#Monty x oc

[joyousgeekeryart]

“They ain’t noticed you yet so stop squirmin’ and listen to me.”

-

I kinda popped off with this one ngl. 🙈

[balloonboyismyson]

[emarli-the-doodler]

Just a lil bit of an art dump~

[spiritamongdarkness]

I am ecstatic that my pairing with Lunar and Monty was drawn for the first time! Look at themmmmmm~! I was lucky enough to find a commissioner that drew male x male and animatronics x3 I decided a while ago that I wanted the ship name to be 'Glowgolf'

Drawn for me by Doniwkoo on DeviantART

The characters in this are my Oc / my version of Lunar, and Monty Gator

[13-reasons-ideas]

Can’t Go Back Part 24

A/N: Guess who’s back! Thank you for sticking with me. It’s been a rough several months and I think things are finally getting to a point where I can focus on my hobbies again. As always, feedback is appreciated and Character Q&As are open. Much Love -Em

I had finished the last book on my To Read shelf by mid-May. Hopping off my bed, I went over to my bookshelf. There was only one shelf of space left. The stack to shelve had gotten a tad out of hand. Sighing to myself, I sat down to start reorganizing. I pulled the books from H to Z down to fit the new additions to my collection in. My dad poked his head in when the stack fell over.

“Everything okay in here?” I was surrounded by books. Dad tried not to laugh as he took the scene in. Grabbing books, I turned back to the shelf.

“Perfect. Totally meant to sit in a sea of books this afternoon.”

“Sure. You have fun with that. I have to head into the office for a while. Tell your mother I probably won’t be home for dinner.”

“Will do.” I nodded, not turning my attention back to him.

Monty texted me shortly after I had finished the M’s. What are you up to today?

Organizing my bookshelf. I finished my TBR so now they go in the permanent collection.

Only my girlfriend would make a permanent book collection and a separate section for books that aren’t done.

Hey! Lots of people do this.

Yes honey.

What are you up to today?

Trying to study for my last History test. It’s very boring.

I’m sure it is. If you’re free Saturday, how about a get out of studying free card?

Oh? What did you have in mind Doll? I rolled my eyes and grinned. Of course he thought I meant something dirty.

Cool your jets Monty. I was going to see if you wanted to go to the bookstore with me?

I can make that happen. What time?

I think Clay and I are getting lunch to go over our study guide for the Math final. I could do like 1?

Sounds good. Do you want me to meet you at the bookstore?

Sure. I go to the B&N at the Everglade.

It’s a date.

I smiled and went back to my books.

When it was done, I snapped a picture and sent it to Justin. I finished my TBR! You know what that means?

Oh no. More books?

More books!

Do I have to come with you?

No. The parents gave me a limit of 10 books this time.

Only 10?

I have points saved up. And 10 is a perfectly reasonable amount of new books.

For you? Yes. For normal people? No.

Oh shhh, or I’ll make you come with me.

Okay, okay. It’s reasonable lol. I texted Monty a picture of my bookshelf too. He responded with a laughing emoji.

Teachers were beginning to wrap up final units and hand out study guides for finals. Justin was still mad about summer school so he kept up his not giving a shit attitude. I rolled my eyes whenever he sighed or complained about finals. And I stopped offering to help him. If he wanted to do more work in summer school, that was fine by me. It gave me more time to spend with Monty.

On Saturday, I met Clay at Rosie’s and we both got milkshakes. I wasn’t very hungry, and I didn’t want burger breath later. “So Clay, how’s Hannah doing?”

“I don’t know. We have hung out a few times, and I see her at work, but I don’t think we have hung out hung out.”

“You still haven’t asked her out?”

“I mean, we went to Jeff’s place not together, but we were both there, and I feel like maybe we connected?”

“Connected?”

“Well, we were doing… stuff… and we talked.” My eyes widened.

“Clay Jensen did you do drugs in Jeff’s basement?”

“Maybe?” I was stunned.

“Well, I’ll be damned. Clay Jensen, having fun. I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Ha ha.” He joked.

“I’m kidding! But seriously. Take the risk Clay.”

“I’ll think about it. Can we look at this study guide now?” I sighed and pulled it out of my bag. We both shuddered. This is not going to be a pretty exam.

By the time Clay and I called it an afternoon, it was 12:30. That gave me just enough time to get to the city. We packed our notes and headed outside. “Man, I really need a car.” Clay sighed, unlocking his bike.

“Your parents said no?”

“I have a bike.” He waved towards the bike.

“That you do. I would offer you a ride, but I’m headed into the city for the afternoon.”

“No worries, Addy.” He smiled. We waved goodbye and I watched as he biked down the street. I started my car and texted Monty. Leaving Rosie’s now. Might be a little late. Drive safe.

Sounds good, drive safe Doll.

I stopped at Starbucks when I got to the mall and got an iced coffee to sip while I browse and a coffee for Montgomery. He was waiting outside Barnes & Noble for me. “Hey handsome. Fancy seeing you here.” I winked as I walked up to him.

“Hey gorgeous. What can I say, thought it would be a good way to find a girl. You know what they say about the readers.”

“I have a feeling I do.” I laughed and handed him his coffee. “Something to do with being high strung, overachievers with daddy issues?”

“Somethin’ like that.” Monty took my hand and let me lead him into the bookstore. I decided I would keep my ten-book limit to myself. I knew how many points I had, and I still had birthday money left from last year.

He chuckled as I practically dragged him towards the YA section. I didn’t stop to look at the romance displays or the cookbooks or the journals. I was on a mission. There were books to buy. I sipped my coffee as I browsed. As usual, I made my way up and down the aisles quickly once to see if anything immediately caught my eye. A couple of books did, so I grabbed them to look over after I was done my power walk. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you move that fast.”

“Ass.” I laughed as I read over the synopsizes of the two books. Neither of them was my cup of tea in the end, so I decided to put them back. I could feel Montgomery watching me as I looked at the shelves. “What?” I asked as I pulled a book down and skimmed the back.

“Nothin’. You’re just cute is all.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. And those shorts are very nice.” I blushed and smiled softly.

“Thanks.” I handed him the book.

“Oh, I see. You needed someone to carry the books.”

“Well, who else would I have asked, when I have my strong, athletic boyfriend to follow me around the store?” He only laughed in response. I grabbed a few more books as I sipped at my coffee. Once in a while, I would notice him watching me and turn to smile at him.

There were six books in Monty’s hands before he finished his coffee. “I’m going to throw this out. Try to leave some books for the next person, okay Bookworm?”

“I’ll try. No promises though.” I mused. By the time he came back, I had three more books. I looked up when I heard him laugh. I grinned at him and held out the books. He took them, tucked them under his arm, and stepped towards me. My brow furrowed and he reached to tuck my hair behind my ear, trailing his hand down to cup the back of my neck, and pull me towards him to kiss me. I kissed him back softly. It was nice to be able to kiss in public. I liked our little bubble. It felt like we were the only two people in the world. He pulled away first.

We continued to peruse the store for a while and stole kisses and glances along the way. Monty slid his hand in my back pocket as we walked. I grabbed another couple of books and sighed. “What’s up?”

“I guess that’s enough books for a little while.”

“For a little while? Addison. There’s like,” he paused to count, “sixteen books here.”

“Yeah. And that isn’t even all of what is on my TBR still. And it’s buy one get one half off all books.” I shrugged.

“Jesus. Crazy woman.” He muttered softly and kissed the side of my head. I sighed and turned to head for the till. After discounts, points, and birthday money, my total was twenty-five dollars.

“Now to figure out how to sneak the extra six books into the house.” I muttered as we left.

“The extra what whats?”

“Uh… nothing.” I smiled sheepishly. He shook his head playfully. “Oh, hey. Pretzels. Split one?”

“Nice change of subject. Sure. Pretzel sounds good.” He rubbed my hand as he held it. This is nice.

In late June, just as finals week was hitting its peak, tragedy struck our little group of jocks. The boys were at Bryce’s trying to blow off some steam. I was trying to be nice to him and make an effort for Justin, so I tagged along. The way his family approached and flaunted their money always took me by surprise. I wasn’t oblivious. I knew my family had more money than most. More than I liked to consider or admit. But it was never flashed around the way it was with the Walkers. I came from old money on my dad’s side, like his mom. But unlike him, I wasn’t exposed to it on a daily basis. The concept of a twice a week maid was enough to widen my eyes. The only time my family had a maid come was when Gran was coming to stay with us, or we were hosting Christmas back when all my grandparents lived state-side, so a very deep clean was needed. The fact that they had a chef come in once a week to meal prep for them was… almost incomprehensible. The only time I met a chef was when I found a hair in my food when my family went out one night.

I had been to his house before of course. I was friends with Justin. We shared custody of him most weeks. Even still, I found myself hanging back and watching the boys socialize. Or I was trying to at least. Bryce thrusting a bottle of water in my hand startled me. I jumped slightly. “Thanks.” I muttered.

“Don’t mention it.” He chuckled. He settled himself next to me and leaned back against the counter.

“Hi.”

“Hi. You know that they will talk to you, right? They know you.”

“I know.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to you then.” Great. Just what I want.

“Sure Bryce.”

“How are finals treating you?”

“I cried before my honours English final yesterday.”

“I almost forgot about my math final.”

“So, we are basically in the same boat.”

“Basically. You had bio and history today?”

“Yeah.”

“How were they?”

“I think I did fairly okay. Can you imagine what my mum would do if I bombed the history final?” He stared off into space with me and shivered.

“I would say something nice about you at your funeral.”

“Thanks Walker. Killing me does seem like a lot of hassle for that though. Like it seems like it would just inconvenience them. Maybe locked in my room to study until I’m forty?”

“True. I would text you news updates. Keep you updated in all things Bryce and the boys.”

“Prefect. Make isolation at least a little bit bearable.” He was actually kind of nice sometimes. Maybe. If I squinted.

“Yeah. My dad would have freaked if I missed my math final.”

“How could you take over the family business if you fail tenth grade math Bryce?”

“No idea. Not like he doesn’t pay someone to do all that math for him. Speaking of, he wanted me to ask you if your dad is taking on any new clients now that tax season is winding down?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think he is, but I can get him to email your dad.” I don’t think he’s going to take your dad on.

“I’ll let him know.”

“Where are you off to this summer?”

“I think we are summering in Fiji?”

“Because California isn’t summer-y enough?”

“Mom thinks the sun feels different. More sunny. I tan better in tropical environments.”

“Sure, you do.”

“What are your family’s plans?”

“We have our annual family trip to Boston at the end of July into the first week of August. Dad pushed his vacation time this year.”

“Doesn’t he own the company?”

“Yeah. But his associate wanted to take vacation in mid-July. She’s taking her kids to Disney World.”

“Again, doesn’t he own the company?”

“Again, yes. Why?”

“Shouldn’t he get first pick?”

“Well, our vacation basically costs us airfare, food, and spending money. Hers and everyone else’s costs a lot more. And requires more planning. So, he lets them have first pick and takes whatever’s left for the most part. Because of that, people are more willing to pick fairly.”

“Interesting.”

“Are you two going to come outside or not?” Justin called from the back yard. Bryce and I looked up and found the house empty. All the boys had moved to the back. We shrugged and joined them. I needed to pass the sniff test so I didn’t dare go in the pool house. Anders and Dylan were in the pool house enjoying Bryce’s stash. It was already nearing eighty degrees in the daytime. We were in for a hot summer. Justin pulled off his shirt, dropped his pants, and jumped in the pool. Shaking my head, I followed Bryce outside.

I sat on the edge of the pool and dipped my feet in the water. Monty was trying to be discreet and swim backwards towards me. He stopped just shy of me and shared a look with Zach. I pretended not to notice. It looked like I was busy watching Justin goof off with Bryce and Garrison. I was watching my boyfriend out of the corner of my eye though. I felt a wave close to my foot. “Montgomery. If you touch my foot, I’m not responsible for what happens to your face.” His hand stopped and his eyes widened. Justin laughed and called from across the pool.

“She isn’t wrong dude. She kicked me in the face when I was trying to bug her one time.”

“I wasn’t going to….” Monty trailed off.

“Sure, you weren’t.” I shook my head and moved to stand up. I pulled my tank top over my head. The shorts I was wearing were fine to go in the water.

Seeing as we had to keep up appearances, I couldn’t very well ask Monty to tighten the tie on my bikini top. That would be too much. The boys would question that. Joking around and talking to each other in a group was okay. Touching was not. “Hey Justin, do you mind?” I gestured to my back, not looking at the pool.

“He’s a little busy.” Bryce said. I could hear splashing behind me.

“Zach?”

“Sure.” He climbed out of the pool and untied the bottom strings. He pulled them tighter in a knot and doubled the bow. “Good?”

“Yeah.” I turned around. “Thanks.” Bryce whistled. Gross.

