#asking if they had heard about our lord and savior 'i wanna get better'

[jefsuibhne]

“Babbling like a Pagan”

1

I had some big spiel worked out in my head I’d planned on writing today

Oddly enough though, Pastor Brian covered the exact same talking points except he did it much better.

He even used the same verse I’d planned on opening with. (John 3:16)

Writing this stuff out helps me better conceptualize.

The theme was “unity”

I’d cracked smug jokes at all religions for so long that’s it’s been a rough habit to break.

Not that I should never joke about my own, I should just go about it a better way. Ragging on Christians is overdone and cliched- the low hanging fruit, besides I AM a Christian, I should strive to unite , not divide. There’s enough Christian in fighting as is.

Besides, if I wanna troll people’s religions; the more fun choice is Satanists and Luciferians.

They take themselves embarrassingly seriously.

How can people be so campy yet so serious at the same time ?

I once said, “Anton Lavey is just spooky Ayn Rand.”

Haha

One is quickly reminded that they do NOT turn the other cheek, they get butthurt instead.

2

Unity

There are no worse enemies for Christianity online than Christians themselves.

I attend several denominations and not once have I heard any of them say, “our doctrine is the ONLY way to Salvation.”

I expected to hear it a lot, surprisingly not though.

Christians are way more diverse than I’d known.

At the end if the day, it’s about that core belief in the message of Jesus Christ.

Online on the other hand is a different story.

So much infighting it’s tragic

The trivial differences dont even matter at the end of the day.

I count the Mormons as my brothers in Christ, despite everything else

They do profess JC as their Lord and Savior.

They very much practice what they preach

Which I highly respect.

I’ll come back to the subject later on and see how this post aged

3

Prayer.

I’m slowly making my way through the Bible and have only delved much into the gospels.

I’m a minimalist when it comes to prayer on my end.

Let’s look at what Jesus tells us about prayer

”“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’“

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬-‭10‬, ‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

My understanding from that was we should emphasize and pray the Lord’s Prayer most often.

No neeed to add or take away from it, as God knows what we’re praying for before we do.

I know talking about it is akin to “being like the hypocrites on the street corners, but I feel mabye my experience will help someone else some day

I don’t make big lists of things to pray for. I make mental notes throughout the day and then pray the Lord’s Prayer throughout the day

That doesn’t mean one should keep prayer to a minimum.

Quite the opposite in fact

Once I pray the Lord’s Prayer, I close my mouth and LISTEN

Spend some time in quiet adoration

Silence speaks volumes.

It’s sometimes not until days later that the silence is translated to “the message”

I place not much value on memorizing creed after creed and prayer after prayer

When does all that become “babbling like pagans” ?

Maybe I’m taking that a bit too extreme.

Lord’s Prayer

Listening time

Repent

repeat

I’ll get better at writing again the more I do it.

Once I work all the rust out of my brain

Thanks for reading

Stay tuned

Stay weird

Js

[gay-otlc]

Strange Desire is the most album ever. no I will not be taking criticism

after all these years it still hits so hard

LITERALLY

[yourlocalsmutwriter]

Meet him on the main line - Murray Bauman x reader

A/ N : I love this lil bald man and it's a crime there isn't a bunch of more content for him. Also, this was written on crunch time, cause season 4, so it's short and unbetad. Enjoy nonetheless.

You were typing up the perfect scene, your fingers moving rapidly over the keys, when you heard a sharp knock.  With a groan you tried to ignore it, not needing whatever distraction was on the other side of your door. And besides, wasn't it a little late for visitors? Whoever it was, it was incessant. Opening the door, you said

"Look I really don't wanna learn more about our lord and savior, thank you.".

But instead of Mormon leaders, you came face to face with a man you've never seen before.

"Murray Bauman, private investigator", he introduced himself, also adding "and I'm not here to tell you about Jesus."

"Well, why are you here, Mr. Bauman? I don't suppose you were just passing by the neighborhood?" You said, playing on the fact that you lived just on the edge of town.

"I have a few questions, regarding the disappearance of Barbara Holland."

"Well, then come on in. I'd be happy to help, it's terrible, what happened to the poor girl." After inviting him in, you fretted around, added a few throw pillows to the couch and fixed two cups of coffee. You blamed all those boring etiquette books you were forced to read back in the day. That and your inability to mask how nervous you were to meet his gaze. Nonetheless you sat on the other side of the investigator and motioned him to start. "How does a previously well known journalist from the Hawkins Post end up writing cheap romance novels? " he said, taking out one of your paperbacks from his pocket.

"And how does that tie-in with a missing teenager?", you asked.

"Well, you see, when I was inspecting missis Holland's room I found quite a few of your titles in there. So I began to wonder how she got a hold of them." he persisted.

"There's a thing called a bookstore, I believe there's your answer. I mean, a teenage girl with a few romance books, I wouldn't say it's groundbreaking."

"There were additional books that she was keeping under her mattress. Barbara was reading The first thrill, The friendship agreement and Confusion." "These are particularly steamy. I don't know how she got away with buying them."

"I don't know how you got away with publishing them."

"It wasn't easy, let me tell you. At first they refused to print what they called "worthless smut". So I began to send out the manuscripts to housewives. I had to cut the pages and bind them into old cookbooks, home decor guides, sewing pattern books. And on the last page I had written down the number of the publishing house, urging the readers to phone them to ask about the book. So everytime those suburban moms received a package from me, my publicist received a call from them. The rest was easy. "

" The more time I spend here, the more I realize how fascinating you are."

Even though you were blushing, you said "Flattery won't get you far, Murray."

"You're right. I should go, sorry for interrupting." He replied, motioning to the page still sitting in your typewriter.

You wanted to see him leave, just to make sure that he wouldn't do something insane like rummage trough your trash.  So you sat on your porch, watching him start the car. He turned the key a couple times, but it only made screeching sounds. You continued to stare as he got out, popped the hood, swore and even kicked the front bumper. "Guess you still haven't bled the Hollands dry, judging by that fiasco. Come on, I'll be a good Samaritan and let you spend the night. The couch you interrogated me better be comfy enough for you."

You tried to pretend he wasn't there tried to write, despite him turning on the TV, playing music, calling the police station with his hottest "tips". At some point you noticed that the same sentence was written 3 consecutive times. That's when you gave up and sat next to him.

"In the mood to talk, are we?" Murray asked.

" No. But I'm in the mood to draw some inspiration from myself. So which book did you like the most?"

"The first thrill. It seemed the most realistic."

"That's because it was somewhat based on my college experience. It's the right amount of fact and fantasy."

"I bet I can guess which is which."

"You're on, Bauman. In fact, we can make it a game and get a little drunk. I don't know about you, but I won't be able to sleep tonight, thanks to that coffee I served us."

You quickly zipped to the fridge and brought out 4 mini vodka bottles.

"What did you do, raid a hotel mini bar?"

"It's research, my main character drinks vodka and I'm trying to find out which one tastes the best."

"Stolichnaya. Now, are there any rules I should know?"

"I quote a passage. You tell me if it's fact or fantasy. You get it right- I drink. You mess up- you drink. First up, is the "loosing her virginity in a dorm room bed." from page 89."

"Fantasy, it's too cliché to be true."

"You're right. I got my first kiss in a dorm room bed and lost my virginity in the guy's off campus apartment. Next up, sleeping with a teacher, page 137."

"I can already see it, you an ex-high school nerd, wanting to prove yourself. But the difference is, these people are actually smart. After all it isn't easy to be an English literature major. Assignments keep pilling up. Life on your own is tough. You need a deadline extension. Your professor is really strict. Maybe he's just pent up? And you can help with that. All for a few days more on that George Orwell paper."

"Unfortunately, its just a fantasy. But you're surprisingly good at this. Wanna be my co-author for the next one?"

