#and it's maddening cause i know i only want to do this as avoidance to self care that makes me feel fantastic and better about everything

[monty-glasses-roxy]

Hhhh maintenance to do maintenance to do but like. I kinda hate that I now have to think about Staffbot Lore for my stuff. Like yeah it bugged me a bit I never gave them the ability to be sentient before when I did the wet floor bots but I just. Kinda don't like 'em ngl

Like yeah story wise? Them being able to strike and shit is WILD and it opens up so many possibilities in terms of what CAN be done... But also things that's are too humanoid or designed to be human looking but not just don't vibe with me. I just sorta don't like 'em. It's not uncanny valley or anything I just have a dislike for hugely humanoid designs like them. I just really like my animals man. Like a special interest kind of love for animals and anthropomorphic animals from cartoons and games and stuff that has lasted a lifetime kind of thing, the human-esque ones just can't compete :(

Yet I'm gonna have to think about it now hhhh it's cool in concept and it's been on the back of my mind that there's so many Horrors and fun stuff to be had with them. I'm just favouritist towards the animal guys with the attendant as an exception I guess cause I forgot about them when I started this whoops

Like??? They can be characters??? They can be sentient and aware??? They can have their own names but ONLY if they're freed from the network??? They have a hierarchy but at the same time they don't because they're all the same just with different jobs??? As though it's been forced on them but they know better??? They're not the smartest but their skillset is vast??? A lack of uniqueness on the scale of thousands and thousands???? Just like humanity if we lacked our creativity???? Can they be creative????? Would they struggle not to be exact??? If they're freed would they even know what to do with themselves as they've never once had a lack of commands to follow?????

Oh wait I've already don't this on a more specific scale with just One Guy this is literally what I was talking about last night but not specific to this fucking sad wet beast I dragged out of the Tubes god damn well at least I know I've already done most of the work I guess. I can use that guy as a base for what to do with the thousands... And the Minis as a guide for other stuff cause they're my guide for everything like this normally...

Hhhh maintenance to do okay bye

[liliewrites]

"MY CONVICTION"

a/n : hallo! part 3 of the worship series, and i am glad to announce that this series was a success!! yay, now that it's done. i hope you all look forward to my next one about to be released next week:)) thank u for readinggg hihi:)) again, big thanks to haddy for editinggg:))

-warning/s ; somewhat religious motifs(?), NSFW, fingering. furina might be a little ooc.

-pairings/s ; furina x fem!reader

- where in; these three women worship you, their lover, when hundreds and thousands, even millions of followers would drop on their knees to ask for blessings, for mercy, for prayers - and yet for you, at your beck and call, they would do anything you ask as they kneel for you at the same time, as proof of their devotion to you.

(men and minors dni utc!)

”Mon amour.."

The Hydro Archon sighed happily as she stared at your sleeping face. The both of you lie on the bed you both shared, with her holding you in her arms. she tucked the strands of hair behind your ear for she cannot help but ponder, have you ever realized how dazzling you are? Oh, for every moment she spent with you, each one not only ingrained within her mind— but burned within her soul. How could she forget? No, for she cannot. With every script she reads, for every poem she recites, for every song that she sings, if it relates to love that she feels for you then she cannot help but yearn for you. If she was deemed the star of Fontaine, then you were the muse of her every work.

To the people of Fontaine, she is the god of splendor and justice and with it, a heavy burden comes along and hides itself beneath the flamboyant façade she puts on whenever she bears the title. To her lover however, she was no more than herself— none more than a woman in love. The only time that she can ever recognize herself, was not when she held Fontaine within her hands, but when you held her within your own. She knows that she has a duty to fulfill, a prophecy to honor, an oath to her people— but sometimes she cannot help but wish that things had gone a different path, where she could just be herself with you. She sighed wistfully, nuzzling her face in the crook of your neck as an unnerving feeling of longing sank into her chest. 

Unbeknownst to the Archon however, her actions caused you to slowly awaken. You don’t move for a while, trying to grasp your senses for a moment. She only realized that you were conscious when you wrapped your arms around her waist as you let out a giggle, feeling ticklish at her nuzzling her face in your neck. “Mon amour, what.. oh, oh! I'm sorry, did I wake you up?” she worriedly pulled away from you, a feeling of guilt for interrupting your slumber.

However, she’d be lying if she said she didn’t feel her heart flutter at your gorgeous smile. “It is fine, cheri, I… don’t mind.” You yawned, leaning in to kiss her cheek with a wide smile. Oh, Celestia, her fiancé was both adorable and handsome even with bed hair and tired, morning eyes. However, you cannot help but noticed the melancholic stare Furina bore upon you and it worried you. “Is there something troubling you, cheri?” You ask, raising your head from her chest to take a better look at her face. The Hydro Archon seems surprised that you had seen through her, but this was not the first time you've had done so, you know her too well. Besides Neuvilette, it was only ever you who came to know her without her famous façade. She looked away, avoiding your gaze, not knowing exactly what words to say to you for she cannot admit her troubles.

You no longer press on, no longer wanting to make her feel uncomfortable or sad. So you leaned in to kiss her, causing her to be surprised once more but with a flustered expression this time. “Mon amour?” she asked, confused from your sudden shift of mood. You smiled at her, said no more, before pulling her in for a kiss. As you pulled away however, you couldn’t help laughing at the look on her face. Her cheeks a maddening red, her gaze flustered as she lay beneath you. “My Furina, you look so... baffled.” You chuckled, sitting up on top of her.

Furina was a woman of many words, but at the sight of you, it was as if she had became illiterate. It frustrated her that she couldn't find the right word to properly describe you, for your radiance was far more beyond than simple words. All you were doing was sitting on her lap with a messy button on, and you had already taken her breath away. “Mon amour...you look so...” her words laced with an obvious ache you couldn’t find the reason of, but she pulled you in to press her lips against yours and you could feel the yearning from her kiss.

Needy kisses turned into needy hands, the Archon’s hands slowly leaving your neck to settle on your thighs at her sides. you could feel her gentle caresses become needy grips, hands full of flesh, wanting to feel more of you as her sighs turned into whimpers. “Mon amour…I need you.. .” she whined against your lips, breathing heavily as you pulled away a little. 

“Then take me, ma cheri..” you mumbled, making Furina’s mind go hazy with the thought of only you. She looked at you with an enamored stare with her hands fumbling with the buttons of your button up. She was way too focused on her newfound intention to please you to feel embarrassed, but you found her trembling hands extremely adorable.

With your front exposed, her eyes froze at the sight of your bare body. Oh, gorgeous, gorgeous you. She immediately leaned in to press her lips against your tummy, loving the taste of your skin. Her hand went in to grab and squeeze your hips, completely addicted to the warmth that radiated from the fibers of your every being. You, you, you– her heart only wanted you and she could only hope that you wanted her the same way too. 

Whimpers left her mouth as she continued to kissed and sucked on your body, too lost in the feeling of drowning in the feeling of you to realize how your moans were slowly increasing in volume. Her lips met your ample chest, a gentle kiss. “Mon amour, I want to…  I want to hear from you, please?” She pleaded, looking up at you with pleading eyes that bore into you, making you unable to say no. You answered her question with your hands finding its way around her neck, hands pressed against her nape with your fingers tangled in her hair.

With your approval, Furina had let herself loose with her desire to please you and abandoned all restraint from doing so. Her hand moved to caress your lower back, pulling you in closer to her as if she wanted you to melt into her. Her mind was only filled with you, the sounds you make and how you shiver with every touch of her hand. Gently, gently, she thought, you were none but a gentle briar to her. She felt as if you’d fall apart with one wrong touch and that was against the best of her wishes. She only wanted to make love to you, to make you feel the enamor that you’d sparked within her. Right now, she was not a god, but a slave to your rapture.

Her hand crept up to the middle of your thighs, softly kneading at your flesh. “Mon amour, if only you could witness the sight you behold, then you’d come to know the desperation that you had invoked in me.” She mumbled, not louder than a whisper as she slid her hand higher. Your breath hitching, eyes closing, it made Furina question whatever had she done that deserved to see such breathtaking wonders. Her hands tugged off your panties, wanting to uncover more of you despite the fact that you had shown more than she deserved to see. Her heart fluttered at the sight, your slick dripping down your thighs and onto her hand. To Furina, it was a blessing endowed upon her by Celestia above- no, for you were the blessing itself granted to her by Celestia, and she was more than honored to call you as hers, and to have been the object of your affection.

As if to test the waters, not wanting to startle you, she gently ran a finger along your slit. her actions caused you to let out a shaky breath, tickling against Furina’s skin. “Ma cheri, please- don’t tease...” You moaned in a pleading tone and Furina's heart couldn’t handle the sound of your begging, no, she didn’t want that. She wanted to hear your blessed sounds of pleasure, to have it ringing in her ears endlessly as you writhe above her. 

“Mon amour, I’m not trying to tease...” She whined, sounding like a dejected puppy. Her fingers repeated the same motions from earlier, before finally complying to your wishes. 

“See? I’m doing my best to please you…” She mumbled in a whiny tone, wanting to prove to you her words, ending it with a kiss to your shoulder. She pulled you into her, as close as she could, as two of her fingers moved in to slowly feel your walls constricting around her. she couldn’t help but let out a whine of her own at your moans, wanting and needing more of it— of you and the blessing of witnessing you. 

“Mon amour, you sound so beautiful..” she whispers against your shoulder, kissing it once more as her fingers increased its speed, trying to find the perfect pace to make you feel the same delirium she feels just from looking at you. 

“Ma cheri- you’re doing great, more… more...” You pleaded in her ear, your hips bucking as you found yourself wanting more and more of Furina. Furina happily complied, absolutely delighted to see you immersing yourself in the pleasure. Her fingers pressed harder against the spots she knew you loved the most, her fingers settling on the pace that she was sure to drive you crazy.

Endless moans of her name spilled from your mouth, one after another, Furina.. Furina.. Furina, you kept repeating in her ear and with every mention of her name, you held onto Furina tighter and tighter. You toppled on top of her, completely leaning into her with your face buried into her neck as you felt your whole body weaken and tremble with pleasure, much to the Archon’s delight. 

“Furina- ma cheri.. I can't- I'm..”

You couldn’t even find it in you to form proper words, so Furina pressed reassuring kisses upon the crown of your head, as she was unable to kiss your face even if she wanted to. Your nails were digging into her back and she could feel it through her clothes. A little whimper leaked out her mouth but her movements didn’t falter. She kept going, wanting to see you reach your high and be immersed in it.

A loud cry left your lips as you completely reached your high, you could feel your insides throbbed around Furina’s fingers and she could feel it too. She watched you as you basked in your own euphoria, her mind capturing this moment like an eternal painting in her memories. You were far too out of this world, and as your follower, her belief in your enchanting allure remains firm and constant within her mind.

As you tried to catch your breath, Furina held you in her arms as she did before. It was only then when she realized that it was raining outside and as the fervor melted away, she could feel the cold air within the room and brush against her skin. Upon knowing that you were barely wearing anything, she immediately pulled the covers upon the both of you, cradling you against her to keep you warm. 

“Mon amour, are you feeling cold?” she asks, concerned about your well being. You let out a content sigh, not budging even a little bit, just wanting to sink into her warmth. 

“Ma cheri, if I may ask now, what was it that was troubling you?” You gently pry, but Furina knows she can’t tell. instead, she presses a soft kiss to your cheek. 

“Nothing, mon amour. when the deed has been done, I promise you...” She whispered lovingly into your ears, closing her eyes as she relished in her warmth- fearing that she may never once again, but she hopes that wouldn’t be the case. “I will find my way back to you, always. Mon cheri, even if Celestia forbids it.”

You no longer questioned her words, instead choosing to trust your lover. To the people of Fontaine, she was their god, their savior— you knew that she held many secrets of her own, a world that you cannot pry into yet to you, she was your lover. She was your Furina, the silly girl you had come to love and wished to hold. The woman on stage that you wished to kiss and yearn to be with for as long as you could. Alas, you couldn’t help but sigh at the implications of her words. “If you say so, ma cheri. I love you.” You answer and Furina feels as if all her burdens were taken away with your words. 

“Thank you for understanding, mon amour. I love you too…” She replied and she does love you- she really does. All she had to do now was find a way to fulfill the promise to her people so she could also fulfill her promise to you, wanting to experience more of life's greatest joys beside the woman she loves most.

[argisthebulwark]

All Emotion Dripped Away

summary: skyrim men and their red flags <3 gn reader, no gendered terms or y/n used. feat: Brynjolf, Miraak, Vilkas, Farkas, Cicero, Mercer warnings: some unhealthy relationship dynamics.

