#also there are like zero good photos of ray this shits fucked up man

[gerard-slayyyyy]

i need to know the what conversation they had about doing the old people prosthetics was like

[partyinthemysterymachine]

i don't have a high quality attention span atm so I'm browsing a little bit but i lOVE that your AUs have multiple iterations. Like man I FEEL that in my soul. Im interested in all your concepts but if I gotta zero in rn I'm looking to some Apartment AU stuff. Henry Stuff (always wanna hear about henry stuff). James Stuff, James/Henry Stuff, uhm. Travis my dude. if you want?

LOL THANK U :3c!!! i love having like. 10+ different iterations of the same AU i can do So Much Damage it's Fantastic. (ask me about twitch streamer Frank Sunderland sometime, i've been blathering about it to a few other people lately but that one absolutely has one of the finer apartments in my head LOL)

uhhhHHH WELL. as far as Henry goes, here's some HC i got for him that goes along with Heya, Neighbor!:

green-eyed boy; but with a catch! one his eyes is going foggy (ha ha. no i'm serious, he's going blind) and it's kind of been coming on within the past couple years. he's seen a few doctors about it (or, partially) and the consensus is that it's not An Issue™️, just seems like you got a bad run of genetics there, Henry. :\

spoiler alert: It's Not About The Genetics, Henry

;)

late 20s - early thirties. tho i can also pin him about 35 in terms of age.

5'11"ish. maybe 6'2" on a good day if i feel like it for him LOL

likely trilingual: English/Spanish/Mandarin. (still working on the Mandarin tho, he's having a bit of difficulty with it. wouldn't call him fluent tho; rather, Trying So Very Hard/struggling, LOL)

prefers popping popcorn in a wok

actually goes to get pedicures because it feels nice. eileen sometimes joins him but it's kind of a "me-time" thing for Henry.

secretly wishes Douglas would ask him to take spy pictures for him. he thinks that would be so fucking cool and he would be so fucking good at it (true). but also the concept scares the bejeezus out of him because he is Not some kind of photographer James Bond. it's Complicated, ok. but douglas please ask him to take spy photos He Wants To Be Asked So Bad,

he is not from Maine. he's from Kansas. (he knows ur thinking it. don't do it tho. don't u dare do it.)

uhhhh NOT SURE WHAT ELSE FOR HENRY RN so hhghghghh who else we got...........

===

WELP... TRAVIS.

travis, travis, travis.. travis... travis.

now i got infected with a REAL TREAT of a hc for Travis awhile back that i'll be implementing just about everywhere LOL, and the basics of that is that Travis Grady is Silent Hill's trucker.

and that's all you get about THAT, LOL

(ok ok.. i guess i WILL say this: if u have to make a comparison between what Travis's Silent Hill Trucking Jobs entail vs what it means to be a conduit (Hashtag GOOMT!James Problems), what Travis is/does (hehe) is a tier above conduit. so do with that what you will ;) )

just like in HN! i largely hc Travis to be from Alabama, and kind of a short dude (5'8") and just a ray of goddamn fucking sunshine on two legs. i think he's just the sweetest little shit around and god bless him for that.

sure wonder about that guy tho. wonder what his deal is........

.. :)

===

can't say i have anything right now for Henry/James; however, i DO have an AU idea that James actually does become an essence/mechanic of the town after he parks his car in the lake; as in, he's no longer physical, doesn't quite exist, and is more of a spiritual essence - or residuals of one.

so in that way, it isn't like GOOMT. James's car is still in the lake, but he does not manifest as a person. for lack of better phrasing, he was sort of "absorbed" by Toluca Lake (i mean. that's technically actually true, LOL) and Toluca shared her powers and misery and whatever else with him.

well after the events of sh2, the town was weakened and i think that over time, James was able to gradually build up power from Toluca and, like.. leech off of Toluca as well as Silent Hill, and semi-overthrow the town to "claim" South Vale as his. like, firmly his. as in he's able to manifest Pyramid Head himself, and even "puppet" the other monsters that are there and on very, VERY few occasions, possess them if need be.

(tho possessing Pyramid Head is the "easiest" for him to do, ofc, tho because he can't do this enough to get any real practice in or understand it beyond the duct-tape basics, he has no idea what he could actually accomplish with this or what necessities it would offer; it does tho take a LOT out of him so this is why he doesn't tinker with trying it out.)

James can't talk, either. he'd have to "talk" through monsters (like gesticulations, or monster placement - which is somewhat possible for him to do without possessing them, tho put a pin in that one because i'm not sure how that mechanic works yet LOL) but his presence IS absolutely heavily felt in the town. he's only one of the many set of eyes Watching You but he's also the most dangerous/suspicious/hateful.

chinhands. tbh i love Lake James. Town James? Vale James..? not sure what to call that one LOL. but i think about him every now and then. he actually was product of trying to conceptualize an RP (and this one had Cuban Boxer Harry too! from Brooklyn!!!) and tho that one sadly didn't get off the ground, i still keep both Town James and Boxer Harry very near and dear and close to my heart, LOL.

===

TYSM FOR SENDING ME THE ASK BEFORE BED ILU BAROOONNNNNN MWAH MWAH!!!!

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #426

“insatiable furnace, burning up our surplus  /  watching all essential life become another servant”