"I prefer to be the muse." He said, cockily.

"Oh." Was all you could muster.

Following that was a question about you liking glasses, which he got wrong and one about getting caught in public, which he got correct.

"Well, a draw is a nice way to end the evening, isn't it? Now get off the couch, I wanna sleep." Murray said.

"Draw? I beat you. You drank your vodka first."

"We never set any rules. I drank 2, you drank 2. So, it's a draw."

"Okay, let's continue this. Strip poker style. As an incentive to keep playing."

"And is that supposed to motivate me or you?" He asked. After muttering something about him being too cocky and asking if he wanted to keep playing, you finally started the game.

After a few rounds about spanking, speaking foreign languages during sex, multiple orgasms and petnames, you were down to your bra and underwear. Murray wasn't in a better position, sitting opposite you in a tank top and boxers combo. But fate was not on your side. You asked about the sleeping with a stranger scene near the end of the book. Judging by what was happening right now, you hoped that he would get it wrong. But to your surprise he guessed that it was a fantasy. You unhooked your bra and briefly let the cold air envelop you, before crossing your arms in front of your chest.

"You've gotten yourself in quite the predicament, любимая. What will you do to get yourself out of this one?" He asked, triumphantly. Despite his tone, you could see his erection. Feeling frisky, you decided to make your fantasy a reality.

"I forfeit. You win." You said, as you walked over to him, gently lowered yourself just inches shy from his lap and pressed your forehead against his. 

"Can I claim you as my prize?" He asked.

"Yes." With that he kissed you passionately. Wasting no time, you slid your tongue in his mouth and grinded on his lap. Feeling the hardness of his member, you remembered that you still had a lot to do. Breaking the kiss, you led him to the bedroom, where he began leaving love bites down your neck. He then swirled his tongue around your nipples, sucking and fondling your breasts. 

"You know, our little game also left me with a few questions. We didn't discuss how you like to be touched. I'll have to guess then. I bet you'll enjoy this. " he said before slowly circling your clit with his finger. He continued, pressing down a bit more, so he was rubbing harder. Seeing that you were getting wetter, he decided to tease you a little bit. 

"Let's see how many fingers your pretty little cunt can take. Is it one?" He said, as he slid one finger inside of you. God, you were so warm. And apparently impatient, because you were already moving your hips towards him, practically fucking yourself on his fingers. 

"Greedy little pussy. Guess this isn't enough. You gotta let me know if I'm right, that's the rules.’’

"Yes, give me more, please." With that he slid a second finger in, slightly upping his pace. Curling them inside you, he asked:

"Is that how many you use when you touch yourself?"

"I use three." You admitted shyly. 

"Can I try that?" A nod from you was he needed. He added a third finger, keeping a slow, but consistent pace. Watching you quiet down for a moment, then starting to moan, he asked:

 "It's not too much, is it красавице?" 

"No, I want your cock inside of me, now."

"Patience, дорогоя. Let me see you cum first. Then you'll get everything you want." After a few more thrusts, you were coming undone.

 As you were panting and trying to shimmy yourself out of your underwear in a graceful way, Murray was putting on a condom from the ones on your bedside drawer. 

"Well, you wore me out, сладкая. So do me a favor and ride me for a bit." You complied and positioned him at your entrance. When you lowered yourself on his cock, you could hear him mutter "сука блят". His hands were on your breasts, kneading them softly. Then he slowly moved them to your hips, guiding you on how to take more of him in. Thrusting up and deeper into you almost made you loose your balance. He spanked you for that, the slap on your ass making both of you groan in tandem. You leaned more into him, to scratch his chest in retaliation and he kissed you. He enjoyed how you moaned into his mouth every time he moved his hips up. He felt his climax, approaching, so he had to delay it a little bit. After all, what kind of gentleman would he be if he didn't make his partner come more than once. 

"Кукла, let's switch. I wanna see how you like the next one. After all, I learned it from one of your books.". Confusion washed over you, as you obliged. Then it all became clear as he pulled your hips high to meet with his dick. The mating press. You bent your knees to allow him to fully sink into you. After a few thrusts you were coming again, tightening against him. He quickened his pace and spurred on by your orgasm and your desperate moans, he came too. After you freshened up and laid next to each other, he said: 

"When you write about this I want 40 percent of the rights." 

"How about I pay you in this way, loverboy."

"That sounds like an even better deal, любов."

[the-peak-of-despair]

Mastermind! Chihiro Fujisaki - The Sixth Trial

This wasn’t exactly an old request, just a suggestion to write whatever I felt like. And I love mastermind AUs so fucking much, please, flood my inbox asking about them, I just wanna talk about our lord and savior mastermind chihiro - Mod Akane

“And that would mean..” Makoto begins, the realization striking him as he turns to Chihiro, staring fearfully back at him. “Y-You’re the mastermind, Chihiro!” 

There’s doubt in his voice. He doesn’t want to believe it. His friend, who’d opened up to him, who shares his deepest secrets, in his most vulnerable state… he’d orchestrated all of this? From the outside, he looked like he would burst into tears if he killed a bee. Suppose that’s the trick behind it…

“C-Chihiro..? I-It was you..?” Asahina stutters, looking at him horrified.

“I-I-” Chihiro begins to stutter. He looks like he’s on the verge of bursting into tears. No one in the courtroom believes this claim, how could they? But the evidence was stacked against him.. 

It’s before anyone can argue that Chihiro snaps into an entirely new persona, and the tears are gone. “Yep! That’s me! I’m the mastermind!” 

Everyone takes a step back. Chihiro’s face contorted in a way no one had ever imagined. In an instant, his entire personality changed. His tears evaporated into thin air and despair seemed to wash over his face, seeping down to his very core as his eyes lost all sign of true emotion.

“Gosh, you’re so smart, Makoto!” Chihiro says, clapping his hands like a child. “I can’t believe you found me out!” 

“No. There’s simply no way this is possible.” Byakuya interrupts, crossing his arms. “Chihiro, stop playing games. There’s no way you are the mastermind.”

“Oh no, I really am!” Chihiro smiles. With a snap of his fingers, Monokuma shut down, almost like he was playing dead where he stood on the ground. Chihiro left his podium and approached the robot, standing next to it and humming while he examined it.

..And then, in a sudden instant, he slammed his foot into the robot, kicking it as hard as he could. Monokuma flew into a distant wall, shattering into a million black and white pieces as Chihiro didn’t even blink. Everyone in the courtroom drew back, even Byakuya and Kirigri, unable to hide their shock.

“H-Holy shit!” Yashuiro screams in fear as Chihiro turns back towards the circle of survivors. The room begins to fill with smoke, making most people cough and wave it away from their faces. In a second, it clears, revealing Chihiro in a new outfit, with a Monokuma-esq color palette to boot.

“Da-dun-dun! That’s right, the mastermind all along was Chihiro Fujisaki!” He smiles wildly, throwing his arms out in a grand gesture. Standing between Asahina and Yashuiro at his new podium, he seems so small, but he’s so.. Terrifying. The sudden switch in personalities shook everyone to the very core.

“This doesn’t make sense..” Kirigiri mutters. “How could you control Monokuma and almost never leave our sight?” 

Chihiro backs up until he’s sat on top of the ‘throne’ Monokuma used to always sit on top of. He crosses his legs and leans back, getting comfortable in his seat above everyone else. “Pfffffffft! He’s an AI, come on Kirigiri, aren’t you smarter than this?” Chihiro mocks Kirigiri. “I’ve been living under your noses as the Ultimate Programmer, Monokuma wasn’t even my best work!” 

“That doesn’t make sense. His movements and conversations with us.. They’re nothing like any AI I’ve ever seen.” Byakuya argues.

