#JUSTIN will point out cool bugs to me and stop to let me take a lot of pictures of them!!

[blujayonthewing]

gritting my teeth clenching my fists I need nature nerd friends again so fucking bad

[snake-rot]

(EXCLAIMING)

(ORCHESTRA MUSIC BLARING)

(GROANS)

(WHIMPERS)

(GRUNTING)

(MYSTICAL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(GROANS)

(COUNTRY ROCK MUSIC PLAYING)

(COUGHS)

Sweet home Alabama

Where the skies are so blue

WOMAN: Excuse me, sir, is there a commode?

Sweet home Alabama

(GRUNTING)

Lord, I'm coming home to you

(GRUNTS) Justin!

Quick, honey, take my picture. I got the pyramid in my hand.

(CAMERA CLICKING)

Yeah

Justin, you get back here right now!

No, stop!

GUARD 1: No, no, no! Stop him! GUARD 2: Go back! Don't climb!

(JUSTIN IMITATING AIRPLANE WHOOSHING)

Wait, wait.

Hold on. Easy, little boy.

Okay, stop, child! Stop right there. No!

(GASPS)

No, no, no, no, no! Oh! There he goes.

(GASPS)

Justin!

I've got him! I've got him!

(JUSTIN GRUNTS)

(AIR ESCAPING)

Outrage in Egypt tonight as it was discovered

that the Great Pyramid of Giza had been stolen

and replaced by a giant inflatable replica.

There is panic throughout the globe as countries and citizens

try to protect their beloved landmarks.

Law enforcement still has no leads,

leaving everyone to wonder, which of the world's villains

is responsible for this heinous crime?

And where will he strike next?

Gru: Freeze ray! Freeze ray! Freeze ray! [laughs evilly] Fred: Morning, Gru! How you doing? Gru: Hello, Fred. FYI, your dog has been leaving little bombs all over my yard, and I don't appreciate it. Fred: Sorry. You know dogs. They go wherever they wanna go. Gru: Unless they're dead. [laughs] I'm joking! Although, it is true. Anyway, have a good one. Fred: Okay. Yeah. Steamrolling whatever Gru: [groans] You've got to be pulling on my leg! Margo: Hello! Cookies for sale. Gru: Go away. I'm not home. Margo: Uh, yes, you are. I heard you. Gru: [gasps] No, you didn't. This... [monotone] is a recording. Margo: [scoffs] No, it isn't. Gru: Yes, it is. [o.s.] Watch this. Leave a message, beep. [Edith kicks the door] Gru: Ow! Agnes: Goodbye, recorded message. Margo: [o.s.] Agnes, come on. Gru: Huh? [screams] Kyle! Bad dog! No! No, no. Sit. My muffin. Dr. Nefario: Gru! Gru: Ah, Dr. Nefario. Dr. Nefario: I know how you must be feeling. I, too, have encountered great disappointment, but, in my eyes, you will always be one of the greats. Gru: What? What happened? Dr. Nefario: It's all over the news! Some fella just stole a pyramid. They're saying he makes all other villains look... lame. pause Gru: Assemble the minions! [throws Kyle off of his arm] Minions, assemble! Minion: Okay. Okay. Hey! Gru: Looking good, Kevin! How is the family? Good? All right. That's my Billy boy! What up, Larry? Hello, everybody! Yeah, all right! Simmer down. Simmer down! Thank you, okay. Now, I realize that you guys probably heard about this other villain who stole the pyramids. Apparently, it's a big deal. People are calling it the crime of the century and stuff like that. But am I upset? No, I am not! A little, but we have had a pretty good year ourselves, and you guys are all right in my book. Minion: Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Gru: No, no raises! You're not going to get any raises. What did we do? Well, we stole the Times Square JumboTron! Nice! That's how I roll. Yeah, you all like watching football on that, huh? But that's not all. We stole the Statue of Liberty, the small one from Las Vegas. And I won't even mention the Eiffel Tower! Also Vegas. Okay, I wasn't going to tell you about this yet, but I have been working on something very big! Something that will blow this pyramid thing out of the water! And thanks to the efforts of my good friend Dr. Nefario... Dr. Nefario: Thank you! Gru: There he is. He's stylin'. Now, we have located a shrink ray in a secret lab, and once we take this shrink ray, we will have the capability to pull off the 'true crime of the century. We are going to steal... The Minions all pull out their weapons in response. Gru: Wait, wait! I haven't told you what it is yet. One of the Minions, Dave, shoots his rocket launcher at a crowd of Minions. Gru: Hey. Dave, listen up, please! Dave: Ditto. One of the Minions Dave shot walks over to him and punches him on the shoulder. Gru: Next, we are going to steal, pause for effect, the moon! The Minions cheer in response. Gru: And once the moon is mine, the world will give me whatever I want to get it back! And I will be the greatest villain of all time! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout. [picks up his phone] Yes? Dr. Nefario: Hello, Gru? I've been crunching some numbers, and I really don't see how we can afford this. It can't be done. I'm not a miracle worker. Gru:Hey, chillax. I'll just get another loan from the bank. They love me! Margo: Edith, stop it! Edith: What? I'm just walking. Girls: Hi, Miss Hattie. We're back. Miss Hattie: Hello, girls! Agnes: Anybody come to adopt us while we were out? Miss Hattie: Hmm... Let me think. No! Edith immediately puts a mud pie on Miss Hattie's desk, much to her displeasure. Miss Hattie: Edith! What did you put on my desk? Edith: A mud pie. Miss Hattie: [sighs] You're never gonna get adopted, Edith. You know that, don't you? Edith: Yeah, I know. Miss Hattie: Good. So, how did it go, girls? Did we meet our quotas? Margo: Hmm... Sorta. We sold 43 mini-mints, 30 choco-swirlies and 18 coco-nutties. Miss Hattie: [gets up] Okay.

Well, you say that like it's a great sale day. [furious] Look at my face! Do you still think it's a great sale day? Edith rolls her eyes in response. Miss Hattie: [hangs up a portrait] Eighteen coco-nutties. I think we can do a little better than that, don't you? Yeah. We wouldn't want to spend the weekend in the Box of Shame, would we? No. Girls: No, Miss Hattie. Miss Hattie: Okay, good. Off you go. Go clean something of mine. Girls: Hi, Penny. Penny: Hi, guys. Gru: Hello, Mom. Sorry, I meant to call, but... Gru's Mom: I just wanted to congratulate you on stealing the pyramid. [Gru sighs in disgust] That was you, wasn't it? Or was it a villain who's actually successful? [laughs] Gru: Just so you know, Mom, I am about to do something that's very, very big, very important. When you hear about it, you're going to be very proud. Gru's Mom: Ha! [sarcastically] Good luck with that. Okay, I'm outta here. [hangs up the phone before sending her karate instructor flying] Gru: Gru to see Mr Perkins Receptionist: Yes, please have a seat. Neil Armstrong: That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Young Gru: Ma, someday I'm going to go to the moon. Gru's Mom: I'm afraid you're too late, Son. NASA isn't sending the monkeys any more. Vector: Hey. I'm applying for a new villain loan. Go by the name of Vector. It's a mathematical term, a quantity represented by an arrow, with both direction and magnitude. Vector! That's me, 'cause I'm committing crimes with both direction and magnitude. Oh, yeah! Check out my new weapon. Piranha gun! Oh, yes! Fires live piranhas. Ever seen one before? No, you haven't. I invented it. Do you want a demonstration? Shoot! So difficult, sometimes, to get the piranha back inside of my... Receptionist: Mr Gru, Mr Perkins will see you now. Gru: So, all I need is money from the bank to build a rocket. And then, the moon is ours. Perkins: Wow! Well, very nice presentation. I'd like to see this shrink ray. Gru: Absolutely! Will do. Soon as I have it. Perkins: You don't have it? And yet you have the audacity to ask the bank for money? Gru: Apparently. Perkins: Do you have any idea of the capital that this bank has invested in you, Gru? With far too few of your sinister plots actually turning a profit. How can I put it? Let's say this apple is you. If we don't start getting our money back... Get the picture? Look, Gru, the point is, there are a lot of new villains out there, younger than you, hungrier than you, younger than you. Like that young fellow out there named Vector. He just stole a pyramid! Gru: I've got it. I've got it. So, as far as getting money for the rocket... Perkins: Get the shrink ray, then we'll talk. Minion: Suckers! Suckers! Gru: We got it! What? Hey! Hey! What! Hey! No, no, no! You! Vectors: Now, maybe you'll think twice before you freeze someone's head! So long, Gru! Gru: Quick! We can't let him get away! Up ahead! Up ahead! Fire! Fire, now! Vector: You missed me! Gru: Come to papa! Take that. Vector: How adorable. Gru: Got you in our sights! Like taking candy from a... What? Vector: Hey, Gru! Try this on for size! Gru: That's weird. What is going... This is claustrophobic! No, no, no! Too small! This is too small for me! [groans] I hate that guy. Margo: ...and please watch over us, and bless that we'll have a good night's sleep. Edith: And bless that while we're sleeping, no bugs will crawl into our ears and lay eggs in our brains. Margo: Great. Thanks for that image, Edith. Agnes: And please bless that someone will adopt us soon, and that the mommy and daddy will be nice and have a pet unicorn. Amen. Margo/Edith: Amen. Agnes: Unicorns, I love them Unicorns, I love them Uni, uni, unicorns I love them Uni, unicorns, I could pet one If they were really real And they are So, I bought one so I could pet it Now it loves me Now I love it Gru: Don't you... What the... Good luck, little girls! Edith: Whoa! Cool. Margo: Hi! We're orphans from Miss Hattie's Home for Girls. Vector: I don't care. Beat it! Margo: Come on! We're selling

cookies so, you know, we can have a better future. Vector: Wait, wait! Do you have coco-nutties? Margo: Yeah. Gru: Light bulb. Dr Nefario! I'm going to need a dozen tiny robots disguised as cookies! Dr. Nefario: What? Gru: Cookie robots! Dr. Nefario: Who is this? - Gru: Oh, forget it. Mrs. Hattie: Well, it appears you have cleared our background check, Dr Gru. And I see you have made a list of some of your personal achievements. Thank you for that. I love reading. And I see you have been given the Medal of Honor and a knighthood. - Minions: Me, me, me. Me, me, me. Minion: Kevin? Mrs. Hattie: You had your own cooking show and you can hold your breath for 30 seconds? It's not that impressive. Minion: Idiot! - Minions: Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Mrs Hattie: What in the name of... What? Gru: Well, here's the dealio. Things have been so lonely since my wife, Debbie, passed on. It's like my heart is a tooth, and it's got a cavity that can only be filled with children. I'm sorry. You are a beautiful woman. Do you speak Spanish? Mrs. Hattie: Do I look like I speak Spanish? Gru: You have a face como un burro. Mrs. Hattie: Well, thank you! Gru: Anyway, can we proceed with this adoption? So, so excited! Mrs. Hattie: Please tell Margo, Edith and Agnes to come to the lobby. Margo: I bet the mom is beautiful! Edith: I bet the daddy's eyes sparkle. Agnes: I bet their house is made of Gummi Bears. [Edith and Margo look at her curiously] I'm just saying it'd be nice. [picks up a Cheeto] Aww. My caterpillar never turned into a butterfly. Edith: That's a Cheeto. Agnes: Oh... [eats said Cheeto, making Edith and Margo recoil in disgust] Miss Hattie: Well, Debbie was a very lucky woman. [pause] Gru: Who's Debbie? Mrs Hattie: Your wife. Hi, girls! Girls, I want you to meet Mr Gru. He's going to adopt you. And he's a dentist! Agnes: Yeah! Margo: Hi. I'm Margo. This is Edith. And that's Agnes. Agnes: [sing-song] I got your leg, I got your leg! Gru: Okay, that is enough, little girl. Let go of my leg. Come on. You can do it. Agnes: Higher! Higher! Gru: Just release your grip. Wow! How do you remove them? Is there a command? Some nonstick spray? Crowbar? [sighs] Okay, girls, let's go. [They drove off in the distance.]Vector: Uh-huh! Oh, yeah! Pretty impressive! What are you looking at? Boo-ya! You got shrunk, tiny mouthwash! Take that! You done been shrunk! (His phone rings) Yello? I got the shrink ray, all right. No, I'm not playing with it. Gru? Don't make me laugh! No. P.S., he is not getting the moon, and P.P.S., by the time I'm done with him, he's gonna be begging for mercy. (Shrinks a toilet) Okay, bye. (Hangs up) Look at you, a little tiny toilet for a little tiny baby to... [The toilet pops out and water sprays him.]Vector: Curse you, tiny toilet! [Gru and the Girls arrive at Gru's Home.] Gru: "Okay, here we are. Home sweet home. Margo: So... This is, like, your house? [realizing] Wait a sec... You're the guy who pretended he was a recorded message! Gru: No, that was someone else. [Margo gives a skeptical look before she, Edith and Agnes enter Gru's house, with Gru following suite.] Agnes: [scared] Can I hold your hand? Gru: Uh... No. Edith: [looks around] When we got adopted by a bald guy, I thought this'd be more like "Annie". Gru: No, hey! [screams] Kyle, these are not treats. These are guests. Girls, this is Kyle, my... Dog. Kyle snarls in anger. Agnes: Ooh! Fluffy doggy! [approaches Kyle before he runs away, much to her disappointment] Margo: What kind of dog is that? Gru: He is a... I don't know. Margo: Do you really think that this is an appropriate place for little kids? 'Cause, uh... It's not. [Edith sees a closet that is sharp and goes in it.] Gru: No! No! Stay away from there! It's frag... [He sees juice spilling on the floor.]Both: (Gasps) Gru: Well, I suppose the plan will work with two. Edith: [muffled] Hey! It's dark in here. [Gru opens the iron maiden, revealing Edith, who spits out a straw]Edith: It poked a hole in my juice box. [They went to the

kitchen.] Gru: As you can see, I have provided everything a child might need. All right. Okay. As I was saying... (Edith knocked a bottle down) Gru: (Cont'd) Hey! Oh. Edith: Somebody broke that. Gru: "Okay, okay. Clearly, we need to set some rules. Rule number one. You will not touch anything. Margo: Uh-huh. What about the floor? Gru: Yes, you may touch the floor. Margo: What about the air? Gru: Yes, you may touch the air! Edith: (Gets out a laser gun) What about this? Gru: (Screams) Where did you get that? Edith: [shrugs] Found it. Gru: Okay. Rule number two. You will not bother me while I'm working. Rule number three. You will not cry or whine or laugh or giggle or sneeze or burp or fart! So, no, no, no annoying sounds. All right? Agnes: Does this count as annoying? [popping] Gru: Very! [sighs] I will see you in six hours. Margo: Okay, don't worry. Everything's going to be fine. We're gonna be really happy here. Right? Agnes? Gru: Question. What are these? Dr. Nefario: A dozen boogie robots! Boogie! Look at this. Watch me! Gru: Cookie robots. I said cookie robots. Why are you so old? Dr. Nefario: Okay. I'm on it. Margo: Hello? Agnes: TV! Margo: What is that? Edith: Whoa! That is cool! Come on! Agnes: I don't think he's a dentist.Dr. Nefario: We've been working on this for a while. It's a anti-gravity serum. I meant to close that. He'll be all right, I'm sure. Gru: Do the effects wear off? Dr. Nefario: So far, no. No, they don't. And here, of course, is the new weapon you ordered. Gru: No, no. I said "dart gun," not... Okay. Dr. Nefario: Oh, yes. 'Cause I was wondering under what circumstances would we use this? But, anyway. What I really wanted to show you was this. Gru: Now those are cookie robots! Agnes: La, la, la, la I love unicorns Gru: What are you doing here? I told you to stay in the kitchen! Margo: We got bored. What is this place? Edith: Can I drink this? Dr. Nefario: Do you want to explode? [Edith kicks him in the shin] Dr. Nefario: Gru! Gru: Get back in the kitchen! Agnes: Will you play with us? Gru: No. Agnes: Why? Gru: Because I'm busy. Margo: [scoffs] Doing what? Gru: Umm... Okay, okay, you got me. The dentist thing is more of a hobby. In real life, I am a spy. And it is top secret, and you may not tell anybody, because if you do... Edith: What does this do? [She fires a laser and it hits Agnes's unicorn and it burns to ashes]Gru: Hey! Edith: Whoops. Agnes: My unicorn! You have to fix it. Gru: Fix it? Look, it has been disintegrated. By definition, it cannot be fixed. [Agnes gasps in shock, then starts holding her breath] Gru: That's freaking me out. What is she doing? Margo: She's gonna hold her breath until she gets a new one. Gru: [sighs] It is just a toy. Now stop it! (Agnes faints) Gru: Okay, okay! I'll fix it! Tim! Mark! Phil! This is very important. You have to get the little girl a new unicorn toy. Gru: Hey, hey, hey! A toy! Go, and hurry! What are those? Gru: They are my... Cousins. Jerry! Stuart! Watch them and keep them away from me please. [The three minions put on a disguise and head to the store.]Minions: Wow!- Wow! [Meanwhile the two minions and the girls are tossing toilet paper at each other. Gru comes up and he sees the Girls and the two minions having fun.]Edith: It was your cousin's idea. Jerry: What? Gru: Okay, bedtime. Girls: Aww... Minions: Aww... Gru: Not you two! Minions: Yay. Gru: Okey-dokey. Beddie-bye. All tucked in. Sweet dreams. Margo: Just so you know, you're never gonna be my dad. Gru: I think I can live with that. Edith: Are these beds made out of bombs? Gru: Yes, but they are very old and highly unlikely to blow up. But try not to toss and turn. Edith: "Cool." Agnes: Will you read us a bedtime story?" Gru: No. Agnes: But we can't go to sleep without a bedtime story. Gru: Well, then it's going to be a long night for you, isn't it? So, good night, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite. Because there are literally thousands of them. And there's probably something in your closet. Margo: He's just kidding, Agnes. Agnes: It's beautiful. Gru: Girls, let's go.

Time to deliver the cookies! Margo: Okay. But first, we're going to dance class. Gru: Actually, we're going to have to skip the dance class today. Margo: Actually, we can't skip the dance class today. We have a big recital coming up. We're doing an excerpt from Swan Lake. Agnes: Yeah, Swan Lake! Gru: That's fantastic. Wonderful. But we're going to deliver cookies! Come on! Margo: No. Gru: No? Margo: We're not going to deliver cookies until we do dance class. Really? Gru: Well, I am not driving you to dance class. So if you want to go, you are going to have to walk yourselves. What are you doing? Margo: Walking to dance class. Gru: Ya? Okay, fine. You just keep walking, because I'm really not driving you! Margo: Okay. Gru: You're going to suffer the wrath of Gru! Seriously, I'm going to count to three! And you had better be in this car! Here we go! One! Two! Teacher: ...three, four and five. And lift, and stretch. And one, and two... Agnes: Here you go. Gru: What is it? Agnes: Your ticket to the dance recital. You are coming, right? Gru: Of course, of course. I have pins and needles that I'm sitting on. Agnes: Pinkie promise? Gru: Oh, yes. My pinkie promises. All right. Our first customer is a man named Vector. Margo: But he's a V. You know, we're supposed to start with the A's. Then we go to the B's. Then we... Gru: Yes, yes! I went to kindergarten. I know how the alphabet works! I was just thinking that it might be nice to deliver Mr Vector's first. That is all. Almost over. It's almost over. Vector: Girls, welcome back to the fortress of Vector-tude! Do you have my cookies for me? Margo: Four boxes of mini-mints, two toffee totes, two caramel clumpies and fifteen boxes of coco-nutties. Vector: Exactly. I'd like to see somebody else order that many cookies. Not likely. Name one person who ordered more cookies than me. Margo: That'll be $52. Vector: Right. Seven, eight, nine... Tic Tacs! Where was I? Seven, eight, nine... Agnes: Why are you wearing pyjamas? Vector: These aren't pyjamas! This is a warm-up suit. Edith: What are you warming up for? Vector: Stuff. Agnes: What sort of stuff? Vector: Super-cool stuff you wouldn't understand. Agnes: Like sleeping? Vector: They are not pyjamas! Here you go, 52 big ones. Bye! Gru: Come on! Vector: What the...? Quiet down, fish. Down, boy!Gru: [laughs] We did it! Come on, girls, let's go! Margo: But what about the other people who ordered cookies? Gru: Life is full of disappointments... For some people. [chuckles ominously] Agnes: (Screams) Gru: Don't do that! Agnes: Super Silly Fun Land! Can we go? Please? Gru: No. Edith: But we've never been. And it's the funnest place on earth! Gru: "Don't care." Girls: Please? Please? We'll never ask for anything else, ever again! Pretty please? Please? Come on! Come on! Gru: "Light bulb." Edith: Come on! Gru: "Goodbye, have fun. [He began to leave. But a attendant of the roller coaster stopped him.]Carnival Ride Worker: Sorry, dude. They can't ride without an adult. Gru: What? [groans] [Soon Gru gets sick from the roller coaster ride.]Agnes: Oh, my gosh! Look at that fluffy unicorn! He's so fluffy, I'm gonna die! Margo: You've gotta let us play for it! Gru: No, no, no. Agnes: Come on! Gru: How much for the fluffy unicorn?Carnival Barker: Well, it is not for sale. But all you gotta do to win it is knock down that little spaceship there. It's easy! Agnes: Yay! Again! Margo: Wait! Edith: Come on. One more time! Agnes: Just one more. I accidentally closed my eyes. I hit it! I hit it! Edith: That was cool. Awww. Gru: Whoa, whoa, whoa. What was that? She hit that. I saw that with my own eyes.Carnival Barker: Hey, buddy, let me explain something to you. You see that little tin spaceship? You see how it's not knocked over? Do you know what that means, professor? It means you don't get the unicorn! Somebody's got a frowny face. Boo! Better luck next time! Gru: Okay, my turn. [Gru uses a fire gun and it blows up the whole booth.]Gru: "Knocked over!" Agnes: It's so fluffy! Yeah! Margo: That was

awesome! Edith: You blew up the whole thing! Agnes: Let's go. Let's try another game!Dr. Nefario: Gru, do you mind if I have a quick word? Gru: Okay, girls, go play. I got the shrink ray! Cotton candy! Dr. Nefario: We have 12 days until the moon is in optimum position. We can't afford any distractions! Gru: Get me Perkins. Sorry to bother you, Mr Perkins, but I figured that you would want to see this! Mr. Perkins: What? Well done, Gru. Rather impressive.Gru: Now, the rest of the plan is simple. I fly to the moon. I shrink the moon. I grab the moon. I sit on the toi-let. What? (girls start laughing) Sorry. Sorry! Could you excuse me for just one second? I told you not to touch my things. I told you, I told you. I've told you a thousand times. Margo: Hey, can we order pizza? Gru: Pizza? You just had lunch. Edith: Not now, for dinner. Gru: Dinner? Just... Fine, fine, fine, whatever. Just get back in there! Margo: Can we get stuffed crust? Agnes and Jerry: Stuffed crust!Gru: I'll stuff you all in the crust! Agnes: [giggles] You're funny! Gru: Just don't come out of that room again! All right. Sorry about that. Where were we? Mr. Perkins: You were sitting on the toilet. Gru: No, no, no! No, I'm sorry. It was a little attempt at humor. I know how much you like to laugh... [Mr. Perkins glares at him] Inside. Eh, now, I was saying... [the door suddenly opens] You don't seem terribly focused, Gru. Believe me, I am completely focused. Right? Edith: Hello! Mr. Perkins: What? Edith: That guy is huge! Agnes: Are we on TV? Mr. Perkins: What are those? Children?Gru: What are you doing? I told you to stay out of here! No, no, no! *Agnes: Freeze ray!Mr. Perkins: Mr Gru? Gru: Okay. As I was saying... Mr. Perkins: No need to continue. I've seen quite enough. Gru: But my plan... Mr. Perkins: Is a great plan. I love everything about your plan, except for one thing. You. Young Gru: Look, Mom, I drew a picture of me landing on the moon! Look, Mom, I made a prototype of the rocket out of macaroni! Look, Mom, I made a real rocket based on the macaroni prototype! Gru: I don't understand. Mr. Perkins: Let's face reality, Gru. You've been at this for far too long with far too little success. We're gonna put our faith, our money, into a... Well, a younger villain. Gru: But I... Mr. Perkins: It's over. Goodbye, Gru. Gru: Now, I know there have been some rumours going around that the bank is no longer funding us. Well, I am here to put those rumours to rest. They are true. In terms of money, we have no money. So how will we get to the moon? The answer is clear. We won't. We are doomed. Now would probably be a good time to look for other employment options. I know. I have fired up my resume as I suggest that all of you do, as well. What is it? Can't you see that I am in the middle of a pep talk? Yes! Yes, we will build our own rocket using this and whatever else we can find! Grab everything! Hit the junkyards! Take apart the cars! Who needs the bank? Let's go. Let's go! Mom! What are you doing here? Gru's Mom: And here he is in the bathtub. Look at his little buns. Gru: Mom. Not cool. Gru's Mom: And here, he's all dressed up in his Sunday best. Margo: He looks like a girl! Gru's Mom: Yes, he does. An ugly girl! Agnes: You're funny! Edith: Yes! Mine's shaped like a dead guy! Receptionist: Mr. Perkins, your son is here. Mr. Perkins: Send him in. Vector: Hey, Dad. You wanted to see me? Mr. Perkins: Yes, I did, Victor. - Vector: I am not Victor anymore. Victor was my nerd name. Now I am Vector! Mr. Perkins: Sit down. Do you know where the shrink ray is? Vector: Duh! Back at my place. Mr. Perkins: Oh, is that right? Back at your place? That's cool. I guess Gru must just have one that looks exactly like it! Vector: What the...?! Those girls sold me cookies! Mr. Perkins: Do you have any idea how lucrative this moon heist could be? I give you the opportunity of a lifetime, and you just blow it! Vector: No, I didn't. Mr. Perkins: Oh, really?Vector: You just wait until Gru sees my latest weapon. Squid-launcher! Oh, yeah! Man:

