richard taps on the steering wheel in a beat Jared is coming to recognize as his tell when he’s eager, excited to show off something. “I think you’re gonna like it.”

[iveryafterdark]

Day 128

Part 11, Nameless werewolves. [semi-Long]

Last Part. Next Part.

Ever since the little hunting disaster with Relis and Vaitelin, Time had been doing his best to avoid being recruited to go on another hunt... not that it was difficult. The second they stepped back into camp Relis made sure everyone knew about his broken ribs, so no one had been expecting much of him of late. It had only been about a week, though, so, eventually, that would change.

"I don't think you should be going around patrolling yet, you still have a broken rib." Bear cautioned, though he was starting to sound more like whining with the amount of times he had said something similar. While the dark-toned man wasn't wrong about the rib situation that didn't mean that he wasn't capable of keeping their borders safe. Even with a broken rib, he was still more powerful than any mortal was.

"You worry too much, stop being such a mother-hen." he responded dismissively to the guard, who frowned deeply in response... or Time assumed he did. He wasn't really bothering with throwing the shadow-man a look to check. It had been a little under a week, and for the most part his lungs felt fine again. Gods heal faster than mortals, another week and it would be like it never happened.

"Last time I was careless you got hurt." Bear responded, voice low but pointed. Time pretended he didn't hear him, it was a reasonable thing to do with how quiet he was now speaking, as much as he liked Bear he might have to do something about his penchant for seeing him as needing protection. Despite the, occasional, complaint from the brown-haired man the walk existed mostly in silence. It Seemed Bear wasn't so eager to talk anymore... maybe thinking too much. Time would leave him to it, which meant less of Bear worrying a hole through his ears.

The young-god's attention only snapped back to reality when the werewolf stepped in front of him, arm out to stop him, growling at.. someone. Time rolled his eyes at the bristling guard, clearing his throat and pushing Bear to the side as gently, but firmly, as he could manage. Another stranger stood several yards away, hands raised to show innocence, dark brown eyes watching Bear warily.

"You! Finally worked up the courage to show your face, little stalker?" Bear spat, crossly, Time couldn't help but think that he was just taking his frustration out on the guy. This 'stalker' dipped his head deeply, eyes lowered to the ground, posture poor as if to make himself look smaller. If he stood up straight he would probably be about Time's height... which, yeah, he supposed that would make him 'little' to Bear but he had been named that for a reason.

"Lashing out needlessly, Bear? Let's, at least, see what he wants before you verbally abuse the man." he chided with a light tone, he had been disapproving of the guard enough today no need to put him in a further bad mood. The lack of response told him that he was willing enough to allow the man to speak. This 'stalker' was a fair-tanned man with hair almost as dark as Bear's in brown, short and messy. The most interesting thing about him, however, was the excessive amount of body-paint he was using. White-ash mask over the majority of his face, as well as his hands, wrists, throat, and chest, bright yellow and black stripes cutting around the back of his hair, and arms, that reminded Time a bit of a Bumblebee. This guy didn't look very threatening to him.

"What can I do for you, little bee?" he asked in an amused tone, ignoring the disgusted snort from Bear behind him, the stranger's dark brown eyes went wide at this and he dipped his head further down. As if to apologize for the momentary eye contact.

"Your defender is right to look down on me, to call me such things, I have been following you for some time now." his voice sounded uncertain, but Time didn't focus as much on that as he did the words themselves.

"You've been following me?" his voice harder now, a slight threat.

"Yes." another dip of his head like a duck bobbing in a lake.

"For how long?"

".... Since you first stepped foot into the meadows.. when you met the Robin." Time's blood went cold in his veins at that, the almost constant sensation of being watched that he had attributed to the new territory? It had been this guy following him around like a ghost. How had he went this entire time and not noticed that he was being followed? The young-god turned his gaze to Bear for an explanation.

"I noticed a few nights ago, he's really very good at being a rat."

"Why didn't you let me know we were being tailed when you found out?"

"I... didn't want you to worry about something like that right now?" A question, that same almost guilty look he had worn when Time first met him. The implication in Bear's words were, also, not lost on him. He didn't say anything because of his broken ribs... they'd discuss that later, right now they had a mouse to deal with. Time turned his sharp, orange, eyes back to the strange man. As soon as the attention was back on him he seemed to scramble to say something before Time could.

"I meant no harm, I merely followed you because being near your group makes it safer for me to travel."

"If you wanted safety you should have returned home." his harsh tone caused the striped man to wince. "Why reveal yourself now? You've been in hiding for several months, why change something that's been working for you?"

"Because..." the stalker glanced between him and Bear, before carefully approaching only to stop in his tracks a few feet away when Bear began growling defensively. The man kneeled on the ground, not unlike Robin would when she prayed, and raised both of his hands up to Time like one would in offering. It was a strange thing, he could feel the power connection with even just this gesture, something he had seen but had never been involved.

"Because I am a man with no name, no family to speak of, but I have worth." ah, one of the unfortunate, untrustworthy, people forced to walk the world alone due to the nature of their existence. Not a single soul to vouch for them. Often treated as criminals and chased from cities both human and otherwise... and it was strictly forbidden to give one's self a name. A hangable offense.

"I am an honest man, I am loyal, I will give you everything I have to offer. I just need a chance." His plea was soft, heartfelt, full of pain, and loneliness, and desperation.

"You say this but by the very nature of your existence there is no way to prove any of your claims. You could be a criminal, a madman-" Bear responded, distrust on his voice, Time held out a hand to quiet him. The striped man's eyes seemed only honest, a small amount of hope in them at the gesture.

"You ask for a chance, the opportunity to prove yourself?"

"Please-" he sounded on the verge of tears. "-that is all I ask. Just one." a long moment of silence followed, Time sizing the nameless man up, before nodding shortly. He had never seen such a look of pure gratitude and relief before than the one that followed.

"You already know the way back to camp, but you should walk with us this time." the striped man rubbed his hands across his face, looking at Time like he was as important as the sun, before getting to his uneven feet. Hm, the white marks on his hands and face hadn't budged despite that, maybe they were actually tattoos and not body-paint. The yellow stripes that went through the back of his hair was definitely painted, though.

"What are we going to tell them when everyone expects him to be introduced? He has no name, and I'm sure some of the others won't be like being around an unclaimed." Bear, again, voice unusually hard.

"Leave that for me to worry about, Bear." the man opened his mouth, but at the warning look he was thrown just sighed.

-

While there had been some raised eyebrows when Time offered no introduction for the new member no one made a particular fuss about it, going about things as usual as the sky began to darken into night. The bee-colored man was following him closely, like a lost pup, seeming to be afraid of being left alone with the rest of the group. Understandable, considering the past experiences that he had probably had with other large groups of people. Due to the constant following, and looks of sheer gratitude he was getting from him, Time noticed rather quickly when the nameless man went missing while the rest of the group was sitting around the fire to eat before bed.

Like usual, Astaria, Felis, and Surie were sitting in a half-circle talking, telling bad stories, worse jokes, and laughing loudly together. The three were nearly inseparable at this point. Near them was Vaitelin, who would briefly exchange insults with Astaria throughout the night. A weird relationship those two had, Time wasn't going to even try to parse out if they loved or hated each other. Sitting close to himself was Robin; who was acting stranger and stranger as more time passed, Relis; who was sitting on the ground instead of on the log like everyone else, and Bear. In the beginning, the nameless man had been sitting next to him as well but, at some point, he had dipped out. A sense of doubt stabbed through his rib, had it been a mistake to trust him? A man with no one willing to claim him or vouch for his goodwill? Was he really dangerous like Bear had believed?

Bear seemed to sense the thought process going on in Time's mind and gave him a knowing look, at least he had the decency to not look smug about it.

"Think I made a mistake on that one?" he was expecting a quip, or a snappy response, or an incredulous look, but instead Bear just looked conflicted and shrugged.

"He... seemed genuine to me." uncertainty, a complete reversal of the confident distrust he had shown earlier.

Time decided to wait beside the fire for the rest of the night, the rest of the group retiring to bed one-by-one until it was just him and Bear waiting.

"You should really get some rest-" the yawn was loud enough to cause him to wince and shuffle a bit further away from the werewolf. "-you aren't gonna heal any better sleep-deprived." it was probably more along the lines that Bear was exhausted and didn't want to stay out any later.

"You can lay down whenever you want, Bear. I'm not forcing you to stay up." the guard just blinked at him in an unamused manner, before rubbing his eyes and stretching. Seems he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. He was starting to think he should just lay down to allow the poor man some rest when a rustle caught his attention.

Turning towards the sound was a figure, with dully-glowing brown eyes. The oddness of the silhouette caused him to bristle, Bear growling beside him, but the familiar gesture of the being just... kneeling with hands out caused him to pause.

"Do not be alarmed." it sure was the same nameless man from earlier, voice soft.

"What happened to you?" Time narrowed his eyes at the shadow, trying to better decipher what he was seeing.

"I was... hunting?"

"Was that a question?" Bear growled shortly beside him, he didn't seem tired anymore.

"I... took down the buck that tried to attack you." the nameless man added, shifting. Ah, the oddness of the silhouette was him hauling a... full-grown deer on his shoulders. Surprising, for a man that height.... even if he was, obviously, a werewolf.

"You.... managed that all by yourself?" a short nod, in response. Time eyed the unclaimed werewolf warily before gesturing for him to come closer. In the fire's light it became more obvious the situation, by the looks of it the man had field-dressed the buck and skinned it, the cloak draped around his shoulders. Once the striped man stood only, about, a leg-length away from the young-god he kneeled once more and presented a thick bear-leather bag that he had been holding at his side before removing the deer cloak and placing it on top as well. The nameless man closed his eyes, muttered something Time couldn't hear, before pushing the hunt to Time and bowing deeply to the ground. An offering, the first he had ever received personally, the gesture made Time felt like he was breathing ice-cold water in the best way. Like he was drowning in ether. He sat stunned for many seconds, staring blankly at the offering and the nameless man, before blinking the tears out of his eyes.

"I underestimated you." Time said, even his voice felt different. Smoother. It must sound different too because Bear was giving him a look. The striped man sat up, though he was still kneeling, cautiously looking at Time with the reverence that Time had only seen directed at his own father before.

"You've proven yourself in my eyes, I see no reason for you to walk the world nameless and shunned. I will claim you, vouch for you when needed." his brown eyes were shining. "I think the name... Hercules suits you just fine, don't you agree Bear?" the dark man blinked, like he didn't understand what was happening, before nodding.

"Welcome to the pack, Hercules." the guard agreed, dipping his head in greeting. Hercules, as he was now dubbed, looked like he was in sheer disbelief. Like the world had suddenly stopped making sense.

"Unless, you would prefer something different, of course?"