Brynjolf's inability to commit is maddening. The worst part is that you understand exactly what led to him acting this way - losing Karliah and Gallus at such a young age, Mercer effectively ruining every positive moment they've shared, thinking that he's lost you. You can understand his aversion to committing himself to another person but the knowledge doesn't make it any easier to handle. "Must we put a label on it?" He groans, dragging your chair closer to his. He leans closer, lips only a few inches away - he knows exactly what he's doing. It's his most common maneuver - kiss you until you can hardly think, distracting you from anything deeper. "It's difficult to think with you so close." You breathe, attempting to resist his charm. "Aye, as you've said." "Don't you want more?" You ask, allowing his fingers to creep under your armor. "Why ruin a good thing?" His kiss is full of heat, a promise for more to come if you're willing to forget this conversation.

At first, Miraak's protectiveness was sweet. He accompanied you on missions far from home and fought at your side. Losing Mora's power had only caused him to become more focused on retaining the skills he had. Over time, it grew. You noticed him tagging along on shorter trips, soon finding that even a quick visit to a nearby village for supplies was a two person job. You'd faced dragons and giants, climbed High Hrothgar and aided in the resolution of a Civil War - yet it seemed you couldn't be trusted to walk a few miles from home. "I don't want to risk you, my love." He insists, falling into step at your side. "What if you were harmed? What if you're hurt and no one is there to aid you?" You don't like this almost childish way he seems to view you - once he'd doted on you, though now it almost seems as if he doesn't trust you to walk without some grievous injury befalling you. He's coddling you.

As an outsider, Vilkas had always appeared confident, headstrong, willing to tackle any problem. He's strong and intelligent and well spoken, of course he can handle things. As a partner, you've been surprised by his avoidance. When you were a recruit he had no trouble voicing your many faults, even as his Harbinger he's been critical - but not his partner. Those problems remain firmly within his own mind. You know he bottles them up, stewing on these emotions until he talks himself out of being upset, rationalizing everything. "If you don't tell me what it is you need, I cannot give it to you." You've pleaded with him, desperate to make this work. "I love you more than I can say - please, all I need is for you to talk to me." "There is nothing to talk about."

Farkas' recklessness had saved your ass on many occasions, but as his spouse it left you a nervous wreck. He'd often laugh off your worries before leaving for days, unable to communicate due to clearing out some bandit camp. His lack of self preservation reduced you to a mess of nerves, trying to work through it but unable to stop your eyes from wandering each time a door opened. "It's not a big deal." Farkas pouts, kneeling before you. His armor's all strapped into place and a pack of supplies hangs over one shoulder - he's about to leave again. Your heart kicks into overdrive, fingers shaking when they clasp the sides of his face. "I always come back safe, dear." He reminds you, that easy grin on his face. "Do you not trust me out there without you?" "I'd feel quite a bit better if I were at your side." You admit, staring pointedly at the sword slung across his back. "We do work well together." He agrees, a kiss planted on your cheek before he stands. "But you're the Harbinger, you have more important duties." Of course you did - your duties included paperwork and worrying, both of which were beginning to wear on your nerves.

You can't fault poor Cicero for his inexperience - he spent far too many years alone, no one but the Night Mother to keep him company. Isolation had changed him, left him lacking the knowledge many others took for granted. Of course you love him, you'd fallen head over heels for the fool and never looked back, but your relationship didn't come without it's own trials. He'd never learned the common things to do in a relationship; little things many couples did like dates were nonexistent and he had no clue how a normal relationship was paced. Falling for each other was easy, why hold back? Why not go all the way? It didn't help that his relationship with the other assassins was strained at best - some were friendly, others shut him out entirely. You were the only one he could turn to, the only one willing to share a meal and a laugh with your beloved Keeper. "Listener, will you teach poor Cicero how to love you?" He coos, gently combing the hair away from your face. Your first instinct is to refuse, to tell him that it's too much - but the peaceful smile melts your heart. "I want to love you the right way."

Often, you find yourself what Mercer likes more - being with you or keeping secrets from you. He omits things that don't even matter which only heightens your anxiety on the topic; if he's willing to lie about something as trivial as who went on what job or which client he's meeting with, what else could he be hiding from you? You tell yourself that it's nothing, just a survival trait he's picked up over the decades of leading the Thieves Guild, but it's impossible to ignore. He doesn't seem to enjoy the jealousy it incites within you but you can't quite puzzle out what he gets from it. In the end, it's easier to accept that he merely enjoys keeping secrets. Only the gods knew how long it had been since he'd last opened up to anyone and you were afraid that prying would make him snap shut the little window you've carved out in his heart.

[prythiansfavoritefox]

I was still mulling over all he said when I slipped into my tent to finally change out of my leathers, leaving him and Elain to go find a place to wash up. And talk—perhaps.

Did you ever wonder what was said between the two of them? Well I wrote what I imagined transpired between them!

Lucien and Elain went to another tent, carrying buckets of water with them to wash themselves. Lucien had noticed for a relatively small woman, she packed a surprising amount of strength in her body. All that gardening must have paid off.

He hardly had any idea what to say to her. That had never been a problem for him in the past. He always knew the right thing to say in every situation, even if he didn't always say it (like with Amarantha). But with Elain...words simply left his brain. It was maddening. Cauldron knew he wanted to talk to her, but he didn't know how.

He hadn't failed to notice how Elain had deflected the kill of the King of Hybern to Nesta, even though it was her shot that had ultimately led to his demise. She might not have beheaded him, but she ultimately was the cause of his death. She must know that. But Elain, Lucien observed, was far more peaceful than her sisters. Perhaps the idea of taking another's life was abhorrent to her. That, at least, he could understand. Perhaps there was some sense in their mating bond, after all.

"You're staring," Elain pointed out. Lucien snapped out of his thoughts. "I-er-sorry." Lucien pinched his nose. This was going disastrously. "I was just thinking."

She tilted her head like a curious doe. "Of what?" She placed the large bucket in her arms down, picking up a small bucket to scoop water with to wash her hands.

Shutting up was not Lucien's strong suit, so naturally, the only option was to nervously ramble. "That I am guessing the King of Hybern was your first kill, and I know you despise violence, and so do I, but it's something that unfortunately we have to do under extreme circumstances, and I just wanted to say, that I understand your reluctance to accept that kill. I cried a lot the first time I took a life, and especially after Jesminda, violence disturbs me."

Elain peered at him with those curious eyes again. "Who is Jesminda?"

Lucien internally cursed himself for his inability to shut the fuck up. Not that he wished to hide Jesminda from her, but...he did not wish to speak of her at this time.

"My...well, she was to be my wife. Long ago. Unfortunately, that did not turn out well for either of us."

"Your father killed her?"

Lucien blinked. "How did you know?"

Elain shrugged. "Lucky guess." How the hell was that a lucky guess? He wondered what stories Feyre had told Elain about him. Had she spoken all about his father? Not like Feyre knew all that much about Beron herself.

Just then, Elain began to unbutton her shift. Lucien couldn't control his blush. "Yeah, well, I'll just..." then Lucien pointed in the opposite direction. Elain ignored him. Lucien cursed himself. There was no need to say anything in that situation. Motherfucking idiot. He quickly stripped and began to bathe in the water he had. He tried to ignore the sounds Elain made behind him, focusing on his own shower, but silence bothered him, and his stupid tongue desired to speak again.

"I understand if you're hesitant about the mating bond," he began. Still nothing.

"I just wanted to say...well you're immortal now. And I'm also immortal. You have all the time to decide what you want to do."

He finished off and began to reach for his towel, determinedly avoiding looking at Elain. As he dried himself off, she softly said, "You can look now."

Cautiously, Lucien turned towards her. "Thank you," she said. "For giving me space." She took a deep breath. "I-well, you know I was to be married. I still love him, but I know now that he never loved me." A little steel entered her eyes and her next words were colder. "Otherwise, he would've never rejected me so heartlessly simply because my body changed."

Rage took hold of Lucien's body, a desire to rip Graysen to shreds for having ever claimed Elain, for daring to hurt her feelings in such a heartless way. An uncontrollable mating instinct. He grit his teeth and clenched his fists, weathering the instinct. Deep breaths. One. Two. Finally, he managed to gain a hold of himself enough to speak. "If it makes you feel better, he's ugly and stupid with an eternal stick up his ass," Lucien suggested.

To his relief, Elain burst out laughing. "That does make me feel quite a bit better." Lucien felt a surge of confidence, the last of his anger dissipating, and he gave a bow. "I am at your service m'lady." Elain smiled. "Duly noted, m'lord." Something in his chest sparked at that.

My lord, she had called him.

Her lord.

Her mate.

Her Lucien.

[salubriwrites-blog]

LycaWise Angst story I'll never publish

I'm part of a LycaWise discord where we all circle jerk and share things we cooked.

After reading someone's little angsty one shot they wrote I was inspired. I'll probably never turn this into a full length story especially cause it was piggy backing off someone else, shout out Dartrickx and would only turn this isn't a full scale story with their permission and collaboration.

So I wanted to post what I had cooked in this feral brainstorm frenzy! (I'm literally copy pasting this from Discord, so it'll be disjointed, feral, and I'm NOT sorry). The story kicked off pretty cute - Lycaon and Wise go on a date where Lycoan proposes. Their romantic evening ends with Lycaon fighting off Ethereals, only to realize that he was somehow drugged during his evening with Wise. The Ethereals he fought did not exist, and the large one he fought was actually Wise. Who now lays dead, at the hands of Lycaon. Hugo Vlad - disguised as their waiter for the evening - had managed to drug Lycaon and has effectively framed the thiren for the death of the Proxy.

Here is my addition to what I think would transpire afterward: When PubSec arrives, all they see is a maddened thiren out of control of himself. Lycaon's defense is paper thin, the blood is on his hands, no one believed that he had been drugged and so there's no proof of Hugo's actions. The best thing they can do for him to avoid a more severe sentence is to plead insanity. He is a Hollow Raider after all, all that Ether corruption had to have an impact on him some how... so they plead insanity to save Lycaon.

So Lycaon pleads insanity, gets sent to a psychiatric prison. Hugo infiltrates it and masquerades as doctors, guards, whatever he needs to be around Lycaon. This causes the staff to panic because he's trying to attack the staff, not a good look for him. As a result the prison isolates him further, muzzles him up, puts him in a high risk ward. Basically only has like, two or three people that he sees at any given time of day (a therapist, a guard, a doctor, that kind of thing). Through a series of manipulations (social and medical), Lycaon starts to lose touch with reality. He becomes convinced that he is beyond redemption. Everyone has forgotten about him; Wise is dead, Belle will never forgive him, VHS had to distance themselves to save face. Hugo is all that remains. This does not happen within months either, mind you. We're talking like, years of Hugo doing this. Until everyone that Lycaon knew stops calling him, stops visiting, stops writing letters. He feels completely forgotten about and the only connection he has to his past is Hugo. Let's say about ~5 years go by. VHS has moved on, Ellen is maybe looking at a change in lifestyle. She works at a catgirl/maid cafe full time now, and gets a visit from a PubSec officer. One of them introduces herself as Zhu Yuan, investigator for NEPS. "Are you Ellen Joe?" They ask. She's suspicious, but confirms her identity. "When was the last time you were in touch with Von Lycaon?" They ask. Panic "Maybe three years ago. Why?" "He's part of an ongoing investigation." "I just said I haven't seen him in years, last I saw him he was in prison for murder. You should know where he is." silence "You… do know where he is, right?"

Ellen finds out that Lycaon escaped his isolation cell and they think he took one of the prison's staff hostage. Now Ellen may not think that he's totally mentally stable, but this is still Von Lycoan, Head Butler of Victoria Housekeeping Services and Hollow Raider we're talking about. He knows how to evade detection, hack any level of security clearance, and skilled in different forms of combat. If Lycaon doesn't want to be found, he absolutely can disappear. So she teams up with PubSec to find Lycaon, putting all of the training he inparted onto her to track him down. Doing her own freelance investigation, Ellen learns the truth about what happened. How Hugo had been there, following Lycaon and Wise, orchestrating the perfect crime with Lycoan at the center of it. She figures out that Hugo has been in that prison the whole time, and that this psycho has been torturing Lycaon all this time. Basically uncovers a whole gross discrepancy in the prison's system. "We'll make this right, but we have to find him before Hugo influences him to do something else" Zhu Yuan promises Ellen as they are closing in on Lycaon's location. Eventually, they find Lycoan and Hugo. They're back in the attic playing house or some weird shit like that. Ellen insists that she be the one to go up first and will call if things go side ways, because the presence of cops might agitate Lycaon. "Remember," Zhu Yuan says to Ellen before she disappears inside. "So long as he doesn't hurt anyone else, we can get his sentence commuted or even cleared. That includes you." "I'll talk some sense into him," Ellen promises. Except- "Boss?" She calls, relying on her senses to penetrate the dark room. Though it was day time, the sun hanging directly over head cast the room in unmoving shadows. Lycaon attacks Ellen, she jams the handle of her pole arm between his teeth to stop him from biting her. He doesn't recognize her anymore, she barely recognizes him. He's gray, gaunt, and wild now. A trace of the regal thiren she knew, he's become something of Hugo's creation. As Hugo is standing over Ellen, giving a monologue about how he's won (because he has to) while Lycaon slobbers and snaps at her face as she holds him off with her pole arm, she manages to reach into her shirt and pull out a necklace, and hanging from the chain is the wedding band. Wise's wedding band.

