#Mister Mayor

[underground-boss-clay]

GRANDPA CLAY!!!! How do you know that Rose guy?? I don't really KNOW a lot about him, ONLY things Cousin Lee and Hop have told me!!!!

~@the-champion-iris

Sorry darlin', I ain't drunk enough to answer this jus' yet-

No no no, no. You can entertain this before drinking.

Aw c'mon, why don't you tell her-

Because I wasn't there. Now go.

Fine, fine.

Ta sum it up kid, I met Rose bout... Twenty years ago 'n Galar when they were first revealin' the uh... Dynamite thing--Dynamax, the Dynamaxin' to other companies.

Rose was real eager to mingle an' get ta know other businessmen who were eager ta see this latest innovation, an' I... wasn't. I was more keen on helpin' Spikemuth, an' was talkin' to Piers' father bout it at the time, but during that whole thing Rose refused ta listen when I insisted on personal space and uh...

Well, he crossed a line an' I mighta broken a few of his ribs ferrit.

... An' then his Distorted Donphan repaid the favor by breakin' more of mine.

Simply put I ain't been allowed back 'n Galar since then.

[anglerflsh]

my favourite passtime is making up incredibly unaccurate armour designs. That's a lie my passtime is researching but this comes at a close second

[starboysbrainrot]

thoughts and headcanons about what happened to the og mystery incorporated after they left Crystal Cove

[ to clarify the situation, in my hc they all have loving parents (with the exception of Ricky and Brad’s fathers), that weren’t perfect and had some issues (ex : Judy’s dad has trouble showing that he cares about his kids, Cassidy’s parents who can be overprotective etc)

so yes, leaving them was absolutely horrible for the kids ]

The gang : they stayed together a few weeks after leaving Crystal Cove, sleeping in motels or in the Enigma Machine. But after one big fight they separated. I think they couldn’t stay together because of how hurt they all were and because they were lost and didn’t know how to react to what happened. (a bit like mystery incorporated at the end of season 1)

Cassidy : I think that Cassidy would be the one to suffer the most, because of how much she loves and cares about her family. So when she leaves Crystal Cove, I think there’s immediately something that changed in herself and in her relationship with her friends, especially Ricky. I do believe that they broke up relatively quickly after leaving the town. She felt numb and not capable of loving after what she went through, and needed to start a new life (ex : she changed her name)

Ricky : after his breakup with Cassidy, he completely disappeared and came back to Crystal Cove 5 years after leaving the town, to start Destroido. I see him missing his parents in the beginning, but also simply giving up on that feeling after a few years (the one he’s really missing (and he doesn’t want to admit it) is Pericles, even after what happened). His parents were the first to leave the town after their son’s disappearance. But he definitely tried to contact his mom a few times, before completely giving up.

Brad & Judy : Brad definitely blames himself for what happened in the church and later on in the cave. As the leader of mystery incorporated, he blames himself for bringing them there in the first place, and wanting to investigate. Regret turned into anger and bitterness over time, and was a reason for their fight after leaving the town. Judy definitely missed her family a lot and never recovered from loosing them.

Now regarding what happened with Fred, here’s what I think happened :

Something that always intrigued me is that Brad came to Crystal Cove with Fred alone. Mayor Jones specifically stated that Judy wasn’t there and that’s something very interesting. My hypothesis is that they clearly didn’t planed on having a kid two years after leaving Crystal Cove, since they were hella young and surely didn’t had the money to take care of a kid. Brad then took Fred to the only place where someone could possibly help them, Crystal Cove, where both of their family lived, in a desperate way of asking their parents for help (maybe for money, or simply advice on how to raise up a kid). But once he got there, he realised that both of their families left Crystal Cove. At that moment I can imagine that he felt some kind of mixed feelings, like a mix of sadness and betrayal.

At the same time, the freak realised that Brad is back in town, he panicked and tried to find a way to make him leave the town. And the only idea he had to make that happen (since both of their families already left the town and can’t be use to blackmail them) is taking Fred. We know that after that Jones decides to raise up Fred and the rest is history.

I think that such an event definitely traumatised both of them (and specifically Brad since he’s the one that brought Fred with him to Crystal Cove, blaming himself even more), and that they never healed from that. Explaining why they are acting so weird as adults later on. Brad and Judy only had each other to get trough life and they knew that as long as they stayed together, they could make it. And because the idea of loosing another person they loved after loosing their families, their friends and their son was surely terrifying.

(again, that’s before they all come back in Crystal Cove, before the curse takes the best away from them etc etc… just a bunch of hc I have about happened before the main story :))

Side note : I would give anything just to have Jones as Fred’s godfather in the pre nibiru timeline, and I mean ANYTHING. He could have been a positive influence in the og gang’s life and he therefore in Brad and Judy’s life. MAKING HIM A PART OF FRED’S LIFE WAS STILL POSSIBLE. (yes I’m a big fan of the Brad-Judy-Jones dynamic)

[eupheme]

OMG! “i want to fuck you so badly/i want you to fuck me so badly” and “i'm simply enjoying the view. it's not every day i get to fuck someone so pretty.” with Mr Mayor John Hancock? Pleaseeeee! I need him!!! (love me a man who’s equal parts charming and desperate)

ahh omg yes I love this combo!!!! I have been working on this request and I have a fic queued for tonight - I hope you like it!! 💖 (and yes SO here for some desperation! thank you so much for sending this in!)

edit: here it is!

here is a little hancock pov sneak peek!

Your eyes brighten when you see him, “I was hoping you’d find me. Heard you were still working.”

He fits against you, leaning on the bar. A hand draping across your shoulder - eager to touch, as your head tips up to his.

“Never too busy for my favorite girl.”

The smile you give him, those pretty painted lips stretched wide, shoots straight to his cock. Uncomfortable, where it nudges against the front of his trousers - and maybe, he just might be head-over-heels.

He needs to get out of here.

“You want to get out of here?” He asks - the back of your neck warm where his palm curves around it, thumb brushing over soft skin.

[deathishauntedbyhumans]

Looks like I’m officially going on strike next week. Wish me luck folks 👍

[teddybeartoji]

suguru + shame by mitski 😐😐😐

[umbral-archives]

i have had the phrase "i didn't want to hurt you, darling, but you just wouldn't listen" bouncing around my head for the past 2 hours. take it and go

[I've had this in my drafts for 2 months because it doesn't fit my characterization of Murdock, considering he'd never hurt Reader- unless the reader is a kinky little shit and they discuss it extensively beforehand. I've recently had a few ideas come up, which I'll detail in 2 scenarios.]

Scenario 1 CW: Threats, Drugging (Truth Serum), Kidnapping [Crossroads!Damien is not a good man.] Scenario 2 CW: Drugging, Kidnapping Lite, Murdock being Awful (Non-sexual Edition) [Murdock lightly drugs reader and cuffs them to their bed because they reached a breaking point and refuse to 'hear him out' about his murder man machinations, which is- what any normal fuckin person would do. The stress of it.]

Your vision swims, head pounding as the world tumbles around you. Above the sound of blood rushing through your ears, the frantic pulsing of your heart, you can hear Murdock off to your right, snarling like a man possessed- promising the worst pain imaginable to the man who placed you in this predicament.

"A dog barking at the end of its chain is not a threat to me, Murdock. Hold your tongue, lest I do much worse than this." Damien's voice drifts from somewhere above you, and the threat of further torment rips a fearful hiccup from your throat.