Are you a brunette? Yep. It is way past due time that I get it dyed... What is your favorite channel on TV? I don't really watch TV, but if I did, I'm pretty sure it'd probably be Discovery. Have you ever been to Chicago, IL? Yes!! It's my only experience with a truly BIG city, and though I'm not a city person, the experience was pretty magical. It was something I wasn't even remotely used to. Just so much life and business and energy to feel there. Who was your first friend? Brianna. She was the sister of my older sister's best friend. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas. :') Do you regret your last kiss? Nope. Have you ever taken a karate class? No. Who was the last person to tell you ‘I love you’? My mom. Have you ever been to the Statue of Liberty? No. Do you live on your own? Noooo. I don't think I ever could. I would have to stay VERY busy, or else the loneliness would kill me. Hell, even if I was very active in stuff, I still don't know if I could. With how bad my depression is capable of being, it doesn't sound smart at all for me to move out unless it was with somebody. Are your the oldest child? No, I'm the middle kid. How many X-rays have you had in the last 2 years? Two, maybe? One for my legs and the other for my teeth. Are you on good terms with your last ex? Yeah, we're best friends. Do you have scars you don’t like to talk about? Nah. Do you freak out if a bee/wasp flies near you? ... yes lol. What subjects in history interest you most? The Holocaust. It's just so... shocking and extreme that it's oddly fascinating, but of course horribly sad. Are you superstitious in any way? Nah. How do you get rid of anxiety? Do what? Are there any items of jewelry you never/rarely take off? Yeah, my two rings, my lip piercing, and tragus piercing. Has a song ever made you cry before? There are many. ^If so, what about it brought you to tears? Again, I said "many," so this would be a horribly long list. There are four though - "Eternally Yours" and "Another Life" by Motionless in White, "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin, and "The Mortician's Daughter" by Black Veil Brides - that I really, really try to avoid, because I WILL cry. They're all associated with Jason for one reason or another. "Stairway to Heaven," especially, is absolutely forbidden for me to listen to. Would you consider yourself open-minded? Very, honestly. Have you ever met someone online that you wanted to meet in real life? I've met Sara! :') There are a handful of others I'd love to meet, too. Tell me about the last thing that made you laugh until it hurt. Wow, I have no idea. I don't remember the last time I laughed THAT hard. When you graduate, what color will your gown be? Ugh, it was this insufferable red. We got to vote on it, and I really wanted navy instead, as it looks more formal and not as obnoxious to me, but red won. Do you own a gun? No. My household legally can't because of my suicidal history. What color of shirt are you wearing? It's a black tank top. Do you use any acne medication? Nah, I don't really get acne anymore. Are you emotional or very stoic? I'm emotional as shit. Have you ever watched an anime series, start to finish? A few. There's Fullmetal Alchemist (as well as the Brotherhood expansion), Deadman Wonderland, and Ginga Densetsu Weed. I've seen bits of others. Which baby animal is your favorite? MEERKATS!!!!!! :') Once they reach three/four weeks, they're fucking precious. I also really like kittens. Do you like jam on your toast and biscuits? Sometimes. Have you ever reread a book? It is very, VERY rare I do this. The only cases I remember are for Because of Winn-Dixie and Meerkat Manor: Flower of the Kalahari. Do you have any religious symbols in your home? I think Mom has some religious quotes on the walls? What religion do you identify with, if any? None. What is you favorite flavor of pudding and/or yogurt? I love chocolate pudding, but I'm not very big on yogurt because of the sourness. I can sometimes eat a cookies 'n cream one, but occasionally I'm like "ew." We’re going to the best amusement park ever, first ride you choose is? One of those water rides where you go down a big slope. Did you have intense night terrors as a child? No. Know anybody who works in a tattoo parlor? No. That'd be dope. Have you ever had a piercing get infected? Ugh, yes. Worst was the first time I got my tongue pierced. It was early into infection though, thank God; I ended up having to take it out and get it re-pierced later. Have you ever shoplifted? No. Do you hate when people say, "Everything’s going to be fine,“ when it’s not? Sometimes. It can feel kinda dismissive of your extreme situation, and sometimes, things simply won't be okay. Like, you can't tell that to someone on their death bed. Do you check your fire alarms when you’re supposed to? No, oops. Are you a shorts-wearing kind of person? Absolutely not. Nobody wants to see my legs, not even me. Is your grandparents’ house obsessively tidy? My grandma's sure as hell was. She was very old-fashioned and "proper" and took cleanliness and manners very seriously. Do you know how to jumpstart a car? Nope. Would you date someone 8 years older than you? Probably. What did you do today? I WENT TO THE GYM AND DID A FULL HOUR OF EXERCISE!!!!! :') For once I am SO fucking proud of myself. I left drenched in sweat, but I also left with a feeling of great accomplishment. I'm going to be going twice a week now with a personal trainer. (: Who was the last person you fell asleep with? Sara. Have you ever punched a hole in the wall? No. People doing that shit terrifies me. Have you ever felt replaced? Sure have. Have you ever kissed someone who was high? No. If you caught your significant other cheating on you what would you do? I don't have a partner, but hypothetically, leave their ass in a blink. I don't fuck with those kind of people. Do you know who Jeffree Star is? Well, yes. I watch him on YT sometimes and (astonishingly) love his music, and I find his work ethic extremely inspiring. That man knows how to hustle. What’s your favourite alcoholic beverage? Probably sangrias. When was the last time you saw a photo of your ex? "The" ex, it's been years. I've removed all pictures I have of him, irl and digitally, because it's triggering for me. How many push-ups can you do? Probably zero. Do you play any games on your phone? There's Pokemon GO, DragonVale, and Dragons of Atlantis that I play semi-regularly. Have you ever received a compliment from a stranger? Yes. Have you ever shaved your face? Just my upper lip to avoid the lady stache, ha ha. What colour is your front door? It’s white. Do you take the stairs or the elevator? If an elevator is available, I will ALWAYS use that. I have an extreeeemely hard time getting up stairs because of having just about no leg muscle. Do you get motion sickness? No. When was the last time you went to your favourite restaurant? Oh man, it's been forever. :/ Olive Garden sounds soooo good right now. Do either of your parents have any tattoos or piercings? No. Well, Mom has her earlobes pierced once, but that's it. Are you desperate for anyone’s approval, in particular? It's funny, even though he hasn't been a part of my life for years, I still desperately crave what I think would make Jason proud. There have been many times where my mind has wondered to what he would think of me now... and I know it's not good. Are there any activities you enjoy doing, but can only do for a short amount of time before you get bored or tired of them? Reading. When was the last time you felt hopeful, and why? Today, after finishing my workout at the gym. I think, finally, that I may be taking another stride forward in life. Do you find yourself asking for the same things for your birthdays and for holidays? Ha, yup: a new tattoo, 100%. What is something someone recommended to you that you disliked/hated? Girt's recommended some music to me before. He loves sharing songs he likes with me. Of course I didn't tell him it sucked, ha ha. What’s a fact about the last person you kissed? She is very passionate about animals, reptiles in particular, and is simply amazing with them. If you had a child, would you rather have a girl or a boy? A girl for sure. Has anybody ever accused you of doing drugs? No. Have you ever fallen asleep with the last person you kissed? Yeah. Honestly, do you think that you will wanna settle down in the same town you’re currently residing in? HELL no. I hate this place. Does anyone call you darling? If so who? Sara does sometimes. Are you close to any of your cousins? No. Are you a romantic person? I think I am. What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen out the window of an airplane? Mountains. Have you ever been in the mountains when the moon and stars were up? NO BUT FUCK I WANT THAT. Just lay in a grassy spot with some s'mores or something and just ~vibe~. Do people like your hair? I get complimented on it a bit. Have you ever held birdseed and a bird came and ate out of your hand? Yeah, at a bird sanctuary. Could you ever live in Alaska? Hell yeah, I'd enjoy that. On the main page on YouTube, what’re the three recommended videos? There's one by a WoW gold maker, a song by 3TEETH, and a video of bullsnakes hatching. Do you really care how many friends you or anyone else has on Myspace/Facebook? Couldn't care less. I only "friend" people I know and care about. Does your significant other have any piercings? I'm single. Do you ever get bored of yourself? Oh, all the time. I feel like I'm extremely dull and plain and, well, boring. How many band shirts do you own? Which? Oh goodness, I have no idea. I own a lot. Do you go to shows mostly for the music, the moshing, or the merchandise? I go for the music. It's nice to buy merch, but it's SO expensive that it's dumb. Moshing, I think is just stupid. Have you ever had anything pierced that you don’t have now? Many places, actually. So many holes closed because piercings had to be taken out when I was in the psych hospital. I was so annoyed. Who were you with the first time you watched the last movie you watched? I was alone. Do you have any twins/multiples in your family? Are they identical or fraternal? No. What is the highest number of jobs you’ve had at one time? One. Is your mom a good mom? She is the actual best. Last thing you threw in the garbage? The crust of some leftover pizza I had this morning. I generally eat the crust, but this time it was WAY too hard.

[meganshinsou-tm]

bring your shithead to work day. (f/c)

☙ pairing: izuku and yukio

☙ theme: single dad pro-hero deku, megsbigbeefyhairydeku

☙  cw/tw: profanity, comedy, fluff, yukio midoriya*, single dad, oopsie yuki made a poopsie! 

☙  a/n-request:  [Okay! Just like a day out. Some good ol taking your son on a non dangerous patrol to see what it is his daddy does for a living. Maybe going to a store and just having a fun shopping trip and fan-boying over Hero Merch because you know one of Dekus kids will be a fan-child like he was too😂 does this count as details or do you need more? Like I avoided anything about a mom because I don't know what to do for that lol. !!! MAKE IT SINGLE DAD DEKU! yeah. Yeah! Single dad. That's good]

** I had too much fun with this and kind of just went with it. Hope the cameo is okay. ^-^

The sound of electricity crackling and elated high pitched giggles bounced against the brick walls of the city's buildings as Izuku jumped from rooftop to rooftop. His green eyes were wide with fear and he ran harder than ever, using his quirk to help propel him further and faster. 

He was running out of time. He had to hurry!

“Almost there buddy, just - please, please hold on!” Izuku panted out, placing a gloved hand to pet Yukio’s head.

When the sound of his giggles started to quiet and eventually went silent, Izuku felt panic coursing through his veins and making his blood run cold. He looked down to his one year old, strapped securely in a harness to his chest. Matching green eyes looked up at his but it was the strained stare on Yukio’s face that made Izuku yelp. 

He looked back up and spotted the golden arches of a nearby McDonalds and nodded. Soon he was bouncing back and forth down between two buildings before landing on the ground and immediately running for the fast food establishment. Izuku ignored all the citizens stopping to stare at him with waves and cheers, some taking out their phones to record videos and snap pictures. 

He didn’t have time! 

Izuku struggled to pull open the doors in his panic, gaining shocked and confused looks from the customers and employees as he bolted for the bathroom while yelling out apologies. But finally, fucking finally, he made it inside and pulled down the plastic table of the diaper changing station while clumsily unbuckling a grunting Yukio from his carrier. 

“Come on Yuki, don’t do this to me - oops,” Izuku flinched when he nearly dropped the kid but was quick enough to use black whip in catching him by the leg.

But that was a grave mistake.

“Ah no, no, no - nooooo!”

From outside the bathroom, the workers and customers and now citizens from outside all listened to Izuku groaning and panicking while Yukio giggled and squealed. One person asked what could possibly be going on when a man sitting at a table with his own two kids shook his head sympathetically and sighed.

“Trust me - you don’t wanna know.”

Nearly twenty minutes passed before Izuku emerged out of the bathroom with a giggly Yukio on his hip, wearing nothing but a diaper. His face bloomed red as numerous people looked at him with confusion. Izuku rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand and offered up a nervous laugh. 

“Uh sorry about that everyone, we had a little uh, accident.”

Soon everyone was either laughing or covering their hearts as they visibly awed at the flustered massive burly hero and his happy child. Izuku explained how in his rush to pick Yukio up from his mother that morning, he forgot to pack an extra set of clothes in his bag and he didn’t make it in time for the ‘accident’ and only made things worse when he caught the kid upside down. The people of the fast food joint were understanding, especially the parents and one of them offered an extra t-shirt they had in their kids diaper bag. It was a little too big but it would help for now until Izuku stopped by a store to get Yukio a new outfit for the rest of the day. 

Izuku thanked the person and insisted on paying for their meal and giving them and their kids vouchers for each a free merch item from one of the official hero stores. Next he decided why not get lunch for him and the little stinker before heading back out on patrol. So a few chicken nuggets with apples slices and two big mac meals later, Izuku and Yukio said goodbye to everyone and the hero was bolting back into the city. 

Yukio babbled and drooled while Izuku walked down the streets of the shopping district, making sure to wave to the civilians with a gleaming smile as they walked by him. A couple of paparazzi snapped his picture and Izuku mentally jotted down to look out for those photos so he could print them out for himself. 

“Well, all things considering, it's been a pretty good day right Yuki?”

Izuku questioned the toddler, looking down on him and running his fingers through those matching unruly green curls of his. Yukio looked up at Izuku and smiled a slobbery smile, freckled cheeks all pink from giggling while he played with his stuffed otter. Izuku smiled back and hummed, the both of them looking ahead after.

The hero walked about another block before Yukio started bouncing excitedly in the chest carrier and pointing straight ahead.

“Boom Boom!”

Izuku chuckled and nodded. “Yup, there’s Uncle Kacchan.”