Lycaon sees it and he freezes up as she says something not very dramatic but to the extent of "You forgot about me, that's fine. I deserve that because I forgot about you first. But you would never forget him." Because it's true, Lycaon could never forget Wise. Even when everyone else forgot about Lycaon, and his love for them turned to bitter resentment turned to nothingness. As Lycaon is having this mental collapse, she beats Lycaon over the head and he blacks out. Now that his weapon is out of commission and no longer a danger, Hugo starts to beg for clemency. Then threatening her. But Ellen Joe is a badass, and she calls in PubSec to take care of him and get Lycaon the help she needs. After that day she promises to never leave his side again. She failed him once already.

Hugo goes away for a long time for the grocery list of crimes hes committed. (Tampering with a crime, 1st degree murder, impersonating law enforcement, aiding and abetting a prisoner's escape, unlawful imprisonment). It takes Lycaon a long time to come back from all of that. Ellen and Corin stick around to help him, Lycoan may never get his job back as an attendant for VHS, but maybe Lily's family rehire him full time. It all comes to a head when Belle forgives Lycaon. So they start penpalling, then phone calling, and finally one day they decide to meet somewhere in person - we're talking years later. When Belle arrives she's older now, and she's not alone. There's a young boy with her that looks sort of like her, and at the sight of Lycoan gets really shy, but she insists that Lycaon is a friend of the family. He knows that this is her son, and recognizes how important it is to her that she introduce an important man in her life back to Lycaon. The trust that they've rebuilt is fragile and all hinges on if this child approves of him or not. "This is my son, baby do you wanna tell him your name?" She asks. "My name is Wise..." He is hesitant to say it, maybe he thinks its stupid, or other kids bully him for it. He doesn't know its significance. Choking back tears, Belle watches as Lycaon gets down on a knee and takes kid Wise's hand and gives him a formal little handshake. He can tell that he's immediately imprinted onto her son, who will now have a bodyguard and best friend for life. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young master. Your mother and uncle are very dear to me, should you ever need my assistance, I will be at your side at a moment's notice." Kid Wise stares up at him with these big eyes and goes, "Cool… can I touch your tail?"

[bronx-bomber87]

Happy Saturday everyone :) The next stop in our S1 rewatch is episode 12.

1x12 Heartbreak

Oooh man is the name accurate on this one. The final chapter in the Tim/Isabel saga for s1 and it’s a doozy. Stab right to the heart emotionally. We had a Lucy forward ep earlier with the Capt. This is our Tim centered one. A very important one at that. I’m excited to delve into this one. This review will mainly focus on him. Love me some Tim Bradford.

Right off the bat this man is killing me. He seems so damn hopeful when he arrives. Hesitant still but a hopeful look in his eyes. Telling Isabel she looks like herself again. He seems so thrilled she actually went through with rehab. To see her look like his wife. Something I'm sure he was worried he would never see again. Its written all over his face. Eric CRUSHES this ep. Always in awe of his performance. He's a treasure.

Isabel tells him she wanted to leave every day, but something made her stay. Tim asks what? She tells him she wanted to make sure Tim got to see her sober. *heart clutch* Then we get to see that gorgeous smile of his. He makes a joke saying his job here is done and pretends to leave. Isabel laughs at him being a goober. This the least stressed/broken he’s looked around her the entire season. It’s wonderful to witness after all the hurt.

Isabel starts off by trying to make amends with Tim. Because of all the people in her life she cut him the deepest. She wants to be honest with him so he can start to trust her again someday. Classic S1 Tim just wants to put it in a box and never open that box ever again. The opposite of what Isabel is trying to achieve. Just wants it to be black and white. That Isabel only did the things she did cause she was an addict. Poor Tim is denying the fact that it’s so much deeper than that. He’s dreading/avoiding the outcome of it not being neatly tied up.

What that’ll mean for them and their marriage. Saying addicts have it hard wired in their DNA to lie, steal and cheat. That he knows she couldn't have helped all that. The way he lays it out for her makes it sound like he can never trust her again. Isabel addresses this right away.

She stops Tim tells him she’ll always be an addict. Tim once again is trying to put it into a box he can comprehend. Which is it wasn’t Isabel that hurt him it was the drugs. To him now that she’s clean she won’t do that again. You can see how her replies are in massive conflict with his. He doesn't want to re-live it all again where she is trying to do so in order to heal. Tim just wants to put to behind him and forget. Where as she wants to confront it and have him face what she did to him. Driving her crazy that he wont do so.

She is wanting atonement for her sins and he’s saying it wasn’t her. Oh Tim. He loves her so much he refuses to let her fault herself for what she did. Much easier for him to have something to blame it on. She gets mad and tells him his black and white outlook is maddening. Where as to Tim he sees comfort in his logic, his ability to just strip something down and put it away. You can see how its frustrating her. His avoidance is because he knows if he faces this what the outcome will be...Its why he's trying to downplay this whole visit.

Kills me the way she tells him she couldn’t live up to his standards. That she only felt like she failed him. This I feel was more on Isabel than it ever was on Tim IMO. If she had just told him he could’ve listened to her. Worked on it together. Tim couldn't fix what he didn't know about. He loved her so much he would’ve done anything for her. All she had to do was communicate how she was feeling. Instead she let it fester and become such a problem that she turned to drugs for a release. That to me seemed to be the root of her addiction. In her mind she couldn’t live up so she had to numb herself. Find a escape from that constant feeling of failure.

What sucks is while she is unburdening her soul she’s adding to Tim's. The look on his face above shows me he had no idea she thought this. Not a damn clue. By off loading her demons she's given him an insecurity. One about himself that he will carry for years to come. It rears its ugly head in 5x21 with Lucy. (Where she shuts it down. Refuses to let him live in those fears and makes him confront them. Forces that communication he never had with Isabel. Or with anyone before her really. More proof why she’s his person ❤️) But that is MUCH further down the road . What this shows though is what an impact Isabel's words had on him even years later. It just laid dormant. Like an emotional time bomb.

Isabel is telling him it’s ok to be mad at her. That he’s supposed to be. This is the way it works. Except he can’t....Tim is having this internal battle. Fighting against his loyal nature about being mad. I relate to this so very much. I too am a deeply loyal person. When you’re as loyal as Tim is it’s so hard to see fault in those you love. Almost like you’re betraying them by doing so. He’s struggling so hard with the idea that she hurt him and it wasn’t all the drugs.

He’s so tired from this whole ordeal. Even though he should be angry all he wants is his wife back. That has to be the saddest part of this whole situation. It’s why he’s dismissing everything. He thinks if he does he will get his life with her back. He wants to erase the past year and a half. To just have it go back to the way it was before. As they near end the of their convo the tragic look in his eyes destroys me. He knows it’s over. Tim's hope for recovery/reconciliation is gone.

His body is defeated and he’s started to retreat emotionally. Tim tells her as his final piece, how everyone told him to give up on her. That she was lost. His reply breaks my heart. ‘What kind of husband would I be if I left you while you were lost?’ That deep love and loyalty coming into play strong. Killing me softly sir. Telling her she wasn't lost anymore, his role in her life was now over.

This portion what makes me the saddest. Tim being Tim is going to take the entire blame. If it’s going to lessen Isabel's pain/guilt he will burden himself with it. Take on the extra load emotionally. If him removing himself from her life makes her recovery better that’s what he will do. Because that’s Tim Bradford. He will always do what’s best for those he loves even if it destroys him. Makes him feel less than and second place to those people.

Absolutely kills me how he thinks he’s the problem. The reason she’ll never move on. When he’s the reason she’s even alive right now. But being the noble good man he is, Tim removes himself from the situation. Realizes there is nothing left to save. He’s the one who makes the call that it’s the end for them. That is growth for him that he can see this. Something Tim had been chasing for a year. Trying to get her to get clean and then back to the way they were. A dream now gone.

He came into his visit so hopeful and happy. Everything about him Is crushed when he leaves her side. That hug is the most depressing hug. Because it’s goodbye. They both know it. It’s goodbye to their marriage, to who they were before this and to what Tim had hoped would happen when he came to visit her. Sadly life can't be tied up neatly with a bow. There is an unrecoverable loss to this and its harsh reality for them both. More so for Tim IMO.

They both crush this scene. The way she fidgets before he leaves. Then makes sure to tell him thank you. They’re both on the verge of tears. Tim asks her what she’s thanking him for? Her reply is ‘Never giving up on me.’ He can't even muster up a small smile after. That is a sad and broken man that walks away from Isabel. I am crushed. Someday you’ll be loved properly Tim I promise. ❤️

Tim is so damn defeated in every way when we see him back at the station. Nell catches him and can see he isn’t ok. He tries to brush it off and go bury himself in paperwork. She takes him at his word and starts to leave. Then he does something he probably wouldn’t have done in his pre-Lucy days. He asks Nell if he could have a friend tonight. This is such a huge step towards who he becomes later. Finally just asking for some comfort and help.