"No!" the reaction was so quick it made Time raise an eyebrow. "No, Hercules is... perfect. Thank you, I will not disappoint you." he was grinning, the first time Time had seen him do so, sheer joy on his face.

"Now, everyone else is asleep so I think you should join them, you'll be no use to us dead on your feet." a deep nod, but Time doubted someone who looked so excited would be falling asleep anytime soon.

[nowornever13587]

Mcyt Oxenfree Chapter 2

Beacon Beach

“That’s- so there’s this kid, Tubbo-- he’s the one who invited me here. He’s kinda like my best friend so don’t mess with him. Or I’ll get my vlog gun.”

“Got it, got it.” I laughed. We came to a steep cliff you had to climb down.

“Hey, Tommy the child. I hear you up there.” A gruffer voice called up the slope.

“Hey!” A different voice called as we scaled down.

“We started a fire down the way, but Tubbo wanted to play beach nanny, so…” 

As I got to the bottom, I recognized Schlatt, the easily the most intimidating person in our grade. Good thing I’d known him for a long time and it was mostly all talk. But the dude was a ram hybrid, with the silver tongue better than most politicians. Which was a fair point enough to be nervous around him.

“Everyone, this is Eret.” I said as Eret hopped off next to me.”Eret, everyone.”

“Hey.” Eret waved.

“Hi!” Tubbo waved back. The five of us kept walking. 

“He’s Fundy’s new in town, fresh as a daisy step-brother.” Tommy supplied. 

“Step-brother?” Schlatt remarked almost sourly.

“Really?” Tubbo was much kinder. I wondered what he was doing around someone like Schlatt.

“Yeah, I know. It’s a trip, right?” Tommy was still in good humor at least.

“Yup. He and his dad came from England. So, let’s show him a good time.” I attempted to follow the same vein. 

“Just the beach and some good laughs will be enough, I’m sure.” Eret was much better at this.

“Wait wait wait. You’re Eret. Eret the step-brother.” Schlatt clarified.

“Yeah, um, what’s your name?”

“That’s Schlatt, he’s-” 

“How are you his step-brother?” Schlatt cut off Tommy. “Like, what does that even mean?”

“Um, his mom is marrying my dad so…” Eret gave me a confused look.

“Well, that’s happening then. Where’s everyone else?” Schlatt was abnormally blunt and rather rude today. 

“Deo had that sports thing.” Tommy shrugged.

“Who else was supposed to come?” I questioned.

“Anyone. Everyone.” Schlatt threw his hands up.

“Schlatt, we… we took the last ferry. I thought more would show up but-” Tommy tried to explain.

“Oh my god. It’s just Fundy and his new step-brother?” Schlatt laughed unkindly. “That’s it? That’s who you brought?”

“Hey, I’m fun!” I complained.

“Listen to yourself.” Schlatt huffed.

“Wait, are you all like friends?” Eret interjected.

“I’m friends with Tubbo and I’m downgrading Tommy to creepy neighbor. And you I just met.” I did not miss the fact Schlatt refused to mention me. 

“I’m getting the picture now.” Eret muttered.

We made it down to the sands to see a gorgeous view. Nice bonfire lit and the waves looking photogenic under the night’s overcast. A few towels were laid out for those needing to sit down. My shoes sunk into the sand as I walked over to the flames. 

“Fire! Man’s great equalizer!” Tommy tried to get conversation moving again.  I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to be in a conversation with Schlatt right now but I was getting too bored to care. 

“So what’s the, um, what’s the thing to do here?” Eret looked around, standing next to me. “Other than go skinny dipping and get murdered by Jason Kuger.”

“There’s a keg?” I nodded to the thing by the rocks. No one moved towards it.

“Where does that old man live?” Eret decided that was his question. He seemed to be oddly interested in him.

“You mean Badboy Halo?” Schlatt sat on a dark green towel. “Nowhere. He’s dead.”

“Really?”

“Yup. Keeled over three days ago. It was all over the news.” Schlatt’s voice held a hint of sadness. “Local news, anyway. ‘Oldest Living Resident’.”

“Oh, that’s unfortunate.” I recalled hearing great things about the man. He was nice to everybody and my mom said she’d known him to be quite funny too. It made me sad to think such a person was gone from the world. 

“Yeah, well, we all gotta go sometime. In his case, later than sooner.” Schlatt looked back at Eret. “And to answer your previous question, the thing to do is lay on the beach and drink until you can’t remember where you are.”

“And sometimes play Truth or Slap.” Tubbo input cheerfully as he added more wood to the fire.

“Yeah! Let’s play that!” Tommy clapped his hands. “We can inaugurate Eret.”

“Truth or Slap? What’s that?” I couldn’t recall the game.

“We used to call it Hippo, until we got tired of people asking, “Why’s it called Hippo.”.” Tommy grabbed a can from the cooler.

“Because you get to yell, “you’re a dirty hippo,” before you slap someone.” Schlatt laughed. 

“You get asked a question, you have to tell the truth, but if somebody can prove that you lied the accuser gets to slap you.” Tommy motioned. “It’s a good, getting to you know somebody game.”

“Unless you lie a lot.” Tubbo pointed out.

“How can you prove that someone lied?” I wondered.

“Hearsay, rumor, conjecture… the usual.” Tommy knelt to find some stones in the sand. 

“Alright! Let’s just get on with it!” Schlatt complained. “I’ll start. Tommy, fess up. You painted Pogtopia on the school last year after I got voted President.”

“Ooh! Good one.” Tubbo giggled. “Principal Stampy was so mad!”

“I-I… It wasn’t me! It was Ant, remember?!” Tommy tried to deny it. 

“Ant voted for Schlatt.” I rolled my eyes.

“We all know it’s Tommy, but we just can’t prove it.” Schlatt huffed.

“I’m not lying!” Tommy was still laughing. We all let it slide.

“Okay, it’s Tommy’s turn, right? He gets to ask somebody something?” Eret inquired.

“Fundy, Fundy, Fundy.” Tommy turned to me, rubbing his hands together.

“Uh oh.” Eret chuckled.

“I just have to think about which nerve I want to so delicately pinch.” Tommy smirked. 

“Lay it on me.” I held out my hands confidently. 

“Okay. Stab, Punch, Kill… me, Tubbo, and Schlatt.” Tommy grinned. “Eret’s out cause he’s technically family and he has the most opportunity for revenge.”

Both Schlatt and Tubbo vocalized their displeasure at such a question. But at least it wasn’t the Marry, Kiss, Kill version. Ours was much more violent but less awkward. I frowned, thinking about it.

“I’d punch Tubbo but lightly ‘cause he’s really nice.” 

“Thank you!” Tubbo grinned. 

“Ooh, down the line. Now who’d you poke with the death stick?” Tommy teased.

“Schlatt, obviously. I think he’d kill me before I could kill him anyways.”

“Obviously? You’re not gonna call him out?” Tommy looked at Schlatt.

“No, I believe him. I mean, at least he’s avoiding the Lunch Club’s wrath.” Schlatt chuckled. All of us besides Eret nodded fervently. The Lunch Club could be chaotically terrifying when it chose a target. Like some kid last year. He’d gotten run out of the school by them.

“Wait… that means you’d kill Tommy?” Eret piped up.

“Low blow!” Tommy acted offended.

“Hey, you wanted to know!”

“But I’m your friend!”

“Cool it. Fundy’s turn.” Tubbo scolded lightly. 

“Eret.” I looked at the English man. “I heard something about you getting arrested?”

“Oh boy.” Eret groaned, amused. 

“Ooh! A bad boy!” Schlatt was surprised. 

“It was all a misunderstanding. My friend got locked out of their house so they called me to get it open. While I was picking the lock, a neighbor called the police on me.” 

We all cracked up. 

“I think it’s my turn, so… Tubbo. What’s your favourite animal? I dunno, that’s lame…”

“No! It’s nice. I really like Bees! They are really cool!” Tubbo smiled. “And Schlatt. What college are you heading to after high school?”

“Harvard. Already have my acceptance letter” The fire glinted off his eyes, making him look devilish.

“You’re smart enough for that?” Eret pointed out. Schlatt shot him a light glare while we all laughed. 

“You’re turn Schlatt.” Tommy reminded.

“Fundy… you got a new brother. Pretty exciting.” He turned to me. “I’m sure Eret is excited, or maybe excited isn’t the right word. Maybe overwhelmed with everything, you know? Unsure… It’s a lot to take in and adjust to.”

“What’s your point, Schlatt?” I looked at him. He had a dark look on his face despite his casual tone.

“I’m just saying what Eret is already thinking. That statistics show if you get divorced once, you’re probably going to get divorced again. And the fact is, your mom divorced your dad, so… Let’s put his mind at ease and hear why.”

I glared at Schlatt. He just had to bring this up now? In front of everyone? Why was he so aggravated towards me right now?

“Just get to whatever point this is getting too.” I snapped. 

“The point is… why’d your parents get a divorce?” Schlatt’s red eyes stared down into my soul. “Just so Eret can hear it from you.”

“Schlatt, I don’t really care why they got a divorce. Just that Fundy’s mom is happy now.” Eret tried to calm us down. But no. If Schlatt wanted to hear it, then he would.

“You know why. Wilbur died and it broke everything and they couldn’t handle it. The. End.” 

“Well, now you know, Eret.” Schlatt looked almost… smug. “Don’t die and everything will be fine.”

“Schlatt…” Tommy glared at the hybrid.

“What.” He snapped back.

“I’m pretty ready to do literally anything besides this game.” Eret stood. 

“Let’s go check out the caves!” Tommy bounced to his feet, dragging me along. “Schlatt and Tubbo have already seen it so they are going to stay here.”

“Like I’d want to go.” Schlatt muttered. 

“I got this.” Tubbo whispered to us as he passed. I felt bad leaving the nice kid with Schlatt when he was in such a mood. But I heard them strike up the recent prank the Misfits had done so it relaxed me some.

We went over to a fence next to our little hang out. We climbed the connected rocks, jumping over. Before us, the tall mouth of a cave loomed. There was a tunnel downwards, three groups of rocks piled outside before it.

[brookelynnsanders]

Anti Cool Girl - The last fall

A/N: here we go - @arin-schreave​ and Brooke’s first date. Thank you anna for this ridiculous rp and thank you @evalinkatrineberg​ elise for being an amazing beta. Also the title is a reference to dodie’s song cool girl - enjoy!

Cold water trickles down Brooke Lynn’s lean frame, washing off the accumulated sweat sticking to her heated skin. The aching in her thighs spreads towards the hollow of her knee - the water unable to soothe the sting. Luckily it cools down her boiling thoughts. She takes in a moment of silence just for herself. No wary eyes, no protocols to follow, and no time to kill. So she just keeps on breathing and counts each droplet gracing her skin. Delaying the inevitable moment of having to leave her little chamber behind. Not ready to face her upcoming date. 