There's a squid on my face!Vector: Don't worry. The moon is as good as ours. Gru: Come on now, it's bedtime. Did you brush your teeth? Let me smell. Let me smell. You did not! Put on your PGs. Hold still. Okay, seriously! Seriously! This is beddie-bye time, right now. I'm not kidding around. I mean it! Edith: But we're not tired! Gru: Well, I am tired. Agnes: Will you read us a bedtime story? [pause] Gru: No. Agnes: Pretty please? Gru: The physical appearance of the "please" makes no difference. It is still no, so go to sleep. Edith: But we can't. We're all hyper! Margo: And without a bedtime story, we'll just keep getting up and bugging you. All night long. Gru: [sighs] Fine. All right, all right. Sleepy Kittens. Sleepy Kittens? What are these? Agnes: Puppets. You use them when you tell the story. Gru: Okay, let's get this over with. "Three little kittens loved to play, they had fun in the sun all day. "Then their mother came out and said, 'Time for kittens to go to bed."' Wow! This is garbage. You actually like this? Agnes: Keep reading! Edith: Come on! Gru: All right, all right, all right. "Three little kittens started to bawl, "'Mommy, we're not tired at all.' "Their mother smiled and said with a purr, "'Fine, but at least you should brush your fur."' Edith: Now you brush the fur. Gru: This is literature? A 2-year-old could have written this. All right. "Three little kittens with fur all brushed "said, 'We can't sleep, we feel too rushed! ' "Their mother replied, with a voice like silk, "'Fine, but at least you should drink your milk."' Agnes: Now make them drink the milk. Gru: I don't like this book. This is going on forever. "Three little kittens, with milk all gone, rubbed their eyes and started to yawn. "'We can't sleep, we can't even try.' Then their mother sang a lullaby. "'Good night kittens, close your eyes. Sleep in peace until you rise. "'Though while you sleep, we are apart, "'your mommy loves you with all her heart."' The end. Okay, good night. Agnes: Wait! Gru: What? Agnes: What about good night kisses? Gru: No, no. There will be no kissing or hugging or kissing. Margo: He is not gonna kiss us good night, Agnes. Agnes: I like him. He's nice.Edith: [turns off her light] But scary. Like Santa! Dr. Nefario: Only 48 hours till the launch, and all systems are go. Gru: About that, I was thinking that maybe we could move the date of the heist. Dr. Nefario: Please tell me this is not as a result of the girls' dance recital, is it? Gru: No, no, no! The recital? Don't... That's stupid! I just think it's kind of weird to do it on a Saturday. I was thinking, maybe a heist is a Tuesday thing, right? Dr. Nefario: Gru, you and I have been working on this for years. It's everything we've dreamed of. Your chance to make history, become the man who stole the moon! But these girls are becoming a major distraction! They need to go. If you don't do something about it, then I will. Gru: I understand. Dr. Nefario: Good. Minion: Butt. Butt. Butt. Gru: All right. Now, when we put our cups together, we will make the "clink" sound with our mouths. Ready? Edith? Gru: and Edith: Clink. Gru: There we go. And now we drink. And Agnes? Gru and Agnes: Clink. Gru: Very good! Excuse me, girls. Girls: Come on! Gru: Don't worry, I'll be back. Keep clinking. - Clink, clink. - Clink, clink.Gru: Miss Hattie, what are you doing here? Miss Hattie: I'm here for the girls. I received a call that you wanted to return them. [Gru gives her a quizzical look] And also, I did purchase a Spanish dictionary. [swats Gru's head with the dictionary] I didn't like what you said. Gru: But... I will get the girls ready. Agnes: Don't let her take us, Mr. Gru! Tell her you wanna keep us. Mrs. Hattie: All right, girls. Come on, let's go. Margo: Goodbye, Mr. Gru. Thanks for everything. Dr. Nefario: I did it for your own good. Come on, let's go get that moon. Gru: Right. What is this for? The recital? I am the greatest criminal mind of the century. I don't go to little girls' dance recitals! Dr. Nefario: Opening launch bay

doors. Commencing launch sequence. And we are good to go in T minus 10 seconds. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six... Vector: Oh, yeah! Gru: Nice work, Doctor. All systems go. Vector: Boo-ya! My flight suit. Oh, yeah! Once again, the mighty... Gru: I've got it! I've got the moon! I've got the moon. I can make it. Dr. Nefario: Wait a minute! Jerry: Kevin! Gru: Come on! Come on! Agnes: He's still not here. Margo: Why would he come? He gave us up. Agnes: But he pinkie promised! Teacher: Girls, girls, places. Edith: No, we can't start yet! We're still expecting someone. Agnes: Can we just wait a few more minutes? Teacher: All right. But just a few more minutes. Margo: He's not coming, guys. Dr. Nefario: Gru! Gru, can you hear me? Quick, we have to warn him, and fast!Gru: Okay, okay. There's the library. That's Third Street. The dance studio... There! There! There it is! Janitor: Sorry, buddy. Show's over.Gru: Over? Gru: Vector, open up! Vector: First give me the moon. Then we'll talk. Agnes: Mr. Gru! Vector: Zip it, Happy Meal. Gru: Now, the girls. Vector: Actually, I think I'll hold on to them a little while longer. Gru: No! Vector: Oh, yeah! Unpredictable! Gru: Listen close, you little punk. When I get in there, you are in for a world of pain! Vector: [laughs sarcastically] I'm really scared. Agnes: He is gonna kick your butt. Vector: What? He punched my shark! Dr. Nefario: There he is! Hang on, Gru. Oh, no! Gru: Vector has the girls. Go! Dr. Nefario: What happened to the ship? It's big again! Not as big as the moon is going to be! Gru: What? Dr. Nefario: The larger the mass of an object, the quicker the effects of the shrink ray wear off! I call it the Nefario Principle. I just came up with it now, actually. Gru: Oh, no! Margo: Did you see that? Girls: Vector! Help! Vector! Over here! Vector: Hey! What are you girls doing back there? Girls: The moon! Watch out! Vector: Ouch! Gru: Get as close in as you can. You got it. Margo: Mr Gru, up here! Agnes and Edith: Mr Gru! Gru: Okay, girls! Girls! You're going to have to jump. Edith: Jump? Are you insane? Gru: Don't worry, I will catch you. Margo: You gave us back! Gru: I know, I know. And it is the worst mistake I ever made. But you have to jump now. Margo: It'll be okay. Gru: Okay, girls. Margo: Jump now! Gru: Margo, I will catch you. And I will never let you go again. Vector: Not so fast! Gru: No! Margo: Let me go! Gru: Margo! I'm coming, Margo. Hang on! I got you.Vector: No! Oh, poop. News Reporter: This time, good triumphs, and the moon has been returned to its rightful place in the sky. But once again, law enforcement is baffled, leaving everyone to wonder, who is this mysterious hero? And what will he do next? Gru: Okay, girls. Time for bed. Edith: Come on! We want a story. Agnes: Three sleepy kittens! Gru: Oh, no! Sorry. That book was accidentally destroyed maliciously. Tonight we are going to read a new book. This one is called One Big Unicorn by... Who wrote this? Me! I wrote it. Look, it's a puppet book! Here, watch this. That's the horn! Agnes: This is gonna be the best book ever! Gru: Not to pat myself on the back, but, yes, it probably will be. Here we go. "One big unicorn, strong and free "thought he was happy as he could be. "Then three little kittens came around "and turned his whole life upside down." Edith: Hey, that one looks like me! Gru: No, what are you talking about? These are kittens! Any relation to persons living or dead is completely coincidental. "They made him laugh. "They made him cry. "He never should have said goodbye. "And now he knows he could never part "from those three little kittens "that changed his heart. "The end." Okay, all right. Good night. Margo: I love you. Gru: I love you, too. No, no! All right. Didn't I get you already? They're very good! Gru's Mom: I'm so proud of you, Son. You've turned out to be a great parent! Just like me. Maybe even better. Gru: No, I'm fine. Go ahead. No, no, no! THE END Hey, Carl! Hey. No, no, no. Me, me, me. John? No, no. Me, me, me. Oh,

poop. Oh, no! Stop! Stop! Hello, I am Gru. Back to work, back to work! Back to…

IS THIS THE ENTIRE FUCKING SCRIPT?

[thisandthat-whatever]

I’ve joined the « fandom » a few months ago and i love both of them. But lots of things kinda bug me, there is not a middle :

- one one side, the cracks that overanalyzed everything that TZ do and think that everything is a code message, that they are engaged and all that delusional stuff.

- the other side: The antis pro Tom groupies that think that everything is PR.

- Then what i noticed and especially with the twitter stans is their lack of judgment and how biased they are. TZ fans that are always more fans of Z than T, it’s not equal but they are saying they are fans of both it’s 80% of this fandom. In this fanbase it’s either right or left in terms of opinions never in the middle. So «  tz fans » always feel more like Z fans because on my twitter feed i alwaysssss see them criticize everything that Tom does. « Ew his hair looks ugly », « why is he excited for uncharted it’s going to flop », « i need him to stop that dad nonsense my good sis Z need is booked and busy » , « tom is going to post her #trust », « he is a mess he drinks too much ». Then they talk about d*m even if he is a shitty father i don’t see them ever talk bad about Z’s entourage? As one of your follower said it’s like tom only exists to be her hypeman. And they are supposed to be his fans too…

But Z can do no wrong ever! « Queen » « why are they talking about T in an Euphoria interview » but when they ask Tom about her it’s no problem?. It’s like she can do no wrong. We talk shit about D*m or why T is friends with Justin bieber but then let’s be equal why don’t we talk how it’s weird how Z neees Darnell with her everywhere and i’m not talking about his job as her assistant it’s beyond that, it’s like she can do nothing alone? Like they will talk bad about him being always in clubs (before) but Z being a homebody is cool, it’s not to shit on either of Z or T but it’s an exemple that it’s always an extreme. They will also tear apart his choices of project and yeah most of them are so bad but praise her without being objective, when most of the time her acting is the same in every roles and in my opinion dull… « dull? So why does she has an emmy? » is THE fave answer. It’s like Z is on a pedestal. It’s a problem and weird that Tom wants to take a break but it’s never weird how Z is always about her career and only about her career?

This post is not to point « what bother me » about Z because it doesn’t but i had to point these things out because it’s always bad tom, good Z. Never never saw them saying a bad thing about her but Tom it’s daily. If you gonna be a TZ fans then really love both of them, don’t just love T because he is in Z’s life, weird. I like your blog because i feel like you can be objective.

I agree with your observations about the fandom. . And anyone who followed me long enough knows I have dragged Tom many times in the past for all sorts of things. I hate putting anyone on a pedestal. But some Z stans who ironically are completely not self aware and call Tom stans over-protective and say they baby Tom are doing the most by putting Z on such a ridiculously high pedestal. If you take any one of their sentences where they are praising her while at the same time diminishing Tom (whether his acting or his looks) and switch Tom and Z in that sentence , they would be outraged . And they do this so often that it almost became a daily habit to them.

[jess-the-vampire]

The Demon Next Door, Chapter 9

Previous / Next

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A week had passed since marco had heard the "Conversation", between Tom and Star.

And while janna's theories were in the back of his mind, that wasn't his main focus.

No, his main focus was to keep being a good friend and not act like he had just heard something personal and private that he wasn't supposed to know about. He needed to get back into spirits, hang out with his friends, and be as supportive as possible for the two of them until they were comfortable talking to him about whatever it was they weren't sure about mentioning to him.

They were his friends after all, he didn't want to lost them due to being a terrible friend.

But while he was ignoring janna's ideas, as anything janna claimed was really never true, and as much as he tried to keep happy, he still somehow felt irked and he didn't fully understand why. He was trying to come up with reasons, maybe he felt his friend liked each other more then him? Well he knew that wasn't true, tom almost always seemed to hang out with marco when he had the chance, so did star.

Maybe he felt this way because tom was really succeeding with his crush and marco wasn't? After all marco already had gotten upset about tom being so good at karate when it took years for him to even break a single board.

But somehow it didn't feel that way, marco had already squashed that bug, especially when he realized how much it hurt tom.

So what was it?

What was it really that was bothering him so much?

"Marco? Hey dude, did you hear me? I got the tickets!", tom waved his hand in front of marco's face, waking him up from his thoughts, Tom was smiling and laughing at him, playful as ever. "Dude, you alright? You're so spaced out", marco shook his head, he really needed to start paying attention to his best friends, especially if he wanted to not come off like he was suspicious or anything.

Thankfully tom didn't seem too bothered, probably chalking it up to marco thinking about school or jackie.

"Uh sorry, yeah, that's really awesome tom, i can't wait to go with you!", marco was actually genuine about that, he was pretty excited to go with tom. He'd never been to a concert in person and he was sure if he did he'd go with star, having a guy friend who liked the same band was not something he expected to happen so quickly. And they were going to hang out and sing together? God it was the best thing marco had ever gotten in awhile.

Well, hopefully it would at least.

"Me too, i've never been to a concert before...", he said, voice wandering, "I never really got to y'know "Hang out" with people much back home. So...I'm actually really kinda excited to just do stuff like this with a friend.". He smirked a little, "Besides, maybe after we can go get some tacos and smoothies and just hang out for a bit...maybe i can sleep over at your house if you want?".

That sounded...amazing.

"Yeah! I'll ask my parents, but i know they'll say yes anyway...we could even try and get justin tower's autography while we're there...maybe...hopefully".

"Yeah of course, i think i can do that".

"You can?", marco asked, puzzled and ecstatic.

"I've never been to a concert before, but i did meet him in person once, when i was back at my old home...so he might remember me and meet us or something", wait a second, tom had MET the lead singer of their favorite band?! And never told marco about that!? Was tom some celebrity or something secretly?! How in the heck was tom so lucky-

Tom must've seen gears turn in marco's head as he quickly stepped in.

"Sorry, i wanted it to be a surprise before but i guess i might as well spill the beans on that one".

He seemed actually a little sheepish about that one, but marco patted his back, "Tom, you don't have to go so overboard for me but...it all sounds like a lot of fun, i really appreciate it. I'm probably gonna have to owe you for this one, like majorly, though i'm not sure what can beat meeting one of my idols in person, a sleepover, and a concert...".

"Dude, you don't have to-".

"I know, but i want to.".

Tom seemed to blush a little at that, touched at marco's words.

"So yeah, i'm excited...big ole hangout, just you and me. Consider it a big thank you for y'know...not making me feel alone or weird out here. Then tom let out an oo as marco hugged him tightly, almost knocking the wind out of him. "No one has ever done something that nice for me before, god, i'm gonna have to work to one up you after this whole thing".

Tom laughed, "You don't have to...".

"But i want to", marco replied, repeating tom's words teasingly.

"Very funny...but yeah...oh and maybe we can make cookies during the sleepover, something fun...could top it off with movies or games if you're still awake by that point", he winked, "Make it the best night ever". He bumped marco's shoulder as they disbanded, noticing people were staring, Mostly a lot of his classmates. Marco nearly forgot they were still in school, simply waiting for the bus to take them home.

That reminded him.

"So uh...where's star?".

She usually was here by now, unless she got held back to be scolded or something, or maybe star forgot something at her locker perhaps, she never ran late to get out of school with her friends. Mostly because these days star was pretty happy to avoid having to do schoolwork and deal with people like Brittney, though her not being here seemed to leave marco and tom both super worried.

"Should...we look for her?".

She was going to miss the bus if she didn't make it here soon and marco didn't want to leave her here. He gripped his backpack strap a little tighter in nervousness, tom trying to reassure him before star made her way around the corner in a hurry. Clearly knowing how late she was to meet up with her friends and tugging them onto the bus before they could even ask what happened.

Both letting out a small noise as she did so.

Marco felt the wind knocked out of him being thrown onto his seat and tom on the opposite one, star breathing faster then usual.

"S-star?".

"H-hey guys...sorry i'm late and everything I uh...got caught up in stuff", the boys looked between each other and she quickly ushered them to the bus so they could get home, "C'mon, we need to get home...". Marco felt her squeeze his arm rather forcibly, and he wondered just what star got herself into. He had the impression whatever it was, it might've been...well, bad.

And Star confirmed this for him the moment they sat down in their seats, the girl trying to fix her hair and huffing.

"Star...what happened?".

"I-...i was talking to jackie and ugh...brittney passed by".

Oh, oh no.

"Apparently her stupid birthday is coming up and of course none of us are invited because of course and jackie told her off for acting so mean and said if none of us were coming, she wasn't interested in coming either", star sounded so irrtated by that but that seemd very in character for jackie to do. Marco had to admit, the fact jackie stood up for them like that was actually...it was rather sweet, especially since jackie was considered decently popular among the school.

"Well that's cool of her...it's ok, it would've been a boring party anyway".

"Marco, you don't understand...brittney told us to come!".

"WHAT!?".

"Apparently she'd rather we show up then have jackie not show up, because the scene she made when defending us got a LOT of people's attention, that's why i was late, we got sent to the principle's office and in the end...she said we're coming", she seemed to be resisting the urge to stab someone at the moment, her anger searing through her teeth.

Even Tom looked baffled and grossed out, "Then why bother showing up, let's bail, ruin her party...like i care".

"Except she called our parents already to make sure we couldn't back out-".

"She didn't".

"The principle technically made the call...but..."

He couldn't believe this, they got themselves roped into a party with the girl who was spreading lies about them and being awful to them? Why? Why even bother, they had better things hey could do then hang out with someone as awful as Brittney, but somehow by a stroke of luck they seemed to get themselves roped into going to her party anyway.

There was an inkling that brittney almost planned this, like she had malicious intention with them coming, she would really rather have them there then not jackie? C'mon, there had to be something up.

"Pfft, we'll just pretend to be sick that day then...".

"Our parents aren't that stupid tom...we just all conveniently get sick? On the same day of a party of a girl we don't like? Ha, right", tom hated to admit it, but marco was right about that, there was no way they'd buy into that no matter how convincing they might make their sickness. Tom felt a wave of anger and frustration hit him, his good mood with marco suddenly ruined.

"Fine, but if we're going, i'm not speaking to her".

"Don't worry, we won't either".

This seemed to make tom a little better, a smile, faint as it was, appearing on the corner of his mouth for a split second.

"I'm glad to have you guys around as my friends, ugh...i hope jackie knows what she got us into-", it wasn't jackie's fault of course, she was trying to help, but seems it only led to more problems in the end. Star sighing, "She told me she was really sorry about that, she'll probably text you guys soon about it...i think she's hoping to make things up to us later if she can", that sounded like jackie alright.

At least she was taking responsibility for it.

But being sent to a party of the biggest bully in school? That sounded like there was no way it could end well.

Especially with all the rumors being spread around, and marco felt his chest stop when he really thought about it. A lot of the rumors around came from him hanging out with tom, what if they got worse? There was a real chance of it after all. Tom could get teased about their relationship and tell everyone off for it and...well, he could tell everyone that he didn't feel that way for marco.

And that seemed to sting to marco for some reason.

What if this ruined their friendship?

He didn't want brittney to tease tom, it could ruin tom's social life entirely and their friendship and-

"Marco? Everything ok?".

Star and Tom were staring at him, both highly concerned for their friend.

And no wonder, marco looked like he might burst from all the anxiety building up inside of him right now, all this stuff that was getting to him even though nothing had actually happened yet. He needed to pull himself together, calm himself down, do what tom did when he had moments like this, take a breather and remind himself nothing bad had happened yet.

"I'm ok, i'm sorry, i'm just worried what's going to happen if we show up...i don't trust brittney, she might take advantage of us being there or something.".

"You're not wrong about that marco, she always looks like she's up to something bad".

Star then grew a grin on her face that marco didn't like, the boy quickly snapping into her face to get her out of it, "Hey uh...don't, we could do without being banned from school or sued...instead of causing trouble let's maybe just be super careful around her instead".

Star looked sad, but she didn't seem surprised either.

Next time.

As they were dropped off, they were quickly surrounded as both marco and tom's parents left their respective houses tp give the kids large hug, as if somehow this situation was something to actually celebrate. "Oh KIDS! I heard you got invited to a big PARTY with your friends! That's so wonderful! It's been so long since i saw you go to a friend's birthday party like that marco!", marco was embarrassed as he was squeezed tighter by his father.

Gee, tell the whole world why don't ya?

"Tom's never been invited to a party before, that's wonderful!".

"DAD!", Tom blushed, him and marco both uncomfortable and humiliated now.

At least tom understood his pain, even if they both wanted to be out of this as soon as possible. Their parents eventually let them go though, noticing their kids didn't look nearly as thrilled as they did about this whole thing. They had to know what brittney was like at this point from how much their sons complained about her, there was no way they didn't.

And yet this thought this was a good idea?

They had to be desperate to get their kids out of the house at that point.

"Sorry sorry sorry, i'm just happy to hear about you being invited to an outing with a lot of kids, your mom is already considering what you should wear so you look good for it". His mother nodded and tom felt even more embarrassed, he wasn't dressing up for the meanest girl in school, he would for star, marco or even jackie but not for the girl who glared at him during lunch.

"Ooo! We'll help!", and marco grumbled as his father approached tom's parents.

He desperately hoped they didn't give the three of them matching outfits.

Because if given the chance, they would.

Star motioned to the boys, and pointed down the road and marco was quick to put the pieces together.

"C'mon, she's inviting us to her house tonight to uh...,avoid...this", he motioned to their parents talking and tom shrugged, maybe star's house was a better place to hide right now, at least star's mom might actually see the problem with all of this. The three heading down ways to get to star's house, a place marco had been a few times but tom had not been inside yet.

In fact, he'd yet to even see what it looked like.

It was a nice blue house, white door and windows, with a well maintained garden in the front and well kept lawn. You'd never think it was the kinda place someone like star really would live in if only because star would never have a house this nice looking if she actually owned it. Her parents must've really put in the effort to keep it this good looking.

And upon further inspection there was a lovely butterfly print on the door.

Tom was taking it all in but none of this was new to marco, he'd been here before enough times, and star's messy room contrasted this nice looking house to the extreme. He also remembered it because jackie lived on the next street, he remembered when star moved in and he felt slightly jealous how lucky she was to be so close to jackie, though really it was a blessing to have an excuse to wave at the girl when visiting star and she was riding past them.

"Up to my room, c'mon...before mom notices", star motioned for them to enter, not wanting to deal with her mother and her strictness, Marco couldn't really blame her, her mom always seemed a little too uptight, even if she was cool with her having friends over, he tended to make a lot of rules himself but Moon was on another level of strictness to make sure stuff didn't get out of hand.

It was like she thought star was a bomb or something that could explode any second.

But it seemed neither of her parents were back yet from...wherever they actually worked.

Their house was...mostly tidy, and it seemed rather elegant from the inside, thought that probably came from moon more then anything. The rest of her family were way too rowdy to have a place looking as nice as this. If river and star had in their way the place would probably look like a giant mess with several animals running around and only moon kept this place together.

But overall, it was nice.

Nearly the opposite of tom's much more gothic type home.

Star dragging the boys to her room, wanting to avoid her mom as much as possible and to hang out with her friends, the two finding themselves in the messiest room in the house. Star's clothes were everywhere, so were her books, and trash and so much more. Another thing she and tom had in common, they both weren't the peak of tidiness, though tom seemed marginally better in comparison.

Usually when marco slept over, he tended to sleep downstairs, both because River tended not to trust marco to sleep in star's room and both because it was too messy for him to sleep up there anyway.

Marco wasn't mad about that though, Star's room was a safety hazard.

Even now he and tom had to carefully step over the girl's trinkets and clothing to take a seat on her fancy canopy bed. Star dropping her backpack and items just on the floor without much of a care in the world, before falling on her floor, tuckered out. "Y'know, i've never been invited to a party since i've moved in here...well, aside from marco's at least, i just wish it wasn't brittney's of all people", she pouted, looking at the ceiling.

"You really think we're gonna be forced to go?", marco asked, star nodding.

"Yeah, we're stuck now...you know your parents aren't going to let you back out...".

Tom laid back on the bed, annoyed, " I can't believe that, it was so embarrassing, announce my partylessness to the whole world why don't ya dad...", tom covered his face, blushing under it as marco tried to calm him down. "It's ok tom, lots of teens don't go to those kinda parties, you aren't alone...it's not that embarrassing, and it's totally cool".

"You don't get it marco...i already feel anxious enough from barely talking to people...it's like rubbing it in my face".

Oh.

"I'm sure your dad had no ill intent...if it makes you feel any better though, i usually don't get invited to parties either, i usually throw some but never go to much myself", tom was quiet, leaving marco wondering if tom was comforted or not by his words. But he kept talking, just in case he may of stepped out of line, "I know it's lonely and everything...not having fun with the others...i'm sorry this had to be your first party here...".

"That's ok marco...i guess at least, i get to go with you".

Marco felt his face grow warm rather quickly, turning away to hide it, though unfortunately turning away from tom...meant looking at star.

Star smirked, seeing marco's face as he turned away.

If star and tom were dating in secret he didn't want either of them getting the wrong idea.

"Uh yeah, that at least sounds like a lot of fun...i'd rather go with you both then...alone".

"We'll just stick together so that leech doesn't mess with any of us...", tom hissed, "I might have to wear my good suit and everything, just in case...get a little tired of everyone acting like i'm some criminal or something because of how i dress.", it was really a shame the rumors were starting to spread like this, tom was still fairly new, well...not THAT new anymore but he'd hadn't lived here long and everyone was judging him.

it really made marco mad.

How was tom supposed to fit in if everyone was treating him like a danger to society for no reason?

Ok sure, maybe tom had well...scared jeremy half to death, several times, but he hadn't actually done anything criminal! He hadn't robbed anyone or attacked anyone or even harmed anyone for the sake of it. Jeremy was also being a bully during those times as well and tom hadn't even really laid a finger on him either, he came out unhurt...well...his social standing might've been hurt...

No, tom protected him and stood up to a bully, that wasn't the same thing.

These accusations were done to slander the boy.

Really it might've been possible with how tom had stood up to jeremy he might've been getting some attention Brittney didn't like, she hated attention being driven from herself after all, which was why Star bothered her so much. Now there was another strange new student getting the attention of others for her to scoff at, and with him even spending time with star and her best friend she might've felt more threatened.

Of course the new kids who got people's attention were friends, of course they were.

At the very least, that sounded like the reason Brittney was like this.

She could never just handle people taking attention away from herself.

Which then gave marco an idea, something he seemed to share with both his friends in the room.

"Y'know what, i think going might be a good idea, don't you think so?".

"Yeah marco", tom said with a grin that janna would envy, "Y'know something, maybe we HAVE been too hard on her, we should do to her party and give her the BEST birthday she could ever get from someone like us!". Even Star actually seemed delighted, rubbing her hands together, "Ooooo, yessss, i'm already gonna get started working on my gift".

Their smiling faces were quickly wiped however, at the sound of an opening door downstairs.

It seemed star's parents were finally home.

Which naturally starting sending star into a mood, quickly getting up and placing her ear at the door to hear how close they were and if they were talking about her or anything important. Though marco noticed she was glancing back to him more then anything as she listened in, like she was worried he'd hear something he shouldn't for some odd reason.

"Star?".

"Shhhh, my parents are home, keep quiet!".

The boys exchanged looks between them, waiting for star to stop...whatever she was doing, a few minutes passing before she headed outside her room to greet her parents downstairs. Hearing her mother ask if she got detention again and her father erupt in laughter, but overall they both seemed happy. Tom and Marco waiting just in case star didn't want them to come down yet.

But sure enough they heard star coming back up.

"Star? Is everything-?"

"Mom knows you're here...she's asking for you two to come down".

The two boys looked at each other before getting up and heading down the stairs carefully, hoping they weren't in trouble.

Tom actually looked really nervous all of a sudden and marco felt a bit concerned, was tom just nervous to meet his crush (Possibly girlfriend) 's parents? He seemed to look that way, guess he was so eager to get away from his parents he hadn't really taken the time to think about the fact he might of been going to run into star's own parents by being here.

Marco felt a sudden urge to comfort him.

Star's parents weren't THAT bad...but granted, Tom's look might give them the wrong idea.

Especially to someone like Moon who Marco and star both agreed seemed to be a bit more uptight.

But as the boys finally made down moon and river looked upon them pretty normally, the woman wearing a suit and river wearing the most dad outfit you could imagine someone who liked hunting and the outdoors would wear. Though before the boys could relax they were fixated on Tom, and that seemed to make marco really worry, were they judging him?

But they didn't seem mad...they seemed...surprised? Worried? Like they wanted to say something but couldn't?

Marco couldn't read their minds but something felt off when the couple looked at tom.

Like they'd seen him before.

But marco didn't even have much time to really ponder any of that, before River pulled him into a hug that crushed his bones. "MARCO MY BOY! GOOD TO SEE YOU!", this was how the guy usually greeted marco whenever he saw him but marco would prefer to just shake his hand...actually, maybe less then that. River was so strong marco wouldn't be surprised if he could punch a hole in the wall at this point.

Jesus, where were all these super strong people even coming from?

At this point maybe they all came from the same place and everyone was secretly superheros.

"Yeah...good to see you too...", marco managed to get out despite being crushed in the man's arms.

He fixed his clothes as he was let go and noticed moon had pulled tom aside to talk, though marco couldn't even tell what the two were saying to each other, peaking his curiosity even more as star stood nervously by.

Something was going on here and it was super weird, that was for sure,

Though star quickly dragged him into the kitchen to offer him some cereal, away from tom and her parents, only making marco more suspicious of what exactly was going on around here. It was like everyone was in on something he wasn't allowed to know about, and it gave him an uneasy type of feeling as he looked at star skeptically, not buying her attempt to change the subject and distract him.

Before he could even call her out on what was happening she was already making him cereal and answering his question, "Don't worry marco, it's all good...they uh...they just know about the rumors about tom and stuff...so they're nervous...that's all".

Was it though? Would star's parents really care about those rumors that bad? Especially since they were started by a bunch of teenagers?

Star could tell marco wasn't buying it, and she nervously poured him some juice, clearly regretting the choice to take the boys here. She quickly tried to change the subject again despite marco's clear uninterest, "Anyways we could do homework and stuff...come up to my room later so we have some quiet time away from my parents and everything.".

Yeah something was wrong alright, considering star NEVER wanted to do homework.

What the heck was going on?

But whatever it was, it was clear he'd have to push star on it later when she wasn't being...well...however she was being right now, There was no way she was going to tell him what was actually going on when she was like this, he was just going to have to wait. Though he could hear tom talking to star's parents outside, left wondering what they were talking about.

He felt so...left out.

And he really didn't like this feeling.

He never really felt this way before when it was just him and star, but something about tom since he arrived seemed to have marco more on edge, thinking about things he never really had to before.

Was he really overthinking all of this?

He doubted it.

His feelings right now just were...confusing, he didn't know what to think right now and suddenly the comfort he had just a few minutes ago in star's room seemed to have left his mind. Star went back outside to where the others were as marco sat alone, before tom came in to see him, smiling a little awkwardly and trying to brighten marco up, as unsuccessful as it was.

Tom wasn't dumb, he could tell this was all really strange to marco.

"So uh...i'm guessing you might want some answers to-".

"Yeah", marco said, not even needing tom to finish his sentence.

"I'm...gonna have to wait and tell you sometime later...maybe, if i'm allowed".

If he was allowed? What did that mean? Tom wasn't allowed to talk about what was going on? By Who? Star? Her parents? His parents?

Tom could only send him a reassuring glance to help him relax, though marco was having a hard time doing so...his mind swirling with questions, only making tom more worried.

"Marco...please don't-".

"It's fine...it's fine...", marco said, huffing, he needed to pull himself together, if tom was going to tell him what was happening he was just going to have to wait and hear about it, he couldn't lash out at his best friends without knowing what was going on. He felt tom trying to comfort him and reassure him nothing was worth worrying so much about, and marco finally cooled off.

He didn't meant to get so upset but something about this...bothered him.

These were his best friends, the people he should be trusting the most of anyone.

And yet they were keeping secrets from him and leaving him out, he just couldn't help but feel a sense of betrayal.

"Marco...i can tell you're not fine...and i'm really sorry, but please...can you trust me on this...when there's a good time...i want to talk about it with you.", marco turned to look at tom directly, into his green eyes before turning away, feeling his face get warm. He really couldn't stay mad at tom for long could he? Tom was being way too nice to him as per usual.

"I...hope you have a good reason for all this", marco mumbled.

"I do...i promise".