Instead of being alone drowning in sadness and probably some self loathing, he chose to ask for help from someone he knew he could trust. To have someone to be there for him. I’m so proud of Tim. The growth he’s had already in this season been immense. His character arc along with Lucy’s is just so damn satisfying to watch. It’s slow but steady af. Love this man.

~~~~~

Side Notes- Non Chenford/Tim. Not really much TBH this ep all consuming for Tim for me. Got some good Wopez in the ep their first break and all before getting back together.

Jackson and the Nurse super cute to watch. His first romance of the series.

Thank you all for reading per usual. Your likes/comments (which i LOVE) and reblogs mean the world to me. Shall see you all in 1x13!

[roleplaybook]

RP PSYCHOLOGY: SELF FULFILLING PROPHECY

Britannica defines a self-fulfilling prophecy as a "process through which an originally false expectation leads to its own confirmation.”

It’s something we see often in the roleplay community; people who are posting ads are often doing so because they aren’t deriving enough from the hobby. They aren’t fully satisfied with the volume or quality of the RP they’re getting; they aren’t doing one of the plots they want to do. They aren’t writing as or against a character they want. They may have been looking for a long time.

⚠️ It should be noted that there is nothing wrong with not feeling that you’re getting enough from the RP. It should not be frowned upon or an immediate cause for current partners to worry. ⚠️

Many, many people consistently putting ads out there or responding to ads have been burned a lot. They may not have any RP going on at all, and we all know how frustrating that can feel. Ghosting is prolific. On top of that, many conversations between prospective writing partners go south and become hostile quickly. People run into enough flakes or creeps that they become jaded. The slightest hint of a red flag raises their hackles.

In these scenarios, the self-fulfilling prophecy can look something like this:

“Ten minutes and no response. Guess you’re gonna ghost me like all the others.”

Ordinarily, this person might not take a ten minute period of silence as a red flag. However, after being ghosted for the dozenth time, they flare up at the earliest whiff of phantasmic activity. The recipient of that message might have been using the restroom. They might have been eating a snack, taking a nap, or any number of innocuous activities they felt free to do. Upon returning to that message, however, you can guess what they’ll do next. 👻

It happens all the time. Being ghosted by this person only exacerbates the prophet’s negativity. They might add something to their ad like, “I HATE ghosts. If you’re just gonna ghost, don’t even bother.”

This tells others that this person is frequently ghosted. That in and of itself could indicate an issue with the RPer, even if in reality it was just rotten luck. It also tells them they’re angry — which makes them less courageous about confronting them if there’s an issue. To avoid conflict… they ghost.

So what’s the actionable step to being a better roleplayer and crafting better ads?

Don’t use your ad to vent or gripe about past prospective partners. Don’t complain about getting ghosted when you’re trying to get to know someone new. It’s frustrating and maddening, but these are not the times. These are not the places. And doing so is going to make the other person more likely to ghost, not less likely. Never in the history of haunting has a ghost thought, “Oh, but that person said I can’t ghost… so I’d better be up front and let them know I lost interest.” Ghosts gonna ghost.

Jussim, Lee. "self-fulfilling prophecy". Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/self-fulfilling-prophecy. Accessed 14 August 2024.

[cskdramatalkks]

today’s episode of alchemy of souls enraged me. like in episode 6 we got a good return to s1 levels of plot and progression. ep 7 was okay all things considered and then today’s episode was a flaming trashpile when it came to plot but more importantly character development and actions. 

like, for a crown prince that we praised all of s1 for not being a massive douche they really decided to spin it all on its head from even last episode. he and jang wook were largely okay, and then all of the sudden this mf decides that he’s going to side with jin mu for what?? everything about his character development so far says he isn’t totally on board with jin mu’s schemes and killing people and all the other shenanigans but today? nah. we’re going to ruin a perfectly good character who has a brain and is nice to watch and turn him into an absolute douche canoe. (turtle notwithstanding.) 

and then yun ok? girl. please sit tf down. season 1 was okay because you largely stayed in your lane. but the whole unrequited infatuation with jang wook going so far as to attempt to harm / expose the literal love of his life that he mourned for 3 years after she stabbed him through the heart? the point of this was?? we were doing so well when it came to women not sabotaging each other and then this happened. 

yul’s about half on brand and with his moral dilemma it sort of makes sense if you’re stretching. i’m still a tad confused about the murder naksu side of things, i think that was more related to the parasite? maybe?? but he desperately pleading with mama jin to not expose things and let the two live for a short while actually checks. 

naksu’s actions are the one that i’ll actually defend this time through. as maddening as it is to watch as a viewer master lee was correct in his assertion that jang wook finding out would cause the biggest moral dilemma of all time. the funny part about having two characters (wook and naksu) who don’t have motivations of their own is that things with the leaving for north fortress and not telling the love of your life that you’re their dead fiance because you know you’re going to die soon is very on brand. naksu thinks that she’s sparing wook the pain of finding out she’s alive only to have her ripped away again and would rather push him away than hurt him in that way again. (did someone say avoidant attachment). honestly, i’ll accept jang wook not realizing because the dude thinks that she’s dead and his judgement is definitely clouded when it comes to anything naksu related. 

but overall, the plot is stretched real thin right now. we’re fabricating problems off of out of character actions while also making me want to punch every single person on the screen in the face. (not you jang wook you’re doing great sweetie)

i really hope this takes a better turn because the hong sister have approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to fix this trainwreck of what should and could have been a really phenomenal ending to a great drama

[sofiiel]

Dial Tone Ch.3 | Lovely Bones

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You lay in bed, Motley curled on your stomach. He slept peacefully, and yet your eyes have been wide open gazing at the ceiling for hours. The ticking of the small alarm clock was maddening.

That terrifying feeling you felt in the hallway, it returned several hours ago. It sank into your core and spread, you could feel it crawl beneath your skin. "It's just the stress of everything, surely." you murmur, shutting your eyes tightly, hoping that sleep would decide to find you.

But you weren't so lucky, and by the time you so much as yawned, Motley had abandoned you and your alarm clock buzzed.

Rolling out of bed, you turn off the alarm and slide on your slippers. Trudging to your kitchen, the only way you'd survive today would be caffeine, lots of it.

Sitting on the floor on one of your many pillows that served as your couch, you flick on the TV, zoning out to the tune of your favorite early morning cartoons. "pft, and you told Eddie to grow up, hypocrite." you mutter, taking a sip of your drink.

The program cuts and the scene before you causes you to choke, spilling your drink all over the living room carpet.

"We're in the Forest Hills trailer park in east Roane County. We don't have a lot of details now, but we can confirm that the body of a Hawkins High student was discovered early this morning. Police have not released the name"

"Be sensible, don't panic could be anybody lots of Hawkins students stay at Forest Hills, just give him a call." You try and sooth yourself, going to your phone. You dial Eddie's Private line, "Yeah, I'm not here, you know what to do."

*BEEP*

Your palms start to sweat, and you check the time, "Maybe he's sleeping, it must have been a long night" You mutter, "just try again." as you redial one.

"Yeah, I'm not h-"

Hanging up the phone you chew at your bottom lip, "The main line then, Wayne should be home." You tell yourself and dial.

"You've reached the Munson resid-" slamming the phone down, you can feel yourself shake.

With your heart pounding, you rush to your closet and snatch a sweater out of it, hurriedly throwing it on as you snatch up your keys and fly out the door.

"Please, don't be the feeling," You murmured, mounting your bike and pedaling away. Cutting a corner quickly, you narrowly avoid the car as it honks at you. "Sorry!" you shout, continuing on your way.

You nearly fall as you dismount your bike, Your body shudders as you watch the police light flash, several vehicles surrounding the Munson home. "No, no," you whisper, breaking into a jog and then a run towards the home.

"Wait, you can't go in there!" Officer Callahan called, his arms hooking around your shoulders to stop you. "Damn it, let me go!" you cry out, eyes stuck to the open door. "Trust me, kid, you don't want to go in there." Officer Callahan stated calmly.

It was hard to breath, "I don't care, I need to see if-" Your words stop as someone calls for you.

"Y/n!" Wayne called again, with quick strides he pushed Officer Callahan away. "Get off, leave 'er/'im be, she/he's family." said Wayne. Callahan shrugged, he had enough to worry about and was all to happy to leave you to someone else, as long as it stop you from rushing into the crime scene.

"Was it, is it?" You can't form the words, "no," He said. Tears of relief broke through, and Wayne pulled you into a hug. "Then where is he?" You ask, muffled into his shoulder.

"We don't know." Wayne's words strained past his worry as he tried to stay calm for you. "He didn't call you?" Wayne asks. You shake your head, "no."

"But if it's not Eddie..." You whisper, looking towards the house, quietly you go unnoticed as you stand inline with the doorway. Your eyes had no clue where to look, and though your stomach twisted itself into an army knot, you couldn't look away.

"Oh god, Eddie." you breathe, "C-Chrissy." her names chokes you. Her body was as twisted as your stomach felt, arms and legs bent into odd angles. The damage was great enough to where even at a distance you could see her jaw had been pushed to the side, and her eyes seemed to be gone.

And somehow she still was just as lovely of a girl, even cut down on the living room floor.

Your head was spinning, the world beneath you seemed to turn faster. Turning you back to the trailer, you try your best to control your breathing. Closing your eyes, you breathe in deep through your nose, filling your lungs and mentally counting to seven as you exhale through your mouth.

"Ok, so where would you go?" You ask quietly, opening your eyes. "I'm not going through this again, I'm not." You told yourself. Wayne walked up to you, "did you know her?" He asked you. You nod, "yes. Chrissy Cunningham." you say/

For a moment, your voice breaks, "She wanted to buy some product. She looked like she needed to decompress so. And I knew Eddie used to like her, I thought it would...help." You explain.

"This ain't your fault." Wayne said sternly. "I just, need to find him." You say. Wayne gives a nod, you hated to leave him alone to the police, "but I doubt I'd be much help around here anyway." You thought.

"Keep me updated, and I'll do the same for you." Wayne said, before turning to head towards the police.

You stopped your bike in front of Jeff's house. There you found Corroded Coffin gathered in the garage, but no Eddie. "Has Eddie called any of you?" You call out as you walk the bike up the driveway.

"Y/n?" Gareth questioned looking you over.

"You're in your pajamas." Nick said.

"Did Eddie call you?" You repeated, "I damn well know I'm in my pajamas." you added quickly. "No, we haven't heard from him." Jeff said. "Y-you've seen the news too." He added. "Yeah," you say, swallowing hard, "and I saw....the body."

"It's bad," you relay carefully, trying to stress it, "real bad. It's not something Eddie would do, or even could do." You try to explain. Her hand shook as it moved to touch below your eye, "they pushed in or took out her, her..." you shook your head.

"Eddie might be in trouble. In more way than one." you say.

"They can't think he did it." Gareth said.

"That's not the only thing I'm worried about, If they could do that to her, whoever or...whatever, and we can't find him," You rambled.

"They might still have him, the killer might have Eddie." said Jeff.

You swiped a tear away from your eyes, you couldn't let them fall now, or it would consume you. "You don't have time for that." You think to yourself.

"The first forty-eight hours are crucial, right? We all need to be looking. I’m going to see if maybe Harvey has seen him." You say. Nick gave a nod, "We can go check the Hideout, it's in the name, right? Maybe that's where he went." Nick said.

"Thank you, we'll meet up back here, after." you say while climbing back onto your bike.

The light breeze brushed against your skin, it was hard to feel it. In your head, all you could think of was standing in the school hallway, watching Eddie as he walked away. Beyond that was a merciless cycle of what if's.

What if someone had him. What if he had gotten away somehow. What if the police already had Eddie at the station. What if he some somewhere scared. What if he was -

"Stop it." you tell your thoughts.

The moment Harvey spotted you, he simply shook his head.

"Shit." you whisper, Harvey passed you a candy bar, "chocolate's good for bad nerves. Or at least that's what my wife says." He tells you. Your eyes wander over to the beat up white van, "You don't think it could have been those strangers that pushed that van in, do you?" You ask.

Your words rushed out quickly as you said,"Maybe they were desperate for another ride, tried to take Eddie's van and things went south."

"I doubt it, don't let your fear drive you crazy. Eddie's tough, I'm sure he's fine. I just feel sorry for that poor girl." Harvey said.

"Holy shit." You exhale, wide-eyed. You turn to Harvey, "Jason!" you nearly shout. "Eh...who?" Harvey asked. "Chrissy's boyfriend. He's a hot head, and he can't find out." You said, "but of course he's going to find out, they always question the boyfriend. He might already know... I need to go." You ramble quickly again, leaving in a hurry.

"Where are you going!" Harvey called. "To keep looking!" You call out.

After hours of searching and regrouping with the boys of Corroded Coffin, you returned home. You couldn't wander about in your pajamas forever. "When the police come to your door, and they will, teh last thing you need is for the whole town to remember you rode about town in your sleep clothes." You tell yourself.

"They'll think you're crazy." you sighed, checking off names from your list. Reaching out for your phone, you went to call another number, when it rang.

"Eddie?" you ask as you answer.

"I...no, sorry Y/n, it's just me." Dustin said.

"Henderson?" You ask, "Have you seen-"

"No, that's why I called you." Dustin said quickly. "I'm guessing that means no," he added. "Have you at least heard from him?" he asks you. "No." Dustin could hear the cracks in your voice, he'd had little sympathy over the breakup as from his view it was your fault, but you knew that was nothing short of his loyalty to Eddie, who greatly looked up to.

"Gareth, Jeff and Nick haven't heard or seen him either, we've all been looking. I was going to call you and Rick, but I can't track down Rick's last name and I think he's supposed to be out of town. So his place is probably locked anyway and-"

"Ok, ok, wait. Y/n, breath." Dustin said quickly.

You do as you are told, and the dam breaks.

"Oh jeez..." Dustin murmured.

"Wait, You just say Y/n?" Asked Steve, "I'm kind of talking Steve, friend having an Ex essential crisis here." Dustin whispered, covering the bottom of the phone receiver.

"Existential crisis" Robin corrected, "no, no I mean Ex essential crisis, they broke up like weeks ago, and it's been -"

"Henderson?" You asked dryly through sniffling.

"You can hear me, can't you?" he asked. You can't help but give the smallest of smiles, "yes mini, I can hear you." You say. "Sorry, this means I don't have to use my mom voice?" Dustin asks.