“Lady Brooke, did you fell asleep in the shower again?”

The blonde automatically groans at the sound of her maid’s nagging voice. Can’t I have a quiet second for once?

“No, I just don’t moan when I pleasure myself in the shower”, the woman shouts while stepping out of the shower. Her calm interior is now completely destroyed - her defense mechanism filling its space. At least her comeback urged Brita to fall silent. Giving the blonde some last few moments of peace.

So Brooke quietly wraps herself in a fluffy towel and tries to shoot herself an encouraging smile in the mirror, which ends up being a hopeless grimace. Her stomach slowly ties itself into a knot at the prospect of the upcoming hours. So she focuses on drying off her body instead, watching each droplet either moisten the towel in her hand or glaze over the floor. Afterward, she squirts some pomegranate scented body lotion into her palms and carefully slicks up her limbs before wrapping herself into a baby blue silk robe. With a deep breath, still very wet hair, and a polite smile on her lips, she steps outside into the arms of her personal headache.

 Sandra, one of the mute maids, grabs the blonde’s arm tightly and leads her towards the vanity - seemingly in a hurry to get the woman ready. Once Brooke Lynn's bum touches the chair, all of her maids are already over her. Prepping her skin, teasing her hair, and painting her face for the big event. 

The speed of her maids awakes an unsettling feeling in the blonde who's heart starts to beat a bit faster. Her palms glitz with sweat as Brita keeps on muttering about Brooke's unmanageable hair. Blue eyes stare back at a strange figure, surrounded by buzzing bees, as she attempts to keep her calm. A deep breath in and a deep breath out.  

Yet once Brooke is shown the outfit prepared for her, she just knows. This will be her downfall. 

Brooke Lynn walks up to the front steps 10 minutes early for her date. The note she had received two days ago is held in her left fist. Opening and closing around the royal paper, fidgeting to calm her mind. Already imagining each worst-case scenario she can think of. Yet still unable to stay in her room any longer - the hustle wrecking her nerves. So she lets her gaze wander around and lets out a deep breath - relieved that no one is present. Her fingers scratch her light brown breeches, attempting to get used to the tight fit of them.

"Lady Brooke." 

A slight shiver runs down the woman’s back at the voice onset of her date. Not mentally prepared to meet the Prince so suddenly but within a blink of an eye, she spins around and puts her crumbled invitation into her vest’s jacket. Her face sporting a very neutral look. "Your royal highness." Luckily she remembers her manners. 

"Shall we?" Prince Arin asks with a slightly forced smile while he motions in the direction of the stables. Dressed in equally flattering clothes as Brooke Lynn. 

Brooke Lynn's blue orbs widen at the reference, having hoped she could delay their departure to the stables a bit. But sadly that isn't the case, so she just clicks her tongue and side-eyes the prince while mumbling "We shall." Her confidence not quite yet at the forefront.

 "So... How have you been?" 

Awful, thanks for asking. 

Brooke settles with, "I am not dead yet, so can't complain, "  and a subtle wink. 

"Well, I'm glad we set the bar really low here at the palace," he counters with an ever so slight eyebrow raise. Not as amused by her comment as she is. 

"No offense, but my bar for this entire experience is very low." A little giggle colors her voice. "I didn't even personally sign up so I have zero expectations."

After a brief pause of awkward silence, she realizes that her prior statement might have sounded a bit rude. Even though it's just a factual truth. "But that only means I am pleasantly surprised all the time," the blonde hurriedly adds, not wanting to ruin the date before it has even properly begun. 

“At least you can find some positive things in this whole situation.” The two keep on walking in silence, each a prisoner of their own thoughts. Yet once the stables are in their sights, the Prince speaks up again. “Do you like horses?”

“I am actually terrified,” Brooke answers honestly for once. The woman attempts to keep her cool though, not wanting to look like a scared 3-year-old, but her shaking hand betrays her.

 The prince slows down his walking and looks at her. “Oh, I’m sorry... I didn’t know.”

Brooke Lynn stops for a second and closes her eyes, before plastering a forced smile on her face. The foundation of her walls now fully replaced.  “It's fine. I'll manage - somehow. But if that horse kills me, I'll haunt you until eternity,” she teases him with a cheeky wink.

“You're not really selling it,” he glances over his shoulder, “We can go back.”

“Aren't you the one who is supposed to show me that deep down I've always wanted to be a horse girl?” Brooke side-eyes him with a smirk, trying her best to keep the conversation light. “But seriously, you chose this activity for a reason... So I might as well give it a shot.”

He just shakes his head. “It wasn't actually my idea, sorry.” 

“So you got a little matchmaker advisor who tells you how to find a wife or what?” Another teasing smile graces her lips while she throws her carefully crafted side braid behind her back.  Yet once her glance lands on the horses she can now clearly see, the knot in her stomach tightens.

“No... I have a mother who involved herself and a friend who helped her.”

“So you are a mommy boy?” Brooke asks in a teasing tone and scrunches her nose in amusement.

“Well considering I have two I don’t know else I’d be,” Arin replies with a slow blink.

The blonde can’t help but snort at his response and tries her very hardest to suppress her giggles. “You've got a fair point.”

“Well, at least I can make you laugh.”

“Maybe a giggle or two will come out of those pretty lips when the horse throws me into the mud.” An awkward smile graces the woman’s lips as she peeks into the stables. “Why do they gotta be so Goddamn tall,” Brooke mumbles to herself. Still very intimidated by those animals.

“They ate their fruits and vegetables.” Apparently, she wasn’t too quiet.

“And so did I,” Brooke replies as she looks up at towards the prince, “still I am not that tall.” Her waving hand motions an attempt to highlight her point. 

“Well, you're not a horse....” 

Who would have guessed?

Brooke Lynn rolls her eyes and decides that now is the moment to face her fears and just walks inside the stable. “Let's get this over with.”

“We don't have to do this. It won't hurt my feelings if we don't.” 

He really sounds like a little kid not wanting to go shopping with his mum.

On the tip of her toes, Brooke Lynn turns around and fixates him with termination carved into her irises. “No matter if you came up with this idea or someone else - enough effort went into this and I am very sure my maids would be upset if they see this outfit wasn't but to use.” And she isn’t prepared to get into another fight with her maids. Once the two are truly inside, the blonde looks around, very lost. “So wanna show me what I've missed in my life without horse riding?”

Prince Arin just looks at her and blinks in surprise, and if Brooke isn’t wrong she actually hears him chuckle. “You're asking the wrong person. Horses aren't really my thing.” He mentions casually while he walks towards a stall, already greeting one of the horses.

Brooke Lynn stops in her tracks, slightly regretting having pushed him. “Great precondition,” she mumbles to no one in particular.

“There's still time to back out.”

She has him pushed him so far that there is no way to back down now.

“And not watch you crash and burn with me?” Her left eyebrow raised in suspicion as she turns towards the stall gate, taking in the horse nearest to her.

Arin leads the way inside so Brooke Lynn just cautiously follows him trying her best not to use any sudden movements so she won’t scare the horses. At least that’s what she tells herself. Cautiously she rolls her shoulders and straightens her back - not wanting to look too intimidated.

The gate is being pulled open by the prince who then gently tugs on the reins of a tall light brown horse that walks out. “You ready?” Raised eyebrows clearly worried about the woman’s reaction. 

The overly nervous woman inhales a deep breath and gifts the man her best smile, refusing to give up on this rocky date already. “Ready as I'll ever be.”

Brooke Lynn’s words are the kickoff to officially start the date. Arin walks around the stable, pulling saddles from left and right and carefully prepares the two royal horses for their ride. As the awkward silence starts to grow, Brooke starts to sort through her brain, pulling out possible small talk topics. 

“So if you are not a horse kind of guy - any other animals and hobbies you prefer?”

“I like fish, I guess. And some other things yeah,” Arin mentions as he walks over to his horse.

“Fish?” That’s specific.”Wanna indulge in me that?”

“I have a fish.” The prince concentrates on closing the belts of the saddle. “And they’re a good source of protein.”

“What's their na-”; Brooke Lynn stops in her tracks as the second part of his statement reaches her consciousness. Within a second her polite smile falls from her face. Replaced by a heavy heart as disappointment oozes out of her being

“Her name is Gillian.” No remorse only confusion plastered on his face.

“That's a nice name,” Brooke Lynn replies with an awkward smile, trying her best to not judge him. But she does.”But like how can you have a pet fish that you cared enough to name... And still, eat fish.” Her brows are furrowed as hurt and confusion mixes in the sea within her eyes as  Arin finishes up the last details of preparing the horses.

“Fish can be friends and food?” He glances over at her as his statement comes out more than a question.

Yet Brooke Lynn’s mouth only falls open in shock. “How can you say that?”

“I um... like fish?”

Brooke Lynn takes a deep breath so she can collect her thoughts and arguments so she won’t lash out at him. 

“But how can you say you like fish as living beings and then still eat them? Like the fish industry is exploiting our oceans and seas while endangering so many species.” With each spoken word she feels a bit sicker as her shoulders and the corner of her mouth hang low.

“I... I'm sorry?” 

How am I supposed to see this man as a potential partner?

“No need to apologize - at least not to me but maybe you wanna look into the issues surrounding the consumption of animals and animal products.” With a deep sigh, Brooke lets the topic go. “Speaking of animals,” her eyes glance towards the regal horse by her side, “how is this supposed to go down?”

“Um... now we just mount.”

“Just mount?” A slight waver in her reveals her helplessness. She hasn’t felt that small in a while.

After being told they need to bring the horses outside first, Brook cautiously takes her horse's reins and waits for Arin to lead the way outside, cautiously looking over his shoulder at her as they go. Which prompts an apologetic smile by Brooke. Once the two get to the pasture he circles around with the horse to face her. “Are you ready?”

“I guess we'll see.”

Arin makes it look so easy the way he mounts his horse so regally and then just looks down at her from his horse. “You can do it.”

With a deep breath, Brooke collects all her strength and puts her right foot into her horse's stirrup and swings herself onto the horse. A victorious smile already presents itself on her glossy lips but soon falters as she realizes that she ended up on the horse facing the butt. Fucking great. 

"Do you need help?" 

"Unless this is the preferred way to ride a horse I guess yeah." Brooke attempts to be very nonchalant, yet a quiet giggle escapes her lips. Too amused by the ridiculousness of the situation. 

And like her knight in bright armor, the prince dismounts his horse and walks over to Brooke. "What can I do for you?"

"Whatever the fuck -" Manners. "Whatever the freak is needed to be done." Her nose scrunches an attempt to hide her embarrassment. 