“Why are you keeping her all to yourself again?” He asked Justin. I flipped him off. Why am I being nice to you again?

“I’m not. It’s Addison. Even if I was, I don’t share Bryce.” He seemed to shut the conversation down. Only I could pick up on the stern undertone in his voice. Just as quickly as it came, it was gone, and they were back to goofing off again.

I slipped in the pool and noticing Justin was distracted, I swam over to him and jumped on his back. I may have accidentally splashed Monty in my jumping. I snuck a peek at him and he was rolling his eyes and laughing. “Chicken?” Justin asked. His hands went to my thighs unconsciously.

“No. You dropped me last time. Though it would be entertaining trying to watch the rest of you lift each other.”

“We’re strong.” The boys around me protested. They all made a show of flexing.

“Yes, yes. You’re all strong and hot. With superior athletic abilities. Go you.” I laughed.

“Ha! I told you she thinks I’m hot.” Bryce pointed at Justin.

“It doesn’t count if you’re objectively attractive Walker. I also think the blond guy from the Percy Jackson movie is hot. Because he is objectively attractive.”

“Objectively attractive?”

“You’re lucky you’re rich.” I muttered. Justin choked. “You’re a very pretty man Bryce Walker.”

“Do we get called pretty too Addison?” Monty asked.

“If you don’t call me by my full name again then sure Monty. You are also pretty. Foley, I swear if you drop me, you’re sleeping on the floor tonight.” His hand tightened around my thigh.

The group of us hung out for a while. At some point Scott joined us. Even though we weren’t friends per say, he was still nice to me when I was around. He swam over to my corner of the pool. “I’m supposed to ask you if you think I’m pretty?”

“Scott. If you don’t know you’re pretty, I don’t know what to say to you.”

“Alright then. Why was I supposed to ask?”

“I acknowledged Bryce is objectively attractive and the children felt left out.”

“I see. Why are you hiding in a corner?”

“Hiding from Justin. He’s trying to get me to play chicken. But I don’t feel like getting dropped again.”

“And why does he think you’d get to play with anyone else?”

“I think the attempt would be very entertaining actually.” There was a ringing over by the table.

“Someone’s phone is ringing.” I called. The ringing stopped and started again immediately. Zach looked up. It was his phone.

“It’s probably his mommy calling to tell him he has to come home before it gets dark.” Bryce teased. The boys laughed. I even chuckled a little to myself. Oh, how bad I would feel about that chuckle in a few hours. Zach splashed him. By the time the phone began its second round of ringing again, Zach was out of the pool and grabbing it. He was smiling when he answered it.

“Hey Mom. I’m com-.” It was quiet. “Yeah, I’ll be right home.” He hung up and quickly pulled on his pants, over his wet swim trucks. He threw on his shirt and practically sprinted back in the house. He didn’t say a word to any of us as he left.

“What’s going on with him?” Bryce said. We all stared after him.

A few hours after I got home, I got a text from Bryce. Justin got the same text. Zach’s dad died. Justin and I sat and looked at each other at the table, shocked. We sat there for a solid ten minutes, trying to absorb the information we had been given. I was sure our friends were in the same position. How did you respond to something like that? None of us had ever lost a parent. Sure, I had lost a couple of grandparents. I probably wasn’t the only one. But they’re sort of expected to die. They’re old. They’ve lived. Our parents weren’t old. Not old enough to die yet anyway. I picked my phone back up and texted Zach the only thing I could think to say. He would hear the words a lot in the next few months. I am so sorry. I knew he wouldn’t answer.

Zach wasn’t at school for the rest of the week. Not that he should have been. He had been excused from all of his other exams. Because of course he should have been. I didn’t see him until I was walking home from a date with Monty over the weekend. He was just… walking around town. He didn’t see me at first. When he noticed me standing up the street, he waved a little. I waved back and slowly walked over to him. Even though Zach Dempsey and I weren’t really friends, we were friendly. That’s why it didn’t feel weird when the only thing my brain said to do, was hug him. He didn’t cry. He didn’t say anything. He just hugged me back. We didn’t talk about that random, silent hug on the street again. Not for a long time at least. We simply nodded as we parted ways. He walked one way and I walked the other.

July changed a lot of things. Bryce left town with his family a few days after Zach’s dad’s funeral. Seth was back in town too. That meant Justin spent most of the first couple of weeks of July at my house. He was right. My parents were not happy about him doing summer school. As his not-mom my mum had a strict ‘no fun until homework is done and checked’ rule. At first, I spent my time with Monty during school hours. We weren’t really sure what the summer meant for our relationship. Those first few dates, we mostly talked about that.

“Well, I don’t want to not see you.” Monty said, between kisses in the backseat of my car. We had parked at a secluded clearing overlooking the river.

“I don’t want to not see you either. It’s going to be hard though.”

“Don’t talk about hard right now Doll. Please.” I pulled away and looked at him wide-eyed. “You don’t strike me as a public sex kind of girl. And I don’t want to get a public indecency charge.”

“Yeah. I’m not.” I sat up. “Justin being at my place complicates things.”

“Oh, I know.” He ground out as he adjusted his jeans. I could tell my cheeks were flushed.

“We knew we couldn’t see each other every day.”

“But it’s not easy not seeing you.”

“I know it’s not.”

“Why does this have to be so hard?” He sat back.

“I don’t know.” Neither of us were ready nor willing to have the ‘tell other people’ talk. Even though it had been almost a year. And probably needed to happen.

“Seeing each other while school is in, isn’t such a bad thing, is it?”

“No.”

“And I do have other friends. I could say I’m going to the city with Alex or something. Give us some more time?”

“That’s true.”

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. “I could take you to the bookstore.” He blinked at me. “What?”

“The bookstore?”

“It’s air conditioned.” I shrugged and climbed into his lap. His hands instinctively found their way to my hips.

“You just need someone to carry your books again.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I smirked.

There was something different about Justin since he started summer school. I couldn’t put my finger on it. He was… distracted. I noticed he spent more time on his phone after homework than paying attention to what we were doing. Which was fine when it was show re-runs or my mom’s pick for movie night. But when you’re trying to play Ticket to Ride with a guy, it’s much easier when they are paying attention. “Hey. Earth to Justin. Hello?”

“Huh?” He looked up from his phone.

“It’s been your turn for the past five minutes.”

“Shit, sorry.” He looked at his cards and the map. Picking up a red and a pink from the pile, he settled back in his chair. Interesting. I frowned at the board, trying to figure out what he was doing. I came back with nothing. His phone buzzed again. I glanced at it. So did he. Then my phone buzzed. He glanced at it. So, did I. It was like we were waiting to see who would grab their phone first. After a few beats, his hand went to his phone. He smirked a little and put it down. I didn’t check mine.

I came home from a date with Monty a little late on Thursday. It was nearing five when I walked in the door, after I fixed my hair. I dropped my purse and stopped dead in my tracks. Justin had company. Company in the form of Jessica Davis. Who was currently sitting in his lap. On my couch. Making out with him. On my couch. They had their hands up each other’s shirts. On my couch. I cleared my throat. Jessica pulled away and turned towards me. “Oh, hey Addy.” She greeted, like this was normal.

“Hey Addy. You’re… just getting home?” His speech was slowed. Are you shitting me?

“Yeah. What’s going on?”

“Your parents said I could have a friend over after class.”

“Okay.” I blinked. She was still perched in his lap. I glanced at the clock. “I suggest you fix your shirts because they should be home soon. And I don’t think they want to see, uh, this.” I motioned in their general direction. Jessica laughed and climbed off Justin.

“Oh, don’t be such a priss, Addison.”

“I’m not being a priss. I just wasn’t expecting to come home to people making out on my couch.” She rolled her eyes. “Great to see you too. Hey, Justin. Can I steal you for a sec?” I waved upstairs. “There’s snacks in the cupboard, Jess.”

Justin followed me upstairs, trying not to giggle at, assumingly, the fact that he didn’t get caught by my parents. I shut the door when we got to my room. “What the fuck Justin?”

“What?” He shrugged.

“What do you mean what?”

“What?”

“Making out with a girl on our couch?” He was trying to avoid eye contact. My parents are going to kill him.

“No one was home. It’s not a big deal.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“I don’t know, a couple weeks?” I blinked at him. He was still trying to look away from me. I grabbed his face and made him look at me.

“Are you fucking high right now?”

“No? What? Why would you ask that?” His eyes were bloodshot. He was acting very much like Justin when Justin has been indulging in Bryce’s stash.

“Don’t lie to me Justin Foley. You know my parent’s rules. Do you want them to freak out?”

“Oh, come on Addison. It was a little weed. It’s not that big of a deal.” I sighed heavily.

“You know what, whatever. You obviously don’t care. So, I suggest you tell your girlfriend to leave or figure out a way to sober up before they get home. And if that fails, tell her to leave, and come hide in here until you’re sober enough to face them.” I grabbed a book off my shelf and went back downstairs. I nodded at Jessica, who had made herself some crackers and dip. Sitting at the table, I texted Monty.

Justin and Jessica? Did you know about this? He responded a couple of minutes later.

No? Actually?

Yeah. They were making out on my couch when I got home. And to make things even more awkward and complicated, they’re both high.

I mean, to be fair, weed isn’t really that bad.

Yeah. I know. But that’s not the point. My parents are going to freak. Now is really not the time to be pissing them off.

Oh crap. You guys leave for Boston soon, don’t you?

Next week. And if Justin can’t keep his shit together… I left the unspoken implication hang in cyberspace. Are you really just going to ignore the fact that they were on the couch?

I was hoping to just ignore that fact.

Our make out spots are becoming fewer and further between.

We could just stay in your bed, Doll.

But the couch has the TV. So we can not watch a movie without worrying about my laptop falling.

“Who you texting so much?” Jessica asked, trying to peer at my phone.

“Friend from Boston.” I said, locking my phone.

“Oh, friend from Boston, you say? Is he cute?”

“I guess? His girlfriend probably thinks so.”

“Oh. Not a secret long distance lover then?”

“No. And we grew up together. It would be weird.” I slipped my phone in my pocket and grabbed some cereal. We both looked up when my parents got home. I took that as my cue to go get Justin. I practically kicked him downstairs so he could go entertain his girlfriend with my parents and I could have some time to process how I missed it. Probably the same way he has missed me having a boyfriend for… almost a year.

The day before we left for Boston, Justin and I were running around like mad men. I had plans with Monty and Justin had plans with Jessica tonight, so I didn’t want to be too long packing. Unfortunately, neither of us could find anything we wanted to bring. It was going to be nice so I wanted to bring some dresses. We had a few things planned, but like with our other trips, there would be plenty of time to lounge around the house.

“Have you seen my pink and green dress?”

“The one with the stripes? No. Have you seen my blue shirt?”

“I think mum put it in the wash.”

“Okay.” Justin went down the hall to the bathroom. “Has anyone seen my shampoo?” He called.

“It’s in here.” My dad called from their room. I was busy ripping apart my closet. I groaned in frustration.

“You know, it’s just Boston. We go every year.”

“I know Justin. I just like to be prepared for every eventuality.”

“Yeah. Wait… are you trying to impress Adrian?” Justin laughed. I turned and he was leaning against the doorframe.

“No. Absolutely not. Besides, he has a girlfriend.” A girlfriend I happen to like.

“If you say so.” He smirked. I rolled my eyes and flipped him off as he went back to packing his bag. I gave up on my closet and decided to tackle our toiletries. I wasn’t too concerned with travel sizes because it was all going in my checked luggage.

“Decide what book you’re taking with you Addy?”

“Don’t you mean books, plural? It is a 6-hour flight after all.” He laughed.

“Okay, okay. Books?”

“I’m happy you asked.” I grinned as I pulled out the Barnes & Noble bag from under my bed. His jaw dropped. I shrugged.

“Your parents are going to freak.”

“They know I went book shopping.”

After a very long day of packing, Justin left to go meet Jessica. I texted Monty to let him know I would be leaving in about fifteen minutes. “I’m going to hang out with Alex and Clay for a bit.” I told my parents.

“Just remember we leave early tomorrow for the airport Addison.” My dad said, not looking up from his list. My mom was emptying the fridge.

“I will.”

When I got to the cliffside where we agreed to meet, Monty was waiting for me. I couldn’t help myself. I ran and held onto him like it was the last time I would ever see him. “You’re only leaving for two weeks Addison.” He grunted at the impact.

“I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.” He kissed the top of my head. We stood like that for a few more minutes before finally separating. I took his hand and led him up the trail. It was good for both of us to be walking the trails. He was starting summer training with the boys while we were gone, and I was going to be sitting for around 8 hours straight tomorrow. Provided our flight wasn’t delayed, of course. It was just starting to get dark, and I stopped along the way to take in the town’s skyline in the evening dusk. Monty rested his chin on top of my head, and I sighed, leaning back into him. It was so peaceful. I looked up and him and noticed a small bruise forming on his jaw. Not wanting to start a fight right before I left for two weeks, I pretended I hadn’t seen it. I smiled sadly to myself still. I wish he would just talk to me about it.

