#arthur and john: wander into the location

[thirteentheldritchterror]

the thing about "you call it madness" by russ columbo being The King In Yellow's song is that malevolent takes place in 1934, and "you call it madness" was released in either 1931 or 1932 depending on the source

so like it is pretty contemporary from a 1934 perspective, and it is popular enough to play on the radio

but WHAT IF MALEVOLENT TOOK PLACE IN 2000's WHAT THEN!!! WHICH CONTEMPORARY POPULAR SONG KING IN YELLOW WOULD CLAIM??????!!!!

IF MALEVOLENT TOOK PLACE IN 2000S WOULD "OOPS I DID IT AGAIN" BY BRITNEY SPEARS PLAY OMINOUSLY WHENEVER ARTHUR AND JOHN GOT INTO SITUATIONS™

IF MALEVOLENT TOOK PLACE IN 70S WPULD IT PLAY MAMMA MIA BY ABBA OR STAYING ALIVE BY BEEGEES

MY MIND REELS AT THE IMPLICATIONS

[ticktockmyclockworkhart]

I don't really think of any modern AUs for red dead for some reason, idk, I have modern AU thoughts for any other piece of media that takes place in the past but for some reason I just can't separate these guys from the old west for the life of me

BUT the one modern AU thought I had and that I have very frequently is the thought of the entire Van Der Linde gang going to disneyland. That thought just tickles me. Like

Tilly, Mary-Beth and Karen make it their mission to go meet every single disney princess and they also kidnap Arthur and make him go with them. But he actually ends up having a kinda fun time because he enjoys wonder and whimsy, doesn't mean every character interaction before they took pictures wasn't stiflingly awkward though. he mumbled the entire time and refused to do any whimsical poses for the pictures

Hosea and Dutch are camped out somewhere shady by the park entrance with everyone's bags and snacks and water to act as home base and collect all their idiots at the end of the day, the only time they move is when an employee runs up to them and asks if the exhausted man with the scars on his face who fell asleep on a bench in direct sunlight by splash mountain and may or may not be suffering heat stroke belongs to them and they have to go help John before the park calls an ambulance. They go on exactly one ride at night, the jungle cruise, with arthur and john. Hosea laughs at all the skipper's bad jokes and Dutch thinks the whole thing is fucking stupid

Susan is also camped out with them but she gets worried about everyone too often and keeps getting up to go to everyone's last known location to make sure they're alright, but at some point Sean tells her to go take a picture with the evil stepmother from cinderella because they look like twins so she just goes back to Hosea and Dutch and lets them fend for themselves

Lenny is genuinely having a fucking BLAST but is really embarrassed about it. He does get a picture with belle because she's his favorite disney princess (bookworms ftw) and he runs into Arthur there being held captive by the girls, they both rib each other about what brought them there later. After everything is said and done though he and Arthur totally go on some rides together

Sean WAS hanging out with Lenny but they got separated within like three minutes of entering the park because Sean kept wandering off so Lenny left him to fend for himself, but he actually stayed out of trouble the entire time, surprisingly. He just rode the carousel again and again for like 8 hours because he was piss drunk before he even got to the park (since you can't drink there) and if he closed his eyes it almost didn't give him motion sickness (he never considered the possibility that he could also just not ride anything? Or maybe go to where Hosea and Dutch said they'd be?)

John is living that one viral post where he sat on a bench and fell asleep from heat exhaustion, then woke up to his ice cream melted all over him and mickey mouse putting a cold towel on his forehead. He was there because Jack wanted to ride splash mountain btw and John was terrified of getting on

Kieran lived one of my magical disney park experiences, which was he went on one ride with the group and was feeling good about being included, but then he got off the ride and literally couldn't find a single person he rode with, so he's wandering the park aimlessly worrying if everyone just left him there (this is not exactly what happened to me btw. I went on a ride with an uncle who is no longer an uncle who had a tbi and so could act unpredictably some times, mostly by virtue of being incredibly spacy, he got out of line to go get a drink and when he came back the line had moved up a lot more so he just told me he'd meet me at the end of the ride. Then at the end of the ride I literally could not find him. I wandered the entire area for like twenty minutes realizing he'd wandered off somewhere before I finally gave up and reported it to my cousin who I kid you not was completely unfazed and told me not to worry about it, they'd find him eventually. I still felt so bad about it even after he turned up not even thinking twice about the whole thing)

Abigail is busy being a responsible mother to two children (her husband and also Jack), Jack is having the absolute time of his life and they've lost John about ten times because he's too scared to go on the rides and also too scared of the disney characters to join them for pictures so Abigail eventually gave up looking for him, Dutch and Hosea would find him and babysit him (they did)

Pearson is floating around between the different groups, he's got the big backpack with the snacks, water and sunscreen in it while Hosea and Dutch were holding onto whatever he couldn't carry. He's like pretty ambivalent about everything happening and is kinda just happy to be there, but he is hella interested in all the food vendors and taking notes on what everyone in the gang seemed to enjoy so he can try and make it himself later

Swanson got a little too silly before coming to the park and ended up stuck on the magic teacups ride because he couldn't process how to get off. He was at park lost and found for like two hours before Dutch and Hosea found him, only for him to end up stuck on the teacups AGAIN like an hour later

Sadie thinks this entire trip is fucking stupid and she exclusively sticks to the biggest thrill rides, spending most of her time in california adventure (is that part of the park still called that? it's changed so much since I've last been there), a few people who also enjoy thrill rides have tried accompanying her on her bender but she literally never takes a break and apparently can't get motion sickness

Bill is lost. He was pretty sure he was with Javier and the Marstons at first, but he lost them at some point and now he's stuck in the star wars land and doesn't know where the exit is, small children keep pointing at him and making wookie noises, and he really just needs a drink tbh

Javier has been EVERYWHERE. He has a plan and an itinerary, either keep pace with him or you're getting left behind (rip Bill). He finishes his schedule within like three hours and then goes to hang out with Sadie on her masochistic thrill ride loop before he has to tap out after like five thrill rides in quick succession. He started the day hanging out with the Marstons and Jack insisted he wear a pair of mickey mouse ears, so like the cool uncle he is he agreed and in every picture he's in he's standing there in bedazzled mouse ears with an extremely stoic expression on his face

Charles silently slinks off to critter country (is it still called that? idk how the park has changed) upon getting there because he wants to go see winnie the pooh. After a couple hours of wandering aimlessly and wanting to hit people who crowd too close to him he finds and joins Lenny and Arthur. They go on some rides and then go see winnie the pooh again. Tigger grabs Arthur by the hands and makes him bounce with him and Arthur is in such a whimsical mood and has been doing goofy shit around the park all day at this point that he actually enthusiastically participates. Charles considers it a 10/10 time

Micah was definitely not allowed into the park. 100%

Strauss didn't want to come to disneyland, he had work to do, and the entire gang tried their hardest but unlike several of the other gang members they were unable to force Strauss to join. Party pooper :(

Uncle is having a great fuckin time. He went onto the haunted mansion and just fell asleep and rode the loop until he was personally escorted off by staff because they were worried he died in his sleep or something

Trelawny is there!! They have not seen him for four months but he is there for some reason! Late into the night Arthur got onto the haunted mansion, turned to his left and Trelawny was just. there in the doombuggy with him

[peakyltd]

Changes

John Shelby x Reader

A/N: I was supposed to finally finish chapter 5 of New Endings (I promise it’s almost there) but it didn’t really work out the way I wanted and I'm stuck on such a little part so instead I wrote this. Don’t expect too much because it’s just something I suddenly came up with and idk what it is. I missed writing and making moodboards so much so I really wanted to make and (FINALLY) post something again!

Warnings: none (bad plot maybe)

Word count: 1454

A crowd had filled the room, people were happily chatting away or creating new connections with many of the important figures that were invited.

She had lost John to one of those conversations and even though she felt sorry for him, she finally got the chance to get herself a new drink. Both of them dreaded the event that Tommy had organized but how much they wanted to decline the invitation, they couldn’t. Or well, weren’t allowed to. He was John’s brother after all and according to Tommy it would be good for business.

The location was fancy and only the best of the best was good enough. It showed how much had changed in these years, climbing the ladder of social positions and rising above anyone whoever doubted them.

She liked the new kind of freedom she and John had gained but if it was for them there was no need for all the extravaganza and forced gatherings, something his older brother thought different of.

While she sipped on her newly gotten glass of champagne, she let her eyes scan over the crowd. The expensive dresses and tailor made suits were everywhere and she had to remind herself that, even though it almost made her laugh, she and John belonged there too now. She was wearing a beautiful sparkly dress that might’ve been a bit too overpriced and John’s suit was far from being cheap as well. This is our life now, five words that left his mouth so easily that he had to rethink them once he heard them himself.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Ada joined her, her gloved hand holding a glass of champagne. “I guess.” She looked at the woman next to her. “You guess?” A small smirk appeared on her lips, knowing the actual answer already. “I don’t.” She confessed as she chuckled softly. “I can tell.” Ada chuckled as she pointed out the obvious and sipped on her drink.

“Everyone is just forcing themselves to be nice it seems.” She looked at the crowd again, hoping to find a sign of John. “John was nice enough to let you get out of it.” Her sister in law noticed. “Or I might’ve just seen a chance to get out it and took it.” She giggled, while she was not being able to find her husband.

Ada shook her head, chuckling. “Knowing him, he won’t appreciate it.” (Y/N) looked at her, shrugging. “And knowing him, you know very well that he’d do the same to me.”

“He definitely would.” Ada admitted as they both chuckled. “Speaking of the devil.” She nodded her head towards John, who was coming their way. “Where did you go?” He wondered as he joined both women, gently resting his hand on (Y/N)'s back. “Seemed you had a very interesting conversation so I decided to occupy myself with something else.”

“Occupy yourself with getting drunk, perhaps?” He looked at her, a grin tugging on his lips. “I’m not drunk but I do wish I was.” She sighed jokingly. “Me too.” He confessed while he got a stern look from Ada. “Oh c’mon Ada, you can’t tell me you enjoy this, do you?”

“You know how important this is f-“ She was interrupted by a sigh, a low gravely voice followed after. “Ada, Tommy wants you to meet someone.” Arthur announced. “Behave, please.” She warned John before making her way to Tommy, Arthur following her.

“I’ve been behaving myself whole fuckin’ night. I’m not some fuckin’ menace now, am I?” He muttered as he finished his drink. “Well…” (Y/N) started as he looked at her. “Oh shut up.” He smirked, squeezing her waist before kissing her cheek. “Maybe we should wander around a bit, hm? Discover this overly fancy place. It’s big enough to find some privacy.”

She looked up at him, smiling. “I’d love to but I think we can’t sneak away so easily.” He raised his eyebrows at her words. “And why do you think that?” His hand cupped her cheek. “Your brother likes to keep control at all times and it seems like he really wants you here.” She explained, knowing how strict he could be. John shook his head. “Just play along, darling.” His thumb stroked her cheek before he put his hand on her forehead.

“What are you doing?” Her eyes scanned his face, confused by what he was doing. “Seems like you’re pretty warm, aren’t you?” A small smile tugged on her lips, understanding where this was going. “I’m not feeling that well, no.”

“I think it’s better if you get some fresh air.” He took her champagne, put his fingers in the glass and splattered the liquid on her face. “John!” She gasped in shock. “I mean you’re sweating. Must be a fever.” He smirked as he put both of their glasses away and took her hand. “Come on.”

She followed him as he made his way to his brothers and sister, the feeling of excitement creeping up on her. “Uhm... Tom, sorry for interrupting but we’re leaving." While Tommy paused his conversation, Ada turned and gave both of them an annoyed look." "And why's that?" The older brother wondered. "(Y/N) is not feeling well.” (Y/N) nodded as she looked at him. “Yes, I’m so sorry. I really need some rest.” She held onto John’s arm while he gently stroked her hand.

Tommy nodded slowly as he looked at her before turning his attention to John. “Will you come back?” He asked John. “I don’t know. Depends on how she’s feeling. I can’t just leave her alone.” He squeezed her hand, which made her try out her best fake cough. “Of course you can’t.” Ada answered sarcastically. “Well, take care (Y/N) and come back whenever you can.” Tommy answered shortly before turning back to his conversation.

John’s arm wrapped around her waist as he escorted her out of the room. “Well aren’t you an amazing actress? I mean the fake cough and everything.” He whispered in her ear as he closed the heavy door behind them with a big grin on his face. “You aren’t too bad yourself.” She chuckled while he dabbed her face dry with his sleeve. “I was very believable, hm?” He smirked. “Very.” She agreed as she grinned at him. He took her hand and he led her up the big stairs. “Where are we going?” She wondered curiously. “I don’t know yet.”

While they wandered trough the halls, John tried to open various doors until he found one that was unlocked. He ushered her inside and closed it behind her. She walked up to the big window that had a view over the gardens, they were gently touched by the moonlight. “Look at this.” She breathed out as she looked at the perfectly designed gardens with hundreds of beautiful flowers. John walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “It’s very pretty.” Her hands rested on his arms as silence fell over them, enjoying the fact they were finally alone.

“Can you promise me something?” She spoke up after she let many thoughts run trough her mind. “Of course, love.” He said as he waited for her to continue. “Never change.” Her fingertips ran over his arm. “I wouldn’t dare.” He smiled while he kissed the side of her head. “I understand that this is our life now but I just hope it won’t affect us in a negative way.” She confessed, unsure about the new situations they found theirselves in time after time.

“It hasn’t so far, has it? Or do you mean with a negative way that we don’t own a house like this just yet?” He joked, earning a chuckle from her. “I still prefer our house over places like this.” She told him as she thought about their house on the countryside. “Me too.” John admitted. “But, I have to admit that seeing you wearing dresses like this is something I can get used to.” He smirked as he pressed a kiss in her neck. “Then I must admit that this suit is doing something to me as well.” She giggled as she felt his lips in her neck again.

“Hm…” He let go of her and turned her around so she was facing him. He gently put his hand on her forehead. “I think I found the cause of your temperature rising.” He smirked. “It’s me.”

She laughed. “Of course it’s you. You always have that effect on me.” She grinned while she felt his arms around her body. Hers found their way around his neck with ease. “Maybe I can cure your fever.” He smirked as he leaned in and gently pressed his lips against hers.

idk what this kind of cringey end is but I hope you guys enjoyed it nonetheless 🤭

[littlecactiguy]

I wrote this earlier instead of getting out of bed in my phone's notes =D though I've now edited and polished it.

Arthur and John's first (brief) conversation after Arthur wakes up from dying

.

To return from death is…well, it’s certainly not unlike waking from a deep sleep where the position you slept in meant one of your limbs went numb and you have to move it carefully while the feeling returns to it.

That is, if you also happened to have fallen asleep on a bed of nails that dig into you with every movement you make.

The dream of it is quickly fading from Arthur’s mind. He knows he should grasp on to the lingering wisps of its memory. It could be useful to hold onto that knowledge.

He doesn’t. He won’t? The thought is honestly rather foggy.

Arthur is on his back. He can feel the harsh ground beneath him. There’s a rock under him, uncomfortably digging into his shoulder. He should probably do something about that. But that would require moving, and he only has control over one hand, and the rock is under the shoulder that hand belongs to, and—

“Arthur? ARTHUR! Arthur, answer me, damn it!”

Arthur inhales, and pointedly does not consider the pain that shoots through his stomach as he does. Regretfully, his brain perfectly recalls he ended up in this situation by being stabbed through, the specific location on his person where the blade pierced him, and it now informs him of multiple other places where his nervous system is indicating pain.

He has a feeling that he doesn’t really want to know what happened to his body during his absence from it. Arthur will ask John about it, later, because, despite that feeling, he also truly does want to know.

He just wishes he didn’t.

It takes a couple swallows for him to croak out, “What, John?”

“You—you weren’t responding. I—you need to answer me! We need to work together, Arthur. To—"

“I just died, John,” In volume, Arthur’s voice isn’t loud enough to be heard over John’s, but John still silences himself as Arthur speaks.

Momentarily. His immediate response to Arthur’s words is very loud.

“I KNOW!”

Despite being burdened with two entities, Arthur’s mind is remarkably resistant to shooting headaches. Or there’s simply too much pain elsewhere in Arthur’s body that there was none left to allot that much to it.

John softens his voice to a tone that doesn’t make Arthur’s mind throb. “I know. I know.” He hesitates. “But that’s why you have to respond to me. I…”

Arthur waits. Raising his hand is impossible due to how heavy feels, but he manages to twitch it in the direction of John’s.

“I need to know you haven’t done it again,” is what John finally, quietly, says. “You—Arthur, you can’t do it again! If you do, I’ll take over your body! I’ll—”

“Kill me yourself?"

John’s silence indicates the attempt at a joke went over extremely poorly.

“Sorry.” Arthur coughs, which turns into a hacking fit. He heaves himself onto his side, scattering blood droplets around. He feels the tatters of his clothes move with him. There are more tears in them than he cares to count. “I’ll try not to do it again.”

“Good.” John sounds not content, but at least satisfied with his answer.

Arthur lays back down. His head rests against a soft lump that he hopes is their pack and not something else. “I think I need a minute. To rest.”

“Alright. Rest, Arthur,” is spoken gently.

It makes no difference if Arthur’s eyes are closed or not for him to sleep, but he feels that they are anyway. Before he drifts away, a vague memory floats across his mind. He mumbles, “There was music, John.”

“Music?”

John’s question feels like it’s coming from very far away, or Arthur is wandering very far away from it.

“Arthur, what music?!”

“It was nice,” Arthur whispers.

Before he fully gives into the rest, the last thing Arthur hears is Yorick’s distant voice, “It is only sleep, my king. To return to one’s body from death is a difficult ordeal. He will wake again.” The fleshy clacking of the jaw bones pauses. “Will you tell him, then, when he wakes, what you spoke earlier?”

Arthur doesn’t remain awake long enough to hear John’s response. Nor will he remember to ask about it when he does wake back up again.

[the-wasteland-tales-fallout]

https://discord.gg/yUEPQs4QAf The year is 2287 and the world is still recovering from the nuclear fallout that nearly wiped out all life 200 years ago.

Somewhere buried below the ground in the Commonwealth lays a frozen tomb, with one soul still yet to arise from the frigid depths and see the surface. What was once a massive prospering city is now little more than numerous smaller settlements and towns built up from the scrap of its remains. Paranoia reigns over the populace as friends and family turn on each other, echoing whispers of the great boogeyman of the Commonwealth—The Institute.

