#Oh god this is another reason why they sedate his ass for the first few days

[masquenoire]

OOC//What about foods he doesn’t like? Is he picky or will he eat something even if he doesn’t enjoy it?

Roman has a pretty balanced sense of taste. He ate a wide variety of food growing up as a child and was exposed to exotic dishes on a regular basis, meaning that while there are some things he doesn’t like very much, he’ll eat them if he has to. He IS picky however; his dishes must be made with quality, fresh ingredients so cheap food pumped full of sugars and additives isn’t something he’s going to like. Arkham is notorious for this, cutting corners by serving sub-par meals as so not to go over budget and Roman will refuse to eat for days upon coming back, hating the poor quality, lukewarm meals he barely considers fit for pigs, let alone human beings. Nobody has a fun time when Roman gets hauled back to Arkham Asylum, least of all when he’s hangry so staff tend to look the other way when he bribes employees to bring food from outside premises.

[bosspigeon]

information’s just not going in

Pairing: Gen, with a side of Verda/Eric bein cute and married

Words: 1782

Summary: Verda catches wind of Bobby sniffing around the detective again, and, because he cares about his friend, he stages something of an intervention.

Don’t think too hard about timelines. I started this when I first started playing twc. Takes place in early book one. I also gave Wayhaven two more bars. Title from “Bulletproof” by La Roux

The Haven, Wayhaven’s premier bar (one of three in the entire town, to be quite fair) is surprisingly busy for a Tuesday night, but it’s still easy enough to find Verda and his husband tucked away in a booth in the corner. Busy or no, there’s plenty of room to make his way over, and he slides into opposite them and leans his elbows on the faintly sticky tabletop.

“Did you really have to bring Eric to read me the riot act, Verda?” he asks, giving the gently smiling blonde a weary look.

“Yes,” Verda responds simply. He steeples his fingers and levels Chase with a steady gaze. “The only reason I didn’t bring Tina as well is because I know you’d see us all, figure it was an intervention, and bolt.”

Chase groans up at the dark ceiling. “I don’t need an intervention! It’s just sex.”

“It’s not just sex!” Verda counters. “It’s never been just sex with Bobby! I’ve known you for too long to swallow that excuse, and honestly I refuse to believe you believe it yourself!”

Thankfully, Chase ordered a drink before he sought them out, and he takes a long, long pull. “I didn’t even do anything this time. He managed to make himself exceptionally repulsive, and I didn’t even talk to him. He just… It was a voicemail. That’s all.” He rubs his eyes. “I already have the mayor riding my ass, I don’t need Bobby grunting and slobbering on the back of my neck too.”

Verda’s face scrunches in disgust, and, adorably, his husband mimics his expression without even looking at him. Unluckily for Chase, Verda’s distaste with his crudeness doesn’t stop him from sighing, “It’s never just a voicemail. Or just a text. Or just a phone interview. That’s how Bobby works. His modus fucking operandi! He senses when you’re at your most vulnerable and he uses it to get a leg over. And if he can snoop for information for his tabloid nonsense, all the better!”

“That’s why I only go to his place now,” Chase mumbles, mostly to himself.

Verda gives him a sharp glare. “What was that?”

“Nothing,” the detective says, sitting up straighter and rolling his shoulders.

“When did you go to his place?” Verda asks, dangerously soft.

He knocks back another half of his drink, because god does he need it, and rubs his face. “It was weeks ago, Verda, please--”

“I’m sorry, weeks?” Verda’s voice hitches up a few octaves, and Chase only just realizes that there’s a tall, nearly-empty glass of something that was once brightly colored and likely full of several types of rather strong liquor on the table in front of Verda, and that he is very much in over his head. Verda’s normally a very sedate, put-together man, though he’s never been afraid to speak his mind, but when he’s had a few drinks…

Maybe Chase should have bolted after all.

“CHASE RAPHAEL KINGSTON, DID YOU SAY WEEKS?” Verda stands up, and his husband hurries to stand as well and push him gently back down into his seat. He goes without a fight, but he is still clearly fuming.

“Quiet down, would you?” the detective hisses. “You know how this town talks!” He glowers at a familiar face gawking a bit at their table (Frankie McGinnis, the groundskeeper at the local park and also one of Chase’s own graduating class) who clams up quickly, turns, and hurries off.

“Weeks, Detective? Weeks?” Verda all but snarls at him. Chase raises his eyebrows and looks to Eric, who just raises his hands and shakes his head.

“It’s not a big deal,” Chase defends weakly.

“When?” Bitten out through gritted teeth. Verda’s glaring daggers at him.

Chase rubs at his jaw, scratching his stubble and avoiding his friend’s eyes. “The night the Chief announced Liddel’s retirement. I knew I was being promoted. I told him I didn’t want it and he told me tough shit. I was tired, I was pissed, and Bobby heard through the grapevine and decided to have me over to congratulate me.”

Eric snorts at the choice of words. Verda just looks... Incensed. “Chase! You have to see that this is not healthy!”

"It doesn't matter if it's healthy or not!" he fires back, and he can't help but get worked up himself, with his coworker all but shouting him down like he's an unruly teenager. "It's not your decision! I'm an adult, and I can make my own decisions about who I fuck! Christ, d'you think you automatically get a say just 'cause I let you have at me too?"

Verda looks as if he's going to say something, but he snaps his mouth shut, his face scrunching, then collapsing. "Is that really what you think of me?" he asks softly.

Chase deflates very suddenly, spine bending, and rubs his face. "Fuck. No, Verda, of course not. I just… I'm sorry, that was awful of me to say. I just…"

"You're not used to people worrying about you," Eric offers, smiling a bit. "It can be overwhelming, right?"

Chase nods weakly. "I'm sorry," he says again. He finishes his drink in one good gulp, and it burns, but he needs the bolstering right now.

Of course, Eric knows he and Verda had their own little fling when they first met, just a sort of stress relief between friends and coworkers, that never progressed beyond that. They're good as friends, aces in bed together, but never really felt the need to take things to a level beyond that. It has, unfortunately, given Verda, and by extension Eric, far too much insight into Chase's habits, but sometimes it's... nice to be known.

At least he's got someone to tell him when he's being a tit.

"I need another drink," Chase groans.

Eric smiles and stands up, kissing the top of his husband's head. "I'll grab the next round. You lads behave."

Chase sighs. "I'm sorry," he repeats. "I… I know you're just worried. But I can take care of myself, Sol." He lifts his head and smiles crookedly. "Been doing it all my life, right?"

"Chase, you have so many tattoos our boss makes you wear turtlenecks in August, you had a criminal record before you turned 18, and you were bullied into the police academy immediately upon graduating college to avoid going to prison."

"Hey," Chase snaps defensively, "don't bring the tattoos into this. Everyone and their mum knows I'm covered in more ink than skin at this point, it's not my fault the chief clutches his pearls every time he sees them."

"My point is," Verda interrupts, "is that, perhaps, your life may have gone a bit more smoothly if you'd had someone to rely on other than yourself." He holds up his hand when Chase tries to protest, and presses on, "I'm in no way insulting you as you are now. You are an incredible man, Chase. Sharp as a tack, dedicated and proud, stubborn as all get out, but that's helped far more than it's hindered you. Wayhaven wouldn't be the same without you."

Chase squirms in his seat and looks away, "Verda…"

"I mean it, Chase. This town and the people in it owe you so much, and you deserve to be recognized for that. And you deserve to recognize it in yourself." He leans forward, bright-eyed and intense, "You deserve to feel like you matter to someone other Bobby Fucking Marks simply because he has an uncanny, sharklike ability to figure out exactly when you're at your lowest."

Eric chooses that moment to return with drinks, something fruity and ridiculous for his husband, and a simple rum and Coke for Chase. He sits down next to Verda and snuggles close. "So? How's it going?"

"Fine," Chase mutters. And he sighs gustily. "Verda's right, as usual. I just… Bobby's a prick, but we have history, and as much as I hate to admit it, he knows me too fucking well by now. I know better than to let him into my flat, of all things, but apparently not between my legs."

Verda splutters on his drink and laughs, Eric blushes a bit at the crudness, and just like that, the heaviness of the moment is gone. Verda fumbles for a napkin to wipe his nose, and Chase chuckles.

“If it makes you feel better, I’ve got more than enough to worry about right now with two murders and this Agency nonsense,” Chase mutters around the edge of his glass. “If Bobby decides to make more of a nuisance of himself than usual, I’m very likely to hogtie him and lock him in my trunk for a few hours.”

“Oh, I can’t wait to read his story about that,” Verda snickers. He’s begun to list heavily against Eric’s side, and the big blonde softens visibly.

“I think it’s time to get both of you home,” he says, smiling gently. “Chase, if you drove, I can bring you by in the morning to grab your car.”

Chase sighs and taps his knuckles against the table, but he smiles nonetheless, even if he can’t quite make eye contact. “That’d be aces, Eric. Thanks.”

Eric’s smile widens, warm and pleased, and he nods towards the door and helps his husband to his feet. Chase doesn’t move for a moment, just watching the two of them, Eric with his gentle fussing and Verda weakly protesting the attention, but at the same time visibly preening underneath it like it. Turning towards it like a flower towards the sun. Something in Chase’s gut twists.

He shakes his head, slams the dregs of his drink back, and climbs to his feet, slinging his jacket over his shoulders and following the happy couple to the door. He’s still a bit wrong-footed after their talk, but he stifles it down easily under three decades of practice repressing things like impulse control and feelings. If nothing else, he’s glad to have friends like Eric and Verda to look out for him, as much as he’ll let them.

“Hey, Verda?” he calls, his voice coming out a bit rough, softer than he intends.

Verda turns to look at him, wrapped around his husband’s arm and glasses a bit smudged. “Hm?”

Chase blows out a heavy breath that fogs in the air. “Don’t tell Tina about this, would you? I really don’t need another murder case once she decides to go after Bobby herself.”

Verda’s laugh is loud and delighted, echoing out into the otherwise quiet night. Chase stuffs his hands into his pockets and smiles to himself, allowing himself, for once, to take some quiet pleasure in what he’s got.

[spacesuitsforemergency]

Weapon Hex

Chapter 1: The Runaways Run Away

Word Count: 1.7k

Originally Requested by: @amateurwriterbigdreamer

A/N: love that Onawa was requested to be in this! I’m not giving her a huge part until she turns into a villain so that it’s centered around Y/N for now! These are all gonna be short chapters since there’s not a whole ass movie to cover. Hope you like it!