"Mom voice?" Max questions quietly.

"Yeah, kids crazy good at mimicking the way his mom talks." Steve said. "So what's up with the reaction to Y/n? Old crush? On your radar?" Robin asked Steve. "No, nothing like that, she/he fell out with Nancy back when Barb went missing, blamed Nancy for it, because they were non-mutual mutual friends. I had to listen to Y/n this and that for a year, so the names kind of haunting." Steve ranted.

Robin blinked a few times. " Is everyone you know connected to the surrounding weirdness?" Robin asked.

Steve simply nodded.

"How long have you been at this?" Dustin asked you over the phone. You rub your forehead in frustration, and groan, "all morning."

"We're calling too, Steve, Robin, Max and Me. You know Steve and Robin. From band and-"

"Wheelers Ex." You finish, "yes."

"So take five, We were just about to dig into Reefer Rick ourselves." Dustin stated calmly, for fear you'd start crying again.

A knock sounded off at your door. "Someone's here, It might be-"

"Go, I'll call if anything comes up." Dustin said quickly before ended the call. Dropping the phone onto the cradle, you hurry to the door. Swinging it open with a hopeful smile, it's knocked from your face fast.

"Chief Powell," You greet.

"Not who you expected?" He asked. You shake your head, "isn't that a dumb question, considering?" You can't fight a sneer in your words. "Come on in." you sigh.

On the floor, Officer Callahan and Chief Powell sat before you on your floor pillows. Callahan looked around your small fourplex apartment. "And you live here alone?" He asked. "For the past three years, yes." You mutter.

"Where are your parents?" asked Callahan. "Probably halfway across the states in different directions. You didn't come to ask me about this side of my personal life." You snap.

"Touchy?" Callahan asked.

"My boyfri-" You exhaled and bit your lip, "my ex-boyfriend is missing and someone's killed his friend in his house. Yeah, I'm a little touchy." Your eyes turn to Powell. "Have you found any leads? Eddie could be in trouble, in danger." you press for answers.

The two officers glance at each other. "What makes you so sure he didn't do it?" asked Powell.

"Because that isn't Eddie. I've known him half my life, he couldn't do a thing like that, if he wanted to." You try and reason. "But you're the ex, how do we take your word you might be covering for him." said Callahan. Reaching into a manila folder, he pulled out two pictures and held them out to you.

"You were a member of Hellfire, every year." He said. Your eyes are stuck to the old Polaroids, they were taken for the school paper. One was the first official meeting for Hellfire. Freshman year, when you and Eddie were locked in what Wayne liked to call 'The Honey Moon' stage.

In the photo, Eddie was perched in his prized chair under the Hellfire shield, and you were on his lap, hands cupping his face as he'd pulled him into a kiss before the camera flash. It killed the composure of the photo, Nick rolled his eyes, Gareth cheered, and Jeff stood with his hands on his hips shaking his head.

But Eddie loved that photo, and so did you.

"I left Hellfire, after the breakup. Before that, I hadn't been in days, weeks." You say. "Kind of convient isn't it? Did you know or have a hunch that something was going to happen?" asked Powell, earning himself a glare.

"No. As I said, that sort of thing isn't Eddie. It's not anyone in Hellfire. We're just nerds playing make believe." You say slowly. "The world loosing it's shit about Dnd. Sure, fine. That's just mass hysteria because one vile guy did a thing. He was the exception, not the rule." You rant.

"Maybe Eddie couldn't find the line between the fiction and the reality." said Callahan.

"Who hand fed you that bullshit and how many times did you gag on it?" You snap. Then leaning back against the wall you continue in a coarse voice, "If you believe that, you have to up root the games at the arcade, you have to stop production of half the movies in the theater, pull songs off the radio, yes old man even some of your favorites. Because if you're worried that someone can get lost in the fantasy - everything we consume in our heads is a story, a fiction, these days."

"You know what someone lost in Dnd who went batshit crazy would do to a person?" You ask, leaning forward. "They'd use swords, axes, a bow, maybe fire, so it felt like magic. Chrissy would have been hacked to pieces. Not intact and looking like she fell from a twenty-story building." you glare at the two police officers.

Callahan opened his mouth to speak, "Worried about his taste in music? Same thing, Metalhead losses his shit and decides he wants to kill somebody, it'd be a bloodbath, they'd make it brutal something worthy of an album cover. But Eddie isn't Crazy." you cut in.

"Instead of suspecting him, he should be considered a victim too." you whisper, voice breaking yet again.

"So what was the break-up about?" Callahan asked. Your eyes narrow and Powell can tell you're nearing the end of your rope.

"I told Eddie to grow up because he was spending too much time playing games! I basically told him he was being a kid, and it hurt his feelings. He got scared I was ending things, so he ended them first." It comes out in a raised, shaken voice, and once more you can't reel yourself in.

"He called to take it back, I missed the call and then after thinking about it, he thought of me and kept the break-up so that I could move forward in life." You flung the tears off your cheeks with your fingers, glaring at the two men before you.

"Could the break-up have sent him over th-"

Through clenched teeth and seething eyes, you struggle to voice the words "Get out of my house" calmly.

"Look, I'm sorry if officer Callahan has off-"

"I said get out of my house. I've complied. Get out, you want more time, bring a warrant. You're not listening. So I'm done talking." You seethe.

You point to the door, "you can show your own selves out. I need to get dress and do your job and actually look for him." you say.

Powell urges Callahan to stand up, and both men head for the door. "Sorry for troubling you." Powell sighed with a shake of his head as he closed the door behind him.

For a moment you linger there on the pillow, hands gripping your ankles tightly as you stared at the front door. Trying to keep the calm you'd managed to hold. Mad at them and equally mad at yourself.

Hellfire game nights always ended the same when you and Eddie were dating, playful roleplay in his room or at your place that would have you both sore and exhausted the morning after.

"If you hadn't opened your big mouth, last night wouldn't have happened, whatever went down in that trailer." You murmur to yourself.

Getting to your feet, you lock the front door and head to your room. You would need to be dressed and prepared for anything. Half the way was already gone as it was.

Previous | Masterlist | Next

[justonemorechapternicercy]

⚠️ Warning: NSFW, oral

Michael stormed in like the whirlwind he was, shedding layers of bloodied clothes across the floor as he walked to the bed without a single word to Percy's direction. The son of Poseidon - the only person who should inhabit the cabin - winced, knowing that his boyfriend had to have enough of everything if he was in a state like that.

"Bad day?" he asked hesitantly, walking towards the bed, where Michael's form was laying under the soft blue blanket.

"Hn," huffed the leader of the Apollo's cabin.

"I thought today would be good. No big quest was planned, or anything," Percy mumbled, caressing Michael's hair that peeked out from under the blanket.

"The Ares cabin thought it would be a good idea to 'teach' some of the younger kids. It was a fucking nightmare, I'm glad you didn't have to deal with it," Michael growled, flipping the blanket off of him. "Thankfully none of the injuries were serious, but as many of my siblings are in school right now, there weren't enough of us to tend all of the wounds."

"Fuck. I'm sorry that I wasn't here," Percy said, hating the fact that while he was in school, his boyfriend had to deal with that. He could have stopped the Ares kids - but maybe he would have just caused more injuries. "You know what you need?"

Michael raised a skeptical eyebrow. "What?"

"To let off some steam," Percy grinned.

The son of Apollo sighed. "Babe, I don't need to fight some more. I had enough for the whole week."

"Love, who said I was talking about fighting?" The son of Poseidon winked suggestively. The older demigod stopped, staring in disbelief.

"Percy?" He asked hesitantly, knowing that his boyfriend was anything, but sexually active. It had to be a misunderstanding, right?

The younger boy stepped right into his personal space, brushing a hand across Michael's naked neck, causing goosebumps all over his body. There was no room for misunderstandings.

"You need to let go of the stress. I have a way to do it for you," Percy informed him. It wasn't the peak of passion, but knowing Percy, it was enough for him to feel himself hardening. He loved the boy, he had no need for sex to feel secure of their relationship, but when Percy offered something, anything that would led to orgasm? He was in. He had treasured those times, never taking them for granted.

Before being able to reply, Percy already started rubbing his chest in a not-quite massage way, moving from his shoulders and his breasts through his sensitive sides to his taut stomach, then back again. It was relaxing, but also arousing - and also maddening when Percy avoided his begging bulge, moving instead to his hips. He shivered as Percy brushed his fingers across sensitive spots, when he peppered his quivering legs with kisses.

The soft little sounds he kept making were unconscious signs of his pleasure, and Percy happily took them in. While he didn't desire Michael, hearing him, tasting him, knowing what effect he had on the older boy was a heady feeling. It made him proud that he could make Michael feel good - it made him feel good.

Percy encouraged Michael to roll over, starting working on his overly tight back, lovely ass and muscled legs, making him purr and moan into the pillows. Working out the tenseness took a long time, so long Michael almost thought there would be nothing of the implied naughty part, when Percy leaned down, kissing him just above his ass, pressing his lips against heated skin. A whine slipped from Michael's lips as he twitched his hips, needing more of the feeling.

"Percy," he breathed. He rolled himself, then the both of them over so that he could be on top of his boyfriend, kissing him, licking into his mouth as if he wanted to make a map and he needed data for that. It was enjoyable, Percy loved kissing, but they could do that at any other time. All he wanted now was to give Michael such pleasure he never did before.

They break away with a moan, Michael - contrary to normal - staring down at Percy, breathing heavily, pupils blown wide, lips like red strawberries. What a nice picture, Percy mused, tangling his fingers into those lovely locks to make them even messier. Like the loveliest art, like an impressionist painting of a landscape. He could look at it forever.

"How do you-" Michael started, but Percy interrupted.

"Ride me. Ride my face, take what you need," he ordered, and the older boy was done.

"You can't say shit like that with such a serious face," he whimpered, hiding his face behind his hands.

Percy smirked, enjoying his reactions. The unflappable head healer of Camp Half-Blood, becoming a moaning mess just by hearing his boyfriend not even trying to dirty talk, only stating the facts.

He didn't know what was so good about sex that it made people so desperate, but he couldn't deny the satisfaction of being able to bring out this side of Michael was pretty amazing.

Percy settled his hands on his waist, promoting him to crawl over his body. It took a few tries until they could find the perfect pose, but… well. There was something interesting about his head being straddled. It was a bit uncomfortable to have Michael's bits so close to his face, but the sight of his leg muscles flexing made up for it. Oh, how much he loved the sight of muscles…

He caressed them, feeling them twitch under his fingertips, and Michael let out a soft groan. His cock is half hard and leaking, glistening before even Percy could put his lips around it. He wasn't cruel; Michael let out a sharp gasp when his tongue slid along the aching cock, gripping tightly on those lovely legs. Percy teased, licking along the pulsing vein, peppering the head with kisses, never taking the whole thing into his mouth. It was almost like a bigger-than-usual ice cream pop, only hotter, and saltier. He decided to let Michael have his fun too, it was for his pleasure, after all, so patting the older boy's tights, he opened and relaxed his mouth, signifying that he was ready for what Michael wanted to take from him.

The son of Apollo cursed, then rutted down hard. The pace he set first was short and erratic, as if he held back himself from doing it, but as Percy growled around his cock, he let go of all of his restraints.

Michael fucked into his mouth like there was no tomorrow, and Percy, for the first time in his life let all of his thoughts go. He floated as his face was stuffed full of Michael's member, just taking his boyfriend's pleasure, down his throat, into his heart. Sex was weird. But that? That was fantastic.

They kept going, cock sliding into Percy's waiting mouth hard and fast, all the way in, until Michael's whole body clenched. The groan that left his mouth was almost like a sob when he came into Percy's mouth, over his face, dripping everywhere.

After a moment or two, Percy let go of his hold, allowing Michael to almost collapse onto him. He helped him lay down on the bed instead, already missing the closeness between them. With a quick help of the water from the nearby fountain they got cleaned up, not wanting to get up from the comfortable bed. Michael made a pleased noise as Percy pushed himself against him, bodies flushed together as if they wanted to merge, and his whole body relaxed against Percy's.

"Thank you," he murmured.

"Any time," Percy replied, surprising even himself that he really meant that.

[bookns]

The Great War is every couple I ever read - Zoyakali and Percebeth in specific. The memory garden line obviously reminds me of the former. The Latter fought through two wars - 'nough said.

Bigger than the Whole Sky - this song is hard for me to think about because it reminds me of a place I once called home. A place where someone was home but they left and the place is gone now so it was truly bigger than the whole sky (ironically enough that was the place I used to stare at the sky and try to count stars. only place I could see so many stars staring down at me).

Paris. This song I waited months to hear - till I had the Parisian skyline in view. Paris reminds me of how as a girl this was the one place I wanted to live in. It reminds me of flirting with French girls and stumbling down allies with two girls that helped me escape. It reminds me sitting alone and staring out the window to a view that rivals them all. It was the first time I felt like a girl again.

High Infidelity reminds me always of this book I read called Loveboat Taipei. The vibes are the exact same and I just love this song (and I love how it sounds like a DJ in the back as a reference to Calvin) .

Glitch is the percanbeth song (or at least Can I Be Him) to me. This idea of friends being deeper than anything, even depending on the situtionship. That avoidance that comes with the line "I was supposed to sweat you out" is so percabeth. I also just love the way this song sounds like Jack knew exactly what he was doing. The irony that the Spotify canvas is of the Wildest Dream 'Glitch' is not lost on me.

Heads up - these next two songs are rough. Would've Could've Should've, the song that made my entire world shift as the lyrics of girlhood echoed in my ears. I remember my face dropping in utter shock. This song reminds me of him, the boy whom (ironically) I once danced with. I've spoken about how much I adore this song, the anger that Taylor propels to him. In my specific scenario, I remember being obsessed. Must I remind myself that I was a child. That the boy does not know his power and that the nameless girl that I was made created a voice and made her name. To me, that entire year of my life was charted by him. Those memories feel like weapons, angry weapons aimed at my head. It has never died in the years since. "Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts. Give. ME. my. girlhood. It was mine first.." I sincerely miss the child I was who still loved love and wasn't angry at the world for it. Many people in my real life find it maddening how ill trusting I am of love but the sad truth is I was too trusting of it only to feel the repercussions as quickly as a girl once did. "If I never blushed then, they could've never whispered about this. And if you never saved me from boredom, I could've gone on as I was." So many lyrics from this song hurt me like a wounded solider, but one that makes me sick is "You're a crisis of my faith." The boy I am speaking about was of my faith, and I remember my younger self priding of that fact. Now I say I don't know how to love a faith that made him seem so fake. I just regret him all the time. I wish that 13 year old me knew that "it's not meant to me" (yes that is a bigger than the whole sky reference).