Marco munched on the cereal star laid out for him as he felt tom comforting him, "Hey...for the record...we didn't talk about anything you need to worry about ok? Star's parents just had some things they needed to say to me in particular". He was trying to ease marco and marco took a few long breaths to weed out the last of his pent up anger, he'd never been so moodly before.

Was he sure he wasn't the one with the anger issues? Not Tom?

Tom seemed usually very cool and Marco felt he was the one with so much...frustration.

Tom was here, trying to get him to cool down, not the other way around.

Why did om give him a reaction like this so often? First karate now this?

Marco slumped his shoulders, he felt bad now.

"Hey, i'm sorry, i don't know why i'm so moody lately...i didn't mean to take it out on you and star...", his voice change turned tom more towards him, worried, "Hey it's ok, i get what you mean...i get moody too...my parents always say it's hormones and everything but i know it's inherited...my parents have their own anger issues and everything...they're just better at dealing with them then i used to".

"Hormones?", marco now felt REALLY embarrassed if that had been the case, shaking his head and changing the topic.

"I just want to know i can trust you and star...ok? You're my only friends and it feels like you're not telling me something because of...", he didn't finish his sentence and now it was tom's turn to feel bad, "I know...and i really want to tell you...but not right here...it's not a good time...but i will tell you marco...don't think this means i don't trust you or anything".

"I'll take your word for it...ok?".

That was enough for tom, looking rather relived.

"Ok, thank you marco, i promise...i'll explain when i can".

Star suddenly headed back in, relieved, "Ok, think everything is back on track...sorry about that, i really should've thought a but more about bringing you over to my house when my parents might of stepped through the door. ". She actually did seem rather anxious, like this whole thing stressed her out more then usual, it seemed to soften marco just a little more.

"It's ok star, don't worry so much, you got everything under control".

Those words seemed to send a wave of relief to her, "Yeah, yeah i did".

"You think we outta leave before things get more awkward?", star's eyes wandered to marco and back to tom, "Uh...well, maybe for now let's stick around, don't wanna risk getting into another situation or something".

"Actually, good point".

Last thing they needed was to add to the already tense situation they were currently under.

And marco didn't need any more stress placed upon him then he had already placed on himself. Star headed back out of the room and marco finished eating, waiting in silence for star's return, glancing at tom every once in awhile. Sometimes he caught himself looking a little too long, carefully looking anywhere else he could, not wanting to look like a weirdo.

He swore tom had glanced at him a few times though, even if he was trying his best not to think about it too hard, tom was probably just feeling as awkward as marco was. Marco wasn't even sure he knew how to make light conversation right now, he had pretty much all but got into a serious fight with tom and tom was probably being careful not to freak marco out more.

Earlier that day they were talking about how excited they were to hang out at a concert and now marco was freaking out about tom keeping more secrets from him, it was such a long range of emotions that he couldn't fully figure out. He felt sick to an extent, though he knew he was probably exaggerating the situation worse then it already probably was.

"Hey tom i-".

"Tom, marco, your parents are looking for you", moon wandered in, fixing herself up, "I know your visit was brief but you should head back and see them, i think they're worried about you since neither of you told them where you were going and it'll be dinner soon". Tom nodded and stood up, marco doing the same, actually happy to be leaving and getting out of this awkward situation.

Star sending them an awkward wave and promising to text them later so they could figure things out when it came to Brittney's party.

Leaving Tom and Marco to walk together.

"Marco, your friendship means a lot to me...", the tall boy mumbled, "I don't want you to ever doubt that...".

Marco nodded as they walked side by side, "I know, i didn't meant to freak you out, i guess...tom i know something is off, and i know you're not being completely honest with me...star's parents looked at you REALLY funny, like they wanted to say something. I don't...want to pry and stuff, i just...i don't want to feel like i'm being lied to either...like i want you guys to trust me".

"Yeah, i know...", he brushed at his hair, sighing, "I figured something like that would happen eventually...it was nothing against you marco, i promise...".

"So you'll really explain this to me?".

"I will, when i can, i promise...", tom stopped their walk, they stool on the sidewalk between their homes, knowing they needed to part ways and move on for the night, "I really care about you marco, this stuff is just...private...and i need to think about it...before i can consider it.". As much as marco wanted to know what tom wasn't telling him, he had to admit, tom didn't HAVE to tell him anything, this was personal to him and he had a right to talk when he wanted.

Marco gripping his backpack and letting out some air, "Alright, i'll respect that, i'll text you later tonight ok?".

Tom smiled, "Yeah, and we can plan our gift for brittney and our love sentence stuff!".

Marco smiled back, "Yeah, sounds good".

They stood there, as if wanting to hug or something before they parted, but instead, they awkwardly shrugged and avoided eye contact, both a little flushed before marco headed to his house. Tom stood there a second longer before heading to his, marco turning to see the boy wave at him as he closed the door, waving back meekly. The relief of home hitting him.

After dinner, and a long conversation about marco running off to star's without telling his parents, followed by discussing what he should wear to a teen party. Marco was happy to be in his room, getting ready for bed and ending this long day. His cell phone sitting nearby as tom started texting him, the phone constantly buzzing with energy over and over again.

Marco grabbing it and sitting on his bed.

Tom sending him a few pics of him and his rabbit, next to some clothes he wanted to wear for the upcoming events.

He looked so happy.

and marco quickly felt himself blush a little at seeing him before realizing the warmth and shutting it down, thinking about what tom said earlier.

"Hormones...yeah...", he mumbled, texting tom back for a long night of chat.

He'd have to check in with a doctor later...get that sorted out.

Something was up with him and the sooner he fixed it, the better.

[internalsealpanic]

Radio Silence

Summary: You take Tim with you to a family reunion hoping to monopolize his time. You may have forgotten to tell him a few things. For example, the haunted radio.

masterlist

a/n: I’m sorry for the wait. I forgot that I am no longer used to describing atmosphere. This isn’t my best work but I hope you like it. This was based on my family’s tradition of sitting in the dark on Halloween listening to scary stories on the radio. This is mainly Tim Drake x Filipino!Reader because I realley wanted to try my hand at a bilingual character. You will see misspelling of words in the dialogue. That’s intentional on my part. There will be translations.

“Yes, Nay, he’s the one in the picture,”

“No! It’s the guy with-” You blow out an exasperated breath. You hear Tim snicker behind you and you dedicate half your brain cells to coming up with the best way to kick his ass.  “Yung mukhang Koreano. Yeah. Yeah. Dat one.”

“Yes, he looks more like a white boy. Mistiso.” You explain curtly.

“Yes, he’s smart. I hab standards,” Tim raises a disbelieving brow at you. You stick your tongue out at him but nearly bite it off when your grandmother speaks again.

“What do you mean doubtful?!” Tim looks absolutely delighted. A cheshire smile curling on his lips as he leans back into your couch. You glare at him then at your phone then at the ceiling then past that to glare at whatever god was up there.

“THAT WAS ONE TIME! Justine was an-” You mutter trying to remember the word.  “- an anomaly and you know it!”

“…..”

“Ok der were 2 anomalies!”

“3”

“Ok maybe Tim is the anomaly, but seriously, Nay, he’s fine,” You snarl, the jaggedness of your Gotham accent rearing its head. You wince but do not apologize. This will bite you in the ass later but you didn’t say it. You don’t like the taste of the word.

“No. I mean if you don’t want us to embarrass you at the church social then- Yes, I have been going to church,” You can see Tim rolling his eyes and mouthing liar with a twitch of his lip in the corner of your vision. “No, he’s not the showy type. Nay, I gotta go. The food’s burning,”

“Yes, Nay, I lab you bery mach,” You sigh into the phone letting your grandmother’s lather your tongue cutting into the briskness of your consonants. It held the same euphoria as taking off your shoes after a particularly long day.

“Unless you’re Dick, you can’t burn cereal,” Tim cut in carting you away from your reverie.

“Watch me, Drake,” You huff throwing a pillow at Tim almost making him drop his cereal bowl.

“So, can Gotham survive without Red Robin for a weekend?”

“Shouldn’t you have asked me this before telling your grandma that you’re taking me?”

“I’m just double-checking,”

“How considerate,”

“To be fair, your schedule is already volatile as is,"  You huff snuggling up to him on the couch. It was too cold in Tim’s apartment. You think a rich kid like him could afford to turn up the heat. Though, you aren’t exactly going to complain about an excuse to cuddle him.

Tim doesn’t make a move to push you away. Instead, he wraps his arm around you pulling you closer. This was the type of easy affection you two had become accustomed to. This was also the thing that will make your Schrade even more convincing. "True, but I asked Cass and the others to cover for me. Plus, your grandma sounds like she likes me,”

“Considering you don’t have a criminal record and aren’t currently being investigated, you immediately rocketed to the top of her list,” You answer absentmindedly stirring your cereal and taking a bite.

Tim whips his head to you and gives you a concerned look which you return with a smile full of cereal. He blanches at you, shaking his head and grabbing the remote to unpause the Star Trek episode you two were watching. You both prop your feet up and chew your cereal slowly, not feeling any reason to hurry.

How long has it been since you started? You’re pretty sure it was 1 AM when you started.

As if reading your mind, Tim looks at his phone, winces then turns back to the screen without another word.  You quirk your brow at him but decide that there is some truth to the saying ignorance is bliss.

You were gonna hate yourselves come noon.

 It’s noon, the sun has the audacity to show itself,  and you hate yourself.

You definitely, unequivocally hate yourself.

You groan in the passenger seat, head pressed against the cool window. The faint warmth of the sun glancing off your skin makes the tinges of nausea circling the periphery of your senses come to life. Your stomach does a cartwheel and you think- you’re sure you’re going to throw up but you aren’t gonna do that.

No way in hell are you gonna do that. Not when you’ve finally conned your way into monopolizing Tim’s attention for the weekend.

Ok, yeah, sure it was the result of some miscommunication between you and your cousin who then passed on the miscommunication to the whole goddamn family but that’s just what you call a happy accident.

You blow out a breath, greedily taking in all the coolness of the glass pressed against your skin calling your mind back to your body. You weren’t really good with handling the not sleeping thing.

“You ok?” Tim asked his eyes flickering between you and the alarmingly empty road. There was worry in his eyes whether it was the fact that you looked like shit or the fact that the road you were on looked like the opening to a terrible 80s slasher flick. It was Halloween after all. It would be pretty perfect. Dread licks at your stomach at the thought.

You let the silence lapse. In the corner of your eye, you see Tim’s hand tighten on the steering wheel. You stare at the expanse of farmland stretching to the horizon debating whether to humor his question or to let him stew.

“I’m fine,” You picked the third option.

“You don’t look fine,” Tim deadpans, turning to you.

“Stop looking then-” Tim scowls at you his pouty lips pulling into an angle. You sneer. “-You don’t look too good yourself, Kirk,”

Tim makes an offended noise. You look at Tim, really look at him, for the first time in hours. Tim, as per usual, looked obnoxiously handsome even though he was running on at most 30 minutes of sleep and had eye bags running down his face. Somewhere lost in his contemplative expression was the blindingly obvious hint of self doubt. You’ve seen it tons of times.

You peel yourself away from the cool glass to look Tim in the eyes. Dread swims in the pools of teal looking straight back at you. Tim’s mouth edges between a pout and a frown. You soften, shifting in your seat angling until your body is facing his.

“Whatever it is you’re overthinking it,”

“You don’t even know what I’m thinking!”

“Ay,” You chuckle and shake your head. “Tim, it’s you. You overthink everything. I don’t need to be a mind reader to see that,”

 Tim huffs. Maybe he was overthinking things.

“ ‘sides, I don’t see why you would be nervous 'bout meeting my family,”

Has it occurred to you I want to date you for real at some point? Tim thought a little frustrated.

You laugh when he frowns but instead of teasing him any further. You flick the radio on. Your hackles rise as it crackles to life. A smile flickers on your face when ‘All-star’ comes on. You cry out, a noise of shrill joy filling the air.

“Oh my god” Tim breathes, running his long fingers through his dark hair. “You absolute dork,”

“Kettle. Pot.” You grin.

Tim snorts as you loudly sing along with the radio. Unfortunately for him, your enthusiasm for the song was infectious. Somehow you both managed to miss every beat of the song.

You somehow felt like you were definitely forgetting something.

6 cans of monster and 5 things of 5-hour-energy drink later, you arrived. Tim’s nice-looking car pulls into the dusty gravel driveway of a rather large and old colonial looking house. Seeing the robust form of the large house looming in the distance injected your veins with a stifling source of dread. 

You love your family to bits but sometimes their presence weighed so much. You can feel their words already pecking at you, drawing pit and pieces of your self into frayed fibers. All you can think about were the comments hushed behind palms and the dissecting gaze of dark eyes. Your mouth feels dry and you can already feel your feet pivoting back towards the car.

Tim reaches for your hand, lacing his slender fingers between yours.  He smiles at you squeezing your hand. You can feel him rattling from his own anxiety but his effort steadies you. You grin at him and squeeze back.  

Your teeth click the entire walk up to the large oak doors. Tim squeezes your hand again, his teal eyes sweeping over you with a concerned glint. You furrow your brow and somehow he understands and raises his hand to knock on the door.

The door bursts open. Music and laughter wash over you as hands hurry you into the front hall.

“Nay! Dito na sya! May dalang gwapo!” (Mom, y/n’s here and they brought someone handsome.)

About 20 heads turn to look at you. Tim feels some embarrassment from the attention but that doesn’t last too long as in the space of about 5 seconds, those 20 heads were swarming you both, pulling you into hugs, shaking your hands, and ruffling your hair in varying degrees of force and order.

“Beh, you’ve grown so big” Your aunt coos squishing your face.

“Nena, look at this guy,”

“Tita, he doesn’t have any tattoos,” Your little cousin marveled looking bug-eyed as she lifted Tim’s shirt. You swat her away but take a quick second to subtly admire Tim’s sculpted abs. Your aunt scolds him and your uncle drags you to the main room where more guests were sitting chattering or screaming at a foreign horror movie.   

All the apprehension bundled into your stiff shoulders dissolves like seafoam against the overwhelming warmth of the festivities. The raucous laughter drags the roughness of Gotham away from your tongue. In place of your slow, careful syllables are quick clattering consonants and concise vowels. Your vowels were still elongated and angled to a sharp point unlike the nearly musical words of your cousins but as you said before ‘Gotham has its way of burying itself in your bones’. Tim just never thought about how saliently it showed itself in words. He wonders how his accent (folded, neat, and sterilized) sounds to you. He wonders how dull he sounds to you.

You have teased him about it. You’ve teased him endlessly about the way upper-class Manhattan just rolls off his tongue, how Alfred’s British affectations worm their way into his syllables. What you don’t tell him is how the smooth velvet of his words lull you into a hypnotic state that steals every bit of oxygen from your lungs.  What you can’t make yourself tell him is that you would gladly spend your whole life listening to him read a fucking phone book. 

The festivities were lively and informal. Jokes flying every which way. All alternating between your native tongue. You laugh into your drink, hiding the hesitant curve blunting your infectious smile. Tim nudges you to ask what’s wrong but you simply nudge him back and shake your head as if he had said something funny. Your relatives didn’t seem to notice your demeanor or if they did they left it alone.

Tim decides to leave it alone for now. Instead, he leaned into the flow of conversation. His years of speaking at galas working their magic on your aunts. They bombarded him with questions. Most of which sounded like screening questions at the embassy. You snarled at them more than once to knock it off but Tim shook it off. He knows they’re just worried about you the same way he worried for you. Well, not the same way but it was their way of showing they cared. He lets himself be immersed in the conversation.  It’s more like he tuned into the sweet sound of your laughter but made sure to dedicate enough restraint to not look like a love-sick puppy.

“Tanga!” (MORON!)

“Baliw!” (Crazy!)

“E gago ka pala, di ba halata yun?” (No shit sherlock, isn’t it obvious?)

Tim is at best confused as he watches the volley of words between you and your cousin. Your voices rising above the blaring karaoke. Anthony (?) clamps a hand on his shoulder and laughs as he watches you and Martin (?) hurl insults at each other. In the corner of your eye, you watch his reactions checking if he understood a word. He isn’t fluent but he understood bits and pieces. He’s heard you mutter angrily about customers enough times to distinguish an insult. 

“Dun worry about 'em. They won’t fight. They’re stupid but they’re not that stupid. ‘Sides, they’re too afraid of Nay for that,”

Tim gives Anthony a doubtful look. Anthony chuckles at him, clapping him on the back urging him to keep watching. He does if only to make sure you’ll be alright. When he does, he tunes into your words. Tim marvels at how musical you sound as you trade another round of rapid-fire jabs with Martin, how at ease you seem. Tim makes a mental note to get you to teach him. Though, he wasn’t entirely sure how he would justify it.  Admittedly, part of it was just wanting to spend more time with you.

He can probably swing it.

A surge of protectiveness crowds his veins when Martin grabs at you but his hand is swatted by a cane. The air crackles with a sharp snap. The room plunges into silence.  A small woman with silver hair stands tall and imperious at the other end of the cane. You and your cousins stiffen.

“Hi Nay,” You trail off with a distinct lack of grace. You swallow the lump forming your throat, robbed of any coherent thought by the stinging look in her eyes. You felt bare under her gaze. Layers and layers of skin peeling beneath the weight of her attention. Fury flickers like firelight across her dark eyes. Your skin suddenly felt like lint and you were sure you would catch fire.

A pause.

A bated breath held for what felt like an eternity.

“Iha(Iho), It’s been so long,” She says, softening. Her wrinkled face stretches into a kind smile that made you think of freshly cooked vegetables.  Her cane folding to her side as she loops her arm over your shoulders. “It’s nays to see you,”

A choked sound comes out of you and you feel something shake loose. “Missed you too, Nay,” You breathed. Tim feels awkward, fidgeting in his place.  

The soft smile on your grandmother fades a little. Her sharp eyes appraising Tim. The look wasn’t particularly venomous, but it left Tim feeling like he’d been cut open and analyzed. He wasn’t entirely sure of why you were all so scared of her before but now he fully understood.

She relinquishes her grip on you and urges you to go back to Tim. You frown a little, giving her a suspicious look which she returns innocently.  You let out a little breath before walking back to Tim’s side. She gives him another long once over before silently strolling away. His stomach churned but eased at your touch. You still look uneasy but you don’t fuss over it. Not when Martin decides that he wasn’t quite done with bickering.

 The festivities went on as normal. Maybe with a little less cussing going around. But Tim barely noticed when your laugh, free of any hesitance, echoed sonorously in his ear as he held you close. 

Roz presses a drink into his hand. “Congrats, you’ve survived round one of Nay’s hazing,”

“Round one?” Tim hiccups into his drink. He coughed. The beer was strong. A strangely potent amount of alcohol that made his throat burn.

“Yeah, Roz, that was more like round 2.” You mutter sullenly, distinctly taking no sips of the drink Roz had also handed you. The paranoid Bat-part of his brain screams that he’s been poisoned. He’s struggling not to let it win over but your conversation wasn’t helping.

“Nay will eat him alive,”

“I mean. She’ll do it nicely,”

“Pfffft, right! Ok, Tony, name one time she’s been nice.”

“How about-”

“The thing with Y/n earlier doesn’t count,”

“Why not?”

“There was a hidden agenda,”

“Oh shit! The bitch is right- Ow! You are!”

You look at Tim apologetically and squeeze his hand. Somehow this does not calm his nerves, but he tries his best to ease into his touch.

 On the trip here, you warned him that it was going to be exhausting. He assumed, incorrectly, that you were exaggerating. After all, he’s survived snobby rich people and his family. Your family seemed nice. He can survive a nice family dinner.

But what you neglected to tell him was that it would be sheer chaos.  He definitely wasn’t prepared for the sensory overload.  The house was almost unbearably loud compared to the manor. Every corner was filled with people chattering, playing games,  eating, and doing anything to entertain themselves. Sure, Tim was used to chaos but he was more accustomed to short bursts. He wasn’t quite as prepared for the seemingly endless stream of conversations and liquor.

You had definitely not prepared his poor unassuming introverted ass well enough. Not even halfway through the night, Tim was ready to crash. The 20 minutes of sleep he got beforehand had not helped. 

You, the angel that you are, guide him away from the party. You drag yourselves down the wide yawning corridor to the grand staircase.

Lit only by the thin veil of moonlight, the house showed its age. Walking up the stairs and walking through its hallways was like falling through time. The halls were lined with paintings, all landscapes and still-lifes. He’s thankful for that small mercy. His head swimming in liquor, he is reminded of the portraits at Wayne Manor and how their eyes burned at you as you passed.

The lack of portraits doesn’t make the house any less creepy mind you. Religious fixtures line the halls, crucifixes affixed to every arch-like mistletoes. There were doll-like statues of hollow-eyed saints at every corner table. It might have been the dancing moonlight but Tim swore he saw one of them move. Tim suddenly wishes he hadn’t ingested so much liquor.

Before long, you make your way to a bedroom. How the hell you knew which one to put him in was anyone’s guess. You lead him into the room. Touch gentle and careful as you coaxed him in. Soft jazzy music echoing hauntingly. The dancing moonlight and the solid shadows of the room highlighting your gorgeous features, drawing his attention to your plush lips. You lean over him to make sure he was indeed still part of the living. Liquid courage surging in his face, he presses his lips to yours. It’s cautious. He gently runs his hand through your hair, pulling you towards him with a push. The press of his lips is restrained, more of a question than a demand. Slightly chapped lips press against your sweet and searching.

Tim remembers the warm press of your lips, the way the pads of fingers trail against the soft fabric of his shirt, your warm breath fanning against his cool skin, then nothing.

Knock

Knock

KNOCK

Tim grouses into his pillow. Tim was having an absolutely wonderful dream. He could still feel your warm lips against his.  Tim squeezes his eyes trying to go back to sleep.

Knock

KNOCK

KNOCK

‘1 AM’ the antique analog clock at the nightstand reads.

“I’m up!” He lies burying himself further into the thick sheets.

His brothers really needed to stop breaking into his apartment at 1-

KNOCK

KNOCK

KNOCK

Tim nearly falls out of bed when he remembers where he is. He jams a shirt over his head and some sweatpants before stumbling to the door.

“Hey Tim, you coming?” Anthony asks through the crack of the door.

Tim opens the door a little wider. “Where?”

“Outside,” Roz shrugs vaguely.

 “Whe-”

You step out of your room, extremely hesitant. Your knuckles were turning white from apprehension. You look at Tim, surprise plain in your eyes. You flinch heat rising to your cheeks. Tim remembers the texture of your soft lips. He wishes that wasn’t a dream. You glare at your cousins who give you a confused look. 

“Roz, he-”

“Awwww, ‘insan, you’re actually coming?” Martin mocks clapping you on the shoulder drawing, what Tim considers, an adorable squeak from you. His heart almost leaps from his chest when your warm body presses further into Tim’s side. You can’t hear it but Tim’s breath stutters in his chest.  He loops his arm around you protectively. Martin gives both of you a sly conspiratorial look.

You scowl at Martin. Glaring with as much intensity and intimidation your burning cheeks would allow. Roz swats him over the head making him almost topple down the steps before Anthony even gets a chance to rebuke him. Instead, Anthony turns to you, brows furrowed. “You sure you want to come? Nay said-”

“La a!” Martin protested. Roz rolls her eyes and swats him again. “Dipshit’s right. Nay didn’t say jack,”

“Then why did you swat me?”

“E, I felt like it e,”

“Bish, whose side are you on?!” He snarls but before he can lunge at Roz, Anthony is already dragging him by the scruff of his neck.

“Shhhhhhhhhhh! Not so loud. The kids will hear us,”

“I for one will not help you wrangle tita’s crotch gremlins,”

“We’re going to be late and Nay is going to unleash hell upon us,”

Anxiously, you tug at Tim urging him to follow your cousins as they filed out through the back door.

 “Where are we going?” Tim hisses.

All four of you share a look.

“We’ll explain,” You promise.

 The journey was eerie. Punctuated by the fact that none of you explain jack. The walk was entirely silent, devoid of bickering or any sort of conversation. He can see the silence driving both Roz and Anthony mad. You honestly look like you’re going to keel over. The odd thing was that even the birds were silent. Not a single sound penetrated the thick canopy of juniper trees.

You wonder the woods guided only by the thin ribbons of silver light peaking through the thick clouds of leaves. Tim can feel your pulse as it thundered in your chest. No matter what was going on he would keep you safe.

You arrive in front of a rusted gate half a foot shorter than Tim. It was small, easily climbable with plenty of spiraling pieces to stick your foot into for purchase if needed. Your eyes cut to Roz who fished out a key he’d seen perched on one of the coat racks.  Hesitantly, you held your hand out for the key. Roz, on the other hand, all but slammed it into your hand, grinning in a mix of absolute glee and relief. Your teeth click as you worked the lock. He wants to suggest just going over it but you seem quite adamant and he wasn’t about to push your nerves.

Finally, the lock gives in.

You all file in one at a time in a sort of practiced motion. Beyond the gates was a path with its stones polished from a shine from use. The scarce light coming from the canopy of trees rippling against them. It lit the rest of the way still keeping the surroundings in deep shadow.

The path ended in front of a small dilapidated stone structure that seemed too small to house anything.

“Age before beauty,” Martin jeers, bending down dramatically urging Roz to go in. She, in turn, shoves him in with a swift kick. The dark interior of the structure swallows him whole. Her dark eyes cut to you. You swallow but ultimately you shrug off Tim’s hold and relinquish your death grip on Tim’s arm. You let out a shaky breath as you step over the threshold. Just like Martin before you, the shadows leave no trace of you.

Tim reaches for the last bit of your swaying blanket. Roz taking the chance shoves Tim over the threshold, his vision goes pitch black.

“See you there, lover boy~”

The darkness is all-encompassing making his eyes completely useless as much as he tries to adjust them. Instead, he strains all of his other senses. He feels the press of moss-covered walls closing in on him. The staircase only seemed wide enough to let one person pass at a time. The stairs wind in shallow predictable patterns. The scent of moss and burning firewood grew heavy as he made his descent. Distantly, he could hear the soft padding of your shoes against the stone but he also heard the crackle of jazzy music. It was the kind he only heard from the old black and white movies Bruce and Alfred watched. It was oddly familiar but he couldn’t place it. The smooth baritone of the singer rattles in his head. A shiver of mild discomfort travels up his spine.

After what feels like an eternity, Tim emerges. His eyes slamming shut from the sudden brightness of his surroundings. He blinks, eyes adjusting to the light. His eyes take in his surroundings.

He was in a clearing. It was man-made, constructed using the same stones that lined the path you’d taken. The stone walls were covered in moss and ivy, but the stone that did peak out reflected the moonlight freely raining drown from the clear autumn sky. In the center of the space, sit 9 people including yourself. All cast in the warm glow of the crackling bonfire. It is a living thing, raging and casting shadows sharpening and obscuring features.

“I’m so glad you could join us, Timothy,” Your grandmother calls out as she fiddles with the nobs of the old radio perched in her lap. It crackles uncooperatively despite her efforts. He can’t pry his eyes away from it even as he takes his seat next to your shivering form.

Without much thought, Tim pulls you close. You tremble, teeth still clicking eyes wild and fixed on the radio. The radio is a curious thing. It’s an old model. It’s sleek but dotted with various nobs and switches. If he had to guess, it was something out of the 1960s. In the periphery of his senses, he hears Roz and Anthony step out of the staircase and take their places in the circle with Roz sitting right next to your grandmother.

Your grandmother stops fiddling with the radio then turns to Roz who is now comfortably seated. Your teeth chatter and your shoulder hitch as they silently converse. Roz inhales then exhales. Her dark eyes sweep over all of you making sure she had your attention. Based on the silence and the still forms, she did. She sits a little straighter, her shoulders rolling back.

She throws herself into a tale. It was a story she’d heard long ago about a man, a house, and a secret. Her calm voice carries over the soft roaring of the bonfire. It wasn’t the scariest tale Tim had heard but Roz told it well. Well enough to draw squeaks from several people including yourself.

Tim relaxes catching on to the turn of events. He lets you press into his side as you make your feeble attempt to get away from the story. Tim chuckles at the amount of theatrics you’ve all put into building up to this little gathering. However, all his smug skepticism vanishes when Roz finishes her story.

The static from the radio vanishes. Its various nobs move without assistance and its switches click into place.  The same baritone voice carries from the radio. Tim doesn’t hear what it says as his mind reels. He turns to you and opens his mouth to ask but Anthony begins his tale before Tim can even formulate his question. Beside him, you fidget with his sleeve shaking hands clenching and unclenching on the fabric.

Tim remembers how much you hate ghost stories. You’d once gotten sick with a fever just from watching horror movies. At this point, you were on the verge of tears. Your breathing slowed abnormally as Martin finished his story. The radio predictably did not whirr to life after his story. Through your chattering teeth, you give your cousin a vicious smile which he volleys by sticking his tongue out petulantly.

It’s your turn.

You squeeze Tim’s hand twice before worming out of his grasp. You flutter your long lashes, lightcatching in them looking golden as the fire flickered urging you to delve into your story. You roll your shoulders and let your blanket and apprehension slide away in one smooth action.

You tell your story.

 Your countenance still and grave as you tell a story of crossroads and terrible choices.

The radio huffs, seemingly amused by your effort.