“I said no!” You yelled at the STAR Labs scientist, who had been trying to hook up a machine to you, to observe your brain waves. The other kids you had escaped the Reach with were watching from across the room, waiting for instructions. They watched with their eyes wide in fear and concern as the scientist cornered you.

“Y/N, you have to calm down.” He told you calmly, despite the annoyed tone of his voice.

You crouched in a defensive stance, snarling at him to tell him to back off. Two security guards grabbed your arms, and you thrashed in their hold, warning them to let you go. Your heart rate began to pick up as they held you down, and the scientist picked up a needle. You knew the drug wouldn’t work on you, none of them did, but you had to act like it would.

Your plan was to be calm and act out of it once they “sedated” you, so that they wouldn’t see you as dangerous. Then, once their guard was down, you’d attack.

“No! Stop!” You yelled as the needle stuck into your arm, and you slowly pretended to get tired. You made your eyes droop and breathed very slowly, so that when he checked your pulse it would be at the rate it should be with sedation in your veins.

“Put her in a straight jacket.” The scientist ordered a guard.

“You can’t do that!” Virgil Hawkins stood up.

“That’s way out of line!” Tye Longshadow glared at the scientist.

“She’s far too dangerous.”

“She obviously doesn’t want your help. You can’t just force her to do stuff!” Eduardo Dorado Jr. snapped. The scientist ignored him as the guards put your arms in a straight jacket, then sat you down in the last chair. You pretended to be half asleep, but when no one was looking you winked at the other 6 kids before they were called over. You shut your eyes and your head fell back against the wall, you figured you’d might as well rest. Your thoughts wandered to your father, and the horror stories about Stryker and the Weapon X program.

Your father was James Howlett, AKA The Wolverine, and your mother was Jean Grey, another X-Man. She had died half a year ago, destroyed by the Phoenix Force. You had run away from the X-Mansion because of it. You were treated different by the other kids, and even your team, Excalibur. Nightcrawler, Gambit, Rogue, Colossus, Lockheed, even your best friend, Kitty Pryde, treated you differently than before the Phoenix killed your mother. They treated you as if you’d turn on them any second. As if you’d attack them. As if you were an animal. A monster.

Your father had become even more distant and angry than before, which was something you didn’t think was possible. You didn’t know how to comfort him, and he didn’t know how to comfort you. Nobody was there for you while you grieved for your mother, and you felt feared and unwanted. So, to make things easier for them, you left. You planned to just wander, maybe even steal a motorcycle and follow in your fathers footsteps. You had been waiting for a bus when the Reach kidnapped you. When you woke up, voices were talking in your head. You were terrified, but then you heard your mothers voice. Whether it was actually her or just your subconscious, you didn’t know, but she helped you control the other voices. You were extremely intelligent, so it didn’t take long for you to get the hang of telepathy. When you finally escaped, you were put back into more testing. It made you anxious and panicky, since you knew what happened to your father and many mutants when they were tested on. You remembered the mutants that died being experimented on by Trask, and the lifelong trauma it brought your father.

“If we let you out, do you think you can handle getting some food without throwing a fit?” A security guard asked you, mocking you as if you were a child.

You lifted your head and nodded slowly, manipulating his mind to think your pupils were dilated, a sign of sedation. Once he was satisfied he unbuckled the straight jacket and helped you up, but you convinced him you could walk on your own. You walked out to the hallway and stopped at a corner, watching the others who were listening to Eduardo Jr and Eduardo Sr arguing very loudly. They looked away when he storms out, slamming the door.

“Uh...we should get lunch while we have time.” Virgil suggested.

“This is so messed up.” Tye snapped. “STAR is as bad as the Reach and worse than home.”

“Wouldn’t go that far.” Onawa Longshadow, who you figured out was his sister, mumbled.

“But STAR wants to help us.” Neut, some other escapee said quietly.

“Whatever, Neut. I just know I can’t take much more of this.” Tye said through his teeth.

“You won’t have to. Cause we’re busting out. Tonight.” Virgil says with determination. This perks your attention, so you walks towards them.

“And how are we supposed to do that?” Eduardo asked. “This place is a fortress.”

“You’ll need me.”

They all spin around and see you, perfectly awake and not sedated at all.

“You faked it, didn’t you?” Tye asked you, grinning.

“That’s what he said.” Virgil whispered, Eduardo snickering while Tye rolled his eyes.

“Drugs and medicine don’t work on me.” You shook your head. “The doctors are idiots.”

“Is that your metahuman gene?” Eduardo asked.

“No. That’s my X-Gene.” You shake your head as you looked around to make sure there’s no guards spying on you guys.

“Wait...” Tye mumbled. “I thought you were a telepath?”

“Holy shit! You’re like Wolverine, right? With a healing factor!” Virgil exclaimed.

“What?” A guard overheard from the other hallway. You rolled your eyes and erased the last few seconds from his mind, then created a “mind link” with the others, translating for Asami at the same time. Not Neut though, you knew he wanted to stay and report you. So you erased his mind as well.

‘Don’t yell. Talk to me through this.’ You ordered as you all started walking towards the cafeteria. ‘Yes, Wolverine is my father. My X-Gene developed when I was little, but the Reach activated my meta gene as well.’

‘No fair, so you’ve got like, a hundred powers?’ Virgil asked.

‘Can you even count? She’s got two.’ Onawa rolled her eyes.

‘So you know how to get us out of here?’ Tye asked. He seemed to be the most restless and adamant about leaving, which you took note of.

‘We leave tonight. I’ll take care of everything.’

•

“Please, tell me you're not serious about running. Running, escaping, whatever you want to call it, we're gone. This is serious. I nearly blew up Central City. My powers may be gone now, but what if they come back, you know, escalate out of control all over again? What if your powers escalate? Dude, you can't control them now. Look, I know Wilcox is a pain. STAR is a pain, but they're trying to keep us safe. Or at least keep the world safe from us.” Neut tried to reason with you.

“I’m outta here..” Virgil scoffed as you led him towards the door.

“Oh yeah.” Tye nodded, his sister following behind.

“Adios.” Eduardo waved to Neut.

“Are you coming Sam?” You asked her.

“I think so?” She tilted her head.

“That might mean yes.” Tye and Eduardo both led her towards you.

You spun around when alarms suddenly blared, and you saw Neut at some control panel.

“Sorry. But I can’t let you do this.” Neut narrowed his eyes.

“Bold of you to assume you were letting us in the first place, punk!” Onawa glared at him, starting to charge at him before her brother tugged her back.

“Let’s go!” You shouted at them, rushing down the hallway. Virgil and Eduardo sprinted ahead of you, right at the door. Virgil tried to open the door, but it was locked.

“The alarms put the whole place on lockdown!” Virgil alerted you.

“Great! Now what?” Tye asked.

“No idea.” Virgil admitted.

“Well what was your escape plan?” Eduardo asked.

“Uh...I didn’t really come up with one.” Virgil rubbed the back of his neck. “Y/N, weren’t you supposed to be in charge here?”

“I am. Just wait for it.” You told them. You knew guards would be at every exit any minute, and you wanted to show them something.

“Ed? Can you teleport us out?” Virgil asked, trying to figure out why you were just standing there staring down the hall.

“Haven't you been paying attention? I can only teleport myself and only along sight lines. Which makes escaping from a windowless, locked hallway somewhat difficult!” Eduardo shouted, accent becoming thicker in his anger.

“No problem! Tye can do his thing, right?” Virgil turned to Tye.

“Wrong! I can’t control ‘my thing’! It just happens!” Tye shook his head.

“Onawa? Can you do some magic or something?”

“No way! If I try to tear apart the door I could tear you apart too! I don’t have control yet, you-“ Onawa opened her mouth to say some god awful curse.

“That’s enough.” Tye smacked her arm.

“Look out!” Asami pointed.

You grinned when some guards ran up, channeling your inner Wolverine.

“You kids need to come with us!” A guard warned.

“Don’t think so.” Eduardo said darkly.

You charged at the guards, finally sheathing your claws. You made sure to not cut any vital parts, only making flesh wounds to keep them down. You snarled at them, baring your sharp teeth. Once they were all down, you turned around and charged towards the others. They all jumped aside as you went for the door, easily tearing through the layers of metal. You retracted your claws, standing straight and feeling your shoulders and back crack loudly. You turned around, everyone staring at you in shock and fear.

“Let’s go.” You say calmly, before running off into the night.

[khanyienongogo]

Chapter 2

Me: "Oh my gosh." I said shakily. I was overwhelmed. Seeing a man's chest for the first time...I didn't know that a man could have this many abs. The other thing that was overwhelming me of course, was the fact that he was stitching himself up. I mean who does that? Isn't it painful? At least at the hospital he would've been sedated or something, and I may not be a doctor but I know that the needle needs to be sterilized first before it could puncture through skin otherwise you could get infected...right? The other thing that was starting to get clearer in my head was that this man didn't want to go to the hospital because maybe he didn't want to be answering questions about the incident that led to him getting stabbed. This meant that he either didn't want to attract attention to the person or people who did this to him or it could be that he was hiding something. Both of those reasons made me nervous...terrified actually...because I didn't know where it put me in all of this. Was I in danger from the person or people who attacked him, or was I in danger from the man standing in front of me half naked? A chill ran down my spine. Busisiwe you can be gullible sometimes, you should've minded your own damn business...look at you now...this man could kill you...and it would be so easy for him to kill you since he was such a giant with all those muscles and...abs. Seriously Busi?! Stop thinking about his abs or packs...whatever! You are in danger!

If you didn't know, I was having an inner debate with myself...I do that sometimes...well...okay I do that a lot but please don't judge. See? Issues! ..."who are you?" I finally asked taking a step back. I didn't like the way he was looking at me. His eyes showed no emotion whatsoever...they were blank. Seriously the guy looked scary even though you could see that he was holding back pain. You could see from the way he was gritting his teeth and the beads of sweat that were coating his forehead..."look...I helped you and you look...fine...to say the least. So I will just go okay?" I said taking a few steps back. His eyes were still on me...no emotion was reflected on them. He didn't move. But he did stand a little straighter. Oh my gosh! He was going to kill me. Run for you life Busi!