Out in the Mojave, tensions are high between the countless groups and factions as each waits for one to make a move. The Vegas Strip shines like a beacon in the center, guiding gamblers, tourists, and traders through desert to see the brilliant lights. A courier shot dead outside of Goodsprings marks another soul claimed by the wasteland, but the reason behind their murder remains a mystery.

In the Capital Wasteland, a different tale is told. One of hope, prosperity, and of sacrifice. The water has been slowly recovering its purity due to the efforts of a father and son, both of whom selflessly gave their lives several years ago to restore a small piece of the world destroyed at the hands of those brutal bombs. While violence persists there, most inhabiting the rubble of the Capital still speak of The Lone Wanderer and their ultimate sacrifice.

------------------------------------------------ Welcome to "Tales From The Wasteland", an 18+ Fallout roleplay server that takes place in 2287 and uses the locations of Fallout 3, 4, and New Vegas. You can play canon characters or OCs, and there is even a texting system to communicate across the various apocalyptic settings your muses find themselves in.

Don't want to roleplay? That's fine too! Feel free to share art, memes, and everything in-between! We have a selection of fun bots for you to play around with, including blackjack and UNO! We'd love to have you! ------------------------------------------------

CURRENT CANON TAKEN LIST: Arthur Maxson Paladin Danse John Hancock Butch Deloria Arcade Gannon

[tiredgamergirl]

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous creation has been public domain for years and many have used the famous detective as subjects for series, movies and games throughout the years, both with the stories created by the original writer and brand new adventures. The Ukrainian company Frogwares released their first Sherlock Holmes title back in 2002, called “The Mystery of the Mummy” (available for free on steam) and kept on perfecting their craft , refining the mechanics and having highly acclaimed writing in the adventure game community in their later titles.

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One, as the name implies, is both a prequel and a soft reboot of the series featuring a younger Sherlock, recently graduated from boarding school and back to his family’s home on the Mediterranean Island of Cordona to come with terms with his mother’s passing years prior. Upon arrival, it is implied that Violet Holmes didn’t die of tuberculosis as he originally believed and he decides to uncover the truth no matter the cost. Along with his imaginary friend Jon (yes, not John Watson) the entire city is a melting pot of political tensions waiting to happen, conspiracies lurking at every corner in an open world environment.

The game starts introducing the player to the mechanics in a closed environment with a simple mystery in a very focused narrative, perfect to have the player acquainted to the controls. A  bold narrative decision that might divide opinions also rear its head: the game invites to analyze the evidence and ultimately make your own decision on who is the killer and what will be the conclusion to the case. Will you allow the criminal to escape or will they be locked behind bars? Will justice be served? Was the truth reached? Some of the cases are open to the interpretation and can be hit or miss, including one in particular that Frogwares had to clarify who was the “canon” culprit. One could say that it may give the players agency in making their decision and shaping their own Sherlock, while some might want a more certain answer. For example, in one of the previous titles, Crimes and Punishment, it was possible to check if the verdict was the correct one from the casebook after the conclusion of the case.

Once the open world reveals itself it features a well-crafted city with five different zones, each featuring its own ambiance and citizens going about their own business; Sherlock is free to walk around the British aristocrats in Grand Saray, visit the sailors around the yacht club and the port, visit the more hard-working lower class citizens among the rocky Miner’s End or try his luck gathering information within the walls of the Old City, home of the Ottoman population. The opening screen warns about social and gender prejudices present in the era and the developer acknowledges it and instead of pretending it never existed they try to handle it as tactful as possible – wherever they hit the mark or not is up to the player’s interpretation.   Sometimes in order to get information about a case or enter certain locations Sherlock can disguise himself or play a eavesdrop mechanic to get new leads or even new cases, the city itself has many cases ready to be uncovered and solved by curious players. Some cases are unlocked after story progression so it is always worth coming back and wandering around to find something new and traversing is rather easy and without loading screens except for getting to new closed areas, like a house. However, the game severely lacks a mini-map and it may be a constant back and forth to the casebook menu, opening the map and checking where you are and how to get to your destination even if you have placed a marker. The game will give an address and it is up to the player to read the map and locate the streets and how to get there without the assistance of street signs. Thankfully there are plenty of fast travel points and handcrafted landmarks to assist the navigation but can be a little frustrating if playing one of the treasure hunting quests.

The casebook mechanic is also something that may be a hit or miss: in order to analyze certain leads it is necessary to “pin” it, and that sometimes involves having the right lead to interrogate suspects or find information. In one of the sidequests, despite having the right clue pinned and wearing the right outfit to gather information the game refused to spawn the right time of passerby that could give me the location to keep the investigation going. The casebook can be useful in having small icons above each clue to inform what kind of activity the player need to do and once it is exhausted there will be no more red icons surrounding it and it gets updated accordingly. Sometimes there is some more legwork needed so a trip to the police station, the newspaper or the city hall is necessary to peruse the archives and find the right documents or articles for the new locations or even the crime scene proper and it is all available on the casebook.

Once in a crime scene the observation mechanic showcases the developer’s experience and attention to detail, with Holmes allowed to examine many of the objects individually, turning and expressing his assessment about the clues presented and sometimes prompted to make chemical analysis within the casebook. Other times, upon pinning a track clue it is possible to follow the footsteps of a suspect and end up in another location and find other important evidences. The chemical analysis can be skipped, they can be a brain teaser for the math fans. After all the clues are gathered, Sherlock can interact with a white orb that will allow him to recreate the scene in his mind’s palace. Controlling Jon, the player is free to wander around in Holmes’ concentration mode and place the events where the evidence was found and if successful Sherlock will narrate what took place. Sometimes it is also necessary to access the Mind’s Palace to connect the clues so Sherlock will make deductions to provide new clues and proceed with the plot. Lavish visuals and intricate expression capture also enhances the experience of each investigation, the world feels lived-in and vibrant, restrained in realistic ways. The most out of place might be Jon that tends to appear -- justified as he is a imaginary friend.  

Like some of his traditional stories, combat is also necessary at points. The player is invited to try their hand in criminal dens but sometimes they also happen throughout the cases, in which it is possible to skip the whole process. It might be an anti-frustration feature as the combat is clunky, sluggish and very frustrating at times. The arenas often have strategic spots to shoot that might incapacitate the enemy for a brief moment of time or Sherlock can use his tobacco box to stun the opponent and subdue for a proper arrest or can downright kill the opponent. The decision is up to the player, the combat was clearly intended to be strategic but it isn’t nearly as satisfying. It might be because Sherlock is still young, but traditionally he knows boxing and a few other forms of unarmed self-defense and it is sorely missed in these situations.

This game provides an experience closely assembling the novels; a myriad of cases with varying degrees of satisfaction, some can be merely busywork like following the tracks of a donkey but sometimes they can provide some interesting brain-scratchers. Sherlock is still in his early point, not a consulting detective just yet and it reflects in his arrogance and impetuousness. Trying to step out of his older brother’s shadow, sometimes he allows himself to be overtaken by emotions that are not often seen in his later career. A lot of this title hinges on his emotional core and his relationship with Jon and the memories he uncovers at his home.

There are some DLCs for this title: Mycroft’s Pride adds a series of cases at the behest of his older brother, M for Mystery sets up the stage for Holmes’ greatest nemesis, Beyond a Joke also introduces one of his famous enemies and is a fun piece of story. The only two rather disappointing extra content is the “Saints and Sinners” quest that can be compared to the more ‘busywork’ cases in the base game; and the Victorian Starter pack’s Lead Zeppelin case, but the later comes with a hefty sum of the in-game currency that allows players to bypass the struggle of going to bandits’ lair to amass money needed for one of the quests.

This game is a must try for fans of the genre despite the interface being an hindrance most of the times and with the ability of skipping the combat, it is easy to get immersed in the narrative until the end. There are, however, a few trigger warnings that must be taken into consideration before playing.

Tʀɪɢɢᴇʀ Wᴀʀɴɪɴɢs

Gore (death bodies)

Prejudice (class, racial, religion, gender discrimination, sexual discrimination)

Slavery (former slaves)

Sexual violence (one of the cases the characters refuse to use the photo evidence due to its contents)

Self-harming (one of the suspects in the last case)

Drugs and alcohol

Suicide (DLC M for Mystery)

Violence against minors

Drowning

[overmorrowpine]

Tell me about your Rainworld au!

lol thank you beloved

i am aware this is Very niche but . still . malevolent rain world au

[warning that, like canon, there Is child death. unlike canon, there is Neglectful Parenting and awful parents still around and controlling life even into adulthood]

our players here start out as john, arthur, and the king. john and arthur are scugs, and the king is an iterator.

john is a black slugcat with yellow eyes.

arthur is a light brown slugcat with white eyes.

the king, also known as singing winds that shatter, is a gold, black, and grey iterator, located up and to the left of industrial complex (in a region that doesn't exist in the game).

[link leads to an interactive map, or see picture]

[image ID: a screenshot of rain world industrial complex, a region full of steel and brick and piping, in a tall room full of platforms and poles to climb. on the upper left side, there is a drawn-on screen transition tunnel with a golden arrow pointing at it. end ID]

john, as a tiny pup, was left at the feet of the puppetform of the king. his parent intended to come right back, after getting food. his parent was not fast enough. his parent drowned in the rain. he was left to be raised by the supercomputer he was abandoned in. now, as an adult scug, he does singing winds that shatter's bidding.

(note on their names; john is john, due to being named by an iterator, but arthur is technically more like arr-urr, a yelp-growl of a name)

arthur, after his daughter's death, is wandering. he's currently in outskirts. it's been cycles and cycles, but still he wanders aimlessly. he is in this room. he is crouched at the edge of the right side upper.

[link leads to the interactive map again, or, see picture]

[image ID: another screenshot of rain world, this time in an abandoned suburban looking area with open sky. the room has a pit in the middle, with two large indents on either side of the pit. each indent leads to a room transition, but the bottom right one instead leads to a shelter. there is drawn on blue scribbling on the edge of the upper right indent, and a line down to the bottom of the pit, then up to the lower right indent and an arrow pointing right. end ID]

john comes barreling through, and crashes into arthur. they both tumble off the edge. they're snarling and hissing at each other, but then the world begins to shudder, and they both make a mad dash for the shelter. they make it in just as the rain starts to pour down and the shelter rumbles shut, and they both press themselves into opposite corners before going to sleep.

john hadn't had enough food, before the rain came. he's starving, his fur has lost its inky black sheen, he's shaky and trembling and he can't catch his breath. he's slow. he's too cold. and yet, arthur keeps turning and waiting for him to catch up. he can't figure out why. does arthur want something from him? singing winds kept him alive so that he could act as his paws in the outside world.

they hunt batflies. arthur bites the head off of one and tosses it over to john. john spits, i don't want your pity. they curl up to sleep in opposite corners of the shelter.

they're into industrial before it changes. they're glaring at each other, arguing in flurried chirps and hisses and slugsign, and john walks right into range of a white lizard he didn't see.

and then arthur grabs a spear off the ground on the other side of the room and FLINGS it at the lizard and it hits true, grazing john in the process, but pinning the lizard against the wall. he's grabbing john's hand and dragging him halfway across the room before he even recovers from the stun.

john? john has No Idea how to deal with that. traveling with him, sure, he can see that, lowers the chances a predator will get arthur, but saving him? he must want something.

he doesn't.

john has no idea how to handle that.

(miscellaneous fun fact: most slugcats know slugsign, for when they're hiding from a predator that can't see them but can hear them. john doesn't. arthur starts teaching him, after he tries to sign stay put to john who immediately disregards it.)

they don't go back to singing winds. john gets all the way to the outer edges of the superstructure before arthur realizes what he's doing and Digs His Heels In.

they're in shaded citadel when they find a pup. john curls around the poor thing without thinking, because he remembers missing his parent and warm fur around him even before he opened his eyes. arthur bolts.

john tells the kid to stay put before going after arthur and finding him only a few rooms away, staring blankly into the dark. tragic backstory comes out. john fumbles his way through coaxing arthur back to the shelter with the kid. just in time, because the rain is coming.

they can do better, this time. they can do better

[gaaavin]

Hello I like your work and I was wondering if you could do Dom! Dutch x M!reader.

Like y/n was running from Colm and y/n got caught up in Dutch’s and Colm’s fewd. And Dutch edges y/n for answers of colm’s location, till y/n brakes and tells him. And y/n is stubborn as hell.

Idk if you feel comfortable with male x male and if you can’t write it, it’s ok😊

“Oh now come on, Colm! I ain’t a snitch! I didn’t give the law any information about your whereabouts. I’ve known you for ages – why would I betray you like that? I’ve always been loyal to you and you know it.” Your eyes wandered between Colm and Tom, another member of the O’Driscolls, who claimed to have seen you interchange information with some lawmen in a dark alley a few hours ago. For some reason, although you’ve known Colm for years by now, he didn’t believe you – but him – in this.

The three of you were gathered in an old cabin in the Cumberland Forest, which was quite frequently used by your gang as a hideout. He had ordered you to come there alone. Up until this very moment Colm had always trusted you, had never second-guessed you. Right now, though, he looked at you ready to send you straight into damnation. His eyes flicked between you and Tom and you could see the insecurity and uncertainty in them shining right through. You wanted to say something, defend yourself, but just as you opened your mouth to speak, Colm was quick to nip your efforts in the bud.

“Don’t – I know you’re lying. Tom wasn’t alone when he saw you back there. You tell me you ‘ain’t a snitch’” These rats! you thought to yourself. Colm spat out the last word with so much derogation, it made shivers run down your body. “And yet here you are telling me nothing but lies. Now, Y/N, you know what we do with traitors, don’t you?” You knew very well what exactly happened to people betraying Colm – you had seen him kill and torture so many people throughout the years because of failed jobs, falsely spied-out leads or other disobediences. One time, though, you had heard of Colm taking out his anger not directly on the concerning person, but where it actually hurt – their beloved significant other.

Dutch van der Linde, leader of the notorious van der Linde gang, whom you had met a few times before, was a good friend and business partner of Colm for quite some time. But this relationship turned eventually into a mortal hostility after Dutch had killed Colm’s brother. Colm of course sought revenge and wanted to snatch the most important thing away from Dutch – his partner Annabelle. Since then, the two gangs kept on living in an ongoing blood feud. So, you knew exactly what Colm was capable of.

Your gaze landed on Colm again, finally settling on his sliding-down hand. You had to act quickly, so you imitated his actions and pulled out your weapons, simultaneously jumping for the door and starting to shoot blindly behind you. You eventually jumped on your horse. “C’mon, we gotta leave, get outta here.” Your mare seemed to sense the urgency and ran as fast as it possibly could.

“To your good health, Arthur.” That voice sounded strangely familiar but where did you know it from? A few days had passed and you started to build a new life away from the O’Driscolls, away from your old way of living – or at least from the killing. You still stole and robbed to survive. Currently sitting on a bar stool, you turned your head slightly towards the source of noise and indeed, there he was – Dutch van der Linde. Your stares met for a brief moment, before you quickly turned around again. Goddammit!Leaving your old life behind you wasn’t as easy as you thought. Shortly after, you risked another glance. Did he recognize you? If so, he didn’t let it show. Better get going, you thought to yourself and stood up to head straight towards the door. Just as you stepped out of the saloon, you noticed movements behind you. Loudly whistling for your horse, you grew anxious. Did he know who you were – or better who you used to be?

Your mare trotted too slow for your liking through the streets and ultimately you two arrived in the open with no one around. The first thing you perceived were the hoofbeats. Was someone being chased? You turned around, but couldn’t see too much. It was already dark at night by now. The sounds got closer quickly, too quick for your mare to run away. The next thing you felt was a rope around your torso, quickly followed by the pain of falling down your horse. Damn, that hurt. “Got him, Dutch!” Whose voice was that again?

The ride on the back of the horse was anything but comfortable, especially hogtied, but soon you arrived in a camp. “Welcome to your new home. Hope you’re real happy here.” Dutch said with sarcasm in his voice. “Do you want me to make him talk?” The burly man said. You just couldn’t remember his name. Was it Alvin? No. Maybe Allan? “Oh no, Arthur. Now, all we’ll get is lies. Uncle, Mr. Williamson, tie this maggot up some place safe! We get him hungry, first.” His gaze landed on you again and burned into your eyes. “I got a saying, my friend. We shoot fellers as need shooting, save fellers as need saving and feed ‘em as need feeding. We’re gonna find out what you need.” Dutch turned to walk away, before continuing. “I can’t believe it! An O’Driscoll in my camp!”

Your capture happened almost a week ago and you grew more and more impatient. Nobody listened to you, gave you any food or even spared you a glance. It was frustrating, really. Right now, the sun was rising after another night being tied up and your whole body just hurt. You watched around camp and saw Dutch approach you with a devilish smirk. “O’Driscoll, you ready to talk?” He asked you, looked you up and down, clearly pleased with your current state. “How many times do I have to tell you that I’m not an O’Driscoll anymore. Goddammit! Screw this place! Screw your gang and most importantly, screw you, Dutch van der Linde! I’m never going to tell you anything. Even if I did have some information about where Colm could be, I’d never tell you, so leave me alone!” If your outburst surprised Dutch, he didn’t show it in the slightest. Instead, he stepped closer to you, his face now inches away from yours and his hand grabbing your cheek harshly. His voice threateningly low. “You’re going to talk. The only question is now, or after I’m done with you.”

Dutch took a few steps back from you, resulting in him standing now opposite of you. “If you don’t want to talk voluntary, I will have to help you.” You rolled your eyes, before answering sarcastically. “Oh please, what are you going to do? Kill me? I believe you need me alive, don’t you?” Dutch laughed quietly, shaking his head slightly. “Well, Mister, let me tell you that you won’t like what’s about to come.” He pulled out his revolver and emptied all but one bullet from it. “I’m going to show you some manners. We are going to play a nice little game. I’ll probably shoot you eventually, but up until then you have the opportunity save your own life.” You gulped audibly and your body grew tenser by the minute. His hand with the shiny revolver in it raised almost in slow motion, his finger twitching slightly on the trigger.

By now, you were sweating profusely. “So, Mister, do you have anything to say?” Dutch stared you dead in the eyes. “No, Mister van der Linde. I’ve got nothing to say.” Click. You flinched and waited for the pain, which oddly didn’t come. “Oh, how lucky you are to still be alive.” He said, before reloading his gun. “Changed your mind yet?” With the second possibility to get shot, you grew more and more nervous. Should you tell him what you knew? You did in fact have a few information, after all, Colm planned his heists and travels quite a bit in advance. Click.