You hear the clack of his dress shoes against the marble floor, unforgiving against your crumpled form- then the pressure of a leather shoe against the side of your head, moving your gaze to the ceiling. Blinking your tears away, you gaze blearily up at the man, who peers down at you like you are a science experiment to be dissected.

Damien sucks his teeth, languidly crouching down beside you, a mean little tilt joining his smirk when you flinch away. "I didn't want to hurt you, darling," he croons mockingly, "but you just wouldn't listen."

He glances up in Murdock's direction, that grin turning mean as he reaches forward to card his fingers through your hair and yank you closer, making you cry out in pain. "You and your mutt, dancing around each other instead of talking it out like adults- I grew tired of waiting, tired of the what-ifs and the possibilities."

Your cry of pain incenses Murdock further, and the sound of his struggling against his restraints, the bodyguards holding him down makes Damien laugh. "You would not bring your 'little fawn' into the loop and set them in line, Mutt, therefore I must gather this information myself."

He looks to you then, relaxing his grip just enough to tilt your head up so he can properly see the glaze setting in your eyes. "Besides, a little truth serum never hurt anyone."

You whine weakly, finally falling limp against the floor as a haze settles over your mind. Damien hums in satisfaction, letting your head fall to the floor with a sharp thump, triggering renewed struggling and swears from Murdock.

The businessman sighs, waving a few unoccupied guards to heft your limp body up by your shoulders and sitting you in a chair. "Securing their loyalty would have prevented this, Kilgrave- yet your foolish notions about their free will… as if they'd willingly defect to your side? With what you do?" He laughs. "That's not what normal people do, Mutt."

Murdock does not respond, though you can faintly hear the clacking of teeth- like he's trying to bite a guard, followed by a sharp impact and a low groan. You faintly feel worry for him, but that's overwhelmed by the next question Damien asks you.

"Now… how much do you know about my… business, and Murdock's involvement in it?"

You blink a few times, swallowing thickly, pupils dilating wider as the drug takes full effect. "… Just that- he does jobs for you. Some… the murders that he does on his own, sometimes you… ask him to do that."

Damien hums, "What is your intention with this information?"

"… Nothing. I don't want…" you shake your head, tears starting to gather in your eyes again, "too much risk, too dangerous… can't- I don't want to die for that…"

He smiles cruelly, tapping his chin for a moment before an idea strikes him. "What is your intention with Murdock? How do you feel about him- what he does, his obsession with you?"

Your mouth opens and closes a few times- as if you're trying to fight the serum like you don't want to answer that question. Eventually, the drug wins out over your own will, and you force out a grating "… I don't… know."

The businessman lights up, not expecting something this juicy to come from this interaction. "Oh? Whatever for? He's been so devoted to you for so very long… why wouldn't you want that?"

His words are meant to be a dig, mocking and cruel, and you flinch from their intensity. You try to look back to Murdock, but only find a guard's crotch in the way. "I want… I want him, I care- I think I love him but… he's…"

Damien only leans in further, tilting his head to the side and motioning for you to continue.

The tears in your eyes finally fall, your voice quiet as you warble brokenly. "… W-What he does is… monstrous."

With that revelation, the businessman can only laugh, clapping his hands slowly. The room falls into silence for a moment, and all you want to do is go to Murdock- but you can't even see him.

"I wanna stop-" you whisper, trying to worm your way out of the guard's grip. "Please-"

Damien tuts, biting his lip, eyes alight like a child who just found the Halloween candy stash. "Oh no, we have plenty of time for more… questions."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scenario 2 CW: Drugging, Kidnapping Lite, Murdock being Awful (Non-sexual Edition)

[He drugs Reader and cuffs them to their bed because they reached a breaking point and refuse to 'hear him out' about his murder man machinations, which is- what any normal fuckin person would do. The stress of it.] The sensation of cotton in your mouth is starting to fade, along with the numb weight in your limbs. You can hear Murdock muttering to himself- see him pacing back and forth across your bedroom floor from the corner of your eye. 'He's going to wear a hole into my floor if he keeps doing that', you think, lifting your head up weakly and coughing. Your activity makes Murdock pause, observing you silently while you start to come back to yourself. There's a second of hesitation before he moves to your side when you try to sit up, encouraging you to lean on him when your arms almost give out. "Try not to overexert yourself," he mutters, smoothing the hair from your face. "That stuff has a strong come-down. Do you want some water?" All you can manage is a soft whine, nodding weakly while reaching up to rub your face, but your hands never meet your cheeks. The decisive clank of metal hitting metal is what you get instead, startling from the sound- the force against your wrists. You finally focus on the handcuffs binding them together, linked to the bedframe at the foot of your bed by a length of chain. Chain. Handcuffs. A sobering chill races up your spine as Murdock moves away to watch you again, a dozen different emotions playing out on your face. You finally settle on incredulous anger, betrayal curling in your throat. "Murdock, what the hell?!" The Killer holds his hands up placatingly, a kind of understanding in the furrow of his brow, the grimace on his face. "... I know what this looks like, but you need to trust that didn't want to do this, Sweetheart... but you just wouldn't listen-" "Listen?!" you scoff, making a noise somewhere between a snarl and a sob, yanking the chains for emphasis. "There's no fucking conversation you could have with me right now that would save your ass- you've got me chained to my fucking bed-"

Murdock stands up, moving to the front of the bed and out of your reach. He can't have you making decisions you'll regret later. "This is a precaution, y/n. I knew you'd run off before we got a chance to talk, before you'd let me explain everything. I'm not going to hurt you-" "You're not being very convincing right now-" you rasp, tears already starting to collect as you lean away from his hands, tugging on the cuffs.

"Stop doing that, you'll hurt yourself-" he admonishes softly, reaching out to properly take your hands, relieving the pressure against your wrists. "I didn't want to do this, but you didn't leave me any other choice, sweetheart-"

You get up onto your knees, volume rising, feeling emboldened by the cocktail of drugs still flowing through your system. "There's always a choice!" Murdock's mouth snaps shut, gauging you for a beat- panting, eyes glassy, pupils blown wide in anger and fear, face flushed. Part of him thinks it's adorable, but he doesn't have time to entertain that right now. "Just give me a chance to explain, Sweetheart, and you'll see-" Something hits you- something that has been bothering you since before you found out, but you didn't want to face it, to give those thoughts a voice. A suspicion that had built up over time, and now it stares you dead in the face. Just how wrong you were, just who you should have listened to. "David was right about you," you whisper, shaking your head with a rueful laugh. "God, I'm such a fucking idiot-"

There's a flash of fear in his eyes, quickly smothered by denial. He can't entertain the idea that he's losing you. "You're not, I would never hurt you, I haven't hurt you—"

"It's not about me!" you counter, voice higher than it's ever been. "It's about all the other people you've hurt, the people you've killed!" "It's only about you! You are all I care about!" A beat passes between you, heavy breaths shared in the space separating you. Murdock searches your face for something, anything that would tell him that he's broken through at least one of your walls. You merely stare back in confused silence, eyes unable to meet his, unable to digest what he'd just admitted. "... Well, you have a twisted fucking way of showing it." The Killer closes his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh and stepping back, releasing your hands. "Fine." You lose your balance without him holding you up, flopping back onto the bed with a grunt and looking at him in confusion. "W-Where are you going?" He glances back at you by the door, a mixture of emotions making his expression unreadable. "You're going to sit here for a little while. When you're ready to have a civilized conversation, call me. Until then? Look back and think about all I've done for you, what we are. Maybe that'll check your attitude." With that, he steps out of the room, leaving you to your thoughts and the ticking of the clock.