Him: "Don't leave. Stay. It is dark outside...danger for you." He said. Actually it was more like he growled at me. And why did he speak like this? It was like he didn't want to speak...or was it because he was in pain? Focus Busi. He said you're in danger.

Me: "Am I in danger? Is it because I helped you? Will the guys that attacked you come back for me? Look please...I was just trying to help...I'm a nice person...I've never harmed anyone before. I volunteer at church even though it has been a long time since I've prayed but I believe in God. I've never said anything bad about another person..." I paused..."okay that is a lie, I have said something bad about this girl in high school but it was one time, and only because she was being mean-."

Him: "Would you just shut the fuck up please!" He shouted frustratedly. I did what he asked..."goddamn woman! You talk too much." He stated. This guy was not nice...really people. Yes, I know I talk a lot but that only happens when I'm nervous or scared...so shoot me!

Me: "You're not nice." I told him weakly.

Him: "Yes I'm not nice. But you talk to much so talk less...okay?" Oh my gosh! He was so frustrating? I could really feel my face start to burn up in embarrassment and anger. Yes I was angry people. I folded my arms and glared at him.

Me: "Look here mister. Don't forget that not long ago you were on the street ground hurt and dying-."

Him: "I wasn't dying." He grunted. This guy!

Me: "Well it looked like you were dying to me. But that is beside the point. What I'm trying to point out is that when you were on the street ground hurt, I helped you okay? So stop being rude." I told him heatedly. He grunted and huffed annoyed.

Him: "Okay woman. I will stop being rude...happy now?"

Me: "My name is not woman, it is Busisiwe but you can call me Busi for short." I informed him cheekily. I was being brave on the outside but what I was actually scared on the inside. He huffed again in annoyance.

Him: "Whatever. I don't care. Just don't leave...not safe." He spoke in that weird and annoying way again. I really couldn't deal with this guy people.

Me: "Not safe from the people that stabbed you?" I asked shakily. The bravado I had just seconds ago was gone.

Him: "Nobody is going to hurt you." He vowed. I blinked. I didn't expect that. I mean you guys should've seen the way he said it. He really meant it..."I just mean...that it is dark outside...and it is not safe for a woman to be walking around...so you will sleep here and tomorrow morning I'll take you home...okay?" Oh my gosh! That was the longest I have heard him say anything since we've been here. Wait...did he just say that I'm going to be sleeping here? As in here...in his apartment? In his bed? What? No! He is crazy!

Me: "I'm not sleeping here!" I exclaimed.

Him: "Yes you are." He growled at me. He actually growled people. I couldn't believe this guy. Is it possible that I saved a lunatic?

Me: "Look, I have to go home. I will not sleep here." I said slowly. He bared his teeth at me.

Him: "Don't talk to me like that. I'm not stupid. You will sleep here, then in the morning I will take you home. End of story." He said with a final voice. And let me tell you, that voice was scary. I was in trouble people.

Me: "I don't understand why I have to sleep here though. I can take a cab, and a cab is safe. It will drop me off in front of my apartment building. And besides tomorrow I have classes in the morning so sleeping here won't be a possibility." I said satisfied with my answer. I mean I stated valid points.

Him: "You sleep here...end of story." He said glaring at me. I was lost for words..."I will finish stitching myself up, then I'll make you food. I'm sure you're hungry. Okay?" Was he being serious? Of course it is not okay!

Me: "No. it is not okay. Look I didn't sign up for this. I wouldn't have helped you if I knew you were this crazy. All I wanted to do was to get home take a long hot bath and then sleep. In that order. So please-."

Him: "I see no problem; you can take a bath and sleep here. When I'm finished stitching myself you can take a bath or shower...your choice. There are clean towels here so problem solved." He said shrugging. I threw my hands up in the air in frustration. Unbelievable!

Me: "You're crazy!" I exclaimed. He just shrugged..."and weird too."

Him: "I've been called worse so..." He shrugged again. I hated those shrugs... "and you talk too much, so shut up and sit your ass down, and let me finish this." He said pointing to his wound.

Me: "Do you know how crazy this situation is right? We're strangers! We don't know each other, strangers don't sleep at each other's places. And if you think we're going to sleep on the same bed, you've got another thing coming-."

Him: "Just calm the fuck down okay? You'll take the bed and I'll crash on the couch...happy?" I huffed..."and my name is Zanoxolo. So there, we're not strangers anymore."

Me: "That doesn't mean we stop being strangers." I pointed out.

Zano: "Fuck me! She's a pain in my ass." He muttered to himself. I'm sure I wasn't supposed to hear him but I did because his voice was so deep. I'm sure he was one of those guys who couldn't whisper even though they wanted to.

Me: "Excuse me?! I'm the pain in your ass?! I just want to go home-."

Zano: "Jeez woman! Are you still on about that? I told you that you're not going home tonight so sit your ass down now." He commanded in that scary voice of his. And you know what stupid old me did? I sat down.

Okay don't blame me people. I was scared...the guy was scary. You guys should come and be in my shoes and see what you would've done if that scary voice was directed at you..."and if you sneak off whilst I'm still busy here, I will hunt down your big ass and find you. And you wouldn't like what I'd do to you once I do find you." I shrunk down on the couch after he delivered that threat. I believed him people. He was serious. I could see it in his eyes. I really wouldn't like what he would do to my big ass when he found me if I sneaked off. I wasn't going to entertain the fact that he called my ass big...it was not the time. I was in deep shit people. I should've took the cab home from the restaurant...I shouldn't have walked. If I made it out here alive, I vowed that I would never walk home from the restaurant ever again. I didn't want a repeat of this. No thank you..."are we clear woman?" I nodded my head quickly. I'm pretty sure my eyes were wide in fear. He grunted..."give me your phone." He demanded. I took my phone out of my jean pocket with shaky fingers and he grabbed it out of my hands. He had such big hands. He could kill me with those hands. A chill ran through my body..."just in case you think of doing something stupid." He stated..."I've never talked so much in my life. Pain in my ass." He muttered to himself going back in the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and I released a shaky breath. He was such a mean ugly jerk bastard!...............

[ghost-town-story]

FebruarOC Day 11: Kairan

Once Willow ensured that Eclipse was no longer actively dying, she dragged Johnson and Holli out of the room to check them for injuries, leaving Charlie alone with Eclipse. 

Eclipse hardly stirred as Charlie sunk to the floor next to his couch and took his hand. Charlie watched him sleep for a few moments, then sighed, letting his head fall onto the couch. “You’re not supposed to die on me too, remember?” he mumbled. 

Eclipse, passed the fuck out as he was, didn’t respond. 

“Dumbass,” Charlie continued, running his thumb over Eclipse’s knuckles. He winced as he felt gravel under his fingers and Eclipse’s hand twitched in his. “What the…” 

Upon closer inspection, Charlie saw that Eclipse’s knuckles were split open, little bits of gravel clinging to the edges of the cuts. “So not only do you get—you get stabbed or whatever the fuck happened, but it also looks like you lost a fight with the road?” Charlie complained to the unconscious boy, shifting so he could reach the bandages left on the coffee table. “Damn it Eclipse.” 

As carefully as he could with trembling fingers, Charlie set about cleaning the cuts and bandaging Eclipse’s fingers. Eclipse didn’t stir once, not even when Charlie fumbled and ended up pressing a shard of gravel deeper into one of the cuts. Charlie just had to hope that meant whatever painkiller Willow had given him was working, rather than any other worse alternative. 

Finally, as Charlie tied the last knot around Eclipse’s pinkie, Holli bounced back into the living room. There was a bandage tied around her arm, but otherwise she appeared no worse for wear from their adventure that night. 

“Hey Charlie,” she greeted, her smile softening as she took in Charlie still holding Eclipse’s hand. “How’s he doing?” 

“Uh.” Charlie stammered for words for a moment, dropping Eclipse’s hand. “I—uh, he’s still…” Charlie waved his hand vaguely, indicating the still very unconscious Eclipse. 

“Fair enough.” Holli crossed the room and leaned over the back of the couch to shake Eclipse’s shoulder. “Wakey wakey Vargas.” 

Slowly, Eclipse’s eyes opened, and after a long moment they focused on Holli. “’Li?” he mumbled. 

“Good morning,” Holli said in a sing-song voice. 

Eclipse frowned, turning his head to survey the room. Charlie glanced away the moment those blue eyes looked his way. 

Finally, Eclipse spoke again. “How… how long was I out?” 

“Eh, maybe half an hour,” Holli said with a shrug. 

Eclipse groaned softly, his eyes fluttering shut. “Lemme sleep,” he mumbled. “Think Willow sedated me.” 

“Nah, you weren’t fighting her for once, so no need to sedate you,” Holli teased. Eclipse let out a little grumble in response. “But no sleeping again,” Holli continued, reaching out and poking Eclipse. 

“Holli,” Eclipse whined. 

“Do you really want to sleep on the couch?” Holli asked. “Or would you rather Johnson and I help you to your room so you can sleep in a proper bed?” 

There was a pause while Eclipse thought it over. “Does Willow say I can move?” he asked. 

“Carefully,” Willow answered as she entered the room, Johnson in tow. “Let Johnson and Holli help you, and for god’s sake don’t you dare do anything to rip your stitches. I’m already nervous enough about them lasting till I can drag your ass to the hospital.” 

“Capisce,” Eclipse mumbled, waving his unbandaged hand. Charlie noticed the same sort of cuts on that hand as well, and resigned himself to cleaning up those cuts too. 

As Johnson approached the couch, Charlie scrambled to his feet and backed away, keeping out of the way of everybody. When Johnson crouched by Eclipse, Eclipse started to struggle into a sitting position. 

“Careful,” Johnson warned, helping him up. “I can carry you if you like.” 

Eclipse scoffed, though Charlie was sure the sound would have more effect if Eclipse wasn’t leaning drunkenly against Johnson. “I can walk on my own, thank you very much,” he slurred. 

“You’re still out of it,” Holli pointed out. 

“’S not like I’m trying to drive,” Eclipse retorted. 

“But you do have stiches we’re trying not to rip, remember?” Johnson pointed out. 

“I know.” Eclipse tried to stand, only to fall back onto the couch with a hiss, an arm going around his stomach. 

“Try that again, and I will carry you,” Johnson warned. “Easy does it Vargas. Holli, come get his other side.” 

As Holli rounded the couch, Eclipse winced again. “Fuck all y’all,” he mumbled. 