“Still testing your luck I see?” Dutch was about to reload his gun again, but… “Okay, goddammit! I’ll tell you. Colm’s on the Hanging Dog Ranch right now with a dozen of his fellow gang members.” You almost screamed at him out of breath. “Why, thank you kindly. Wasn’t too hard, was it?” He smirked again satisfied, before leaving you tied up to find the others. “Boys, we’ve got work to do. Let’s go. John, Arthur, Charles, Micah, let’s ride! Bill, Javier, you too! Come on, let’s go!

A/N: Hiya! First off, thank you so much! I’m glad, you enjoy my other works. Sorry this took so long, I wanted to get the dialogue right. If you wanted something more in the nsft-ish-way let me know and I’ll gladly adapt it. Hope you enjoy!

[rachelsteapot]

Rescued: Tommy Shelby x Fem!Reader Part 3

This is it! This is the last part of Rescued! I hope you’ve all enjoyed reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. Diclaimer, I had a moment while writing this and managed to switch tense without noticing so if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I’ll change them as soon as I can. 

Part 1 / Part 2 

Warnings: None 

Tags: @bat-luna-cat , @nothingleftthaticando​

That night, Tommy reluctantly dropped Y/N back at her Battersea apartment, having practically begged her to return to his city centre townhouse. The more time Tommy spent with this woman, the more and more he wanted her in his every day. This attraction wasn’t sexual like his previous women. It was more akin to what he had felt for Grace... 

No. 

Tommy was not going to let her face back into his mind. Grace was gone, a ghost that tormented him in his darkest moments. Y/N was alive, living, breathing. She had hopes and dreams that could still be fulfilled. Hopes and dreams that Tommy wanted a part in. And Tommy always got what he wanted. 

Y/N’s mind was also churning. In less than twenty four hours, she had become a person of interest to one of the largest criminal gangs in the midlands, if not the whole country, simply because she had caught the leader’s eye. And what striking eyes they were too. Slipping into her nightclothes, Y/N placed her kettle onto the fire that she had started moments earlier, before settling into her armchair. Slowly, Y/N drifted in and out of thought, her pensive eyes glazed over as she stared into the flames. She was faced with one of the biggest decisions of her life: Tommy Shelby or Battersea cats and dogs home. 

The next day, Y/N arrived at the shelter, and was met by an odd sight. A large poster was placed on the door and read, from what Y/N could decipher, ‘Under New Management’. So, doing what every good employee would, she opened the door and stepped into the foyer. It was quiet. Too quiet for an animal shelter. Quietly, Y/N approached the door of Mr. Smith’s office, and knocked. 

“Come,” came a reply. 

Y/N opened the door, once again releasing a haze of smoke, and stepped inside. 

“Mr. Smith,” she began, but stopped. Sat in Mr. Smith’s chair, behind Mr. Smith’s desk, was Tommy Shelby. Y/N’s words caught in her throat, and she stood, stunned, until Bruce pressed his head into her knees. 

“Mr. Shelby, what are you doing here?” she queried, bending down to stroke the dog. 

“Y/N, I own it.” Swinging his legs off of the desk, Tommy stood and took the gently smoking cigarette from his lips. “I thought it would make your decision easier if I bought the place.” 

A look of sheer confusion engulfed Y/N’s face. She knew Tommy was rich from his nice suit and ability to pay for almost everything, but she didn’t think he was ‘buy-a-dog-shelter-because-you-want-one-of-the-workers-to-go-home-with-you’ rich. 

“I’ll stay for a few days.” In that moment, Y/N saw a flicker of a smile cross Tommy’s face, and she knew he had won. 

The drive back to Small Heath was dull. But, at least, Y/N had Bruce for company. Tommy had been silent since they had left London, and Y/N assumed it was because he was concentrating on the road. In reality, however, it was something entirely different that was consuming Tommy’s attention. 

Tommy’s mild swirled with thoughts: some about business, some not. Every now and then, the car rocked, causing the crime boss to catch scent of his passenger’s perfume, making his head spin even more. Out of the corner of his eye he could just see her stroking Bruce and god did she look cute. 

Slowly, Tommy’s hand moved from the gear stick onto Y/N’s thigh. He heard her breath hitch slightly, and waited. 

Y/n turned to face him, meeting his steely blue gaze, and nodded slightly. She was okay with this. Part of her brain had been begging for Tommy to make a move, and finally, he was. She felt her stomach twist slightly as his fingers pressed into her thigh slightly, having received permission mere seconds earlier. 

Tommy was one of a kind, Y/N had decided, and if his family were half as intriguing as he was, she would be in for one hell of a trip. 

After what felt like forever, Y/N and her guide pulled up in Small heath. Tommy marched from the car, pushing the front door open, and striding inside, followed dutifully by Y/N and Bruce. 

“Tom. You’re back early.” A thick liverpool accent wafted through the smoke, and Y/N froze. 

“Yes Pol, I made the deal so there was no reason to hang around.” A chair scraped against the floor and a figure stepped towards them. Sharp, hawk like eyes glared at the two as the woman pulled a cigarette from her lips. 

“And who may this be?” Tommy’s hand found the small of Y/N’s back, willing her to answer for herself. 

“My name is Y/N L/N, I worked- I work at a dog shelter in London,” she squirmed slightly under Pol’s gaze, waiting for a response. 

“I was talking about the dog, but nice to meet you dear.” she muttered with an exasperated sigh. “Polly Grey. I call the shots around here, despite what Tommy may have told you.” 

The woman released a long stream of smoke and reached down to stroke Bruce. Y/N’s face flushed with embarrassment. 

“This is Bruce.” Tommy grunted, striding between the part-demolished walls, causing his companion to look to Polly for directions. 

“Well go on then!” she cried, watching the new girl scuttle after her nephew. 

The betting shop, as Y/N discovered, was noisy, smokey and down right boisterous. Finally, she spied Tommy leaning over a desk, and upon noticing her discomfort, Tommy beckoned her over, sliding his hand around her waist as she arrived. 

“Y/N I want you to meet my little brother, John,” the young woman nodded shyly in the direction of a man holding a thick leather bound accounting book as he winked. “Be careful of him, he's a womaniser.” 

“Ah! Says you Tom!” John interjected, holding a hand over his heart in mock hurt. “Don’t listen to him, love, he's boring and old. Come for a drink down The Garrison tonight, yeah? You can meet the rest of us.”

Seeing Y/N’s confused face, Tommy sighed in frustration and shot John a glare. 

“I have three brothers and a sister, You’ve met John and, if you want, you can meet Arthur, Ada and Finn tonight.” taking a last drag of his cigarette, Tommy stubbed it out and stalked away, leaving Y/N in silence with John, who was watching the happenings intently.

“He bought the dog shelter that I work at so I would come to Birmingham with him,” Y/N explained, hoping that he wouldn’t ask questions that she didn’t know the answer to. 

“Ah,” John nodded, as if this was a common occurrence. “You look tired, there’s a sitting room just through there. If Tom asks, I’ll tell him where you are.”

Y/N thanked the Shelby brother and wandered in the direction that John had indicated, the sounds and smells of the betting shop making her head spin. Finally, having located the sitting room and, finding nobody else inside, she settled onto the soft armchair and closed her eyes, drifting into a dreamless sleep. 

When Y/N awoke, the sky had turned the telltale inky blue of night. Stretching gently, she sat up to find that she was not alone. Someone was sitting on the sofa adjacent to the armchair that she occupied, smoking a cigarette with Bruce at their feet. Upon noticing that she had awoken, Bruce stood and waddled over, plonking his head into her lap. 

“Heya Brucie,” Y/N croaked, scratching his ears before stretching out her stiff limbs more thoroughly. She squinted into the gloom and slowly was able to distinguish the identity of your companion. In the half light, his features seemed elegant, his high cheekbones turning into mountains and his cheeks became the deep valleys below. If he wasn’t so attractive, he would have looked gaunt, almost skeletal, like the death he caused every day. But to Y/N, the features of his face were angelic. 

Tommy Shelby sat on the sofa, gently smoking his cigarette while the young woman awoke. He noticed her studying his features and turned his head, locking his eyes onto hers. 

“You’re staring,” he croaked, standing abruptly and rousing Y/N from her thoughts. She tilted her head to watch as he shifted his weight, as if testing the floor. “They’re all at The Garrison waiting for us.”

It was not a long walk from Tommy’s house to the pub, but in a dark unfamiliar place, it felt like miles. Hooked onto Tommy’s arm, Y/N shivered slightly as the evening breeze cut through her clothes making her wish that she had a thicker coat. As she approached The Garrison, however, her muscles relaxed, sensing the warmth and welcoming environment radiating from the glowing windows. 

Tommy pushed the doors open, striding into the pub dramatically. 

“At ease,” he sighed, nodding to the barman as you stepped into the pub behind him. Without so much as checking on his companion, he turned sharply to the right and stepped into a private booth, the noise inside the pub rising like a tsunami.

Y/N slid inside the booth after Tommy like an obedient puppy as a hush fell over the occupants.Looking around hopefully, Y/N searched for a familiar face and found Polly, the ghost of a smirk playing on her lips. 

“Y/N!” her head snapped around to find the source of the voice, finding John picking his way to wrap his arm around her shoulders. 

“Everyone, this is Y/N, she’s Tommy’s new flame, so keep your hands off!” His jest caused Y/Ns  cheeks to flame up and she looked at the ground, attempting to avoid the eyes of the booth’s inhabitants. One by one, she was introduced to the Shelby clan by Tommy and John, and eventually found herself gravitating towards Polly and Ada, who, between them, also happened to possess most of the Shelby brain cells. 

“So how did you and Tommy meet?” the younger Shelby woman sighed, sipping at her Gin. 

Y/N looked up, meeting her gaze and chuckled gently, “He wanted to adopt a dog from the shelter that I worked- that I work at, so I showed him Bruce, and he decided then and there that he wanted him.” Ada nodded as she paused, and Polly let out what seemed to be a chuckle masked as a cough. Y/N furrowed her brow, clearly confused, until Ada interjected. 

“Let me guess, he then bought the shelter so you’d come back here? It's very predictable Tommy behaviour is all.” her clarification caused Y/n’s heart to sink. If this was so predictable, then there was no reason to feel as special as she did. 

Sensing her dejection, Ada sighed. “Don’t worry sweet, If he did it, it means he’s serious about you. Tommy likes to seem all big and hard, but really, he’s just as much of a softie as Bruce is.” As if to prove her point, Ada reached down and scratched the top of Bruce’s head. Y/N smiled softly, nodding to show her understanding. 

“Men, am I right?” she giggled, causing the two other shelby women to smile. 

“I’ll drink to that, my dear,” Polly smiled, raising her glass. 

The next few days in Small heath were relatively uneventful. Despite having been invited to Birmingham by Tommy, Y/N had barely seen the man, except for ten minutes here and five minutes there. Largely, she had spent her time with Polly and Ada, becoming acquainted with the bustling city. The more time Y/N spent in town, or helping Lizzie with some accounting, the more at home she felt. 

Birmingham, Y/N had decided, was largely like London. 

Yet something was bugging her. She wanted to know exactly what was going on with Tommy. His hot and cold nature was intriguing to begin with, but now the novelty had worn off and she was stuck in an unfamiliar world without the one who had invited her there. 

After a morning of shopping with Ada and mathematics with Lizzie, Y/N found herself draped across one of the armchairs in Tommy’s office while he worked on some contracts at his desk. 

“Tommmmm,” she whined, causing the man to raise his eyebrows and hum in response. “Why am I here if all you’re going to do is ignore me?” 

Tommy’s head snapped up, Y/N’s question had caught him like a wild right hook. 

Finally, she had Tommy cornered. 

Tommy gulped, fighting the urge to blurt out the whole reason, that he, Tommy Shelby, was infatuated with this girl from London who worked with dogs and rendered him speechless. 

“I- I um thought you would like to see Birmingham,” Y/N raised an eyebrow as the crime boss stumbled over his words. 

“We both know that’s not it, Tom. Be honest.”

Tommy glared at the woman in his armchair. She knew why, she was just taunting him. Tommy didn’t like to be taunted. Slowly, he stood from his chair and made his way towards his guest, who looked up at him from under her eyelashes. Then, coming to a stop directly in front of Y/N, he took her chin in his hand and pressed his lips to hers. 

“Is that enough of an answer for you?” he muttered against her lips. As they broke away, Tommy thought he heard Y/N mutter something under her breath. 

“What was that?” he asked, raising one eyebrow as his icy blue eyes bore into hers. 

“I love you, Mr. Shelby.”

“I love you too, Y/N.” 

[porkchop-ao3]

A Thrill I’ve Never Known (Chapter 66)

Where Next?

Thanks for your patience guys ❤ This one is pretty short, I'm sorry about that, but there is action coming, promise. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter with cute little Jack 😊

Tagging @emily-strange and @actuallyhansolo​​ ❤

(All chapters tagged with #ATINK and also posted on Ao3, username PorkChop)

-

I didn't see much of Arthur for a couple of days. Things were strange at the camp, there was no sense of permanence at all, there was plenty of talk about what next, where next? Some people had their answers, but mostly the camp was quiet with everyone in their own bubble of quiet contemplation. Everything had fallen apart in a matter of days and suddenly everyone had to figure out what to do next. 

I just waited patiently, doing what I could for the group. I hunted and provided some meat for everyone to fill their bellies with, it helped us to keep warm. It wasn't the toastiest of locations, so far north, but it would do until we had our plan. 

Arthur had spent the past two days with Charles. They had broken Eagle Flies out of prison after nightfall and they were up first thing the following day to be with Rains Fall. He was meeting with the army; things were not good and he was hoping to salvage some sort of deal or relationship of trust. That's where they were as I was sitting by the fire, wrapped up in a blanket and keeping an eye on Jack for John and Abigail, who were nearby discussing their plan. All I knew of it was they were wanting to get as far away from this place as possible. I wondered if we would ever see them again, or if they would keep on going further and further until the only evidence we'd ever have of their existence was a letter in the post once or twice a year. It made me sad to think about it, but I couldn't for one second protest it. We couldn't have much of a happily ever after, not after the things we'd done. We just had to make the best of things. 

"What're you doing, Jack?" I called out when I saw him wandering a little too close for comfort to one of the geysers.

"Just looking," he shouted back to me, though he stopped and turned around to smile at me. He was still smiling. It astounded me, honestly, he'd taken everything so well. 

He did ask about Dutch once or twice, wondering when we were going back to him. Abigail was usually the one to tell him the truth, but softly, carefully, while John and the rest of us sat tongue tied, unable to think of the right words to satisfy a four year old in such a situation. Jack usually responded with silence, and I couldn't tell if his silence was a signal of sadness or indifference.

I watched the boy as he picked up a pebble from the ground and then eyed up the geyser. I knew what his question was going to be before he opened his mouth. 

"What would happen if I threw this inside?" He called. I exhaled a chuckle and went to answer, though the words got stuck. I didn't actually know.

"Uhh," I vocalised cluelessly, "I s'pose it'd shoot back out again." 

"Can I try it?" 

"Best not," I chuckled, "the speed that thing would come out– I don't know. I wouldn't if I were you, sweetie. What if it falls down and bops you on the noggin?"

"I'd be okay," he assured me, and I cocked my brow a little. 

"Your momma might not be, I'm supposed to be looking after you. I imagine she'd toss me in there if you got hurt on my watch. C'mere." 

He kept hold of the pebble but did as he was asked, and came trotting over to me with a pair of rosy cheeks.

"Sit by the fire, okay? It's freezing out here, ain't you cold?" 

"No," he told me, his tone was high and it was very obviously untrue.

"Your nose'll drop off if you ain't careful," I warned, a little smirk on my face. He touched his pink nose and considered it for a moment. 

"It didn't fall off when we were in the snow." 

"The snow?" 

"With Uncle Dutch and Hosea, and everyone else. Before you were here," he said, gazing down at the rock in his hand, scratching at a piece of mud caked onto it until it gathered under his fingernail. He wiped it on his trousers.

"Ohh," I nodded, I'd heard about it before, their short stop at Colter after the Blackwater fiasco. "Wow, seems like a long time ago, I bet. You've been to so many places since then, ain't you?"

He hummed his agreement and nodded, not looking up at me. 

"You like going to different places?" 

"I guess so," he shrugged, "but sometimes I get bored." 

I chuckled, "yeah, I think we all do," I smiled at him and stroked his hair for a moment. It was feathery soft and light, and I sighed at his innocence. Such a sweet boy. I had no doubt that Abigail and John loved him and were the best parents they could possibly be to him, but I wished he'd had more normal beginnings in life. And I hoped he'd forget some of the awful things he must've seen and heard. 

"How're you feeling, about going away with your ma and pa?" I asked him. 

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" I repeated, leaning my head on my fist as I leaned forward and down to his level. 

"We're going away. Uncle Arthur, and you, and Sadie won't be there? And all the others?"

"No, sweetheart, we won't. But I'm sure it won't be the last you'll see of all of us, hm? Right now, your mama and papa only wanna take you someplace safer, you understand that, don't you?" I asked softly and he sighed, his little shoulders jerking with it.

"I guess so," his voice was small and I gave his shoulder a little squeeze. 

"Keep your chin up, little prince. Your parents love you to the moon and back, a million times over. You're gonna be okay," I smiled at him, even though he was staring at the rock. I considered it for a moment. "Can I see that?" 

He looked up at me in question, and noticed that I was looking at the rock. He paused for a second before handing it over. I inspected it for a moment, it looked much smaller in my hand than it did in his but it still filled up most of my palm. I clutched it tight in my hand, then looked at Jack as I kissed my knuckles. I closed my eyes for a few moments, and I heard him giggle. 

"What're you doing?" He questioned and I scrunched my face up, shushing him softly. 

"I'm concentrating," I murmured, and continued the performance for a few more moments, his giggles continuing until I slowly cracked one eye open, and then the other. 

"What did you do?" He stood up and turned to me, his hand going to mine, trying to pry my fingers from the stone, his cheeks round and rosy with his grin. 

"I filled it with my love Jacky, and a little extra that I got from Karen, Mary Beth, Tilly, Hosea, Kieran, Molly, Sean, Mr Trelawny, Reverend Swanson, Mr Pearson, Uncle…" I made a show of gasping for a breath after listing off so many names, then swallowed before deciding to mention the names which followed, "and Javier and Bill too, and Mr Strauss… and Dutch." 

My voice had wavered and I needed a second to compose myself. I cleared my throat, and was grateful that Jack was preoccupied by looking at the grey lump of rock in my hand. It was warm from my body heat and he gasped a little when he took it from me, marvelling about it's temperature.