[orcelito]

it’s like. you’d think with everything that’s happened to him, Fang would be so much more jaded. but he is really not... for the most part.

and the shit that’s happened recently. it’d be traumatizing for most people. and it is... but not, like. Debilitatingly so. like, Fang started making friends, started gaining hope about his situation, only to have it all blow up in his face Kind Of Literally. one friend definitely dead, another friend missing & he’s counting as Probably Dead. it’s been a pretty rough blow. 

but in the end, he’s just resigned. more people he cared about, dead. and yet another situation where he has to Run. it’s nothing new. he just wishes it hadn’t happened again. 

[tanadrin]

The other term we need to know if we want to understand the Shire is “clientelism”, perhaps more commonly refereed to as “patron-client relationships”. This is a social-political structure that emerges organically in many different contexts, and consists of a set of mutual, hierarchical obligations between powerful “patrons” and a network of “clients” who depend on them, economically, socially, or politically. It seems likely, from what we see of the Shire, that clientelism is the main organizing force within Hobbit politics. This would be far from unusual, in this sort of system. To understand this, let’s look at a prototypical example of this; the relationship between the Baggins and the Gamgees. Both Samwise Gamgee and his father, Hamfast Gamgee, are employed by Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, but the relationship is clearly far deeper than that. Throughout Lord of the Rings, Frodo treats Sam almost a feudal retainer, not just a person in a employee relationship, but someone who owes personal fealty to him, an attitude clearly reciprocated by Sam. There’s affection, friendship, and even love between them, but in the context of a hierarchical relationship. It’s never in question who “Mister Frodo” is, though it’s clear that this loyalty comes with expectations and obligations. Sam is not a slave, not is he bound by oaths of vassalage, or contract. He is loyal because he is expected to be, and because the Baggins repay loyalty with patronage, both to him, and his family. The Gamgees are likely tenants of the Baggins, or at least dependent on them for access to agricultural capital. They likely send much of their income up to Bag End in rent, and provide services, as gardeners, batmen, valets, traveling companions, etc. They also provide support, in a social and civic sense, as we see. If Frodo had gone to the Free Fair to run for Mayor, the Gamgees and other tenants would have voted for him, and would have accompanied him in public, to demonstrate his status and prestige. But in return for this, they could expect generous gifts on holidays, loans of money on favorable terms, lax enforcement of rental arrears in time of drought and famine, and legal support in disputes. ... For bachelors Bilbo and Frodo, these were personal, individual relationships. But the norm was likely closer to webs of debts, favors, and obligations, traded back and forth between families, cemented by marriage alliances and social ties. We’re told repeatedly that gift-giving and hosting feasts are two of the primary preoccupations of Hobbits. To modern ears, this may come across as utopian, or idyllic, but these sorts of status displays were a key part of many economic and social systems. In many Pacific Northwest Native American tribes, this was known as “potlatch“, and served as both a political and economic system, in which conspicuous displays of generosity were used to denote power and prestige. The Shire clearly has a monetary economy, but gift-giving remains important. The entire first chapter of Lord of the Rings is devoted to Bilbo’s 111st birthday party, which is a huge event that attracts intense attention from across Hobbit society, and involves massive displays of largess, solidifying the Baggins’ social position, and cementing ties with neighboring families and rival clans. Or at least, it would have been, if Bilbo hadn’t had an ulterior motive.

[scarlet2007]

₊˚꒷꒦︶⊹ The Witcher's Witch₊︶꒷꒦︶

꒷꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒷꒦꒷︶꒷꒷꒦꒷︶꒦ ͘ ˖ ⊹

Pairing: Geralt of Rivia x reader.

[ Master list ]

꒷꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒷꒦꒷︶꒷꒷꒦꒷︶꒦ ͘ ˖ ⊹

Summary: Being rescued by the Witcher after being accused of being a Witch was the last thing you expected in life. But it looks like kindness can go a long way if shown to the right people.

꒷꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒷꒦꒷︶꒷꒷꒦꒷︶꒦ ͘ ˖ ⊹

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Warnings: Mention of murder, beast slaying, taming wild animals, witch hunting, the reader is beaten up and was about to get burned alive.

꒷꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒷꒦꒷︶꒷꒷꒦꒷︶꒦ ͘ ˖ ⊹

Word count: 3.3k

꒷꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒷꒦꒷︶꒷꒷꒦꒷︶꒦ ͘ ˖ ⊹

The Witcher was finally in town, it was pretty clear from how the people were crowding towards a certain white haired man who stood besides a horse.

The crowd was sneering at the Witcher, calling him names and yelling at him, as if the Witcher was nothing but a mere dirty dog in their eyes. The Mayor of our town finally made an appearance, making the angry people go silent as they all waited for their "king" to speak.

"Ah, Witcher! We have been waiting for your arrival." The mayor chuckled, walking towards the Witcher, who stood tall amongst the crowd, clearly used to the sneering and insults of the people.

"There is an unknown monster lurking in the forest near our town, it had already murdered two people brutally. We need you to take care of the monster." The Mayor spoke as the people continued to glare at the Witcher. Some mothers even went as far as to try and 'shield' their kid from him as if he was the monster that would tear apart their children.

You stood slightly far from the crowd, watching everything occur as you scoffed at the hostility of the people towards the Witcher.

"They are acting as if he can't just kill them all in an instant..." You mumbled, chuckling darkly.

"You better be as good as they say you are, Witcher." Someone hissed, staring at the Witcher in disdain as they tried to stare him down. The Witcher ignored them all as he looked at the Mayor, nodding silently as the Mayor handed him a bag filled with coins.

"Where is the beast?" Asked the Witcher, making you sigh as the people started to talk about the beast all at once. Half of them were made up while the other half were useless.

Finally, the mayor explained everything that they knew about the beast, and where it attacks. You listened intensely, still standing away from the crowd as you stared at the ground in focus.

The Witcher nodded along, before he started to walk in the direction of the forest that was now forbiddened from entering for the safety of the people. You quickly walked in the opposite direction before entering an alley that lead towards the forest as you tried to track down the Witcher.

"Stop following me." A gruff voice said from behind you, making you jump as you turned around to face the dark and tall figure in front of you.

"Oh! It's you..." You sighed in relief, making the Witcher frown.

"Um... Mister... Uh.. sir? Whichever you prefer, I have some information about the beast that might help you." You chuckled nervously, looking around to see if someone was spying on you. You might get in trouble if you were to be seen with the Witcher alone.

"Speak."

You glanced at the Witcher before nodding, "Well... If you think the attack is being done by some sort of animal like a wolf, it's not true. It's not a wolf." You said quickly.

"What makes you think that?"

"W-well-... A wolf was injured because of the said beast and the wounds didn't look like it was from a wolf fight either so..." You mumbled, trying not to act suspicious.

The Witcher stared at you silently. You were acting suspicious and it was evident by the way you talked that you knew more than you told him. The Witcher took a step towards you, making you look up, still standing your ground nervously.

Witcher frowned at your weird behaviour, you were scared but not because of him, but because of something else. Something else was making you nervous.

He opened his mouth to speak before a sudden growl intrupted him, making both of them tense up as he grabbed his sword, stepping in front of you protectively. A wolf stood before them, glaring and growling at the Witcher, ready to pounce.

"Stay back-" The Witcher mumbled was unheard as you stood in front of him, glaring at the wolf.