“Yeah yeah, easy does it,” Johnson repeated, slinging Eclipse’s arm over his shoulder. 

Between him and Holli, they got Eclipse back on his feet, though Eclipse was swaying heavily. Charlie followed them as they slowly made their way down the hall and into Eclipse’s room. 

Once Eclipse was settled in his bed and Willow ensured he hadn’t torn any stitches, the three of them left Eclipse’s room, Charlie assumed to go home themselves. Charlie once again settled himself by Eclipse’s side and took his hand to bandage it. 

Eclipse stirred, and a moment later he asked, “Charlie?” 

“Hey.” Charlie spared Eclipse a glance before returning his gaze to Eclipse’s hand. 

“What’re you doing?” Eclipse asked, his voice blurry. 

“Bandaging your hand. It’s nothing important. Go to sleep.” 

Eclipse let out a slurred laugh. “Bold of you to tell me what to do,” he said. 

“I’m just echoing Willow,” Charlie said truthfully. There was a lot less gravel in this hand, so Charlie was soon winding bandages around Eclipse’s fingers. 

“Mmm. Still bold for you.” Eclipse wrapped his free arm around Charlie’s waist, and Charlie felt his breath hitch. 

“Quit rolling around.” To his dismay, his voice shook ever so slightly. “You’re gonna rip your stitches.” 

Eclipse scoffed. “You’ve obviously never had stitches before. They’re sturdier than that.” 

“Willow doesn’t think so, this time.” 

“Willow is a worrywart.” 

“Getting up seemed like it hurt.” 

“Ori, do me a favor and shut the fuck up.” 

Charlie glanced at Eclipse, startled, but Eclipse didn’t look angry. In fact, his eyes were closed, and if he hadn’t just been talking, Charlie would have thought he was asleep. 

“I—what—” 

“You’re worrying about nothing. I’m fine.” 

Charlie huffed, focusing on the bandages he was winding around Eclipse’s fingers. “Didn’t seem like nothing when you were bleeding out on the couch,” he said, his tone a touch petulant. 

“Fuck. That’s gonna be a bitch to clean,” Eclipse sighed. 

“That’s what you’re worried about?” 

“I told you to shut the fuck up and quit worrying.” 

“Well I’m sorry that I’m flawed enough that this scared me,” Charlie spat. 

Silence fell at his words, and Charlie bit his lip to try and steady his breathing and his shaking fingers. 

“I think I’m too sedated to get that,” Eclipse finally said. 

Charlie let out a shaky laugh as he shook his head. “You know full well what I mean Eclipse.” 

“Nope. Too sleepy. Are you done yet?” 

“Almost.” Charlie took a deep breath and willed his hands to stop trembling as he carefully tied the last of the knots. “There.” He started to stand, but was stopped by Eclipse’s arm tightening around his waist. 

“Where are you going?” Eclipse mumbled. 

Charlie blinked. “Letting you sleep?” 

Eclipse huffed and tugged Charlie down next to him. Before Charlie could even think to struggle, he was being held tightly against Eclipse, to the point where he could feel Eclipse’s chest move with every breath he took. “Stop freaking out and go to bed. I’ll be fine,” Eclipse mumbled into Charlie’s hair. 

“Eclipse—what are you doing? Let me go.” Charlie tried to worm his way out of Eclipse’s grip, but he was too afraid of hurting Eclipse to get any force behind his struggles. Meanwhile, Eclipse didn’t respond to Charlie, and Charlie had to wonder if he had actually managed to fall asleep mid-conversation. 

“Eclipse!” Charlie hissed, but Eclipse didn’t stir. 

The door opened, revealing Holli in the doorway. “So Willow’s gone and Johnson and I are heading out, but if either of you need something—” She cut off, finally registering the scene in front of her. 

“Help,” Charlie asked. 

Holli stifled a laugh in her hand. “Okay, one, cute, but fine.” She crossed the room and tried to help Charlie escape. But with every attempt to loosen Eclipse’s grip, he just grumbled and held Charlie tighter. 

Finally, Holli sat back with a sigh. “I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think he’s gonna let go,” she said. 

Charlie groaned, burying his face in a pillow. 

“Well, better get comfortable,” Holli said, standing again. “I’ll see you two in the morning.” 

“Okay,” Charlie mumbled, not looking up from the pillow. 

With another soft laugh, Holli closed the bedroom door behind her, leaving Charlie alone with Eclipse once again. 

Charlie huffed, wiggling in one last attempt to get free. “You’re a bastard,” he told Eclipse. 

Eclipse, predictably, didn’t answer.

~

Kairan woke the next morning to the sun hitting him in the face. He grumbled, wondering how on earth he could have slept so late, until he tried to roll over and two things stopped him. The first was that his wrist was caught under something heavy. The second, more important reason was the painful tugging in his stomach. 

“Motherfucker.” 

Right, Willow had stitched him up last night, sometime around when she had given him the combination of painkillers and sedatives, because Kairan knew Willow didn’t trust him to behave. The rest of the night was a blur after that, which meant that it came as a surprise when Kairan opened his eyes to find his wrist trapped by a sleeping Charlie. 

“Oh my god.” 

Before he could even begin to think of the best way of getting himself out of this situation, there was a soft knock at the door, and Holli poked her head in. 

“Oh good, you’re awake.” She smirked, opening the door fully and leaning against the frame. 

“Why the hell did you let him within ten feet of me while I was drugged?” Kairan hissed. 

Holli shrugged. “None of us were thinking that you would try to cuddle him to death, and by the time I realized it, you were not letting go.” 

“I hate you,” Kairan spat. 

“No you don’t,” Holli snickered. 

“Oh my fucking god, stop laughing and help me!” 

Unfortunately, Holli didn’t even get a chance, because Charlie chose that moment to roll over with a yawn, freeing Kairan’s arm. Soft grey eyes fluttered open, and Charlie blinked sleepily at Kairan. “’Clipse?” he mumbled. 

“Hey.” Kairan sat up and looked away, not trusting himself to be able to control his reactions right now. 

“I—what—” Kairan felt the bed next to him shifting as Charlie slowly sat up. “Uh, good to see you properly awake again,” Charlie said hesitantly. 

Kairan sighed. It was way too early for him to be dealing with sleepy pretty boys. “Get out.” 

“I—what?” 

“Get out. Please.” 

“Uh, okay.” Kairan felt Charlie get out of bed, but didn’t look around. 

Eventually, presumably once he was out of earshot, Holli spoke. “Rather harsh, don’tcha think?” 

“You too. Get out.” 

“Vargas—Kairan—” 

“Out, Holli. I need to change.” 

Holli huffed. “Fine. But you’d better apologize to Charlie for that.” 

“What are you, my mother?” Kairan asked. 

“No, I’m telling you as your friend. You’d better apologize to him. I’m going,” she added as Kairan shot her a glare. “Just sayin.” With that, she turned on her heel and walked out, closing the door behind her. 

Kairan let out a heavy sigh and decided to worry about that later. Right now, his main concern was getting up and dressed with the minimal amount of pain possible.

[miss-wanderlustwriter]

The Sky (Part 3)

Billy Hargrove (Stranger Things) x Reader 

~4000 words (Each part just keeps getting longer, sorry guys) xD

Let me know what you think, this is my first Billy fanfic!

Feedback, suggestions & requests all welcome ♥

Summary: That night at the Byers.

Warnings: Violent Billy. Arguments. Angst. Language.

Part 1  Part 2  Part 4  Part 5

(Of course I don’t condone the actions of Billy at all in the show, but I’m intrigued by the character and let’s face it Dacre Montgomery is hot as hell, and such an amazing actor!)

The next week at school flew by. Billy felt confident in his maths test for the first time ever, and did carry on meeting me for lunch, sometimes we actually sat in the canteen as opposed to the library; ignoring all the stares and whispers surrounding us, or trying to at least.

He drove me home from school most days and I finally got to meet Max properly. She definitely had her walls up but I managed to get a few smiles out of her eventually, when I think she realised I wasn’t just another one of Billy’s one night stands and that I actually cared about her as a person.

She was a really cool kid, a great skater and I was interested in her how her day had gone and how she was fitting in at school. It sounded like she’d made friends with Lucas and the guys so that was a good sign!

Another Friday rolled around and I was sat at lunch thinking about calling round Nancy’s that evening. This has been going on far too long now, I hadn’t seen her or Jonathan in weeks and I was getting nothing out of Steve when he was around. I’m pretty sure Max is probably involved. It’s a mess.

I was so far gone running around my own head I jumped when Billy slammed his tray down opposite me, looking pissed off and wearing another one of those bloody shirts with practically no buttons done up.  

“What’s wrong with you? I questioned his attitude.

"Nothing.” He answered in short. “So are we going for a drive tonight or what?” Changing the subject and forcing a smile, clearly not wanting to talk about it so I let it go.

“Yeah sure!” Trying to recover from my worry about a certain alternate universe.

That’s when I heard it again, the whispers.

“They’re sat together again.”

“I know I told you, it’s everyday.”

“It’s weird!”

I lowered my head playing with my food, the doubts creeping back in along with all the other words I’d heard over the past few weeks: Are they friends? Are they fucking? Why is Billy hanging out with her? What does he see in her? She’s so weird. Maybe he took pity since her other friends have left her.

Billy notices my silence. “Hey. Princess.” And when I don’t answer “Hey, look at me.”

I put my fork down and sigh, looking up at Billy. I see his cute furrowed brow and find myself wanting to reach over and smooth the worry away. He just waits, eyes fixed on mine, giving me the time to gather myself.

I sigh again. “It’s just… We’re friends right?”

He looks so confused “Yeah of course, we shook on it didn’t we.”

“Yeah but I mean like actual friends, like you’re not just bullshitting me and this is all some joke where I’m the punchline?”

“What? Where is this coming from Y/N?”

“People here. I hear them whispering every day: I’m weird, why would Billy Hargrove want to spend time with me.” I looked down embarrassed by my confession, expecting him to admit it.

“Hey, look at me right now. Don’t you listen to these idiots, they are not worth your time. I like you Y/N, I like spending time with you, you’re different than everyone else in this shit town. Besides, you’re a pain in my ass, so do you think I’d voluntarily hang out with you if we weren’t friends.” He raised an eyebrow at me as the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

I was momentarily taken aback before my face lit up, I could feel it, and a smile spread across my face. “True. Thanks Billy.”

“Anytime Princess.”