"But it's a big rock. Plenty of room for more love. How 'bout you ask everyone to hold on tight to that rock, and put all their love and care into it. So, as long as you've got that, you'll be safe, and you'll be able to remember all of us and know that we ain't ever leaving you, not in our hearts." 

"Okay!" He did a little jump and squeezed the rock in his hand again, holding it to his chest with the biggest smile I'd seen all year. It warmed my heart despite the freezing temperatures. I glanced up to where Lenny was sat wrapped up in his winter coat, a book in his gloved hands. 

"Why don't you go ask Lenny if he don't mind taking a break from reading?" I suggested, and Jack immediately spun around and ran over to him. 

I watched him from a distance, as he excitedly explained the concept. Lenny chuckled and looked up at me from across the camp. He put his book down, laced his fingers together and pushed them out to stretch out his hands before giving them a shake and rocking his head from side to side, limbering up before taking the rock from Jack and cupping it tightly between both hands and squeezing it as hard as he could, eyes intently focused on them. I grinned and laughed to myself, loving his commitment to making the boy smile. I knew everyone would be just as eager to please, not afraid of making a fool of themselves. 

For the rest of the afternoon Jack went around the camp asking people to contribute to the pebble. I was glad to have given him something to amuse him, and perhaps something to remember us all by, even if it was just a simple rock. It would be nice if he remembered us all each time he looked at it, if it didn't get lost along the way during whatever trips he and his parents were about to embark on. 

In the late afternoon Arthur came back. Charles was not by his side but he quickly reassured us that he had simply gone to visit the Wapiti Reservation after the negotiations hadn't exactly gone to plan. I tried not to listen to the details, despite this horrid feeling that built in the pit of my gut as days went by. I kept trying to reason with myself that Arthur had been putting his life in danger far longer than he had known me and had always come out alive. It didn't stop the voice in my head that would whisper about his luck running out…

Before I spiralled into those thoughts I got on with preparing dinner. As long as I had Arthur back in my arms at the end of the day, whatever chaos had found him while he was gone was not worth thinking about. Torturing myself was not going to help anyone, especially not Arthur, who would no doubt grow tired of my whittling about his well being. I just had to keep telling myself that soon this would all be over. 

–

"Canada, I'm thinking. Would be their best chance. They can't stay here much longer after all of that mess we left behind after the negotiations today," Charles was saying over his helping of rabbit stew. He'd returned from the reservation, where he'd apparently spent the best part of the evening convincing them to start packing up to leave. "Rains Fall seems hesitant, not that I don't understand him.  They've been moved around enough, all they want is to settle and have peace so they can live."

"Doesn't seem like they'll be able to do that here though," John said, and Arthur murmured a sound of agreement.

"He's coming to terms with that I think. He knows they'll have to move on sooner or later, it's just hard for him to accept right now, even harder for Eagle Flies. He's even more against the idea," Charles replied.

"He's got a lot of passion and fire in him, that man. He ain't quite learned though, that sometimes passion like that can get you killed," Arthur said. Charles silently nodded in agreement and looked down at his plate. "Canada, you say?"

"Canada," Charles nodded. "And I'd go with them."

"Really?" My brows raised. A quick, sharp pain went through my heart as in a second it became reality that the group was splitting up. These people I had lived with for so long and come to love, we were all going separate ways...

"Yeah. I don't have any other ideas," he chuckled a bit, then shook his head and became a little more serious, "I like it, with them. I feel closer to my mother." 

I smiled, comforted by the fact that even if Charles wouldn't be with us, he'd have a family.

"Arthur," I heard from behind. It was Sadie's gravelly whisper and my heart dropped. I knew what she was going to ask. Arthur, sitting beside me around the fire, glanced over his shoulder and nodded. Then he wordlessly leaned over to kiss my temple, and got up. He stepped over the log we sat on and headed away from the group with Sadie.

They were going to the O'Driscolls' hideout. More bloodshed. More danger. I took a breath and met Charles' eyes.

"I'm happy for you Charles. You deserve to be with people who care about you, who'll all keep each other safe. And the fact they also share your heritage, that's even nicer," I smiled at him and he nodded, "when do you think you'll go?"

"Soon as I've convinced them," he chuckled a little again, the corner of his lip lifting. 

"I'll miss you," I told him. It seemed to startle him but only a little, he was often cool and calm and not even surprising words of emotion could throw him off for long. 

"I'll miss you too," he said after a moment, and the words sounded almost like a revelation, like he also hadn't fully wrapped his head around the fact he'd be saying goodbye to us all until now. "We'll write to each other, all of us, yeah?" 

"Definitely," I nodded, my smile widening, "and if I ever find myself in Canada, I'll have a free place to stay, right?" I teased just a little and he laughed. 

"Of course.”

[nineteenninety-six]

I was rereading the daughter series and just imagine Polly or Ada taking the girl with them to the market but lose her in the crowd and panic ensues

I’m assuming the daughter series you are talking about was the one where he adopts the child he finds and not the one with the black daughter.BUT if you want the latter, then just request again :) Also I expanded on your request a bit.

WC: 1.6k 

(Y/N) gripped her Aunt Ada’s hands as they made their way through the crowds of the local market. It was a Saturday, early in the afternoon so the market was at its busiest with everybody trying to get their groceries for their families for the week, so (Y/N) tried her hardest to stick close to her aunt. 

They were also with Polly. The older woman had decided to a bonding day with her nieces, so the day involved lunch at a nice cafe and the rest of the afternoon at the market and shops and it wasn’t a secret how much Polly and Ada enjoyed spoiling (Y/N), so Tommy knew they were going to come back with bags filled with clothes and others treats for the five-year-old.

The three of them wandered through the sprawling market, enjoying their time together, but what they didn’t notice was the two people trailing them. They were in Peaky territory so neither Polly nor Ada were on alert since it was pretty much a death wish to do something to one of the members of the family, especially on their territory. 

Polly had gotten distracted by an old friend so Ada and (Y/N) continued to look around by themselves but as soon as they reached the edge of the market, Ada was knocked unconscious by a hard knock to her head and (Y/N) was snatched up and away.

(Y/N) screamed for help at the top of her little lungs, she screamed for her aunt Ada and Polly and also for her father who had promised that he’d protect her from anything and everything but her calls for help were easily buried by the shouts and noise of the market.

When Polly stumbled across her niece’s unconscious crumpled form she froze in shock. The usually headstrong matriarch felt her heart drop before she rushed over to Ada’s crumpled form, screaming for help and it took her too long to realise that (Y/N) was nowhere to be found.

Soon the place was flooded with Peaky boys that Tommy had stationed around the area coming to their aid but it was too late, whoever had done this had more than enough time to escape.

Once Ada was in safe hands and was receiving medical care, Polly ran over to the office where her nephews were, barging in on a meeting.

Tommy turned to give his aunt a tongue lashing but Polly spoke before he could even open his mouth.

“Someone attacked Ada and kidnapped (Y/N)...”

Tommy stood and paced over to his aunt, towering over her, “What did you just say about my daughter?”

Polly finally let her tears fall, “Somebody took her. They knocked out Ada and snatched her up.”

Tommy growled as he stormed out of the office and out into the street but once he got outside, his steps faltered as he realised he had no clue where his daughter was or who took her.

“Fuck!” Tommy pulled at his hair in frustration, “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

John, Arthur and Polly watched from the doorway as Tommy took out his frustration on a trash can that had been on the street before he suddenly stopped and looked up at the three of them.

“John, Arthur, gather the men. Send half of them to go searching the streets and the others to find any witnesses or anybody who can help.” He ordered, “Polly, take me to Ada.”

The three of them quickly nodded, the boys going off to gather everyone up and Polly taking Tommy to Jeremiah’s were Ada was being looked at, all of them knowing how dire the situation was. 

Ada was curled up on Jeremiah’s couch holding cloth filled with ice to the back of her head when Tommy stumbled in and she immediately jumped up and made her way over to him when he did. 

She started to cry and blubber out apologies but Tommy quickly calmed her down, knowing that it wasn’t her fault.

“Hey, hey, calm down Ada” Tommy guided her back down onto the couch, “It’s not your fault okay. Just tell me what happened.”

“We were near the edge of the market and I just remember this big burst of pain before it all went dark and then I woke up here.”

“You don’t remember anyone acting suspiciously?”

Ada shook her head with a frown, “It was so busy, there could have been anyone there.”

“Thank you, Ada.” Tommy pressed a kiss to her forehead, “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Ada was reassured but she still looked troubled, “I’m going to help you look for her.”

Tommy shook his head and pressed her back down on the couch gently when she tried to stand up, “You have a head injury, you need to get better.”

“Your daughter is missing, Tommy! I can’t just sit around and do nothing!”

“You have a son, Ada!” Tommy reminded her, “And I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to you and Karl is left without a mother, so please, just stay here.”

At his words, Ada nods and settles backs down and before he leaves he gives her one last hug.

As he walks back to the betting den, he brainstorms who could have possibly taken his daughter. It wasn’t a short list as he had upset a lot of people and a lot of them wouldn’t have an issue kidnapping a small child and he cursed himself for being the reason why his precious daughter was taken from him.

When Tommy got back to the betting den, he tucked himself away in his office with a pretty full glass of whiskey to calm his nerves. His brothers were off doing the tasks he set and his aunt remained with Ada but he stayed at the office in case (Y/N) returned or someone brought back news of her.

He didn’t want to think the worst but it was hard not to since she was little and there were people out there who wanted to hurt him that didn’t care about how she was only five years old.

He was two drinks deep when one of his men barged into his office, a note in one hand and a pair of small shoes in the other.

“We found this in one of the streets sir” He placed the items on his desk before he quickly left, leaving Tommy alone.

Tommy teared up when he picked up one of the tiny shoes in his hand. He had recently bought them for her and he remembered earlier that morning as he was getting her ready that she was so excited to wear them and show everyone how pretty they were. 

He quickly picked up the note before he could dissolve into a puddle of tears and as he read it, he became increasingly angry and threw his partly filled glass at the wall of his office. 

We have some precious cargo of yours.

If you want her back, all you need to do is give us ⅓ of your territory, money and two carts of guns.

Meet us tomorrow at the edge of Small Heath at 2 pm.

Tommy let his anger fuel him as he left the office and began searching for his brothers to call off the search. He was going to stay awake all night creating a plan to make the fuckers who took his daughter pay. They were sorely mistaken if they thought he was going to give them part of his empire and let them go after what they did. 

--------

 It was 2 pm and Tommy was at the location specified but he wasn’t totally alone, he had his brothers and a few of his most trusted men located nearby so that the men who took (Y/N) didn’t get away. While his other men were taken care of the other members of the gang to make sure they’d never be a problem again.

The men were late but Tommy didn’t care once he spotted (Y/N). They were forcing her to walk and judging how she was stumbling every few steps, Tommy guessed they had made her walk from wherever they were hiding out.

(Y/N) was covered in scrapes and bruises but other than a cut above her right eyebrow, she wasn’t injured in any way and though it soothed him a bit, he was still as angry as ever.

“Daddy!” (Y/N) visibly perked up when she saw her father but quieted down when one of the men raised a hand at her, threatening to hit her.

Tommy wanted to blind the man but held himself back knowing that the men will get what’s coming for them soon.

“You got what we asked for?” One of the men shouted

Tommy nodded and pointed at the crates nearby, “Those are the guns and money and the land is yours to take.”

The man who shouted motioned for the other men he brought along to check the crates and once they nodded in confirmation, he allowed (Y/N) to go.

She immediately began running towards Tommy and he met her halfway and swept her up into his arms. They both started to cry as they hugged each other and Tommy did a cursory look over her before he began to walk away, not even bothering to look at other men knowing that Arthur and John would take care of them. 

He clutched (Y/N) close to him and whispered that he loved her and that she was okay in between wiping her tears and (Y/N) never lightened the tight wrap of her arms around his neck but he didn’t care because his baby was home.

Tommy took her to Jeremiah and after he patched her up, he took her home and promised to make sure that nothing like that ever happened again. He would make sure there were always at least two of his trusted men near her and when she gets old enough, he’d get Finn to teach her how to box.

(Y/N) was his darling girl and he’d kill for her.

[vanderlindemangofarm]

The Van der Linde Gang - Jobs in a Modern AU

I’ve been really inspired to write about this lately and I’d love to hear your takes! These are the occupations that I think each gang member would have in a modern AU. Some were more challenging than others, but hopefully you guys can see where I’m coming from with each! 

Arthur: Film location scout. His natural eye for photography and framing makes Arthur the perfect member of a pre-production team. His no-bullshit approach to everything means he keeps to deadlines, although he’s known to go wandering off into the wilderness for unknown amounts of time. He enjoys the lone working side of his job and finding exactly the right spots that would make the film come to life. He doesn’t always like the films once they’re finished (in fact he’s often bought cinema tickets and walked out half way through, grumbling that it wasn’t worth the popcorn) but he can’t deny the excited buzz he gets every time he gets hired. In his early years as an assistant he met Bertie Mason, a nervous but talented photography intern. Despite an ill-advised hookup after a week joined at the hip they have remained close friends and still go out on shoots together. 

John: landscape gardener. John? Flowers? Yes, alright, I found it hard to believe too. But look, it’s not about the flowers, even if he does get misty-eyed at the sight of a sunflower in the early morning light. It’s about the challenge, the outdoors, and solving problems. After all the renovations he did to his house and garden (some more successful than others) John found how much satisfaction he got from digging and reshaping and planting. Don’t get me wrong, he’s often without a shirt, even in the colder months, much to the delight of some and the horror of others. He always makes friends with the household pets and is wonderful with the kids, always dropping his task to throw a frisbee around for a bit or cheekily accept an ice cold glass of lemonade from their mothers. Whenever he drives past one of his projects he feels himself glowing with pride - “I did that!”. 

Dutch: philosophy lecturer. As always, late with Starbucks. Will he actually grade your essay? Will it mysteriously disappear? Keeps you on your toes, doesn’t it? Sitting precariously on the very edge of his desk, leather jacket hanging off his shoulders and losing his balance every 15 minutes, Dr Van der Linde is nothing short of a wonder. For the love of all that is holy, do not get him started on Kant. Kant has no place here. You want to talk about your precious Kant? Get your butt down to Dr O’Driscoll’s class, he has plenty to say about Kant. Perhaps a little too fond of Socrates. Plato who? Completely illegible handwriting and definitely sleeping with several members of the faculty. But somehow his students always walk away with excellent grades. At the end of each term Dutch takes everyone out to a local bar for drinks, insists on buying tequila which no one really fancies at 11am. Claims to ride a motorcycle called The Count which no one has actually seen. Impossible to hate, and he writes everyone great references for their summer internships. 

Hosea: social worker. In a crisis, there’s no one better to knock on your door. Hosea has seen it all and he’ll see it all again, but that doesn’t stop him from treating every single case he gets with the upmost respect and care. His no-nonsense approach to his work means he gets things done, but he never sacrifices his compassion. He mostly works with teenagers and has a way of being able to connect to each individual without coming across as patronising. He’s been in the field for over two decades and is an invaluable mentor for any newcomers, always willing to share a word or two of advice or be a shoulder to cry on. 

Javier: guitar teacher and music therapist. During his worst years, Javier’s guitar was his lifeline. And he wants to help others find their lifeline, too. He works on a freelance basis, mainly going into mental health hospitals, schools and prisons. He runs workshops focusing on guitar playing, but brings other instruments (mainly percussion) to try too. He’s a gentle teacher, always with a joke in his back pocket for when you need it most. He has nicknames for everyone and remembers everything they’ve ever told him. He’s patient and never lets anyone feel bad for making a mistake. Javier also runs an after-school guitar club at the local middle school alongside playing his own music at gigs whenever he can. No, he doesn’t reply to DMs no matter how thirsty they are. 

Sadie: self-defense instructor. After surviving an attack several years ago, Sadie used her ferocity to get her qualification in self-defense to teach other women how to fight back should they need to. Her husband Jake helps out in her classes, happily allowing himself to be thrown around and slammed onto the mat as many times as required. Her students are terrified of her in the best and nicest way. Sadie also volunteers at a women’s refuge, providing emergency care and taking phone calls. 

Charles: environmental campaign manager. Charles has always been drawn to charities and started doing voluntary work for Greenpeace when he was at university, securing an internship with them in Canada which led to a full time job. Whilst Charles mainly hosts meetings and organises events, he also works closely with elementary schools and runs workshops with outdoor activities, crafts and music. Last week they made bird feeders! It was awesome. He’s also a keen activist and regularly meets up with Javier to go to protests and community events, most recently for BLM. 

Micah: motorcycle mechanic. Micah is massively invested in motorcycle culture and treats his beloved bike better than his own mother, if he still spoke to her. Although he pretends not to care, fixing bikes is his greatest passion and almost looks...happy when he’s doing it? Maybe? He likes knowing more than the people who stop by his shop and makes sure they know it. Occasionally he leaves his number on a scrap of paper inside women’s handbags when they’re not looking but for some reason none of them call. Like it or not, he’s incredibly skilled and will have your motorcycle singing a tune if that’s what you want. Euphemism? Of course not. 

Abigail: nurse. She was so shy when she realised she wanted to pursue nursing - would people laugh at her? Was she too impatient, too nagging, too shrill? Her dyslexia always put her off going into further education and she was always discouraged by her parents. But with lots of encouragement from Hosea (who helped her to fill out her applications and other forms) and her friends, Abigail went to university in her 30′s to get her degree. She graduated top of her class and now works full time in her local hospital, based mostly in the emergency room. From drunken brawlers to tearful children and grumpy old men with lumbago, Abigail has learnt to keep her cool and to have faith in her own ability. 

Molly: holistic therapist and masseuse. It took years to get that bastard of a philosopher out of her head (and out of her bed - damn those happy hour drinks “for old times’ sake”), but she’s finally free. Molly radiates a kindness that few took to the time to see, and she wanted to take strength from her past struggles to help others who may need someone to listen, just as she did. Molly took a bunch of online courses in various holistic therapies, including aromatherapy and massage, as this was something she had always been interested in. She runs a tiny clinic on a quiet street, the rooms filled with sunshine and the scent of geraniums. She also has a quite popular ASMR YouTube channel, Emerald Eyes ASMR, which she shyly admits just reached 500k subscribers. Her most popular video, ‘Irish Girl Helps You Fall Asleep (soft spoken, tapping, mouth sounds)’ just reached over a million hits. 

