#THIS ONE SPECIFIC PART OF THE ROAD IS SO FUCKING BAD. ITS ALL BUMPS N LIKE BRO? I HAVE TO CYCLE OVER THAT?

[your-fave-is-bi]

riding a bicycle: heehee i go fast i cycle past corn fields n feel nice being home after riding bicycle home over the shittiest of cycle paths: sitting hurts.

[howaminotinthestrokesyet]

Road Dogs: Metallica on Tour

Metallica‘s first ever gig took place at Radio City in Anaheim, California in March 1982. Their set list included primarily covers with only two original songs, “Hit the Lights” and “Fight Fire with Fire.” They did Savage’s ‘Let It Loose,’ Blitzkrieg’s ‘Blitzkrieg,’ Sweet Savage’s ‘Killing Time’ and four Diamond Head tracks. For diehard fans, this original lineup did not include Cliff Burton as of yet, but instead Ron McGovney. They eventually asked him to leave the group because the guitarist did not contribute anything of value. Another good reason came in the fact that Dave Mustaine fought with him repeatedly. James Hetfield would later say this about that show. “There were a lot of people there, maybe 200, because we had all my school friends and all Lars’ and Ron’s and Dave’s buddies. I was really nervous and a little uncomfortable without a guitar, and then during the first song Dave broke a string. It seemed to take him an eternity to change it and I was standing there really embarrassed. We were really disappointed afterwards. But there were never as many people at the following shows as there were at that first one.”

Metallica’s second and third show took place at the Whiskey a Gogo in Los Angeles. This venue would be where Hetfield and Lars Ulrich first heard future bassist Cliff Burton and his band Trauma. More recently, Ulrich revealed diary entries related to Metallica’s appearances there. "No sound check. Sound was awful. Played great myself, but the band as a whole sucked. Went down OK." The group opened for Saxon, who the drummer had met six months prior after sneaking backstage during one of their shows. After the concert, the monitor engineer asked Ulrich if he had ever heard of Diamondhead. “Of course, we have, we just played a bunch of their songs!" As it turned out, the crew member was only joking about Diamond Head. He would later go on to work for Metallica in the same position for 22 years.

On April 16, 1983 Metallica played its first show with new guitarist Kirk Hammett at the Showplace in Dover, New Jersey. They had begun recording their debut album Kill ‘Em All in Rochester, New York at that time. The set list included all original material that would land on that first album making up nine songs. Hammett had replaced Dave Mustaine, who held quite a bit of ill will towards him for years claiming in 1985 that Kirk ripped off all his guitar riffs, which got him noticed in the metal community. In defense of Hammett, he was simply trying not to make waves in his new group as Ulrich and Hetfield had definitely decided not to cut any contributions from Mustaine.

On March 5, 1983 Metallica played its first show with Cliff Burton at The Stone in San Francisco, who had replaced Ron McGovney. In 2018, a recording of the show came to light online, which you can listen to on YouTube. The lineup still included Dave Mustain as well taking place a month before the other band members would fire him. They performed 12 songs that night essentially previewing everything to be included on their debut album. At that time, James Hetfield was still struggling over whether he should sing lead. On the recording, you can tell why this became the case as his voice sounds incredibly scratchy with absolutely no technique whatsoever. The show also became memorable as a Cliff Burton debuted the future track, “Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth).”

Cliff Burton played his last show was Metallica in Stockholm, Sweden in September 1986 before his tragic passing. A few years ago, Metallica released a boxed set of rarities for their album, Master of Puppets, which included a recording of that final show. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett talked about their memories of that last concert with Cliff. Ulrich noted, “We played the show in Stockholm, and it went incredibly well. I think it may have been a rare case where we actually played an additional song that wasn’t on the set list, because the show was so good. That’s not something we did a lot then or now. So there was a good vibe.” Hammett would say this in the same interview, “It was significant because it was the first show where James played guitar again (Wrist Injury). He strapped on a guitar and was able to play the encore; I think it was “Blitzkrieg” or something. But I remember the five of us, including John Marshall, being really stoked James was back and playing and looking like was gonna make a pretty healthy recovery. I distinctly remember that show being good, and the feeling when we got offstage was really great and positive and forward-looking. Like, “Great, James is back in and it won’t be long ’til we’re back to our old selves again.”

In November 1986, Jason Newsted would play his first show with Metallica at the Country Club in Reseda, California. He did so in front of a sparse crowd because it had been a secret show for the group Metal Church. Newsted had played with the band for only a short time during rehearsals for the next album. James Hetfield introduced Newsted for the very first time in this way. “Welcome to the very, very secret Metallica gig that every fucker knows about! Here’s the new fucker right over here man, this is the guy… Jason Newsted, we fucking love him, man, so make him feel at home, alright? I want to have some fun tonight.” Their set list would consist of 14 songs from their first three album releases.

In the summer of 1992, Metallica decided to perform a few dates with Guns ‘N Roses. The hype for these shows represented the tour of the year, but the show in Montreal turned into a tragic affair. A pyrotechnic accident occurred as they performed “Fade To Black” causing second and third degree burns on half of singer James Hetfield's body. He recalled the incident, “I'm burnt – all my arm, my hand completely, down to the bone. The side of my face, hair's gone. Part of my back. ... I watched the skin just rising, things going wrong." Jason Newsted would remember that Hetfield looked like the Toxic Avenger from his vantage point. The group immediately cut the show short, so the singer could receive medical attention. He would later say that during the trip to the hospital a road crew member bumped his burnt hand leading him to punch the guy in his “nuts.” For fans still at the show, things only got worse as Guns ‘N Roses delayed getting on stage for two hours. Axl Rose probably only sang for 20 minutes before cutting his night short. GNR Had known what had happened to Hetfield, but they still phoned it in anyway. After that, 2000 people rioted in protest followed by several arrests. This night would lead to great animosity between the two groups for years continuing to this day, but it should be noted that Metallica acted professionally completing the tour with an injured Hetfield. Slash of Guns N’ Roses would later talk about the tour being a financial disaster for them. “Metallica was earning the exact same paycheck as we were every night but while they pocketed the whole thing, we were blowing 80 percent both on union dues for all of the overtime we cost ourselves going on late and on these stupid theme parties. It was just bad." Axl had spent extravagantly on backstage parties in an effort to impress members of Metallica.

In April 1999, Metallica recorded two performances on successive nights with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra led by Michael Kamen. The idea for such a concert had first come up when they worked with the composer on the Black Album song, “Nothing Else Matters.” He had approached them about such a collaboration, but never heard anything until years later receiving a phone call from Lars Ulrich. They filmed the live show at Berkeley Community Theater in San Francisco as Kamen had written additional material to supplement Metallica’s arrangements. The band also released two new songs specifically for the show, “No Leaf Clover” and “Human.” According to James Hetfield, This idea of combining heavy metal and classical music was originally an idea brought up by Cliff Burton, who had a strong background in both. One can see this throughout Metallica’s songwriting in their early years as the bassist relied on melody and instrumental qualities found in classical compositions like his favorite one, Johan Sebastian Bach. S&M would be released as a concert film and an album, with the latter reaching number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

In 1991, Metallica would play a concert in Russia that has become the stuff of legends because 1.6 million people watched it in person. The highlight of the show came when they played “Enter Sandman” as one could see Russian military personnel rocking out just as hard as anybody else. One must note that they were not the only band there that day as other artists included the Black Crowes, Queensryche, Motley Crue, and AC/DC. The Monsters of Rock Festival would only occur this one year in what would become the former Soviet Union. Motley Crue had played one of the early versions of the festival in 1984, but ironically Metallica had surpassed them as a more popular headliner by this time.

In August 2020, Metallica became the first rock act to perform a pre-recorded concert for Encore Live’s drive-in series. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, live concerts were canceled all over the world, so artists like Blake Shelton and Garth Brooks participated in this drive-in movie concert experience. Tickets to view this at your local drive-in cost $115 for up to six people per car. The show took place at an undisclosed location near their home in San Rafael, California.

[bangtanlalaland]

getaway car | kth (m.)

synopsis ⇣ you and your boyfriend are on the run, having robbed your town’s local bank. the both of you spend what you feel may be your last moments together.

— established relationship!au

⇢pairing: kim taehyung x female reader

⇢genre: angst, fluff, pwp, smut

⇢word count: 2.9k

⇢contents ⨯ warnings: sub!taehyung, dom!reader, car sex (unprotected but plz stay safe!), some swearing, some insults lolol (it’s all out of love), masturbation, squirting, voyeurism (oop), oral sex (f receiving), soft love making in this (oof), mentions of a crime (robbing a bank specifically)

a/n: somewhat inspired by the movie “queen and slim” (the sex scene was beautiful omf) also this is unedited because i’m a lazy hoe ok sorryyyy

song rec: “getaway car” by audioslave

The revving sound of the car’s engine rumbles, as you and Taehyung cruise through the California desert—having been driving for hours. The scorching sun and dry atmosphere grants a sheen of perspiration, your clothes now glued to your skin. It’s hot and so are you. You ogle at the view of Taehyung on your left, in the driver’s seat with his arm bent and leaning out the window—one hand gripping the steering wheel and his curly, blonde strands flowing through the breeze. You quickly realize how much you miss his usual dark-chocolate hair, but you know this was all part of the plan.