Arin slightly hesitates before offering his hand to the blonde as he carefully puts one hand on her waist. "Ready?" 

Brooke's vocal cords are suddenly unable to form any words so she just nods and attempts to turn herself around. Yet somehow she miscalculates the curvature of the horse’s back and so she loses her balance. As the blonde realized her mistake it was already too late. Brooke tightly closes her eyes as she tumbles off the horse - fully prepared to hit the ground. But somehow strong arms are able to half catch her in time. After a brief second - which feels like an eternity - Brooke opens her eyes again and stares up at her savior. 

Within a moment his arms are gone and Brooke is back on her feet. "Are you okay?" A hint of concern colors his voice as gives Brooke a quick one over. 

"Yeah, just wanted to test the reflexes of our soon to be King," the blonde adds with a wink, bringing out her usual cocky self. She smiles a bit to herself, glad Arin had been so quick on his feet, before looking back to the horse and taking a deep breath - not ready to give up. "No, seriously thank you," she adds with a look behind her shoulder as she prepares to finally get this right. With a determined nod she mounts her right foot onto the stirrup again and is about to push herself of. However, she freezes for a moment - realizing the mistake she has made switches her Foot. With her corrected position she manages to mount her horse in a swift motion and ends up correct in her saddle. "Not too bad." 

Arin gives her a smile for her victory before adding: "I’m glad you’re okay."

The blonde returns his smile as she watches him go back to his own horse, satisfied with the outcome so far. Until she realizes this is only the first step to actual horseback riding. "Got a coin to start the engine? 

He chuckles at her remark. He actually chuckles at her remark." No, you just nudge her with your foot a little and say - let’s go."

"Okay," the blonde replies very focused on the tasks at the head but still manages to offer a small nod and smile as she nudges her horse. A "let's go" escapes her lips as the regal animal suddenly picks up its pace. 

"Are you okay?" The prince's voice barely reaching the girl's pina as his horse trails behind. 

"So far," Brooke Lynn shouts back as she keeps her gaze ahead - trying her best not to fall off this wobbly ride. Her thoughts suddenly swirling around how the horse could possibly understand her directions. 

"You're still alive, see." An encouraging smile suddenly by her side. 

"That's a plus." Her first genuine laughter escapes her throat. 

"We can be done if you want." 

Brooke doesn't have to look over to see the concern plastered onto his face. Slightly wondering if he even wants to be around her, not really buying his sudden concern. 

"You really sound like you don't wanna be here, but I am finally on a horse - there is no stopping now." With a click of her tongue and a feisty nudge to her horse's rips, she spurts it on to go faster and faster. Craving serotonin to fill her blood. 

"Horses aren’t really my thing." The prince's call nearly lost in the woods. 

Ocean eyes roll at the reveal of his dark secret. "Oh who would have guessed." 

As the trees enclosing her vision move past her and the stark wind cools all her limbs she wonders if that's what true freedom feels like. 

"Not you," Airn voices once he manages to catch up to. "You’re a lot better at this than I am." 

Ohh okay? Maybe we can forget this fish situation. 

“Seems like I have natural talent then,” the girl confidentially exclaims with a big grin.

“Maybe you do.” His voice suddenly getting closer and closer until Brooke can see the other surpass them.

“Are you trying to win a racehorse boy?” She shouts at him, urging her horse to go faster - trying to catch up.

“Boy?”

“You gotta earn the horseman title,” she challenges him with a wink as she is at an eye level with him again.

“Last between the two trees gotta bake the other a cake.” 

Within a whirlwind, she passes him and encourages her horse to go even faster, determined to win the race. Her laughter halls through the cool air as the wind plays with her baby hairs. Brooke refuses to look back and she just focuses on the horizon. Her heart and head feel a bit lighter with each added mile between her and the palace. If she just closed her eyes she could pretend she is in her own adventure - not prince who doesn’t want to get to know her trailing along.

The blonde doesn't look back and just takes in the serotonin buzzing through her bloodstream as she comes to the finished line closer and closer. Her head is free of constant overthinking once she reaches the finish line. Yet all of a sudden her horse’s fuse blows and within a second she already greets the grass as her horse attempts to circle the fox in its way. Brooke Lynn’s left foot is still caught in the stirrup once her horse calms down, so she tumbles to the floor and just rests on her back. Kinda in shock, yet glad for her verst as bubbly laughter escapes her chest, patiently waiting for Arin to arrive.

Once his horse stops alongside hers, he carefully gets down and rushes over to her. Clearly worried. Not that he should worry. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, cause I won,” Brooke cheers with her fist raised high, “so this is a wonderful position to cloud watch. You should join me.”

“Alright, Van Grunsven, let's go.” Arin immediately leans down to untangle her from the saddle, wasting no time.

The blonde says a small ‘thank you’ as she scrunches her nose and smiles at him. She completely lays on her back now as she is freed from the saddle and nocks onto the grass next to her. A silent invitation for Arin to join her. The need to share the beautiful sight in the sky with him immense.

However, Brooke Lynn can only feel an expecting look on her skin. Not sure what he wants from her.

“You're free,” he adds after a moment of awkward silence and raises his eyebrows at her.

“Yeah. Thank you,” She repeats confused, petting the grass next to her again while scrutinizing him. “Please don't tell me you also hate cloud watching.”

“I don’t... I just don’t really want to lay in the ground.” He nonchalantly replies with and outstretched arm. Brooke only rolls her eyes and mouths the word wimp but takes his hand anyway. 

In a smooth motion, he pulls her up.  “I’m guessing we’re done with horses for the day?”

With a nod, the girl confirms his suspicions. So she grabs her horse’s reins, ready to walk her way back to the palace, but pets her horse on the head slightly. Still a bit scared of the majestic creature, yet still having found a place in her heart for it. “Thanks for not killing me,” she mumbles lovingly.

Arin shoots her an amused look at the interaction. “Not so bad, huh?”

“Yep,” the girl pops the p and nods, “especially since you owe me a cake now.” Actually really excited at the prospect of a cake just for her. Unable to let it go that she actually won.

“I think you’ll be disappointed,” he says not very convincing, leading the horse towards the stables. The evening sun highlighting a light sweat patch on his horse’s back and neck.

“We'll see - maybe you'll discover your sudden love for baking.” The blonde shoots him an amused look as she walks beside him, unable to really look him in the day due to the blinding sun rays hitting her iris.

“Or burning the palace down,” Arin mutters as a response.  

“That will definitely make it into the history books.”

The prince blinks surprised, seemingly having hoped Brooke wouldn’t hear him. “I’d hope not.”

“It's in your hands,” she replies with a coy smirk before letting her gaze shift towards the closer inching palace. Her smile slightly drops at its sight, not ready to be a prisoner of her golden cage again.

“What’s wrong?”

Shit.

Hurridly the blonde morphs her phase into a neutral expression, relaxing her furrowed brows and clenches jaw. “Ohhh it's just that I enjoyed the company - I am not really looking forward to being alone again.“ The woman exhales deeply and bites her bottom lip trying to find the balance between being honest and still keeping her walls intact. Not trusting the stranger opposite her yet.

“I'm sure there are lots of people in the Women's Room.”

A polite smile stretches across her lips, not really wanting to share her lack of social contact in this place. Not even remembering the last time she had visited the Women’s Room. Luckily the Prince immediately leads his horse into the stable once they neared the palace. He politely waits until she's inside behind him before he starts to take the saddle off.

Brooke Lynn, on the other hand, simply watches him in silence caught up with her own thoughts but keeps a polite smile on her face. Torn between labeling this date a total disaster and progress in the right direction. Because she didn’t really hate it. But maybe he did?

A ‘Can I’ catches her a bit off guard. It takes her a second before she realizes that he wants her to hand him her horse’s reigns.

“Will you take Skippy back to his stall?” He asks, nodding towards his horse while he approaches hers.

“Skippy?” A bright smile shining on her lips. “Your brilliant idea or did someone else name him?” The girl walks towards Arin’shorse and slowly approaches him before carefully taking his reigns in her hands. She walks him into his stable, careful not to step into horse shit.

“Uh... my mom came up with it.”

“It's actually a really adorable name,” she says, mostly directed at the horse that manages to elicit a small smile from her as well. He also receives a light pet from her before carefully closing the gate and walking back towards Arin.

”Will you take Lou, too?”

Brooke Lynn nods as a response and walks Lou to her stall and gives her a fake evil look before silently cracking up. “Thanks for not killing me Lou,” she mumbles with a smirk.

“So, what's the verdict?”

About what? Ohh the horses, Brooke mentally facepalms.

“I am still alive, so this couldn't have gone better!” The girl exclaims with a smirk and her left hand against her hip. Not deadly terrified of horses anymore, but still in need of a 21-year long break of horseback riding.

“Well, staying alive in a date is always a good standard to have.”

“And if the standard couldn't have been upheld - I couldn't be disappointed cause I'd be dead,” the girl laughs a bit morbid. Either because Brooke stopped caring about looking perfect or because she has gained a concussion over the past few days. Not quite sure yet.

Nervous laughter by her side makes Brooke only crack up more.

“Just kidding. You are too easy to spook.”

“Am I?” He motions for her to follow him as he walks back towards their meet up spot.

“Seems like it at least,” the girl calmly replies, solely focussed on the steps leading towards a side entrance of the great hall.

“Interesting observation,” are his last words before he falls silent, accompanying her. 

Brooke Lynn slowly drags her feet across the path, an attempt to delay the end of this evening. Yet once the two reach the top of the stairs the prince and the girl say their goodbye’s with polite smiles resting on their faces. Both left alone with their thoughts from now on.

Not sure if they’ll see each other again.

[eveningstarcatcher]

Ineffable Valentines Day 3: Poetry

“Are you done yet, angel?” Crowley called from the back room.

“Nearly! I'm sure I’m nearly there!” Aziraphale was in the shop, going through stack after stack of books. He was looking for one specific book. He was sure he had set it aside, so as not to lose it, but he and recently pulled dozens of books off the shelves for maintenance or rereading and now he wasn’t at all sure where it was. “Where are you?” He muttered to himself.

“Need some help?” Crowley was standing in the doorway of the back room, hip cocked against the doorframe, his red hair perfectly tousled.

“I suppose I do,” Aziraphale sighed in defeat.

“What does it look like?” Crowley asked, looking over the spines in the pile closest to him.

“I believe it’s red with white writing. Or was it white with red writing? Or perhaps I’m thinking of the wrong book. It could be blue, or was it black?” Aziraphale furrowed his brow in thought. He couldn’t remember which book he was describing.

“Angel,” Crowley was standing and smirking at a book laying next to the till. “Is it the one with the sticky note that reads For Tracy ?”