Kieran: veterinarian specialising in equine care. Much like Abigail, Kieran didn’t like the idea of going back into education. He’d had a rough time of it as a teenager, dropping out of high school early and working a string of menial jobs for the next decade. They paid his rent, but he still felt poor. His favourite job, however, was working at a stable. The horses made him feel calm and he found that he could read them better than most people. He went to the library and read as much as he could about them. From there, he got himself an apprenticeship which paved the way for him to earn his degree in veterinary science. He smiled so hard in his graduation photo his eyes disappeared into his cheeks. He travels all over the local countryside, visiting farms and ranches to care for the horses. His confidence picked up after the first few blunders, and little by little he’s saving up to buy his own ranch one day. 

Lenny: political science student. You know that kid who always looks amazing, even in 9am lectures? Yeah, that’s not Lenny, but he’s sat just behind. See him? Yep, the one rubbing sleep from his eyes as he pushes through the effects of another all-nighter. It’s not due to procrastination, but from perfectionism. He spends hour agonising over references, appendixes and even titles. One time he was so tired he signed his work “Ynnel”. He’s completely in love with his course and relishes every class he takes. Oh, he’s taking Dutch’s ‘History of Western Philosophy’ module by the way. Sitting in the front row, middle seat, directly in front of Dutch, his eyes glinting wickedly. Poor Dutch. Lenny has a counterpoint for absolutely everything and can barely stifle his laughter as Dutch gets more and more flustered. He’s been dating Jenny Kirk, an English Lit student, for the past few months and it’s going well. So well in fact, that he might stop hiding his Doctor Who merchandise every time she comes to his dorm room. 

Tilly: business student. Tilly started university at the same time as Lenny and they still always go to the library together, rolling their eyes at each other over their morning peppermint lattes. Tilly is at the forefront of any and all on-campus activism. Think of Sam from Dear White People - that’s our Tilly. She wears her Ravenclaw scarf all autumn and winter long and posts scathing Instagram stories about the cafeteria food. But she’s powerfully kind and very ambitious, taking on a part time job tutoring kids with dyslexia in their reading and writing. 

Susan: midwife. Think having a baby is scary? Try crossing Nurse Grimshaw. She’s here now, and that baby is coming out of you one way or another. She’ll hold your hand through thick and thin but if you dare say “I can’t do it” one more time she’ll unleash hell. Susan will make sure everyone has a job to do. Partner just standing there like a lemon? Not on her watch. She’s harsh but kind to her trainees and will always offer a cup of coffee and a shoulder to cry on, but there’s a time and place for slacking and it’s not on her labour ward. 

Trelawny: talent agent. Our Josiah is cunning, infuriatingly charismatic and with an eye for the best of the best - what else could he do so effortlessly? He’ll wrangle you a 10 second role as a latrine cleaner in a non-profit film and he’ll still make you feel like the next DiCaprio. You’re a diamond, don’t you know? Of course you could nab Elphaba, we’ll worry about the singing later. How do you feel about cat food commercials? No no, it’s not pornography, it really is cat food this time - he double checked. On top of this, he knows everyone in the business. No, really. He can’t move 3 feet down Broadway without someone booming his name. The tone of said boom depends, of course, but who hasn’t been caught with his bottom out in that director’s wife’s en-suite? 

Sean: outdoor activity centre instructor. You mean you can actually get paid to swim in lakes, ride ziplines through the forest and eat roasted marshmallows?! Sean couldn’t believe his ears. But it was true, and he’s living his best life. He may be on his penultimate warning for unruly behaviour, but he knows he could never really get fired. How could they? Everyone loves him. And to his credit, he’s a fantastic instructor, especially with kids. Everything from canoeing to caving, wild swimming to climbing, Sean has mastered it all and he always makes it fun. No one is allowed to feel left out or silly for not being able to do something. Sean has a way of making everyone feel included, even if you can only make it up the first few rungs of the ladder. Hey, that’s still off the ground! He once knew this feller Bill who cried because a moth flew into his face. You’re doing fine. 

Mary-Beth: librarian and YA author. Sweet Mary-Beth, how could she be anywhere else but surrounded by books? She adores her job at her small, local library and is always looking for ways to make it even better. She often gets tangled up in the stories she reads whilst organising shelves, but it’s quiet enough most days that she’s rarely caught. She loves helping people find their books or recommending her favourites. She also runs the toddler storytime groups and a writing club for older kids. Of course, she’s also writing her own books. The first of her ‘Valentine Mysteries’ books made a modest profit and she’s excited to write more about the adventures of Leslie Dupont. 

Karen: actress. Realising that she had a knack for accents and even after an especially successful high school lead role as Roxy Hart, Karen didn’t really acknowledge her would-be passion for acting for a long time. But she used her talents to get herself and her friends into X-rated films, dive bars and successfully pull off dozens of prank calls. It wasn’t until one of her friends was going to an open-call audition for a short film and wanted someone to go with her that Karen had her epithany. She was cast on the spot, much to the dismay of her friend. Since then, she’s been in a handful of arthouse films, a commercial here and there, and recently enjoyed a short run as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at a small theatre downtown. Does she want fame and fortune? Honestly, she hasn’t really thought about it. Right now, she’s just enjoying the ride. And the phone numbers left for her at front of house from many admirers. 

Strauss: financial loan adviser. Oh boy, perhaps you saw this one coming. Then again, maybe not. Old Leopold isn’t quite the two-pronged-tongued eldritch horror people often mistake him for. In fact, he actually advises people against loan sharks. He had his fair share of debts y’see and he genuinely doesn’t want anyone else to go through the same thing. He’s not exactly sweet and cuddly, but he might let you have a free pen if you call by his office. I mean, technically they’re not free but...never mind, just take it. 

Bill: plumber. It was purely accidental that Bill bashed his way into his career. No, really. His sink was blocked and after an hour of poking and prodding the pipes he started hitting the poor thing with a spanner out of pure frustration, cursing all the way. To his shock, it worked, and he suddenly had running water again. What shocked him more is that he realised he wanted to know how. So, he bought a book. And he read the book. And one thing led to another, and now he’s the proud owner of Williamson Plumbing Inc. The money is very good, but for Bill that’s not it. You have to understand that for him, it’s the act itself of fixing something that brings Bill immense satisfaction. And Bill isn’t used to knowing more about something - anything - than those around him. For the first time perhaps in his life, he can sit down, solve a problem, and know that he’s done a good job. 

Swanson: AA group leader. After getting completely sober almost a decade ago and staying that way, Orville wanted to give something back to the people who had helped him out so greatly. Becoming a volunteer to help those who were trapped where he was seemed like the only path, and it felt so right. Orville is there in meetings, making coffee, handing out donuts and training new volunteers. If anyone wants to talk about their faith he’s all ears, but he never pushes it as a cure-all in any situation. Orville’s sobriety has also meant that he’s learnt to make the most phenomenal mocktails. 

Pearson: grocery shop manager and cooking teacher. Simon has his small grocery shop on the edge of town which has a wide range of regular customers. But he wanted to do more, so he set up a small class to teach fellow veterans how to cook. His wife helps out, and they grow the ingredients together in their garden and down at the allotment. It’s just an therapeutic for him as it is for his students, as he’s only just realising how much he wants to talk about his time in the navy. 

Uncle: unknown. For the longest time, everyone thought Uncle worked at one of the worst dive bars in town, as whenever they stumbled in for a nightcap he was there, behind the bar, happy as a pig in shit. Turns out that he just started going there one night and no one could get him to leave. And so every evening he’ll appear like a phantom, sit himself in the half-broken chair behind the bar (clearly labelled “not for customer use”), order the cheapest beer on the menu and sit there until midnight. No one can understand how he gets the means to live as he ragingly denies receiving any government handouts despite his lumbago. Claims to be a veteran but hasn’t fought in any wars anyone has heard of. 

[sad-sweet-cowboah]

And I’ll Succumb To You part 2

Part 1

Summary: It’s been nearly a month since you joined the Van der Linde gang. With your next heat on the horizon, you and Arthur set out to find a new bottle of Lilith’s Blessing.

Warnings: Smut, duh. ABO dynamics. And cursing.

AN: THIS CAME OUT TO 10,808 WORDS. Please enjoy ya thirsty hos! I may also make a part 3.

A whole three weeks passed since your life changed. Three weeks since you’d gone from a lone bounty hunter to a part of one of the most notorious gangs in the United States.

You’d been dozing peacefully on the back of Arthur’s horse by the time the two of you reached camp. His low voice aroused you from your slumber as he helped you to the ground. He tied his horse to a hitching post before repeating it with your horse. He then proceeded to remove your things, which you protested and said you could do it, only for him to shake his head and insist.

Arguing would have gotten you nowhere, so you followed him into the surprisingly large camp. A mixture of scents hung heavy in the air. The first thing you’d noticed was the campfire directly in the center, glowing bright orange against the fabric of the tents and dark wood of the wagons. People were sitting around it, and as soon as you got closer, heads turned.

You hadn’t expected such a big welcome.

Arthur had placed you in the care of the camp girls. A small group of them you found were excited to take you in. Karen and Mary-Beth were both Omega and thankful to have another in camp to bond with. Abigail was another Omega who had her hands full with a child of her own. Tilly was a Beta, though did not look down upon you which you were thankful for. Molly, another Beta, you found kept more to herself and greeted you politely before wandering toward one of the more extravagant tents. You also soon found they had a ringleader: A woman named Susan Grimshaw, the only female Alpha you’d ever met in your lifetime. Female Alphas were about as rare as a male Omega, and simply being in her presence was both awesome and overwhelming.

After they’d set up your bedroll underneath a hanging tarp next to a wagon, you were introduced to the others. The men, a mix of both Alpha and Beta. Dutch Van der Linde, the leader, was an Alpha and wary about your presence given your reputation. However after speaking with his right-hand man, Hosea Matthews and Arthur, Dutch begrudgingly accepted you as a new member.

Over time you’d gotten to know the rest. The others were…colorful characters, if you could call them that. They were a group of misfits from wherever just trying to get by in life in any means possible. If it meant robbing folk or doing good deeds.

It took a while for you to leave by yourself, due to Dutch’s orders. You were confined to camp for the first week with unseen eyes on you. Then began the small tasks, going into town for a grocery trip or hunting usually accompanied by someone else. You couldn’t complain, it was something to do and kept food in your belly. Once Dutch began to realize you weren’t going to turn on them, he began to send you out for bigger missions alongside the girls or the other men.

Today however, was a different. You’d woken up to the sounds of movement around you. Opening your eyes, you’d watched as Mary-Beth packed things into her satchel. The others were bustling around more than usual amongst the camp, moving sacks of supplies toward the horses. It confused you, wondering if it was possibly time to switch locations. However, you realized it was only a few people, a few people specifically. It was then when an all too familiar scent wafted into your nose: the heat of the other Omegas.

Karen and Mary-Beth had left with Susan and a few others, mentioning they’d be half-day’s travel away. Hosea explained they would be protected by the Alphas and Betas while they chose how to sate their desires, if it meant finding someone else to help or taking care of it by themselves. Abigail, you found, stays behind for the sake of Jack after obtaining some Lilith’s Blessing. She grumbled about how his father wouldn’t be competent enough to fill in as a parent for a week in her absence.

With the camp emptier, it felt both strange and relaxing. You kept yourself busy by helping the others run errands or fulfill other missions in the meantime.

A couple of days passed, you’d come back to camp after aiding John and Javier in a burglary. It fairly late then, the sun low in the sky and casting red hues amongst the surrounding woods. Your horse was sweaty and tired, so you untacked her and began to brush her damp coat.

The sound of twigs snapping caught your attention, and you turned to see Arthur walking past. He caught your eye and smiled politely, giving you a short wave before turning his attention forward. You’d returned the gesture before turning back to your horse, although your mind began to wander.

You two really hadn’t spoken about your encounter. You’d mutually agreed to not mention it to the others to avoid any awkward questions. You and he however barely spoke after that. The first few days in camp he would check in and see how you were adjusting. He’d greet you in the mornings and bid you a good night when turning in, or sit next to you at the campfire with idle chatter on some nights. He was usually busy anyway, often gone on missions or hunting trips. As the weeks passed by, he would intrude your thoughts and dreams.

Sure, he was handsome. Additionally he was sweet and showing a surprisingly soft side. The way he spoke to the girls and treated the others in camp was a stark contrast from the man that once intimidated you in Big Valley just weeks ago. How gentle he was with Jack melted your heart at times. Despite his Alpha nature, he never used his position to abuse the power he had over others. He was, after all, third in command. He was a decent man. More than decent actually. Sometimes you’d catch yourself staring at him for a second longer than intended. You also could have sworn you caught him gazing at you on more than one occasion, though his eyes would quickly avert when you did a double-take.

You breathed out a heavy sigh, leaning forward to plant your forehead against your horse’s neck. Surely you shouldn’t be falling for him, it seemed silly to even consider.

Someone called your name. You stood up straight and saw Tilly walking up to you out of the corner of your eye. You turned to face her, offering a smile to her. “Hey Tilly.”

“Hey Y/N. Mind if I speak with you?” she asked.

You nodded. “Of course, what is it?”

“Well…” she stepped up to your horse, offering the tired steed a carrot, whose ears perked up immediately and greedily munched the snack straight from Tilly’s hand. “Have you given thought on what you’re going to do with your heat?”

You blinked. “My heat?” you repeated. “I don’t know…” Your unused tonic had soured and you hadn’t had the time to seek out the market for a new one. You supposed you could make an attempt and ask Abigail where she received hers.

“Are you going to have Arthur again?” Tilly asked simply.

You blinked and spluttered, taken aback by her words. “Wha-how did you know?”

Tilly’s lips stretched into a knowing smile. “Could smell him on you when we got close to ya, and not cause you was sharing a horse.”

You bit your lip shyly, turning your head away. “It was just a one-time thing,” You huffed, keeping your voice low. “He and I just met and…well… it was just the wrong place at the wrong time,” you of course never told anyone that you were hunting him, and he also kept his mouth shut about that.

“You sure? Cause I’ve seen the way you stare at one another across camp. Seems like there’s something else going on, thought you’d ask him when the time comes.”

“Yes, I’m sure,” you mumbled. “I’m just gonna ask Abigail where she got her Lilith’s Blessing. Should be easy enough.”

“Alright. Just let Miss Grimshaw know when she returns about what you plan on doing in case things go south,” Tilly replied before she reached over to pat your shoulder, and headed back to camp.

---

With the sun rising bright and early through camp, you planned your day ahead of time. Abigail mentioned she purchased the tonic from a seller in Emerald Ranch, a place you were familiar with and was just a few hours’ ride away. You’d gathered a few supplies needed and saddled up your horse. You mentioned to Tilly your whereabouts just in case anyone asked.  It had been a while since you’ve gone on a journey by yourself.

You hoped you would have just a simple trip to get what you need and come back without a hitch.

Just as you tightened the cinch, and heard a voice from a few feet away.

“Where you headin’ off to?”

Of course it was Arthur. Your heart skipped a beat once you recognized him. Your arms fell to your sides and you turned to face him. His hands were gripping his gun belt with one hip slightly cocked to the side. You had to admit to yourself you loved when he grabbed his gun belt like that, as if it were a subtle way to exude his power. His face held an expectant expression.

“I’m…heading to Emerald Ranch,” you explained. “See if I can get my hands on some Lilith’s Blessing.”

Arthur nodded in understanding. “You, uh, close?”

“Still a few days off, I think. Which is why I’m heading out now,” you answered while turning back to your horse and preparing to mount on. As you pulled yourself up, you heard Arthur speak again.

“Mind if I join ya?”

You swung a leg over and seated yourself comfortably in your saddle, and then looked down at Arthur. You couldn’t fathom a reason why he’d go. Perhaps as protection? Sometimes Lilith’s Blessing sellers were more untrustworthy than others, but you could handle yourself regardless. However, there was no reason for him not to go. Finally you said, “Sure, come on then.”

Arthur didn’t take long to grab his own satchel before mounting his horse and coming up alongside you. You two rode together silently through the woods for the first few minutes until he spoke.

“So, how you likin’ it so far?” he asked curiously.

“Well it’s different,” you answered, turning you gaze up to the patches of sunlight that shone through the leaves above. “I like being somewhere where our statuses don’t matter. Feels like I’m a part of a family for the first time in a long time.”

“That’s what’s important,” Arthur rumbled. “We take care o’ one another as you saw. Glad you’re fittin’ in too.”

You nodded in response. Up ahead the forest gave way to a field, the blue sky expanding across the green landscape. As the two of you crossed the tree line, your gaze wandered over to him. His body was slightly hunched over on his horse while you loped graciously across the landscape. His forearms were bare, the sun shining brightly on his skin. His tightly corded muscles angled in the light, thick and strong. Your eyes shifted to observe the rest of his body. You’d never actually seen him naked, however you remembered how felt against you. Warm and strong and solid.

“Hey, you alright?” he suddenly asked. You blinked back into focus and saw him staring right at you.

You’d nearly flinched from being caught, and turned your head back to face straight. You couldn’t let yourself fantasize over that, not like it would ever happen again anyway. You’d fallen silent for the rest of the ride, only speaking once or twice and keeping the conversation short.

You reached Emerald Ranch by early afternoon. You’d stopped briefly to eat a quick meal before going about your business. It was a small place, full of Betas like most towns were. You’d never felt uncomfortable here.

“Where do we find what we’re lookin’ for?” Arthur asked you, casually walking beside you.

You tilted your head toward one of the barns. “The fence behind there, he keeps tabs on the local sellers.”

He nodded in response, keeping in step with you as you headed to your destination.  Up ahead you could see a small caravan of people both on wagons and horseback rolling through. The scent hit you first however, the overwhelming Alpha musk carrying with the breeze.

Out of the corner of your eye, Arthur stepped even closer, placing his body between you and them in an almost protective manner. His hand hovered over your lower back, so close the heat radiated from his skin was felt through your shirt. He kept you closer to the side as the others passed, his eyes never leaving them.

Once they were a good distance away, Arthur stepped away to his previous space. You looked at him, noting how tight his jaw was clenched.

“Arthur?”

He looked down at you. “Eh, sorry. Jus’ wanna make sure they didn’t get any ideas…”

“They wouldn’t have smelled me yet, I’m not close enough to my heat,” you pointed out.

“I know. But jus’ in case,” he murmured.

You looked at him for a second longer, curious as to why he was so keen on protecting you at that moment. Then again being in a blended gang probably meant he had to fulfill the same role for the other Omegas. You decided to not question it further and continue on.

The fence was in the spot he always was, a little shack nestled at the end of the barn. Arthur still remained at your side, though stepped back slightly to allow you to do your business. The fence locked eyes with you as you approached him, a dry smile crossing his face.

