#anyway in the time I was gone I got a tongue piercing and its sick as fuck

[magical-girl-coral]

It's Gin's Birthday! Here are some HCs

- He made his own version of "the floor is lave!". In the Seireitei it was "the twelve worked there," while in Hueco Mundo it was "Szayelaporro spilled something here." Both times people would fly to the roof, and in both times, Gin will have a shoe thrown to his face.

- Things Gin is forbidden to touch during his pranks: Aizen's tea, Kaname's kitchen, anything that belongs to Unohana, Yumichika's hair products (a request from Kenpachi because the bitching was awful the last time it happened), anything made by the twelve division, anything made by Szayelaporro, Yachiru's candy, Soi Fon's knives, the ninth's yet to be published articles, Rangiku's makeup, Komamura's shampoo, and Jushiro's medicine (even Gin isn't heartless enough to mess with that).

- Gin's a surprisingly good cook. It makes sense once you remember that one, Kaname was one of the people who raised him, and two, he grew up with Rangiku and had to learn how to cook, or they would have died from food poisoning.

- He's an absolute fashion disaster. He wears the plainest and oversized clothes he can find. If it weren't for Rangiku, he would have the Shinigami equivalent of a closet full of hoodies. Just hoodies.

- Gin was lowkey crushed when he found out Shinji had a tongue piercing. It meant he couldn't have one of his own without people thinking he's copying his old captain.

- He's the only person in the entire world that can bring Orihime's Cain Instinct to activate. If you leave them alone in the same room, she will try to strangle him.

- He and Orihime have a fascinating dynamic because it's a battle between Orihime's ability to lower people's threatening aura and Gin's creepiness rubbing off on people. It's a pure unstoppable force v.s immovable object battle.

- Gin mostly gets sick during summer thanks to his sensitivity to heat. When they were kids, Rangiku only got sick during winter so they joked that they knew they would be screwed at the same time, so their bodies took turns of who gets to be sick this time.

- When Gin was a kid and got sick for the first time, Aizen had to trick him into taking medicine by putting them in dried persimmons. Gin understood the trick immediately and refused to ear dried persimmons whenever he was sick since then. Nowadays, a good chase around the barracks is the only way to make him take his cough drops.

- The reason why Gin refuses to take medicine is that he wants his immune system to get stronger on its own. He's constantly on survivor mod and doesn't want to become too weak and pampered. He doesn't have the same attitude when someone else gets sick though, like the hypocrite that he is.

- Jushiro once did the mistake of unexpectedly hugging a third seat Gin, awakening the latter's fight or flight instincts and Jushiro got a swift kick to the stomach as a result. No one tried to hug him since, at least not without warning.

- He has a really weird grasp on human pop culture. He gets to go to the human world on rare occasions and will try to catch a movie to pass the time if he finished his mission early. References with him are a hit and a miss.

- He also suffers from insomnia and is usually awake from one to three in the morning. He tries to do paperwork or read a book to help him fall back asleep, and takes a nap in is his office to complete some of the missing sleep.

- All of Gin's seater officers were originally from different divisions. His third was from the first, his fifth was from the eleventh and his sixth was from the sixth. They were unhappy with their positions, so Gin gave them promotions to make the transfer faster. It made his betrayal all the more painful.

- Gin is cursed with genre awareness. He knows exactly what kind of story he's in and what his role is. He figured it out around the time he became captain when Aizen was doing a Shounen protagonist version of Build a Bear with Ichigo's parents. He saw Aizen create his own downfall and thought "ah, I see. So this is where I stand." The reason why he gave Ichigo the mantel of taking down Aizen and why his last thoughts were in complete calm was because he knew he was going to fail thanks to his role as a side villain. He didn't quit with his revenge because he believed he was too far gone and understood that if he's going down, he might as well try to take the bastard that started it all with him.

(here are some "if he lived" hcs because I need to get these out of my system)

- Gin return the Gotei 13 is an uncomfortable reminder of how no one is invincible. Every time someone is like "we Shinigamis are too strong to be defeated," Gin lets out an awkward cough. This is also one of the reasons the head captain wanted him back; he knows they need Gin to remember to keep their feet on the ground.

- There are a few people (other than Rangiku and Izuru) that befriended Gin after his return:

Jushiro: Kinda felt bad for knowing Gin as a kid and not knowing how Aizen was slowly turning him into a weapon. Also, he needs more members for the Shiro club.

Shunsui: He usually goes along with whatever Jushiro's doing and this is no expectation. He was always pretty neutral about things anyway.

Nanao: She already felt like she had to give him the benefit of the doubt with how much Rangiku was happy with his comeback. They ended up bonding over picking up their drunk friends from bars.

Kenpachi: He finds Gin funny and Yachiru likes his snacks.

Unohana: They had some weird bonding and mutuals understanding as she healed him. Also, him being a captain again is a huge pain in the ass to the Central 46. That already makes her happy.

- I've already talked before about how if Gin had an inner hollow it would be a Kitsune, so I would like to add that his teeth would sharpen as a result and his hair would become softer, almost fur-like. It's because the stronger the hollow, the more one's body gets affected, almost like a type of mutation.

- Gin only broke the rules once with his restrains, and that was so Kaname could visit Kakyo's grave during her birthday.

- Even after Central 46 banned all interactions with Karakura town, Gin continued in contact with Orihime through secret burner phones. Only Rangiku and Izuru are aware of this.

- After his return, his first prank was dying all of Byakuya's clothes, furniture, and hair seaweed green. Byakuya had said something so goddamn insufferable that it snapped Gin out of his depression and straight into mischief. If Byakuya likes his Wakabe ambassador so much, Gin might as well help to bring it up to a whole new level.

- The wounds left by Aizen were so severe that Gin had to wait five years before he could get his right arm back without damaging something in the process. His prosthetic was overseen by Unohana herself to make sure no one was messing with any of the electronics.

- The first thing he did after his restraints were removed was to visit his old hut. He wanted to see it one last time before letting go of the past for good.

[little-diable]

Yours, forever - Din Djarin (smut)

Requested by anon

Hope this is what you had in mind, enjoy my loves. xxx

Summary: The fem!reader helps Din on a job, but Din hates seeing his wife flirt with the bounty, so he takes her home, simply to remind her who she belongs to  

Warnings: spanking, dom!Din, choking, restrains, unprotected sex 

“Din” (y/n) mumbled his name, trying not to smudge her lipstick, eyes focused on her reflection, “Din” no words left his mouth, helmet staring at her as she got ready. “Do you not trust me?” she whispered the words, averting her eyes as he rose from the box he was sitting on, gloved hands meeting her waist, pulling her against his beskar. “Of course I do, it’s him who I don’t trust”.

He had known from the moment he had taken on the job that it won’t be an easy task, the bounty was known for his worth, he was clever and quick to slip out of one's hands. (Y/n) had been by Din’s side for long, would support him with his jobs and would look after the child, all while falling for the Mandalorian and eventually marrying him. She knew how much he was struggling with this task, so (y/n) had taken matters into her own hand, she’d try to lure the man in, flirting as he’d drown a few drinks, till Din would eventually step in and take him captive.

“Din” (y/n) turned around in his grip, cupping the helmet, thumb running along the cold beskar, “I’ll be careful, you’ll be there to protect me anyways. I only have eyes for you, my handsome, strong husband”. Din placed his forehead against hers, hands squeezing her sides as he let out a deep breath, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. The child cooed, arms reaching out for Din, slipping into the bag Din would carry it around with. 

The bar on Navarro was filled with different species, the atmosphere was buzzing, (y/n)s eyes instantly fell onto the bounty, a tall, quite handsome man who had his arms slung around a few barely dressed women. Din stayed hidden away in a dark corner, hands grasping the table, trying to stop himself from stepping in just yet. The harder he concentrated on his wife the more his bulge seemed to grow, twitching for her, how much he wanted to push her against the nearest wall, to fuck her into oblivion, reminding her that she was his, his alone.

As (y/n) stepped up to the bar she instantly felt the bounty's eyes on her, shamelessly checking her out, pushing the girls around him away. “My my what is a gorgeous woman like you doing all on her own?” the words made her cringe, forcing a smile onto her lips, “who said that I was alone?”, she took a sip of her drink, eyes hooked onto his piercing blue ones. A throaty chuckle bubbled out of him, placing his hand on the small of her back as he pulled her towards a table, hand wandering lower and lower with every step he took.

(Y/n) caught Din’s gaze from across the room, well at least she was fairly certain that he was staring at her, she shook her head, telling him to wait, he’d be gone before Din would have reached them. She barely focused on the words the bounty was speaking, mind wandering back to last night as Din had his way with her, eyes hidden by a blindfold, wrists bound together. “What are you thinking of beautiful?” he placed his hand on her knee, trying to move it up her thigh as she inhaled, clenching her jaw as a bile rose in her throat, “why don’t we get out of here?”.

It took her a few moments to reply, pondering over her next moves, praying that Din was still focused on her and the bounty, that he’d get to them before the man would manage to take (y/n) away. Hesitantly she took his hand, stepping out into the chillying night air, her heart was racing, palms sweaty, mind only set on her husband and their clan of three. “I don’t think so” the slightly metallic voice echoed through the night, coaxing a relieved sigh out of (y/n), thank goodness.

Din had to fire a few shots, till the man crashed down onto the floor, unconscious, “alright, we’ll turn him in, get our credits and then we’ll leave, I’m sick of this planet”. His voice dripped with something she couldn’t quite pinpoint, though his deep, raspy undertone shot shivers down her spine, made heat pool between her thighs, trying to keep her moan from rolling off her tongue.

The moment they were back on the razor crest Din had pulled her into his chest, murmuring a small “clothes off, blindfold on”, smirking to himself as she basically ran towards their shared cot. He placed the child down, its eyes were closed, already fast asleep, at least they wouldn’t have to worry about it for a few hours. 

“I’ll never again let another man touch you like this” Din spat, ripping off his helmet, stepping into the dark room, door sliding shut behind him.

Her naked chest was pressed against the covers, ass high in the air, eyes squeezed shut, even though they stayed hidden behind the black blindfold. “I’m yours Din” (y/n) moaned, this beskar crashed down onto the floor, the rest of his clothes following shortly after, stepping towards the cot. “Yes, yes you are” Din pressed his length against her behind, rubbing it through her wet folds, hands kneading the flesh of her ass.

By now she was dripping, arousal sticking to her skin, nipples painfully hardening with every passing second, she was completely done for, Din had her at his mercy.

“Tonight, I’ll remind you who you belong to, you’re mine, mine alone” a harsh slap got delivered to her behind, skin wiggling from the impact, though it seemed like he was waiting for something, repeating his action, till finally a small “one” left her lips. The third slap knocked all air out of her lungs, he seemed to burn his handprint into her skin, marking her in more than just one way. “Two” her voice was quivering, teeth piercing through her lower lip, drawing a bit of blood, urged on by the iron taste.

He took it up to ten slaps, her skin was burning, painfully so, but no pain had ever felt as good as this, boobs rubbing against the covers with every harsh motion of his, adding to the pleasure that flooded through her. “Turn around cyar’ika” a hiss made it past her lips as her behind came in contact with the covers, legs wrapping themselves around his waist, trying to pull him closer. (Y/n) was aching for him, desperate to feel his length buried in her heat, to rip her open with every thrust of his.

“Don’t be impatient” he warned her, he was shifting around, as if he was searching for something, “wrists” Din pressed out, tying them to the bed, keeping her locked in place. “Din” (y/n) squealed his name, arousal dripping onto his length, coating the velvety skin with her slick. 

He spat onto her clit, rubbing his saliva into the sensitive bundle of nerves as he pounded into her, he didn’t give her a warning, Din wouldn’t let her adjust, at least not on days where he needed to make one thing clear, that she was his, his alone. Her jaw fell slack, a few incoherent words bubbled out of her, walls tightly grasping his thick, veiny length, squeezing him like he was aching for.

Both were high on the adrenaline that took over their bodies, an indescribable force seemed to bind them together, bringing them closer to the edge with every passing moment. Though it seemed as if Din wasn’t satisfied yet, hand wandering up her soft skin, squeezing her nipples, a motion that let her arch her back, trying to press herself closer. The sound of their skin slapping reverberated through the small space, drowning out their moans, the air around them grew hotter, made sweat beard their skins.

Din’s fingers danced up her throat, squeezing a bit tighter, just enough to make her curl her toes, but not enough to cut off her airway. “Who do you belong to?” his thrusting suddenly stopped, completely stopped, patiently waiting for her to collect her thoughts, squeezing out a small, though powerful “you”, lips parted as he began to build up the pressure once again. She felt like she was on cloud nine, body belonging to the man her heart had started calling hers years ago, Din had her wrapped around his little finger, proving his love to her at any given chance. 

“I love you” Din panted, forehead falling against hers, thumb rubbing her clit, pushing her closer and closer to her release. Maker it felt like they were made for one another, even after years of exploring their bodies both still felt like it was the first time all over again, excited to give into their orgasms, aching to hear the sounds that would rumble through them. “I love you too” (y/n) squealed, “not yet cyar'ika, you need to earn it”, she knitted her eyebrows, trying to process what he had just told her, overly and utterly confused.

(Y/n) shook her head in a rather pathetic manner, “please” she begged, tears soaked through the blindfold, hands tugging on his roots, walls clenching around his length, “oh please Din”. He didn’t reply, let go of her throat to curl his fingers into the covers, “try it again”, Din couldn’t stop imagining how beautiful she’d look with flushed cheeks as his length would rip her apart, disappearing into her with every thrust of his. “Stars, Din, please, please, I’m yours, please-” her cry made him groan, nodding his head as he finally gave in, finally pushing her over the cliff. 

The inferno that began to rise in the pit of her stomach creeped up her vein, made white noises engulf her, body shaking from the powerful orgasm. Din needed a few more thrusts, pace faltering as his own release made him lose all focus, painting her walls white as he trembled on top of her, trying not to crush her underneath his weight. Wordlessly she interlaced her fingers with hers, pressing her lips to his skin, “I’m yours, forever”.

[thefanficmonster]

Never Satisfied [Teaser]

Corpse Husband x Original Female Character

Warnings: Language (possibly more?)

Collaboration between Vy & Ashens 🖤

“this criminal is stealing my fires, what the fuck?!“

Life is a rollercoaster, it always has been. One moment he feels at the top of the world and the very next he’s upside down at the bottom, wishing the ride would come to a stop as soon as possible. Things that shouldn’t be difficult, things average people would consider the norm to him were the equivalent of walking on glass, each step sending shocks of pain throughout his body, anxiety pumping his blood with adrenaline that provoked his fight or flight response. And after choosing ‘fight’ so many times, he’s more than prepared to choose ‘flight’.

But as he sits in the Walmart parking lot, he’s talking himself out of that habit of running from discomfort. He doesn’t want to battle it either, he just wants to face it and prove he’s strong enough to defeat it if he tried. Well, anxiety is laughing in his face right now, mocking him by the shaking of his hands and the tight sensation in his gut and throat. He’s here for what’s supposed to be just a quick shopping trip. Just to buy a few things! That’s all he has to do. However, he can’t bring himself to get out of his beige Subaru and walk into the store. 

I’m just hungry, right? Or maybe tired, he thought to himself.

That’s what everyone told him - that anxiety was caused by something simple to solve but hard to realize when your mind is in a frenzy. He’s planning on getting something to eat to calm his nerves. If that doesn’t work, to hell with it. He has been improvising plan B’s all his life, this wouldn’t be anything new. 

With a shaky sigh Corpse looks at his radio, switching stations until his luck smiles at him when he comes across a BONES song and turns it up just enough to not overwhelm his senses. He has been needing some kind of a distraction all day, why not gravitate to the one thing that felt real, as if sent to save him from the mess within his head. Putting the car into drive, he pulls out of the parking lot and into the nearest fast food drive thru. A plain burger with cheese so his stomach doesn’t act up, fries and an unsweetened tea. 

This will have to do.  He isn’t even hungry, and the thought of the greasy food only made his stomach churn worse but he knew he needed to eat something in hopes of it having the effects he was told it would have - magically cure his overwhelmingly hard to handle anxiety.

Once he got his food, he returned to the department store lot and parked in a far back spot. He has opened the paper bag to dig his food out, grimacing at all the grease and the smell of the cheap meal that wasted no time invading his car. He really isn’t hungry, but he hasn’t eaten all day and he’s aware of the toll the lack of food is taking on his system. He knows better than to work against himself in a moment like this when his mind is already working against him.

Chomping down on a fry, Corpse savors the salt as it hits his tongue and takes a moment to let his shoulders loosen and hang low. Something about the salt and fat seemed to make his body feel better. He tosses his head back slightly as he flicks a few stray strands of hair out of his eyes, reaching into the bag and grabbing another fry.

He’s been content with sitting in his car, eating and trying to quell the anxiety bubbling up under his ribs and in his throat. There’s a sense of peace to it and to the loneliness of it. He doesn’t mind being alone, though. That’s how he prefers to be actually. Dwelling on that thought too long has had the tendency to kill even the smallest spec of a positive energy he possessed in the past so he avoids it for his own peace of mind. The feeling of his heart thundering in his chest to nothing more than his own unconscious is being muffled by the soft rap music coming from the car speakers, him having chosen to pay attention to that instead.

Corpse is so engrossed in his attempts of maintaining this peace that he fails to notice the person approaching his car at a rapid pace. He’s left completely unbothered until one of the backseat doors is yanked open and someone is diving inside, shaking the vehicle. 

“What th-..” He shouts, startled out of the peaceful bubble he had created around himself. 

“Hey, how's it going? Sorry to interrupt your dinner. I'm just avoiding somebody, so don’t mind me!” A slightly out of breath female voice answers from the backseat. But before he could bring himself to turn around and demand this girl get out of his car, fear takes hold of him, closing his throat and drowning his words in the sea of questions and anxiety rising from deep within his chest. 

Ok, breathe. This is weird. There’s a stranger in my car, but she doesn’t appear harmful. Just breathe, stay calm. Fuck, is that a fucking cop car?! 

His shaky hand is barely capable of holding the burger as his wide eyes follow the movements of the vehicle. The patrol car in question slowly drives through each aisle of the parking lot, seemingly searching for something. Or someone. He feels himself unable to blink nor breath as the car creeps closer and closer. He has already broken into a nervous sweat, head spinning with all the possible outcomes - none of which bode well for him.

How am I gonna explain this shit?! There’s no way they’ll believe that she just dove into my car. They’ll think I’m an accomplice. I’ll go to jail. God knows if I’ll get out. I’ll die in there. Oh fuck, I’ll die in there.

He inhales sharply, trying not to hyperventilate, all his muscles tensing before a slap to his arm shook him out of it, “Could you look any more suspicious?! Fuckin’ act cool!”

He nods automatically and looks down at his lap, like he’s trying to find a napkin before taking a quick sip of his tea in attempts to look natural. The liquid promptly went down the wrong pipe, causing him to choke and go in a fit of coughs which he suppressed with his baggy hoodie sleeve. 

The cop passed by, eyeing the man in the car before making a turn to go down another row of parking spots, allowing Corpse to finally peek his gaze upwards to check if the guy was finally gone when the voice in the back seat spoke up again. “Thanks dude, you saved my ass.” 

He hadn’t noticed at first but as he turned to look behind him he saw a bare arm reaching from the back seat, dipping into the paper bag and taking one of his fries. Before he could comprehend it, the girl had climbed up over the center console as the police car pulled out of the parking lot and left. 

Only now is he able to get a real look at the woman who is a potential criminal and went into his car. She isn’t tall but not short either. She’s wearing a pair of jeans that are ripped around her knees and upper thighs and have little occult symbols drawn on them, peace signs and even an occasional tiny dinosaur - the majority, if not all, probably a DIY project of hers by the looks of it. She’s also sporting a sleeveless top with the sides cut open to show most of her waist. Under that, a black sports bra and a tattoo are visible - the tattoo extending from her back to her ribs just slightly. Her dark brown hair is pulled into a loose and rather messy hairdo, every strand going in its own direction as if she couldn’t be bothered by it. Looking down he sees the pair of black combat boots she has on. They look to be well taken care of and loved. A glint of a septum piercing attracts his attention when he notices it reflecting the ugly yellow light of the parking lot street lamps. 

She’s pretty. 

His cheeks flush a little in the darkness as he dumps the remainder of his food back into the bag, noting she was taking another one of his fries before he looked away, swallowing nervously when he feels her gaze on him. 

Before he could speak, however, she had already taken another one of his fries, leaning back in the passenger seat.

“W-why...are you in my car?” His voice showed off his confusion as well as the rising levels of his anxiety, his brow furrowed as he tries to remain cool and calm. 

“Hiding from the police...obviously.” She responds in a ‘duh’ tone as if she were pointing out something very simple and ordinary.

“Bu-...Alright...I guess. You should stop stealing my food though.” He finally mumbles, putting the paper bag into the back seat and catching a brief whiff of the perfume she has on as he turns to do so. 

He’s been alone so long, people have grown to terrify him. Public places terrify him, so it’s no surprise he stays inside for as long as he can. He hasn’t been this close to someone in months. Not since his ex left. She was just...another human being. Another one to leave. Nothing new to him. It shouldn’t have been a surprise nor a disappointment to him but he couldn’t not feel distraught over it for a while after it happened. He couldn’t help but hope she would….nevermind.

She grins - her smile a little spark of light in this lonely little world that is his life. Everyone around him always looked so damn happy. How come he never felt the happiness for himself?

He shifts back into his seat, fingers fiddling with the zipper on his black hoodie, avoiding her gaze as much as possible while still trying to take subtle glances at her. He feels uncomfortably like a teenager at that moment, stumbling his way through a conversation with a girl way too pretty to be talking to him.

“I bet you hear this all the time, but you should do like, audio books or voice acting or somethin’. You’ve got a rad voice to narrate some Steven King or Dean Koontz. Bram Stoker's Dracula would be sick, or some kind of devil or demon character.” She offers, grinning again as she steals another fry despite the bag now being in the back and shifts to reach into her back pocket, the sound of her wallet chain hitting the side of his car door echoes throughout the enclosed space of the car. She pulls out a couple dollars and slaps them onto his dashboard, “anyway, for the fries. Annnd for letting me hide in your car. Don’t go spending it all in one place.” She pushes the door of the Subaru open, winking at him and sliding one leg out. “Thanks for keepin’ the fuzz off of me, see ya Hades!” She jokes teasingly, slapping the roof of his car before closing the door and practically skipping off in the opposite direction of the one the cop went in. 

Corpse parts his lips, blinking slowly before looking at the department store and back towards the slowly shrinking figure of the girl. His head is spinning again, for different reasons now.

“What the hell just happened....?” He pauses for a lingering second before his voice turns sharp and a distressed look crosses his face, “Fuck, what did I need from the store?!”

[animatedarchives]

LIFELINE

— 𝐊𝐎𝐙𝐔𝐌𝐄 𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐌𝐀

author’s note: so i had this dream a few days ago and i wrote this self-indulgent comfort fic. if you’ve experienced this before, i’m so sorry for the hurt you’ve been through and i’m here if you need to talk :) i hope you like it <3

genre: BiG aNgsT, comfort fluff wew

warnings: toxic relationship (mental abuse, manipulation, guilt tripping etc.), slightly coarse language

word count: 2.1k words

“Argh, I missed again!” you whined, the water gun gently hitting your thigh as you swung your arms down in defeat. You only had one last chance to knock all 5 metal cans over, and you knew you’d never make it. You sighed as you glanced at the life-sized teddy bear you’d been playing for, reluctantly giving up the idea of ever being able to hug its plushy form. Kenma watched you silently, gazing at you the same way you were looking at the bear: with intense longing.

“Here, let me,” he said gently, reaching for the water gun in your hand. His fingers briefly brushed yours and your breath hitched, turning away slightly so he couldn’t see the blush creeping onto your face. You had both been friends for the longest time, but you knew it was more than that. Although neither of you had explicitly confessed, there was a silent understanding that you both harboured feelings for one another, but were too shy to do anything about it.

You watched sheepishly as he brought the gun up against his shoulder, looking into the crosshairs. His eyes fixed themselves on his target, pupils narrowing into cat-like slits. You loved seeing the competitive side of Kenma. The resolve in his eyes, the fierce air of determination and the silent power he held was so different from his usual nonchalant self, you couldn’t help but be allured.

Finally, he pulled the trigger, releasing five precise spurts of water. You barely had time to process what happened as you heard the metal cans clattering to the ground. His muscles relaxed and he smiled with satisfaction, his usual laid-back self returning while you stood there in utter disbelief.

“Kenma, that was amazing!” you exclaimed, turning to face him. He watched as your eyes sparkled, a soft chuckle leaving his lips. It was a sight that warmed his heart, and something he missed so dearly. Reluctantly tearing his eyes from yours, he turned back to the stall owner to claim his prize.

“I’ll take the bear, please. The big one in the back,” he said, pointing to the one you wanted. You squealed in delight as Kenma retrieved the toy and handed it to you. Bursting with child-like joy, you pressed your face into its large squishy head as you hugged it, your body swinging from side to side. Kenma watched you amusedly, unable to wipe the smile off his face. He loved seeing you like this, the brightness you emanated rivaling that of the sun. Your genuine joy was one of the little things that truly made him happy, and it was blissful moments like this that he wished you could live in forever.

Beaming, you bowed at the stall owner to thank him, eager to explore the rest of the carnival. However, as you turned around, your eyes landed on someone in the distance and your heart seemed to stop. Gone was the excitement bouncing within you, now replaced with an unsettling heaviness. The light in your eyes was being sucked away, dissipating into nothingness. Sensing the air around you shift, Kenma looked at you concernedly, then followed your line of sight. And there stood the person he hated the most, the one who had caused you so much hurt and emotional turmoil for two years: your ex-boyfriend.

“Well well well, look who it is,” he smiled smugly as he sauntered towards you. His eyes flickered to Kenma, who stood behind you, and he laughed bitterly. “Moved on to another boy already? You always were such a slut,” he spat. Kenma tensed up behind you, clenching his jaw and balling his fists. He was never the type to be violent, but your ex’s disgusting remarks made him want to punch that sick smirk right off his face.

“P-please go away,” you whimpered. Your voice was strangled and your chest tightened as the overwhelming scent of your ex’s cursed cologne invaded your nose.

“Awww, but why? You wouldn’t want to break my heart again now, would you?” he pouted in mock sadness.

This was what you dealt with for two years: him taking advantage of your kind heart and twisting it for his own entertainment. He criticised every little thing that you did, from what you wore to who you hung out with. He convinced you that it was your fault you upset him, that it was you who failed to please. You began to question every decision you made, doubting your ability to make the “right ones” and eventually resorting to asking for his permission instead. He had you choking on a leash, but you were too nice, too forgiving, to acknowledge his manipulative ways. You were losing yourself and eventually became an empty shell of the cheerful girl you once were, no longer taking pleasure in the things you loved. It had been six full months since you came to your senses and broke up with him, trying so hard to regain the light you had lost, with Kenma encouraging you every step of the way. It had taken so much time and effort to recover from the toxic relationship. Yet at the mere sight of him returning into your life, everything came undone in an instant.

“What’s the matter, darling? Cat got your tongue?” he hummed. You opened your mouth to protest, but no words came out. You desperately tried to move, to do something to show he no longer held that power over you. But your mind was plagued, and your body remained frozen in the presence of your abuser.

“Oh darling, there’s no need to be scared,” he said, cocking his head to the side. He took a step forward and you couldn’t help but tremble in fear. Dark memories from the past you tried to bury resurfaced as his menacing gaze bore into you. You shrank back in terror and your back hit Kenma’s chest, causing your hold on the huge teddy bear to loosen. The impact pulled Kenma out of his heated thoughts, his eyes clearing to reveal the pointed daggers within them. He gently wrapped an arm around your waist and twisted your bodies so that he was between you and your attacker.

“That’s enough,” Kenma’s words cut through the toxic atmosphere. The change in his demeanour was subtle but terrifying. His voice remained quiet, but now held an edge that was sharper than a sword. His gaze pierced through your attacker, cutting him down to the bone.

Your ex scoffed, unintimidated by Kenma’s physical build. “No, she knows exactly what she did,” he hissed, looking straight into your eyes. “You love to toy with people don’t you darling? Go on, say it. Admit it, you bitch!”

You don’t recall the mistake you made; you only knew that you’d made one. A baseless sense of guilt consumed your mind, and all you could think of was how horrible of a person you were as you looked down at the ground in shame. The lack of words leaving your mouth angered him further. He took a step towards you, but stopped short as Kenma suddenly grabbed his forearm.

“I said,” his grip tightened as anger boiled inside of him.

“That’s enough.”

Kenma looked at him through the strands of hair that fell across his face. He was like a feline crouching behind the tall, dry grass, eyes fierce and unblinking as he stared down his prey. His unrelenting gaze made even your ex shudder, his mind going blank as Kenma seethed silently.

“Leave.”

Kenma’s voice was practically a growl at this point, the finality in his voice apparent. His golden orbs glowed like a predator’s, daring your ex to challenge him. Although no one said it, it was obvious Kenma owned the court and held the game in the palm of his hands.

Knowing he was beat, your ex yanked his arm out of Kenma’s iron grip and scoffed. “Whatever. You’re worthless, anyway,” he sneered at you before walking away. You didn’t know what you did, but you felt like you deserved it. That’s all you ever were anyway: just another piece of garbage.

With the threat no longer present, Kenma eased up and turned to you, significantly concerned for your mental and emotional wellbeing. “Are you alright?” he asked, unable to hide the urgency in his voice.

“I- I think so,” you stuttered. But you weren’t. You knew you weren’t. You were slipping again, back into your old submissive mindset as your head spun with your ex’s lies. And Kenma could see it, the thought of your incited self-hatred causing his knuckles to turn white.

“You deserve so much more than him, Y/N,” he said. You smiled weakly at his words but couldn’t bring yourself to agree.

“I don’t know… Maybe he’s right,” trying to keep your smile, only to fail miserably. “Maybe I really am worthless… Maybe I’m just an awful human being… Maybe…” you thought aloud, voice breaking as you started to believe his words. This experience took you back, remembering how your ex would constantly poison your conscience, leaving you to cry into your pillow every night as your thoughts consumed you alive.

“Y/N, stop,” he said, reaching for your arm. You flinched involuntarily, the action causing Kenma’s heart to break. “Y/N, look at me. Please,” he begged. You slowly lifted your head to meet his gaze, a thin film of moisture forming over your eyes as you slipped further into darkness.

“You are the kindest, sweetest soul I have ever met. You are beautiful and gorgeous, made perfectly as you are. You are the furthest thing from a bad person. He’s a liar, a manipulator and a toxic person overall. He’s the bad one. He’s the one that doesn’t deserve you,” he said, desperate for you to see reason.

You looked into his eyes sadly, searching for something to hold on to, to stop you from spiraling down deeper into your thoughts. And then you found it. Something that was different between him and your ex. Something that was always there but Kenma tried to hide. It was his unwavering love for you.

Something finally clicked and a spark was ignited between you two, causing your heart to beat faster. You could barely understand what was happening, too many things going on in your head at once. But one thing was certain. You knew the person in front of you was genuine.

Trustworthy.

Safe.

“Kenma… I…” your words lost their sound as your faces inched closer. Your eyes drifted down to his soft, thin lips. Your mind was screaming at you, saying that you didn’t deserve his affection and that you were completely unlovable. But your heart argued back, eager to prove them wrong as it reached out for the one it knew it could call home.

You watched earnestly, breath caught in your throat as his lips got closer and closer to your own. Finally, your eyes fluttered shut, your sight unneeded as you savoured the flavour of his sweet lips against yours. The bear you were holding was long forgotten as your fingers unfurled and dropped it to the floor. Your heart was now set on a new prize, your hands moving up his arms and clenching the fabric of his jacket underneath them.

Your reciprocation to his actions made him brave; he kissed you harder, more intensely, as he rested his palms firmly on the curve of your waist. It was an area tainted by the hands of your previous boyfriend, but Kenma’s touch was so pure, so gentle, and so loving, that all you could do was melt into his hold.

Your lips parted all too soon and he rested his forehead against yours, quietly gasping for air. The jarring voices in your head quietened and eventually disappeared as Kenma’s delicate fingers intertwined themselves with yours.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a while,” he chuckled, his warm breath adding to the heat on your cheeks. “I love you, Y/N. Every single piece of you. You are absolutely perfect in every way imaginable and I don’t ever want you to believe otherwise.”

You gave a genuine smile as you grasped onto the lifeline of hope Kenma was throwing out to you in the sea of darkness. You wrapped your arms around his torso and buried your face into his shoulder.

“Thank you. I love you too, Kenma.”