After a few hours, wandering around and soaking in the last time we would have for a couple of weeks, which feels like an eternity when you’re 16, we knew it was time to say goodbye. When we got to the parking lot, he made me turn around at his Jeep. I furrowed my brow. Before I could ask, he twirled his finger in the air. I clamped my mouth closed and turned. He rummaged around for a minute. “What are you doing?”

“You’ll see. Just wait a minute.” I huffed. He chuckled. “Ah.” He muttered. He tapped me on the shoulder. I turned. He held out a small Barnes and Noble bag. I was taken aback. I wasn’t expecting anything. I pointed at the bag and then at me.

“F-for me?”

“It’s not much so don’t start.” He smiled, shyly.

“Okay.” I took the bag.

“I can’t wrap stuff worth shit, so the bag is as good as you’re going to get.” I laughed and shrugged. It was a fair enough explanation. I opened the bag and pulled out a spiralbound notebook. The cover was pink with the titles of all the classics on it. I smiled. “You won’t be here for your birthday, and I know your notebook is getting full so….” Monty trailed off.

“Thank you. This is really sweet.” I flipped it open and gasped. On the first page, he had drawn a book like on the cover, and titled it The Next Classic and written Hawthorne at the bottom where the author’s last name sometimes appears.

“Happy birthday, Addison.”