“Yes!” Azirpahale beamed, the creases around his eyes becoming more prominent, something Crowley adored. “Thank you so much, dear! I should have asked for your help ages ago!” Aziraphale bustled to the desk, inspected the book, then shifted up to his tiptoes to kiss Crowley on the cheek. “What would I do without you?”

“Good think you’ll never have to find out,” Crowley teased.

“It is a good thing.” Aziraphale’s voice was soft and warm as he gave the demon a look so full of love that Crowley almost blushed.

“Hurry up, angel. If we wait much longer it’ll mess with our dinner delivery.”

“Of course!” Aziraphale swept up the book and bustled about, wrapping it up in red paper, tying it up with a nice white ribbon, signing the card, and placing it all in the padded envelope Crowley had picked up for him. He printed the address on the front, sealed it, and held it out to Crowley. “All done! Thank you for your patience, dear.”

“Yeah,” Crowley rolled his eyes, but couldn’t hide his smile at the compliment. Those flowed freely these days, had done since shortly after the world didn’t end, and Crowley soaked each one in. They both did, finally able to speak their minds, and hearts, openly and without fear. “Be right back,” Crowley slithered towards the door.

Once Aziraphale heard the Bentley speed away from the shop, he went to his desk and pulled out an envelope. It was made of parchment, the weight and texture reassuring in his hand. He wasn’t sure how it would be received, but he was optimistic. He took his pen in his hand and wrote a name in his most elegant script, curving and swirling across the parchment.

He admired it, nodded to himself, and propped it up against a bottle of wine on the table in the backroom.

Once that was done, he moved back out to the shop to reorganize the piles of books he’d disturbed during his search, but was distracted by a lovely book of love poems. He settled on the floor next to the pile, cross legged, and began to read just one poem.

Ten pages later Azirphale startled at the sound of the front door swinging open, bell jingling.

“M’back! Didn’t miss me too much, did ya?” Crowley sauntered in, then stopped and looked around. “Angel?” he called, not seeing him.

“Just here, dear!” Azirphale called and waved a hand to him.

“What’re you doing down there?” Crowley asked, slithering down to sit beside Aziraphale and his pile of forgotten books.

“I was trying to tidy up, but became rather distracted.” He admitted, holding up the book in his hands.

“Love poems?” Crowley cocked an eyebrow.

“I almost sent this volume to Madame Tracy, but couldn’t part with it. The one I chose is just as lovely, though.”

“Why did you send her a book of poems anyway?” Crowley asked, taking the book from Aziraphale and flipping through its pages.

“It was a Valentine’s gift. I thought she’d enjoy the poems, especially now that she’s giving love advice instead of intimate personal relaxation and stress relief for the discerning gentleman.” Aziraphale tried to hide a smile, thinking of the woman who had been so kind as to give him a ride to the end of the world. He wouldn’t be here, in his corporation, if not for her and he would be forever grateful. For his first time possessing someone, she was the most gracious and understanding host.

“That’s nice,” Crowley handed the book back to Aziraphale.

“Just a small token, really.”

“It’s the thought that counts though, right? You didn’t have to think of her all, but you did. Gave her a book from your collection, even wrapped it up and made sure she’d have it before Valentine’s Day. You really are a romantic,” Crowley teased.

“And you aren’t? With all those romantic meals we shared, picking me up and walking me to the door after, no one would believe that you were a downright sap!” Azirphale laughed at the horrified look on Crowley’s face. “Come, dear. It’s not a bad thing. Quite the opposite!” He pressed his hand to Crowley’s cheek. “I do love that you’re quite sweet under all your layers of cynicism and indifference.”

“Am not!” Crowley swatted him away, hint of a smile playing at his lips.

Azirphale opened the book in his lap and began to read:

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

“Shakespeare, of course,” Crowley groaned playfully, removing his glasses and tucking them away in his pockets. His eyes were staring at Aziraphale’s hands holding the book.

“Hush dear,” Azirpahale chided gently. “I’m trying to be romantic.”

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed, And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed: But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st, Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,   So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,   So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

“Let me see,” Crowley reached for the book, but Aziraphale clutched it to his chest.

“Do you mind if we move this to the back room? I’m afraid I’ve been sitting here for a while,” Aziraphale grimaced as he shifted, the floor hard against his bottom, his legs stiff and groaning.

“F’course, angel,” Crowley sprang up and offered Aziraphale his hands and pulled the angel swiftly to his feet.

“Thank you,” Azirpahale pressed a kiss to Crowley’s hand and strode into the back room. He moved toward his chair, but Crowley wrapped an around around him and pulled him down the couch, settling him in his lap. Aziraphale smiled and let himself be held, wrapping his arms around Crowley's waist.

“Can I see the book now?” Crowley asked. Aziraphale handed it over and Crowley kept one hand around Aziraphale, the other held the book out so he could read from it.

It’s all I have to bring today— This, and my heart beside— This, and my heart, and all the fields— And all the meadows wide— Be sure you count—should I forget Some one the sum could tell— This, and my heart, and all the Bees Which in the Clover dwell.

“Emily Dickinson,” Aziraphale murmured against Crowley’s shoulder.

“Mmhmm,” Crowley hummed, running a hand through blonde curls.

“Lovely, dear,” he smiled softly at his partner, then shifted so he could speak without being muffled. “I have one more, if you don’t mind,” Aziraphale settled his head against Crowley’s shoulder and took a breath.

In the beginning there was nothing Then life sprang forth from her hand Creation began with light into dark A spark no one can ever understand

Though light was brought into the world And life was given, a garden to thrive Water and land, creatures great and small But what does it mean to be truly alive

Hands that created and formed all the stars Painting bright colors into the nothingness lips of temptation, curious golden eyes Pulled forth feelings instructed to suppress

Gravitational pull, the arrangement agreed, Wine, meals, the theatre, a nice museum view, My life all encompassed in laughter and grins, My dearest friend, Crowley, I do so love you

Aziraphale recited, his head pressed to Crowley’s chest, his eyes squeezed shut. He could feel Crowley’s heart beating, but the demon was motionless, silent.

The silence hung for a few long moments before Aziraphale pulled back to look at Crowley.

His golden eyes were closed, a tear falling down his cheek.

“Crowley, are you alright?” Aziraphale’s voice was soft, almost a whisper, as he wiped the tear away.

“You wrote that for me?” Crowley opened his eyes to meet Aziraphale’s, who simply nodded. “I didn’t know you wrote poetry.”

“Sometimes. I’m not nearly as eloquent as Emily or William, but I wanted you to know that you inspire me. You’re always challenging me and supporting me and making me better, or possibly worse…”

Crowley chuckled at that. “Definitely worse.”

“My dear,” Azirapahle pulled himself back against Crowley’s chest, “you do know how much I care, don’t you?”

“Yes, angel.”

“That I love you desperately and completely?” Aziraphale pressed.

“Nkg!” Crowley’s voice failed, letting out only a noise, pressing his face into soft curls. “I love you too. Just don’t make me write a poem about it. It would only make you blush.”

"I look forward to it," Aziraphale dropped his voice, then chuckled. "In the meantime, I wrote the poem out for you. It's in the envelope on the table, so you can read it anytime."

"You really are an angel, aren't you?" Crowley smiled and pressed kisses along Aziraphale's forehead, his eyes resting on the parchment envelope with the words "Crowley - my dearest love" sweeping across it.

For @mielpetite‘s @ineffable-valentines Also on A03

[mooleche]

A Story of Ink and Venom - Chap. 6

A/N - Another long chapter, forgive me! Just a forewarning that there’s death involved and blood! But this is where the fun really begins! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Taglist - @leo-writer @master-sass-blast

Just be ready.

Those words hung in my head all day, invading my thoughts like a swarm of angry bees that refused to let up. I sat in class staring blankly ahead, the professor's words going in one ear and out the other as he attempted to teach, but the class was alive with whispers of what happened last night.

“I heard it had, like, 3 rows of teeth,” a girl nearby whispered. Her friend gave a small gasp in response.

“I heard it got ahold of someone and pulled them apart like a mozzarella stick-” another voice, male this time, murmured with amusement into the sea of whispers. A noise of disgust followed with the sound of someone slapping his arm in response.

“Augh, don’t be gross!”

I grimaced and tried to focus on my drawing again, feeling my discomfort return as I saw the piece I had been absentmindedly working on throughout the period. It was of the creature from last night, eyes narrow with excitement and mouth set in that terrifying toothy grin it had revealed before-

A loud snap erupted in the room and I looked down to find my pencil now broken in two. My hands, hidden once more by their gloves, were now shaking and my breath labored as I emerged from my trance. Looking back up I saw that half the class was staring at me now, surprise etched on some faces, disgruntled looks on others as I had interrupted their concentration. Ahead of me, the professor looked surprised, starting towards me with concern on his weary face.

“Is something wrong, Miss Knight?”

“No, I... Sorry…,” I hesitated, taking to shoving my belongings in my bag and hightailing it out of the room before he could question me further. It wasn’t like I was going to miss anything that he had said anyway as class was almost over. Hearing all the rumors was just...getting to me. They hadn’t been there, it was only reasonable that this would have been the talk of the town today. But it also meant reliving it, something I wasn’t ready to reconnect with so soon.

Exiting the building I was greeted by the onslaught of rain the sky had been threatening to come down all day. By the time I was halfway back I was soaked, my thoughts immediately turning to Queen and how she was fairing in this weather. I picked up the pace, cursing as I realized I hadn’t had enough time to toss on the cover I had before leaving. Now I risked a wet butt on the journey home later tonight.

What was usually a 10-minute walk now felt like ages as I watched the clouds darker and more ominous overhead. But something also felt off, strange, as I trekked across campus to get back to the safety of the labs. It felt like someone was watching me, a feeling that only intensified as I dared to turn around only to be met with fellow peers hurrying to get out of the rain. I risked standing still to search who, or what, could have been me stalking in this weather but found nothing but droplet covered glasses in return. Now even more on edge, I hurried for the familiarity of the office building, fishing frantically for my keycard.

Suddenly the door swung open with Barry beckoning me in on the other side. Seeing his short, stout figure again after so many hours had me flabbergasted, yet relieved.

“You’re still here?” I blurted in surprise, a deep chuckle erupting from him at my question.

“Ah yeah, and it’s a good thing too because I managed to save ol’ Queenie there before it got too bad. Hope you didn’t mind me poking around,” he added sheepishly as I turned an looked outside. Now behind the safety of the door, I saw that Queen had been covered to avoid the rain and I turned back to him with a relieved smile.

“How could I mind when you did me a huge solid?”

“Aww, it was nothin’, it’s been slow today due to the storm. Renato asked if I could stay a few extra hours today, and you know I can’t say no to him after all he’s done for me,” he admitted as we took to the stairs to meet him.

