#WHATEVER THE FUCK HAPPENED IN SPACE WITH ARIES AND HIS FRIEND

[small-spark-of-light]

Sick and Twisted

[splatoonpolls]

SPLATOON OC TOURNEY ROUND 2 BATTLE 11

Maddy Meduasa by @anemonequeen vs Aries! by @ff2-soda-pop

BACKSTORY/PROPAGNADA

MADDY

my splat3 sona! shes a funny anemone girl she's the heiress to the throne of a not-so-distant region called Choralia, populated by mostly sea anemones. She's in hiding though, since she doesnt want the responsibility of being queen and she's strictly anti monarchy. She has a purple clown fish named perseus who's constantly acting like she still wants to be the heiress. She moved to the splatlands from reef city, the capitol of choralia. She constantly has her headphones blasting loud music as a form of stimulation, as she enjoys the vibration. She runs a music store in splatsville called Medusa's Temple, but it's barely open cause she's out playing turf war and napping

OC POST

ARIES

The older brother to my other OC, Nova, Aries is literally just Some Guy. He moved to Inkopolis at around 16-18, and has been living there ever since, currently finding steady work at Grizzco (it kinda sucks but like. it pays the bills and stuff). Not much interesting happens to him, he just kinda lives his life, does his salmon run shifts, hangs out with friends... Normal stuff. His little sister moves to Inkopolis too when she's 14, and for a few years nothing happens until he visits her one day and one thing leads to another, and he discovers that she is Agent 3 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon! Also apparently his coworker at Grizzco is part of this too. But um... Okay. Sure. Whatever, as long as she's SAFE about it (is she? haha no. but aries doesn't need to know that <3). Eventually a few years after That he randomly gets a phone call from her and she's like "hey yknow your Job??" and hes like "yeah??" and she just tells him his boss is some mammal creature somehow and just tried to destroy the world. also hes banished to space now i guess. she does not elaborate. he still has to go into work that day. he seems Deeply Confused all day but whenever his coworkers ask hes like "....dont worry about it!" which doesn't actually help and probably just worries them given how he looks Confused and Concerned About Something but keeps being like "nothing is the matter dont worry about it" but really hes just in this constant state of "what. the hell actually??????" 'cause like. what is he even meant to Do with this information. it's not like he can do anything with it really But y'know, aside from whatever That is, he has a completely normal life, but also somehow people he knows keep ending up involved with that sorta thing and he's just. there. just trying to live a Normal Life despite all that going on. compared to my other splatoon ocs hes quite literally just Some Guy sdfghfd

OC POST

[cinnamon-bebe]

Chemtrails (Pedro Pascal x Fem!Reader)

Chemtrails (Pedro Pascal X Fem!Reader)

Summary: "If you died today, would you be happy with the life you've lived?" What happens when you've sacrificed your love for fame and fortune? Despite the glitz and glamour, the Reader is all Pedro can think about. The stars have never been on your side but can you rewrite the plans they have for you?

Warning: Angst, Fluff, Occasional Cursing

Inspired by the song Chemtrails Over the Country Club by Lana Del Rey

"I'm on the run with you, my sweet love

There's nothing wrong contemplating God

Under the chemtrails over the country club"

"Baby what's your sign?"

"You're in the wind, I'm in the water

Nobody's son, nobody's daughter

Watching the chemtrails over the country club"

Pedro's POV

The chatter of a hundred people and yet I still only hear your voice. Memories of your words, from years past.

You asked me what my sign was, I told you I was an Aries. You laughed and told me we shouldn't be friends, the stars say so. The stars say we're incompatible, we'd be at each other's throats. I'm a fire sign and you didn't need any more drama. I kissed you for the first time and told you I'd prove you wrong, you simply smiled and looked off to the chemtrails that flew over us.  

Memories from years past.

I didn't have much to offer you but I told you that you could take my word. At that time, it was worth more than anything I could have given you.

"You want me to defy the stars?" You raised an eyebrow, a smile teasing your face.

"The stars can go fuck themselves." I told you and kissed you again.

We were so young. We were nobodies. Running through the concrete jungle, with your hand in mine. Sun dress and kisses at midnight convenience stores, splitting a hot dog on a summer day because we needed money for the show at 7.

We used to contemplate the meaning of life over a bottle on our little balcony. I asked you if you were happy and you smiled but did not reply.

"If you died today, would you be happy with the life you've lived?" You asked me instead.

"No." I told you. "There's so much more I want to do. I want to be somebody."

I didn't know it then but that was the moment I started to lose you.

Memories from years past.

I find myself sitting at a restaurant now, with more money to line my pockets, pats on the back from strangers. People know my name and it comes out in whispers, as they stare over their expensive plate, getting cold just to catch a glimpse of me.

A beautiful woman sits across from me. As if a movie star isn't a big enough draw, a woman like her only invites more gazes. She looks like she'd just stepped off a screen herself. She gives me all her attention, so much so that she does not register the envious stares from the others around her.

Her lips are moving, perhaps a funny anecdote came to mind or is she telling me about her sister's wedding again that she mentioned before?  I cannot tell you, for my mind is elsewhere, with someone else.

"So would you like to come?" She smiles brightly at me, her perfect teeth sitting between her lips, painted in a dusty pink.  

"Huh?" I snap out of my daze, embarrassed that I was clearly not paying attention.

"Jule's wedding, did you...want to be my date for the day?" She blushes, hopeful.

"Oh. I...uh. I don't know Kate. I have a pretty packed schedule coming up, I don't know if I'll have time." I try to make up an excuse.

"It's too early isn't?" She bites her lip sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I know we've only been dating for a few weeks, I shouldn't have sprung this up on you so fast."

"No no, please don't be silly. I love weddings!" I try to laugh it off. "It's just that, with the new movie coming up, I need to start preparing before we go into production."

"I understand." She nods with a smile, "Comes with the territory when you're dating a big movie star I guess." She looks at me, I'm not sure if she's anticipating a response but I reciprocate with a grin and wave at the waiter for another drink.

Soon enough, she excuses herself from the table to go to the ladies room and I'm left sitting alone at our spot. I grow tiresome of the incessant chattering from the tables around me and I massage the temples of head, wishing I was at home in the comfort of my bed with just the company of my television.

I see glances from a small table to the side of me, a group of young women clearly too shy to ask for a photograph, egging each other on to make the first move over to me. Their hopes quickly dashed as I feel a firm hand on my shoulder, turning me around.

"Pedro?" A familiar voice calls my name.

"Anthony! Fancy seeing you here!" My eyes widen as I pull an old friend down for a hug.

"It's my anniversary with Charlize, we're just celebrating! God I haven't seen you for so long!" He shakes his head, slowly looking me up and down, examining my so-called transformation. I've aged so much since we last we saw each.

"How long have you been here?" I ask.

"A couple of hours, I actually saw you before but I..uh...I didn't want to interrupt your date."

Date? I swallow the word whole.

"You lucky man. She's very pretty." He comments.

"Yeah, she is."

"You could seem a bit more interested though but those are Charlize's words, not mine." He raises his hands up, letting his wife take the blame.

"I must seem like an ass, don't I?" Poor Kate, how spoilt am I to show a woman like her so little interest. "I haven't dated for so long, it's just hard getting back into the scene that's all."

Anthony let's out an inaudible "oh" and I know he's thinking the same thing, I can practically hear the name sitting on his tongue, desperately wanting to come out. 

"How is Y/N?" I break the ice, allowing the elephant in the room an escape before he suffocates along with me.

"She's good, very good actually. She's a documentary film maker now. Her work is amazing, you'd love it." Anthony couldn't help his excitement when speaking about you and I feel an intense pang of sadness and jealousy seeing his eyes light up. To see you, celebrate you. I wonder if you've aged like me or do you still look the same as how I remember. Do you still crinkle your nose every time you hear a bad joke? Do your eyes still get red and glassy when you look at the sky because you're wondering if anyone's looking down on you? I wish I knew.

"Listen, I have to go." Anthony looks back at his wife who gives me a polite wave from a distance.

"It was really good seeing you Anthony, I'm sorry we haven't spoken all these years. It's just with work..." I recycle that old excuse again.

"Don't worry about it...you made it! I know you worked really hard to get where you are now. I know you had to make a lot of sacrifices..." The last sentence, spoken so softly, it was almost drowned out. "I'm genuinely happy for you."

I nod, giving my friend one last hug before I ready for him to turn and leave, instead he hesitates and looks at me.  

"Hey Pedro?"

"Yeah?"

"She still lives in the neighbourhood." He looks down at the scarf in his hand before patting me on my arm. "Just so you know."

With that, he waves me goodbye. Walking back to his wife, who he wraps his arm around. The way she naturally rests into him and slips her hand into his coat pocket as they exit the restaurant, I wonder if I'd ever have that level of intimacy with Kate.  

__________________________________________________

I sent her home in a taxi. "I have an early morning and need to prep for some meetings", my excuse for her this time. Kate's disappointed expression, as I gave her a kiss on the cheek is the last thing on my mind.

Scuffing the cap of my leather shoes, I kick at the pavement. The world moves past me as I hide myself in the bubble of my thoughts. I have no sense of direction, my legs taking me to no intended destination, only letting the neon lights around guide me to where it desires.

Anthony's words were still ringing in my ears.

Would you want to see me?

My mind reminds me of the last time we were together.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this, if I don't leave the city now, I may never get my chanc-"

"Get your chance to do what? Be a star?" You were sat deep in the corner of the sofa, far from me. Your voice calm and monotonous as you watched me pace up and down our tiny apartment. I couldn't decipher your expression, it was as if you knew what I was going to say.

"I want to make something out of my life! I want to prove to everyone and myself that I can make it Y/N. I don't want to waste my life away." I moved towards you, our presence separated by the little vintage coffee table I hated but still bought home because you loved it so much.

"Well then go, I don't want to hold you back from chasing your dreams."

"Y/N-"

"No. It's okay Pedro. I understand...I really do. I don't want to stop you from pursuing what you love." You got up from your spot, you seemed so small to me as you closed the gap between us. Your hand felt so light against my face, like you were disappearing before me. "Don't live in regret because of me."

"Y/N come wi-" I tried to hold you, hold you before you evaporated.

"No. My place is here." You took your hand away, moved back, the space between us grew more and more distant. "I don't have big dreams like you do. I like normality. I like living my life however I want it, do whatever I want, whenever I want. You asked me if I was happy...and I am."

"Would you still be happy without me?"

I stared at you. My gut sank because I already knew this was the end. You didn't have to tell me.

"I don't know..." You managed to smile, even through the gentle tears that formed in your eyes. "But I know you would be without me."

"That's not true." I tried to reach for you but you pulled away.

"We're very different people Pedro...I told you, we're incompatible. It's time we listened to the stars."

My thoughts are suddenly interrupted as I feel a hand rest softly on the small of my back.

"Hello sir, would you like to buy a rose?" An elderly woman smiles up at me. A child stands obediently nearby, holding a bouquet of individually wrapped stems, clearly past his bedtime but still helping Grandma late at night. The child looks tired, sad. Judging by the number of roses still in his hands, they must have had an unlucky day.

"How much for one?" I return her kind smile, taking out my wallet.

"$2. Thank you, thank you so much sir." The old woman sighs in relief calling the child over to bring the flowers for me to pick. Each stem had a handwritten tag with various cheesy sentiments adorned.

....A kiss in exchange for a rose...

...You're more beautiful than any flower but here's one to show you my love anyway...

....Would you be my Valentine?...

....Please forgive me, I was an idiot.

I chuckle at the last one before picking a rose at random.

I take out $100 and watch the old lady's eyes panic as she reaches in her purse to find change. Taking her hand firmly in mine, I assure her it wasn't necessary.

"I'll take one rose for the $100. You keep the rest of the flowers and have a good night okay?"

The woman looks at the child with her mouth agape and then back at me, clearly taken aback by the gesture.

"Sir, are you sure?"

"Yes, take the kid home and get some rest. This one rose itself is worth every dollar." I pat her hand which trembles in mine.

"Thank you! Thank you! Bless you and the woman who receives your rose!"

Taking the child's hand they quickly walk away, whispering to each other and disappearing into the night.

I stare at the flower in my hand and bring it closer to my face, studying the message on the tag.

...Let's defy the stars and write our own destiny.

I stand in the dark of night, illuminated only by the cafe lights ready to turn off for the day. My hand grips the stem as if it weighed a hundred tons yet afraid it would float away like a feather. The frantic honking of the traffic seems to taunt me, the laughter from the bars nearby seem to be mocking this idiot of a man standing in the middle of the streets, holding a flower he paid $100 for.

"Just do it!" I hear a young boy shout at his friend attempting a skateboard trick up the block.

Just do it. I repeat to myself. Just fucking do it.

"Taxi!"

 _________________________________________________

I remember these steps, we used to sit here with the neighbours' kids. Charlie, I think that was his name? I remember little Charlie proposing to you with a plastic ring and threatening to get his kindergarten buddies on me, simply for existing. I can't help but laugh at that memory.

Everyone was in love with you, the young, the old. They couldn't help but fall for your charms, your kindness, the way you'd smile at them even if you've never spoken a word to each other. Everyone was under your spell, including me.

You told me you loved me on these steps.

I had gotten back from a bad audition and couldn't bear to go home to you. I sat here for hours until you saw me from the balcony and came down. You didn't ask me anything. You just sat with me as we watched the kids run up and down the block, racing each other, teasing each other. I looked at you and you gave me a kiss on the nose.

"I love you."

You said it so quietly at first that I pretended I didn't I understand.

You rolled your eyes and pulled my face into yours, telling me you loved me over and over again as you smothered me with your kisses.

That was one of the happiest moments of my life.

Walking past our faded figures, I enter the building and see that nothing has changed.

The walls were the same duck egg green. The bulletin board covered in layers of flyers and advertisement, some new, with plenty dated months back. I wouldn't be surprised if the audition ads I tried out for from years ago were still there.

The smell of various cuisines mingle together to form its own unique indecipherable aroma.

A comforting aroma.

I look to the elevator, still out of order. Obviously.

We only lived on the third floor, the stairs will be fine.

I prepare myself for the incline when a voice calls out to me.

"Where are you going?"

I turn around and see our old building superintendent, decked out in his uniform. Stanley.

"Stan! It's me Pedro! Wow, you're still here!" I walk to him.

"Who?" He looks me up and down, completely confused as to who the hell I am.

"Pedro from 3B upstairs? I used to live with Y/N...maybe you don't remember me because of the moustache." I rub the bottom of my nose sheepishly.

"No...I don't remember you."

Old Stanley, perhaps age is catching up to him.

"I'm just going to see Y/N." I try to resume my journey but he stops me once more.

"No entry into the building if you're not a resident!" He points to the sign on the wall.

"Since when was that a rule?" I throw my hand in the air.

"Since today. We have too many unsavoury men try to come into the building, how do I know if you really know Miss Y/L/N? I'm not letting any potential predators or burglars into the building."

"But Stan she-"

Pointing to the sign on the wall again, he raises an angry brow. Not wishing a full body beat down by ol' Stan, I take myself back out the building like a bad dog.  

I sit on the steps, sighing in defeat. I try to convince myself that coming here is a mistake.

"Defy the stars...pfft! You've been in way too many movies Pedro." I mumble to myself, as I dig my thumb nail into the stem of the rose.

Perhaps we're only given the choice to rewrite our destiny but it doesn't mean destiny would just sit idly by and let you do whatever you want. It's probably for the best. What would I say anyway?

Running my hand through my hair, I get up to leave. The adrenaline from earlier had drained so quickly out of me, that its left me a fatigued mess. Move on Pedro, it's time to go home.

"Hey movie star." A voice calls from above. "You looking for me?"

Your hair falls past your face as you lean over the balcony and in that moment I feel my heart break into a million pieces.

There you are.

Standing before me, even more beautiful than when you left, if that is even possible.

You're wearing a simple white vest and grey shorts, one leg rubbing softly against the other. Your skin bears the warm orange glow reflected from the lights inside your apartment.

You look so raw, so delicate.

Every pulse in my body aches seeing you again.

"Wow." I breathe. "You look..."

You hide your laugh and I can see you blushing from behind your hand.

"Thanks. You look great too. I'm like the...um..." You rub under your nose with your finger.

"Thank you, I grew it out for a role but now people tell me I look like their grandma without it." I shrug, much to your amusement.

"What are you doing here?" You speak, more softly, more seriously.

How do I even respond to this question? I was out on a date with another woman but I bumped into our old friend who told me I should find you? Or should I go with I met an old woman and her kid, who I'm pretty sure were cupid's little minions, sent down to earth to give me a rose and to fuck with me?

"I was just in the neighbourhood. I wanted to see if you wanted to um...go out for a coffee?" I lie.

You look at me incredulously, clearly seeing through my bullshit.

"Everything is shut by now." You simply respond.

"Oh...well maybe we can just talk then?"

You tap the metal rails, where you lay your arms. Are you contemplating whether to come down or throw a bucket of water over me? I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Without saying a word, you disappear out of sight. The lights in your apartment switches off.

What does this mean? Are you off to bed?

Before I could ruminate any more, the doors open from behind me and you slip through.

God, you look even better up close.

My hands instinctively reach out to touch you but I withdraw quickly before you could see. You had wrapped yourself in a fleecy blanket, the threads a deep purple.

Without saying a word, you sit down on the step and I can only follow suit, my mind can no longer make decisions for itself it seems.

You smell the same, that same soft floral scent I used to love. The one I used to breathe in when I'd hold you close to me in bed because I didn't want you to leave for work.

Our knees are so close, they almost touch.

"So what did you want to talk about?"

For a minute I don't know how to respond, I just don't want to stop looking at you.

"I was...I was wondering if you were thinking about me?"

You laugh, I laugh too. Of course you weren't.

"I think about you all the time." You tell me so casually, it catches me off guard.

"You do?" I whisper in disbelief.

"It's hard not to when you're on every other billboard in the city."

Oh.

"I think about you all the time too Y/N."

You smile and look up at the sky. The night is aligned with many stars tonight and they all call for your attention but mine. I feel greedy staring at you but I'm simply making up for all the nights that I was alone without you, all those kisses I've shared with women that weren't you.

"What do you think the stars are telling us tonight?" I ask.

You grin and without looking back at me, you say "I think the stars are laughing at us."

"Do you think the stars have changed their mind about us?"

You finally turn to me, your eyes drop. "I don't think that's how it works Pedro."

"If this is the life the stars have planned for me, a life without you, then I don't want it Y/N."

"Pedro-"

"I thought if I made a name for myself, if people knew who I was, then I'd be sure of who I am...but who I'm meant to be, who I want to be...is to be with you." Your eyes meet mine, coloured with emotions you are scared to express. "I look for you everywhere I go Y/N, in every women I meet but you are always a world away."

"We don't even know each other anymore Pedro."

"You are the only one who has always known who I am, even before me Y/N. I'm still as strange and as wild as I have always been. I'm still as messy and as clumsy as I was before. I still love cheap corner store liquor and dancing terribly in public. I still look at chemtrails whenever they past me...because they remind me of you."

"Chemtrails are bad for you, they say they're chemicals."  You tell me, your voice low and expressionless.

"If I die with you as my last thought, it won't be so bad."

I finally find the courage to reach for you and you don't recoil from me, you let me gently run my finger against the hair that falls down past your face. You close your eyes and I selfishly take you, pulling you towards me.

I rest my forehead against yours and I savour this moment where I can be close to you and not let it be a memory.

"What if I've changed?" You whisper.

"Well then I'll spend the rest of my life getting to know you again."

"If I told you to run away with me tonight, would you?" You open your eyes to see me, your expression as serious as ever.

"You're my home Y/N. I'll go wherever you go. Even if it's to another galaxy, we'll drive a little red Corvette into space together and leave this all behind."

You smile and tug on the bottom of your lip. "You think the stars would still allow us to go to space?"

"Fuck the stars." I say as I take your lips.

Oh, how I've missed the sweetness of your taste; in this moment you are spoiling me rotten. You wrap your arms around me and allow the blanket to drop from your shoulders. The only stars that mattered now are those in our eyes. They're telling me the future and it's you. It's always been you.

The sirens of the city and the plane overhead may be loud but I hear nothing over the sound of your heart beat.

You pull away and we both laugh.

In this moment, we are perfect. I am no longer the famous celebrity that belonged to everyone. I am not a son and you are no one's daughter.

We only belong to each other.

I see you shiver and look towards the door.

"Let's go inside." You get up and take my hand, guiding me back to our home. The one I've longed for ever since I left.

The building is quiet, everyone asleep by this hour but old Stan at his desk. I try to shuffle past as inconspicuously as I could, my hand entwine with yours.

"Welcome back Mr Pascal." Stanley greets us as clear as day, his head not even looking up from above his phone.

"Wha- so you do remember me!"

Sly old dog.

Stanley doesn't respond and concentrates on his screen instead.

You shake your head and pull me up the steps but not before I set down my lucky rose on the desk.

"Good night Stan."

I call out before I chase my love up the stairs, both of us ready to write our next chapter together. I don't know what it will entail but I know if you're in it, it will be the greatest adventure I'll ever take.

"Kids these days." Stan sighs, closing the article on his phone and clicking on a familiar app. Putting his feet up, he relaxes with a smile on his face as the Mandalorian theme song begins to play.

[chasseurdeloup-retired]

Hell’s Kitchen || Ariana, Rio, Damien, and Kaden

TIMING: Current LOCATION: Kaden’s Apartment PARTIES: @letsbenditlikebennett, @3starsquinn, @damienxsheppard, @chasseurdeloup SUMMARY: Kaden finally recruits help to make the staggering number of pies needed. Two werewolves, two hunters, and one pixie, no problems whatsoever.

“Is there more flour over there?” Kaden called out, barely looking up from the counter as he worked to make more dough. It didn’t matter who answered. Honestly he wasn’t certain that his apartment was big enough for all four of them at once, at least not actively working and baking. He knew it wasn’t big enough for the number of pies they had to make. It was hard to keep from muttering curses under his breath as he worked, mostly about two hundred pies and mostly in French. Still, he was grateful for the help at the moment, odd bunch though it might be. Two werewolves and two werewolf hunters. All in one apartment. Kaden had to keep rolling his shoulders back to ignore the chills down his spine every now and then. “Make sure the finished ones are labeled,” he called out to the living room. “Uh, please.” The timer buzzed and he nearly jumped out of his skin. “And someone grab that. I’ve got another ready here to swap out.”

Orion felt like a fish out of water. He didn’t think it was going too far out on a limb to assume that he had the least amount of experience with baking. Unless watching his sister bake growing up counted for anything. “I think I saw some flour over here.” Rio answered Kaden, dodging in and out of furniture and people to get to the counter. “Sorry, excuse me!” Rio mentioned to Damien as he slid behind him. Though the two had not met before, Rio figured that if he was a friend of Kaden and Ariana’s then he must be alright. He finally reached the bag and held it up in the air triumphantly before tucking it under his arm to take back over to Kaden. He ignored the tingling sensation nipping at his skin, a mainstay anytime he hung out with Ariana. Eventually it would stop bothering him like it always did. “What do you want me to do with it?” Rio found himself asking. This had been how he tried to make himself useful despite the minimal amount of baking experience he had. He didn’t know how to bake the pies, so he busied himself grabbing ingredients and measuring things out instead.

Damien wasn’t sure why he agreed to help. He was not typically the sort to be favorable to others, and he sure as shit didn’t know how to bake. Regardless of his usual disposition, he found himself here, ignorant of the threat the two men in the room could be to him, and annoyed to see the little werewolf walking about. “What are you doing here?” Damien grumbled lowly as he bent his form down to address Ariana. His tone lacked the sharp edge he wanted it to have, dulled now by their familiarity and a liking he wouldn’t admit to. If he was made to recognize the two hunters in the room he’d be forced to realize she was his closest ally. With a brief introduction to Rio, and an old greeting given to Kaden, Damien went to work. His hand snapped out to clasp the timer as Rio slipped past him, he should be glad the alarm of it signaled another pie was done and the lot of them were closer to their goal, but he hated the sound. Maneuvering through the maze of people, Damien arrived at the oven to free it of a recent baked good, leaving the door open for someone to place another on the racks.

“Hand it to me,” Kaden said simply, holding his hand out to take the bag of flour. With a quick sigh, he realized he could actually take a whole fucking second to explain. Rio did want to learn about baking, he’d said as much before. “I need to coat my hands again so that the dough doesn’t stick to them when I’m working with it.” Without even looking at the bag, Kaden reached in to scoop out some flour and pat it onto his hands. Only as soon as he did, something was off. It was… sticky? Definitely not flour. “Putain de merde,” he grumbled to himself, holding out his sugar covered hands. “Did you read the label on the bag, kid? I thought you liked reading.” he asked as he dodged around the two werewolves to get to the sink. “Please tell me you’re doing better over here. And can you get the next pie in the oven, Rio? Just make sure it’s not one that was already baked.”

Appreciative of Kaden trying to teach him along the way, Orion listened eagerly as Kaden explained the process and dipped his hand into the bag, only to pull out a handful of definitely not flour. Rio frowned at the bag, doing a double take to see that it did indeed claim to be sugar on the outside. Which didn’t make any sense considering he knew he had grabbed the flour. “I’m so sorry! I swe- I thought it said flour.” Rio caught himself mid sentence and rephrased, still eyeing the package as if the words were going to change back to flour. Rio pivoted quickly, still listening to Kaden while trying to right the wrong he had done. He found the bag of flour, opening it up to confirm this time before picking it up to take over to Kaden. Except this time when he lifted it, a stream of flour began pouring out of the bag from the bottom. “Oh come on!” Rio groaned, lifting it up to see a hole in the bottom. How had that happened? He plugged it with his hand and moved it next to Kaden, “There’s a hole in this, I don’t know why.” He explained clumsily before moving along to Kaden's next request, the new pies. He grabbed an unbaked one and moved towards the oven, waiting for Damien to remove a few before occupying the empty space. “Are you any good at baking or are you just as inept at this as I am?” Rio asked, smiling weakly at the man in what was probably a poor attempt at making conversation.

The commotion behind him drew Damien’s attention and he turned to watch as Kaden plunged his hand into a white bag and drew it back with his fingers covered in sugar. It seemed like an easy enough mistake to make, various ingredients in the kitchen were astray as the lot of them clamored to make more pies. One by one Damien pulled the pies from the oven, placing them on the limited counter space till only one was left perched in his hands wrapped in a cloth to prevent the heat from sinking into his fingertips. Searching the area for an available space, he found Rio struggling with the sought after bag of flour, a hole allowing for white powder to flow from the bag and dust their surroundings. He couldn’t help the small grin that developed on his face as Rio spoke to him, “you’re making me look good,” the werewolf replied as he moved through the limited space and dropped the last pie on the counter. An audible crack followed its landing as egg oozed from beneath the pan. “Fuck!” the curse was a little louder than need be, amplified by his genuine surprise, “where the hell did that egg come from? Did one of you put it there?” Damien reached for some paper towel to address the mess, “who the hell just leaves eggs lying around like that.”