When the school bell rang to signal the end of another week, Billy met me by my locker.

“What’s up, I thought we were just meeting at your car like always?”

“Just want to make sure you get there without anyone filling your head with lies Princess.” A smirk creeping across his face as we started walking to the parking lot. “Seriously though are you okay now?”

“Yeah I guess so. I mean, I just have one other genuine question.” I bit my lip with concern.

He took a deep breath before replying “And what’s that?”

“Well, do you actually buy your shirts with no buttons or do you just pull them off yourself?” I broke into a smile and a run as we got outside.

“Hey get back here! You cheeky…” He shouted after me and started to chase me towards his car. My pace slowed down because I was laughing so much, I turned around and tried to dodge him but it was a failure. He grabbed me, arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me off the floor twirling me round, both of us a laughing mess.

“Okay, okay, I can’t breath!” I protested. He lowered me to ground and put his arm around my shoulders as we walked the rest of the way to his car, trying to catch our breaths.

Max was waiting for us at the car and her eyes flitted between me and Billy as we go closer, his arm still around me. “Hey kid, you okay?” I smiled as I broke away from Billy to give her a hug, which she returned.

“Yes thanks.” And it sounded like she meant it, and I swear I heard her whisper to Billy as she got in the car “I like her the best.” I pretended not to hear, but saw Billy slightly shake his head as he tried to suppress a smile.

We chatted all the way home, Max actually getting involved, and once I’d waved them off I ran straight to the phone. Both my parents were away this weekend, thankfully, if anything kicked off they were better far away from this town. I rang Nancy but Mrs Wheeler said she was out, shocker. I tried Steve’s house but he wasn’t home either. Something was definitely wrong I could feel it.

My fears were confirmed later than night as Billy rang and cancelled our drive. It was a short conversation, and worrying. He sounded upset, angry and stressed but he refused to talk to me and hung up before I could protest.

I was facing my long night in of worrying about everyone I knew it seemed. I started doing some chores before heading to bed when the phone rang again.

It was Nancy. She was panicking.

“Nancy, Nancy slow down! You’re where?”

“At the Byer’s place, please Y/N can you come?! I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

“Yes of course, is everyone there?”

“Yes, it’s like last year. We’re currently safe here and forming a plan.”

“Okay I’m on my way!” I hung up, grabbed my old converse and my hoodie to throw on over my Def Leppard t-shirt and ran out the garage. Thankfully Mom and Dad had taken the project car my Dad had been working on for months so I was left with the family car.

As I was pulling up at Jonathan’s house I saw Chief Hopper leaving with a girl I’d never seen before as everyone else was gathered on the porch. He nodded to me as he climbed in his truck. Nancy flung herself forward into my arms before I was barely out the car. I’ve never hugged someone so tight, all my fears from the last few weeks just burst out of me and I was so glad she was here, I missed her so much.

We broke apart both wiping tears and she lead me inside with everyone else as Hopper and the girl drove off.

“So let me get this straight, this,” I pointed to the hundreds of drawings covering the walls, “is a map of tunnels underneath Hawkins that are basically the Upside-Down, with… Demodogs? Running around in them?”

Everyone nodded.

“Hopper and El, who is from Hawkins lab, have gone to shut the gate to the Upside-Down which will stop all this, while you, Jonathan and Mrs Byers take Will to Hopper’s cabin to sweat out the Mindflayer that’s currently controlling him?”

Everyone nodded again.

“Yeah pretty much.” Nancy confirmed.

“Oh okay. Great. Glad I’m caught up.” I let out a breath I didn’t realise I’d been holding. “Wait, what are those?” I asked alarmed, pointing to two syringes on the side.

“Oh, we need to sedate Will before we move him so the Mindflayer won’t know where to find us.”

“Okay. Reasonable.” My voice was small, my head was mashed.

Steve took Max, Mike, Lucas and Dustin to the living room to give me some space, and Mrs Byers went to prepare the sedative for Will. Jonathan looked at Nancy hesitant to leave her side but she gave him a nod and he went to his Mom. I saw the look on both of their faces and knew. I clung to a moment of clarity in this madness and turn to Nancy “So, you and Jonathan?”

“Is it that obvious?” She asks sheepishly.

I nudged her with my shoulder “Only to me. I’ve known you both a long time and all I can say is finally.” I smile at her “And I’m really happy for you both.”

“Thanks Y/N. I think we need to go, but I’ll see you once this is all over, I promise. I’ve missed you.”

“Me too Nance. Stay safe.”

And with that they were gone.

Max took Nancy’s seat next to me, and my mind flew back to Billy. I hoped to God he was okay.

I looked at her, she was carefully watching me. “It’s okay Y/N, I’m in the same boat as you. I just found out as well. It’s crazy.”

“I can’t believe you’re caught up in all this. Wait. Does Billy know?”

“God no! What made you think that?”

“He rang me earlier, cancelled our plans. He seemed stressed and upset but wouldn’t say anything else, just hung up. I’m worried about him.” I answered, my optimism destroyed, something else was obviously wrong with him.

“Oh. Can I ask you something?” She shifted in her seat.

“Yeah sure.”

“Are you and Billy still dating?” She looked down as she spoke.

I couldn’t help but laugh “Aw Max, we’re not dating, me and Billy are friends.”

Her head shot up and a confused look fell across her face, and I know they aren’t blood related but I could swear it was the same frown as Billy’s, the one I’d only seen earlier that day.

“Oh.” She hesitated before continuing “Well I’m rooting for you. He’s been changing since he started hanging out with you. He hasn’t shouted at me once. I like you being around.”

“Max, come here.” I say as I wrap my arms around her. “Me and you are friends now, no matter what happens with me and Billy. So if he ever shouts or does something horrible, you come to me okay?”

She gives me a small smile. “Okay, thanks Y/N.”

“Anytime.” I give her a squeeze and we head through to the rest of the guys in the living room.

“Okay so house rules.” I start “One: no one leaves this house. Two: Any problems, thoughts, worries you come to me or Steve. We’ll just stay here, stay safe and wait for news from the others.”

Steve looks shifty as he adds “Rule three: no on go in the freezer.”

Max, Lucas and Mike all mirror my confusion. “And why’s that Steve?”

But Dustin answers for him “There may be a dead Demodog in there. Potentially.”

“Oh Jesus. Okay no one go in the freezer.” I run my hands through my hair and tie it up in a ponytail. “Right guys, stay here I’m going to do a perimeter around the house, just to be sure.”

“No Y/N I’ll do that.” Steve interrupted.

“Honestly Steve, I need to do this to put my mind at rest and I could do with some air.”

“I’ll come with you.” Dustin offered with a smile.

“Okay kid let’s go.”

Dustin followed me out the front door as I was armed with Steve’s bat, and we started circling the house being as quiet as possible to listen for anything suspicious. We got round to the back of the house and checked the shed at the bottom of the yard, where they had evidently been housing Will. I let out a sigh of relief as we left the shed with nothing to report.

We stopped dead in our tracks as we heard a car engine pull up.

“They can’t have closed the gate and helped Will already can they?” I turned to Dustin, his eyes wide in shock? Fear? I couldn’t tell.

“I don’t think so, follow me.” We crept down the side of the house, peeking out to see Billy’s Camaro parked next to my car.

“What the hell, that’s Billy’ car.” I whispered to Dustin.

“Oh this can’t be good.”

“Come on.” I took the lead this time, striding back to the front door, my pace picking up when I heard raised voices.

Me and Dustin burst in the house to find Mike shocked into silence beside Max, who was shouting at Billy, who was holding Lucas against the wall while Steve advanced on them. Before I could process what was happening Steve pulled on Billy’s shoulder spun him around and landed a right hook across his face drawing blood.

“Yes! Looks like you’ve got some fire in you after all!” He mocked Steve, laughing while his nose was bleeding.

I did not recognise this person at all. It was terrifying.

“Billy! What the hell?!”

Everyone stopped.

Lucas took the opportunity to run to Mike and Dustin, who held him and pushed him behind themselves. Away from Billy.

Billy’s eyes locked on mine and for a second I thought I saw him in there, the guy who remembered that I loved the sky; but then he broke it, and his gaze flew from me to Steve.

“You… You and Harrington?”

“As if Billy. Don’t be stupid.” I scoffed.

“Yeah because that’s me! Stupid Billy! You. You were worried and it turns out all along you’re the one bullshitting me! Been laughing about me behind my back have we? You and Harrington all cosy together while I’m the joke? Am I right?!”  

I could not believe what I was hearing right now. I walked up to him, he stank of whiskey and cigarettes, and was still laughing manically to himself under his breath shaking his head.

“Billy. Do you hear yourself right now?” I tried to take his chin in my hand and make him look at me. “You’re wasted, let me clean -”. But I couldn’t finish. He slapped my hand away from him, and in the same instant Steve pushed me out the way and pushed Billy backwards away from us all. “Hey man, get out.”

“You don’t tell me what to do.” Billy’s voice lowered to a threat and he lunged for Steve, who dodged out the way and landed another punch.

“Woo! I’ve been waiting to meet this King Steve that everyone has told me so much about!” This time he gets his punch back in on Steve.

It was mayhem. We were all shouting at them to stop, no one could be heard over the barrage of noise. Shouts and punches filled the air. I didn’t realise I was crying until I felt the sobs ripping through my chest. Two of the people I cared about most were beating the shit out of each other.

“Billy. Please.” I pleaded, I begged. But my voice fell to a whisper, I couldn’t breath properly.

He had Steve pinned to the ground now, he was unreachable, the red mist was down and he would kill Steve.

Then Max appeared, syringe in hand and before anyone could move another inch she had plunged it into Billy’s neck. He stopped, span around and already started wobbling as he pulled the needle out “What did you do to me?” He tried to step towards Max but couldn’t and he fell to the floor while we all looked at Max in shock as she picked up the bat I’d dropped and threatened Billy with it before he passed out.

I turned away, tears still streaming down my face trying to gather myself. Okay breath. Focus.

I wiped my tears, took a few more breaths just to hear Max jingle Billy’s car keys “Let’s go.”

I twirled around “What? Go where? And no!”

“Ooh where are we going?” Dustin questioned.

“You’re not going anywhere!”

I was ignored as Mike answered “To the tunnels, we’re going to the hub to light a fire and distract the Demodogs, to give El a clear shot at the gate.”

“Err hello! No you’re not.”