"Sky!" You hissed, still standing in front of the Witcher. It would've amused him if they weren't in a tense situation. You, a young girl, perhaps in your mid 20s, standing before the Witcher with no weapons, as the Witcher behind you towered you with his height. You looked tiny compared to his frame, both height and muscle wise.

The Witcher felt annoyed at your pathetic attempt to tame a wild wolf, as if the wolf would suddenly transform into a domesticated puppy and obey your every command.

The wolf continued to growl but it slowly started to approach you, the wolf stance becoming slightly relaxed as it stared at you and your hand that was outstretched in front of you. The Witcher looked at the exchange in slight confusion, his expression was still stoic but he felt confused.

"Sky, come on, what did I tell you about jumping in front of guests like a beast? Hmm?" You mumbled as you patted the wolf, the wolf's tail wagging behind him.

"You... Tamed the injured wolf..?" Asked the Witcher, eyeing them warily. It's not everyday that someone saves a wolf, let alone tame them.

"I would prefer 'befriended' and yes, I did. He is a sweetheart. That is also why I wanted to warn you that this wolf is not the beast. Oh! And the beast also does not live here. It lives deeper into the woods, this area is just the edge of the forest. The people... They forgot to mention something important." You glanced at him as you stood up, the wolf standing besides you in his fully height, his black fur and tall height made it look intimidating, the wolf looked strong and but the bandages around his torso also did not go unnoticed by the Witcher, making him believe the story that you told him about patching up a wounded wolf even though it sounded bizarre and made up.

"What is it?"

You bite your lips, looking at the forest, deep in thoughts before finally speaking.

"The town people provoked the beast. Some drunkards wanted to prove to the people that there was no such beast residing in the depths of the woods, so they went ahead despite the warnings and... Well, only their mangled up bodies made it back here. That's why the people think that the beast resides in the edge of the forest and not deep within."

The Witcher's frown, staring at you for a while before speaking.

"They knew that there was a beast?"

You nodded, "The beast is older than most of us, the tales have been circulating amongst the people since past few generations, it can probably be dated back to the generation of our grandparents, something similar happened but this time, the beast is... More angry. It didn't kill people before like it did now, or at least that's what the people say."

The Witcher sighed at your words. This was more work than he intended to do. If the beast was as old as you said it was, then it wouldn't die without putting up a great fight and he was in no position to get into a full-on battle in his tired state.

"Sir..? You look tired, and I doubt the villagers asked you to rest or offered you food, would you..." You trailed off, laughing awkwardly as you stared at the Wolf, Sky, instead of the Witcher as you continued in a quiet manner, "Like something to eat?"

The Witcher froze, not expecting an act of kindness, especially from someone like you. He stared at you suspiciously, thinking that you had ulterior motives to offer him something like that. You looked at him in alarm, as if sensing his chain of thoughts as you waved your hands in front of you. "I don't need anything in return, i promise! It's just... You look tired and hungry."

The Witcher didn't say anything, simply staring at you for a solid minute before nodding his head along with a stoic, "hm."

"Um.. sir? Where did you leave your horse?" You asked suddenly.

"It's outside the woods."

"Ah... You can bring your horse in, this part of the woods is safe and Sky isn't going to hurt your horse, I can assure you that much." You smiled at him, the Wolf still standing guard besides you.

"How do you know it's safe here?" The Witcher rolled his eyes.

"Well... I live here. My cottage is just a few minutes walk away from here."

"You... Live in the middle of the woods?"

"It's the edge and yes, I prefer living here." That made the Witcher frown his eyebrows in confusion as he walked beside you to get his horse.

"Why? Isn't the town safer?"

You stayed silent for a while before chuckling softly. "Perhaps. But I am not too fond of the people there." The Witcher could see why, so he stayed silent and walked towards his horse.

꒷꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒷꒦꒷︶꒷꒷꒦꒷︶꒦ ͘ ˖ ⊹

You provided food and a place for the Witcher to rest, which he found weird and bizarre but didn't complain about. You insisted that the Witcher rest for at least a day before he went to hunt down the beast, saying that it will give him more benefit in battle if he is well rested and fed. The horse, which you learnt was called Roach, was spoiled rotten too. It looked like you had a liking towards animals and insects, finding them adorable and taking care of them and for some reason, animals seem to like you too, even the most wild animals liked you and it was evident with how the wild wolf acted like a domesticated dog in front of you. The food you prepared for the Witcher was amazing, and the spare room was also comfortable enough for the Witcher to sleep in but you insisted that he slept in your room instead, that the spare room wasn't that clean and that you would sleep in the spare room instead. The Witcher tried to decline politely but you were stubborn and he ended up getting the best sleep he ever has in your bed while you slept in the spare room.

Your whole cottage was filled with plants, flowers and books. The plants weren't everywhere but the ones you did have inside were too pretty and went well with your theme. Your cottage had a cozy feeling to it, the aroma of tea and lavender was always present, along with some books lying here and there. It made the cottage feel like a home that the Witcher didn't have.

The Witcher thanked you before venturing off to hunt the beast, giving you a small, awkward smile before leaving. You waved enthusiastically at him, wishing him luck before rushing after Sky, who has decided to run after a rabbit.

꒷꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒷꒦꒷︶꒷꒷꒦꒷︶꒦ ͘ ˖ ⊹

When the Witcher came back, the cottage was a mess, making him frown as he couldn't find you or Sky. It looked like you left somewhere in a hurry as there was still uncooked food on the table, half done and some books were scattered on the ground.

The Witcher went towards the town, the head of the beast was hanging from his hand. The battle against the beast wasn't easy, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.

The town was filled with commotion, people gathering around a tall tree, yelling at something or rather, someone.

As he walked closer, he could hear what they were saying clearly.

"Burn the Witch! Burn her! She was the one who brought the beast to the town!" Someone yelled venomously, making the Witcher frown his eyebrows as he walked towards the crowd. The Mayor took immediate notice of his presence as the people stopped yelling.

"Ah! Witcher! You are back and you brought the beast's head with you." The Witcher paid the Mayor zero attention as he stared at the scene in front of him. Someone was bounded to the tree with thick ropes, blood pooling underneath them as it dropped from the wound on their arm. It looked like a young girl, which made the Witcher slightly nervous. He couldn't see her face, as her head was down, her hair covering her face. The only thing that made it evident that she was alive was the quick motion of her chest falling up and down as she breath heavily.

The Mayor, displeased with the Witcher's ignorance towards his words, turned his attention to the girl instead. He stepped closer to the girl and gripped her hair, making her wince as he forced her to look up.

Witcher's breath hitched as he saw your pained face, staring directly at him before looking at the Mayor in fear.

"The beast you called upon is long dead now, Witch. You have no one to save you now." The Mayor hissed, staring at your face as he continued to hold your hair in a tight grip, making you wince.

You were already weak from the beatings and the lack of food, your head throbbing painfully under the harsh Sun. You were dehydrated, hungry, wounded and scared.  Oh, you were so so scared.

A lot has happened in the span of just four days after your last meeting with the Witcher.

You flinched when someone threw another stone at you again, wincing at the sharp pain that erupted from your temple, where the stone landed, making it bleed.

You couldn't even look at the Witcher, humiliation filled your body as you stared at the ground, willing yourself to not cry. You have yet to let the tears flow and you want to keep it that way. You want to keep some of your dignity, if there was even any left.

"What's going on?" You closed your eyes as you heard Witcher ask the Mayor. You didn't want him to think that you were someone evil, but you weren't sure if the Witcher will believe you over the Mayor's word or the people's word. You just silently hoped that they won't answer his question but your hopes died quickly as the Mayor began to tell him what happened.