The last person Ariana expected to see at Kaden’s apartment to help with baking pies of all things was Damien. Did Damien know Kaden was a hunter? Did Kaden know Damien was a werewolf? He had his whole werewolf sixth sense thing so he had to know, right? Maybe Ariana wasn’t his only exception which she was somehow both grateful for and a little jealous of, but she definitely preferred Kaden not trying to kill the grumpy werewolf she adopted so she’d take it. She couldn’t help the eye roll when Damien asked why she was here. “Helping make pies, obviously,” she answered jokingly as she continued rolling out some pie crust she had been working on. As fun as embarrassing Kaden could be, she wasn’t too keen to go into their fairly complicated backstory. Instead, she cackled as Kaden got his hands all sticky with sugar. It seemed like what followed was just a series of unfortunate events as Rio dropped flour everywhere and Damien broke a random egg. Ariana couldn’t help but laugh at Damien’s curses. “Y’all good? Do we need to like… reorganize the space,” she asked before her rolling pin went over an egg that definitely wasn’t there when she started rolling. “Hey,” she exclaimed with a hint of frustration in her voice, “Just because you’re making a mess of the eggs doesn’t mean you had to put one in my way,” she grumbled at Damien.

The kitchen was filled with cursing, which was nothing new, but it left Kaden wondering if the was a good idea after all. Maybe he should have just continued to struggle on his own to chip away at the growing list of orders. “My hands are wet, I can’t--” He didn’t get to finish his sentence before having to try and clumsily grab the leaking bag, alternating wiping his hands dry on his jeans. It only worked a little. The cracking behind him made him wince. “The hell is going on in here?” he muttered, mostly to himself, setting the bag aside for now. He ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it back out of the way before remembering that his were both still a little wet and sprinkled with patches of flour. “Rearrange. Yeah, let’s do that. We can, uh… We can move things…” He looked around for any opening. “Somewhere. I don’t know, we can move the extra ingredients out onto the table over there, the one with the--” His brows furrowed as he went to point towards the dining room table. The one currently covered in mushrooms. Putain. Of course the fucking pixie was at it. Something he knew he could explain to Rio and Ari. How much did Damien even know? And what kind of shit would that lead to? Kaden sighed. For now, ignore it. “The mushrooms. Just move those. Ignore them. Whatever.”

“When was the last time you had your eyes checked,” Damien countered Ariana as she reeled to recover the damage the egg had done to her rolling pin, “I’ve been too busy to plant eggs around here for you.” He snagged another paper towel and cleaned the surface the pie was resting on, discarding the material into the nearest trash bin. He had hardly been paying attention to what the hunters were doing, only turning around when Kaden began to formulate a new plan for their operation. Eyes scanned the cluttered workspace for available room for the pies, locking on the table the same time Kaden noticed the abundance of mushrooms. Where the hell had those come from? He didn’t remember seeing them when he walked in, and if he had he would have turned tail and left thinking this was some kind of joke. Damien had been fortunate enough that since moving to White Crest his interactions with the supernatural were limited, or subtle. They didn’t exactly step out and admit they were vampires or fae. Only recently had he encountered another of his kind that resulted in any damage. He had no idea what could have produced so many mushrooms. “Are you joking?” he turned to the others, clearly confused, “are we using those? We’re not using those, right? That would be disgusting. I might not have the cooking skills of a Frenchman but even I can’t stomach the idea of mushroom pie.”

Did baking usually involve this much mess? Orion knew people always said that a few eggs had to be cracked, but he had never considered that the phrase was meant literally. “Mushrooms?” Rio asked, perplexed by Damien’s statement until he had turned and spotted them for himself. That was certainly odd, and if Rio had to take a wild guess, probably involved some sort of fae. But why here of all places? “Is this a normal occurrence while you’re baking?” Though the thought was perplexing, he thought it would be mildly humorous if the hunter’s secret to baking was some sort of fae ingredient. Rio was checking on the pies he had put in the oven when he heard music start playing from seemingly nowhere. Recognized the song too, Abba. He had always loved the group until he realized the Silver Bullet played it so much. “Where is that music coming from?”

Not quite willing to admit Damien was probably right, Ariana opted to stick her tongue out at him before cleaning up the mess in front of her. “Whatever,” she muttered before following Kaden out to the table. Her brows furrowed in confusion at the sight of all the mushrooms. Sure, he was dating a banshee, but Regan didn’t exactly seem the type to enjoy getting hopped up on fairy mushrooms. Plus, she was pretty sure those weren’t there when she arrived. “Ignoring the mushrooms. Sounds like a great idea,” she said with a not so subtle hint of sarcasm in her tone though she eventually found herself laughing at Damien’s questions. She’d explain later, but for now, she joked, “Obviously someone requested a mushroom pot pie.” Only seconds before Rio mentioned it, she could faintly hear the sound of that one Gimme Gimme Gimme song that Celeste had always liked. It caused her mouth to twist into a slight frown. “Yeah, Kaden, what’s with the old people music?” She shook her head, “No wonder you and Celeste were friends. Same boomer music taste.”

“Not normal, no,” Kaden called out with a sigh not far behind. He wiped off his hands once more on his jeans before turning to the fridge, swinging the door open, and reaching in for two bottles. “Here,” he said, handing one of the bottles of beer to Damien. “I think we’re going to need this.” He cracked open the cap and took a swig before looking at the state of the table. Rumpleskuffs, had to be. Showing off for all the new guests. Kaden debated disappearing into the other room to make a deal with the pixie just long enough to get this all over with when he, too, heard a familiar sound. His eyes darted to the teenager, wide and shocked before narrowing in on her. “Cut it out, Ari. Is this another one of your tocking tick pranks? Putain, this isn’t--” Only it was clear she wasn’t responsible for the music, either. “Hey. I’m not that old. I don’t even like ABBA. That much. Anyway.” The timer went off again. His brow furrowed and he looked back to the oven. There was no way that was right. The pies just went in. “One second,” he said as he went to check on the pies. Not done. He turned off the timer and reset it, hoping that he wasn’t going to have to reset it again in a minute or two. Something told him that might be the case.

“You don’t like ABBA?” Orion questioned the hunter, perplexed by the bold statement. When it played at the Silver Bullet was just about the only time that people in that place didn’t seem all that bad. For a moment, they stopped being all grumbly and macho. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on Rio’s part. “It’s tiktok, Kaden.” He sighed, almost amused by how terribly he had butchered the app name, “And I don’t think this song is one of the popular sounds.” Not this ABBA song at least. A timer suddenly going off made Rio jump, hopping away from the oven and raising his heart rate on instinct. There was no way those were done already. Rio folded his arms and cast a worried glance over towards Damien. If he wasn’t here, Rio would be asking about what was actually going on. Since Kaden and Ariana weren’t bringing it up, he assumed that meant he must not be in the know. Or at the very least, not in the know about  fae and the mischief they can allegedly cause. “I didn’t know volunteering to help you bake pies was going to be so... eventful.”

Damien gratefully accepted the beer Kaden offered him, with the music playing in the background and mushrooms piled up onto the table things were starting to feel part of a show. A cooking segment you accidentally landed on while clicking through shows and paused on because of the quirky nature of it all. He took a drink of his beer and shrugged off the remarks between the two discussing the name of an app and their taste in music. Damien snagged an empty bowl meant for cooking and started to collect the mushrooms, “mushroom pot pie my ass,” he replied, though he was sure by Ariana’s tone that she hadn’t been serious at all. “And don’t lie Kaden, everyone likes ABBA, or at least one of their songs.” Damien took the mushrooms he collected into review, looking over the strangeness of their appearance as if the answer was written just out of sight. “What do you even want me to do with these?”

“What? No. Even if this was a good prank, this whole mess is longer than one minute,” Ariana said with a matter of fact tone to her voice as if Kaden was supposed to know that TikTok videos couldn’t be longer than a minute. She grabbed some more finished pies to set on the table and clear their workspace and shook her head at Damien’s mushroom pot pie questioning. Later, she’d explain the significance of mushrooms though she was dying to know now just why they were here. Still, curiosity took over as she picked up one of the mushrooms and eyed the almost fake looking spots that danced across it’s cap. “Is Regan on a mushroom kick or something,” she blurted out before adding the mushroom to the bowl Damien was collecting them in. Regan didn’t seem the type to intentionally partake in fae things, but it would explain the pimping out pies thing.

How was it that everyone in that damn room knew his secret? How the hell did they find out? Kaden’s eyes shot to Ari. Did she tell Rio? She could have. But how did Damien know, too? “Alright, fine,” he admitted with a grumble into his beer. “I don’t hate ABBA but I don’t love them or anything like that.” His brow furrowed again as Damien brushed the mushrooms off the table. Interesting. Normally they were just visual illusions. Then again, Rumpleskuffs had been very bored lately. Maybe he save some spores just for this sort of occasion. “You can, uh, just put them in the trash. Or something.” Shit, would that anger the tiny fae? Probably. “Or, uh, just set them to the side. Somewhere. Doesn’t matter, figure it out.” The timer went off again and Kaden thought he might scream. At the very least he was going to take this fucking timer and chuck it out the window. Instead, he simply turned it off again, reset it again, and placed it down on the counter as gently as he could manage. It still was a bit of a slam. “Huh?” he called back to Ari, his chest tightening at the thought. He knew Ari knew what Regan was. And Rio. But would that give her away to Damien? Couldn’t they just all pretend to be completely fucking normal humans for an hour or two? Wouldn’t that be nice? “No, definitely not hers. Regan hates mushrooms. I think. Nah, this is just, uh, wel…” Shit, should have gone with her explanation. “Maybe just another experiment of hers or something. Like that.”

Damien discarded the bowl of mushrooms on the couch sofa, it seemed unlikely they’d need that space for anything else with the pies quickly taking over the apartment. He had never asked how Kaden managed to rack up such an order and it seemed a little late now to question it. The timer began to chime again, signifying one more item baked towards their goal, but the sound of it landing on the counter a little too harshly caused Damien to turn his head. Was this about Regan? He didn’t see how mushrooms could be tied back to her but the stress of this, it seemed like the roots really dug into something more daunting than a bake off. “I don’t get the impression Regan is much of a trickster. Though maybe she’d have an interest in mushrooms if they were sprouting from something recently departed. Or were related to the death of something,” at least, that was more of the impression Damien had of her, knowledgeable about all things deceased. He strode over to Kaden, placing a hand on his shoulder, “maybe you should take a break man,” he gave a light push over towards the couch, “I think he can manage for a little bit.” It was then that Damien turned his head, or rather, looked down to find Ari, “come on girl scout, time to earn a badge for baking mastery.”

Mushrooms were a fae thing, Orion knew that much. Though he didn’t think it was really a Banshee thing. Definitely not a Regan thing. Not unless this whole health kick where Regan assumed that Rio was one missed protein or strong breeze would be his breaking point had been nothing more than a practical joke all along. If that were the case, Rio would actually have to be a bit impressed. And maybe a bit disappointed. “Saprophytes” Rio suggested casually as the discussion turned towards mushrooms growing on dead things, “It’s a type of fungus that grows on dead things.” Not that those mushrooms were the kind that grew on dead things. At least he didn’t think so. Damien was trying to get Kaden to take a break, which was probably the right idea. Even if the idea of losing his lifeline to this whole baking thing was a bit terrifying. “Who is in charge then? Because I don’t know what I’m doing. Guidance requested please.”

Considering Damien seemed to shrug off any warnings she gave him about other supernatural crap that happened in town, Ariana doubted that he’d put together two and two when it came to fae and mushrooms. Kaden seemed pretty certain Regan hated mushrooms and given how serious Regan was, she doubted she was really into pranks. Still, if she happened upon some mushrooms, that could have changed her outlook a bit. At least from what Ariana understood about fae and mushrooms which admittedly wasn’t much for someone who had a warden girlfriend. She looked Damien and Kaden both with an amused grin on her face and wondered why they weren’t just throwing the mushrooms out. “Couch, seems good enough until the kitchen is freed up,” she said with a shrug before she added, “And I’m a little old to be a girl scout, but I’ve gotten pretty good at baking. So don’t worry, you two be grumpy old men together and Rio and I can take over in the kitchen for a bit.” Before she even finished her sentence, she could practically hear Kaden grumbling about how he wasn’t grumpy or saying some French swear word. While he hadn’t responded, it still left her smiling. She linked her arm up with Rio’s and assured, “No worries, Rio. I’ve been baking with your sister long enough that I’m practically an expert at this point.” Somehow, the timer was going off again and she swore it had only been a few minutes. Someone was definitely joking around here. If this was a cartoon, she was sure steam would be coming out of Kaden’s ears and that was enough to have her laughing amongst the chaos again. She dragged Rio into the kitchen, turned the timer off, and whispered, “Okay, what the hell is going on here? Who is not me and pranking Kaden?” Mime stripper reviews crossed her mind and her eyes lit up. She poked her head out of the kitchen and asked, “Hey, Kaden? Has Nell been here recently?” Though mushrooms still didn’t seem like Nell’s style even if she had joked about enchanting vegetables after the potato incident.

Damien was going to elect Ariana as the leader of this little group, she seemed to be the thread that connected most of them, but he also did not want to give Ari the satisfaction of his vote. So, he took to his role in accompanying Kaden to the couch as the second half of the grumpy man team, throwing an arm around Kaden’s shoulder as he indulged in his beer. “I’ll be happy to fit the grumpy man trope if it lets me finish my drink,” he murmured to Kaden, maneuvering towards the couch. Damien let his body all but crashing into the cushion, sinking in without protest. The time spouted off again causing him to briefly turn his head to see how the others were managing the kitchen before returning his focus on the drink. He knew he shouldn’t ask what came next, that he shouldn’t want to know, but some part of him had grown to care for these people and Damien struggled to ignore that. “How are things going with Regan, with her classes I mean?” he asked Kaden, “is she taking breaks in-between to work on the pie business?”

“Guess Ari is your guidance,” Kaden said back to Rio. “Just shout if you all need help. And I’m not that old, alright,” he grumbled as he took a seat on the couch. Putain, he couldn’t remember the last time he sat down today, if he was being honest. Maybe the teenage werewolf was right and he did need the break. The timer went off again and he pinched his nose between his fingers, hoping the pressure would relieve some of the tension in his head. It wasn’t working so he took a swig of his drink instead. It didn’t make the headache go away but it was good beer and it was better than the goddamn mushrooms. “It’s not Nell. Or Blanche. Or Grace.” Not that it was even possible to be some of them but he knew the cause of this was a small fae who had taken up residence in his apartment. Another swig was definitely necessary. “How do you know Nell, anyway?” Then again, it wasn’t hard to run into at least one Vural in town. Well, now that there were three again. Kaden sighed and was about to take another drink but Damien’s comment made him stop and furrow his brows. “Huh?” he asked as he looked over to Damien. Classes? What cl-- Oh. Oh. That’s right. When he’d explained the banshee lessons. Putain. “Uh, yeah it’s going alright. She’s made progress I think. Almost done. But yeah, the pies have been a good break for her. As much of a fucking mess this is, it’s been nice to have.”

Somehow, the two youngest ended up in charge of the pies. Luckily for Orion, Ari knew what she was doing. Unluckily for him, she knew what she was doing because of his sister. She wasn’t exactly an ideal conversation topic. Ironically, she was probably the most conflicting part of his own friendship with Ari at this point. He trusted her to keep Ari safe, but not much beyond that. “Just tell me what to do. I’ll be the obedient sous chef.” Rio laughed. When she whispered to him he shrugged but glanced toward the two. He didn’t know Damien, but he didn’t really seem the type. Kaden hadn’t been wrong to suspect Ari first, admittedly. “No idea. But all seems very… fae-y. Just pretend that’s a word.” The kitchen was a mess and he couldn’t tell what parts of that were their doing and what part was whatever was continuing to mess things up. While he waited on instructions, Rio worked to try to tidy up. “We have a very intricate young person friend group, Kaden.” Rio answered his question. Of course they knew Nell. Probably because of Winston. At least in Rio’s case, they had been the common string that introduced most of the friends Rio had now. “We’re all very tight knit.” Trauma and near death experiences had a habit of encouraging bonding experiences.

Seeing as Kaden wasn’t dropping any hint of who the hell was playing mushroom pranks on him, Ariana figured it was probably time to drop it. She could always bug him about it later. It seemed like she could have a true partner in crime with pranking Kaden. The part of her that enjoyed the clout on TikTok was delighted. The part of her that still struggled to wrap her head around fae things after everything with Lydia and then Deirdre, decided maybe this prankster wasn’t up her alley. Mushrooms brought a rightful sense of unease. “Your sous-chef duty for now is gonna be turning the timer off since it seems to like going off every 2 minutes and we all have too good of hearing for that shit,” she said to Rio who could probably already sense she wasn’t the only werewolf in the room. She got to rolling out some more dough for the crust and called out, “What he said.” It was easier than explaining they chatted online a few times before Nell and Bea helped make charmed jewelry to help protect her and Celeste. So much help that did, not that it was their fault. With a few more crusts cut out, she got another batch of pies ready to move into the oven. As crazy as the afternoon was, Ari found there was some sort of content feeling that came with being surrounded by people she loved.

[ofkareenas]

.  ∘ ∗   :   🐝   𝙸𝙽𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙸𝙽𝙶   …

JANHVI KAPOOR, CIS WOMAN, TWENTY-FIVE, SHE / HER  ⟨  ✽  ⟩   hey, you haven’t bumped into  kareena puri  lately, have you? they have been living here for the past  two years  and during that time, locals have gotten to know them as  charismatic  &  creative.  a little birdie told me they can be quite  stubborn  &  opinionated  though. explains why they’re an online fashion brand owner and designer .  they really remind me of  morning beach walks, sketchbooks filled with new designs, the sound of a sewing machine running.  if you’re ever looking for them, i bet you can find them around port briar lighthouse.

hi again, it’s tally ! this is my second baby kareena !! she’s very new to me and it’s pretty exciting bc i tend to just recycle characters kjhfgkj again, if you’d like to plot, please reach out to me on dms, or you can like this and i’ll reach out. you can also talk to me on discord if you’d prefer that. ( gowon face insurance company#8416 ) also pls excuse how messy this is, i havent written a proper full intro in a while.

.  ∘ ∗   :   🐝   𝙱𝙸𝙾𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝚈   …

kareena puri

march 30th, 1996 - 25 yrs old ; aries

cis woman, she/her, bisexual (closeted to her family, not so much to anyone else)

born in mumbai, india. raised in seattle, washington.

currently residing in port briar, maine

pinterest board: here

TW / CW: none, other than a controlling family, which idk if it even should be tagged but yuh

kareena knew it, she was lucky compared to others. she had it better than some of her peers, and she recognized that privilege. but if she could trade her family life for a “normal” one, she would in the quick snap of a finger.

kareena’s family was pretty much old money. she came from a long line of doctors in almost every medical field, and they own so many private hospitals and clinics in many countries. if you happen to hear the Puri family name, you probably would associate it with these things: a big hospital that you probably drove by with your car or a surgeon that your doctor wanted to refer you to.

every child in the family was expected to go to med school. it was the only way to keep the family legacy and pride going. of course, the more new generations came in the family, the more there were those who decided to take different fields of work instead. and of course, the eldest members in the family would always voice their disappointment in them, and would always make sure to remind them that they’re a disgrace no matter how successful they are in whatever field they went into.

kareena didn’t know what she was doing at the young age of sixteen. her parents would boast about how she would be a successful doctor when she grows up, just like her older siblings, and how her younger siblings would be the same as well. all kareena did was nod and smile. she didn’t want this.

the thing is, she was a naturally great student with really good grades, and yet her parents would be disappointed if she got a B+ or even an A- on a subject every once in a while. she didn’t get it. she thought she was doing her best. although the complaining about her report cards was getting a bit too much coming from her mother, and that’s when kareena really started to not give a fuck. yes, she still got good grades for her own sake, but she started to do whatever she wanted. she hung out with kids her parents would call a bad influence, and started to skip some school days or go to parties on the weekends. it was fun and liberating to her.

once her senior year was over and kareena was graduated with a high school diploma, her family was back at it again, trying to get her to apply to all the notable medical schools out there. she had protested about it, and family fights ensued, and with some threats, kareena was forced into applying. next school year, she was in another city, studying to be a surgeon, and her mind wasn’t into it at all. she only lasted one year before she decided to drop out and transfer to FIDM, a fashion school in L.A, instead.

kareena has always been into fashion. the way she dressed would tell you so. how she was always on the latest fashion, and how she would have so many sketchbooks and scrapbooks of fashion related things. she loved making her own clothes at home with her sewing machine. her mother would tell her that it’s a nice hobby, but she never guessed that her daughter would want to pursue it as a career. the color drained out of her face when she saw what kareena had done. she was angry and disappointed, and mostly worried about what the rest of the family would say, more than she cared about her daughter’s wants and needs. kareena, however, didn’t care. she was happy. she moved out to be closer to campus, and soon enough after graduation, she left everything behind and decided to go somewhere quieter: port briar, maine. this was completely different from everything she was used to, it was so quiet and small, but she loved it. she finally feels at peace with herself.

now, kareena is a successful fashion designer. she started an online business, and it has been booming, with fashion influencers promoting her work. she was hoping that someday she would get to do bigger things, like making custom items for celebrities and being featured in fashion magazines and fashion weeks. she could only wish and work towards that for now.

and even with all of that, even when kareena had picked herself up from the ground on her own and built her own business, her family still didn’t approve. they still pretended to care about her, but would make sure to remind her of how disappointed they are in her and the path she’d taken. they would sit and wonder what it would’ve been like if she continued to go to med school, and how successful she could’ve been. and all kareena would do in response is smile and say that she’s successful anyway, but at least now she’s doing something she actually loves.

.  ∘ ∗   :   🐝   𝙷𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙲𝙰𝙽𝙾𝙽𝚂   …

born in mumbai, india. moved to seattle, washington when she was still a baby, and was raised there for the rest of her life, all while still visiting family back home.

kareena is the middle child of 5 siblings. two older brothers and two younger sisters

she is bisexual, and she’s pretty open about it. except to her family. shes not out to them

she believes in working hard, but she also believes that everyone deserves to have fun and get a break every once in a while. she currently is the only main person doing all the work for her business, but she’s hoping to soon hire anyone who has the same interests as her

her designs are mostly evening wear dresses and such. think teuta matoshi or marionela type of dresses, all flowy and puffy, giving fantasy feels

altho i would say her success is more like early hope macaulay, when she was still starting out. if no one is familiar with her, she is an irish fashion and textile designer who got famous for her knit wear on instagram, and she’s p young !! u might recognize her work if u look her up <3

she currently lives alone port briar, with her rented home facing the beach. exactly how she likes it. it was different and definitely not lavish like her home growing up, but she liked it better. she could’ve lived somewhere more expensive, but she didn’t want that.

owns a studio where she usually works. there is more space for her there than what she used to have at home. all the design process, sewing and even photoshoots take place there usually

if not working, kareena could be found at the rocky beaches near the port’s lighthouse or off somewhere on an adventure. she is always here to have a good time

honestly kareena is still such a new character for me, so if i think of any other hcs, i’ll add them here

.  ∘ ∗   :   🐝   𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙽𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂   …

friends from school, could be from seattle or L.A: kareena would’ve kept in contact with those friends tbh shes the type of person to keep her friends around. even if they were just added to her snapchat or followed on instagram. she would keep up with them

toxic relationship / gf: THIS

exes ?? we could definitely plot this out

high school ex perhaps 👀

FWB: no strings attached 

neighbors: she lives on sea sprite lane

family members? kareena would be hoping that left them all behind in the past, but it can’t be denied that she has a big family and she could possibly run into any of them at any moment

omg crush perhaps ! idm if it’s one sided, and it could either be kareena having feelings or the other person

a friend she had a falling out with: she probably met this person two years ago when she first moved here. something might’ve happened and one thing after another, they dropped each other and it was probably the worst falling out for both of them

clients / customers for her business perhaps. or maybe a helping hand!! 

literally anything u wanna do, lets gooo

[standbi-ghost]

Silent Night Sky

Christmas truce gift for @tsubaki94

Angsty Dash and Danny Christmas with a hint of space, fresh out the oven.

Sorry this is out a day late oop- just wanted to make sure it was perfect!

Anyway, I hope you like it!!

TW: Implied / referenced child abuse

Words: 1366

ao3

He probably looked like some homeless bum right now. It’s not like anyone would really notice his presence, everyone was off celebrating the holidays with family what with it being Christmas and all.

He fidgeted with the sleeves of his oversized sweater, it’s not like he even needed it, it was more for anonymity in the rare case someone was doing some last-last minute shopping. Plus, no matter how cold-resistant he’d become, there’s something comforting about an oversized sweater over your shoulders. It was the warm hug he needed.

Tucker was spending Christmas with his family, something Danny shamefully envious of. He’d even been invited but he hadn’t wanted to intrude. Sam on the other hand wasn’t even in amity. She was spending quality time with her family overseas and wouldn’t be back till after New Year’s. He couldn’t say he envied her. Danielle was touring the world and he would rather eat his own foot than spend Christmas with Vlad. That just left him with his family which was the more complicated of the choices. While his parents were obviously trying to mellow out on their yearly arguing, this year had proven to be as shitty as they come. It just seemed that as the cold settled within Amity, hostility settled within his parents. If he were Jazz, he would point out that it may have something to do with their dynamic as a couple, and how Jack probably felt as if he weren’t being taken seriously enough by Maddie, but he wasn’t Jazz, so he did what Danny does, he hid. He hid his secret, he hid his fear, and now he hid under a bridge until his parents or Jazz noticed his absence and went out looking for him. Until then-

He let a deep sigh out and watched as his breath curled around Cassiopeia, then Andromeda, then disappear into Aries.

Every year he found himself in their company. Every year, instead of ripping into a new model rocket like any space-obsessed kid or trying to hide his disappointment in another pair of lame socks, he was sitting at the ops center looking for Pisces or Triangulum or whatever other constellation he’d just learned about.

Whatever. It’s not like he cared. Plus, with his parents, occupied, it was just him and the stars.

“Fenton?”

Danny looked up to see familiar blue eyes staring at him. He flinched out of pure instinct and aggressively wiped at his eyes. Like hell he was going to let Dash of all people see him this disheveled.