Now to the final song of the 3AM version - my favorite song should I mention. I love how this song is a love letter to me - this is Taylor warning that they don't know me ("desert all your past lives") and just run ("if you don't recognize yourself, your doing it right"). "You don't have to answer just cause they asked you. Your greatest of luxuries is your secrets." Those lyrics are one that I think about in my daily life. I don't have many good friendships - I'm waiting for them to leave - so I just wait and don't tell a soul what I think. I am alone, and invisible ("I prefer hiding in plain sight") "You wouldn't take my word for it if you knew who was talking." I think about this lyric and this blog and if you all really knew who I was would I really be liked? "to a house not a home cause nobodys there." I oneday will get my own home in Europe and I'll be okay. "Where I pace in my pen and my friends found friends who care" my favorite lyric from the 3AM version. it just hits different as a writer whose always chosen last. "No one sees when you lose when you're playing solitaire" I am always on my own. Always have been.

(gee what song do I love the most - wait till the you're on your own, kid. It may need its own post)

[itsblossomsdiary]

lessons i've learned in year 2021

The lessons that I will be putting below are not chronologically in order. Happy reflecting!

Before starting the lessons I've learned and experiences in my life, I want to emphasize that this year 2021 taught me a lot of things and it is the year of questions in a bad and a good way. Those questions I have in my mind eventually help me to know who I am. The year 2021 is the year that I've discovered and deeply know myself more and tailored my beliefs and values on what would I be in the future.

Despite the struggles and challenges I've encountered this year, I am still grateful. It might sound insensitive for those people who suffered and find this year cruel but actually, I also suffered.

So here are the lessons I've learned in year 2021.

1. Stop seeking validation and pleasing other people even our friends and family but I will only seek it from God.

- Seeking validation from other people is unnecessary and exhausting, they didn't even care what's going in our minds and they are care also about themselves. They also don't have the energy to remember all our embarrassing moments nor to us literally. I think if we will not stop or reduce this kind of thinking it will empty us it will drain us and even dictate who we are. It's so delicate to let people decide on who we are.

- I know we love our friends and family and how they also want good for us. But, somehow the best thing that they have in their mind for us is not really the best thing for us. I appreciate that I am surrounded by genuine and good people in my life. I love them and I'm thankful to God that I've met them. We could ask for their opinions and insights but at the end of the day do not let them decide on how we will run our lives. I've learned this quote that we should not hold accountable other people just because we've followed their suggestions to us.

Do not make decisions if you will blame it on someone.

2. Do not be afraid to be rejected and reject someone or something.

- Rejection is a part of life. We cannot avoid it from happening to us. It is normal, it is not just being accepted lightly in this world. When we say rejection we always associate it with negative quotes.

Being rejected is saddening and sometimes maddening but maybe it is the way to teach us to be patient or to redirect our lives or to even modify something in our lives, you'll know it tho. You know I think when you will be able to make yourself experience several rejections it makes us mentally and emotionally strong. It trains and challenges us. We non-obviously benefit from it and it unconsciously gives the courage and handles rejections appropriately.

Rejection is notably based on how we look at it but I choose to look at it like that.

Moreover, rejecting someone or something is also difficult because we don't want to make people feel bad or miss opportunities by not accepting them. But I've realized that rejecting is also a kind of boundary that we've imposed on ourselves. Directly saying NO to others and saying YES to ourselves is one of the things that we are saying to ourselves that we love them. We want to protect our energy, our mental state, and even heartaches.

In this area, I'm still having a hard time doing it, especially with my friends. I still have these flaws where I will say I will try to attend or do this but deep inside someday I just want to rest. I just don't want to give 50% attention to them cause I don't have much energy.

Therefore, I'm very blessed to have a best friend, friends, and family where someday I could say to them that I don't have the energy or in the mood to go out or do some things. On the other hand, I ask them if are they also in the mood to do this or that.

[dear-eli]

Am I incorrect in thinking of you as a friend?

Not a best friend, not even a close friend (even though you're basically the only one I've got). But as someone who, no matter how infrequently we speak (or even if we never speak again), still thinks of me with kindness? Still passively wishes me well, or at very least does not actively wish me ill? Or has that changed? I need to know. I need to know because that will shape how I interact with you in the future. I need to know what degree of connection you still have for me, whether it's friendship or mere acquaintance, and positive, neutral, or negative.

I know you're busy. I know you're stressed and burnt out and your health is suffering. All that has been true since before I met you, to the point that I consider it a fundamental truth of who you are. I know you didn't really have time for me when we were together, and I don't expect you to make time for me as a friend. But I need to know how far over my shoulder to look.

Would you prefer it if I actively avoided you? If I unfriended or even blocked you on Facebook? Should I move off your claim in Minecraft and log off immediately if I were ever to see you logged on, or should I regard the server itself as your territory and abandon it entirely? If, out of happenstance, we ever ran into each other in person, should I walk the other way?

Or are we OK to stay as we are, sort of tenuously nebulously still connected, living on the same Minecraft claim and passing notes but never seeing each other, still friends on Facebook but never interacting (except when I unthinkingly cross an unspoken boundary and message you for some stupid selfish reason or other), not actively in each other's lives but not really fully out of them either, in some sort of gray-area liminal space between connection and non-existence? If we ran into each other would we make polite but awkward small talk, pretending we never were what we once were to each other, suppressing my reflexive desire to beg for a hug?

Don't get me wrong: I greatly and sincerely appreciate you not just fully going ghost and abandoning me the second I moved out of your house and left your life. It means more to me than I can say - and you know I'm very rarely at a loss for words. And it's not like I think some switch has flipped and you suddenly hate my guts; I do still know you well enough to know that would be out of character for you. But this friendship purgatory, this Limbo, is maddening in its uncertainty. If this is how you want to continue, I need it to be made clear. I need the ground rules to be set and clarified. Am I allowed to message you whenever I'm feeling sad and alone, or when my mom pulls her fuckshit, or to casually remind you of things happening on the server, without any expectation of response (immediate or otherwise)? Or does my reaching out to you for undeserved support create complications or make demands on your time etc, that are not worth the trouble they would cause for you?

I know you're not likely to actively seek me out for any reason. And I know I don't really have any right to directly interact with you anymore, either, and I don't want to make life more difficult for you just because I need reassurance. If you want me to back off and stop trying to be friends with you, I will. I just need to know where the line is so I can stop crossing it unintentionally.

I will still, always, carry positive feelings and goodwill for you in the back of my heart, whether we ever see each other again or not, whether we speak to each other next week or in 20 years or never. Like I said, I still think of you as a friend, which means I think of myself as a friend to you as well. That doesn't mean I want to rekindle anything romantic at all, by the way. I think of this sort of absentee friendship as more like a lamp, waiting to be plugged in, but shining bright as ever when that connection is made again. It's just up to you whether or not to plug the lamp in and how far to turn up the dimmer switch, or to put it away in storage for another day, or to get rid of it forever. If that makes any sense at all. I'm sure it probably doesn't, I picked up a bug at the Syrup Festival so now my brain is addled with cold medicine. This has kind of gotten away from me now. Hopefully I will clean it up a bit before I send it to you, if I ever do.

[akumarchi]

"There are two kinds of light – the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures." Sometimes we fool ourselves comparing a situation or a person to light , thinking it's bright and that we're enlighting ourselves when in reality we're just burning ourselves trying to reach the unreachable, attaign the unattainable. In fear of darkness and continuously avoiding it , avoiding what appear to be dangerous and suffocating, we let ourselves suffer from burns over and over again. Holding on few memories,few hopes , the few moments that seem bearble in order to not let go . Allowing ourselves to endlessly be consumed,afflicted,in order to not lose that light. A light so bright and suffocating that even more than causing distress , disarray, make us want to seek comfort in darkness and it's mysterious depths but shines the right amount from time to time to let us catch some breath and make us hope that whatever harms we've been through is over and only to repeat the process and trap us in a loop where even the thought of being doomed by the maddening confort of darkness appears as a refreshing escape. A bitter sweet situation where we lose our minds and ourselves ,but could get rid of the pain. A no win situation where i have to endure unbearable pain , that's what cost me to meet and know a person as bright as light or at least what others consider him as. Wherever you are, whatever you do,I Hope you're enjoying your glares

[bemylord]

dark chocolate

♧ character: toji fushiguro x fem!reader.

♧ warnings: au [omegaverse], heat, mentioned abilities and cigarettes, rough sex, hair pulling, oral, spanking, creampie, marks/hickeys, daddy kink, size kink, curse words.

♧ synopsis: his scent is dark chocolate mixed with cigarettes which maddening you. every your heat occurs distraught: sex-rest-sex. the situation is deteriorating if toji has his heat too, and it seems both you're going to have blazing heat because his scent is getting stronger.

toji is a fucking teaser: he didn't tell you that he was summoned as an experienced sorcerer killer. he knew you don't like his way to earn money, but still, you're by his side, baking him buns and please him at the night. you aren't having the toxic or abusive relationship with toji, just the thought he's killing a sorcerer somewhere far beyond a house, makes you crunch fingers. you told him you'll leave him if he won't stop doing his job, but he apologies with his tongue, and every time you forgive him.

your heat overwhelmed you spontaneously - you were baking lemon cake, specially for your lover, when your felt how the fever spread all over your body, covered every inch, and down there you felt how you became wet. your lover is gone - where the hell is he when you're needy for his pulsing dick in your dripping cunt? you turned off the oven, making small steps leading to the bedroom for his shirt.

you hate him so much right now: your heat happens every three months and it's time to have an unforgettable weekend with him. thanks to his work, he's far away from you; however, your estrus won't stop because your alfa had gone.

his fingers, his dick, you're a pathetic girl who desperately wants to smell the pungent scent of his man, feeling his throbbing dick inside your cunt, let him literally rip your uterus with his cock. you would reply: 'go ahead, fuck me that in the morning i will feel pervasive pain between my legs'

you rolled down the wall, sniffing his black shirt, remembering toji's muscular upper body, mostly abs, shines through the fabric of his clothes. his sweatpants outlining flaccid dick, although you didn't call it flaccid, but hard as rock cock.

that cock is sticks out from the fabric, those abs and biceps of his - you're dripping without your heat. his scent is dark chocolate mixed with cigarettes, especially the last one scent isn't it enough for you to become a huge mess?

'open your mouth, daddy will spit in your mouth'

who are you to disobey the simple order? your hands are tied up with his tie behind a back, you're sitting on your knees, sopping and needy for his tongue or fingers in your pussy now, but toji is teasing you until you'll be begging him.

'yes, daddy'

you opened your mouth, stick out a tongue, feeling his long fingers on your cheeks and his saliva in your mouth. you could swear to god it tastes like dark chocolate.

smelling his clothes while you've been necessitous for his dick sucks, although you've got no alternative for now, except for masturbating yourself. you reached down to pull aside the panties when you smell that scent. those forceful smells of his are overwhelming the bedroom, forcing your peachy scent to discover.

'don't you dare touch yourself, you're little whore'

you flinched, automatically removing your hand from panties. he's all wet, could bet he has been sweating since he left the house. toji is exhaling loud, probably lost his breath in the battle or while he was rushing to you. his olfactory organ could sniff out your peachy scent of heat far away from the place you're: his heat certainly took him suddenly as yours.

't-toji?'

'you know my name, peachy'

his damn it shirt silhouetting his torso, in addition, the fewer force his body to swear emits his smell became more piquant. damn his fucking handsome body and scent - if you won't have his dick, you would cry.

'daddy, please' you said almost crying, spreading apart your legs. so malleable, vulnerable, and poor for your alfa - the way you're lost in his smell makes him groaned, stood on his knees. if he has been on his first rut, he could barely control himself at the sight of your face: in your eyes are reading lust and debauchery, you're still squeezing his shirt, hoping it may helps you cum. leaning your legs on his muscular shoulders, toji left soft kisses on your ankles, unable to hold back himself, he ripped your panties, ogling at the abundance of your natural lubricant, licking his lips.

'i'm sorry, princess, i should've left you alone with your heat..' he pulls your cunt closer to his face, burying his nose in your crotch. fushigoru's sight changed to the deep and insatiable, knowing you won't fight back, completely haggard of the thoughts and desire. '..i don't think i'll go easy on you' he stood up with you on his shoulders, throwing you on the bed.

'you know how much daddy adores when you squirt on his face, baby girl, so don't hold back'

his-fucking-long-tongue. the tip of the tongue is playing with the clit whilst fingers are running over your hips. he's trying his best to prepare you for the fat cock, not ripping your cunt as it was the last time. toji's amorous attitude towards your clit and pussy, making you squeeze the sheet with your little fists, arching the back, getting lost in the pleasure. your eyes are rolling from the delight he puts you in, not be able to regulate your vocal and orgasm, you gave him what he has been asking for with an oblong moan.