"This girl, this witch, is the one that unleashed the very beast you hold in your hands. She was seen with a wolf, commanding him to attack innocents! She can put animals and beasts under her spell, making them do whatever she please." The Mayor spit out, glaring at you as you kept your eyes closed and your head low.

"Just look at her! She has been punished but she has yet to utter a word of apology or even a tear in remorse! She is a threat to the town and the people!"

"Burn her!"

"Kill her!"

Were the words that followed soon after the Mayor stopped talking, making the Witcher step in front of you protectively, just like how he did before when he saw Sky as a threat.

"Witcher, what are you doing?!" The Mayor fumed, staring at the Witcher in anger and annoyance.

"Keep your hands away from the girl." He said quietly, his sword already out, the beast's head thrown somewhere on the ground. No one dared to put up a fight against the Witcher, everyone was too cowardly to try and fight him.

"The Witch has put you under a spell too, Witcher!" The Mayor exclaimed as the people started to insult both of you.

You whimpered, staring at the people and the Witcher in fear.

"What good will it do to you even if you safe her? She is a damned witch that should rot in hell for her crimes!" The people agreed, trying to step closer to her before the Witcher pointed his sword towards them, making them step back in fear.

"I will keep her."

That made the whole town silent as you stared at the Witcher in confusion and shock.

He couldn't let them kill you, not when you were the only one that treated him like a human and showed him kindness, it pained him to see you in such a state and he will not let you get harmed. You took care of him, and it was now his turn to do so.

He gripped his sword tightly, glaring at whoever dared to step towards them.

"Give me the girl." He hissed, his gaze making everyone scared, some even rushing away to their home to not face his wrath.

The air was tense, people stared at you and the Witcher with scared and disgusted expression while the Mayor was deep in thought. The town was known for its cowardly people and after watching the Witcher walk with the head of a beast in his hand, nobody wanted to fight him.

"What will we get in return if we let the girl go unpunished?" The Mayor asked, smirking as he stared at the Witcher.

"You can keep your coins." He grumbled, throwing the pouch of coins towards the Mayor that he got as a payment when he first came here to slay the beast.

The Mayor checked the pouch before letting them go, commanding people to go inside their houses as they rushed away.

"You are lucky, or else today would've been your last day, witch." The mayor muttered venomously before leaving them be.

You flinched when Witcher's blade cut throw the thick ropes, all at once as you stumbled forward. He caught you, making you wince as it made you put some pressure on your wounds. The Witcher carried you towards your cottage, but not before the Mayor warned them that they had to leave before noon, and if they failed to do so, they will both be punished and killed. The threat made you tense, as you tried to make yourself as small as possible in his arms as he walked you towards your cottage.

"Where's sky?" He asked, trying to break the silence.

"I made him leave. The... The people saw him and they would've hunted him down or hurt him..." You mumbled, sniffling a bit as he sat you down on your bed.

He nodded in understanding, before cleaning yours wounds.

"You should go wash yourself and pack." You glanced at him, wondering what he meant by 'pack'.

"We need to leave. Make sure to only pack the necessary things like clothes and some food." He muttered, staring at you.

You looked scared, and timided, not like the lively girl he met that day that took care of him. It made his heart clench painfully for some reason.

"Oh... A-are you... Taking me in?" You asked slowly, stuttering a bit.

He nodded silently, walking out of your room to let you bath and change. Your voice suddenly made him stop.

"You... You can use the bathroom in the spare room to freshen up too!" He smiled a bit as he heard you, making his way towards the spare room.

After you were done packing and ready to leave, you both stood in front of the Mayor at the gate of the town, you stood behind Witcher, trying to hide from anyone's view, the Mayor stared at you both as you began to walk away from the town, making sure that you both were out of the town.

After walking beside Witcher and Roach, you glanced at him as you handed him a pouch with gold coins.

"U-um... I know what you did for me can never be paid by coins, but... I still want to thank you and repay you for saving me and giving up the coins you got as a payment." You mumbled quietly.

"Keep them." He grumbled, walking towards you.

"Do you know how to get on a horse?" You shook your head, making him chuckle at how cute you looked while doing so.

"Let me help you." You nodded as he grabbed your waist gently, trying to avoid any wounds as he helped you on the horse. It made your heart beat quicken with how close you both were.

"Thank you, Sir."

"Geralt." You looked at him in confusion.

"My name is Geralt, just call me by my name."

You stared at him in shock before smiling wildly, "Okay, Geralt!"

And for some reason, Geralt loved the way you said his name.

꒷꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒦꒷︶꒷︶꒷꒦꒷︶꒷꒷꒦꒷︶꒦ ͘ ˖ ⊹

[larkingame]

play the demo | patreon | larkin is rated 18+

someone is after you.

for over a decade and a half now, you’ve traveled up, down and across the country--running schemes and hunting fiends with your mentor, con-man-by-day, vampire-hunter-by-night, Wyatt Abrams--the prolific vampire slayer and the living descendant of Gregory Abrams, founder and prophet of the Abrams Family, the nomadic vampire-hunting cult that raised you--and was wiped out years ago.

carrying the abrams name means also means carrying on it's enemies--but that isn't to say you haven't forged a couple of your own along the way. now, it seems someone is trying to make good on old threats and promises. they've placed a bounty on your head.

so you and wyatt do what you do best: you run away. to some little town, out nevada ways, where the title of town preacher is unexpectedly thrust upon you--bringing back years of trauma you thought long tucked away.

as if that wasn't enough, on your first day in town the local mine up and explodes--leaving the reclusive family that runs the town--and owns the mine--to suspect you as the main culprit.

now you're left with the responsibility of investigating the disaster to clear your name, looking into the mysterious cult just south of town, the gang of outlaws who've been wrapped up deep in a feud with larkin's patriarchal family--a group of people which you suspect to be hiding a secret most monstrous--all while dealing with the ghosts of your past, and the roots your family left behind.

larkin is a vampire western choose-your-own adventure game, with focuses on romance, religion, horror and complicated family dynamics.

play a fully customizable character [[decide upon their physical appearance, gender identity, sexuality, customize their pronouns]]

dictate a unique relationship with your mentor-turned-father-figure and his former appentice

romance any of ten characters, four male, three female, one non-binary and two gender selectable characters.

define your characters skillset and scheming tactics, select their weapons and fighting style, elect their feelings on religion, vampires and the cult that raised them.

the doctor [male] cyrus sokolov - the quasi-mayor of larkin, cyrus sokolov also operates as the town's doctor and mortician. he's immeadiately suspicious of you, the new preacher and the reputation you comes with. even though he doesn't like it, he needs your help.

the princess [female] celina sokolova - despite the misconceptions among the townsfolk, the reclusive third sibling of the sokolov family, celina, is actually the family’s eldest. hardly leaving the sokolov mansion, it’s rumored around town that she’s been struck with some sort of sun-related illness, others seem to hold the opinion that miss sokolova simply sees herself as too good to linger amongst the common folk. whatever the case may truly be doesn’t much matter to the people of larkin, after all, it's much more fun to gossip. she's very suddenly developed a fascination with the preacher, a hunger almost. but will she eat you whole?

the mortician's assistant [male] dominic sokolov - the youngest scion of the sokolov family, dominic works as assistant mortician in larkin, though he’s much more interested in larkin’s living townsfolk then the dead ones he’s been charged with taking care of. with seemingly endless information on everyone and everything that goes on in larkin, mister sokolov might not be the worst friend to have.