“Oh.” I smiled. My eyes had started to tear up. This was the sweetest gift anyone had ever given me. I closed the gap between us and kissed him. He pulled me closer to him and I deepened the kiss just a little. Not too much, just enough to make him remember me while I was gone.I had finished the last book on my To Read shelf by mid-May. Hopping off my bed, I went over to my bookshelf. There was only one shelf of space left. The stack to shelve had gotten a tad out of hand. Sighing to myself, I sat down to start reorganizing. I pulled the books from H to Z down to fit the new additions to my collection in. My dad poked his head in when the stack fell over. “Everything okay in here?” I was surrounded by books. Dad tried not to laugh as he took the scene in. Grabbing books, I turned back to the shelf.“Perfect. Totally meant to sit in a sea of books this afternoon.” “Sure. You have fun with that. I have to head into the office for a while. Tell your mother I probably won’t be home for dinner.” “Will do.” I nodded, not turning my attention back to him. Monty texted me shortly after I had finished the M’s. What are you up to today? Organizing my bookshelf. I finished my TBR so now they go in the permanent collection. Only my girlfriend would make a permanent book collection and a separate section for books that aren’t done. Hey! Lots of people do this. Yes honey. What are you up to today? Trying to study for my last History test. It’s very boring. I’m sure it is. If you’re free Saturday, how about a get out of studying free card? Oh? What did you have in mind Doll? I rolled my eyes and grinned. Of course he thought I meant something dirty. Cool your jets Monty. I was going to see if you wanted to go to the bookstore with me?I can make that happen. What time? I think Clay and I are getting lunch to go over our study guide for the Math final. I could do like 1?Sounds good. Do you want me to meet you at the bookstore? Sure. I go to the B&N at the Everglade. It’s a date. I smiled and went back to my books. When it was done, I snapped a picture and sent it to Justin. I finished my TBR! You know what that means?Oh no. More books? More books! Do I have to come with you?No. The parents gave me a limit of 10 books this time. Only 10?I have points saved up. And 10 is a perfectly reasonable amount of new books. For you? Yes. For normal people? No. Oh shhh, or I’ll make you come with me. Okay, okay. It’s reasonable lol. I texted Monty a picture of my bookshelf too. He responded with a laughing emoji. Teachers were beginning to wrap up final units and hand out study guides for finals. Justin was still mad about summer school so he kept up his not giving a shit attitude. I rolled my eyes whenever he sighed or complained about finals. And I stopped offering to help him. If he wanted to do more work in summer school, that was fine by me. It gave me more time to spend with Monty. On Saturday, I met Clay at Rosie’s and we both got milkshakes. I wasn’t very hungry, and I didn’t want burger breath later. “So Clay, how’s Hannah doing?” “I don’t know. We have hung out a few times, and I see her at work, but I don’t think we have hung out hung out.” “You still haven’t asked her out?” “I mean, we went to Jeff’s place not together, but we were both there, and I feel like maybe we connected?” “Connected?” “Well, we were doing… stuff… and we talked.” My eyes widened. “Clay Jensen did you do drugs in Jeff’s basement?” “Maybe?” I was stunned. “Well, I’ll be damned. Clay Jensen, having fun. I never thought I’d see the day.”“Ha ha.” He joked. “I’m kidding! But seriously. Take the risk Clay.” “I’ll think about it. Can we look at this study guide now?” I sighed and pulled it out of my bag. We both shuddered. This is not going to be a pretty exam.By the time Clay and I called it an afternoon, it was 12:30. That gave me just enough time to get to the city. We packed our notes and headed outside. “Man, I really need a car.” Clay sighed, unlocking his bike. “Your parents said no?” “I have a bike.” He waved towards the bike. “That you do. I would offer you a ride, but I’m headed into the city for the afternoon.” “No worries, Addy.” He smiled. We waved goodbye and I watched as he biked down the street. I started my car and texted Monty. Leaving Rosie’s now. Might be a little late. Drive safe. Sounds good, drive safe Doll. I stopped at Starbucks when I got to the mall and got an iced coffee to sip while I browse and a coffee for Montgomery. He was waiting outside Barnes & Noble for me. “Hey handsome. Fancy seeing you here.” I winked as I walked up to him.“Hey gorgeous. What can I say, thought it would be a good way to find a girl. You know what they say about the readers.” “I have a feeling I do.” I laughed and handed him his coffee. “Something to do with being high strung, overachievers with daddy issues?” “Somethin’ like that.” Monty took my hand and let me lead him into the bookstore. I decided I would keep my ten-book limit to myself. I knew how many points I had, and I still had birthday money left from last year. He chuckled as I practically dragged him towards the YA section. I didn’t stop to look at the romance displays or the cookbooks or the journals. I was on a mission. There were books to buy. I sipped my coffee as I browsed. As usual, I made my way up and down the aisles quickly once to see if anything immediately caught my eye. A couple of books did, so I grabbed them to look over after I was done my power walk. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you move that fast.” “Ass.” I laughed as I read over the synopsizes of the two books. Neither of them was my cup of tea in the end, so I decided to put them back. I could feel Montgomery watching me as I looked at the shelves. “What?” I asked as I pulled a book down and skimmed the back. “Nothin’. You’re just cute is all.” “Oh?” “Yeah. And those shorts are very nice.” I blushed and smiled softly. “Thanks.” I handed him the book. “Oh, I see. You needed someone to carry the books.”“Well, who else would I have asked, when I have my strong, athletic boyfriend to follow me around the store?” He only laughed in response. I grabbed a few more books as I sipped at my coffee. Once in a while, I would notice him watching me and turn to smile at him. There were six books in Monty’s hands before he finished his coffee. “I’m going to throw this out. Try to leave some books for the next person, okay Bookworm?” “I’ll try. No promises though.” I mused. By the time he came back, I had three more books. I looked up when I heard him laugh. I grinned at him and held out the books. He took them, tucked them under his arm, and stepped towards me. My brow furrowed and he reached to tuck my hair behind my ear, trailing his hand down to cup the back of my neck, and pull me towards him to kiss me. I kissed him back softly. It was nice to be able to kiss in public. I liked our little bubble. It felt like we were the only two people in the world. He pulled away first. We continued to peruse the store for a while and stole kisses and glances along the way. Monty slid his hand in my back pocket as we walked. I grabbed another couple of books and sighed. “What’s up?” “I guess that’s enough books for a little while.” “For a little while? Addison. There’s like,” he paused to count, “sixteen books here.” “Yeah. And that isn’t even all of what is on my TBR still. And it’s buy one get one half off all books.” I shrugged. “Jesus. Crazy woman.” He muttered softly and kissed the side of my head. I sighed and turned to head for the till. After discounts, points, and birthday money, my total was twenty-five dollars. “Now to figure out how to sneak the extra six books into the house.” I muttered as we left. “The extra what whats?” “Uh… nothing.” I smiled sheepishly. He shook his head playfully. “Oh, hey. Pretzels. Split one?” “Nice change of subject. Sure. Pretzel sounds good.” He rubbed my hand as he held it. This is nice. In late June, just as finals week was hitting its peak, tragedy struck our little group of jocks. The boys were at Bryce’s trying to blow off some steam. I was trying to be nice to him and make an effort for Justin, so I tagged along. The way his family approached and flaunted their money always took me by surprise. I wasn’t oblivious. I knew my family had more money than most. More than I liked to consider or admit. But it was never flashed around the way it was with the Walkers. I came from old money on my dad’s side, like his mom. But unlike him, I wasn’t exposed to it on a daily basis. The concept of a twice a week maid was enough to widen my eyes. The only time my family had a maid come was when Gran was coming to stay with us, or we were hosting Christmas back when all my grandparents lived state-side, so a very deep clean was needed. The fact that they had a chef come in once a week to meal prep for them was… almost incomprehensible. The only time I met a chef was when I found a hair in my food when my family went out one night. I had been to his house before of course. I was friends with Justin. We shared custody of him most weeks. Even still, I found myself hanging back and watching the boys socialize. Or I was trying to at least. Bryce thrusting a bottle of water in my hand startled me. I jumped slightly. “Thanks.” I muttered. “Don’t mention it.” He chuckled. He settled himself next to me and leaned back against the counter. “Hi.” “Hi. You know that they will talk to you, right? They know you.” “I know.” “Okay. I’ll talk to you then.” Great. Just what I want. “Sure Bryce.” “How are finals treating you?” “I cried before my honours English final yesterday.” “I almost forgot about my math final.” “So, we are basically in the same boat.” “Basically. You had bio and history today?” “Yeah.” “How were they?” “I think I did fairly okay. Can you imagine what my mum would do if I bombed the history final?” He stared off into space with me and shivered. “I would say something nice about you at your funeral.” “Thanks Walker. Killing me does seem like a lot of hassle for that though. Like it seems like it would just inconvenience them. Maybe locked in my room to study until I’m forty?” “True. I would text you news updates. Keep you updated in all things Bryce and the boys.” “Prefect. Make isolation at least a little bit bearable.” He was actually kind of nice sometimes. Maybe. If I squinted.“Yeah. My dad would have freaked if I missed my math final.” “How could you take over the family business if you fail tenth grade math Bryce?” “No idea. Not like he doesn’t pay someone to do all that math for him. Speaking of, he wanted me to ask you if your dad is taking on any new clients now that tax season is winding down?” “I don’t know. I don’t think he is, but I can get him to email your dad.” I don’t think he’s going to take your dad on. “I’ll let him know.” “Where are you off to this summer?” “I think we are summering in Fiji?” “Because California isn’t summer-y enough?” “Mom thinks the sun feels different. More sunny. I tan better in tropical environments.” “Sure, you do.”“What are your family’s plans?” “We have our annual family trip to Boston at the end of July into the first week of August. Dad pushed his vacation time this year.” “Doesn’t he own the company?” “Yeah. But his associate wanted to take vacation in mid-July. She’s taking her kids to Disney World.” “Again, doesn’t he own the company?”“Again, yes. Why?” “Shouldn’t he get first pick?” “Well, our vacation basically costs us airfare, food, and spending money. Hers and everyone else’s costs a lot more. And requires more planning. So, he lets them have first pick and takes whatever’s left for the most part. Because of that, people are more willing to pick fairly.” “Interesting.”“Are you two going to come outside or not?” Justin called from the back yard. Bryce and I looked up and found the house empty. All the boys had moved to the back. We shrugged and joined them. I needed to pass the sniff test so I didn’t dare go in the pool house. Anders and Dylan were in the pool house enjoying Bryce’s stash. It was already nearing eighty degrees in the daytime. We were in for a hot summer. Justin pulled off his shirt, dropped his pants, and jumped in the pool. Shaking my head, I followed Bryce outside. I sat on the edge of the pool and dipped my feet in the water. Monty was trying to be discreet and swim backwards towards me. He stopped just shy of me and shared a look with Zach. I pretended not to notice. It looked like I was busy watching Justin goof off with Bryce and Garrison. I was watching my boyfriend out of the corner of my eye though. I felt a wave close to my foot. “Montgomery. If you touch my foot, I’m not responsible for what happens to your face.” His hand stopped and his eyes widened. Justin laughed and called from across the pool. “She isn’t wrong dude. She kicked me in the face when I was trying to bug her one time.” “I wasn’t going to….” Monty trailed off. “Sure, you weren’t.” I shook my head and moved to stand up. I pulled my tank top over my head. The shorts I was wearing were fine to go in the water. Seeing as we had to keep up appearances, I couldn’t very well ask Monty to tighten the tie on my bikini top. That would be too much. The boys would question that. Joking around and talking to each other in a group was okay. Touching was not. “Hey Justin, do you mind?” I gestured to my back, not looking at the pool. “He’s a little busy.” Bryce said. I could hear splashing behind me. “Zach?” “Sure.” He climbed out of the pool and untied the bottom strings. He pulled them tighter in a knot and doubled the bow. “Good?” “Yeah.” I turned around. “Thanks.” Bryce whistled. Gross.“Why are you keeping her all to yourself again?” He asked Justin. I flipped him off. Why am I being nice to you again? “I’m not. It’s Addison. Even if I was, I don’t share Bryce.” He seemed to shut the conversation down. Only I could pick up on the stern undertone in his voice. Just as quickly as it came, it was gone, and they were back to goofing off again. I slipped in the pool and noticing Justin was distracted, I swam over to him and jumped on his back. I may have accidentally splashed Monty in my jumping. I snuck a peek at him and he was rolling his eyes and laughing. “Chicken?” Justin asked. His hands went to my thighs unconsciously. “No. You dropped me last time. Though it would be entertaining trying to watch the rest of you lift each other.” “We’re strong.” The boys around me protested. They all made a show of flexing. “Yes, yes. You’re all strong and hot. With superior athletic abilities. Go you.” I laughed. “Ha! I told you she thinks I’m hot.” Bryce pointed at Justin. “It doesn’t count if you’re objectively attractive Walker. I also think the blond guy from the Percy Jackson movie is hot. Because he is objectively attractive.” “Objectively attractive?” “You’re lucky you’re rich.” I muttered. Justin choked. “You’re a very pretty man Bryce Walker.” “Do we get called pretty too Addison?” Monty asked.“If you don’t call me by my full name again then sure Monty. You are also pretty. Foley, I swear if you drop me, you’re sleeping on the floor tonight.” His hand tightened around my thigh. The group of us hung out for a while. At some point Scott joined us. Even though we weren’t friends per say, he was still nice to me when I was around. He swam over to my corner of the pool. “I’m supposed to ask you if you think I’m pretty?” “Scott. If you don’t know you’re pretty, I don’t know what to say to you.” “Alright then. Why was I supposed to ask?” “I acknowledged Bryce is objectively attractive and the children felt left out.” “I see. Why are you hiding in a corner?” “Hiding from Justin. He’s trying to get me to play chicken. But I don’t feel like getting dropped again.” “And why does he think you’d get to play with anyone else?” “I think the attempt would be very entertaining actually.” There was a ringing over by the table. “Someone’s phone is ringing.” I called. The ringing stopped and started again immediately. Zach looked up. It was his phone. “It’s probably his mommy calling to tell him he has to come home before it gets dark.” Bryce teased. The boys laughed. I even chuckled a little to myself. Oh, how bad I would feel about that chuckle in a few hours. Zach splashed him. By the time the phone began its second round of ringing again, Zach was out of the pool and grabbing it. He was smiling when he answered it. “Hey Mom. I’m com-.” It was quiet. “Yeah, I’ll be right home.” He hung up and quickly pulled on his pants, over his wet swim trucks. He threw on his shirt and practically sprinted back in the house. He didn’t say a word to any of us as he left.“What’s going on with him?” Bryce said. We all stared after him. A few hours after I got home, I got a text from Bryce. Justin got the same text. Zach’s dad died. Justin and I sat and looked at each other at the table, shocked. We sat there for a solid ten minutes, trying to absorb the information we had been given. I was sure our friends were in the same position. How did you respond to something like that? None of us had ever lost a parent. Sure, I had lost a couple of grandparents. I probably wasn’t the only one. But they’re sort of expected to die. They’re old. They’ve lived. Our parents weren’t old. Not old enough to die yet anyway. I picked my phone back up and texted Zach the only thing I could think to say. He would hear the words a lot in the next few months. I am so sorry. I knew he wouldn’t answer. Zach wasn’t at school for the rest of the week. Not that he should have been. He had been excused from all of his other exams. Because of course he should have been. I didn’t see him until I was walking home from a date with Monty over the weekend. He was just… walking around town. He didn’t see me at first. When he noticed me standing up the street, he waved a little. I waved back and slowly walked over to him. Even though Zach Dempsey and I weren’t really friends, we were friendly. That’s why it didn’t feel weird when the only thing my brain said to do, was hug him. He didn’t cry. He didn’t say anything. He just hugged me back. We didn’t talk about that random, silent hug on the street again. Not for a long time at least. We simply nodded as we parted ways. He walked one way and I walked the other. July changed a lot of things. Bryce left town with his family a few days after Zach’s dad’s funeral. Seth was back in town too. That meant Justin spent most of the first couple of weeks of July at my house. He was right. My parents were not happy about him doing summer school. As his not-mom my mum had a strict ‘no fun until homework is done and checked’ rule. At first, I spent my time with Monty during school hours. We weren’t really sure what the summer meant for our relationship. Those first few dates, we mostly talked about that. “Well, I don’t want to not see you.” Monty said, between kisses in the backseat of my car. We had parked at a secluded clearing overlooking the river. “I don’t want to not see you either. It’s going to be hard though.” “Don’t talk about hard right now Doll. Please.” I pulled away and looked at him wide-eyed. “You don’t strike me as a public sex kind of girl. And I don’t want to get a public indecency charge.” “Yeah. I’m not.” I sat up. “Justin being at my place complicates things.” “Oh, I know.” He ground out as he adjusted his jeans. I could tell my cheeks were flushed. “We knew we couldn’t see each other every day.” “But it’s not easy not seeing you.” “I know it’s not.” “Why does this have to be so hard?” He sat back. “I don’t know.” Neither of us were ready nor willing to have the ‘tell other people’ talk. Even though it had been almost a year. And probably needed to happen. “Seeing each other while school is in, isn’t such a bad thing, is it?” “No.” “And I do have other friends. I could say I’m going to the city with Alex or something. Give us some more time?” “That’s true.” I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. “I could take you to the bookstore.” He blinked at me. “What?” “The bookstore?” “It’s air conditioned.” I shrugged and climbed into his lap. His hands instinctively found their way to my hips. “You just need someone to carry your books again.” “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I smirked. There was something different about Justin since he started summer school. I couldn’t put my finger on it. He was… distracted. I noticed he spent more time on his phone after homework than paying attention to what we were doing. Which was fine when it was show re-runs or my mom’s pick for movie night. But when you’re trying to play Ticket to Ride with a guy, it’s much easier when they are paying attention. “Hey. Earth to Justin. Hello?”“Huh?” He looked up from his phone. “It’s been your turn for the past five minutes.” “Shit, sorry.” He looked at his cards and the map. Picking up a red and a pink from the pile, he settled back in his chair. Interesting. I frowned at the board, trying to figure out what he was doing. I came back with nothing. His phone buzzed again. I glanced at it. So did he. Then my phone buzzed. He glanced at it. So, did I. It was like we were waiting to see who would grab their phone first. After a few beats, his hand went to his phone. He smirked a little and put it down. I didn’t check mine. I came home from a date with Monty a little late on Thursday. It was nearing five when I walked in the door, after I fixed my hair. I dropped my purse and stopped dead in my tracks. Justin had company. Company in the form of Jessica Davis. Who was currently sitting in his lap. On my couch. Making out with him. On my couch. They had their hands up each other’s shirts. On my couch. I cleared my throat. Jessica pulled away and turned towards me. “Oh, hey Addy.” She greeted, like this was normal. “Hey Addy. You’re… just getting home?” His speech was slowed. Are you shitting me? “Yeah. What’s going on?” “Your parents said I could have a friend over after class.” “Okay.” I blinked. She was still perched in his lap. I glanced at the clock. “I suggest you fix your shirts because they should be home soon. And I don’t think they want to see, uh, this.” I motioned in their general direction. Jessica laughed and climbed off Justin. “Oh, don’t be such a priss, Addison.” “I’m not being a priss. I just wasn’t expecting to come home to people making out on my couch.” She rolled her eyes. “Great to see you too. Hey, Justin. Can I steal you for a sec?” I waved upstairs. “There’s snacks in the cupboard, Jess.” Justin followed me upstairs, trying not to giggle at, assumingly, the fact that he didn’t get caught by my parents. I shut the door when we got to my room. “What the fuck Justin?” “What?” He shrugged. “What do you mean what?” “What?” “Making out with a girl on our couch?” He was trying to avoid eye contact. My parents are going to kill him. “No one was home. It’s not a big deal.” “How long has this been going on?” “I don’t know, a couple weeks?” I blinked at him. He was still trying to look away from me. I grabbed his face and made him look at me. “Are you fucking high right now?” “No? What? Why would you ask that?” His eyes were bloodshot. He was acting very much like Justin when Justin has been indulging in Bryce’s stash. “Don’t lie to me Justin Foley. You know my parent’s rules. Do you want them to freak out?” “Oh, come on Addison. It was a little weed. It’s not that big of a deal.” I sighed heavily. “You know what, whatever. You obviously don’t care. So, I suggest you tell your girlfriend to leave or figure out a way to sober up before they get home. And if that fails, tell her to leave, and come hide in here until you’re sober enough to face them.” I grabbed a book off my shelf and went back downstairs. I nodded at Jessica, who had made herself some crackers and dip. Sitting at the table, I texted Monty. Justin and Jessica? Did you know about this? He responded a couple of minutes later. No? Actually?Yeah. They were making out on my couch when I got home. And to make things even more awkward and complicated, they’re both high. I mean, to be fair, weed isn’t really that bad. Yeah. I know. But that’s not the point. My parents are going to freak. Now is really not the time to be pissing them off. Oh crap. You guys leave for Boston soon, don’t you? Next week. And if Justin can’t keep his shit together… I left the unspoken implication hang in cyberspace. Are you really just going to ignore the fact that they were on the couch?I was hoping to just ignore that fact. Our make out spots are becoming fewer and further between. We could just stay in your bed, Doll. But the couch has the TV. So we can not watch a movie without worrying about my laptop falling. “Who you texting so much?” Jessica asked, trying to peer at my phone. “Friend from Boston.” I said, locking my phone. “Oh, friend from Boston, you say? Is he cute?”“I guess? His girlfriend probably thinks so.” “Oh. Not a secret long distance lover then?”“No. And we grew up together. It would be weird.” I slipped my phone in my pocket and grabbed some cereal. We both looked up when my parents got home. I took that as my cue to go get Justin. I practically kicked him downstairs so he could go entertain his girlfriend with my parents and I could have some time to process how I missed it. Probably the same way he has missed me having a boyfriend for… almost a year. The day before we left for Boston, Justin and I were running around like mad men. I had plans with Monty and Justin had plans with Jessica tonight, so I didn’t want to be too long packing. Unfortunately, neither of us could find anything we wanted to bring. It was going to be nice so I wanted to bring some dresses. We had a few things planned, but like with our other trips, there would be plenty of time to lounge around the house. “Have you seen my pink and green dress?” “The one with the stripes? No. Have you seen my blue shirt?”“I think mum put it in the wash.” “Okay.” Justin went down the hall to the bathroom. “Has anyone seen my shampoo?” He called. “It’s in here.” My dad called from their room. I was busy ripping apart my closet. I groaned in frustration. “You know, it’s just Boston. We go every year.” “I know Justin. I just like to be prepared for every eventuality.” “Yeah. Wait… are you trying to impress Adrian?” Justin laughed. I turned and he was leaning against the doorframe. “No. Absolutely not. Besides, he has a girlfriend.” A girlfriend I happen to like. “If you say so.” He smirked. I rolled my eyes and flipped him off as he went back to packing his bag. I gave up on my closet and decided to tackle our toiletries. I wasn’t too concerned with travel sizes because it was all going in my checked luggage. “Decide what book you’re taking with you Addy?” “Don’t you mean books, plural? It is a 6-hour flight after all.” He laughed. “Okay, okay. Books?” “I’m happy you asked.” I grinned as I pulled out the Barnes & Noble bag from under my bed. His jaw dropped. I shrugged. “Your parents are going to freak.” “They know I went book shopping.” After a very long day of packing, Justin left to go meet Jessica. I texted Monty to let him know I would be leaving in about fifteen minutes. “I’m going to hang out with Alex and Clay for a bit.” I told my parents. “Just remember we leave early tomorrow for the airport Addison.” My dad said, not looking up from his list. My mom was emptying the fridge. “I will.” When I got to the cliffside where we agreed to meet, Monty was waiting for me. I couldn’t help myself. I ran and held onto him like it was the last time I would ever see him. “You’re only leaving for two weeks Addison.” He grunted at the impact. “I’m going to miss you.” “I’ll miss you too.” He kissed the top of my head. We stood like that for a few more minutes before finally separating. I took his hand and led him up the trail. It was good for both of us to be walking the trails. He was starting summer training with the boys while we were gone, and I was going to be sitting for around 8 hours straight tomorrow. Provided our flight wasn’t delayed, of course. It was just starting to get dark, and I stopped along the way to take in the town’s skyline in the evening dusk. Monty rested his chin on top of my head, and I sighed, leaning back into him. It was so peaceful. I looked up and him and noticed a small bruise forming on his jaw. Not wanting to start a fight right before I left for two weeks, I pretended I hadn’t seen it. I smiled sadly to myself still. I wish he would just talk to me about it. After a few hours, wandering around and soaking in the last time we would have for a couple of weeks, which feels like an eternity when you’re 16, we knew it was time to say goodbye. When we got to the parking lot, he made me turn around at his Jeep. I furrowed my brow. Before I could ask, he twirled his finger in the air. I clamped my mouth closed and turned. He rummaged around for a minute. “What are you doing?” “You’ll see. Just wait a minute.” I huffed. He chuckled. “Ah.” He muttered. He tapped me on the shoulder. I turned. He held out a small Barnes and Noble bag. I was taken aback. I wasn’t expecting anything. I pointed at the bag and then at me. “F-for me?” “It’s not much so don’t start.” He smiled, shyly. “Okay.” I took the bag. “I can’t wrap stuff worth shit, so the bag is as good as you’re going to get.” I laughed and shrugged. It was a fair enough explanation. I opened the bag and pulled out a spiralbound notebook. The cover was pink with the titles of all the classics on it. I smiled. “You won’t be here for your birthday, and I know your notebook is getting full so….” Monty trailed off. “Thank you. This is really sweet.” I flipped it open and gasped. On the first page, he had drawn a book like on the cover, and titled it The Next Classic and written Hawthorne at the bottom where the author’s last name sometimes appears. “Happy birthday, Addison.” “Oh.” I smiled. My eyes had started to tear up. This was the sweetest gift anyone had ever given me. I closed the gap between us and kissed him. He pulled me closer to him and I deepened the kiss just a little. Not too much, just enough to make him remember me while I was gone. 