He borrowed his father’s old Ford Mustang from like the 70’s and unfortunately there is no air conditioner—to which you now regret the decision to go on the run with said vehicle. You deliberately fan yourself with the sundress in which you’re attired, but the act didn’t help much, just breezing more warm air onto your being.

“Fuck,” you let out with a sigh of frustration. Taehyung knows that you tend to have an attitude when you’re: 1) hungry; 2) on your period; or 3) just too damn hot.

He notes your aggravated expression. “What’s up, babe?”

You roll your eyes in reply, “It literally feels like the devil’s ass right now. Is there any place we could stop by for some air?” You quickly add, “Conditioning!”

He chuckles at your annoyed figure, and you hate when he teases you. You instantly scoff, “It’s not funny, okay! You know how I get when I’m too hot.”

With a coy smirk, he adds, “But, you already are.” He peers at you for a quick moment to wiggle his eyebrows before glaring back to the road ahead.

“Seriously, Taehyung. Fuck you!”

He shakes his head, his tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip as he attempts to bite back that boxy grin of his. “I really wouldn’t mind.”

You roll your eyes so hard that you’re surprised you don’t have a headache by now.

“Relax, babe. Besides, we have another 40 miles out until the nearest anything.” Your jaw drops at his comment, and you let out a choked laugh. You feel like screaming.

“You’ve got to be kidding, right?” You probe, twisting your body to face him directly. He shrugs, “Clearly, you don’t know how to read.”

Your eyes naturally narrow in on the asshole, and you playfully jab his arm.

“But seriously, we’ll stop soon,” is all he says. You give a pout towards his comment—your lips poking out in a childish way, followed by crossing your arms.

“No fair,” You whine. “We are going to have to stop anyway a lot sooner than you think. Look at the damn gas!”

Taehyung notes the gas marker sits just above “E.” He verbally swears, “Ah, fuck!”

You shake your head at his silly self, “And you say I can’t read,” you add with a devious smirk and a quirked brow. He seethes, squinting his eyes at you and sucking his teeth.

“Suck my dick.”

You burst out in a laughter that has his insides fluttering. You can’t help how hilarious it is whenever you catch Taehyung slipping. You gasp for air, still laughing your heart out, and he couldn’t help himself from shining that familiar boxy grin you grew to love.

“Ah! It’s not even that funny.” He spills, every so often glancing at your heaving figure in the passenger seat. You slap your thigh and cover your face, attempting to shake away the giggles—your cheeks now hurting from laughing dramatically.

You retort, “You should have seen your face!” Taehyung snarks at you, his hair blowing through the breeze and golden skin glowing gorgeously; and you honestly have never seen anything more breathtaking. He notes your expression and lands his eyes back on the road.

“What are you lookin’ at?” A small smile paints across your face whilst you slip, “The hottest man on the planet.” His gaze snaps toward you in a quick fashion, and he doesn’t miss the way you examine him as if he’s a species you’d just discovered. With the added heat, your hormones are on overdrive; you shamelessly trail your hand onto his thigh, inching toward his groin area.

“W-whoa, baby what are you-” He’s cut off by your palm resting on top of his soft cock, gently grazing against the material—adding a soft amount of pressure. He grips the steering wheel tighter, just in case. You watch his facial expressions tentatively, pressing your hand down just a tad more; you love how the hiss spills from between his teeth, a soft groan shortly follows after.

“Mmm, do you like that? Like when I touch you here?” You coo, rubbing your fingers in a circular motion; your pussy throbs at the way his cock suddenly twitches from behind his slacks. He whines, wanting so desperately to rut against your hand, but he can’t. His foot remains on the gas pedal, and he doesn’t want to swerve off the road and/or risk getting into an accident. He sits there, taking whatever you give him. His eyes are glued to the steaming asphalt ahead, not breaking his stare; which slightly irritates you, granting a harsh squeeze within your grip.

Taehyung’s foot presses down on the pedal too harshly, by accident, and he instantly chokes out, “Yes, b-baby! I love it- When you touch me, Mmmm.” Your lips quirk up and you immediately snatch your hand away—gaining a small whine paired with a pout. Taehyung’s eyebrows furrow as he looks to you for a brief second, and he almost runs off the road.

“____,” he warns with that deep voice of his. You have your hands groping your breasts, as wanton moans spill from you. You close your eyes and throw your head back, in hopes that he’d watch you some more; maybe doing so would convince him to pull over already. And he does, continuing to catch glances of you while struggling to drive, yet each time he steals a gaze, you progress more and more. With your legs now spread out and lace panties on display, you rub your fingers across your clothed core, the soft material soaking itself in your wet.

“Want you to touch me, Tae Tae.” You whisper softly, but loud enough for him to hear. He swallows a thick gulp while peering at your hidden goods for a split second. You moan just a little too loud, wanting his attention on you again. He curses under his breath, his forehead glistens with sweat.

“Want to bury my pussy in your face,” You pull the thin material to the side, showcasing your lady lips. Taehyung witnesses the action and his cock jumps, an aching boner gradually approaching; you hear a growl escape from his lips—which prompts you to egg him on even more.

“Fuck, babe.”

“Touch me, Tae. Touch me now,” you demand, using a finger to glide along your folds, spreading your wetness. He takes another glance at you and back to the road, letting his right hand free to make its path toward you. His lengthy fingers reach out a little further, and graze upon your core—causing a low gasp from you.

You moan, “More.”

His left hand remains on the steering wheel, while his right continues to coat his fingers in your arousal—the slick, wet feeling causes his cock to harden to its full potential. You naturally buck your hips to follow his motions, and you gain another moan from him. He unintentionally grazes upon your clit, and your thighs jerk in response. He pulls his fingers from you and pops them in his mouth, tasting your essence.

He hums in reply and blurts out, “Fuck! That’s it. I’m pulling over.”

The sudden jolt of the car causes you to slide across the seat, bumping into Taehyung slightly. He abruptly parks the car on the side of the road, right onto the dry land of the desert. The door on the driver’s side shuts rigidly; Taehyung marches around the car and flings your door wide open.

“On your knees.” You command; and being the gentleman he is, he kneels down. You lift your bottom from the seat to remove your panties, throwing them somewhere out of reach; your legs spread open on their own accord, and Taehyung forcefully drags you closer to the edge of the seat—his arms wrapped under your knees. His intriguing, hooded lids fixed on your heat, his knees slightly burn from the scorching plains of the desert.

Your fingers run through his strands, lightly caressing his scalp. “Such a good boy. Now eat me.”

You push his head further down and the tip of his nose nuzzles your clit, his lips covering themselves in your wet—his tongue graces itself upon your inner lips, gliding along the juicy flesh. Your head falls back, while your grip on his hair tightens, forcing him to devour you whole whilst your hips grind against his face. Low hums and groans spill from your man, as he takes all of you into his steamy mouth.

“S-so fucking good,” You moan, Taehyung’s finger nails dig into your thighs, his tongue lays itself flat—the wet muscle skids up and down your labia, smothering you in his saliva. He purposely stops right before reaching your clit, repeating the action over and over again. A drawn out moan falls from you, and you tug his strands a tad too much, causing him to whimper under your hold.

You rut yourself against his tongue and state, “Bad boy! No teasing.” He pulls away and takes a quick look at your pussy that shimmers with his spit, then he peers up at you—staring straight into your eyes and watching as your chest rises and falls with each labored breath. He opens his mouth just enough to cover your clit, teasing you yet again and you grow impatient—needing to feel his lips on your throbbing clitoris. He inches closer and closer; you desperately push his head further and finally his soft, pink, plush lips encase around your needy nub. Lewd sucking noises follows soon after, and you treasure the view of Taehyung devouring your clit, vigorously jostling his head back and forth. Your grip on his curls falters, and you find yourself falling flat on your back, finding purchase on top of your thighs, nails grazing across the skin.

“Oh, ungh! T-tae” You lose your breath for a moment, keening in on the noises he makes with his juicy tongue and soaked lips, that you nearly miss the sound of a car passing by. Your moans now turned into cries, your kitty clenches and just as you thought this was enough, you feel Tae’s fingers rubbing along your folds, smothering them in your wetness. He inserts one of those long fingers and buries himself to the knuckle, whilst lapping at your clit. He pumps vigorously, and you find yourself squirming underneath him.

“Mmmm,” is all you hear him say as he doesn’t let up on eating you out.

“Fuck yes, just like that.” You add, swaying your hips to meet his finger thrusts. He sneaks in a second finger, and your walls welcome them in completely. You grip the leather seat of the car, and wriggle within his hold. He brushes up against that spot deep within you, fucking you with his fingers. Taehyung’s member knocks against his slacks, as if calling out to your kitty. You’re so wet that you coat his fingers nicely—like a lubricant.

“Yes, yes you’re going- t-to make me cum!” You cry out, he jabs into you at a quicker pace, creating squelches that’s like music to his hears. He lodges a wad of spit onto your cunt, then flits his tongue out to prescisely stimualte your clit yet again. He creates a “come here” motion with his fingers, ramming into that same sweet spot repeatedly. A strained cry escapes from you, and everything is blazing.