“Dash? What are you doing here?” he ignored the crack in his voice (darn puberty) and glared at him through squinted eyes, “Shouldn’t you be at some party getting blackout drunk? Or, you know, enjoying Christmas with your family or whatever?”

To his shock Dash merely winced and sat on the ledge next to Danny.

“Look, you don’t like me and I don’t like you, and frankly, I don’t want to talk to you right now so how’s about we both just sit here in silence and then leave like nothing ever-“

He fiddled with his hoodie strings and dared a glance at Dash only to see him focused on the sky above.

“You weren’t going to jump right?”

“No!” he nervously chuckled, “Sorry um, no, I wasn’t, I just needed some-“

“Air?”

“Yeah.”

The silence was back, and it was suffocating.

“Look Dash, I love bottling up trauma and shaking it like a coke can every now and then just waiting for it to blow up and kill me one day as much as the next guy, but even I know that’s not healthy. Not that any part of me is healthy- but that’s not the point!” he shook his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. He may not be Jazz but he sure as hell has had to sit through countless of her stop-being-such-a-boy-and-own-up-to-his-mushy-feelings lectures, which meant he knew exactly how much ‘venting’ or whatever could help. Plus, it’s not like Dash cares, with him he doesn’t have some reputation to uphold or feelings to spare.

“I just had to get out of there you know. I know it sounds selfish, but I just want one Christmas without the pointless fighting. There are people who have it worse, people who get to spend their holidays alone or worse and I’m complaining about my parents having a little disagreement. It’s not even the Christmas thing, I mean sure when I was a kid, I hoped for a normal Christmas like everybody else, well, everybody but Sam obviously, but now I just want a normal life.” He looked over to see Dash in the same position as earlier, still staring blankly at the stars. Just as he was about to push himself off the ledge and start his trudge home, he heard Dash suck air in through his teeth.

“Christmas in my household always equals drinking, my dad has anger issues, now I may not be good at math, but I know from experience exactly what happens when those two factors are added together.”

Danny was stunned into silence. How was he supposed to respond to that? They weren’t even friends for Ancients' sakes! Which meant, it meant they could be brutally honest with each other, no hard feelings.

“That fucking sucks man.”

Dash turned to look at him for the second time that night and flashed a sad grin. He barked out a chuckle, “Yeah man, it really does.”

Danny pushed one hand deeper into his pockets and ran the other through his hair. “Do you want to maybe, vent?” he stuttered out, “I mean I get if you don’t, why would you? To me I mean, but like, it helps, at least whenever I vent to Jazz it does. I just figured you might not have anyone to vent to so like, I’m open.”

It was Dash’s turn to stare at him through squinted eyes, an unreadable expression plastered on his face.

“It’s hard, pretending to be something you’re not” he began, “like, it’s not too bad at first and you start getting into character but then, I don’t know you get to into character and all of sudden you’re questioning your life’s decisions and whether or not the person you see in the mirror is you. And then you’re going into existential crisis mode and start realizing that you don’t even like football. That you actually really liked reading Frankenstein. That maybe you don’t want your life to have peaked in High School as the star football-whatever and that you might actually want an education. Not to be some kind of lame coach for little leagues but like a professor. That’s not even touching on whether or not my dad sees my life outside of his stupid reputation.” He trailed off in a hiccup of tears. All that greeted him back was silence.

Danny went to comfort Dash but pulled his hand back before making contact. He took a deep breath instead.

“Look Dash, ‘secret identities’ suck. It’s hard keeping the real you tucked away and harder watching them slip from you, and, I can’t sit here and pour you a cup of the-answers-to-your-life, but what I can tell you is-“

He paused and playfully shoved Dash, “fuck you for keeping the real Dash hidden,”

“Wha-“

He stood up and flipped the trees around them off as he yelled, “and fuck you all for forcing him to hide!”

He dramatically plopped himself back next to Dash as the two boys giggled like madmen. All previous tension between them sizzling out as their laughter grew louder.

“You know Danny?” Dash chuckled out, “You’re not half bad.”

“That’s… comforting,” Danny mused out loud, “more than you know.”

Both boys sat back and continued gazing at the sky, a peaceful silence now surrounding them. Here they weren’t a bully and his victim, or two struggling students, just two boys sharing a silent night sky together. They weren’t friends, and maybe one day they could be, but tonight, they were all they had.

“So what’s this I hear of you being some kind of Literary nerd?”

"Shut it Fenerd!"

[letsbenditlikebennett]

Belonging || Ariana & Kaden

TIMING: After this (x)  PARTIES: @chasseurdeloup & @letsbenditlikebennett SUMMARY: Kaden goes to visit Celeste’s tree and stumbles upon a distraught Ariana. Some heart to hearts ensue.  CONTENT: Mentions of domestic and emotional abuse

Kaden knew he should stay home, stay in bed, let his body recover. As far as he was concerned, it could recover on his way through the woods. He hadn’t meant to return so soon, but he always found himself gravitated to his home away from home. If he had to hazard a guess, he’d say he spent more time in the forest than in his apartment. Even if his non waking hours were considered. The longer he lay in his bed, the more his mind ran. Ran through his conversation with Morgan. With Deirdre. With Regan. What happened with Ariana. Alain. He couldn’t sit still and let them drown him. There was only one person he wanted to see right now, one person he wanted to sit with in silence and find some solace. Just one. But he was afraid seeing Regan would hurt more than help. She couldn’t completely offer what he needed, not right now. Or maybe she could but he didn’t feel like risking it. He had to be stronger right now, be the support, the anchor for her if he could. Not to mention, any discussion or questions she had would just confuse him more. And she was bound to have questions about his latest injuries, about his hunting, about what he wanted. 

No, Kaden needed silence. And comfort. That was one thing Celeste could still offer. It wasn’t as good as the guidance or patience she’d been able to give him in life, but it would have to do. So he’d walk through the woods, picking his way to a familiar tree. The sounds of the woods silenced his mind, it hushed the closer he got to her spot. In its stead, he heard something that sounded like crying. A step more and he felt it. The chill. He sighed and tried to hold back his heart from crumbling. He had two options. Turn around, let her have her solitude, or go to who he was sure was Ariana. He didn’t know if he could handle her grief along with his confusion, directionlessness right now. What would Celeste want him to do? He inhaled and walked to the tree. “Hey, Ari?” he said softly from a few feet away. “Are you-- do you want to be alone?” 

Everything in her still felt like it was spinning around. As if she couldn’t possibly grasp onto some sense of direction that would make all of this easier. If she had been so wrong about where she stood with Deirdre, what else could she have been wrong about? Was all of this for not? Trying to someone who could exist in two worlds the way Celeste? Ariana wondered if maybe it had been easier for her since for so long, it was just the two of them, but somehow her and Ulfric had managed, too. She had to be the fault here. She felt like a puzzle piece in the wrong box trying to wedge herself into places she didn’t fit. Like the little space carved for her in Deirdre’s home had never been right in the first place. It did nothing to lessen the still fresh sting of how quickly she’d been thrown out. She’d been too lost in her feelings to even hear anyone approaching. It was careless, really, but when a voice registered in her mind, at least she knew she was safe. Or would he turn her away just as quickly if he knew what she did to Sammy? No, she couldn’t let her mind go there right now. She sniffled and wiped away the tears on her jacket sleeve. “Kaden, hey,” she said weakly as she turned to look up to him, “I don’t-- Honestly, no, not really.” 

She motioned for him to join her and glanced back up at the tree. She’d sat here so many times before that she could practically remember every divot and line in the tree’s stump. It was funny to Ariana that they always seemed to meet this way, though the grin she made didn’t quite reach her eyes. “We have to stop meeting like this,” she joked as she absentmindedly took a fallen leaf in her hand. It crunched under the pressure of her palms and something about it relaxed her if only a little bit. She turned back to Kaden and asked, “What brings you out here?” 

Kaden nodded and silently took a seat next to her, close enough the could nearly brush shoulders. Normally he kept his distance, a space between. It felt silly now. After everything else, what happened the other night. There was no use pretending he didn’t give a shit, no use avoiding this. Whatever kinship this was. It was odd, the sensations spiking along his spine that normally sent him into alert, meant danger was near, in this place it felt like a strange sort of comfort. A constant reminder that he wasn’t alone, that his grief was shared. A reminder of his conflict and turmoil, too. But ultimately when sitting next to Ari like this, it felt like Celeste. Her work or doing or something like that, he couldn't put it into words. Maybe it was because he knew this was how she felt all the time when around her sister, some small piece of solidarity he could find with his fallen friend.

“We really do.” The smile Kaden tried to force onto his face didn’t quite seem to make it there. How many times had they ran into each other in the woods by this tree? Hell, he’d lost count. “Funny, I was about to ask you the same.” He exhaled and leaned farther back into the tree he was propped against. “Just needed some, I don’t know, something.” Well that was a shitty explanation. He tried again. “After what happened. And a few weeks ago. And last month. I just, I wanted--” Fuck, was the lump in his throat alreayd making an appearance. “Celeste would have understood. Wanted to talk to her. At her. I don’t know.” It just felt like the right place to be. And hell, he’d expected silence. So forming words around his thoughts wasn’t something he’d prepared for himself. “But that’s my bullshit. It doesn’t matter. And you’re not allowed to argue with me on that one. Why were you out here before I got here? What’s wrong?” 

They’d done this plenty of times before, often wordlessly, and it had become a comfort in its own right. A small reminder that she wasn’t the only one who wanted to keep Celeste alive in some way. Ariana noted he sat closer to her than usual though she wouldn’t mention it aloud. Their bond remained mostly unspoken and it seemed like it wasn’t something Kaden could deny anymore. Not when he’d been so distraught thinking he’d hurt her or when he’d gone through such extreme measures to make sure he saved people and kept her safe at the same time. The fact he wasn’t keeping his normal distance was enough for her to shake away the thought that everything with him was just as fragile as it had been with Deirdre. He knew the best and worst of what she’d done. Maybe not all the small details in between, but she felt comforted knowing whatever it was they shared wasn’t quite that delicate. 

“I get that. It’s nice to think she’s listening,” Ariana said as she leaned back on her palms and relished slightly in the feeling of dirt between her fingers. She listened as he spoke though it wasn’t something she could quite piece together. Given his answer was more of a nonanswer and just an indication that he had been struggling with things, too. “She would have understood,” she said simply, “She always did.” It’s where she felt like she was falling short. She wanted to understand how Deirdre could condone what Lydia had done. She wanted to understand what she had done that was so wrong. There was still that unwavering hollow feeling in her chest knowing she couldn’t return. She breathed out a sigh and responded, “You’re lucky I don’t have much in the way of arguing energy today. Plus, I kind of owe you one.” She leaned forward again and brought her hands to her lap, bringing a leaf to fidget with along. Another sigh was breathed out as she explained, “I was kind of… I don’t know, rejected by someone I considered family. Just felt shitty and wanted to be with her. It’s-- Do you ever feel like you have no idea what the fuck you’re doing? She always seemed to know what to do.” 

“Bet she would have had some great advice, too,” Kaden said. The words stung in their own way. Kaden wished he’d met her sooner, could have gleaned a little more from her, maybe then he’d have a few more answers than questions. It was funny, though, the more time he spent with the werewolf, the more he saw of the hunter in her. He wasn’t sure if he just didn’t let himself see it before but it was clearer every time they did this just how much Ariana had taken on of Celeste. Little things, mannerisms, phrases. Mostly the kindness. That one he’d known for a while. 

“You don’t owe me shit, alright.” His voice was small but the guilt that ate at him from just a month ago had only just started to dull. Sure, it wasn’t Ari then but that didn’t matter. Some part of him felt like he’d be atoning for that potential mistake for far longer than just one month of his life. A foreign thought, but the idea that he could have ended her life as easily as he had, it sent a shiver down his spine. She didn’t owe him shit. Kaden draped his forearms against his knees, folded his hands top of one another as he kept his eyes on the tree in front of them. That was until she explained her situation. His gaze drifted to her. She was hardly a big person to begin with, but her presence usually was. Right then? She seemed small. Smaller than she even was in reality. “Kid the only thing I’ve been sure of recently is that I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing.” Another sigh escaped him. “I didn’t know her as long, but I’m sure Celeste questioned shit all the time, too. You don’t grow up like us and end up, well, you know. I bet she had a million questions and doubts about her choices.” He gave her shoulder a small nudge with his elbow, eyes turning back to the tree in front of him. “But she knew she was picking what was best for you every time. Even I know that. And I don’t know shit. Probably helped ease the doubt.” Not that he really knew. But he could guess. “You got lucky. Having her.” Kaden wasn’t sure that was comforting or not given what she’d just told him minutes ago. “Whoever rejected you, fuck them.” There was more he wanted to say, thought about saying, but he couldn’t make the words leave his lips. Not yet. 

“She would,” Ariana agreed. How many times had she rolled her eyes at Celeste’s advice? Far too many. It was almost humorous now that she’d do just about anything for it. To be given some sense of direction that felt right. Maybe Deirdre’s piercing scream and throwing her out wouldn’t have stung as much if she still had that same safe haven to return to. There was nothing she could do that would have made Celeste turn her away. She still couldn’t help but feel a sense of righteousness here. How could she be tossed aside for someone who literally had a torture bunker in their home? Having Kaden there grounded her in a different way. He was just as appalled as she was by the whole situation. By what Lydia did to those people. By what she did to her. Even now, in the wake of what happened, he was nudging her shoulder without hesitation and she couldn’t recall such an easy gesture between them before. He showed up for her in more ways than she could have expected and maybe that was enough. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I don’t owe you shit. Doesn’t change the fact I’d want to be here if you needed me anyway.” 

It was obvious to her that he was still struggling with something that maybe she’d never be able to understand, but all she could do now was be here with him. Ariana wouldn’t push him, not today. Not when she already felt exhausted during a time of month she usually felt energized and rejuvenated. Even how much more comfortable he seemed with her as of late and how he saved her the other night, she had to believe he was going through some sort of internal struggle that only Celeste could understand. She stared ahead at the tree, right now they could both use her wisdom. “That’s a whole ass mood. Which is probably obvious given the mess I made with the leanan-sidhe. Which, I’ll be honest, still has me shaken up.” She picked apart at the leaf in her hands, creating little confetti like pieces around the ground in front of her. “I know you’re right. She had to make a lot of difficult choices. She just somehow made a way of making them look easy. Like she just naturally knew the way. Even when we had to pack our bags on a whim in the middle of the night and hit the road because her parents got a lead on us, it always seemed like she knew exactly what she was doing. Exactly where we were going. Maybe being together was part of that.” 

Her mind lingered wistfully on late night car rides. How Celeste would always give her cash and she’d load up on drinks and snacks for them. She remembered how much Celeste loved oatmeal creme pies and vanilla iced coffee no matter the weather. She remembered the way she could barely see the road ahead over the dashboard and what she could see seemed so dark, yet she always remained calm. Ariana knew she had to be scared, too. There was no way she couldn’t have been. They had been on the run after all. She’d been younger than Ariana was at the time, but somehow managed to put on a brave face for her sake. It was something she’d never stop being grateful for and still wished she told her that more. “I did. I should have told her that more.” She sighed and grabbed another leaf, eyes still locked ahead on her tree. The idea of completely writing off Deirdre with a simple “fuck her” wasn’t something that came easily. She’d been so kind before and now she just didn’t understand how what she’d done had been so wrong. How Deirdre could possibly stand behind someone who kept humans in her basement to abuse, torture, and eat. There was no way that was the only way and she had to think Deirdre knew that. Still, the words fae’s property rang in her mind. She shuddered slightly and said, “I wish it was that easy. To say fuck them and move on like none of it ever mattered-- But it did matter. You can’t just stop caring about someone at the drop of a hat.” 

“Well, then. Noted,” Kaden said. Even if he was sure he was the one with a debt to pay in this situation. Still. “But you should erase that word from your vocabulary, alright?” His tone was light, joking. Even if it didn’t feel like a joke just yet. Not this soon. It was funny, he’d wanted to be alone out here for a while but he was more and more glad that he wasn’t. Just hearing another heartbeat, it was comforting. Something about the steady rhythm along with the sound of the wind picking through the branches it just felt better. Maybe it didn’t answer any of his questions, but it was better. Maybe that was all he could ask for. 

“I mean, it’s been two whole days since--” Kaden didn’t need to spell it out. “And this, this is a big fucking situation. You weren’t ready for what you walked into. It’s not your fault. I wouldn’t have done much better.” In fact, if she hadn’t reminded him what they were up against, he was two steps from barging down Lydia’s door and taking care of this himself. And it would have fared about as well as her attempt at that, surely. He took the finger nail on his thumb, dug it into the side of his wrist. They had to fix this. Not today. But he had to try to right the wrongs there. He didn’t know how yet but soon. 

“I think her motivation had something to do with why it looked easy. If I had to guess.” Making decisions to protect someone else? It was always easier. Always. If Blanche was in trouble, for example? His choices were easy. Do whatever it took to help her. Kaden had no doubt that Celeste felt the same. When put up against a wall, there was no time for second guessing. You lept and hoped it was the right choice. Maybe it was something the two of them had taken from hunting, come to think of it. Not that he could ask. “And you didn’t have to tell her. With how close you were? She knew.” He sighed right along with her. He damn well understood what she was saying and he was confronted with his tendency to push away anyone who even so much as implied rejecting him before they had a chance. “I know. I really fucking know.” It was half of why keeping people at arm’s length was easier. It hurt less in the long run. For so many reasons. But hell, he definitely understood. It was part of why he was in that fucking clearing at all. “I’m sorry. I can’t make them understand what they gave up. But they… I mean it’s their loss, Ari. I know it feels like yours but in the end…” His words trailed off again and he found himself scuffin his boot back and forth in the dirt. “It’s their loss if they rejected you.”

“Oh, right,” Ariana said somewhat sheepishly. Watching her words hadn’t felt necessary around Kaden. He was safe. The other night had only proved it. “Thankfully, I have a feeling that even if you could use those words against me, you wouldn’t.” Unless there was some magic way to make her stay out of trouble. As it stood, trouble was all but unavoidable in White Crest even if one didn’t have a knack for it. She’d need to be smarter about her words though. They had put both of them in danger and they were hardly out of the clear just yet. The thought of putting him or anyone else she loved in danger again made her feel a small rush of panic that she quickly quieted. Right now, right here-- this was a safe place. The smell of dying plants and Kaden’s hair products reminded her of that. There was much left to figure out, but right now, they could share this moment with Celeste in a sense. 

“It is,” Ariana breathed as she looked down at her hands momentarily. They felt the need to keep busy somehow as if that could stop the anger and heartache that made itself at home inside her body and mind. “I wasn’t, but you told me that forever ago. I can’t help but think that if I let Athena take care of this from the start that Sammy would still be alive. I know there’s no changing it now. I do. And I know at the end of the day, it’s Lydia’s fault. I just feel… honestly, kind of fucking stupid. I wanted so badly for there to be a way to save him that didn’t involve killing anyone. I just don’t think that exists. Lydia isn’t bad because of what she is, but what she chooses to do with all while feeling no remorse is just--” She took in a huff of air to steady herself again. She knew her voice was shaking and she cared little to hide it. There was no need to. Not from Kaden. “I don’t think I can be the one to kill her, but I want to help. I want to get those people out of there. Whoever they are, there’s no way they deserve what she’s putting them through.” 

There was no denying that Kaden made sense. Ariana knew that feeling all too well. It came into play when that karkinoid had found her and Blanche on the beach. When that weird vampire thing paralyzed Kaden before. When she’d seen Alcher lunge at Adam. There hadn’t been a doubt in her mind then that she needed to act and there wasn’t any doubt about those moments now. If Sammy had made it out of Lydia’s alive, she was sure she would have felt the same. And hadn’t she been able to fake confidence then? “You’re right,” she said simply, finally dragging her eyes away from the tree and back to him, “You kind of had that energy the other night. Don’t get me wrong, I was still panicked as fuck, but you being there-- I knew it’d be okay somehow.” She didn’t note that it wouldn’t have been okay if Rio hadn’t shown up. Kaden may have been okay with sacrificing himself, but the thought of losing him devastated her, she couldn’t imagine how much worse it would be if she was the one to kill him. She nodded slowly, tossing around some leaves instead of picking them apart, “I hope she did. I think I’ll wish I could say it even just one more time.” She’d prefer a hundred. Even a thousand, but that wasn’t how the world worked. “It does suck. I guess things are just like that sometimes.” His next words surprised her and left her eyes misty. He’d never been mean to her-- harsh when he was trying to keep her from diving into something way out of her depth, maybe, but never mean. This had been a certain level of caring he didn’t typically show. He’d shown understanding while she grieved, but even if it wasn’t direct, he was expressing just how much he cared. That he wouldn’t want to give her up, that he couldn’t just toss her to the side so easily. “Thanks,” she said through tears though these ones were more heartfelt than heartbreak, “That means a lot and I appreciate you saying it.” 

“You’re right.” Kaden cracked a small smile. “One of the only word bindings Regan and I have? That we can’t promise each other anything. So you’re right. I think your choices say more about you than not. Wouldn’t want to take that away.” He tried to ignore the weight he felt fall down onto his chest just thinking about Regan. Things were better. Marginally. Maybe. Putain, he still couldn’t think about her much without feeling like a failure in so many ways. And she was friends with Lydia, wasn’t she? So much for pushing that weight aside, it decided to settle in. 

“Maybe. But if she’s made it this long, there’s no way any single warden is taking her down.” Especially not one that was still a kid. Not without a lot of collateral damage. Kaden understood the anger she felt, though, the desperation to help. He felt it, too. “I get it. Wanting to fight this. Fight her. After what you told me,” he shook his head, “I would have done the same. Maybe stupider.” It was probably why he cared about her so fucking much. Even if she was a werewolf, the very thing he was meant to rid the world of, her desire to keep people safe from harm, he recognized it. And he knew she meant it wholeheartedly. He looked over at her as she spoke and it struck him that the werewolf sitting next to him might be a better person than he was. It caught him so off guard he almost forgot to respond. “Then we’ll make sure they get out alive. Every one of them is worth more than five of her anyway. We’ll get them out. As much as I hate this word now, promise.” He had no fucking clue how. But they’d fix this. Another for his list.

His brow furrowed a bit at her comment. Huh. She had a point. Kaden hadn’t considered it much. Not really. He barely thought out there, just acted and reacted. He had a million questions, plenty of doubts, but his goal was clear. Almost as clear as it used to be nearly a year ago when he hunted. The singularity was simple. It just wasn’t what he was trained to do. Not even slightly. It struck a chord of guilt through him. But looking at Ari quelled any doubt that he made the right decision. “I-- if I hurt you, Morgan told me she’d bite me.” Putain, he wasn’t sure why he told her that. But he did have a point. “Not that she-- It’s not because of that. That’s not why I--” Fuck, this sounded bad. He had to try again. Deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is. If I had hurt you or, fuck, worse, I--” He felt his words catch in his throat. “I-- I’d have asked her to. I think. Or just-- I don’t know. I wasn’t going to hurt you out there. I couldn’t. Not after… I wouldn’t let that happen.” He looked down at his shoes again, tried digging a new divot with his heel. “So yeah. I-- you’re safe with me. As much as you can be. I… I mean, we’re both lucky Rio showed up. And came prepared.” More prepared than he was for the situation. He had to give the kid credit. “You don’t have to thank me. Really. I try not to say shit I don’t mean either so,” he said, trailing off his sentence with a shrug. 

Ariana knew she had been right. There was no way Kaden would ever use anything against her to hurt her. How they’d gotten to this point was still a bit of a mystery, but she wouldn’t change a thing. “I like that, that you both want each other to have a choice in things. Free will is important.” The sentiment was only more cemented after what happened at the start of the full moon. Her free will had been ripped from her in such a nearly devastating fashion. It was a reminder to be better. Be smarter. 

“I wouldn’t let Athena go in alone. I won’t let her go in alone,” Ariana said firmly. As sure of herself as Athena was, the thought of her being hurt or worse made her sick with worry. Losing Athena wasn’t an option though she didn’t want to ponder the why of that too deeply in this moment. Instead, she focused on what Kaden said next and laughed a bit. “I guess we’re more fight than brains, huh?” It was something they shared, a willingness to jump in the deep end if it meant keeping others safe. She imagined some of what they shared made it easier for him to see past everything he’d been taught and see her for she was. Some part of her knew he was all the better for it. Not just because he knew Celeste, but because he knew her. He made her want to be better, too. In light of Deirdre throwing her out for choosing to save a human at the risk of a fae, it was a nice reminder that everything she tried to be and embrace wasn’t for not. That there was a middle ground to be found. It’d take more than her to build it, that better world, but it was all one brick at a time. As much as she wanted there to be a better way, someone like Lydia wasn’t going to change her ways. The only thing that would follow her was harm and if she had a way to save the innocent people she kept locked in her basement, she had to act. “Just don’t make that promise to an actual fae. We’re going to save them. It’s not going to be easy, but we will.” 

The way he stumbled over his words as he spoke left her with a somewhat amused smile on her face to replace the happier tears that had been there just moments before. Ariana placed a hand on his shoulder, knowing it’d be more welcome now than it would have been in the past. “Chill, Kaden. I know you didn’t save my ass out there because Morgan said she’d bite you if you hurt me. I know the not hurting me was because you didn’t want to hurt me. That choice was yours and well, it means a lot to me. I know I’m safe with you… or as safe as anyone can be in this town. But hey, anyone that wants to fuck with us has to fight a hunter and a werewolf so.” Even from beyond, Celeste was helping in a way. It wasn’t the same. Nothing ever could be. But she brought them together and she admittedly felt much better than she had when she first arrived here. “I know we both tried to make him leave, but I’m glad he didn’t. He’s really coming into his own. I think moving out of his parents’ house has done a lot of good for him. He’s learning to be a hunter in his own way and decide what it means for him. Plus, that punch was awesome. He saved us both.” Kaden more literally, but Ariana would have been crushed if Kaden died, especially at her hand. She shook her head as he shrugged off her thanks. “I know you don’t. I just-- I feel better than I did before I got here. I’m glad you showed up.” That he kept showing up. For her. For others. It was a nice reminder that for all she lost, she still had so much to live and fight for. 