“Well, y/n,” The radio coos. Your name drips like molasses from its speakers. It’s unsettling how crisp it sounds. Its voice absent of static as it addresses you. “You sure do know about bad choices. I believe so does that young thing- Pardon me. Young things swimming in the harbor. They’re just a tinsy bit cut up about it.” The radio teases almost sounding gleeful. You nod gravely, stomach reaching the floor.

Harbor?

You settle back down into your seat. Tim nudges you, cocking his head to the side to question you. Your fist clenches and unclenches in your lap before you look him in the eyes again.

“Case,” You mouth silently.

It clicks.

The harbor.

 The bodies.

That’s what the radio meant.

Someone clears their throat urging Tim to tell a story. He stumbles through a half-remembered urban legend he heard from Steph awhile ago. His mind far too preoccupied with the new information to really devote to any theatrics.

 His turn passes.

And the stories continue as he mulls over the information.

It’s your grandmother’s turn. Your hand grips Tim’s arms white-knuckled. You attempt to swallow down the fear but it catches in your throat constricting your airway. The flames dance casting her face in sinister shadows that bring out all the sharp angles in her features. Her smile curls cruel. Her bony fingers trace the seems and delicate patterns embossed on the old radio. Static erupts loud then dies down just as quickly. Her smokey voice fills the air. Heavy and commanding. The story spills from her lips smooth and velvety slick with gore and unspoken horrors. None of you dare to speak. Some don’t even breathe. Your hands scrabble for purchase on Tim’s shirt as you bury your face in his chest. You feel him wrap himself around you shielding you the best he can. Ear pressed to his chest, you can hear Tim’s pulse hammering. The terror soaking through to his bones. He remains steady. Unflinching even as the story reaches its climax.

The flames flash, fade, then flicker.  

The radio crackles.

The smooth baritone of its voice distorting into something undeniably inhuman.

Shadows dance.

Their hands reaching out as the flames did. A hard yank from one of them nearly topples you out of Tim’s arms.  He shifts you both away from their grasp. He glares fiercely at them making sure you’re safe.

Sorrowful moans fill the air but your grandmother is undeterred.

With a shrill cry from the radio, everything dies down.

The shadows retreat.

The fire simmers down now small and tame.

Everyone lets out a breath. Both of you could feel everyone unfurl. Tense muscles, locked jaws, tight chests all loosen with the end of the story.

For a long moment, the entire circle is still. Then your grandmother stands up. The rest follow her in a mostly quiet procession up the steps.

“Roddy was harsh this year,” Martin whines.

“Nope, you’re just terrible at it. I mean hell even y/n got an answer. It was creepy as all shit but they got an answer,”

“Uh- Is it a good time to ask what just happened?”

Your cousins turn to you.

“You really didn’t tell him anything, did you?”

“How do you propose I bring up the demonic radio?”

“Pffft,”

“Pirst, it isn’t demonic. Do you really think Nay would have kept it if it was?”

“She lets Martin hang around,”

“…….”

“Dis is a good point,”

“HEY”

Tim clears his throat.

“Raaayt, Ok so… once a year we tell the spooky radio stories so we can get answers or our future told,”

“Was the whole creepy walk necessary?”

“Nope,” You answer in chorus.

“It’s just our way of psyching up for it,”

“It’s your guy’s way. Tita at least let’s me hum songs,”

“Well excuse me for not wanting to listen to you sing,”

“Is there anything else you guys want to tell me?”

“Aside from y/n really not wanting to tell-”

You snarl at your cousins, red-faced and bearing your teeth. Martin and Roz cackle as they run. Anthony has the decency to at least look slightly apologetic as he runs.

“Y/n… What aren’t you telling me?”

“Tim, I- I’m- Damn it- I-” You put your hands on your face. You try to calm your breaths. “Look Tim, I-”You take another breath. “I’m sorry. I kissed you but you were drunk-”

“Wait that wasn’t a dream?” There’s a flicker in Tim’s chest.

You look at him mortified. You want the ground to swallow you whole. “Yeah, I- Tim, I know it’s- I’m sorry.”

He remains silent.

Your stomach feels like it’s going to burn up.

“I-”

“I want a redo,”

“A what?”

“A redo,” 

a/n: I will rework the ending at some point but thank you for reading! 

 taglist:   @batarella, @anothertimdrakestan, @lucy-roo, @multifandomgirl-us, @idkmanicantenglish,@birdy-bat-writes,  @boosyboo9206, @americasmarauders (I wanna drag you into Terry hell), @l-horizon11

[splendidlyimperfect]

When Natsu runs into five-year-old Sting and Rogue at the Grand Magic Games, he thinks they're cute kids with a serious case of hero worship. But when it turns out that they're both Dragon Slayers and they belong to the ruthless Sabertooth Guild, something doesn't feel quite right. Natsu and Gray quickly grow protective of the two little kids, and they do their best to build a relationship with them to try to keep them safe and figure out what exactly is going on at Sabertooth.

alternate chapter art here

Chapter Summary: Natsu and Gray are both unsettled by the revelation about Sting and Rogue's dragon slaying powers, and Gray realizes he has something in common with Rogue.

Chapters (2/?): 1 | 2 Fandom: Fairy Tail Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Gray Fullbuster, Rogue Cheney/Sting Eucliffe, Laxus Dreyar/Freed Justine Additional Tags: Canon Universe, Not Canon Compliant, like not even close, Dai Matou Enbu | Grand Magic Games Arc, Sort Of, Childhood Friends, Cute Kids, Hero Worship, Fairy Tail Dragon Slayers, Protectiveness, protective Natsu, Protective Gray, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Parenthood, sorta - Freeform, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trans Character, Nonbinary Character, Trans Gray, Trans Sting, Nonbinary Rogue, they're just adorable baby dragon slayers and Natsu wants to adopt them, and kind of does, Mutual Pining, because Gray and Natsu are idiots

-----

The walk back to the inn was quiet. Erza and Lucy quickly slipped into a recap of the day’s events, but Natsu was edgy and distracted, still trying his hardest to figure out what had felt wrong about the two boys.

“You’re gonna hurt yourself if you think too hard.” Gray appeared beside Natsu and bumped his shoulder, knocking him out of step.

“Hilarious.” Natsu nudged him back, but it lacked the usual enthusiasm of their bickering.

“I try.” Gray shoved his hands into his pockets, staying next to Natsu as they made their way through the dark streets. He didn’t say anything, which wasn’t unusual for him, but Natsu felt like there was a weight behind the lack of words.

“It doesn’t feel right,” Natsu finally said once they had arrived at the inn and the girls had headed in to sleep. He leaned against the wall next to Gray and stared up at the sky. The sun had set, and the sky was a dark tapestry littered with pinpricks of stars. “I dunno why it’s bugging me so much. We weren’t much older when we joined Fairy Tail.”

Gray nodded, absently patting his pocket where he used to keep his cigarettes. Natsu batted his hand away, trying to ignore the warm spark when their fingers touched.

It doesn’t mean anything, Natsu thought as he pulled his hand back and shoved it in his pocket. He’s your best friend.

Continue reading on AO3

Gray didn’t answer for a while. The silence that settled between them was easy and familiar, and Natsu felt himself unconsciously leaning closer to Gray. Everyone always teased Natsu about how much he talked, but when he was alone with Gray, it didn’t feel necessary. The urgent need to fill the air with cheerful words was replaced by a deep, quiet sense of familiarity that felt like home.

“I think,” Gray said after a while, keeping his gaze on the sky, “it feels wrong because they’re alone. I mean, not alone, but there aren’t any other kids in their guild.” He kicked at a rock, watching it bounce across the street and clatter down into the gutter. “They’re so young. And nobody’s looking out for them.”

“Yukino is,” Natsu pointed out, and Gray nodded. “But she seems…”

“Afraid?”

“Mm. She doesn’t really fit with them either.” Natsu sighed, prodding at a bruise that was still forming on his ribs. It was courtesy of a vicious kick from Orga during their fight that morning – one that Natsu and Gray had nearly lost to Sabertooth’s ruthless tactics.

Silence fell between them again. The soft chill that normally radiated from Gray was tempered by Natsu’s heat, keeping them both comfortably warm in the cool spring air. Natsu absently held out his hand and summoned a small flame, running it back and forth across his knuckles. Gray blew a stream of frosty air at it, and it froze for a second, glinting orange and gold in the dim light of the streetlamp.

“I think Sting’s trans,” Gray said as the flame went out.

Natsu raised an eyebrow, tipping his head to look at the soft expression on Gray’s face. Natsu still remembered the day he’d come out, even though it was years ago. They’d been nine or ten, sparring as usual, and Droy had told Natsu that he shouldn’t hit girls. Gray had yelled that he wasn’t a girl, said some words that he’d probably picked up from Gildarts, then punched Droy and stormed away from the guild. Natsu had followed him down to the river and they’d spent the afternoon together, carefully holding hands and watching the water sparkle in the afternoon sun.

Nothing had changed. Gray was still Gray, and Natsu had still loved him just as fiercely.

“How do you know?”

Gray shrugged. “I dunno, something…” He trailed off, gesturing vaguely. Natsu nodded. He’d known right away that Rogue wasn’t a boy or a girl, just like Freed, but he couldn’t quite explain how.

“I wish they could come with us,” Natsu said. “There’s something off – not just about Sabertooth, about them. I can’t figure it out and it’s driving me crazy.”

“You could try to talk to Yukino,” Gray suggested. “Not to take them or anything, just to maybe, I dunno, offer to help them. Train them, I mean. With the dragon slayer stuff. Jiemma might go for that if that’s what he’s… keeping them for.”

“That’s… actually a good idea.”

“I happen to have those sometimes.”

“Only when you’re inspired by my brilliance.”

Gray laughed – a rare, quiet sound that made Natsu’s cheeks warm and his stomach twist in a gentle, familiar way.

“C’mon,” Gray said, pushing himself off the wall and nudging Natsu’s arm. “It’s late, let’s go to bed.”

Natsu swallowed back the disappointment that washed over him – he wanted to stay here, shoulders touching, talking quietly in the night. He liked having Gray to himself. It happened so rarely now that they were adults, and Natsu missed the afternoons they used to spend by the river. He missed holding hands. He missed falling asleep together under the afternoon sun and waking up with his head on Gray’s shoulder.

“I’ll be right in,” he said, forcing himself to smile.

Gray frowned. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Natsu said quickly. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

~

“You shouldn’t drink so much of that; you’re going to have a heart attack.”

Gray glared half-heartedly at Lucy over his fourth cup of coffee. Even with that much caffeine flowing through him, he was still exhausted. Sleep had evaded him for most of the night. At first, he’d spent his time waiting for Natsu to come inside, wishing he’d stayed out with him. Then, once Natsu had finally crawled into the bed across from Gray and was snoring softly, the nightmares had started.

Gray hadn’t dreamed about his mom in a long time. He’d woken up in the early hours of the morning, skin and sheets covered in a thick layer of frost, and had been surprised to find tears frozen to his cheeks.

“’m fine,” he mumbled. “Stupid beds are uncomfortable.”

Lucy nodded sympathetically as she sat down at the table across from him. The inn had its own small kitchen, and Gray was grateful for the option to eat here, mostly alone, instead of heading to the market to find food with everyone else. He still felt unsettled and wasn’t quite ready to face the world.

“Are you okay?” Lucy’s gentle question made the fragile barrier around Gray’s heart splinter a little and he sighed, dropping his head into his hands. Somehow, she was always able to see past his bullshit.

“Just bad dreams.”

“Is it because of the kids?”

Gray peeked up at her. “You’re freakishly perceptive, you know that, right?”

Lucy laughed, poking at her pancakes. “So that’s a yes, then.”

“I guess.” Gray rubbed his face. “I dunno. They’re little and alone.” The words stuck in his throat and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself together. “It just…”

“Reminds you of yourself?”

“Would you stop that?”

“Nope.”

Gray groaned. “Yes, okay? And I know a lot of us had shitty childhoods, but it made me think about my mom, and how it sucks they don’t have their parents. That’s all.”

Lucy reached across the table and took Gray’s hand, squeezing it gently. “It’s okay to miss your mom,” she said gently. “I miss mine, too. And I know that Natsu’s thinking about his dad. You’re not alone, Gray.”

He let out a noisy breath and tipped his head back to stare at the ceiling. “Yeah, I know.” He squeezed her hand, giving her a small half-smile before letting go and grabbing his coffee again. The taste was bitter as he downed it in one gulp, then stood up and pushed his chair away from the table.

“You’d better get going,” Lucy said, gesturing at the clock on the wall behind him. “I’m pretty sure you’re up first this morning.”

“Mm.” Gray stretched, then leaned across the table and quickly kissed the top of Lucy’s head. He pulled away before she could say anything, turning toward the door so she couldn’t see the redness in his cheeks. “See you later?” For some reason it came out as a question, almost seeking reassurance.

Of course, Lucy provided it. “I’ll be cheering for you,” she said. “Good luck!”

~

The fight was exhausting. Gray was matched one-on-one against someone named Renne from a guild he couldn’t even remember, and the lack of sleep caught up to him halfway through the fight. Something hit him hard in the forehead and he stumbled backward, blinking when blood dripped into his eyes.

C’mon, Princess. Natsu’s voice filled Gray’s mind and for a moment, he thought it was his imagination. Then he glanced up into the stands and realized that Natsu was staring down at him with Max by his side, borrowing his telepathic magic. You’ve got this.

Gray shook his head to clear his blurred vision, launching a barrage of ice blades from his hands as Renne teleported behind him. Another hit landed on his jaw and he grunted in pain, stumbling forward and cursing under his breath. Frustration and embarrassment washed over him as blood filled his mouth.

The kids are watching. Natsu’s voice appeared again. Look up.

Gray spun around, gaze moving from Natsu’s grinning face to the enormous screen that panned across the crowd. Right now, it was focused on Sabertooth, and there, leaning against the railing, were Sting and Rogue. Sting had a wild grin on his face and was bouncing up and down in excitement, turning to talk to Yukino as he pointed at Gray. Rogue was standing behind him, looking much more subdued, but when Gray realized they were still holding the snake he’d made, something warm flooded through him.

Fuck this, he thought, spitting blood onto the ground and turning back to Renne. I’m not gonna lose. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

As soon as he thought about it, the devil slayer magic he’d been ignoring for so long started to thrum under his skin. An anticipation grew along with the power, layered with an irritated almost-whisper of, why did you wait so long, let me out, let me free, let me destroy.

Gray gritted his teeth, pushing back against the destructive desires of the magic. It itched and stung, just like every time he called on it, pushing at him like it didn’t quite fit in his body. The black marks raced across his skin like ink on parchment, twisting in patterns that Gray still didn’t understand. He didn’t use the magic often – even after a year, the new powers still unsettled him.

He exhaled, letting the tension and fatigue flow out of his body, then looked up at Renne again. Everything about her was sharper. Gray could see her magic now; a purplish-blue aura that darted around her, quick and nimble. It tasted bitter, overpowering the coppery tang of blood that clung to the inside of his mouth.

A look of surprise appeared on her face that was quickly replaced by disgust, and she cursed as she charged at him. Her magic flowed just ahead of her, and Gray watched the movements carefully, stepping out of the way of her attack. She stumbled uncertainly, then glared at him as she disappeared in a burst of light.

Gray closed his eyes, letting the magic flow out of him like a sixth sense, feeling through the air until it found a heartbeat. He whipped around as the magic snapped back to him, crystallizing along his arms until sharp blades spread from his fingers to elbows. Renne appeared exactly where he’d expected, and her nasty grin was quickly replaced by a look of surprise when he caught her blow one-handed and tossed her to the ground.

A hungry sensation raced through Gray at the expression on her face, but he pushed it back, refusing to give in to the vicious desires of his magic. The commentators shouted something, and a cheer spread through the crowd, but it all turned to a dull roar as Gray pushed the magic out again, letting it crystallize into a group of wicked-looking ice shards that hung around Renne.

“What the hell kind of magic is this?” she hissed, pushing herself to her feet. The shards moved closer to her, bathing her in the bruised purple light of the devil slayer’s ice.

“Mine,” Gray said simply. Then he closed his fist and detonated the ice. It exploded into thousands of tiny fragments that whipped around Rennee, sharp and deadly. She swore as one of them nicked her arm, then scowled at Gray and teleported away.

He closed his eyes again, following the magic as it moved. It darted back and forth around him and through the air, leaving behind a sour, acidic smell, then stopped on near the edge of the stadium. Gray quickly dropped to one knee, pressing his hands to the ground and sending out a shockwave that culminated in a mass of razor-sharp ice spikes exploding underneath where Rennee reappeared.

She disappeared again and Gray could feel her anger and resentment, a dark blue color seething through the lines of her magic. It made her even easier to track. He kept his eyes closed, shifting to follow each teleport and block it with the hungry magic that flowed through him.

A few attempts later, he caught her. She materialized into a prison of dark purple ice that raced across her skin until it covered her torso and pinned her arms to her chest. She stumbled forward, landing on her knees and not standing again.

The commentator’s voices were fuzzy as a cheer raced through the stadium and the Fairy Tail logo filled the screen. Gray exhaled in relief as he released the magic around Renne, pulling it back to him and letting it dissolve. The marks quickly disappeared into his skin, leaving him worn out and oddly cold.

“Freak,” Renne hissed as she stumbled to her feet. “That magic is evil. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Gray didn’t have an answer for her, and he dropped his gaze to the ground as she turned on her heel and walked away.

I knew you could do it. Natsu’s voice appeared in Gray’s head again and he looked up to see the stupid, brilliant smile that always made his heart ache. You looked pretty badass, too. Gray was glad he was far enough away from Natsu that he couldn’t see the embarrassed flush that crept into his cheeks. I think you’ve got a new fan, Natsu added, nodding to the screen again.

The camera had panned to the left, but the edge of the screen still caught the Sabertooth viewing area. Sting had been cut out of the picture, but Rogue was still there, clutching the snake to their chest and gazing down at Gray with a wide-eyed look of adoration. The warm feeling from earlier swelled in Gray’s chest again – for some reason, that look was worth more than all the cheers from the rest of the stadium.

~

The dizzy, uncomfortable feeling that always appeared after using the devil slayer magic plagued Gray for the rest of the day. He tried his best to shake it off and cheer for his team, but the feeling dug its claws into him and wouldn’t let go.

Freak.

Evil.

Demon.

The echo of Renne’s voice drifted around in his mind, next to the headache and the unsettling feeling of his skin not fitting quite right.

“You okay?” Natsu asked once they’d left the stadium for the day. The evening sky was a soft pink and cast gentle shadows across the cobblestone street. The market was closed for the evening and the quiet was a calm reprieve from the shouts and excitement of the games.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Gray grumbled. “I’m fine.”

“Liar.” Natsu gave him a sideways look but Gray refused to return it. “You look like shit.”

Gray snorted. “Thanks.”

“It’s what I’m here for.” Gray caught Natsu’s grin out of the corner of his eye. “Seriously, though. You used the magic.”

Gray’s stomach twisted. “Of course I used magic,” he said quickly. “It’s called the Grand Magic Games.”

“That’s not what I meant, idiot, and you know it.”  

Gray sighed, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. He missed being able to hold Natsu’s hand. They’d done it for years, and the gentle warmth of Natsu’s palm against his had always been enough to make Gray feel safe. Then they’d grown up and it had started to feel like something else, and it hurt Gray too much to keep touching Natsu and knowing he couldn’t have him like that.  

“I just—”

Gray’s words were interrupted by a yell, and a familiar voice shouting, “Stop it!”

“Sting?” Gray frowned at Natsu, looking around the empty market for the little boy. It took a second and another shout for him to see the head of curly blond hair on the other side of the fountain in the center of the square.  

“Are they out here again by themselves?” Natsu asked, sighing in exasperation as they both quickened their pace and headed toward Sting. “I swear, I’m gonna—”

“Leave them alone!”

Sting yelled again, and they arrived at the fountain just in time to see someone shove him. It was a boy who looked to be a couple years older than Sting and Rogue, and an ugly look crossed his face as Sting stumbled backward.

“He’s stupid and you are too,” the boy said, hands clenching into fists. A terrified-looking Rogue stood just behind Sting, and a spark of protective anger flared in Gray’s chest. Sting’s cheeks were red, and he looked like he was about to cry, but he didn’t back down. His hands shook as the boy took a step toward him.

“Hey!” Natsu’s shout caught the boy’s attention as he stepped forward, and he whipped around to face them. His eyes widened when he realized who Natsu was. “What do you think you’re—”

Before Gray could grab him, the boy was gone, darting out of the market and into the maze of alleys that wound through the city.

There was a moment of silence, and then Sting burst into tears.

“Hey bud.” Natsu’s voice was gentle as he crouched down next to Sting. “Are you okay?” Sting shook his head, and Natsu made a sad sound, pulling the little boy into a hug. “It’s okay,” Natsu said softly as Sting pressed his face into his shoulder. “You’re safe.”

Gray turned to Rogue, who was staring uncertainly at Sting and Natsu. Gray hesitated, not quite sure if he should step in or let Natsu handle it. Kids weren’t his forte – even with Asuka he sometimes felt awkward and out of place, unsure of how to respond to her exuberance and desire to play.

Then Rogue rubbed their face and Gray realized they were about to cry as well.

“Hey, c’mere,” Gray said gently, holding out his hand. Rogue stared at Sting for a few more seconds, then cautiously took Gray’s hand and followed him over to the fountain. Gray sat down on the edge and lifted Rogue up to sit beside him, surprised by how light they were. Rogue quickly curled up against him as they sniffled and tried to hide their tears.

“Is Sting in trouble?”

“Of course not,” Gray reassured them, wrapping his arm around them as they snuggled closer to him. The easy trust that Rogue seemed to have in him made Gray feel warm and important. “That kid was a jerk,” he said. “Neither of you did anything wrong. Did he hurt you?”

Rogue shook their head, sniffing and wiping their face with their sleeve. “He said my eyes was weird,” they said quietly. Anger flared up in Gray’s chest again and he contemplated chasing the kid down. “Sting telled him to go away but he didn’t listen. Why he was mean?”

“I don’t know,” Gray said honestly. “Sometimes people aren’t very nice and there isn’t a good reason for it.”

Rogue didn’t answer, just rested their head against Gray’s shoulder and played with the frayed edge of their sleeve. Gray looked back at Natsu, who was still crouched next to Sting with a hand on his arm. Sting had stopped crying and his face was set in a stubborn frown, and Gray almost laughed when he realized it was the same look Natsu had always worn at that age.

“You’re nice,” Rogue said, pulling Gray’s attention back to them. “I like you.”

Gray stilled, not quite sure why the words made his cheeks burn. “I like you too,” he said carefully. He looked back at Natsu, who had managed to get Sting to smile, then back down at Rogue. He felt wildly out of his element and he had no idea how to make Rogue feel better. Then he thought of the way Rogue’s face had lit up at the snake sculpture he’d made the day before.

“Hey, you wanna see something cool?”

Rogue looked up at him, half of their face hidden behind a curtain of dark hair. “See what?”

Gray held out both hands, summoning his magic as slowly as he could. Snowflakes drifted up and around his palms as they started to glow with a faint blue light. Rogue’s face immediately brightened with excitement and they leaned forward, staring at the magic.

“You can make a snake again?” they asked as they gazed at the soft blue light.

“Sure,” Gray said, relaxing as Rogue’s tearful expression transformed into a small, shy smile. “I can make anything you want.”

“Anything?” Rogue’s eyes widened further.

“Yep.” Gray moved his fingers and the ice twisted into a snake again, then into a thin, delicate snowflake, then into a small cat. Rogue watched the whole time, head tilted to the side, entranced by the movements.

“You can do it black?” they asked, looking down at their own hands.  

Gray frowned. “Black?” Rogue touched Gray’s forearm and his eyes widened as he realized they meant the devil slayer marks.

“That’s sort of—”

“Like mine.” Rogue held his palm out next to Gray’s and a tiny, black wisp appeared. “See?” Gray watched as it flickered and twisted, then dropped back down onto Rogue’s hand. A bit of it spread out under their skin for a moment, just like the marks on Gray’s arms. “It’s only little cause I did a big one and it scareded Yukino but it was an accident. I didn’t mean to.”

The uncertainty and shame in Rogue’s voice made Gray’s heart ache.

“I’m sure she was just surprised,” he reassured Rogue. Then he pushed away his exhaustion and slowly pulled at the devil slayer magic until a pattern of dark marks swirled across his arms. The soft blue glow in his palms darkened as he focused the magic, keeping it from overwhelming him. He jumped when he felt something on his wrist, but it was just Rogue’s fingertips, tracing the pattern of the marks.

“Show me yours again,” Gray said, nudging Rogue’s hands. They hesitated, then held up their palm next to Gray’s, summoning another wisp of shadow that danced along their fingers. “You can make it bigger,” Gray said. Rogue gave him a dubious look. “It’s okay, I promise.”

“’kay.” Rogue squirmed forward, bringing their other hand up as the shadow grew, spiraling and flickering until it was nearly the size of a house cat. Gray nudged it with his own magic, drawing the shadow into the cloud of dark snowflakes.

“See?” He smiled at the delighted expression on Rogue’s face. “It’s not scary. It’s pretty.” The marks on his arms shifted again and he felt the magic trying to stretch. “What should we make?” he asked, trying to ignore the sensation.

“A frog?” Rogue asked. “I like frogs.”

Gray laughed, shifting his magic alongside Rogue’s and molding it into the shape of a small frog that fit in the palm of their hand. Instead of the bright, clear blue from the other day, this one was deep purple, with wisps of shadow twisted inside the ice. It was beautiful, in a strange way.

“Thank you.” Rogue tipped their head onto Gray’s shoulder, letting out a happy sigh and snuggling close as they ran their fingers over the frog. He exhaled, letting the magic sink back into his skin as he wrapped his arm around Rogue again.

They sat in silence for a while as Gray watched Natsu and Sting. Natsu had moved to sit cross-legged on the ground and Sting was in his lap, still red-eyed but no longer crying. The soft, fond feelings that Gray tried so hard to keep to himself surfaced easily as he watched the two of them. Natsu’s smile was genuine and his hands were gentle, and he was beautiful in the shadows of the setting sun.

“All right, you two,” Natsu said eventually, standing and scooping Sting into his arms. “Oof, you’re heavy.”

“I’m five,” Sting said, managing to look indignant even while wrapping his arms around Natsu’s neck. “That’s big.”

“That is big,” Natsu agreed, giving Gray a soft smile as he stood as well, holding a sleepy Rogue in his arms. “Now, let’s go find Yukino.”

[cactibarber]

Chapter 2 of my TMA x MBMBAM crack fic is up! (Chapter 1) Thanks so much to everyone who’s read it so far!

---

Justin cleared his throat and began. “Well, we were thinking about going on vacation, so we were waiting until we had some free time-“

“Not that we work hard,” Travis interrupted. “Not like you guys with your files and- are those tape recorders?”

“And we then we all got sick for like two weeks, so we figured we needed a break,” Justin finished. “So we wanted to go to Europe-“

“Gotta get out of the states, you know. It’s uhhh not great right now,” Griffin said. “And-“

“And we decided on London. You know, to- tae sae Bahg Baen,” Justin said, in what Jon guessed was an atrocious attempt at a Scottish accent. The voice didn’t go unnoticed, however, as the two brothers pounced immediately.

“No, no, no it’s Boig Boin-“

“Bae Baen-“

“Beyblades? Are you talking about fucking Beyblades, Travis?”

Jon rubbed his temples and resisted the urge to shout down the hall for Martin- hell, maybe Daisy or Basira could help scare them into giving a proper statement. He had to admit, he was a bit confused with what was going on- usually when people gave a statement, it was in a more listenable way, getting rid of all the feelings (and trauma) that clouded the statement. But these brothers sat in front of him, seemingly rambling about some thing that had happened to them, and they didn’t seem to care at all.

Jon attempted to focus back in to the conversation. The brothers seemed to be arguing about whether the Dick Van Dyke accent from Mary Poppins counted as a real English accent.

“-and the whole movie takes place in London, Griffin, so what I don’t know why you would think that it didn’t count-”

“Oh, just because the movie takes place in London, huh Travis? So if I started talking about ‘puttin it on the barbie’ in Niu Yawk-”

“Gross, Griffin, what are you putting on the barbie?”

“Yeah, c’mon Griff.”

“Gentlemen,” Jon said firmly, a faint crackle of compulsion in his voice. The McElroys sat up straight, as if shocked by lightning. “Please. Continue.”

Justin’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he started speaking again. “Well, the point is that we ended up taking a trip to London town-”

“Something no-one but our dad says,” Griffin muttered under his breath.

“-and we were out at one of the pubs here, having some drinks after our flight landed.”

“It ended up just being us three, since our wives decided to stay in the states because of all the traveling we’ve been doing recently. My wife, Teresa, in particular-”

Jon stubbornly ignored the chorus of “My wife” that erupted around the room. Justin’s face was beet red from trying not to laugh at his own joke, while Griffin looked at him, stonefaced and shrugging. Jon was surprised that his compulsion seemed to be wearing off almost immediately. At this point, he was wondering if he was going to be more hungry after this statement than he was before it.

“Anyway it’s just us in London right now. So we were in a bar-”

“Pub-”

“And we were leaving around 1 AM? We were pretty, uhh, out of it-” “Drunk- we don’t have to leave a good impression on this guy, Justin, we’re just telling him about how we saw Daz,” Griffin corrected.