Your muffled whispers against his clothes put a gentle smile on his face, his heart soaring as you returned his affection. Kissing the side of your head, he embraced you tighter, wanting to show you how deeply you could be loved.

Breathing in his comforting scent, you came to a realisation.

It wasn’t the bear you longed to hug the most that day.

It was Kenma.

© written and published by animatedarchives 2020. please do not steal or repost. thank you.

[xxkellsvixen19xx]

Spotlight: Life Of A Troubled Celebrity Heartthrob Ch 5.1

Word Count: 7,019 *Between Both Parts

Colson woke up first as moonlight beat down on his face. He sat up and stretched his lean body. When he had planned this trip he hadn't anticipated falling asleep on the boat. He looked at Y/N and didn't have the heart to wake her but she slowly opened her eyes when he stirred.

"What time is it?" She rubbed her eyes and yawned.

"It's just a little after midnight. We should get back it's a bit cold out here." He threw the blanket over Y/N. "You can go back to sleep while I drive us back."

"I think I'll come and keep you company." She stifled another yawn.

"If you insist. I won't complain." He kissed her long and hard.

"I wish we could stay this way forever." He sighed as he held her face in his hands.

"No you don't. You would probably get bored in a few minutes." She joked.

"Spend the night with me." His face was illuminated by the moonlight, piercing blue eyes pleading with her. He didn't want this night to end. All he wanted was to spend more time with her. Not in a sick perverted way but he just wanted to be close to her-to hold her and never let her go.

"Colson I-"

"All I want to do is hold you okay? No second base..unless you want-"

"Don't push it Baker." She laughed and swatted his shoulder.

"Okay let me get you out of here. Stay here it's warmer okay?" He straightened the thick blanket over her. Then went over to start the engine and steered the boat back to the estate. She snuggled under the warm blanket and dozed off.

"Sorry to wake you sweets but we're here. I would carry you out of the boat but we would both end up in the water." He laughed as she squinted up at him.

"Okay." She said her voice horse and her head still groggy.

Y/N stumbled across the gangplank, Colson laughed as he scooped her into his arms and carried her into the house. He took the steps up to his room, kicked the door open and laid her down gently on the soft bed. She even tried to protest when he removed her shoes but he pushed insisted.

"Colson that isn't necessary. I can do that myself. I'm not an invalid." She was wide awake now.

"Your feet are stone cold Bambi! Should I run you a bath?" He rubbed her feet but his efforts were futile.

"Hmmm, I think I'd love to soak in a warm bath right now." She rolled her neck and stretched out her body. Colson couldn't help but stare and was glad Y/N couldn't read his thoughts right now, because they were anything but clean.

"Am I allowed to join you? I'm cold too." He said as he stood and made his way to the bathroom.

"Sure why not? I'm sure the jacuzzi is big enough for both of us.." Y/N taunted him. She leaned back on the bed a naughty smile on her face. She couldn't understand where her sudden boldness came from? It was probably because she was sleeping on her feet and her brain wasn't functioning in its full capacity. I mean who takes a bath after 1:00am??

"Careful what you wish for Bambi.." He wagged his finger at her. "I just might call your bluff sweets." He ran the bath water and added some strawberry scented bubble-bath. He walked back to the bedroom and found Y/N undressing.

"Oh! Sorry-I didn't-you should have-" He sputtered, his hands flew to cover his crimson face. Y/N threw her head back and laughed.

"Really Baker! Is this your first time to see a girl half-naked?" She threw her play-suit in his face as she walked past him and into the bathroom. Colson caught it before it hit the floor and stood there confused. He didn't want to misinterpret anything but that action right there, seemed like an invitation to him. Maybe it was time for him to test the waters..literally.

Y/N had left the bathroom wide open..another sign. He proceeded cautiously through the door, there was no going back after this. Y/N was lying in the tub with her hair tied up in a messy bun, her eyes closed as if she was asleep. Colson stood at the door and removed his clothes silently. He slipped into the jacuzzi and sat opposite Y/N and waited for some sort of reaction from her.

"Took you long enough to get here Baker. I almost fell asleep waiting for you." She said drowsily. Her eyes remained closed.

"You're hungry? I've asked Alison, the housekeeper, to bring us something. We can eat once we're done."

"Hmmm." Replied.

Food was the last thing on his mind right now. He wanted to eat something that was sitting right in front of him-in fact he wanted to devour her-to ravish her until they were totally spent. But with a lot of difficulty, he restrained himself and told himself good things come to those who wait.

"You need help staying awake sweets?" He slid over to her side and pulled her towards him.

"What did you have in mind?" Her eyes flew open and he saw the desire ignited in them. Now was the time he would make his move. The look in her eyes gave him the green light and told him everything he needed to know.

"A few things.." He brushed his lips lightly against hers and heard her inhale sharply. He teased her with feather-light kisses until her breathing was ragged. Then he kissed her thoroughly, his tongue touching every inch of her mouth.

They were interrupted by a loud knock on the door. They sprang apart but made no move to answer the door. Colson's arctic orbs burned into Y/N's brown ones and no words needed to be said. He stepped out of the tub and wrapped a fluffy bath towel around her body, their nakedness no longer an obstacle. She was swept of her feet and carried into the bedroom and laid on the bed. Colson hovered over her as if seeking permission to continue. She pulled him closer and their lips melted into each other again-but the incessant knocking was a mood-killer.

"You probably should get that." Y/N whispered into his lips as he looked down at her, frustration contorting his features. He let out a low angry growl and hopped off the bed to answer the door. Y/N felt sorry for whoever was standing on the other-side.

"Jax! What is it? It's almost two in the morning!" Colson scowled as he open the door just a crack.

" Anyway-you requested food so I offered to bring it up-" He motioned to the food cart, "plus there is an urgent matter that need your immediate attention..before it hits the press in a few hours. Byron and Andre are waiting downstairs"

"Let me get dressed. I'll be right down. Leave the cart outside I'll get it just now." Colson shut the door and got dressed quickly.

"Is everything okay?" Y/N pulled the covers over her and sat up.

"Yeah-you can eat and I'll join you in a bit." He wheeled the food into the room and kissed her on the forehead before dashing out.

Y/N jumped out of bed and went to rummage through Colson's closet, in search of a T-shirt or PJs that would fit her. She came so close-again-but she wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed. She stood in the closet and noticed they was woman's clothing neatly stacked in a shelf, while the dresses and jackets were hanging on the rails.

Y/N's heart sank as she fingered the clothing. The clothes seemed fairly new and were about her size. Probably they belonged to one of his many girlfriends and he had forgotten to hide them away or he had meant for them to remain here. She gave herself a mental shake, grabbed a pair of pink PJs and slipped them on, even it meant taking a risk of him being upset with her.

"Thank you floozy, for leaving your clothes in Colson's closet." She muttered to herself, as she dived under the covers, her appetite gone. What did she expect anyway? Of course he had a constant stream of girls sleeping over and she was probably just another statistic. But she still wanted him. Even as the silent tears slid down her face and onto the therapeutic pillow, her heart still yearned for him, for his touch, for his presence and a whole lot more.

It wasn't long before she nodded off to sleep.

********************************************

"What do you mean I signed the wrong document?? Don't I pay you to make sure that never happens??" Colson flipped over the glass table in a rage. Andre loosened his tie and cowered in the corner, beads of sweat scattered on his forehead.

"Look Colson, why don't we all take five? Let's step outside so you can get a bit of fresh air and collect our thoughts?" Byron put his hand on Colson's shoulder and he shrugged it off, before storming into the cool night-or morning rather.

Dawn was breaking and while Colson loved to watch the sunrise, he didn't derive any joy from it today. It had turned from a beautiful day to a nightmare-his worst nightmare. He sat by the poolside and hung his head in his hands. How was he going to get out of this mess? Most importantly how was he going to explain it to Y/N? Yet again he had got her entwined in his drama. He ripped of his t-shirt and dove into the water, did laps back and forth until he was spent. The sun was peeping threw the clouds when he jumped out and collapsed onto the well manicured lawn.

Byron stood over him and handed him a towel and a robe after he had dried himself. Alison had begun to serve breakfast out on the patio and Jax was barking orders to the bodyguards. Security was on high alert as per Colson's instructions. Y/N would need a bodyguard as well, once the story got out.

"I'm going to go break the news to Y/N before she hears it from someone else. Please don't come anywhere near my room until I say so. If anyone so much as knocks..there will be hell to pay." Colson stormed back into the house and ran up the stairs to his room. Y/N was still sound asleep when he jumped in behind her. He put his arms around her and held her like it was the last time. After what he had to tell her he was sure she would never want to see him again, because it would throw her world into absolute chaos.

"Hmm..you're cold." She protested, still half-asleep.

"Sorry baby I had an early morning swim.. I just need to hold you right now. Is that okay?" He snuggled closer to her and tightened his hold. The talk would have to wait until she was well-rested. He made sure to switch off both their phones earlier on so he was safe for now.

"Hmm..You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah-please go back to sleep baby." He kissed her hair.

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

"Andre please explain to me again how you messed up the paperwork? You always so articulate and careful. What went wrong this time? Your wife giving you problems man?" Byron paced up and down Colson's study, where he, Andre and Jax were having a closed door meeting.

"I had printed out the revised contract for him and Y/N to sign right? Then my sister-in-law asked me to process her papers for a marriage contract so I could submit them to the courts, then she could get her marriage licence. But I know someone that can take a shortcut and-somehow I mixed up the documents so-Colson and Y/N signed-in actual fact-not only a marriage contract but a marriage certificate. I don't know how I missed it..probably it was in between their documents and they mistakenly signed it. Well..it was my mistake but I then went on to submit it to court now-" Andre sighed and gulped down his third glass of whiskey, forgetting that it was only a little after 6:00am.

"Now some douche from the marriage office got his dirty hands on the documents and is blackmailing us for freakin' $5mil. Thanks for that Andre. Thanks a lot!" Byron spat. He pulled at his hair in agitation and threw deathly daggers at Andre.

"Look I know I messed up okay?? I'm probably going to be out of a job when Colson walks back down those stairs..I'm so screwed." Andre sank back into the couch and covered his face with a cushion. "Plus that guy has given us until noon to pay up or else.. "

"He's leaking it to the highest bidder." Byron finished off distastefully.

"How are we going to fix this Byron?" Andre sat on the edge of his seat.

"Unfortunately, you have hit a very sensitive spot..Colson is rather fond of Y/N and has developed a strong attachment to her. He doesn't know it yet but I think he's actually in love with her." Byron put his hands in his pockets and stared at the carpet thoughtfully.

"Yeah. I noticed.." Andre pursed his lips. "I'm finished aren't I?"

"Yeah." Byron nodded.

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

"Morning sweets." Colson leaned over and kissed Y/N on her forehead. "You sleep enough?"

"Ye-ah, I guess..we had a pretty late night." She sat up and stretched out her arms. "Sorry for wearing these PJs-I needed something to wear." She said sheepishly.

"What?? No need to apologize sweets, they're yours." He smiled.

"Mine?"

"Yeah-" He shifted nervously," Look Y/N there's something I need to tell you." He swallowed hard not being able to meet her eyes.

"Y/N? Wow-this has to be serious then." She pushed her back and propped herself on the headboard. "I'm listening.."

Colson explained the mess up that Andre had got them into. Y/N's face went from confusion to shock. After Colson was done she sat quietly, staring into space.

"So..what you're trying to tell me is that we're married??!"

"Yes." He finally met her bewildered expression. "We can get an annulment-"

"No! I don't want that on my record." She raised her hand.

"Tell me what you want me to do? I know apologizing is pointless but I really am sorry Y/N." Colson held her hands and looked intently at her. The remorse clearly displayed on his handsome face.

"Say something baby. Please?" She still hadn't responded to his question and it was beginning to scare him.

"I'm sorry..I need to go home." She hoped off the bed using the other end, wanting to escape. The walls felt like they were caving in and she found it hard to breath. She had to put some distance between them so she could think straight. How could she be married to Colson Baker? Married??

"Y/N! Wait!" She slammed the bathroom door in his face and locked it. "Can we talk about this?" He leaned his head against the door.

"Please sweets? Can you allow me to fix this? We're in this together remember?" The door suddenly flew open and she stood there, tears streaming down her face. It tore his heart into a million pieces seeing her like that.

"How are you going to fix this Colson?! Huh?! Please tell me??!" She cried out and started to punch his chest. He grabbed her wrists and crushed her against his chest.

"I'm really sorry okay? I'm going to fix this. Trust me okay?" He cooed as he smoothed her hair with his hands. "It's killing me to see you like this-I can't-" His voice broke and he buried his face in her neck.

They sank to the bathroom floor still in each others arms. Y/N's cries were now sniffles and her head was lying on Colson's shoulder. This was a perfect disaster. How would he even fix it? Where would he begin?

"You want to get out of here?" He broke the silence.

"Yes. Please take me as far as possible. I don't think I'll be able to handle any of this right now." She pleaded with him, her eyes still brimming with tears. He stood up and held out his hand to her and she grabbed on it as she got up.

"You can take a quick bath while I take care of our travel arrangements. Don't worry about packing clothes or anything like that-all I want is you." He kissed her gently on her lips and left her in the bathroom.

She took a quick shower and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. There was breakfast waiting for her at the corner table, so she wolfed down a slice of toast and cheese, washed down with a glass of orange juice. When she went downstairs in search of Colson she heard loud voices coming from the poolside.

"You're fired!" Colson shouted to Andre.

"Colson it was a mistake-" Andre tried to reason.

"One that is going to ruin an innocent girls life!" Colson shot back. "Just leave! Get out of my face!"

"Wait!" Y/N called out as Andre made his way to leave.

"Y/N, please stay out of this. Let me handle it okay?" Colson walked over to her and held her shoulders.

"Andre stays." She challenged.

"What? He's responsible for-"

"He stays." She said firmly.

"No he can't-" Colson protested.

"As your wife, I say he stays." His eyes softened, he dropped his hands and stepped back to look at her.

Everyone else stared at the exchange in awe. Andre breathed a sigh of relief and wiped his face with the back of his hand. He really needed this job, he was the sole breadwinner in his family. He had a lot of people that depended on him.

"Fine." Colson said with clenched teeth. "But you will owe me big time Bambi."

"Can we leave now before the circus begins?" She said.

"Yeah-Jax we're good?" Colson asked visibly relaxed.

"Sure thing boss." Jax replied.

"Great. Now I can go and give my wife a real honeymoon. We might even have to consummate the marriage. What do you think Bambi??" Colson put his arm around Y/N and gave her a knowing look.

"Don't push it sweetie." She rolled her eyes but her heart was hammering wildly against her chest. How was she going to handle being totally alone with the sexy, irresistible Colson Baker?

*********************************************

"Who's this?" Colson barked into the phone.

"Is that the way to greet you best friend?" Slim chuckled softly.

"Hey, how's it going dude? You alright?" Colson sat on the edge of the bed.

"I would be alright if you got me out of here. Today preferably. Otherwise..I might be tempted to bribe one of the nurses to-"

"Slim you know this is for your own good. You almost died man! I can't have that on my conscious again." Colson ran his fingers through his hair and sighed audibly. Slim needed to stay in rehab, but he didn't seem to understand that. This could be his only hope of staying alive, he had too many close calls so far.

"Listen, if you don't get me out of here this very minute then you're going to force me to do something that we will both regret. You more than me though-because you have so much more to lose." Slim said aggressively, "don't push me Col."

"That sounds like a threat?" Colson scowled. "You know better than to do that." He tut-tutted.

"Really?? How's that sweet doe-eyed obsession of yours? I wouldn't mind-" Slim taunted.

"Leave Y/N out of this okay! Touch her and you're finished. You will never work in this country again." Colson stood and gripped the phone tighter. His anger emanating through the phone.

"She might be sweeter than Dani...Now Dani was wild in the sack man, I can understand why you were hooked on her..it's a pity she had to die.." He mocked.

"You are the reason she's dead!" Colson shot back.

"Oh no, no, no. Don't give me all the credit man. You are as much to blame." Slim said deadly calm.

"Go to hell!" Colson cut the call and smashed his iPhone against the wall.

Slim had pushed him too far this time and he was going to pay dearly. How did someone claim to be your friend and then do something that contradicts the statement? How could he threaten Y/N, the only person that he had shown any remote interest since Dani?

"Hey Col, everything okay?" Byron entered the room with caution.

"I want Slim gone. I don't care how you do it but I want him gone." Colson punched his hand with force. "He dares to threaten me? Threaten Y/N?? After everything I've done for him and this is what….I want him gone." He said through gritted teeth.

"Okay," Byron sat down slowly, "I won't even ask, you can tell me whenever you're ready... But the jewelers are here, they're waiting in the study." He stood up again and turned at the door. "You can come down when you've-calmed down."

Colson went to freshen up and went to fetch Y/N from her room. He knocked softly and couldn't help but smile, when she opened the door for him. He dipped his head and kissed her softly on the lips and deepened the kiss as he felt her respond. He pushed her back onto the bed as he sought solace from the only place he knew. Sensing his need she poured herself into him and gave as good as she got. Colson finally broke off the kiss reluctantly, their breathing heavy and their eyes hazy.

"I really don't want to do this sweets, but..we have to go downstairs." He sighed and pushed back Y/N's unruly hair, "the jeweler is here and I'd like you to pick out your ring or rings, whatever you prefer is fine."

"Colson..you don't have to do this. This isn't even a proper marriage." Y/N protested.

"I know sweets but if we're going to do this then I suggest we play the part to the T. otherwise no one will believe our little story." He said as he sat at the edge of the bed.

"I thought we weren't giving in to the blackmailer's demands?" she sat up and tried to salvage her hair. She grabbed the brush on the dresser and swept it through her hair.

"We're not, we're going to beat him at his own game." Colson watched her, mesmerized.

"You okay there Baker? Would you like a spin?" She waved the brush in his face and laughed.

"Would you..brush my hair? No one's ever done that-well besides my stylist." He shrugged.

"Sure..if you really want me to.. I might as well start performing my wifely duties." The brush felt so good as it swept though his hair, he couldn't help but groan in appreciation.

"That feels so good." He closed his eyes and leaned into her. His hands went round her waist and before he could venture any further there was a loud knock.

"We're coming down in a minute-go-away!" Colson called out, his hands still wrapped around Y/N.

"We should go babe, its a quarter to eleven." Y/N didn't realize the slip but he did.

"Don't ever stop," he said.

"What?" she frowned.

"Don't ever stop calling me that," he pecked her lips and stood up. Y/N nodded dumbly, unsure how to respond.

"Let's go Bambi," he pulled her hand and led her downstairs.

The study was already occupied with the jewelers, Jax and Byron. Colson walked in and looked around, not at all pleased.

"Right this is what's going to happen-I want every one out, including you two," he pointed at the jewelers, "this moment is between my wife and I, no one else. We will let you know on how much to bill us once we've decided. I don't want her to feel pressured or uncomfortable so get," he pointed towards the door.

Everyone shuffled out wordlessly and Y/N turned to Colson with a frown.

"Was that necessary Baker?" she folded her arms.

"Yes," he simply said, "shall we begin Mrs Baker?" he pulled out a chair for her.

"Thank you Mr Baker," she smiled at him as she sat down.

"If you keep looking at me like that then I'm going to be forced to kiss you until you breathless," he stared into her big brown eyes.

"I dare you," she whispered, her heart racing.

Colson didn't need to be urged on any further; he pulled Y/N off the chair and brushed his lips over hers, torturously slowly and softly. Y/N strained her lips towards him in an effort to deepen the kiss and appease the havoc that simple act was causing in her body.

"I think we have to stop now-otherwise I won't be able to control myself," he leaned his forehead on hers.

"Okay," she replied, in barely a whisper.

"I know I promised to keep my distance..but I can't Bambi..you make it so hard..especially when you look at me like that," he gulped, "with such intensity-such innocence, I don't want to taint you," he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Colson..there's something I need to tell you.." Y/N diverted her gaze from him.

"Please don't say you want to leave-" he looked at her, in anguish.

"No that's not it," she shook hear head vehemently.

"Then what is it?" he turned her chin up and searched her face for answers.

"I'm not a virgin," she removed his hands from her face and went to sit down on the chaise, at the far end of the room.

Colson stood there, his hard-drive still trying to process the information that she had just laid on him. She wasn't a virgin? But that was good right? But why did she seem so sad, instead of relieved? Was she perhaps raped? Abused? He would make them pay, whoever it was they would pay, he would find them and make them pay, he thought. Y/N took his delayed response as a bad sign. She should have told him sooner, then maybe he wouldn't look so disappointed.

"Y/N, look at me," he sat next to her and held her hands, "I don't care okay? That's irrelevant sweets."

"What?" She frowned slightly.

"Sorry-that came out wrong-let me re-phrase okay?" he gave her a lopsided grin, "It doesn't matter to me okay? I know you have a past and it's nothing to be ashamed of sweets. Mine is probably ten times worse than yours," he laughed. "This doesn't change the way I feel about you okay?"

"I thought you would be disappointed," she said with despair.

"Never," he cupped her face in his hands.

"But you don't know the full story-" she protested.

"And I don't need to okay? When you're ready to tell me then you will-but for now please choose a ring baby?" They laughed and lightened the tension.

She finally settled on a simple ring in platinum with a ruby and a double row of round brilliant diamonds. They had matching wedding bands in white gold, encrusted with white diamonds. They instinctively exchanged weddings bands and smiled at each other, as they slipped the rings on each others fingers.

"You're mine now," he said before he kissed her softly.

"Does it work both ways," she countered as her heart fluttered.

"Try getting a divorce and you will see exactly how it works," he smiled at her as he held up his iPhone and took multiple shots of their rings and entwined hands. They started goofing around with the camera and took more funny photos and Colson posted the best ones on his social media; until Byron knocked on the door.

"Colson it's almost noon and the pressure is on.. you're good to go?" Byron peered through the door.

"We're more than good By, check my latest tweet," he scrolled through his phone showing Byron the photos and social media posts., "it already has over 20,000 views in less than ten minutes.

#shesaidyes #ilikeditsoiputaringonit #relationshipgoals #itsofficial #mrsandmrsbaker

"Well, this is very convincing! Hey, even I'm falling for it," Byron chuckled, "you guys have great chemistry so it will be easy for the media to eat it up."

"The only person I want to eat it is the blackmailer," Colson said as he slipped his phone into his pocket.

"Andre managed to trap him. We have managed to trace the call and he's on his way to pick him up-with the cops of course," Byron said with satisfaction.

"At least Andre did something right for a change," Colson scoffed.

"Babe, can I go and call my mom now? I promised to call her ages ago and I'm sure she's in hysterics by now.." Y/N put her hands on Colson's chest and Byron raised an eyebrow.

"Sweets, I can't apologize enough about all this-" he held her face.

"Don't- it's not your fault okay?" she kissed him again.

"I'll be up in a moment, let me finish up here okay?" Colson kissed her forehead and she left.

"So..Babe??" Byron laughed, "I got a feeling this isn't pretend anymore.."

"Shut up," Colson said, "when are you going to release the press statement? Is my jet ready? I need to get to New York for that charity benefit tonight."

"Yeah, I'm on it. We can leave for New York, whenever you're ready," Byron said.

"Great, I want to leave now. Can you ask Jax to pick up Y/N's friends and meet us at the airstrip? I'll go and make sure my bags are packed." Colson's phone rang as he made to leave.

"Baker," he said.

"So I guess congratulations are in order bro?" Slim said.

"What do you want??" Colson stiffened.

"Hey bro! Chill out! Why are you all up tight?? You just got married man! Loosen up," Slim laughed.

"You're kidding right? You have some nerve-"

"Dude, you need to chill okay? Are we still going to the charity benefit?" Slim asked.

Colson sighed as he raked his hair. "You bust out of rehab didn't you?"

"You know me too well Col," Slim cackled.

*********************************************

"I still can't decide what to wear!" Liv said, exasperated. She had gone through the closet about a million times and was even more confused than before.

"Don't worry, Michelle will be here soon," Y/N looked up from her phone.

"So has your Mom calmed down yet?" Lisa asked as she plopped herself onto the bed.

"No, she's freaking out for days!" Y/N frowned. Ever since they announced their marriage her mother was inundated with calls and was being hounded by the media again. Mrs Y/M/L/N was upset that Y/N got married without telling her and felt like she was way in over her head. She had even demanded Y/N catch the first flight home but she was adamant about staying with Colson. For now they had agreed to disagree.

"Hallooo there Mrs Baker!!" Ashleigh barged into the room and launched herself onto Y/N, causing them to fall off the bed.

"You could have just said hi like a normal person," Y/N giggled as Ashleigh straddled her.

"I leave you alone for a couple of days and you come back as Colson Baker's freakin' wife!" Ashleigh pretended to strangle her, "Oh-my-days! Will you look at the size of the rock on that ring???!"

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Y/N twisted the ring on her finger.

"Thanks for the heads up by the way," Ashleigh scowled.

"Sorry Ash, it just happened," Y/N said, out of breath, "Let me up!" she protested.

"Such things just don't happen-oh hey there Lisa! Liv!" she hugged them.

"Right, everyone in the sitting room now, we don't have much time," Michelle bust open the door and commanded everyone to start getting ready, "Y/N you're up first, Colson will be coming for you soon."

"Oh, I thought I was going with everyone else.." Y/N said.

"Not a chance, you're Colson's wife now so it's a whole new ball game. Congratulations by the way," Michelle smiled, "you need to get your make up done so you can stay in here. Let me just grab my bag, I'll be right back."

Michelle had chosen a Chanel emerald embroidered fishtail maxi dress. It accentuated all Y/N's curves, a low-cut back exposed her smooth tanned skin; fashioned from a luxurious velvet and lace material with hand embroidery all over the dress. The fishtail design and mermaid hem created a perfect silhouette. Her hair was swept up into a neat bubble-bun and a smokey-eye look for her make-up, her lipstick was a matte in crimson.

"You clean up nice Mrs Baker," Michelle admired her handiwork and handed Y/N a matching clutch purse.

"Good job as always! I can't even recognize myself," Y/N twirled around.

"Colson will not be able to keep his hands off you tonight, hope you're on birth control," Michelle joked and they laughed. There was a soft knock on the door and Michelle opened it on her way out, "hey Col, she's all yours."

Tagged: @kellysimagines

[bbnibini]

PSISLY: An Obey Me!CYOA – forty-nine🔖

Telling Levi that everything you experienced last night being a dream was a lie. You didn't remember buying such an expensive blanket, nor did it come with the stuff you packed for your week-long refuge in RAD. The receipt he clumsily left with you was evidence enough that he wrote the letter.

"Ghost my ass. Coward."

So you say, but you cuddled with the said blanket anyway, hoping remnants of him would be there.

If he loved you back, then why would he reject you? Should you have told him to wait for you? To fix your shit so he would give you another chance? It was pathetic. Now you understood Mammon's desperation. But you do need to fix your shit. And maybe stow away your daily necessities at your locker until tonight. Classes would start in a few hours and you needed to prepare.

That fucking locker.

If you would have known this would all happen, you wouldn't have opened it at all.

"Stupid ghost."

"Achoo!"

You jumped at the sound and wrapped the cursed blanket over you like some cloak of invisibility at one of Satan's wizard shows but you ended up looking stupid instead.

"Who's there?!"

Your sneezing invader ended up being the last demon you wanted to see while starting your day.

Fuck.

"You weren't there when I woke up. And they won't tell me where you are.

.

.

.

.

It's because of me, ain't it?"

"Mammon--"

Without any warning, he rushed up and hugged you, feeling the tightness of his hold. Your ghost crush's words repeated in your head like a mantra,

"Face reality."

…ringing incessantly in your head like a curse---of cruel fate trapping you, shaving away your own will and dictating your heart on what it should feel like the cheesy otome games which you play in pajama nights with Asmo and Levi.

Stupid fate told you to hug him back. To follow the script in this messed up romance story and fall in love with the right (person) demon.

"It's all right to feel surfeited. Your emotions are valid, no matter what other people will say. You shouldn't force yourself to love someone. It would be cruel to both of you."

But of course, your ever wise ghost crush has all the answers, for you remembered what he said again, along with your passionate kisses last night despite being in the arms of another man. You felt sick to your stomach.

"We're over."

"No!"

"I don't love you, Mammon. I'm sorry--"

You felt his tongue inside your mouth, probing, desperate, waiting...for you to look his way--to forget about a person who did not want to be remembered. To fall in love with him instead. To lose yourself in the kiss and finally give him a chance.

…but you pushed him away. You stopped yourself from raising your hand out of respect for his own feelings, even if he clearly didn't do the same for yours.

"I can't do this, Mammon. This is unfair!"

"I don't care! I love you! I'll make sure you'll love me too!"

"You're being ridiculous! You know I'm in love with someone else! Aren't you angry with me? I kept on telling you you're all these things when you're not! Why would you want anything to do with me?"

You were tired of crying. Your heart sought for the solace of that one fleeting dream, hopeful for an escape. Face reality? For what? To see how much of a horrible person you are?

"I should be  the one saying that. I should have told you the moment I'd known!" He was shouting now, screaming at the top of his lungs at an early, sunless morning. His voice echoed through the hallways, a piercing screech, frustrated and angry at himself. At you. Your voice was a whisper in comparison.

"No, it was me. Why didn't I notice I was idealising you?" You answered back on the verge of raising your own voice, tempted by the catharsis brought about by mindless projection, uncaring of what it will destroy on its path.

"You're not. I wanted to change on my own. I stole your chance of you ever knowing him. I'm the scoundrel here, aren't I? Must be why you can't ever love me."

The hurt in his voice made your heart clench. You held him by the hand and shook your head repeatedly, letting out a voice as if it were on the verge of screaming. Deep breaths. You aren't the only one confused and pained about all of this. At some point, while false, you had feelings for him. And even if the truth of your twisted love story had been revealed, instead of that love diminishing, it only took a different form. You realised that with your conversations with Levi last night.

"You know that's not true! You have a lot of amazing qualities! Just because I love someone else doesn't mean that would ever change. Mammon, I care about you. That's why I want you to love yourself too."

Tightening your hold on his hands, you looked in his eyes, trying your all to make him see what he could not. Oh, you know there was something there. Something that would make both of you finally listen to each other, instead of shouting at each other but not hearing yourselves at all.

"You were my first demon. You stayed by my side and cared for me. Even if we didn't have the best first meeting, you have always treated me well. So…please don't say you want to change for those reasons. You deserve to be loved for who you are!"

Oh, to hell with this! Stupid feelings! Stupid tears! Stupid you! You were a sobbing, screaming mess, palms sweating as it was intertwined with his, eyes stinging from a love blinded by idealised illusions.

"I love him, Mammon. I want to find him…"

…only to find pain in realising the truth.

"He's a coward who won't even show his face to ya! Why would you love a jerk like that?"

A truth that the both of you couldn't take so kindly, evidenced by the fact that he spoke his next words with unbridled jealousy.

"Oh, he is! I hate him so much! But, I love him all the same!"

Your vociferations were feral---inextinguishable, lighting a fire in your heart that you thought was long gone. The same flames of wrath you snuffed out before even understanding the unfairness of your situation---of your own life being taken away, anger over those who could never understand the fragility of a transient existence as yours.

"He's the worst!"

You cried out, voicing out your complaints for a man who couldn't even tell you his name. His stupid name! "Arrogant! Prideful! Selfish! Telling me to face reality when he cannot even face his own!"

You aired out even more of your complaints, screaming at the top of your lungs, a crying sobbing mess--undergoing stress far too early in the morning for you to gain any sense or bearing. You didn't even realise your legs gave out on you as you were sitting with your legs splayed on the floor, muffling the sound of your sobs, hoping the tears would also stop.

You screamed until you had no more voice, calling out to your first demon in a hoarse whisper,

"I want to love you…but I can't…"

Mammon lost his anger the moment you broke down in tears, epiphany in his eyes that he was too emotional to ever understand or control. You were in his arms, this time not out of possession but of concern. His chest was stained with your snot and tears, uniform crumpled by the clench of your hands, clawing at some proverbial cliff your ghostly love threw you in to fend for yourself.

"Why would he kiss me? Why would he tell me he loved me if he couldn't fight for me? Why would he tell me to face reality when he's not here by my side?"

Mammon's clutter of a mind held back the urge to ask you 'You met him?' And instead held you in his arms, his desire to protect you from anything that causes you harm intensifying, even if the threat was himself.

There was a sense of understanding in his eyes, too late to be realised, or at least that was what he thought. He was disgusted by how similar he was with that scum of a man who didn't even have the courage to tell you his feelings face-to-face. He didn't say anything and held you until you calmed down, making soft strokes on your back as if you would shatter in his arms at the slightest touch. You probably did already, perhaps you had been broken all along. Maybe that was why he left you.