“Mmm, fuck!” Your legs quiver out of control, and you feel something build up only to be bought down as your pussy shivers, spurts of liquid project onto the car seat and Taehyung’s fingers, some reaching his blouse and his chin. Your body grows limp—having been drowned out by your orgasm, but he doesn’t let his tongue up. He pulls and tugs your lips, licking along your entire mound—touching your now sensitive clit in the process.

You lie there watching him and push his head away to keep him from touching you anymore, “Drink up, baby boy.”

“Yes ma’am.” You love how he complies, slurping the juices that stream down the seat. You beam at his obedience, and there’s this fluttering-like feeling within you that approaches—something like butterflies in your stomach. Taehyung watches you with those big, asymmetrical eyes. You scoot back to let him in on the passenger’s seat, and he seats himself, slightly soaking his slacks from your juices. But he doesn’t break his stare from you, and you feel scorching under his gaze. You pull the hem of your sundress and over your head, dropping the material somewhere behind you. Taehyung unbuttons his silky blouse just a few buttons, putting those sexy collarbones on display. His lips part at the sight of your black, lace bra.

“You’re so beautiful, you know that?” He reassures, rubbing your thigh and easing his grip onto your waist, pulling you on top of him. You straddle him in the cramped space, grinding your pussy along his clothed cock, a tender yet odd sensation of the fabric of his slacks as it grazing amongst your core. Taehyung catches your lips in a heated kiss, small moans muffled and whimpers caught in between breaths. A soft cry spills from you, and tears prick at the corners of your eyes. He notes how you’ve shut your mouth closed, and a frown graces upon your expression.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” He asks, brushing his fingers across your cheeks to caress them softly.

You can’t ignore the anxiety that fills you from the thought of being caught. What will happen to the both of you? Surely you’ll pay for your time, but then that would mean you and Taehyung would be separated, and who knows for how long?

You shake your head at the thought of it all, “I-I’m so scared. What if we-” You can’t finish your sentence, cut off by your sobs.

There’s a pang in Taehyung’s chest at your words, and he cups your cheeks to fix your gaze onto him.

“Look at me,” He says with a hint of certainty laced in his sentence. Your eyes pry open, soaked with tears.

“Look, I’m not gonna let anyone hurt you. Okay?” He expresses, pressing soft pecks to your lips. Your fingers lace within his hair while you continue where you left off before, grinding yourself against him. The warmth of his body consumes you, that the summers heat is long forgotten.

You moan in between kisses, “Please, Tae.” You pull away and stare into his eyes for a moment, finding placement on the button of his pants, unzipping the zipper. He lifts himself up to tug his slacks and briefs down to his ankles in one go.

His hard cock bolts upwards, the rosy-tinted tip shimmers with precum—that oozes from the slit.

“Need you,” you whine, wrapping your fingers around him—eager to pump his shaft. Taehyung grips your waist, his Adam’s apple bobs in the moment of his moaning—as the tip of his cock brushes against your pussy lips. He bucks his hip upwards, pushing himself past your entrance, and you engulf his thick length inside of you that stretches you out like no other.

Broken moans fill up the atmosphere.

“Fuck,” he slips. You gush at the melody of his moans filling up your ears; his large hands press against your back, as he darts his tongue out to lap at your breast, sucking your nipple and caressing the other. He starts with a sluggish pace, jamming up into you, but you want more—crave more.

“Harder.” You order, slamming back down to meet his thrusts. He rams up into you, making you jolt upwards, almost hitting the roof of the car. You note another car that passes by. He places kisses along your jawline, leaving a trail down to your neck and collarbone.

Your fingers pull on his strands a little harder, both of your bodies drenched in sweat. Taehyung forces himself to hit your spot repeatedly.

“I love you,” He lets out followed by another moan, “Love you so much, you know that?” You both pant for air, too lost in the feel of each other and too caught up in the moment; you ease your fingers down to find your clit and rub furiously.

Taehyung grazes his nails along your ass cheeks, while still fucking up into you. He lands a harsh smack, gaining a yelp from you.

He takes a break to let you gain control, and you deliberately ride his cock, the sounds of your thighs smacking against his makes him shudder underneath you.

“I-I’m going to cum, babe. Fuck!” You clench around him intentionally, wanting to make him cum inside of you. Just as he spilled those words, you fall like apart on top of him. He gives a few last harsh strokes, to help ride out your orgasm, whilst also gaining one of his own.

“Oh, Taehyung!” Your fingernails graze along his scalp, with trembling thighs and a pulsing cunt, you gasp for air—immersed in your orgasm. Taehyung slips a drawn-out moan, as spurts of warm cum project deep inside of you. Your grasp from his hair loosens up, and you pull away to lost yourself in those hooded lids that made you fall in love.

“I love you, too. So much.” You say passion, wrapping your arms around his neck—never wanting to let go, feeling protected in his embrace.

[hysteriium]

𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭;

(𝐆𝐢𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞)!

(𝐀/𝐍 ): Ok. So. I really got carried away with this. TOMMY DESERVES LOVE OKAY???? I hope y’all enjoy! Kinda scared it sucks and I will be surprised if people read this but anyways lol – this is a lengthy boi! :)

( 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 ): Request for @enigmaticandunstable​. The reader reflects on memories and the moments leading up to how her life was changed forever.

( 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 ): Thomas Hewitt x Reader.

( 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 ): 7800+ k. 

( 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ): Mentions of gore, fake friends, violence and swearing.

(I was previously @clownsxclowns, though I’ve recently changed my name to @hysteriium​)!     ͢  ⁽ᵉᵈⁱᵗᵉᵈ ᵒⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ¹¹ᵗʰ ᵒᶠ ᶠᵉᵇ ²⁰²¹⁾ 

You dangled your legs while sitting on the porch as Luda May spoke inside with Hoyt. You were unsure as to what the subject matter was, but they had been arguing for the past few minutes; his reassurances, particularly that she worried too much only worked to rile her up more. 

In some contradictory way it manifested a warm, homely sensation of tranquillity; the tingling in your chest a response to the joy of what you had – who you had. 

A family. 

With the Texan weather scorching and almost unbearable, it reminded you of another time. 

One specific day. 

One you recalled.

One that changed your life, forever.  

The Texan sun burnt into your flesh like a brand, making your skin red-hot and sticky. Without so much as a breeze, you remained perched in the back of your friend’s van, cramped up while the sweat welded your shirt to your form. Your desperate hands floated in front of you as they fanned the beads of sweat trickling down your forehead, leaving salty tracks in their path. 

You were practically sold on the idea that you’d all suffocate to death before reaching your destination. 

Mustering what was probably the last bit of energy you had, you called out to the driver. There was no way out of all the passengers on board you were the only one on the beginnings of delirium. With a quick observation it was clear heat exhaustion had coiled around everyone’s bodies, rendering them lax against the van walls.   

“It’s a fucking oven back here, we need to stop somewhere,” you shouted, amongst the bumps of the road. 

A chorus of agreement was heard, agitated murmurs and obscenities filling the thick air around you. In the rearview mirror, you could see your friend glaring at you, their eyes tight and squinting.

“Alright, alright. We passed a small store a few minutes ago. I’ll turn back,” is all they responded with. 

As the sounds of relief spread throughout the van, the piercing screech of the vehicle turning forced you to cover your ears, and before you knew it, you were thrown to the other side. Sliding across the open floor of the van, you ended up sandwiching one of the others between the wall. 

You grumbled a sorry once the van stabilised, and turned to face the only person you knew on this god awful road trip, just catching the ends of their mischevious smile. 

“Bitch,” you uttered, their laugh cutting through everyone else’s groans of pain. 

Untrue to their word, it was half an hour or so before you reached the stop they were talking about.

‘A few minutes my ass,’ you cursed internally.

It wasn’t the first time you began to believe the trip was a bad idea, but the belief was becoming more and more solidified as the minutes ticked by. The churning of your gut never failed you, and so it was a mystery as to why you had chosen to ignore it on this occasion. 

As everyone camped inside the convenience store, huddled around one of the tables, you were stationed on the other side of the wall waiting for (F/n) to come out of the bathroom. As boisterous laughter and the clacking of beer bottles filled the room, it wasn't hard to notice with a bit of observation that your group was annoying the lady at the counter; an annoyance that only worsened when one of the guys, you thought his name was Jerry, dropped his beer. Mostly empty, not much liquid coated the rotting floor planks; already in such a shambled state, it didn’t need any more stress. Instead, the glass shattered and the pieces had glided across the floor. Frantic movement behind the counter had your eyes darting towards the woman. Almost immediately you were scrambling to her side, fearful that she was going to kick you all out. 

“I’m so sorry about them, ma’am,” you shot her a sweet smile. 

She burned a look into you and it was far from friendly. She may as well have said ‘fuck off’. 

Regardless, you persisted. 

“I’ll clean up the mess and make sure it doesn’t happen again.” 

Your attempts to defuse the situation worked as she then wordlessly handed you a dustpan and broom. The scowl that had once manipulated her face lessened, and you just caught the hint of a smile. 

It was enough for you. 

You took the cleaning equipment and speedily cleaned up the scene of destruction while telling the group to be more careful. Like they were a bunch of teenagers, and you nothing more than a scolding mother, they booed at you. It was loud and obnoxious and there was no doubt the ruckus irked the owner even more. 