A high-pitched squeal escaped Yukio when Bakugou spotted them and started walking over. When he stopped, Bakugou looked down at the toddler and smirked, using a large finger to tickle under his chin.

“What’s up you little shit-head!”

“Kacchan!” Izuku exclaimed.

Bakugou only threw his head back and laughed, taking the toy otter from Yukio and using it to playfully boop his face.

“It’s true. You two are all over the internet now, it’s fucking priceless!”

Izuku groaned and rubbed the front of his face with his palm. Yukio drooled while teething on Bakugou’s gloved finger, the blonde grinning before punching at Izuku’s shoulder.

“Tch, chill out nerd. So the little gremlin shit himself too hard and ruined his clothes, it happens. You’re a single dad, no one expects you to be perfect - even partnered dads fuck up, you’re not fucking special. Plus it's grade A entertainment, I’m looking forward to the next thing this little guy does.” 

With a sigh, Izuku smiled and pinched at one of Yukio’s cheeks. “Yeah I guess so. Thanks Kacchan.”

Bakugou clicked his tongue and ruffled Yukio’s hair before shoving Izuku away with a palm to his face.

“Whatever Deku. Get that kid some clothes and stop by after your patrol is done, I’ll make us dinner since you’re shit at cooking and I don’t want the kid to starve tonight.”

Izuku chuckled and rubbed his cheek, turning around to watch as Bakugou walked away.

“O-Okay then,” he smiled and lifted Yukio’s hand to wave at the blonde, “Say by Uncle Kacchan.”

Yukio giggled and kicked his tiny legs, waving both arms. “Bye-bye Boom Boom!”

“Close enough, now let’s go check out the area then get you some better fitting clothes.”

After another half hour, Izuku and Yukio found themselves inside of one of the famous chain hero merchandise stores in the shopping district. While Izuku looked for Yukio’s size in the Ground Zero three piece set jogger outfit, Yukio played with a Red Riot plushie and a purple Persona cat plushie that had Hitoshi’s matching tired eyes as he sat in the buggy. 

When Izuku finally found what he needed he decided to go look and see if any new figures happened to come out. And in the end when he and Yukio left the store, they had a bag carrying the new Chargebolt and Cellophane figures, a few sets of the Ground Zero active wear joggers and Shouto onesies that had patterns of a cartoon cat version of the hero. Yukio also had a children’s pair of Tsukuyomi sunglasses on since the sun was going down and Izuku didn’t want him to have its rays in his eyes on their way back to the agency. 

Izuku put on his own pair and leaned down to kiss the top of Yukio’s head, strapped once again in his chest harness. The toddler giggled and held his two new toys close.

“Alright Yuki, ready to go clock out and spend the afternoon with Boom Boom?”

Yukio smiled and squealed so loud and hard his little eyes squeezed shut.

“Boom Boom!”

[la-fille-en-aiguilles]

Half As Good As You (1 / 2)

Jax Teller x Female Reader

A/N: I know i’m late to the party, but I am finally catching up with Sons of Anarchy, also known as one of the greatest shows ever made. I absolutely adore it, for so many reasons (Charlie Hunnam obviously being one of them). Jax Teller is such a promising character, with such an enormous literary potential, I couldn’t resist. 

This two-part story is loosely based on Tom Odell’s song “Half As Good As You”. 

Please enjoy, feedback is appreciated if you feel like leaving something. 

Warnings: a lil’ bit of angst and heartache. 

What a spectacular day for murder, you thought, grabbing your Balenciaga bag from the passenger seat right next to you, your cold take-out coffee’s smell still hanging in the confines of your car.

Charming welcomed you back with cloudless, infinite azure and blinding yellow sun, an airplane chalking a line on the canvas of the sky above your head.

Swinging that bag over your shoulder, you let your gaze wander back to the house in front of you; the empty driveway, those colorless roses and the unwelcoming cold blue paint that you never thought you’d see again.

Your sister might have lived in that house now, but the vibe of it hadn’t changed much - it still stank of bleach, burned leather and filthy secrets. 

And to think you were to spend a weekend in these walls, where every little detail, everything - reminded you of him.

It felt like it had been ages; all your memories were just some stories someone had told you at some point, with no beginning and no end, pages ripped from old dusty journals for which no one had a care in the world anymore.

You lied, of course, when you told your sister if you’d come down it’d strictly be out of the goodness of the heart. Over the phone, you insisted on not wanting to leave the house before the wedding - that fucking house you hated the most in the entire world, that gas chamber in which you knew you’d have trouble to breathe - because you’d only come to watch her kids, while she gets drunk & partially naked before she ties the knot.

The sound of a roaring engine a few blocks away interrupted your train of thought as shivers ran down your spine, your fingers gripping steering wheel so hard your skin turned white.

Coming to Charming was a mistake.

Leaving the city in the first place was a choice, with which you’d learned to live.

Or so you thought.

Dawns were always the worst.

The subtle shift of light at around five in the morning gave the shit in his room back its color: the deep navy of his crumpled sheets, striking whites, yellows and greens of his underwear, scattered around, and the soft amber of the dresser, with framed pictures on top.

Jax would look at these colors perfect themselves, come out in all of their intensive glory, yet this would never amount to anything - no change in his black-and-white routine.

The rising sun later chose the best angle for its mindful rays, whitening out the faces on those photos. Most of the time, if Jax would let his eyes slip over the paper’s polished surface - accidentally, he kept telling himself - all he saw was perfect squares of bright light, the sun doing the job his brain couldn’t - saving him all the heartache.

The morning would paint his misery a new, less lethargic color as he’d drink his coffee at the bar, surrounded by his brothers, all laughing and talking in hoarse, morning voices. That would shake him up a little, the claws of last night’s dreams letting go some. Those dreams died eventually, but the nightmare of reality went on, and sometimes it was difficult for Jax to tell one from the other.

He didn’t know it yet, but today was going to push his coping mechanisms to a whole new level.

Sitting at the bar, his long fingers wrapped around a big cup of coffee, Jax kept digging holes in the middle of a microwaved cherry pie with a table spoon. He wasn’t hungry, but he knew he had to get some food into him - the day promised to be busy and chaotic, he’d get lucky if he got a chance to eat before dinner.

“Aye, Jackie-boy, any news from Ope?” Jax slowly registered Chibs’ words as the Scot called for his attention, carefully sipping on his steamy tea.

It took a moment for Telford’s words to settle in; retrieving his phone from the side pocket of his sweats, Jax powered the display.

“Yeah, he’s...”

Words stuck in his throat, a lump he tried to push down, swallowing hard. He dropped the phone flat on the bar table, the sound deafening. Inhaling deeply, Jax brought one of his hands up to rub his eyes, his elbow knocking over the cup of lukewarm coffee.

The drops of brownish liquid landed on your face, smiling at him from his phone, with Opie’s kids on either side.

Y/N’s in town. I’m sorry, man, we didn’t think she’d actually show. I’m on my way.

‘He’s on his way.’

Wiping his phone with the white t-shirt he still wore from last night, Jax scrolled down to see if Opie sent more of that stunningly pretty, makeup-free face of yours.

Winston didn’t.

It didn’t really matter, because one look at you had already sent his imagination reeling, his heart twisting in regret while beating ten hundred miles a minute.

You were back in Charming. The idea seemed outrageous, his thoughts even more so.

Maybe, it was a sign. Maybe, this was his past coming around to give him another shot to do this different. Better.

Maybe you two could work the shit out in the end of the day, maybe... maybe you came back for him.

“Hey Prospect, clean this shit up, will you?”

Grabbing his phone from the table, Jax motioned towards the black puddle on the floor once he got Half-Sack’s attention.

Running his fingers through the dirty-blond mane of hair, Teller headed to his room to take a shower, wash those bullshit thoughts away.

That’s all they were. Bullshit.

Your arrival lit a match in his mind, anger consuming him quicker than fire licking at dry paper.

And to what end?

The anger would come and go, leaving not even a fucking hint of solace behind.

So would you.

You never got around to babysitting that evening.

Dua Lipa’s voice blaring from the speakers, you could feel your chest rumble to the rhythm. The place was swarming with people; the bar welcomed a big crowd tonight, and under flickering lights you zeroed in on a face now and again, pacing your evening by the number of people you managed to make out from the human drunken mass.

Donna was having the time of her life as she swayed her hips to the beat. Her cheeks a lovely shade of pink, she laughed at something your friend Chloe said, wrinkles in the corners of her eyes, silent witnesses of her happiness.

Fumbling with your Margarita, you watched your sister closely, trying to convince yourself it was okay. It was Harry she was marrying for God’s sake. That teddy bear of a man that’d kill for her if needed.

And that was exactly what didn’t sit quite well with you.

You threw your head back, finishing your drink in one single gulp. Slamming the glass against the bar, you motioned for the bartender to approach. The young man with a messy man bun flashed you a smile, silently asking what your next choice would be.

“Whiskey on the rocks,” you yelled over the music, leaning over the bar so he could hear you better. Smiling still, the guy nodded, getting to it right away.

You plopped back on your seat, scanning the crowd with your eyes, again, trying to pass the time.

The scene hadn’t changed much since the last time you checked - most of the faces remained the same, the only difference being the cloudiness in people’s stares and sloppiness of their movements.

Yet your eyes narrowed as soon as you caught a young, handsome man staring at you, averting his gaze as soon as you spotted him. You were pretty sure you had never met him, yet something about him felt familiar... and suspicious.