“I’m getting to it,” Justin said, glaring at Griffin. He turned to Jon, holding his hands out in a “see-what-I’m-dealing-with” position. “Daz is, well, I mean, I’m getting to it.”

“We were leaving the pub-bar, and we were slightly stumbling to the street. Not like falling down drunk, but definitely tripping every few steps drunk,” Justin continued. “Travis was the worst off since he tried to drink a cocktail with a pie slice on top of it-”

“It was definitely worth it,” Travis said, pulling out his phone. “Let me show you a picture-”

“And when we were outside of the bar-pub, we heard someone ask if we had a cigarette.”

“Was he in the alley?” Jon asked, startled. This story was starting to sound shockingly familiar. If the angler-fish was active again, then it mean that the Stranger had already recovered from their attempted Unknowing.

“Yeah!” Griffin chimed in. “He was leaning against the wall like a gangster from the 60s. Have you seen Grease? Because he looked like-”

“Griffin, I swear to god, if you are going to say that Daz looks like John Travolta from Grease,” Justin exasperatedly interrupted. “Then I will be forced to-”

“I meant his posture, Juice,” Griffin said, rolling his eyes. “Y’know, one leg up like a fuckin’ cool guy.”

“Yeah, that’s what makes someone cool, Griff,” Travis laughed. “One leg up means a fuckin’ cooooool guy.”

Justin raised his voice over Griffin and Travis’ laughter. “The guy in the alley was in the shadows at first, so we couldn’t see him. None of us had any little, uh, smoke sticks on us, so we said no and were about to walk away.”

Griffin and Travis erupted into another round of laughter at Justin’s choice of words. When he was sure all three of them were distracted, Jon allowed himself a little smile.

“But the guy didn’t give up,” Justin continued, getting a little solemn. “He stepped a little out of the shadows and we were able to see him a little more clearly.”

“He looked like a normal dude at first. Like anyone you would see on the street,” Travis said, picking up where his brother had left off. “But as he kept getting closer, he felt, ummm, I guess off is the best way to put it?”

Griffin let out a bark of laughter. “Really, Trav? Is that the best you, a New York Times best-selling author can do?” Griffin put on a voice that Jon guessed was one crafted and honed over many years with a singular purpose of annoying his brothers. “Oh yeah, man he felt like, off I guess? I dunno, I haven’t learned anything past o in the alphabet.”

Justin burst into laughter as Travis pouted. “You describe him then, Griffin! Sorry I wasn’t trying to be all poetic and shit like in one of your cutscenes-”

“Hey, my cutscenes aren’t just poetic. They’re masterpieces in literature.”

Travis rolled his eyes at that and flipped Griffin off, which Griffin responded to by sticking his tongue out. Jon Saw™ a brief flash of hours upon hours of family dinners, many of which had gone the same way, and felt the chill in the back of his spine start to dissipate.

“I’ll give it a crack, though,” Griffin said. “I thought it was pretty clear why he looked off. He was too smooth.”

Jon took a bit longer than it should have to process that statement. “Excuse me?”

“I mean, I guess specifically his face was too smooth,” Griffin explained. “Like it would have been as if he did one of those Korean face mask treatments, but every day, since he was a baby.”

“How would you even put one of those on a baby?” Justin mused, leaning back in his chair.

“I bet you’d have to cut one of them up,” Travis answered. “Unless-”

“Unless-” Justin and Griffin answered back, almost immediately. Jon felt like he was watching a play at this point.

“Unless that’s our next business idea for when we get back! Baby face masks!” The three of them laughed heartily, only stopping to chant in unison, “TM TM TM.”

“But that’s what I meant!” Griffin said, trying to get back on track. “His nose was slightly crooked, but his skin was so smooth, it looked like it was merging back into his face. His mouth was stretched out until it was like the width of his face, and, it wasn’t like it was in the wrong place, it looked like it was supposed to be there. He had these black spots all over his face, but they didn’t look like birthmarks or anything, it was like those parts of his face were, I don’t know, sunken, but still, they were so smooth. Everything about his face was so rubbery and plasticky, I mean it was like-”

“Like he wasn’t a real person,” Jon finished. There was a silence in the office that hadn’t been there since the McElroys had walked in.

“Yeah,” Justin said, breaking the awkwardness.

“How did you know he was, what was the phrase you used, a video game monster?” Jon asked curiously.

“Well, we do this Youtube series called Monster Factory,” Justin explained. “And by me, I mean me and Griffin, because Travis is too busy trying to get into Supernatural or whatever-”

“It’s going to happen!”

“And one of the monsters we made was based off of late great character actor Dennis Farina.”

“Who-”

“Don’t worry about it,” Griffin said hurriedly. “I didn’t know who he was either, and I was in the video with him.”

“Well we took a facescan of Dennis Farina in some golf game and we really messed him up. I mean like, really rogered him right up. Actually,” Justin pulled out his phone and showed Jon a picture of a video game character mid-golf swing that did look “real rogered up”.

“So when he came up to us and asked us for a cigarette again, we got a better look at him in the light. His hair stood out too- it was all blocky instead of smooth like his skin. Like it was low-res,” Griffin said.

“And everyone knows, your hair doesn’t look like your skin,” Travis told Jon, in a faux-educational voice.

“And,” Griffin said pointedly, “his head was moving.”

“Moving?”

“Like he was- like he was breathing through his head. It was pulsing, like really slowly, but I definitely saw it.” Griffin shuddered. “Honestly- one of the top ten grossest things I’ve ever seen.”

“What about what happened today with the bugs and Slime-” Justin asked.

“Top ten means that there are other events on there,” Griffin said. “The use of the number ten instead of-”

“How did you get away?” Jon interrupted. This didn’t sound too much like the anglerfish since it could move around, but it still gave off hints of the Stranger. And if it was-

Travis muttered something under his breath, and Griffin elbowed his side. “I said, I yartzed on him,” Travis said reluctlantly, as Griffin stifled some laughter.

Jon shook his head slightly, as if trying to dislodge some rocks from his ear. “I’m sorry?”

“I yartzed! I threw up on his shoes, and we kind of just ran. We would’ve paid him for his shoes-”

“You would’ve,” Justin said, crossing his arms.

“But we were all kinda drunk, and he was really, really creepy. Y’know. Off.”

Jon sat up a little straighter, running a hand through his hair. “You… threw up. On the shoes of something that you don’t even think was human.”

“I mean, we didn’t say that yet,” Griffin said, jumping in. “Butttttt yeah. That’s pretty much what happened.”

“Things were pretty buckwild that night,” Justin said brightly. “But I mean that’s nothing compared to what happened earlier today.”

“Today- what do you mean today?” Jon said, confused. “Did something else happen?”

The McElroys looked at each other, each mentally telling the other to speak. Travis lost, sighing and saying, “Yeah, we saw another one of them today. And-and that’s why we’re here! Because-”

“Well, we want to stop seeing them, for one,” Griffin said. “But also, if this is some sort of weird nightmare hell realm pattern thing, where we keep seeing them, there’s one character we reallly, really don’t want to run into.”

Jon gripped the table, as he Saw™. “The Final Pam.”

[netflixmomma516]

Her Secrets Part 3 - 13RW Series

Part 1    Part 2

I woke up to the sun shining in my room, my alarm going off in my ear. I opened one eye and hit off. I roll my eyes and check my social media. Nothing.

I turned on my Spotify, then walk into my closet and find something to wear. I quickly straighten my wavy brown hair and replace my glasses with contacts. I yawn not wanting to be up right now. I decided on no makeup for the day, due to how tired I am.

I'm still thinking about the after party everyone is talking about, it would probably be fun, but that's one of the causes for me to move here.

I shuffle down the stairs and see my dad in his nice clothes for work. "Good morning," he says cheerily. I half smile and grab my breakfast. "So what are your plans for the night?" He asks curiously. "Well, there's a basketball game and a party tonight so that." "Okay, I'm glad you're fitting in here." He says looking like he's about to cry. I smile as I roll my eyes and hug him. "Bye dad," I grab my keys off the counter and walk out to my car.

-

The first person I saw when I walked into school was Jeff. I couldn't help but smile at him. He walks over to me and hugs me. "Hey." "Hey," I said back. "So about that after party.." Jeff started. "I'm going on one condition," I smile up at the giant brunette with beautiful brown eyes. "What?" He gave me a little smirk. "If you don't let anything happen to me," I shake off the memory of the last party I went too. "Of course, just think of me as your personal bodyguard." Jeff smiles at me. I couldn't help but smile back at the response.

I knew he would protect me tonight. "Okay, then I'll go," I smile at him. "Awesome. We're still on for tomorrow too, right?" He asks with hopeful eyes. "Of course we are," I smile. "Awesome." "Well I'm going to go to class I'll see you later," I tell him. "Okay," He hugs me and I walk away. Butterflies flying like crazy in my stomach.

I get about 10 feet from my locker and my feet stop, I see a sight that I didn't know if I wanted to see; Scott leaned up against his locker talking to Chloe. My heart dropped when I saw her smiling up at him, I can tell in her eyes, she wants him back. He confessed they dated for a couple months, a couple months ago. 

-

"So what's the deal with Chloe and you?" I ask rather bluntly. "What do mean?" Scott asks as he sits down next to me. "I mean, I can tell Chloe has some kind of hold on you." He looks down at his stretched out legs, "well we did date, we broke up not too long ago." He admits.

-

I find the strength to keep walking and I finally reach my locker and I do the combination. "Hey YNN," Chloe says. I fake a smile at her. I knew there was something bitchy about her.

"Well I'm going to class babe," she tells Scott. He smiles at her, "okay bye." Wow no cute nicknames for her; surprising. I put my stuff in my locker, "hey." He says to me. I mentally roll my eyes. "Hi," I keep short. "What's wrong?" He asked. I couldn't tell him I was jealous of the fact that Chloe called him babe.

"Nothing." I smiled at him. It was a fake smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Okay good. So did you decided on after parties after the game?" "Yeah. I'm going." I told him with a smile, thinking back to Jeff's and mines conversation 3 minutes prior. "Cool." "Well we better get going or we'll be late." He smiled and followed me to 1st period.

The whole first and second period I couldn't help but think about Scott and Chloe. I do like Jeff, but I also find myself falling for Scott too.

I walk into Government and see Jeff smiling at me. I smile back. I love his little smile. I make my way to my seat next to his. "Hey," He said. "Hey." I instantly smile at him. "How are you?" Him trying to make small talk. "Good." I smile at his lame attempt.

--

The day went by fast. I got home and did the little homework I had for the weekend. I couldn't quite keep concentration though; daydreams about Jeff and Scott take over my little mind.

I look down at my growing stomach, "We'll be okay bugs." I whisper. Emotions overtake my body and I start crying. The last month, everything has changed. EVERYTHING.

I was once a regular 18-year-old senior, with an amazing boyfriend, a mom who didn't really give me rules, because she was never home, awesome friends. I'm just worried people will find out my secret. People will figure out why I moved. HE will find me.

My head starts hurting thinking about everything. I lay down and close my eyes, hands on my growing baby. "I won't let anything ever happen to you." Sleep overtakes my body. -

DREAM Jeff and I are at the lake, "So YNN I really like you." I smile at Jeff and I confess, "I like you too." "But what about me?" Scott appears from behind us. "What about you Scott?" Jeff asks him. "You know I called first dibs," Scott answered Jeff. "Dibs?" I chimed in. "I'm not a trophy you win when you win a basketball game," I say angrily. "Scott just leave, this is my date," Jeff says. "I don't want to unless YNN tells me." "YNN tell him to leave." "YNN!" "YN!"

-

"YNN... YNN..." I fell my body shaking. I shoot my eyes open to see my dad shaking body. "It's 7, the game starts in a half hour." "Crap, thanks, dad." He walks out of my room to let me get ready. I change into simple skinny jeans, that I love that I can still fit into. I pull over a sweatshirt over my gray t-shirt. I run a brush through my hair and brush my teeth. I apply very natural makeup. I look at the time, and I have 15 minutes to get to the game.

I run down the stairs, deciding on my black flip flops since they are easy to put on, "Bye dad!" I yell. "Bye YNN be careful!" He calls back. I get into my car and drive the 15 minutes to school.

--

The stands are packed, and the game has already started. Thankfully it just started like 2 minutes ago. 

Jess; Up here! 

I look up to see her waving. I smile and walk up the bleachers. "YNN, I didn't think you were coming." She said hugging me. "I fell asleep and forgot to set my alarm, my dad woke me up." I laughed. "Well it just started and your boy Jeff already made a hit." I smile as I roll my eyes. "He's not my boy." I laugh at her, "Uh-huh, whatever you say." I smile at her and look to see Jeff and Scott on the field. I smile at both of the handsome boys on the baseball field.

--

We ended up winning with Jeff scoring a total of 10 points. I couldn't help but feel so proud of this guy.

"Let's go outside to my car and wait for the guys," Jess suggested. "Okay." I smiled at her and we walked from stands the chilly late-February air hitting my bare toes. "Dang, it's chilly." "My car is right over here." I follow her to a range rover. Of course, she has a nice car, I feel like this school is filled with nothing but rich kids, nothing against Jess because I like her. I climbed into the front seat and turned my butt warmer on.

"So what is really going on between you, Jeff, and Scott?" She asked throwing me off guard. I took a deep breath, "I like Jeff a lot, the last couple days we've really gotten to know each other and Scott seems really cool too, but I'm pretty sure Chloe and him are getting back together." I look down at my phone, trying to get my mind off of Chloe and Scott.

"First off I've known both of them since I moved here, and they are both incredibly nice guys. Jeff would treat you like a princess and Scott honestly would probably just spoil you with gifts. At least that's what he did with Chloe. Chloe wanted to be treated like a princess not just spoiled like one, and I can tell you Chloe is just jealous because Scott is moving on. Scott has been fixated on Chloe since the 5th grade, and she loved that she had Scott wrapped around her finger like that."

My phone starts blowing up with a call from Jeff, "Hey." I answer with a smile that could brighten anyone's gloomy day. "Hey, where are you and Jess?" Jeff asks, "sitting in her car." I laugh. "Oh well, we're done if you want to come here and talk for a second." "He wants us to come out there and meet him," I tell Jessica. She rolls her eyes, "Okay." "Okay, we'll be out there in a second," I tell him. "Okay." I could hear his smile in his voice.

"But YNN, they're both great guys, you can choose whichever one you think is going to be good for you and your baby." I shake my head, "What did you say?" "Whichever one you think is going to be good for you." "Oh okay." I smile at her. I shake off the feeling, no one knows.

We get out of the warm range over into the chilly air again. 

"Hey YNN," Jeff and Scott said in unison. I smile at both of them, "Hey guys, good game." I was truly impressed with their talent. "So I think people are going over there now," Scott told Jeff, I'm assuming they're talking about the party tonight. 

I get an uneasy feeling. I cross my arms over my body, one because I'm cold and two because I'm scared about this party. Jeff noticed my shift in demeanor, "Cold?" He asked. I shake my head yes. "Alright let's go, YNN you can ride with me and Scott." Oh great, riding with my two crushes this shouldn't be weird. 

"Jess you can ride with Justin and Zach." We all smile at the plan, "I can drive." I tell them. "Okay." Scott and Jeff said. So we start walking over to my silver Mazda 6. "Shotgun!" Scott called out. I roll my eyes as I enter the driver's side.

"It's at Garrett's house." Jeff said, "I'll show her the way." Scott said from the passenger side. "Okay." Jeff simply replied.

"So I pull out of the parking lot over there," Scott pointing to the nearest exit, "and take a right." I do exactly what Scott told me to do and we're on the road. "At this stop sign turn left." He continued telling me the directions to this guys house. I look in my rear view mirror at Jeff, who is looking out the window. He doesn't seem like himself tonight. I'll talk to him at the party, he'll tell me.

10 more minutes of driving we arrive at the house where a party was going on in full swing. Jeff and Scott both get out and I put my hands on my stomach. 

"Coming YNN?" Jeff asked from outside the car. I smile, and open the door, and walk out to the chilly February air. Jeff and Scott are waiting for me along with Jess, Justin, and Zach. We walk into the house and I'm immediately bombarded by the smell of alcohol which baby doesn't seem to like, I start gagging. I run outside and I threw up in the grass. Jeff follows concerned, "what's wrong?" I pulled myself together. "Nothing I got to go." I rush to my car and quickly drive away without an explanation to anyone, not even Jeff who probably deserves it the most.

--

I pull into the driveway of my dad's house, and I see an unfamiliar car and I walk to the window, and I see a woman. They are kissing. My emotions overtake my body, and I run to my car once again. I pull out of my driveway and drive. I drive and lose control of my emotions.

I pull into a vacant parking lot, only lit up with one street light. I park under it. I can't do this anymore. I cry harder. 

How come just two months ago I was a normal 18-year-old senior in high school? I was trying to figure out what color dress I wanted for Snowball, and I was trying to juggle my relationship, my job, and school. I was a normal girl. Now I'm living with my dad in this stupid small town and I'm pregnant and trying to hide that fact from everyone here. 

-

I walk into see Sam sitting there with his group of friends. I smile at him. "YNN, what are you doing January 22nd?" Sam asked as I took my seat next to the blue-eyed boy. "Isn’t that Snowball?" I ask with a smile. "Yeah," Sam looked behind me at the board and I looked back to see what he was looking. 'YN YLN will you swing into Snowball with Samuel Norman.' I looked back at him. I smiled and hugged him. "Of course." I kissed his lips.

[unchartedterritoria]

Dangerous (Sam Drake x OC) - Chapter 7

In case you don’t want to read it here, the whole work can be found on A03:

AO3 Chapter 7 Link

Previous Chapters: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6

Chapter Summary: Sam and Faith head off on their journey and someone else is soon on their heels.

Faith glanced at the wall clock in her apartment. 4:35PM. Sam and Faith had agreed to meet back at her apartment by 5 PM, each of them had things to do and provisions to get before setting out for Illinois. Nathan had assured both of them Faith would be safe running a couple of hours of errands now that the Laginas had agreed on a ceasefire and Jasper Nox had seemed to have crawled back into whatever Georgia hole he crawled out of.

As she stuffed the last of her clothes in an oversized backpack, she heard the key in the lock of her apartment door. She glanced up as Sam walked in, swinging the metal door shut with a kick of his foot causing a loud thunk. Faith recognized the large green army duffel Sam set down on the couch from the motel room but not the smaller black one he put on top of it. Sam put a hand on the back of his neck, giving the tense muscles a rough squeeze and stretch.

“You get everything?” He asked.

She cinched the neck of her backpack closed and dropped it next to the smaller one on the floor.

“Snacks, clothes, cash, and Bible,” Faith announced as she pointed to each backpack and her green army medic bag she used as her purse that sat on her bed. “How about you? You get everything?”

Sam unzipped the black duffel and threw a small flip phone at Faith. “Burner phone for you, burner phone for me. Sent Nathan the numbers already so we can get a hold of him. Each one has the others number programmed in that way we're set in case we get separated. Leave your phone here, pull the battery and the SIM card.”

Faith nodded, storing the new phone in her purse and taking out her old one. She popped out the battery and SIM card, throwing the whole works on her bedspread.

“What else...whoa. Whoa. Hey now.” Faith stammered as she turned to see Sam holding out a handgun to her.

“Wrap it in a shirt, throw it in your bag. It's just in case,” Sam gently insisted. Faith stepped back with her arms wrapped around herself tightly, shaking her head no.

“Sam, no, I don't do guns.”

“Take the gun, Faith.”

“No, I don't do guns. I've never shot one, I don't like holding them, I don't like being near them. Nope, nuh uh. I don't do it,” She said, still furiously shaking her head.

“You wanted treasure hunting 101? Here ya go. Lesson one, be prepared in case shit goes down now take the goddamn gun,” Sam said with frustration. Faith reached out and carefully took it from his outstretched hand. She grabbed an errant gray t-shirt that was thrown over the back of her computer chair and wrapped it, taking great care to avoid touching anywhere near the trigger. She reopened her pack and nestled the gun in a hidden inner pocket and closed it again quickly.

“That it?” Faith asked Sam.

“Rental car's parked out back. Good to go?” He questioned. Faith nodded and grabbed up her gear, slinging what she could over her shoulders and headed towards her door. She shut it tight behind her and Sam, the click a little louder to her than normal, as if the universe was giving her signal, some subtle nod that it would be quite a while before she would be back and hear that sound again. Faith shoved the keys in her jacket pocket and headed towards the buildings set of elevators.

“You give the rental guy a fake name?” She asked as she walked down the hallway of apartment doors.

“Yeah.”

“Justin Case?” she asked over her shoulder.

“Too obvious, Russell P. Bell.”

“You really like the letter P for a middle initial don't you?” She questioned as she stopped in front of the elevators.

“Not really.”

The elevator dinged, announcing its arrival as the doors slid open. “I bet it's your real middle initial.” Faith said as she stepped into the elevator. Sam let out a chuckle, “No, it's not my middle initial.”

Faith pressed the button for the main floor. She gasped, a thought striking her. “Your middle name is Phineas, isn't it?” She said as she looked at Sam, nodding with a goofy smile that made her look like she had just figured out a deep, cool secret of the world. Sam stared at her strangely at a complete loss for words as the elevator doors slid closed in front of them.

Sam turned the key to the small SUV, the engine kicking over and roaring to life. Their gear safely stored in the back seat, Sam put it in drive and turned out the gravel parking lot. Faith slid down a little in her seat, adjusting her seat belt snug across her chest. She watched Sam fiddle with the radio, scanning for a station across the FM band that came in clear. She slid her seat back and propped her feet up on the dash of the rental. “Better,” Sam proclaimed, finally stopping his search as Creedence Clearwater Revival came through the surprisingly decent speaker system of the car. Faith cozied herself down against the door of the car, watching the world go by her in the mirror. She caught a glance of her apartment building. This was it, everything that was comfortable, every known in her life was in that building and she was watching it get smaller and smaller. She glanced beside her and saw her mother sitting in the driver's seat instead of Sam, John Fogherty's voice mixing in her head with hers and her mothers as they sang. Her mom turned to her and told her, “Sing out Faith! Don't be afraid. Be bold, be brave! That's where the fun is Baby!” A smile beaming at her as her mother leaped right back into the chorus of the song. Faith blinked, the sight of her mother replaced with Sam. He sang under his breath as he fished around in a jacket pocket for a lighter. She smiled and looked back into the mirror, seeing the last of her building fade out of her sight.

Be bold, be brave! That's where the fun is Baby!

LYONS, GEORGIA

Jasper Nox sat perched with perfect posture on an ornate white wicker veranda chair. The screened in porch let the gentle breeze of the warm, humid day through while keeping out the pesky bugs that came along with it. The sprawling high society farmhouse sat on 75 acres of well-kept land filled with corn, onions and peach trees. He held a well-worn paperback in his good hand. Jasper had read this tawdry romance novel many times and each time he reread it, it became funnier and funnier with its absurdity. Jasper considered all manner of romance and love absolutely ridiculous, it created unnecessary complications in one's life.

“Mr. Nox sir?” A man said as he approached Jasper, carrying a glass full of crushed ice and Dr. Pepper.

“Ah, thank you, Wallace!” Jasper said, setting his book down on the glass top coffee table in front of him. Wallace handed him the glass, making sure to put it in his fully functioning hand. Jasper took a sip, drops clinging to his red mustache. “Wonderful, wonderful,” He muttered to himself in satisfaction and set the glass on a coaster next to his novel.

“Sir, I heard from our man we left on the ground. Victor Sullivan made it,” Wallace said, trying to keep the undercurrent of nerves out of his voice.

“Yes, yes I heard. Unfortunate. Marty Lagina must be losing his touch. Well, a thorn in my side to be removed on another occasion. Anything else?” He asked, fiddling absentmindedly with the wedding band on his right hand.

“Sam Drake and the girl are on the move. They set out by car yesterday. Car rental agent didn't know exactly where they were headed, but Drake estimated the added mileage to be 500 for one way.”

“And what do we know about the girl?”

“Faith Evelyn Spencer. 29. Cook with a Bachelors in Communications, only child, mother passed six months ago from kidney failure, no other living immediate family.”

“Have Bixby look into this girl a little more. Nathan Drake might be a pompous wisenheimer but he knows his relics. If he says this girl has the second Lincoln Bible in her possession, I am inclined to believe him. I want to know who she is and how she came to acquire it before they do. Then, have him and his men head to Springfield,” Jasper ordered Wallace in his southern Georgia drawl.

“Springfield, sir?” Wallace questioned.

“If you want information on Lincoln, you head to where the man was born and raised. Make sure he knows retrieving the Bible is the top priority. Bringing in Drake and the girl alive would be preferable, I do love a good bargaining chip, but tell Bixby it's not a necessity,” He said, his instructions came across as a man talking to a toddler and not a middle aged man.

“Very good sir, will there be anything else?”

Jasper looked out the side of the screened in porch towards a large magnolia tree that preceded the acres of peach trees.

“The magnolia is looking a little peaked. Make sure Mrs. Nox tends to it. I think she's around the side of the house. That will be all Wallace, thank you,” He said, taking his hand away from his wedding band and picking up his book again. Wallace left to find Mrs. Nox as Jasper straightened his back in his chair, smoothing his linen shirt down his large frame. He flipped open his book to the marked page where he left off. The hero was about to swoop in and rescue his lady love and proclaim his everlasting love any page now and Jasper was anxious for the absurdity to begin. A door on the side of the muted yellow house banged shut while Jasper flipped the dogeared corner of the book up and turned the page. Wallace pushed a wheelbarrow of dirt towards the magnolia, a small flowerbed surrounding it of cardinal flowers. Jasper's eyes flew over the lines of type with the expertise of a person that had read the book many times over. An amused smile spread across his thin lips and a gleeful chuckle came from deep in his barrel chest. His laughter grew as his hero professed his feelings for his love line after line. The silliness of how useless a feeling but yet how important it was thought to be. Wallace took a shovel and spread the dark fertilizer over the growing flower bed. Wallace took another shovel full out of the wheelbarrow, a small metal plate attached to the inside back wall of the tub. Inscribed on it was a name, DOROTHEA NOX, in perfect script.

Jasper continued to giggle as sipped his Dr. Pepper, stole a glance outside to the flowering tree. At least my wife is useful, he thought gleefully and flipped another page forward in his book.