You felt your eyes roll at the act, the ever-increasing ache of homesickness weighing your chest down. After disposing of the remains, you returned the equipment to the older woman.

“Again, I’m really sorry about them,” you said, a small flush of embarrassment coating your cheeks.  

“That’s quite alright dear. Good things come to those who are polite,” she grinned. 

While it was sweet coming from the woman that was previously moments away from losing her temper and raining hellfire upon all of you, you couldn’t help but think the smile which tugged at her lips was ominous. 

Off. 

Eerie. 

It hastily tied a knot in your gut – something within you certain it wasn’t just the homesickness. 

You quickly excused yourself and said you needed fresh air, leaving her with a small nod. Not caring about what the fuck (F/n) was doing in the bathroom, you gladly walked back into the sun and welcomed the possibility of being fried like an egg.

Compelled by the seductive haze of autopilot, you made your way back to the van. You were going to let your head rest against the metal of the van, wanting to bask in the silence, until legs caught your eye. The legs on the other side of the vehicle were only visible from the gap between the floor and the van, their shoes unfamiliar. They certainly weren’t part of the group. 

The mystery struck you with a whirlwind of anxiety, forcing you to cautiously move toward the vehicle, and ultimately, to the person. You maneuvered around the back of the automobile, stopping just where the stretch ended.

There was a man hunched over, towards the passenger’s side door. Although it was hard to see at your angle with his back turned towards you, it looked like he was fiddling with something – hiding whatever it was in his hand. He wore a tan hat, the colour nearly matching his shirt, with coffee-coloured slacks.

“Sir?” 

The stranger froze. His brown pointed and worn leather shoes were the first thing to move towards you. When he rotated, your eyes darted to the glittering object perched on his shirt. It was a five-pointed star and it almost blinded you from the reflection of the sun. 

A nervous smile found its way to your face as it clicked, and like a common criminal, you felt your hands start to sweat. It wasn’t as if you had anything illegal on you; just being near officers made you nervous – as if you had unknowingly committed a crime.

“How may I help you, sheriff?” You said.

You assumed he was taken aback by your politeness because his bushy grey eyebrows jerked in surprise. Yet, it was gone as soon as it appeared and his face flickered back to a wrinkled scowl. 

Were people alien to courtesy here? Why were they so surprised whenever you showed a shred of civility?

“Honey, this here your van?” His accent drawled, breaking the stare off. It was thick and loud. 

The pet name made you want to gag, but you somehow restrained yourself.  

“No, it’s my friend’s. Why, is something wrong?”

He let out a hum, spitting to the side. “It’s not up to my standards.”

“Oh,” you paused to look back at the store, thumb pointing along with you, “I can get the owner if you’d like?” 

He failed to respond to your suggestion and advanced, looking you up and down. Your mouth grew dry, urging you to swallow. 

“What brings you to our little ol’ town, sweetheart?” He questioned. 

He was hardly a meter away and you were able to see his large pores, his blemishes and the days-old greying stubble that were bathed in sweat. 

“Oh, uh, just passing through,” your nervous laughter filled the air. The twitch of his nose signalled his suspicion as if he was a bloodhound specially bred for lies. 

“Keep outta trouble darlin’, or I’ll be seeing you.” 

“Y-Yes, sir.” 

His smile was anything but. It more of a sneer, with his snout crinkled. You were forced to watch his green-tinged spit hit the ground again as he squinted at you. His eyes lingered on your form for a short instant before he finally walked off. 

You couldn't contain the sigh of relief when he completely vanished from view and after a few more minutes, the group started spilling out of the store, just as rowdy as before. Two of them stumbled around, drunk. 

Great.

The urge to check what the Sheriff was doing to the car was shoved to the back of your mind. And then, the notion was entirely forgotten when you saw (F/n) return. You watched them run over to the driver’s seat, their shrill call declaring that the last person to get in was going to be left behind. 

You observed everyone catapult themselves into the back following their statement, and you ran to the passenger's seat, not entirely sure if (F/n) was joking or not. The chance of getting your old spot back was slim to none and it was only when they started up the car, blaring their uniquely shitty music that you regretted the decision entirely. 

Maybe you should’ve stayed behind.

The minutes passed by like hours. 

At the very least the heat had reached its peak with the passing of noon, making the weather more bearable. Finally, you were able to breathe without it seeming like you were travelling at a snail’s pace to death.

The clamour in the back had also fallen back and after some pleading, the music had dwindled down to a soft volume. 

As things started to turn around and peace seemed like a concept within reach, you found your mind wandering back to the sheriff. 

You felt compelled to tell (F/n).  

“Um hey,” you started, the awkward fumble getting their attention. “The sheriff came by earlier. He was kinda... weird.” 

“Sheriff?” They made a face, mimicking disgust, “are you about to tell me you almost got arrested?” 

You laughed.

“No, but you almost were. He was complaining about how your van wasn’t up to his standards.” 

Their gasp ripped through the air, sudden and dramatic. With one hand continuing to direct the steering wheel, the other made its way to the dashboard, rubbing the vinyl soothingly as if it had feelings. 

“Shhh, it’s okay baby, you’re up to my standards. You’re enough for me.”

“Okay, now I wish I had been arrested,” you mumbled, earning a laugh from (F/n), who had returned their attention to driving. 

“What an ass, my van’s perfect.” 

As if on cue, there was a loud ‘pop!’ It was one that startled everyone and a harmony of screams echoed throughout the car. (F/n) slammed on the breaks as the van swerved, thankful that the country road was large enough to accommodate the veering. 

“What the FUCK?” (F/n) shouted. 

The purr of the engine halted as (F/n) yanked the keys out of the ignition. Meanwhile, you worked to calm your pounding heart and your tattered breathing. A very audible string of curses fell from their lips once they realised what was wrong. 

They were on your side of the vehicle, the same area the Sheriff was at. Either he was right about the van not being up to standards, or he had done something to tamper with it. It was hard to believe that the sheriff could have done this, but then again he was kind of sketchy. If only you had checked prior, maybe this could have been avoided.

You hastily ignored the questions directed at you from the back as you followed (F/n)’s lead. Your clammy fingers gripped the door handle and curled around the latch before you pushed yourself out of the vehicle. (F/n) hunched over the front tire, their hands resting on their knees. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“The fucking tire’s exploded!” (F/n) exclaimed, their hands shooting up in an abrupt movement.  

“Exploded? How-”

They interrupted you with long strides and a face twisted up in anger. As they marched their way to the back door they harshly gripped the latch and heaved the door in one violent drag. Everyone in the back was silent as they seemingly looked up at the face of the devil. 

“Tire’s screwed. We’re gonna have to go searching for help.”

There were groans, but they were quickly crushed when (F/n) glared at the group, shutting them up. 

(F/n) started barking commands, motioning for the others to exit the vehicle. 

“(Y/n), the four of us are going to go search around. We should be back in a bit.”

“What? You’re leaving me!?” 

“Well someone needs to watch the van and I only trust you with that.” 

Another classic case of (F/n) buttering you up to get what they wanted. 

You caved. 

“Fine. Just don’t be too long. This place’s giving me bad vibes.” 

(F/n) mumbled something about feeling the same way before walking off with the rest of the group, leaving you alone and skittish. 

Your concept of time was flawed with only the sun and its position as your guide. Daylight was diminishing with every few minutes, and you found it increasingly hard to believe that the group was going to be back anytime soon. The bubbling anger that had manifested was yet to subside, the twinge of betrayal festering. You understood why they did what they did, but it didn’t make you feel any better.

Now that you were alone, you were hyper aware of everything: noises in the distance, the cicada's song, the occasional bird. You were also conscious of how dead it was. If something happened would someone be able to hear you? Help you? Were there any houses around the next few miles? 

There seemed to be nothing nearby but grass and the occasional tree. 

You were spiralling. 

Overthinking wasn’t helping, and if anything, it worsened the situation. You concluded that the best thing for you now was a distraction. 

You wiggled between the seats, careful not to knee anything on the console. When you fell into the back compartment with a grunt, you landed on your hands and knees. The distinctive crimson hue of your luggage popped its way into view, and mindful of everyone else’s things, you made an effort to avoid damaging anything. Reaching the case, you freed the zip, fixed on finding one of the few books you had packed. Your fingers operated with a mind of their own as you tossed your spare clothes, creating random mounds. 

When you discovered the novel, your features morphed into a grin. 

Then, you contorted your body back into the passenger's seat and began to read. 

As time passed, so did your energy. Before long your oldest friend, exhaustion, caught up with you and the leaden weight of your eyelids struggled to hold. You don’t remember how long it took to give into their painful demand, all you remember was the visual world floating away.

Hoyt was outside, his argument with Luda well in the past as his aged hands rested on his hips. 

He inhaled loudly. 

He was usually too busy to appreciate the beauty of the Hewitt household and its surroundings, but in one of those rare, out of the blue moments it seemed he’d found the time to do it now. 

Hoyt was, and always would be, a country man at heart. 

He was unaware of your presence and only seemed to acknowledge it you when you let out a groan from stretching. Then, he silently made his way over to you, plopping down onto the cushioned chair next to you. Wisps of dust shot into the air, looking almost like furious insects that had found their next feast. 

He started with a laugh, “you remember that time when I found you sittin’ in that van, all alone.” 