[telleroftime]

I know I said I wasn't gonna be indulging in fandom for the next month, but I also can't help myself and I have questions. I have an idea for a fanfic series where each story is set in the same post-apocalyptic world but each story focuses on different characters. The stories would all be happening at the same time but none of the pairings would interact with one another. As for the question: do I make it a Canon x OC or a Canon x Reader series?

I'm used to writing x Readers, however I don't know if it would be weird if each story that is set within the same world would have a Y/N. In essence that would mean they would have the same protagonist and I don't know whether I like that. I do have an idea of what each MC would be like if I go the OC route and it's not like I haven't written x OC content ever before.

And for more context, this is a FNAF:SB series I'm thinking about. No promises I would ever make it but in the case that I do it'd be nice to think about it.

[crashfnafstuffs]

Naptime

AKA Lillian gets sleepy during night shifts and Monty is a bitch to draw

[lauralifeleaf]

Protective gator and his oblivious elf.

[cinawolf]

The wildcat is blushing

Looks like I made an oc based on Arabian Wildcat, but with some cliché broke.

I'll name them Stevie Wildcat

[joyousgeekeryart]

So the gist is that mc has a new bathing suit but needs a second opinion so brings it to show Chica - who promptly calls Monty in for something unrelated because she knows this is how fanfiction works. (I’m amused by the idea that this is for a pool opening in the Pizzaplex because that makes about as much sense as anything else, but mostly bc I can 100% imagine finding a hidden memo in-game about pizza shoved in the pool filtration system.) (also this was definitely an excuse to draw cute chubby protag bod bc we need more of that.)

[crashtestdummy1003]

Lillian (oc) x Monty Gator

I am cringe but I am free

Lillian tapped her fingers on the desk, the sharp clinking of her fingernails on metal filling her ears. She closed her eyes, resting her chin in her palm.

From the ceiling above her came the muffled thumping footsteps and joints clicking. Every now and then the sound of turning gears and rubber tires would fade in and out above her head, the harmony of chaos mixing in with the rock instramentals playing distantly. Lillian opened her eyes, glancing around the room she sat in. Parts and service was always lonely this time of night; Freddy and the gang were still in rehersals -- and the non-band members were all in their designated areas.

Sighing, the mechanic reached for her notebook, the constant tip-tapping of her fingertips significantly quieter when turned to the stacked paper rather than the rusty metal desk the company had supplied her. Blueprints and post it notes were scattered under the notebook, messy, quick notes scribbled that only she would understand. They peeked out from under the book as Lillian began working on the unfnished calculations within its pages. Her shoulders relaxed within seconds, the math familiar and soothing to her.

Once she was in the flow of her work, Lillian began to stop listening so hard to the world around her. She lost track of time. So much so, that she only knew her metal coworkers were done rehersing when she felt a metal claw rest on her shoulder. Yelping, the woman jumped up and whipped around, almost falling over her chair.

"Monty!" She quickly composed herself, trying to mask her surprise by clearing her throat. "You snuck up on me." She said flatly, looking up at the animatronic. The gator's red eyes gleamed under the star-shaped sunglasses he wore.

"Yeah, been a while since I've been able to do that." Montgomery chuckled, his teeth reflecting the dim light from the flickering lightbulb above their heads. "What's got ya so focused tonight, chere?"

Lillian rolled her eyes at the nickname, ignoring the heat in her face. "Just some basic stuff today. Measurement calculations and all that-" She waved her hand dismissively, glancing away from the grinning gator and back to her work.

"Yer workin' too hard, Lilly. Why don' you come hang out with the band again? Startin' ta think ya don't like us anymore.." He grumbled slightly, but the thumping of his tail against the floor told Lillian he was just being difficult.

Lillian sighed, smiling slightly to herself, and spun spin her plastic chair on one of its legs so that it faced Monty and sat. "You know, preparing and designing a robot for production is difficult. Maybe if you want my company so bad, you should spend more time in here with me." She rolled her eyes, her lips tugging upwards, no matter how hard she tried to stop it.

"..but then you'd be too busy."

"What? To give you attention?" She leaned back in her chair to get a better look up at him, grinning.

Monty growled something under his breath. Lillian only managed to make him stop when she stood on her tiptoes and held his face in her hands.

"Wh-what- are ya doin', Lilly-" He stumbled over his words, trying to sound annoyed, though he clearly was not expecting anything close to that.

Lillian hummed quietly and ignored the question, amused. "How about, once i finish this bot, I'll spend a whole shift giving you all the attention you want?"

Monty grumbled again, averting his eyes. After a moment he spoke up. "...if ya really want ta, then that's on ya, I guess..." His gaze flickered back to her, red eyes staring into blue. "Ya gotta promise, though."

"Of course." Her softer smile seemed to get through to him, finally. He smiled, silently admitting his happiness about the arrangement.

[emarli-the-doodler]

This song made me think about them teehee~

[officiallightwarrior]

So I couldn’t help but think of this.

So basically the Wet Floor Bot is named Putter by Monty when he finds the small bot almost in the water at his golf course and they bond together by playing golf and eventually Monty falls in love, Putter was already crushing on Monty

[theodorevg923]

Temple of Auctilus

Chapter 1

Monty x Raspberry (OC)

So, gonna be late getting Chixy Day 4 out, as I need to write Day 4 of SeaPup first. So here all y'all go, something I wrote back in late February when I was still inexperienced. There will be a lot of mistakes as I haven't taken the time to fix all the mistakes I made and don't plan to until I pick this back up. I cringe everytime I read this. Enjoy the story line but the writing... I wanna burn it in Hell.

Based on a Security Breach Gods au that's open to everyone.

Monty ~ Auctilus | Roxy ~ Lupigna

Master List!

⚠️ human sacrifices, blood, guts, gore, injuries, bit smutty, nudity, no child was harmed in the writing of this story, death of minor characters, possible drowning, drinking, fighting, mentions of abuse, mentions of starvation, possibly questionable consent, 18+ only

- 5,300 words under the cut!

Rubidaeus, holding a crying bundle in her arms, was running through the last barley field before the temple. She was almost there, to the temple of Auctilus, despite her fear of the god. 

Auctilus was said to be a rash brute in the image of an alligator. Lashing out at anyone who dares to anger him. He was a newer god, after causing the downfall of Lepagax, the god depicted as a hare. All the people of her village worshipped him. Until wolves started attacking them at the start of harvest. It was whispered around the village that Lupigna had started a war with Auctilus.

One full moon night, a village councilman's daughter was stolen from his home. That very night, it was decided by the council to send a sacrifice to Auctilus to seek his protection. Rubidaeus and her little sister, Karvelia, who was born barely the harvest before, were chosen. It didn't surprise Raspberry, as her father called her. She had turned eighteen during the spring. Their father had died in the first wolf attack, leaving the sisters on their own.

After being woken up and informed of being chosen as sacrifices, the village had prepared Raspberry in a cleansing ceremony. Her heart broke for her sister. Their mother died when Karvelia was born. Now she would never have a life to live. The village women had bathed and clothed her. She was dressed in a simple knee length black linen robe, matching sash held her deep pink and magenta hair up. They set her and her sister off to the temple at first light.

Raspberry was passing the barley fields that surrounded the temple when a pack of wolves had caught up to her.

Before Raspberry made it to the edge of the temple, a wolf slashed her back with its claws. Throwing herself onto the patio, she landed on her side, cradling her sister close. The wolves stopped just off the patio, howling and snapping their hungry jaws, frustrated their prey had escaped. Raspberry laid quietly, curling around her sister, waiting on the wolves to leave.

After a few moments of silence, Raspberry opened her eyes to find the wolves had left. She knew the other gods could not enter another's temple without permission. Raspberry sat up, pain lancing her back, laying Karvelia on her lap. She unwrapped the linen cloth swaddling her sister. She was unharmed but very upset and crying.

Raspberry sighed, wincing as blood trickles down her back. She swaddles Karvelia back up before standing. Raspberry tried her best to soothe her sister, but she could never get a handle of it. She had taken over the childrearing duties, but she couldn't remember her mother's lessons.

Raspberry walked further into the temple, soothing her sister. The sheer size startled her, the stone chilling her bare feet. Women weren't allowed at the temple for fear of Auctilus taking them for his own. The front part of the temple was vast, columns towered over her, supporting the roof. An inground bathing pool was in the middle, a massive bronze statue of Auctilus in armour stood behind. Stone tables smothered in offerings of food, wine, weapons and clothing rested behind the statue. Further in, smaller rooms closed off with deep green curtains, others with stone walls, could be found. 

Raspberry returned to the front of the temple, Karvelia's cries soothed from the quiet walking. Though hungry, she dared not touch the offerings. Raspberry sat against a column, both sisters falling asleep from the excitement of the day.

-

Raspberry woke to a splashing sound, droplets of water splattering her body. The sudden noise scaring Karvelia, her cries echoed through the temple. Before she could hush her sister, a massive alligator almost as large as the pool stood before her. It hissed, snapping it's jaws. Raspberry curled around her sister, watching the alligator with fear in her eyes.

The deep green alligator had a yellow underbelly. Varied green spots scattered it body with dark purple spines running down it's back and yellow striped tail. Bright red eyes watched her, jaw cracked open showing deep red tongue and white teeth.

Raspberry rubbed Karvelia's back, trying to hush the babbling cries. The alligator stood before her, it's spines rattling as it hissed. It lunged at Raspberry. She closed her eyes as tears fell, squeezing her sister tight.

Raspberry cried as a large hand grabbed the side of her face. "So damn desperate they'd send a human sacrifce? Two at that it seems."  A husky and growling voice spoke.

She quieted down, keeping her eyes shut. Her body trembled from fear and anticipation of her pending death. The hand holding her face squeezed, digging claws into her cheek and hair. 

"Don't leave the temple." The same voice ordered her. The hand let go of her face. She heard a splashing sound, more water drops hit her.

Raspberry sat against the column, eyes shut tight until her sister started babbling, saying she was hungry. She finally opened her eyes, letting her vision clear before looking at her sister then around the temple. The massive gator was lounging in the pool, eyes closed.

As quietly as she could, Raspberry stood up. Her legs trembled as she approached the pool. She kneeled down before speaking. "M-my gracious and victorious Auctilus, my god of earth and strength. May I ask your forgiveness and blessing for seeking substance from your sacred sanctuary."

Raspberry winced as the alligator turned in the bathing pool. Karvelia's babbling continued as tiny hands grasped her sash and pulled. Raspberry's sash had loosened during the dash for the temple. One more tug and it fell free from her head. Soft ringles of deep pink and magenta hair fell down her back. The hair brushed her the deep scratches on her back. A small whimper fell from her lips in pain.