Paying for your whiskey, you slipped off the bar stool, and slowly made your way to Donna.

“I’m going to get some air,’ you screamed into her ear, the beat of the basses making your knees tremble. Donna looked at you for a moment, as if trying to figure out your motives. Then she quickly nodded, lightly squeezing your wrist before letting go.

Gripping your whiskey glass tightly in order not to spill its contents, you made your way through the shifting crowd and into the hallway, slowly but surely.

Just as you walked out from the bar area, you noticed that young man you caught staring before turning around on his heels, following you.

It was a fleeting moment kind of realization, as you noticed Prospect written in bold letters on the back of the kutte the guy was wearing. Immediately you squirmed, pushing your way out of the bar with your elbows, slamming your glass on one of the unoccupied tables as you advanced.

“Shit,” you cursed, your eyes dashing around in search for a place to hide as soon as you reached the hallway.

You were being fucking followed. From the very fucking beginning. And by whom? By the Sons of Fucking Anarchy.

That would definitely up the number of candidates on your list for a well-deserved one night stand.

Thank God they didn’t think of sending someone bigger and meaner-looking, like Tig. Then your chances of getting laid tonight would have been non-existent, with the blue-eyed biker following you around like a shadow... shadow of death.

You froze at the thought, your mind painting the reaper tattoo before your eyes, angry black traits marking Jax’ ripped back.

The Prospect didn’t stay inside with Donna. It’s you he’d been told to follow around.

Clutching both of your fists in a sudden wave of anger that hit you like a speeding train, you muttered obscenities, your chest heaving.

Trying to swim against the current was useless at this point - you couldn’t change the way things were in this town years ago, why jump headfirst into that fight all over again? - yet two could play this game, you thought, Jax fucking Teller.

“Hey there, beautiful,” you were so lost in your thoughts, your eyes drilling a hole in the marble floor, you hadn’t noticed a pair of bright classy purple shoes walk out of the men’s restroom. Your eyes instantly flicked up to face a handsome stranger with deep grey eyes and a three-day black stubble on his razor-sharp cheekbones. The stranger smiled at you warmly, slipping both of his hands in the pockets of his expensive-looking jeans.

Bingo, you thought, mix of liquid courage and adrenaline spilling into your veins.

“Hi,” giving him a half-smile, you threw a quick glance over your shoulder.

Damn Prospect was watching you through the small dirty window in the door.

Grabbing the stranger by the lapels of his leather jacket, you pulled him in, your lips smashing against his.

You couldn’t even register one thing at a time, whirlwind of sensations and puzzle-like thoughts flooding your mind. He smelled of leather, cigarette smoke and musk, a sinful mix so familiar your stomach ached in an overwhelming need to stain yourself with it; steal it, carry it. The only thing stopping you was the absence of an important undernote, something sugary and spicy like oud or patchouli...

You figured it out in a matter of seconds, and even though the detail was bound to ruin everything, you still tried. Tried to fool yourself.

Even though his lips were a little too full for your liking. A little too soft. A little too innocent. A little too different from what you loved.

With your eyes closed, you bit his bottom lip, focusing on the way his rough cheeks felt against the palms of your hands as you cupped his face.

He didn’t bite back. He didn’t grab your hips with his hands, pulling you in closer. He didn’t moan into your mouth.

You didn’t click and that was that.

You still tried.

Holding on to that familiarity of rough beard under your fingertips, his scent completely engulfing you, you thought whether he hollowed his cheeks when he inhaled the smoke. He wasn’t a manual worker - you could tell from the softness of his touch as he positioned one of his hands on the nape of your neck. Exactly, positioned - that was the word. To describe a nearly mechanic movement of those soft little fingers.

Probably ain’t that good with his hands, darlin’ - Jax’ shit-eating grin appeared before your eyes for a millisecond, exactly the time it took for you to try and get a hold of yourself again.

You tried.

Your eyes fluttered open as the stranger rolled his tongue over your bottom lip - a little provocation that made you lose your mind back in the day. This time it felt like an ice-bucket full of water being dumped on the top of your head. It felt invasive, arrogant and wrong. It felt wrong, fault of his lips, his smell, his cheeks... Fault of him not being who you wanted him to be.

The stranger kissed you with his grey eyes open. And it shouldn’t have mattered at all - for all you knew, you’d have never seen him again - but it fucking did; the man you wanted always closed his eyes with your lips on his.

‘Hey, could you...’ you whispered, your lips still touching his. ‘Could you please close your eyes?...’

No answer followed. The stranger moved his head a little, confused look of those grey eyes settling on your face.

You ransacked your mind for something to say that could justify the shitty stunt you pulled; nothing came out. Luckily, the outside world came knocking soon enough.

‘Y/N!’ swinging the door to the bar open, Donna and her flushed and happy face came into view. ‘We’re doing shots, you with us?’

‘Yeah!’ you answered a little too quickly, relief in your voice almost tangible. ‘I’m coming’.

You gave the stranger a sympathetic look before letting go of his jacket.

‘I’m sorry,’ you told him blankly, not sure what kind of emotion he’d expect from you, given the context. ‘It was nice meeting you, uh...’

‘Gabriel’, he filled in, his lips still raw from the kiss you shared.

‘Gabriel,’ you repeated, knowing you’d forget his name the moment you’d turn away. ‘See you around, I guess’.

Just as you left the man with purple shoes behind, following Donna, you noticed the Prospect by the bar. He caught your eyes and gave you an uneasy smile.

For a spy, the guy isn’t exactly hiding, you thought. Biting the inside of your cheeks, you decided to finish what you started for once and headed his way.

Nighttime had always been the time for his demons to come out to play. To bring out the worst in him.

Tonight, however, felt different.

The night was silent, save for the car engines revving miles away from Teller Morrow. Stars dotted the inky sky, their shine so bright they looked like holes in heaven’s floor.

Jax’s mind was clear – not a single stray thought corrupting the peacefulness of the moment. The roof may have trembled under his feet, good old tunes rocking the walls of the club, but he heard none of it, not a single note. Hollowing his cheeks, he took a deep drag of his cigarette ; the smoke eddied coolly down his throat, until he puffed it out slowly – milky white and circular.

This stillness was new to Jax, the feeling of time rolling by in its silent and endless way soothing him. He wallowed in it for a moment ; until the thuds of careful steps reached his ears.

Dumping the cigarette butt over the roof and straight down on the parking lot, Jax watched Opie’s impressive, broad frame block the harvest moon from the view, as he slowly climbed the stairs.

‘If this ain’t the man of the hour,’ Jax said, his lips bearing the semblance of a smile. ‘Tired of enjoying your last days of freedom yet?’

Opie chuckled quietly, making his way to his best friend. He shook his head slightly, taking a seat next to Jax, his eyes immediately drawn to the beauty that was the night sky.

‘I’ve belonged to Donna since forever, man,’ Opie shrugged, moonlight reflecting in his dark eyes. ‘This is just an excuse for boys to enjoy booze and pussy’.

Jax rolled his tongue over his bottom lip before biting on it, smiling knowingly.

‘Yeah,’ he let out, nodding slowly. Fumbling with his cigarettes, he offered one to Ope. Winston gladly accepted, lighting it up.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, listening to downtown Charming snore softly in its agitated sleep.

‘Saw you talking to Ima at the bar,’ Opie was first to break the silence, exhaling the smoke. ‘She still carries a torch for you?’

A crooked half-smile graced Jax’ face at the question; he slowly stood up, raising both of his hands and stretching, the hoodie he was wearing rolling up a tad, thus showing toned muscles.

‘Don’t even get me started on this one, man’, Jax shook his head, raising his eyebrows in desperate gesture. ‘She keeps pestering me about that old lady shit…’

Opie whistled, watching Jax lean over the roof barrier, and following him shortly.

‘Ima? An old lady?’ Opie repeated in disbelief, Jax watching him with a blooming smirk. ‘She’s really getting desperate ain’t she?’

Jax let out a booming laugh before staring down into the ground, his thoughts taking him elsewhere.

Comfotable silence settled over the roof again. It were as if the world had stopped, came to a much needed halt, yet both Jax and Opie knew the feeling wouldn’t last.

‘I don’t think I’ll ever get around to what you’re doing, Ope’, Teller suddenly confessed, unblinking, voicing the thoughts that’d been plaguing his mind for what seemed like ages. ‘How am I supposed to ask someone to just open themselves up to the neverending load of shit we’re dealing with on a regular basis? I deal arms, I sell porn, I hurt people. That’s all I’m good for. Who would ever want to be associated with this kind of psycho, huh? Maybe Ima is my end game.’

Jax smiled bitterly, stealing a quick glance at the Teller Morrow sign on his left, even unlit a painful reminder of who he was. Opie grabbed Jax’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly.

‘Bullshit,’ he protested, shoving Jax back a tad unintentionally. He looked Teller right into the eyes, holding that heavy stare of stormy blue orbs for a moment. ‘I know someone who did want that, Jax’, he finally said, letting go of his friend, sadness lacing his words. ‘You’re not asking for a goddamn moon’.

The Vice-President of SAMCRO sneered, biting on the inside of his cheek. Opie knew he took a plunge in dangerous waters with that statement, but he also knew he needed to put this shit Jax’d been going through ever since that fight of yours on the table.

‘Damn straight I am,’ Jax bit back roughly, not even trying not to rise to the bait. ‘That someone you know made sure I was aware of that,’ he spat, his voice dripping with anger.