'not enough, princess, give me your juices'

new orgasm is building up again, thanks to his masterpiece tongue - he plays with a sensitive spot and licking your entrance, switching the pace from the sluggish to the aggressive, makes you twitch and squirm over the bed. being soft for toji is something new - he would rather fuck you 'till you're verbatim screaming the safe word and begging to have a rest.

'give that, slut!' sorcerer screamed, burying his mouth deeper in your crotch, eating you out. his scent, his low voice, his tongue and fingers, his probably throbbing cock that wants to feel your cunt it all makes do his order, not even trying to delay it: you abundantly squirt on his face, watching at him. he licked lips, taking off his clothes. your legs are shaking, but the excitation didn't quench, conversely, the desire to feel his thick cock is growing.

'look down at my cock, aren't you being needy for it?'

the head is red because of blood that is there since the battle or since he started to lick you? toji's smears the precum on the tip of the cock, getting a contraceptive out of nowhere, putting on protection, pulls his ankles on his shoulder, leading closer to your face. he kisses you deeply, using a tongue to play with yours, mingling your saliva together, biting your lower lip. you're burying hands into his black hair, ruffling and pulling back, whimpering into the kiss. he presses the head at your entrance, biting your neck. notwithstanding he has been preparing you, his cock is large for you.

'your so tight, slut' with an unexpected move, he put his dick inside your uterus, burying it in, staring at your precious face. evidently, you didn't expect he would pull it inside quickly; your eyes widened, exhaling a whimper. toji couldn't persist, but embed a tongue in your mouth. he placed both of his hands between your head, detached from you, to ogle from the top at your ahegao. clapping and squishy are filling the room - his balls slapping against your ass making such sounds.

'kitten, fuck-' his low voice with echo distributed over the room, tilting his head back, accelerating the pace. 'i'm gonna slap your ass five times and will cum on my dick, got it, slut?'

praising and degrading you, squeezing the sheet with those strong palms, attempting to delay the orgasm until you do a creampie. 'one' sonorous sound made you squirm, but his hands give you none possibility of slipping away from flogging. 'two' toji's sturdy palm smack the same butt cheek, looking into your eyes. you're avoiding catching his sight, because, fuck, one look at his wet and gorgeous face and you will cum immediately. 'three, baby girl' you lost in the pain and delight, eyes closed tight, waiting for the last slap to give a creampie.

'fuck, four' he growled in your ear, increasing the tempo. the concupiscent and desire are managing him - he licked your neck first, before bite through your soft skin on neck, mixing your scent together, giving you a label for other boys. it's screaming - she's mine, fuck off, bastards.

'god, i'm cumming, princess, cum with me, cum with me!' toji's bass voice in conjunction with his thick cock released a creampie, finishing inside the condom. as soon as his hot semen was in the contraceptive, he pulled his cock out of your wet pussy, throw it at the basket near the bed.

'come closer, princess'

toji laid down on the pillows, pull you on his chest, rubbing your back softly, kissing your hair. both of you are breathing heavily, trying to regain the breath. he put his land on your cheek, giving you a thankful kiss on your lips.

'wanna take a bath?'

'only if you take me to the bathroom'

toji smiles, catching his breath. the heat isn't gone: you have a couple of hours to get a snack and wash your bodies before proceeding to the second round.

//~~//

i don't know if you love oneshots with toji [i mean love him as a character], if yes - i'll do the part two with the punshiment + aftercare. let say, three hundred notes? cause, yeah, he's kinda bad, but his body.. i'm simp. :3

[sirowsky]

Part 13 - The Shit Begins

Pero Tovar and Female Reader (nicknamed Bee) Modern AU

Pero's been taken and you're trying desperately to keep track of him, but things aren't exactly as they seem.

Creator chooses not to use Warnings! This is 18+ONLY! I’m happy to elaborate on what to expect from this part via DM.

Word Count: 5128 Masterlist(this story) Author’s Masterlist

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   Groot was relentless in his pursuit, as eager to find Pero as you were. And Happy remained on his heels, following his direction largely without your involvement.    They kept to a punishing pace, but their rhythm was fluid and their feet securely planted, neither stumbling nor misjudging a single step, so you had no problem keeping your balance while the three of you flew through the darkness.

   At first, the terrain was fairly flat, only rising and falling in soft degrees, like calm waves on a vast ocean, but soon the mountains to the west changed the landscape, making the hills steeper and the vegetation thicker. And the animals cut through that terrain much easier than any vehicle.    It didn’t take long before Groot started slowing down, even stopping now and then to listen, making sure you weren’t barrelling straight into the enemy like a raging bull.

   Your pulse picked up speed as you watched the canine work, reading his signals and body-language so you’d know when he found them.    The horse still followed his lead, getting sneakier as she noticed her leader getting more careful, watching her step and seeking the easiest routes to avoid large branches or complicated obstacles.

   Soon, voices started travelling through the damp night air, just barely recognizable at first, but getting clearer the closer the dog led you.    When you could discern the two voices and what was being said, you stopped Happy, and Groot mirrored you, freezing to the spot but standing ready to charge if you so ordered. For now, though, you needed to assess the situation and the threat, which meant getting eyes on Pero and his captor.

   Dismounting, you called Groot to the horse’s side with hand-signs, then commanded him to stay, hoping that Happy would follow suit, before you snuck closer to the voices, coming from behind several firs and ferns.    Making out Pero’s low voice instantly soothed your nerves, even though you’d been certain that you’d find him alive, since there was little point in abducting someone just to kill them. But it was still reassuring to have it confirmed.

   Slowly, you snuck closer, taking extra care to watch your footing, which was maddening when all you wanted was to run to your partner and set him loose.    But patience was something you had plenty of when you needed it, so you took a breath, and kept going, and after more than ten minutes of painstaking prowling, they finally came into view.

   Pero was tied up at the wrists, ankles and knees, but not gagged, laying on the ground beside the vehicle, while his abductor was trying to untangle it from a tough little bush that he’d apparently thought he could drive straight through.    The unknown man was not happy, but trying to work fast, using a knife to cut through the leathery stems of the plant, while his captor did his best to distract and disrupt his progress.

   “…wouldn’t be in this mess.” you caught the tail-end of the unknown man’s annoyed grumbling.

   “You made a mistake coming after me, Omar. You know that. You know me.” Pero warned, and a chill went down your spine at the acid in his tone.

   “I do know you, and I’ve never seen anyone thrive so much in this profession. You were better than all of us. Until you decided that no one else was good enough to deserve partnering with you, just cause that traitor bailed.”

   You’d found a good spot between two trees, where you were completely hidden, but had full view of them both, and you saw Pero’s anger deepen, in the lines around his mouth and eyes.

   “If I did not already have a mind to kill you, that would have been enough.” he warned through stiff jaws, and the man stopped working to turn and face him.

   “Why?! Why did that little shit matter so much more than the rest of us, huh?”

   Pero glared at him but kept his voice clear and sharp.  

   “Because he still cared. He did not kill for pleasure, only duty. Life mattered to him.”

   “Oh, so he was better than us? That what you’re saying?” the man spat, obviously offended.

   “Irrefutably,” Pero declared, before he added, “And if you think that I will ever work with anyone that talks about him in this way, then you do not know me at all. I would kill you for this alone. But you also threatened my family.”

   “I AM YOUR FAMILY!!” the man roared, leaning over his old colleague and pointing a sharp finger at him. But now you could hear pain along with the anger in his voice.

   If he perceived that too, your beloved apparently didn’t care. This man had burnt any bridges that might’ve still stood between them, the moment he’d showed up in town. The moment he’d decided to interfere with Pero’s life. So, he had no mercy to give this Omar.

   “You were.” he countered, still so filled with rage that even those two little words made his enemy instinctively back away.

   “So, what? You’re gonna kill the rest of us? Destroy the company? All the good we do?” the man prodded, and something cold crept into your heart as you heard your partner’s response.

   “To make sure this will never happen again – without hesitation.”

   Because that was when it hit you.    This had been his plan all along. Perhaps not letting himself get taken, which you were now sure that he’d allowed to happen, but certainly going after the company once the immediate threat had been dealt with.    Being left with just one adversary had given him a perfect opportunity to get close to his former employers, with a drastically reduced number of obstacles to get rid off in order to kill them and end this, permanently.

   He’d promised that you’d do this together, but he’d only been talking about the teams coming after you, not the organization behind them. Because how could he ever include anyone in such a hunt? Who could survive it, other than him? The only person on the outside that knew all their methods, their operations manual, their tactics and thought processes.    He was the perfect man to destroy them. Probably the only one that could.

   But at what cost?    He’d kept this from you because he knew that you’d beg him not to go. That you’d have no other option than to plead and grovel until he caved, which would’ve meant living with this threat hanging over him, and by extension your family as well, for the rest of your lives.    And he wasn’t willing to live like that. To make you live like that. So, he’d made the only choice he could.

   Under different circumstances you might’ve been angry with him, or at least disappointed that he kept something from you that would so ruthlessly affect you both. But right there and then, all you felt was sadness.    For him, for yourself, for the fact that this had happened at all. He deserved to have the happiness that he’d found with you, that he’d longed for all his life without even knowing it.    So, how could you be upset with him for doing what he had to, in order to give himself a real chance to have it?

   “They want you back alive, Tovar. That’s the only reason I didn’t kill you. So, you can stop pretending that you’re the only elite operative here.” Omar growled, clearly not seeing the bigger picture, and Pero had every reason to let him stay oblivious, so he merely played along.

   But you were suddenly trapped in an impossible seat.    If you stayed back and let this man steal him away, you risked losing his trail and any chance to help him down the line, should the opportunity arise. On the other hand, if you attempted to assist him now, he risked losing what you assumed was his only way of discovering where the company executives could be found.    Because that had to be the only reason that he’d allowed himself to get captured, so he’d be brought directly to the people that he was looking for.

   While you tried and failed to reach a decision, since neither option seemed any better than the other, Omar finally managed to free the vehicle from the obnoxious vegetation and started hauling Pero back into it.    You were out of time.    If they kept to roughly the same route, providing that your sense of direction was accurate, they should reach the interstate soon, where you assumed that they’d stashed a different mode of transportation, you’d lose them.

   You timed it so that the sound of the engine starting drowned out your dash back to the animals, climbing up on Happy and sending Groot after the ATV once more, hoping that you’d be able to buy some time to come up with a better plan. Or any plan at all.    But as you began to hear the sounds of the interstate echo through the woods, confirming your suspicions, you still hadn’t thought of anything feasible.

   Your only hope at this point, was that the Falcons had worked under the assumption that they’d be able to subdue Pero and escape without any losses, meaning that whatever vehicle was waiting for them would have to be big enough to carry four people, with one tied up.    Because if that was the case, the space left open by the lack of people, might just be enough to sneak a stowaway onboard.

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   He didn’t let himself think too much about you, as he bounced around in the backseat of the vehicle, even though that was the only place his mind wanted to go.    Despite the short time you’d been together, you already knew him better than anyone ever had, and you were smart enough to put the pieces together. So, he knew that it was only a matter of time before you’d figure out his plan, but for all the faith he had in how well he knew you too, he couldn’t predict what your reaction would be.

   You’d be disappointed, of course, probably a bit hurt too. But would you understand? Would you accept the necessity of what he was doing? Those were the questions he couldn’t answer and thinking about them made him anxious and unfocused.    There was no way to know until he got back. And even if he had to run through Hell itself, he was going back to you.

   He’d been surprised that the Falcons had brought in outsiders. That was about as far from the rules and established procedures as they could get, but he assumed that it was because they’d learned that Dean had dogs. And even though they couldn’t have known just how well trained those dogs were, they still knew that they’d be outnumbered, and had chosen to attempt to even the odds.

   That was how badly they wanted to get their hands on him.    But he’d warned them all, the day he left, that if anyone ever came after him, they wouldn’t come back to base. Ever.    Obviously, meeting you and suddenly having so much to lose, had tipped the scales a bit, made him more vulnerable, but that was also precisely why he’d decided to do this.

   Because as long as they knew that he had a soft spot, something they could use to force his hand, they’d never stop trying, and that was unacceptable.    The choice he’d faced, had been between leaving you, or ending them. And that had been a very easy decision. But he hadn’t lied to you that day when you’d threatened to go to the press, he’d meant it when he’d said that you were in this together.

   He probably could’ve taken out all three Falcons by himself, but not realistically without suffering some damage, and the thing was, this was as unprotected as the organization would possibly ever be.    So, if he was too badly injured to go after the head of the snake, the effort would’ve been for nothing.

   He’d needed your father and the dogs to give him the advantage, and… even if he could’ve persuaded you to stay out of it (which he highly doubted) having you there only made the enemy that much more predictable. He’d known that they’d split up and try and snag you.    Which was why he’d been on the roof of the stables when Nico had dragged you outside, and he’d been ready to save you with a perfectly aimed throw, when you’d done the job for him.

   His skin had stung with the thought that you might think that he’d abandoned you, or wasn’t there for you, but he’d had to let it go, sprinting across the roof to go after Omar before he got to your father.    He’d dropped his knives before confronting him, to make it a more even fight, and then given the man a more or less open goal, dropping to the ground and playing possum while his adversary dragged him off.