the lawyer [male] jacob nash -  larkin’s only practicing attorney and resident do-gooder. after passing the bar exam, nash headed out west in the hopes of making a real difference for the people there, only to spend most of his days settling petty disputes and notarizing documents. despite his disappointment, however, nash has managed to keep a level head and his fondness for the people of larkin, even though he’s not so sure the sokolovs have the townsfolk’s best interest in mind.

the bartender [female] rose holloway - larkin’s most recent transplant, that was, until the preacher showed up. former city-girl, rose has adapted to both life out west and on her own, the only way she knows how--by pushing through it. the owner and bartender of larkin’s only saloon, the emerald, rose is a popular figure around larkin whether she likes it or not, but whether that has more to do with her occupation or the fact she also happens to be larkin’s youngest widow is still a topic up for debate.

the lieutenant [male/female/non-binary] hollis - an enigmatic figure around larkin, hollis serves as a lieutenant for the mysterious rateliff fellowship. one of the cult’s few members to make the long trek from their encampment in the desert to town more than once. talked to by few, hated by most, hollis bears the reputation of the people they represent to the town of larkin--one, that isn’t particularly favorable.

the vampire hunter [male/female/non-binary] ace zhang - vampire-hunting-mercenary extraordinaire, the last the preacher knew of ace, they were the young hot-shot on san francisco’s hunting scene. once upon a time ace was a prominent figure in the preacher’s life, the first real acquaintance they managed to make on their own, someone outside of wyatt’s sphere. growing up a member of the guild, their life is one that’s mirrored the preacher’s. maybe that’s why the two seemed to be linked so closely during the preacher’s time in california, whether that was as friends, rivals or something more, their presence is one that remains prominent in the preacher's mind.

the outlaw [male] cassidy alan ward - cowboy, outlaw, bandit, cassidy goes by many names and titles, but the one he prides himself on most is leader. protector of his people, the ward gang hides out somewhere in the hills outside larkin, looming over the townsfolk as an ever-present threat, cassidy finds the sokolovs personally responsible for the death of his sister, caroline, and he is out for blood.

the gunslinger [female] ethel jackson - cassidy's right hand, ethel is a gunslinger through and through. fancying herself the robinhood type, she's got a personal hatred for the family that looms over larkin.  with the fastest gun in all of nevada, maybe even all of the west--ethel could prove to be a valuable friend--or a deadly adversary.

the stranger [non-binary] reyes - the newest addition to ward's gang, not much is known about them or their past--what everyone is well aware of, however, is the fact that nobody whose ever decided to cross reyes has ever come out of it alive.

the vampire [male/female/non-binary] montero moreau - you've hunted down their coven, debilitating any hopes for growth they had in terms of advancing in the cut-throat world of Vampires. you've made montero look like a fool, and they hate looking like a fool. They're determined to hunt you down and take revenge.

the first man [male] - adam - he believes himself to be the mirrored man mentioned in the abrams family book of genesis--the first vampire, plagued to walk the earth--and he has long been in search of his eve.

play the demo | patreon | itch.io

[underground-boss-clay]

Hey clay little question as someone not native to unova who are all these gingers and why do they tell me to release my pokemon, I’ve never battled this much before

- @eliovstheworld

............

Ah. Right, ya probably didn't know bout Team Plasma. Hang on, I'm gonna need a drink fer explainin' this...

There's goin' to be... A Lot, so gonna put a line.

Awright, so. Team Plasma's a group a' folks who were brought together by an absolute piece of shit that I hope is roastin' in whatever corner of the Distortion World Giratina sent him a feller named Ghetsis. Some years ago he tried to convince the region of two things:

Anyone who trained or own Pokemon was inherently a terrible person abusin' them

The "Prince" a' Team Plasma, an Arc-Spoken kid named N, was the descendant a' one of Unova's Legendary Princes an' was goin' to introduce this sorta new world order where Pokemon an' human lived 'n harmony.

Don't think I gotta explain how those are big red flags, even for those not from here. Knowin' someone that both is from here AN' connected to the Legendary Princes, apparently the fucker did his research.

Scary part is, aside from there bein' truth to some folks mistreatin' Pokemon--I mean, Team Rocket exists fer starters, an' then whatever the hell that Lusamine woman was up to--that kid N manages to awaken one of Unova's Dragons a' Legend, make it to the Pokemon League, beat the Champion, an' almost set that entire "new world order" Mukshit into action before he got beat. An' then! An' then! Turns out HE was just a puppet fer that Ghetsis fucker, who didn't even BELIEVE the "Pokemon Rights" shit he was spewin' an' instead was gonna use that whole ploy to take over the fuckin' region before it all fell apart there!!

OH! AN' THEN GHETSIS FUCKIN' TRIES AGAIN A FEW YEARS LATER WITH THOSE A' PLASMA THAT WERE ON BOARD WITH TAKIN' OVER THE REGION, TRIED TO CONTROL A THIRD LEGENDARY DRAGON, AN' GOT FUCKED OVER AGAIN.

An' even now you'll get some folks rantin' bout how he or his followers are on the loose. But look. After Opelucid got iced lots of us went to go help evacuate the city an' get people hospitalized when needed; we heard from some a' the survivors after everythin' settled that there was activity 'n the Giant Chasm so I had some folks check the routes round there an' went in there myself. I didn't find that legendary husk of a dragon, but I did find that absolute bastard's dragon chewin' away at hi-

Ah shit this one's empty. Hold on, need ta get another whiskey.

A lotta followers a' his an' N did take the "Pokemon rights" thing to heart though, an' they're decent folks. They're bein' watched a' course, due to bein' in a cult, but they're tryin' to do good by helpin' Pokemon that actually are bein' mistreated an' gettin' them better care. Granted they're workin' with less folks now, but-

Clay how much have you been drinking?

... Y'know what good question.

[headless-witch]

Still rotating in my head the mycelium resistance being Mother Spore’s literal children.

They love to swarm Mister Scar (not really in a mushroom spore way, just the regular way) whenever they see him because they just go ‘hey!! It’s the funny tall man that Mother insists he despises, even though they have tea together every Friday!! I want to see the funny tall man!!!’ And thus, hermitcraft’s respectable mayor unwillingly becomes a playground for Mother’s mischievous children :3

Scar: WHO ARE YOU LITTLE MUSHROOM CHILDREN??? AND WHY ARE THERE SO MANY OF YOU??

Doc is making sure Scar doesn't try anything to hurt the kids (not that he can in the first place with him being tied up and Motherspore being present)

Despite all this, Motherspore is immensely proud that his children are able to kidnap a full grown man without any trouble

[starboysbrainrot]

screenshot redraw :

left : Pawn of Shadows (requested by @starspatter )

right : All Fear the Freak (requested by @glitzy-dynamite )

had a lot of fun with these :)

[seat-safety-switch]

There’s something that we all can learn from stage magicians, and that is the value of having a friend in the crowd. If you’re picking a card out of a deck of cards, that’s hard. If you’re picking a card out of a deck of cards where your drinking buddy has agreed with you ahead of time that it will be the ace of diamonds, that’s substantially easier. You might think that this scam, such as it is, is only limited to the performance of magic tricks. And you’d be wrong.

There is another place in modern society in which ridiculous performances, shocking coincidences and underhanded collusion work together to enrich tricksters. It’s called politics. You can bring your drinking buddy with you to a city council meeting, make him sit far away from you, and suddenly he’s a “concerned citizen” who agrees that it’s “just common sense” what you are proposing. From there, herd mentality takes over, and suddenly a room full of real-estate obsessed seniors are screaming at The Mayor, wondering why in the fuck you won’t let them leave a broken car in the middle of the road for a month or two I thought this was a free country.