It was then that I remembered the strange relationship they shared that was similar to mine and many others. Barry’s wife was also a mutant. He didn’t voice this often. Not because he wanted her to be kept a secret - he was anything but quiet when expressing his admiration for his wife - but because it was hard to trust people with something like that. Hell, he still didn’t know that I was one. To him, I was still just Renato’s trusty courier who only found out about his wife after a surprise delivery to his home. I’d say it made us closer but Barry was just a friendly old man to begin with, so much so that he was an employee favorite here in the building.

He now looked at me with his big bushy brows and frowned. “Are you alright, Miss Knight? You know, from last night...” he asked gently as we headed down the stairs side by side. I was so caught up in the moment prior that for a second I had forgotten the worries of last night. Seeing him watch me with worry etched into his features now I shrugged and offered a weak smile.

“I’m about as alright as I can be currently,”

“Sometimes that’s all we can manage, and that’s okay,” he reassured me as we stepped into Renato’s lab. I went to nod in agreement but was cut short as I saw the condition of the room, now barren of any proof that he had ever worked here. All that remained was Leviathan’s ominous tank in the corner of the room and a box of what looked like science knick-knacks that sat at his desk that lacked even his trusty computer.

“What the hell…?” I whispered in awe as we wandered farther into the room. It had been clean before, but now it was pristine. Beside me, Barry seemed just as surprised.

“Professor said he’d be taking a bit of a break from here but I didn’t think it’d be like this,” he whistled, his attention turning to the tank that he now eyed with curiosity. “I do wonder how he’ll be handling this though...”

“Hey Barry, don’t do that-”

“Yes Barry, I wouldn’t advise it,” Renato’s voice ran in the air, both of our startled appearances turning to find his lanky frame juggling an umbrella and drinks in one hand while the other held a bag from the coffee shop across the street. I hurried over to help him from painting his lab coat with what smelled like coffee and he gave a sigh of relief. “Thank you. Figured you hadn’t eaten yet. And a coffee for you,” he murmured softly as he removed a styrofoam cup from its holder to present to Barry who accepted graciously.

“Trying to win us over with food,” I teased as he rummaged through the bag to present a fancy salmon bagel in my direction. As many questions as I had for him, I couldn’t deny the fact that I hadn’t eaten since last night, my stomach protesting in agony in case I forgot. My joking facade changed as I noticed his hand now shaking and I frowned up at him. “Have you slept at all since we last spoke?”

“Haven’t had the time, I wanted to be sure I was ready when you arrived…,” he admitted softly before attempting to stifle a yawn.

I scowled at this. “Listen, man, as much as I’d love for you to return as soon as possible, I think it’s safe to say you’re in need of a nap before coming back,”

“I’m inclined to agree with Miss Knight,” Barry joined in, bushy mustache twitching as he took a sip of his coffee. “No offense. Hughes, but you look like hell,” he admitted while shuffling past him and giving him a gruff pat on the shoulder. “Give me a holler when you’re about to leave, I’ve gotta make rounds. ‘Preciate the coffee!”

I watched with an amused smile as he stumbled forward, clearly too tired to brace himself for the gesture before he scowled to no one in particular. Whether it was because Barry had used his first name or that he had to accept how tired he was I didn’t know. What I did know was that he now knew we were right, he just didn’t want to admit it.

Hearing his name mentioned caught my attention as well, especially when that man, Phobus, had called him something else earlier. They hadn’t matched.

Something was off about it.

“So Hughes, huh? I feel like I need to put this under the ‘Things I’m Not Supposed to Know’ files.” I joked carefully, watching him saunter towards his last box before halting and turning to me. Despite looking tired he was suddenly on guard.

“I trust you to keep that to yourself,”

“I mean obviously, though I guess I have to ask: Why are you so secretive about it? And that name that the creep used, Darw-”

“Don’t,” he interrupted in a stern tone before I could even get it out. I looked at him in surprise, taken aback at how quick he was to dismiss the name before and how rapidly the atmosphere of the room had changed.

Seeing my face he sighed and removed his glasses. “That’s a name I don’t use anymore and I would prefer not to speak of it,”

“Ah. Right, I get it. Sorry,” I apologized quickly, watching his demeanor change from uncomfortable back to weary at my words. As much as I wanted to leave it alone it only seemed to raise more questions in me. Why did the name bring him so much grief? And why did this man Phobus go to such trivial lengths to get back to him? None of it was making sense.

I jumped as Renato’s hand squeezed my shoulder and brought me back. He was now staring down at me with red, exhausted eyes before cracking a faint smile.

“I know it’s a lot to ask of you, especially considering the circumstances, but do you think you can wait a little longer to hear my story?”

“This better be a good background story if I’ve got to babysit that from some edgelord science freak coming to take Levi,” I smirked while nodding towards the tank. The fear from earlier began to creep back slowly even mentioning it because I knew what lurked inside. Renato looked at the tank and sighed heavily in response. As much as I had reamed him for what he had done he seemed to be his own worst enemy from his earlier actions.

“It’s one for the books,” he responded softly before he began to gather his remaining things. He hung by Levi’s tank with a solemn look on his face before turning to me and studying me.

“Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? Barry is more than capable of keeping an eye out,” he offered once more. A rumble of thunder rolled above us and I shrugged my shoulders, pointing to the ceiling.

“One, if anything is going to keep freakazoid away it’s going to be the storm. Two, I think Levi is more of a threat than him this point, but my point still stands. Go do what you need to do, we’ll hold down the fort here and for the love of God take a nap! Can’t have you blasting through the building because you decided to sleep at the wheel…,” I added, playfully easing him to the door before he dug his heels against the tile to stop only to release a sigh of annoyance.

“Hold on, Nina. There’s something about him you need to know. Phobus isn’t a man to be listened to or have your guard down around, not even for a second-”

“Alright, alright. You done yet?” I asked, rather crossed now. I knew he was trying to prepare me for the worst but I don’t think he realized the fear he was building in his desperate attempts to warn me. He rolled his eyes and nodded reluctantly, shifting with his box as he inched slowly out of the sliding doors.

“Fine. I’ll be back as soon as possible and then it’s straight to Xavier's School-”

“Hang on,” I stopped him, tugging him back by his lab coat to playback what he had just said. “Charles Xavier?”

“Yes,”

“And you’re going to his School for Higher Learning?”

“Yes, Nina. Is there something wrong with that?” he asked, confusion melding into his tone. My stomach gave a jolt of excitement at the confirmation. If he was going maybe I could-

I shook the thought away.

“No, nothing. I just didn’t know you knew him like that...,” I answered quickly before he could suspect the actual reasoning behind my sudden interrogation. He frowned at this and seemed to drift off into thought.

“I swear I told you that was where my colleague resided. His lab is miles ahead of mine so it’s only logical to go there to get answers,” he added with a hint of envy before shaking his head and backing out of the room once more. “Regardless, I’ll be able to discuss more once he’s in safer care. Remember, don’t uncover him unless it’s necessary and keep your phone handy-”

“I got it, don't feed the gremlin after midnight, don't collect $200, yadda yadda, just get outta here, man!" I called, already making myself a spot at one of the tables as I peeled off my gloves and hoodie to dry, donning a damp black tank top underneath.

I took to setting up my phone to play some music while I unpacked my belongings, determined to keep my mind off of the lurking sensation of fear that grew in the corner that was Levi’s tank. It was fine, I reassured myself, everything was going to be fine. Barry was here in case anything happened, my phone was charged and I had things to keep me busy. All I had to do was hunker down for the night and await Renato’s valiant return.

That had been almost 5 hours ago.

I now stood in the middle of the room holding a golf ball size ball of ink running it around my palm as Bambi made a noise of disgust over the speaker.

“Seriously? Pulled apart like a mozzarella stick? Ugh,” she groaned as I recounted what happened earlier in the day. I had only lasted an hour by myself before boredom took over and I called, since then we had managed to talk about everything an nothing. Pulling apart the ball like slime I smiled at the sudden silence.

“You’re thinking about mozzarella sticks now, aren’t you?” I asked.

There was a moment of silence before she begrudgingly whispered ‘Yes,’ and I snickered. This was why we were best friends. She was always able to turn a bad moment good, and that’s what I needed most right now.

“Now hold on,” she started, her tone turning serious suddenly. “Renato told you he was going to Xavier’s mansion and you didn’t offer to go with him??” she asked earnestly as I rolled the ink sludge back into a ball and chucked it at the nearby wall. I fully expected it to come bouncing back, hoping somehow the hammer had just been a fluke. Instead, it shattered against it like a crystal and I cursed under my breath.

“Uh, yeah. What was I going to say? ‘Hey I have the hots for a professor there and I want to tag along’?”

“That’s exactly what you say! He owes you after this, especially after hearing about that guy. What was his name again?”

“Phobus. And...you’re not wrong,” I agreed as I pressed my hand against the floor where the shattered pieces lied to summon the ink back, risking one more attempt to work on my control. As much as I was now uncomfortable with the idea of doing any more superhero shenanigans the fact that my weapon had broken so easily rubbed me wrong. It meant I was getting weaker, and that was something I couldn’t afford to happen. “I just think it’s bad timing is all,”

A soft impatient sigh came from Bambi as I began to roll up another ball.

“Time isn’t real, Neeners, just ask half the villains that try and take over this stupid city. That said, can you please go ask this man out so I can hear the deets on what he’s packing?” She asked as I reared my arm back and gave a hefty swing forward. The question took me so off guard that I only had a moment to ask ‘What?’ before feeling the ball smack into the side of my head.

The bright side was that my powers weren’t weakening. The bad side was that it hurt like hell to find out. I heard the lab's doors slide open and Barry’s hurried footsteps amidst Bam’s laughter. His worried voice followed.

“Knight? You alright?? What in the world happened?”

“Didn’t expect that to bounce back so hard…” I admitted embarrassingly as I straightened myself. The ball was nowhere to be found now and Barry took my arm to sit me down in a nearby chair to fix myself. I tried to smile and ignore Bambi’s snickering in the background but inside I wanted to die from embarrassment. “What’s up? Any update?”

“‘Fraid not. It’s just gettin’ a bit late and it’s raining cats and dogs out there. Thought maybe he had given you an update so I came down to ask. Glad I did,” he chuckled softly while checking his watch, his brows narrowing at the time. I looked at my screen to find it was now nearing 10:30. Everyone else had been well gone by now, gone to try and beat the thick of the storm. We watched as the overhead lights flickered as they had been since the storm worsened and I shook my head, the uncertainty creeping on me again. Before I could sink any deeper into my paranoia he took one of my hands, brows raised high as he inspected my fingertips and I froze. “What’s going on with your hands? Are you alright?”