   Omar was all that was left now, between Pero and the executives. Two men by the names of Fredric and Oscar Diggle. Brothers.    One an expert in all forms of combat, strategy, stealth, an aficionado of The Art of War. The other a certified criminal psychologist, an expert on broken minds and dark desires, but also a weapons specialist and former CIA-agent.    Together, their combined skillsets made them the perfect teachers to the kind of students that they plucked out of society and moulded into weapons.

   That was what he thought about as he waited in that backseat. How to best the people that had taught him everything he knew.    And before long, they were coming up to the interstate, where a large black SUV was parked and waiting in a secluded spot without any lights, backed right up to the treeline.    His captor stopped right behind it, and started working to transfer Pero into it, so he made a show of struggling, as if he was trying to find an angle to escape, busting Omar’s lip in the process, which earned him a kick to the ribs.

   “You piece of shit! Keep that up and I’ll break your fucking arms.” he spat, before renewing his efforts, dragging his captive towards the large boot.

   After a bit of a scuffle as it wasn’t the easiest task, lifting a seemingly unwilling and tied up passenger into such a tall car, the tailgate closed behind him, and he settled in for the ride.    He suspected that it might be a long one, given the locations that he knew the company to have been based out of before, which were all in big cities where it was easier to blend into the background.    He estimated somewhere between two and four hours of driving time, so he took the opportunity to rest, even dozing off a few times.

   The windows in the back were very darkly tinted, but he could still discern when they reached more densely populated areas, as streetlights became more frequent, highlighting the taller buildings that started to appear alongside the road. Neon signs flashed by and traffic sounds and redlights became more prevalent.    They were close now.

   When the car finally stopped, it was in an alley without any lighting, and once the tailgate opened, a less than pleasant smell filled the space. Old trash, mould, something rotting, and definitely urine.    Omar reached in and dragged him closer to the edge of the boot, where he looped another zip-tie through the specialized hand-cuff version around his wrists, and wrapped that one around his neck, tight enough that he couldn’t pull it over his head. That way, his hands were locked to his own neck, making it extremely hard to use his upper body to fight.

   “Alright, tough guy. I’m done carrying your heavy ass. I’m gonna untie your legs now and if you try anything, I’m gonna shoot out your knees,” he warned, pulling a gun from the back of his pants, “and I’m gonna enjoy it so much more than I should.”

   From a pocket on his thigh, he pulled out a small wire cutter and cut the ties around his knees and ankles, making him considerably more comfortable, and obviously able to climb out of the boot and walk on his own.    That would be Omar’s last mistake. One of many that night.

   As soon as the man had showed him which backdoor that they were heading for, and thus, the correct building to go looking for his quarry, Pero quickly kicked the gun out of his abductor’s hand, before body-tackling him into a wall, where a hard elbow to his throat crushed his larynx.    He looked so shocked as he drooped to the pavement, clutching his neck and feebly attempting to force air through the broken passage.

   “I told you I would kill you for coming anywhere near my family,” he reminded the dying man, leaning over him, watching the life drain from his eyes, “Did you really think you could stop me?”

   The man’s mouth hung open, twitching as if he wanted to say something, but even if he’d had enough time, his vocal cords had been destroyed.    He died without a sound, joining the rest of the trash that littered the ally. Like every other operative within the company, no one would miss or claim him.    Somewhat awkwardly, Pero dug into the pocket on his thigh, finding the cutter and freeing his hands, before turning his attention back to the door, but just as he was about to break in, a sound came from inside the car behind him.

   A sound he knew.    He reached for the handle to the backdoor on the passenger side, opening it to reveal something hiding under a blanket behind the driver’s seat.

   “Groot?” he whispered, and the dog stood up, shaking the blanket off and bouncing up on the seat and out of the car beside him.

   With a wagging tail and a happy grin, he accepted Pero’s confused pets along his head and neck, settling into his side as if nothing peculiar at all was going on.    Meanwhile, the human was utterly dumbstruck, trying to understand how it was possible that your dog was there with him.

   You must’ve sent him on the ATV’s trail, but he wouldn’t have been able to sneak into the car on his own, so you had to have been there too.    Had you taken one of the horses? Followed them, caught up to them when they got stuck? If you’d overheard that conversation, he could believe that you’d figured it all out. And your response had been to secretly help him? Give him a better chance, better odds against whatever enemy he faced.

   He assumed that the dog could be tracked, so you’d probably thought that it was also the best solution to have a chance at coming to his aid yourself, although he hoped you wouldn’t. Or at least, that you were too far behind to get there before it was already over.

   “Hey, boy,” he crouched down, meeting the dog’s eyes, “Let’s go and end this, yes?”

   Groot just kept staring back at him, that same carefree grin on his face, making Pero chuckle and shake his head a little. But once the moment passed, he steeled himself for what was to come.

   “Okay, then… War.”

   He watched the dog instantly go from happy companion to fighter and protector, at the sound of the most serious command the animal had been taught.    ‘War’ basically meant that he should consider everyone a threat and be prepared for chaos. He would still protect his family, but now his primary focus was finding and eliminating the enemy.

   Together, they walked to the door, Pero broke it open, and they stepped inside to meet his makers.

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   Your legs wouldn’t stop bouncing for the entire drive and your eyes stayed glued to the device that displayed the real-time tracking data of Groot’s chip, while Dean drove as fast as he dared.    He’d patched up the dog that was injured and Abby had stayed at his house to keep an eye on it, with one more dog at her side for protection, just in case there were any more unknown variables to this fucking mess.

   The remaining two canines were in the car with you, and both you and your father were now in bullet proof vests, and there was a pistol resting heavy against your right thigh.    You weren’t licensed to carry one, but with a military father, you sure as hell knew how to use one, even with your non-dominant hand, and right then you were about ready to do anything to make sure Pero got out of this alive.

   Jones had been there when you’d gotten back to the house, cursing the mess of bodies that the dogs had left behind on the front lawn, some of whom were unidentifiable.    But she’d not once suggested bringing her colleagues or forensics there, so she seemed to have accepted that this was a mess that was best kept hidden, for everyone’s sake. She may have grumbled about it, but she’d started hauling the bodies off the lawn herself, unbidden, bringing them to a rockier area where the remnants would be easier to wash away once the bodies had been dissolved.

   She hadn’t liked the idea of you going with Dean to find Pero, though, just because of how dangerous it would be, made even more apparent by the fact that your father insisted that you be armed.    But you’d had no intention of being left on the side-lines, and she knew you well enough to know when there was no point in trying to hold you back.    That aside, you were as scared as you’d ever been before, sitting there in the car, following Groot into a completely unknown situation.

   Dean turned into an alley where the black SUV was parked. You recognized the plate-number as the one you’d snuck the dog into while Omar was wrestling Pero into the boot, too distracted to notice that the rear-door moved. And since the indoor lighting came on as the tailgate was opened, there was nothing to give away what you were doing, as long as he didn’t look or move to the side of the car.    But you’d had to make a mad dash away from it, once Groot was in place, because there was no adequate cover close to the vehicle. Thankfully, the thumping of your feet had been drowned out by Omar’s own frustration.

   It was abandoned now, unlocked with the keys still in the ignition. And a quick inspection of the area revealed the abductor himself, slumped and lifeless against a wall, not far from a door that was clearly broken into.    Whatever you’d been expecting, you weren’t surprised by what you saw. This had been Pero’s life for a long time, and he was good at it. But you’d only seen glimpses of that until that night. Pete had been something else, whereas this painted a very clear picture of the mercenary of his previous identity.

   Your blood started rushing with the understanding that this was it. He was here, on the hunt, potentially in danger, but most certainly also extremely dangerous himself, and that you were about to risk your life to find him.    You. The quiet artist that hated complications and always avoided trouble as best you could, only ever fighting, physically or verbally, when you saw no other option.

   That night, it seemed, your heart made that choice for you. Because you never once considered turning back, trying something different, looking for ways to avoid the danger. You ran straight for it.    Dean let the dogs out of his car, and together you headed for the door.

   “From this point on, no verbal comms. Only hand-signals. If you run into trouble, though, scream your lungs out.” your father instructed, and you nodded, drawing your weapon as he did, and then you followed him inside.

   The building was fully lit, and once you’d gotten past the first two corridors, it looked to be an automated factory, opening up into a large room where simple robots were shifting merchandise from conveyor belts to cardboard boxes.    It was unlikely that your targets, either Pero or the company executives, would be down here on the factory floor. More likely they were somewhere upstairs, in offices or other spaces.

   More than likely, this place was a front, although probably a legitimate business, hiding the real activities going on behind the curtains, allowing the Falcons to operate from a safe base that to the outside world looked like any old building.    So, you searched on, quietly directing the dogs to either follow or lead, depending on the situations you came across.

   As it were, what you mostly did come across were more bodies. Lots of them.

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   He hadn’t seen it coming. Hadn’t expected the company to have expanded so much in such a relatively short timeframe.    It used to take a decade to train new operatives, but he’d come face to face with a small army upon entering the upper floors, all of whom were expecting him and fought using the same methods he did, albeit not quite as well.

   They were younger, though, and in better shape, and he was outnumbered, but he had one clear advantage (aside from the fierce fucking dog). Namely that certain things seemed to have been excluded from the recruits training these days, probably to save time. Most notably the ghost-movements that he’d always mastered better than the others.    It had awarded him precious seconds of confusion among his opponents, allowing him to maintain the upper hand, again with tremendous help from the canine.

   But moving like that had still drained him of considerable strength, so when the brothers had come to the aid of the final pair, both him and the dog had ended up captured despite their best efforts.    Not smug or arrogant, the brothers had treated him like a family member they’d lost and missed and were only happy to have returned, even though he’d practically destroyed their company along the way.

   So, now he sat there, once more tied up, to a sturdy and actually very comfy armchair this time, which he was destroying the upholstery of by bleeding on. His wounds were minor, though, mostly small cuts and a few bruises, nothing he was at all concerned about right then.    What he was concerned about, was the fact that Groot was tied up in the same room, with his tracking chip transmitting his exact position to you.

   Because he knew that you’d come after him. No matter how dangerous, you wouldn’t sit back and wait for someone else to rescue him. If you’d been that kind of person, you wouldn’t have gone after Abby alone, or taken out Nico on your own.    When you felt threatened, you didn’t freeze, you worked the problem and tried to fix it. So, there was no question that you’d come, only how long it would take you to get there. And he had no idea what the brothers would do to you when you inevitably failed to free him.

   Determination and guts wouldn’t be enough here, not against these people. Not even your father was skilled enough to best them on their own turf, especially not with the simple but effective surveillance system that would alert them to your arrival.    A fear made painfully real when that very same system started beeping in alert while Oscar was talking to him.

   “Well, well, well. Isn’t this just perfect. Your family’s here, Tovar.” he held his phone screen towards Pero to show him the image that the system was recording live, of you, Dean and two dogs sneaking through the back entrance. “Let’s give them a warm welcome, shall we, boys.” he added, speaking to the last operative pair, loitering in the back of the room.

   “Oh, and don’t hurt the dogs, if you can avoid it.” Fredric chipped in. They both loved animals and were active participants in the fight against the ivory- and rhino-horn trades. Bizarrely enough.

   Pero stayed quiet, trying not to play into their hands, even though he knew that once they had you, they’d be able to force him to do anything they wanted. Something he already hated them for.

   “I’m sorry that we had to go after you like that. You’re probably wondering why, given that our ranks obviously haven’t suffered since your departure,” Oscar started up again, still sounding like he was just chatting to an old friend, not a captive killer that wanted nothing better than to break his neck. “The truth is, though… all the recruits over the past ten years, admirable as their devotion has been, none of them have come close to you or the teams from your time.”

   That was pretty much what he’d expected to hear, given that six pairs should’ve been able to stop him in his tracks, even with the dog’s presence, if their skills had been anywhere close to his.    Oscar carried on.

   “Back then, our success-rate was 100%. You guys never failed, not even when nothing went according to plan. Whereas today, our average percentage of completed assignments is at best, somewhere around 40%. And that’s unacceptable.”

   Abruptly, Pero was too angry to keep silent anymore. This was too damn stupid.

   “You are telling me, that an innocent family has been targeted, because you are unhappy with your own failure to create good killers?” he pressed, feeling a menacing smile spread through his features. “You had better hope I never get so much as an arm free, because I will use it to rip your tiny fucking balls off.”

   His smile vanished, however, when barking dogs could be heard nearby. They wouldn’t do that if they were still on the hunt, so they’d either been cornered or caught.    He glanced at Groot, but the dog was still, only his ears pricking occasionally as he listened closely to the continued barking, somewhere on one of the two floors directly below, Pero guessed.

   And only a short while later, the door opened, revealing a subdued but fighting fit Dean, giving both of his captors a hell of a match as they tried to keep the small mountain of a man under control, and only just managing it.    His canines had to have been locked in a room downstairs, which would explain why they kept barking, but couldn’t come to their master’s aid.    More importantly, though… where were you?

===============

Link to Part 14

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this, please consider reblogging, I would dearly appreciate it.

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