"If you want me to stay by your side," you said weakly, void of anything in your eyes, reflecting the bliss of abreaction. "I can only offer you my friendship. I'm tired, Mammon. I need space."

"Okay…" he answered back, hearing your voice for the first time.

"I'm sorry for hurting you."

"I'm sorry too."

"I want to break up with you."

"Yeah…we need that right now."

"I'm not good enough for you. For him. For anyone right now."

"That's not true. It's that guy's damn fault!" he quickly lowered his voice down upon seeing you look up at him. "He doesn't deserve ya."

"But I love him…"

It hurt to hear it from you, but he didn't comment. "Mhm. I know."

He held you in his arms for a while until your tears dried and both of you were calmer--able to listen to reason, or at least civil enough to have a coherent conversation.

He broke the ice and told you now that he had a deeper understanding of your situation, about his own truth. "It was the morning before I went to work at Witch's Brew. Little D gave me my own letter." "Apparently I placed it in some random classmate's locker. Couldn't even remember stupid instructions. That damn Belphie…"

"Belphie?"

Why is Belphie involved with this?

Mammon answered generously. "Yeah, Belphie. He was the one who told me your locker schedule.

.

.

.

Judging by the look on yer face…that..ain't good, huh?"

You nodded, replying softly. "I never told him about my locker."

"Wait. What?"

"I'm shocked too. I kept it from him before…especially after…you know."

"Oh."

"B-but I don't feel that way anymore! We're good now!" you replied, flustered.

"...I just didn't have the time to tell him, I guess."

Now that you were now on speaking terms, Mammon couldn't help but finally ask. "What about you?"

"Huh? Me?"

"Your face is a mess. You've got lipstick smudged like a clown--

.

.

.

.

Oi, I'm being serious here!"

You wiped the tears on the corner of your eyes. "Sorry, just laughing at the irony."

"In English, please."

You looked at him cautiously.

"Promise you won't get angry?"

"I already am and I don't even know why. It's that jerk, ain't it?"

You wrapped the blanket around you and covered your face. "Maybe…"

Since you knew Mammon's mind is probably racing with all kinds of tangent thoughts right now, you hoped to silence them with your brutal honesty.

"We kissed a bit…

.

.

.

Okay, maybe a lot. I'm sorry…"

Mammon was more concerned about your secret admirer's lack of responsibility more than anything. There was anger there of course, but he had already burnt out. Like you, he was also tired of…feeling. It was Satan's specialty, not his. Instead, he answered with slight annoyance. "Yet that jerk still left you?!" (Emphasis on the slight)

"It's not like that!" it was such a complicated and surreal situation that if you didn't experience it for yourself, you wouldn't even believe it. But you explained it to him, everything that happened. A dreamlike encounter, now only a reminder of your heartbreak.

"I was the one who forced myself on him. He kept on saying it was a dream but…" you showed him the blanket wrapped around you and flushed at the reminder of your nightly embrace. "...why does it feel so real?"

Mammon didn't know how to respond. Satan's spells are powerful stuff. It would keep every intruder away that only the likes of Lord Diavolo or the caster himself (or the Great Him!)could dispel. Still, it doesn't make sense. He can still feel the traces of magic in your temporary dwelling before he broke the barriers, familiar with the runes and the spell's intricacy---a magic that was entirely his fourth-born brother's.

"The spells were untampered before I got here. Even someone as powerful as the Demon King would leave traces of his magic if he went in here last night. Yet there's nothing. Only Satan's. Ya sure you really kissed someone here?"

"I-I did! He...he left this for me." you cuddled with the blanket even more, hoping it would hide the blush in your face.

"Tch." He rolled his eyes in secret and pretended not to look at your lovestruck face. No time for pining, stupid. He thought to himself.

"Only way I can think of is if that stupid jerk is Fat-- ex-Father himself."

G-God?!

"You ain't locking lips with that old geezer, aren't you?"

You? In love with God himself? That's the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard!

"I WOULDN'T DARE!"

"Yeah. Figures. This is hella weird."

Thankfully,even Mammon thought it was too impossible. You haven't met the man yourself, but you were certain it wasn't him.

"I agree."

Your beloved ghost crush had an odd, familiar air to him. A presence that made you feel safe, loved and protected. Treasured . Comfortable enough to joke and share laughs with each other despite only meeting for the first time.

"It feels like I've been waiting for him. Like we've been apart for a very long time, and we met each other again."

Awkward silence.

"You don't even know 'em." said Mammon, unable to hide the bitterness in his tone.

"I'm sorry...maybe we shouldn't--"

"S'cool. I was the one who asked anyway." Saying that though, he considered your situation and changed the topic."So…you're gonna stay here for a whole week?"

"That's the plan."

"Even if we're good now?"

You nodded. "Until we're both completely recovered and I don't want to beat his ass anymore."

"Heh. So you're not giving up on him? Even if he already did?"

How could you? As much as you want to, your heart told you that it still wanted to find him. And when you do…

"...I'll give him a piece of my mind. Hey Mammon?"

"Yeah?"

"I care about you, you know that?"

"Yeah. But it ain't the same as lovin' me, ain't it? You have bad taste in men."

"Mhm. The worst."

He let out a sigh, whether it was because of your stubbornness or your stupidity, or an amalgamation of both, you didn't know. But he must be disappointed in you right now. Even you aren't blind to the fact that he was the "better choice". But you hated that term. Mammon is so much more than a "choice". He was his own demon, he didn't deserve being objectified or being treated as a substitute for someone else.

"Just so you know, I ain't giving up either."

Yet here he is, equally stupid as you are, declaring his bold words with a toothy grin, hiding his pain to pacify yours. Something hurt in your chest at the thought. But you could do nothing else but pretend you didn't notice his unfair kindness.

"Eh?"

"My rival's as good as dead. I'll steal your heart, fair and square. You'll see!"

"Pfft. Don't ever write a poem."

"Well I'm sorry that jerk can write! Writers are lame anyway!"

The artificial sun illuminated the classroom with its orange hues, welcoming the day filled with new beginnings. You wished you could say the same for you, that this heartache, this ending, this pain would signal the start of your own. For Mammon too, so that he can learn to love himself again: a fresh start, an acknowledgement of the love you've had for each other despite parting ways.

"See you soon." You stood up slowly, and offered your hand to him.

Smiling he took it and answered back.

"Yeah. I'll be waiting. Always."

[ Mammon's Normal🌸Ending obtained.]

💌Read the epilogue

💌Autoload previous save slot

💌masterlist

[bloodys44]

Silence and Cigarette Smoke

Original story and bonus content found here! ↓↓↓↓

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13289933/1/Silence-and-Cigarette-Smoke

(Also I’m so sorry the last chapter posted all jumbled together like that. And also that I’m to garbage to fix it)  The issue with chapter 7 not being viewable though ff.net also seems to be resolved so feel free to read some more if you enjoy. :)

Warning//Gore

Chapter 4: The Post Birthday Bloodbath

788

The dull thundering of a train traveling over laid track had always sounded soothing to Lucy. Whether it was a version of simple white noise or one of few comforting memories from her days of running, she could never tell. Something about the rhythmic sway of the train car, mixing with the light hum of the metal hovering. She would argue that she never slept better, besides maybe sleeping near Natsu during the cold winter months. A perk she had come to favor about him over the years. And yet, the rattling of their train compartment lacked its usual lulling charm, her mind wired yet not focused on anything in particular. The dark of the sky had crept up slowly, tearing apart the wicked blue that it had previously embodied. Stella wasn't overly far away, a neighbouring continent overthrown by the Fiore army. Majority of the land was underdeveloped, a cluttered mess of forest and mountains. A singular city near the center was all that resided on the vast land, thus keeping the name of the continent itself. Their train wasn't due to reach the platform until the early hours of the morning, and Lucy couldn't help but let an annoyed sigh escape at the thought. There were at least four more hours of traveling remaining, and time seemed to be passing at half it's regular speed. Not to mention the fact that her companions were sleeping soundly, letting the night slip away without a worry.

They had lucked out with a train equipped well for travel, small, but personal compartments lining down each side of the train's cars. The compartment's themselves were nothing extravagant, simple cloth-covered benches mirroring one another. The sliding door creaking obnoxiously when it was opened. If anything, it's most astounding feature was the lingering smell of old shoes and musty wood.

Lucy glanced over to her pink-haired partner, smirking with slight pity for the boy. Natsu had never served well with travel, a rather astonishing relationship with motion sickness. Even in his sleeping state, she could tell he was miserable, clutching the edges of his stomach with purpose. Porlyusica, the guilds head medical attendant had explained it stemmed from his dragon-slaying abilities. Supposedly his senses were so over heightened, the motion of vehicles rattled his own sense of balance. Still, it didn't make it any less enjoyable to tease said boy about it. Currently, he was seated with his shoulder blades pressed heavily into the cushioned backrest, leaning his head against the chilled window pane. A frame of light fog splaying from where his skin connected, the contrast in temperatures causing the reaction. Natsu was always warm, his average body temperature running much higher than that of a regular human. Though when he slept, it usually spiked much higher, his concentration lacking, barely keeping his own skin under control. He had never voiced it to Lucy, but she knew it was a draining task for him, his wild emotions always causing it to fluctuate. When he got overly flustered or rageful he became damn near scalding. Lucy never really minded it, especially in situations like this, his natural body heat making for a cozy effect. She was curled up on the opposite side of the bench, her back resting against the wall connected to the sliding door. With a muffled groan she moved to remove her freezing toes from the constraints of her boots, deciding to take advantage of the living heater across her. Tucking her feet under his left thigh carefully, she relished in the heat before his sudden jolt startled her. Almost instantly the warmth retracted, simmering under his pores. A slight pout overtaking her lips while she stared at his wide, yet sleep-filled eyes. Of course, he would wake up from the sudden change in atmosphere, the boy always on edge while away from the guild.

"Sorry," He mumbled sheepishly, "Did I get too hot again? I didn't mea-"

"No, it's alright, I was just warming my toes." She cooed, interrupting his typical nervous ramblings. "Sorry I woke you."

"S'all right, wasn't sleeping that good anyway." He shifted in his seat, stretching his strong arms wide with a rough yawn before facing her again. His eyes trailed over the compartment quickly, stopping briefly on all the exit points. The door, the window, and the emergency exit placed snuggly between the roofs panels. His shoulders taking on their practiced tense state as he strained his hearing. Lucy could barely hold back the amused smirk that danced over her face when she saw his nose twitch. Her lips only pulling back wider as he continued his practiced motions, checking the surrounding area for any danger. The nose on that boy could beat that of trained hound any day.

"What, afraid the black wizard might get ya?" She teased, wiggling her fingers at him for emphasis.

Natsu only sighed embarrassingly, scratching at the side oh his throat. Subconsciously acting on his traditional nervous habit."Sorry, Stella always-"

"-Makes you nervous," She finished easily. "I know." She slid her feet deeper under his leg, adjusting until she felt comfortable again. His on edge behavior wasn't unusual when they traveled through Stella, always becoming an anxious mess that intensified greatly the closer they got. He never delved into details about it, always stomping her curiosity with a simple defense. Just a bad feeling. She could practically feel her eyes rolling, hearing his voice clearly pronounce the words in her head.

"Honestly, it makes me nervous too," Lisanna added on a whisper, sluggishly pushing herself up from her resting position. Delicate fingers brushing the sleep from her electric eyes. "After all, its where Zeref was born."

Zeref. The great black wizard. A mage trailed only by the stench of death, or so the legends say. Though he hadn't been sighted in years, his very name still struck fear into the hearts of mages and non-magic users alike. A young boy with the tongue of the devil. His very words a magic vice on your mind. He controlled what he wanted, and that was that. "They say he's immortal." The white-haired woman started again. "A blade couldn't pierce his heart."

Now Lucy's eyes really did roll in their sockets. "Please, your only going to rile him up more." She gestured over to Natsu who served her a practiced annoyed frown. "He'll be on edge until we hit Magnolia again."

Lissana giggled slightly, turning her attention to him. "Don't worry, nobody's seen him in years, it's nothing to stress over."

"Doesn't mean he's gone." He bounced back. "Regardless, there's enough to worry about in Stella with or without him." Lissana's brow arched, curiosity plain as she questioned the statement. "Stella's crawling with royal knights, it's the second base from the border of Bosco."

"I thought there was a ceasefire?" She pressed, to which Natsu scoffed.

"They won't stop until they find Mavis's grave."

"What do they want with the holy goddess?"

"Mavis was the first grand witch," Lucy interjected. "It's rumored her grave carry's the secret to eradicating all enchantments."

Lissana hummed in understanding. "So basically mages should be avoiding this area?" She laughed weekly, crossing her arms with lazy movements. "What a perfect place for us."

"If we keep our hoods up we should be fine," Lucy stated pointedly. "Stella's train station is the major rest point between Seven, Bosco, Iceberg and Joya, there's lots of travelers with new faces. Makes it pretty easy to blend in. Besides, nothing remotely bad has ever happened to us while traveling there. It'll be good to keep our wits about us, but Natsu's major anxiety is a little overkill."

"I just have-"

"A bad feeling?" She finished for him again, rather cheekily. "I know." She nudged him with the top of her foot at his exaggerated eye-roll. "I have no doubts we'll make it back just fine. Lissana peeled her legs from the front of the bench, pulling them upwards to rest her chin on her knee.

"Aren't you from Stella, Natsu?" The man grunted slightly, stiffening and sending the woman a warning look before granting a structured nod.

"Did you ever see him as a child? The black wizard I mean. I think he would have been a few years older, but still a child back then."

"No." His response blunt and harsh, pushed over his teeth. Lucy quirked a brow, scanning over Natsu intently. He crossed his arms at her curiosity, a blank statement that he wasn't planning on explaining the situation further. Lissana sighed, placing a hand under her delicate chin.

"Stella is where Gildarts found Natsu as a child." She explained to the blonde. "He grew up there."

"Come on Lissana." He hissed back. His arms twitching as they stretched over his chest.

"How come you never told me that?" Lucy pressed, fixated on the man's jittery movements. "I thought you didn't remember your childhood?"

"I remember bits and pieces." He slumped backward obnoxiously, deciding that he was definitely stuck in this conversation now. "I just never thought it was important."

"You know where I grew up." She defended shortly.

"Geeze," he scoffed at the blonde playfully. "Like that was a hard one, Princess of Fiore."

The blonde found herself pulling a pout. She wasn't trying to be rude, only holding genuine curiosity about her best friend's life before her. "Well, maybe we could stop at your childhood home before we leave? It would be nice to see where you grew up." Her face warming as she beamed at the boy.

"It doesn't exist anymore." The words forced roughly from his tongue. "I burned it down." She didn't miss the slight twitch of his shoulders, or the way his voice threatened to crack. He puffed out a never mind before claiming he was getting some air, the trains rattling my stomach. A blunt end to their conversation. He was up in a single movement, pushing through the door and ignoring the wine of the sliding mechanics as it slammed back to its original closed resting state.

"Don't take it personally, Natsu's very protective of himself." Lissana tried, (as if Lucy didn't already know that) hopping over to sit next to the blonde. "I shouldn't have brought it up, I only know because I was there the day he arrived. I thought maybe he would have told you, finally opened up to somebody."

"Why would he open up to me? You've known him much longer."

Lissana huffed playfully, tossing her hair with a flick of her wrist. "Even I can see the way he looks at you, all doe-eyed and bashful. It's hard not to notice really."

"Natsu is anything but bashful." Lucy scoffed, giggling slightly. "Though I'm sure I could say the same for you."

"That's sweet of you to say," The fair-haired maiden flushed, "But I have my theories." Lucy stilled for a moment. Was she making a joke? Natsu had never pushed the boundaries that they had established over the years of their friendship, unlike he pushed for the fair-haired woman. Maybe it was because her feelings were so blatant, easy to play off of. Not to mention the comfort fo the family dynamic he shared with her siblings. It's not like she could find any reason she wouldn't want to notice casual pining in her direction, especially from somebody like him, any girl could dream of being so lucky. It was just that it didn't happen like that, and she didn't see any change for the future.

"You're ridiculous." She decided as a response, to which Lissana chuckled fondly. The rest of the trip remained rather silent, even after the dragon slayers return.

Meeting with the client went well, no arguments or concerns from the traveling wizard trio. The client himself was nothing out of the ordinary, a common man whose mother had been a successful wizard. Though he possessed no enchantment of his own, he held the secret of magic secure. The man owned a gracious amount of property in the city, majority of the population's homes falling on his land. Expressing his concerns for the people he bid the group luck as they headed to find the feverish bandit group that had been terrorizing them. Natsu didn't remove his face-concealing cloak, let alone speak during the whole exchange which only left the blonde wondering if he recognized the man from his childhood years. Unlikely as it was, she couldn't shake the suspicion; her friend's body language balancing on peculiar.

The bandit group, Twilight Oger (or so they called it.) had taken up residence in the city's abandoned mine. Converting the tunnels into a makeshift base. The group had established a rather daunting reputation with the city of Stella, the citizens growing too weary to attempt to run them out on their own. The royal guard batting an unusually blind eye. The rumor of their supposed sex trafficking didn't sit well with Lucy either. "We should set up a plan," Lissana suggested lightly. Her voice a much-needed contrast to the silence they had been walking in.

"Walk through the front doors and knock some heads."

Lucy shook her head playfully at the brash fire-breather, shoving his shoulder slightly. "I think we should split up," The peppy white-haired woman continued. "It would be easier to sneak around, a stealthy approach might be best considering we don't know how spread out in the tunnels they are."

"Also easier for one of us to get caught off guard. Aren't these thugs notorious for trapping woman?"

"You aren't traveling with common woman Natsu." The fair-haired woman retorted back. "Don't be so degrading, we can handle ourselves just fine." The peaceful smile she sported did little to sweeten her harsh words. Though Lucy found herself nodding slowly in agreement. "Plus it'll allow me to try out my new spell without you two getting in the way." She winked cheekily.

"I dunno," the dragon slayer mumbled, scratching at his throat in practiced fashion. "I really think we should stick together, I have a bad feeling about this place." Lucy could practically taste the anxiety of his words as they dripped over his chin. They should probably listen, Natsu's suspicions usually turned out to be right. But his overly annoying constant worrying from the city made it hard to distinguish his keen senses from his blind panic. Nothing ever happened to them in Stella. A nieve approach yes, but also a chance to prove herself to the man that always seems to protect her.

"I think it should be alright," the blonde finally interjected. "The tunnels should echo enough to hear one another if we call for help." Natsu simply shook his head muttering an annoyed Whatever under his breath. She felt kind of bad, gaining up on the man. This was supposed to be his birthday mission after all. But in all honestly, Lucy found herself surprisingly excited, an opportunity to show her teammate how far she'd advanced. A fully-fledged Fairy Tail member that could handle her own.

The group traveled to their destination at a quick pace. The air filled with Lissana's constant enamored pestering towards a certain Salamander. Lucy more distracted by the winding paths of the city's streets, decorated sporadically with aged trees and vegetation. She thought it was rather sweet, how well her two teammates were getting along. Even with Lissana's words on the way over. It was nice to see Natsu's pleased expression towards the woman. A long-time childhood friend and admirer. Though their newest member still bristled her, Lucy made a silent promise to invite her out with them more. It was nice to travel alongside another female, and if it made Natsu happy, then she was sure she could live with it.

The sun was beginning to set by the time they arrived, the night sky pouring out for its time to play. The stars blessing Lucy's soul, her magic vibrating deliciously under her skin. Her power almost doubling in the light of the night. The moon's shift was her favorite time to cast. As they stepped through the taped off mine entrance she could practically feel her excitement begin to bubble over. Traditionally she held a rather level head during missions, keeping her partner's explosive personality in check. Yet she found herself letting go, ready to show off her own power.

"I really think we should push through together," Natsu mumbled under his breath. The words so foreign on the rambunctious man's tongue; always ready to run ahead of the group in search of action, yet never far enough away that he couldn't protect those closest to him. It wasn't a secret that he was much stronger than his usual travel partner Lucy, but she didn't want him to feel obligated in protecting her when he already does so much.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Lissana bubbled, already skipping off towards one of the winding shafts. Lucy's lips pulling into a smile as she began following her lead towards another turn-off.

"Lucy." Her name pronounced like rocks on cement, jaded and sharp. She spun on her heel carefully, her smile falling at the dragon slayer's serious tone.

"I can take care of myself Natsu." She mused. "You don't need to hold my hand all the time."

A low grumble resounded in the boy's throat as he ran his rough fingers through spiked locks nervously. "Geeze Luce, I know I don't." She raised her eyebrow at his cautious tone. "It's just.. last time you were on your own I found you beaten half to death in the middle of the forest."

All mocking aside, Lucy felt her temper skyrocket. Of course, he didn't think she was capable. "I'm not a fragile little princess anymore. That was years ago." She spat, anger boiling over. "You don't need to save me all the time."

"I know, I know... I just want you to be careful. Sometimes you have trouble keeping your magic under control during the night."

"Like you're one to talk, you burn everything around you the second your emotions get out of wack." Internally she knew her anger was getting the better of her, words falling from her jaw faster then her mind could process. He was just worried about her, as a caring teammate should be. The pained expression he was now wearing only verified that fact. Mindlessly her fingers began fidgeting at her belt. Her lungs pushing her spitfire attitude out with a breathy exhale. "I'm sorry Natsu, that was uncalled for. I shouldn't have said that. I'm just excited is all. I'll be careful, I promise." Natsu's deep onyx gaze burned into her for a moment before he nodded, although reluctant, it was an agreement none the less. She reached out, squeezing his wrist confidently before turning back to face her chosen path. "You be careful too! Mira will surly cut off my head if I bring you home needing more stitches."

The forgotten shafts were confusing, to say the least. The floorplan coming across as sporadic and unplanned. There was little that argued what a great hideout it made, trapping its victims in a maze until they were prayed upon by vicious ogres. The lack of security flowing down the halls only proving that their targets felt the same way. Lucy had only run into two men along the way, their skills lacking, making it an easy victory for the blonde. The lack of scream's echoing offered that her teammates were fairing the same. Even with their earlier agreement that stealth was the best option, Natsu had never been the quiet/silent type. Especially when fired up in a battle. Either the mine shafts didn't share sound as good as Lucy had estimated, or he hadn't run into anyone just yet.

The must that surrounded her intensified greatly as she progressed, the smell practically suffocating her. Senses dampened by its nature. The only sound around her was the clack of boots connecting to the rocky earth, and the creaky hinge of the lantern strung to her hip. The ground becoming less and less traveled. It was peculiar really, with the placement of the mine so central to town. One would think at least a few curious teenagers would have come to poke around before rumors had sprouted about Twilight ogres appearance. And yet her footprint's were the only evidence of human life.

Groaning loudly, Lucy spun, heading back towards the entrance. Agitated that her luck pulled her towards one of the unused routes. Expectedly her group had already rounded up majority of their targets while she wandered around uselessly. Placing her palm to her forehead she let out an embarrassed huff. All her big talk was for nothing, the harsh tone she had used against her friend making her mood plummet even farther. All she could do now was pick up her pace and hope she could make herself helpful with tying up loose ends. Lucy always hated when jobs turned out this way, especially when Natsu insisted she collected her portion of the reward despite her actual effort. Not that it mattered today, this mission was supposed to be for Natsu after all. And truthfully after Lissana had decided to join them she had done nothing to make the trip enjoyable for her pink-haired friend. Silently she promised to the empty halls that she would apologize to him when they finished their job.

When Lucy rounded the corner back to the entrance she was debating which tunnel to follow. Pacing back and forth in front of Natsu's entrance before resolving that his nose probably led him exactly where he wanted to go. With quick steps she bounded down the winding hall's, trying her best to stay along the path of the firebreathers signature sandal footprints.

A scream that caused her blood to run cold echoed around her with striking prominence. Lissana's sweet tone coming across shrill and ragged. There wasn't a moment to process before Lucy's legs propelled her forward. The sound of angelic sobs guiding her path. Any and all excitement she had previously been consumed with smothered like a candle without oxygen. The shaft began to blossom with light as she rounded each corner, the weight barring planks becoming more and more re-enforced. If that wasn't already enough clues she was approaching the center of the base, the newly constructed grand entrance that appeared before her did.

Acting quickly, Lucy pressed herself against the corner of the doorframe, analyzing the situation before charging headstrong into the commotion. Obviously, the treacherous group had put some work in. The cavern dugout to be much larger than anything man-made underground should be. Large metal lanterns decorating the ceiling with patterned placement. Casting enough light to see, but not enough to dismiss the eerie atmosphere. Small beds, makeshift furniture and gang members coating the outer walls while the center remained bare. Except of course for the probable main event of their evening.

A rugged-looking man stood center a wooden stage-like platform. Greasy hair curling over knarled shoulders. Even in the dim light, Lucy couldn't miss the disgusting gleam of the man's golden teeth. Oh so typical of a rich bandit. But what really caught her off guard was the squirming woman entrapped by his rugged arms, top strewn aside leaving her covered only in lacy white undergarments. His chapped lips smirking into her cheek while he pinned her against his bare chest. His one hand prying dirty fingers into her supple mouth while the other pressed a rusty blade to her exposed stomach. Though not enough pressure to break skin, it was just enough to make Lucy's mouth run dry.

"Let her go." Natsu's enraged voice scrapped over every surface, demanding attention from all living things. Lucy cast her eyeline off to the side, finally noting her partner's presence. His clothes looked slightly battle-torn, but overall he looked un-worrisome. His expression was firm, lips drawn into a tight line while his eyes trained on the enemy standing before him. Even from her placement on the other side of the cavern, Lucy could feel the scorching waves roll off of him. A terrifying might in the face of adversity.

"What are you going to do about it fire boy?" The man's shrill voice causing Lucy to shiver. "Even if you get rid of us, more will come. Those royal soldiers are very eager customers. And there's plenty of women to go around here." Natsu lunged forward, feet indenting the ground with sheer pressure. The man howled playfully, cackling like a madman as he sidestepped out of harm's way. Lissana squeaking at the sudden movement." Natsu spun quickly, fang-like teeth bared while he coiled his muscles, ready for his next pounce. "Make a move like that again and I might have to carve up your little girlfriend early!' The blade against her stomach pressed deeper, causing Lissana to jolt, a high pitched screech crawling between the man's fingers. A sloppy line of red spilling from her torso down the hilt of the blade. Natsu looked frozen, his eyes never daring to stray from the glint of metal. Mind fighting with his anger to consider the safest course of action.

Shit shit shit. This was definitely not how Lucy had expected to reunite with her teammates. Instantly her fingers shot into the confines of her purse, searching desperately for the lone piece of white chalk she always carried. Mind racing dangerously through her memorized incantations. Though her magic wasn't necessarily designed for hand to hand combat like Natsu's, she held a natural talent for spellcasting. Confident that she was capable of at least making a big enough distraction for Natsu to proceed, she started scratching the lines of a practiced magic circle. The white of the chalk easily visible over the dark rock beneath her. Her frantic hand movements made the lines far less legible then she preferred, but it would do for now. The blonde dropped her weight to the floor, careful in her attempt to stay silent as she crossed her legs. Delicate palms slapping against the earth over her created circle. Her eyelids slamming shut in concentration while her lips parted for the whisper of incantation. Almost instantly the very ground beneath them shook with purpose, guiding cracks up the walls and spewing rocks from the ceiling. She didn't worry about frightening her teammates, she knew Natsu could smell her, even with his focus concentrated elsewhere. Hopefully, they could get this situated and escape to safety before she brought heaven's wrath down atop their heads. The spell itself was no easy feat, calling upon the gods light to alter the earth. Lucy only capable of casting it under the light of the moon. No doubt it would bring attention from the townsfolk their way, but at this moment the blonde thought it was the best course of action. She could feel the shudder under her legs as the shafts hidden deeper under the earth collapsed, the roaring sound of rockfall scattering through the cavern.

Natsu's strong tone carried over easily as he sneered cheekily, "Now you really fucked up. Gone and made the angel mad." Even in deep concentration, Lucy felt a smile drum at her lips.

"I already knew there was three of you. We thieves hear of all magic activity in Stella. She's no threat, pesky fairies lack the resolve to drop the ground over the heads of their 'comrades'."

"Bet." The dragon slayer's singular cocky reply sang like a choir to Lucy, pushing her magic to expand outwards. A sickening crack bestowed over them, one of the main support beams snapping under pressure. The scared cries of ogres screaming far louder. The blond's brow furrowed slightly as she felt her very skin vibrate, her magic fluctuating drastically. "You're okay Lucy." Natsu's voice rang true, obviously taking notice in her power surge. Yes, she was O.K. She wouldn't falter so easily when her friend's lives were on the line. She just had to keep the main cavern intact a little longer, enough time for them to escape. She was strong, and she could do it.

The man continued to cackle hysterically, bouncing his weight between his feet. "Bad move fire boy." He taunted. All Lucy could hear was Lissana's blood curtailing wail and Natsu's panicked shouts when she realized they had lost. Her lashes fluttered open, eyes rolling uncomfortably as her vision was obstructed by blinding light. She couldn't stop. She was losing control, just as her partner had foreseen. Her own magic blinding her sight.

"Lucy!" Natsu's worried screech reached from the main cavern. "Cut the fuse!" A pit burned its way into the depths of her stomach, fear of how this situation was going to end if she couldn't regain control. All she had wanted to do was help, and now the situation was only going to get worse. Splinters of support beams rained furiously over her, enraged with being disturbed after so many silent years. She felt her body shake with the earth's pure ferocity. "Please, Lucy!" He tried again, his voice swirling with Lissana's wild screams. She still couldn't stop. She was going to kill them all.

Lucy wasn't sure how many agonizingly slow minutes had passed when her vision finally re-focused, disturbingly strong hands clamping around her delicate wrist's and pulling her back to earth. And god, what an unpleasant sight to be greeted with. Two men that reeked of whiskey and sex smirking greedily at her.

"You's a pretty scary witch when you're casting, eyes going all white and shit. Body twitching like an addict." Lucy scrambled back frantically, her spine slamming into the stone arch. The men leaping upon her with a timed pounce, pinning her tightly against the frame. The first man stretching his fingers around her chin. "But yet, your so pretty. I'd have fun breaking a little thing like you." His alcohol glazed tongue searing along her creamy cheek. Lucy screeched vividly in disgust, springing her knee upwards to the man's groin. He recoiled with blunt movements, swinging his arm around to backhand her. The ferocity splitting her skin. "You sly bitch!" He fired another shot to her jaw. "You's makin' enemies with the wrong person." She tried to pry her head away from the man's violent swings, eyes scrambling to take in her surroundings. Small pebbles and dust still gave way from the ceiling, but the ground seemed to have relaxed, her magic cut out at the roots. The tunnel she had originally traveled down lay in ruin, barley leaving enough space for a full-grown adult to crawl back to the light. Thankfully though, the traumatizing screams had stopped, Natsu's much calmer voice the only thing ringing out.

"You okay Lucy?!"

If the blonde hadn't received another painful blow to her lower lip she probably would have snickered. "A little preoccupied at the moment." She grunted, purposely spitting the blood that was pooling around her gums over her assailant's face. She bucked her legs intently, thrashing around like a child until she freed one of her arms. With a sinched brow she slammed her palm over the first man's chest, muttering a simple incantation that caused her hand to pulse. Holy light rained down again, this time pin-pointed above her enemy's lungs and flinging him backward through the semi-demolished doorway and into the main cavern. A short victory smile produced from her mouth before she felt her body tremor. A light, yet firm reminder of how much magic she had just finished exerting, and how fragile it made her body.

Sucking in a deep breath she tried to muster strength from tomorrow, using her free hand to claw into the dirt. Muscles protesting annoyingly while she pulled herself away from the remaining man. "Not so fast witch." His tone twisting the word to sound like a vulgar insult. The hilt of his own blade striking into the round bone of her ankle. A torn wail exhaled from her, reacting to the pain but thanking the heavens that she hadn't heard the crack of her bones splitting. It wasn't much, but it gave the man an opening, tucking his legs in only to spring them out into her back. Shoving her ungracefully through the frame to join the rest of the crowd. Lucy cradled her ribs carefully, attempting to regain the air that man had so rudely ripped away from her. She was only able to catch a glimpse of her dragon slayers unreadable expression before more greedy hands tore her from the ground, dragging her center-stage to join the 'show'.