“Ahh, charcoal project, that’s all!” I answered quickly, motioning to my supplies that lay scattered across the table. He seemed hesitant to believe me at first, as there was no charcoal drawing to back up my reasoning, but eventually gave up on whatever hypotheticals he had and nodded.

“You kids and your projects. I better not see any of that on the wall,” he scolded playfully, using his best dad tone before looking hesitant. “You sure he hasn’t said anything?”

I shook my head in response.

“Nothing. I’m sure he’ll be back soon though, maybe he just forgot to set an alarm or something,” I tried to reassure him, nudging him playfully. He only shrugged in return.

“I sure hope so, I was hoping to see Jodie before she headed to bed. Ah well, holler if you need me, alright? I’m gonna do one more sweep around the building,” he smiled as he headed for the doors. I nodded and waved, a sigh of relief leaving me as he departed once more. As soon as he was out of sight I scrambled to toss my hoodie back on, grimacing at the slight dampness to it but relieved that I could once again hide my hands.

“That was close…” I whispered as I took to the floor to search for the magical ball that had succeeded in not smashing on impact. Bam seemed less than enthused at the conversation that had taken place.

“He’s not back yet? Isn’t that a little worrisome?”

“Like everything, except for science, Renato is really bad about contact. I’m sure he just forgot to tell us he was on the way back,” I reasoned, trying to keep my own morbid theories at bay.

She did not seem so convinced. “And you’re sure you don’t want us to come? I mean Ava’s out...doing Ava things and Benni is doing...questionable Benni things on her computer but I’m totally ready, just as soon as I get this face mask off...and put on some clothes…”

“Bam I’m fine, really,” I laughed, a noise of victory escaping me as my sights settled on the black ball lurking by Renato’s desk. “I’ve got Mitski playing, Barry’s been checking on me all night and Levi hasn’t made a peep since...well, earlier. It’s fine!”

“I still can’t believe that,” she admitted, hearing her shift in her bed. “That guy sounds like a psycho but Renato doing that…”

“I know, I know. I’m still reeling over it too but I mean...it’s done, right? I’d rather not have this dork get his hands on Levi if he’s that crazy,”

“But what are you going to do, Nina?” Bambi asked suddenly, the tone in her voice direct and serious. “He saw what happened yesterday, what if he actually comes? He knows you can’t defend yourself-”

“He’s not coming so can you just chill out?” I snapped a little too abruptly, crossing my arms at the uncertainty of my own words. I knew it had been too harsh, but the sudden memory of that twisted smile made a chill run down my spine. I didn’t want to think about the what-if’s, what would happen if he did come because she was right.

I wasn’t prepared.

“Listen, I’m sorry but I’m already a little shaken up and this isn’t helping…” I began, but found myself jumping in fear as a crack of thunder shook the glass and the room went black. The few seconds in the dark were sheer terror as I scrambled to find my phone, moments later a red emergency light flickered on over the door and I inhaled sharply. “I hate you, Bambi. I really hate you.”

“What? What happened?? If you’re going to hate anyone hate that guy Thor-”

“No...we lost power,” I whispered, fumbling for my phone's flashlight. The red light from above casting ominous red shadows over everything was not helping me keep calm. The shadows moving in the corner of my eyes were no better as I felt the room grow heavy with my fear.

From up above I heard Barry’s muffled voice call down. “You alright, Nina?”

“I-I’m fine! Is everything okay?” I called back up. Soon I saw the light of his flashlight bounce against the stairs, a feeling of brief relief washing over as he poked his head from around the corner. He had his flashlight in one hand and nightstick in the other held at the ready, and if we hadn’t been in such a frightening situation I would have laughed at how ready he was to take on anything.

“Probably just a blown generator. Not surprised with this weather,” he assured me, but the suddenly heavy booms against the entrance door had us both eyeing one another with uncertainty.

“You don’t think…?” I began to ask, a look of suspicion on Barry’s face as he seemed to debate going to the door.

“Could be the Professor. As far as I know, key cards won’t work while we’re running on a battery, conserving power or some mumbo jumbo,” he explained gruffly as if trying to convince himself we had nothing to worry about. He held a hand out to me to wait as I tailed behind him, unsure of what to do. “You hang on down here just in case.”

“But-”

“I’m sure it’s nothing, power outage just has us spooked,” he chuckled carefully before I watched his timid frame head up the stairs. I clutched my phone with growing unease as I waited for a sign that things were alright.

“You still there, Bam?” I asked quietly. Her breath was sharp as she exhaled.

“I’m here, what’s up?”

“Someone is at the door, Barry’s checking now-”

“Oh hell no, Nina. This is a horror film in the making, get out of there while you still can!” she protested, panic rising in her voice. Above there were muffled voices speaking but no matter how hard I tried to listen I couldn’t make out what they were saying. My screen suddenly lit up as another call came in and my heart leaped in my throat.

It was Renato.

“Bam I have to go,” I whispered softly before she could protest, switching over to the next line hastily where Renato was already talking a mile a minute.

“Nina, go now,” he ordered, his voice cold and filled with an emotion I had never heard from him: Fear. “Find whatever you can to put Levi in and get out of there. He’s coming and I won’t make it in ti-” he started but was drowned out by the sound of muffled shouting above followed by a loud crash. My hands began to shake as the thuds of bodies wrestling against the ground grew with an intensity before a gunshot rang through the air, followed by the guttural noises of someone struggling to catch their breath.

“Nina...Nina go! Run,” I heard Barry’s pained moans beg before a wail of agony echoed through the air. The room was suddenly spinning as I tried to regain control over my thoughts. Was Barry dead? Was this mystery assailant really Phobus coming here to get what he wanted?

“Nina!” Renato’s voice shouted from the phone, snapping me back into reality and I held it up to my ear.

“Professor, I think Barry is dead…,” my voice quivered, unable to keep it steady as I heard the slow tatter of footsteps above of someone regaining their footing. He only cursed in response, as if coming to terms that this situation had gone completely out of control.

It was then that I realized I only had a matter of seconds before the mystery assailant would be coming down to find me and that I had to act fast.

I searched for something, anything to use to scoop Levi in. “Couldn’t have spared a container during your big move…?” I tried to joke to keep the growing tears at bay, but inside all I wanted to do was scream.

“I...I’m almost there. There’s an emergency exit near the back offices, do you remember where?”

“I think so…,”

“Good, do you think you can make it there?”

“I don’t know,” I whispered as the steps grew louder. My eyes scanned his desk desperately, trying to find anything to use before falling on an old coffee pot. Without thinking I dove for it, dropping my phone in the process before ripping off the dark sheet. The dark made it almost impossible to see anything in the tank, but I knew the little crustaceans shape when I saw it as it turned on me and began to swell once more. “Please don’t do this, please…,” I begged softly, blood pounding in my ears as all I could focus on were those steps that neared the steps at a frightening pace. I felt my nose begin to gush blood, watching it drip haphazardly into the water before I was finally able to scoop him into the pot and grimacing at the feeling of its skin. It was slimy and cold, and I felt something wrap around my finger before I shot my hand back out in fear.

There was no time to dwell on it though as a chuckle filled the air outside.

My time was up.

“Don’t tell me he left his little pet to take care of his messes,” a voice that I now pieced together as Phobus’ echoed through the air, a hint of excitement ringing through. “Like what I did with the place? A simple smash to the fuse box and no one’s the wiser during this.” he continued as another crack of thunder shook the foundation. My only rational thought in this moment was to hide under the desk before he could make it into the room, no longer able to get my phone and out of time to escape. I listened as the door slid open and he stepped through, a sigh of pity following.

“Not talking now? That’s a shame. I had so many interesting things I wanted to share with you,” he called to me, feigning sadness as I listened to his steps grow closer and then pause. I swear, between the ferocity of my heart hammering against my chest and the absolute mess I was making from the water splashing against my hoodie he was going to find me. Instead, I listened as he picked my phone up, Renato’s voice still on the line before hearing it smash against the tile and I grimaced.

Seconds later I felt the desk screech and a whimper of fear escaped me before I could stop myself, a pleased chuckle erupting from above.

“Found you, come out before I have to force you out,” he ordered gently, though his tone told me he wasn’t going to ask again. My whole body went rigid with fear as I struggled to stand, sliding the coffee pot out of sight before I straightened myself and focused at the barrel of the handgun he held. “Was that so hard?” he asked softly, but I couldn’t control the panic inside, now forming into anger as I clenched my fists at my sides.

“What’s wrong with you? Why are you doing this?” I spat, a harsh laugh emerging from him as he retracted the gun and began fiddling with it like he was looking for the right words to say to me. His hair fell over his face soaked from the rain and his lip was busted open, a mark I assumed from Barry before his final moments. The thought made me purse my lips and look away.

“Why do I do this…? An interesting question to ask. I could just say that I’m a man of science, a man ‘driven to the end of his rope’ as everyone else says of me…,” he pondered loosely, rubbing the tip of his gun against his scalp as he thought.

“So all of this, these threats, the stalking, killing innocent people, it’s not because you’re searching for an answer?” I asked coldly, saying whatever I could to stall him for Renato to show with help in tow. At least that’s what I hoped as I watched him study me before rolling his eyes at my accusations.

“So he did tell you,” he murmured softly as he dared take a step closer to me. I took one back reflexively and he smirked, like he saw it as a game. “He told you I experimented on people too, right? I never, ever touched a human being.” he went on, daring to take another step towards me while studying my shaking hands with a newfound curiosity.

“I only ever experimented on mutants,”

My voice caught in my throat at his words. A part of me was furious that he had the audacity to say such a thing and not get a piece of my mind in response. But the other part, the part driven by fear, knew that he was fucking deranged and that I couldn’t tempt fate. I had to take everything he was saying with a grain of salt or I was going to find myself in Barry’s position.

“Judging from the look on your face you either know one or...you are one. Am I right?” he mused, stepping towards me once more in one fluid motion. I was so startled at his movement that I couldn’t stop myself as I staggered back, felt my leg twist over the other before I hit the ground. Soon I was looking up at his sickeningly pleased face as he squatted down and grinned. “Not every day I get to meet one of your kind, had I the time and the resources I’d love to pick your brain. Unfortunately, I’m not after you today,” he whispered as he focused his attention under the desk where the pot gave a sudden jolt.

My panic rose.

“Wait, you can’t take that. You don’t know what it can do!” I protested as I attempted to reach for it, instead being greeted with the gun once more. I froze in place, unable to do anything from this position without potentially having my brains color the walls.

“I know what it can do, I saw the look in your eyes yesterday and I knew. I knew I had to see this for myself,” he hissed before the door above burst open. Relief hit me like a freight train as I heard Renato’s voice echo from above, a scowl forming on Phobus’ face as he processed that he might not make it out like he had planned.