Her hand on his shoulder felt like a shot of electricity in a way, sending his hunter senses on alert. Kaden exhaled, relaxed, let it be something different. Just like Regan’s freezing skin shifted from something alarming to comforting, he’d have to find a way to let this settle in, too. Redefine what it meant from her. He hoped he hadn’t jumped. He didn’t mean to. In fact, it brought a relieved smile to his face, that she understood. Leave it to the teenager to cut through the crap and get right down to it. “Thanks. Guess you’re right. Didn’t expect that to be a team up any time soon.” Of course, she was used to it, surely. Had to be strange, growing up and bridging that gap. For both her and Celeste. He found himself again wishing he could ask his friend the thousands of questions running through his head. His head tilted as he caught some of her sister’s words. He’s learning to be a hunter in his own way and decide what it means for him. An odd feeling swelled up in him. Hard to name. Pride, maybe? Shit, he didn’t know. If it was that, not that he earned that feeling really, for which of the two of them, Rio or Ari, he didn’t know either. All he knew was that sounded so much like Celeste. So much like what she’d told him. He sniffed back the tears pricking at the sides of his eyes as he felt how much she was still alive right then. “Yeah I guess so. I can’t believe you think that punch was awesome. Considering,” he said, nudging her again, a smile creeping back onto his face. For how much he’d wanted to be alone with his thoughts before coming here, he was surprised at how much nicer this was. With a werewolf of all people. “I’m glad I showed up, too.”

[packsbeforesnacks]

Homecoming || Noah & Winn

TIMING: Friday, May 29th, 2020, before Ariana howls. LOCATION: Noah’s Townhouse PARTIES: @noah-kalani & @packsbeforesnacks  SUMMARY: After the long drive up from Philly, Winn just wants to see his friend. Noah, meanwhile, would rather see almost anybody else. Making a scene in your yard after midnight isn’t an HOA violation, right? WARNINGS: None.

Why was Haukea barking? was the first thought that crossed Noah’s mind as he was dragged back into consciousness. It was midnight on a Friday and, like many lazy ass twenty-somethings that had no actual lives, he’d fallen asleep with his Xbox controller in his hand. But that wasn’t the real issue here. No, no. The real issue was that Haukea never barked. Stumbling upright, Noah followed the sound of his puppy out of his room and down the stairs, trying to get his sleep drunk mind to wake the fuck up. Because something wasn’t right, and it was evident by the tension in Haukea’s body and the pounding sound coming from the door. “Shhh baby, it’s okay,” Noah cooed, running a hand down her back to try to calm her, and subsequently himself. But nothing could have prepared Noah for what he was going to see upon opening the door. Because standing there was one Winn Woods in the flesh.

Winn had left Denny in the car with his dad, but he could hear the excited panting as his dog caught sight and scent of Haukea. How had they not let their dogs meet again? Winn hadn’t seen Noah in person since the pack meeting, and he’d knocked on the door with a soft smile, eager to see his friend despite the lateness of the hour and the circumstances surrounding his return. That smile disappeared upon seeing the man. Noah looked like he’d seen a ghost. A coil of dread built in his gut, that something had happened while he’d been away, and Winn started talking, fast, “What’s wrong? Is it Luke? Layla? Ariana?” Those seemed the most likely candidates for tragedy. “I— I know I wasn’t back as soon as I said I’d be, but…” Oh no. What if… He didn’t want to think about it, but he had to say it. “Did something happen to Blanche? I didn’t— I thought she was fine. What the fuck happened, Noah?” He put a gentle hand on Noah’s shoulder, not willing to go for a hug after the other man had requested space a few weeks ago.

Standing there, staring at the man they had been trying to find all this time, Noah cycled through a multitude of emotions. First, there was the relief at knowing Winn wasn’t dead in a ditch somewhere. Then, came the hurt of knowing that Winn had planned this, he’d planned to leave them. He knew what he was doing. He wasn’t coerced in any way. And finally came the anger as Winn touched him, as if nothing had happened. Noah couldn’t help but to see red, his wolfy mind already running through how he was going to rip that motherfucker’s hand clean off his wrist. “Don’t. Fucking Touch. Me.” Noah stated slowly, batting the offending appendage away from his shoulder. “You forfeited that right the. second. you. left.” Every word was punctuated with a shove, every fiber in Noah’s body wanting Winn away from his door, away from his safe spot, away from him.

Well, that was… unexpected. “I— What?” Winn looked at Noah, the way the other man was coiled in anger. Noah’s right hand was in a brace, and Winn’s mind raced with possibilities. Had there been a fight? Had— Had something happened? As he was unceremoniously shoved out of Noah’s doorway, Winn held up his hands, surrendering to… whatever was making the other man angry. “What the fuck do you mean left, Noah? I told Blanche I was coming back. I left a note. My phone was out-of-commission, I know, but that’s why I let her know.” He was probably going to regret this, but Winn slowly approached Noah again, wary. “Noah, what happened? Talk to me. Please.”  

Noah almost couldn’t believe the bullshit coming out of Winn’s mouth. A note? He ran away and left a note? What was he, twelve? Not to mention his flimsy ‘my phone was out-of-commission’ excuse. Bullshit. Borrow a phone from someone. Hell, go to a fucking library for Christ’s sake. “And do you want to know how Ari found Blanche, Winn?” Noah asked, his body instinctively pushing Winn backward again. “Passed out in her car. Passed. Out. In. Her. Car.” His good hand jabbed against Winn’s chest again to emphasize his point. “Why? Because you LEFT HER LIKE THAT!” Yes, Noah was yelling, and yes, he was making a scene on the front lawn in front of the whole neighborhood, but at this point he had bigger fish to fry. “Also, fuck your fucking note, because we never fucking found a note. And even if we had, that would not excuse the fact that you are a fucking ADULT, who could have found a phone, or a computer, anything really to check in. But no. You ran away and deactivated all your shit like a fucking coward.”

Winn could hear Denny barking from the car, unused to hearing Noah yell. His dad was… confused, probably. Hell, Winn was confused. “I— Yeah, Noah, I know that B was passed out. She passes out when she uses her, uh, powers, sometimes? Her hatch was open and she didn’t have a blanket when I found her. So, guess what I did, man? I woke her up and told her I was sorry, and that I loved her, and that I was going to be back in a few days? I covered her up and closed the hatch, and, again, left a note? Did you— So, like, I’m getting that she didn’t remember that?” Winn frowned, trying to keep his cool, talking slow and soft, but urgently. “Dude, am I not allowed to not check an account for a couple’a days? And I didn’t de— Wait, is my shit deactivated? You’re fucking kidding, right? When the shit did that happen?” There was a slow and steady dread building in Winn’s gut, and they were lucky none of the neighbors had turned on their lights yet. “Noah, please, can we just go inside and talk? I didn’t run away. I was only supposed to be gone for, like, two days. I mean, I fucked up with fighting B, but, like, we were gonna talk about it when we got back? I thought. I need you to listen and not go fucking nuclear for a second because this is a stupid fucking misunderstanding.” And, okay, he may have pushed back. But Noah needed to cool the fuck off.

It was becoming harder and harder for Noah’s head to stay clear, the wolf inside of him wanting, no, craving the violence that seemed to be brewing between the two men. He hadn’t felt this type of anger in literal years, but the feeling came back to him the instant Winn pushed back. And the next thing he knew, they were both on the ground, Noah’s broken knuckles finding the solidness of Winn jawline. But the funny thing about punching someone with a broken fist was that it hurt. Feeling the pain start to radiate up his arm, Noah just looked at Winn, looked at where they were sprawled on the grass, and knew this wasn’t the answer. Luke had said that Winn needed understanding. But maybe, it was actually Noah who needed to be understood. Sitting there, still straddling Winn, Noah took a beat to breathe like Simon taught him, willing the emotions that were raging inside to calm. “I thought you were dead, Winn,” he whispered. “No call, no texts, not even some fucking morse code shit in the dirt.” Noah shook his head. He didn’t know exactly what he was trying to say. But he knew he had to say something, especially as the anger started slowly turning into a certain familiar sadness. “So, I’m sorry that I don't want to go inside and talk. I’m sorry that I’m angry. I’m sorry that I simply cannot fathom the choice that you made and the worry you put everyone through.” He shook his head again, good hand pressing on Winn’s chest, almost willing the other man to stay down. Because Winn needed to hear this. Or at least, Noah needed Winn to hear this. “And don’t tell me that you didn’t have a choice. Because you did, you and I both know that. You had a choice and you chose to leave.”

One second, Winn was pushing back on Noah, trying to get him to calm down. And the next, Winn was being knocked the fuck to the ground. His jaw throbbed as Noah pinned him, but Winn thought, maybe, that Noah’s hand hurt more. Because Winn had slugged someone with a broken hand before, and it was never a good idea. The last time he’d been under Noah had been, admittedly, less… intense. Equally weird, equally confusing. But less… raw. All Winn felt now was the force of Noah, telling Winn exactly how Winn had made him feel. And Winn wanted to push back, wanted to explain himself, wanted to let him know that this was a stupid misunderstanding. But, as he felt a hand push on his chest, he knew that wasn’t the right choice, not right now. And maybe this wouldn’t be the right choice either, but Winn had to try something. So, he leaned up, gently, pushing aside Noah’s good hand, and pulled the younger man down against him.

“Hey, hey,” Winn said, soft, soothingly, into Noah’s ear as they laid there in the grass. “I’m here now. I’m sorry. I’m an idiot.” He could’ve waited. He should’ve waited. But he’d felt so strongly, so intensely, about needing to fix his mistakes, find his dad and explain. And all of that had happened, and Winn felt good now. But Winn felt awful, too. Because, even as Winn had been telling his dad about how much Noah and all the rest had meant to him, they’d thought he’d run away. They’d thought he had almost hurt Blanche and was disappearing to escape from his mistakes. And that hurt, that burned in his lungs, but it wasn’t important right now. He wasn’t important right now. No. Noah had to be the center of Winn’s concern right now. Winn ran his hand down Noah’s back, grip tight, unwilling to let the other man go. “I won’t leave,” Winn swallowed roughly, and, fuck, he was about to cry for a third time this week, “I won’t leave you, Noah. I promise, okay? I promise, I promise, I promise. I’ll never leave you. So long as you’ll have me, so long as you want me here, I’ll stay. I should’ve known better. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He brought one hand up to Noah’s hair, ran it through, held him tighter. Because Winn was scared, too. Scared to lose Noah. And he hadn’t thought that was even a possibility, but the thought petrified him. Winn inhaled, a shaky breath, and noticed something new, something that stuck in his throat and made him clench his eyes to stop the tears. Noah smelled like pack.

Noah could feel the last bits of anger that were still slowly burning in his belly fade completely as he let Winn pull him forward and into his arms. And yeah, it was weird and awkward to be full force straddle-hugging your bro (???) out in the open of your front lawn after midnight, but Noah was past the point of caring. Resting his face in the crook of the other’s neck as he talked, Noah just let the familiar scent waft over him. Winn was fine. Winn was here. And Winn was promising that he wasn’t going to leave him alone again. Sitting there, listening to the way the other man swallowed around all of these heavy words, Noah waited for the happiness to fill him. This was what he had been searching for right? Someone who would make it a point to stay. But it was at that moment that Noah realized this confession was not what he actually wanted. “Winn.” His voice was soft as he sat up, wanting the other to see the seriousness in his eyes. “I don’t want you to promise not to leave. Because you can leave. You are allowed to leave and go and do whatever you need to do. Just like I’m allowed to hate the everloving shit out of it.” He wasn’t going to guilt anyone into staying just because their staying made him feel better. That wasn’t what a healthy relationship/friendship/anyship was about. No, a healthy relationship was about knowing when it was time to put your past aside and grow up. Because even though it would hurt if/when Winn left, Noah would get through it. He already had. “Just please, just promise me you’ll say goodbye next time.” Noah whispered as he wiped at the one slow tear falling down his own cheek.

When Noah pushed out of his grip to lean up, Winn was worried that he had done something wrong. But the anger that Noah had was seemingly drained out of the other man, his voice calm, but serious. Noah’s eyes, in the soft light of the quarter Moon, felt like they saw something in Winn, but Winn couldn’t tell what. And then Noah was talking, and Winn’s heart, already something so open and soft, broke a little. Winn remembered their first encounter, the one Noah didn’t remember, remembered Noah’s voice as he’d talked about his brother, about his whole family, in the corner of the Arena. He’d kept that from Noah, wanted Noah to know he’d revealed something so personal to a stranger. But, now, Winn thought maybe he’d been wrong. Because, for all of the dumb misunderstanding that this situation was, if Winn had just realized how deep Noah’s hurt was, he knew that he would have told Noah, wouldn’t have let even the possibility of a misunderstanding happen.

“Noah,” Winn said, leaning forward to knock his head gently against Noah’s, his hands coming up to wipe at the streaks running down Noah’s face. His own eyes were soft, he knew, tender with all of the genuine remorse he contained. “That was a promise I made because I wanted to. I know I can go wherever I want, but that’s… not what I meant. I meant that, well… You’re stuck with me, now. I want you in my life, and I want you to come with me, if I have to go away. I don’t want to,” Winn swallowed, trying to figure out the words to give voice to the soft thrum beneath his skin, the certainty he felt, “This is gonna sound crazy, Noah, but I— My wolf called out to yours, and I know, I know you’re not a full wolf yet. But that doesn’t mean you ain’t pack. Doesn’t mean you aren’t… with me, now. Before the others, more than the others.” He took Noah’s good hand, brought it up to his heart, so Noah could feel it, steady and true. “It’s not guilt, it’s not me feelin’ like you’re holding me in. It’s what I feel, Noh. And what I feel is… I’m not gonna want to say goodbye to you. Not ever. Not if I can help it. But I promise. I promise to tell you, and that promise is simple, because… because it ain’t gonna happen.” He pulled Noah into another hug, the other man in his lap, and squeezed tight, the wolf inside of him together with Winn. And he was sure, even if he didn’t know quite what he was sure of.

Noah thought he was done with crying this week. He thought he was done with his emotions crashing down on him in waves. But with the feeling of Winn’s calloused fingertips on his cheek, Noah knew he was a goner, the tears flowing in earnest when Winn repositioned his hand to his heart. He’d never really been a cryer before Winn. But then again, he hadn't had many people come into his life that he hadn’t been prepared to lose somehow. At least not since the accident. Letting himself be hugged and held by Winn, Noah just breathed into the scent of him, wolf trying to memorize this feeling. He didn’t know what the word pack meant for him, hell, he didn’t even know the word wolf meant for him. But if it meant he’d get even just a sliver of this, maybe that was something he wanted. Noah wasn’t sure how long they sat there, or how long he would have let Winn sit there with him. But he knew eventually he’d have to end it. “Fu-ck,” Noah breathed out, wiping off the aftermath of his emotions with the back of his hand. “The neighbors are deffffffinitely gonna talk tomorrow,” he continued with a slight grin, sliding off of Winn’s lap and onto the grass next to him. “You’re okay, though, right? Like, no injuries or anything?” Running his good hand over Winn’s chest, Noah poked and prodded assessing Winn for any signs of damage.

“Only injury I have is from where you just punched me, buddy,” Winn said, cheekily. “And I think you might be the worse for wear there.” He wanted to pull Noah back into his lap, could feel himself blushing when Noah was poking at him, and was suddenly glad for the lateness of the hour. As it stood, he slung an arm around Noah, leaning into jokes, as usual, “And let the neighbors talk. I’d break a thousand community guidelines to make sure you were alright.” He turned his head to look at Noah, and felt the air punched out of him. The moon had come out from behind a cloud again, and it bathed Noah in soft white light. The late spring breeze blew through Noah’s hair, his eyes still a little shiny from where he’d been crying. Winn’s arm felt too warm, against Noah’s back, Noah’s hand too hot against Winn’s chest. No, Winn thought. I can’t.

But, whether it was the emotional intimacy, the raw moment they’d shared together, or a feeling Winn had been brushing off before, it was staring Winn in the face now. Winn could near feel his tail wagging, knew that both parts of him were at one in this moment, safe and relaxed and happy. His nose twitched, and Winn caught Noah’s scent again, woodsy and fresh and, was it weird to say he smelled green? Intermingled was, as Winn’s nose had told him earlier, the scents he associated with pack, but changed, just a little. The pine had a hint of the sea, the charcoal warmed him, like the fire was bigger somehow, and there were scents he didn’t have words for, yet. And Winn refused to sniff Noah again, but it all came crashing in at once. Winn moved his arm into the air, faking a yawn, needing to not touch Noah. “My, uh,” oh God, “my dad’s in the car?” His voice rose at the end, a mild panic setting in, sure that his dad could see him being a disaster — and would know what that meant. Winn hadn’t meant to, had known that liking a straight boy was doomed from the start. But there Noah was, in Winn’s heart, stubbornly taking up a corner for himself, as if to say You won’t be able to avoid this.

“Good.” Noah huffed, poking Winn’s (muscular) pectoral with a bit more force. He didn’t really regret punching Winn, but at the same time he still didn’t exactly want to exacerbate an existing injury or cause him too much bodily harm. He just wanted to cause the normal ‘you get on my last nerve bro’ amount, you know. “But yeah, probably not the smartest idea to punch with a half-healed hand.” His grin was a bit sheepish as he flexed his fingers a bit under the brace. His slow, janky werewolf healing had only done so much, but luckily for the both of them Noah’s bones were pretty much fused back together by this point. It was just residual pain and soreness he was feeling now. Or at least that’s what he hoped. Sitting there, Noah just looked at Winn waiting for the other to say something. But when Winn finally spoke he almost wished he hadn’t. “Wait, your dad? Your dad is in that car?” Noah’s eyes widened with what could only be described as sheer terror. Shit. Fuck. Winn’s father just saw him deck the living shit out of his son. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Scrambling to his feet, Noah pulled Winn up surprisingly quickly (and surprisingly forcefully for a dude with a broken hand) brushing off all the grass she could see in the moment. Because he did not just punch Winn in the face and then cry on top of him, no sir. He was civilized, okay? He was a good… friend, okay?

“Want me to kiss it better, bro?” Winn said before he could really stop himself. Thankfully, Winn was pretty sure Noah had only heard the bit about his dad. “Uhhh,” he said, being yanked up and stumbling for a moment. He felt Noah’s hands brushing him off, which, like, okay, down boy. But the stumble was going to turn into a fall if he didn’t steady himself. He threw one hand out, landing on Noah’s shoulder. The other grasped at his hip. And, oh, come on. He could hear his father laughing, even through the glass, and Winn whipped his head around to mouth ‘SLEEP’ as well as he could. The street was well lit, so hopefully his dad had seen him. He wanted to spare Noah some of the embarrassment. “Um, it’s, uh.” Winn hastily removed his hands from Noah’s body, shoving them in his pockets like a teenager. “He’s asleep, man. He’d sleep through a bomb.” And if Winn was talking louder than usual, well, hopefully Noah wouldn’t notice, and they could pretend his dad hadn’t seen that, and when Winn introduced Noah to his dad — uh, not like that — both of them could get away unscathed. “So, um, we prolly need to… talk, right? I mean, like, really talk? I can, um. I can stay, now? I’ll wake up Dad, get him to drive him and Den back to the house, and I’ll grab an Uber or somethin’ when we’re done?”

But, as if on cue, Winn’s head whipped around as he heard a howl, deep and mournful. It wasn’t a Full Moon. It didn’t sound like Luke. Shit, shit, shit. A number of terrible scenarios ran through Winn’s head, and he swung his head back around to look at Noah. “I— I don’t want to leave,” you, “but you— you heard that, right? That sounds…” He grabbed Noah’s good hand tightly between both of his, “I swear, I’ll be back tonight. And we can talk. Or we can talk tomorrow. Or any time. I just. I don’t want you to think this is me tryin’ to get out of talkin’, I’m just worried ‘bout whoever that was.” Winn’s frown deepened. Was. He sure hoped that wasn’t about to be literal.

Noah would have taken note of all the extra hand placements made by one Winn Woods, if he wasn’t straining to see inside of the car, his mind worrying about Winn’s dad more than Winn. He could deal with the later later, after all. Focusing back on Winn, Noah tried to get himself to calm down a little bit more, but that's when he heard it. It was faint, but it was there, his ears ringing with howling. Looking over to Winn, Noah saw his body language change, all this happy hopeful energy dissipating in and instant. Howling meant bad. Good. “Go.” Noah nodded, after Winn spoke, pushing the other man towards the car. His heart was beating loudly in his chest, but he held firm in his convictions. Someone else definitely needed Winn more than he did right now. “You don’t have to come back, just text me when you figure out what's up, okay?” Noah patted Winn’s shoulder gently, not really wanting to turn around and go back into the house but knowing he had to. So he did, slowly and deliberately, only stopping to look back at Winn and his dad once before he closed the door and bolted the lock.

[piratadelamor]

ok so, i just analyzed kageyama's birth chart! 

i made this out of pure entertainment, boredom and curiosity and i don't actually believe that astrology works on fictional characters (i even have my doubts that astrology defines one person's personality since i'm inclined to traditional astrology, but anyway, this is only for fun purposes aand it's very superficial and not supposed to be taken seriously as an astrology work!!) i'm also not the type of fan who knows every single detail about a character or who remembers every single appearances and lines so i probably won't go too deep into examples...

kageyama's official birth date is 22/12/1996 and he's from miyagi, okinawa. with this information only we can already identify most of his chart: he's a capricorn sun, capricorn mercury, sagittarius venus, virgo mars, capricorn jupiter and aries saturn (i dont use neptune, uranus or pluto). being born on that day, he could either be a taurus or a gemini moon, and, of course, there's no information about the time he was born, so his ascendant is also a guess. i tried to find a solution based on the chart as a whole, and i think it makes a lot of sense!!

first thing i wanted to look for was a placement that talked about his sport skills. being sports a matter of the 5th house, it seemed clear to me that that's where his sun should be placed. the sun represents life. in one's chart, it talks about our ego, our conscious identity, and it's placement tells us where we shine, where we direct our creative life force. for mundane astrology the sun represents the authority of the state, the government - presidents, nobles, and kings. kageyama is called "the king of the court". to me there's no doubt that his sun should be at the 5th house - where he rules, where his light shines brighter, where his will to live is directed.

if so, considering the whole signs house system, we get a virgo ascendant (house I), and so on: libra (II), scorpio (III), sagittarius (IV), capricorn (V), aquarius (VI), pisces (VII), aries (VIII), taurus (IX), gemini (X), cancer (XI) and leo (XII).

it was also very convincing to me that this would also place his mars on the ascendant (virgo). being the 1st house the part of the chart that talks about our physical body, and mars talking about a person's vitality, people with mars on the ascendant or even opposite to it (VII) usually tend to push their physical body to its limit, being pretty driven to physical activities (we can clearly see that on the way kageyama and hinata always stay until very late practicing at the club, for example... kageyama’s often seen running on his free time too). it would also make a lot of sense considering his appearence (both physical and the impression he gives off) and the way he acts. mars is the planet of war. it is violence, action. people with mars on the ascendant can easily give off an intimidating appearence or presence. being a capricorn on top of that, there's no escape: that's the famous resting bitch face..... he's energetic, straightforward, competitive and independent. and that also explains the way he can become pretty agressive sometimes, mostly regarding his competitiveness and his desire to be on top. i also found it funny that while i was looking up for kageyama's birth date i came across a few descriptions of him talking about his "sharp glare", and sharp objects are also a matter of mars. about the placement on virgo, the ascendant also talks about how perfectionist he is, including his appearence (he's always filing his nails, for example, and he's never negligent about his health. actually he takes it very seriously), and mars in this sign, besides the already mentioned perfectionism, is also about being very goal-oriented and critical. it's also interesting, if we play a little with words, that virgo's symbology talks a lot about serving, and kageyama's position as a setter is about "serving" the best tosses to his teammates, besides being his serve one of his strongest weapons.

on 22/12/1996, there were 2 times when the ascendant was in virgo: around midnight and around 10pm - 11pm. but the problem is, around midnight his moon would be taurus; around 10pm his moon would be gemini. once again, the placement of the moon made my mind. for a taurus moon, it'd be placed on the 9th house. a gemini would be placed on the 10th. i'd go for a gemini moon. you could doubt that, knowing that kageyama isn't very good with words, and having a virgo ascendant, which is ruled by mercury, the planet of communication and also the ruler of gemini, could be a little off. but it's not true that all geminis are talkative and sociable like that (specially because there's not a single placement in a chart that can speak alone for a person's personality). i believe the moon in gemini fits the way kageyama mentally deals with what he loves. he keeps a fucking volleyball journal!!! and while he's playing, he's always thinking and observing every minimal detail. his mental work is impressive. no wonder he's a genius. he might not have the best way with words (and this is about the way he's not good at dealing with emotions, which a gemini moon really might not be) but he can read his teammates very well and adapt to them perfectly. this is all gemini. speaking of mercury, a mercury in capricorn isn't very good at being sensitive with words either. they also have an authoritarian way of speaking and can be quite judgemental and impatient (specially if someone doesn't get something obvious to them). with mars in virgo, moon in gemini and mercury in capricorn, i guess we get a pretty close picture on kageyama's temper and communication skills.

i thought a lot about it's placement on the 10th house as well. the 10th house, being the highest spot of one's chart, is not only the house of career and success, but of our public image too. a moon in the 10th talks about an emotional need for public recognition and an emotional energy directed to the career. this is a very important placement for him, being his moon not only in the 10th but also conjunct midheaven, which means, literally at the highest spot of his birth chart. kageyama knows he's good and he wants to be the best at what he loves the most. he wants to be on top. and that's what he's passionate about. the moon also talks about our early childhood, which is when tobio's passion for volleyball began: the events of his childhood defined the path of life he chose to follow. but he also learns that that's not something he'd conquer alone. and it makes so much sense to be gemini. after all, gemini's symbol is the twins. not even the moon shines by herself alone. considering how kageyama learned this lesson, it seems like such a beautiful placement for his chart. that's something he had to understand in order to grow and get better and reach the position he achieved.

about his venus, the planet of love and relationships, in sagittarius, it brought me to his relationship with hinata (speaking as friends/teammates/rivals/whatever you want tbh). when venus is in sagittarius, a relationship is a place to experiment and grow. sagittarius is ruled by jupiter, the planet of expansion. a sagittarius venus will want you to take them beyond, to expand their horizons. that's exactly what hinata did to kageyama since the very beginning. "when you get stronger, you will definitely meet someone even better". hinata's always pushing kageyama beyond and that's why they get so connected to each other. hinata always surprises him, their relationship/partnership is never dull, but exciting, impredictable. it's fire burning.

i'm not going too deep into analyzing jupiter and saturn, and i'm not very good at analyzing aspects, but since kageyama's such a capricorn (sun, mercury and jupiter - like me! heheh) there was no way i could look away from his saturn in aries: after all, saturn rules capricorn, and his saturn squares his sun (a hard aspect). (btw, i found out that the kanji for “kageyama” means “shadowed mountain”, which is SUCH a saturnine name?? both shadows and mountains can be related to this planet) doing a little research, i found some interesting things about this placement. about saturn in aries: "Stifling your normal and healthy, more aggressive, competitive, or self-centered qualities can be detrimental to you, possibly causing headaches. You don’t like showing weakness. (...) You fear your own feelings of inadequacy. (...) You need to be careful not to limit yourself too much due to fear of failure or fear of making a poor decision. (...) You are highly resourceful. Your ability to start fresh helps you achieve your goals". like... that was really on point i guess. i think we could relate this to his development, as he began to adapt to the karasuno spikers due to a fear of repeating what happened during middle school. saturn is the planet that talks about fears and limits, and when it squares his sun, his position of "king of the court", this is what happens: he feels limited on the way he plays, on his true nature. and by limiting that, by denying his true nature, he was limiting his space to grow. there's a really good post i came across very recently on this matter, so i'm leaving this here.

i believe this aspect would be crucial to understanding his position as the "king". saturn in aries is the dispositor of his sun in capricorn. that means, the way his sun in capricorn "behaves" is modified by his position of saturn. aries is a self-centered, hot-tempered sign with needs of control, and that defines the type of role his sun plays as the "king". of course, this relates to an especific episode of kageyama's life, but it's a crucial episode, a truly turning point of his life - like most saturn related events. to add one more detail, the sun rules his 12th house (leo), and one of the 12th house's themes is isolation - what kageyama got in middle school by acting like a "dictator king" and what he feared the most that would happen again.