“You sound like Steve.” Lucas chimed in with a sigh.

Steve.

We all looked down at the two unconscious boys lying in the Byer’s kitchen. Oh Jesus.

“Right. Right. Someone go see if there’s any first aid stuff in the bathroom.” I saw Max make a move, and got the boys to help me move Steve to the sofa. He was messed up, and was my main priority at the moment as I barely glanced at Billy.

Max came back with some coloured plasters and nothing else. Shit.

I got a damp cloth to try and clean the blood up on Steve, but it wasn’t great.

“Okay, guys, I need you to look at me and promise me right now that you will stay here and not leave this house. I need to go to mine to get some proper first aid things to help Steve.” Not even able to think about Billy or say his name. My despair had transformed into anger.

I glared at Mike, Lucas, Dustin and Max in turn as they protested. “No. This is important. Promise me.”

They all nodded. Little did I know that each one of the buggers had their fingers crossed.

As I was driving back down with the Byers’ house in view, first aid kit on the passenger seat, I noticed straight away; Billy’s car had gone. No way, he can’t have woken up this soon and bolted. I ran straight through the front door nearly trampling Billy as he lay exactly here he’d fallen.

Steve however was not there, and neither were the kids, or the bloody plasters. Shit.

I tried to stay calm. A million thoughts running through my head: Maybe Steve woke up and agreed to the kid’s plan. Who am I kidding, Max took the car keys and they took the unconscious Steve. I really hope Max knows how to drive, oh god.

Okay breath. They’ll be fine. Steve will wake up with one hell of headache, but he’s good with them, he’ll look after them, and he knows more about this situation than I do, and what we’re actually up against. I was trying to convince myself more than anything. But obviously none of us expected Billy to be one of those obstacles.

The first aid kit got disregarded on the table, and I turned to the house itself. Cleaning and tidying as best I could without disturbing the drawings, and distracting myself from that person lying on the floor because that was not my Billy. That was not the beautiful boy I had left hours earlier. How could it be. How could he do this. He had been so mad, no, he’d been furious.

I thought I could get through to him when our eyes met, he stopped when he saw me, but seeing me and Steve together fuelled the rage within him. What ignited that rage? And why did thinking I was with Steve make it worse? This is Billy Hargrove, he didn’t catch feelings; did he?

After doing what I could I came to a loose end, I couldn’t sit still, I was fidgeting and pacing. I couldn’t stand it any longer and I forced myself to walk to kitchen and look at Billy.

My heart ached. The contrast between the pure fire and anger to this peaceful innocence as he slept. No lines, no scowls, no frowns; just a 17 year old boy who must be going through so much pain but never lets anyone close enough to help. But even as I pushed his hair off his face and cleaned the blood away I couldn’t forgive him. The pain in chest deepened as I sighed “Oh what have you done Billy.”

With great effort I dragged him over to the sofa and lifted him onto it. I wiped my brow and then I just sat with him; savouring the moment before wakes up and the inevitable takes place.

As he started to stir so did my anger in the pit of my stomach. I got him a glass of water and some headache tablets before he woke up properly. I left them on the table in front of him and retreated to lean against the kitchen counter.

I saw the initial panic flit across his face as he tried to sit up looking around the room before his eyes rested on me. “Take those and drink that while your memory comes back to you.” I said with as little emotion as possible. He did as I said, elbows now resting on his knees and head down for a moment before standing up and turning to face me. He was still a bit unsteady on his feet as he took a step towards me “Y/N…” He whispered. Almost begging.

“No. Billy. No. You don’t get to say my name like that.” Tears were already rising in me, and I was internally cursing myself for being an angry crier.

He stopped trying to come to me, whether that was because of my reaction or his own ability to walk I don’t know. He stared hard into my eyes across the room, but just like the first night we met, I wasn’t backing down.

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry? You’re sorry?!” I spat out a humourless laugh and pushed myself forward to stand up straight and give myself confidence. "You physically threatened Lucas, a 13 year old boy! And you nearly beat Steve to death!” Emotion was getting the better of me as I threw my hands in the air “What is wrong with you?!”

His eyes hardened and his jaw set “What’s wrong with me Y/N? I get shit off my Dad for not knowing where Max is every second of the goddamn day, so I get sent out to look for her, and she’s here at this crazy house, where low and behold I find you and Steve fucking Harrington playing happy families!”

“Are you kidding me right now Hargrove?” The volume in my voice rising. “There is nothing going on between me and Steve, not that I even have to explain myself to you. And why do you even give a shit?!”

He glanced away and a nervousness overtook him for a split second.

“Are you…” I nearly couldn’t get the words out “Are you, jealous? Is this how you get when you’re jealous Billy?”

“No.” His gaze back on me, even more intense and determined. “This is how I get because I’m a piece of shit that you should never have trusted to be friends with.”

My own voice dropped, along with my stomach, all my fight had gone. “Well, maybe that’s the most sensible thing you’ve said all evening. I don’t know this person standing in front of me right now. This is the person I assumed you were before you sat with me in the library.”

“No Y/N you don’t know me, so stop trying to.” He fenced himself back in behind his walls and stormed right passed me out into the night.

And in that moment the pain in my chest intensified, I collapsed to the floor, my tears finally making their appearance; and I swear I could hear my heart break.

[virtual-crisis]

⭐Alpha Centauri⭐, Part Eight

So, demons. As you can imagine, they can’t enter holy ground like churches/synagogues/mosques/etc. But the likes of Chick-Fil-A? Oh baby.

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Eventually, Nebb had to go back to his dorm, so Chai and I went to have dinner… At Chick-Fil-A.

The reactions were delicious. Pious, devoted and devout followers of God were for the most part shielded from the ‘ill sensations’ us demons would give with proximity to them, but the ‘Christian’ crowd that frequented and ran CFA were infamously not so. Hypocritical, decadent, prejudicial. Come to think of it, they were basically mortals acting like soldier-of-heaven angels.

When we got to the front of the line, we ordered one at a time. I took a good few minutes vocally puzzling over the caloric consequences of different options, like some ‘weight watcher’ insisting to themself that simply eating less of the same fast food would turn fat to loose flesh. While I was no wrath demon, I could feel the frustration of the others behind us. While they were getting sick of standing, my legs numbed themselves to the point I may as well’ve been sitting, using my thighs as a seat.

Then, despite my mock-indecisiveness, I wound up ordering a good ten or so greasy, deep fried, chewy-biscuit ‘chicken sandwiches’, with a different similarly unhealthy side for each one. To top it off, I spent another minute negotiating an extra large soda cup with a mix of drinks in it, trying to convince the cashier to let me have said drink——to hand off to Chialer, because holy shit that would melt me from the inside out. Audible groans of impatience came from all but Chai herself, in the line.

“Yo, girl’s gotta eat, thought ya boi upstairs said to love your neighbor,” I said to this, casting a cynical look over my shoulder. Chai gripped a hand tightly around her mouth, her chest seizing up as she tried desperately not to laugh.

The price came up on my order, and I added the real cherry on top of the infuriation: fumbling around with a total mess of different-valued dollar bills and no change except for pennies to handle the tax with. By this point, even the cashier was urging me to just give an extra dollar and take the change, but I insisted it was my last one dollar bill and needed to swing by the bank to make proper change.

Unfortunately for the process of moving the line along, they didn’t want to start actually making the huge order until I’d actually put up the cash for it. But once the money was in the register, I sidled out of the way. Little did the humans expect that I was the lesser of their problems, for Hell hath no appetite like the gluttons of its ranks.

Chai, clearly, stoned herself in preparation for coming here, which she’d recommended in the first place earlier in the afternoon. Rush hour, sedated with marijuana, planning ahead of time to be unhelpful… Her process of ordering was so much more infuriating than mine that I could swear the cashier was trying to decide between an aneurism or risking getting fired to lash out at her. The mortals still waiting behind her were exponentially more agitated, with more red skin than racist depictions of native Americans, enough clenched fists to rival a rock concert, and more eyes glaring at my roomie than I had secreted away on my wings. I quivered in place with that sadistic catharsis that ran like blood through our kind. Not like I can help one of my primary purposes for existence being to torture the damned.

My food started coming to me as Chai got in a pointless argument with the cashier about how to pronounce ‘burger’ at a place that didn’t even serve those; once I was loaded up with fast food bags, I went to take the biggest booth-table in the dining area. From there, I could see a group of people make various sounds of frustration as I’d clearly taken their place for whatever over-a-meal ‘team building’ shit they had planned in place of the sort of missionary work religious types eagerly sought out back in yester-century.

From afar, I observed a carefully planned and heavily handicapped dance: Chialer, uranium-skunk demoness of gluttony and envy, working carefully to maintain hostility with the cashier and even a couple other customers, but keep herself from being kicked out of the restaurant; all while stoned off her ass with weed, which didn’t get along with her anyway.

One minute, she was arguing about ordering hashbrowns, even though they were part of the breakfast menu and it was dinnertime. The next, she was antagonizing the cashier with horrifically nitpicky specifics on *just* how much vegetables and sauces would be on each thing… Oh damnit, she got them to call out the manager. I forgot that whoever did that quicker dodged having to pay…… Couldn’t blame her for not stopping me from paying when I hadn’t done so at all during my order.

It took a good half hour before she got to my table with me. She sat next to me, sidling up against me and gently thumping my chest with the back of her hand. I sneered, letting out an obnoxiously loud belch. Only Chialer and myself were amused. Unfortunately for them, Chialer had a similarly crude sense of humor, and we kept up, acting like completely undignified slobs. That, mortals, is what happens when gluttony meets sloth. Alongside, ironically for my end, leaving no leftovers to take home. It was Hell on my stomach (ha ha), but Chialer being around helped a ton (also ha ha).

People cringed, faces squinched up. Kids were giggling, which their parents quietly shushed. Personally—and I can’t speak for Chai here, necessarily—I enjoyed the kids’ reactions the most. They enjoyed what we did: lots of food, lax on ‘customs’ and ‘following the norm’. Modesty, in my opinion, was easily one of the worst traits of humanity.

But all the while, something felt… Insufficient about it. Something not adding up to the sum. I looked around. One couple—an asian duo, looking more than a little out of place in a crowd of white people—were casually sat and eating food as if nothing was wrong, despite all the noise from us. I stared at them for a minute… The man looked really… Tired, while the woman looked very tense.