Once you’ve learned this trick, you can see it all over the place. Unpopular policy gets washed through a series of studies, think-tanks, and media surrogates into being the product of consensus. The guy playing three-card Monte on the street has already been beaten by a couple folks, surely it’s your turn to win next. And that guy at the bar surely can’t be an undercover federal agent, because he just told us all how much he hates cops and loves Plymouth Darts. Sure, he had to check his phone a few times while he was trying to tell us all this, but he seems legit.

Now that you know how to deceive others in a crowd, it’s up to you on how to use it for evil. Just don’t become a stage magician. I guarantee you that I’ve poisoned that well already, because I waited until Mister Magic here started a show at the community centre and then stole a bunch of the audience’s batteries out in the parking lot.

[fluentmoviequoter]

Cop Meet Cop

Requested Here!

Pairing: Tim Bradford x fem!reader ; platonic Deacon Kay x reader

Summary: When your best friend, Deacon Kay, finds out that you're dating a cop, he wants to know everything. Introducing him to Tim Bradford is easier said than done.

Warnings: fluff! Tim's a little grumpy but we love him. cop show inception

Word Count: 2.6k+ words

Masterlist Directory | Tim Bradford Masterlist | S.W.A.T. Masterlist

Deacon yells your name before you even see him. S.W.A.T. HQ has become your home away from home, and your home away from Deacon’s home. As you walk in today, you’re greeted by Deacon’s excited greeting and a tight hug.

“It’s been too long,” Deacon says as he steps back.

“I saw you yesterday,” you remind him.

Deacon rolls his eyes before asking, “Is it wrong to miss my best friend?”

Your eyes widen as your smile grows, and Deacon regrets reminding you that you’re his best friend. You know, of course, he’s been your best friend for as long as you can remember, but you like hearing the acknowledgement in his own words.

“Adopted Kay,” Hondo greets when he sees you.

“Still funny,” you deadpan.

Since Hondo found out you and Deacon grew up next door to each other and have been inseparable since you could walk, he’s taken to referring to you as Deacon’s adopted sister, or his preferred sister from another mister. You don’t mind; Deacon is the best “brother” you’ve ever had (including any blood relatives you may or may not have).

“You ask her yet, Deac?” Hondo inquires.

“Ask me what?” you interject.

“The mayor is treating all of us and our families to dinner at La Boucherie,” Deacon explains. “You’re family, so I wanted to extend the invitation to you.”

“That’s thousands of dollars for that many people!”

“Why you should go when it’s free,” Hondo says with a smile and a shrug.

“When is it?” you ask Deacon.

“Next Friday,” he and Hondo answer.

You purse your lips as you think. Next Friday, you have plans with your boyfriend. The boyfriend that Deacon knows nothing about.

“I actually have a date next Friday,” you admit slowly. “Maybe we could reschedule.”

“Whoa, whoa,” Hondo interrupts, raising his hands toward you.

“A what?” Deacon yells.

“I was going to tell you,” you promise.

“This doesn’t seem like my business, so I’m gonna go,” Hondo says. He stops by your shoulder with his back to Deacon to whisper, “Fill me in later.”

You push him away before looking at Deacon. The apology in your eyes is enough to calm him, but innumerable questions are running through his mind.

“How long?” he asks first.

“A few months.” Deacon takes a deep breath, wondering why you didn’t tell him sooner. “How’d you meet?”

“It’s embarrassing,” you mumble.

“More embarrassing than when you fell off my bike because you weren’t tall enough to reach the pedals?”

“Why would you bring that up? Deacon, look, I trust you, don’t doubt that. I was worried that the relationship wouldn’t work out; he’s so different than anyone I have ever dated. If it fell apart after a few dates, I didn’t want to… push it on you or anything, I guess.”

“I am here for you, no matter what.”

“Thank you. We-“

“Doesn’t mean I don’t want to interrogate you. My house after work.”

“Okay. Be careful today, Deac.”

“What’s his name?”

“Whose name?” you ask as you walk away.

Deacon grumbles as you round the corner. He has a lot of information to find out tonight, and he hopes you’re more forthcoming in private. It’s been a while since he scared away a guy who wasn’t good enough for you, and he hasn’t had to deal with Lila dating yet, but S.W.A.T. operations and defending your honor can’t be that different.

After you leave Deacon, your phone buzzes with a text from the man you were just talking about. You smile as you read the short message but turn down his invitation to hang out later. As you pass a police cruiser on your way to your car, you have an idea. Maybe asking your boyfriend to meet Deacon would make everything easier. Hopefully it ends differently than junior prom.

Your afternoon flies by in a storm of nervousness and excitement. If Deacon expresses any interest in meeting your boyfriend, you will jump on the opportunity. Although, you know it will take some convincing to get your boyfriend to agree. You’re imagining his reaction as you knock on Deacon’s door, lost in thought.

“Lose your key?” Deacon asks as he opens the door.

Annie waves from the kitchen, and you give her a quick hug. Deacon shakes his head at your blatant betrayal and favoritism, and Annie reminds him that she doesn’t bring up past embarrassments and injuries like Deacon does.

“That’s what friends do,” he argues.

“Best friends, right, Deac?” you ask, batting your lashes.

“Did she tell you about her boyfriend?” Deacon asks Annie.

“Boyfriend?! Since when?” Annie turns to you with wide eyes, and you glare at Deacon across the countertop.

“Start asking questions,” you say with a sigh.

“What’s his name?” Deacon repeats.

“How’d you meet?” Annie asks.

“Um, he’s a cop,” you explain. “And we met while he was on patrol.”

Deacon falls silent as he considers every cop he has ever met. You don’t know half of them, at the least, yet Deacon still runs through a mental list. His search for one worthy of your time or attention comes up empty. While he thinks, Annie continues asking you questions.

“No, he’s not on patrol anymore,” you say to Annie. It snaps Deacon out of his thoughts as he realizes he’s analyzing the wrong officers.

“If he’s not patrol,” Deacon begins before trailing off.

“Metro Sergeant,” you say softly.

“Metro. Metro?” Deacon repeats. “Not at our station.”

“What makes you so sure?” you challenge.

“Because I know you, and you wouldn’t go for any of them.”

“David,” Annie chides.

“No, he’s right,” you admit. “He works at a different station, in a different division. But, if you want to meet him, I can ask.”

“Of course, I want to meet him! You’re not giving me answers and I need to vet him.”

“You’re talking like a cop.”

“You’re dating a cop!”

“Look, Deacon, my boyfriend is… he can be hesitant and standoffish. I’ll ask, but I can’t guarantee that he’ll agree.”

“They’re both police officers, so at least they’ll have something to bond over other than you,” Annie whispers as Deacon leans against the counter.

“If I don’t like him,” Deacon begins.

“You don’t like anyone I date.”

“If I don’t like him or he’s not good enough for you, I will tell you.”

“I know. You care, even if you show it by bringing up the time I asked to hold your keys to feel more grown up.”

“That’s adorable,” Annie murmurs.

“Ask him, please,” Deacon requests. “And let me know what he says. As long as you’re happy, I’ll give him a chance.”

✯✯✯✯✯

After your conversation with Deacon and Annie, you try to find the perfect opportunity to ask Tim. If he says no, you’ll just tell Deacon the truth. But then Deacon will get suspicious and will try to… You close your eyes and take a deep breath to keep your thoughts from spiraling.