‘You’re not being fair, man’ Opie stated sternly, taking a step back and shoving both hands into his jeans’ pockets, his eyes never quitting Jax’ face. ‘You both said things you didn’t mean that night. Besides,’ his voice softening up a bit, he continued. ‘Can you really blame her? After what we did to the A.T.F.?’

Jax scoffed, turning his head in Opie’s direction. The fire that anger lit in his eyes wasn’t quite gone yet, its sparks still lingering on the surface of Teller’s irises.

‘Donna didn’t seem to mind,’ he observed spitefully, turning around and leaning on the barrier, folding his hands across his chest, as if protecting his bleeding heart.

‘Donna doesn’t know!’ Opie retorted almost instantly. ‘That’s why I’m still marrying her on Tuesday!’ once the words were out of his mouth, he rubbed one of his hands against his beard, looking away, exasperated. ‘Y/N didn’t tell her shit’, he added quietly.

Gritting his teeth, Jax faced the barrier again, grabbing it with both of his hands. Rocking himself back and forth on his heels, he let out an irritated, rumbling sigh.

There was something in that sound of air pushing its way in between Jax’s lips that made Opie freeze; the fierceness of heartache behind it. Opie watched. He watched Jax’s face, as Teller bit the inside of his bottom lip, shaking his head, lowering his gaze – hiding those glossy baby blues of his.

Then he knew.

Jax’s anger was nothing but a shield for pain. Empty bravado. Signifying nothing.

Each word coming out of Teller’s mouth was an activated grenade; Jax was a soldier, cornered by his pain, scared, desperate and so damn lonely. Bitterness was his surviving mechanism. Little did he know that those verbal grenades he threw would eventually end up backfiring at him. And then that anger – that shield he carried – would clatter to the ground and the pain would hit him like a tsunami. Choking him. Drowning him.

‘I don’t care,’ Jax finally spoke, facing his best friend again. Strangled emotion seeped out of his words, only confirming what Ope had already knew.  ‘If I had to choose between Y/N and that A.T.F.’s wife again, I wouldn’t have done a damn thing differently. I will always choose Y/N.’

Protectiveness rang in Jax’s voice, like bullets falling on the ground. He eyed Opie almost threateningly, daring him to challenge his statement.

Opie nodded slowly, reassuringly. This simple gesture made Jax’s body relax a bit, as he rolled back his shoulders.

‘I know, man,’ Opie spoke calmly. ‘Y/N knows it, too, and she’s grateful, trust me. There was only one way to do it with her getting out alive,’ Winston frowned at the thought, watching the same kind of expression darken Jax’s features. ‘She now lives with the weight of two deaths on her shoulders, for God’s sake, cut her some slack.’

‘She didn’t pull that trigger on the A.T.F. when he came asking about his old lady, Ope,’ Jax rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands tiredly. He clearly did not want to have the same kind of conversation with Ope that he would have with himself in the darkness of the night. ‘I did’, he said, more to himself than to Winston, not even looking at his brother. ‘I killed him.’

Jax vocalized what he’d been telling himself ever since you left, forcing himself to believe that this – he – was the reason you two broke and could never be put together again.

‘Those two deaths are on me,’ he added, hoping his mind would be satisfied with the self-hatred audible in his confession. But it wasn’t. He knew the same thoughts would be back to haunt him in the night all over again.

‘This is on Mayans, Jax, all of it’, Opie tried to counter, watching Jax being submerged with the idea of who he thought he was. The idea that was, of course, complete and utter bullshit. ‘All you did was protecting your family. Protecting the club.’

‘Yeah, whatever’, Jax managed a small smile, almost free of bitterness. ‘It’s over, Ope. It’s done’.

Lowering his head, Jax searched for his cigarettes in his pockets, slapping his palms against the leather of his kutte. Finally finding what he’d been looking for, he took a Zippo lighter from Opie’s stretched hand and lit up the cancer stick.

Hollowing his cheeks, inhaling deeply, Jax raised his eyebrows at Ope, judging from his uneasy expression that he wanted to speak, but weren’t sure how to go about it.

‘You know it ain’t over, man’ Winston finally managed, his voice quiet and hoarse. ‘You still love her’.

The statement made Jax chuckle for some mysterious reason ; he threw his head back, slowly exhaling the smoke as it carressed his lips. Watching Ope with the same amused yet hard expression he learned to master, Jax spread his arms, as wide as they would go.

‘Yeah, well, I guess I’m shit out of luck then, ain’t I?’ a wicked smile grew on his mouth. ‘I’ll just have to find someone half as good as her, and that’s that. Consider myself lucky if I do.’

Opie huffed out a breath, looking away and down at the parking lot, shaking his head. Jax leaned against the roof barrier, taking another deep drag of his cigarette, dropping his gaze.

‘Or,’ Opie broke the silence all of the sudden. ‘You can just talk to her. Work this shit out’.

Jax gave his friend a sideways glance, a ghost of hope settling along the curves of his red lips.

‘She won’t see me, Ope,’ Jax’s words were contradicting his body language. He stood straighter, letting his chest open up as he leaned backfirst onto the barrier. ‘I’m dead to her’.

‘Guess she’s here to visit your grave then,’ Opie smirked, motioning towards the parking lot with a slight movement of his chin.

Jax’s immediate reaction was a deep, skin-creasing frown, his mind a surging perplexity. Opie could literally see the realization dawn on him, the walls he had spent all these years bulding high and deep crumbling at his feet. All it took was one look at you ; one look at that black car that brought you home.

Dread flashing in his blue eyes, excitement creeping up his spine, Jax didn’t even realize he’d been holding his breath for three minutes straight. His heart trying to escape the rattling cage that was his chest, Teller closed his eyes. Anticipation tingling through him like electric current, down to his Nike-cladded feet, he bit his bottom lip, regaining control over his body.

His blue sparkling eyes flashed in the darkness as Opie’s gentle, yet slightly mocking voice cut the tension like a knife :

‘If I were you,’ trying to keep the urge to smile at bay, Winston pursued his lips. ‘I’d hurry downstairs before Ima spots Y/N at the entrance…’

‘Shit !’ Jax hissed, already climbing down the stairs as fast as his feet would take him. In one adrenaline-fuelled jump he leapt towards the entrance door of the club, his brain on fast-forward and his heart skipping several beats at a time at the thought of seeing you…

[somethinglacking]

Cruel Angel’s Thesis Chapter 12

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Category: F/M Fandom: Mystic Messenger (Video Game) Relationship:707 | Luciel Choi/Main Character Characters:707 | Luciel Choi, V | Jihyun Kim Mary, Vanderwood 3rd, Jumin Han, Zen | Hyun Ryu, Yoosung Kim, Jaehee Kang, Main Character, Rika, Saeran ChoiUnknown | Ray

Nari stood there looking over her very convincing new birth certificate, passport, and photo ID trying to tell whether it was actually forged. Nari knew her boyfriend too well to know he wouldn't just forge a document, no he had gone all out. Now she was Lois Lane, and him Clark Kent which given any other situation she'd laugh at the humor. Nari pinched the bridge of her nose and inhaled sharply before shooting a scolding look at Saeyoung, who visibly flinched, and lowered his eyes. "So basically you committed identity theft... Saeyoung what the literal fuck?" Nari sighed tossing the passport back to him. "I can't use that!"

"Look, we are trying to stay three steps ahead of Saeran, and we have my agency to worry about. I wouldn't ask this of you if there was another way to keep you safe." Saeyoung tried to reason looping his arms around Nari's frame pulling her close. She sighed resting her forehead on his collarbone deeply inhaling his scent.

"Just how legitimate is this identification?" Nari mumbled and he let out a breathless chuckle. Saeyoung rubbed his nose into her head in slow circles as his hold on her relaxed. He breathed in her cherry scent for a moment.

"I might have hacked into some government systems I shouldn't have." He admits causing her to whack him upside the head and glare daggers at him.

"Jesus, Saeyoung!" Nari hissed as he smiled at her causing her to frown. "Don't look so impressed with yourself! My god!" Nari scolded and his grin widened.

"I love you," Saeyoung told her pulling her tight against him. "I've never been scolded about hacking before." He then explained and Nari snorted.

"That explains why you're such a brat about it." She teased and he took a dramatic inhale of breath.

"Take that back!" He demanded to blow a raspberry into her neck causing her to wiggle and squeal.

"NEVER!" Nari declared and he started to assault her side with his fingers.

"I don't even want to know..." a third parties voice spoke up halting the couple's actions.

"Madam, what do we owe the pleasure!" Saeyoung basically sang to the older man releasing Nari from his grasp. Nari stumbled for a second to the amusement to the others, glaring at her boyfriend.

"I'm here to pick up that passport, so I can catch my plane." Vanderwood sighed as Saeyoung nodded walking into his workroom. "Look, Nari, are you positive about this. I will not go easy on you. I'll work you until you can't move, and possibly vomit."

"I'm positive. I'm tired of being a damsel in distress." Nari assured the older agent who nodded.

"You've got guts, I'll give you that." Vanderwood nodded as Luciel waltzed into the room.

"Here you go, Max. E Pad from Baltimore! Seven grinned handing Vanderwood his new birth certificate, photo ID, and passport. Vanderwood cocked an eyebrow reading the identification over before sighing.

"What kind of name is Max. E Pad? Don’t you have any sense of maturity Zero Seven?" Vanderwood complained causing Nari to smile and bit her tongue to hold back her laughter.