“See those two?” I whispered across the table at Chialer.

Chai glanced up. “What about ‘em?” she replied quietly.

“They’re not even reacting to us…”

“Maybe they’re deaf, who knows.”

“And coming to a fast food place, ordering food without holding up the line at all? Bullshit.”

“Whatever, Cen, just keep eating. Or let me, if you’re too high on conspiracy theories.”

I furrowed my brow. She wasn’t wrong, but she also was. I knew something was up there, so I sat and pouted for a while, staring at the ceiling. Eventually, the husband got up and walked to the bathroom.

I followed.

He may’ve gone into the men’s room, but I had… Reasons I could go in anyway. Independent of me being a demon, don’t get me wrong. I still looked around to be sure nobody was watching, then slipped in, carefully scanning for others besides the one I was tailing.

The man in question… I saw his shoes in one of the stalls, and… Well, you know what sound I heard from in there. So I used a long, wadded up strip of paper towels to stick the door shut from the inside, and waited for him to come out. When he did… He’d give some answers. If they were innocent enough… Well, hopefully I could zap him in the right way to only erase his memories of the last hour. Electro-neuroscience was very difficult to get right.

“Okay, who the hell are you?”

The Asian man looked up from brushing off his jacket. “I not speak English,” he said calmly. No conviction, no sort of gesture or look of confusion… Yeah right.

I crossed my arms. “Then how did you order food.”

“My wife order food, I eat.”

I scoffed, narrowing my eyes. “If you don’t speak English, how did you understand that.”

The man narrowed his eyes as well, hunching over somewhat. “...Takuya Nakano. Now piss off.” he said flatly, walking around me to wash his hands.

I looked down, pulling up a sleeve to glance over my upper arm momentarily. Some time back, I’d written on it with permanent marker, occasionally reapplying it if it seemed to be fading. Mom had told me the line years and years ago, and I wanted it on hand [or close enough while out of sight] in case I needed to use it…

“Shilton lot-zipper……?” I murmured.

The man lifted his head, glancing over his shoulder for a moment, before shaking his head and going back to washing his hands.

I looked over my shoulder at him, furrowing my brow. “לוציפר שולט." ‘lotziper sholt’. Lucifer reigns.

The water from the sink abruptly stopped. Given the improvised soundproofing I put in the door, it was now dead silent. I couldn’t even hear anything through the walls.

“Where did you hear that.”

“My mom.”

The man shook off his hands for a moment, going to dry them off. “When.”

“Eight years ago, as she sent me off to college. Told me it was a ‘code phrase’.

“Only the princes of Hell pass that knowledge around. Hebrew is a dead language outside of the middle east.”

I let out a huff of air. “So that’s why you’re so nonchalant about my roomie and I.”

“I was trying to have a nice, quiet dinner with my wife. We were ignoring you.”

“Mortals can’t just do that.”

“I noticed.”

“So what are you, then?” I demanded.

The man grumbled in frustration, walking past me again to the door. When he had trouble opening it, he looked down then stomped on the wadded up paper towels and scraped them out so he could leave.

I peered out the door around him. Someone had been trying to get in, and thankfully hadn’t seen me yet. I quickly ducked into a stall and let the guy enter as well. Once I was sure his view would be blocked by a stall door, I snuck out and scoped out ‘Takuya’’s table. His wife was gone.

I ducked into the girl’s bathroom and searched it. Didn’t recognize any of the shoes—hers were pure black boots, really stuck out from the other patrons—so I headed out and made a lap around the building. The alcove for the dumpster out back was a crack open, so I peered in, and sure enough…

“What do you want?” the woman spat in an expected Japanese accent. She was leaning against the back wall of the enclosure, smoking a cigarette with indeterminate components.

I stepped in, closing the gate behind me. “I was trying to chat with your husband a minute ago—nothing flirty or anything, I saw his ring—and he was being evasive about a question I asked…”

She blinked slowly and deliberately. “His dick’s four and eight-tenths inches, he subs in bed, and yes we do use condoms.”

My eyes went wide, and I raised both brows. She smirked. “Woah? Yikes? Okay shit, I’m part succubus and that’s TMI to me.”

“Part what?”

I waved a hand boredly. “...Yeah yeah, לוציפר שולט and all that,” I murmured. “You two are demons and he’s not admitting it.”

The woman blinked again, same as she had before. She then stepped away from the wall and turned around, rubbing the burnt end of the cig on the brickwork. “His name’s Tsuki. I’m Shihai. We’re trying to have an anniversary date, so contact us later about it,” she said. Awfully trusting...

“You’re just…”

“A demon hunter or angel wouldn’t just spit out that they’re part succubus in response to a line like that. They’re too serious, especially for jokes like that.”

I shrugged. “Well I… That’s probably gonna get you fucked up sometime.”

“Believe me, if it were going to, it would’ve happened long before you. Now take your notes and let me smoke,” she said. Afterwards, she pulled out a new cigarette, lit it, and stood aside from an ashen graffiti tag of a pentagram. I quickly ran up to it, looking over it carefully and memorizing the runes drawn in the spaces around it. There were ones representing several of the seven deadly sins—but not all—and an elemental rune corresponding to each. The center held a manji: ‘svastika’ in Sanskrit, but well, you wouldn’t want the symbol nazis stole to be referred to by such a similar name, even if it was the original one.

I nodded slowly. “...Holy shit, you’re—”

“Out. Now.”

I winced, then nodded slowly, going back to open the gate and head inside to finish up dinner with Chai—or rather, yell ‘angrily’ at her for eating all the rest of my food. That svastika (okay, let’s just call it a manji like they do in Japan) had a very specific meaning among demons: versatility. Power. Maybe a certain elder goat-demon would be able to give me more information on the topic...

[fictionerd]

Good to see you, friends!

God DAMMIT, 3DK! So for those of you who don’t know my history with this series: I watched its first season last year, and I really liked it [dramatic pause] at first. As the season went on it became more and more apparent that the story didn’t care about its side characters culminating in this realization I had during my post about the last episode of Season 1.

[Flashback effects]

[Flashback Ends]

So why am I cursing 3DK’s name now? Shouldn’t I have known what I was getting into? Well naturally I Thought I did, but then they had to go and pull this shit on me!

Synopsis: We return to the adventures of Blue idiot, Pink idiot, and their entourage of extras with Blue idiot reminiscing about how he’s gotten where he is. It is a bit disturbing that the opening narration implies that he only gained his best friend AFTER meeting Pink idiot despite it being established that Blue Idiot and Ito were friends BEFORE the series began, but I’ll let it slide because~

Oh there you are, Set-dressing! What would we do without all these extras to exposit upcoming events to us!? Well Blue idiot and Ito here start scheming about how they’ll avoid participating in the culture festival and complaining about how it’s a “horrible normie event” (The show’s words not mine), but wouldn’t you know it when they get to school it turns out Blue Idiot’s been nominated to be their class’s representative to the festival committee. Ain’t that just zany? 

So far, so much as expected, but this is when things started to take a sudden turn. See Ito passed on joining the committee with Blue Idiot at first because, as was established, they’re both socially-crippled otaku who, despite one of them being decently capable, have avoided interacting with other people as though they had the plague. 

Ito changes his mind when he learns that Brown Idiot is on the committee for her class. 

Side note: Brown Idiot a.k.a. Ayado is another one of the set dressing characters. She likes to garden, apologizes with produce, was done really dirty last season when her characterization amounted to: Tool to make Pink Idiot Jealous and teach Blue Idiot to STOP TEXTING OTHER GIRLS WHEN HIS GIRLFRIEND IS IN NEED OF MORAL SUPPORT!

So... We’re at this point and I’ve had a nice time ribbing the fuck out of this show, but now I find myself having to take a step back because the damn show gave me what I wanted for a full half of last season: It actually gave the spotlight to its other characters! 

After Ito finds out Ayado is on the Committee he trades places with another class member in order to have an excuse to hang out around her. I get that feeling. When you like some one, but are too afraid to say anything you tend to look for excuses to be around them. At least that’s what my observations tell me. What happened next blew my mind right out of my skull.

After being told by Ayado that it was reassuring to have him on the committee, Ito went home and did some soul searching. He marveled at just how much the people around him had changed recently. How much stronger and happier they seemed to be, and he made up his mind. The next day:

He actually did it! The beautiful little bastard actually did it! We finally got some payoff to all the sidelining last season! THIS is why I’m cursing 3DK’s name. THIS right here. After jerking us and their side-characters around for 6+ episodes of last season the show is actually showing some signs of movement in places other than the Main character’s relationship.

Furthermore, Ito gets turned down because of events from last season, but does he fly into a rage and collapse in his wailing about why girls “never like nice guys like him”? HELL NO! He takes it on the chin like a fucking BOSS, and takes steps to ensure that the relationship he has with Ayado at present doesn’t fall apart. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t also praise Ayado here. For as much as I’ll call her Brown Idiot along with the other colored idiots. In this episode she really shown forth. She was the one who asked Ito if they could remain friends in spite of the awkwardness of their current relationship. 

Side Note Again: I hear peeps start chirping about “friend zones” and I’m going to seal every last one of you in a dimensional labyrinth where you perpetually have to live with your feelings being unrequited until you learn how to have an actual relationship with other human beings rather than constantly hunting down a “Relationship”.

So with new life breathed into half of the supporting cast of the series we proceeded on with the show’s normal shenaniganery. Pink Idiot is being hounded to enter the school beauty contest. She doesn’t want to. Blue Idiot shoves his foot down his own throat trying to reassure her instead of picking up on the giant neon sign over her head saying, “I don’t want the attention”. 

However, she ends up entering anyway when she finds out that the reason her class’s rep has been hounding her is because he’s smitten with his fellow committee member and wants their class to do well in the festival so she can have a good final culture festival before graduating and maybe he can grow the balls to confess to her.

Blue Idiot is perplexed by her sudden change of attitude, and then...

Oh, 3DK, you so funny. This is totally not contrived at all. I mean who WOULDN’T want the guy who’s been antisocial until the past month or so, was briefly suspected of being a lolicon, and is DATING ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS to be the head judge? 

You better pull some “It was a random lottery assignment” bollocks out of your ass next episode or I’m calling TRUE bullshit.

Thoughts: Hot damn that was a long synopsis. I have mixed feelings about the development between Ito and Ayado. On the one hand: I’m glad we’re finally getting around to showing the rest of the cast some love. On the other hand: I’m asking myself how the hell the show is going to fuck it up.