[ofcloudsandstars]

IMBOLC was so MAGICAL!! Oh my goodness!!

It's a bit of a long story and I don't want to leave out too many details but I am so glad it all turned out more than ok!! I did not have enough time to put everything together easily and I had to whip up a ritual last minute and I was staying at a coworker’s BOUGIE apartment that is BEAUTIFUL and Ideal for an Imbolc setting (the color scheme is like all white, gray and cream with TALL ceilings, Huge french windows, fluffy white carpets, fireplaces I could put white pillar candles in, long sheer white curtains, you get the point lol) but literally I had a witch gathering party at his place while he was away and I had to make it look like nothing. ever. happened.. the next morning.

I bought these string candle-lights which everyone was laughing at how in theme it was but I strung some across window sills and over the fireplace that I've stuffed white pillar candles in. I stuck tea lights everywhere and found some silvery tealights at a corner shop that were "spa scented" which sounds weird but!! They smelled fantastic and made the space feel calmer. I topped those with sage leaves. I used vanilla incense sticks and this other scent called 'Divine' (that stamford masala incense brand you might see at every spiritual shop) that really elevated the space and made it feel calm and angelic. The whole apartment felt very angelic, light, white and fluffy. On their large screen TV I made a visual playlist on youtube of timelapse videos of nature thawing into spring and frost melting or flowers sprouting from the ground. I played a lot of winter meditative tracts and purifying binural beats.

I pulled strings to get out of work early so I could run to my coworkers place, feed his cats, and get to cooking!! I made a spread of cheese, (mostly brie), coconut cheese, cheese infused crackers and poppyseed crackers, black sable grapes and blueberries that I sprinkled silver bonbons in.

I prepared 3 tonics as a welcome drink that my witch friends could choose from to what potion will aid them for the seeds they are sowing and the cycles to come. They were syrups that were agave based and infused with herbs overnight. There was one for clarity to know what steps to take to achieve goals and that was an infusion of sage, juniper berries and rosemary. There was one for inspiration and sudden muse or creativity to help complete projects and that one was an infusion of valerian root, chamomile, blue poppyseeds and caraway seeds. (Seeds were also symbolic in this one lol), then lastly there was one for inner fire and a wake-up call to get the drive going to get tasks done. That was a black breakfast tea leaf with a sprinkle of pepper in it. They were mixed with Gin (gin being a juniper infusion actually has an interesting history with being used as a cleanser and medicine though its obviously not used that way anymore) and tonic so they were all really herbal and refreshing (non-alcoholic drinks were just gin-free) and they all had a pretty light golden clear color. The clarity one was the most popular though I wish I drank some of the wake-up call one myself.

For food I made baked macaroni and cheese with mozzarella, sharp cheddar, brie, sweet sauteed white onions, black pepper and truffle oil. The plant-based option was stuffed cabbage rolls made with this BEAUTIFUL cabbage I had no idea existed (it caught my eye in the store) called sweetheart cabbage. It was snow-white colored and each large leaf was somewhat heart-shaped. I stuffed it with a sauteed combo of white sweet onions, white mushrooms, chopped parsnips, cauliflower rice and coconut cheese. Lastly I made a salad of chopped fennel and the smaller leaves of the sweet heart cabbage and raw parsnips.

The whole table's food had a white and beige theme lol. We all caught up about our lives and ate food and coo-ed over the cats. When everyone arrived we got to the ritual which I dressed his coffee table in different tea lights and bigger candles. Since I am WIZENED from many previous disasters with candles on tables and witch shenanigans, I put SEVERAL covers on his glass coffee table which consisted of 1- bamboo mats, 2- a white blanket as table cloth (mostly for aesthetic) 3- a coat of aluminum foil 4- 2 layers of cream table cloths. Just to ensure nothing could damage his table.

I am not the biggest fan of leading ritual cause it feels uncomfortable to me to 'lead' everyone's energy but its nice cause this is the third sabbat in a row I've hosted and I guess my friends get the gist now so they all kind of contribute their own parts to it which is.. WHAT I WANTED IN THE FIRST PLACE lol. I take initiative to host sabbats or gatherings or create a community so sometimes people think I am a leader cause I am initiating something but honestly I just want to hold space for others. Anyway the ritual started off with us cleansing baggage from our previous cycle so we can move into the next one purified. I had a juniper bundle I bought in glastonbury that I smoke cleansed everyone with.

Then we spoke about what Imbolc meant for us and how its also reflective on the cycle of life and death when the spirit enters the womb and how seeds of life and hope are stirring. I asked them each to take a tea light and visualize it as a goal or project they wanted to accomplish for this year and to dress it in herbs and oils. I had sage for clarity, rosemary for abundance, blue poppy seeds for growth and inspiration, tea tree oil for protection etc and they could carve in symbols to their candle or whatever. When they were working on that I read everyone's spirit's incarnation crosses from their human design since I knew everyone's birth time lol. The incarnation cross uses some astrology to take into consideration the position of the planets during your third trimester when it’s believed that the spirit enters the body in the womb. It’s to illuminate what your spirit’s intention in this incarnation seeks to fulfill. 

Before we lit the candle my best witch friend took us on this AMAZING guided mediation that was so creative and visual and wonderful. We grounded ourselves but she took us on this story-telling guided meditation journey of us being deep in the earth and smelling the damp soil but having our goal be this light or seed within us that grows and expands until it pushes us up and out through the soil into the wintery forest air. I really felt like some reborn forest faerie sprite after that like she should record meditation podcasts.

We then lit our candles and we used the flame to light the biggest pillar candle as our combined hope and it lit ABLAZED. One of my friends couldn't get her candle to light and we did divination for her to find out what was blocking her and did a road opening spell for her so that she could overcome the obstacles.

After we wanted to do some candle scrying so another friend who does these amazing sound healing ceremonies (I went to glastonbury with her) lead the candle scrying and Y'all.. it was INSANE Like none of us were READY for the fucking adventure.. Basically we thought we'd all be staring into a candle in a trance quietly but it literally felt like something took hold of her like a greater spirit used her as a vessel and it was incredible. She told us all to hold hands and we closed our eyes and did some breathing. We all had to pulse each others hands and visualize a white thread locking us together for protection and creating a circle. She then called on to our higher guides to protect us and create this link to our higher spirits to open a channel so that we may see and allow the fire to guide us. She then was speaking so fast but also with such precision on how the light is opening a door and whatever we will see will help us unlock our true potential and see how we are the light etc for what felt like 6 minutes nonstop and it was so hard to stay on cause I had the WORST PAIN come up in the center of my back where my heart was and I was feeling like it was the culmination of energy being blocked (I have been doing sound healing there to help my heart energy but its been a rough journey), and the fire just felt like it could not channel through me cause of that blockage, but though the knot still hurts even as I type this, I could not break the circle lol. My best friend to my right was staring so intently I knew she was off like astral projecting into this fire, and as I would catch glimpses of others around me everyone was just like.. ON a Journey. I felt like it was like that scene in Harry Potter when they took the port key like we were all locked in and spiraling through time and space and I just had to wait until it was done. I looked at my friend to my right and she was beaming with TEARS covering her face, and my other friends looked windswept for some reason?? We were all like goddamn.. Everyone had Some Shit they've seen in the fire. Even if some of us didn't see something we saw a lot of colors which I mostly saw since I was really focused on the pain in my back. My friend leading the scrying said that the back area I pointed out was a channel that was blocked and is connected to my throat energy so once I fix that it can be aligned/opened but its like.. healing is so hard guys haha.

Anyway we grounded ourselves after the ritual with dessert! :) There was cheesecake (of course) I decorated with white chocolate star sprinkles and the same silver bonbon sprinkles and pavlova that could be topped with blueberries. I also had a cookie spread of butter cookies, white chocolate chip sugar cookies and white chocolate twix bars. The rest were mostly vegan desserts which were lovely. I bought coconut rice pudding but my other friends got vanilla cupcakes with thick white vegan buttercream, there was vanilla soy icecream that was really creamy and light and my aries witch friend I went to Berlin with made home made vegan tiramisu which was fantastic! She also bought red wine.

We spent the rest of the evening chatting, playing with the cats and laughing about whatever, my Aries witch friend was upset I made the dresscode all-white but she was wearing her 'artist' shirt she does painting in so she didn't care that she got tiramisu ALL OVER IT lol. (which we pointed out that no one else had stains on their white outfits but I mean she's an Aries what do you expect), and when we were all getting drunk and sleepy I asked my best witch friend if she wanted to tell a story and Oh My God she fucking DELIVERED

Basically she took us on this adventure retelling the story of Baba Yaga cause it was a tale that does also have to do with crone passing power to a maiden and a cycle re-continuing. Plus it's a midwinter tale involving fire and illumination. Anyway I used to think about how sad it was that back in the day people didn't have movies and had to like tell stories and shit but she was so good at telling this story I was like damn I get it now why people just used to sit around and tell stories together cause this shit is lit.

Before everyone left I forced people to take home food (I mean I had to get rid of all evidence of anything happening in my coworkers house) and I made everyone white paper lanterns with goodies inside and I stuck an electric tealight in it so it glows. I put a bathbomb in there, white chocolate, mint crumbles, buttermints for the non-vegans and tiny spell-jars filled with salt flakes.

When I was finally alone and had to do cleanup it took me nearly three hours but I was also drunk at that point lol. I now have left-over mac and cheese for days but gladly my aries witch friend is vegan and took the cabbage rolls with her and everyone helped take everything else.The cleaner came in the morning and essentially all evidence of anything ever occurring in that apartment was cleansed away...

I hope everyone else had a fantastic Imbolc!! It was on such a perfect moon phase too since it's the first quarter moon!!

[uzumaki-rebellion]

“Wet Sugar” [Part 9 of 30]

Summary: Erik returns...

NSFW. Mature Audience. Smut

If you enjoy it, please like/comment/reblog, etc! Share the love!

"You've crossed my mind, a thousand times The cost was fine, I draw the line I'm back, relapse, I'm fiending Yes, what's that? The fact, I'm dreaming Coconut oil, the scent of your body still lingers on sheets I got a shot at you, you wouldn't reach Cock back, cock back, trigger release Pop that top, take a sip of your holiest water I know I'm a part of your flow now See when you cut her, don't matter you love her And now you got part of her soul, now I ain't know then, but I know now…"

Ari Lennox (Feat. J. Cole) – "Shea Butter Baby"

Erik couldn't breathe any relaxed air until they had flown out of Nigeria.

It became clear after they had left the African continent that Klaue was on a master hit list in several countries he was doing a brisk business with. The man tried to play it off that he was not concerned with the new threats, but Erik could tell from Klaue's unnatural quiet manner that the man was facing a crisis. 

Confirmation came when Erik and Limbano took down two outed S.H.E.I.L.D. agents in Egypt as they slipped into Europe via Italy and had to take a long land haul into Afghanistan with several vehicles. Slipping into ghost-mode, they needed the help of Tahir to route them into Kabul safely. The irony. Kabul being a safe space for them.

Brain on battle mode, Kabul was to be the place to exchange coveted goods that Klaue would not reveal to anyone, not even Erik. Two weeks in the waiting period, Erik was told that he would take the secret goods back to St. Thomas and watch over them until Klaue could find a buyer. Erik could only think in three-hour units of time while in Kabul. Any future thoughts of the Virgin Islands or what waited there for him could not be entertained. Battle mode meant survive while completing the immediate task. Compartmentalize. Stay alert. Prepare alternative solutions ahead of time. Being off the grid was a life of extreme uncertainty even with the best-laid plans.

Stress ate at him.

He was abrupt with everyone around him, including Klaue. His evenings were spent in the bar inside the five-star hotel he stayed in. Klaue's way of rewarding him for saving their asses in Botswana. Erik spent twenty hours of each day holed up in his suite, ordering room service, watching mindless cable, and drinking for the four hours he left the room each day. Klaue gave him a week there. He wished he could enjoy it, but all he wanted was to finish the transfer and get the fuck outta Dodge. Return to sun, sand, clear waters…

He refused to check on Yani. Had to. Too much was happening around him with Klaue that he couldn't spare the mental energy just to look at any recent pictures or posts on her social feeds.

After polishing off what amounted to a full bottle of whiskey in one of the few hotels in Kabul that allowed liquor for tourists only, Erik received a private text from Klaue that the pick-up would go down the next day.

"Shit," Erik whispered, feeling a little unsteady as he went back to his suite. Everything was need-to- know with Klaue there, and Erik wished he had word four hours previous before he drowned his liver in alcohol. He would have to drink a lot of water to piss it out.

Showering and then packing, Erik wasn't surprised when Klaue showed up at his door.

"You look quite comfy in that robe, mate," Klaue said.

Erik finished organizing his duffel bag on the king-sized bed and stuck his hands inside the pockets of the plush robe.

"Wish you woulda mentioned go-time sooner."

"I have to keep things close. You know this. We're going near the Bagram base. My contact is an insider. Only you know this."

Erik studied Klaue's face.

"That's risky."

"What are great rewards without great risks?"

"Shits been hella sketchy, man—"

"I told you. Last gig before a little break. I'm going deep underground right after."

"How long?"

"I'm going to play it by ear, but I need you working the moment you get to Our Lady's Manor. You are going to take my prosthetic with you."

The statement gave Erik pause.

"Do what you have to do to stabilize the damn thing. I have some vibranium there, enough for you to experiment with. Use all your goddamn talents to fix this thing. I'm heading to Jo'Burg after this—"

"Are you fucking crazy? Why would you go back—"

"Why wouldn't I? The place I'm least expected to show up. I have more security there and ways to completely vanish."

"What are you gonna do? Fly over and parachute down, because there is no way you can cross borders…fuck…you're going to jump in? You crazy muthafucka."

Klaue gave a wicked smile.

"I'm a pirate at heart. You know that. Fly in…drop in."

Erik did his absolute best to keep his face neutral. He should go with him. If things were different, that would be exactly his plan. Go to South Africa, experiment on Klaue's arm there and other weapons, then prep for a Wakanda opening. Smart move would be to post up on the continent.

But he wasn't being smart.

He was being reckless. Unscripted. Compulsive. Opening himself up to trouble.

It would be so easy to tell this devil that he was going to Jo'Burg too. Huntsman or Limbano or Shipley could oversee the St. Thomas compound. He didn't need to be there…

"Run it down for me. I don't want to wait for tomorrow. You know I don't like last-minute shit."

"That's why I'm here," Klaue said.

Erik sat on the bed and focused.

###

"I don't like this."

Limbano drove to the second checkpoint of their journey, his voice gruff, and his fingers tapping on the steering wheel of the jeep they were in.

"Everything is cool, my friend," Tahir said, checking his cell, "the man up ahead is one of ours. Move over to the next lane and relax."

Limbano did as Tahir instructed and Erik could feel the man's tense mood escalate. They just needed to get past the checkpoint and then head out toward the desert following the GPS coordinates Klaue finally released to them.

Fake I.D.'s clipped to their military-issue gear, the first checkpoint had been a breeze to cross through. Erik just had to keep his face forward when he spoke so his slugs wouldn't tip off the private contractor's checking them through.

Their rendezvous point had a limited time gap, and they were ahead of schedule thanks to Tahir and his groundwork. The military base did external vehicle patrols in ninety-minute intervals and Erik had their timing down to a T. Once they passed a certain point that brought them closer to the base, they could not afford to attract any attention, hence the U.S. military get-ups to blend in.

The guard at the second checkpoint was a beefy-faced Afghan police officer in a drab olive-colored uniform. A brown flak vest covered his chest and the helmet he wore on his head looked cumbersome. He had an AK-47 pointed toward the ground as he directed cars to drive through or pull over to be inspected. Several vehicles were pulled to the side and being thoroughly checked by other officers. At their approach, his furtive glances inside their jeep let Erik know he was a newbie. But a newbie easily swayed by money to look the other way.

The police officer held up a biometric scanner to Limbano's face. He cleared.

They were waved on and Limbano visibly relaxed. Tahir patted him on his shoulder.

"Head West," Tahir said.

Behind them were Klaue, Shipley, Huntsman and a native interpreter…just in case. Erik and Tahir were fluent in Arabic, but not the nuances of a lot of Afghan contacts they could possibly run into. A third jeep brought up the rear. They all made it through the checkpoint with ease.

Simple plan.

Get in. Collect the goods Klaue had planned for Erik to smuggle back to the island. Get back to the local airport and part ways. Outside of Erik and Tahir, everyone else was firepower, each jeep filled with enough weapons to start a mini-war if needed. Whatever was inside those artifacts needed a small vetted army to get it out of the country. On top of that, Klaue only wanted Erik to guard it while they all went into hiding.

Someone inside the Airforce base was in cahoots with Klaue. Whatever was in the "package" was worth the risk, and worth going underground for a spell. Erik could only think of one thing. Intel. Intel that could destroy lives and save Klaue's as long as he held it. Intel he wouldn't take with him to South Africa. Intel that couldn't be downloaded or transferred from military protected servers, but handed off in person. Saving the man's life twice had afforded Erik the privilege to hold the goods. Alone.

They bypassed going through the private contractor checkpoints and went off-road to rendezvous ten miles from the base.

"Fuck is that?" Erik said.

They all caught sight of a speeding unescorted military S.U.V. heading their way kicking up a sandstorm behind it.

"Klaue, what is this?" Erik barked into a two-way radio.

It was too damn soon for the pick-up and too damn close to the base. They didn't even have a chance to do reconnaissance…

"It's our guy. Don't know why…shit—"

Klaue's voice dropped on the radio as they saw a wide swathe of desert sand billowing up at least five miles behind the runaway S.U.V. A caravan of vehicles chasing the lone rogue.

"Gun it!" Erik shouted to Limbano as he grabbed the AK-47 Tahir handed him.

The jeep surged forward as Limbano switched gears.

"Always cutting it fucking close…" Erik grumbled.

Limbano swung the jeep around next to the S.U.V.

A white woman in civilian clothing leaped out of the vehicle carrying a gun-metal hardshell attaché. A camo bucket hat covered her hair, and dark wrap-around visors kept her eyes hidden.

"My cover was blown!" she shouted handing Klaue the case.

Klaue's eyes peered over her shoulder as the surprise vehicles barreled down on them. Erik counted five S.U.V,'s and three military jeeps. Tahir stood next to Erik with an RPG resting on his shoulder.

"They'll scatter and surround us if I shoot this now," Tahir said.

"They'll circle us either way," Erik said as the other men stood near their closely parked vehicles with their AKs. They'd have to use their own jeeps for cover.

"What happened?" Klaue asked as the men grabbed weapons.

The woman removed her shades.

Shit. She was Klaue's squeeze from St. Thomas. Amy.

"Site exit codes have been switched every four hours on base. It took longer to secure the package and I had to move before the attache was seized and I missed your window. There was nothing I could do. I had to move," Amy said. Her eyes glanced behind her.

The vehicles were separating.

"Good luck!" Amy said as she ran back to her S.U.V., hopped in, and gunned it past them.

SSS-BLAM!

A rocket grenade streaked overhead from the sky and hit one of the oncoming jeeps.

Erik's eyes stared as a Mi-17 flew in low and fast.

Tahir let one of his rocket grenades fly striking another S.U.V. Erik kept his eyes and AK-47 on the chopper.

"This you?" Erik yelled at Klaue.

"Always have a Plan B, C, and D," Klaue said winking.

The chopper touched down behind their jeeps and a woman jumped out in full fatigues carrying a small laptop. She slammed it on the hood of Erik's jeep and typed fast.

"Nice to finally meet you in person, Killmonger," the woman said when her eyes caught his.

Erik grinned.

"Nice entrance, Linda," he said.

"Load up!" she yelled. Klaue and the others ran to the chopper. Limbano stood next to Erik, accustomed to seeing things through like him.

"This will shut down their S.U.V.s. They put Safetrak software on their cars to retrieve stolen vehicles, but that left them vulnerable to people like me. I can only disable the S.U.V.'s though…one more second….and done. Last one back!" she yelled running toward the chopper.

Once Erik and Limbano dived into the chopper behind Linda, the Mi-17 lifted up fast. Linda grabbed two hand grenades from her vest pockets, popped the pins, and dropped them down on their jeeps blowing them up.

Swooping away from the scene, Erik glanced out the open side door. Below them, he could see Amy driving her S.U.V. like a rabid bat out of hell as she headed for the mountains.

"She might make it," Erik said.

"She'll make it. I gave her a nice nest egg for this," Klaue said clutching the attaché that brought all the trouble.

Erik buckled up into his chopper seat. Linda plopped down next to him securing her own belt.

"Nice work," he said holding out his fist. She bumped her fist with his.

"I get your final approval then?"

"Hell yeah," he said.

Her face was flushed from the exertion and her smile was wide.

"Buy me a drink and thank me properly," she said.

"Bet."

###

Linda drank him under the table.

Once they escaped the desert, Klaue released everyone after money was deposited in offshore accounts and secret banks on the deep web. Erik was already comfortable with funds, but the Kabul job rewarded him handsomely with extra. Part of it was a babysitting fee to keep Erik off the market in St. Thomas for the next three months, or until Klaue was ready to emerge again from hiding.

Housed in a Lebanese hotel, Klaue treated them all to a lush meal and the best alcohol he could throw money at. They cut loose.

Everyone spruced up a bit for dinner, and Erik was right about Linda being sexy when she went all out. She was comfortable and fit in with all the testosterone and masculine energy surrounding her. Even while wearing a fancy red cocktail dress. She cursed like the best of them, and damn if she didn't make some of them look like children trying to hold their liquor.

The Black geek in both of them came out later in the evening when they started discussing ways to shut down security systems that were more complicated in just two years. He felt like he was back at M.I.T. or his old Stark internship while shooting the shit with her over coding and cybersecurity. She had a brain he could respect. She also didn't make fun of him when he had to slow down his drinking to keep his eyes from swimming. For the first time in weeks, he was feeling breezy. He survived some tough jobs and could now chill for a couple of months with a bounty in his bank account.

Tahir found a club that played decent enough music and he brought along more women that made their little party merrier after dinner.

Erik couldn't tell exactly when he let his guard down low enough for her to climb over, but on the cab ride back to the hotel Klaue set up for all of them, Linda crawled onto his lap, her lips smacking on his, and the liquor pushed him to respond.

He missed being around a woman.

Missed how they smelled.

Missed titties.

And feminine curves.

Kissing.

Softness.

He took her to his hotel room, and in his stupor, tried his best not to think of where he was headed next once he left Lebanon. Erik wiped away all images of a certain young woman with eyes that cut deep and a voice that melted his insides.

What he was about to do was just a release. No different than jerking off to porn. He wasn't cheating. That island girl was not truly his woman yet. Not until he had her in the biblical sense. And she was probably dating or seeing someone for sure. Some nigga probably slid into her DMs and wore her down. He wouldn't blame her if she moved on fast. Hell, he expected women to handle their business in his absence. He couldn't be mad if some other dude got between her thighs before he did…

Liar.

He must've been really off with the sauce if he was hearing Yani's voice in his head.

She told him before he left St. Thomas that she hadn't been with a man all the way since Chez got her pregnant. He wanted to be the first man stroking her walls with his dick. Be the first to cum inside of her. Over and over.

The liquor didn't stop his manhood from plumping up and making his pants tight.

Linda took notice and kissed him with a passionate fervor. He let her tongue slip deeper into the recess of his mouth as he felt up her chest, groaning when he held breasts and nipples again.

Stress relief.

That's what he kept telling himself.

Rolling a condom on his engorged length, he widened his knees on the carpeted hotel floor as Linda arched her back for him, ass poked out, her hands gripping the couch she was facing. She must've been really horny for him because she cut the foreplay the moment she saw his dick. They went from kissing to him lining up his glans against her weeping slit in zero to five.

"When's the last time you had dick?" he said as he pushed into her.

Her head turned back to look at him.

"Good dick, or just dick?" she asked.

He slapped her ass.

"Good dick," he huffed out as he let her feel inch by slow inch of him. He was planted in her nice and tight and her gasps let him know she was pleased.

"Oh…shit…your dick is feeling fucking great right now and you haven't even started yet," she said moaning when he pulled out slowly and sunk back into her again.

"You acting like you wanna rush shit," he said swiveling his hips as he pumped into her. Her back muscles quivered. She clutched the couch tight and pressed her forehead into the cushion.

"Fuck! You're stretching me out…hold up…let me—"

He slapped her ass again and grabbed both of her arms and pulled them back. Her head was lifted up and she couldn't get loose from him.

"Ain't no holding up. You want this hard and fast. That's how you're acting," he said.

"Oohhh!"

"Huh? Saw my shit and wanted the dick bad—"

"Yeah…yeah—"

"You gettin' it-"

"God, yes! Fuck me!"

Lips curled, balls slapping her ass, erratic horniness fueling his thrusts, Erik made Linda beg for the pounding he gave her. Pumping in and out of her his glutes flexed and unflexed, his back muscles working just as hard.

Her cell phone lit up and vibrated on the couch.

"Who calling you right now?" he asked, not stopping his thrusts. He could see the avatar of some tanned male torso.

"Shit, Sergio!" she squealed.

"Boyfriend?"

"Ooohhh!" she screamed letting her head drop down even as his grip held her arms tight.

"You fucking me and your man is calling?"

"Shut up and keep fucking me!" she shouted.

"Answer your phone."