When you open your eyes, you blink quickly at the sight before you. Your boyfriend is standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed. He raises his brows, and you know it’s his invitation for you to speak.

“Hi, Tim,” you say.

“No.”

You nod and interlace your fingers together before tapping your joined hands against your chin. Tim tilts his head to the side as he tries to decipher what is making you nervous.

“Do you want to come to my house for dinner this weekend?” you ask.

“Not until you tell me why.”

“Tim,” you groan. “Okay, just let me tell you all of it before you say no, okay?”

Tim nods once and you step closer to him.

“I want you to meet my best friend, and I thought having you both over for dinner would be the best chance to do that. He, um, my friend is a S.W.A.T. sergeant in the LAPD.”

“Is that all?” Tim asks.

“Yeah.”

“I don’t think-“

“Look, he’s been my best friend for my entire life. We grew up next door to each other and have stayed friends for all these years, so he means a lot to me. And I know you’ve met a ton of S.W.A.T. officers and some of them are really stuck up, but you haven’t met him. Please just think about meeting my friend, not another cop, before you decide.”

Your plea was intended to convince Tim, but it only makes him more hesitant. His concerns don’t come from your friend being in law enforcement, but from the idea that it is a man who knows you and what you deserve very well. Probably knows you better than Tim does. Plus, Tim is not a fan of socializing and making more friends, for the most part.

“If you don’t want to, I get it,” you add.

It only takes another moment for you to wear Tim down; you murmur, “Please?”

“Fine. Tell me when,” he agrees with a sigh.

You bounce in place before throwing your arms over Tim’s shoulders to hug him. He sighs again before pulling you close and kissing your forehead.

“I promise it will be fun,” you say.

Tim raises his brows, and you take it as a challenge.

✯✯✯✯✯

On the day of your dinner with Tim and Deacon, you spend the day at home. You clean, cook, and do anything else you can think of to keep your mind off how the evening could go wrong. Being nervous that they won’t get along isn’t a completely unfounded idea, but you don’t know why it is bothering you. As dinner is nearing completion, someone opens your door, and because both men have keys, you’re not sure who it is until Deacon says your name.

“Kitchen,” you call.

Deacon steps in with a dish in his hands. He sets it down and you recognize it as Annie’s baking and your favorite dessert.

“Oh, thank you! And thank Annie!” you say before hugging Deacon.

“Sorry I’m early, I got off work after a call and wanted to see if you need any help,” he explains.

“No apologies necessary. If you can check the pot on the stove, I’m going to grab something from the pantry, and I’ll be right back.”

“Sure.”

When you return, Deacon is looking at you with a smile.

“What?” you ask, running your hands over your outfit to remove any nonexistent wrinkles.

“I know you said I’ve never met the boyfriend, but are you sure?” Deacon asks.

You don’t have a chance to answer before someone knocks. Tim usually lets himself in, but you’re sure the sight of another car parked outside is what deterred him. As you walk to the door, you take a deep breath and hope for a nice evening.

“Hi,” you greet.

“Hey,” Tim replies with a smile. “These are for you.”

He passes you a bouquet of flowers wrapped in cellophane and a gift bag before he closes the door behind him. You run a finger over one of the petals and smile.

“What is this?” you ask while looking at the bag. “A bribe?”

Tim’s lips quirk up as he murmurs, “Something like that.”

“Alright, uh, come on in.”

“You don’t have to be nervous,” Tim whispers.

He lays a hand on your back, and it helps to calm your nerves, at least until you see Deacon standing by the table and watching you.

“Deacon, this is my boyfriend, Tim Bradford. Tim, this is my best friend, Deacon Kay,” you introduce.

Tim removes his hand from your back to shake Deacon’s hand, and you watch them nervously. You invite them to take seats and you move into the kitchen to gather a few items. The quiet is unsettling, and you need to do something to eliminate the awkwardness.

“Deacon asked how we met,” you say as you lower into the chair between them. “I was out walking one night, and this guy was following me. After making a bunch of random turns and going in a circle, he was still behind me, so I called the police. Tim was the responding officer.”

“Who was the guy?” Deacon asks.

You look at Tim, who shakes his head before answering, “He and his teenage daughter live around here and were out for a walk together. He was distracted looking at his phone and answering work emails and ended up following the wrong woman around the neighborhood.”

Deacon shakes his head and smiles. “I tell her all the time that her youthful good looks are going to get her in trouble.”

“Oh, no, it gets better,” Tim continues. “When he did see her while we were questioning him, he asked her out!”

Deacon tilts his head back and laughs, while Tim chuckles, and though it’s at your expense, you’re glad they’re able to laugh about something together. You notice Tim glance between you and Deacon a few times; unknown to you, he’s wondering if you ever had a thing for your neighbor and best friend, Deacon.

“I’m glad the most frightening event of my life is so humorous,” you joke.

“Hey, that’s not even the weirdest call I had that month,” Tim offers.

“It’s not just me, right?” Deacon asks. “People are getting crazier?”

“Oh, absolutely. My last boot and I got called to a psychic studio in Hollywood, and the girl admitted she was making stuff up, but revealed the location of a missing person. She was more concerned with the condition of her $900 crystal ball and flirting with me though.”

“Hollywood calls are always more interesting,” Deacon agrees. “We raided an illegal poker club and everyone inside was dressed as assassinated presidents and their widows. Bloody clothes and all.”

“Oh, that beats anything I’ve got,” Tim concedes. “Metro doesn’t get as many calls as patrol cops, but I know they’re going to be good.”

You lean back in your seat and smile, glad to see the most important men in your life getting along. They start talking about how anyone will flirt with cops to get out of trouble, and you chuckle at their excited discussion of the weirdest things people have said.

“Luckily, your friend over here didn’t flirt with me until after,” Tim says. He winks at you as you roll your eyes.

“You asked me out,” you remind him.

“Not my fault you’re cute,” Tim murmurs.

“Oh, you think she’s cute when she’s being followed. Have you seen her when she-“

You cover your ears and look down, regretting bringing them into your house at the same time. Deacon reminding you of your worst moments is one thing, but telling your boyfriend is different. They’re both lucky you love them. Tim wraps his fingers around your arm to pull your hand away from your hand, while Deacon does the same with the other.

“All good things,” Deacon promises.

“I’m going to tell Annie that you’re being mean to me,” you threaten. Tim fails to conceal his smile, and you add, “And Angela.”

“I’m not apologizing,” Tim responds.

“Doesn’t do much good anyway,” Deacon adds.

“Why did I agree to this?” you ask yourself.

“Because you thought we could bond over being cops. You were wrong, we’re going to bond over you.”

“Careful,” Tim warns. “She won’t invite you to the wedding.”

You look up quickly, your eyes wide as they search Tim’s face. He and Deacon begin laughing at your reaction, and you stand silently before walking to the kitchen. Annie’s dessert will be your only source of comfort it seems; more so when Deacon and Tim walk in with half-hearted apologies. You love them, you remind yourself. When Deacon hugs you before leaving, and Tim pulls you into a kiss after, you forget all about the previous teasing.

“Wait,” you say, pushing Tim back. “What’s in the bag?”

“It’s a picture of Kojo. A failsafe apology if dinner didn’t go well.”

You smile before kissing Tim again. Everyone knows that this dinner wasn’t the last, and when you get a text from Annie asking how it went, you invite her to the next one.