"If you want a say in you're next name, you hack into the government yourself." Saeyoung shrugged and Vanderwood scowled.

"Wait, just how legitimate are these?" Vanderwood questioned and Saeyoung beamed a smile.

"100% legitimate because I plan on taking down the agency while we are away." Saeyoung's tone was serious even if the shit eating grin never left his face. Nari looked at the men and saw the scowl on Vanderwood's face deepen.

"You're a damn fool... But do you think we could do it?" Vanderwood questioned and Saeyoung nodded.

"Are you saying you'll help Vandy?" Seven was beaming and bouncing in place.

“You realize if our lives will be in danger if the agency catches wind of this,” Vanderwood informed the younger agent and Nari frowned.

“Is it hard to leave the agency?” Nari questioned and both agents turned to her.

“Usually the only way out is death.” Seven explained and her frown deepened.

“what makes you want to take down the agency anyway?” Vanderwood inquired.

“The reason I joined was that of a lie. I have no reason to stay. Plus the longer I dick around with the agency the more danger I put Nari in.” Seven explained as Nari rested her forehead on his shoulder. He smiled sadly brushing his fingers along the length of her hair. Vanderwood looked the pair up and down contemplating his options.

“What’s the plan?” Vanderwood finally agreed and Seven chuckled slightly.

“It'll take time for me to hack into the mainframe and gather evidence to blackmail the boss with for our release. If he still refuses after that I make every detail public with would mean the end of the entire agency. So either he lets us go quite or we make a fuss. Either way, I fully intend to walk away smiling.” Seven explained to Vanderwood.

“And what do you need from me? No way are you offering me a new identity without some sort of payment.” Vanderwood accused and Seven nodded beaming his shit eating grin toward the older agent.

“You’re going to deal with the boss, and cover for me. You’re also going to make sure he does not find out about Nari. I do the hard work and all you have to do is tell a couple lies.” Seven explained and Vanderwood looked at him in a deadpan kind of way.

“If that’s all it’s a deal. If we fail…” Vanderwood trailed off looking toward the woman latched to Sevens side. “We are as good as dead, her too…”

“I’m not scared of death Vanderwood. In my profession, I probably witness more death than either of you. I could be an asset if things go south given my medical training.” Nari informed the oldest male.

“see, isn’t she cool. All geared up and ready to go down fighting!” Seven chimed planting a kiss on her head.

“As long as you know what you’re getting yourself into Lady. Let's hope Seven doesn’t fuck up until I have a chance to properly train you.” Vanderwood sighed. “Seven, marry her. You won’t find another woman as insane as her. Well, I have a flight to catch. I’ll be waiting for you Nari.” With that Vanderwood didn’t wait for the others to speak and made a hasty exit.

“right I have a flight in twelve hours,” Nari mumbled.

“And I catch my flight five hours after that. I'll be right behind you.” Saeyoung assured her wrapping himself around her. She hummed pressing herself close to him feeling content.

“I love you, Saeyoung,” Nari whispered and his arms tightened around her.

“I love you like the moon loves the stars,” Saeyoung assured her placing a kiss on her forehead and her giggles as he continued to kiss every inch of her face.

“You know…” Nari started and Saeyoung hummed urging her to continue. “If we do end up being killed, I can honestly say I died to have no regrets.” Saeyoung looked over her face locking his eyes with hers.

“I’m already too deep into you. My one and only love. I love you. I love you.” Saeyoung felt his tears escape him as Nari smiled up at him wiping her fingers under his glasses to catch the drops.

“I feel like we will have a happy ending, so no more tears until than, okay.” Nari chimed offering him an assured smile. He nodded leaning in to capture her mouth under his. Nari returned his affections enthusiastically.

He was the first one to pull away and looked shyly of to the side as he cleared his throat. Nari smiled at him finding his shy side too cute. “Are you done packing?” He changed the subject.

“other than the things I need to survive the next twelve hours,” Nari assured him.

“If you forget anything we can just pick it up once we get settled…” Saeyoung assured her looking at her softly.

“So where are we going?” Nari inquired and he smiled with a shrug.

“I own a place in the states, it pretty secluded up in the mountains.” He informed her and she chewed on her cheek thinking.

“Just how soundproof is it, are we going to bother Vanderwood?” Nari than have him a sly grin and he choked on his spit.

“How can you say things like that so easily. You have no shame.” His cheeks were tinted pink as he glanced at his lover from under his eyelashes.

“It’s amusing how shy you are about the subject, but when it comes to actually doing the deed you’re so confident,” Nari explained and he placed his hands in his jean pockets and chuckled.

“It's just weird hearing a girl be so open about it… it's not like… erm, I’ve never talked or joked about it, but it’s usually with Zen or Yoosung. You know boy talk.” He explained as his ears started to feel warm.

“Girls talk and joke about it too. Everybody likes sex, and I could tell you every physical and psychological benefit of it if you’d like. Use big doctor terms and such.” Nari continued to tease him and he rolled his eyes.

“I’m feeling a little warm… I’m going to go get a drink, would you like anything?” Saeyoung offered to change the subject.

“I’m good.” Nari beamed a knowing grin as he made haste toward the kitchen.

Nari raised an eyebrow as her phone pinged from the couch. She walked over and gathered it seeing a chat room had been open while they were talking with Vanderwood. Nari opened the chat room and read it thoughtfully as Saeyoung wonder back into the room completely composed again.

“V's moving and the rest of the RFA is headed over to help pack. Wanna go?” Nari asked and Saeyoung thought it over.

“Uh, yeah! Let’s get this show on the road!” Saeyoung cheered walking toward the garage.

Nari found herself leaning against V’s kitchen counter chatting ideally with Jumin and Jaehee while sipping at some fancy red wine that had been offered to her. Her eyes kept drifting toward the living area cluttered with convinces where her boyfriend was chatting admittedly with Zen and Yoosung while V was the only one doing what this little RFA meeting was for. Packing. Nari sighed placing her near empty glass on the counter and walked toward V.

“Put me to work.” Nari smiled helping V place various items into the current vox he was packing.

“Could you start wrapping and packing the kitchen?” V asked with a grateful smiled.

“Sure. Want me to get the rest of them to work?” Nari suggested eyeing her cheeky hacker across the room teasing Yoosung.

“Naw, let them be. It’s been a long time since we've all been together in such a relaxed atmosphere.” V informed her and she smiled.

“I BETTER SEE YOU ALL HAULING ASS AND HELPING PACK IN THE NEXT THIRTY SECONDS!” Nari yelled startling everyone. They all gaped at her except Saeyoung who smiled fondly at her. “DID I STUTTER? GET YOUR ASSES INTO GEAR!”Even Jumin didn’t waste any time collecting a box to pack item within. Nari smiled looking at a baffled V and winked.

“Man, Nari’s actually scary!” Yoosung whispered to Seven who snickered working on bubble wrapping objects.

“You haven’t seen scary yet Yoosung,” Nari warned walking by stopping for a second to place a kiss on the Saeyoung head and ruffled his hair before continuing to the kitchen. Zen made a gagged sound that was silenced by Nari's glare and Seven smirked at Zen earning his own glare from the rising starlet.

Jumin and Jaehee where wrapping up the dishes as Nari waltzed in as placed a stack of boxes beside them. Jumin smirked at her while she grabbed the items he wrapped and placed them in a box neatly.

“I must say I’m impressed.” Jaehee giggled dealing with the silverware.

“This is the reason we all came here in the first place. V’s too nice say anything.” Nari shrugged eyeing the three in the living room as they whispered to one another while hasty packing boxes as if a fire was lit under their asses.

Much later that evening Nari found herself curled up in a ball on the corner of V's couch. She could feel the tears escape the corner of her eyes as her body shook uncontrollably.

“I think I broke my girlfriend?” Saeyoung yelled out the other watching Nari snort as her laughter doubled.

“She's not broken, she’s drunk,” Jaehee assured the redhead.

“I'm not even sure how I got this drunk. Gah! What is life, what is my life.” Nari whined between giggles wiping her eyes looking at Saeyoung with watery eyes and a drunk blush across her features.

“She’s cute even when drunk.” Zen assessed and Nari snorted rolling her eyes.

“Yoosung's passed out in the bathtub,” V informed the group walking back into the room.

“Well, now we all have a pee buddy!” Nari chimed before focusing on her half-empty glass. “why does this taste so good!”

“You see my sweet darling drunk girlfriend, Jumin heard that I the great god Seven-“

“PRAISE GOD SEVEN!” Nari cheered nearly spilling her drink. Everyone laughed as Seven carefully took the wine glass from her and set it down out of her reach.

“Boo! Whatcha do that for?” Nari pouted as her already glassy eyes watered.

“I believe Luciel, of all people, just cut you off,” Jumin explained with a slight chuckle.

“Man, let her drink she’s having fun.” Zen protested slightly slurred himself.

“You're not the one going home with her,” Lucile explained and watched Jaehee blush and look down at her own wine as if it was the fascinating thing in the world. “Jaehee where the hell DID your mind just go!” Luciel gasp in mock shock before chuckling at her fiercely blushing face.

“Places it shouldn’t have,” Jaehee admitted anyway still staring at her wine as the group hooped with laughter.