“Haven’t seen ya in a while,” he said casually.

You nodded in response, stepping closer to lean in. “Darkness is a blessing in disguise, ain’t it?” you murmured, using one of the few phrases known for discussing the tonic in public.

The fence frowned slightly. “Sorry, it’s all sunshine here,”

Your heart sank immediately. It meant that the seller in question had left. “Er, do you know when the sun sets?”

“Can’t say I do, miss,” he responded while shaking his head. “I ain’t no time teller.”

You sighed in frustration, turning to Arthur with a sour look on your face. You gestured for him that it was time to go, and he nodded wordlessly, confusion crossing his own face.

He waited until you were out of earshot of anyone close by before he said anything. “What was that about?”

“Seller ain’t here,” you grumbled, storming up to your horse and yanking the reins from the post with more force than necessary. “And he didn’t know where they went.”

“Oh,” was all he said in response. You saw him chew on his lip out of the corner of your eye as he went to mount his own horse. “Er…y’know anyone else that might know?”

“No,” you huffed, urging your mare into a smooth canter. “That’s the thing. They move around without any word on where they go next. They leave clues for Omegas to find, but I don’t even know where to start looking.”

Arthur hadn’t replied, and the two of you rode in silence across the green expanse of the Heartlands. The fourth week was soon, and you knew your heat would be quick to follow. You didn’t have days to run around trying to find something that may not be there in the first place.

If only you could find a clue, or pick up at least the tiniest hint of a trail. Most sellers were Betas that didn’t have unique scent markers like an Omega or Alpha would, which made it easier for them to avoid unwanted company. They were very rarely in the same place twice. Had you been on top of this, you would have taken care of this issue before it was even an issue.

Would you have to resort back to your old ways of pleasuring yourself, leaving you not so quite satiated? Arthur told you there were alternative methods of your choice. You knew Karen was keen on bedding someone to relieve hers while Mary-Beth opted to keep to herself. Neither sounded pleasant to you.

A flash of memory crossed your mind. That night with Arthur…the way your body so readily accepted him. You were inebriated by your own desire then, clouded by the temptation of his musk and the swell of his knot. It was as if you were given the best meal of your life after being fed gruel.

What a dangerous sensation to chase.

You sighed and shook your head. It certainly won’t happen again. You couldn’t risk giving yourself to anyone like that ever again.

“What do ya plan to do?” Arthur interrupted your train of thought, breaking the long silence.

Hell, you still weren’t sure at that point. “I don’t know,” you groaned, clenching the reins in your fists hard. “I used to…just do it myself. Suppose that’s what I’ll have to do again.”

“But that don’t take it all away, right?” Arthur pressed.

“Never. It’s never enough…” you trailed off, pursing your lips. There was a curve in the road ahead, and the two of you slowed down.

Arthur took the opportunity to step his horse closer to yours. “Unless you…” he muttered, trailing off.

You nodded, answering his unasked question. Your memory was once again taken back, vividly reminiscing the way his hands held you, the way he was careful to move you before his knot released. It was nature’s intention to put an Alpha and Omega together. Those few moments of sweet bliss, as if you two were meant to be one… “Never knew how it felt like until you came along.” you turned your eyes to him, noting the look of interest he had on changed to surprise.

“Wait, I was your first?” he exasperated. When you nodded again, he brought his hand to his face, rubbing it as he let out a groan. “Christ… ‘M so sorry, that jus’ makes me feel worse…”

“Worse?” you repeated.

His gaze met yours with a solemn, shameful stare. “Didn’t even know you was a virgin. Takin’ somethin’ like that away from ya in that moment…”

You sighed heavily. That never mattered to you in the slightest, especially when the last thing on your mind was mating with someone. “Didn’t matter then, doesn’t matter now. Besides, we’re both guilty anyway.”

Arthur appeared as if he were going to say something else, instead he shook his head and sighed. “Maybe we can find, uh…another seller? There’s more than one, right? They gotta be ‘round somewhere.”

“Sure but not many,” you grumbled. “Arthur, I appreciate the help, but we ain’t gonna find one before my heat. I know that much. Like I said, they move around without much word.”

“You dunno that for sure,” he pointed out. “It’s worth a try.”

“Why are you so determined on finding one?” You asked, giving him a look. “Not like you’d get any benefit from it.”

“Jus’ wanna make sure you get what ya need,” he answered. “I know how much ya hate your heats.”

That little slip of truth in that moment, you remembered. You felt flattered that he’d come such lengths to try, yet at the same time it seemed unnecessary. Despite what happened between the two of you, neither of you had an obligation to one another. “You don’t have to, you know,” you pointed out.

“I know,” he murmured, so quiet you had to strain to hear him through the rhythmic hoofbeats and the wind whipping your face. “I jus’ thought I try to help ya this time. If you don’t want it, then I’ll head back to camp. Your call.”

You blinked in surprise. In truth you weren’t exactly sure what you’d expected with Arthur coming along. You were resigned to the idea of riding out your heat by self-pleasuring in a cabin somewhere. However, his determination refused to wither. He wanted to help you. He went out of his way just to make sure you purchased the tonic. You admired his persistence. Maybe with his help, it could be possible. You eventually responded with, “I guess we can try. But the moment I start feeling it, we need to stop.”

Arthur looked at you for a moment, and nodded in understanding. “Sure.”

—

You started in Valentine, a knowing there could be some people milling about with information. Mere droplets were shared, only learning of rumors and tales rather than anything concrete. There had been a seller there just a day before, but with no direct route of passage of where they went next. From what you gathered, the seller was headed either to Annesburg or Saint Denis. East as a general direction that also meant adding a day’s worth of travel after having traveled in the opposite direction.

You and Arthur left just as the sun was setting, casting beautiful warm hues across the Heartlands. He was hasty with his departure, ensuring there was as least time as possible in getting to your destination. The two of you decided to tackle Saint Denis first, hoping to pick up leads in a more densely populated area before moving on to Annesburg if needed.

The night grew later and your eyelids began to grow heavy. You’d just passed the state line into Lemoyne, the air much warmer and more humid than the clear atmosphere of New Hanover. The heat that surrounded you like a blanket was not helping your fatigue. When you yawned widely, Arthur decided to set up camp.

Soon you found yourself sitting in front of a small fire. Arthur found a small clearing surrounded by a few trees far enough from the road to not draw too much attention. After setting up your respective tents and getting a fire going, he left to hunt and assured you he would be near enough in case there was any trouble. You hadn’t been sitting by yourself for very long, and you let yourself succumb to your thoughts.

Saint Denis was just a half a day’s worth of travel from where you were right now. You hoped you could find better answers there. If not, then it would take almost another day to make it up to Annesburg. Arthur mentioned you two could take the train to save some time. A practical idea, but you were hoping it wouldn’t be needed.

You always had a good grasp of when your heat would start. However, you were beginning to grow anxious on how close it was cutting. Unlike before you were not afraid to confront it without the tonic now, but having it possibly start in unfamiliar territory was daunting.

The sounds of grass rustling caught your attention, and you smelled Arthur before you could see him. He appeared out of the darkness, hands laden with a few rabbits. He caught your gaze and offered you a half-smile.

“Doin’ alright?” he asked.

“As well as ever,” you answered, sitting up and watching him begin to skin the rabbits. “How about you?”

Arthur’s eyes swiveled back to you, a momentary look of faint confusion crossing his face before he focused back to the meat. “I’m alright I guess.” After managing to section the meat, he stuck some on his knife and knelt down over the fire.

It took a few minutes for the meat to finish cooking. The savory smell wafted to your nose and your stomach rumbled. Arthur handed some pieces to you, and you began to munch on them gratefully. It wasn’t a full meal but it was enough to keep you sated until tomorrow.

Besides the crackle of the fire and the sounds of nature surrounding you, it was quiet. You were staring into the dancing flames, letting your mind wander once again. Your fatigue was beginning to settle after sitting for so long and you were prepared to turn in for the night. You lifted your head to tell Arthur, only to find him staring at you.

His reaction was just a second too late, turning his head away and awkwardly clearing his throat. You blinked. “Something wrong, Arthur?”

“Er, nothin’,” he mumbled. “Sorry.”

It only occurred to you then it was the first time that you were alone with him since that fateful night. You wondered what was going through his mind at the moment. Was he too thinking back to it? You remembered the conversation you had earlier, how he felt ashamed of taking your innocence. You supposed an otherwise hardened outlaw would not care about a woman’s virtue. But he did.

You also realized that you didn’t really know much about him past the outlaw life. Almost a month living in the same camp together and he was still a stranger to you. Contemplating on picking his brain a little, you scooted slightly closer. Your movement aroused him and he offered a look of curiosity.

“What’re you thinking about?” you asked lightly.

His gaze broke from you, a small shrug on his shoulders. “Nothin’ in particular, why?”

“Just curious,” you admitted. “Quite frankly…I don’t know much about you.”

He scoffed at your response, his eyes rolling in the golden light. “I ain’t a man worth knowin’, especially after what I done.”

You frowned slightly. “I know your ledger ain’t the cleanest-”

“I meant with you,” he interrupted. “I know you said it don’t matter, I just can’t help feelin’ guilty over it still.”

You breathed out a heavy sigh. “Arthur, we were both guilty. I was the one who lured you in, remember? Wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t go after you in the first place.”

“Shouldn’t have fallen for that trap,” he chuckled without humor. “But I took advantage of you…your heat... I can hold myself together around an Omega, but somehow…”

As he trailed off, you nodded in understanding. An Alpha’s rut was almost as difficult as an Omega’s heat to ride through. Only older and more seasoned Alphas were able to achieve it. Arthur shared a camp with Omegas, so you could see how he’d learn to contain himself.

You bit your lip, suddenly feeling guilty as well. Your own temptations had tested his breaking point only to smash it to pieces. “Jesus, I had no idea. I’m sorry.” You murmured.

Arthur looked at you again, his expression hard to read. His lips twitched slightly before he spoke. “Ain’t your fault, Y/N. My own for lettin’ myself get to that point o’ no return.”

“It’s still on both of us regardless, no matter which way you spin it,” you pointed out. “What happened has happened, can’t fix that now. We just have to keep moving on.”

“I guess,” he sighed.

It once again fell silent between the two of you. Your gaze fell back to the now dying fire, the embers glowing faintly against the earth. The indigo and cobalt expanse of the sky was slowly engulfing you. Thoughts began to stir in more curiosity. It was the most you’ve talked about it, and somehow it felt more awkward than burying it with your memories. You supposed it was better to speak about it than not.

“We should turn in for the night,” he spoke again, moving to stand up. As you got to your feet as well, he kicked out the remainder of the fire and shrouding you both in near-total darkness.

As your eyes adjusted, you could see his gleaming in dim. He was staring at you again for a beat longer before turning to face his tent. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

For the briefest of a second you could feel the brush of his fingertips along the bare skin of your forearm as he passed by. A simple quick touch that sent sparks through you. It was so quick and sudden you assumed it might’ve been an accident.

Or was it?

A large yawn instead took your thoughts to your bedroll. Bidding him a goodnight just as he disappeared into his tent, you made your way toward your own.

---

The early morning sun peering through the slits of your tent aroused you from your restful, dream-filled sleep. You sat up slowly, rubbing the last dregs of fatigue from your eyes. As your body became more aware, the low crackling of a fire outside caught your attention. You crawled forward and opened your tent to see Arthur sitting in front of the fire. His attention was on the leather journal in his hands. He seemed to be writing something down, not having noticed you yet.

You’d seen that journal a few times before. You wondered often what he wrote in it. As you crawled out of the tent and into the dim morning light, only then did Arthur look up and close his journal.

“Mornin’,” he rasped, his voice just slightly sleep-touched while he reached for a coffee pot and cup off to the side. He poured some into the cup and held it out. “How’d you sleep?”

You thanked him with a smile and grasped the cup in your hands. The cool metal began to warm instantly and you took a sip. Bitter and hot, it was an unusually welcoming feeling in your dry mouth. “Pretty decent. How about you?”

He shrugged slightly in response before he placed the journal in his satchel. “Can’t complain. Anyway, we’ll be headin’ off once you’re done with that. Sound good?”

You nodded while taking another sip. Leaving soon meant you’d reach Saint Denis by either late morning or early afternoon, and left you a good amount of time to start asking around. Once you finished your coffee, Arthur helped you break down your tent before tending to his own. Once the site had been completely devoid of everything, you were on the road again.

With the air becoming more humid and hazy, it were as if each breath you took was like inhaling water. Through the thickness of the atmosphere, the buildings of Saint Denis unveiled ahead. You’d reached the cobblestone streets by high noon, the sun disappearing above the smog. Both a beautiful and intimidating city, you were both hopeful and determined your search would end here.

You and Arthur agreed to split up to cover more ground. He knew you were perfectly capable of handling yourself after learning your reputation. However it did not stop him from being apprehensive. Before you set off, he asked you to dismount your horse. You did so, about to question as to why when he dismounted his to stand in front of you, and he tugged the black bandana from around his neck to hold out to you.

You stared at it in confusion, before turning your eyes to him.

“Keep my scent on ya, just in case anyone gets any ideas.” He explained.

“I don’t need-” you began, yet the look on his face stopped you in your tracks. True concern. You knew what he was trying to do; an Alpha sometimes would scent mark their mates by having them wear an article of clothing, an added layer of protection to ward off any rival Alphas if they were ever separated. He wasn’t trying to claim you, though. He had a good reason to make sure you were guarded. You weren’t too familiar with Saint Denis, but you knew there was a considerable amount of Alphas here. Without another word, you took the bandana from his hands and wrapped it around your own neck. His scent wafting off the fabric filled your nose.

A small smile of relief crossed his face. “Thank you. Alright, let’s meet by the train station in four hours,” he said, mounting back on his horse. “Be careful.”

You nodded to him, climbing onto your mare. “You too, Arthur. See you in a few hours.”

And in those few hours you’d discovered absolutely nothing.

Your frustration only grew as you moved down the streets and through the alleyways, finding the more questionable of people to ask. To your dismay they wouldn’t know or they avoided the question entirely. Some answers had you tracing back to Valentine or Emerald Ranch. Your head was absolutely spinning with the lack of direction, but you didn’t want to give up just yet.

After a few hours of dead ends and misleadings, you’d found hopefully one more lead.

You had around fifteen minutes before meeting Arthur back at the train station, and the last place you decided to try was a saloon on the seedier part of the city. The building itself appeared run-down, and the faint smell of urine lingered on the walls. You crinkled your nose and pushed the door open, coming upon a scene that wasn’t unfamiliar to you.

Drunken fools slurring and giggling in their seats, tipping half-empty bottles of beer and whiskey to their loose lips. An abundance of Betas with a few Omegas mixed in. Surely someone here could be persuaded through their inebriation.

You approached another Omega who seated herself in the corner, her cheeks rosy and her eyes half lidded as her distant gaze met yours. She clutched an amber bottle in her hand. You offered her a polite smile and sat across from her.

“Hello,” you greeted.

“H-hey, sugar,” she slurred, the smell of whiskey strong on her breath. “W-wanna have a good time?”

“No,” you answered immediately. “Listen…I’m in search of something. Something that would help…people like you and me.”

The woman blinked at you with an absolutely dumbfounded expression. “I…I ain’t sure whatchoo talkin’ about! Whuh-what?”

You sighed and closed your eyes to keep your composure. This seemed like a good idea just a minute ago. “A certain…tonic,” you leaned in and dropped your voice. “Ya know…a blessing in disguise.”

She hiccupped heavily, frowning as her fogged gaze turned away from you. She doubled over and held her stomach, promptly stumbling off her stool and heading to the exit. As she disappeared through the door, you heard the unmistakable sounds of retching and you sighed. So much for that.

You turned to look around, hoping you’d catch someone else that could tell you. There weren’t too many other Omegas, and each and every one seemed to be as inebriated as the previous. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea as you thought. You instead decided to leave, the smell of fresh alcohol vomit filling your nostrils as you exited into the hazy afternoon air. The poor girl was off to the side, moaning in pain next to her puddle of shame. You just kept walking, looking around for your horse. The mare had wandered off and your lips formed to whistle for her when another smell overtook your senses.

Alpha. A scent unlike Arthur’s but heavier and…rancid. Your nose crinkled and you hastened your steps. As you passed by an alleyway, a silhouette appeared and made its way toward you.

“Heard you were lookin’ ‘round for some Lilith’s Blessing,” a voice rumbled from the silhouette, who moved to step in behind you.

You kept your cool despite a small bubble of anxiety rising in your stomach. You’d dealt with Alphas like him one too many times before. “Bet you’ve heard many things in this city,” you countered, keeping your sights forward.

“I just thought it was strange…for a claimed Omega to be askin’ for such a thing when her Alpha should be takin’ care of her,” he continued as if you hadn’t spoken. He was still right behind you, too close for comfort.

You turned around to face him. Much taller than you as expected, wearing clothes that would easily cost you an entire month’s worth of bounties to achieve. He had a gleam in his eye that you did not trust. “What I do with my Alpha is none of your concern.” You hissed with a scowl. “Please leave me alone.”

“Ah, I don’t think so,” he growled, his arms quickly reaching out to you. You’d anticipated this and stepped back, bringing your own arm to swing a punch directly to his face. The distinctive and satisfying crunch of his nose breaking beneath your fist was enough to bring him to his knees. He yowled in pain, followed by expletives you cared to not repeat.

You turned on your heel and sprinted down the street. Your feet hit hard against the cobblestone as you sought to push as much distance between him and you as possible. You turned a corner and another, hoping that if he recovered, he would lose track of you that way. You weaved through random pedestrians, their sounds of shock and surprise falling on deaf ears. You only stopped when you’d ended up in an alley.

You were breathing hard, leaning against a wall in attempts to catch your breath. You had to find your way to the train station from here. Arthur surely would have reached there by now and was probably wondering where you were. Maybe he’ll come looking for you, though it was such a vast city you weren’t sure if that was possible. Hopefully you could ask someone for directions.

As your breath evened out and your heart stopped hammering, you straightened up again. Just before you began to move however, a tightening below your navel made its presence. A sensation you were all too familiar with. Your heart dropped to your stomach. Shit.

It was a little too early for this.

You had to find Arthur and high-tail it out.

You made your way back to the street and whistled loudly, hoping your horse was close enough to hear you. Others in the area turned their heads toward you, and you hoped it was because of your whistle and not the other reason.

You waited for a full minute, and nothing. Huffing in frustration, you headed to the first person you saw and asked for directions to the train station. Thankfully you learned it wasn’t too far away, and not in the direction of the Alpha who attempted to assault you. You hurried in the direction they told you, keeping your pace fast and your eyes forward.