“Clean your glasses, Byakuya! Didn’t you see Alter Ego?” Chihiro poses the question as he sits up and leans over the arm of his chair towards Byakuya. “They’re all easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!~ I’ve got an iron grip on the technology production from here to Towa City!”

“Speaking of Alter Ego..” Kirgiri interrupts, halting Byakuya’s personal slander. “What was the point of presenting him to us?” 

Chihiro lets out a giggle. “Yeaah, Alter Ego was a bit of a mistake on my part! You weren’t supposed to find it. But since you did I thought it wouldn’t hurt to spin you in the wrong direction a bit!” 

“And his execution?”

“Oh, that was Monokuma’s decision! Spur of the moment thing. I didn’t really mind, it was collateral damage!” Chihiro shrugs. “Collateral damage.. Kinda like Mondo and Kiyotaka!” He smiles, and as he watches everyone in the room come to a full stop before looking at Chihiro with disgust.

“C-Collateral d-damage..?” Makoto stutters. “T-Those were our friends, Chihiro! What the.. What the hell!? They were your friends!”

“Huh, were they?” Chihiro asks sarcastically, tapping a finger to his chin. “Huh. If they were, I just used them!” 

“Y-You what…?” Asahina stutters.

“I used them! I mean, Mondo and Taka were like a package deal! I needed Mondo to make me stronger, and Taka only played by my rules! Let me tell you, it was s-”

“S-Shut up!” Makoto interrupts Chihiro, who perks up, interested in his sudden boldness. “W-We still need to talk about what happened in the last trial!”

“Oooh, you mean where I killed Sakura and framed Toko ‘cus I got bored? What’s there to talk about?” Chihiro asks, excited. “...Aha, did I let that slip?” 

“R-Repeat that.” Asahina suddenly becomes cold, her fists balled tight at her sides. 

“I’m sure you heard me, Asahina!” Chihiro smiles, standing from his throne and once again approaching the podium. “I killed Sakua and framed Toko!”

Asahina begins to breathe heavy, doing  everything in her power to contain her anger as Chihiro continues to talk. “I mean, really, do you think Toko could actually kill Sakura? I don’t even think her wacky double-personality could’ve taken her down! So I worked a bit of magic, aaand..!”

“SHUT THE HELL UP!” Asahina screams, slamming her hands on her podium. “Y-You- You bastard! What the fuck is wrong with you Chihiro?!” She screams, turning and grabbing him by the collar, dragging him close to her face, so close that his feet barely grazed the ground. “I- You fucking killed her! Y-You killed Sakura! I-I- I loved her, you...you..!”

Chihiro doesn’t even look phased as Asahina spits venom in his face. “Hey, Hina! You remember what happened to Junko? Right?” He grins sadistically as the fear begins to strike Asahina, who drops him and takes a step back. 

There’s a familiar whirring noise, and out of nowhere there's a spear that shoots from the middle of the room towards Asahina, almost identical to what happened to Junko. Asahina flinches and draws back violently, forcing the spear to only grace her cheek before slamming into the wall behind her. She opens her eyes, breathing heavy with fear as she held her hand to her cheek. “O-Oh my god..”  

“Gah, I missed!” Chihiro pouts. “I need to get better at shooting games.” 

“G-Games?! Y-You could’ve killed me!” Asahina yells, still holding a hand to her cheek. 

“That’s the fun in it!” Chihiro grins. Once upon a time, this was a wide, innocent grin. Now, it was nothing but evil. Full of despair and agony. And that’s probably exactly what Chihiro wanted. 

Makoto could only wonder- what could possibly push this poor boy to the breaking point..?

If you looked close enough, the answer was laid out in plain sight. 

“Well!” Chihiro claps his hands. “What is there to talk about now? Surely the trial won’t come to a close so easily!” Chihiro scans the room, taking in every facial expression of pure disgust and pain around him. 

“Why..? Why did you do all this?” Makoto asks, basically gripping his podium for dear life. He couldn’t just take all of this in easily. One of his best friends, through this entire hellhole, a person he’d protected with his fucking life and would follow into battle blindly… he was the mastermind? Chihiro, a boy who no one would suspect, he was pulling the strings, he’d orchestrated every death, he’d warped Hope’s Peak into a place of despair..? 

He recalls the moment in the bathhouse when he told Kirigiri: “I’d follow you into battle if I had to!” 

And her response.. “Not such a wise choice, is it?”

Chihiro’s face falls. “Do you know what it’s like, Makoto..?” His tone changes, it’s low and unlike anything anyone had heard from Chihiro before. “To be bullied, every single day, pummeled into the fucking dirt?!” Despair overwhelms his entire face, but he starts to laugh.. “Every.. Goddamn day! Until the point where you.. Hahaa.. You’ve gotta change your whole identity, just to be safe!”  

“Chihiro.. I-” Yasuhiro looks like he’s about to set a hand on his shoulder. Forgetting for just a moment that this was a boy who’d killed his friends, and possibly even thousands, just remembering that once upon a time they were friends.  

Chihiro smacks his hand away with alarming strength, still laughing all as tears gather in his eyes. “NO!” He screams, almost like it was a reflex. “I don’t need.. Ahahaha.. I don’t need anyone’s help anymore! That despair..it only.. It only made me stronger! AhahaAHAHAHA! A-And I- I’ve basked this entire world in despair!” Chihiro hugs himself, breaking into boisterous, manic laughter. 

“What do you mean, the entire world?” Byakuya asks, seemingly unphased by Chihiro’s manic breakdown. Of course, Byakuya wasn’t ever ‘friends’ with the boy… though part of him couldn’t help but reflect on the.. Choice words he’d used against him before. 

Chihiro doesn’t even stop laughing. “Oh, ah..ahaha! I forgot all about that! While you were all locked up in here, the entire world has plunged into despair!” He claps his hands twice, before throwing his arms out wide, gesturing towards the monitors on every corner of the room. The monitors flicker, then turn on, showing a repeating news broadcast.

The broadcast was simple, a repetitive broadcast of a red sky overtop of war and destruction, all with the face of Monokuma plastered all over.  It shakes everyone in the room to the core, except for Chihiro, who gleefully watches his handiwork as he wipes his tears away. “Isn’t it lovely!? Everything destroyed.. Right down to your very bloodlines!”

“No. I simply won’t believe this.” Byakuya starts again. “This is foolish. A highschool boy couldn’t just take down the world.”

“Ahaha, I didn’t work alone, silly Byakuya!” Chihiro grins. “Despair spreads like a plague! And that plague even took down your precious Togami family!” 

“Wh-What..?” Fear seems to take over  Byakuya, if only for a split second. “Th-The Togami family doesn’t just lay down and die! Who the hell backs you!?”

Chihiro laughs. “Despair, dummy! How many times do I gotta repeat myself!?” The words send Byakuya down a spiral, even without evidence.. The very thought shook him to the core.

“H-Hey!” Makoto argues. “This can’t be true! Last I remember, the world was just fine! We’ve been here a month, tops, there’s no way you could’ve done this in all that time!” 

“Weren’t we already over this?” Chihiro asks. “You lost your memories! If I whack ya hard enough, you might get ‘em back! But we’ve all been cooped up, shielded from the outside world! And now you’ve spent your days trying to crawl out of this home we all built together! Isn’t that just a tad hypocritical?” 

“W-Wait, you mean..?” Asahina catches what Chihiro means first- the world had crumbled, and they’d all been here for two years, and then they… 

“W-What was the point of all of this!?” Makoto asks, cutting off any other thought processes about how they’d been gone for two whole years. 

“Huh? Well, I kept you alive, hijacked the airwaves, and displayed you murdering each other for the world to see because I wanted to spread despair to the last dying shreds of hope in the world!” Chihiro explains casually. “I mean, I’ve laid this all out in plain sight for you.” 