[phatpretty]

These niggas

Justin-baby daddy first sex partner got pregnant 15yrs old thought it was a relationship he was 18 I was 15 told me after I founded out I was pregnant it wasn’t his mother made me have an abortion-Trumatic moment kinda wished I had a choice in that matter

Jerry Clark-boyfriend who cheated had kids on me and I even had sex with him while he was in a whole marriage he choked me while I was sleep once talked crazy to me often treated as a sexual object he only came around at times and it was for sexual purposes only

Jerry Travis-started off good ended rocky throw me through a wall and choked me in front of my cousin who didn’t help me. Kicked door off the hinges after I was called over to kick it and a whole white girl was there said “i love you”

Jay bird-sneaky link only sex got caught by my mother having sex in here house 🤦🏾‍♀️

Rico-boyfriend (so I thought) really only sex went whenever he called was always there for me sometimes there for me especially when I was leaving my ex husband and when he felt like someone was hurting me he sometimes only came around when drunk and wanted sex mother didn’t approve the fought once and was sneaking to be with him too said “I love you”

Jason-ex husband started off getting high with the crew and he expressing his feelings while he would be in traffic finally linked over dinner and sex then one thing lead to another spent most of my weekend with him till my mom tried to stop it and I ran away from home got married pressed charges on my mom married maybe two days and was ready for it to be over. This relationship hurt me the most took things away from me that someday I feel I’ll never get back (like my true self) due to the fighting hearing lose knee surgery depression anxiety fears trust issues embarrasses easily if having to deal with shit publicly dated for many years after our married it’s was mostly based on sex tho after club hours mad shopping sprees said “I love you”

Cleveland-thought he was the one. Got engaged wasn’t based on sex made him wait verbally and mentally hurt me would say things that now I know shouldn’t not be said to anyone things like we need to go workout to get your body right or that I need some kind of help and told his family that I was sick meaning in my head sick went out of town for four days lied and said he left his phone charger only to find out he was laid up with random woman putting my life in danger didn’t properly end the relationship just stopped talking to me and I wanted answer that I never got

Valerie-🤦🏾‍♀️we was cool as hell started off as friends who tried to keep this thing private but living in the social media world how could you first girl experience ever sexual things where good until my baby died of sids and she founded him the next morning that sent our relationship on a down hill spiral she told me one time “I love you, but I’m not in love with you” my mom stopped talking to me during this relationship had a whole family gathering to pray the gay out of me I left and moved in with Val her family welcomed me with open arms said “I love you”

Courtney-loved me no matter what but I didn’t trust this bitch as far as I could throw her. We had mad fun always she moved in this relationship came right at the end of Val and I and it happened quick social media relationship for sure I felt fat all I did was eat but she loved all of my and still does but I was older and that was a problem and Kiki was no help cause she wants her back and would go to the ends of the earth to get her now where best friends who lean on each other in or times of need she still wants me but baby I’m 40 and she’s still in here 20’s at first it was based on sex then I just stopped having sex with her throw away everything she ever brought had a visual fight over fb with her and my cousin tan and crunchy got called childish for throwing the stuff away saw a msg from another girl in her phone she was still having conversation with her ex and still kicking it with her her mom played a big part in it as well always wanting something from me like money etc talks about wanting to do sexual things to me said “I love you”

Magic-just sex one time chynas baby daddy thought he was going to join in flirts but on a sexual level only

Shine Mello Tremaine-sexual situationships....

shine hit me up one night after 11:30 talking like his all concerned as to what I’ve been up too calling me beautiful sending cute snaps I pick him up we attempt to have sex but it wouldn’t stay hard🤣 next time we finally had sex at this point I’m out of my body I’m this other person playing this game would call to vent his issues I would help him work through the issues other times he came over he brought his kids thought he was going to trap out my house and my car started to call wanting rides then I just cut him off

Mello-the person I started the game with, game meaning the game of me wanting to know what the hype was behind these three clowns🤡 so went out and said some shit to him tremaine got mad and felt some type of way pushed me bruised my knee Mello txted basically saying what that mouth do pulled up on him showed him only to find out he had recorded it and sent it to his friends😮 shine mention this to me but tremaine confirmed it with many failed attempts his tried to slide back but has been lift on read

Tremaine-started with a fb video chat to seeing each other in RJ’s flirting catching a whole vibe chicken wing challenge🤣 to smiling and watching each other in the club to finally picking him up cooking for him talking hanging out one night to sexing each other for hours😮to me catching feelings to him thinking I’m bipolar to me asking what’s wrong with me him saying I’m to aggressive blunt when I talk to him i later apologized for that to him saying “so you gone suck my dick” took my heart right out of my chest I really thought he was my twin flame the vibe was unmatched it was unreal to good to be true even BOYFRIEND VIBES also while holding me asked me to just let go and don’t hold back

Big Tyme-sexual as fuck that’s it that’s all selling dreams getting mad when I didn’t answer my phone passed out boyfriend vibes when I didn’t have my own place was wishing I did so he could come set up show and trap

Lil Love-boyfriend at the age of 17 cheated on me with my cousin Kenya I spit on him and tried to burn him with a iron snuck out the house to be with him was with him behind my mothers back with several failed attempts has tried to come back

P.D-sexual when I was in my early 20’s

Chris Kendall-childhood crush I cheated on him very stressful relationship with kids involved plus a ex wife mother was all in or shit good times I knew it was over I cried about it kinda built on sex cause that’s how we linked one night after the club took him back to my cousins house said “I love you”

Rico Patton-one night stand

Darnell-sexual flirting lead to sex

Q-well meet him because I turnt his friend down (Murray state) played football I was getting high off coke🤦🏾‍♀️linked after a party me and the crew spent the night at they apartment had sex we linked and hung out maybe a few times after

Big Baby-sexual link that has turned into a sexual flirtation over pictures on Instagram to making plans to link to have sex again after 15 years has a girl I think still the sweetest txt to check on me

Lil Scrappy-flirted lied cheating having sex in his girls house when I had no clue of another woman put his hands on me verbally abusive fought a bitch for waking me up cause he was out in her car while I was in his bed

Terrence Biggers-years of flirting with me after ten years finally gave him some on the day my uncle died pure sexual

Lawrence Arnold-sexual hooked up once while I was in Murray state after a party for years have always felt like his my soul mate great connection

Cheese-sexual relationship dated for a few couldn’t get past the fact that his in to these modern day drug plus he has health issues mainly it was sex all the time we linked tried to get me to take a x pill left for many years only to resurface to think that after I had sex with him that he was back in no alter ego was still present and wasn’t going for it at all come to find out his a whole married man as well and also gave me a std

Jason dicky-head over hills for a whole criminal stole from me gave a std had a child that neither of us knew about sexual as fuck family stayed involved my mom stepped in forbidded us to be together we snuck around anyways my feeling didn’t matter

Siwel-sexual always wanted more thought he could be the one big ole cheater

 Ulysses-sexual sweet guy juicy lips

Ron Tharpe-dated when I was 18 always was so sweet behind closed doors mainly sexual never really had a public relationship linked back up but it was all about sex wanted kids with him thought it could be something f do founded out he was dating my cousin let that ass go

Deandre-recent clown ass nigga came in said all of what I wanted to hear typical street nigga bug broke as fuck Sarcastic af could have been something but was inconsistent going through his own personal shit sexed him twice kinda built on sex grabbed me in my face and told me “to shut the fuck up” in a club 😮do believe his a complete lyier was four mths out of a 14 year relationship was suppose to be hooked up with two other people but clearly he claims he didn’t want them no communication all started before his mom died claimed he loved me (lies) how after just three days 

[longestnight64448]

Songfic. Do you Remember *George Weasley X Reader*

The Summer Obsession >>>> Do You Remember

Don't need no cash we can make a dash, hit the street

It's always been, it's always been you and me

baby it's cool, you suck at school anyway

so pack it up, let's run away, run away

Kacie through her books down and slammed her bedroom door shut behind her. So much for doing homework. She flopped onto her bed, her long black hair fell over her shoulders as she cried. Ever since she returned home from her sixth year at Hogwarts she has regretted it. Her witch mother left when she was only ten, leaving her to her muggle father and two older muggle brothers. Jake and Justin , her brothers, we're always kind but not her father. Now Kacie's brothers are always away and her father is alway drunk. She felt as if she was her family's house elf. She cooked and cleaned and if she messed up in anyway she had to pay for it, just like a house elf. She got up and went into the bathroom, nursing her new bruise from her dad. She ran some cold water over the small towel then put it on the now purplish mark under her checkbone and returned to her room. When she got there she noticed that the window next to her bed was wide. She looked around her bedroom then out the window to find out who or what opened it. Suddenly put a hand over her mouth and pulled her into a bear hug. Kacie's first thought was that Mark her dad had grabbed her so she did not bother screaming. She just stood there waiting for what would come next. Then came something she wasn't expecting. Someone laughing. Not mark's drunken slur of a laugh, but a warm heartly laugh. The person let go of her and let their hand fall from her mouth. "Jeeze Kaces if I were you-know-who or a DeathEatter you'd be a goner." George Weasley laughed as he hugged his best friend when she turned to face him. "What are you doing here Geargeyy?" Kacie laughed as she hugged him. "I haven't seen you since you and Fred flew away on your broomsticks during our owls!" she said punching him playfully in the arm. "I know, I know! Lee, Fred and myself have opened ourselves a shop!" George said as he sat down on her bed. Kacie sat down next to him. "What are you doing in muggle london? Looking for more people to hex?" Kacie thought back fondly when the Weasley twins along with Ron and Ginny came to home for her 14th birthday, Fred and George thought it funny to pull a few 'minor' jokes on her neighbors Jonny and Stevie for throwing water ballons at her. The muggle doctors never figure out what caused their swollen ears and bug blue boils. George laughed at her. "Those gits had it coming, messing with my Kacie like that." He grinned as he snaked his arm around her waiste. "Your Kacie?! I think not!" Kacie jumped off the bed and stuck her tongue out at him. George's carefree face then turned very serious. He stood up gentally put his hand under Kacie's chin tilting her face upwards. "What happened to your face Kacie?" His vioce was stern and angry. Kacie quickly pulled away turned her back to him. "It's nothing. I was reaching for a book on the top self but I knocked it and it fell on me." She rubbed the back of her head and gave George a false smile over her shoulder. "You know me, always dropping things and falling down." She turned and walked towards the window, George grabbed her arm and pull her to him. "I don't remember you falling once at Hogwarts. You only seem to get hurt when your Drunk Muggle father is around!" He said through gritted teeth and in a forced calm voice.

I know those bruises aint from falling down

( tell the truth)

they seem to show when your drunk dad's around

( I'm here to save youfromfalling down)

we can go whenever you let go

whenever you let go ( just let go)

Mark could hear voices coming from his daughter's bedroom. Angerly he stompted up the stairs to Kacie's bedroom. From inside the room Kacie heard him aproaching. Quickly she pushed the Weasley into her closet. "Please George be quiet." she begged as she closed the door. Just as she stepped away from the closet her bedroom door was thrown open and Mark stumbled in. He eyed his daughter for a minute before searching her room. "Who were you talking to?" he slurred, leaning aginst the wall. "No one, I was reading my book out loud while i was studing." Kacie searched for her books she had thrown down, hoping Mark was sober enough to realize there were no books around her. "But i heard a voice. A boy voice!" He shouted at her, momentarily losing balnce. "It's just me up here Mark, honest." This was the wrong thing to say because then Mark slapped her so that she fell against the closet door. "Are You Calling Me A Lier, You Little Witch?!" He moved to hit her again but the the closet were pushed open, knocking Kacie to the floor." George had his wand out and pointed to Marks chest. "Never Lay Hands On Her Again You Filth!" The two man stood there staring at each other breathing deeply. Then Mark began to laugh. "I knew you were a little whore. Hiding boys in the closet? Ha. Your so much like your mother. "My mother was no whore!" Now Kacie had her wand pointed at him as well.

Do you remember

we said we'd run

away together

holding on to one another

I'll steal the car

steal the credit cards

we'll run forever

holding on to one another

Kacie stood over her father's knocked out body. George had punched him in the face for insulting Kacie. "Come Kacie, Let's leave. You can come stay with mom and dad. They wont mind!" he grabed her hand pulled her towards the door, but she did not move. "I can't leave george..." Kacie took the small towle she had used for her bruise and softly began to pat her father's eye with it. "You've got to be joking! Kacie! Let's Go!" George tried to pull her away from the man by her elbow but still Kacie did not move. "I can't leave him George." George pulled her to her feet and held on to both her arms, looking her straight in her face. "Kacie! This Man Is Trash! Why Would You Stay With Him?" Kacie looked away from him. She couldn't look him in the face. "He's my dad, George. He let go of her. "I love you Kacie, that's why I'm here. I came to tell you that I love you!" before she could say anything he pulled her into a kiss. George felt her kiss him back so he wrapped his hands around her waste. When the kiss was over Kacie laid her head on his chest and let him hold her. "I love you too George..." she looked up at him, "but I can't leave him yet." George let his arm slip away from her as he backed up. "Fine, I'll be back in a week." And after that he Aperated out of the room leaving her alone with Mark.

This is the day

And tonight I'll be there

you know the time

don't be scared

get all your cd's

get all your posters

get what you need from their wallets and their purses

I know those bruises aint from falling down ( tell the truth)

they seem to show when your drunk dad's around ( I'm here to save you

from

falling down)

we can go whenever you let go

whenever you let go ( just let go)

"Damnit Kacie! No!" George punched the wall next to him. Kacie's face now had two cuts above her eyebrow and a bruise the covered most of her left arm. Kacie sat on her bed while the Weasley paced back and forth in her bedroom. "I said sorry George..."he stopped and looked at her. His face softened and bent down in front of her taking her hands in his. "You've done nothing wrong love. Let me tke you away from this house. I'll take care of you." He kissed her forhead and she nodded. She could hear her father coming up the stairs. Again she pushed Fred into the closet. After giving him a quick kiss she shut the door once more. Mark stood outside the door listening for a moment before coming in. He stood in the door way staring down at Kacie who sat on her bed pretending to read. "I heard voices again Kacie." He said after she glanced up at him. "I'm reading Mark. That's it." He walked to the closet door and tapped on it. "Nobody's in there Mark!" Mark clicked his tongue and opened the door. There was a flash of light and Mark fell to floor. Quickly George grabbed Kacie's arm and with aloud crack the room was empty, besides the man who laid on the ground.

Do you remember

we said we'd run

away together

holding on to one another

I'll steal the car

steal the credit cards

we'll run forever

holding on to one another

And when we're all alone

with no one there to bother

I'll treat you like a queen

forget about your father

there's no means that justify

you living your whole life in pain

I know them bruises ain't from fallin' down

they seem to show when your drunk dad's around

we can go whenever you let go

whenever you let go

Kacie walked out of her father's house. She was now 21. It'd been five years since she ran away with George Weasley, now she returns married, withchild, and happy. Mark her father sat in his arm chair silent. She had went there to tell the man who made her life hell for so long that she was finally happy and complete. She wanted to tell him that she was fine with his suffering, but when she got there she only felt pity. The house she spent so much time cleaning now was covered in filth. The shadow of man barley believed his eyes when the beautiful woman walked through his door. At first he mistook her for her mother. Mark began to to cry when she walked in. "Kathrine, you came back." He grunted through his tears but Kacie shook her head. "No Mar-, dad, it's Kacie. Your daughter Kacie." This only made him cry harder but he nodded in understanding. Kacie showed him pictures of her wedding and of her son Fredrick, she told him about her pregnancy and her house. Mark only listened. He would nod hear and there but never more. Only when Kacie got up to leave did he speak again. "You look just like her. Always have." Kacie smiled at him before she left. "Goodbye Mark."

Do you remember

we said we'd run

away together

holding on to one another

I'll steal the car

steal the credit cards

we'll run forever

holding on to one another

Do you remember?

(I'm here to save you from falling down)

George kissed his wife and new born baby girl. "Tonk? really Kacie?" he pleaded. "I miss her too, but the name..." Kacie laughed. "It's better the Nenfadora." she teased. George shrugged and lift his redheaded son up to see his little sister. "Daddy, she looks just like Mommy!" George laughed. "We're lucking for that Fred, trust me." Fredrick looked up at his father. "but i thought we all must have red hair to be Weasley." the four year old asked confused. This made both his parents laugh. Kacie kissed her son's head. Then his father.

[rogue-rook]

many many highlights from The Crystal Kingdom from a first-time TAZ listener

featuring some bits from the Lunar Interlude II: Internal Affairs

travis: “it was streaming on witch. that’s like magical twitch!”

SWEET ANGO HAS RETURNED!

i cannot believe griffin went to the EFFORT of making a fantasy costco jingle

the lockpicking garden gnome called the Nitpicker that insults the damn party is a beyond brilliant object for sale at the fantasy costco

I really want to lodge a complaint with the HR department of the bureau of balance on sweet angus macdonald’s behalf bc these grown men are FULL ON BULLYING THIS TEN YEAR OLD BOY GENIUS

so is this new shitty scientist consultant lucas a bigger annoyance than shitty train butler wizard jenkins or does jenkins still retain that title

travis: "anything this touches turns to crystal?" griffin: "yeah, pink tourmaline" travis: "yeah, I'm not gonna say that, because I'm an adult"

CAREY FANGBATTLE is like on par with Jess the Beheader in terms of Cool Names

griffin: “so the three of you are currently sitting in a gondola, which is another word for a little boat” travis, singing: “the more you knoooowww”

“so it’s made of crystal, right?” “yes, everything is crystal” x1000000

the crystal kingdom song is beautiful

griffin: “you see a sign that says The Magical World Of Elevators” justin: “griffin's really stickin it to the people who say he's not allowed to have elevators in this game”

today in failed brand marketing: “Upsy, your lifting friend”

this arc is ACTUALLY set up like a video game level puzzle, when griffin says “ah, you’ve solved my crystal puzzle” it will actually apply

clint: “I rolled a 4 but I get another roll...a 5″ travis: “wow, you're really bad at dnd”

merle: “I'm gonna use Banishment on the cockroach” griffin: “okay, you're just gonna yell GET OUT OF HERE COCKROACH, I DONT LOVE YOU ANYMORE”

magnus is being fucking mean to lucas, the genius inventor, and he’s been a TOTAL DICK to sweet boy genius detective angus macdonald, and i feel like pointing out that he was WAYYY nicer to shitty evil wizard train butler jenkins who beheaded a guy with a teleportation door

griffin: “one of the signs is labeled Radiation Ventilation Maintenance Chamber, and the other is labeled Lil Genius BuddyBot R&D" travis: "I feel like this is a trick” clint: “I feel like griffin has been playing Fallout”

I LOVE HODGE PODGE THE LIL GENIUS BUDDYBOT!!! EVEN IF HE TURNS OUT TO BE EVIL, THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE MADE ME LOVE HIM PRETTY INSTANTLY AND NOTHING CAN CHANGE THAT

hodge podge: “magnus! merle! take-o” goddamnit griffin

justin: “can we just put the stone of far speech in front of the robit and griffin, you can just talk to yourself?”

hodge podge is exactly the kind of unsettling demon robit with a mostly-adorable voice, except for when he goes demon-y, that I expected from griffy

justin: “my character taako has innate skills in: investigation, nature, history, religion, arcana, and religion” so is he double good at religion then

taako: “okay, I got a question for you: who....do we work for?”

lucas: “hey, are you just mean to everyone?” THANK GOD SOMEONE VOICED THIS LEGITIMATE FUCKING CONCERN, THE GRUBBY GRIFTERS ARE MONSTERS

clint: “I look up what scrumbled means” griffin: “justin said that in a Monster Factory once and I’ve been using it like it’s a real word” justin: “I am the lewis carroll of my generation”

noel the friendly medic robit’s voice started at vaguely-angus like and then became straight up country southern and i really hope somebody calls griffin on it

i really think griffin introduced the nitpicker so he could have a way of introducing his own critiques of his dad and brothers’ dnd skills

the little compact mirror has some shit in it that i think must be important

there’s a rift in space and time and pink tourmaline is coming out of it and the damn song is super ominous and making me MEGA NERVOUS and honestly i don’t know what the flying goddamn fuck is happening but i am SO INTO IT

lucas: “you’re just yelling hugbears at me” magnus: “BUG! HEARS!” “what” “what”

so is lucas just like holding these poor bugbears in fucking slavery

the grubby grifters discover the tourmalined body of boyland and magnus asked if he can DESECRATE THE GODDAMN BODY OF HIS TRAGICALLY DECEASED COWORKER

griffin: “these two figures are just taking these ice robits to Fool School”

awww they’re gonna fight one of my favorite little creepy crawlies! human sized tardigrades that will absolutely fuck their shit up!!! so cute

griffin: “you’re so loosey-goosey with your possessions! ‘hi scuddle-buddy! bye scuddle-buddy! go get on that train to hell!’”

clint/merle’s immediate panic when they decide the only option here is to CHOP HIS GODDAMN ARM OFF

killian, after picking lucas up: “THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST SHITTIEST DAY EVER, WE ARE TWO PEOPLE DOWN, YOUR LAB SUCKS!!” #relatable, I feel u killian

during this arc the mcelboys keep talking about how they don’t remember shit from the beginning of the show bc that was two years ago and im like what? what? that was three days ago, friends!! its bc ive binged this shit in under a WEEK

merle basically has a plant fetish okay, that’s the only reason this soul-wood shit worked

griffin: “it actually curls up and gives you a thumbs up as if to say 'hey! I'm your arm now!’”

so like this planar system shit is probably important, right

this parseltongue motherfucker that’s like fucking haunting the grubby grifters needs to start explaining what their whole, like, DEAL is

this Red Robe dude is having a FREAKOUT over the damn umbrella and im like mmmmm maybe taako shouldn’t have just taken the damn umbrella, no questions asked

killian’s scanner is having a major freakout over a lich being present and im like, yeah, its the fucking umbrella, yall

oh, real quick, the mcelboys gotta pause the action to whine at each other about character voices

killian: “I am going to ABSOLUTELY murder that man” yeah, killian remains the most goddamn relatable npc in this fucking world

i sure hope The Adventure Zone Zone doesn’t have any super important info in it, bc im not gonna listen to the mcelboys talk about the maxfun drive from two fucking years ago

the crystal golem just called the grubby grifters bounties, and said it was time for noelle the friendly medic robit and the grubby grifters to all go back to the astral plane and im like WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? GRIFFIN! WHAT?

OH FUCK ITS BEEN KRAVITZ THIS WHOLE GODDAMN TIME!!!!! KRAVITZ!!!!!

griffin: “a D6 is like a dice-ass-dice! that's like some monopoly shit!!”

kravitz: “i don’t even know how that even worked, like with physics”

taako: “luke! use the fork!” merle: “the fork will be with you, always”

magnus: “I want to roll an investigation check on noelle...I rolled a 2″ griffin: “okay well you know noelle is a robot”

YALL!! SHITTY TRAIN BUTLER WIZARD JENKINS AND MAGIC BRIAN THE GERMAN MORON BOTH CAME BACK!!

magic brian the german dumbass: “i had an invitation to my wedding for you, and instead of RSVP-ing, you murdered me!”

travis: “when you say they evaporate, do they go back to heaven or hell or the after plane, or whatever, or are they GONE?” griffin: “it kinda seems like you obliterated their soul. kinda seems like you just kinda ERASED them” travis: “you know, at the end of day, I punch people, but dad unmakes their existence, who's the real monster?”

the fact that noelle died in phandolin when the grubby grifters and gundren rockseeker turned the whole town to glass is so goddamn fucking tragic, THANKS GRIFFIN!!!!

lucas miller: yet more proof that dickin around with science and magic and mad scientist shit is always gonna end badly for everyone

kravitz: “taako, you’ve died eight times”...[...]..”magnus, you’ve died 19 times”...[...]...”merle highchurch, the richest bounty i have ever hunted, you have died 57 times” WHAT?? WHAT? WHAT???? WHAT???? GRIFFIN!!??? WHAT????

THIS STORYLINE IS LIT

griffin: “a legion of ghosts” justin: “great”

i think both griffin and I have forgotten that carey fangbattle and killian are in this scene. also merle has had a soul-bond wood arm this whole time

the grubby grifters beat a goddamn LEGION of ghost robits, or ghrobits, and then kravitz slides back into the scene all like “uh, hey, assholes, thanks for saving me, I’ll make up some legal loophole bullshit to thank you” that’s not a direct quote, that’s me editorializing. i fucking love kravitz

taako: "they found new bodies, just because they're mechanical doesn't mean the life is any less valid - battlestar galactica"

oh fuck magnus got a cheating deck of cards in like episode goddamn THREE and he just whips em out in episode fucking 39 against kravitz

kravitz, massively misunderstanding the assholes he’s talking to: “the rules of nature are there for a reason, so lets just stop running afoul of them, as if this all just funsy-fun make-believe!”

magnus: “kravitz! tell julia I love her” TRAVIS!!!! TRAVIS MCELROY! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO MY HEART!!!

lucas: “you'll never see me again, but if you do, i'll be doing good, and please don't kill me instantly”

justin: “i give angus a thumbs down” motherfuckers

killian: “hell yes! I love this plan! me and carey, and a robot ghost with a gun arm! sounds like a plan!” magnus: “sounds like a spinoff!” killian: “that’s sounds like some torchwood shit!”

davenport the goddamn pokemon

on one hand, I’m really goddamn suspicious that the director isn’t actually destroying the relics but is collecting them for her own gain. but on the other hand, if this turns out to not be true, I will feel bad for suspecting her so hard

taako: “director, here’s the truth. what did you have for lunch on Dec 3 2015? you don’t remember right? that’s when you told us not to talk to the Red Robes. what’s I’m saying is WE FORGOT!”

YOOO THIS EPILOGUE PROPHECY IS SOOOOOOO COOOOOL GRIFFIN!!! WHAT IS THIS!!!! ITS SO GOOD!!!!!!

this was a wild wild wild wild ride and whatever griffin is doing with this story is LIT

[iztarshi]

The Eleventh Hour -- Episode 44

The more I think about Taako's backstory -- and I am thinking about Taako's backstory, because there's both a magical cook and a fan in this town -- the more it seems like Phandalin was kicking him when he was down? He already lost confidence in both his cooking and his transmutation magic and then what should have been a simple bodyguard mission turns into a disaster that ends with a town destroyed. No wonder he spends the first interlude and the Rockport arc wondering why anyone expects anything from him, why they're not relying on someone more competent.

Magnus tries some straight talking! Which is actually a cool idea, and works. Hopefully this means they get Roswell to help them out.

The quickest person to get them through a locked gate would probably be Taako, especially since he hardly needs to worry about spell slots right now. But, hey, Magnus can test out his thieves' skills.

Okay, Roswell's a bit suspicious? Not suspicious, I don't think THEY did anything wrong, but who made them? Why? Why was it after the bubble? Why did a bird get caught in it?

"Taako: Yes, these beautiful hands. My beautiful hands- Magnus: Okay, I can take a hint, I’ve got it. Taako: Oh, thank god--"

*cracks up*

"Magnus: You guys wanna, like, blow this up? Taako: No. What? Magnus: No, like, where the cave-in is. We have nowhere else to go if we don’t blow it up and get in there."

*pfft* No, no, Magnus is right. Cassidy was trying to investigate something, but due to being in jail she couldn't do it soon enough.

But that DID sound like Magnus just wanted to explode things.

Ooh! I'd forgotten the hole-thrower.

…exploding locker…

How do your characters feel is a good question. Magnus feels emboldened because for once his suicidal stunts don't carry actual risk of suicide, that's fair. Merle doesn't like it. And I, too, very much want to know how Taako feels. Disoriented but blasé apparently.

I feel like Griffin's trying to get An Emotion out of them. Especially Taako, who is very aloof. But also, the few times he has opened up, pretty volatile.

Okay, so 16 out of 26 lockers are traps, and ten need to be opened in sequence. I feel like we're meant to spell something, maybe? I'd say REFUGE, but it's only six letters. Could be worth a try, though. And there are names starting with all those letters.

And Travis gets the same idea.

"Griffin: That’s why they scratched her name out, yeah. The only hint I’ll give you is think about what you want to do in this situation."

Not explode?

I can spell like, QUICK, QUICKLY, but those still don't have nine letters. There being both a Q and a U makes me think it HAS a Q in it, but maybe I'm wrong.

Starts with Dana so that's probably DIS like DISARM. Ten letters. Ugh. Is there a special word for disarming a bomb? DISCHARGE is, uh, kind of the opposite of what they want to do, I think? But it CAN be spelled and is the right number of letters. I'd try that.

If it is though, someone had better tell Griffin that discharging a bomb and disarming it are really not the same thing.

Ooh, DISARM is working, they've put it in! I thought it had to be nine letters ending in the scratched one or ten letters. But the scratched one was the S.

I hadn't thought of it being two words! Well done, boys.

Awwww, is Merle gonna get a pet furry bug? I kinda want a pet furry bug! They're adorable.

Oh dear, that meat went fast. I think they might be… what were those things in My Little Pony? Those little fuzzy things that just ate EVERYTHING and multiplied and… or they're tribbles, those things were a tribute to tribbles anyway.

"Travis: Yeah, we did it. I think we solved the weird smoke puzzle. I have a- okay, this is an interesting D&D conundrum. I, Travis McElroy, have a suspicion and something I would test out, but I don’t think Magnus would. So, like, I’m just gonna move forward and not do it."

Hm, interesting. I mean. It's worth holding onto the suspicion and seeing if Magnus would put it together later? I think Taako got a bit smarter on the train because he had to put Justin's suspicions into action or NOTHING would get done, but Magnus isn't stupid, so it's more… yeah. Let's see how that works out.

Wow. That doesn't seem so much like a purple worm and more like a… a dark monster. The smoke, which was shying away from the light, for instance. A devouring smoke dark monster.

Ohhhh, is it the fur bugs? Like a LOT of fur bugs? They're woken up by the earthquakes. Is this Tremors? (I've never seen tremors.) But those things can eat a piece of meat pretty quick. On the other hand, they didn't seem to mind the light.

No, wait, they ran away as soon as it was shining on them.

Yeah, Merle has Light, I remember the Disco Axe.

Yep, it's the bugs. Swift, adorable death.

And I've just remembered the MLP ones were parasprites, because I'm sure everyone cared about that.

They really are just dying a whole lot. Justin is reluctant to brute force it by just trying everything and repeatedly dying, which I wonder if that's going to translate into Taako not wanting to die all the damn time at any point.

I didn't actually expect the time cards to work. I think because Griffin emphasised their unimportance during the last puzzle so much, I assumed they'd just continue being unimportant.

It takes them nearly an hour to reach this point at their fastest, so whatever they're coming up on is definitely the problem. They're going to have to dash there and solve it in the last loop, but they're definitely going to have to gather a lot more information on HOW before it gets to that point.

Ooh, more forcefields. So this is… this is a barrier, meant to protect… oh, shit, is the town even the thing being protected by the giant bubble? Because we've got barriers HERE that seem to be to protect the town from whatever is in the hole. Then we've got a bubble outside that may stop whatever gets the town from getting the REST of the world.

GIANT WORM.

I don't think the baby worms mean you have good odds. I mean, they were scared and pathetic. This thing is PISSED.

But, yeah. The barrier here time stopped the worm, giving the town an extra year, I'd guess, and then the barrier around the town has been rewinding to put the worm BACK before it got further.

…which doesn't make the chalice seem like the problem, you know? An incomplete solution, but unless someone actively summoned that worm by stopping time, the chalice is helping rather than hurting.

[geniusorinsanity]

talk about you (like you put the stars in the sky)

(written for @ransomweek and also @hoenursey bc i promised i would)

“We’re gonna die,” Nursey says, clinging to Ransom’s hand as they make their way up the trail. “Babe. We’re literally gonna die.”

Ransom laughs. “We’re not gonna die, Derek.”

He doesn't need to turn around to know that Nursey’s making a face at his back. “You only call me Derek when we’re in bed or you've convinced me to do something terrible.”

“That is--” Ransom thinks about it. “Huh. Goddamn, bro, you’re right.”