The further you went, the more eyes were upon you. You hastened your steps again, knowing you had caught the attention of more than one Alpha in the area. The scent on Arthur’s bandana was beginning to fade.

The presence of others on your tail made you hyperaware. They were far back enough for you to slip out of sight, favoring to move in between buildings. You knew the general direction of the station and hoped you wouldn’t get turned around again. You were closer, possibly a few blocks away from what you were told. The steady breeze was moving with you.

As you approached the opening to another street, a large body stepped into your way. You skidded to a halt, eyes widening as the Alpha musk once again enveloped you.

“Omega…” he growled, his eyes flashing brightly. You ducked his opening arms, quickly skirting around him impressively in such a narrow space before darting forward.

Out into the open street, you managed to weave between horses and wagons. A train whistle sounded through the crowd, signaling that you were close. You put on a burst of speed, sprinting down the street with the train station clear ahead. You heard the Alpha behind you, his low snarl ripping through the crowd. You prayed Arthur was there waiting.

The Alpha grew closer, his larger body and longer strides were able to catch up to you in nearly no time at all. The busy street had only given you a slight headstart. You willed your legs to go faster, but the ache settling deep in your muscles told you that you weren’t able to.

He was just feet behind you.

Panic began to settle in.

You were ready to meet your inevitable fate when the sounds of hoofbeats appeared behind you, thunderous and quick, you heard the metal of the horseshoes skidding to a stop across the cobblestone.

“Back off,” a familiar – and welcoming – voice growled. You spun around to see Arthur on his horse, effectively blocking the Alpha from you. “She’s mine.”

The other Alpha snarled. You couldn’t see what happened next, only heard the connection of Arthur’s boot to his body. A grunt of pain was quick to follow, accompanied by the heavy thud of his body on the ground. It was only then did Arthur turn to look at you.

“Come on,” he huffed, gesturing to the back of his horse. You did not have to be told twice, jumping up onto the stallion was the quickest you’ve ever mounted a horse. As soon as your arms wrapped around his torso he took off.

Your heart hammered wildly in your chest as you kept your eyes forward. The train station was dead ahead. “Arthur-” you breathlessly uttered. “We can’t go to Annesburg. My heat-”

“I know,” he interrupted lowly. “I smelled it this mornin’.” Instead of heading toward the train, he veered off to the right and followed the tracks opposite of the way the train was facing. Residential buildings gave way to factories and stockyards, meaning you were nearly out.

A familiar whinny caught your attention. You turned your head and saw your mare running toward the both of you, and you sighed in relief.

---

The two of you rode out of Saint Denis without any trouble, heading westward toward Rhodes. Arthur however kept on the paths away from any sort of civilization, that of which you were grateful for. The longer you rode, however, the worse the pressure in your belly became. His scent wafted around you, prodding you further towards the peak of your heat. It wouldn’t be much longer before you were coated in your own slick and unable to move in his presence.

You gave him a warning, hoping he too would be able to compose himself like he said he could. He stopped deep in the woods, close to a stream where you were able to temporarily quench the burning in your throat. Arthur was quick to set up your tent, though keeping himself at a safe distance to not inhale your ever-growing scent of temptation.

It was only twilight by then, though appearing darker underneath the canopy of the trees. Your skin was already damp from the humidity, yet the presence of your slick was beginning to soak through your bloomers. You took a deep breath and looked at Arthur, tugging away the bandana from your neck and holding it out to him. He took it, carefully not allowing his fingers to brush yours.

It’d been quiet between the two of you when you stopped. You finally broke the silence. “Arthur, you can leave me,” you said to him. “I know my scent can’t be too friendly on you.”

He looked at you with a slight frown and a furrowed brow. “I ain’t leavin’, Y/N. Gotta make sure you’re safe.”

His refusal surprised you and simultaneously fluttered your heartstrings. You weren’t sure how to feel about his response. “We’re not close to any towns or-”

“Don’t matter. You know exactly how far your scent can travel.” He said knowingly. “Can’t risk that, so you do what you gotta do. I’ll be out here.” He gestured to the forest that surrounded you.

You sighed heavily. There was no arguing with Arthur, that you learned after having caught wind of his conversations with others. It wasn’t a situation you were foreign to either. In your younger days you’d learned to pleasure yourself in the presence of others who were close by to keep a lookout. You would tune it out and become lost in your own thoughts.

Time to visit the past.

You nodded to him and turned toward your tent. As you entered it you listened to his footsteps grow distant. You took a deep breath and lay on your bedroll, allowing your mind to succumb to your heat.

You closed your eyes and unbuttoned your shirt. Your wandering hands rolled up your chemise to explore your bare skin. You were hot and damp to the touch, and your nipples were already puckered. It’d been so long since you’d done this to yourself that you almost missed it. Almost.

Your pants were next, the denim constricting you as your body demanded to be free. You unbuttoned them and slid a hand in, your fingers sliding along your folds still covered by your chemise. You kicked off your jeans and shrugged off your shirt, and your underclothing was soon to follow. Your fingers dragged their way to your slit, parting them and your other hand began to caress your bundle of nerves. The pleasure began to roll through you, growing slowly as your touch became more fervent.

An image appeared in the depths of your mind. Arthur pinning you against a tree, fucking you to his content. It disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived, yet it was enough to send a wave of fresh yearning through you. Biting on your lip, you tried to ignore it.

That however did nothing to staunch the way your body responded further to that memory. You mentally tried to push it away despite how wet you were growing for that sensation again. You shouldn’t fantasize about Arthur, you couldn’t.

Your mind kept screaming at yourself, but your body keened for his touch. The seconds ticked by and you were losing control of your own thoughts.

The dam broke open, flooding your mind with the memories of how Arthur took you that night. How perfect he felt inside you. The way his hands ravaged every inch of your sensitive skin and he rammed you. Your fingers slid into your entrance, desperately trying to reenact the sensation of his cock inside you. His growl, audible in your mind, was enough to send shivers cascading through your body.

You remembered how instantly protective he was over you earlier. The power in his voice, she’s mine. Even if it were just in the heat of the moment to ward off the other Alpha, those mere words sent you spiraling.

A small part of you wished you hadn’t resorted to him. He however was your first, and the only memory that you sustained in such a powerful event. You ached so painfully for it again. Your hands worked feverishly against your clit and teased your entrance. Every nerve of your body tingled as you barreled toward your release.

“Arthur…”

Your climax crashed over you fiercely, overtaking your muscles as you clenched around your fingers. You expelled a fresh rush of fluid into the palm of your hand. That was new.

You released shallow breaths as blood rushed through your ears. The fire of your release began to ebb away, settling back within your belly. You expected the dull ache that accompanied your usual ministrations. However, it were as if you hadn’t even done anything. The yearning returned with full force, gripping hold of your insides that you nearly gasped out from its intensity.

You moaned in frustration and gritted your teeth. God damn it. You knew what you were craving, who you were craving. You should have expected it wouldn’t be the same after your encounter with him. It were as if he changed your entire chemistry right down to the very core. You wouldn’t be satisfied unless he were to copulate with you. And you weren’t even mated to him.

But would he oblige?

You swallowed and sat up, the growing need for him beginning to cloud your mind. A small part of you contemplated on just riding the remainder of your heat out, regardless how long it took. There was no way Arthur would agree to do this again. You were ashamed of even considering it. You knew how he felt about it and you couldn’t blame him. Hell, you couldn’t blame either of you.

A swell of pressure grew within your core, forcing a sharp intake of breath from you. Perhaps you ought to try.

You stood up and peered through the flaps of your tent. It’d grown even darker, and you strained your eyes to see through the trees. A small breeze carried by, bringing Arthur’s scent to you and flooding your senses. Your legs trembled from how it enveloped you. He was still nearby.

You called his name into the quiet night and waited. A moment passed by when the faint sounds of moving underbrush appeared. His silhouette formed through the dark, becoming more prominent with each step. He was close enough to see his face, though still stood a good distance away.

“You finished?” he asked.

You shook your head. “No…” you mumbled. “I...I need help.”

You watched as his expression changed to confusion in the dim. “Help? With what?” he asked.

You swallowed hard. “I-I think you know…” you stammered, shyly glancing downward. You waited for him to reject you, waited for the anger of you even suggesting it.

Instead was even more bewilderment. “W-why?” he asked.

You sighed heavily. “Because I-” you paused for a moment to collect the right words. “I tried, it didn’t work. It’s the only way, Arthur. Please…I wouldn’t ask if there was another way aside from…riding it out.”

He’d fallen silent for a long moment, his gaze turning away from you, and you assumed that was his rejection. You withdrew back into your tent, unsure what you were going to do now. Embarrassment began to flood through you, and you cursed your heat for even allowing you to consider asking for his help. It was going to be a long week.

You heard the flaps open, and you turned your head to see Arthur at the entrance. It nearly surprised you, giving him a look of your own confusion. “Arthur?”

His eyes were on you, eyes bright against the darkness. His scent began to overwhelm you as he stepped in completely. You instinctually covered yourself, shyness overcoming you.

“Y/N…” he rumbled, kneeling down and reaching to gently cup your face. You hadn’t expected it, your body both flinching and responding to his touch. Rough fingers slid against the soft skin of your face, and you closed your eyes, allowing the sparks roll through your body.

You felt his lips brush against yours. His hands coaxed your stiff arms down and away from you. It surprised you that he was so intimate and gentle unlike before. He pulled you into his lap as if you were weightless, his clothes rough against your naked skin. The bulge beneath his pants were already prominent, sitting against your soaked mound.

The kiss became more fervent, his tongue prodding you open. You gladly accepted his invasion, letting him take the lead. One hand left your waist to trail up and down your back. A simple touch that had your heat keening for him. Your back arched and you pressed your breasts against his chest. A quiet groan rumbled deeply from him, and he parted his lips from yours.

The hand that trailed along your spine had come to rest on your lower back. “You sure ya want this?” he murmured to you.

You took a deep, shuddering breath. “Yes,” you answered coherently. “I want you, Arthur. I need you right now.” Your arms wrapped around his neck.

He inhaled deeply, allowing your scent to flood his senses. A growl emanated from his chest, sending a shiver took hold of you. “You smell so good…” he whispered. His hand moved to your navel, sinking down low to your folds. Another shudder rippled through you as his fingers grazed against your sensitive clit. You could hear how wet you were when he teased your entrance.

“T-take me, please. Arthur…I’m aching for you,” you moaned, canting your hips to his touch.

He hummed at your words, sliding his fingers into you with ease. His thumb circled your nub. A gasp passed your lips as he toyed you tantalizingly, almost lazily. He hadn’t done this before with you. Even with his fingers, it was what your body needed. He felt so good that you could get lost just from his hands alone. His other hand moved from your lower back to your chest, grazing his thumb across one of your nipples. He played you like an instrument, his fingers expertly teasing you at a slow pace in every right way. It didn’t take long until you were writhing in his lap. You begged for more, but he kept at it with his ministrations, his eyes on you the entire time.

Your second peak had washed over you smoothly, yet somehow was more satisfying and explosive than the first. You moaned his name, your fingers grappling onto him like claws as it gripped your body. The last of it trickled out of your body as you trembled in his lap. You’d certainly made a mess on his jeans. The ache in your belly had lessoned however still remained prominent, and you wanted him even further.

“Did that help?” he asked lowly.

“A little,” you sighed. “Not enough…I need to feel you.”

He didn’t answer, ducking his head as if in thought. You could sense his hesitation and could guess why: his thoughts were still lingering on his guilt. You placed your hand on his stubbled chin, coaxing him to look at you.

“It’s okay, Arthur. I’m asking you…please. I want your knot.” You whispered to him. Your free hand slinked down his torso to rest on his strained jeans. His entire body twitched beneath you.

His gaze was fixated on you. There was still an unsureness hidden within those depths, yet the gleam reflected much more. His rut was the forefront, the need to connect with you held back by uncertainty. He released a rattling sigh, finally muttering, “I want you too.”

You smiled and your hand left his chin to work on the buttons of his shirt. It was already partly opened and you moved to work on the rest. It would be the first time seeing him nude and a fresh wave of need washed upon you thinking about it. The fabric fell open and you placed your hands on his exposed torso. He felt solid underneath his hot, hairy skin. His even breathing slightly disrupted from your touch. Fingertips trailing along his midline, you explored the planes and angles of his muscles. He was built just right. The very epitome of an Alpha.

You dare to explore further, dipping down to the waistband of his pants. As the buttons released the tension it unveiled what lay hidden underneath. You reached in through the opened folds to fish out his length. It was as thick as you remembered, your hand not fully wrapping around its circumference. The knot at the base was slightly swollen.

His breath hitched as you slid your hand along his hot and silky skin. Even though he’d taken your innocence last time, you were not ignorant on how to pleasure a man. His soft moans were a sweet melody to your ears, calling to you and reaching even further to your heat. You drew in a ragged breath as another swell of yearning overtook you.

Arthur sensed it, and his hand covered your own. He pulled your hand off him gently. “Think I need to focus on you now, sweetheart.” He muttered, planting a soft kiss upon your knuckles.

Sweetheart. You hadn’t expected that. A blush painted your face and you smiled shyly, tucking your face against your shoulder. He moved you off his lap and placed you back on your bedroll.

“On your knees.” He said gently. You listened and turned around, raising your ass up in presentation to him. His large hands took place on your waist and you waited for him to pound in. He instead slid his cock between your folds, groaning lightly as he coated himself with your fluids. He teased your clit for a short moment before he found your opening and slid in with ease, taking his time to fill you inch by inch. He stretched your walls oh so deliciously until he was completely sheathed.

You felt whole again, the two of you fitting together perfectly like puzzle pieces. Your body naturally pushed back, your butt flush with his hips. He uttered a small swear while his grip tightened on you.

He began to thrust. A slow and rolling movement that sent waves traveling through every fiber of your being. “Arthur…” you moaned. “You feel so good.”

His pace quickened a touch as he moaned out your name. He was careful with you this time, each touch and thrust as gentle as handling fine china. He caressed every curve you had to offer, tingles erupting everywhere his calloused pads roamed. He left no inch of your flesh untouched, exploring everywhere he could reach. He leaned over you, clouding your mind with his musk as his strong arms wrapped around you. Your breasts were at his leisure, toying with them as he had before. The way he pinched your nipples sent shivers down your spine.

“You feel amazin’,” He groaned, pressing himself deep as he inhaled sharply. “So soft…” he straightened back up and ran a hand down your back, his nails spurring you enough to enhance your ever-growing pleasure. He reached around to rub against your clit.

The additional sensation had you trembling in his grasp. Your head tilted up to whine out loud, uncaring of the volume at the moment.

“That’s it darlin’,” he rumbled to you. “Give me your pleasure.”

Darlin’. His voice. It was enough alone to send you nearly over the edge. It brought your third peak sooner than expected, coiling right deep within your core. It sprang free and spread like wildfire through your veins. You sang your pleasure out to him, your muscles clenching around him so tightly that he grunted.

He swore out loud, driving into you rather hard. You gasped and tried to wiggle away from the overstimulation. He held you against him yet returned to his normal pace. “Shit,” he groaned. “You sound beautiful.”

Your face heated with another blush. You turned your head to look at him. His eyes locked to yours, his clouded with lust. He offered you a small smile and briefly caressed your neck. Such intimacy continuously caught you off guard yet was pleasant all the same. “C-can you go harder, please?” you sighed.

He moaned at your words and heeded your request, thrusting harder and deeper into you. The waves of absolute ecstasy that followed were almost dizzying. You gripped the bedroll and released a wanton moan. His knot was starting to swell more, indicating he was close to his own release. His thrusts became more fervent as he chased his pleasure. Leaning over once again he wrapped his arms around you to bring you upright, pressing your back to his chest. You could only gasp in surprise from this action words lost to you with your mind too fogged. His scruffy chin rested on your shoulder as he murmured sweet praises in your ear. He was relentless, his fingers hadn’t left your clit while his other hand fondled your breasts. Your body threatened to melt in his grip with yet another orgasm on the climb.

It washed onto you like a tsunami. Your entire body vibrated in his arms as you cried your release out to the heavens, his name mixed in a tangle of swears and squeals. With the flames ebbing away, his arms held you tight while he drove himself even further into you.

“Shit, I’m close,” he growled lowly. His knot teased the sensitive nerves of your inner walls. You could only breathlessly whine while he used your body to his bidding. With a few strong thrusts, he unleashed a guttural groan and pressed himself into you as much as he could, spilling his hot spend inside you.

His knot had swelled completely, once again locking you to him. The little space of your tent had become filled with the heated panting of your breaths. The aching swell once residing deep in your belly had finally dissipated, leaving behind a blanket of fatigued bliss.

Arthur’s arms loosened a fraction from around you. You hadn’t expected the next maneuver when he shifted you as if you were weightless. He’d managed to carefully lay the both of you atop your bedroll, his weight was on top of you for only a brief second before he rolled onto his side and pulling you along with him. He was now spooning you, and only then did his arms leave your torso.

The air was hot, the heat radiating from his skin even hotter. That didn’t matter to you in the slightest. Riddled head to toe with satisfaction of finally having what you needed with the person you needed it from. Just an hour ago it seemed even impossible to reach this point.

You felt him shift behind you again. His presence loomed over you and his hand reached to cup your jaw. You turned to his touch without resistance, peering up into those bright eyes of his. He had a soft smile that shone through the dim, and he brought his lips to meet yours.

The kiss was as tender as the first. It still amazed you how this beast of a man could be so soft and gentle with you. He held you to him and you marveled how plump his lips felt against yours. Another long moment passed before he released your face, his hand coming to rest on your hip.

Such a simple notion had you lightheaded. You gave a small huff, your senses still filled to the brim of his scent. He chuckled lightly, sending vibrations against your back.

“Been wantin’ to do that for a while,” he rumbled.

You blinked and shifted slightly to view him better. “What, fuck me?”

“Not exactly,” he murmured. “Kiss you.”

His answer had you taken aback. “W-what? Really?”

His hand moved again, beginning to trace lazy patterns up and down your waistline. “Yeah… was afraid to say somethin’ to ya after what happened. Weren’t sure if you even liked me. Thought I’d try.”

You released a shuddering sigh at his words. Never did you once imagine it would have come to this point. You denied your slowly growing infatuation for him as one-sided and heat-driven, assuming he’d never even want to touch you again. And you were glad you were wrong.

“’Less you just needed me for my knot…” he mumbled, turning his head away and taking your silence for rejection.