"Well fire boy, I suppose thanks are in order." The leader mewled again tapping his now drenched blade against a whimpering Lissana's torso. "Bringing me two of the most beautiful woman in Fiore and barely puttin up a fight to keep them." He was taunting now, voice never losing his deranged laughter. "Don't know why to maidens of this caliber are slugging around with someone like you, but I guess I should give you a little credit," Natsu growled darkly, his body growing tenser (If that was even possible), muscles coiling dangerously. The leader followed Lucy with hungry eyes, watching as Lucy was strung up by another man in the same manner as Lissana. The only difference was the blade pushing fearfully hard against the pulse point of her throat, leaving her stomach out of harm's way. Honestly, she wasn't sure which she would prefer more. She watched Natsu's dark anguish filled orbs bounce back and forth between her and Lissana. She tried to capture his attention, pleading with him by expression that everything was going to be alright. That he should focus on the more injured of the two and leave her to her own devices, but his glance never lasted long enough. "I know!" The leader piped up again excitedly. "It seems a little unfair to steal away both your girls after that pathetic display," He toyed, "So, how about I suggest a little game?"

"I ain't playing shit." Natsu responded bluntly.

"Don't be such a downer fire boy, this will be fun."

"Every time I hear that, things don't usually end up being that 'fun'." He spat. relaxing his tight fist momentarily before clenching it again.

The leader only smiley devilishly, continuing his frantic knife tapping over Lissana's stained skin. "I'm going to let you pick one." He decided. "Pick a girl to take home while one rots away under some pompous sex-deprived guard." The look on Natsu's face practically shattered Lucy's heart. One of absolute horror that something like that had even been offered to him. His singular broken reply of sick bastard weighing heavily on the limited oxygen.

"It's okay Natsu," Lucy offered dumbly, wincing when the tip of the blade punctured her skin. Hot thick liquid oozing down her neck, threatening to break her resolve. "Take Lissana out of here, I'll be alright." She tried to produce a weak smile but Natsu's sad cold eyes froze her as he shook his head. She gulped loudly, feeling the blade press deeper with her every word. Her captor obviously not pleased with her speech. "Please." She tried again, but Natsu only shook his head faster.

"No way in hell."

"This is so not the time to be stubborn." She retched, cringing at the sticky feeling coating over her chest. She tried to ask him again but the blade slid uncomfortably under her skin and all she could summon was strangled yelp. Surprisingly, it did nothing to help the exchange.

The dragon slayer's eyes bulged, raising his arm's defensively, voice frantic and lost. "Stop!" He yelled, "Don't hurt them anymore, give me a second to think!" She had never seen the man look so uncomfortable.

Lucy slammed her eyes shut at her holders' increasingly wild movements, jerking the blade against her without a care. "This is ridiculous lover boy," The leader spat over his laughter. "I, out of the goodness of my own heart offer you back one of the women you practically dropped in my lap. And you cant even decide which pussy you'd rather ride? Pathetic!" He hollered, the rest of his goon's joining in. "I'm good and bored now, you sucked all the fun out of this. I don't even need these girls!" At this point, it was hard to distinguish words through his manic howls. "You have three seconds before I just kill them both." Natsu's attention snapped back to him like his mind was finally processing the events that were about to unfold.

The cold-hearted cheering of a slow count sprouted from the other members. Starting at Three and barley pronouncing the O in One before all hell broke loose. The roaring sound of metal clad boots slamming into the earth above, signaling the extremely overdue arrival of the royal army. Bandits screaming and crawling over one another like wild animals in search of escape from a rabid predator. And Natsu's scalding shoulder crashing into her sternum, throwing her away from the wicked man's grasp. She rolled roughly against the dirt, hand shooting to her throat to pressurize the bleeding. She was gulping greedily for air when she heard the stomach flipping joyful voice cry out above the commotion. "Good choice! I think I would have picked her too." Nothing but freezing, blood-curdling cries followed. Lucy felt her limbs stiffen at the sound, her chocolate irises the only responsive part of her body. Taking in her horrific environment with shocking detail. Natsu was only a few steps away from Lissana, His body recovering quickly from surging towards her, propelling him back to the remaining prisoner. But a few steps was a few too many, and Lucy and her partner could do nothing but watch as their friend was quite literally gutted before them.

Blood had always been red. But nothing compared to the deep scarlet pooled around the stark white of Lissana's being. An enraged bloody titan plucking the clouds goddess right from the sky and dragging her to the fiery pits of hell. That is, if hell consisted of somebody shredding your torso to smithereens and hysterically laughing as vital organs spewed through the skin. Lucy was sure that in this world, nothing would ever hold a candle to the vile scene displayed before her. The grotesque sound of a lifeless body crashing limply over its inner parts. The ferocious roar of a wounded dragon casting thieves to scaper away, a high pitched squeal on their lips. All the while a daunting march of hungry war men encroached on them.

Lucy's head snapped painfully back to reality. They couldn't stay here, the army would swallow them alive. The Ogres were sprinting out of a tunnel near the back of the cavern, no doubt another way out laid beyond it. They still had a chance. With a silent prayer to all that was holy, she pulled herself up from her shambled mess on the floor. Taking rushed staggered footsteps towards her partner and the offending carcass in front of him. "Natsu..." She croaked. "We need to get out of here." She rested her palm on his shoulder, placing most of her weight on him. Her ankle lacking in its career of helping her walk. He didn't seem to notice her. Lips quivering as he muttered under his breath, fingers twitching, coated in the blood he had tried to prevent. "Natsu, we need to go..." She tried again, giving the man a light shake.

"We can't just leave her here..." His broken cry pleaded, head-spinning to meet her gaze. Never, in all the years Lucy had known Natsu, had she seen him cry. His deep onyx eyes swimming with salty tears, his raging passion extinguished. Her strong motivator completely shattered before her, frantically attempting to scoop spilled organs back into a frayed body. The footsteps of soldiers drawing ever closer as her own tears spilled over.

"Please Natsu." She sobbed, gaging slightly as blood bubbled from the split in her throat. She thought his previous expression succeeded in breaking her heart, but the look he was giving her now practically split it in two. A mangled pain-ridden yell erupting from his chest while he grasped Lucy's wrist, dragging her away from their murdered friend and the on slot of guards that inadvertently let it happen.

Again, check out the full story here! ↓↓↓↓

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13289933/3/Silence-and-Cigarette-Smoke

[yourdeepestfathoms]

The Crucible (part ten; finale)

[UK Tour; Carrie AU]

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

Word count: 8463

TW: Blood and gore, mentions of rape

-------------------

-Don’t Waste The Moon-

  “When did you first realize something was wrong?”

  “When I heard the sirens.”

Katherine remembered all her fears coming true when dozens of police sirens, fire truck sirens, ambulance sirens began to blare so loudly in unison that she could hear them from her neighborhood. She had ripped open her front door, Isabel hovering right behind her, and stared in horror at the golden-orange light illuminating the night sky from miles away.

  “And then the fire.”

  “And when was the last time you saw Joan Seymour alive?” Mulaney asked.

Katherine looked at him skeptically. “At school on Friday. Before the prom.”

  “You told Sheriff Doyle you saw her after the prom. Right before the Shell blew up.”

Katherine bit her tongue, remembering that interaction. She had just sped down in her car to get to the mayhem, but stopped at a gas station that was swarmed with police cars. When she launched herself out of the driver’s seat, she heard one of the officers saying into his radio how a fuel tank had just “went up” and the “gymnasium was gone.” She asked him what happened at the gym, and he told her to go home, that there was nothing she could do. But she didn’t listen, instead swerving around the gas pumps to get a better look at the school, which was completely engulfed in flames on one side.

That was when she heard the explosions. And saw the bursting pillars of fire in the distance. And noticed that the telephone poles lining the road were starting to rattle and rock. 

And Joan Seymour emerged from the smoke and fog rolling down the street.

  “It was dark,” Katherine said. “I saw a girl in a dress.”

  “You said you saw Joan Seymour.”

  “I was wrong.”

But she wasn’t. She knew it was Joan.

Joan, covered in a slick of blood.

Katherine had tried to call out to her, but Joan didn’t answer or even look in her direction. She just kept walking, arms flat at her side, fingers splayed open, eyes wide and shiny and blank.

The Shell gas station blew shortly after. Something had wormed into the gasoline deposit and ignited the entire thing, sending the pumps into a blaze. Katherine’s ears didn’t stop ringing for a few hours.

  “What’s it matter, anyway?” Katherine said. “Joan is dead.”

I would know...

------

The sound of frantic knocking on Anne’s front door and the sound of her cousin shouting interrupted the heated makeout session between Anne and Cathy. She had been trying to ease her girlfriend up, who has looked sick ever since the blood dump, and it was just starting to work when the panicked banging and yelling started. Rolling her eyes and groaning in annoyance, Anne peeled herself from the couch (nobody was home, so they had the house to themselves, making this interruption even more irritating) and walked to the front door.

  “What?” She growled at Thomas. “What’s your problem?”

  “Oxford.” Thomas gasped out, clearly out of breath. His eyes were round holes of horror, like he had witnessed something awful. “It’s burning up, Anne.”

On the couch, Cathy shot up from her reclined position instantly and began to put her shirt back on, much to Anne’s dismay. 

  “Whole damn city,” Thomas went on, breathless. “The school’s gutted.”

  “What?” Cathy stood up and hurried over beside Anne. Regret, guilt, and terror was twisted all over her face.

  “They said people at the prom were trapped.” Thomas continued. He wore the same expression as Cathy, realizing that this alleged destruction was partially because of him. “Only, like, eleven of them got out. The rest were cooked.”

Anne and Cathy exchange looks. Cathy looked ill all over again. She began to pace back and forth with her hands to her head, fingers knotted in her hair.

  “Anne,” Thomas whispered, shuddering. “The ones that got out told the police something about a prank.”

Anne pressed her tongue against the inside of her lip, feeling embers of anger flicker through her. She shook them off for now and stepped closer to Thomas, noting the way he flinched away from her slightly. She placed her hands on his shoulders.

  “Go home.” She said. “Don’t talk to anybody.”

Thomas took a deep, shaky breath and nodded. He hurried down the driveway and back to his car. Anne closed the front door after he drove off into the night.

  “And what are we going to do?” Cathy asked. She sounded like she was close to tears.

Anne turned to her with a thin smile.

  “We’re going to go into town and watch the fires.”

------

The street is thick with mangled cars and billowing smoke. All around, the cries of the dying form brief, unsettling harmonies with the cracks and booms of exploding pavement.

A red double-decker bus tilted over at an alarming angle, tires punctured, emergency exit door hanging open. Its driver laid slumped across the steering wheel, sightless eyes staring ahead to a junction he would never reach. The limbs of luckless late night passengers trail from broken windows.

A water main has ruptured. Its flow was tainted with blood; dark swirls in a new river that headed for the oblivion of black drains. Soon those drains will fill beyond capacity and the street will begin to flood with the remnants of the dead and broken.

It’s the most magical place on earth, and everyone seemed to have it all there—the drugs, the drama, the unabashed violence, and the harm it’s done to Joan and everyone she’s ever loved.

This old, mysterious city lured her in a long time ago and numbed her with a fix for her every desire. Against this landscape, she’s carved out a prosperous career as the resident freak. Through the sheer force of her will, the city had molded and bent before her very eyes, covering everyone’s every potential insecurity with false confidence and gaudy excess.

In return, the city has jaded her, stripped her of her humanity, and warped her into an unrecognizable shell of noir-esque dysphoria, washed up on the filthy banks of the city’s canals. It has brought her to this very moment, shambling down one of the streets like a zombie, coated in coagulate blood and guts, leading a path of utter destruction in her wake.

The air around her was crackling. Every step she took broke the asphalt beneath her feet. Pillars of fire roared out of the ground behind her, spewing chunks of fiery rocks into the sky, which then landed with tremendous explosive force.

She was wrecking this city the way it wrecked her.

And every sinner who ever hurt her or wronged her was going to perish in her act of purification.

Rapture was nigh, and Judgement was upon them all.

Joan slowly continued down the road. The earth began to shake without stopping, a continuous tremor that jarred her teeth in her head and made her feel as though the ground was about to drop out beneath her. Another fountain of fire shot out into open air and the asphalt melted into magma, slithering slowly down the pavement alongside Joan like a benevolent bituminous companion.

A big black truck rattle up a side street, swaying into the other lane and jerking back over and over again. Music was blasting from the open windows and the stench of alcohol and weed could be smelled even from where Joan stopped. She watched the truck screech to a halt and the passengers peer over at her curiously, slurring among themselves. Then, they’re getting out and walking over.

  “Damn girl,” One said, noticing the blood all over her. He stumbled when he walked and kept mixing his words together. A brown bottle was clutched tightly in his right hand. “You look FUCKED!”

His three friends, all red-faced and either drunk or high out of their minds like he was, roar into loud peals of laughter. Joan stared at them blankly.

  “What’s with all the pyrotechnics?” Another asked. “You a performer?”

  “Yeah, yeah,” A third nodded. “What kind of show is this? ‘S not even close to Halloween!”

  “I’d still go down on ‘er, though,” Piped up the fourth with a lusty smile.

(dogs)

Joan continued to stare at them absently as comments about the blood all over her and the fire burning around them were bounced off each of the men. What they don’t realize is that she’s sending her powers through the ground and into their bodies, and by the time they do realize, it’s too late.

A shrieking fit of screaming broke out when the fourth man’s head suddenly popped like a balloon, spewing shards of blood and bone and brains all over the place. One of them got a chunk of stringy tissue caught in their mouth and he immediately doubled over, gagging and vomiting. The other two continued to howl like babies.

  “WHAT THE FUCK?!” The first yelped. 

  “WH-WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?!” The second added.

  “HE’S FUCKING DEAD, MAN!!” The first cried.

The second whirled around to Joan, pointing and blubbering.

  “You-you fucking did this, didn’t you?” He stammered.

  “How?!” The first said.

  “I-I don’t know! But she killed Danny!”

The second man bent down and grabbed a long, thin shard of glass that had been broken when all the bottles of alcohol had been dropped. He swung it at Joan, and she was much too dazed to properly react.

  “What...what the fuck…” He backed away from Joan, who had the shard now pierced through her cheeks. It entered through the right and came out from the left, wedged in place by her flesh. When she opened her mouth, the brown glass could be seen glistening in the firelight. Blood dripped over her bottom lip.

  “What...what are you…?” The first whispered.

Joan flicked her tongue and felt the piece of glass in her mouth. It was cold and slick, but the blood it drew was hot and sticky. She didn’t like the taste.

She jerked her head and the man who had stabbed her went flying. His spine snapped loudly against a telephone pole, his body folding like a bent card upon impact. He slumped to the ground, lifeless.

  “Oh fuck! Oh god!” The first man panicked. He grabbed his other friend’s arms, who had gone into shock. “Fuck! Jack, let's go!! We need to go!”

They didn’t get very far.

The ground below the men exploded into towering flames, incinerating them. The smell of burned flesh filled the air. Charred body fell to the asphalt, blackened and indescribable.

Joan moved on in silence.

She passed the plaza where she had been harassed by those college kids just a few days ago. She remembered the way nobody had done anything to help her and ignited the pavilion into a golden-orange blaze.

The fish and chips shop went next. She stomped her foot and a crack shot across the earth. A giant chunk of rock ripped through the building, turning it to rubble. She turned to the hair salon next.

No matter what time of day she went there, "Cut and Colour" was full of women who talked too loudly. The exact composition of the group changes from hour to hour but there were always familiar faces, and their tone is consistent: they know better.

At first, by day, she thought the locals were waiting for a haircut. Then, she noticed that it never seemed to be their turn. Finally, she realized that what they liked was a warm room to hang out in, with free magazines and a captive audience. It was a sort of day care center for bigots which also offered haircuts.

Vidal Sassoon supposedly said that with a small pair of scissors, he could make a woman cry for a week. Imagine what Joan could do with telekinetic powers.

She decided to blow the salon right out of the ground. It went flying through the air like a burning asteroid and burst apart when it hit the ground. When it was just mere pieces across the fiery pavilion, Joan was left a lot less satisfied than she thought she would be. She moved on slowly.

As she walked, she began to think. So many years wasted to torment. So many years she could have exacted her revenge and been treated like a normal person. So many years thinking she was just a useless, scarred waste of skin, as her peers in school had spent six years of her life reminding her.

She still heard them all the time, their voices in her head telling her how wretched, hideous, and scary she was. She tried to drown them out by concentrating on school work and prayers, but the smallest thing could bring them crashing back in. Just the thought of the shower incident—how familiar it all felt—brought on a fresh wave of memories of poisoned words and scornful laughter.

It all started when she was ten. Year 6. She had brought a Bible to school and prayed with it in the cafeteria during lunch. Everyone thought it was hilarious and she couldn’t live it down for the rest of Primary School.

And then she was eleven and in Year 7. Secondary School. And up until that school year, she was mainly ignored by her peers or picked on simply because of the whole Bible incident. But then gym class and changing in front of other girls became a thing, and they all saw the way her ribs would weirdly press out against her skin and how her stomach was sunken too far in for her skinny hips. That was the day she learned what the word “emaciated” meant. It also kickstarted hell on earth for the next five years of her life.

The rest of Year 7 was spent with her being bombarded by food and the constant question of if she was hungry. She even started being called anorexic when a few of the kids figured out what that meant and would be asked if she needed someone to jam their fingers down their throat whenever she would go to the bathroom. She also distinctly remembered a boy giving her a tub of rotten meat with maggots in it one day.

Year 8 rolled around. Mama said that the bullying would go away after the break, but when Joan turned up to the school when she was twelve, she was only met with familiar evil faces and fresh bouts of teasing. The anorexic jokes became more extreme, but those were probably the least awful things she was met with because her peers grew enough balls over the break to start getting physical with her. That school year quickly became the year of being tripped, shoved, and slammed against walls. She had even been pushed down one of the staircases when she was going to get a drink of water and broke her arm. She still remembered how horrified and sick the culprits had looked when they heard the awful crunching and cracking sounds of her bones breaking, like they hadn't meant to do that much damage. Instead of helping her, they left her in the stairwell, where she cried on the floor for an hour, immobilized by pain, until class ended and she was found by dozens of students. She finished that year with a cast that got slurs written on it when bullies would pin her down and forcefully write whatever they wanted.

When she turned thirteen, she begged her mother to take her out of school before Year 9 started, but Mama refused and Joan had to live through another year of ridicule and harassment. That was the first time she got her head dunked in a toilet and fingers smashed in a door.

Year 10 was the worst, in her opinion. High school. On the second day, her so-called friends abandoned her and scribbled on her homeroom desk statements such as “Go home”, “Drop dead”, and “Freak”. All her peers seemed to spread the news of her weirdness like wildfire to the higher grades, turning people she didn’t even know against her. Older kids and kids her age alike would beat her and threaten her with knives they would sneak to school just so they could snatch whatever snack she bought from the cafeteria and turn anyone she may have befriended against her. Students in her class would beg the teacher to let them be with someone else if they were partnered with her, always making sure to do so in earshot of her. They would laugh at her during presentations and throw things at her and make fun of her when she messed up. They mimicked her stutter and nervous ticks, held her down and dripped hot glue on her skin, put staples in her ears and fingernails, and poised sharp objects too close to her eyeballs just to hear how loud she would squeal. And the entire time, no adults did anything. They all turned a blind eye to her treatment, even when she had the burns and scars and bruises to prove what had been happening to her.

She soon realized that it wasn’t that they didn’t see what was going on.

They just didn’t care.

Nobody ever cared.

She turned fifteen at a summer camp she hadn’t been allowed to go to, but sneaked off to, anyway. The break had been lonely and dreary- Joan wanted friends so badly that she dared to go against her mother’s wishes and ran off to the camp to try and be with kids that would mock her.

But, like everyone else in her life, they did.

When she cheerily told them that it was her birthday, they called her a witch instead of singing to her. A large group of the cruelest campers, some being seventeen, some being only nine, dragged her out to the nearby river and repeatedly dunked her in the water until she began to drown, all while they chanted “Drown the witch! Drown the witch! Drown the witch!” over and over and over again. It still echoed in her ears to this day.

Her mother punished her severely when she got home and didn’t even care when Joan cried to her about what the kids did to her, saying that she deserved it.

Joan became deathly afraid of water after that.

And then, there was Year 11. The cycle of abuse and torture and torment continued. The shower incident happened. Seemingly all was lost.

But not anymore.

Never again will she cower beneath them. Any of them.

She was an angel of wrath, and she would spread her fury unto them all.

A black G-Wagen stopped at a red light up ahead. Even from the distance between the two, Joan could tell who the driver was.

The car roared forward, not waiting for the overhead light to turn green. Joan lumbered slowly, while the car sped at her full speed. She could see Anne Boleyn, now, her face twisted with rage. Next to her, a dark skinned woman Joan didn’t know was yelling something in a panic. Joan twitched her head to the side and the dark skinned woman’s neck snapped to the side. Anne screamed and lost control of the car in shock. Joan gave it a gentle nudge and sent it tumbling across the street in a cacophony of cracks and crashes and shatters. 

Joan stopped and watched the car roll wildly before finally coming to a halt in front of her. Every side of the vehicle was crumpled and crushed, metal scraped and folded, black paint streaked with silver slashes. One of the doors was dangling open and barely hanging onto its hinges. Anne was sprawled out beside it after she had been thrown from the open door in the crash. She jarred awake from a momentary dip of unconsciousness and gasped sharply, looking around wildly. 

  “Cathy?” She croaked. She looked up and saw the dark-skinned woman slumped in the passenger’s seat. She was very, very dead, if not by her neck wrung backwards, then by the gaping red horror opened up in her chest cavity. “CATHY!!”

Anne tried to get up and run to the woman, Cathy, to try and rouse her despite her injuries, to beg her to wake up, but couldn’t.

Because she was missing the entire lower half of her body.

Anne choked on a scream when she looked back and realized her legs were no longer attached to the rest of her. She may have vomited if her stomach hadn’t been ruptured; Joan could see the contents, mainly alcohol-mixed bile and chunks of a hamburger she had for lunch earlier that day, drooling out from a slice in the lining that was opened up like a ziplock bag.

During the crash, when Anne had been thrown out of the car, the open door rolled over her midsection, cleanly cutting her in half. Dark red intestines are stretched across the pavement like dying snakes. Stringy tendons dangled from the curve of her back, frayed and numb, no longer connected to any bone. Her spine was sticking out into the open air, bright white against all the blood. Organs poured out of the maw of the wound, shimmering in sheens of pink and scarlet. The shirt she’s wearing may have originally been dark green, but it was currently swamped by a flood of glistening gore. Her legs were a few feet away, bleeding heavily.

Joan sidled around the girl slowly and stepped into her field of vision. Anne looked up at her, gasping and spitting up blood. Tears were streaming from her eyes.

  “Y-you--” She choked on her words.

Joan tilted her head like a confused puppy. Anne continued to sputter and wheeze below her.

  “J-Joan--”

Anne barely managed to move her arms and grappled onto Joan’s right ankle. With whatever strength and feeling she had left in her body, she pulled herself forward to Joan. Her intestines slither and slide across the ground, leaving streaks of blood. She coughed up another bout of red.

  “Joan--”

What did she want? Mercy?

Joan reached up and slowly pulled out the glass that was still stuck in her cheeks, then stuck it underneath Anne’s jaw. Anne gasped and spewed blood all over her legs.

  “Y-you bi--” The glass pierced her tongue. She wasn’t going to be able to talk very well. Or do anything anymore, really. “Y-you--f-fucking--mon--monst--er.”

Joan stood up straight, turned around, and continued her walk down the street. Anne tried to follow her, crawl after her, but her head fell heavily and the shard of glass was jammed up further into her head when her chin connected with the ground. She frothed and foamed at the mouth helplessly, struggling to stay conscious.

Joan wondered how long she lived. She wondered if it was quick or if she suffered. 

She hoped she did.

Joan’s jaw began to ache. She could now feel the thin cuts in her cheek and felt like she was gulping down tiny pieces of glass whenever she swallowed. Awareness was slowly returning to her the closer and closer she got to her house.

She wanted her Mama.

Withered brown leaves rustled in the ghostly wind. The night was almost silent, if not for the wailing gust, the crackle of fronds, and the wailing of sirens in the distance. Bloodied shoes trampled over the dead blades of branches, the crunching of their filaments accompanying Joan’s every step. A frigid breeze cut across her face like a frozen knife, drawing red to her sallow cheeks. She shivered. The blood coating her body had gone cold.

She really, really needed her Mama right now.

Joan hobbled into her neighborhood, passing house after house, so much nicer than her own, until she finally came to the Seymour bungalow. Something inside of her fluttered and she staggered towards it as fast as her weak legs could take her, hands doing desperate grabby hands.

  “Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy--” She sobbed over and over again.

She stumbled through the front door, nearly tripping on the rug, and careened into the den. Everything was as she left it- completely trashed. Crosses were hanging at angles, the couch was tipped over, chairs and tables and lamps were strewn all across the floor. The only thing that was still in its original place was Mama’s velvet throne chair in the living room.

But where was Mama?

  “Mama?” Joan called out. “M-Mama?”

No answer.

Joan stepped forward, and all the furniture and items on the floor pulled away from her, as if they were offended by her dirty presence.

  “Mama? Mommy?”

Nothing.

Where was her Mama?

She remembered that Mama had left the house earlier that evening. What if she never came back?

Tears filled Joan’s eyes. She couldn’t be alone. Not after what happened tonight. She desperately needed her Mama.

She walked up the stairs, falling to her hands and knees halfway up and continuing the climb like a blood soaked animal that barely managed to get away from a hunter. She looked around the upstairs part of the house, crawling to Mama’s bedroom and peeking inside, leaving streaks of red across the hardwood floor. Mama’s bed was made, but she thought the blankets looked a little wrinkled on one side.

  “Mama?” She called out again, a brief expression of hope flitting across her face.

No reply.

Joan’s bottom lip began to quiver. The movement hurt her cheeks even more and she whimpered sharply. The smell of rancid blood wafting around her was starting to make her stomach churn.

  “Mommy?” She tried one more time, and when she got no answer, she retrieved fresh clothes from her bedroom and then locked herself in the bathroom.

An unseen force cranked the hot water nozzle on the faucet, filling the tub up with steaming water. Joan could barely lift her own arms, so she used her telekinesis to worm the dress off of her for her. It was a clumsy process, but she eventually was free from the bloody fabric. When she looked down, she saw that the blood had soaked all the way into her bra and underwear and even her pale skin, streaking down her chest and belly and arms and legs in dark red stripes. She quickly got into the bathtub.

The water was way too hot, but she didn’t bother turning the cold nozzle, even though she easily could with just a simple flex of her mind. She melted into the heat, sucking in a sharp breath and easing her lungs. When she slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position, she saw that the water around her was tainted a light red color. She splashed her face, thinking maybe she was just seeing things, but then she looked down at her hands and saw how stained they were.

She had been hoping it wasn’t real, that it was just all in her imagination, but something about seeing the blood now wet on her hands cemented it all as true.

It was true.

It all really happened.

Joan’s breathing began to pick up to the point where her lungs begged for air. She turned her hands over, staring at the palms and then the backs. Blood trailed lazily over the scars.

  “No--” She gasped. She splashed her face again, wetting the blood and making it run down into her eyes and over her cheeks. “No, no, no--”

She splashed and splashed and splashed, then began to scrub and scrub and scrub when she realized just how stained her shoulders and chest were. Her hands smeared the blood into awful shapes, so she hooked her nails into claws and began scratching viciously until even more blood was drawn out. The entire process was messy and clumsy and had her weeping out loud like a lamb that had lost its mother. 

Where was her mother?

Joan dunked her head under the water and held it there, clawing her nails through her hair. The locks were stiff and dried with blood and released clouds of red through the bathtub when scoured so roughly. The natural platinum blonde color doesn’t come back easily and she nearly drowned herself trying to get all the blood out.

(o Mama Mama where are you i need you o Mama please come back)

Joan hugged her knees and rocked back and forth, sloshing the red water around her. Her skin stung from the heat, but she didn’t care. She found that she wasn’t caring about a lot of things at that moment.

The room was dark, blue shadows leaked out of the cracks between the tiles. Maybe it’s mold, maybe it’s just a fancy design; they’ve been there for as long as Joan can remember. Ghostly whispers flooded her ears. She slid down the smooth, spattered ceramic and held her breath until her eardrums were about to burst; this is a coping mechanism of sorts, she thinks. She might fall asleep underwater one day, peaceful and careless.

(Mama)

A thick, soapy wave splashes out of the tub as Joan sat up, gasping and hyperventilating, slapping her palms against the surface. She’s angry all of a sudden, she barely suppressed her scream as the shelf with all the shampoos and shower gels comes crashing down, bottles scatter across the floor.

At first, Joan thought that the devil was finally coming for her soul. Then, she thinks that it was an earthquake; the water was sloshing around the bathtub like a reddened poison. But, when Joan wiped the foam off her face, she realized that she’s the only one that’s quivering.

There’s a vibration racking through her body, muscles tensed, and wet hair full of electricity as if she’s about to cause a short circuit.

The shelf is lying on the tiles now, broken in two.

Joan whimpered. She leaned her temple against the edge of the bathtub and wept. Glittering silver tears dripped silently into bloody water. The smell of blood began to permeate through the air again. Joan dragged her body out of the water eventually, shivering and sniffling.

The house was eerily silent when Joan hobbled out of the bathroom. She’s dressed in a plain white nightgown and her hair is dripping freely all over her back and chest. It’s still slightly tinted red.

  “Mama?” She whispered.

Like all the other times, there was no reply.

(please please please)

  “Mama?” Louder this time.

(please please please please)

A creak in the floorboards.

Joan whirled around.

And there was her Mama, like an angel in the hallway, illuminated by a flickering red candle. Her hair was neatly combed and she was dressed in a dark blue dress she had sewn herself. Her golden brown eyes were warm and tender, sucking Joan in with their soft gaze, and Joan couldn’t help but burst into a fresh set of tears.

  “Mama?” Joan squeaked weakly.

  “Oh, my girl,” Mama murmured. “My sweet, sweet girl…”

  “Mama, you were right!” Joan sobbed. “They all laughed at me!” The tears were falling faster, now. She could hear the laughter echoing loudly in her ears.

  “Oh my poor angel…”

Joan nearly choked on a sob, feeling her throat constrict. She raised her arms, doing desperate grabby hands at her mother.

  “Mama, please hold me,” She begged.

Mama obliged, sweeping her up into her warm, strong arms that made Joan melt upon contact. Her weak little body crumpled, knees buckling together, and Mama carefully lowered her to the ground, not letting go for even a second.

  “Shh, shh,” Mama murmured, stroking her wet hair. “It’s okay… I’m here. I’m here now, your Mama’s here.”

  “They all laughed at me,” Joan wept. She smothered her face in her mother’s chest, clinging like a drowning woman to the back of her dress. She couldn’t handle being let go right now. She just wanted to curl up in Mama’s arms and stay there forever.

  “I knew they’d hurt my little girl.” Mama growled lowly.

Joan replied with a whimpering sob. She didn’t have enough air to properly answer, so she just continued to cry and cry, shaking like a newborn baby goat in her Mama’s embrace. 

Several minutes of silence, aside from Joan’s crying, passed. Joan realized that she couldn’t hear any sirens anymore. Maybe things had finally calmed down and would be okay again, like they were before the blood.

  “I should have killed myself when he put it in me.”

Joan tensed up like she had just been struck by lightning.

  “We slept in the same bed,” Mama went on, “Lived together sinlessly.” Her strong hand was rubbing firmly against Joan’s upper back, near the nape of her neck. “And then, one night, I saw him look at me in that way and we got down on our knees and prayed for strength. And that’s when he took me.”

  “No, Mama--” Joan whimpered. She didn’t want to hear this. Not right now. Not after everything that has happened. “No, Mama, I don’t want to hear it--”

Mama leaned Joan back and stroked her tear stained face. “And I liked it.”

  “No, Mama, no--” Joan shook her head, fresh tears pouring out of her eyes.

  “I should have given you to God when you were born.” Mama said. “But I was weak. And I loved you so much.”

A smile twitched on Joan’s lip, weak and thin and shaky, but real. Those words sent butterflies fluttering through her stomach.

  “And I said, ‘God, let me keep my little girl. Let me keep her.’” Mama said, and Joan’s smile became a little bit bigger. Maybe things would be okay after all. “Let us pray.”

Joan nodded, almost eagerly. “Yes, Mama,” She said, craving Mama’s soothing touch and silky words. “Yes, we’ll pray.” She nuzzled in closer to Mama’s warmth, breathing out a soft sigh of relief.

  “I’ll be the preacher,” Mama said, “you be my congregation.”

Joan nodded again, smiling giddily. She closed her eyes and murmured along with Mama when she began to recite the prayer.

  “Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy Name, 

thy kingdom come, 

thy will be done, 

on earth as it is in heaven.”