Erik released her hands and they dropped to the floor. Her head turned to the side looking back at him.

"Hell no!" she yelped as he double-tapped her pussy, cramming himself even deeper making her eyes squeeze shut, "You feel so fucking good Eri—"

"Answer your phone, bitch!"

He struck Linda's ass again then reached down and gripped her neck. He stopped thrusting and she threw her ass back trying to keep his momentum in her pussy.

"I can call him back later."

Reaching for her phone she lifted a finger to swipe it silent, but Erik snatched up her hair and yanked her neck back.

"I said answer your damn phone. Now!"

His tone froze her. He kept his body still.

"Bitch, don't play wit me. Answer it. Talk to him."

"You are so foul," she hissed.

"I'm foul?"

The weight of his dick had her mouth open.

Erik leaned over her sweat-laced back and swiped her phone putting it on speaker. Linda slapped his hands.

He resumed fucking her.

Slowly.

"Sergio?"

"Linda…sweetheart, why haven't you returned my calls. You have me worried…"

Spanish accent. A few words of Spanish endearments to seduce her ears from so far away. Andulusian dialect. But not native to the region. His English was perfect. A dual-language learner like himself.

"I am fine, babe. New job is keeping me…keeping…busy…hmmm"

Erik pumped a little faster as he gripped her waist, causing her to lose track of language. "Sounds like your phone is cutting out," Sergio said.

"N-n-no…it's fine…"

Linda shoved her right hand over her mouth as Erik squeezed her nipples and long-stroked her pussy.

"Get this dick," Erik whispered and her hand left her mouth and reached back trying to hit him once more to silence him.

"Squeeze my dick, bitch," he said a little louder. "What was that?" Sergio said.

"I have the t-t-tv on, Serg," she blurted out in an odd octave.

"Is everything okay?"

"It's good…soooo good," she hissed dropping her head on the couch again. She bit the cushion to prevent her cries from escaping her lips.

Sergio prattled on about his job, the weather, when she was returning to Spain, and Linda responded with muffled grunts and groans that made Erik's dick harder.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

"I'm just tired, Babe," she blurted out fast. She pressed the mute button on her end and Sergio kept talking. Linda tossed her ass back hard.

"That's it…give it to me…show me how much you want this dick."

"Erik! Shit!"

"How you letting me fuck you like this?"

"Oh God! You're so deep inside my pussy…Erik! Erik!"

She was turned on by her boyfriend being on the phone.

"Take it off mute. Let him hear me wearing this pussy out! I'm bustin' this shit wide open—"

"Damn—"

"You want him to know I'm digging you out—"

"Fuck—"

"Play with my balls."

Linda's fingers reached past her mound and stroked his fat sack.

"Take it off mute!"

Her fingers left his balls for a second as she unmuted herself while Sergio was still jabbering non-stop. Erik hunched down tight against Linda's back.

"You a dirty bitch," Erik whispered in her ear. "Yes," she squeaked.

"Yes, what?" Sergio asked.

Erik tried to hold back a laugh as Linda covered her face from embarrassment.

"Nothing," she gasped into the couch.

Erik pulled out of her while she still held her phone in her hand. He motioned for her to lay back on the couch facing him. She did what he wanted and he plunged back into her while holding her legs wide open.

Her slippery walls made him hit the bottom off her vagina and his long strokes made the squelching sounds their friction created louder. Soon, her pussy was taking in too much air and queefing sounds erupted. Erik threw his head back. Her pussy felt so good to him at that moment.

"Oh shit!" he shouted.

When he looked down at Linda her face looked horrified that her pussy was making farting sounds.

"Linda, what's going on?"

Sergio sounded distressed.

"I'll call you back, Serg. I'm getting a call from my boss," she shrieked into the phone. She ended the call and tossed her cell on the couch. Erik pulled all the way out so that her vagina could release the rest of the air trapped in it. He settled himself behind her on the couch and pulled her body to line up with his so he could insert his erection back in while holding her leg up.

"You didn't want your man to hear me cum in your pussy?"

Linda yanked on his locs with her right hand. He shifted his arm so that he held her leg back and could stroke her clit that sat like a tiny pink pearl. He could feel the light stubble on her shaved mound and outer lips as he rubbed her clit. "You gon' let me cum in this pussy?"

"You know I will," she said, a bit of sass in her voice. He pumped harder to knock the confidence out of her voice. He liked her begging voice more.

"Show me you want me to nut all in you."

He pressed that slick pearl of hers harder and her legs trembled. She arched her back and pushed against him, trying her best to slam her pussy down his shaft.

"I like that. Keep doing that," he commanded. Pinching her clit, he watched her breasts jiggle as she forced herself back on him, trying to match his pace. Her body jerked and shuddered. She was cumming on him and he wasn't ready for her to tap out so soon.

He held still as the last big gasps fell away from her tense mouth. When he thought she was done he thrust his hips into her again and she laid there like a dead fish.

"Help me out, baby," he whispered to her, trying to coax her to wiggle or grind her hips, or anything that would help him release.

She gyrated a little bit and he heard her suck in a breath when his dick went deep. She came back around again and started fucking him with added zeal, ushering back the intensity of his arousal.

"I'm gon' cum on your clit."

His heated panting had grown heavier and he could hear her whimpering as she opened her legs wider for him.

"Here it comes!"

He pulled out and she removed the condom from his erection. Rubbing the tip against her clit, his semen splashed a fierce streak across the top of her mound and all over her stomach. Her fingers rubbed all over his sensitive glans, smearing his cum around the spongy slick head. It was a decent orgasm. He wanted another.

They retired to the hotel bed and Erik fucked her again in missionary, this time making sure to cum first. Linda's orgasms wiped her out and it took her time to snap back from her release. His second orgasm with her was so much better, the condom felt like it had more ejaculate in it than the amount he spewed on her stomach earlier.

She gave him a nice blowjob in the early morning before they had to leave the hotel. He found it interesting that she didn't like oral sex done to her. He tried to go down on her, but she admitted readily that it wasn't her thing. His curiosity compelled him to pester her about it until she explained.

"I just don't like it. I don't get pleasure from it. It doesn't excite me."

"Have you ever had one great session?"

"No."

"Really? Cuz I can eat some pussy—"

"Erik, I don't like doing it. Do you know how many men have told me they eat pussy well? It doesn't matter. I don't enjoy it, so I don't do it."

Her voice had a touch of petulance to it so he didn't push her further on it. It was just a rare thing for him to encounter.

They shared a friendly kiss when they separated at the airport. He almost felt bad that her first job with Klaue went well but she would be left hanging until he came out of hiding.

"Hopefully we will work together another time," she said. Eyes twinkling at him, she sounded sincere. Welcoming to anything more that could happen in the future. She knew her stuff and would come in handy when he decided to make that final move. He'd keep her name on the backburner. Klaue was stoked on her so Erik would see her again. She rubbed his arm and the non-sexual touch bothered him suddenly. He was going to fly into Turkey, change planes with Klaue's goods hidden in his computer bag, fly to Miami, and then hop a flight to the Virgin Islands. He didn't want to feel another woman's touch on him. Not now. His body was filled with strange jitters. He felt nervous. Perhaps it was a bad idea to mess with Linda. He needed to feel pure. Clean. And he didn't feel that way. He had killed four people while he was away from Yani and Sydette. He didn't want that energy around them.

When he landed in St. Thomas, his mood lifted tremendously. Whatever it was about this place, it made him feel lighter and unsullied when he rode the taxi to the compound.

Once his retina scan gained him complete access and control of the compound at the front gate, Erik stood in the main driveway for ten minutes with his belongings and Klaue's next to him. Three months. He had ninety days to experiment and watch the compound. That's all. Ninety days to be still when he wanted to be.

The sun warmed his body and he took off his shirt, letting the light and heat burn away the tension he carried in his body from being with Klaue. He was back in the same place as her. That girl was somewhere on that rock with her baby. Their baby.

He tilted his head back and let the light strike his closed eyelids until all he could see were visions of pure red.

Go to the beach.

He could cleanse his body in her seawater. Take a few days alone to settle himself.

Then and only then would he feel secure enough to face her once more.

###

Yani stared at the estimate on the piece of paper that the mechanic handed her.

"This much?" she said fretfully.

"I'm afraid so, Miss."

The mechanic, Petey, gave her a sympathetic look.

"Are there things you can hold off on doing right now?"

"I took off as much as I could already."

Sydette wiggled on the side of Yani's hip, the yellow and red beads in her hair pressed into Yani's shoulder.

"I'll have to come back," she said.

"I wouldn't wait too long to fix—"

Yani left the auto shop ignoring the rest of the mechanic's words.

She felt cheated.

Buying the little-used Subaru seemed like a great deal at the time. She finally had her own car, her own transportation, and things had been going well until she noticed the Subaru vibrating hard when she came to a stop sometimes. Then there were the transmission leaks, and the need to replace two balding tires. She took the car in and the diagnosis was a failing U-Joint. It would cost about five-hundred dollars for everything and a little more if they had to order and ship parts from the States. She couldn't afford all that now. She had just put aside hard-saved money for the deposit and first month's rent on a new apartment she was sharing with a fellow nursing student from the university. She and Marla were both single-mothers and decided to pool their resources and share childcare duties around their school schedules in the fall.

She texted Chez.

I coming by to pick up the baby's money.

As she drove into Red Hook, she prayed that he had all that he was supposed to give her. His portion of childcare funds would help her get through this crisis. She could dip frugally into her savings to cover the rest. The summer season at the restaurant was coming, so she could count on tips to help plump up her funds again soon.

Pulling up in front of Chez's house, she texted him again.

I'm here.

Come inside.

Bring me the money, I have to take the baby home.

I can't, I'm here with Star. Ursula is at work.

Bring her outside then.

She's sleep.

"Fucking annoying, man," she yelled at her cell.

Sydette babbled at her from the backseat.

"I know, I know…it's your little sister. I won't wake her up. Shit."

Yani unbuckled herself and then Sydette from her car seat and carried her to the front door.

"Detty!" Chez squealed holding his hands out for his daughter.

Yani let him take her and put her hands on her hips.

"Come in for a minute," he said.

"No."

"Let me have some time with her before you jet. Let her play with her sister—"

"You said she was asleep—"

"She was, but my ringtone woke her up. Ten minutes. Let the girls be together."

"I'll just go to the house and come back—"

"Don't waste gas. You here."

"If that bitch comes home, I don't want no problems—"

"She's not coming back until three. Trippin' all the time."

Yani stepped in and saw the chaos of their household. Clothes everywhere, adult clothes, and tons of toys. More than Sydette owned. The place stank of baby wipes, cheap perfume, and cigarettes. Shoes were everywhere unorganized. Chez's various trainers, flats and heels that belonged to Ursula. A whole two-bedroom house and no place to put things away properly? Pigs.

Chez made space for her on the hard couch that was all fashion and no comfort. It made Yani's ass hurt immediately.

Chez set Sweet Pea on a blanket on the floor, and their daughter sat there looking around confused. This wasn't Auntie's house. He ran into a bedroom and came back carrying his now nine-month-old. Wide-eyed, Star looked half-sleep and irritated, her thin hair plastered to her skull.

"Look whose here!" Chez said sticking Star into a walker where her legs dangled. Sydette looked at her sister, then stared back at Yani.

"Say hi to Star, Sweet Pea," Yani said.

"Mum," Sydette said. She stuck a finger in her mouth and then pointed at Star.

"Yes, that's Star."

Chez patted Sydette's hair beads. He walked back to the couch and sat down next to Yani. They both watched the girls.

"See, they get along good."

"If you say so," Yani said. The annoyance was back.

Sydette crawled over to a pile of wooden builder blocks and began playing with them. Star shook her body to try and move, and Yani cracked up with Chez. The baby looked hilarious flopping her arms and legs like someone electrocuted her. She was cute. Literally Chez in tiny light-skinned female form. The laughter left her when reality came back again. That was his cheat baby. The outside house child. The creation that tore apart their family.

It wasn't Star's fault, and Yani did her best to keep her hateful feelings toward Star's mother away from the baby itself.

Chez turned on the tv and found a toddler-friendly channel that caught both children's attention. Yani held her hand out.

Chez reached into his pocket and pulled out some folded bills.

"All good in the hood. I even got you two hundred extra this month," he said. She was relieved.

She reached for the money. He put it back in his pocket.

"Tell me about school. You all set?"

She rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, Chez. I have to go—"

"You can put your business on social media, but you can't talk to your baby's faddah about it? How that sound, Yani? Serious? I need to know what you are doing while you have my child, just like you get in all my business—"

"Chill, damn. I have my schedule ready for the first semester."

"You look excited."

"I am excited."

"Good. What are you taking?"

"Pathophysiology, Health Assessment, Intro to Nursing, and Communication for Health Professionals…yeah that's first semester."

She explained to him what the courses would entail and how she was excited about wearing a nurse's uniform. She excluded any mention of her new apartment and roommate. Yani didn't want him to know anything about that until school had started for her and she had a routine going that Sydette was comfortable with. She didn't need Chez rolling by checking on her and scaring the other woman.

Yani checked her cell.

"We need to go, Chez."

"I miss talking to you like this."

He glanced over at the girls. They seemed content. Star played with the noise-makers on her walker and Sydette had her hands clapping with Cookie Monster on Sesame Street. Star squealed and Sydette stared at her, reaching up and hitting one of the noise-makers herself. Star grabbed her fingers and Sydette squealed too, then looked over at them with a smile on her face.

"I want the girls to be together more. I want them to be close. No matter how much I messed up, they are still blood. Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He pulled her money out again. She reached for it and he pulled his hand back.

"We can still be close too, gyal."

"No, we can't."

"I think we can."

She felt her skin crawl. Her belly clenched tight.

"What is this?" she asked. Her eyes went to Sydette.

"I give you something extra this month…you give me something a little extra. We stay real friendly."

Closing her eyes, Yani shook her head. She should've never come into the house.

His hand snaked over and rubbed her thigh. She kept still. Ran through options. Came up with none. She needed that money. She had to fix her car so that it was safe for her and her baby. She needed to have her own apartment so that she could be close to school and the inexpensive daycare she found. Her Aunt's house was too crowded, too loud, and too stressful for her and Sydette.

"What…what do you want me to do?"

"Everything you used to do," he said.

His eyes looked unbothered by the request. She leaned forward as he spread his legs, then snatched the money from his hand and stuffed it down her bra.

She jumped off the couch and hurried over to pick up Sydette.

"You are a piece of shit!" she screamed at him.

He sprang from his seat to catch her and she used her foot to push Star's walker, rolling the baby toward him.

"Kicking mi pickney?!"

"I didn't kick her!"

Her heart was in her throat when she rushed to the front door as Chez picked up Star.

"Bitch!"

She flipped him off and slammed the front door on her way out.

###

J'ouvert was not for the weak.

Yani was up at three in the morning doing her make-up for the breaking in of carnival season before daybreak. There would be a shit-ton of drinking and walking. And dancing. Playing Jab Jab with colored chalk and paints. And people-watching. She was going to meet her friend Kemba's co-worker who was single. Conrad. Two kids. A J'ouvert fete seemed the best occasion to meet and dump someone if there was no connection. Conrad's IG photos were cute, and they spoke a few times over the phone. He had liked a couple of her swimsuit photos and didn't act creepy about her posing on Junior's album compilation. Good job. Good teeth. Baby Mama lived in Orlando, Florida.

Yani watched Twyla throw a purple plastic shower cap on her head.

"Last year I thought that shit would wash out my hair easy without protection…nope!" Twyla said tucking loose locs under the cap.

Their cousins Cee Cee and Sonya wore black satin bonnets.

"You sure you want to leave your hair out? Some people were throwing colored paint like last year. That shit was thick and took too long to come off." Sonya said.

"What is a little colored paint or powder on a baldie, huh?" Yani said.

Sonya sucked her teeth, "Yuh brave cuz."

Yani adjusted her blue jean bootie shorts, tugged on the black fishnet stockings that pinched at her thighs, and admired her black sleeveless top with the silver lettering under her breasts: Cruzan Junction. Twyla's shirt said, 'Thirsty?'. Her other two extra-thick cousins had 'It's All Natural' on their shirts.

"Kendall really on the mobile stage?" Cee Cee asked lining her lips with a lip pencil and pushing Yani away from the bedroom wall mirror.

"You loud women woke the babies up," Leona said carrying Sonya's toddler son, Bam.

"Twyla's the one that's loud," Yani fussed shoving Cee Cee back over so she could check her eye make-up. She rubbed mica-infused lotion on her arms, neck, and face to make her skin sparkle like Killmonger's earrings once the sun rose up.

"It smells like liquor in here," Leona said.

Yani watched her cousin Sonya hide the big plastic cup of Henny she was already breaking in behind her back. Yani hid her drink in a yellow custom cup, pretending not to hear the liquor comment. Her hips were already revving up and Conrad texted her that he would meet her by the mobile music truck/stage.

Leona took Bam back to Sydette, and once she was gone, more Henny was poured into other hidden cups.

How she missed this time with her cousins preparing to fete. She had laid up in her bed with a tiny newborn Sydette the previous year watching the women prepare and she felt sad, tired, and out of place. But not this year. She was going to make her bumper roll, and if Conrad was choice, he would get her rump on his groin as she threw it in a circle.

Cee Cee pulled out a joint and Twyla snatched it stuffing it into her bra.

"Yuh, craze gyal? She right there in the next room!" Twyla hissed slapping Cee Cee's arm.

"You know Auntie did this in her day. She nuh always a saint."

"True!" Sonya clucked. They all giggled and sipped.

"Aw, damn!" Twyla said peeking out of their shared bedroom window.

"What?" Yani said coming up next to her.

It was sprinkling.

"It's not supposed to last long. On and off. But it'll help cool us down," Yani said.

"It'll be messy out there," Twyla said with a scowl.

"Messy is your middle name," Yani teased.

Twyla punched her.

"Ow, bitch. You always so rough!" Yani complained.

"Let's go!" Cee Cee cheered clapping her hands.

Moist air, a soft sprinkling of water dropping from the dark sky, Yani rode shotgun in Leona's car with the window down and her right arm hanging out feeling the air.

Cleansing.

That's how it felt riding with her family.

A stripping away of stress and worry. Freedom to dance in the streets as a Galiber Queen, long blood descendants of the first rebel Queen in their family, Queen Mary Thomas of St Croix.

Self-proclaimed royalty was still royalty and having Thomas blood in her veins garnered respect on the island to those who knew. Every girl born to them was a Queen, skipping Princess on mere principle. From St. Croix to Copenhagen, to St. Thomas, Mary's bloodline was kept alive.

"What you grinning for cuz?" Twyla asked, glancing at her as she drove toward Charlotte Amalie.

"Fireburn!" Yani shouted.

All of her cousins laughed.

"Fireburn!" Twyla yelled out of her open window.

"Respect," Yani said. She sipped more Henny from her cup, the burning of the liquor down her throat equal to the burning that lived in her DNA.

Her eyes appreciated the light rain. A cleansing. Water. And fire. And faith in her heart that all things came together for her good, a Galiber Queen.

###

Erik bought a Henny rum punch from the mobile bar with "V.I. Feters" spray-painted with pink, green, and purple letters over its white covered façade. Drinking that hard so early in the morning was a different kind of treat. He sported black trainers, black joggers, and a white tank, his body enjoying the itinerant sprinkles of rain as revelers partied hard. This J'ouvert thing was no joke. He had no problem mingling and dancing with the crowd.

The early morning darkness brought out the surreal beauty of the hills twinkling with house lights on looking like stars decorating the island. Stars and diamonds. The dancing crowd reminded him of Brazil and the times spent celebrating carnival there as a child and a young man. He gazed in wonder at all the different people dancing as individuals or as part of clubs wearing matching colored t-shirts, waving white towels or shirts, blowing whistles, and partying hard. The Black diaspora was the same everywhere they were in the world celebrating any type of bacchanal.

He was confused when he saw so many women wearing shower caps, and bonnets, but when colored chalk flew around him striking bodies with gleeful exuberance as the sky turned a brilliant purple, Erik figured out why the coverage was needed. Dark black and dark brown bodies decorated in pink, green, blue, purple, red and yellow colors smeared from the light sprinkling of rain looked wondrous and whimsical. The colors became more vibrant as the sun rose above them and the music became more infectious. Soca rhythms soaked the streets and rattled the mobile D.J. stage that most of the people followed like a huge New Orleans second line. Umbrellas included.

Erik tried to stay low key and not very close to the mobile stage. He had heard a radio broadcast mention Kendall's name, and he knew if the young rapper was there, Yani would possibly be there too, and he still wasn't ready to see her just yet. He followed the source music from a distance, sipped on his drink and flicked hands from grabbing him. The women were pretty aggressive, especially the white ones, and although he appreciated the variety of beauty and revealing shapes around him, he didn't want to be touched by strangers, didn't want to be rubbed upon while he walked and drank and shook his ass a little bit. He just wanted to observe. Marvel. Allow his drink to keep him comfortably buzzed.

The revelers became a little too dense when the mobile D.J. truck stopped. Erik slipped back near a light post to give himself room to breathe. The merrymakers surged around him anyway and a familiar face caught his eye. Her hips shook fast and she danced with a man with a t-shirt wrapped around his head.

Erik drifted away from the light post as a slender woman climbed up part of it to wiggle her backside suggestively to the crowd while wearing an outfit that was almost a bathing suit. He eased over to the woman he spotted that had his heart beating a little faster. He reached out and touched her hand and she jerked away from him, her eyes narrowed and her lips curled up in a challenge.

"Who this big nigga, yeah?" she said in a loud voice.

"Your name is Twyla, right?" he asked.

"Who you?" she said standing closer to him.

These Galiber women were fine as fuck and Erik saw men shaking hips and moving around them while sneaking looks at her tall amazon ass sprinkled from head to toe with colored chalk.

"I know your Aunt Leona and your cousin…Yani."

"How you know dem, Black?"

Twyla had her own red cup in her hand and guzzled down its contents. Her eyes took him in.

"Our Lady's Manor."

Her eyes did a slow pan of him from top to bottom.

"Ah, the bad man on the hill. You fuck up Chez, yeah?"

"Something like that."

"Why are you pestering me? Yani is around here somewhere—"

"I was just saying hi, that's all."

"Okay, hi. Now what?"

She made him smile.

"You cute bad man. Mi see why Auntie liked you so much. You not ugly like dem other ones."

The longer he stood talking to her, the more anxious he got. His nerves were spiking. Why did he actively talk to Twyla? Yani could probably spot him now. He needed to blend back into the sea of colored black bodies. He wasn't ready—

"Mi call her for you—"

"Nah, I'll find her eventually…"

He walked away from Twyla as she held her cell, making his escape toward the mobile bar that pulled up far behind the D.J. truck. Ordering straight up Hennessey he leaned against the side of the bar and took small sips of his drink. He felt weird. Off-balance. The push and pull of yearning to see her, but not wanting to see her was confusing. He was a grown-ass man who had faced shit in his life over the past two months that most people would never recover from in a lifetime, and yet there he stood hiding near a liquor stand afraid to see a woman. Him. The fuck?

On God—

His stomach dropped when he heard Yani's voice over the loudspeakers on the D.J. truck. She stood near the D.J. and Kendall on the portable stage. The mic was near her cheek and she talked to a man next to the D.J. who had switched the Soca beats to a grime sound that echoed around them all. It was a nice switch from the Soca and Reggae. Kendall's voice was picked up too and there seemed to be some confusion over another person being on the stage with them.

"Just start it and we'll figure it out," Yani mumbled.

Kendall took his own mic and faced the joyous fete crowd.

"This is for my Queens," Kendall said with a quiet storm drawl. It made Yani laugh and that sound made Erik shake his shoulders as if something light crawled across them.

Yani was covered in blue and pink chalk. Her bootie shorts accentuated the thickness of her lower half, and her black top was just titty spillage. Her short fade was no longer blonde, but platinum and somewhat straight.

"Queen Yani!"

Twyla shouted from the crowd to her cousin.

"Yes, yes, y'all, the Black Mermaid is here, Queen Yani, mi blood, mi Fam. We come from a long line of women rebels, seen? Yeah…tell 'em, Yani."

Yani lifted the mic to her lips and sang what sounded like a vengeful folk song.

"Queen Mary, ah where you gon' go burn?

Queen Mary, ah where you gon' go burn?

Don' ask me nothin' at all

Just get me the match and oil

Bassin Jailhouse, ah deh de money dey…"

Some of the revelers knew the words to Yani's a cappella performance and joined in until Kendall jumped on it.

"Where you gon' go burn, Queen? She gon' burn it all!" he yelled as a thunderous futuristic-sounding bass line slammed down and he shook his head in a wild frenzy to accompany the hard beats. Yani jumped up and down getting Kendall more hyped before she declared,

"And Queens don't vibe, hear me now…"

"With no fuck niggas!" the crowd responded back as Yani held the mic out to them.

The fete audience went buck, booties thrown in wild circles standing, and on the ground, backs arched deep, heads bobbing like marionettes being plucked by puppet master strings. It was just a cold as fuck live performance.

He couldn't get over how bold Yani was. That one line was the refrain throughout the entire song, the call and response from the crowd always the same. They finished and another boisterous Soca beat pumped up again and Erik watched Yani drop down from the truck into the arms of a man who pulled her into the melanated wave of people. The throng of bodies grew.

Yani danced with Twyla and her younger sister Anika who wore a pink tutu and carried a super soaker that sprayed blue colored water. Erik smiled when he saw Yani toss pink powder at her friends and sister with packets she held in their hands. The merriness was infectious and Erik wanted to join her, but there was pleasure in watching her be free. She bent over to allow Twyla to smack her butt and Anika shot a stream of blue onto her chest. Yani chased her tossing colored powder that flew over other people who also threw colors at everyone.

A few revelers, mainly males, asked to take pictures with her, probably fans of the album compilation. He didn't like how close most of them got to her, arms thrown around her shoulder or waist.

He lost track of her and drank a little more. It sprinkled again and he moved closer to an occupied bench and watched people jump on top of cars to dance, hang off of the D.J. stage to shake ass and grind on willing participants. He enjoyed the view of the waterfront and boats.

He thought about returning to the compound before the street party officially broke up to avoid gridlock. Perhaps get some sleep since the whole celebration started at four in the morning. A few women brushed up against him trying to entice him to dance but he wasn't feeling it. A frisky college-aged white woman standing up behind him on the bench tapped him and then wrapped her arms on his shoulders, her beer breath odor strong as she tried to rock with his body to the music.

"Nah. Let's not," he said when he turned back to make sure she knew he wasn't having it.

"You're not all that," she snapped.

"Yeah, okay," he replied turning from her and enjoying the last of his drink.