“W-” Byakuya begins to speak.

Chihiro interrupts. “Yeah, yeah, be quiet, we’ve had enough of you. Now!” He claps his hands together, excited. “Since this is a trial, I give you one last vote. You can vote for despair- vote to give me the punishment I deserve- or, vote for hope, and stay here for the rest of your golden days!”

“L-Let me get this straight..” Asahina starts. “If we just vote for hope, none of us die..?” 

Chihiro hums. “Well, I suppose, but.. That doesn’t sound as fun! So how about this: vote for hope, and I’ll only execute one of you! The rest of you get to live out the rest of your lives with moi.” He folds his hands under his chin, in an oh-so familiar way. Was he mocking Celeste..? 

“W-Who’ll get executed..?” Yasuhiro stutters.

“Hm..” Chihiro hums as he looks around the room. He starts pointing from person to person. “Eenie.. Meanie… minie… you!” He lands on Makoto, who exhibits a fearful look in return.

“Y-You’ll execute me…?” Makoto stutters, fearful. Somewhere inside him, this felt familiar. 

“Well of course! You seem to be the obvious answer.” Chihiro smiles gleefully, as if he didn’t just imply that with ease he would slaughter his friend. “Why, you used to be my closest friend! You.. were the first person I trusted! What better despair than for you to die at my own hands?” 

Makoto takes a deep breath as he turns to his friends, full of despair and pain. Their hands hovering over their levers, obvious that they would seem.. Almost willing to put Makoto’s life on the line. He looks back at Chihiro, with a devilish grin paired with despair-filled eyes. He starts to laugh, like a loud symphony, bouncing off the walls and into everyone’s ears in an inescapable manner. He laughs so hard he almost starts crying once more, laughing so much it hurt.

Laughing like someone who’d been torn up inside and out and loved every fucking minute of it.

[cold-foam-butterbeer]

Prince of Hell (HP x HH)

Authors Note: Hello and welcome to my Harry Potter x Hazbin Hotel crossover fanfiction, to start of this will be a somewhat happy story with elements of drama, colorful language, sexual innuendos, abuse, and angst but of course it will have fluff, family, and comfort added to the mix. I wrote this because I read a fanfic by Gamer95 about Charlie and Vaggie being a mother to Harry so this is my own take on that premise. This will be my first chapter story so bear with me if my writing is slow. All right then enjoy the first chapter of this tale.

Chapter 1: An Untimely Demise

We start our tale in a small town in England called Little Whinging in the county of surrey on a street named Privet Drive with houses identical and parallel to each other there lies a dark secret in the Number 4 house.

Harry Potter was no means a happy child, at 7 years old he was miserable, unloved and unwanted. His aunt, uncle and cousin hated him with a passion, and they have no hesitation in showing it, being bullied by Dudley and his peers, his Aunt Petunia yelling, and the worst one of all was Uncle Vernon who had taken it upon himself to “discipline” Harry when he did anything wrong with the god-awful number of chores he did or when he did the “freaky” stuff which earned him the nickname “Freak”.

Where were his parents you ask? “Your mother and father died in car crash!!” Yelled Uncle Vernon and Petunia albeit he asked on two separate occasions and got the same answer for each one.

Despite these circumstances, Harry always had hope that everything will get better, he will get away from his Uncle, Aunt, and Cousin.

“everything will get better” thought Harry he always yearned for a life where he could be happy and loved.

Unfortunately, things would take a dark turn on that faithful day of July 12, XXXX.

                                                        0v0

Uncle Vernon wasn’t having a good day so much so he kept muttering curse words while walking and his reddish-purple disposition did not help in easing the looks people were giving him as he trudged on the London sidewalk.

“Fucking...sponsor…not up to standards my foot…Ill show him…” muttered Uncle Vernon due to a potential sponsor not liking the company standards and its work ethic.

Soon he reached a pub and while still muttering to himself he took a seat in the pub “Bartender!!!” he bellowed startling everyone and the customers next to him.

“Buddy keep your voice down, now what do you want?” asked the bartender. “whiskey on rocks” Uncle Vernon angrily muttered. “coming right up” as he poured the drink and gave it to him “hopefully he doesn’t cause any more trouble” thought the bartender.

                                                       0v0

Harry was peacefully laying in his cupboard when his digital watch that he found because it was too small to fit Dudley chimed informing him it was 9:00PM.

“I better go to sleep, I’ll probably do a lot of chores tomorrow too” thought Harry as he suddenly remembered that he needed to weed the garden tomorrow and dreaded the summer heat that the weather forecasted for tomorrow.

“I’ll probably get sunburned again” Harry thought when suddenly he heard a door flew open and startled him.

“What was that?” thought Harry then his cupboard was violently opened Uncle Vernon looking at him angrily.

“Come here boy!!!” as Harry was grabbed by the collar of his large hand me downs from Dudley “Now listen here boy.” Uncle Vernon whispered to him, Harry could smell something like the red liquid from the green bottle that his Uncle and Aunt had visitors and when he was tasked to clean the dishes.

“We are going for a ride and don’t even dare make a sound” Harry could only whimper and nod as he was dragged on to the car, Harry thought he was going in the back seat when Uncle Vernon suddenly opened the trunk and threw Harry in “remember boy not a sound” hissed Uncle Vernon as Harry was enveloped in darkness.

Harry was terrified, he couldn’t see where he was and the ride wasn’t exactly smooth, he would bang his head on the ceiling of the trunk whenever Uncle Vernon drove over a speed bump or a pothole.

“I wanna go back to my cupboard” Harry whimpered borderline ready to cry but he couldn’t, he would always get disciplined whenever he cried.

“Stop that crying boy!! the voice echoed in Harry’s mind when he cried because he got a cut when weeding the garden one time. Harry was brought out of his thoughts by screeching brakes, he just realized they have stopped moving and suddenly the trunk was opened.

“Come here boy” the walrus of a man growled and suddenly Harry was being dragged out to what seems to be a cemetery.

“Where are we?” Harry asked with dread while looking at his surroundings.

“That’s for me to know and for you to find out brat” Uncle Vernon sneered, suddenly he threw Harry on the ground.

“I’m going to enjoy beating the daylights out of you boy” as he threw a punch to Harry’s stomach knocking the wind out of him.  

“It hurts I can’t breathe” thought Harry as he struggled to even get air into his lungs when he was suddenly picked up and slammed to a nearby gravestone.

“Where not even close to finish yet boy, I’ve been in a bad mood since that shitty client stood up to me and frankly I need a way to vent my anger… on you that is” said Uncle Vernon as he threw another punch to Harry’s face, his glasses broken and chipped with his cheek bruised and now sporting a black eye

“Pl-e…ase... n-o…. m-...ore” croaked Harry but Uncle Vernon didn’t listen to instead he picked up a nearby branch Harry couldn’t fight anymore, he was helpless he thought as he looked at the raised branch swinging before his eyes.

                                                       0v0

Uncle Vernon with blood on the branch and on his calloused hands looked on at Harry’s mangled body with disgust and left the cemetery.

“Stupid old coot won’t know... I drove pretty far away...” as he muttered back to his car and peeled off. Harry couldn’t move.

“It hurts everywhere” Harry tried to move but to no avail “everything will get better” he chanted but despite this mantra he felt his strength slowly leaving his body.

“I’m cold… I want my mommy and daddy” Harry sobbed as he closed his eyes tears welling up at corner of his eyes a flash of his life flashing before his eyes, his time with the Dursley’s, his time on the dark cupboard, running away from Dudley and his friends, the principal and teachers looking sad at him whenever he tried to tell them about Dudley, it was just too much his breath was fading until it was no more.

Harry Potter was dead and it would shake the human realm to the very ground Muggle and Magical.