The words that left his mouth were strange and unexpected and exactly his style. Hoyt was sadistic, he could be an asshole and sometimes incredibly narcissistic, but the one thing that was certain was he cared about his family. You were apart of that.

“You was sleepin’ like a baby. Sure as hell weren’t snorin’ like one – I scared the shit outta you,” you heard the amusement in his voice, he didn’t try to hide it as the porch filled with his wheezing laughter. 

“I don’t snore!” 

He gives you a look, one that screams disbelief. 

“Ask Tommy!” 

“Yeah, because the big guy would know, wouldn’t he?” He shot you a wink.

The blood runs to your cheeks, and you avoided eye contact a fact that only fuelled Hoyt’s fit.

Under his prompt, you go to remember the memory, time rendering it hazy.  

There was a collation of noises: the crackling of gravel under wheels, the hum of something mechanical, wind; ignoring it, you remained asleep with a body that felt way too heavy to move. Two white dots of light shifted into view, piercing the skin of your eyelids before transforming into a bold red.

Although harder to ignore, it was a feat you achieved by lazily tossing your arm over your eyes. Nothing could get you to move. 

Thud, thud, thud! 

Proven wrong almost seconds later, the unexpected noise had you jolting forward and your hands striking the dashboard. You looked out the window, the shining subconscious hope of it being your friends crushed when you saw the familiar tan hat taking up most of the space. 

In a moment of disorientation, you stole a glance at the sky glad to find the sun had not set and the vibrant blue of the afternoon was still as prominent as before. It was only a matter of time, though. 

Frantic hands rolled down your window for the sheriff, your nerves performing the signature upturn of your lips. 

“Howdy again, sheriff!” You said, too enthusiastically. 

Naturally, he did not return the energy. 

“I thought I told you to say out of trouble.”

Your smile fell.

“What do you–” 

You were interrupted by his sudden movements. The older man fiddled with his belt for a second before producing a torch. One aggressive click later you were forced back into your seat as he stuck his head through the open window. The flashlight’s guiding light illuminated the back of the van, and it darted to every corner. Every crevice.

“That‘s a lot of stuff here for one person.” 

You cursed in your head, already knowing where this was leading to. 

Arrested in the middle of Texas under suspicion for transporting drugs while waiting for your asshole friends to return was not on your to-do list. 

“Not all of it’s mine, the tire exploded so my friends went to go look for help.” 

He used his flashlight even though it was not needed in daylight and shone it on the damaged tire. He didn’t mention anything about it after a glance, as if forgetting about it entirely, and returned to the subject of your friends. 

“And they left little ol’ you alone?”

“Er – yeah…” 

“Darlin’,” he said, leaning against the car, “it sounds like you need new friends.” 

You couldn’t help but think the creepy old sheriff was right.

With one swift motion, the door groaned open. The officer, you now knew as ‘Hoyt’ from his name tag, ordered you to exit the van. To avoid getting on his bad side, you did just that. 

The man’s moods shifted like the wind. 

He turned away from you as he adjusted his hat. With a flick of his wrist and the flex of his index finger, he motioned you to follow. He led you his car and after settling in, he drove off without a word. You were entirely in the dark as to where he was going, though you were trying your hardest to avoid getting thrown into a holding cell in an entirely different state. 

“What about the van?”

His fingers danced around the dashboard, appearing to look for something as his eyes remained fixed on the road. When he found it, he latched onto the small device and held it up to his mouth.  

“Monty get your ass over here, I have a van about a quarter mile from our place. Needs towin’.” 

“Towing?!” You screeched. 

Hoyt gave you a threatening look.

You shut up.

“Yes, sheriff,” there was an annoyed pitch to the man’s voice, though Hoyt didn’t acknowledge it. Whether it was because Hoyt didn’t care, or because he was unaware, you believed it was the former. 

“Are we going to the station, sir?”

There was no proper response to your question, just a grunt. 

Eventually, you arrived at a two-story house. It was visually decrepit and made out of stone. Pillars supported the structure, though you were unsure as to how long that would last, and the setting sun embraced the building with an ominous glow of which it did nothing positive for it. 

Dread churned in your gut.

If there was ever a point in your life where something screamed ‘TURN BACK NOW’ this would be it.   

“This... doesn’t look like a station…” Your voice trailed off, a million and one scenarios speeding through your mind.

Hoyt ignored you. 

When the sheriff parked he leapt out of the vehicle and opened the door for you. He barked a mean order to get out and when you didn’t do so immediately, he lost his patience. Rough hands dug into your wrists, hauling you out of the car for you. Then, acting like he did you a favour he spat a ‘your welcome’ at you as you struggled to stabilise your wobbly legs. You were shaking and unsure as to what exactly you did wrong while a wicked smirk grew across his chapped lips, replacing that semi-perminent frown.

When he dragged you to the porch, you were surprised to find that the woman from the store was standing in the doorway, holding the door open with her body. 

Were there only 2 people in this town?!

“Easy on her Hoyt, she was kind enough to help me at the store today,” she gave the man a look. One of warning.  

His gaze shifted to you, eyes narrowed and rife with distrust – though he seemed like he was pondering her words. A grunt was heard and he released your throbbing wrists, propelling you in the direction of the woman. 

Her arms captured you in an embrace. The woman proceeded to scowl at the man, a look he ignored as he moved past her, into the house. 

“Oh dear, you must be hungry. Let me fix you something to eat.”

“I’m not that hungry–” your stomach betrayed you, not even letting you finish your sentence. Your cheeks flared up in embarrassment, dragging along with it the shocking realisation you hadn’t eaten. Instead of listening to any more of your protests, she grabbed onto your wrist, similarly to Hoyt, though with a gentleness. Almost motherly. Reassuring. 

“Right through here,” she said, leading you to the kitchen, “take a seat right there, I won’t be a minute.” 

You did as she directed and make yourself as comfortable as you humanly could despite the blarring warning sings. 

You couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, the burning gaze of another prominent. It was a feeling you managed to chalked off as mental, and so you tried to ignore it.  

She was true to her word when she returned with a steaming hot cup of tea. The wisps of smoke danced in the air, around the cup. She had a bowl in her other hand, the contents only something you were able to get a good look at when it was placed in front of you. The smell uppercut you, a pleasant homely aroma, though the visual wasn’t as appealing; it looked like some sort of stew. 

“I hope you’re not a vegetarian,” she joked. 

A few strands of her hair fell in front of her face as she cackled. Then, she manoeuvred herself into the chair across from you, watching intently as you took a spoonful of her dish.

The meat was a weird texture, it was not something you’ve tasted before. 

Strange. 

Maybe they fed the cows differently here which resulted in a different taste? You weren't sure. Regardless, it was edible in your borderline starving state; you could practically eat anything at this stage.   

“No, I’m not,” you chuckled with her, “thank you so much for your hospitality, ma’am. It’s really good!”

"It's May, dear," she continued, “Thank you, it’s a family recipe." 

“May,” you smiled, “I’m (Y/n).”   

“Oh, such a sweet name for a sweet girl. Tommy would just adore you.” 

“Tommy?” You questioned, not remembering her mention him at all. 

She paused for a moment, teacup pulled back from her mouth as she stared into the drink. You were almost convinced there was something ghastly wrong with the drink – as if a fly had fallen into the beverage – though you were also certain you would have seen it happen. 

She continued this unsettling act for a couple more seconds before a wavering grin possessed her features. The hairs on the nape of your neck rose as a result. 

“Oh, you’ll meet him soon enough.” 

The statement was as ominous as the one from earlier, perhaps more so, the dread building up and clawing at your heart. 

You hastily changed the subject. 

“Have my friends come past by any chance? You saw them earlier at the store.” 

“I’m afraid they haven’t–”

May was cut off by a scream. It was local and unsettling, its origin from below. 

Silence.

Then, you heard it again as you stared at each other, May’s eyes containing something dark and intense. Yet, they swirled with curiosity – intrigued at what you’d do; daring you to act first. The shrieks were familiar and your brain frantically searched for the missing puzzle piece until, it clicked. 

(F/n). 

To say you jumped up and bolted for the door was an understatement. 

May was faster than she looked though and she latched onto your hand like an anchor. She knew exactly how you’d react – like any normal person. 

Shrieking a cry of pain, you tried to wriggle yourself free from her death grip. 

“Let go!” 

You repeated this over and over like it would make a difference. It did to some degree, but not the outcome you hoped, only working to intensify her grasp. She proceeded to capture your other hand. The blank stare she’d taken on told you she wouldn’t be letting you go anytime soon. 

“Such a shame,” she sighed, seeming truly upset, “I’ve always wanted a girl.” 

Unsure of what that statement even meant, your foot connected with her knee in a final attempt to free yourself. A wounded gasp left her lips and she tumbled to the ground, her body joining the floor with a ‘thud’. You didn't feel remorse at the sickly sound, though you felt fear when she screamed out to Hoyt and to the man you had yet to meet, Thomas. Not wanting to find out who exactly ‘Tommy’ was, you retreated for the door, thankfully remembering your way around. 

There was commotion all around the house as if there was a blind, scared dog on the loose; its poor body crashing into furniture, producing the thuds. 

You couldn’t focus on the strange noises if you wanted to try saving your life, and headed for the door, neglecting the aching pain in your hip as it collided with one of their outdated pieces of furniture. 