Mama’s voice was like honey, slithering warmly from her lips. Joan was drawn to it no matter what happened, no matter what Mama did. Because Mama, despite her actions and flaws, loved her.

  “Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our trespasses, 

as we forgive those

who trespass against us.”

And wanted her.

  “And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from evil.”

And needed her.

  “For thine is the kingdom, 

and the power, and the glory, 

for ever and ever. Amen.”

And--

And there was a sharp pain.

Joan’s eyes popped open wide and she gasped as all the air rushed out from her lungs. There was a sharp pain in her back, below her left shoulder, and then a rush of warmth across her nightgown. She looked up with a whimper and saw that Mama’s eyes were solemnly cold and crackling, like embers flickering in a winter wind. Her arm was reached around Joan, holding something in place, and Joan realized she had a knife in her back.

  “Mama--” She croaked, blood dripping from her lips.

Something around the two of them crackled, like the air was charged with electricity, and they burst apart from each other like the similar charges of a magnet. Mama went flying down into the hallway, while Joan ricocheted off the staircase railing and then tumbled down the stairs, hitting the back wall with a magnificent splattering of blood before teetering over the remaining few steps. There on the ground, gasping for breath, she lay sprawled like a broken doll. Her jaw ached fiercely with every sharp intake of oxygen she took, while her back felt as though a bruise had just been slashed open and now all her tendons were being pulled out one by one. She whimpered at the pain, barely able to move her arm without it feeling like it was being torn off.

The staircase creaked; Mama was there, holding the stained butcher knife and primed for blood.

Joan scrambled backwards. Her body crumpled almost instantly, crushed by the weight of her wound, so she had to drag herself with one arm across the floor. Mama advanced on her slowly, menacingly, like a lioness stalking its injured prey.

  “N-no, Mama--” Joan begged. “Mama, no, please-- Please no--”

  “This isn’t your fault, Joan,” Mama said. “It’s mine.”  

  “Mommy, this isn’t right--”

  “Don’t you know that the Devil never dies?” Mama went on. Her eyes were shining and she was drooling slightly, lost in her daze. “So you have to keep killing them. Over--”

  “No, no--”

  “--and over again.”

Mama stabbed the knife down.

Joan rolled away just in time. A lock of hair got caught under the blade and tore free with a burning sensation across her scalp, but she could hardly care. She rolled over onto her stomach and tried to get up, and then crawl away when she wasn’t able to stand. Mama pursued her, grabbing her by the leg and slashing the back of her ankle. Joan screamed in pain and jerked onto her back. The stab wound throbbed, but she barely felt it through the rush of adrenaline spurting through her. She barely jerked her head in time before she was stabbed.

Her fingers, so spindly and bony, wrapped around Mama’s on the hilt of the knife and she wrestled with her over the weapon. Mama was bigger and much stronger, easily ripping her hands free from her grasp. She cut Joan across the arm when she shielded her face from another blow.

  “Stop it, Mama!” Joan cried. She wiggled beneath her mother and managed to get one leg free. She kicked Mama in the stomach and took the chance to scamper away when Mama recoiled backwards in pain.

  “YOU DEVIL!!” Mama roared.

Joan heard the uneven shuffling of footsteps behind her, then felt the sharp pain of the tip of the knife pricking her in the leg. She kicked again, only to have the blade streak across her exposed belly and make her howl in agony.

  “No, Mama!” Joan shrieked. Her head was starting to become fuzzy. She felt so tired all of a sudden. “No, no!!”

Mama practically pounced on her, looking hungry. Joan struggled wildly beneath her like a captured animal. Her little body was slippery with blood and Mama had a hard time getting a good grip, so she gave up after a moment and cleaved the knife down on Joan’s head with a bellowing battlecry.

But that was the one blow Joan didn’t feel.

Joan looked up, gasping for air, and saw that the knife was hovering mere inches away from her face. Mama’s hand was frozen, ensnared by a telekinetic force much stronger than she was. Joan flexed her mind and suspended Mama in the air, then called upon every possible sharp object in the house- knives and needles, shattered glass and broken chair legs, box cutters and scissors. They all hovered around Mama, poised and waiting.

  “Joan…” Mama whispered in horror, tears trickling down her cheeks.

  “I’m sorry,” Joan whimpered.

  “JOAN!!!”

Joan wailed and sent the object upon her mother.

The butcher’s knife pierced Mama’s heart and sent her flying backwards against the wall. A pair of wickedly sharp meat shears pinned one hand against the plaster, while a seam ripper wedged itself in the flesh of the other. Dozens of knives stabbed themselves into her stomach. A boxcutter smashed into her shoulder and a screwdriver embedded itself deep into her waist. She took a shard of glass to the thigh and a ruler to the torso and a ice pick to the collarbone, and Joan commanded them all to do so, watching with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Mama, stretched out like Jesus on the wall, stopped moaning and groaning after a moment and her head slumped forward. Joan blinked her glassy eyes and tilted her head like a confused puppy.

  “M-Mama?” She squeaked.

Like when she first got into the house that night, there was no answer.

Joan weakly crawled across the blood-spattered floor and shook one of Mama’s legs.

  “Mommy?”

No answer.

Joan’s bottom lip began to quiver. She shook Mama’s leg harder, then wrapped her arms around it, looking up at Mama with big, shining eyes.

  “Mommy, please answer me,” She begged.

Her Mommy did not.

Joan stood up and nearly blacked out from blood loss. Her head spun and she tottered on her feet, feeling sharp starbursts of pain exploding from the slash on her ankle, then steadied herself. She grasped onto Mama’s body and began to pull out all the sharp objects, whimpering out apologies as she did so.

First the ruler in her torso, then the meat shears, then the seap ripper. Mama’s body, no longer held up by anything, came crashing down and nearly crushed Joan. She clumsily fell to the ground, stumbling with Mama slumped in her arms.

  “Mama?” She nudged Mama, who lay sprawled in her lap, motionless and bleeding. “I’m sorry, Mama… I’m so, so sorry…”

She felt selfish for crying. No closure comes, only more misery. An unfathomable weight on her chest pressed down on her lungs until they nearly burst. The dam that long protected her heart ruptured at the pressure and a whimper bubbled to her lips, morphing into a full-throated outcry of grief.

A cry for the life she’ll never get back. For her Mama in her arms. For all the lives she ruined. For the fates of the people at the prom.

Only the unfeeling moon slipping in through a window attended her outburst. She knew that it wouldn't lament her in her time of sorrow, only spotlighting her lost soul under a cold and tyrannical white light. 

------

Katherine entered a bloody scene that would haunt her forever.

She found her in the ruined living room, under a beam of silver moonlight, like heaven itself was spotlighting her sinfulness. She was holding Jane Seymour’s corpse in her arms, rocking back and forth and sobbing. Katherine could see streaks of blood all over her tattered nightgown. She was hurt.

  “Joan?” She called softly.

Joan’s head snapped up. Her eyes were as pale and wide as the moon outside.

  “Let me help you, Joan,” Katherine approached slowly, as if she were actually trying to corner a scared stray kitten.

Joan bared her teeth for a moment, then looked down at her mother again and burst into a fresh set of tears. Her entire little body shook with the weight of her sobs.

  “Why couldn’t you have just left me alone?” She said, her voice nasally and wavering from crying. “N-none of this would have happened if you hadn’t… M-my Mama…” She uttered a long, keening whine that was reminiscent of a dying puppy.

  “I—” Katherine faltered. “I’m sorry.”

Joan’s body shuddered and she grit her teeth. An unseen force coiled around Katherine’s body and suspended her in the air tightly. Her breath hitched in shock and she couldn’t breathe. It felt as if the atmosphere was crushing her.

  “Look what you turned me into.” Joan whispered.

  “P-please don’t hurt me,” Katherine begged.

  “Why not?” Joan asked, and a pained smile tugged on her bloody lips. Tears start to roll down her cheeks again. “I’ve been hurt my whole life.”

Katherine stared at her in horror, realizing it was true. The girl before her had been hurt more than she ever had been in her entire eighteen years of life.

How has Joan lived with so much pain inflicted on her tiny little body?

Joan released Katherine from whatever had been holding her, then bent over her mother and whimpered against her bloody shirt. She kept nuzzling into her chest, keening softly, and then looking up at her mother’s face, as if she was hoping her affection and presence would wake her up. When it didn’t work, she tried again and again and again, and it was the saddest thing Katherine had ever seen in her entire life.

  “I killed my mama,” Joan whispered. “I want her back!”

It was awful to see a child bound to such a witch of a woman. Katherine knew this lady had hurt Joan severely, and yet Joan still loved her. 

A crack suddenly zigzagged through the wall. Katherine jerked her head around to see several other cobwebs of crevices splinter through the walls around them. The wood holding up the house creaked and then began to shake ominously like an erupting volcano.

  “Joan!” Katherine cried. “We need to leave!”

  “No.” Joan held firmly to her mother’s corpse, curling against it loyally. “I’m not leaving.”

  “Joan, please!” Katherine begged. “I can’t lose you, too!”

That made Joan look up.

For just a moment, Katherine felt a glimmer of hope when Joan sat up slightly, but then she looked back down at the corpse and her body covered in blood and crumpled right back into a fetal position. Katherine then realized that she didn’t just want to stay with her dead mother—she was immobilized by pain and grief and trauma.

Joan wanted to die.

And there was nothing Katherine could do to stop her.

Except--

Katherine took a small step forward. The entire house rumbled. The walls were starting to break themselves into tiny pieces. Chunks of the ceiling were falling loose and Katherine barely managed to duck away before some rubble smashed into her skull.

  “Joan--”

She grabbed Joan and scooped her into her arms. 

Joan jolted and then screeched in a fit of outrage instantly. She kicked and squirmed and clawed at Katherine's face, but she was much too little and much too weak to get free. Katherine ran outside with the screaming girl as the house began to crumble.

The walls folded inwards like a collapsed tower of cards, and then the roof came crashing down. The earth shifted and opened into a wide sinkhole that swallowed the house, devouring the walls and the floors and the furniture and all those awful crucifixes Katherine had seen hanging up until there was nothing left to mourn. Dirt and rubble poured down into the abyss, sending a tidal wave of dust crashing into Katherine and Joan.

  “MAMA!!!!” Joan shrieked. She fought Katherine even harder, sending them both toppling to the grass. She tried to scramble forward and nearly got caught in a piece of sinking debris, but Katherine grappled onto her dress and yanked her back into her arms. “MAMA! MAMA, NO!!”

She squirmed and struggled, reaching one arm out to the destruction. Her movements were starting to slow down, but her screaming and crying did not seize.

  “I’m scared!” Joan wailed. She looked up at Katherine, eye shimmering with tears, and she suddenly looked a lot younger. “I-I hurt! I want my Mama!”

  “Shh, shh,” Katherine pulled her closer and rocked her gently, like you would a fussy baby. “It’s going to be okay, Joan. I’ve got you. I’m here.”

Joan opened her mouth again, and Katherine expected her to scream once more, but all that came out was a moan. It was only then that Katherine realized just how badly she was wounded.

  “Oh god, Joan…”

There was a cut across her right arm and up her stomach, as well as one on her left ankle, a small prick on her back, and slits in her cheeks, but the worst injury was the stab wound in her back, which was still gushing out blood. Katherine ripped off her jacket and pressed it to the injury on her back, which elicited a flinched and a whimper of pain.

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Katherine murmured, holding Joan’s head close to her chest. She gently stroked her unruly hair. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “Hurts…” Joan mumbled. Her eyes were suddenly very cloudy and rapidly losing focus. “Mama…?”

  “No, Joan.” Katherine said. “It’s Katherine. Katherine Howard. I’m going to help you, okay? You’re going to be alright.”

But Joan’s body was slowly depleting itself of strength and becoming limp in Katherine’s arms. She was losing too much blood.

  “Mama.” Joan decided and sluggishly snuggled her head closer to Katherine. Her face was twisted in pain and she was still crying, but Katherine swore she looked just a little happy being held in someone’s arms.

  “I’m so sorry, Joan,” Katherine whispered. “Oh, sweetie… I’m so sorry.”

Joan was much too dazed to answer, although her mouth was half open like she wanted to. Her eyes were glazed over, distant, and looked like glass orbs in their sockets, leaking out jewel drops of silver tears. Katherine got choked up just looking at her.

  “It’s going to be okay, it’s all going to be okay,” She wept, pressing her head against Joan’s and rocking her back and forth again. “I promise, sweetie. It’s going to be okay soon.”

Joan’s head lolled and Katherine kept it firmly in place, even as the rest of her body when limp and cold. Still, she cradled the little girl, crying into the night, lying to Joan and herself over and over again because nothing would ever be okay ever again.

And then, a blindingly bright beam of light hit her and she flinched. The body in her arms was cold and then burning hot and then not there at all. Everything around her melted into nothingness.

  “Name, please.”

  “...”

  “State your full name.”

  “You already know my name, it's Katherine! Katherine Howard. Can you turn down that light? I can't see.”

  “Tell us about the night of May 28th. About the occurrences that led up to the alleged event.”

  “Alleged event? Why are you asking me the same thing over and over again? Are you trying to catch me in a lie? Is that it?”

  “We want the truth.”

  “I've already told you the truth! How many times do we have to go through this?”

  “Until we understand.”

  “What you need to understand is that we were just kids! Kids trying to do our best. We were kids...who made a mistake.”

Nineteen year old Katherine Howard leaned back in her chair, arms crossed firmly over her chest, eyes set on the detective in front of her. She was a sharply dressed woman named Victoria Green, with hawk-like facial features, pinned back strawberry blonde hair, and mossy green eyes. Like all adults nowadays, she looked at Katherine like she wanted to open up her brain and read through all her thoughts and memories.

Katherine finally came full circle into an ever-repeating loop of nightmares.

  “What can you tell me about Joan Seymour?”

[qvid-pro-qvo]

doesn’t this feel like deja vu?

aos!leonard mccoy x female!reader, who’s a nurse on the starship enterprise.

word count: 2767

rating: explicit (sex on the rougher side, aftercare included)

part four of more than a game, you and me.

You and Leonard get some quality time alone, as well as the chance to explore what the first meeting could’ve looked like if you’d had a little more privacy. 

You were thankful there wasn’t a shift to go to, as your eyes were only barely open, your fingers tracing along Leonard’s hand. “You’re crushing me, Len,” you told him, but the returning grumble wasn’t promising. Thankfully, his body weight was something like a comfort, an arm and a leg and half of his body draped over you. “Leonard.”

“Mmm,” he groaned out, and he slowly rolled back off of you, letting you move off of your stomach and onto your side. He used your new position to curl up next to you, arm once again around you so he could stroke along your back.

“Leonard…” you whispered with a grin, smiling at the lazy look on his face, the way his hair flopped on his forehead, the slightest hint of a smile that seemed to light up his features.

“Let me hold ya,” he murmured, leaning up to press a kiss to your cheek. You smiled at the peck, leaning forward to kiss him properly, and he could only grin back when you pulled away. His hand began to wander, slowly gliding his fingers up and down your side. “I didn’t get to see you before we got back to our quarters.”

You huffed. “You saw me this morning, right here, just like this.”

His response was a raised brow. “And then I had a shift and you got to lounge here, darlin’. You denyin’ that you missed me when I had to get up to go to work?”

“I’m not denying anything,” you returned, smirking before curling up under his chin. He seemed to preen at the movement, proceeding to wrap you completely in his arms, mouth pressing soft little kisses against your forehead, your temple. “Just that I’m not exactly someplace you can’t find me. Half the week I’m waiting for you, right here.”

“And half the week you’re gone before I even get back.” There was frustration in his voice, and you knew where he was coming from. Even though the sick bay wasn’t a full hospital, it still worked pretty much like one. Alpha shifts – day – and beta and gamma shifts – nights – for the nurses, the doctors. It was staffed with dozens of nurses and a good amount of attendings and fellows, but even with the personnel, shit happened. Sickness happened, personal leave happened, reassignments happened. And the latest shift meant that while Leonard got the joy of getting called it at 0630, you got shuffled around to the dreaded 01830 call time, twelve hours working while Leonard forced himself to snooze, and vice versa.

“So, the other half of the week, we compromise, like today,” you reassured him, readjusting so that your hand could cup his cheek.

“And when you can come back to mornings?”

You pulled back to smile at him.

“I’ll be yours once again, and we’ll have all the evenings we want.”

The satisfied curl of his lips wasn’t seen, only felt against you as he wrapped you up again, and your eyes traced what they could see – the gray of his temples, the freckles on his shoulders.

“Computer,” you called out, reaching to pull your blankets up over your bare skin. “Lights, please.” Slowly the room fell into a deep darkness, only illuminated by the occasional button and screen.

“Y’know, I don’t have to go to bed right now,” he murmured. “I’ve got time.”

It was with a raised brow you noticed his voice was… more alert, lower. Felt those fingers that had been stroking your side begin to tease along your hip.

Realization dawned on you, and you pulled back from his embrace, something bright in your grin and wicked in your eyes.

“Computer, lights to 15%,” you called, and the darkness faded to a soft glow, Leonard’s gaze piercing you, his eyes every so often glancing down to your chest before tracing upward towards your lips, your own sharp gaze. “So this is what you were missing?”

“I missed you,” he emphasized, and when he kissed you it was received with glee, with your own hands beginning to wander. “Every damn inch of you.”

“How much?” you teased, and that’s when he rolled you to your back, hands and knees holding himself above you.

“I’ll show you.”

It was after mere moments of play that the familiar chirp of the communicator sounded through your shared quarters. It was loud, meant to get attention, but Leonard summarily ignored it, even while your brows raised, and you pulled away from his lips to glance at the bedside table. But his eyes didn’t even glance up, and his lips moved to a closer target, specifically your neck, your shoulder.

After all, with you naked and below him, there were other things on his mind.

“We should answer it,” you muttered as it rang out again, pulling away to grab the device with an outstretched hand. “Could be Christine. Could need me for this shift.”

“Oh, no,” he retorted, and his hand reached out to grab your wrist, smirking as he pinned your arms to the bed. Your chuckle was muffled by his own lips, and his mouth did its best to distract you, leaving a train of fire down your neck before teasing his way across your breasts. “We’re off shift, darlin’, and you’re not on call. All complaints go to a different doc, and all needs go to a different nurse.”

“Leonard,” you chided before your voice tapered off into a moan, eyes fluttering as he took your nipple in his mouth, flicking across it with his tongue. “Could be – could be an emergency.”

“We’d be hearing a code if it was, sweetheart, not a beep on my comm,” he whispered between your breasts, making his way to the other side. You could see his wheels turning anyway, even as he took the liberty of giving your other nipple the same treatment. No matter how much he tried, he was often a doctor first, and these days it seemed he was called in for something or other every damn day. However, he seemed satisfied with his own reasoning, because his mouth was once again moving, inching downward, and heat was pooling low in your belly.

“We’ve got all…”

A kiss.

“Night…”

A nip of teeth.

“Long.” His tone made you giggle, and his ministrations made you moan, and when you glanced down to watch him, he smirked up at you. “And you and I have been apart for too damn long, don’t y’think?”

“Len,” you hummed, but this time it wasn’t to scold him, your hand reaching down to fist in his hair as he lowered again. “Fuck, yes.”

His little laugh made your toes curl. “God, you’re beautiful,” you heard, his voice rough with desire. His fingers traced over your thigh, his breath ghosting over your skin. But he didn’t push closer, not until your own fingers tightened their grip, and then his mouth was on you, tongue running over your folds, a finger moving slowly around your clit in a maddening circle.

That was how you came the first time – Leonard’s mouth on your clit, working his way up to fucking three fingers deep inside of you, pushing you to the edge until you couldn’t take it anymore.

As your breath came back to you, his mouth moved up your body again, and when he kissed you, you tasted yourself. Suddenly a memory swam to the surface, one that came back with the taste on your mouth, the look in Leonard’s eye.

“This is déjà vu,” you laughed into his mouth, still a little breathless, more than a little flushed. “Our first time?” As you looked up at him, you saw the memory flash across his face.

“A good day,” he rumbled out, and your hands cupped his face as he hovered over you, pulling him in for another kiss. When he pulled away, the fondness in his eyes felt like a tidal wave, made your heart thud in your chest. “Remember it very fondly.”

“One that didn’t end there,” you reminded him, feeling the weight of his cock against your hip. “You wanna lay down?”

Like a kid on Christmas his eyes lit up, and when he rolled, his back rested on the sheets. You chose not to follow him immediately, however. Your hands were rummaging around your bedside table, and the urgency knocked the communicator to the floor in your eager haste.

“Today’s going to go a little bit differently,” you told him, and as you stood up tall, you heard his breath catch. His eyes didn’t leave you, not once, as you slowly walked around the bed to the side he was on, two fingers holding a little square.  

“How’s that, Y/N?” His voice was heavy, thick, as if just watching you move was enough to make him struggle to breathe. Maybe it was. You wouldn’t judge, especially as his hand reached out to rest on your hip, the pads of his fingers running over the skin. As he pulled you a little closer, your thighs hit the bed, and his hand reached around, resting on the small of your back.

“Because we don’t have a shift to rush off to.” You grinned, and you moved to straddle the man, knees on either side of his body. “Don’t have any reason to look presentable in a moment’s notice. And so I can tell you what I wanted you to do that first day.” You rolled your hips, slowly, and let the wrapped condom fall onto his chest.

“Tell me,” Leonard whispered, and you leaned forward to do just that, mouth against his ear.

When you came the second time, it was with Leonard’s hands gripping your hips so tight you knew there’d be marks. It was with his mouth at the back your neck, marking just beneath where your uniform would be. It was with his breath hot against your skin, his cock inside of you, and his hips snapping forward to meet where his hands were pulling you closer.

“L-Len, Len,” you gasped, and his teeth bit at your shoulder, his hips driving his cock deep into you. “Please, please, h-harder.”

“What do you need, baby?” he whispered in your ear, and you let out a whimper. His pace, frantic, frenetic, suddenly slowed. He pulled out of you, teasing you with the feeling of the tip against your folds, and you whined again. “Tell me, tell me.”

You couldn’t think. His fingers moved to start teasing your clit, and when you glanced over your shoulder to look at him he was smirking, watching the way your mouth fell open, the urgency with which you tried to roll your hips against his, to get some more of that fucking incredible friction. “Leonard, please, you know what I want,” you begged, but that wicked curl of his lips didn’t falter. Your gaze had to drop, dropping from your hands to your forearms as his fingers let up again, as all touch seemed to vanish.

“Tell me, darlin’.”

Leonard’s eyes met yours, and his raised brow ran a thrill through you. But you saw the way he was breathing, the way his eyes roamed your body, traced every damn curve you had. You wanted him, and he wanted you. Just as much as he did that first encounter.

Suddenly, an idea sprang to life, that first meeting and this one combining into a glorious picture.

“Doctor,” you purred, and you saw a flush of color on Leonard’s cheeks, felt the way his breath left him. His hand on you stilled. “Doctor McCoy, sir, you know I need you. I need your cock, I need you to fuck me.”

It seemed he needed a moment. A moment to compose himself, to push past the way his cock seemed to twitch against your folds at your words. Finally, his jaw set, and he leaned down.

“I don’t think I can hear you, nurse. Gonna need that a little louder,” he whispered, and you could hear the tremble in his voice, the restraint as he looked at you. “Went through all this trouble to get you right here, and… I can’t hear what you want.” His hips rolled lightly, and you felt his cock line up against you once again, kisses dotting along your spine. “You were mouthin’ off earlier today, weren’t you? You gonna use that mouth of yours to tell me what you’re so damn desperate for?”

“Please, sir,” you begged. “Please, I need you, and I need you now, I need you to fuck me, I need you to take me, fuck, Dr. McCoy, please!” Your voice had cracked, your pitch entering another stratosphere, your fingers curling into the sheets, pulling at them.

A warm huff of air, a soft chuckle, and then you felt him straighten behind you, felt one hand leave your hips so he could position himself.

“Well, nurse… since you said please,” he rumbled out, and a shiver ran down your spine.

With a thrust forward, he filled you again, and you could only gasp, your forehead pressing down into the pillows. He was fucking you, brutal, honest, and what you’d craved that first day you’d met, knowing that when you looked in the mirror, you’d see his touch on your skin clear as day.

But this wasn’t that first day. He knew you now. Knew that the hand he used to position himself could tease along your folds as he fucked you, make you cry out with the stimulation as his fingers ran circles around your clit. Knew that the sound of his voice, telling you that you were made just for him, the overwhelming feeling of Leonard all around you, would make you moan so loud your cheeks would flush the next time you left your quarters. You were hurtling toward the edge, and before you could reach it he pulled his fingers back, halted his thrusts again so he could whisper against your ear. You couldn’t think, couldn’t dream of anything other than his cock inside of you, and he knew it.

“You want me to take you? I’ve already got you. You’re mine,” he growled out, and he knew it’d make you nod, frantically, would make one hand reach back to cover the one that was engraving his fingerprints into your skin. “You’ll always be mine, y’hear me, Y/N? And you’re gonna come all over my cock.”

“Y-Yours… yours, Len,” you sobbed. “I’m yours, always yours, I love you, Leonard,” you panted out, and you felt his hand squeeze your hips, felt his own stutter out of their steady, pounding rhythm. Felt him bend forward again, the softest kiss against your skin.

“Come for me, darlin’,” he whispered.

When you came the second time, he came, too.

The dust settled, and your breath was still coming in soft pants. Your eyes fluttered as you felt him gently pull out.

“Gone so soon,” you managed, but you felt his hands immediately begin caressing your skin, felt his lips soothe the places every bruise would be. You could’ve spent an eternity like that, feeling his gentle touches, hearing his soft affirmations. When it stopped, you felt a protest spring to your lips.

“Not goin’ anywhere besides the bathroom,” he assured you. “Let me get us some washcloths, clean up.”

You shook your head. “Too far. Weren’t you the one complaining about time away?”

You knew he was smiling, biting his lower lip, maybe even shaking his head. You didn’t even have to look.

Because you knew him, too. You knew that he’d press those soft kisses to your forehead, that he’d smooth your hair before stepping away. That he’d do good on his promise to clean up and come right back to your side. You knew his hands would fret over the bruises, that his eyes would scan every inch. Knew that he’d get to work, then, massage out the soreness, curl around you once again, wrapping you up tight. You knew the blankets would just be that perfect extra layer, and the warmth you settled into would stay with you that whole night, those fingers once again stroking your side as he spooned you from behind.

And most of all, you knew that his voice would be in your ear as the two of you drifted off, promising that he loved you, he loved you, he loved you as you settled to sleep.

-

“… Y/N?”

“Mm?”

“Did ya see… what the comm said?”

“Christine. Overscheduled tomorrow.”

“So… what’s that mean?”

“That means that I’m all yours.”

[overdrivels]

Faint of Heart

You throw up your hands, waving them in a large sweeping ‘X’. “Nope! Nope, noppity-nope-nope-nope. We’re not doing this. No.”

“We must.”

“Are you crazy?” you hiss frantically between clattering teeth. You swing your arm at the scene outside the window, the one of mysterious packages getting loaded into nondescript delivery trucks heavily guarded by plain clothes mercenaries packing more heat than one of Soldier’s barbeques–omnic traffickers. “Look at these guys. No, we’re on a scouting mission, not a rescue one.”

Hanzo heavily resists the urge to roll his eyes or sigh or even shove a hand over your mouth just to shut you up. This is just a rehash of a conversion that you always seem to have with them. A suggestion comes up for something only slightly more dangerous than jaywalking across a street and you’re up in arms, claiming it’s too ‘dangerous’ or too ‘risky’.

Hanzo’s upper lip curls in disgust. A damn coward. Not just any coward–a coward without any conviction. What the hell were you doing here–in Overwatch, arguably the riskiest thing anyone could do in this climate, with some of the most dangerous people on the planet (and space)–when you were too scared to even leave your room half the time?

He glares at you, feeling nothing when you flinch. Hanzo adjusts the strap of his quiver. “We’re going.”

“We have to leave them. I know it’s not a good look, but we have to just take this info and go.”

“Then I’m going. You can stay here or go back.”

Leaving you behind would make his mission easier anyway. But you cling onto the sash around his hips like a child, refusing to let go. “It’s better if I’m with you.”

“Suit yourself,” he says briskly, yanking the sash away from your hands. He jumps out the window, scaling the building, not caring as you inch your way carefully onto the fire escape. He’ll be finished with this before you even manage to get halfway up to the roof. (Then he might have to be burdened with carrying you off the ladder–what a joy.)

Here, he has a clearer view.

There are ten goons out in the open. Two of them–drivers–are shooting the shit. He counts four more hidden, trying to be discreet as the others continue to load up the truck. From the looks of it, they’re a little more than half finished with their work. They can be taken care of last. Fourteen total.

This was originally a scouting mission (“Please use your discretion,” Winston told them. “REfrain from engaging except when necessary.”), but if they continue scouting without taking action, the omnics in that truck might never be found again. While he has no strong love for omnics, being around people like Tracer and Winston may have softened his opinion of them a little. Where a robot and machine once stood in his eyes, there is a glimmer of humanity, more so than what he has in himself, that’s for sure.

Hanzo nocks an arrow, pulling it back and waiting for the wind to sway. Once he gets them, he can swipe their devices, place them in a faraday bag, and bring them back to the base for analysis. If he can do this in the time it is supposed to take the shipment to reach its next destination, they could intercept it.

He takes a breath, the calm settling in his veins. The wind nudges at his hands. He releases his arrow.

Two of the goons go down. The others are slowly realizing. He has another one down before they’re able to draw their guns. The carriers drop their boxes, one of them opens, revealing an unresponsive omnic inside. A brush of anger sweeps past him. It’s gone by the time he has his next arrow ready–that one takes down another and pierces the hover mechanism in the truck, driving it into the ground and unable to move.

They’re turning round and round wildly, unsure. None of them meet his eye or even think of looking up here. At this rate, he can probably take down the rest of them without issue.

Something grabs Hanzo’s ankle.  

“No, please! I don’t wanna die!”

Hanzo barely stops his foot from stomping your head in; the muscle in his thigh bunches so hard it aches. How did you manage to sneak up on him? You’re on your belly, covering your head with your arms, looking like you’re ready to be sick. Instinctively, he glances back down at the enemies–one, twothreefour…five—

Another tug at his ankle–didn’t you learn the first time?

“Ha, Hanzo. We can’t do this. We–we have to go.”

“Silence! We still have a chance.”

A slow sort of muted panic creeps into his bones as his mind scrambles to spot the last person. Where—?

You yank at his sleeve and he shrugs you off a little harder than he means to, but you’re insistent, a constant, desperate hiss in his ears. “I have a bad feeling; this is–this is an order. We have to retreat.”

Ignoring you, he prepares another arrow. He could place a trick shot and make it pierce two targets. That should lure out the last.

His eyes catch sight of an object flying upward. It takes him a half-second to recognize it.

They wouldn’t—

With his mouth agape, he barely manages to close it before you slam into him with your own body, almost making him bite his tongue off. Above him, a blast of light and sound rocks the skies, and it throws him off balance, his ears ringing without sound and vision bludgeoned by dust and debris.

Screams of “I fucking told you so, damn it!” accompany the ringing in his ears when the sounds finally become recognizable.

Shoving you off of him, he grabs at another arrow. He needs to find that last person–they must have more on them. He can’t let them slip away like this. But among his calculations of contingency plans, he didn’t expect you to groan, “I don’t feel so good.”

The sound of retching brings him back to reality–you’re slumped over, holding your head and throwing up what remains in your stomach.

Between the remaining goons who are trying their best to haul the rest of the ‘merchandise’ into the only functional truck they have and you who is more of a liability than anything, he huffs in annoyance as he comes to a decision.

He finds himself having to haul your limp body back. It is not guilt that adds urgency to his step.

---

“You take unnecessary risks–”

“My risks are calculated,” Hanzo shoots back just as sharply as any arrow. The bandages across his face dampens his claims.

“And they put the team in danger,” Soldier finishes firmly, slamming a fist on the table. The reverberating bang stuns everyone except Hanzo into silence. Hanzo, not one to be cowed by such messy tactics, only glares at Soldier over his nose.

“No. It is people with weak resolve who put themselves in danger.”

Winston raises a hand to silence them both. “That is quite enough. Agent Hanzo, I believe you were sent on a reconnaissance mission. Why did you feel the need to engage?”

“And you are comfortable with these omnics being sold illegally?” Hanzo asks coolly, challenging.

This is not the first time since Winston has taken the seat at the head of Overwatch that people have backsassed him or gone against his order. He doesn’t know if it’s because of his inexperience or because he’s simply not human, but dwelling on the individual prejudices of people never really helped him any.