“No!” you exclaimed. He flinched from your interjection. You cautiously moved yourself to cup his cheek. “Arthur…” you said, lowering your tone. “Listen, I… I like you. I do. If I didn’t I wouldn’t have asked you to help me with my heat…” you sighed again. “Regardless of what happened between us. I like you.”

You watched the disbelief melt away from his face to slowly form a content smile. His hand covered yours, passing his lips across the skin of your palm. You closed your eyes, allowing the sensation to envelope you. He kissed a steady, feather-light path up your arm and along your shoulder. He finished by placing his mouth against your pulse point. His teeth grazed your flesh, catching your attention. Your breath hitched and you opened your eyes.

“Don’t worry, I won’t mark ya,” he assured, whispering into your skin. “Too early for anything yet…”

You nodded silently. Still much too soon to even consider such a large step, if it were even a possibility in the future.

“But I wanna get to know ya more…” he continued. His touch moved to your stomach, rubbing it in slow, soothing circles. “If that’s okay.”

“Of course it’s okay,” you granted, sparks igniting deep from how he caressed you. “Just wish you’d done it sooner.”

He exhaled a puff of breath with a small chuckle. “I ain’t the most confident of folk, believe it or not.”

You hummed in response. “Guess I ain’t surprised since you went almost a month without saying much to me.”

“’Spose I gotta make up for that then,” he replied, placing a sweet kiss on the back of your neck. The hand on your stomach pressed your torso closer to his in a tight embrace. You fell to it easily, finding comfort and security in his capable hands.

The post copulation ache that took hold of your muscles soon began to engulf you whole. Sleep weighed heavy in your mind and tugged at your eyelids. The last thing you heard was Arthur’s voice soothing you to a restful sleep.

[birminghamblinders]

arranged marriage- arthur shelby (part two)

gif by @bonniebirddoesgifs​

The roar of approval from the Shelby side of the church had started before Arthur had even fully leant in to kiss his new wife, and he felt a fresh wave of affection muster when she giggled against his mouth in response. His wife’s family, seemingly willing to forgive Tommy’s initial threats now that the two lineages were joined in matrimony, added to the swell of noise as the two progressed down the aisle, Arthur choosing to slide an arm around his wife’s waist rather than hold her hand. She leant into him ever so slightly as they processed out of the church, and Arthur sorely missed the comfortable, warm weight of her against his side when they separated to step into the carriage that was to take them to the reception. 

The party itself went by in a blur, consumed as it was in towers of champagne glasses glistening in chandelier light and uproarious laughter from John, who’d made it his personal mission to keep his table entertained. As caught up as they all were in flashing lights and bouncing music, Arthur knew he’d never forget a single detail of his first dance with his new wife: the way she beamed up at him when he first took her hand, the single strand of hair that had fallen out of her updo and come to rest across her forehead, the energy thrumming through the both of them that made Arthur’s heart race even though the ballad and the dance itself were conducted at a slow tempo. 

The electric energy of the reception lasted until the early hours of the morning, when the last few guests got in their cars to begin the dark drive home and John guffawed at his wife as she stumbled from the bar with total concentration. Arthur was sat with his wife at the high table, having left the dance floor some hours past and retreated to an oddly private cocoon, seeing as it was located in such a central part of the ballroom. They had pulled their chairs so close together that their knees touched as they sat, and Arthur’s wife was wearing his suit jacket, her hand entangled with Arthur’s where it hung loosely off her shoulder as the two of them talked in conspiratorial whispers. She was so engaged in listening to everything he said, so legitimately interested in what he had to say, that it was incredibly easy for Arthur to forget that he had met this woman scarce months earlier. 

It had, admittedly, been a bit of a whirlwind as the two of them got to know each other. Arthur was well aware of the wariness with which her father beheld the Shelbys, and he assumed that alone would keep her away from him for the most part. He couldn’t be more thrilled to be wrong, and privately very entertained to learn that she did in fact have a rebellious streak, insisting point blank that she be allowed to see her fiance whenever she wanted. They’d spent a few days wandering around Small Heath, passing the hours in conversation in a speed-run version of the types of get to know you talks that usually occurred in the first few months of a new friendship. Arthur had decided to take her out on a more proper excursion, bundling the two of them into his car and driving her out to the countryside, where they drank tea and murmured to each other about passers-by until she fell asleep on his shoulder, warm, happy, and apparently comfortable with her gangster husband-to-be. Arthur had wrapped a careful arm around her and balanced himself on his other hand, sitting in an uncomfortable, cramped position for well over an hour as she napped, so entranced with the peaceful expression on her face that he barely noticed the shooting pains causing the bones in his wrist to twitch.

She’d insisted he teach her how to drive, and he’d acquiesced, endlessly amused by the contrast between her enthusiasm and her trepidation to actually use the gas pedal, her fear of wrecking Arthur’s car causing them to putter along the roads at a speed barely faster than they could have walked. 

(There was, however, one occasion when, startled by some loud bang in the middle distance, she’d slammed her foot on the gas pedal and nearly gave Arthur whiplash.)

There was nothing Arthur wanted to do more than to be with her, to spend time with this extraordinary woman, but he had to resist the urge to cringe every time she looked into his eyes, the sincerity behind her gaze making Arthur feel as though she could see into the deepest parts of her soul. It was with this expression that she looked up at him as he rose from his seat and offered her his hand.

“Car’s outside,” he told her, feeling that familiar twinge of awkwardness when she met his eyes, coupled with the knowledge he was bringing her to his home, now, at the end of the night, not dropping her off to go sleep in the room adjacent to her father. She took his hand and Arthur couldn’t resist a smile at the way his jacket draped over her shoulders and enclosed her entirely. He let her lean into his side again as they made their way out of the building, and stroked her hair in the car as she drifted in and out of wakefulness by his side.

He lifted her quickly and lightly over the threshold of their home as she giggled, and leaned down to kiss her briefly as he swung the door shut behind them. She encircled her arms around his neck in response, and Arthur took a brief moment to glance at his wife in the dim lighting of the entryway. She noticed his hesitation almost immediately.

“Are you alright, Arthur?”

“I’m fine, sweetheart, are you…” he trailed off in search of the correct wording, “how are you feeling about all this?”

“I’m happy, Arthur,” she said, with a tone so rooted in finality it was as if she was speaking to a husband she had hand-chosen for herself.

“Can you be happy here? Shoved in with an old man who can’t keep his fuckin’ mind out of France?” 

She held up a gentle finger to his lips to silence him, and the lightbulb above their heads caught the shimmer of her wedding ring. 

“How have you not noticed how happy you make me, Arthur? This is the life I want. With you. Nobody else.”

Arthur took in a ragged breath, winded by the genuine love in her voice and let his hands fall to her waist, leaning in to kiss her forehead in a silent expression of thanks for the happiness they found themselves in in the current moment and the years of love that stretched before them.

[mxpseudonym]

Okay this is not a story, this is just what I ~would~ write if I was a talented dark fantasy author with time and energy writing an AU about Tommy’s intimate relationship with the physical manifestation of his demons:

We start with a flashback. 

A young John Shelby runs in and asks Polly, 

“Where’s Tommy? He said we’d play soldiers after lunch.” 

“You know your brother, he’s out in the fields again. He’ll spend all night there.”

We cut to young Tommy in the forest. 

The sound of childish laughter echoes around the forest accompanied by the snapping of twigs and the crushing of brush under quickening footsteps. 

“You’re getting slow!” Tommy laughs loudly as he nears top speed. He looks over his shoulder, but his smile falters when he sees no one is there. Tommy turns just in time to find his friend right in front of him. 

“Boo.” 

“Ah!”

The friend in question is only a bit taller than Tommy’s small 8 year old frame. Their youthful face and soft features, and loose fitting trousers and top left Tommy with all kinds of questions. However, even after months of playing together whenever Tommy wandered away from the warmth of Watery Lane, his friend still answered “are you a boy are a girl” with a bet. Such trivial things didn’t matter where his friend was from, but if it was so important, Tommy was allowed to guess. If he guessed wrong, however, his friend would never greet him again. Between John being too young to keep up, and Arthur having just started smoking, Tommy’s friend in the woods was the only one who could keep up with him, even besting him at times. It wasn’t worth it. It never seemed to matter, for when Tommy stepped out of the woods, he could never remember definitive characteristics about his friend anyway. 

Insert more demon-y, folklore-y stuff about the scary things that linger in the woods. Can’t forget a spooky meet cute:

It had been months since Tommy first found his friend in the woods. He’d fallen asleep deeper into the trees than usual and was awakened by a nudge and the question, “so you’re the boy who tempts the wolves at night?” 

Okay so they play all the time and the friend talks about themselves but in a nonchalant way. Like “I’m not as tricky as my siblings” and “they don’t know why I’m so patient with you.” But then one day, the friend gets a little too spooky like this:

The fear is icy as it slices through his veins and straight to his heart. Tommy can only smell his own blood with every inhale. The light peaking through the canopy of trees glints of the sharp, gnashing teeth of his friend whose eyes were dark, the pupils overtaking the white to reveal a despairing hunger. 

Tommy had always laughed at John’s bedwetting and the so called monsters under Ada’s bed. But this was different. This was real. He was trembling and about to be eaten if he didn’t do something. His fingers flexed first when he resolved to move, slowly escalating to clenching. One hand was a clammy mess, but the other met the roughness of his branch. Oh yes, the forest. He was in Small Heath, playing swords in the forest and he’d stay there until Curly came for him. Tommy gulped then let out a shaky breath before forcing himself to stand. 

“N-not fair. You can’t, you can’t win just because you scare me!” He shouted as much as he could, though it was hoarse and his voice cracked. He wiped his face, only just noticing it was hot with tears. His friend allowed a moment of surprise before letting out a sinister chuckle. 

“You’re right, Tommy,” the friend says, picking up his makeshift sword and aiming it as if they hadn’t stopped playing. “I have to fight for it.”

But Tommy doesn’t stop playing with them, he just starts to see more of the sinisterness in their ways. 

So then! It’s sort of like, the friend stays with Tommy as he grows up, but maybe he stops hanging around the woods so much after his dad leaves and he meets Greta. OR MAYBE he takes Greta to the woods and something spooky happens? Like she can’t see the friend OROROROORR (I feel like saying spoiler alert?) Greta’s the first one to see that the demon is in Tommy? Oooohhh that would be cool. Like his eyes are the hungry, dark pupils and his laugh is sinister. 

Something something something, Tommy and Greta and enlisting, something something. 

Okay now we’re at the war. Tommy meets his friend again in the tunnels and its part of the reason he will keep having nightmares but also his demon is a sort of comfort at this point so he indulges more in that relationship until he’s unrecognizable to Polly when he comes back from the war. Ya know?

Something something, seasons one and two, something something. 

Now on to Arrow House being my favorite spooky location and Tommy sleeping in the woods again when Grace dies and him starting to lose his mind. 

Honestly, more brain dumps to come. 

[darkelfshadow]

Session Summary - 113

AKA “Xonthal Tower”

Adventures in Taggriell

Session 113  (Date: 9th July 2021)

Players Present:

- Bob (Known as “Sir Krondor) Dwarf Male.

- Paul (Known as “Labarett”) Elf Male.

- Rob (Known as “Varis”) Elf Male. 

- Travis (Known as “Trenchant”) Human Male. 

- John (Known as “Ragnar”) Dwarf Male.  

Absent Players

- Arthur (Known as “Gim”) Dwarf Male.  <Played By Bob>

NPC

- (Known as “Naillae”) Elf Female. <Controlled by Travis>

Summary

- Starday, 6th Erastus in the year 815 (Second Era). Early Autumn.

- The party begin this session, in the maze of Xonthal. They attempt to try to locate the hidden Halfling criminals but end up wandering the around the maze lost for hours, the arcane properties of the maze draining Varis of some of his life.

- Deciding that the risk to continue the search is too great, the party instead make their way directly to the tower, now that they know the true path.

- In pairs, the party stand upon the stone dias at the top of the stone stairs, and touch the metal plate to teleport into the tower. 

- The party find themselves in a round room, with the appearance of an audience chamber. The body of a female high ranking Cult Officer lays dead on the floor, a trail of blood going to the teleport dias in this chamber. 

- The party spend some time discussing what action to take next, as the teleport panel in this chamber has eight different symbols. Trenchant uses his Mirror Of The Past on the dead Cult Officer and sees her in a struggle with another Cult Officer, a male with dark skin. The male overpowers her, taking her own Dragontooth Dagger from her and using it to kill her. The male then rips off a necklace from the dead female, with an hourglass pendant. The male wears a blue half pendant on his person, which the party recognise and surmise that this must be Iskander, the Cult Officer who wishes to defect and bring the Blue Dragon Mask to the alliance.

- Finally the party decide to try one of the teleport symbols, a star, and in pairs they teleport into another round chamber. This one has a large central mounted telescope, and many books on astronomy. In this room are three Red Wizards of They and a High Ranking Cult Mage Officer. Luckily, the first pair into the room, Sir Krondor and Sir Zern surprise one of the Red Wizards and the Cult Officer, and the pair immediately rushes into battle.

- The rest of the party arrive into the room by pairs, and by the time that the final members of the party appear, the battle is already over.

- The room is searched, including a small external balcony that overlooks the maze and the village of Xonthal. Looking through the telescope provides an impossible view of the entire surrounds and skies with no obstructions, during which the outline of a Blue Dragon is seen perched upon the nearby mountain range, keeping watch over the village.

- On the dead Cult Officer Mage, the party recover an Hourglass pendant, like the one they saw in the Mirror’s vision.

- After a discussion, the party decide to use the teleport pad, and Trenchant works out how to use the Hourglass pendant to ensure everyone in the party can use it. Soon, the party find themselves in a strange dungeon. The first room contains a teleport dias and three dead Cultists, two killed by magic and one killed by a Dragontooth dagger.

- Following a trail of blood into another chamber, Sir Krondor and Gim sneak up to a large chamber filled with furniture and various items of unknown function. In this room are five elementals, three Fire Elementals and two Earth Elementals. Without waiting for the rest of the party, using the element of surprise the two Dwarven cousins run in and attack one of the Elementals from the rear. They destroy the creature before the others can react. 

- The battle is now joined. The rest of the party make their way either into the chamber to join the fight in hand to hand combat or attack from range via the corridor. The party suffer some damage, but in the end they dispatch all the Elementals.

- On one of the crafting tables in the chamber a quantity of scrolls are recovered, giving protection from Elementals.

- The party ignore an adjacent door, that Sir Krondor can hear wind coming from, and instead claim up a long ascending stone stair case. They find themselves in a bizarre and unexpected sight. The stone floor of a t-junction is visible ahead of them, with self standing doors and archway, but there is no ceiling of walls or anything visible under the floor. The t-junction is floating in an infinite sea of stars all around the party, comets can be seen moving through the stars.

- Carefully the party move forward and approach the closest self standing door. When they open it they can see through the door frame into a room but the room is not visible from around the door, even though it should be.

- The party go through the open doorway to step into a circular study of some sort. Shelves of books and scrolls go from the floor all the way to the twenty foot tall ceiling. An ornate wooden table holds a map, that appears to show the Elemental Plane of Fire, with scribbled notes about the City Of Brass.

- Two hidden levers, disguised as books, are discovered that open two secret doors set ten feet above the ground. Using a ladder in the room, Ragnar searches one room to locate a smaller study where he recovers some scrolls. The other secret room is then entered by the whole party where a strange and foreboding large crystal hangs in the room, flames can be seen contained within it and a warmth comes from it. An ornate metal rod is in front of it, set into the floor.

- Near the crystal are some metal hooks set into the wall and a strange silver cloak made of thick and reflective material, inscribed with arcane runes, hangs from one of the hooks.

- The party decide to take a long rest here and shut the door to the outside floating astral corridor. Surprisingly, the party are not disturbed and manage to get a descent sleep in.

- Sunday, 7th Erastus in the year 815 (Second Era). Early Autumn.

- The party awake and Trenchant decides to put a theory he has to the test. He removes his armour and puts on the thick, tight fitting silver cloak, pulling the hood over his head. He goes back to the strange warm crystal and attempts to enter it with no success. Then he uses the ornate rod but can not seem to work out how to use it.

- Varis instead tries to use the rod, whilst Labarett and Naillae watch on. Varis succeeds in locking the rod into position and instantly the upper secret room is filled with raging fire coming from the crystal portal. 

- Varis, Naillae and Labarett are forced to run and dive out of the fire, still getting badly burnt, as Trenchant, protected by the arcane cloak, enters into the portal. He sees a land filled with fire and far away he can see a large sparkling city, the City Of Brass. The heat is over powering and even with the cloak hit hurts.

- Not knowing or trusting the cloak to keep him alive, and not wishing to go alone, Trenchant goes back through the portal and deactivates the rod, closing the portal.

- The party then proceed along the floating t-junction, stars and comets around them. They decide to ignore a chamber they can see through an open archway, and instead make their way to a set of double doors. 

- They open it to reveal an odd shaped room, with two strange and massive hourglasses that hang from the ceiling. The dead body of a dark skin Cult Officer, lays here. From the Mirror’s vision, they recognise it to be Iskander, the party are too late. Clasped in his dead hands is the Dragontooth Dagger Iskander stole. They find on his person the other half of the pendant he sent the alliance, and also another hourglass pendant, also stolen. A strange cylinder is found near Iskander, with many cogs circling it, each cog with all the letters of the common script. There is no Blue Dragon Mask on his person.

<And as the party decide what to do now, now that their contact and defector is found dead, that is the end of the session.>

XP Allocation

Group - Combined (This is equally divided by the number of players who were involved)

Quests (Only quests that are completed or rendered undoable, during this session, are shown here)

- Milestone - Enter Xonthal Tower = 500 XP

- Milestone - Obtain Hourglass Key = 500 XP

- Milestone - Locate Iskander = 500 XP

- Campaign Milestone - Return Iskander to Council = FAIL

Creatures Overcome

> XP Allocated 

- Red Wizards of Thay = 6900 XP

- Cult Officer Mage = 2300 XP

- Earth Elementals = 3600 XP

- Fire Elementals = 5400 XP

Individual (This is only given to that person and is not divided amongst all players)

Special Bonus (Outstanding Role Playing)

Nil

XP Levels and Player Allocations

Player : Start +  Received = Total  (Notes)

Rob : 161842 + 2814 = 164656

Arthur : 131330 + 2111 = 133441

John : 125893+ 2814 = 128707

Travis : 148173+ 2814 = 150987

Paul : 140085+ 2814 = 142899

Bob : 153772 + 3518 = 157290

NPC (Naillae) : + (1407)