She kept bumping into him from dancing and he stepped a couple of inches away from her so he could keep his spot and not be bothered. He tossed his empty cup into the trashcan next to the mobile bar and saw that the D.J. truck was moving along with Kendall still bouncing to the music.

The bitch's hands came down on him again and his anger flared up white-hot.

"I told you once already—"

Lips on his neck.

The alluring scent of vanilla and nutmeg and fresh rain on soft brown skin.

He froze and his eyelids shut.

Sliding his hands up to caress the arms that held him, a shuddery breath left his chest and made his throat tight.

He spun around and she stood on the small bench a little above eye level with him.

Yani.

Her bewitching eyes connected with his and her inviting smile centered him. Wrapping his arms around her painted waist, he pressed his forehead into hers.

"Killmonger, why are you shaking? I scare you?"

Yes.

###

Part 10

Previous Chapters Here

Tag List:

@fd-writes​ @soufcakmistress  @cherrystainedlipsbaby @tclaybon  @thadelightfulone @allhailqueennel @bartierbakarimobisson @cpwtwot @shookmcgookqueen @yoyolovesbucky @raysunshine78 @the-illllest @terrablaze514  @l-auteuse @amirra88 @jimizwidow @janelledarling @chaneajoyyy @sweetestdream92 @purple-apricots @blackpinup22 @hennessystevens-udaku @scrumptiouslytenaciouscrusade @bugngiz @stariamrry  @honeytoffee

[malcolmbrights-a]

TITLE: Everything I Wanted WHO: Claudia Daviau & Alex Reeves RATING: pg FOR: @ravenpufff​ / @engeljjk​ & tagging @infinitelonging​ since she likes this dumpster fire NOTES: Alex proposes and Claudia says nooooo lol

  Claudia knew something was up when Alex booked an entire room at her favorite restaurant, brought her a bouquet of her favorite flowers - white lilies and white roses - and bought her a night at the penthouse suite at her family’s hotel. He didn’t usually do stuff like that unless he received a promotion or something exciting happened to her. Special gifts like this were saved for special occasions and were rare, and nothing had happened that would bring on a celebration on this level. Claudia thought long and hard about what could possibly be going on. Maybe he did get a promotion, after all? Or maybe he discovered good news related to either of them? He could’ve also decided that they finally move in together. She never assumed he’d propose to her. 

So when he got on one knee, while she slurped a noodle, her face turned a bright red as she chewed. Then she swallowed her noodle and grinned widely, ready to say yes, until she began to doubt their entire relationship. It had started pretty rough when they were younger and he hadn’t been very nice to her. She was usually the one asking for attention, while he didn’t give it to her unless she bugged and bugged about it. Then, when they were younger, they would fight and fight and fight, until both of them ended up hurting the other’s feelings. 

They had grown a lot since their college years, going different places in life for a while and growing apart as both of them took jobs in different parts of the country. But then they met again at a gala he’d been attending. And while their sass and sarcasm still existed, when they began to talk gain, there was an air of loyalty, and in Claudia’s perspective, trust, even. They could actually tolerate being around each other and Claudia actually visited him often. They then continued to talk for years, but he always acted like marriage wasn’t his thing and like she should be lucky that he was willing to be exclusive with her. With that in mind, Claudia began to grow nervous - her lips twitching slightly as she looked at him, her huge grin turning into a frown. She had been treated quite harshly in the past and her thoughts were clouded with that thought when she looked at him as he waited for her to respond. 

“No,” she replied, covering her mouth as tears began to stream down her eyes. Claudia didn’t mean to cry, and she hated Alex seeing her cry, but she was so angry with herself for saying no, that the tears just began to roll down her cheeks like a fast waterfall.

Alex blinked hard and his head jerked back before he closed the ring case. He then reached for a her hand in a way that didn’t seem very sincere to Claudia, and like something he’d do when he tried to sucker her into forgiving him on days where she was furious with him. “Why not?” he asked, as she moved her hand away from his and took a step back, not wanting to fall for the act, if it was an act or not. Because sometimes he was a good actor. “You’ve been talking about this for years. I thought you would be jumping for joy. Did I pick the wrong way to do it? Did you want a fucking marching band or something?” He scoffed some, making her question even more if it was an act. “I’m a good guy, so I don’t understand why you’d say no.”

Since they’d known each other for so long, she thought he deserved a response, so she walked over to their table and gestured for him to sit down. Surprisingly he did, sitting beside her, but giving her space. “I don’t know if I’ll be happy with you. Marriage has always been something I’ve seen myself doing with my best friend. I never cared about being loved in the disturbing hallmark way that Ari has with Jo. But I’ve always wanted to be liked. I think that’s more important than anything. But I don’t even know if you like me? And worse - I have no idea if you’ll cheat on me or leave me for out of the blue,” she admitted to him, her trust issues probably being the main reason why she was so fucking against this in this moment - people had left her in the past, and she hated the idea of someone she’s married to leaving her. 

Alex huffed out and then began to massage his temples. He looked a little frustrated but she really couldn’t blame him, since she had just said no to his proposal. “Honestly, Cloud,” he said, the annoyance in his voice alerting her that he was bothered, even though he used the nickname he only used when he wanted to fuck her. “If i didn't like you, i wouldn't ask you to marry me...unless marrying u gave me a bigger dick or something." He shrugged his shoulders and looked her with all seriousness. “Marriage is serious to me. I swear to God, you can fucking murder me in cold blood if I cheated you, because marriage is an institution to me.” There was a drawl to his voice when he said institution and that made Claudia swallow and then sniff.  “It’s serious shit. And again, I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t like you. You think you’re the only person here who doesn’t want to be stuck with someone who would make them fucking miserable their whole life?” 

Claudia sniffed, taking in all of what he was saying, suddenly regretting saying no. “Good, because I want to be liked and respected. So I expect not to be treated like shit. I want to work with you and not against you. I want to be a fucking team, do you understand? That’s what is important to me. Marriage is about being a team.” And while to some people marriage is all about finding love or whatever, to Claudia it was about teamwork. Sure she loved Alex in her own weird way, but like, he was never going to hear that from her. Ever. Also, she wasn’t with him due to lovey-dovey shit to begin with. She just liked being around him for dumbass reason she couldn’t decide on, and she liked their weird as fuck relationship that didn’t make sense at fucking all. 

“”We can be a team, sure.” He replied looking at her with exasperation. 

“Alright then.” Claudia said calmly before she got on one knee in front of him. “Alexander Reeves, will you marry me?” Her eyebrow perched and he looked at her with confusion. “I know I said no to you, but I do want to marry you…I guess?” She smirked playfully. “So what do you say?”

He paused and stroked under his chin, looking down at her for a while. He then smiled a really really really really small smile, shrugged with his hand, and then said, “Yes. I’ll marry you, Claudia.” 

Claudia grinned again before getting up. She hugged him, his body tensing up, probably adverse to the action since it was a surprise and she hadn’t asked to hug him. When Claudia released him, she took a step back and sat on his lap, looking up at him with mischief. “Hope you know I’m going to be a fucking bridezilla.” 

He rolled his eyes. “I would be surprised if you weren’t, you fucking brat.” 

Claudia bit her lip. “Alright, asshole. Just know me being a bridezilla means you’re going to be stuck with me your whole life. You’re going to be stuck with a fucking brat your whole life.”

He sighed heavily. “Okay. Whatever. Lets eat before the food gets cold.”

“FIne...fine...but when you want to strangle me in old age, just remember you proposed first.”

[thismoviefucks]

Midsommar (2019, dir. Ari Aster) is a beautiful film. I mean that very literally, because this might just be the most visually stunning horror film of the last decade.

I don't wanna talk about the plot because I'd rather you see it. What I do wanna talk about, however, is the technical aspects at play here. First off, the visual language of this movie is one you rarely see in horror: bright, pastoral, saturated. Where Hereditary had this generally dark look to it (which worked because most of that movie is set at night and indoors), Midsommar goes for the total opposite: big, open spaces filled with colour. And between Hereditary and this, Aster seems to have developed a very interesting style of shooting (which I'm sure also has something to do with the repeated presence of cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski). There just aren't any horror directors I’ve seen that are comparable, unless you would consider Stanley Kubrick a horror director for his work on The Shining. What this reminds me of most, and I know I said this in my review of Hereditary as well, is the work of Wes Anderson. Wide, static or slow-moving shots, flat compositions, and super-precise framing. And that isn't even getting into what seems to be recurring themes in his work of trauma, and his method of framing personal, psychological stories in horror language and inserting horror elements.

I have to mention, of course, the amazing effects work done here for scenes where the characters are under the influence of psychedelics. Natural landscapes flex and gurgle and pulsate with this subtle but noticeable vigour. I've never done psychedelics (Midwest straight edge!), but I have a lot of friends who have told me about their experiences with them, and they all seem to be portrayed vividly and faithfully here. And while we're talking about the effects, some special mention has to be made to the flat-out incredible gore work here. The ättestupa scene in particular comes to mind, with skulls broken open horrifically in a similar way to the elevator scene in Drive, and fragile bodies mangled brutally from a height. This movie and Hereditary share a similar level of violent scenes -- i.e. not that many, for being horror movies -- but the difference is that in Hereditary, the gore was shrouded in darkness, hard to see, and even when it was seen it was only briefly and not really that bad. Here, we get multiple shots of vividly destroyed bodies, and they are *hard* to look at, even for a seasoned veteran of splatter and goresploitation like me. Whoever made these prosthetics or whatever they may be deserves a *raise* -- and more work in the business, hopefully.

Finally, I need to briefly mention the sound here, and primarily I mean the music. The Haxan Cloak -- credited here under his real name, Bobby Krlic, did an excellent job here of establishing atmospheres, and melding his typical cavernous dark drones with the pastoral folk sounds of the cult's liturgical chantings. The horn dirge in the ättestupa scene immediately prior to, well, the ritual's actual execution, comes to mind, with these pillowy drones of trumpet that feel perfectly in-place with the tone of the scene. The choral piece after the crowning of the May Queen is breathtakingly beautiful, as is the oddly triumphant music immediately before the final ritual (I'm beginning to think Ari Aster has a thing for the tonal dissonance between his usually-terrifying down ending scenes, and the esoterically majestic music played during them, 'cause this happened at the end of Hereditary as well).

I don't think this movie is as outright scary as Hereditary is. I'm not sure if I can even compare the two. All I know is that this movie is absolutely wonderful, and you should watch it.

This movie fucks.

[winnipegpatty]

to all the boys i’ve loved before [part i] | s.m.

part ii. part iii.

a/n: hey its your local idiot who accidentally deletes her own writing. i changed the gif bc don’t even try and tell me that doesn’t look like a high school noah centineo esc shawn mendes. 

It was the last dinner as a family before Ari would be going to college. Of course she’d chosen the absolute farthest place she could have picked: England. To celebrate, Dad was making Mom’s famous tamales. Well, he would at least try.

“I hate when he makes tamales” Sofia whined. “He always messes up the masa and it’s all crumbly and dry.”

She was eleven, and she was definitely the drama queen of the family.

“It’s sweet,” Ari cooed as she led Sofia down the stairs, “And no matter how it tastes, you take a big bite and say mmmm just like Mom’s, okay?”  

Sofia rolled her eyes, but nodded in agreement anyway.

Just as the three of them reached the stairs, Josh stepped into the entryway, heading straight for Ari. With a quick kiss, he greeted his girlfriend, before hollering out to their dad in the kitchen. I stayed on the stairs, in the background, as I usually did when Josh was around these days.

“Sof,” Josh greeted her younger sister with a high five.

And finally, me.

Stepping off the stairs, I met him halfway. He high fived me as we all moved into the dining room where Dad was setting the table. Ari went back into the kitchen to get everyone’s drinks fixed up.

“I can’t believe we aren’t going to see Ari until Thanksgiving,” Sofia spoke to the table.

“Well, it’s actually going to be Christmas. England is too far to come home just for Thanksgiving,” their dad answered.

“Christmas?” Sofia asked, looking towards Ari as if she might have a secret trip home planned.

“Look on the bright side,” their dad responded, “Ari won’t be here to hog the car so, Y/N can practice her driving.”

Dad took that moment, to pass out the tamales to each plate, and Sofia noticeably grimaced before covering it with a smile.

“I forgot I had to drive with Y/N now.”

“Feel free to take the bus,” I responded with a roll of my eyes.

“You know if you’re ever in a bind, I can always help out,” Josh offered. He was perfect like that, always offering to help wherever he could. “I’m not disappearing; I still live right next door.”

“Orrrrrr, I could drive. And if we ever get pulled over, we’ll just switch places real fast,” Sofia spoke with exaggerated movements as if reenacting the scenario in her mind.

“Excellent idea, sweets,” their dad chuckled.

Ari returned with drinks in tow, handing one to each person, “What are we talking about?”

“Just how bad of a driver Y/N is.”

“And airplanes,” Josh piped in.

Ari looked at him oddly, “Yeah?”

“Yeah just, ya know...how you weren’t going to be able to come home for Thanksgiving. Which, brings me to this…” Josh dramatically pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, unfolding it to show Ari. “I thought I’d bring some home to you. I’m coming to England.”

It was a plane ticket.

“Hey, look at Josh steppin up!” Dad cheered from the head of the table.

But Ari didn’t look pleased. In fact, she looked on the verge of irate. “You already bought this?”

Josh stuttered over a few words for a moment before standing up. The tension in the air was palpable, and with just the greatest timing Sof truly has ever had she took a bite of her tamale and said, “Mmmmm, just like Mom’s.”

I guess I should tell you about Josh. For the last two years he’s been Ari’s boyfriend. But before Ari even cared that he existed, he was my first boyfriend. Space between the words boy who was a friend. I could tell him anything. We just really understood one another. He was my best friend. We didn’t exactly stop being friend when Ari and Josh got together, things just became….different. They didn’t want me to feel left out. So they invited me everywhere. Like...everywhere. Even on dates. They tried to make it as normal as possible (for a third wheel, I guess), but it just wasn’t the same. It’s not like I wanted to date Josh or anything. I’m happy for Ari. She deserves an amazing guy like Josh. And so I wrote him a letter, and I wasn’t going to send him the letter or anything. It was just for me. So I could understand all these crazy feelings. But I guess really, it was also about how sometimes I imagine what it would be like if I’d realized how I felt about him sooner. If I could have been the girlfriend instead of Ari.

My letters are my most secret possesion, for no one to see but me. There are five total. Kenny from camp, Shawn from seventh grade, Lucas from homecoming, Jake from Model UN, and….Josh. I write the letters when I have a crush so intense that I can’t even think straight. When I don’t know what to say.

Ari would say I’m being dramatic, but I think drama can be fun. Just as long as no one knows about it.

Ari and Josh broke up that night. Before mom died, she told Ari to never go to college with a boyfriend. And the next morning, she left for England. And that was the end of Ari and Josh.

Ari always said that when something is no longer useful, you either donate it, recycle it, or throw it away. I always knew she felt that way about objects, but I didn’t know she thought about people like that too. I didn’t know it was possible.

_____

It was first day of junior year. Ari was in England. I’d actually cleaned my room last night which has never happened before. And I was driving Sof to school for the first time. It all felt so wrong.

Walking down the halls as a junior in high school, I was almost at the top. I passed Josh, which felt both weird and more natural than it had in the past two years. But as I turned too look at him as I walked away, he looked sad.

Walking backwards wasn’t my strong suit though because moments later I walked right into a person.

“Ow. Excuse you!”

“Oh, shit. I’m so sorry, Gen.” I answered as I moved away from the girl who was basically the devil incarnate. “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Oh, it’s you.” Gen sneered.

Gen...Genevieve. We used to be best friends, but post middle school for reasons having to do with her popularity, and my lack thereof. We are no decidedly, not.

At least school was the same.

“Cute boots,” Gen spoke as she eyes my boots with clear distaste.

“Thanks, they’re vintage,” I did my best to smile.

“And they’re amazing! Not everyone can rock the, but Y/N can really pull them off.”

Christine...Chris. Gen’s cousin. My best friend. My only friend really.

And then walked in the devil’s boyfriend. Shawn.

“Hey babe,” he said as he wrapped his arms around Gen’s stomach, and kissed her lightly on the temple.

“Hiiii.” Gen said sweetly.

“How’re you doing?”

“Oh I’m good, how are you?” She cooed back, clearly enamored by Shawn.

Shawn, you remember him. From seventh grade. From the letter. That’s this Shawn. Gen’s Shawn. Seventh grade, my first real boy girl party, and well, everyone knew that Shawn and Gen, who at the time was still my bestie, only liked each other. And it was at the first long awaited boy girl party that I had my friend kiss….with Shawn. It was only a spin the bottle kiss, but it was a kiss.

“I was just complementing Y/N on her adorable boots,” Gen said to Shawn, “Come on, there are more important people to talk to.”

Gen waltzed away from the them leaving Chris, me, and Shawn to stare uncomfortably after her.

“She just stopped drinking caffeine for a, uh, diet, I think.” Shawn mumbled as he tugged on a few of his shorter curls. “She’s just going through withdrawls.”

“Are you sure she doesn’t just have a chemical imbalance?” I retorted.

“Right,” Shawn said as he turned and walked away.

____

Lunch came around, and everything was wrong again. Ari was my go to lunch date. And now I was alone, yet again.

I ended up on the bleachers, next to Josh. Which wasn’t awkward at all.

“I gotta ask,” Josh asked quietly as I sat next to him. “Did she tell you? You guys talk about everything, and I just….”

“She didn’t tell me about this,” I shook my head.

“Well, we’re still cool, right?”

“Yes, we’re cool.”

We ate lunch then, in complete silence. And before you say anything about it, I know what you’re thinking. We really were cool. However I felt about him, I would never do that to Ari.

____

“This cafeteria is soooooo much bigger than at the elementary school,” Sof squealed. “And everyone wanted to sit by me, oh my god it was just so cool.”

“Yeah, I can totally relate,” I mumbled as we both got into the car.

One more drive and we’d be home free. One day of driving down….hundreds more to go. I waited for Sofia to buckle up, before I began to pull out.

“Woah, hey.” I heard a voice that sounded shockingly like Shawn Mendes.

Sofia laughed, “You really are going to get us killed.”

I shut my eyes closed, hoping maybe Shawn would forget about almost just getting hit by a car. But the tap on my car window said otherwise. I rolled down the window. Honestly, running him over may have been less painful, at least for me.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” I sounded mortified even to myself.

“How ya doing?” Shawn asked with a smile on his face. He was bent down so he was at eye level with me (which made everything a million times worse because his eyes were fucking gorgeous and I was going to fucking die).

“Good.”

“Yeah?” He asked.

“Yeah,” I whispered.

“You know people usually check behind them before they reverse? You know...to avoid killing others. It’s a thing we do.”

“Yeah, well, I’m just not, completely comfortable with the mirrors in this car yet.” I stuttered.

Sofia laughed from her seat, and really I would have liked to have run her over with my car.

“Yeah, clearly. You think you’re going to be able to make it out of the parking lot...or?”

“No, no we’ll be just fine. So you should just go, yeah, we’re fine.”

“Yeah, whatever you say.” He pointed at Sofia in the car, “Hey uh, you’re in charge.”

Shawn walked away, and I rolled up my window as Sofia said, “Who was that?”

“That was Shawn Mendes.”

We sat in the parking lot for a few minutes before Sofia said, “So, are we gonna go home?”

“Yeah, of course. We’re just going to wait for all the cars to leave first.”

____

“You know, Y/N, if you had a boyfriend, maybe you wouldn’t have to drive at all cus he would take us places” Sofia spoke as they were both sat lounging on the couch watching an episode of Stranger Things on Netflix.

I turned to look at Sofia, “If that’s what it takes, I think you’re stuck with me for a while. Sorry Sof.”

“I don’t know, what about that guy you almost killed?”

“He’s dating Gen.”

“So?”

She really was too young to understand these things apparently. Shawn Mendes was taken. A couple like Shawn and Gen don’t just break up. They’re together for at least the entirety of high school. They’re the It Couple. They’re the ones that go on to get married and become high school sweethearts. People like Shawn Mendes don’t leave girls like Gen for other girls like me.

“You know, it’s not just that.” Sofia shifted on the couch to lean against me. “Don’t you find it kind of odd that we’re at home on a Friday night, watching tv again?”

“No?”

Sofia sighed, clearly frustrated with me. “Y/N, I’m not saying this to make you feel bad, but I’m eleven. And I cancelled plans to be here tonight, and well you’re sixteen. And you never have plans.”

“That is way harsh.”

“The truth hurts, Y/N.”

____

Running the mile would most likely be the death of me. Chris, God bless that girl, was keeping pace with me despite the fact that she could have easily passed me by now. Only two more laps were left, or was it three? I was honestly just banking on Chris knowing or the coach to stop us at the right time. This could quite possibly be the third year in a row that I failed to make the time for the mile, but I wasn’t about to start practicing for this or anything.

“Hey!” I heard a voice from behind me.

I looked over at Chris to see if she was talking to me, but she just shrugged her shoulders at me.

“Hey! Y/N,” I slowed down, looking behind me.

It was Shawn. Shawn Mendes.

“Can I talk to you?” He asked.

“Um, me?” I asked, still slowly jogging alongside Chris and with Shawn trailing behind.

“Hey, SM, I heard my cousin dumped you for a college freshman, that true?”

“Uh, I heard you have horns, that true, Chris?”

“Yep, they’re red and shiny.”

Finally they came to a stop. I was definitely failing the mile. “I need to talk to you, Y/N. Uh, alone,” Shawn eyed Chris.

She hummed, slowly backing away, “Well, if you need me, I’ll uh, yeah.” She ran away and gestured in the direction she was running.

“Listen, I wanted to say that I’m flattered, and I appreciate it. But it’s just never gonna happen.”

“I’m sorry, what? What are you talking about?”

Clueless was a pretty good word for this moment.

“Look, from what I remember of that kiss it was hot, for it being in seventh grade, and I think it’s really cool that you think my eyes like sparkle or something.”

And it was in that moment that you saw it. The letter. Yes, the letter. The letter that you’d written to Shawn, never to be given to Shawn. The letter professing your all consuming seventh grade sized love for the boy that had been dating your best friend’s cousin for months. This could not be happening. How did he get that letter? Who sent him that letter? Did the others have letters too? Shawn was still talking, saying something about how he and Gen were just so fresh, he couldn’t start anything else. But I wasn’t listening, I looked over his shoulder and saw what was quite possibly my worst nightmare.

Josh.

Josh, who was headed towards me and Shawn, holding a eerily similar looking letter in his hand. He looked just as confused as I currently felt, and I did the first thing that I could think of to stop the oncoming questions Josh most definitely had. I kissed Shawn.

Yeah, I know. Not my smartest idea. Not my proudest moment. But I did it, I practically threw myself into Shawn’s arms, and kissed him. And not the seventh grade kind of peck kiss we’d had prior. But a real kiss. Like a, I need to make Josh think I’m in love with Shawn Mendes right now so that he won’t think I’m in love with him kind of kiss.

And just as I pulled away, Shawn looked equally as confused as Josh had before. Before Josh could say anything, I ran past them, back towards the main building. I think I heard Josh call after me as I ran past him, but I definitely did not stop to look back. And that’s how I evaded the two most uncomfortable moments of my life. Or so I thought.

Heading straight for the girls restroom, I locked myself in the nearest stall. Quite literally falling to the ground in a fit of panic. But without even a few seconds of privacy, the door opened.

“Hey, Y/N, you in there?”

“No.”

What the fuck. Why would I actually say no?

And then, another letter, this one addressed to Lucas, was being slipped under the stall door.

“Look, I just saw you run in here, and I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Lucas said from the other side of the stall door. “I thought you might want that back.” He meant the letter, “It seemed a little personal.”

“Lucas, I wrote this years ago,” I said as I finally made my way out of the stall. It looked like this wasn’t a conversation I could get out of.

“Freshman homecoming, right? I had a lot of fun that night too,” Lucas looked at me. He had kind eyes. “But I thought I should tell you, I’m gay. You know that right?”

“Yeah!” I said overly excited, “Of course, I totally knew that.”

I definitely did not know that.

“Okay.”

____

The letters are out. They’re out. There’s nothing I can do about it. Silver lining. Kenny’s letter was addressed to the dorms at camp, so he’ll at least never know about my crush.

“You really oughta relax,” you heard Josh’s familiar voice in your head. Great, hallucinations. So I was officially insane. Maybe I sent the letters out myself and didn’t even remember. “I know you love me.”

“Loved. Past tense. You’re Ari’s.”

“Dear Josh, I lie awake at night. And sometimes I wonder what it would be like to run my fingers through your hair. What it would be like to lie and stargaze with y--”

“Shut up! You’re not real.”

From your window, you could see Josh approaching your front door. Awesome.

“I’m more real to you than he is,” the Josh in your head responded.

Not even seconds later I heard dad calling for you from downstairs, “Josh is here!”

Time to face the music, I guess.

Orrr, I could always climb out the window. Which seemed infinitely like the better choice than having to tell your sister’s ex boyfriend that you used to love him. Yeah, I’m definitely going out the window. Stepping out of the window seemed easy, until I tripped and fell. I rolled down the small roof, and yep, right onto the fucking grass. But whatever, it’s fine. That’s the price I pay for avoidance I guess. I grabbed my bike from the front porch and hightailed it to the diner across town.

I sat in peace, drinking an amazing strawberry milkshake, until Shawn came in and sat down. Right. Next. To. Me.

“Hey, Y/N.”

Would it be possible to ignore him?

He ordered a chocolate shake and waited for you to say something.

“Whatcha doing here?” I decided on casual avoidance. Pretend like the elephant didn’t exist and it would disappear, right?

“I’m just here to take down a delicious chocolate shake, eh?”

“Cool, cool.”

“Actually, I stopped at your house and your sister said you’d probably be here.”

I was going to kill Sofia.

“Look, I just wanna be super clear. I’m flattered, for real, I am. But like, Gen and I just broke up.”

“Are you trying to reject me right now,” I asked with disinterest.

“Well, yeah. Cus it didn’t really seem like it...got through to ya, the first time, back there, at school?”

“Shawn Mendes, I’m not trying to date you.”

“Okay, like I hear you, but you’re not really acting like that.”

“Listen, here’s the situation. I don’t actually like you. I just kissed you, so it looked like I liked you so that someone else wouldn’t think I liked him.”

Yes, great, tell him all the details. It’s not like the situation was embarrassing enough as it is.

“Oh okay, who’s that?”

“What?”

“You gotta tell me who the guy is, or I’m just really not gonna believe you.”

“No,” I shook my head furiously. No way was he getting that out of me.