“What no way! You'll do something shady. Nari, babe listen men are wolves!” Zen gasped dramatically while Nari mumbles out “it's not like I'm little red riding hood." and Luciel rolled his eyes having fun being the only sober one in the room. He kept watching Nari carefully studying her as she became more and more intoxicated.

“Sounds like your jealous Zen.” Jumin mocked him earning a glare from the actor and some protests and some back and forth name calling.

“play nice children.” V actually said it which sent Luciel into a fit as Jumin gaped at his friend slightly scandalized.

“Can’t I just finish what’s left in the glass?” Nari ignored the goings around her, eyes still fixated on the half-empty glass.

“Sure if you describe me in three words!” Luciel teased and Nari frowned at him.

“An utter Annoyance.” Zen barked out and Seven covered his heart as if it was the greatest compliment while making kissy faces at the starlit.

“Not that Helpful.” Jaehee than chimed in and Seven gasped.

“I god SEVEN defender of justice keeper of the peace is always Helpful!” He protested.

“Absolute Cat Abuser.” Jumin than added taking a sip of his wine cocking an eyebrow at the hacker.

“I asked her, not for the entire room to roast me.” Seven half whined with a chuckle.

“Imaginative self-expression.” V than add and everyone made a sound of agreement.

“Clearly there are many words to describe you, Saeyoung Choi. But if I had to pick three-“ Nari paused making a stupid drunk face and held up four fingers which earned another round of laughter. “My three words would be ‘my beautiful disaster’”

Saeyoung looked at her slightly mystified as the room went quiet. Once he processed her words he felt his face heat up and he swallowed thickly as he let out an awkward chuckle. “Nari, baby, you’re way too drunk. We should be going. Being the defender of justice that I am I cannot allow a lady to make such a fool of herself hahaha.” Saeyoung babbled out scooping her up in his shoulder and made haste to the door despite her protest and attempts to free herself from him. “catch the rest of you on the flip side.” He offered a peace sign and shut the door.

Saeyoung practically threw her into the passenger's seat. “who lit your ass on fire?” Nari asked now slightly pissed. Saeyoung slipped into the driver's seat and hit his forehead off the wheel.

“Whoa! Careful are you trying to give yourself a concussion?” Nari barked and Saeyoung turned his eyes toward the woman seated beside him. Her glassy honey brown eyes, dilated pupils, the alcohol in her system causing her face to adore such a pretty blush.

“I love you,” Saeyoung told her and she stopped her fussing and looked at him. He smiled as he saw her cheeks pick up more color and a smile slowly spread across her face. She leaned in toward him and a grin spread across his features as he finished closing the space between them.

Nari was drunk, she tasted sweet like the wine she had been downing all night. Her usually shy kiss was sloppy and her fingers curled into his unruly red mop of hair. Saeyoung groaned finding this kiss intoxicating none the less as he leaned on to her and half crawl a top of her as his tongue licked her lips. She gasped out a tiny moan that sent a shiver down his spine as he invaded her mouth. She was sweet and the kiss was wet and desperate.

Then there was a knock on the window. The two over them parted and looked at one another wide-eyed as there was another tap on his tinted glass window. Nari giggled looking above herself at the window in question.

“what are you guys, sixteen. Jeez, stop making out!” Zen yelled at the car causing both of them to crack up. Saeyoung shifted himself slightly to start the car and roll down the window.

“Is there something you needed Zen?” Seven asked still atop of Nari who was hiding her head in his should laughing.

Zen sighed looking in on the scene “I was wondering if you’d give me a lift home.” Zen explained averting his eyes from the couple with a slight blush on his cheeks.

“Now why would I give a drive to an absolute cock block?” Seven questioned the actor who gaped at him and Nari smacked him on the head earning a protest and chuckle from the hacker.

“He’s drunk too. Zen get in we'll take you home.” Nari decided to earn a pout from the man above her as she wiggled trying to push him off despite the hackers protest about being a taxi. “You’re the only sober one, which means you drive drunks home!”

“fine dude, get in.” Seven agreed sitting himself back behind the wheel. Nari righted herself giggling as Zen slide himself into the backseat.

“I drank too much. My skin is going to suffer tomorrow.” Zen complained as Seven put the car in drive and pulled away from V's loft out in the middle of nowhere.

“actually wine is good for your skin. Actually, the wine has a lot of health benefits! Actually, it can help your immune system!” Both men looked at her. “what I am actually a doctor!” both men chuckled muttering Actually at her and she stuck out her tongue.

“Than why does liquor make you so hot?” Zen inquired removing his jacket and Nari laughed.

“It’s normal to feel warm because liquor stimulates a part of your brain called the hypothalamus.” Nari trailed off.

“And the Himalayas, is what now?” Zen asked mispronouncing the word

“hypothalamus,” Nari repeated the word. “It’s a part of the brain regulates basic human functions, like your body temperature, hunger, hormone levels, and of course, your sex drive,” Nari explained.

“You’re wasted yet yammering out doctor lingo?” Saeyoung asked in disbelief.

“I was drunk most of the college. I wrote many exams still drunk from the night before.” Nari explained as she sat back in her seat yawning. “but I'm sobering up.” And her eyes drifted close.

“It’s your stop,” Saeyoung informed the half-asleep actor after what felt like a few minutes. Both Zen And Nari sat up blinking a few times. Zen yawned and hawked around for another moment before removing him from the back seat.

“thanks for the ride Seven, let her get some sleep yeah?” Zen smiled and winked closing the door and stumbling toward his front door. The two left in the car waited and mocked as Zen struggled to unlock his door. Once he did and it opened he flashed them his middle finger before staggering inside.

“T minus five hours until I have to be at the airport,” Nari mumbled looking at the time and turning on the radio. Saeyoung smiled and swatted her fingers away, connecting to his blue tooth playing his most current playlist on his phone.

“And five hours after that I’ll be on a plane. Less than twenty-four hours we'll be together again if there are no delays.” He assured her and she hummed relaxing against the leather seat.

“It’s just going to be so weird being alone with Vanderwood. I mean he barely makes eye contact with me, let allow the five times he actually talked to me directly. I get the feeling he doesn’t like me, but tolerated me because of you.” Nari half complained to Sevens amusement.

“He likes you, don’t worry. As for the eye contact, you’re beautiful and he is rather shy when it comes to women believe or not.” Saeyoung reassured her and she hummed and drifted off to sleep.

[laseroy89]

Don’t Do It Again.

My right cheek felt warm. The sun’s rays filtered through the slits in the curtain, and shone on my face. I rubbed the crust from my eyes, then sat up to stretch, flexing and curving my back. It was so satisfying, to hear my back crack, and feel the tension ease away.

I closed my eyes, soaking in the sounds of the morning. The birds were chirping without a care in the world, and rustled the leaves as they jumped around in the tree directly outside my window, looking for the ripe berries. The wind chimes in my neighbour’s backyard jingled in the gentle breeze, playing a calming melody. There was the sound of children playing happily in the distance, probably at the playground just a stone’s throw away from here. I opened my eyes and looked to my side immediately to see my phone’s screen flashing some words against a white background.

DON’T DO IT AGAIN.

Don’t do what? I was puzzled, and also a little angry. The dark bold words spanned my phone’s screen, and burnt into my retina as I continued staring at it. It wasn’t just a warning or a precaution, it was like….scolding me. For something I did wrong. What did I do? I don’t remember anything….I only remembered collapsing on my bed, tired after a long day of work. What wrong can a tired man do? Wasn’t it enough that I slaved at my laboratory everyday, to put food on the table? Wasn’t it? WASN’T IT?

“WHAT DID I DO!!!!!” I raged at my phone, my spittle splashing on my phone screen. The display sputtered a little, showed some static, before returning back to my ordinary home screen.

Phew. It was comforting, to see my wife on my home screen. Her lips, curved up in a beautiful grin. Her dimples, ever so cute. And her eyes, normally so large and mesmerising that I would lose myself in them, but were half-closed in the middle of a laugh. I touched her face with my thumb, only to open my planner app.

Hmmm. It was Saturday. Today’s breakfast was peanut butter and banana on toast. What a healthy and filling meal to start off a splendid morning.

I made my way towards the kitchen to make my breakfast, humming as I prepared my meal. I thought about my wife, as I coated each slice of toasted bread with a thick layer of peanut butter. She would have done the same, lavishing me with copious amounts of goodies, then giggled and complained that I ate too much. Then I would just shake my head and give her a peanut-butter stained smile which would have made her laugh out even more.

She was always the giggly type. She giggled when we cuddled in bed, she giggled when I gave her a goodbye kiss whenever I left for work, and she giggled when we binge-watched our tv shows.

I missed her giggles.  

I carried the plate over to my favourite wicker chair on my porch, and sat down with a grunt. My position overlooked the street in front of my home, which wasn’t very busy, one of the perks of living in a quiet neighbourhood. I remembered the previous house we lived in - it was just beside one of the main roads going into the city and boy, was it noisy then.

I picked up the newspaper that the paper boy had thrown beside the chair.

Man found dead at the roadside. Okay. Some bad news to start the day.

I read on.

The person was found dead on the grass patch right beside the junction where Barron Lane and Avery Road intersected, which was….just down the road. The police has ruled it a death due to unnatural causes. There were zero clues at the spot. No blood, no accident wreckage, no signs of a struggle, leading the police to infer that the body could have been dumped there. The person was identified to be one Auther Tager, according to the wallet found on his body.

My blood ran cold as I read that name.

I am Auther Tager.