The only thing that stopped you in your tracks was a knife swiping at you.

With widened eyes, everything felt like it was in slow motion – like you were about to watch yourself die.

Hoyt leapt for you, weapon in hand. The blade glistened against the light, and he struck – fast, hard and equally terrifying. You managed to dodge his first advance out of sheer luck with the weapon aimed at your jugular. It had been a close call, mere centimetres away. 

The second time he swung, you weren’t as lucky. Like a rabid wolf, he was frothing at the mouth, eager to induce pain, to see blood, and he got what he wanted when he stabbed you in the back of your forearm. Just before he had dug the blade into you, you raised your arms in self-defence, covering your face. The metal scraped against the target area, leaving a thick and deep gash. 

The wound stopped just above your elbow. 

As an automatic response, you kicked him back – once in the stomach to which he hunched over from, and a second to the groin. 

“Goddamn!” He groaned in pain, rolling to his side in a ball. His hands held his crotch and he almost sounded impressed by how hard you hit him. Reduced to nothing but a mean old man, you were happy to find that you were stronger than you thought.

You didn't have long to internally celebrate when you heard the slamming of metal. It sounded like a door, but there was more of an industrial ring to it. 

Maybe that was the notorious family member you had yet to meet.

Regardless, it was enough to send you sprinting. 

You ran as far as your legs could carry you. The grass was long, thick and rife with weeds. It tickled your legs and while it was a sign of freedom, it was far from comforting. 

You continued to sprint for your life, just missing a circular metal formation. It looked sharp, possessed razored edges and had a menacing trigger mechanism. 

A bear trap.

If you had so much as altered your sprinting, your leg would have badly damaged – if not lost. 

There was no time to dwell on the multitudinous horrors of the day you repeated to yourself, like a mantra, as you darted towards the trees. Staying focused and alive was the main priority. 

You were about to celebrate how far you’d sprinted when your internal cheering was cut short. 

First you heard a sputter, the sound of a machine purring. The ruckus of a ripcord being pulled floated to your ears and it took a few tries of the repeated drag before the noise morphed into something else entirely. Something more dangerous and unique. 

A brattle war cry. 

It turned out you hadn’t escaped as you had so wanted to believe, and now, you were being fucking chased. 

With a chainsaw. 

Too scared to look back, you tried your best to run as fast as humanly possible. (F/n) was long forgotten and the frantic drumming in your chest was a sour reminder that you’d be joining them soon. 

Shit, shit, shit, shit. 

Despite your better instincts, you caved and did exactly what you told yourself not to do. You looked back. The move was so sudden and wild that you tripped over your tangled feet and fell to the earth, dirt flying into your mouth. Terrified and sputtering the specks of ground, you were convinced you were about to end up in shreds and subsequently be served as spaghetti. 

Holding onto that last scrap of hope, you threw your hands up in surrender. This truly was your last chance at survival, the chainsaw that had caught up – swiftly and unfairly so – was shoved too close for comfort, mocking your cries while it buzzed.

“T-Thomas!” You stuttered as your hands shook above you.

The sound of his name caused him to angle his head. You had caught him off guard. 

Good.

“T-Thomas, was it? Tommy?” 

This time you called to him softer, though still loud enough to hear over the roaring of the chainsaw. The man continued to look at you, confused. 

Able to get a better view of the man in front of you, you first noticed his eyes, blue and shimmering as he hunched over. 

Striking and captivating. 

If it wasn't for the fact that he was about to slaughter you with a fucking chainsaw, and for the blood coated apron tied around his neck, you would have thought him intriguing.

His large form blocked out the setting sun from where you were beneath him and the tree’s canopies were your only source of speckled light. Messy black strands of hair littered his face, some stuck to his forehead due to sweat, while others hung freely. His breathing was noticeably ragged, large intakes expanded his large frame, yet there was no noise to it, silent and much like him, threatening.

You grew curious at the leather muzzle overlaying his face, it was brown and worn, but beckoning. It failed to cover the entrance to his mouth, so as stupid as you believed the thought was, he wasn’t wearing it because he bit people.

What else could it be for?

When he stepped closer to you, you scrambled backward, mentally kicking yourself for losing yourself in your thoughts. The rough trunk of the tree you backed into stole your breath for a moment.

“G-Ge-get ba-back!” It was hardly a confident exclamation, though it seemed to somewhat do the trick. 

He stood still for a long time. You were anxious there was no swaying him until he lowered his chainsaw. Although it was still running, loud and clear, his stare was intense and never left you. His thick brows furrowed, and there was confusion in his eyes. Bright and obvious. 

Taking advantage of this once in a lifetime second chance, your hands pushed yourself off from the ground while your back rubbed against the tree. The wound on your forearm had not stopped bleeding, the steady stream of blood continuing to seep its way out. Due to the angle you stood up from, your injury brushed up against the prickles of bark. Some directly jabbed into your wound, forcing an anguished yelp from your throat, while others were baptised with red rain. 

In a sudden movement, he lifted his chainsaw. The action immediately drew out a wail from you and you shut your eyes, bracing for the worst. You fell to the ground, whispering a silent prayer as you waited for impact. The chainsaw continued to roar and then finally it breathed its last breath, a few final sputters indicating its stop. Then, there was a thud – heavy and metallic, followed by silence. 

When you opened your eyes again and saw the man still in front of you, it was only then when you realised you were not dead. His blue eyes observed you intently, his form shrouded by the shadows. 

He stepped closer without the blessing of grace, stopped at your legs and then finally fell to his kness. He appeared to want to inspect you further as his hands reached out to grip your face. He squeezed at certain places, especially your cheeks, and you were forced to remain calm under his handling.

It was hard to contain your whimpers and sobs and you somehow managed until you caught his attention with your tears. Unable to stop them, you felt like you were beginning to lose all control entire. That is – until he wiped their salty trails away with his thumb. 

“Thomas,” you whispered with fluttering eyes, “please don’t hurt me.” 

It wasn’t clear if exhaustion, stress or the loss of blood had finally caught up with you – or if it was all of the above – but your vision began to fade, taking with it your consciousness, too. 

The next time you returned from your flashback, recalling the woman you once were, it was at the Hewitt dinner table. You don’t know why you were reminiscing so much. It wasn’t because you missed your old life. You knew it was far from it. 

The past was apart of who you were, no matter how hard you tried to dissociate from it. The memories weren't uncomfortable, they weren't haunting. Just neutral. How you perceived the gone by, those thoughts and memories, were a reflection of yourself. Where you were at mentally. 

You believed memories were like mountains; they pile up throughout your lifetime. Over time, bits and pieces fall off the rock due to weathering, while others form stronger, more stable parts of the stone. And just like mountains, memories can be daunting; scary and hard to get over. Some people never reach the top, tormented, with every day posing a challenge; some fall and get back up. For others, it’s a while before they do. 

Neither option’s right or wrong, sometimes it’s what's needed at the time. We all scale mountains in our minds, progressing at different speeds. 

It is with that, that you realised you were one of the lucky ones. To look at the past with an impartial lens, to recognise the happiness in some, the tragedy within others, but still remain content and engaging with the present; it was a feat. 

Everyone had noticed your distance, your movements automatic and trance like as you played with your food. 

Luda was the first to speak. 

“Dear, what’s wrong?” Luda was sitting to the right of you, her gentle hand reaching its way over and stopping just before your plate. 

You told them the memory – about the first time you arrived at the house and they all fell silent. Monty was yet to say anything and Thomas, to your left, was focusing on a small stain on the tablecloth. It was clear he was uncomfortable. 

Hoyt then burst out into laughter, his hand slapping his knee, “oooh-ee, you kick like a mean bitch! That shit hurt for days!” 

Finding solace in his laughter, you were glad to find that there was some sort of humour to the event, especially since things could have gone drastically sideways. 

In your best attempts to reassure Tommy, your hand snuck its way to his knee under the table, rubbing soothing circles. This got his attention as his gaze locked with yours; the slight twitch of his cheeks told you he was smiling softly, his eyes twinkling with admiration. Though, it didn’t last long and he returned to the very same mark on the tablecloth.  

Dinner passed by rather quickly after sharing the memory, and when you were near finishing assisting May with the dishes, you felt familiar hands enveloping your hips; large but antithetical in their tenderness. 

A grin took hold of your lips when he rested his chin on top of your head, his form hunching over slightly. 

"Hey, Tommy," you whispered, closing your eyes briefly to bask in his affection.

He squeezed your hips in reply as you finish wiping down the last of the wet plates. The squeaking of the ceramic grated on you and you picked up your pace, eager to spend time with your partner. Thomas let go of you when he saw you were done and nuzzled you, urging you to hurry up and put away the rest of the kitchenware. Then, he quickly grabbed your hand, impatiently leading you to the front door. 

You could tell he was just as excited to spend time with you. 

In seconds, you were out on the porch. Tommy sat down on the wooden bench and he grabbed you by the hips again, lifting you effortlessly and placing you on his lap. Adjusting, you draped your legs across his lap, feet just barely hanging off as the wind softly blew through your hair. It was cool for a change, strange for Texas, and it nipped at your bare skin, causing you to nestle into Thomas. He noticed your sudden chill, and his strong arms pulled you into a giant hug, your tired head resting against his shoulder. He was far from cold, he was more so the personification of a heater. 