                                                         0v0

Hell, Pentagram City – Unknown Location

Hell wasn’t always like what they have written in famous novels and in the Bible, it would have been more compared to the city of New York than a realm with 9 circles or just a fiery inferno with the damned souls climbing a rope of spider thread brought down by God.

“Well some of those things did happen at one point during my reign here” an unknown figure mused in his seat while swirling a golden chalice filled with red wine and a cane shaped like a snake with a ruby shaped like an apple place at the top.

“Give me this week’s new inhabitants” snapped the fingers of the individual.  

“Yes, my lord” a female demon with claws that are as long as tree branches wearing a skin tight body suit with white lines on the calf part vanished and suddenly reappeared in the blink of an eye.

“Here you are my lord” as she handed over a clipboard what appears to be a list of individuals.

“Hmm just serial killers, corrupt politicians and riff raff” he lazily flipped through the pages until he caught on to a certain name:

Harry Potter – Age 7, Death by murder by Vernon Dursley.

“Well well the wizarding world’s savior has died” he grinned this is perfect a diamond in the rough he thought.

“I need to get him down here but how?” As he set down the chalice “Give me everything you know about Harry Potter now!” he yelled.

“Yes, my lord” the demoness disappeared “Here you are my lord” as she handed him a red folder.

“be gone with you, I have important business to attend to” with that order she left the room without a word.

“Now let’s see what I can exploit resulting your death Harry Potter” he grinned maniacally “7 years old, Son of Lily and James, no…. how about injuries… *flip* broken bones... how about magical injuries… hit with the killing curse by Lord Voldemort… perfect… let’s put your pathetic mistake to use Tom” as he grabbed an ornate knife made of silver with rubies dotted at the handle and carved an intricate casting circle on the floor.

“ Let’s send your soul down to Hell Tom only thing is it will have a little passenger in for the ride” as he cut his hand and drops of blood dropped to casting circle and with a few second it crackled with red and green energy.

“The blood has been paid… the ritual is set… bring forth my heir into my Dominion of Death!!!” as he slammed his cane into the ground followed by an intense light of red enveloping the chamber where he stood. “I’ll see you soon Harry Potter” he laughed menacingly in to the crimson brimmed sky of Hell.

                                                        0v0

Harry was feeling strange, he was floating in what seemed to be like clouds and it was so bright and he saw something falling.

“Feathers?” he thought and he could have sworn he heard singing then a thought came across Harry he had watched a religious documentary during the Holidays and he learned about Heaven where all the good people go when they die. “

I’m in heaven?” questioned harry “I can see my mommy and daddy now…” he bit back a sob when suddenly his scar started hurting.

“Ahhhggg!” Harry groaned in agony his scar feels like it’s being burned and ripped open at the same time. The pain caused harry to faint and suddenly his body was falling nowhere to be found into the dark abyss.

                                                        0v0

Hell, Pentagram City – Back alley

Harry was feeling nauseous and his head hurts as he opened his eyes, it was all red and blurry.

“Where are my glasses” he squinted trying to find them until he found it next to him on the floor.

“There” as he put on his glasses clutching his head and trying to make sense of what happened.

“Where am I?” as he looked with confusion and fear as his checked his surroundings he was in an alleyway there were no white clouds, it was dark and red as he looked up into the sky it was a dark crimson with a star shaped symbol far as the eye can see.

“Where is this? Harry quivered as he tried to get up and get out of the alleyway.

“This place is scary” as Harry was walking actively avoiding the “monsters” and looking small when he suddenly fell in to ground.

“Move it pipsqueak” a big monster that looks like a cross between a boar and a shark wearing a black t shirt ripped at the sleeves and has a multitude of tattoos with distinctive patterns. Harry slowly picked himself up and continued walking until he saw a group of the creatures drinking from a bottle, slowly Harry walked up to them.

“Excuse me…” as Harry said this the group stopped drinking and eyed Harry with annoyance. “Where am I?” Harry shivered.

“Where the fuck do ya think you are dipshit??” one of the monsters with tentacles for hands snapped at him this cause Harry to shrink back and flinch.

“This is heaven… right? The beasts looked at each other and then laughed.

“Kid does this look like fucking heaven to you? Just because you transformed into a kid doesn’t even you have to be this fucking stupid! One of them said.

“But… I am a kid…. I’m 7 years old…” Harry whimpered.

“What the fuck?! You’re 7 years old? And you got sent to here to Hell?! Asked the demon in disbelief.

“Hell?... this isn’t heaven…” Harry’s blood ran cold.

The creatures laughed “Welcome to Hell kid” A demon with large claws and fangs approached him.

“You know you’ll do nicely as a punching bag or toy” Harry was beyond horrified now as he tried to run but was ultimately grabbed by the squid demon.

“Nuh uh, You are going to fetch us a high price kid! Maybe we’ll even get a shot at screwing Angel Dust” He grinned.

“No please! I’m sorry just let me go! I just want… Mmph! Harry cried as he was gagged by the tentacles of the beast

“Shut the fuck up boy! Or you’ll gonna have to feel these” the demon rubbed his claws to Harry’s cheek who bit back from crying but tears were still streaming from his eyes and was already walking with Harry still gagged.

“Why is this happening to me” Harry thought “I just want to be happy, I just want to be with my mommy and daddy.”

Harry’s emotions were all over the place fear, sadness, guilt but he had this buzzing in the back of his head something that was replacing all his fear, and sadness then everything came back to him, the Dursleys, the discipline, the beatings, not giving him any food it all came crashing down and at that moment Harry felt pure unadulterated anger and rage.

“Oh man were gonna nail Angel Dust after this and were gonna be… AGHHHH!” the demon screamed and looking at his dismembered tentacles he dropped Harry to the ground.

“You are gonna fucking pay for that you shitty brat” He yelled as he brandished a knife suddenly Harry stood up black smoke covering his body then disappeared all at once revealing his body with claws meant for ripping flesh, fangs long and sharp akin to a Viper, and his eyes were sporting a black sclera, iris and cornea an acidic green and his pupil instead of a round shape it was replaced by a slit.

“This kid can do a full demon transformation?!” one of the demons yelled. “He’s just a kid come on we can take him!” the clawed demon said to them and suddenly pounced when Harry suddenly disappeared and reappeared next to the demon biting his neck full force.

“ARRGHH fucking brat bit me! Get him off!!!” he trashed “he fucking poisoned me!!!, Get him the fuck off!!!” The demon suddenly fell into a heap then Harry looked at the other two demons baring his fangs “Fuck man let’s get out of here!!” as both of them ran towards a nearby alley but when suddenly they were pinned down by Harry

“He is so fucking strong what the fuck” the tentacled demon yelled.

“Die” Harry muttered he brought his clawed hands down on them and screams of agony and pain were both heard that night.

                                                          0v0

“Fucking finally this shit’s over, I’m never gonna do a double shift again” groaned Angel Dust as he left Porn Studios.

“Hmm… should I swing by the hotel or back to my apartment?” He pondered when he suddenly heard pained screaming in the alley.

“Screaming happens often here but that was too painful for it to be considered normal” as he cocked a revolver and pistol with both of his hands and cautiously made his way to the alley.

Harry was in a daze, he didn’t know what happened after he was dragged away by the monsters.

“Where am I” he said groggily putting a hand on his forehead when he felt something sticky and warm on his hands.

“What is this!” yelped Harry. “Is this blood…” he was scared then he suddenly went sick when he saw the murdered bodies of the demons who gagged him, blood everywhere, internal organs peeking out.

“What happened” then terrible thought passes Harry “Did I do this….” He was beyond sick but he was broken in his inner thoughts.

“Freeze! put yer hands up!” Angel yelled. “Woah what the fuck happened here!” Angel was shocked at the carnage before him but was even more shocked at the trembling form of Harry with blood on his hands and face.