This must be a coincidence. I didn’t know of anyone else in my neighbourhood named Auther Tager, but….well, it is indeed a unique name, but that was the only logical explanation. I mean, I was alive and well, right here with a newspaper in my hand, and two sandwiches next to me.

Until I looked at the photos.

There was a photo of the crime scene, with police tape sealing off the area, and what looked like a navy blue body bag surrounded by police officers. And on the top right of that photo, was a smaller picture of….me. They used the photo on my ID. The ugly one with pimples and my then stupid buck-toothed grin.

That’s just not possible. I am alive. I am alive, GODAMMIT!! There’s a mistake. There’s a mistake. No, there’s a mistake.

But I don’t remember losing my wallet. I patted my pocket. It was there, right there. I opened it to reveal my ID, glinting in the morning sun.

Come on, man. First my wife, then my work-life balance, now - me? Why has life got to be so unfair?

I wolfed down my sandwiches, threw down the newspaper beside my seat, and left for the junction. I needed to find out what was happening.

The junction looked normal. There were cars driving around on the road and there were pedestrians on the sidewalk. Some of them carried bags of groceries, some of them were taking their dogs out for a walk, some of them waited for the traffic light to turn green so that they could cross the road. It was just a regular morning, nothing unusual.

I walked over to the grass patch which was pictured in the newspaper. This must be where my body - or rather, what was mistaken to be my body - was found. There was nothing at the scene to suggest that though. The grass was a lush bright green, but short - must have been mowed recently. There were mynahs and ravens pecking around, foraging for food. Further away from the road, closer to the trees, there were children playing at the playground, while their mothers looked on and chatted about life. It was as if no one remembered that there had been a dead body here.

I’ve seen the crime scene. I needed to see the body, to confirm whether it was me.

The body must have been moved to the morgue at the nearest hospital. It has to be there - I work there, and I know that the police sometimes do autopsies there too. I fished in my pockets for my wallet - but there wasn’t any cash for a cab. Steal a bike it is, then.

Speak of the devil, there was someone cycling towards me now. I squinted, and made out my teenage neighbour, Stanley. He looked so happy, and so….old. He had a moustache now, and looked so fit and muscular. Huh, he had worked out quite a lot since I last saw him.

“Hey Stanley, do you mind if I borrow your bike for a while?” I said in a cheery tone, trying to disguise my urgency.

He stopped and got off his bike, and looked at me, mouth agape. It was funny, seeing his mouth open like that to reveal the chewed up chips inside. He looked like he had just seen a ghost.

Then I remembered I was in quite a hurry.

“Thanks, Stanley! Tell your mom I said hi!” I grabbed his bike out of his open hands, and pedaled away. I looked back after cycling for a while, and he was still there, staring after me. I sighed, and turned back. He was always a bit slow in the head.

The road to the hospital didn’t really look the same as I last remembered it. My memory was quite fuzzy, but I didn’t remember some buildings on the way.

Luckily, the hospital didn’t change much. That ceiling light and air-conditioner unit at the right side of the entrance were still not fixed. The third corridor was still narrow. And the morgue was still located in the basement.

No one seemed to recognise me at my workplace though. The nurses were new, and the doctors, well, were as usual too busy to even look in my direction. I made my way down to the morgue smoothly, which was weird considering how there should have been a greater police presence, since forensic criminologists should be examining the body by now.

However, there was only one person sitting in the morgue: the clerk, sitting at his usual place at the right of the door. It was some twenty-year-old kid, typing some stuff.

I pushed the door open, but it wouldn’t budge. Ah, I forgot that it was keycard activated. I pulled out my card, and slid it into the card reader. It replied with a loud “Access Denied”.

That was impossible. I am an employee of this hospital, I should have access!! I ran it through the reader again, but the same reply sounded again. Shit! Shit! SHIT!! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!!

The door opened though. The clerk poked his face out.

“Good morning, Dr Tager! Please, come in,” he opened the door wide for me to enter.

“Thanks.” I muttered while keeping my cursed keycard.

“Anything I can help you with?” he asked, with the same smile on his face.

I wanted to ignore him, but I realised that I didn’t come down here very often, and the clerk’s assistance could help a great deal.

“Hey, erm, I’m looking for a body. Can I use your computer to look for its drawer?”

“Oh, no need to trouble yourself, Dr Tager. I can help you do it!!” He sat down, his hands poised over the keyboard, ready to type.

“It’s okay, I think I’ll rather do it myself.”

“Doctor, with all due respect….I am not allowed to let others use the facility’s computer under my keycard. And according to what happened just now….your keycard doesn’t seem to be working.”

Fuck. Well, I had no choice.

“Alright. I’m looking for….Dr Auther Tager.”

“Alright, please wait a moment….C44, Dr Tager.” I scrutinised his face for any signs of shock or fear, but there were none, just a bright smile. Either he was too stupid to link the two names I just gave to him, or he just wanted to be promoted so much that he didn’t care and just wanted to please any superior he could find.

“Thanks.” I walked briskly to Section C.

It was just there, but I was afraid to pull it open. I had hurried here in my rush to know the truth, but now that it was just a few fingertips away….apprehension enveloped me. I didn’t dare to….but I had to. Otherwise, how….how do I live this down?

I pulled the drawer open.

There was a body inside, with the feet sticking out of the loose wrapping. I gingerly reached for the toe tag, and…..it read “Auther Tager”.

It was this body.

I reached inside the wrapping, and carefully pulled the top part open, to reveal the face.

It couldn’t be. But it was. The same nose, the same hairstyle, the same mole near the bottom of the right cheek, that little tattoo of a sun in the hollow above the right clavicle….it was me. I was staring at myself.

A sharp pain erupted from the back of my neck, and suddenly, everything around me blurred. I leaned on the drawer for support, and sank down slowly to my knees. I clutched the back of my neck, and pulled out what seemed to be….a tranquilizer dart.

“Subject 69 is down, I repeat, Subject 69 is down. Dr Larsson, you can conduct your introductory session now.” That sounded suspiciously like that clerk. What an asshole.

I lay down on the floor, dizzy and immobilised. Every part of my body felt like lead. My eyes hurt as the bright fluorescent lights shone directly on my retinae. My fingers hung on the edge of the drawer for a few more laborious seconds before falling on my face.

Boots clattered into the room. Some dark figures loomed over me, giving me some respite from the blinding light.

“This is Subject 69. I know, he looks like your dear neighbour the late Dr Tager, but rest assured, this is not him. I know this is your first day here, and I know this may be shocking to you, Stanley, so….get used to it.”

Wait what? Stanley? A doctor? Okay, good for him….but why would he DO THIS?

“What happened to Dr Tager?” Stanley’s voice came out quite meekly.

I heard Larsson sigh. “Auther loved his wife. A lot. So when she died, Auther sort of went….mad.” I tried to grind my teeth together in anger but even my jaw was paralysed.

“He was still an extremely good doctor, but he dabbled in the occult, trying to bring his wife back, I guess. Now, you and I rational people don’t believe in such foolish stuff, even Auther didn’t, but what he went through….changed him. Of course, Mrs Tager never came back - but something bad, something illogical happened. Remember what happened a few months back?”

Several of the silhouettes nodded.

“A pity, that one. What a talent, wasted like that. Sure, we were both rivals, but I still deeply respected him. You see that one in C44? Yup, that’s him. The real Auther. For some reason, that body refuses to decompose.”

What the fuck.

“Then, ‘he’ keeps on waking up on his bed. We’re still studying why and how that happens. Those versions of him….they look like him, and seemed to retain some of the same memories, but….they are different. After receiving the first few, we realised that they were quite unstable, and could be dangerous to the patients.”

The few silhouettes bent down to grab my limbs, and moved me onto a gurney.

“So we decided to use them instead. Through some trial and error, we conditioned them.” Hands reached into pockets and took out my phone and wallet. “The first step, is to type this on the phone. It’ll provoke him and cloud his judgement even more. Then place them both beside his bed. I’ll give you more details when we visit his house at the end of the day. Come on lads, let’s get a move on. Right now, we have some new organs for transplant.”

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

My right cheek felt warm. The sun’s rays filtered through the slits in the curtain, and shone on my face. I sat up to stretch, flexing and curving my back. It was so satisfying, to hear my back crack, and feel the tension ease away.

I looked to my side to see my phone’s screen flashing some words against a white background.

DON’T DO IT AGAIN.

Don’t do what? I was puzzled, and also a little angry. The dark bold words spanned my phone’s screen, and burnt into my retina as I continued staring at it. It wasn’t just a warning or a precaution, it was like….scolding me. For something I did wrong. What did I do? I don’t remember anything….I only remembered collapsing on my bed, tired after a long day of work. What wrong can a tired man do? Wasn’t it enough that I slaved at my laboratory everyday, to put food on the table? Wasn’t it? WASN’T IT?

“WHAT DID I DO!!!!!” I raged at my phone, my spittle splashing on my phone screen. The display sputtered a little, showed some static, before returning back to my ordinary home screen.

Phew. It was comforting, to see my wife on my home screen. Her lips, curved up in a beautiful grin. Her dimples, ever so cute. And her eyes, normally so large and mesmerising that I would lose myself in them, but were half-closed as she was in the middle of laughing. I touched her face with my thumb, only to open my planner app.

Hmmm. It was Sunday. Today’s breakfast was spinach and poached egg on toast. What a healthy and filling meal to start off a splendid morning.

I made my way towards the kitchen to make my breakfast.