There's a sudden scramble and a yelp, and Nursey’s grip on Ransom’s hand jerks. Random turns in time to catch him by the elbow as he slips. “I told you,” Nursey whines, letting Ransom help him back up. “We’re gonna die. What the fuck made you think hiking at night was a good idea?”

Random grins, leaning forward. There's enough moonlight trickling through the trees for him to find Nursey’s nose, and he plants a kiss on it. “The fact that I've done this with my dad and sisters since I was a kid,” he says, “and I wanted to show my city boyfriend the view.”

“It’s dark,” Nursey protests, letting Ransom start tugging him gently up the trail again. “How’re we supposed to see anything?”

“Baby, you know what night vision is. Now you're whining just to whine.”

“Your face is whining just to whine,” Nursey mumbles, but he squeezes Ransom’s hand anyway, and Ransom smiles. For all the whining he’s doing now, Nursey’s been more than a good sport about spending a week of the limited summer vacation he gets in his PhD program being dragged out to the wilderness to camp for a week.

(Ransom’s compromise had been camping out of his dad’s SUV, rather than proper backpacking, for the sake of Nursey’s fragile Manhattan soul. Holster had laughed for a week when he told him.)

And anyway, Ransom reminds himself, as the well-worn trail rounds a familiar bend, this trip is special. This is both our programs are going really well, this is we’ve been together five years and lived together for two and every morning I wake up with you my heart skips a beat, this is when I watch you read I swear I think your eyes change color, this is if I put everything about us into Excel we’d add up to the perfect number, this is--

“Hey,” Nursey says, and squeezes his hand. Ransom startles a little out of his starts, and glances over his shoulder at his outline, soft and just-visible in the starlight. “Keep talking. It’s too quiet out here, it makes me antsy.”

Ransom slows his steps and squeezes his hand. “What do you want me to talk about?”

“I don’t know. Tell me about this place.”

“My dad used to bring us here in the summers,” Ransom says. “Dami used to whine the whole car ride from Toronto because I always got the front seat--she said it was sexist, and Dad said it was because I was like a million feet tall, and Ife always had to play mediator, which she hated, and I always offered to switch, but she never actually wanted to switch, she just wanted to bitch. Kinda like you.” He grins and squeezes Nursey’s hand as he carefully steps over an uneven patch of ground and guides Nursey to do the same. “Must be why you get along so well.”

Nursey snorts. “Must be,” he says. “Long drive to be stuck in the back seat.”

“I wouldn’t have minded. I like looking out windows.”

“I know you do, babe.” He can hear the smile in Nursey’s voice, and it makes him smile back. Nursey had surprised him by getting his driver’s license the year after his graduation from Samwell--“Well, I don’t live in Manhattan anymore, do I?”--and giving Ransom a break from driving them everywhere, and it had been one of the best birthday presents of Ransom’s life.

A lot of the things Nursey does have been the best presents of Ransom’s life.

The trail breaks open just ahead, and Ransom slows, then stops and turns. “Hey,” he says, catching both of Nursey’s arms to stop him. “Close your eyes and let me lead you the last bit?”

It’s dark as fuck, but he can see the whites of Nursey’s eyes as they widen. “Um? Did you miss the part where I’m legit afraid of falling off this mountain?”

“I won’t let you fall off the mountain,” Ransom promises. “I swear. I’ll hold onto you.”

“What if you fall off the mountain?”

This kid. Ransom’s got test anxiety to move mountains, and Nursey’s got the real kind that scares Ransom to death some days, but he’s pretty sure this is just good old fashioned city-boy terror of the outdoors. “Baby,” he says gently. “I won’t fall. You won’t fall.” He takes both of Nursey’s hands. “Trust me.”

The trees around them are blocking too much of the moonlight for him to see Nursey’s face, but he’s sure it scrunches up the way he does when he’s trying to convince himself to play it cool and pretend he’s not freaking out. “Okay,” he says, and breathes out hard. “I trust you.”

Ransom moves to stand next to him, slips an arm around his waist and takes his other arm. “Close your eyes,” he instructs, and peers close to make sure Nursey obeys before he starts walking, slower and more deliberate than before. He places his feet carefully, sure of every step.

He’s walked this trail for years, every summer since he was just coming up to his father’s waist, knows it like he knows the sidewalk outside his family’s home, the path from the Haus to Faber, the route from his apartment to the university lab where it feels like he spends all his time these days. He knows every tree root, every dip in the earth. He’s wanted to share this with Nursey for years, the sweetness of this air, the quiet of this wood, the breath and pulse of this place that is somehow both so lonely and full of life.

The trees part, the trail opening out onto the lookout point over the mountains. The huge boulder flattens out, and Ransom guides Nursey carefully down until he’s sitting, then settles himself down behind him, tugging gently until Nursey’s back is flush against his chest. He hooks his chin over Nursey’s shoulder, and tilts Nursey’s chin so he’ll be looking up at the sky when he opens his eyes.

“Okay, baby, he says. “Open your eyes.”

He feels, more than he hears, Nursey’s sharp inhale.

The first time his father took him on this hike at midnight, he was seven years old, sleepy and a little grumpy from being woken, stumbling a little in the darkness. But his breath had been taken away by the dazzling stars just as Nursey’s is now. They’re bright, so, so bright, so much brighter than they ever are in any city, and there’s so many--more than seemed possible, than seemed real.

Nursey doesn’t say anything, not for a long, long time, and finally, Ransom turns his head to kiss his cheek. “You okay?”

“I feel like I could drown in them,” Nursey murmurs. He doesn’t sound anxious, though. There’s a soft calm in his voice, and Ransom recognizes the way he sounds when he’s drifting through a poem, and smiles, and kisses his cheek. He feels Nursey’s smile under his lips. “It’s that sort of pressure, on my lungs, you know? Like--there’s so much.” He turns his head, but it’s still too dark to really see. “Am I making sense?”

“A little,” Ransom says. “I used to think it was like being on the open ocean, but without the fear of falling in.”

Nursey nods. “Yes,” he says, something deep and shuddering moving through him. He takes both of Ransom’s arms and puts them around his chest, leaning back him. “Exactly.” There’s a smile in his voice. “You always get me.”

“Yeah, I do.” Ransom tucks his face into Nursey’s neck, breathing him in. He still smells a little bit like his aftershave and soap, but a lot more like bug spray and sweat. It’s a good smell, outdoorsy and natural and real.

Two hours ago, they’d made out in their tent and Nursey had asked him, playfully, if Ransom was going to try and fuck him in a sleeping bag. Ransom had asked if Nursey would let him, and Nursey had wrapped his arms around his neck and teased, Babe, I let you drag me out to the woods. Haven’t you realized that you can have anything?

“Hey,” Ransom murmurs. He’s rehearsed a thousand scenarios, run a thousand formulas through Excel, but nothing has ever computed to be as perfect as this, the two of them, under a sea of stars.

“Mm,” Nursey says.

“Marry me?”

Nursey tilts his head back. The moon slips out from behind a cloud, and Ransom can just make out the green in his eyes, almost silver in this light. “You mean it?”

There’s always been a softness to Nursey that Ransom loves, but he hates that it’s tinged with this insecurity, this fear. He touches his fingertips to his cheek, gentle. “So much.”

Nursey turns in his arms, twists and resettles until his legs are on either side of Ransom’s hips, his forehead against Ransom’s. “Yes,” he whispers. “Justin. Yes.”

Ransom smiles, and smiles, and cups his face, and kisses him so sweetly he thinks his heart might burst free in his chest. Like pressure in your lungs, Nursey had said, and Ransom thinks, yes, sweetheart, you always knew.

“Hey,” Nursey says, when they finally part, both a little breathless, both a little hard. “If I’d said no, would you have thrown me off this mountain?”

Ransom grins. “No,” he says, “but I might have made you find your way back to the campsite.”

“Rude,” Nursey says. “Give me my ring, I know you have it. You’d never have done this on the fly.”

Ransom laughs, his heart soaring in his chest, and puts a ring on Nursey’s finger under an endless sea of stars.

[soulerflaire]

TAZ Amnesty spoilers below.

I should be asleep, but I felt the need to write this now.

That ending was...okay. I’ll be honest; I wasn’t particularly moved by it.

The DuckxMinerva thing felt kinda weird to me. I get Justin’s logic for it, but I think I would have enjoyed seeing that play out, rather than be told about it hurriedly in the 10-minute epilogue for them. I did like Duck going to Brazil to help restore the Amazon; that felt fitting.

I get that Aubrey had a whole thing of being very irreverent and silly, but she wasn’t taking _anything_ seriously. The pudding cup tree was a good goof, sure, but just did not fit the mood for me. I found that the more serious things got, the less I liked Aubrey, which sucks ‘cause she was my favorite character for a good 80% of the arc. But by the end, I just wanted Travis to stop making snappy one-liners and sarcastic comments and actually get into the mood of the scene.

I didn’t really get the Beacon thing. I think it was just “that’s why he was created” but it felt like I was missing something.

I didn’t feel much for the airing of the last episode of “Saturday Night Dead” as a tribute thing. I think that was due to a mix of not really liking Ned to begin with and also feeling underwhelmed by the ending.

One thing I very much _did_ like was what happened with the Quell. It seems Clint has a knack for befriending murderous, god-like beings. I know this is just a headcanon, but I like the idea that Sylvain didn’t hold the Quell’s actions against it. Maybe chastised it a little, but really, the Quell was serving its function (culling life on the planet to keep the planet alive for longer) and then just taking revenge for the perceived death of its....sister? Wife? Friend? Whatever relationship exists between the Quell and Sylvain. In any case, I like to think that the Quell’s quest for self discovery is voluntary, and that it considers Thacker a friend.

I think part of what made the ending less satisfying was a problem that’s been bugging me for a while. Griffin had been dropping hints, small at first but larger over time, that a third party, not of Sylvain or Earth, was orchestrating things. He was blatantly stating it by the time they starting gearing up for the final confrontation, and had at least two separate NPCs point it out.

And every single step of the way, the boys ignored it as completely as possible. The abominations were dissolving into light? Whatever. One of the party gets kidnapped by a weird light creature that can create portals? Must just be another bombom. One of the light creatures actually talks to them and reveals that it’s part of something bigger, initiating a confrontation that culminates in them actually seeing into another world? Oh well, we gotta go kill the Quell. Through Minerva, Griffin was explicitly stating “Hey, maybe the Quell isn’t the only thing you guys need to worry about.” And they still hyperfocused on the Quell. And not just on stopping the Quell, but specifically on killing it, which also bothered me a little. Griffin made it clear the Quell was acting on rage at losing Sylvain, which implies (as ended up happening) that restoring Sylvain would stop it. But they basically said, “Yeah, but what are the chances of that? Nah, let’s try and kill this god-like monstrosity.”

This meant that to avoid having all those loose ends of the light monsters left untied, Griffin had to make the boys to finally address them by saying “Do something or everyone dies, you got 200 seconds, go.” Which felt extremely forced, because it was. And that made the whole ending feel forced to me. Not once did any of them even try to figure out the light creatures. I get that the narrative was supposed to be driven by the players, but they basically stopped at the first gas station and said “Good enough.”

I think if Griffin had abandoned the Reconciliation plot once he realized the guys weren’t going for it, rather than ramping up the hints, it might have been better. I don’t know. I would not have been happy if they had just ended things with the restoration of Sylvain, but I don’t feel like the last episode added much. It felt a lot more like Griffin saying “And this is what I’ve been trying to make the plot about for the past 20 episodes!” and the boys just playing their parts until it was over.

Now, I still enjoyed Amnesty, and I’m very excited to see what they do next. But I hope that whoever GMs is given control of the narrative. Without someone keeping them focused and on track, they have a tendency to wander around telling jokes.

Also, tbh, I’m not a fan of Monster of the Week. It has some cool ideas, but it felt way too loose for me. Hoping they pick a different system for the next one, one with more structure to it.

[anavoliselenu]

Aced chapter 4

“What?” Zander asks, eyebrows raised, voice innocent.

And shit. Innocent is the keyword here. Did I know what sex was at age thirteen? Hell yes, I did. Thought I did, anyway. A messy French kiss with Laura Parker was the extent of it. The sheets I’d balled up in the morning, mortified for my mom to find, had been my reality.

“So . . . you guys might start hearing some stuff at school or see stuff on TV or the Internet about Selena and me.” Brows furrow. Lips quirk. And my palms sweat. I clear my throat. “Sometimes adults do things in the heat of the moment that leads to . . . er . . . uh . . . consequences.”

“Heat of the moment?” Aiden says with a snicker. I swear to God I blush for the first time in what feels like forever.

“You know sometimes you do something without thinking—”

“Like that time you climbed on the counter to get the cookies on top of the refrigerator and—”

“No. Not like that,” I cut Kyle off. Sweet Jesus this is going to be difficult. “More like when two married people love each other they—”

“Do they have to be married?” Scooter asks.

Seriously? Do I have to go here? I feel like I’m sitting on hot coals. My balls are burning and I can’t sit still.

“For the most part, yes.” I’m going to be struck by lightning for saying that. For lying through my teeth.

Aiden snickers again. I guess at age fourteen he knows where I’m going with this. And is enjoying watching me struggle.

“Anyway, there is going to be some talk about us and I wanted to say that you know Selena. You know the person she is. So please don’t believe any of the crap you hear being said.”

There. Maybe that will be enough.

“But why? What’s on the Internet?”

I just fucked this up. If I were their age and someone said this to me, I’d immediately go and online and search for it. Curiosity and all that.

The snicker again from Aiden. The one that says he either already knows because someone said something at school today or is assuming.

Don’t lose your cool, Donavan.

“Five Three X,” he murmurs under his breath, confusing the fuck out of me but making perfect sense to the four of them by the way they whip their heads his way and their mouths fall open like they know perfectly well what he’s saying.

“What?” I ask.

Five pairs of eyes look down at hands on soda cans and leave me lost in the goddamn dark.

“Someone going to explain what the hell five three X means?”

Snickers times five now.

“Aiden?”

He looks up, meets my eyes, and the look he gives me tells me he knows exactly what I’m here to tell them about. A single scathing look that tells me he’s pissed at me for whatever it is he’s read about Selena—like it’s all my fault—and all I can do is sigh and run a hand through my hair. And try to figure out what the fuck he’s talking about.

A part of me loves this glare he’s giving me. He’s pissed with me because he’s protective of Selena, but at the same time . . . really? I’m being eye-scolded by a fourteen-year-old?

And then it hits me. The visual of what Five Three X looks like. 53X

SEX.

Jesus fucking Christ. When did I get so old I don’t know that lingo and when did these kids get so old when they’re not?

I jog my knee. Take a breath. What the hell am I supposed to say now? I wasn’t really going to go into the sex part of it. Was I? I don’t even know. I thought this was going to be a cinch. A little chat. Don’t believe everything you see or hear on the Internet type of thing.

And now I’m stuck with birds and bees and son-of-a-bitch Aiden just threw a whole goddamn hornet’s nest on me when I wasn’t looking.

Can anyone say fish out of water?

“Dude. It’s totally cool,” Aiden says, taking point for the brood despite the two youngest, Zander and Scooter, blushing.

“No, it’s not cool,” I say, finding my footing. “Selena’s super concerned that you will be affected by this and she doesn’t want you to—”

“Look, we’re not going to click on anything, okay?” My eyes bug out of my head. “No one wants to see you bumping uglies . . . especially us.”

That’s one way to put it. My mouth goes dry as snickers fall, red creeps into cheeks, and eyes are averted from mine.

“Well . . . then . . .” Shit. Great job, Donavan. You’ve got Aiden pissed at you but you still haven’t made them understand that this is about more than just sex. I scrub a hand over my face and try to figure out what the fuck I need to say to get the point across. “Listen, guys, you love Selena like I do, right?” All heads nod and each pair of eyes narrow as they wait to see what else I’m going to say. “That’s what I thought. So I need you to understand that there have been some mean, ugly things said about her because of the images out there of us. She’s upset and really hurt by them. But more than anything, she’s worried it’s going to affect all of you. So when I ask you not to click on anything online, don’t click on anything. When I ask you not to believe anything crappy said about her or her reasons for supporting The House, don’t believe them. You guys are her world, and she’d hate herself if you were hurt in any way from this. So can you do that for me? Can you ignore all of this and pretend like it didn’t happen so Selena doesn’t have to worry about you guys?”

For fuck’s sake, please understand what I’m asking here.

Aiden’s gaze meets mine. Gone is the immature smugness from moments before. It’s been replaced with an understanding that seems to go well beyond his years. He nods his head once to me, eyes relaying his unspoken words: we promise.

I shift in my seat when all I really want to do is sag in relief. Thank Christ. I start to talk and then stop, unsure what to say next.

“Dodgers,” Aiden says, recognizing my uncertainty and owning this conversation like nobody’s business. “Let’s talk about last night’s Dodgers game.”

All I can do is shake my head.

I’m not ready for this parenting shit.

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU mean early parole?” Justin’s voice ricochets off the stairwell and up into the room, shocking me from the case reports I’m trying to complete on my laptop and indicating he is home. Within an instant, I set my computer aside and move downstairs to find out what’s going on.

“I know, CJ. I know,” Justin says, one hand fisted at his side, posture tense, as I walk into the great room, his back to me framed against the open doors to the patio. “But it’s too much of a goddamn coincidence, don’t you think? The timing, his vindication . . . all of it adds up.”

Justin must sense me and turns to meet my eyes, holding one finger up requesting I wait while he finishes the conversation. I watch the emotions play over his face as he listens to our lawyer. He moves to abate the restlessness of whatever CJ is telling him, my eyes following him pace, my mind trying to figure out what’s going on. They say their goodbyes, and he turns again to face me.

“Eddie.”

It’s all he says as he smacks his hands together. That simple name—a blast from our past—and Justin’s reflex reaction cause details from three years ago to flood back to me. The CD Enterprises patent for an innovative neck protection device being denied because someone else was already in the process of getting a very similar one approved. Almost identical in fact. Investigations to find out that the other patent applicant had CDE’s same exact blueprints for the device, followed by digging into the layering of the corporation applying to find Eddie Kimball on the board of directors.

The same Eddie Kimball who Justin had fired for stealing said blueprints.

As I look at the fire lighting up Justin’s eyes, I think of the two-year legal battle that ensued over the right of ownership and future revenues from the device the blueprints made. I’m reminded of the stress, the lies, the accusations, the mediation meetings, and offers of settlement to buy time on Eddie’s part. After spending a fortune in legal counsel, the judge eventually ruled in our favor and convicted Eddie of numerous charges—fraud, perjury, false witness—and sentenced him to a four-year jail sentence.

“How?” I ask, making calculations about someone I mentally told myself was out of our lives. The trial ended three years ago. He had a four-year sentence.

“Early release. Good Behavior. Jails too crowded from the three-strikes statute.” He answers my unspoken questions as he runs a hand through his hair, his head nodding, and I can see him trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together in his mind.

“Tawny knew where we were.” It’s all I say, voice quiet, gaze fixed on him. He looks up, narrows his eyes, and grits his teeth, not wanting to hear me say it again.

“I know,” he says with a sigh, “but I’m trying to figure out how it all fits together. What? Did Tawny go up and get the video of us that night? If she had it way back when, then why keep it and release it all this time later?” He slumps down on the couch and puts his head in his hand while he tries to make sense of it.

I move and sit down next to him and rest my head on his shoulder.

“I can’t give you the answers but it all seems too convenient for her not to have had a hand in this.” My voice is calm but anger fires in my veins at the thought that either of them have had a hand in this. And yet I shouldn’t expect any less from them.

Bitches can’t change their stripes. Oh wait, that’s tigers. Hmpf. Doesn’t matter because I refuse to give her a second thought. If she did do this, then Lord have mercy on her when Justin gets done with her.

The idea doesn’t take the sting out of our public humiliation any less, but at least with this newfound information about Eddie’s release, we might have some place to start looking.

“Kelly is trying to track him down through his parole officer,” Justin says, pulling me from my thoughts. He reaches out and squeezes my knee to show me he’s present although I know mentally he’s a million miles away.

“This is all just so fucked up,” I murmur, speaking my thoughts aloud and garnering a sound of agreement from him. We sit like this for a few moments. The silence is comforting because we know outside this bubble we’ve surrounded ourselves with, there are people waiting to tear us apart.

My cell phone rings from the kitchen counter causing me to sigh because I’m sure it’s some intrusive person from a tabloid. “I need to change my number,” I groan.

“I’ll handle this,” he says, beating me to the punch and getting up from the couch. Besides, with the time it would take to get my pregnant self up, the call would probably go to voicemail.

I sink back into the couch and wait for Justin to answer and unleash his temper on whatever poor soul thinks they are calling me, so I’m surprised when I hear him greet the person warmly.

“Hey, good afternoon,” Justin says. “She’s right here, Teddy. Hold on.”

And there is something in that split second of time that causes my brain—that has been so overwhelmed by everything today—to fire on all cylinders. I thought of my parents and the boys. I’ve read articles denouncing my motives and implying I released the tape for my own benefit. I called Jax and had him cover my shift at The House. And yet not once did I pick up the phone and call my boss. Not once did I think of damage control or how this man I greatly admire is going to look at me now.

Pregnancy brain.

Oh shit.

Scenarios flicker through my mind as I take the phone from Justin. Our eyes meet momentarily, and I can already see he’s thinking the same thing I am.

“Hey Teddy,” I say, my voice ten times more enthusiastic than I feel.

“How you doing, kiddo?” he asks cautiously.

“I’m sorry I haven’t called you,” I say, immediately using those two words again even though I technically haven’t done anything wrong.

“No need to.” It’s all he says and the awkward silence hangs through the connection. I can sense he’s trying to figure out how to approach this conversation, an awkward dance of unspoken words. “But we do need to talk.”

And the angst I had shelved momentarily returns in a blaze of glory.

“What do you need from me, Teddy?” I feel the need to rise and walk, subdue the discord I already feel, but don’t have the energy. Justin steps behind the couch and places his hands on my shoulders and begins to knead away the tension there.

My boss sighs into the line and it’s the only sound I need to hear to know my fears about why he’s calling are warranted. “Some benefactors are raising their hypocritical highbrow hands and protesting your lead on the project.”

I take a deep breath, biting back the comments on my tongue. “I see. Well, take me off as the lead then. Let me have my shifts at The House, and I’ll work behind the scenes on the upcoming project.”

When he doesn’t respond immediately, I bite my bottom lip. “I wish I could.” And then silence. We sigh simultaneously, the singular sound a symphony of disquiet.

“What do you mean you wish you could?”

“Selena . . .”

And it hits me. It’s not that he wants me to take a back seat on the project. He wants me off the project entirely. And out of The House.

“Oh,” I say. Justin’s fingers tense as he feeds off my physical reaction. Right now I’m so glad he can’t see my face because he’ll see how devastated I am. He already feels guilty enough for things he can’t control. “I won’t risk the project. The boys, the mission, everything means way too much to me. I’ve put my blood, sweat, tears, and heart into this and I can’t risk it for the many more we are going to be able to help. I know this is hard for you and I won’t make you ask me so I’ll just say it. I’ll take an early maternity leave. I’ll hate it. It’ll kill me to leave Auggie right now just as we’re making progress and a breakthrough is on the horizon . . .” My voice trails off, ending my ramble as I struggle to articulate how hard this is for me. In the same breath, I know it was ten times harder for him to pick up the phone to call me and ask this of me.

“They want more than an early maternity leave, Selena.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Board wants me to place you on an indefinite leave of absence.”

“Indefinite?” I stutter, voice unsteady, disbelief tingeing its edges as I prod him for the answer I want. “As in three-month type of indefinite?”

“You know I respect you. You know I know this project is a continued success because of you and that the boys are contributing members to society because of all the time and hard work you’ve put in.” I hate that all of a sudden Teddy sounds like he’s speaking to a room of stiff suits instead of me, the woman who has worked for him for over twelve years. However, I understand his protective wall of detachment more than he knows because I’m fortifying mine too right now. I have to. It’s the only way I’ll be able to get through this conversation when he tells me I am no longer mother to my boys. To my family. When I don’t respond, he continues, trying to find his footing in a world where he is boss, mentor, and friend. “I swear to God I went to bat for you, kid . . . but with the board vote coming up,” he says, shame in his voice but I get where he’s coming from. The annual vote to approve his position is next month and if he fights too hard, he might not get renewed.

Teddy losing his position would be a colossal mistake; the boys would lose both of us—their biggest advocates. I bite back the bitterness, the want to argue, because with him still in the mix, I know there will at least be one of us working with them.

“It’s temporary. I promise you that. Just until the attention dies down.”

Yeah. Temporary. The bitterness returns. Disbelief overwhelms me and shakes loose a new thought: what if his contract isn’t renewed? Would I still have a place at Corporate Cares?

The fear replaces my rage, allows me to calm down and realize fighting him is like preaching to the choir. I just need to fade into the background regardless of the fact I feel like I’m bathed in a neon light. It will be hard as hell but I don’t want to rock the boat for him any more than I already have.

“Okay,” I respond softly, my voice anything but certain. And I want to ask him how he knows it’s temporary—need some kind of concrete here—but know it’s useless to ask. This is hard enough for both of us as it is, so why throw false promises in there too?

“I feel like I’m selling you out for the donations—”

“No—”

“But we need these funds,” he murmurs.

Desperately. Non-profits always need funds. I’ve been doing this way too long to know there’s never enough and always so many we can’t help.

“I won’t risk the project, Teddy.” And I know he’s having a hard time finding the right words to ask me to step down. And the fact it’s hard for him shows just how much he believes in me, and that means the world to me. “I’ll step down effective immediately.” I choke on the words as tears clog in my throat and drown out all sound momentarily, my mind trying to wrap itself around what I just said. Justin’s reaction is reflected in the tightening of his fingers on my shoulders, and I immediately shrug out of his grip, push myself up off the couch, and walk to the far side of the room. It is almost a reflex reaction to feel the need to come to terms with this on my own. Yet when I turn to look at Justin and the unwavering love in his eyes, I know I’m not alone. Know together we are a unified front.

“Selena . . .” The resigned sadness in Teddy’s voice is like pinpricks in an already gaping wound.

“No. It’s okay. It’s fine. I’m just . . . it’s okay,” I reiterate, unsure whether I’m trying to assure him or myself. I know neither of us believes it.

“Quit telling me it’s okay, Selena, because it’s not. This is bullshit,” he swears into the phone, and I can hear how he feels in the single word that keeps coming up over and over.

“But you’re handcuffed. The boys come first,” I say, immediately hearing Justin’s earlier words said in such a different way. “They always come first, Teddy.”

“Thank you for understanding the situation I’m in.”

I nod my head, unable to speak, and then I realize he can’t see me. The problem is that I don’t understand. I want to rage and scream, tell him this is a railroad because the video does not prevent me from doing my job whatsoever and yet, the die is cast. The video is viral. My job is not mine anymore.

Holy shit. The one constant in my life for as long as I can remember is gone. Talk about going from having a sense of purpose to feeling completely lost in a matter of moments.

How can one video—a single moment in our lives—cause this gigantic ripple effect?

“I need to see the boys one last time.” It’s the only thought I can process.

“I’m sorry, Selena, but that’s probably not a good idea right now with . . . with everything.”

“Oh.” My plans for them before I took maternity leave are now obsolete; the bond I was building with Auggie will be non-existent when I return.

If I get to return.

The thought hits me harder than anything else. With Teddy still on the line, I drop the phone and run to the bathroom where I empty the contents of my stomach into the toilet.

Within moments I feel Justin’s hands on me: one holding my hair back and the other rubbing up and down the length of my spine in silent reassurance as dry heaves hit me with violent shudders.

“I’m so sorry, Selena. I know your job and the boys mean the world to you,” he murmurs, as I sit there with my forehead resting on the back of my hand atop the toilet seat.

The first tear slips out; the only show of emotion I allow. I can feel it slide ever so slowly down my cheek. With my eyes closed and the man I love behind me, I allow myself to consider the endless uncertainty.

Is this all about me? And if so, whoever did this just got exactly what they wanted. To devastate me. To take my heart and soul—my boys—away from me. To hand me a punishment capable of breaking me.

Taking Justin or the baby away from me would be the only thing worse they could do. And that sure as hell isn’t going to happen.

I may be down, but I’m not out.

“LET’S HOPE WE NEVER NEED it.”

“It’s strictly a precaution,” I say about the restraining order Selena just signed at the police station against Eddie Kimball. I flip on my blinker, eyes scanning the rearview mirror to make sure we are still paparazzi-free, as I turn onto the unfamiliar street.

“I still disagree though. You should have one too.”

Nope. Not me. I hope the fucker comes face-to-face with me. Welcome the thought, actually. I’m jonesing for a chance to beat the truth out of him.

“I can more than handle myself,” I state calmly.

Her huff of disapproval is noted and ignored. I drive slowly through the tree-lined streets occasionally leaning over the console toward the passenger seat so I can read the house numbers on her side of the car. And in doing so, I’ve drawn her attention to figure out where we’re going and provided the perfect distraction to get her to drop the topic. For now, at least. I’m sure she’ll bring it up again but for now she’s diverted.

“Last stop,” I say as I pull up when I’ve found the correct house.

“Where are we?” she asks, curiosity in her tone as she cranes her neck to look around us.

“Proving one of us right,” I tell her. “Sit tight.”