“The mission, Agent Hanzo,” Winston says slowly, curling his hands together, “has a specific purpose for a long-term strategy. By saving these few omnics, we’ve now lost the trail on the entire operation. This sets us back several months of hard work. I believe you are aware of this.”

The conference room is ice cold and tense. Hanzo glares at him with a look that is half guilty and half irritated. Haltingly, he utters, “I…apologize. I will reflect upon my actions next time.”

“See that you do.” Winston then turns to the rest of the room. “We must have a back-up strategy ready. McCree, please get a quote from your friend in the shadows. We will have to pay her price for additional information. Tracer, please ensure the Orca is charged, I expect us to ship out in short order.”

“Yessir.”

“You’ve got it.”

“You are all dismissed.”

The room is quickly emptied of people with Hanzo being the first to leave, likely to train himself into exhaustion. With the door closed and himself alone, Winston lets a giant sigh escape him and he slumps in his chair, picking up his holotablet and turning it on.

Winston carefully thumbs the edge of the screen where your portrait–a half-nervous smile–and Hanzo’s–stern and threatening–look back at him. The two of you are a bad matchup on a good day. Neither of you get along, the difference in ideology drives a chasm between the both of you greater than the distance between Earth and Horizon Lunar Colony.

It was his idea to send you both on this mission. It’s his fault that you were being treated for a concussion. Winston heaved a fur-raising sigh. This is just another facet of management, he supposed. Even so, he does not regret his choice. For Hanzo who faces death like he thirsts for it, you’re the very best partner for him.

Many people questioned his judgment on the matter. McCree threatened to leave again, his tenure to Overwatch 2.0 held together only by the barest of threads and a promise that he’s going to protect you. Soldier: 76 berated him for inviting back people like you and Mei. He’s held back only by Shrike who laughs and says with painful familiarity, “I’ll take care of him.”

He rubs his eyes. Alone, in this dark, cavernous room where nightmares and doubts eat up every bit of space available, he can’t say he feels good about every time he sends everyone off, not knowing if such bright, talented people would ever return.

But that’s precisely why he accepted when you called them with shaking voice and hidden conviction.

Your mission is never to fight Talon. Your sole mission is to get everyone out alive.

---

The kitchen is only occupied by one other person when he leaves the gym showers. Mei is by herself slurping down the remains of what smells to be instant beef noodles. She offers him a smile which he vaguely returns and another bowl which he gladly accepts.

The impromptu dinner session turns into a rare venting session for him.

“–and I would have ended their entire operation if a certain someone wasn’t such a coward,” Hanzo barks, slamming his fist into the table.

Mei whispers, looking down at her folded hands, “You say ‘coward’ like it’s a bad thing. I’m not the bravest either.”

A strangled, inarticulate protest makes its way out of Hanzo’s throat. All the anger evaporates and he’s left with the strange urge to placate her. No. Mei is not like you. She’s here because she has something she believes in. She may be shaking in her boots when she’s forced to fight, but she believes in something and she has something to protect, made into a soldier, a criminal, when she could have had a respectable job elsewhere doing less dangerous things. She’s here in spite of her fear.

But you? You’re here—

The realization gives Hanzo pause.

Why are you still here?

There is no mission that you take that you do not voice your fears against.

You could have turned tail and ran away when he told you he was leaving you behind. You could have just not boarded the train with him to your destination.

If you really wanted to, you could have asked Winston to take you off the mission, and Winston–bleeding heart as he is–would never make you do something you strongly opposed.

No. Even before that. If you were truly so afraid, why did you come back to Overwatch in the first place? How did you wind up here?

Something isn’t adding up.

Your fear and hesitations and reservations are real—they’d better be for all the grief it’s caused him. But what was compelling enough to bring you here into the heart of danger? What is so magnetic that you have not yet left?

What is he missing?

“Hanzo? Are you okay?” Mei asks. He realizes he’s been quiet for far too long and attempts an awkward facsimile of a smile.

“Apologies. I was lost in my thoughts.”

“That happens to me, too. Especially when—” She chatters on and on, the solemn mood from before lifted between them. Inside, his doubts only grow stronger. Even after his conversation and cleaning up the remains of his impromptu meal with Mei, his questions are incessant and loud in his head, to the point they drive his feet away from his room in search for an answer.

When he arrives at your room in the medical bay, Ana is already there with a book in hand–she always did like paperback more than tablets, enamored with the way a story moves with the physical turn of a page, like a long journey that she herself is participating in.

She smiles when he walks in.

“You just missed visiting hours,” she says, gesturing at your prone form on the bed, breathing slow and relaxed. “We were having a nice chat up until ten minutes ago.”

“I see.”

“Did you have something you want to say?” she asks, almost knowingly.

Hanzo does not look at her, finding the bed sheets to be much more interesting. “No. I just came to…follow up.”

You don’t even have bandages on your head or any excessive external injuries to speak of. He probably looks worse off than you do, and that sets off another pang of irritation inside him that almost chases away all the questions he has.

The older woman chuckles behind her book, but not unkindly. She pats the empty seat beside her and Hanzo cautiously lowers himself into the seat as though he were sparing her some of the time he does not have. He does. She probably knows.

From here, the half-drawn curtain prevents him from seeing you and perhaps that’s a good thing. Out of sight, out of mind.

“Is it serious?”

“Angela said it was just a mild concussion, nothing to worry about.”

He nods. A mild concussion. That’s nothing–he’s had his head split open before and still managed to kill three people and make his way back home without blacking out.

“You’re wondering about the choice in staff.”

He only grunts in response.

So it was that obvious. He supposed he never made it much of a secret that he didn’t like your demeanor. It is not a conducive one, especially not in an organization like this. You may gather and compile data, but anyone can do that from the safety of their own home. You didn’t have to come here where you’re a literal sitting duck, unable to defend yourself if the base were to be raided.

So what brought you here?

Ana smiles mysteriously as she closes her book. “Such staffing choices are necessary.”

“Is that so?”

“You don’t think so?”

“No,” is his automatic reply. There’s no point keeping secrets from Ana. Age has only made her intuition sharper, he suspects.

“People who can sense danger and run at the slightest hint of it can save more lives than just their own. We need people like that if we want Overwatch to survive longer than the last time. They see the writing on the wall the fastest and find the quickest way out. It’s a vantage point that we”–Ana waves at the room with a good-natured chuckle–“do not have.”

“Is that so,” Hanzo says again, not entirely convinced of her reasoning, but unable to refute it so easily either.

“You should think about it. Variety is the spice of life, and goodness knows Overwatch is full of it.”

Hanzo sneers to himself. Full of it. Yes. Full of it, indeed. He takes one last lingering look at your shadow from behind the curtain, doubt and irritation painted in a newer light with Ana’s musings. He still does not agree someone like you should be here. He is no closer to figuring out why either, but it’s unlikely he’ll get an answer.

“…I will consider it,” he says finally, getting up from his seat. “Good night, then.”

“Good night to you, too. Sleep tight.”

After he leaves, Ana’s smile only grows.

“He’s gone.”

A dramatic sigh of relief comes from behind the curtain and she chuckles softly to herself.

“I thought he’d never leave. He’s scary as fuck,” you grumble. “I was so nervous I thought I was going to throw up again.”

“Good job; you held it in.”

“Don’t expect me to do that again.”

Ana opens her book again, leaning into her chair. “You are their leash. Until they learn to take your concerns seriously, I’m afraid these are the methods you’ll have to resort to.”

You grumble something unflattering beneath your breath. The curtain may as well not be there; Ana can guess what sort of expression you’re making. “Rest now. There will be much to do when morning comes.”

[arthurflecksgirl]

Mysterious stranger /Arthur being stalked by you

This was a request by someone on Twitter :)

Arthur is being stalked by a pretty girl /YOU

I decited to write from Arthurs view and the girls view.

So it switches.

Arthur and reader

Romance

Warnings: Nothing really, mentions of mental illness,

ENJOY :) <3

ARTHUR I just woke up all sweaty in in the middle of the night one more time. My insomnia was getting bad again. I felt like it has been getting worse since mum was at the hospital. I was worried about her condition. I even forgot to take my meds yesterday, which was bad. The pills helped me to find some rest at night. Without them my mind was racing, keeping me awake. Driving me INSANE. I usually started to write in my journal when I couldnt sleep but without my medication there were just black scribbles all over the diary when I looked at the pages. The last time I was off my meds I wrote the whole night through and when I looked in my journal the next morning,there was nothing but blank pages. Nothing. So, there is a reason I shouldnt forget to take them. But too many thoughts ran through my head yesterday, I just didnt thought of anything else. First of all I thought about Penny and if I was the reason she ended up at the hospital. I felt like I am a burden to her. She always told me I was brought into the world to spread joy and laughter. But she doesnt even think i`m funny. Imagin what a disappointment I must be to her.I was born for a reason and I couldnt even fullfill my destiny. This shit really kept me awake. And some other thing... A week ago I just came home from my therapist. And when I was waiting on the tram station, there was this girl in the middle of the crowd. She just kept on staring at me like... I don`t know. She just did. And it kinda scared me.I wasnt  used to peope staring at me like that. Usually I was the one observing things around me. Watching people. I always tried to observe. I need it for my jokes. The best jokes are inspired by real life actions. Stuff you see happening on the streets. I also watched people closely to understand what they are laughing about and how they react to jokes. Sometimes I sat on a table at Pogos and made little notes about what I think is important. I really wanted people to like me. I wanted be a light for them. Gotham needs some light. I wanted to be listened to and I wanted to be seen. I`ve got a lot to say but I`ve never talked to others cuz I didn`t knew how to start a conversation.  So I watched and learned how others managed to do that. I realized that my timing is a bit off when I laughed at others jokes. I`m wasn`t sure why. I needed to find out. Anyway, I wasn`t used to someone staring at me. I always wished someone did and when I saw that girl I should have been happy that she saw me but I didnt knew what to do about it. I wasnt sure WHY she was looking at me the way she did. If it was for good or for bad reasons. And I guess thats what made me insecure about  the whole situation. As soon as I got in the tram I kinda forgot about it but two days later I saw her again. I was standing in the pharmacy and was just about to pay, when I saw her standing outside the window. She was beautiful. There is no doubt it was the same girl. She was looking at me again.  I payed and when I turned around she was gone. For a moment there I was scared it might be another episode of hallucinations. That would be really bad. But it could be. I mean... why should a pretty face like her standing there, staring at me TWICE? I`m afraid this isnt really happening. Dr Kane said I should watch out for more hallucinations, especially about girls. So I will.

YOU This city made me sick. It`s beent two weeks since I moved here and already hated it here. It was grey, it smelled and people were rude. I didnt wanted to become one of the peole here. It seemed like it was a bad desicion to move here in the first place, but I couldnt afford to pay rent anymore, so I ended up here, in this really bad neighborhood.  I felt like I screwed up my life. Sleep was something I barely remembered. Every night I was lying awake, afraid of someone might brak into my apartment. Like I said... bad neighborhood.You couldnt trust anyone here. A week ago I got so nerveous while trying to sleep that I got up, made some tea and watched out the window. Even at night people walked down the streets, mostly homeless guys. It was one ugly, rainy, cold night. I sipped on my tea and watched the raindrops falling on the dark pavement. Like the whole city was crying out loud. I burned my tongue on the hot cup . I swear I saw someone standing in the window across the street. But it was no one there. Oh great, I thought. Two weeks here in Anderson avenue and you already start to see shadowns at night. But then I saw it again. It wasnt a shadow. It was a man standing in his kitchen, smoking a cigarette. Oh, just a neighbor, no shadows. Good. I realized that I could see most of the kitchen, his curtains were kinda see though. He turned around so I could see his profile. He had almost shoulder long, bown hair, slightly curly, a beautiful jawline and high cheekbones. I could tell from the distance that he was indeed very beautiful. I turnedmy light off to make sure he couldnt see me standing at the window, looking into his. But he didnt looked out the window anyway. It looked like he was talking to someone, but as far as I could tell he was the only one in the room. I watched him puttig down his cigarette as he took off his dark red sweater. I didnt expected him to be this thin. It seemed like he stopped talking and suddenly he started to raise his hands above his head, moving gracefully. He was dancing all alone by himself. In his kitchen. I couldnt help but staring at him and started to feel kinda bad for watching this behind my curtain. But something about him was just so insanly attractive. i stared at his fragile chest, his bony ribs, his messy bed hair. I guess he couldn`t find sleep, just like me. I wondered if he was sleepwalking. The way he moved was extraordinary. Suddenly he stopped. I almost got scared because I was so drawn to his dance moves, it seemed so unnatural to just stop. I took a step back from my window because he came a step closer to his. But he just leaned over the sink now. It looked like he was crying.  Something about this hurted my heart. I didnt even knew him but I couldnt help but feeling empathy for this beautiful, fragile man across the street, He was crying harder now. I felt my eyes watering as he slapped his own face. Why would he do that? Then he watched out the window. I was hiding in the corner of my room so fast I guess my curtains moved. I hope he didnt caught me staring. My heart was racing. Was he still there? I waited two minutes till I watched out the window again. He was gone.

ARTHUR I decited to go through the pages again I had written a week ago. I have to figure out why I remembered writing something that wasnt there in the morning. I skipped though the paged and stopped at a page that didnt even looked familir to me. Little drawings of catladies smoking cigs. i don`t remenber drawing this and start to read. "Insomnia is choking me again. It wrappes its strong arms around my neck, smothering me to death. At least thats how it feels while lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. So last night I wandered around the apartment for at least two hours straight. I smoked two packs of cigs as the music started playing in my head again. There is always music in my head, well, most of the time. Sometimes it gets so loud I can`t ignore it anymore. Its just floathing althrough my body, like energy. It holds me in its warm arms and I have to obey. It wanted me to dance again last night, so I moved around the kitchen to the music and it was so tragically beautiful in between the movements it made me do, that it almost started to hurt my body. So I stopped and wished for the sound to stop but it didnt and I just stood there and started to cry. Watching my tears falling into the kitchen sink, like the rain outside. The music still playing in my head. I slapped my face. Hard. Still noisy. I watched out the window. Gotham was crying, too. The city was just as depressed as I was. I swear I could see a shadow in the window across the street. But thats impossible. The neighbors there moved out some weeks ago. Must be my visions again."

YOU I couldnt stop thinking about the man across the street since I saw him. I watched out the window for so many times but I didnt got to see him for about thee days. But then I saw him crossing the street as I was just about to go buy some food. I know it wasnt the right thing to do but I followed him. I just needed to see him closer. I kept my distance so he won`t notice me. He was walking like someone that just got beaten up, his thin body hidden behind a brown sweater , and a jacket that looked way too huge on his small shoulders. He kept looking to the ground, his brown curls hanging sweaty upon his forehead. Even though his body language looked sad, he still managed to be extremly attractive to me. He was walking to the tram station and waited on his tram to arrive as I tried to be just a face in the crowsd, so I could take a closer look at him. I passed some people standing in the way until I found the right spot. There he was. Just about some foots away from me.And suddenly, as I was staring, he was looking right at me. God, I felt like my heart just sopped. Never ever have I seen more beautiful eyes in my life. So intense, piercing right though me, green but so very sad. I dont know if it was just my mind playing tricks on me but i felt like he caught me staring. I wanted to  turn around and leave imediately but his tram arrived and he got in there before I could even react. At night his pretty face appeared in my mind. Againa nd again. I just couldnt get him out of my head.I was closing my eyes, and caught myself dreaming about kissing him.  I laughed at myself. Silly girl ! Dreaming about the mysterious new neighbor was such a clishe. But it wouldnt help. I still wanted to get to know him. there was something so mysterious about him. His little dance in the kitchen. The crying at the sink.... his eyes!   I thought about ways to just talk to him, I mean we were neigbors, right? I could find a reason to just go to him and say something. But nothing came to my mind. So I decited to follow him one more time. Maybe he would just ran into me and we would talk. Two days later I saw him leaving the house again, so I threw a jacket over my shoulder and got downstairs in a hurry. This time there weren`t much people around so it was even harder for me to follow him without getting caught. Something about watching him started to turn me on.It was fun to fantasize about someone who didnt even knew you existed. But at the same time I wanted him to know that I exist. Maybe not yet but... He went to the pharmacy. I stopped outside. I thought about going in and pretend I wanted to buy something. But I forgot my purse so this would have been embarrassing. I saw him from behind, his blue pants looked baggy on him. Everything did. And just when I thought this was a good situation to stalk him, he turned around again and I knew he saw me. He looked me right into my eyes! I captured the moment he looked at me in my mind and tought about it in the afternoon, when I was lying in my bed, dreaming about touching his beautiful face. Soon he became my fave fantasie. I couldnt even find pleasure in any other daydream anymore. He was my sexy secret and I liked it that way. But I just knew that soon this wouldnt be enough. I had to get closer. I wanted him to see me. Not just from across the street. I wanted to get to know him as a person. I needed to know his story, I needed to know why he was so sad.

ARTHUR I just couldnt figure out my very own diary anymore. Something definitaly went wrong at the moment. I guess all the lonelyness got too much. I mean, I must have been used to this  but i wasnt. It got harder every day of my life. I wished for someone to love me so much that I had visions about girls. I tend to get them a lot but then it stopped for a while and now it seemed to start again. I was kinda worried about my condition and took two more pills today. I knew I shouldnt but I thought it would be better than forgetting to take them again. The slight overdose made me sweat a lot so I was in underwear only for the whole day, just lying on the coouch, watching all my fave episodes of teh Murray Franklin show. The only thing that made me stay up was going to the kitchen to make some coffe. I watched out the window while waiting for the water to bowl. There she was again. the girls I saw at the tram stationa nd at the pharmacy. She was crossing the street. I checked my forehead for fever.  I was burning up. Must be the overdose. "She`s not really there" I whispered to myself "Arthur, she`s not real, don`t even look". But I looked. And I could swear she was looking up my window before she headed to my house. I blushed. But I guess that was also caused by the fever. God, she looked like an angel. Such a sweet girl. She would never even  give me a look in real life. I knew that. And if she did... I wouldn´t even know what to do. I`ve never been with a woman before in my whole life. I never even kissed someone before. I`m just a loner. All I have are my fantasies. And Dr Kane wants to take them away from me,too. Maybe I should just give in and accept them. What if it wasnt a hallucination this time? What if this girl really saw me? What if?

You I did it. I wrote him a postcard. I held the card in my hands for like an hour and stared at it. I thought I wasnt brave enough to actually throw it in his letter box. But I did.I sneaked into the house and when I was standing in front of the letter boxes I wondered which one could be his. Thank god  some lady just got out of the elevator and I asked her which letter box belongs to the window with the thin curtain. And she told me that they belong to apartment 8J. It just took me about some seconds to find the right box. P. FLECK. There it was. FLECK. I threw my postcard in without giving it a second thought, otherwise I would have changed my mind. I was heading back home, blushing.

ARTHUR I woke up with a bad headache. Another appointment with Dr. Kane. I wanted to take a bath but I was too lazy and decited to let it be. I just brushed my hair back, lighted a cig and went out the house. I checked the letter box and hoped for a letter from Thomas Wayne, I mean, I knew there wouldnt be one but it would make my mother happy so I still hoped for it. Somehow she was obsessed with Wayne and I didnt even knew why. My heart just skipped a beat as I saw an hand written postcard. Wayne? I started reading it. "Dear mysetrious stranger, You don`t know who I am but I saw you out on the streets some days ago and I think I fell in love with you. I even dreamed about you at night. I really hope you`re doing fine. Kisses The girl who loves you"

I just kept staring at the letters. I rubbed my eyes. the letters were still there. The girl who loves you. I must have blushed. Was this real? I let my fingers slide over the paper. It felt real. I turned the card around. A plain red heart on white background. I touched it so many times and hoped for a proof that this was eighter real or a dream. Sometimes I am not sure anymore. Who would ever send me a card? I searched for a stamp. None. Someone must have threw it in the letter boy by themself. The girl ! The girl I saw on the street. Now it all made sense to me. Was she following me? I smiled. The thought of this pretty girl having a crush on me was wonderful. But I got scared at the same time. I could never get up and talk to her. How could I? I bet she thinks I am some sexy guy who knows how to get it on. She was dreaming about me? What dreams? I imagined her touching herself while thinking about me and I giggled to myself. "Nahh she wouldnt do that" I said to myself. Reading the postcard again "Or would you, sweet strange girl?" I put the postcard close to my heart. Her fingers must have touched the paper all over when she was writing me these lines. Does she want to touchme with those fingers? Oh I would love to touch her fingers. But what if she ever comes up to me personally and I would just stand there, frozen. Not a word coming out of my mouth? The thought of this scared me a lot. My biggest fear was to laugh in her presence.The laugh that wasnt really one. My condition. That would scare her away for sure. I felt my eyes watering and a tear fell on the postcard, right on the word "kisses". It smeared, which made me even sadder. I needed this card to be perfect. I felt the urge to laugh coming up my throath. But then something else came to my mind. What if I showed the card to Dr. Kane? She could proof to me that this card truly exists. The urge to laugh was gone. I put the card into my paper bag and hurried up to see Dr. Kane.

"Hello, Arthur. How have you been thoughthe last week? Any negative thoughts?" Dr Kane was repeating her same old questions again as I smoked my cig. Next thing would be asking me about my journal. BUT I would have something much more interesting with me this time. "I brought something with me today" I said as I grabbed the card. "I wondered if you could take a look and tell me what you think about this?" Dr Kane took the card out of my hands. She read it. "Who gave it to you, Arthur?" "The girl who loves me" Dr Kane gave me that look "Arhur..." "Well... it says `The girl who loves you `  there at the end, right? "Right" "So, you see it too?" "Sure, Arthur" She gives me the card back. I smiled. It was real. The card was real. Which meant the girl was real,too. No hallucinations. No visions. "Good" "So someone send it to you?" "I found it in my letter box, it has no stamp" "No stamp? Are you sure you didnt wrote it yourself?" she looked confused. I bet she couldnt imagin someone falling in love me me eighter. "Dr Kane, you know how my handwriting looks like." "Right. Can I see it again?" I gave her the card back. Her eyes are focused on it. "No typos" she whispered to herself. "Looks like someone really likes you, Arthur. Be careful" "W-what do you mean?" "You know that you sometimes... well... you tend to lose sense of reality sometimes. It could be difficult to meet up with a girl for you". I put the card back in my bag. "You think I couldnt handle it to have a girlfriend?" "Thats not what I said..." "It is exactly what you said" I got up and left the room. "See you next week, Dr Kane. I cant do this today" I got back home and placed the card under my pillow. I wanted to sleep on it. It was the first love note I ever got and felt so special. I grabbed my Pjs out of my wardrobe and looked at the red suit hanging in there. I never put it on by now. I always felt like it is waiting for a special event in my life. But nothing special ever happens. Until now. The card. the love note. The girl. I grab the suit and walk to the mirror. Holding it in front of my body to see how it would look like on me. I felt so insecure when thinking about dating a girl. I didnt knew how to react in front of her. Maybe the suit would help? I shook my head. Nahh. Just a stupid thought. Back in bed I imagined how it would be to have a girlfriend. To go out on dates with her, walking hand in hand across the streets. I bet Gotham wouldnt be half as bad as if its now. Sharing my life with someone. My bed. Having someone to cuddle with at night. Someone to calm down my bouncing leg. Someone to have sex with, It would be sweet. I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

YOU Its been a day since I threw the card in the letter box. No answer. Of course not. He didnt even knew who I was. I watched out the window and hoped to see him in his apartment again. I got lucky this time. I saw him lying on the couch watching tv. He wora a cosy PJ and looked so cute in it. Still sexy though. I could eat him up. I wish I could just go over, knock on his door and tell him that i am the girl who send him the card. I wonder if he even got it yet. maybe he didnt open the letter box since then.  I saw him smoking, writing down some notes.   I tried to see more details of the living room. There was a clown mask and a costume hanging beside a mirror. It seemed like he had a thing for clowns, which made me think. maybe I`ll have a lil surprise for him... I searched through my stuff and  found the big, red flower that used to be part of a Clown outfit I was wearing years ago when I dressed up with my best friends. It looked brand new. Maybe he would like it. I put a little note on it and decited to put it in front of his door. Tomorrow. I couldn`t wait. The next morning I got out of bed early, to wait till he got out of the house.  When he did I sneaked into the house and waited till someone came out again, which lastet at least 50 minutes but it was worth it. I got in the elevator and walked to the door which said 8J. I hold my breath for a second. That was were he lived. He walked through that door every day. I wish I could just walk through it and go into his apartment.Looking though his stuff. I was a bit shamed of myself for having those kinda feelings. I felt like a stalker. But I couldnt stop my own thoughts from wanting him.  I put the big plush Flower down on the doormat and touched the door knob. Just to touch it. To touch what he touched  some about an hour ago. It felt sexy.

ARTHUR I just came home from work at Haha`s and felt drained. It was a long day. I got out of the elevator and saw something lying on my doormat. A big, red plush flower. Like one for clowns! My heart jumped when I picked it up. There was a little note saying "Dear stranger, if you want to meet me , I`ll be at the little fountain in the park today  at 7 O`Clock . The one with the litlle bird stature. It would be a pleasure to get to know you better. Kisses, The girl who loves you"

I bit my lips. Another note. She wanted to meet me. My hands were shaking while reading the note one more time. I actually was shaking so much I had troubles to get my keys into the lock. I threw my jacket on the couch, sat down and pressed the plushy flower to my chest. It felt so soft to the touch. A present. I never got presents. Not even when I was a kid or on my birthdays. Everything about this felt so special. I wanted to meet her so bad but at the same time I was so scared about meeting her, I stood in front of the mirror and looked at my reflection. I looked tired. Drained. Like someone sucked the life out of my. Heavy bags under my yes, from not getting enough sleep. I brushed my hair back. Better. At least a lil bit. I checked the time and realized it was already after 5 O`clock. I got no time to waste. Should I really go there? Or was Dr Kane right?

YOU I got ready for my potential date. I  didnt even knew if he would show up but i hoped so. I dressed up in my usual clothes. I wanted to be my authentic self around him. I was already waiting on the spot 30 minutes too early. I just couldnt wait any longer. I needed to know if he would come. I wanted to get to know him so bad.

ARTHUR Alright, I could never forgive myself if i wouldnt take the chance, so I decited to show up. I took a bath to feel fresh, washed my hair and put on some nice clothes. Not the red suit though. I picked dark red pants, a matching vest and a white shirt under it. I hope I looked decent in it and bought some roses before I made my way to the park. I bought them from the last dollars I had but I didnt cared. I wanted to give her some nice flowers. Gotham looked different today while watching out of the trams window. Less dark and depressing. But I guess it was just me feeling better as usual. I just wanted it to be a nice date. I just wanted her to like me for who I am. I got out of the tram, walking into the park. I saw her from a distance already. There was just one person standing at the fountain, so it must have been her. She was so beautiful, I couldnt belive she was waiting FOR ME. My hands holding the roses started to get all sweaty and I wiped them off on my pants. I stumbled right in front of her as I arrived and the flowers fell out of my hands.  "Ooooppps...I`m...I`m so sorry.. I...." my nervousness killed me. She similed at me as I picked up the flowers and handed them to her "I....um....brought you...som..something...um..." I stuttered. She gave me the sweetest hug "Thats so sweet of you...? Um... I don`t even know your name" she was blushing. "Arthur. My name is Arthur." "Hey Arthur. I`m Y/N. Nice to meet you. Thank ou so much for the roses. They`re beautiful". "Yeah... thank you for the notes...I don`t know what to say...you`re beautiful". Y/N smiled from cheek to cheek. "Thank you, Arthur. Would you like to take a walk though the park and get some coffee later? It would be a nice way to get to know each other. What do you think?" "I think this sounds just wonderful". She gently wrapped her arm around my waist as we were walking though the park. It was a late summer evening and for the first time ever I noticed the birds singing. The music in my head stopped. Maybe Gotham wasn`t as bad after all.

[metalchick19-blog]

The Bowers Gang: How Patrick Would Feel About/Interact with an Extremely Shy Reader (Anonymous Request - Imagine)

* Request: The reader is super shy and only talks when talked to. She never says more than five words and hates being confronted and talking in public. I would love to see how Patrick would feel. Thank you so so much!! ♥️

* Any and all credit for this idea goes to the requestor.

For the past few weeks, you had been working on a school project with Patrick Hockstetter - you shared biology together, and, although you’d never spoken to him before, you’d always known him as the guy who was way too amped up on dissection days 

In fact, you’d literally seen him stuff a fetal pig into his backpack once, but you hadn’t dared to say anything to your teacher about it 

Because, really, who wants to mess with a guy who steals fetal pigs under any circumstance?

Regardless though (and regardless of the countless other things you’d heard about the guy), you two had been paired together to give a presentation on the plant of your choosing - what function it served in the ecosystem, and what internal mechanisms it used to stay alive

True to his normal character, Patrick had wanted to do your report on the venus fly trap since day one

And, even though you had wanted to do it on literally anything else, you went along with it, because you were never one to argue 

… Which Patrick would come to notice over the course of your time together 

From the moment he met you, Patrick knew you were shy (and loved it), but he didn’t realize just how shy until you officially started working together 

Every time he would focus on the project long enough to suggest an idea (which wasn’t often, seeing as he usually seemed to be focused on invading your personal space and giving you nightmare fuel), you gave him nothing in the way of resistance - just a nod of your head

Every time he would ask you a question, you would simply answer yes or no - anything to avoid coming out with a full sentence 

And, most noticeably, every time he’d meet your eyes and say something vulgar (“Cat got your tongue, princess? Maybe you could let me borrow it for a while once he’s done with it.” *Shudder-inducing Hockstetter smirk*), you’d do nothing but collapse into yourself, instantly a blushing mess

Essentially, Patrick came to realize that you were so shy, you’d let basically anything happen to you

You went along with everything he said, wouldn’t respond to sarcasm, insults, or come-ons (regardless of how strongly he came at you with them), and, in a lot of ways, seemed almost incapable of speaking 

… Which drove him insane with lust from the second he registered it 

Patrick had never met a girl so deeply ingrained in submission, and decided he wanted you from that point on

But, what he also realized… 

… was that he wasn’t entirely sure what your voice sounded like 

In all the time you two had been working together (which was approximately two weeks, at that point), you’d never said more than a few words to him at once - and Patrick decided that it was time to force you out of that comfort zone 

Partly for the sake of hearing you speak, but mostly for the sake of watching you panic

… And he decided this the day before your presentation was due

You walked into biology the next day, note-cards in hand, ready to present your half of the presentation - you were nervous, as always, but felt a little better than usual because you knew you’d have a partner… even if it was Patrick friggin’ Hockstetter

You sat down at your desk, looked around the room, and noticed one thing right away - Patrick wasn’t there

Which was fine, because he usually snuck in just before the final bell, but you had been hoping to go over the presentation together before class started (which never would’ve happened anyway, but it was optimistic of you nonetheless) 

You read over your note-cards, eyeing the clock as the minutes ticked down 

Class would be starting in 4 minutes - totally fine. Patrick would come

Class would be starting in 3 minutes - cool, cool. Patrick would make it

Class would be starting in 2 minutes - It was seriously fine. It was literally great. Patrick was on his way 

Class would be starting in 1 minute - OH MY GOD, NO. PLEASE NO. SERIOUSLY, OKAY, THIS CAN’T HAPPEN. DEATH IS IMMINENT, AND THERE’S NOTHING I CAN DO TO STOP IT.

Finally (just as your freak-out was reaching its peak), Patrick ducked into the room, his arrival punctuated, as always, by the last bell

You’d truly never been so happy to see those piercing green eyes, and that long-legged stride coming towards you

… But, suddenly, the stride changed directions

Patrick’s eyes remained on yours, a spark of something like sick, amused intent flashing through them; the edges of his lips curled into a small smirk, and you finally registered that he was making his way over to your teacher 

Standing in front of Mr. Anderson, Patrick did what he always did - reverted to his “normal boy” act. He smiled politely, if not a little bit tiredly, and placed a note on Mr. Anderson’s desk

… At which point a knot began to form in your stomach

Mr. Anderson read the note briefly, nodded in understanding, and called you over to the table - not at all noticing Patrick’s seriously un-subtle giddiness 

Sighing, you walked over...

... and heard the worst news of your life:

“Hey, y/n. So, unfortunately Patrick here has step throat, so he won’t be able to help you present today - but he did bring his note-cards with him, so you can just read his half of the presentation from those. Okay?”

Right away, you could tell it was one of those questions that wasn’t a question; Mr. Anderson stared at you kindly, but expectantly. 

… So, you mustered a smile from the deepest depths of your soul, nodded, and took Patrick’s note-cards. 