“Nina? Nina are you down there?” Renato’s voice, frantic as he charged down the stairs, called before he emerged through the lab's doors. He was drenched from the rain, his shoulders heaving as he took in the scene before him. His gaze fell on my fallen figure and started toward me, only to have another gunshot fire through the room as Phobus shot at the floor.

“Not another step, Darwin. I won’t let you foil my plans again,” he snapped as I readjusted myself to look at him.

“It’s okay, Professor. It’s just a nosebleed,” I tried to reassure him, ears ringing with a shrill scream from the gunshot, but he wasn’t having it. He looked absolutely furious and with good reason.

With the gun pointed at Renato now, I wondered what could be done. If Phobus saw me coming then I was as good as dead. If Renato came at him he was as good as dead.

“This has to stop, Oliver. Let go of this damned obsession you have with trying to save her while you still have time.” he seethed, hands shaking as he was forced to stand and watch at an impasse. Whatever sick joy Phobus was getting out of this entire thing suddenly left at the mention of her. Who was she to instill such a look of pure pain in him that he took a step back to hear in bewilderment even the mention of her?

Just as soon as the look came it had faded just as quickly and rage took place. I watched as he began to yell something at Renato and raised the gun to fire, all instincts taking over. I fished in the pocket of my hoodie for the ball I had been toying with earlier, using it to transform it into a thick shard that I tossed at his trigger hand. He released a grunt of pain as it connected, but he didn’t release the gun.

Instead, he aimed it at me and sneered.

“You should have let him take the shot,” he seethed before pulling the trigger.

I had no time to run, to summon something that may have saved me from the inevitable. All I heard was the bang of the gun and something hit me, a searing red hot pain growing in my chest moments later. I fell to my knees and looked down. The once happy-go-lucky saying across my chest now was now blotted out as my blood began to dye the fabric.

I heard Renato shout and his hands grip me as I began to fall. He was shaking now, eyes wide with panic as he looked at my chest.

“Nonono, Nina stay with me, okay? Breath, please,” he begged, his voice slowed as his hand gripped mine while the other attempted to stop the wound from bleeding. I tried to gasp for breath but my lungs were on fire, it hurt too much to keep trying. My eyes scanned the room to see Phobus using the distraction to escape, anger replacing the void that fear had left.

“Go,” I voiced with difficulty, staring at the door with a fury I did not realize I had. Maybe it was because I was dying, or because we were letting a Grade A asshole escape while I bled out, but I couldn’t live with the fact that he would get away with this. Not after everything I learned, and all that he had done. I looked at Renato and grimaced, nodding towards the door. “Get him,”

“I can’t do that, if I do you’ll-”

“It’s all for nothing if he runs,” I barked, the taste of iron hitting my tongue at my outburst. I was pushing myself too hard, the room blurring the longer I tried to stay awake. He stared at me long and hard before cursing and placing my hand over the wound. He promised to return and I listened as he booked it to catch up to Phobus until there was nothing but my struggling breaths left to fill the air.

I wish I could tell you I was at least proud of going out defending the town from whatever hell that man was going to unleash with Levi, but more than anything I felt regret. I hadn’t done anything heroic, I was being reckless and stupid just like the night before.

And look where it got me.

Stuck dying in a lab with Ridley Scott’s wet dream of a creature only separated by some flimsy glass.

Glass that shook and burst a few feet away and left me shutting my eyes tight as a strange unfamiliar noise greeted the air. It was wet, and whatever it was sounded large, getting louder as the distance was closed between us. Despite my heart trying to keep up with the fear growing within me I knew it wouldn’t last. My hand had already fallen to my side as I felt whatever terrifying force that used to be Levi creep up to me. My only hope now was that I died before whatever this thing was got to me first.

I opened my eyes, daring to take a look at the creature that was once Leviathan. Instead, I was greeted with pure darkness that seemed to consume any and every source of light the room once held.

Then when it was done with the light it came for me, and I no longer saw anything.

It had gotten what it wanted.

It had gotten me.

[mrneighbourlove]

Constricted Souls: Ch 3. Sibling Concern

Reaching the castle, the same spy Leere teleported escorted her to Ralnor’s office. His desk had cracked from her dropping the spy from the ceiling. “Hello brother.”

“…you’re either going to fix my desk or get me a new one.” Ralnor had his arms crossed and was clearly not pleased. “You know the dangers of the catacombs, why did you go?”

“To find knowledge. And meet my old friend Bonegrinder.”

“HA!” Ralnor actually laughed at the statement of Bonegrinder being her friend. “Yeah, yeah, Bonegrinder that you met all of an hour ago?”

“I actually met him as a child when you were a baby. I wasn’t sure if he was real until encountering him again.” She said it so matter-of-factly. “I don’t like his lackey’s, but he still seems trustworthy.”

“Wait, you met all of the Hive?”” Ralnor seemed to be in disbelief. “And met him when you were little? When?! Bonegrinder doesn’t kidnap children!”

“There was no kidnapping. I went traveling through the old basement library, fell down a hole, and met Bonegrinder. And that’s what he calls his group?  There is six of them in total of various monster species. More of a group of preppy hype men in all honesty.”

“Hades made the joke of all the kids being busy bees like a Hive, and Bonegrinder loved it, so it stuck---why am I telling you this?” Ralnor groaned and ran a hand down his face. “Okay, I believe you. But why in the hell would you go looking for him, he’s dangerous!”

“I wasn’t sure if he was real or not. I simply wanted to explore the underground beneath the castle. We’ve made a deal so I can come and go and document the lost knowledge as freely as I want.”

“… what?!?!” Ralnor sounded pissed. “I have to please the old snake with terms and agreements, and even let him eat some people! You just waltz in there and he gives you what you want?!”

“Yes? Why are you so angry?”

“Because he’s a dick to me, but he’s nice to little girls who somehow wandered into his territory.” Ralnor rolled his eyes with a grumble. “I got lost down there and he threatened to fucking eat me, but you? No, no, he just lets you do whatever. Fucking prick.”

Leere didn’t like the sound of that. She gestured to his couch to sit. “It sounds like you feel cheated or jealous.”

“I do feel cheated.” Ralnor plopped on the couch and groaned. “That old snake has been a pain in my ass for a few years now. We bargain for information, and in exchange for the names of anyone against the crown or looking to hurt someone we love, I allow his little activities to go smoothly.”

Leere sat beside him, throwing an arm around his shoulder to pull him close. “I’m sorry Ralnor. You do good things. It’s hard, but necessary. Not fair the extra loops you have to go through though.”

“….no, it’s necessary. I do what I have to do to protect our family.” Ralnor sighed, trying to let go of his unprecedented anger. Leere was not to blame, the snake was. “I don’t want you to have to deal with him because I don’t want you getting hurt!”

Leere nodded, patting and rubbing Ralnor’s back, like she had for years to calm his anxieties. “I’ll be truthful. I felt an uneasy connection due to the magic I possess. Ancient monsters and demons are attracted to me, and I’ve yet to have it be beneficial. Yet Bonegrinder, and by extension his gang, is the first to not immediately try to kill or molest me. I know that there are risks. But they are worth it. I’ve discovered the first Temple of Time in that maze. It is highly important I uncover its secrets.”

“The temple?” Ralnor repeated, intrigued. “I was thinking it was somewhere down there in that maze, but I had no idea that Bonegrinder and his brood knew its location.”

“But they can’t open the door. You want some satisfaction brother?”

“Can’t or won’t open the door?” Ralnor asked with a frown. “I would, but I’d rather not have you in the cross fire.”

“Stop worrying about me. They can’t open it.  Because it’s opened by ancient magic. And you have the key.”

“…?” Ralnor was not following Leere. “What do you mean?”

Leere grinned ear to ear, like it was so obvious. “You still have the Ocarina Rinku gave you, don’t you?”

“Yes…?” Ralnor wondered where she was going with this. “It’s over there, on my shelves. I put it in a display case.”

The princess could not believe he had left it out like that. Getting up, Leere gave him a look as she grabbed it. “This is the legendary artifact, the Ocarina of Time. I can’t believe you simply left it out in the open you bonehead. That’s how Dad lost his gauntlets to Zarazu.” Well the one he stole in the first place from her people, but semantics.

"Wait, what?" Ralnor was confused now. "What do you mean that's how he lost the Lorleidian gauntlets? Zarazu admitting to singing and having her sisters drugging us."

“She wouldn’t have found it so easily if he didn’t keep his treasures so openly. I suppose, like you, he didn’t fully understand the value. Boys…” She walked back and kissed Ralnor’s cheek. “Don’t worry about me. It’s not your eldest sibling you have to feel protective of. Think of Teb, and how crushed he’ll feel I found one of the greatest archeological finds, and it was beneath our feet the whole time.”

"Oh, come on, Rinku wouldn't have given me the real thing! I would have known it was the real thing." Ralnor watched as Leere went over to the case and took out the Ocarina. "... son of a bitch, she had me think it was fake so I wouldn't use it on anyone, didn't she?"

“Yeeeeep. Sounds like someone got tricked pretty hard.” Leere gave it a blow, and she felt a glow inside her. It was magically un-rusted and tuned all these years. “You should have asked Skull Kid.”

"You know that brat and I don't get along too well after he put super glue on my ink pot and feather quill." Ralnor listed the number of pranks that the imp had done to him. "Not to mention putting itching powder in my undergarments, painting a dick on my forehead, and dumping fish guts inside my pillow."

“Yeah. I hate him too.” She hugged Ralnor from behind to play the playful sister roll. “So can you tell your spies and guards to know their place? I don’t want to send anyone to hell now. I’ll even repay you for the broken desk~”

"I don't feel comfortable with you going down there alone." Ralnor was still a little wary. "Maybe you could at least consider an escort for my sake? You wouldn't want your dear younger brother to worry for you." He then produced a charmed coin. "Or at least take this. It will let me know where you are since I have the matching one."

Leere took the coin, turning Ralnor around and giving him a genuine hug. “I’ve been through much already Ralnor. You can’t protect me... but your concern is loved. I’ll do my best to avoid danger.”

"Very well... but you still owe me for the desk."

“Short on rupees. So how about free babysitting? I can sing a few songs. Give you and Cass some time to yourself.”

"Of course you are." Ralnor then held out his hand. "Three nights of free babysitting on a weekend so I can treat Cass to a spa retreat and have some time to ourselves."

“Deal. This is why you’re my favourite brother~”

"Psssh... I'll believe that when I'm dead and gone and you're keeping my skull to talk to." Ralnor laughed as he patted her shoulder. "Listen, though... our siblings know nothing of this. Klinge is the only one and I've had to chain him to Zarazu as a bodyguard to get him to behave. So shush-shush about the whole monster ordeal. All right?"

“Of course. Your skeletons are my skeletons Ralnor.”