I can only pray that things don’t turn out like last season. Starting on a promising note. Holding that expectation for a few episodes, and then lurching down a gutter-full of broken promises and shattered dreams.

You know what? No! Last season’s sudden detour isn’t worth that exciting a description. More like “Sedately turning onto an interstate of rolling grassland so abundant that you’re actually excited to see a gods-damned cow because it’s at least something to break up the sanity-smothering MONOTONY!”

It strikes me that Ito and Ayado’s relationship is sort of polar opposite to Blue Idiot and Pink Idiot’s. While our main characters decided to rush into dating and things have (nominally) worked out for them from there. Ito and Ayado are slow-burning things. They’re building the relationship from the ground up. Starting as friends with the POTENTIAL to become more. I just hope that this actually goes somewhere instead of being glossed over in favor of more zany hijinks with the Idiot Couple. Though if I’m being honest... It’s not a very big hope.

Until next post keep talking fiction, friends! I’ll see you soon.

[gyromitra-esculenta]

Crackverse 9: Old Soldiers

For dear waifu @drift-ed that bugged me about crack enough. The ugly-ass sweaters are mentioned only in passing, Jack and Sombra bond over, and there is a mention of Smurf tits and weaponized tennis tables. Masterlist:  Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5Part 6 Part 7 Xmas New Year Part 8 Soulmate AU

It was all peachy and dandy until the goon decided to pull a gun on Jack. Jack didn’t like having guns pointed at him.

“Grumps, uh…” Sombra switched to a private-private channel. “Shouldn’t we, like, call an ambulance, or something?”

“Anonymous tip-off. Done five minutes ago.”

“But… he just went up to him five minutes ago?”

“Yes.”

“Madre de Dios, does that happen that often!?”

“Have I ever told you about the Paris Table Incident? That one got recorded.”

“You’re an evil, evil man. I know I shouldn’t, I will regret it, but I’m going to look that up right now.”

*

“It was like watching a beautiful hyper-train wreck. I knew I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t take my eyes off. It wasn’t a publicity stunt?”

“No.”

“That was real?”

“We tried to pull it off the web.”

“Whoever titled it ‘Five easy steps to disable bastion unit with a tennis table’ was a goddamn marketing genius.”

“Yep.”

“Why the tennis table though?”

“It was on hand.”

“And, grumps, you willingly share the bed with that thing? Respeto.”

“As long as I don’t cheat on him.”

“Good abuelo doesn’t know about your boyfriends then.”

“…shit.” To be perfectly frank, Gabriel admitted, he had forgotten that little detail himself.

“Are you both done fucking around? I’m fucking boiling,” pinged at the other private channel.

*

Keeping Hakim occupied enough to not notice a human bulldozer going through his ‘security’ wasn’t that hard. Keeping himself from snorting out loud when Sombra sent him a picture of an almost literal pile of bodies of said ‘security’ was a challenge.

“Well…” And that poor bastard who just lost half of his teeth on the other side of the wall. “Keep at it. Once you set a trap you never know what will fall into it.”

“Hilarious,” Jack grumbled on the line. “Your plans fucking suck. Where the fuck are you?”

“Of which we have a perfect example just now,” Gabriel rolled his eyes behind his mask and when Sombra finally let the feed go through he ghosted away to the sound of Hakim’s indignant squawk at the sight of his ‘security’ properly disposed of. Or virtually annihilated. It was time to start the show. “Right here, Jack.”

The following scream of pain was indisputably deserving of an Oscar, Gabriel thought.

*

Winston harrumphed lightly at the sight of D.Va and Tracer dancing to the song Lucio was in the act of composing at the moment. Was that Beethoven he heard in the background?

“Winston, luv, watcha want?” Lena giggled at him, waving her hands erratically in the air.

“Oh, yes, did Soldier tell you anything about, hm, a trip to Egypt?”

“Sure, luv, he’s getting his mum.”

Winston’s left eyelid twitched nervously when he thought about exactly what potential female specimen could have spawned the man in question. Sure, he was capable and useful, certainly resourceful and knowledgeable about combat operations, but the temper. God, the temper and the mouth on him…

“His mother?”

“To be exact,” Lucio nodded, “he was more like ‘mommy won’t be hiding for much longer now’.”

“Our own grandma, imagine that!” Hana high-fived Tracer.

“Holy shit,” Jesse let the camera fall to the couch beside him, eyes wide, meeting the questioning gaze of the other three people and one genetically modified gorilla in the room. “I just, uh, remembered, I was supposed to buy Genji the return ticket. Be right back!”

*

“You motherfucking arsehole! You fucking shot me!”

“Jackie, baby, we agreed on that,” Gabriel had a creeping feeling of suspicion tugging at the back of his mind that maybe, maybe, he, unbeknownst to himself, did manage to botch something up.

“We fucking agreed on the fucking lower back!”

“That’s not much of a difference, baby?”

“Gabriel,” it was the full name now and the warning edge he hadn’t heard since forever in Jack’s voice. He… was definitely in serious trouble here. “I’m not fucking wearing fucking armor on my ass!”

Shit. There it was.

“Jackie…”

“Well, you should, anciano,” Sombra yet again invaded the ‘private’ channel, she was worse than Pharaoh’s ants. “To protect your assets.”

The deafening silence on the other side of the comm could have only meant one of the two outcomes possible – and neither of them was any good, honestly. Gabriel readied for screams, or to duck behind a cover under a barrage of pulse fire because, if the universe worked properly – and it usually did regarding its capability to screw him over – Jack was somewhere with a good vantage point. And just behind Gabriel’s position.

“You know, that was actually pretty good, chica,” Jack chuckled.

“I know, I was sitting on it for days, abuelo.”

Well, Gabriel certainly had not expected that, and neither had he expected the silent dread welling up in his gut at the sudden realization that if they teamed up… No, he was better off not even trying to think about it.

*

“Genji, code red, y’all not going to fucking believe it!” Jesse almost screamed into the phone while pacing on the roof of the watchpoint.

“I’m not believing it already because I’m looking right now at a pair of Smurf tits.”

Jesse stopped and reconsidered.

“What?”

“Smurf tits.”

“…why?” This was a question Jesse was almost afraid to ask.

“Check your mail, I forwarded it.”

“…dude, answer me first, are these Smurf tits of the Papa Smurf banging Smurfette variety, or just regular Smurf tits variety?” Jesse formulated his words with some modicum of care while propping the phone on his arm and navigating the datapad’s menu awkwardly.

“Regular Smurf tits variety,” Genji confirmed with the accompaniment of a baby crying in the background.

“Huh. I got two.” Few fast swipes and Jesse had to sit down. “Okay, one, what’s with the ankle biter? Two, did she really write out the accent? Three, why did she mailbomb our server?”

“One, I’m flying coach, because someone forgot to buy me a ticket. Two, yes. Three, heck if I know.”

“Dude, I’m sorry, my condolences. I’m coming to pick ya up.”

*

Kicking in doors was never regarded as a subtle method of an entrance to a safehouse, but, considering, Gabriel had nothing in particular against it at that very moment, not when the whole 'lower back' dispute just blew over miraculously. The privacy thing notwithstanding, he should thank Sombra for her horrific puns she and Jack seemed to bond over - even if the very idea of that happening made his skin crawl uncomfortably. Maybe another of those atrocious sweaters would do, and getting Jack out of one shouldn't be a problem at all.

“I'm taking it out of your fucking ass,” the man in question mumbled in between the kisses and generous groping.

“Of course, Jackie,” Gabriel went for another kiss when a strange whistling sound caught his attention, along with a pinprick in his neck. He swatted at it dislodging something metallic.

“Haven't I told you, boys, not to ever try to trick the trickster?”

Jack's eyes rolled back and he went down like a literal sack of bricks.

“...fuck,” Gabriel managed to mutter before he joined him on the floor.

*

Gabriel had to honestly admit he felt properly and thoroughly chastised for being an unreasonable melodramatic moron with no imagination whatsoever, and he couldn’t fault Ana for quietly announcing the whole list of reasons why she was so, so disappointed with both of them. The mention of her having to remove the buckshot by hand had him wincing, really.

But now, they sat with the tea slowly getting cold, mesmerized by the spectacle taking place on the opposite side of the table.

Said spectacle laid sprawled on the couch and giggled menacingly while slapping his own face. Gabriel was thankful for the nanite metabolism that got rid of the cocktail fast and painless.

“Remind me that if there ever is a choice between sedating him, and shooting this stupid head of his off, there is no choice.” Ana shuddered.

“Yeah. This is easily the second scariest thing I’ve seen in my life,” Gabriel agreed. Jack mumbled something while almost putting two fingers in his eye and drifted away into the realm of sleep, again.

“I’m afraid to ask what was actually the scariest one,” Ana took a sip.

“I…” Gabriel faltered, returning for a second to the gut-wrenching horror when… No, it was better to leave it in the past. “I’d rather not say,” he added sourly.

“I see,” Ana patted his arm calmly, sighing. “At least now you are both all right. More or less.”

“So, how did you figure it out?”

“Gabe,” she rolled her eye, “you’re both bad enough on your own, but together, you are two biggest dramatic fucks I’ve ever known in my life. ‘I know your every move before you even think it’? I might even feel a little bit insulted.”

“Fair point.” Gabriel almost dropped the cup when Jack chose this exact moment to jerk awake, laugh manically, and then roll off the couch and land with a loud thud on the floor. One pale hand slowly rose in the air.

“Papi…!” Jack whined from under the table.

*

“…and conzidering ze dating-zess-pool of Talon has ze collaborative iq of pond zcum…” Lucio suspended his dramatic reading of Widowmaker’s e-mail to wave at Jesse and Genji. “…I turn to you in ze hope of alleviating zis issue…”

“What the fuck y’all doing?”

“Cowboy, good you’re here,” Hana zeroed on Jesse, her smile putting most of the known species of shark to shame. “We’ve reached a group decision you are going to take one for the team. If she gets laid, maybe she’s going to be less of a bitch to deal with!”

“Are y’all fucking daft!? Genji?”

“Oh. No, you’re on your own, McCree,” the cyborg took a step back. “After all, you forgot to buy me the return ticket.”

“You’re going bowling Saturday night, luv, the lane’s booked!” Tracer gleefully declared while handing him reservation details.