“Kid? did you do this?” Asked Angel in disbelief that a kid can do something like this “Are you even a kid or just a really small demon?” Harry was confused and scared when he looked at the things the pink monster was holding then the creature started walking up to him then with a sudden rush of adrenaline Harry bolted out of the alley way.

“Woah wait up!  And he’s gone, fantastic” Angel hid his guns and stared at the sky “How can a kid fucking murder a bunch of demons 5 times bigger than him?” Angel scratched his head then with a groan. “Maybe I should go to the hotel… The princess might know somethin” Angel contemplated as he started walking to the Happy Hotel.

Notes: That’s a wrap guys, so just a bunch of world building here and there and our saviour has met Hell’s most popular porn star. To clarify things I haven’t made this timeline canon to the Wizarding universe since it contradicts some of the characters deaths like Vaggie so I trashed that all together. Expect in the next chapter Harry will meet Charlie. Anyways I’ll try to keep updating ASAP until then see you next time! Peace :3

[lamentsof-bee]

one ghost king to rule them all

ALRIGHT SO - i finished my self indulgent character analysis of our little gay lord and savior, nico di angelo. 

and let me tell you. THE PAIN really just makes him more gothy and i’m here for it. 

under the cut if y’all wanna read it. your choice. except wendy, she has to read it bc i said so. 

Summary: 

There were many boys at one point. Boys with flames on their skin. Salt water in their hair. Lightning in their veins. And they all mattered…

The one with the animal heart and the one with a halo made of sun.

Each and every single one mattered.

But not like the boy born of shadows.

Never like him.

[Nico di Angelo would never walk a straight and narrow path, Hestia promised him that much. His would always be a journey marred by sadness, distrust and destruction. But sometimes, beauty can be born of hate. And acceptance can be found in even the darkest of nights.]

[An in-depth look at Nico's journey from the cliff of Bar Harbour to the Battle of Gaea]

Read it on AO3. 

There were many boys at one point. Boys with flames on their skin. Salt water in their hair. Lightning in their veins. And they all mattered…

The one with the animal heart and the one with a halo made of sun.

Each and every single one mattered.

But not like the boy born of shadows.

Never like him.

Nico di Angelo remembers the death of his mother.

He was young but still, there is an imprint of the year 1941 on his brain, and the crash that came with Zeus destroying the ceiling.

The faint glow of his father’s power still wakes him at night. A black force field that could only be described as suffocating. The warmth that the Lord of the Underworld could create was never quite inviting though. It licked at you, like hot flames whose only goal was to singe. He had shielded Nico and Bianca from the physical harm, they had survived, but he left them torn.

River Lethe was strong, strong enough to wipe even a Titan’s memories Nico would later find out, but no power was stronger than a mother’s love. The memories of vows of vengeance that Hades swore had faded, the white marble of the Washington D.C. hotel had withered. But Maria di Angelo’s red lips and olive skin will never leave Nico’s mind. Nor will the first moment his father chose to protect him.

For a long time Nico would think it was the last. If only he knew back then how wrong he’d be.

They travelled some with a dark haired lawyer that asked but never listened. And they ended up in the Lotus Hotel.

Nico, even at his young age, heard whispers of The Child of the Eldest Gods and a prophecy to end all prophecies. It was drowned out by the lights of Las Vegas and the inviting doors of the Lotus Hotel.

A month passed for Nico and he and Bianca were swept away by a new lawyer with the same habit of questioning and ignoring. The world outside had changed. Washington D.C. had new subway stations, motorized vehicles had more efficient and ugly, everyone seemed to have something called a ‘cell-phone’.

They were taken to Westover Hall, a military academy in Bar Harbour. Things had changed, Bianca wore a hat and learned everything about this new, modern world that she could. Nico picked up Mythomagic and found himself loving something for the first time since his mother died.

There was so much heartbreak since then.

So many deaths. So many losses.

Nico swore he wouldn’t lose anyone else. Not after his mother had gone so suddenly. So he made Percy Jackson promise to keep Bianca safe.

Percy could do it! Nico insisted to himself. Percy was strong and experienced and he’d been on a quest before. His hair was dark and his eyes sparkled, Nico liked that a lot. Nico knew Mythomagic, he knew what kind of points the monsters would have that his sister would be facing. And she needed someone to watch her six. Someone who knew how.

Percy could do that.

He tried his best to keep his spirits up after the group’s departure.

It was still cool, that Camp Half-Blood was like Mythomagic brought to life. The lava climbing wall and real life land mines made for an interesting stay.

But still…he felt quite lonely.

He’d never been without Bianca before…

He’d never been alone…

On his first lone night, Nico stood apart from the campers gathered around the fire. They sang together off-key and toasted marshmallows as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Everyone seemed happy, everyone seemed at home.

Except Nico.

And that one young girl in a mousy brown dress with eyes like fire.

She stared into the blazes, her gaze softening as it grew with the intensity of the love around the hearth. She seemed so ordinary. Without thinking Nico drew towards her wanting to get a better look at her face. When he did, he noticed it was all together unremarkable. Freckles on the bridge of her nose, brown hair to match her dress but she had flames in her eyes. 

She looked at him and said nothing. Still, there seemed to be an invitation in the air.

He took a seat next to her and stared in the blazes.

‘Your hearth,’ she said quietly. ‘It’s so small.’ Sorrow clouded her voice.

Nico felt vulnerable and naked. His hearth was practically empty. His father would feed him to the dogs, his mother had passed before he could grow old enough to remember her and his sister had left him behind. The coals of his hearth were barely glowing. He felt as if there was only one left and its ember was extinguishing.

‘A small hearth is still a home.’ His voice was as quiet as hers. His eyes never leaving the fire.

‘And home you will always return.’

The smile she gave him was small and the wisdom in her eyes seemed far beyond her years. She looked of Nico’s age but her demeanour betrayed her.

‘You have far to travel, Nico di Angelo.’ Her tone sounded sombre again. ‘You have much to face. But for your kindness you will be rewarded. You shall always find a place at my hearth.’

He wanted to ask her how he knew his name and what exactly she was talking about but a warmth filled his stomach. A sense of calm and serenity washed over him and suddenly it didn’t matter so much that his hearth was small or he had been left behind. This fire was warm enough and a hearth could be rebuilt with time.

His life had been touched by a goddess.

Since his time at Camp Half-Blood, Nico’s powers had grown. He felt the souls passing on, meeting the ferryman at the River Styx. He felt the marble shake with his father’s anger and watched as the flowers wilted when he walked.

But nothing quite made him feel like the Son of Death than when Percy came back without Bianca and only a Mythomagic figurine to make up for it.

Nico had wondered before why his father had such rage built up inside him. Why he couldn’t just accept the life his siblings chose for him? But in that moment, Nico understood.

With every step Bianca took towards her hearing, Nico felt the pang echo in his chest. As if he were standing there with her, he could see the gold masks leering down at him. He felt the ringing in his ears.

The rage exploded inside him like a volcano and sizzled the pity Percy tried to shovel on him. The hero he had in his mind, the greatness Percy Jackson encompassed, had disappeared. The fluttering in his stomach, the butterflies that took flight when he looked at Percy, they withered and died as Bianca was sentenced.

The amorous feelings, as amorous as a ten year old kid could feel, he had towards Percy were marred with darkness and stained with hate. Still… when the skeleton warriors pounced Nico couldn’t help it.

He saw Percy get disarmed. The ringing in his ears increased. He brought his hands to his head, trying to shake away the sound. The darkness grew inside of him, like a ball of energy ready to combust until he couldn’t take it anymore.

‘No! Go away!’

The ground split open and the skeletons were swallowed by flames and earth. One crunch later and not a single bone was left to be found.