“Okay well, then I’ll just tell the rest of the school that you wrote me a love letter.”

“Um, no okay, no. It’s uh, Josh Sanderson?”

“Wait, doesn’t he date your sister?”

“Well, he dated my sister. Like past tense. And he also got a letter, so you can see how awkward and complicated that whole situation could get. And thus why I needed to kiss you.”

Shawn held his hand up as if to tell me to stop, “Wait woah, you sent more than one letter?”

I shook my head.

“Wow, you really think you’re special and then you find out she wrote letters to two guys.” Shawn depressingly sipped from his chocolate shake.

“Uh, yeah. There were actually five letters.”

“You sent five love letters. Damn, Y/N, you’re a player. Who else?”

“If I tell you, will you leave me alone?”

Shawn mumbled a bit, “Maybe.”

“Okay, Lucas James.”

“But he’s...gay.”

“You don’t know that,” I tried to play it cool.

“Everyone knows that.”

I DID NOT KNOW THAT. Why was I the only person who didn’t know that Lucas was gay? Was I really that blind?

“Who else?”

“Someone from camp and someone from the fifth grade. Are we good here?”

“Uh, uh yeah.” I got up to leave before Shawn’s hand touched my wrist, “Wait wait, let me take you home?”

“So...what are you gonna tell Josh?” Shawn asked as his Jeep pulled up to the front of my house.

“I guess the truth.”

“But what is the truth? Do you like him...do you not?”

“It’s not your problem, Shawn.” You smiled as you hopped out of the Jeep, grabbing your bike from the back.

“Hold up, Y/N,” Shawn called as he ran up beside you. “What if you didn’t tell him?”

“What?”

“What if...we let people...think we were together? And like..not just Sanderson, but everyone?”

“Why would you want that?”

“Well Gen went nuts when she heard that you kissed me. And if she thinks we’re a thing, she’ll want to get back together.”

“Oh, so you wanna use me as your pawn?”

“Well,” Shawn rolled his neck a little, “technically you already used me as yours.”

You were decidingly going to ignore that comment. You headed closer to the front door, kicking the stand on your bike and letting it go.

“Look, you don’t have to give me an answer now, just maybe think about it?”

“Bye Shawn,” I threw over my shoulder, ignoring his last statement completely.

Fake dating Shawn Mendes, yeah fucking right. Like that would ever happen.

[curestardust]

if you want: (bad) sci-fi comedy with drama / lots of boring characters but cute waifus / weird and overcomplicated plot 

Watching the anime from the top of the Seasonal pile is always a gamble. Somehow an anime about horse girls (x) that I assumed to be fanservice-galore ended up being one of my favourites and then a sci-fi mystery which I was quite looking forward to ended up being a fucking trainwreck.

“Kanata no Astra” is, to put it plainly, a plot twist factory. We have like 3 episodes of the characters just doing stuff then every fucking episode ends on a cliffhanger and ups and ups and ups the story to where it goes from shocking to “you can NOT be serious”.

But lets roll it back a bit, to the very first episode. After an overdrawn sequence introducing us to Aries and Kanata, we finally meet the rest of the characters. The year is 2063, and apparently they have camps now where they just drop off a bunch of students on another planet to survive for a week and this is normal. Cool. Immediately, you know the personality of each main character as they’re as cookie-cutter as it gets and we’ve seen it a 1000 times. The clumsy one, the one with the hero complex, the cool and smart one, the tsundere, the brooding one, the shy one, the charming one and the always cheery one. There’s also a 10-year-old with them, who’s cute. Of course, all of them also have their random skills that will make them useful for the trip. Which of course goes as well as you would expect. Like 2 minutes after landing on McPa, their camping planet, a random ass sphere appears and sucks each of the characters in, who find themselves in deep space. Somehow, all of them managed to put their helmets back on so now their main problem is that they’re floating in the middle of nowhere! But do not worry, dear viewer, as a old ship is for some reason floating very close to them and after a bit of dramatic struggling they all manage to board it. Then comes the shocking reveal! They somehow ended up 5,000 lightyears away from their home planet! There isn’t enough food or water for a full trip. Oh no! But do not worry, dear viewer, as somehow there are 5 habitable planets just on their way back home where they can restock (and at this point the possibility of food and water shortage is immediately forgotten). What a coincidence! And this is where we start our story, a group of teens, lost in space, against the elements, having to visit dangerous planets and the mystery as to how this all happened. Sounds interesting enough, right? Well, prepare for all that potential to be squandered.

This is where the spoilers start as I need to talk about all the nonesense I’ve been subjected to.

<spoilers start>

First of the planets they visit all blend together. There is only one thing that’s a threat and it’s always the fucking plants. There is one time an animal is a threat to one of them but that’s solved in a few minutes. It doesn’t matter anyway, as it’s quite obvious that none of them are going to die. This anime tries to blend lighthearted humour with drama and it really doesn’t work. The humour always comes out of nowhere at the worst moments possible, always undercutting the seriousness of any situation. The characters also get their backstories revealed, usually in boring flashbacks, and I could basically see the “Plot Armour Unlocked” achievement pop up in my peripheral vision whenever that happened. Then these characters get thrown into the background and are relegated to random remarks so we don’t forget that they still exist as we move forward with the story. These backstory reveals are supposed to make us really feel for these characters which would be carrying the emotional weight of the upcoming dramatic moments but it doesn’t change the fact that all of them have 1 personality trait. The anime was basically asking me to care for characters with the personality of a pebble. I didn’t. And that’s bad because everyone is always CRYING! Speech? Crying. Reconcaliation? Crying. Dramatic backstory? Crying. Danger? Crying. Anything? Crying! I was rolling my eyes so often I almost gave myself a migraine.

Then the main story. First, the “smart one” (Zack) and the” hero complex turned captain” (Kanata) find out that there’s a traitor among them who was the cause behind the sphere. Then they do the logical thing and keep it to themselves and observe everyone with a close e- OF COURSE THEY DON’T DO THAT. They immediately tell everyone on the ship about it! There’s an uproar that lasts about 30 seconds then they all settle on the fact that they’re all companions and friends now UWU and they shouldn’t worry about it. Anyway, anyone with half a brain could narrow the potential suspect down to 3 characters. Luca, the DIY master and cheery one, Ulgar, the always brooding and mysterious one and Charce, the charming chef who doesn’t seem to have anything bad about him. Well, Luca and Ulgar have a show off on like the second or third planet where their backstories get unlocked and they can be crossed out from the list. Meaning, that you knew who the traitor was halfway through, making their reveal pretty lackluster.

But this all would’ve been fine, has it not been for the plot surrounding their “attempted murder”. Through everyone’s stories one thing becomes clear: they all had shitty parents (except for Aries). If I had known what the actual reason ends up being I’d have been screaming “NO this is good, this is an interesting concept!!!”. As we get a few scenes with the parents back home, this could’ve been so interesting. Maybe, they sent their kids they didn’t love to die and then someone regrets it and threatens to report it and then they have to stop them! THAT would’ve been great. The actual reason though, not only is ridiculous but comes from complete speculation. The 10-year-old with them, Funi is another member’s adopted little sister, the tsundere Quitterie’s. The 2 look literally the same. Same skin colour, hair colour, eye colour but somehow this didn’t peak Quitterie’s curiosity in the slightest as when Zack does a DNA test she is like “omg what if we’re actually related wow”. Except, Zack finds something else: the 2′s DNA are a complete match. So he reveals to them that they’re “the same person”. Interesting. Then he jumps about 1km forward and arrives to the conclusion that they are, in fact, ALL clones of their parents and as a law was passed tha made cloning illegal, it was the reason for wanting to kill them in deep space. Wha...

Ok...ok. Now we’re going into a weird territory but I can deal with this. Not a bad concept. Aight.

Except it doesn’t stop here. On their last planet, they find an astronaut who’s been in stasis after her ship broke down. When the team finds her and unfreezes her she is like “OMG I can finally go back to Earth!!!” and they’re like “...what’s Earth?”. Now this storyline was what completely broke me. They apparently live on a planet that looks very much like Earth, called Astra. Which is fun cause they named their ship Astra...and they acted like they didn’t know what it was? There was a plaque with the quote “Per aspera, ad Astra” in the ship (which I’m quite familiar with as it’s one of my favourite quotes). Then Kanata is like “Astra....I like that.” ISN’T THAT YOUR PLANET’S NAME??? Imagine naming your ship “Earth”, like????????

Khm, anyway, Polina, the astronaut, explains to them that an asteroid was supposed to crash into Earth and this is why they were looking for another planet to migrate to. Jump a little forward and we get the info that the sphere is actually a warp gate humanity used to move over to Astra, however there was war and crime and shit over land and they deactivated them. Then humanity was so ashamed that they “rolled back history” 100 years and erased that part from human history......and this somehow worked.....oh and they also abolished all countries and unified the whole planet and made everyone speak the same language. Oh, and they also banned guns...

Anyway, all this is kept secret by the only place they allowed to keep the Monarchy system which is where Charce is from and is how he knows all this. Then he goes and completely KO’s me with his final revelation that Aries is the clone of the daughter of the king??? And was being raised by one of her handmaidens??

Let me also finish this complain-fest off with the stupidest moment in the whole anime. Charce, after realising that he does actually want to be with his friends, activates the warp gate to commit suicide. Kanata jumps to him and he....he.....puts his arm out toward the warp gate and shouts “Stay back!” at it. Then when that OBVIOUSLY doesn’t work and his forearm gets sucked in Charce panicks and deactivates the gate, ripping Kanata’s right forearm off. This is all pretty hilarious in itself but then Kanata dramatically says to Charce “You promised to be my right hand man” as we get a shot of his bloody amputated right arm. [Key Smash]. I laughed for almost 5 minutes at that.

<spoilers end>

If you skipped all that here’s a short summary: can’t balance the drama and the humour, the humour is pretty bad, the characters all have 1 personality trait, the emotional moments don’t carry any weight, incredibly stupid and overcomplicated story with a lot of plot holes, predictable outcomes.

But for some reason people do like this anime. I’m guessing half of them are there for the cute waifus and the other half hasn’t seen actually good sci-fi comedy with drama (cough Cowboy Bebop cough) but whatever. Watch it, don’t watch it, this was more of me complaining than an actual review.

[3/10] (x)

Recommend: HELL Yeah! | Yes | Eh??? | Nope | This anime killed my parents

[letsbenditlikebennett]

Why Can’t We Be Friends || Ariana, Layla, & Orion

TIMING: Before Ariana lost her name PARTIES: @laylacooke @3starsquinn & @letsbenditlikebennett SUMMARY: Layla had a fun day planned with Rio and Ariana, but notices the awkwardness between them. 

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. The three had planned this a few weeks ago, long before things had completely blown up in Orion’s face. Or rather, before his lies became public knowledge. It was so easy to be mad at Athena. So simple to blame her for this. But it wasn’t that clean cut. Rio was more to blame than her, as much as he hated to admit it. Ariana was right, he should have been the honest one. It shouldn’t have come from Athena. Rio knew that much. Rio was supposed to be the good one.

Rio considered calling it off. Ariana wouldn’t want to see him, and being there would just make things awkward. But then again, maybe Ariana wasn’t going to come either. She was the one that wanted space from him, so if she cancelled plans with Layla, then Layla would be left all alone. Rio didn’t want that. So, maybe against his better judgement, Rio slipped on a hoodie and ventured out into the heat to meet up with Layla. And.... oh no. Ariana was there. Rio stood at a distance for a while, contemplating whether or not he should ditch. He even got so far as to spin around and walk in the opposite direction before he felt guilty and turned himself back around to march up to them. “Uh- Hey guys. Sorry if I’m late.” Rio was staring at the ground, fiddling with his hoodie sleeve as he tried to think of excuses to get out of this. For Ariana’s sake. “How’s it going?”

If Ariana said the thought of cancelling this whole thing with Layla and Rio hadn’t crossed her mind, she’d be lying. With everything in her own life seemingly crumbling around her, Ari knew she hadn’t exactly made a lot of time for Layla. She’d seemed so excited about this outing that Ari felt a pang of guilt for wanting to cancel in the first place. Even if she was having a hard time moving past Rio not telling her about the hunter thing, she could at least try and put on a happy face for the day. All she had to do was not think about it. Or Athena. Or Ace. Or Lydia. Or Winn. Or Miles. Or the foreign thoughts running through her head. Fuck. She really was an actual disaster right now, but she sipped away at the iced coffee in her hand hoping to maintain some air of normalcy. With everything going on, she knew she hadn’t made as much time for her best friend as she should have been and boy did Layla seem excited to have a totally normal day. While they waited for Rio to show up, she piped up, “Oh, I read that Impossible Foods is going to start being sold in grocery stores soon. I actually like that one. Tastes like the real thing.”

It was hard for Ariana to wrap her head around keeping up with vegan news as a natural predator, but she was trying to get better at vegan cooking so she could make nice things for Layla. She could smell Orion approaching before she saw him. She caught the way he paused and contemplated even walking over. Part of her would have been relieved if he’d just walked away, but she knew it would upset Layla. Things were finally calming down for the other wolf a little bit and she wanted to give her the day she deserved. She waved awkwardly as she fought the instinct to clench her fists. “Hey, Rio.” Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. While it was more than apparent Rio wasn’t a threat to them, she still felt a familiar sting when she looked at him. She’d trusted him with so much and he hadn’t been able to do the same with her. “It’s going,” she answered, her voice strained before she turned to Layla, “So where to? Do we wanna grab food? Food sounds good… oh, or we could go to a movie and get a bunch of snacks. Yeah, a movie would be good!” Shit, she was definitely being squirrely and not doing a good job at pretending like this was all chill and okay.

“Really? You know I’m honestly surprised that you’ve been trying Vegan food. I mean considering you were raised on meat and full moons give way to even more meat, but I’m proud of you, Bestie.” She gave Ariana a good firm slap on the shoulder. Layla had needed this. She needed a day of not feeling like at any moment her life could turn to shit again. She had already been publicly humiliated by the cop that had arrested her at Veggie Tables in front of Evelyn. And in fact, if it hadn’t been for Evelyn, her lawyer, and Winn’s generous donation to get her out, she would have probably still been occupying a jail cell. And now with the news of Winn being in a coma, the young werewolf was starting to feel overwhelmed again. But she was determined to make this day good. She knew Ariana needed it. Figured Rio probably needed it. And when both her friends were now standing nearby the smile on her face spread even further.

“Hey Rio! O-M-G. I’ve been looking forward to this day for a while.” Turning to Ariana, she narrowed her eyes at the girl’s enthusiasm, before shrugging it off, “Since you’re so adamant about a movie, then I’m game. What about you Rio?” She turned to the boy. “I don’t know what’s playing though. I haven’t seen a movie in over a year.” It was true. Life had drastically changed for the girl, but nevertheless, with some normalcy finally showing its face, Layla was down for movies, snacks, and just spending the day with her two best friends.

Okay. Things were okay. Or well, okay-ish. Orion could tell that things weren’t all there. Ariana wasn’t as carefree as she usually was, and while Rio’s natural state of being was nervous he had actually calmed quite a bit around Ariana and Layla. Or at least he had prior to this whole ordeal. Now, Rio wasn’t sure how he felt. The only thing he knew for sure was that he felt guilty. Very, very guilty. But Ariana had shown up and that was a good thing, right? Maybe the two had a chance after all. “A movie!” Rio chimed in happily. That would mean that he didn't have to talk a lot, which meant that he had little chance of saying the wrong thing or embarrassing himself. It was perfect. “I’m so in for a movie. Whatever is out. Doesn’t matter. I’ll watch anything. Should we go now?” Rio was ready to flat out run for the place if it meant they could get in the theatre and not have to talk for two or more hours. “Hanging out is so fun!”

Ariana could not be more grateful that Layla seemed to be clueless to the tension between them. Sure, Rio was usually a little bit spazzy, but he seemed to have calmed down around her as they spent more and more time together. Now it was back to square one. Probably worse than square one. A movie would make it easy enough to ignore the tugging feeling in heart. He seemed so uneasy that she just almost wanted to say ‘fuck it, it’s fine,’ but she didn’t quite feel that way yet. She still felt hurt by the whole situation and couldn’t just look past her own feelings just yet. Instead, she somehow mirrored his spazziness. “Oh yeah, there’s like always some sort of superhero movie out. Hot people kicking ass in tight suits? Sign me up, fam.” She grabbed on to Layla’s arm, hurriedly trying to direct them toward the movie theater.

Okay, what the hell was going on? One person seeming spazzy was okay, but by the way Rio and Ariana both spouted out words followed by Ari grabbing her arm and tugging her towards the theater, the teenager stopped moving and pulled her arm away from the smaller wolf. Crossing her arms, she narrowed her eyes and sent a hard glare between the two of them, “Okay. What the fuck is going on? One of you acting spazztastic is one thing, but both of you?” She wanted to know. She could smell the desperation coming off of both of them, and Layla refused to move until someone told her something, “My ass isn’t moving from this very spot until one of you, or both of you, explain.” She let her eyes move from Rio to Ariana and then back to Rio feeling like he’d be the one to crack under pressure if she just stared at him long enough.

The goal had been simple. Hang out with Layla and Ariana. Have fun. Be friends. The drama between Ariana and Orion had definitely been a detour. The drama with the whole love potion business might have made things even more awkward. But despite how the hunter thing was most definitely Rio’s fault, she hoped that Ariana didn’t fault him too much for something that he couldn’t control. But if the three of them could have made it to the movies then they could have at least enjoyed that in silence. But unfortunately, Layla had to be observant enough to realize that the two weren’t being normal. Or at least Ariana wasn’t being normal. Rio was usually a spazz. Layla eyed the both of them, settling on Rio and his face lit up like a stoplight. “Um…” He began, unable to be any more literate than that for a long moment. What did he even say? He had been involved, but this was Ariana’s anger. He had no right to try to explain that away to Layla. “I uh- there was just a situation. I don’t know how to explain it well. We’ve-” He cut himself off. He wanted to say they had moved past it to make Layla more comfortable, but had they? It didn’t seem right. “I mean, I messed up.”

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that Layla was able to tell something was off. Ariana was rarely, if ever, spazzy. Lying had never been her strong suit though. Normally, she wouldn’t have even bothered, but she wanted Layla to have a good day with her friends. She stopped alongside her friends and let out an exasperated sigh. “Layla, it’s fine. I’m just mad at Rio for something that happened. We can still go watch our movie and go about our day,” she explained, hoping Layla wouldn’t push. Even if she was upset with Rio, she wasn’t about to out him as a hunter. That wasn’t her secret to tell and she at least trusted he wasn’t about to hurt any werewolves now. She was still slightly annoyed that Athena had made it sound like he was, but she knew their relationship was strained. She had enough going on outside that to not dwell on it entirely too much. Especially not when they still had to coach soccer camp together everyday. She frowned slightly and looked between Rio and Layla. “We don’t have to do this right now.”

She could tell Rio wanted to say something, and she was hoping he would. But when he clammed up, Layla turned her attention to Ari. Her eyes were still narrowed and suspicion was apparent. Whatever was going on, she was going to get to the bottom of it. How could she go in and enjoy a movie and sit between two people that were angry with one another? There was always the option of forcing them to sit together, but she knew Ariana could get feisty, and she didn’t want to see Orion get hurt, “No, we don’t. But we’re going to. What makes you think I want to sit in awkward silence for two hours while you glare at each other with me shoved in the middle? So one of you better start talking or you remember that version of myself you met about a month ago? She’s gonna return.” No, Layla wouldn’t bring back dark!Layla, but maybe if she gave her two friends a little kick in the ass, they might actually decide to come clean.

Orion sighed and rubbed at his temples. This wasn’t what he wanted for today, though he couldn’t imagine why he hadn’t seen something like this happening. He should have listened to his gut and called things off with Layla. Showing up was only going to cause more stress with Ariana and ruin her and Layla’s day which was the last thing that he wanted to do. What a freaking idiot. He crossed his arms, letting out two humorless and drawn out laughs at Layla “Ha ha. Very funny.” He didn’t even know where to begin explaining this, because it was so deeply rooted in fears that felt too deep to explore in what was supposed to be a casual hang. “Ariana didn’t know. About me being a hunter.” Rio mumbled, tapping his fingers nervously against his arms. He felt like pacing, to get rid of some of their nerves. Or maybe to avoid making any eye contact. Probably both. “And I messed up and didn’t tell her. And it’s more complicated than that but what matters is I didn’t disclose information that I should have.”

Of course Layla couldn’t just let this be. The last thing she wanted to do was air out their fight to Layla, but here they were apparently. Ariana wished she had just bailed on this hang out. “Layla, look, it’s not a big deal,” she tried to reason, but then Rio was beginning to explain and mentioned he was a hunter as if Layla already knew. It dawned on her that Layla did in fact already know about Rio which only served to make her angrier. Was she literally the only friend he didn’t tell? What was it about her that made her seem less trustworthy? He’d had no problem telling their other friends, but let her walk blindly into telling Athena everything. Her fists clenched and her face reddened. “Wait, are you saying she knew,” she questioned with an angry edge in her voice. “Am I seriously the only person you didn’t tell? You were totally okay telling everyone else, but knowingly let me tell your sister everything? I stayed with you guys for a week and you didn’t feel like you could tell me after I told you everything? Am I missing something or are we not actually even friends?” Her knuckles grew white the more she balled up her fists and she could feel angry tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.

And there it was! The cat was out of the bag, and boy was it out, “Wait...hold up.” Her eyes darted from Rio to Ariana back to Rio again, “Are you telling me that Ariana didn’t know you were a hunter? Like after all this time? And your sister...the creepy twin, no offense, told Ariana you were a hunter?” She paused for a moment. “Well shit, Rio, no wonder she’s pissed. She had to deal with Athena. Has...to deal with Athena.” She looked to Ariana, “And he didn’t tell me he was a hunter. I kind of figured it out when he saved my life from a vampire in the woods a couple of months ago. It just never came up in conversation, so I never thought to say anything about it. And even if it did, it kind of wasn’t my place.” She shrugged uneasily, hoping it would relieve some of Ariana’s anger, if she knew how Layla had found out. Knowing about Athena was a completely different story though, “Look. I’m not taking sides, but Rio had every right to withhold that information, just like you have the right to withhold the knowledge of what you are.” She looked back to Orion, “And I’m not saying you were in the wrong for keeping that private, but I'm a prime example. If you’ve got a good heart, even as a hunter, this one’s not going to fault you for it. She still accepted me after I came clean about my past.” The teenager sighed softly, “If you guys want some time alone to talk this out, then we can hang out another day. I just don’t like seeing my two best friends fight. I love you both, okay?” She put her hand on Rio’s shoulder and then Ariana’s. Using some of her wolf strength, she pulled them in close to her for a hug, before releasing them, “Just let me know what you want me to do. If you think I need to stay, then I can stay. If you want me to go. Then I’ll go.”

Layla was right in the middle of this now. It was the opposite of what Orion had wanted to happen when he had shown up this morning. And despite Layla’s best efforts, Rio wasn’t sure he agreed. He did owe it to Ariana. There were too many opportune moments. When Ariana told him about her. When he found out about Celeste. When Ariana told him about her crush on Athena or told her that she was going to tell Athena about being a werewolf. This hadn’t just been about Rio’s secret, but Ariana’s safety. Something that Rio wanted so desperately to believe that he was looking out for when he didn’t tell her. Was that really why he had withheld the truth from her? “I didn’t tell anyone.” Rio didn’t want to defend himself. He just wanted to tell the truth. “It doesn’t fix things. And I know it doesn’t change that I should have. But everyone that knows about me... well I didn’t exactly tell them. They just sorta found out.” Ricky had been the only one that he had ever actually gotten the chance to tell directly, and even that had been after a pretty suspect event that gave the fact away. Rio accepted the hug from Layla, welcoming the warmth of the embrace but unable to shake the fear he had that Ariana was going to hate him forever. “I don’t want to mess up your plans. Honestly. It was dumb of me to come today anyways. I should have given You more space.” Honestly, what had he expected? “I think you two should go. I can head home.”

Even if what they were saying made sense, Ariana found it hard to really take any of it in. Anger and hurt just seemed to be bubbling over the surface. She had no idea what to even do with it. She shot Layla a glare, “Athena isn’t creepy. And yes, she told me about her and Rio both being hunters. She was at least honest with me.” Logically, she didn’t want to hurt Rio, but she felt herself beginning to lose control of her temper either way. “I would have understood. You knew my sister was a hunter. You knew I was talking to your sister and you just-- You don’t trust me? Is that?” Her cheeks were turning cherry red and she couldn’t seem to relax her hands. “Rio, that doesn’t make it any better that everyone had to figure it out. You can’t just not talk to people about important things because you’re afraid to have actual fucking conversations. That’s not fair to anyone.” She crossed her arms over her chest and realized she was on the verge of tears. She didn’t much feel like hanging out with either of them anymore. “Look, you two enjoy your movie or whatever. I don’t feel like hanging out anymore,” she finished and stormed off before either of them could protest. While she was only mildly annoyed with Layla, she couldn’t shake the feeling of anger towards Rio. They’d have a better afternoon without her and she was eager to return home to Luna.

Things hadn’t quite gone as Layla had hoped, and she had felt like she had opened her mouth too soon. Her heart ached for her friends, and she now felt guilty for making things worse. It was the glare from Ariana that hurt the most, and she wanted to protest her friendship with Athena. Tell her friend how the girl had threatened Layla’s life if she hurt Frankie, despite being egged on to shift by both Athena and Nell. But when Rio threatened to leave and the smaller of her two friends stormed off, the redhead knew their day for fun was over. Sighing and looking at the ground, she took a moment to think, before making up her mind, “Well, you know what? Why don’t we all just go home. I don’t really feel like seeing a movie anymore anyways. Sorry, Orion, and I’m sorry for opening my big mouth.” Giving him a gentle squeeze on the shoulder and a sad smile, she walked off not sure if going home was the right option, but not really feeling in the mood for hanging out regardless of where her feet took her.

Why wasn’t Orion surprised? As usual, he had screwed things up. Ariana was right. Rio didn’t get to keep friendships that weren’t based on the truth. Whether he followed the hunter heritage or not, how did he expect to build a relationship with others when he couldn’t even be honest about himself? Ariana stormed off first. With Layla following shortly after, her plans and the mood are completely ruined by their conversation. The two of them could have had a fun day if Rio hadn’t shown up. But that was his whole shtick wasn’t it? Ruining things was what he was best at. It was only a matter of time before he drove everyone around him away. He slumped his shoulders, waving a goodbye to Layla before finding the nearest bench and crumpling onto it. He wished he had done things right. He wished he had friends to hang out with today. He wished he hadn’t screwed things up.