Your thoughts suddenly turn back to the events at dinner – his distance, and why he was so quiet.

“Where’d you get off to at dinner, Tommy? You seemed to float away.”

The words seemed to trigger a memory within him and you witnessned him react with pain as you looked up, his gentle eyes squinting. It almost made you want to retract the question entirely. 

With care he removed his arms from around you and grabbed your wrist, raising it to display a large gash on your forearm. The wound was healed, your flesh risen and sensitive. His fingers hovered over the scar, delicate and tentative as if he was scared of reopening it again – scared of reliving the past. 

You looked down to the wound, a bittersweet monument; bitter because it had hurt, and because Hoyt was an ass. Sweet because in spite of all the pain and agony you had to endure that day, the best thing that came out of it was Tommy. The days that initially followed were hard, but you came to realise that the man you had viewed as so terrifying and murderous, was in fact only doing what he needed to help his relatives survive. He was a big softy when it came down to things, caring and protective of those he called family. 

“Hey,” you whispered, looking into his large, melancholy cerulean eyes, “it’s not your fault.” 

He grunted in response and you knew it was a protest to your statement, most likely finding a way to justify how wrong you were. 

A frown found its way to your face, and you hushed him. Whenever he got into his sad guilty moods it was hard to get him out of it. Thomas couldn’t talk, and that in itself made it difficult for him to express himself. He was often in his head as it was his only form of escapism, and by that same token, it was also his own hell. He experienced anxieties like everyone else, and spirals of self-doubt – of shame. The poor man was exceptionally critical of himself. You could only imagine what was going through his head. 

It was hard to see your love this way. 

Switching your position, your legs parted on both sides of his legs and you grabbed both of his hands, bringing them up to your lips. 

“You can’t control anyone else’s actions Tommy, and I don’t blame you for it. There’s nothing you could have done to stop him.” 

He didn’t reply, but he was listening to what you were saying.

“I love you more than anything, and I forgave you for everything a long time ago.

“It’s time to forgive yourself, my love.” 

You watched his face contort into gentle happiness. You couldn’t see the entire smile itself, a good portion covered by his leather muzzle, but you could see it in his eyes. They were the most expressive part of Thomas, and you could often figure out what he was feeling with just one look. 

Watching those very same eyes become glassy broke your heart. Perhaps it was something he had been holding onto a long time, or maybe he just really needed to hear it. Either way, your words impacted him. 

He signalled to cover your eyes and when you’d done so, you heard the jingle of metal - Thomas pulling off his muzzle. He then brought his hands to your face and cupped your cheeks. When his lips met yours, he was slow and sweet. Full of love.

If someone had told you months ago you were going to find the love of your life and settle down, you would have laughed in their face. Yet life happens and it changes so fast it’s hard to keep up with its pace. 

But for this, you were thankful. 

Wanting to see your boyfriend happy, you wiggled your fingers and darted them to his sides, causing him to writhe and grunt in laughter. You weren’t expecting him to be so ticklish and you filed the information away to use again later; his joy was a beautiful sight – his amusement a beautiful sound – and it’s one you’re certain to remember for lifetimes. 

Your moment of awe was cut short when he turned the tables. He very easily broke free. His sturdy hands dug into your side, while the other held you in place, ensuring you wouldn’t escape. Your giggles were the only thing that could be heard among the crickets and the gentle melody of wind chimes. 

“T-Thomas!” You somehow manage to blurt out through frantic laughter, “you’re hurting me!” 

The sound of your chuckles was enough to convince him otherwise, though he stopped and brought a calloused hand to your face, rubbing small circles with his thumb. You leant into his touch and reverted to the position you were in before, his arms securely around your smaller frame.  

Spending slow lazy nights with Thomas on the porch was something you loved, and wouldn’t trade for the world. Although you were usually both out here to see etheral glow of the sky at dusk – pinks, purples, and oranges scattered around to depict the perfect artwork – the stars were here instead. Just as beautiful and celestial, you couldn’t convey the swell of your feelings as you watched the stars twinkle their soft hello’s. Without fail, no matter how many times you attended the show of the universe, you always felt something. It was a sensation you loved to share with Tommy; maybe it was love, elation, but even then the words felt wrong. They weren’t enough to describe such feelings. 

But, perhaps you didn’t need to. 

Experiencing it was enough.

It wasn’t hard to conclude Tommy felt the same as the two of you sat there. Rather than counting down the seconds, waiting for the tranquil moment to end – dreading its end – you drunk in its bliss. Intoxicated by it, you were just happy to share this small moment in time.

With him. 

[pxjiminsi]

Walk of Shame

Chapter 3 from the Series: Before you go

Pairing: Jimin x reader, Taehyung x reader, Jin x OC, OT5 x reader platonic love

Fic Type: Slice of life au

Genre: slice of life, fluff, mild smut, and a healthy amount of angst

Warning: few cuss words, slight humping, love bites

Word count: 2.8k

A/n: Hi! Leave a message if you liked this chapter! I’m just happy to get my first likes on the first chapters! Enjoy!

It’s been 2 weeks since you’ve landed in L.A, and so far it’s been great. You explored the city with Soo Yun and her family, specifically loving the Architectural tours as Soo Yun’s father is an Architect himself. Visiting the Getty Center and Museum was your peak. Its view overlooking the whole of Los Angeles relieved some of your burdens, relieving your guilt in leaving your life in Korea. You also visited the LACMA, The Broad, and the Hollywood Bowl, such Architectural porn that you haven’t seen before. 

Sleepovers were also your and Soo Yun’s thing back then and you’re doing it all now again. Watching horror movies in bed while wearing matching pajamas with hot popcorn, ice cream, and cola between your legs. You both particularly liked slasher films over anything else and you think that the Final Destination series are *chef’s kiss*. 

In the middle of Final Destination 3, Soo Yun casually slid if you'll ever meet with Jimin again. Though you highly doubt it’s you and Jimin she’s thinking about. She kind of developed a crush on Jin, I couldn’t blame her of course. You were as captivated just by hearing his voice on the phone, but seeing him was entirely different. From his height to his broad shoulders Soo Yun fell deep. He’s just not your type though. 

After your last encounter, you told her everything. From having no real friends ever since she left, that issue you had in school which forced you to quit and leave Korea, your uncertain relationship with Jae, and your falling apart with your parents to that wonderful time with Jimin at the plane and to the bag mix-up. And these 2 weeks were nothing but great because of your friend’s support, you got one by your side and that’s enough for you. 

“Did you know about their upcoming showcase? I heard they’re free.” She asked while chomping on popcorn not leaving her eyes on the screen. “How did you even know about that?” surprised that she’s more updated than you. Though you have no obligation to keep up with their schedule. “I have a friend at school who knows them. I even bragged about meeting 3 of their members” her grin almost reaching her ears for being so pleased with herself. “I’m surprised at Jimin for not getting your phone number from Jin, some guys will go for it even if you told them not too, you know?” she paused the movie to get more popcorn downstairs. 

But some other guys are not Jimin, you thought as you leaned back to your pillow to stare at the ceiling. And duh what he did is nothing to be proud of, it's like the threshold for basic manners. But what do I know, I have been in a relationship for a year now and I don’t even know if this is what relationships should look and feel like. I know that I shouldn't base and compare my relationship to movies or any Nicholas Sparks’ books, but why do I feel like it’s much closer to Stephen King’s works.

“Jae would like to video chat with you” your phone vibrates. Speaking of the devil. You answer and immediately see him with eyes focused on the screen probably playing Diablo or God of War. “Hi babe, what’s up, where are you?” he said. 

Where are you? What the fuck, you’ve been in L.A for 2 weeks and he asks where are you?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? 

“Babe, I'm in L.A remember. Soo Yun and I are watching movies. And it’s like 3 pm there, why aren’t you in school?” you calmly said clenching your jaw, checking the time on your phone. 10:23 pm. “Uh, okay mom. I didn’t feel like going, I feel like I might follow your step and quit school this time.” he snickers. He knows you don’t enjoy bringing up that topic, but what did you expect? “Kidding babe, lighten up. I called because I miss you, I miss your cooking, I miss cuddling, and I miss you between my --" you stop him as Soo Yun enters the room again.

"Hey, it's Soo Yun, Soo Yun's here Jae, say hi!" Panicky facing your phone in front of her. "Hi Jae, still a dick to y/n?" she said without even looking at your phone. You look at her not believing she said that rolling her eyes at you in return. "Hi Soo Yun, and no, if there's an award for best boyfriend, I’m winning that effortlessly."

"Babe we're going to finish the movie and head out early tomorrow for a tour, I’ll call you tomorrow. I love -- " ignoring Soo Yun's death stare at you to hang up the phone now.  "Mmkay, bye" he overlapped then hung up.

"Romantic." Soo Yun sarcastically said, rolling her eyes then clicks play on the remote. You sink in your place sighing, placing a pillow on your face.

10 a.m and you're ready for the last stop of your tour before starting to look for work. You admire yourself in the mirror, liking what Soo Yun picked for you to wear today. A yellow sundress to go with your white air force 1's, accessorizing it with your gold necklace with your initials, small gold hoops, and sunglasses. You wear your mid-length hair down, but you have a scrunchy in your wrist if it starts to bother you.