Panting, Nico’s eyes moved from the fissure in the ground to Percy. He looked back at the kid, wide-eyed and awestruck. Bianca may have died but Darkness has just risen.

One step forward was all it took for Nico to shout a curse at Percy and run into the shadows of the woods. With this he would leave behind any feelings that Percy Jackson awoke in him.

- 

The road to Daedalus is dark and messy. Minos whispers in his ears with a voice as smooth as silk and provided both comfort and education. The things Nico learned with Minos he will never forget. Shadow travel, raising of spirits, conferring with the dead. It took some practice but eventually Nico made it back from his accidental trips to China and succeeded in summoning a soul.

Theseus’ words were muddled and unhelpful. His gaze drawn constantly to Nico’s ghostly guide, unsettling the young boy. He senses your power. That was what Theseus had said but he hadn’t said who. Darkness closed in again and Nico was alone, no one but Minos and an empty pit.

When he faces Percy next, Nico is disappointed to find that his heart still skips a beat. He likened it to a minor heart attack first and thought perhaps he’d be able to find Bianca that way but when the sensation passed with Percy’s eyes still on him, Nico only looked back coldly.

Your soul is worth nothing to me! He wanted to shout at Percy. How dare he think his soul could be exchanged for Bianca’s? Bianca’s soul was worth thousands of Percy’s. No amount of good looks and boyish charm could save him from that.

‘Let’s ask Bianca.’

That was what Percy had said. As if her appearance would rectify the wrong he had caused her. As if she would appear in front of Nico simply because Percy willed it.

If it were true, if Bianca showed this time, Nico would wring Percy’s neck.

He poured the root beer into the pit and let the words come from the deepest part of him. The chant brought about a mist and spirits followed it to kneel by the depth.

The chanting became forced and as Minos lowered himself and drank.

‘Be gone, Minos!’ He ordered.

The ghost flickered, hesitated and tried to stay. Nico’s voice strained as his power fluctuated and the ghost obeyed, albeit reluctantly.

The figure that followed formed into the glowing spirit of Bianca di Angelo. Silver snowboard jacket, olive skin and sad eyes.

She gazed at Percy and rejected his apology. ‘I made my own choice. I don’t regret it.’

Watching her raised, the words spilled out of Nico. ‘Why didn’t you answer me sooner? I’ve been trying for months!’

His heart breaks when she says, ‘I was hoping you would give up.’

‘Give up?! I’m trying to save you!’

Her hand stretches towards her little brother. He’d grown since they’d seen each other last. His eyes were colder, surrounded by dark rings. He’d become taller too. ‘Don’t do this.’ She said quietly. ‘Percy is right.’

‘You must listen to me,’ she implored, ‘holding a grudge is dangerous for a child of Hades.’ Her hand evaporated as it got close to his face. ‘It is our fatal flaw.’

She cocked her head, asking him for understanding.

‘You have to forgive. You have to promise me this.’

He shook his head like a child refusing to let their parent leave before they fell asleep.

‘You are close to the truth now,’ she told him. ‘It is not Percy you’re mad at, Nico. It’s me.’

The wound he had been trying to cover broke open. The scab felt raw and wet. He felt the hurt leak from his heart through his body until even his toes were drowned in sorrow.

‘You must overcome your anger. Or else it will be your doom.’ She insisted. Don’t do this her soul begged.

‘No! I am the son of Hades. I can.’

 For the second time, a dead demigod spoke of Nico’s power before disappearing. It hurt all that much more because it was Bianca. When the mist cleared there was nothing left in the pit but a leftover smell of root beer and bad barbeque.

It rattled him to his core. The strength he felt surge inside of him. The orb of darkness that pulsed, sometimes so strongly that it forcefully pushed out of him and dark tendrils followed him when he walked. Souls cowered where he went, even nature couldn’t seem to thrive in his presence. Maybe he was destined for a life in the labyrinth. A life filled with darkness and solitude.

He yearned for laughter and peace. He wished he could imagine a life happiness. He thought, if he could picture it, which he can’t but if he could, maybe Percy would be there. Maybe he’d hold out his hand towards Nico and all would be forgiven. Maybe he would know that Bianca would give him her blessing and he would finally rest knowing that he was okay. That he was not deviant. That he was only human…

But he wasn’t.

He felt the darkness move inside of him like a pool of ink staining a white shirt. Noticeable and inevitable. When the dracanae captured him, his only thought was that he hadn’t found Percy yet. Minos betrayed him – not that Nico was surprised. He’d played enough Mythomagic to know who King Minos had been and his power over Darkness was strong enough to know who Minos had become.

The battle started and Nico was pushed to the ground. The iron on his chains bit into his wrists but as he watched the people he knew – his friends? – fight, he felt helpless. Annabeth duelled with her knife, Percy sparring with his sword. They weren’t holding their own. The emotion rammed into his chest and made the Darkness surge. Like iron against fire, the chains melted into smoke as they left Nico’s wrists. This is not how he would go down.

Percy would not die before he had atoned for his sins, not before Nico could understand why his heart still skipped a beat when the dark haired boy looked at him. Minos would not rise again to call himself the ghost king. Luke would pay for his treachery.

He starred at his ghostly former companion.

‘You do not control me, young fool.’ Minos sneered. ‘All this time, I have been controlling you. A soul for a soul, yes. But it was not your sister who will return from the dead. It is I!’

Spirits shimmered around Minos as his body solidified. The whirling energy inside Nico forced his entire body to awaken. His gaze hardened, his look one of ice.

You dare speak to Son of the Dead that way?

‘No.’ Nico insisted. ‘I am the son of Hades. Be gone!’

If looks could kill, Minos would have returned to the grave again.

‘You have no power over me. I am the lord of the spirits! The ghost king!’

A crazed look fell into Nico’s eyes as his dead tilted. He drew his stygian sword with intention and stared Minos in the face.

‘No.’ He held up his sword. ‘I am.’

He plunged the sword into the floor and ran through it like butter. He called to all the spirits that clawed at his feet and his mind. He ordered them to take back Minos and put back where he belonged, under the rule of Hades. The windows cracked and the ground boomed and suddenly the spirits around Minos veered towards him. When the fissure opened in the ground, much like the one that had appeared in Camp Half-Blood, Minos could not struggle against the souls holding him down. He could do nothing but disappear into the depths of the Underworld where he would forever walk with Nico’s shadow over his head. Spending an eternity knowing he had challenged the wrong Darkness.

The energy he needed to banish Minos sucked more out of Nico than he’d like to admit. His olive complexion turned pale, his sword hand could barely lift the weight of his blade. Still, he followed Percy, Annabeth and a strange red-haired girl called Rachel when they fastened him into make-shift wings.

They stopped at a gift shop, attempting to find a way back into the maze.

‘Daedaulus isn’t dead.’ Nico told them when they wondered if the labyrinth was even still alive. ‘That I know for sure.’

Percy thanked him as Annabeth and Rachel walked ahead. For a second it felt like pure adrenaline running through Nico’s body. He pushed the feeling away and muttered something about being even for the fight on the ranch and raising Bianca.

‘Minos was right.’ Percy looked at him confused. They walked in silence for a while. ‘Daedalus should die. To cheat death for so long. It’s not natural.’

‘So you were going to trade Daedalus’ soul for Bianca’s?’ Percy voice doesn’t sound accusing, more like the pieces are finally falling into place and he can see the big picture.

Nico walks in silence wondering if he should bare his soul. He looks at Percy and sees a glimmer of the boy he admired. The one that makes his blood pump faster than usual. He figures, now is as good a time as any – since he’s not coming back.

‘It’s not easy, you know. Having only the dead for company.’ His words are quiet and his eyes downcast. ‘Knowing I’ll never be accepted by the living due to my heritage. Having only the dead respect me, if only out of fear.’