Auctilus, in the form of an alligator, climbed out of the pool. It slithered up to Raspberry, its thick tail dragging behind. When it cracked it's jaw, the same deep husky voice spoke. "Feast ya fill my brave peaches. When you have finished come back here." 

Raspberry bowed her head as Auctilus turned away, slithering back into the pool. She stood up, her legs still trembling, and headed to an offering table.

The people of her village had been desperate to appease Auctilus. Baskets and bowls filled the table with the first harvested fruits and vegetables. Various jars held milk, honey, and sweet wines. Dried meats, beans, grains and cakes piled high on platters. Every bit of the harvest that could be spared came here. Exquisite weapons worthy of men of council were offered to Auctilus as he was god of war and revenge.

Raspberry sat her sister on the floor near the table. She grabbed a few fresh fruits, barely cakes, and a jug of milk for Karvelia and herself. Raspberry wanted to grab a knife, but she didn't want to anger Auctilus. Sitting on the floor next to her sister, she bit into a fresh fig, splitting it open for Karvelia to suck on. She ate a fig herself before starting on her barely cakes.

Once they finished eating, Raspberry used the hem of her robe to wipe Karvelia's face clean. She loved her sister but she could get very messy quickly. She stood up, holding her sister before handing a dried fig to her sister to chew on. Raspberry walked over to the bathing pool, sinking to her knees and bowing her head before Auctilus. 

"Leave ya child there and come in after ya strip down." Auctilus cracked his jaw, speaking to her again.

She swallows a small laugh. Karvelia was her sister, not her child. Though Karvelia did have white and soft pink shaded hair instead of the deep pinks of her own. She nodded, sitting her sister in a safe distance away as she was fast at crawling. Thankfully the dried fig was keeping Karvelia busy.

Nervously, Raspberry sheds the torn robe she was wearing. She had never been naked in front of anyone other than her mother, Karvelia, and the women of her village. Blood had soaked the back of it so she carefully folded it to keep the blood off the stone floor. Before turning around she covers her breasts and in between her legs with her hands. 

Raspberry walks up to the bathing pool, kneeling on the edge. The water was crystal clear, a sweet fragrance of flowers drifted from it, she reached for it. The water was wonderfully warm as the harvest time brought on a chill. She pulled her hand out quickly, not wanting to dirty the water. Raspberry knew she was filthy from her travel to the temple, and the blood that caked her skin.

"Get in." Auctilus growled. 

Raspberry hesitated slightly before complying. No one ignored an order from a god. She slid into the water, holding onto the edge. Thankfully her father had taught her how to swim as a child. It wasn't something socially acceptable, but she knew her father had really wanted a son. But she kept to the edge as the water was deeper than her height.

Raspberry was just starting to relax in the water when something brushed her leg. She squeaked, looking down in the water. Auctilus was under the water, brushing his snout against her leg. She finally realized exactly how big he was. His head was big enough to swallow her whole leg. Raspberry took a quick glance at Karvelia, she was still chewing on the fig, and ducked under the water.

She opened her eyes underwater, Auctilus was watching her intently. She blew a couple air bubbles out, watching him back. Suddenly the alligator lunged for her, pinning her to the wall of the pool with his head. She struggled to fight back, bubbles of air escaping her lungs.

Just before Raspberry's lungs could fill with water, Auctilus released her. She shot upwards to the surface. Climbing over the edge, she gasped for air. Teeth clamped around her leg, dragging her under again.

Was this how she was going to die? Dragged underwater until she suffocated? Her lungs burned, screaming underwater. Water choked it's way into her lungs as vision blurred. 

Her mind screams at her to breathe, to escape, but she's too tired. The soft lull of sleep draws her in. Sleepless days and nights spent working on harvesting the garden her father left behind, becoming outcast from her village. Running from wolves to protect Karvelia.

Karvelia. Karvelia? That name sounded so wonderful, a child's laughter sounded in her mind, baby soft white and pink waves. Karvelia. Her sister. She needed to protect her. But from what? Auctilus. He would eat her, Karvelia.

Bravery and strength built in her burning chest. She opened her eyes. How could she have forgotten her sister? She shot straight up, coughing water up as her face felt air. More water forced it's way out of her lungs. She swung her head around, looking for Karvelia. She found her Auctilus looming in front of her.

Grabbing the edge, Raspberry yanked her body out of the pool, forcing it to work. She ran over to Karvelia, throwing herself over the child.

"Please, don't hurt her. I will do anything you want. I beg of you my god of strength, my Auctilus of war. I give myself to you but spare her." Raspberry's lungs burn, tears streaking down her face. "My bounteous Auctilus, god of the benevolent earth."

Auctilus growls low and fierce, his jaw cracked open, red tongue slipping out. "Anything I ask of ya, my delicious sacrifice?" 

Raspberry nods frantically, tears staining her face. "Yes, my gracious Auctilus."

Auctilus doesn't say anything else, slinking back into the pool. Raspberry sat up, hovering over Karvelia. Her sister was unharmed, happy even. She giggled, feeling hysteria build in her burning chest. She just gave her self up to a god. Dared to anger Auctilus, the god of revenge. Raspberry knew she would pay for that in time.

Feeling the ache in her body start settling in, Raspberry laid down on the cold floor, shivering against it. Sleep creeped in before she could stop it. 

"Karvelia..." Her whisper didn't go unnoticed as she hoped.

-

The soft sweet smell of honey stirred Raspberry from the depths of dreaming. Soft fabric tickled her body, sunk deeply into a warm place. She curled deeper, trying to grasp at the sweet memory of her dream. 

A soft childish giggle slipped through the haze. A hissing growl answered in reply, rumbling the supple ground beneath her body. Another musical laughter sounded. Karvelia, her sister, was laughing. She hadn't laughed since they lost their father. Raspberry languished in the warmth and softness beneath her before realization hit her mind like a goat's head to the stomach. 

Raspberry shot up, sleep still hazing her mind. Karvelia was sitting up, just in arms reach. She reached her out, pulling her sister into her arms. Another hissing growl rumbled the bed.

Raspberry looked up. Auctilus was laid out on the bed, it was like a ginormous cushion on the floor, her sash tied to the tip of his tail, teasing Karvelia. Her sister squealed again, crawling out of her lap to chase the sash. Wiping hair from her face, Raspberry watched her sister have the most fun in a round moon. 

"Like what ya see my sweet peach?" Auctilus growled softly.

Raspberry looked at him. Auctilus was curled around them, Karvelia had caught the sash, chewing on it. His body length was almost four times longer than her short five foot two inch frame. She nods slowly, unsure of the situation she was in.

"As ya so kindly begged of me, I promise not to hurt ya lil Karvelia. As long ya give everything ta me as ya said ya would. And I mean everythin' sweet peach." Raspberry could've sworn she saw a grin on Auctilus's snout.

She sat still, watching Karvelia, who was still chewing on the sash. So he did hear her whisper before she fell asleep. But the everything part worried her, a frown tugging at her lips. Did Auctilus mean marriage? She knew of marriage, and of course the consummation night. But her mother passed away before she turned eighteen harvests, so she never knew what really happened. She looked at Auctilus, who watched her with bright red eyes.

A burn spread on her cheeks. Marriage with a human was one thing, but with a god? And an alligator god at that. How would it even work? He could crush her just by stepping on her. Fear and embarrassment swirled within her mind and body. A soft warmth started between her legs, a brand new feeling for her. She never felt like this staring after boys in her village.

She saw Auctilus crack his jaw to speak, but she blurted words out first. "D-do you mean marriage?"

A hearty boisterous laugh sounded from deep within Auctilus. "Yes, my juicy peach, and I must say ya smell delectable." He growls out the last word. 

The heat on Raspberry's face and between her legs burns hotter. She quickly looks away, down at the bed beneath her. It was then she remembered, she was naked. 

She looked down at herself and frowned. She knew why none of the boys of her village fancied her. She was skinny, too skinny, they wanted women with thick curves. It was a statement that their families had money. The down spiral her father had after their mother died was a painful disaster. Money became tighter as her father stopped working. 

They had been well off before, her father was a jewelery maker. Food and wine was plentiful, stretch marks proving she was once plump remained. But over the round moons to come, she had to choose between feeding herself or her sister. Thankfully the village women helped to feed her sister while she needed breast milk. 

But after a few months, no money left, they quit. Raspberry had to feed Karvelia with mere scraps she could forage or even steal. As the round moons passed, she had lost all the once sought after weight. Somehow she only lost half her plump breasts, but her ribs started to show the round moon before.

Why would Auctilus, a god who could have whoever he wanted, desire her? A few tears stained her face as she rubbed her stretch marks. Something hot and wet licked at Raspberry's tears, pulling her out of her reprieve. 

"My soft blossom, if I didn't want ya, I would've fed ya to the wolves." Auctilus had slipped around the bed behind her.

Fear sparked in Raspberry's chest for a moment, then realization sunk in. Auctilus had chosen her. But why? Granted she was grateful to be chosen, but her mind couldn't process the fact someone wanted her. Before Raspberry could say anything, she's pinned to the bed by a massive clawed foot. 

Auctilus was on top of her, one of his eyes staring in hers. "Why do ya dare defy my words? Have ya forgotten I control wars? I feel the pain of wounds ripping through ya. I chose who I wanted to. Or are ya gonna go back on ya words?"

Raspberry's heart pounds in her chest, eyes wide with fear. Auctilus removes his clawed foot, stepping back. 

"I will not use the child, Karvelia, as a means to control or force ya. I have no desires for her." Auctilus climbed off the bed. "Come on. I know ya hungry. I can feel ya bellies rumblin'."

Raspberry picked up Karvelia, following the massive alligator. It was then she realized where she was. The bed was placed in one of the green rooms, curtains drawn back to filter light in.

She quickly caught up to Auctilus, who was surprisingly fast despite his low lying body. He led them through columns into another green room. Many exquisite chests were placed in it.

"Pick some clothes out. I know nudity is a problem for ya humans. And I don't want anyone else seeing what's mine." Auctilus chuckled, another mysterious grin on his snout.

Raspberry sat Karvelia on the floor to dig through the chests. The first one held weapons of all types and sizes. Another chest was stuffed with jewelry, she dug through it a little, finding several items of her father's craftsmanship, though she left rhem in the chest. A few more chest later, Raspberry finally found a simple light pink fabric she could use as a gown. She pulled it on, using a belt found in another chest to hold it. She left her hair down though.

Raspberry picked up Karvelia, who she couldn't find fresh clothing for. She would need to make some later after eating. Auctilus nimbly turned around and navigated to the front of the temple.

The same spreads from the day before were still on the table. Raspberry picked out the same meager meal, with a couple extra dried figs. 

"Ya need more than that to survive peach. Eat ya fill, I mean it." Auctilus laid on the floor, curling around the pair. Raspberry nodded, munching on another barely cake, leaning back into the alligator hesitantly. A soft rumble could be felt through her back. It set the burn in her face and stomach again.

Raspberry felt rather than heard the chuckle from Auctilus. "Keep that up juicy peach and it'll be harder to hold back."

She turned to look at the eye that watched her. "What do you mean?" 

Auctilus narrowed the eye facing Raspberry, watching her intently. "Ya don't know? Thought that was something ya mommas taught girls at a young age." 

It clicked for Raspberry, what talk he meant. She shook her head, tears springing to her eyes. "My mother passed away before she could tell me on my eighteenth birthday in spring." Raspberry felt Auctilus still at her words, she looked back at his head. 

"Ya telling me they sent a virgin? As in ya don't know what happens on the night of consummation?" An irritated growl rips from Auctilus's throat, tail twitching in agitation.

Raspberry looks at the tail, pulling Karvelia into her. "I-I'm sorry, my divine Auctilus. The women of the village refused to tell me what was going to happen so I stopped asking questions." She looks down, finger combing out tangles from her hair. 

She hears Auctilus growl, the twitching of his tail soothing down. "Not ya fault, guess I'll have to explain it to ya." He snorts before continuing. "I want ya to remember this, I will never force ya without permission. I will wait until ya ready. The sweet scent ya keep giving off is called lust. That burn between ya legs means ya cravin' sex, juicy peach."

Raspberry feels the burn get stronger. Something about his words were clicking in her mind. Hushed whispers spoken between the village women sometimes spoke those words. Then the true meaning of his words hit her mind.

Raspberry looked away, suddenly feeling ashamed. She squeezed her legs tight, trying to will the burn away. It was a taboo subject in her village. 

A deep rumbling on her back set her heat off and started to cool off. "There is nothing to be ashamed of sweet peach. But if it's easier for ya, I won't bring it up again until ya ready."

That was the problem, she didn't want him to ignore it. She wanted to know more about this new feeling. Why did she never feel this for the men of the village? Raspberry frowned. Was something wrong with her?