I open the door and get out, shutting it on her questions, and walk around the car to the sidewalk. She opens her door and I glance over to her before she can get out. “Don’t.” A single word warning her to stay in the car. Our eyes lock, her temper flashing in hers, but my bite’s bigger and she knows it. So after a moment she mutters something under her breath but shuts the door without getting out.

Fuck if I’m not being an asshole. Like that’s something new. But at the same time, if I’m laying all my cards on the table, it has to be face-to-face. I can’t have the catfight bullshit I’m sure Selena would initiate if she were at my side: a distraction when I’m trying to call Tawny’s bluff.

I check the address once more as I walk up the concrete path, the daggers from Selena’s glare burning holes into the back of my shoulders. The house is nothing special—a little run-down, flowers in the planters, a red wagon on the porch—and I can’t help but think it’s a long-ass way from the high-rise condo she had the last time I visited her.

I knock on the door. A dog barks nearby. I shift my feet. Take my sunglasses off because I want there to be no mistaking what I’m saying and how I mean it. Let’s get this done and fucking over with. Problem is when all’s said and done, I have a feeling I might be eating a little crow for Selena, and I’ve heard it tastes like shit.

I should know better by now. Selena’s usually right when it comes to this kind of thing. Only one way to find out.

I knock again. Look over my shoulder to where Selena sits in the car, window down, head tilted to the side as she tries to figure out what in the fuck I’m doing.

C’mon. Answer the damn door. I don’t have time for this shit. Wasted minutes.

Did she or didn’t she? That’s the big fucking question of the hour.

Tawny.

I grit my teeth at the name. At the person who has been dead to me. She may have been one of my oldest friends, but she tried to play me for a fool, tie me to her with her bullshit lies, and more than anything, fucked with Selena. End. Of. Story.

My hands fist. Memories return. Temper flares.

The door swings open. I jolt seeing someone I don’t know at all anymore.

“Justin!” Her blue eyes widen in shock. The lines etched around them tell me life’s been tough. Too bad, so fucking sad. The beauty queen’s lost her crown. You fuck with people, you reap what you sow. Her hand immediately flies up to pat her hair and smooth down her shirt.

Don’t worry sweetheart, I wouldn’t even touch you with a ten-foot pole.

“What the fuck are you and Eddie trying to pull, Tawny?” I want to catch her off guard, see if I can glimpse a flicker in her eyes. Something. Anything. A goddamn clue whether she had a hand in this whole situation.

“What are you . . .?” Her voice fades as she shakes her head, eyes blinking as if she can’t believe I’m standing here. The feeling is mutual.

Cat got your tongue, T?

“Justin . . . please, come in.” She reaches out, puts her hand on my arm, and I yank it back in automatic reflex. Does she think I’m here for her? That maybe . . . fuck, I don’t know what she could be thinking, but obviously from the hurt that flashed in her eyes she sure as shit didn’t expect my rejection.

Good. At least the stage is set for this conversation. Her hopes dashed. All expectation out the damn door.

“No thanks. I’ve got better things waiting for me in the car,” I say with a lift of my chin. I then step to the side so she can see Selena.

And so Selena can see her. Understand why we’re here. That I listened to her, heard her, and am trying to get some answers. I just hope like hell Selena stays put so I can up the ante. Take the pot and finish this on my terms. Because I need to do that.

“Oh.”

Yeah. Oh. Glad we got the fact I’m still married out of the way. Happily. Now, back to business.

“Tell me about the tape.” Images flash in my head: Selena crying on the phone with Teddy, Selena on the patio all by herself, the vulgar comments made beneath the video on YouTube about what other sick fucks want to do to her.

“What tape?” She shakes her head back and forth, eyes narrowed in confusion.

“Cut the crap, T. I fell for your lies once upon a fucking time, and I’m a little short of change to buy them now.” I cross my arms over my chest and raise my eyebrows.

“I’m sorry, Justin, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I’m not buying the innocent routine. “Did you watch TV at all this week? Go to the store? Read People magazine? Anything?”

“My son’s been sick for the past few days so unless you mean Scooby Doo on TV, no. Why? What’s going on?” she asks, tone defensive, and I purposely don’t answer. I want to use the silence as a way to make her nervous. She fidgets, shifts her feet, works her tongue in her cheek.

Goddamn it. Selena was right. She knows something. Fuckin’ A.

“Shit, I haven’t seen Eddie in over four years,” she finally says.

I stare at her, eyes determined to find some kind of deception in her words but all I see is the woman I used to know, curves a little fuller, clothes messy, and eyes tired.

And I don’t care how rough it seems life has been for her. Looks can be deceiving. I still don’t trust her. Not one bit. Not after what she did to us way the fuck back when and what I’m pretty sure she had a hand in now.

“Video footage has surfaced of Selena and me from six years ago. You’re the only one who knew where we were and what we did that night.” I let the comment hang in the space between us. She tries to hide her reaction—a lick of her lips, a quick look to the car driving down the street—but once you’ve had a relationship with someone, you can read them like a clock. Tick fucking tock. And I know she has more to say. “The Kids Now event. When Selena and I had sex in the parking garage. Footage of us is plastered all over the media, Tawny. You’re the only one who knew.”

She forces a swallow down her throat. A glance behind her where there are Hot Wheels all over the floor. A shift of her feet. A bite into her bottom lip. All done before she finally has the courage to meet my eyes again.

“Care to change your answer, now?”

“Oh my God,” she murmurs more to herself than to me. And something about the way she says it bugs me. It seems genuine, full of surprise, real. I call bullshit. She’s just playing the part without dressing up for the cameras. “I completely forgot about that video.”

“You forgot?” I sneer, sarcasm rich in my voice. “That’s awfully convenient.”

“No, really,” she says, reaching out to touch me, and then stopping presumably when she remembers my reaction the last time she tried. Smart woman.

“I’m losing my patience,” I say between gritted teeth.

“That night after I left the party, I met up with Eddie. We had some drinks. Too many. I told him about the charity event, seeing you and Selena there, and what she had said about you guys on the hood of Sex. I was feeling angry, rejected, and didn’t think twice about it until after he was fired. That’s when he called me, livid and unhinged. Said he knew the perfect way to get back at you and that he had gotten hold of a video from that night. Had it in a safe place.”

Bingo. Dots connected. A confirmation. Now let’s try to complete the picture.

“And you never thought to tell me?” I shout. My hands flex as I resist the urge to grab her shoulders and shake her in frustration.

“It was a different time. You fired me shortly thereafter and I was furious, ashamed, disowned by my mother . . . so no, I’m sorry, Justin, I didn’t. I was so busy worrying about myself, being selfish.” She sighs, clasping and unclasping her hands in front of her. And I fucking hate when she looks up at me with clarity in her eyes I’ve never seen before. I don’t want to see it but I can’t ignore it either. “I was a different person back then. Time . . . things . . . kids, life, it changes you.”

“Kids?” I snort out, holding my anger in front of me like a shield as I remember her shocking blindside all these years later. “You mean like the baby you lied about and tried to tell me was mine? Used as a pawn in your fucked-up games?” I take a step forward, fists clenched, anger owning me.

“Yes, as in that one,” she says her voice barely audible. “I . . . I’m so—”

“Save the apologies, Tawny. Your bullshit lies and accusations almost made me lose the most important person in the world.” The acrid taste of revulsion hits my tongue. “That’s something that doesn’t deserve forgiveness.”

My words hit her like a one-two punch—hard, fast, and bruising. Does she think her quivering bottom lip will win me over? Make me forget the past?

Not hardly.

“I know,” she says giving me whiplash. I expected denial and defiance, attitude and arrogance, and she gives me neither. Our eyes hold for a long moment and fuck, all of a sudden I feel like I’m seeing her for the first time in a different light. Don’t fall for her act, Donavan. People like her don’t change. Can’t. It’s not possible.

But you changed.

The voice in the back of my head so very quiet, barely audible, sounds like a scream, causing me to bite back the snide comments as the unwelcome tang of doubt replaces them.

The look on Selena’s face flashes in my mind from the day Tawny came waltzing in the house to tell me she was pregnant with my baby. A manipulative game by one of the masters. Too bad for her I was a master at it myself. Had no problem going up to the plate against her curveballs. But Selena . . . she didn’t even have a bat in her hand.

I hold onto that thought—Selena’s tears, the nasty fight, the break we took—all of it, and tell the tiny ounce of pity I feel for Tawny to take a fucking hike. She brought this upon herself. Not me. Not Selena. Just her.

Tawny starts to speak and then stops. “If I had known that Eddie really had a tape . . . or what he was going to do, I would have told you.”

I stare at her, leery of the sudden decency that doesn’t fit with the memory of the woman I used to know, and deliver a visual warning: You better not be fucking with me.

“Tell me what you know.” My voice is gruff, incapable of believing her or that the years have changed her enough she’d actually look out for me. She’d have told me, my ass.

Would she have?

Does it really fucking matter, Donavan? Get as much info as you can, turn your back, and walk away. You don’t need to know if she’s changed, wonder if life has been rough for her, because the only thing that matters is the woman sitting in the car behind you.

“Honestly—”

“I’d like to believe that honesty is something you’re capable of but you’re not the one dealing with . . .” I let my words fall off, catch myself from letting her have a glimpse into my private life. Don’t want her to know about the butterfly effect this video she knew about is having on everything in Selena’s life. Because if she’s playing me and is behind this—somehow, someway—then she’ll have gotten exactly what she was looking for: hurting Selena, which hurts me. And while I may be sympathetic at times, it’s only toward my wife, only with the boys, and only with those I care about. Tawny and I may have a past together, but she is most definitely not any of those people.

“Look, I know you don’t want to hear it but I fucked up. Was in a bad place with pressures you have no idea about and I won’t use as an excuse . . . but it was a long time ago. Like I said, I’m a different person now, Justin. I don’t expect you to believe me . . . to know I’m sorry for the games I played, but I am.” We hold each other’s gaze, my jaw clenched tight, pulse pounding.

I expected to come here, fight with her, and threaten her to get some answers. Not in a million years did I expect her to be like this: apologetic, decent, sincere. And so the fuck what if she is? It changes nothing. Top priority is getting answers so I can try to make my wife whole again.

“At first I thought he was lying about the tape,” she says, breaking through my warring thoughts. “I thought he was trying to get in my pants by feeding my spite over you choosing Selena, because . . . well, because it was Eddie. You know how untrustworthy he was.”

She leans her back against the doorjamb and I shift my feet, wanting to rush this, get the fuck away from here, but I need more. Seeing her causes the memories to resurface. The lies she told. Her manipulative ways. How I thought she’d been in cahoots with Eddie in stealing the blueprints way the fuck back when. Despite investigators and depositions, and every other legal means under the sun CJ couldn’t find shit to prove she was involved. To say I had a hard time believing she was innocent is an understatement. But I did. Had no choice.

The question is, do I believe that now?

“Did you ever watch it?” And it’s a stupid question, but the thought of her of all people watching Selena and me have sex seems ten more times intrusive than the other millions of people who have.

“No. Never,” she says definitively, earning her a rise of my eyebrow in disbelief. “Really. That’s why I never thought twice about it.”

Great. Now I’ve given her the idea to go watch it. Brilliant, Donavan. Fucking brilliant. But then again, I had to ask. Had to know.

I blow out a breath, roll my shoulders, and ask the one question left that makes no fucking sense to me. “If he had the video though, why wait all this time?”

She angles her head as she stares at me, feet shifting, arms crossed over her chest. “I don’t know, Justin. I just don’t know.”

Impatient, uncomfortable, and still a little thrown by this new woman in front of me that looks the same but sounds so very different, I just nod my head, turn my back, and stride down the walk to my car. I don’t know what else to do. There is no good in goodbye here. There’s just the closing of a door on another chapter of my past.

“Justin.”

Every muscle in my body tenses—feet want to keep walking—yet curiosity stops me dead in my tracks. With my back to her, I wait for her to say whatever it is she wants to say.

“It’s good to see you happy. It suits you. I know now that’s because of Selena.”

I lift my eyes to meet Selena’s at the same time Tawny speaks. I hear her statement, take it for what it is, and don’t try to find a hidden meaning or an underlying dig. With eyes locked on Selena’s, I nod my head in acknowledgement and walk toward the car.

Time can change people. The woman with violet eyes staring back at me? She’s my living proof that I’ve done just that, changed.

Tawny might have changed too, yet I don’t have the effort to care right now. I have a wife that is more important than the air I fucking breathe, and being this close to Tawny, I’m starting to suffocate.

I need my air.

“TALK ABOUT BLINDSIDING HER,” BECKS says.

“Which one?” I ask with a laugh followed by a hiss as I throw back the Macallan. The shit’s smooth but burns like a motherfucker.

“I was talking about Tawny but you’ve got a point there,” Becks says with a smirk. “I imagine Selena got whiplash when she saw Tawny open the front door.”

“I’m sure she did, but thank fuck she stayed in the car or who knows what would have happened.”

“You’re a brave fucker taking Selena there after everything she did to the two of you,” he says as he lifts two fingers to our waitress for another round.

“Brave or stupid. But this right here,” I say, holding my left hand in the air and pointing to my wedding ring, “means I didn’t dare visit Tawny without her. That would have been no bueno. Besides, she had a right to know since she called it.”

“Dude, I still can’t get over the fact you saw Tawny after all this time.”

“Yeah . . . well . . .” I shrug, thinking of all of the shit I said way back when about how I’d never step within a hundred yards of her again. “Sometimes the promises you make to yourself are the easiest to break. And shit, we were on the way back from the police station so I figured why not kill two birds with one stone since we’d dodged the vultures?”

“I can’t believe the paps are still all over you. Is Selena okay after yesterday?”

I blow out a breath. Fucking assholes. “A little shaken but she’s scrappy.” I clench my fist on the table as I recall her phone call yesterday. How she tried to take a walk on the beach to get some fresh air but paparazzi shifted from the gate to the sand and swarmed her before she could even reach the waterline.

And I know how she felt—needing the fresh air—because I feel the same way. Isn’t that why I’m here right now? Decompressing. Grabbing a few minutes while she’s taking a nap after the excitement of my visit to Tawny today, to hang with Becks, shoot the shit, and get a change of scenery to make me a better man. Sitting in your own house day after day can wear on any man. Make you feel like an animal in the zoo: caged, pacing, and constantly toyed with by those on the outside looking in.

I grit my teeth and thank fuck the back entrance of Sully’s pub was paparazzi-free so Sammy could drop me off and I could slide in and meet Becks without being mobbed. After yesterday and how they treated Selena, my fuse is short and ready to ignite at the slightest misstep.

“Was it strange seeing her again after all this time?” Becks asks as he lifts his beer to his lips.

“Is the sky blue? Fuck, man . . . it was weird. But she gave me what I needed to know so maybe she’s changed some.”

“Don’t give her that much credit,” he murmurs.

“I don’t give her any.”

“Smart,” he says and slides the cardboard coaster around on the table. “Should have known Eddie would be the one to pull shit like this. Fucker.”

“Fucker,” I repeat because anything else would be a waste of breath. I glance at my phone to make sure Selena or Kelly hasn’t texted since the noise in the bar is getting louder the longer we sit here.

“Everything okay?”

“After ten more of these it will be. Need to drink to forget,” I say, rolling my shoulders and letting out a frustrated sigh. Too much shit, too damn fast. I want my happy, baby-crazed wife back. Her job back. Our life back. “It’s not gonna help shit and I’ll be sicker than a dog in the morning, but sometimes, it’s just what the doctor ordered.”

“Truth. And I’ve got just the prescription for us,” Becks says as he motions to the waitress again to head over to our regular table tucked in the back.

“What can I get you boys?” she asks, smile wide and cleavage jiggling.

“Bottle of Patron Gold. Two shot glasses, please. We need to forget,” Becks says.

“That’ll sure do the job,” she says with a lift of her eyebrows. “Looks like you’re going to be stuck here for a while anyway with the way paparazzi are stacking up outside.”

“Shit,” I mutter under my breath.

“Sorry, hon. We find out who in here called, we’re kicking their sorry asses to the curb,” she says louder than normal so those around us can hear her. She starts to walk away and then stops and turns around. “And we’ll stick ’em with your tab.”

I throw my head back with a laugh. “I like the way you think.”

She returns within minutes, our ongoing tab and prior large tips always earning us the best service. “Here you go, boys,” she says, as she sets two full shot glasses in front of us, and the bottle in between us. “May God rest your souls.”

“Amen to that,” Becks says as he lifts his glass. “What’s the first thing we need to forget?”

“Paparazzi.”

“Cheers,” he says as we tap our glasses against each other’s. “Fuck you, paparazzi.”

We toss the shots back. My throat burns as the warmth starts to flood through me. Becks lifts a lime from the bowl on the table and I mutter, “Pussy,” under my breath, earning me a flip of his finger. “Umm.” I think of what I want to forget next. “Fucking CJ.”

“Okay,” he draws the word out as he pours us another shot, “but if I’m drinking to forget something, I need to know what I’m supposed to forget since I sure as hell hope you’re not fucking CJ.”

“No. I’m not fucking CJ.” I belt out a laugh. My mind is starting to spin as I glance around the bar. “Because my goddamn hands are cuffed and not in a good way. He called earlier, said that in the eyes of the law, the tape was public. Eddie didn’t steal it from us per se. He uploaded it for free . . . isn’t making any money off it and so we can’t do shit about it. He gets his kicks fucking with us and we have no legal means to get back at him.”

“Sure as shit there are other means though,” he says with a smirk and a raise of his fist.

“Now that,” I say as I hold up my shot, “I’ll drink to. Cheers, brother.”

“Cheers.”

Our glasses clink. The tequila burns until it warms. Our laughter gets louder and our cheers get sloppier and take longer to come up with.

But I begin to forget.

About Eddie. The pressure to fix it all. And the thousands of men jacking off to the image of my wife holding her tits as she comes. And the rage over how she lost her job. And becoming a father. The need to win the next race. Being told to bite my tongue with the press.

And God does it feels good to forget.

I’m lost in thought, trying to figure out how many shots we’ve downed, when my phone rings. I fumble with my cell before answering.

“If it’s good enough to make me sober, Kelly, I just might forgive you for ruining my buzz,” I say into the phone with a laugh.

“You drunk?”

“Well on my way.”

“Understandably,” he says in his no nonsense tone. “Eddie checks in with his parole officer once a month.”

“Mm,” I say as visions fill my head of waiting for him outside the social services office and greeting him with a fist to the face.

“Don’t even think about it, Donavan. You got the restraining order for Selena. Leave it at that. Just like I’ve told you all week long, you touch him, he’s going to sue you like he owns the Fluff and Fold and take you to the cleaners. It’s not worth it.”

Quit fucking telling me what to do.

“Let him try,” I sneer, admitting to myself he’s right but also knowing revenge gives its own special satisfaction. I begin to say something else when the thought hits me that I might be able to get him back and not lift a fucking finger. The problem is I want to lift more than a finger at him. I want a whole knockout fist.

“Thanks, Kelly. Keep me up to speed.” Thoughts try to connect through my fuzzy mind on how I can make this all work to my advantage. Fuck Eddie over. Redeem Selena. Get back the happily ever after.

My plan could work.

“Everything okay?” Becks asks, as he looks up from his own phone.

Later, Donavan. Figure it out later. Right now? Drink.

“Fucking peachy,” I say, copying one of his go-to sayings. “Kelly’s got a line on Eddie.”

“And that pisses you off, why?”

“Just thinking.”

“That’s scary,” he teases and I slide my glass across the table so it clinks against his in response. “What is it?”

“Bad juju, man,” I finally say, trying to put into words what I think’s been bugging me the past few days. The drinking to forget didn’t numb this. “I’ve got this feeling that won’t go away.”

“I’m not following you.”

“Things have been too goddamn perfect for us. I have the fucking fairy tale, Becks. The princess, the castle, the—”

“Jackass,” Becks snorts as he points my way, causing me to laugh. Asshole. “Sorry. I couldn’t resist,” he says, putting his hands up in a mock surrender. “Please, continue.”

“Nah. Never mind.” Shut it down, Donavan. You sound like an idiot. A drunk one at that.

“No. Seriously. Go on.”

I concentrate on drawing lines in the ridges of the worn tabletop. “Shit in our life was just too good. Too perfect. And now with the tape and Selena’s job and . . .” My voice fades as I try to explain the feeling I don’t understand, but that all of a sudden feels like it’s clinging to me like a second skin. “I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop to make this fairy-tale life of ours come crashing down. It’s a shitty feeling.”

“Feelings are like waves, brother. You can’t stop them from coming but you sure as fuck can decide which ones to let pass you by and which ones to surf.”

“Yeah, well, let’s just hope I don’t wipe the fuck out by picking the wrong one.”

Becks and I decide we’re looped enough to brave the chaos.

We push open the back door of Sully’s and are met with blinding flashes of light and a roar of sound. I wince. The alcohol makes the clicking shutters and shouts of my name sound like they’re coming through a megaphone. They stagger me. Blind me.

Anger the fuck out of me.

Sammy’s here. Pushing people back to let Becks and I inch toward the Rover. But each step, each push of the mob against me fuels my fire.

Take a step. A camera hits my shoulders. My fists clench.

“Justin, how does it feel to be the most downloaded video on YouTube in over five years?”

Another step. Questions shout. Sammy’s hands moving people back.

“Justin, are you and Selena thinking of making a porn soon?”

One more step. A single thought: Selena dealt with this on her own yesterday on the beach. Motherfucker.

“Justin, how is Selena handling all of this?”

Another step. The car within reach. Flash in my eyes. Fury in my veins.

Fuck Chase’s no comment advice. Fuck everyone. I’m done. Shoved way too far one way, and now I’m coming back swinging.

“You want a comment?” I shout. Silence is almost automatic. “Well, I’ll give you one.” I glance over to where Becks is standing in the open car door, eyes full of pride, telling me I’m doing the right thing.

“The question is, do you really want to know how we feel or are you just interested in twisting your story because sex sells so much better than the truth? I get it. I do. And if you take the selfless do-gooder who’s spent her life helping others and turn her into a whore who makes sex tapes in exchange for funding . . . well shit, that sells ten times more. But that’s not who Selena Donavan is.” I take a breath. My body vibrates with anger. My thoughts slowly click together.

That revenge I was looking for just found the most perfect stage of all.

“How about I give you a better story? How about you focus on the sick bastard who released this video of a private moment between my wife and me? How about you go harass the bastard who did this rather than harass my wife? I’ll even give you a head start. Eddie Kimball,” I say, putting my plan in motion. “Focus on why he tried to blackmail us, because I assure you, he definitely had an agenda releasing this video. Sex sells. I get it . . . but uncovering the story behind his bullshit attack on my wife’s reputation would make much better copy.”

Good luck hiding now, you fucking weasel.

The night erupts in sound. But they give me a wide berth because I gave them something. I nod my head in goodbye.

The cameras flash. Each one causes me to feel more and more sober. Makes me to realize what I just did. Slide into the car beside Becks and catch his nod of approval. Rest my head back on the seat with a sigh.

Fuck. You. Eddie.

You want to play hardball? I’ve got your number, you spineless son of a bitch. Right now some little nosey reporter is digging for the story. They’ll connect the dots with your early release from prison. They’ll use your name in the press and it’ll shine like a fucking neon sign, notifying the many you owe a shitload of money to.

Oh, and how they’ll come. I have no doubt about that with the amount of money you owe people. Plus three years worth of interest. They’ll flush you out of hiding and right into karma’s long reaching arms.

The best part is if I don’t want to, I won’t have to lift a single finger to give you what you deserve, because I just did.

Social media can be a bitch when you have shit to hide. Good thing I don’t. Good thing you do.

Revenge can be a mean, nasty fucker sometimes.

“You good?” Sammy asks as he pulls out of the alleyway, leaving the flashing cameras behind.

“Yup.” I sigh, long and loud as I meet his eyes in the rearview mirror. It’s crazy how much I need Selena, right now. “Home please. I miss my wife.”

“DAMN IT,” I SHOUT IN frustration as the flour flies all over the kitchen because I forgot to put the guard around the mixer’s blade. Tears sting the backs of my eyes as I look around at the mess. Normally I’d find this amusing, laugh it off, but not right now. Not with how this week has gone. Nothing can seem to pull me from this funk I’m in.

I squeeze my eyes shut and ignore the voices in my head telling me I’m going crazy because I fear that I am. The video’s ripple effect just continues to knock me on my ass. Gone are the things I normally use to center myself: my boys, my freedom outside this house, my work. Even Justin’s visit to Tawny derailed me momentarily. Yes, I felt validated Justin believed enough in my assumption that he went and talked to her, but at the same time, it still knocked me back a step seeing her again.

Shake it off, Selena. It’s temporary. Enjoy playing the domesticated role, take advantage of the quiet time now before the baby comes, and life is turned around with lack of sleep and two a.m. feedings.

I pick up the carton of eggs on the counter and blow the flour off them so I can put them away and start to clean up this disaster. Mind focused on the mess at hand, I don’t notice Baxter on the floor behind me. When I step on his paw, he skitters up and away from me with a yip causing me to lose my balance. I catch myself from falling by grabbing the edge of the counter, but all nine eggs in the carton fly across the kitchen making a distinct symphony of splats as they land on the tile floor, counter, and against the refrigerator door.

“Fuck!” Adrenaline begins to rush through my body, and just as quickly as it hits me, it morphs and changes into a rush of so many emotions that I’m suddenly fighting back huge, gulping sobs. And it’s no use to fight them because they already own my body, so I carefully lower my pregnant body to the flour-ridden floor beneath me. Leaning against the cabinet behind me, I let them come.

Wave after wave. Tear by tear. Sob by sob.

So many feelings—anger, humiliation, despair—come forth before being replaced by the next in line that have been waiting all week to get out. And I just don’t have the wherewithal to fight them anymore.

“Selena?” Justin’s voice calls from the front door, and I just close my eyes and try to wipe the tears away but there’s no way I’ll be able to hide them from him. “What the . . .? Selena, are you okay?” he asks as he rushes to my side where I just shake my head, tears still falling, the agony all-consuming.

He drops to his knees beside me, and the concern etched in his face as he looks me over, ignites my irrational temper.

“Leave me alone,” I say between sobs.

“What’s wrong?” he pleads, reaching out to wipe flour from my cheek, causing me to cry harder.

“Don’t,” I tell him as I shake my head away from his hands, making him lean back on his haunches. And I can feel his eyes on me, assessing me, trying to figure me out, and for some reason that thought sets me off. I’ve had enough eyes on my body judging me this week—scrutinizing me—and the notion causes the distress to come to a head. “You want to know what’s wrong with me?” I yell unexpectedly, startling him.

“Please,” he says ever so calmly.

“That!” I yell, pointing at him. “You walking around this house like everything is all right when it’s not. You treating me with kid gloves and avoiding me every time I get emotional because you feel guilty about the video when it’s not your fault. I’m sick of trying to pick a fight with you because I’m going stir crazy in this goddamn house and you won’t take the bait. You just nod your head and tell me to calm down and walk away. Fight me, damn it! Yell at me! Tell me to snap the fuck out of it!” My chest is heaving and my body is trembling again. I know I’m being irrational, know I’m letting the hormones within me take charge, but I don’t care because it feels so good to get it all out.

“What do you want to fight about?”

“Anything. Nothing. I don’t know,” I say completely frustrated that now he’s giving me the option to fight with him, I don’t know what to fight about. “I’m mad at you because I’m worried about you racing next week. I’m freaked out that all of this is going to distract you and you’re not going to be careful and . . . and—”

“Calm down, Selena. I’m going to be fine.” He reaches out to take my hand, and I yank it back.

“DON’T tell me to calm down,” I scream when he does exactly what I told him I hated. Visions of the crash in St. Petersburg flash through my mind and cause my breath to hitch. I shove it away, but the hysteria starts to take over. “I miss the boys. I’m worried about Auggie and how he’s doing. I miss my normal. Nothing is normal! Everything is up in the air and I can’t handle up in the air, Justin. You know I can’t.” I ramble, and he no doubt tries to follow my schizophrenic train of thought.

“Let’s make our own normal then. Why don’t we start by getting the baby’s room set up? That’s one thing we can do, right?” he asks, eyes wide, face panicked. But his words cause fear to choke in my throat.

“Look at me,” he says. “Putting BIRT’s room together is not going to make something happen to him, okay? I know that’s why you haven’t done it yet . . . but it’s time. Okay?”

With those words, the fight leaves me. Those body-wracking sobs I had moments ago are now quiet. Tears well in my eyes but I refuse to look up at him and acknowledge what he’s saying is true. The nursery is incomplete because I’m frozen with fear that if I actually finish it, I’m jinxing it. That fate’s cruel hand will tell me I’m taking the baby for granted, and reach out and take him or her away from me again.

When I can finally swallow over the lump in my throat, I look up to meet the crystalline green of his eyes and nod, just as the first silent tear slips over and slides slowly down my cheek.

“It’s all going to be okay, baby,” he says softly. I don’t deserve his tenderness after how I just yelled at him. And then of course that sets me off even further and another tear falls over.

“You’re absolutely beautiful,” he murmurs reaching forward to move hair off of my cheek, and I squeeze my eyes shut.

“No, I’m not.”

“I’m the husband, I make the rules,” he says with a soft laugh.