Just as you turned to go back to your desk though, Patrick fixed you with one of the fakest (but, frighteningly enough, also one of the most believable) apologetic faces you’d ever seen - he knitted his eyebrows together in what, to you, was obviously feigned remorse, and looked down as if to say he was sorry for abandoning you

The look earned a “good boy” smile from Mr. Anderson, but you’d never wanted to choke someone so much in your life

You decided you’d hate that face forever - smirk, grin, or fake lip-pout. It was the terrible, awful face of a boy that was forcing you into public speaking. And that was fucking unforgivable 

For the next few minutes, as other people presented, you died inside over and over again

All you could think about was having to present information you hadn’t prepared for, and your hands trembled even as you sat 

Finally, it was time to be publicly executed - Mr. Anderson called “the venus fly trap group,” and you slid out of your seat, moving unsteadily to the front of the room

Venus fucking fly trap. You hadn’t even wanted to do the report on the damn thing, and that seemed all the more insulting now

You stood tall (or as tall as you could, given you were in a state of stage 3 panic), and faced the class, deciding to start out as strong as you could

… But one face made your voice catch in your throat 

Seated at the very back of the class, right in the middle of the room, so he could stare at you dead-on, was Patrick - grinning like a maniac, and already on the verge of laughter 

Though his face overall was a picture of joy, Patrick’s eyes were filled with nothing but cruelty; it reminded you of a butcher, smiling heinously (and meaning that smile with all his heart) just before chopping the head off a piece of meat 

Needless to say, it threw you, and you started reading your note-cards already in the middle of a stutter 

From there on, things went nowhere but downhill

So downhill that it felt like you were falling from Mt. Everest 

After struggling to read through your own note-cards adequately (and failing miserably), you finally got to Patrick’s 

… Which had nothing on them (except the top one, which had a picture of a badly drawn smiley face) and required you to improvise the rest 

Which you did - visibly trembling, and with your voice shaking the entire time

By the end of the presentation, you were a sweaty mess 

You hadn’t even looked up more than twice, because every time you did, you met Patrick’s shit-eating smirk

Despite everything though, you managed to get a good grade (though you suspected Mr. Anderson only gave it to you out of pity)

At the end of class, as everyone made their way out of the room, you felt a tap on your shoulder just as Mr. Anderson walked into the hallway 

...You almost didn’t want to turn around. 

But you did, and you saw just what you expected to see: Patrick - his lips so curled as to look “Grinchy,” with a look of bemused approval on his face 

“I knew you had it in ya’, sweetheart.” 

You knew it.

You fucking knew it.

Strep-throat?

Yeah.

Bullshit.

You opened your mouth to protest, but no sound came out 

Grinning, his eyes fiery with excitement, Patrick leaned in close to you

His hand came up to move a strand of hair from your cheek, and he brought his leering face ever closer to yours. Your eyes shot down to the ground as he craned over you; his cold breath cascaded down your forehead and chin

“Don’t be mad, princess - I just had to know what that sweet little voice sounded like.”

There was no air between you. All there was, was Patrick’s voice - nasally, like a snarky teenager’s… but predatory, like an animal’s 

“And, you gotta’ know… you look so fucking delicious when you shake.”

The both of you stood for a moment - you drowning in the silence that filled the room, and Patrick basking in it. His nearness alone unsettled you, he knew, and you could swear you felt him lick his stretched, leathery lips before tucking your hair behind your ear

With that, the tension was gone. Patrick was suddenly across the room from you, just about to make his way out the door. You stood frozen in place by your desk, stunned by the recent turn of events. Did Patrick Hockstetter… like you? Was that what all this had been about?

Patrick turned to you a final time, still backing towards the door. You could tell he was picturing you naked, his mouth open, but his lips still turned up in a smirk. His eyes traced down your body excitedly, seeming to search every nook and cranny before settling once more on your face. 

He smiled a final smile; it was like he’d gathered all the mischief in the world into that one expression

“See you tomorrow, sweetie.” He winked. He licked his lips again

It was much more pronounced this time though, for your viewing pleasure 

“Y’know, you can try to be quiet all you want - one day you’re gonna scream my name until your fuckin’ throat’s raw.”

Finally, Patrick disappeared into the throng of kids outside the classroom door

You stood alone, collecting your thoughts.

Patrick Hockstetter had embarrassed you.

Patrick Hockstetter had fucking scared you.

… But… Patrick Hockstetter... liked you.

And, for some reason, you weren’t so sure you hated that

[salted-barbed-wire]

The Devil May Care

Chapter Five

Summary: “As visions of doomsday danced in her head...” Word Count:1456

Prelude       Chapter One.      Chapter Two.      Chapter Three.       Chapter Four.

666: Any word yet?

I smiled at my phone, it was near 1am and I had been up reading on my laptop. I was googling Irish folklore. Trying to see if there was any connection or scrap of truth to what these two heathens were telling me.

J: New phone who dis?

I laughed out loud to myself. Of course, I didn’t save his number in my phone. It was obvious who it was by the ridiculous phone number.  I knew it would get a rise of out him regardless.

666: Really, love? You don’t know who this is?

He bought it.

J: Uncle Leo?

666: I absolutely despise Seinfeld references.

I nearly died laughing.

J: I’m surprised you understood it. I would think the Devil would be too busy to take the time to understand pop culture.

666: It’s important to know how to lure unsuspecting victims to their doom.

J: You sound like a villain twisting his mustache.

666: I could be. I could be here twisting my mustache, thinking of ways to keep you in my clutches after this is all said and done.

J: NO MORE CONTRACTS

666: Perhaps. Perhaps you should actually save my number, just in case you ever need anything. I will be owing you a favor once we’ve completed our work.

J: What should I save it as? Aleister, the Devil, King of Hell?

666: Yes.

I giggled lightly, Dork.

666: I heard that.

J: Goodnight my king :)

666: …. I’d like to hear that out loud some time.

My heart raced as I set my phone down on my night stand, shut my lap top and snuggled under my duvet. Flirting with the devil. What would your mother say? I licked my lips, trying to force my grin away as I lay under my covers. I’ll change his name and ringtone in the morning.

~~

My eyes shot open in panic. My vision was blurry, and it was hard to focus on anything. I coughed, unable to breathe the air around me. I blinked snow out of my face.

No, not snow.

Ash.

All around me was a wasteland covered with white ash. There was an orange glow in the sky that seemed to be the sun trying to shine through the thick clouds above me.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” a familiar Irish accent surrounded me.

I turned to see Finn, eyes black, wearing a button down that was left open. In the middle of his chest, a large strange scar.

“What is this?” I asked him.

“Our kingdom, my love.” His mouth revealed teeth sharpened to a point. “I am rebuilding it all for you.”

“Finn, this isn’t right.” I ran to him, putting my hands on his shoulders. “Balor has control of you. Please, if you’re still in there, you need to pull through.”

“You have it wrong, princess. I’m not just a vessel. I am Balor.”

He raised a hand and my body was thrown onto a stone slab and binds came all around me.

“Now, let’s talk about your boyfriend.”

“My who?”

He pulled a knife from his belt, it looked like a jaw bone sharpened to a dangerous point. “Don’t play with me princess. This is my reality. It will soon be your world too. One that you will rule over, by my side, of course.”

“This isn’t real. It can’t be.”

Balor slammed his hands, one still holding the knife, on either side of my head. “Oh, it’s real. And it’s going to be a lot of fun.” He leaned closer down to my face, letting his tongue lick the side of it.

I whimpered and the demon laughed. He stood upright, holding the knife to my throat. “Now, Princess, tell me about your Devil…”

~~

I gasped when I woke. Felix had jumped on my chest, pulling me from my nightmare. I looked down at green eyes in front of my face. “Holy crap,” I whispered before hugging Felix.

My phone rang causing me to jump again. I wanted to answer, but I needed to vomit first. I rushed off to the bathroom, nerves rattled where I proceeded to get sick. My phone did not stop ringing.

After getting annoyed with the same tone ringing and ringing, I rushed into my bedroom to stop the noise. Felix sitting on my bed, silently watching me.

“Hello?” I answered without even bothering to check the ID.

“Jackie!”

My stomach dropped. “Hi Finn.”

“Hey, are you okay? You sound like you just woke up.”

“Oh, yeah, what time is it?” I said looking for my alarm clock which had disappeared.

“It’s eight, I’m sorry if I woke you.” He sounded sincere.

I shook my head, confused, I don’t usually sleep this late.“No it’s okay. I’ve got to head to work soon anyway. I needed to get up.”

“Sorry I was blowing up your phone, I just-, well, I couldn’t really get you out of my head last night-“

You have no idea.

“and I was wondering if you’d be interested in having dinner with me tonight.?”

My dream flashed behind my eyes, “I- I’d love to.”

“Awesome! I can pick you up at six then?”

“Yeah that sounds great, Finn. I’ll see you then.”

I could hear his smile through the phone, “See you tonight!”

I ended the call and leaned against my dresser, debating on whether or not I need to get sick again.

“Meow?” Felix turned his attention towards my hallway.

The smell of coffee and bacon called from the kitchen. I watched as he leaped off the bed and padded to the front of my apartment.

“What the hell?” I muttered, following him.

“Good morning, snopeje.” Aleister stood holding one of my mugs filled with coffee. “You look like you need a cup.”

I did my best to pick my jaw off the floor, “Aleister, how long have you been here?”

“Not long. I heard you had a phone call.”

“So, are you going to just start letting yourself in whenever you want?”

“Pretty much,” he shrugged.

I closed my eyes and pinched my nose. “God.”

“Not even close, love,” Aleister stepped closer. “Felix tells me you were quite noisy in your sleep again. Another dream about me?”

I opened my eyes to see a shit eating grin plastered on his face. I glared back at it.

“Hmm,” Aleister’s grin remained, but something else hinted in his gaze. “So, is that a no?”

I snatched the mug out of his hands, “No, I wasn’t dreaming of you. Nor will I, ever again. It was a one-time thing.” I plopped down on the couch and sipped at the hot liquid in front of me.

Aleister walked over and sat down across from me gingerly on my coffee table. He held a plate of eggs, bacon and toast in his hand. “What was it then?”

“Why are you making me breakfast?”

“Because I grow weary of watching you eat a pop-tart for breakfast every morning. Now, what was your dream about?”

I took the plate from him. My stomach was growling from the smell. “It was about Balor.” I nibbled on the end of bacon, definitely better than the usual pop-tart. “He took me to some world, maybe this one, only it was like doomsday had just happened. He looked… terrifying. He was getting ready to torture me, asking about you, promising me a seat next to him on the throne.”

Aleister’s facial expression was flat, as if he was waiting for more.

“He held a knife to me, but Felix jumped on me before anything else happened.” I set my bacon down. “There’s no way any of that was real, right?”

Aleister’s tongue played with his lip piercing. “Eat your eggs. We have a long day ahead of us. You have work and a date to prepare for. I have some spell books to read up on.” He stood and started to leave.

“Wait!” I grabbed his hand. “Are we trapping him tonight?”

He took my hand in his, “Unfortunately, snojepe, we have to wait for all hallows at the end of the month to do that. When the veil between this world and my world is at its thinnest. For now, gain his trust. I will figure out what to do about those nightmares.” He kissed my hand, the shock of the coolness from him would always be overwhelming. “Call me when you are off work, I have an outfit for you. See you later.”

A snap and he was gone again.

I looked at Felix who was left staring where Aleister had disappeared. “You’ll wake me up if I start dreaming about him too, right?”

I swore Felix winked at me, before he stalked off towards his water dish in the kitchen.