Before she could say anything. Auctilus stood up. "We have visitors. Come."

Raspberry picked up Karvelia, carrying the toddler on her hip. She nervously followed behind Auctilus around the statue and the bathing pool. Her heart dropped into her stomach at the sight of the visitors. All thoughts of her new sensation are forgotten.

Several people of her village were kneeled down just outside the patio, a variety of offerings in their hands or next to them. She recognized a few councilmen, upperclassmen, and soldiers.

Auctilus growled and snapped at them, catching their attention, before resting on the ground. She stood next to his tail, which curled around her legs.

"Speak." All the gentleness in his voice had vanished.

The councilmen raised their heads, preparing to speak when they caught sight of Raspberry. Shock and fear flashed across their faces.

Auctilus growled again. He was well known for having a short temper. "Speak."

The councilmen fumble for words before one hushes the others. "Our wonderful Auctilus, we have come to make sure you received our offering yesterday."

Raspberry stands still, watching intently as Auctilus shifts his body. The terror on the councilmens' faces make her smile. The other seems to shrink back slightly.

"Yeah I did. She was being chased by Lupigna's wolves. Ya sent me a damaged, starved, neglected sacrifice and ya think I'd be grateful enough to save ya." Auctilus stands at this, his jaw open wide, red tongue sticking out.

Raspberry takes a step back, Auctilus's tail wrapped tightly around her legs, holding her in place. The alligator's spines started rattling. He hisses at the councilmen. They stumble backwards, dropping the offering in their hands. The others with them start running away from the temple. 

"I will not save ya village. Fight Lupigna's wolves on ya own. I will abandon ya village like ya abandoned my sacrifice." Auctilus starts standing on his hind legs. As he reaches his full height, bones start cracking, skin shifts around. Raspberry stumbles, falling on her ass painfully, the alligator's tail still holding her legs.

Bones continue cracking and shifting, taking on the frame of a man. Bright red hair grew in a line atop his head, deep purple marking on his snout, male muscles forming on his chest. His arms and legs stretched longer, almost a males.

Raspberry didn't know it was possible, with the air reeking of fear, but she felt the strongest burn in between her legs. It burned like the sun on the hottest summer day. She sat there watching the god that had chosen her.

Auctilus, god of war, revenge, strength, and the ever giving earth that gave life to Raspberry and Karvelia. He was angry with the villagers for her, for them. He, Auctilus the god, had chosen them to care for and protect. Drool dripped from his jaw, splashing on the ground. The sharp teeth and claws she once feared, now at the ready to save her from more pain. All barely into two sunrises.

Auctilus lunged forward, tail that had grown longer was still wrapped around Raspberry, grabbing one of the councilmen by the head. His skull was crushed, bone, blood, and brains scattering from the alligator's hand, body dropping to the ground. Auctilus grabbed a second, biting it half. He dropped the top half, crunching the legs as the rest ran for the village.

After the villagers were out of sight, Auctilus dropped the remains out of his jaws. He quietly turns, throwing himself into the pool. Raspberry sits still as Karvelia plays with a dried fig and her hair.

Raspberry had seen the slaughter of animals before, even humans. But watching Auctilus slay her villagers was indescribable. She hadn't been scared once, she no longer feared Auctilus, or the scorn from her people. 

The burn between her legs had only grown fiercer through the bloodbath. Raspberry's whole body racked with the new sensation she didn't have words for. Her face burned with hot blood, body trembling in weakness. She shut her eyes, gasping for breath, as waves of a sweet feeling rushed across her body. She felt like she was drunk on sweet honey wine.

Raspberry sat where she had fallen, clenching her legs tight as the sensation subsided. She looked up, noticing Auctilus was still in the pool. He was face down, tail tossing waves in the water. His hulking form barely fit as his head was on one end, his tail scrapping against the other.

Taking a deep breath, Raspberry sat Karvelia down on the ground. Her legs still trembled as she walked around the pool to where Auctilus's head rested. The moment she sat down on the edge, swinging her legs into the water, his head was on her legs. The tip of snout rubbed softly against her belly, stirring the new sensation up. Raspberry slowly rested a hand on his snout, rubbing softly.

Raspberry was slightly worried about touching a god, but Auctilus's red eyes closed, sinking into his skull. A soft rumbling vibrated through her body and the water. His tail slowed it's thrashing to a soft gentle swishing. 

Within minutes of the rumbling, Raspberry felt a slick wetness drip out between her legs. It soaked the gown beneath her. Auctilus shoved his snout into her belly, inadvertently forcing more wetness out. She squeaked, trying to move backwards. A clawed hand shot out of the pool, grabbing her back and holding her still. The hand stretched from it's thumb on her breasts, all around her back to the claws digging slightly into her side. Showing Auctilus's true size to Raspberry again. She became slightly worried again, something about his size worried her but she couldn't place it on her tongue.

Auctilus opened his eyes to watch her, as if he sensed the worry creeping into her mind. A chuckle escaped his jaw as it cracked open. "My sweet peach, did that turn ya on? I'm sorry if I did that to ya."

The grin on his snout, glint in red eyes, told Raspberry he really wasn't sorry. She giggled softly, all worry washed away. She felt much better afterwards, the sensation easing away into a silky bliss. 

Running a hand Auctilus's snout, she brushed the deep red hair on his head. It was long and softer than the finest silks. Her fingers combed through it gently. They stayed like that for a moment until Raspberry had noticed Karvelia had been quiet, too quiet. Frantically searching around, struggling to get up, Raspberry found her sister on the other end of the pool. 

"Karvelia!" Raspberry screamed her name.

Auctilus turned his head, still keeping a grip on Raspberry. Karvelia had almost made it to the edge. Auctilus draped his tail along the edge of the pool. Karvelia continued crawling, pulling herself up with the alligator's tail.

Auctilus chuckles. "Cock-blocked by a kid. Never had that problem before." 

"Huh?" Raspberry rips her eyes away from her sister to look down at Auctilus. "What do you mean?"

Auctilus laughs, water trembling as he does. "My, ya really are so innocent my peach. It means ya kid stopped me from taking ya virginity." 

Raspberry frowns slightly, she had heard of the word before. But she didn't understand what it meant. She shakes her head. "I'm sorry my Auctilus, I still don't understand. I'm very sorry I wasn't taught properly about the night of consummation." There was more Raspberry wanted to say, but she didn't want to anger Auctilus.

"Not ya fault. I'll teach you everything I can. Virginity means ya haven't had sex before. The sweet feeling ya had means ya enjoyed the stimulation I have ya. And I can give ya that again, and so much more." Auctilus had risen out of the water, laying Raspberry on the ground. His hand still wrapped around her back, the other propping himself up. Her knees were against his chest, barely reaching his abs.

Raspberry felt the burning euphoria start again, wetness already leaking out. Auctilus stroked her breast with his thumb. He stuck his tounge out, drool dripping from it, and licked her face before pulling away. 

"Not right now though, I don't want to hurt ya. I would split ya open if I tried in this state. And I don't wanna break my sacrifice just yet." Auctilus stood up in the pool.

Auctilus loomed over Raspberry as she stood. Her height barely reached from his hips to his abs. The sheer size of him had her whole body trembling. Though she was curious about what Auctilus said about breaking her. He hadn't actually tried to harm her, unless she counted nearly being drowned.

A squeal from Karvelia broke through her thoughts. Raspberry looked around to find her sister was wrapped in the alligator's tail, splashing in the water. She had forgotten she needed to make some clothes for her sister.

Raspberry walked to the other side of the pool, kneeling down to pull her sister out. Auctilus moved the child closer to her. She pulled her up, holding Karvelia close despite the wet robe.

Raspberry opened her mouth to ask about using some of the fabric offerings but quickly closed it.

"Anything in this temple is for ya use. If ya don't have something, just ask my peach." Auctilus said to her, as he pulled himself out of the pool. The statue next him was barely half his height. 

Raspberry bowed before Auctilus before heading for the room that held the chests. She spent the rest of the day cutting fabric to make robes for herself and Karvelia. Using some of the lines to make cloth diapers. She took breaks to play with her sister and eat. Though she didn't see Auctilus the rest of the day, saying he had business to take care of. Raspberry and Karvelia went to bed on the purple cushion when night fell.

-

Stay Cruel Until The End - Theodore

Posted Jun 2 '22

[balloonboyismyson]

"You know... you're the colours of the aurora borealis."

Examples under the cut :o)

Ghofur Rohim/Shutterstock

Denis Belitsky/Shutterstock

Chalermkiat Seedokmai/Getty Images

[hd-junglebook]

Neutral

Part 2

word count - 3,446

The five of you stood at the side of the cliff, your hearts pounding with anticipation as Finn gripped the rope tightly in his hand, ready to swing across the gap. Finn prepared to make his leap, Jasper piped up, his voice filled with determination. "Wait, guys. Let me do it. I've got this."

There was a moment of stunned silence as his words sunk in. Clarke glanced at him, concern etched across her features. "Jasper, are you sure? It's a long way across." But Jasper was already stepping forward, a defiant gleam in his eyes. "Clarke. Trust me, I can do this."

The rest of you exchanged uncertain glances, but Finn nodded in agreement. "Let him try. We don't have much time."

With a collective cheer, you urged Jasper on as he gripped the rope and launched himself into the air. For a moment, he sailed across the gap with grace, his movements fluid and confident. As Jasper neared the other side, a spear soared through the air straight into his chest, sending him careening off course.

With a sickening thud, he collided with the rock behind him, the impact knocking the wind out of him.

"Jasper!" Clarke cried out in horror, rushing forward to help him. The rest of you watched in shock, the reality of the situation sinking in. You were not alone in these woods.

Finn took charge, his voice urgent as he scanned the surrounding area. "We need to move. Now. Whatever hit Jasper could still be out there."

You stood in stunned silence by yourself, gears turning in your head at the lack of choices you seemed to have in this moment. Clarkes voice waking you back up from your daze. You crouch down out of sight of whatever was out there.

The woods seemed darker and more foreboding now, every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs sending shivers down your spine. You looked back at Jaspers figure once more pinned to the rock, catching sight of Monty out in the open.

"Well, this is just fantastic. I always wanted to be stuck in a survival situation with a bunch of amateurs." You whisper to yourself, scanning the woods around you before lunging towards Monty, dragging him by his ear back to the group.

"We are so screwed," Octavia insisted, her eyes darting from tree to tree as if searching for any sign of their missing friend.

Out of nowhere, Jasper's chilling scream pierced through the stillness of the forest, sending a shiver down your spine and causing your blood to run cold. Panic surged through you, your mind racing with fear and uncertainty.

"Clarke, Jasper. He's alive," you gasped out, your voice trembling with a mix of relief and dread.

But Clarke was already moving, her determination unwavering as she raced ahead, heedless of Finn's warning. "Clarke, wait. Wait! Wait," Finn called out desperately, but she didn't stop.

Monty's voice trembled with fear as he scanned the surrounding trees, removing himself from you side to stand at the cliffs edge once more. "No. Where is he?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, his eyes wide with horror.

"They took him," Clarke replied, her tone heavy with sorrow and rage. The realization hit you like a punch to the gut, feeling paralyzed as you crouched in the depths of the forest, knowing that Jasper was now in the hands of whatever lurked in the woods.

---

The four of you sprinted through the dense undergrowth, the branches seemed to claw at your skin, leaving scratches in their wake. You reached out, grabbing Octavia's arm with clammy hands, pulling her along with you as you dodged and weaved through the obstacles in your path.

Glancing over your shoulder, you noticed Monty and Clarke lagging behind, their breath coming in ragged gasps. "Come on, guys! We're almost there!" you shouted back, urging them to pick up the pace. The forest around you seemed to darken, the sunlight filtering through the canopy overhead seems to diminish with each passing step.

light struggled to penetrate the thick trees behind you, casting long shadows that stretch across the forest floor like fingers reaching out to pull you deeper into the gloom with every step you took towards the safety of the camp.

The distant flicker of the campfire beckoned through the thick brush, you could almost feel the warmth of the flames against your skin, driving you forward despite the burning ache in your legs. Each step was a struggle, your muscles screaming in protest from the relentless exertion of running from Mount Weather.

You pushed Octavia forward through the trees, finally reaching the group, you were met with a scene that sent a chill down your spine. Murphy and Wells were engaged in a vicious knife fight, their faces contorted with anger and desperation.

Clarke stepped in front of you, her voice sharp with urgency. "Wells! Let him go!" she yelled, pushing herself through the crowd to intervene.

“Alright enough you two!” Bellamy growled as he pushed Murphy away from Wells. Meeting Clarkes angry glare before Octavia caught his attention.

He moved with determined strides, parting the sea of bodies like a ship cutting through choppy waters., his expression darkening with concern and anger. "Octavia, are you all right?" he demanded, his piercing gaze locked onto you, unwavering and intense. "You let her get hurt out there? Where's the food you were so spent on getting?”