Your last stop for today is the Hollywood sign and the Walk of fame before heading to lunch then movies afterward. You hopped in the car and set-up the GPS to the Hollywood Sign while waiting for Soo Yun and his dad to drop you two off. Feeling giddy as road trips were always your stress reliever. 

As you reach your destination, you close your eyes feeling the warmth of the sun wrapping around your skin, the sun shining brightly. Being the city girl that you were, you don’t mind the busy street, the hustle of people rushing off for work or running errands, people on the phone strutting while handling coffee carefully, these things puts you at ease. You smiled subconsciously at the busy scene, it makes you feel like you’re not alone. No dark clouds hanging over your head. After you took pictures in the Hollywood sign, Soo Yun appealed to go to your next destination. Of course, she wasn’t as excited as you. She’s been seeing all this for years now. 

You went inside the car humming, excited as you're a sucker for street performances, which are very well known in L.A. Nearing the Walk of Fame, traffic became apparent, so you Soo Yun’s dad decided to drop you both off. Soo Yun left you to meet some friends, but it was okay because you’re looking for some alone time too. 

You were like a child whose first time visiting Disneyland, meandering eyes everywhere, tasting every street food available, from pretzels to hotdogs to falafels. Once full, you started taking photos of everything in sight, and when I tell you everything, it’s EVERYTHING. From street performers to passing cars, to the fucking stars of each artist you knew. You especially love Cate Blanchett’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Classic actresses like Marilyn Monroe, Aubrey Hepburn, your romance movie idols. You take pictures of your favorite singers this time until THWACK you stupidly slammed yourself and fall on the floor butt first, putting your bare thighs on display and your dress through your midsection exposing your white lace panties for all tourists, street performers, and Californians to see. 

Thankfully and Instantly, someone threw their jacket over your thighs and handed their hand with their head turned around. “Jimin?” you asked hazily. You don’t know if you bumped your head too much and you’re hallucinating Jimin now. “Ow!!!!! That fucking hurt” you squinted on your side and see Taehyung bent over his knees holding his forehead with both hands. You don’t know which is more embarrassing, Californians and tourists seeing your undergarment, creating a commotion to hundreds of people, or Jimin seeing your panties. 

Why are you even alive, contemplating, you quickly used Jimin’s hand to lift yourself, brushed the dust off of your dress, and rushed to see Taehyung. “Tae, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” Ready to cuss with his tiny fists raised and widened eyes, he looked at his attacker, “Yah!” he then quickly realizes it’s you, and his facial features immediately softened, still teary-eyed from the pain. “Y/n?” he exclaimed, eyes wide open. ”Hi Tae, nice bumping into you” you try, that's okay. You offered your hand to help him. ”Ha, funny.” he said with a straight face while taking your hand lifting him.

”What are you both doing here anyway?” you asked the both of them taking a peek at Jimin whose ears are still red and not giving you a chance to see his whole flustered face as he still has his back turned away from you giving flyers to passersby.

You don't want to see him too anyway, admit it or not, you missed him. Also in this past week, images of him and you pop at unconventional times of the day. When watching romantic films, taking a bath, especially when you're horny as fuck. Imagining his arms pinning you down while he glides his body on you, his eyes deep within yours, kissing every part of you starting from your lips, to your neck, to your breasts. Him sucking your nipples with those thick luscious lips while his free hand playing the other makes your pussy wet so much that you usually use the showerhead to relieve yourself. You hate yourself most times because of these dirty thoughts, so no, you don't want to see him.

”We're handing out flyers for our concert in 3 days, Tae over here, killing it especially with the ladies.” Jimin finally faced without giving you eye-contact. ”You look pretty, by the way,” he said in a soft voice, almost not wanting you to hear his words, while handing out more flyers to Tae to distribute. ”Thanks, you're both not too bad” You smiled at the both of them eyeing Jimin's perfectly brushed black hair, as usual, plain white tee and grey sweatpants. Taehyung's brown hair was perfectly swept with his red snapback, white tee, and black shorts.

”I'm very irresistible, I know that.” there he goes flashing his smile. You didn't doubt it though, he has this cute innocent face that is very alluring, notably his boxy smile that you would give him anything if he asked. He can easily approach people and get something from them, yet he has this audacity proclaiming he's shy all the time. The three of you laugh as if you know each other for a while now, forgetting the embarrassment you all had earlier.

”Y/n, you're bleeding!” his smile disappeared within seconds when his eyes accidentally roamed through your knees. You probably grazed them when you fell. You see the sudden concern in Jimin's face, but before you can do anything about it or say anything, he suddenly shoved the remaining flyers to Taehyung's chest and in a flash, your arms were wrapped around his neck as he lifted you from your place. You were too stunned to speak as his feet started to scurry. Leaving a shocked Taehyung in the streets. ”Wh-what? Where are we going??” he doesn't answer you, but he looked at you with that pretty smile that you missed so much and said,” I got you, I missed you, y/n.”

”What the hell, Jimin, your job was to hand flyers to women, not kidnap one!” this guy with skin white as snow and very cute squinty eyes exclaimed as he opened the door of their van for you and Jimin. ”This is y/n, we bumped into her earlier, literally. Y/n this is Yoongi, one of our members and the one who most annoys me recently.” he uttered as he plopped you in the seat behind the drivers and scampered the van for the first aid kit. ”Hi, I'm y/n, sorry for the intrusion” you can see he’s not paying attention to you because his face has confusion written all across his face. He scrunches his eyebrows as if he's remembering something.

Jimin started to tender on your bruise, initially taken aback as he needs to touch your bare legs, you notice that his ears are starting to blush again. Seeing how Jimin is flustered while attending to your leg, laughter bursts in Yoongi's mouth, exposing his cute gummy smile which you first thought was unexpected of his personality. ”You're y/n, the one who broke our Jimin's heart, he won't stop talking about you since last week!” he can't stop laughing as he continues to smack his hand at Jimin's back.

What? Broke his heart? 

You can't help but widen your eyes to Yoongi's sudden announcement. Jimin’s mouth dropped as he shoved Yoongi out of the van and closed the door, leaving the two of you in awkward silence. ”Hey!! I'll be going to Taehyung to help him, don't leave the van, okay? Have fun love birds” as he taps at the window goodbye. The car is so quiet you can hear Yoongi strut away. 

He started to dab disinfectant to your wound, as soon as he felt your sudden twitch because of the sting, lightly and carefully as possible, he blew on your wound. You stare at him, heart pounding. Thinking about what Yoongi said. Was everything true? That he missed you? Because you want to say you missed him too, that he hasn't left your mind too since then, that you're sorry for leading him on, that you also want to get to know him better, that you don't want anything at all at this moment but to be held and kissed by him. You feel your heart ready to burst out from this overwhelming noise in all this quietness. He slowly lifts his head meeting your gaze. It's as if he heard everything that your heart wanted to tell him. He slowly begins to lean in on you, closer, closer, your eyes admire every aspect of his face as he comes close to yours. His slightly widened eyes, to his flushed cheeks, and his lips. You try to control yourself, but seeing him made you stop thinking and over-analyzing. 

You finally close the gap between your lips. He cupped your face, allowing him to slide his tongue to your mouth, as your head automatically tilted to the other side of his face, moaning slightly in his. Your hands slowly wrapped itself to his neck pulling his kiss deeper into you. He slowly roamed his hands from your legs to your thighs, his innocently flushed face looked at you, looking for approval, you closed your eyes and nodded. He began to trail kisses from your cheeks, then your ear, to your neck. Jimin couldn’t stop the moan coming from your lips as he started to pull the strap of your dress away from your shoulder with his teeth then proceeded to kiss your shoulders, using his hands to tug your dress away from your upper body, exposing your black brasserie. You also quickly pulled off his white shirt, leaving you completely blown away by his amazing abs. He laughed at your reaction, placing kisses on your thighs. You felt in your leg that he's already so hard in those pants. As he began to pull your lace panties down, your phone began to ring. You try to ignore it completely as you're too indulged in this moment, but you realize Soo Yun is going to panic if she doesn't reach you. ”Sorry, I have to get this.” he nods, sitting behind you as he sweeps your hair off of your shoulders and gently leaving love bites on it. 

”Where are you? I've been looking for you everywhere. I'm with Jeongguk, Jin, and Namjoon right now. I bumped into them while looking for you. They invited me for dinner so we're heading back to their car right now.” Your eyes both widened as the both of you scrambled to get dressed and fix your appearances. ”Uh I'm actually with Jimin, I bumped into him and Tae earlier..” You breathlessly exclaim as you both exit the van roaming your eyes to Jimin's group and Soo Yun. ”Oh okay, we're almost there, we can see you two now!” she hung up the phone. Leaving you two, again, in awkward silence.

”I shouldn't have done that, I'm sorry, y/n ” head looking down. You can see his frustration in his face as he kicks rocks to vent. You felt guilty. You're the one that's sorry. You cheated on Jae and you let Jimin feel bad again. ”No, I'm sorry. As much as it was confusing, I don't regret kissing you. Let’s talk about this later” tugging the end of his shirt and quickly letting go, ending your complicated encounter as Jimin's friends and Soo Yun approached the car.