Traitor.

~~~

Chapter 6->

Tag List: @fangirls-gotta-fangirl @xladyxfatex @xbreezymeadowsx @rndm-fngrl-blg @nicolewoo @itsicantbelievethis666

[kristannafever-fics]

The Corporate Retreat

KRISTANNA SMUT WEEKEND - FEBRUARY 15th, 2019

Kristanna Modern AU

Rated: M (smut obviously)

WC: 8149 (yeah, I know)

~I didn’t follow today's prompt.  I had this simple idea and it somehow got over 8K words.  Oh well, lol!

-----------------------------------------------

Kristoff threw the last of his things in the bag and heaved a heavy sigh.  He was equal parts excited and nervous for the trip.  It was the first corporate retreat he had been invited to as a guest and not as part of the security detail.  Had he not met the new woman in charge of the company, he would have thought the reason for his first ever invite was the fact that he was the head of security.  As it was however, the rest of his team had been invited as guests as well and plans were made to subcontract security out when the team arrived in Costa Rica.

This bit of information had of course caused Kristoff great concern.  He had been promoted to the helm of security five years ago, and it had been his entire life for those five years to make sure that the biochemical-pharmaceutical company he worked for, and all its employees, were well protected and safe.  A job he took extremely seriously.  

He arranged a meeting with the new CEO to discuss his concerns and marched into her office at the appointed date and time ready to unleash.   She introduced herself and Kristoff was taken aback first by her vitality.   He knew she was young, but it wasn’t until he was face to face with her that he realized how young.  Younger than him, it seemed.  He had seen her walk through the halls and the lobby, always surrounded by people vying for her attention, but he had failed to recognize her youth.   Then he was immediately disarmed by her vibrancy, say nothing of the fact that she was a stunning beauty.

She looked at him with big round blue eyes that sparkled with intelligence and asked him to take a seat so that they could start the meeting.  Kristoff had swallowed thickly and done what he was told, forgetting all his carefully thought out words in the process.  In the end he was able to lay out his reasons why he felt his team should be in charge, even if it was delivered in the most disjointed and embarrassing way he had ever explained something in his life.

Her reaction had been to lean back in her chair and fold her arms across her chest.  She appraised him with her piercing gaze for what seemed like an eternity before she finally told him she had already made the plans and paid a deposit for the security firm she wanted to sub-contract.  End of story.

She thanked him for his thorough concern as she stood and held out her hand.  Kristoff found himself moving robotically, standing and gripping her hand to shake, wondering why in the hell he was unable to assert himself better.  The next thing he knew, his boss’s secretary was ushering him out of the office and back down to his post.

That had been the first and only time he had ever met with the CEO.  She had sent him a company email the next day giving him the specifics of the company she hired to put his mind at ease, and in very polite words that he did not mistake as an order, to pack his bags and enjoy himself on the retreat for once.

Hence the excitement and the nervousness.  He had never interacted with anyone in the office outside of work, and when he was at work it was very serious and very professional. He had a rapport with the people working under him of course, and he trusted them wholeheartedly, but what was he going to do when mixed in with the office dwellers and the rest of their teams, not to mention the charismatic new CEO.  The whole thing had him on edge.  Although there was a part of him that was deeply thankful that he had been thought of – that his whole team had been thought of, actually – and invited as a guest this year instead of having to spend three weeks learning everything about the region they were going to and planning out work shifts and contingencies for emergencies.

There had been one or two times in the past couple of years that he may have wished he could partake in the fun instead of protecting it.  Yet as quick as these desires had formed, they were dismissed even quicker. Kristoff was no-nonsense when it came to his job and he doubted he would even be able to truly relax even though someone else was supposed to be handling the security.  If something where to happen while he had his guard down, he would never forgive himself.

He wondered for the hundredth time how he was going to handle this trip.

-------

Anna put herself beside Kristoff in first class by design.  She was fully aware of how damn serious he took his job and she knew he was having difficulties being invited as a guest for this year’s corporate retreat.  

Her solution was simple.  Get him to relax on the plane and lay it all out for him so that there was nowhere for his mind to worry.  She even had all the thoroughly prepared security details from the team she subcontracted in a folder for him to look over and approve.  She had no idea what was involved in protecting an entire group of people and the information in the folder left her wondering just how hard Kristoff’s job really was.

She had been very impressed upon meeting him face to face the first time.  She had seen him around the building numerous times before that.  He was a pretty hard man to miss.  His size alone made him the very obvious focal point in any room of people. But the thing that Anna had most been intrigued by, were his ever-watchful eyes.

As soon as he stepped into her office she watched as his brown eyes took everything in, taking inventory of his surroundings. She imagined he did this anywhere he went, just like any person in law enforcement or protection detail.   It was the very reason she had made sure the security staff was invited.  She had looked into his file before the meeting, unsurprised that he hadn’t take a vacation, or even a sick day, since he became the boss five years ago.

Anna was just thinking about how he was going to react to everything when a shadow loomed over her.  She looked up into his brown eyes and was caught slightly off guard by his frown.  He gave her no time to react before he slid in the aisle seat next to her and kicked a laptop bag under the seat in-front of him.

“The more time I have to think about this the more I don’t like it,” he said to her even though his gaze was watching everyone stream on the plane after them.  Anna had to wonder why he was even looking.  Surely, he recognized these people in the building.  They passed him almost every day.

“Maybe this will help,” Anna said, handing him the folder. No point in wasting any time getting down to business.  She was bound and determined that he was going to enjoy his vacation.

He opened it and started reading immediately.  He remained that way throughout the rest of boarding and take-off.  Even as they reaching altitude and the flight attendants started drink service, he was going over the information, flipping back and forth from page to page, re-reading and looking over the blueprints of the resort they had booked.

Anna watched him do all this surreptitiously, intrigued by his focus.  She suddenly wondered what he was like at home, way from the pressures of work. What did he do for fun?  What where his hobby’s, if any?  How did he unwind after a long hard day?  She was so tempted to ask him that the words were almost at the tip of her tongue when he startled her by slapping the folder shut and looking over at her.

“It appears very thorough.”

“Well that’s great then.  You can-“

“But having never met the people who will be in charge I cannot comment on how effective everything will be.”

Anna blinked at him, wondering a half a second if he was kidding.  No, not him. Not when it came to this stuff anyway. “Well I have talked with them numerous times over the phone and I can assure you that they are very professional.”

Kristoff simply stared at her for a moment. “Well, that remains to be seen.  I am going to meet with them personally when we arrive.”

Before Anna could reply he turned forward and reached under the seat to grab his laptop.  She wasn’t exactly surprised by his reaction, but she was certainly hoping for something else.  She had a half a mind to try and discuss the matter further, but something told her that there was no way Kristoff was going to let this go.

*****

Kristoff walked through the open French doors that led to the balcony of his ocean view room.  The breeze off the water caught him just as he was approaching the glass railing and he closed his eyes and breathed the salty sweetness deep into his lungs.

His meeting with the security firm had gone well. Surprisingly well.  His boss was right, they were professional and they knew what they were doing.  That meant that Kristoff could actually sit back and relax.

Kristoff opened his eyes and put his palms on the railing wondering where he should start.  His crew was already talking about meeting up in one of his supervisors’ rooms for a celebratory drink, but Kristoff felt that he would be somewhat unwelcome.  Not that they didn’t respect him, but because they did.  They didn’t need to feel like they had to act a certain way because their boss was there.  No, he would find something else to do.  Problem was, he had no idea what. The resort had a variety of things to do, not to mention several restaurants and bars.  He was hungry.  Maybe he would grab himself a snack before the sit-down dinner that was planned for the evening.  First though, he had a mind to check out the exercise and weight room.  After six hours scrunched up in an airplane seat, his body was screaming to be worked out.

With that decided he quickly changed into a plain white t-shirt and pair of baggy shorts and headed down the stairs to work out some pent-up frustration on the gym equipment.

-------

Anna loved to sleep in when she wasn’t working, but as the CEO of the company, she was on the clock even during the retreat.  Not that she didn’t let a little loose.  She had a few drinks with dinner and enjoyed all the lively conversation.  But when the dance started, she retreated to her room and left the employees under the careful watch of their security detail, something that she was paying extra for.  There was no reason that anyone should have to worry, and the ‘babysitting fee’ as she thought of it, was worth that peace of mind.  The men and women she hired would make sure that no one got out of line or no one wandered into the ocean in a drunken haze.

She woke early to the sound of the ocean waves crashing the shore and the exotic birds singing their beautiful songs.  It truly felt like paradise.

She made herself a coffee from the small coffee maker in the room and took it to the balcony to enjoy the remainder of the sunrise. She was having a great time and she was pretty proud of herself for getting her own security staff to relax and unwind.   They had been all smiles over dinner. Well, except Kristoff.  He had more of an amused look than that of a smile. Not to mention she caught him looking carefully around the room more than once.  She would get him to relax before the week was up.  Like a challenge to herself.  She just had to figure out what made him tick.

Anna was about to get up for a refill on her coffee when something coming up the beach caught her eye.  She paused and looked to see Kristoff jogging back to the resort. He was in a pair of grey sweatpants and was shitless, his broach chest glistening with sweat.  Anna watched as he slowed when he approached the path into the resort and then paused with his hands on his knees, leaning over and pulling in a few deep breaths.  After he stood and pulled his arms above his head, stretching them both out one by one before working on stretching out his back and then his legs.  When he was finished, he yanked the pair of earphones from his ear and wrapped both cords around the back of his neck as he walked onto the path and disappeared into the resort.

Anna’s throat was suddenly dry.  She blinked, trying to focus her mind off the image of her shirtless, sweaty head of security.  Her whole body seemed to be tingling as she struggled to do so.  She had certainly recognized Kristoff was handsome when she had met him.  More than handsome actually.  There was something incredibly appealing about him, and until this moment, Anna had thought of it as just that.  But now, with the imagine of his half naked body burned into her memory, her mind immediately wondered what he looked like beneath the sweat pants.  What it would be like to kiss him.  What it would be like to lay between the sheets with him…

“Oh God,” Anna whispered to herself and shook her head. She could not let her mind go there. As the CEO it would be crazy to get involved with someone in his position.  She couldn’t.  The issue was shoved forcefully from her mind as quickly as she could.

Maybe it hadn’t been such a good idea to book them in rooms side by side.

*****

Kristoff stepped out onto the balcony as he towel-dried his hair.  The early morning pre-dawn run had been invigorating.  There was so much more oxygen at sea level that he was able to go further and faster than he normally could.  The sun was just about to break the horizon when he ran out of beach and had to turn back.

He had to admit that the dinner the night before had been one of the most fun evenings with a large group that he ever had.  He wasn’t sure if it was more due to the fact that the security personnel that were subcontracted appeared attentive and alert, or that he enjoyed watching Miss. Adrendelle smile.  She could say what she wanted about making sure to relax, but she had a reputation to uphold just like him.  He knew full well that she would not be letting as loose as she wanted on her trip.  The difference, he understood, was that for her this was work.  Her normal vacations were probably very different.   He had to wonder what she liked to do in her spare time. How did she shake off a hard day?

His stomach rumbled, interrupting his thoughts.  He worked up quite an appetite with his morning run and he was looking forward to a big breakfast and then some relaxing time with a book on his balcony.  He was just about to turn around when she caught his eye down below him.

The first thing his mind registered was her hair. He had only ever seen her in a professional updo and the braids she was wearing made her appear even younger. They seemed to suit her better, like they went along well with her ‘outside of work’ personality.  He watched her back as she walked down the path below them to the pool.  She approached a lounge chair under one of the umbrellas and plopped her large beach bag down beside it before lifting the hem of her bathing suit cover and pulling it over her head.

She was wearing a classic one-piece, black, with green, gold and purple embellishments around the shallow v that fell to the very top of her breasts, not revealing much of anything.  She sat on the lounge chair and stretched out, crossing one shapely leg over the other as she reached down into her beach bag and grabbed a book.

Kristoff gulped.   Miss Arendelle – Anna, as she had repeatedly asked him to call her – was the picture of beauty and grace.  To put it simply, she was stunning.  In Kristoff’s eyes there wasn’t a single woman around the pool that had as much allure as Anna.  The rest of them were often posing for selfies or getting their friends to take glamour shots of them to post on Instagram, and every single one of them was in a skimpy little bikini.   They talked loudly, laughed even louder, and flirted without shame.

Then there was Anna, effortless class, leaving a whole lot to the imagination causing Kristoff to wonder what she looked like naked.  He realized suddenly that he felt flush and was becoming aroused.  If he wasn’t careful, he was going to have to have another shower… a very cold shower.

*****

Dinner wasn’t for another hour so Anna took her glass of wine out onto the balcony to enjoy the wonderful breeze.  She had taken a small nap after reading most of the morning by the pool, and decided to have an early cocktail since she would most likely be making it another early night.  It might be a work vacation for her, but she wasn’t going to be a complete saint.

The dinner plans weren’t set up for everyone like the night before.  This time they were all left to fend for themselves.  Some had chosen to venture into the adjacent town to have dinner and go dancing while others planned on visiting one of the restaurants in the resort. Anna had no idea what Kristoff had planned, but she aimed to make sure that he was having dinner with her.  She had challenged herself to get him to smile after all.  The plan was to knock on his door when she was headed down to the lounge in the lobby and see if he wanted to join her.

She had seen him appear on his balcony not long after she had settled into her book by the pool.  He had one of his own books open in his lap with one of those muscular long legs of his crossed over the other.  He was wearing sunglasses, tan shorts and a white, short-sleeve button-down. If Anna didn’t know him, she would just assume he was like every other vacationer at the resort.  Instead she knew that his eyes would be scanning his surroundings every few minutes.  It was easy for her to spy on him from the privacy of her own sunglasses, just as it was for him to keep tabs on everything while it looked like he was reading.

There was a sound to her right and Anna looked over to see Kristoff stepping out onto his balcony.  He pulled in a deep breath and braced his palms on the railing, looking out over the ocean and the courtyards below.  When his head finally swiveled to the left, Anna could see his body suddenly tense when he realized that she was watching him.

“Oh, uh, hello Miss Arendelle,” he said, straightening and tugging at the bottom of his shirt to smooth it out.

“Hello Kristoff.  Must I keep asking that you call me Anna?”

“I apologize Miss… er, Anna.  I’m just not used to addressing my superiors by their first name.”

Anna smiled at him.  He was too adorable for words.  “Care to have a drink?  I opened a bottle of white if you are interested.”

“Uh…” he hesitated, very clearly uncomfortable and obviously debating his answer.  He cleared his throat, “Sure.”

“Well you don’t have to,” she laughed, even though she was a little disappointed by his hesitation.  She wanted him to want to have a drink with her, not because he felt he had to because she was his boss.  

“No, I, meant yes.  Yes, and thank you.”

“Well come on over then,” Anna said as she got up and walked to her door.  She waited until she heard his door shut then opened hers to let him in and walked back to where the wine was to pour him a glass.  He came in slowly, looking uncharacteristically nervous.  Still, his eyes did not dart around the room, they carefully scanned and noted.  When he was seemingly satisfied, he turned his gaze to her.

Anna felt herself suddenly getting hot looking into those amazing brown eyes of his.  “Here you are,” she said as she offered the glass.  “Care to sit on the balcony?”

“Sure,” Kristoff nodded once and followed her out.

They took their seats on the patio chairs and both looked straight out over the ocean.  They let the moment stretch silently between them before Anna began a conversation.  “So, what do you like to do in your spare time, Kristoff?”

His eyes remained on the water as he seemed to ponder the question.  “Well, I hike on my days off sometimes, and I have dinner with my parents every Sunday.”

“Yeah?  You have a big family?”

He nodded, finally looking over at her.  “They are pretty loud and crazy, but we have a lot of fun together.”

“I’ll bet,” Anna grinned, wishing he would crack and smile at her.  “What else?”

He turned his eyes back forward and shrugged. “Pretty normal stuff, I guess.  I like to-“

A knock at Anna’s door interrupted them.  Anna got up to answer, noticing that Kristoff suddenly looked like a teenage boy that she had snuck into her parents’ house past curfew.  She held back her laughter and went to answer the door.

It was the VP of operations and the Payroll Administrator. Both women let themselves into the room as they bombarded Anna with plans for the evening that they wanted her to attend with them.  Both of them suddenly stopped talking when they realized that Anna had a man on her deck.

Anna recovered quickly for all their sake.  “I was just talking to Kristoff about some new security measures he would like to implement.  Would you ladies like to join us for a drink and we can put the work talk behind us?”

Both women gave each other a quick look but seemed to brush whatever they were thinking off.  They accepted the drink and the four of them sat on the deck and made small talk for a half an hour until one of the two suggested that they head for a bite.

All four of them left Anna’s room and started down the hallway, except Kristoff.  Anna noticed him lagging so she turned around.

“Have a good-“

She didn’t let him finish.  She grabbed his forearm and yanked him forward.  “You are coming,” she told him quietly and did not wait for a response.  To her relief, he appeared at her heels as they approached the elevators.

*****

Kristoff couldn’t sleep.  There was only one thing on his mind and it was all-consuming - Anna.

He was taken with her.  Whenever she looked at him with her incredibly disarming blue eyes, he felt it all the way down to his soul.  It was nothing short of magical.  

It was very amusing to see her interact with the two ladies and the four other people they had ended up joining for dinner.  She was one of those rare people that was able to mix professionalism with friendliness and mutual respect.  There wasn’t a single person that disliked her, he could tell. He was extremely good at reading people and everyone who talked to Anna was completely genuine in their fondness of her.

Really, there was nothing not to like.  She was the complete package and Kristoff could not get the dirty thoughts out of his mind.  He wanted to feel her soft bare skin under his fingers, he wanted to kiss every inch of her, he wanted to know what it was like to make love to her…

Kristoff threw back the covers.  He needed a shower.  A hot, soothing shower where he could get the relief that he suddenly – desperately – needed.

*****

Anna lay under the covers, her face twisted in pleasure as she rubbed her clit to the thought of making love to Kristoff.  She was so close, so close to a bitter-sweet release.  She wanted to be with him so badly, but there was no other alternative for her arousal than to give herself pleasure. The fact that she knew it could never be with Kristoff, hurt more than she thought it would.  

She pulled in a sharp breath right before she tipped over the edge.  She was careful not to moan, lest Kristoff hear her through the wall that they shared.

After her mind and body calmed down, Anna thought back to dinner the night before.  She enjoyed being close to Kristoff and she was glad that neither of the ladies they rode down in the elevator with had tried to pry themselves between them as they took seats at the table.  

He had that amused look on his face all night and although he still hadn’t cracked a smile, Anna was happy that he seemed to be enjoying himself.  And it was never more apparent then when he was talking with her.  He gave her his undivided attention, which is not something that he did when he was talking to other people.  There were glances at his watch, or glances around the room, and even a few glances at her.  Anna had caught his eye more than once and it was enough for her to believe that there was definitely a mutual attraction going on.

But the thing was, she was pretty damn sure he felt the same as her regarding the propriety of work relationships.  More specifically, that they were frowned upon, especially given each of their positions.

Anna sighed.  She was just going to have to take the rest of this retreat one day at a time and stop thinking of Kristoff as a possibility.  He was off-limits and Anna knew better.

-------

Kristoff wandered his dark room lamenting the fact that he was unable to sleep.  The pleasure he had brought himself before going to bed was short lived.  He woke up around one in the morning and could not get back to sleep.  Instead he gave himself a raging hard-on because he couldn’t think about anything else than being with Anna.

He gave into his desire again then fell into a troubled sleep until he decided to just get out of bed around four.  

He knew it would be wrong to start something with the CEO, but dammit, he felt her attraction too.  There was no denying that she was into him and he knew she was fully aware that he was into her too. That simple fact emboldened him and he decided that after a nice, long swim, he was going to see what might happen with this building attraction between them.

*****

Anna woke bright and early to see if she could catch Kristoff going out for his morning jog.  She woke just before sunrise and went out on her balcony with a coffee to see what she could see.  After nearly an hour she resigned that he had done something other than run the beach this morning.  Perhaps he was down in the workout room of the resort.

She contemplated going down to see when her eyes caught someone swimming in the ocean along the shore.  Anna’s heart nearly stopped to realize that the person was a man and he was blond.  She watched as he swam past and went another couple hundred yards before he turned back in the direction of the resort.

Anna made up her mind instantly and grabbed her book and sunglasses.  She hot-tailed it down to the pool and plopped herself in a lounge chair that was right along the path that led back into the resort.  Kristoff would have no option but to walk right past her.

She cracked her book and waited, using her dark sunglasses to cover the fact that she was watching for him.  Then he appeared at the edge of the path and Anna’s heart nearly stopped.  His wet swim trunks were plastered to ever contour of his muscular legs and his masculinity.  Anna felt herself twitch with desire at seeing such a revealing hint of his manhood. It wasn’t crazy to assume someone of his size was packing some heat between his legs and in his current state it certainly seemed to be the truth.

Anna suddenly had visions of his naked body pressed to hers.  Maybe after a naked midnight dip in the ocean and a nice hot shower together to warm back up. She could almost imagine what it would be like for his big strong hands to caress her soapy body while he positioned himself and then slid slowly into her.

Anna let out a slow breath and realized her mouth had been hanging open.  She closed it and swallowed as Kristoff approached a chair on the other side of the path and pluck a towel off of it.  He started with his hair and worked his way down.  Anna had never wanted to be a towel so badly in her life.

Maybe they could just have a night of heavy passion together and be done with it.  One chance to give into desire and come together then resume their professional relationship.  Something, anything, would be better than just fantasying about having sex with him.   She wanted a night that she could keep with her forever.  Just one night, one memory, that could warm her on even the coldest of days.

Kristoff draped the towel over his shoulders and then turned his eyes directly towards Anna.  All of the sudden the side of his mouth turned up.  Oh my God! Anna screamed in her mind.  Is he smiling?!

He walked past her, never taking his gaze from her face and Anna realized she wasn’t even pretending to read.  She was blatantly watching him and he knew it.   He walked past her with one last sideways glance and that little smirk that left Anna tingly all over.  

*****

Kristoff stepped onto his balcony after his shower. He had half a mind to wander out in his towel and see what would happen, but he didn’t want to be too presumptuous. He dressed in his shorts and t-shirt then went out to see if Anna was on her balcony.

Just as he suspected, she was.  After the look she was giving him when he came off the beach, it was apparent that they were no longer going to try and hide the way they felt about each other.

“Hi Anna,” he said and gave her a smile.

Anna’s face lit up in return.  “Well, hi there, Kristoff.  Fancy meeting you here.”

“Indeed,” he chuckled.  “Do you have any plans for this afternoon?”

“None,” she said as she shook her head.  “Perhaps you and I could go to lunch?”

“My thoughts exactly.”

“Great.  I’ll meet you in the hallway?”

“You got it,” Kristoff gave her a wink.

Anna’s cheeks flushed pink as glanced down with a smile and tucked a stray hair behind her ear before she disappeared into her room. Kristoff went back into his and headed for the door.  He still had reservations about whether or not it was a good idea to get involved with her, but decided he didn’t care enough not to see where things would go between them.

He had a very good feeling about Anna.

*****

Anna was sure that Kristoff had no idea how gorgeous his lop-sided smile was, or how it made Anna feel to see it on him. Spending the entire afternoon with Kristoff had been one of the best in her entire life.

They just seemed to click with each other.  There was nothing forced or uncomfortable about being in each other’s presence.  Anna didn’t want to think to hard about it just yet since it was so new, but they just seemed to belong together.

Throughout lunch and all afternoon as they sat at the pool together, they talked and got to know each other better.  Anna was absolutely delighted to get a glimpse into his personal life, and with the way he was looking at her, he clearly felt the same about her.  

It had been almost painful when she reminded him that they needed to head up to their rooms and get ready for dinner.  If it was up to her, she would stay in the little lounge and talk to him all night long, but her presence was required during the banquet.

Anna paused and pulled in a deep breath then knocked on his door.  He appeared a moment later with that damn smile, dressed in a pair of navy dress pants and a white button-down, looking insanely sexy.  His eyes travelled down Anna’s length taking her in and the dress she was wearing, then back up to her face.

“You look gorgeous,” he muttered slowly, looking at her with bedroom eyes.

Anna’s knees just about buckled.  If it were not for the fact that she was expected to make a small speech and a toast before dinner, she would just push Kristoff back into his room and have her way with him.  But it would have to wait for later.

Kristoff held out his elbow and escorted Anna down to the banquet room where most of the employees were sipping on cocktails. They found two seats together and made idle chit-chat with everyone at their table until the event manager told Anna that they would be starting the dinner service in a moment.  Anna stood and clinked her knife on her glass to get everyone’s attention.

She hadn’t planned out what she was going to say so she just spoke from her heart.  She thanked everyone for the great work that had propelled their quarters past expectations, she thanked the assistants and the secretaries for their contributions in making sure everything always ran as smooth as possible, and she thanked their security team for protecting them and keeping them safe while they were at work. After she lifted her glass and gave a toast to everyone for their hard work.

Dinner was served quickly and Anna didn’t have much of a chance to talk to Kristoff between courses.  Then the decadent chocolate dessert came and Kristoff didn’t touch his.  He watched Anna eat hers instead, sending her very clear signals that he was enjoying himself immensely.  Anna had never been so turned on in her life.

He went to grab them each another glass of wine and Anna was cornered into a conversation that she couldn’t get out of for the better part of a half hour.  When she was finally able to get away, she made a b-line for Kristoff and asked him to dance with her.  He obliged with a smile and led her around the room for the remainder of the slow song until the DJ put on something with a ton of bass and they scrambled off the dance floor to let the young partiers – some of whom where getting pretty drunk – to their energetic dance moves.

Kristoff led them over to a quiet place along the far wall. Anna noticed that he took a quick survey of their surroundings before turning back to look at her.  “I am having a great time,” he said slowly, his eyes flicking quickly to her lips.

“Me too,” Anna said.  “This whole day has been… just wonderful.”

“And its not over yet,” he said quietly, inching forward.  Anna had no doubt that he was going to kiss her.

That’s when something in the center of the room exploded.

A split second after the noise began, Anna was shoved forcefully against the wall and pinned against it.  She couldn’t see anything past Kristoff’s broad body – he had her completely encased against the wall.  The banging noise stopped and was replaced by cheering and drunken laughter. Anna realized what was going on and what the sounds were.

Anna looked up into Kristoff’s face.  His eyes were pinched shut and taking deep breaths, like he was anticipating pain.  Then it suddenly clicked into place.  Kristoff had thought the sound was something else, something dangerous, and he had put himself in the line of fire to protect her… to save her.  He had just attempted to take a barrage of bullets for her.

Anna stared at him, thunderstruck by his actions. Slowly, his face relaxed and his eyes cracked open.  He didn’t make a move, he simply stared back down into her eyes.

“Firecrackers,” she whispered.  “There were kids selling them on the beach earlier…” she trailed off. She wasn’t sure why this was what her brain had chosen to say after Kristoff had basically tried to forfeit his life for hers.  There were no words that could describe the feelings that were running through her mind at that moment.

“Oh,” was all he said in return while he continued to stare at her.

Anna couldn’t stand it anymore.  She threw caution to the wind and made her move, surprised that he seemed to have decided the same thing at the exact same moment. They both dove for each other’s lips at the same time, causing teeth to crash painfully against one another. Undeterred, neither of them let their passion waver.  A first chaste kiss was not in their cards.  This was the accumulation of pure, raw, pent-up sexual desire.  There was no banquet room, there were no other people, there was no blaring music, there was only a primal need for their bodies to come together.

Anna felt herself folded into his arms as they started to move.  They bumped against the wall, unable to stop from attacking each other, when Anna nearly lost her footing.  She would have fallen to the floor if Kristoff didn’t have his arms wrapped completely around her.  With the kiss broken however, they took a moment to look each other in the eyes.   Kristoff nodded to her unspoken request and dragged her to the elevator.  He pressed the button and leaned over to kiss her while they waited. When it dinged and the doors opened, Kristoff pulled her blindly into the box without checking to see if anyone else was in there.  He pulled away from her for a half a second to select the button to their floor then resumed kissing her.

Anna’s mind was spinning out of control.  This was everything she had been dreaming about for the past three days.  Actually, it was better than anything she dreamed about.  She was aroused in a way that was almost painful.  She half wondered if she was even going to be able to last long enough for Kristoff to actually touch her.  It felt like all she needed to do was have the fabric of her panties shift against her once or twice and she would be thrown over the edge.

The elevator doors opened and they stumbled down the hall.  Kristoff fumbled in his pocket while he kissed her and finally inserted his key card into the slot.  As soon as the door was shut behind them, he yanked off his sport coat then reached behind Anna to undo the zipper on her dress.  The dress fell loose around her shoulders and Anna wiggled out of it, cursing the steady throb between her legs for making her unable to wait any longer.

She reached down and undid his belt while she stared into his hooded eyes.  She let his pants fall to the floor then she pulled down his underwear and pushed him back onto the bed.  She took in the sight of his long, hard length as she slipped off her panties then straddled him.

Her mind was consumed with abating the pain between her legs.  They could have all the fun they wanted in a moment but Anna needed to get this out of the way first or she was going to have a very unsatisfying first orgasm.  

As soon as she had his hard length settled between her folds, she started moving herself against him, sliding herself up and down his cock to push her towards what she needed most.  It only took a few passes to tip over the edge and she threw her head back as the waves of pleasure cascaded through her.  Kristoff moaned loudly as soon as she started to orgasm.

When she finally opened her eyes, Kristoff was looking at her with raw lust.  “Fuck,” he said slowly.  “That was the hottest thing…”

He suddenly sat up and curled his arm around her waist. In one fluid movement he flipped her onto her back and pressed himself against her as he started kissing her again. After a moment he leaned back and started undoing the buttons on his shirt.  Anna reached up and started from the bottom.  He beat her to the last button then tossed it off his shoulders onto the floor while Anna reached behind her back, undid her bra and threw it over the side of the bed.

Kristoff pressed himself back against her and resumed kissing her.   Anna’s body was alive with the feeling of his naked skin pressed against hers.  All her lusty thoughts, all the times she imagined being with him in this very moment, thinking she would savor every second… now all she wanted was one thing.

“Kristoff,” she said, breaking the passionate kiss. “I want you.”

“I want you too,” he said in a low voice.  

Anna shifted herself up a little higher on the bed so that he could reach her and he did not waste any time in giving her what she wanted. He reached down to guide his cock into her and pushed slowly.  Anna’s head fell back against the bed and she moaned at the feeling.

He took his time, driving her mad each time he made it further into her.  When there was no more room for him, he leaned down and kissed between her breasts, moving over to her right nipple as he found a slow and steady rhythm.  

Anna gave herself over to him.  Every flick of his tongue on her nipple, coupled with each stroke of his cock, gave her more pleasure than she had ever had in her life. Her mind was turned upside down by it as she wrapped her legs around his waist and thrust herself up to meet him.

She cried out when the second orgasm crashed through her. She held onto Kristoff for dear life as it took control of her body.  He paused until she stopped writhing under him then resumed a faster pace.  In another moment he gave her a string of moans that got louder as he got closer.  When he gave in, he buried his face into the side of her neck, his lips groaning against her skin as his cock pulsed inside of her.

Kristoff remained still for a moment, breathing long and deep before he finally moved.  Anna longed to feel him again as soon as he left her.  She thought he might simply roll on his back and stare at the ceiling, but he surprised her by laying on his side and looking down into her eyes.

“Anna, that was amazing.  I have to confess, I imagined being with you quite a few times and it was even better than I ever dreamed.  You are incredible.”

Anna could not help but grin up at him.  “Same here, Kristoff.  None of my previous impure thoughts were as good as this.  I am blown away.”

Kristoff chuckled softly and laid down on his back as he pulled her to his side.  Anna went with him eagerly and snuggled herself up to his hot skin.  This was exactly what she wanted.  She wanted to be held by him after some passionate love-making.  It wasn’t even on her radar a couple hours ago.  She just wanted at least one lusty night of mind-blowing sex with the most gorgeous man she had ever met.  Now, she understood that it had meant just as much to him as it did to her.

Screw the ramifications.  They were destined to go the long haul.

*****

Kristoff rubbed his hand up and down Anna’s bare back. They had been laying together for almost an hour chatting back and forth about this and that.  Nothing important, just work, life, and the mundane things about everyday reality.  Finally, Anna got up and walked to the bathroom.  She threw him a look over her shoulder and announced in a very sultry voice, that she was going to hop in the shower.

Kristoff didn’t need to be told twice.  He was more than ready for round two.

He followed her into the hot water and pulled her body against his.  He had no idea how he ended up so lucky.  This very real and intelligent, vibrant, gorgeous, spark of life was completely into him and he was not going to take a second of it for granted.

Kristoff kissed her passionately before he pulled back and looked down into her slowly-opening eyes.  “Anna, I think I am falling in love with you,” he said before he could talk himself out of it.  He wanted her to know that he was incapable of making this a short affair.  He was officially a changed man and Anna was to blame. He just needed to know if she was on the page that he thought she was.

“Well good,” she said as she looked up at him with a smile that made his heart ache.  “Because I think I am falling in love with you too.”

Kristoff leaned down and kissed her with renewed vigor at hearing her words, relieved that he was right to think that she wanted more from this as well.  He reached down between her legs and dragged his middle finger up her slit and settled it onto her clit.  He began to rub slow circles as she moaned into his mouth while the water cascaded between them.

She broke their kiss and started breathing heavy, gripping his shoulders for support.   Kristoff loved every one of her reactions and breathed them in as he stood over her.  In a short time, she was begging him to move faster, then her words dissolved into a strangled whine.  Kristoff took a lot of pleasure in watching her come undone.

When she calmed, he turned her slowly around and reached between her legs to grip the inside of her right thigh.  He lifted her leg and bent his knees to get himself in a position to slide into her.  She moved with him, making it easier, and soon his throbbing cock was enveloped in her warmth.  

He gripped her around the waist with his free hand and rocked with her.  It wasn’t long before they started to moan faster in unison.  Anna began to breath really fast and Kristoff couldn’t hold it anymore. He gave in and she arched her back against his chest a second later as she gave in with him.  When they both stilled and starting to breathe more calmly, he let go of her thigh and slid out of her, pulling her back against his chest.  He kissed his way from one shoulder, across the back of her neck, then onto her other shoulder.

Anna had her eyes closed and a smile on her face when he stopped kissing her.  He waited until she spoke and her words were like a lightning bolt to his soul.

“I don’t think I am falling anymore, Kristoff.  I think you’ve caught me and I don’t think I can spend another day without you.  I want to be with you forever… I love you.”

She turned around and looked at him when he didn’t respond.  Kristoff was too struck by her words to put his own thoughts into perspective so he simply said, “You took the words right out of my mouth.  I love you too.”

Anna grinned at him and pulled him down into a kiss. Kristoff melted into her, knowing that they were going to have a wonderful and bright future together.

[baekibi]

Jaehyun | Cherry Tree

Words: 2138

Written: a while ago lol

Pairing: Jaehyun x Reader

Genre: Fluff

➺

It was another of those boring days;

- you know those days where the only source of entertainment is drawing on your hand in black ink and conversing in sign language to your pals over at the other end of the classroom,, one of those days.

This day like any other was not passing very quickly, the heavy atmosphere of stressed and angsty teenagers was unpleasant and the temperature was above boiling, my head felt as if it was melting under the pressure of math.

I prayed the lesson would tick by swiftly, my pencil gripped tightly in my fist, my eyes swaying from the teacher to the clock, teacher to the clock, teacher to the- *brrr, brrr*

crap.

The familiar ring escaped my backpack, the sound whirring around the class making a public humiliation of myself. Eyes grasped shut, i gritted my teeth and bit my lip as silence struck through the whole room, even catching the teacher off guard completely.

I could feel the hundred eyes focused on me at this moment, including those of the piercing glare my teacher produced. "Kim Kyungha". The echo of his voice harpooned in my direction. The fear of opening my eyes now was a level I'd never felt, however I knew it was the only option I could take.

"I-I apologise, s-sir" I stuttered, trembling in my seat, my feet making rhythms as they tapped nervously on the ground below.

"Detention tonight, 5000 sentences." His sharp spoken words cut straight through me.

ugh. Second detention this week because I forgot to turn my phone off.

The first was for being two minutes late; but that was only a short 30 minutes detention now adding another... however long it will take to write that much.

I was used to detentions but never because I was particularly disruptive or a bad student~ usually just due to coincidences like my phone ringing during class or something as small as forgetting that one piece of homework. I usually used the time to continue some extra work which was handy but knowing it was detention seemed to make it more tense.

I reached inside my bag and almost crushed my phone with the rage that slowly brewed in my body, I took a peak at who had called to see it was my best friend Jaehyun.

One thing, he's in the same. Class.

And you know what's coincidental? He. Also. Has. A. Detention. Tonight.

I wanted to scream. I could see his plan from this moment, but the one question in my mind of wether or not I should snitch on him was the only thing that stopped me from letting go of my voice.

Instead I turned my back, where Jaehyun was sitting and sent him a glare of defeat and hurt to which he just giggled.

-

It was finally the end of the day, I walked over to my locker with Jaehyun who's was right next to my own. His arm was now bruised to a purple colour from my fist meeting his flesh at least ten times in the past thirty minutes for what he did during math.

He leant onto his locker next to mine, and faced me with a smirk. I carefully opened my locker, still eyeing on him. Once the door fully opened a few papers which I'd never saw before fell onto the floor below.

"You still haven't found out who's sending you those letters, have you?" He sighed, watching me gather them.

"What they said this time, eh?"

I mumbled to myself, flicking through the scattered sheets in my hand.

"Oh this is a new one" I hold it up to Jaehyun, displaying a really badly drawn kitten holding a piece of paper which read,

"You're perfect n cute n adorable n you mean so much to me. Don't ever let anyone tell you any different bc you're cute and deserve the world. I know you may be sick of these letters but think of it as a spark of confidence and support for your day and the challenges you decide to take. I hope you'll find out who sent you these letters one day and accept me, as I accept you. But for now I'll remain your secret admirer and as long as it doesn't scare you I'm happy to hide behind my messages to you. Have a nice day. Hope we can talk soon. xx"

I read it out clearly, Jaehyun following my finger along the paper as I drew strokes guiding me along each line.

I have to admit, the letters were cute and the badly drawn cat was even cuter. I wouldn't say they creep me out because it has never been anything scary or remarkably insane written on the papers like it's a stalker graphically describing how he or she is going to climb into my window and watch me as they order me to suck to their toes.

...like that would ever happen anyway...

"Well, does it ever weird you out?" He asked, sounding muffled in his tone.

I shook my head quickly, a smile even crossing my face as I recited the words on the note. It was quite encouraging actually.

"Well we got detention now, so hurry idiot" he straight up said beginning to walk, sliding his palms into his tailored trousers. His head turned to me as he walked, gently resting on his shoulder as he hurried me with his glances.

I ran after him willingly.

-

I turned my phone on silent, but not don't disturb so I would still receive calls but instead they'd be a small buzz which the teacher wouldn't be able to hear.

It was just me and Jaehyun in the After school detention which I assumed is why he got me in trouble, so I could join him.

Just after spending approximately ten minutes in the detention classroom, I could feel a vibration at my feet which were leaning against my bag. Whilst the teacher wasn't looking I faked dropping my pen so I had the perfect excuse to bend down to look at my phone.

"Sir, can I please go to the restroom?" I heard the familiar voice of Jaehyuns speak abruptly, raising his hand.

"Sure. But be quick. You have five minutes."

Jaehyun stood and walked passed me, nudging my shoulder as he walked signalling me that he was obviously up to something.

I continued for my phone, noticing a message left by him. He must have did the same thing as me, to get to his phone.

=

Jaebunny

I'll get us out of here ;)

Kyungha

Jae I stg DONT you dare-

Seen ✔

=

I sighed at this moment, whatever Jaehyun was up to, I wasn't looking forward to it.

=

Jaebunny

I'll be back in a minute, sir will be leaving the classroom in a second too, once he leaves I want you to run over to his desk and grab the keys.

Kyungha

Excuse me?

Jaebunny

Sweetie cakes just do as you're told

Seen ✔

=

It had been about a minute since I'd left the chat, just as Jaehyun told me sir took a call and was immediately needed at the heads office.

"Kyungha, I'll have to leave you here alone for five minutes. Don't dare move and wait till I come back." He said as he stood nearing the door.

As he left the door slammed, I sensed whatever Jaehyun did was not good.

I could hear his screams in the hall as I assumed he ran into Jaehyun.

The muffled conversation was only just loud enough for me to make out, it's either this school has incredibly thin walls or Jaehyun is really being screamed at.

However I did what Jaehyun said to do, although my mind was hesitant my body seemed to take control.

I searched his desk and picked up the keys, as if perfect Jaehyun walked in at this exact moment.

"What the heck are you doing?" I shouted at him, to which he quickly shushed me, placing his hand on my lips.

He swiped the keys from my hand and locked the classroom door. Continuing over to the window, as he passed, grabbing my hand to take me with him.

"Come on." He guided me over, opened the window wide enough and edged me to jump out. Throwing the keys at the floor, he insisted I got out first. Luckily the classroom was on the first floor so it wasn't a long drop. For some reason I seemed to obey him. My hands moved on their own, gripping the sides of the window frame and launching myself over quickly followed by Jaehyun who shut the window on his way back.

"Why are we doing this? Can't we just ride out the detention? What did you do? Why has-" the questions flew out of me, making Jaehyun get slightly aggressive. He pushed me to the wall and clasped my mouth completely shut as he pressed his lips onto mine. A moment of silence fell upon us.

He was quick to move after he disconnected his plump flesh from mine. He looked straight into my eyes, I was now heavily breathing, my mouth dropping.

He reconnected his hand to mine and ran quickly in a direction I'd never gone before.

-

"What was that about?" I question out of the blue as we finally stop under a row of cherry blossom trees.

He didn't say a word but rather pinned me gently against the tree and repeated the kiss again, this time going deeper and lasting longer. I was shocked but I didn't want it to stop, something inside me clicked, I wanted this to happen and felt it had to. I began to participate in giving, making the kiss more heated and passionate. I could feel it making him happy as he smiled in between exchanges of tongue. His hands made their way from the tree to my waist, he held me tightly as I began to play with his hair.

But my questions hadn't changed. I was still curious and confused. So I stopped.

His face was now full of shock and disappointment that I had pulled back so soon.

"I still have my questions." I smirked.

"L-look I- I'm sorry something just came over me-" Jaehyun attempted to apologise. As much as I wanted to shut him up and kiss him again I had questions to ask.

"Why?"

"I- I don't know."

"You were the one sending me those letters weren't you?" I smiled, my hands still resting on his shoulders.

He slowly shook his head, now looking embarrassed at the grass beneath us.

I felt something crawl up my back, assuming it was Jaehyuns hand to which I soon found was a spider which had made its way from the tree, to me.

I jumped in shock, almost screaming as it stood on my shoulder. I dead ass karate chop the little shit off my shoulder, and continue by flailing my arms all over to assure it was off of me now.

"You okay?"

I was suddenly snapped back into reality. Remembering what the heck I was doing here and why.

"No. Don't ask me questions."

My statement didn't make any sense, making Jaehyun raise a brow.

"What exactly did you tell the principal?”

I asked, puzzled.

"Remember when He lashed out on our class mate yesterday during our exam?"

I nod. "Yeah and almost broke the poor kids phone?"

"I videoed it and showed it to the principal"

He confessed, now having the biggest grin on his face.

"He deserves it, people like him shouldn't be teaching."

-

We spoke a little more about what was going to happen when they go to school the next week, most likely they'd get even more detentions but at this point they didn't care.

-

"So how was it?" Jaehyun asked as he was about to let me go to my bus stop.

I glance quizzically. "How was what?"

He answered my question by kissing me on the cheek. To which I answered with a shrug.

"I-it wasn't good?" He said, stuttering as if he'd just been heart broken completely.

"I didn't say it was bad. Just next time don't do it after we've just escaped a building and possibly ruined someone's career." I say to which he nods agreeing,

"So... next time? Jaehyun inched.

"Next time. We'll go on a date and you'll kiss me in a proper place and ask me things properly."

"So its a date? Tomorrow. 12am. Be ready. Sweetie cakes." Jaehyun declared, passing me a grin flirtatiously.

I gently slapped his shoulder and continued to my bus stop as he watched. Giggling on the way home, I couldn't stop thinking about what just happened and I assumed neither could he.

➺

oof

Master list

[grapeinacape-blog]

Right Person, Wrong Place

I was finding it difficult to wait so long to meet him. I stare across the green, the dark sky looming overhead. The breeze is cool, but the air is warm. We’d met when I was 23. He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome, the opposite of everything I’d expected beforehand. He was 2 years older than me and very sweet. He always seemed to go for younger women, so I know if things had been different, I’m sure I would have gotten into his car the first day I met him, and the rest would be history.

But, for now, I did everything I could to lay low. I don’t know whether I expected him to notice me, or whether I thought he’d wait until I was ready to make a move. But, he didn’t do either. It didn’t take long for Mary to snatch him up. I always thought it was a case of right person, wrong place. And that’s what it is now. Waiting for him is like waiting for a bus at the station. He’s either just gone or will arrive fashionably late. The former was the case the first time and I’m sure the latter is what’s happening now. I wonder if my whole life will be a case of right person, wrong place with him. It wasn’t just the first time I saw him, it was the second, the third and every time after that.

Robbie and Mary dated for one year and three months. I’d had a year and three months to plan how I’d talk to him this time. It’s not difficult to guess how that one went. Again, I didn’t know enough to talk to him properly. Following my failure yet again, he met Valerie. That one stung.

In the time he was with Valerie, my hair had grown longer, and other men had stolen my attention. He’d seen plenty of girls since I’d been gone, I was sure. It wasn’t long after I’d been back that he drove past the park, getting out and walking over to a group of me and my colleagues. I’d all but completely forgotten about Robbie. The way his eyes crinkled and shone when he grinned, how contagious his laugh was, the way one side of his smile rose higher than the other. I didn’t look up and I’m certain my assumption was that he’d come to talk to one of my friends.

“Evelyn?” Looking up, I’d flashed him a smile, managing to hide my surprise that he even knew my name at all.

“Hi. Robbie, is it?”

“Yeah… So, I was just… Sorry, do you mind? A word in private?”

I nodded, standing up and walking a little way with him, hopefully out of earshot of my friends.

“Everything okay?” I had asked, watching him.

Just like the times before, being around him made my heart heavy. It felt like a rock in my chest that was expanding with every moment, cutting off my airway, piercing my lungs and stretching every part of me.

“Of course. I was just wondering if you wanted to catch a film or grab a bite to eat.” He offered.

I notice he’s scuffing his shoe on the ground. I wonder if he’s nervous, or if he knows what I’ve been thinking all these years. I always imagined this, and now that it’s actually happening I’m thrown off. Is it right person, right place this time? I can’t hide my surprise. I can barely form a reply. Looking at him, I really try and see him this time. Look beyond the kindness he puts out and understand why he suddenly wants to take me out. After what is probably an uncomfortable pause, I manage a reply.

“That’d be lovely, Robbie. I’d like that a lot.”

At my response, he smiles that smile again. He’s charismatic, really. I see exactly how he’s one of those men that everybody likes, you’d be silly not to. I couldn’t help but stare at his smile.

“Great, that’s great! Friday? I can pick you up about 7, Evelyn.”

We’d left it there. And that’s where I’m waiting now. Outside my house, I’m staring at the road and I’m wondering how I got here. Lipstick on, and a dress, waiting for Robbie Walsh. I can’t help but wonder if he’ll turn up, or where we’d go. More than this, I was filled with doubt. What was I doing here? Was he everything I thought he would be? Or was he more? I needed to know, I’d waited so long and now I just felt sick. I’d never done this before. As I panicked, his car rolled up outside of my house and he got out, walking over to me.

“You look lovely, Evelyn.” He complimented, putting a hand on my waist and kissing my cheek.

“Thank you, you’ve brushed up well.” I return, stepping out of his touch slightly.

It’s true. Robbie is dressed simply, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t like nice, anyway. Black trousers that had been recently pressed, with a button up light blue shirt and blazer. Casual, but still well dressed. I wonder how many times he’s worn this outfit, how many times he’s done this night, over and over again.

“Where are we going tonight?” I ask, as we walk to his car.

I look at him again, because I just can’t help it. He’s so different to other men.

“I thought we could go for dinner. There’s a cute restaurant that’s just opened down on Retzler Street. Sushi.”

I don’t say anything back. He opens the car door for me and I get into the car. Everything he does surprises me. It doesn’t take long until we’re driving. I check my bag to make sure I’ve got everything, glancing at my phone.

‘How’s it going? Is he the one?’

I don’t reply to the text and put my phone away. I’ve thought he was for a while, but sat here now, I’m not sure. Though there’s an air of something to him. When I watch him it’s almost as though a cover melts away. He could be the one. He switches the radio on, tapping the steering wheel as he drives, and I really am drawn to him.

“So, what made you ask me? And why now?”

Robbie seemed to think for a moment, keeping his eyes on the road.

“I don’t know. You just… You’re a constant. And I was interested by that.” He responded, making me frown.

It made sense really, I had been around for a while. Never having any meaningful interaction with him, but just being there. I suppose it was the same with him. The more you’re around someone, the more interesting they become, whether you interact with them or not. I didn’t push it any further, lapsing back into a silence that lasted until our arrival. The restaurant was new, that was obvious, though the ‘Under New Management’ sign made me slightly dubious. I look to Robbie, but he hasn’t noticed. The road is well lit, and I feel slightly safer.

I hold my bag close as I see Robbie edge nearer to me from the corner of my eye, but then we’re stood outside and he’s holding the door open for me. There is a moment before I walk through the door, where I look at him and see something. I don’t know what it is, but it looks like the man I’ve been looking for all this time. But then he’s there again, charming smile as he waits for me to walk through. It was only a couple of seconds, but awkward enough for me to hurry through the door.

“A table for two, please, mate.”

We’re led to sit by the window. A jug of water sat lonely in the centre of the table. The tablecloth felt like thin paper, possibly single-ply toilet paper, it looked like it too. The cutlery was silver, but only just, rusting around the edges and stained with something yellow. For somewhere that had only recently opened, it was disappointing.

“It’s rustic.” Robbie teased.

I never thought I’d end up here, in a right person, wrong place sort of situation with Robbie, not this many times. I wonder then if this is the game he’s playing, trying to keep me in the wrong place.

“Have you been here before?” I ask, placing my bag on my lap, and pouring myself a glass of water.

“I haven’t, I expected… Well, I don’t know what I expected, but this certainly wasn’t it.”

He chuckles, and I look at him. He really does confuse me. I expected a certain kind of air to him. I’d waited so long, and I expected to feel as though he was mysterious, secretive. But I don’t feel any of that. He’s sat there, as though an open book, and I don’t know about anything anymore.

“It’s not awful!” I respond with a laugh, opening the menu.

He grins and searches through his own menu, staying silent for a moment, as though thinking what to say. It’s as though I can hear the cogs whirring in his head.

“Why’d you say yes?” He asks after a couple of moments, closing the menu and leaning forwards to look at me properly.

“Because you asked, and I had no reason to say no.”

He looks away at that, tongue in cheek as he stares at the waitress, grabbing a pen and paper, painfully slowly. Again, I can see he’s thinking, and my stomach feels tight.

“You’ve been… You know, I said you were constant. You’ve just been around for a while. One of those people I pass so many times and never even think about it. And then I think about it and its… Coincidental, isn’t it?”

I’d been waiting for this question, I tried to dissolve the lump building in my throat by glugging some more water. Puddles of sweat form in the palms of my hands, I wipe them aggressively on my dress, aware I’d still not responded to the question lingering in the silence.

“I guess we just run in the same circles.” I croak.

“See, that’s the thing, I don’t think we do.” He spoke a little firmer this time, leaning forward to look at me.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to say, Robbie. We’ve run into each other a couple of times, could I not say the same thing?”

Robbie laughed, but it wasn’t the same tone as before. It was dry, and barking, as though accusing of something. Though I don’t know what of.

“I’m trying to say that I don’t understand you, Evelyn. And I understand people.”

“Is that why you do it?” The reply comes before I have time to plan it and I bite my tongue to stop myself from saying anything further.

My phone buzzes on my lap and I open my bag to check it.

‘How’s it going? We saw his profile, you were right.’

Suddenly it feels like I can breathe again as I watch him. The softness has gone, and I can see the hard lines in his face, the coldness in his eyes and the set jaw. The Robbie I’d watched for the last few years had gone, and here was the man I’d been waiting for.

“Why are you here?”

“Let’s take it outside.”

“You aren’t going to order?” He asks, his usual voice back.

Teasing and gentle, I’m thrown off. It comes so naturally to him, the lie that covers what he really is. Reaching into my bag, I set out my badge on the table, standing up and brushing down my dress. He stares at my badge and it’s as though the colour drains from his face.

“I think you should take it outside, Robbie.”

“And what is it I’m meant to have done, Evelyn?” It’s as though he’s pushing me, cocky and thinking he’s untouchable.

“Take it outside. It’s not a suggestion anymore.”

“What are you gonna do, then? You can’t touch me in front of all these people, I’ve done nothing wrong.” He pushes my badge back towards me and crosses his arms.

“Robert Walsh, you are under arrest for the creation and distribution of sexually indecent images of minors from the ages of 2 months to 10 years. You do not have to say anything, though it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.” Grabbing him, he’s pulled from his seat.

I’m sure to speak loudly in the silent restaurant, and he doesn’t fight back as I cuff him. After years, of waiting, knowing he’d accessed it, I’d finally gotten my answer. He hadn’t just accessed it, he made it. And now I had the satisfaction of taking him out.