You bristled at his accusatory tone, your sarcasm dripping like venom. "Oh, sorry, Bellamy, I was too busy dodging spears and saving Octavia to remember to pack you a picnic basket," you shot back, your frustration boiling over. "But you seem to have everything under control, as usual."

Bellamy's jaw clenched, his gaze hardening even further as he took a step closer to you. "Don't play games with me, y/n," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Finn stumbled forward, gasping for breath. "We... we didn't make it to Mount Weather," he managed to get out between labored breaths.

Clarke stepped forward, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "We were attacked," she announced, her gaze sweeping over the assembled group of delinquents. "They were waiting for us, lying in ambush."Her words hung heavy in the air, a chilling reminder of the dangers that lurked in the woods beyond their camp. The group exchanged worried glances.

Clarke's gaze softened as she addressed her friends, her voice sincere. "Everything we thought we knew about the ground is wrong," she continued, her eyes meeting each of theirs in turn. "There are people here, survivors. The good news is, that means we can survive. Radiation won't kill us."

"Yeah, the bad news is the Grounders will," Finn admitted, his eyes reflecting the gravity of their situation.

Wells limped towards the group, grimacing in pain as his voice broke through the tension, his concern evident as he inquired about Jasper's whereabouts. "Where's the kid with the goggles?" he asked, his gaze darting around the group anxiously.

Clarke stepped forward, her expression grim as she delivered the devastating news. "Jasper was hit. They took him," she revealed anxiously. "Where is your wristband?" she demanded, turning her attention back to Wells, her eyes searching his face for answers.

Wells hesitated for a moment before responding, his voice heavy with regret. "Ask him," he replied, gesturing towards Murphy with a solemn expression.

Clarke's frustration was obvious as she processed the information. "How many?" she hissed, her voice barely above a whisper as she awaited Murphy's response.

Murphy's reply was chilling in its simplicity. "Twenty-four and counting," he admitted, his tone sinister as he confirmed the number.

Clarke's frustration boiled over, her words laced with anger. "You idiots," she spat, her voice filled with bitter disappointment. "Life support on the Ark is failing. That's why they brought us down here," she scolded, her words a reminder of the harsh reality they faced.

"Don't listen to her. She's one of the privileged. If they come down, she'll have it good," Bellamy shouted, rallying the crowd with his impassioned words. "We can take care of ourselves. That wristband on your arm? It makes you a prisoner," he declared, his tone defiant as he challenged Clarke's authority as he faced her.

"I say you're not criminals! You're fighters, survivors! The Grounders should worry about us!" His words resonated with the crowd, drawing them back to his side as they echoed their agreement.

You shook your head in disappointment at the shortsightedness of it all, the frustration evident in your expression as you watched the crowd rally behind Bellamy's reckless rhetoric.

Monty pulled you and Clarke towards him, his faced scrunched in discomfort. "What do we do now?" he asked, his eyes darting between Clarke and Bellamy as he sought your guidance.

Clarke's response was firm and resolute, her gaze unwavering as she addressed him. "Now we go after Jasper," she declared.

---

You and Clarke worked quickly to patch up Wells, the urgency of the situation lending speed to your movements as you devised a plan to rescue Jasper. Clarke and Finn's heated exchange filled the air behind you, their voices clashing in disagreement.

Finn remained steadfast in his belief that venturing back into the woods would only lead to disaster. "I'm not going anywhere, and neither should any of you. That spear was thrown with pinpoint accuracy from 300 feet," he argued back.

Clarke's frustration bubbled to the surface as she refused to entertain the idea of leaving Jasper behind. "So what, we let Jasper die? That's not gonna happen, Spacewalker." she retorted, every word seasoned with accusation.

Finn stood his ground, his expression desperate as he countered Clarke's resolve. "It's not an adventure, Clarke, it's a suicide mission," he countered.

"Clarke, we could use Bellamy," you suggested, your voice tinged with reluctance. "He has a weapon. As annoying as he is, we need all the help we can get."

Walking over to Octavia, you handed her a bottle of water, offering her a small smile of reassurance before looking over her leg once more. Clarke approached Bellamy then, her voice commanding as she addressed him. "I hear you have a gun.” Bellamy reply came without hesitation, lifting his shirt slightly to reveal the weapon strapped to his waist.

As he did, you couldn't help but notice the defined contours of his abdomen, the muscles taut and well-defined. Caught momentarily in the act of admiring, you quickly averted your gaze, but not before Bellamy's eyes flicked up, catching you in the act.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he noticed your fleeting glance. "Like what you see?" he quipped, his tone teasing.

You rolled your eyes, unable to resist a sarcastic retort. "Please, Bellamy, don't flatter yourself. I was just wondering if that thing is even loaded," you shot back, your tone laced with playful sarcasm.

Clarke nodded in agreement. “That’s good. Follow me," she instructed, her words leaving no room for argument.

You fell into step beside her, Bellamy shot you both a questioning look, his brow furrowed in confusion. "And why would I do that?" he asked, his voice edged with skepticism. The two you halting in your walking.

You couldn't resist the urge to challenge him back, his self-righteous attitude grating your nerves for the second time today, "Oh, I don't know, Bellamy. Maybe because you're not as brave as you like to pretend," you retorted, your tone dripping with sarcasm.

Bellamy's expression hardened, and he stepped closer to you, mirroring your stance, his gaze intense. For a moment, you almost step back at his closeness, but you refused to back down. "Careful, sweetheart. You don't want to find out just how wrong you are," he warned.

You squared your shoulders, meeting his gaze with equal intensity. "Try me," you mocked, your voice steady despite the butterflies fluttering in your stomach. You walked away with Clarke, leaving Bellamy behind. You could almost feel the weight of his gaze boring into your back as you moved further away. A silent challenge lingering in the air.

---

Your focus, alongside Clarke's, remained on locating Jasper, the urgency tangible in every stride as the group trudged through the dense undergrowth. Bellamy's voice, sharp and cutting, sliced through the otherwise oppressive silence.

"Hey, hold up. What's the rush? You don't survive a spear through the heart." His words halted the group in their tracks, prompting a momentary pause in the relentless pursuit. Wells attempted to interject, his voice a soft plea for reason, "We have to find him, Bellamy,” but Murphy's abrupt intrusion blocked his path.

"We heard him scream when they moved him. We have to find him now." You voiced, restraining yourself from punching Bellamy in the face.

The exchange between you and Clarke, a tense back-and-forth of explanations and rebuttals, seemed destined to continue until Bellamy interrupted, his tone brusque and impatient. "As soon as you take those wristbands off, we can go."

“Over my dead body, Blake,” you huffed, finding his insistence infuriating. Bellamy was quick to put on a self-satisfied expression at your remark. Suddenly, Finn materialized out of the shadows, his unexpected presence bringing an abrupt halt to the argument.

"Clarke's right. We need to keep moving. We're not leaving anyone behind."

Clarke spared you one last glance, mouthing a simple ‘sorry’ before walking away with Finn taking the lead of the group. Once they dispersed, you found yourself beside Wells, Bellamy, and Murphy not far behind. Seeking solace in conversation, you struck up a dialogue with him, hoping to find some semblance of normalcy. Every step felt heavy, the worry for Jasper gnawing at your insides.

The sound of a low groan reverberated through the trees, causing both you and Clarke to snap into action. Without a second thought, you both bolted towards the source of the noise. pushing through tangled foliage and dodging gnarled roots. You finally stumbled upon Jasper, his figure slumped against a rock.

Your heart twisted at the sight of him, “Jasper!” you screamed, looking over his battered and bloodied form. Jasper's wounds were covered, a makeshift bandage hastily applied by unknown hands. Jasper groaned aloud once more, relief flooded through you at the realization that he was alive.

Before you could reach him, the ground beneath your feet gave way, the earth crumbling beneath you in a sudden collapse. Clarke's scream pierced the air as she watched you disappear into the darkness below.

She stumbled backward, her eyes wide with fear, before collapsing to the ground herself. The rest of the group rushed to her side, their shouts of concern blending with the chaos of the moment.

In the midst of the commotion, Bellamy's strong grip closed around your arm, your heart leaped into your throat, you locked eyes with Bellamy just as you were about to plummet into the unknown depths below.

For a fleeting moment, there was something indecipherable in his expression, a hint of uncertainty perhaps, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Before you could dwell on it further, you realized his attention was drawn to the wristband on your arm, and Bellamy's gaze flickered down to it for just a moment. Anger flared within you at the implication, and you snapped, "Let go, Bellamy!"

He hesitated, his grip on your arm tightening as if contemplating his next move. Panic overwhelmed you as you teetered on the edge of the pit, "I know you want to let go, Bellamy. Just do it already!" you snapped.

Bellamy's expression remained inscrutable, his gaze flickering briefly to your wristband before meeting yours again. Then, as if coming to a decision, he released you, allowing you to slip further into the spiked pit below.

Just as you were about to plummet into the abyss, Murphy's strong hand closed around your arm. The rest of the group rushed to your aid, their shouts of concern mingling with the chaos of the moment as they worked together to pull you back to safety.

With a collective effort, they hoisted you up from the brink, your heart pounding in your chest as you collapsed onto solid ground once more. Relief washed over you in a dizzying wave, but as you shot a glare at Bellamy, his gaze still lingering on you with an intensity you couldn't quite decipher.

---

Murphy and Finn rushed forward to help Jasper, you stayed back, still trying to steady your breathing after the near fall. The others scrambled to their feet, scanning the forest for any signs of danger. your eyes landed on Bellamy's gun lying on the ground nearby.

Before you could think twice, a low growl echoed through the trees, sending shivers down your spine. Your gaze shot back to the source of the sound just in time to see a sleek panther emerge from the brush, its predatory eyes fixed on Bellamy.

“Bellamy!” Clarke shouted. “Get the gun now!”

Bellamy reached in his waistband, feeling around for his gun coming up short. A look of confusion passed over his face as the panther crept closer to him. For a split second, you hesitated, your anger and resentment towards Bellamy flashing through your mind. ‘he doesn’t deserve to live.’  You thought. But against your better judgment, you lunged forward, grabbing the gun and aiming at the panther.

You fired off a shot, the sound echoing through the forest as the bullet found its mark. The panther let out a fierce roar before getting ready to strike again. You straightened your aim, stepping closer before firing another round. The panther collapsing to the ground with a loud, its threat neutralized.

Breathless and shaken, Bellamy turned to face you with an eyebrow raised. "Guess I owe you one," he replied, his tone laced with sarcasm.

---

“They're back!”

The gates of the camp swung open, allowing everyone to stream back through the camp, you found yourself lingering behind, lost in the tumult of your own thoughts. Memories of your mother, her accusing words, and the weight of her disappointment flooded your mind.

You recalled the countless times she had blamed you for her circumstances, her voice echoing in your head like a haunting refrain. The sharp sting of her words, the relentless yelling, and the coldness in her eyes all played vividly in your memory.

"You coming?" Bellamy's voice broke through your reverie, pulling you back to the present.

You glanced up, meeting his gaze briefly before looking away. "Yeah, I'll catch up," you replied tersely, your tone betraying the turmoil within. Your legs guided you without a second though, taking your place on a log settled by the fire, surrounded by the other delinquents. You let the warmth of the flames ease the tension in your shoulders.

Harper and Miller's banter provided a welcome distraction, their jokes and laughter cutting through the heavy atmosphere that hung over the camp. You found yourself drawn into their playful exchange, a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips as you listened to their witty repartee.

"So, did you hear about the guy who stole a calendar? He got twelve months!" Harper said, laughing to herself while Miller poked the fire next to you.

"Oh man, that's almost as bad as your last joke!" Miller responded, shaking his head at her bad attempts at jokes.

You chuckled along with them, appreciating the light-hearted moment amidst the chaos of your situation. You caught yourself watching Bellamy, your eyes hazily looking over at the line forming in front of him.

"Next!" Bellamy shouted, while Murphy continued to break off the wristbands of each delinquent in line. You watched as he worked efficiently, his movements brisk and purposeful as he conducted his trade.

"Food for wristbands. One at a time, let's keep it moving."

Despite your lingering resentment towards him, you couldn't help but admire his resourcefulness and determination to provide for the group.

But when Bellamy's gaze briefly met yours, you couldn't bring yourself to accept his offer of food, instead choosing to remain seated by the fire, surrounded by the company of your fellow delinquents.

Every now and then, a knowing glint danced in your eyes, a subtle acknowledgment of the secret you held close. While Bellamy spoke with confidence, there was a hint of unease in his demeanor, a flicker of uncertainty that betrayed his facade of bravado.

It was clear to you that he didn't realize you were privy to his secret, the truth behind his presence on the dropship, the lengths he went to in order to secure his spot among the delinquents.