‘You could be accepted.’ Percy answered. And there it was, that naïve optimism that made Percy so attractive. His blind desire to help and save and foster. But good intentions not a good life make.

Look at what happened to Luke. 

- 

Kronos strode towards them, shimmering gold eyes, Luke’s short cropped blonde hair and scythe in his hand – ready to take whatever path he deemed worthy.

Nico knew the only escape would be to venture back into the labyrinth but Kronos’ domineering voice giving orders shook him to his core.

As it always did when he was afraid, the Darkness within him pulsed.

‘NO!’ Nico yelled as Kronos ordered his cronies to target them. He clapped his hands together and pushed his energy outward. If it would have been visible, people would have seen a shadow fall over the fortress. A spire of black rock erupted and tore the building to pieces. Kronos and his servants were left under piles of debris.

And Nico had outed himself. Well, not outed as… he couldn’t even think that. But outed as one of the Big Three.

When Percy had said as much, all Nico could do was shrug. ‘Big deal.’

What was one more person on his tail.

- 

They find their way back into the maze and into the cave of the Nature God, Pan. Nico’s life had been touched by the Gods before but this time, this time it was different. The shimmering form of Pan sat before them, glistening off the ruby and sapphire walls.

His pull so strong that even Nico fell to his knees in respect. Yet, there was something eery about the whole thing. Like Nico could feel the energy being sucked out of the cave and towards nothingness. As if it were only a fragment of a life, a well-kept memory of something already passed…

Only once did the god acknowledge his presence.

‘Dear Grover,’ Pan said, ‘you must accept the truth.’ His gaze moved towards Nico’s bowed head. ‘Your companion, Nico, he understands.’

Nico nodded slowly, looking up at the god. His answer hesitant. ‘He’s dying.’ Grover made a strangled sound. ‘He should have long ago. This…this is more like a memory…’ As Nico said the words, the world seemed to make sense again.

The god had held on long enough for his disciple to find him but still, the years had waned his strength and he was but a collection of hope left over. Fading was a god’s punishment for not staying relevant in the modern world. And the modern world had no place for nature the way it had in the past. The times of forest foraging and daylight dwelling was over, it was replaced with technology and skyscrapers and time running out.

Nico could feel the sand in Pan’s hourglass running out. It was about to let the last granule drop.

He gave each of Nico’s companions a message, a gift of wisdom. Only Nico was ignored. What could Pan teach Nico about nature that he didn’t already know. His power was the most natural of all – to watch life end and return to its birthing place.

Still the god’s words struck a chord with Nico.

The only salvation you must make for yourself. Each of you must.

Some souls have escaped the claws of death but that day, one long over due returned. When the lights faded, the cave was dark and the moss on the walls had receded. As had the holy presence that lured them there.

Nico felt the essence of the god disappear, until not even a whisper of it remained in the undead realm.

There was no time for rest or mourning. Though it seemed Grover would take time for the latter eventually. It took only one uncomfortable pegasus ride for Nico to fall back into his thoughts about Percy. The sea demigod was always protecting him, always bargaining with him, trying to make sure that Nico was safe. It was a selfless act, stupid, but still selfless. And for that Nico had to give him credit. The way Percy had chastised him for revealing his powers to Kronos made him aware of the fact that Percy had kept his secret. He hadn’t told anyone about Nico’s birth right or his heritage. And he had done it to try to save him.

- 

The battle wasn’t over though. Luke’s plan, Kronos’ plan – whatever, had succeeded. They had infiltrated camp and were running rampage on the grounds.

It was quite a sight to see – all the demigods coming together to fight for their lives. A dozen dracaenae were heading towards the cabins when Percy alerted Nico of the threat.

Taking a deep breath, he raised his hands, straining as if an invisible force was resisting their pull upwards. ‘Serve me!’

The earth trembled and parted in the midst of the dracenae. Undead warriors, all answering to Nico, rose from the depths and engaged the enemies. He pushed as much of his power as he could into the corpses, daring them to oppose his will.

He sunk to his knees as the soldiers drew more and more of his energy to stay aboveground.

He gave and he gave and he gave. He watched the lady dragons get pulverized until his vision started to fade and blackness surrounded him.

When he woke, a figure was standing above him with a canteen of nectar. The people in his vision slowly started reforming from their three-fold selves and his sight cleared. Percy was hovering over him with more people fanned out.

His eyes landed on Daedalus.

‘I came to correct my mistake.’ The words struck Nico. The labyrinth could not continue, that much was clear. The only thing left to do was offer up one last sacrifice, a last trade to compensate for the damage the old inventor had caused.

Annabeth protested. ‘You won’t get a fair trial! The spirit of Minos sits in judgement –’

The inventor smiled at her ruefully. ‘I will take what comes.’ He turned to Nico. ‘And trust in the justice of the Underworld, such as it is. That is all we can do, isn’t it?’

Nico’s dark look didn’t waver Daedalus’ spirits. The boy nodded in agreement.

‘Will you take my soul for ransom, then? And use it to reclaim your sister?’

Nico’s eyes lowered and for a second he wished he could act like the boy that he was. But he knew he could not. Instead, he had to act like the son he was born to be.

‘No,’ His answer was firm. ‘I will help release your spirit. But Bianca has passed. She must stay where she is.’ Thus is law of nature.

Daedalus looked at him with reverence. ‘You are becoming wise, son of Hades.’ There was a pause. ‘I am ready to see my son…and Perdix. I must tell them how sorry I am.’

Getting to his feet, with much effort, Nico turned to the old inventor with his sword. He raised a hand towards the forehead of the old man and whispered ‘Your time is long since come. Be released and rest.’

The inventor smiled with relief and released as sigh so deep it seemed to have been held for eons. Slowly his skin became transparent until the gears behind it became visible. The machinery halted its whirling and the old man turned to ash and blew away with the wind.

Nico shared the relief the inventor had felt. Releasing a soul so long overdue and feeling it return to the depths of the earth had granted him some freedom. The souls bound to the mortal plane that evaded the clutches of Thanatos weighed him down more than he had realized.

- 

Post-battle Nico spent a short time in the Apollo cabin’s med-bay where the head councillor prodded his bruises and poked his scratches with very little comment. The councillor seemed wary of him.

Nico felt the vitality in the cabin. There were plenty of campers running around and plenty of patients to be treated. Nico felt the life of each being in the room. There was a plump blonde boy at the back of the room. There was a small gathering around him, a kid maybe slightly older than Nico stood with his head bowed. The kid in the bed was dead. Nico felt his life extinguish on the battle field, still the medics tried to breathe life back into lungs and jump-start his heart with compressions.

It was no use.

Nothing good was going to come of the Son of Death hanging around in a place meant for healing.

Nico got to his feet, using his knees to push himself upwards. He spared a glance at Castor, the fallen demigod, a son of Dionysus if he remembered correctly. He had liked Mythomagic and had a twin. In another life, if Castor had lived and Nico weren’t shunned for his heritage, perhaps they could have been friends.

A sigh escaped Nico’s lips as he turned. He briefly caught the eye of the small boy standing at Castor’s bedside. A mop of blonde hair almost covered his blue eyes but still, they looked into Nico’s, wide eyed and wondering. As if to ask why are you leaving?

The implication of the question stopped Nico short.

He shook the blue eyes out of his mind and turned.

Nico had a lot of work to do. On himself. On discovering who he really was, where he came from and what his purpose was. Camp Half-Blood couldn’t help with that. There was a reason why Hades didn’t have a cabin on the grounds. It was best to keep death as far away from a haven as possible. And Camp Half-Blood was a sanctuary if Nico ever did see one.

He left camp with a short goodbye to Hestia. The goddess didn’t bless his travel or his journey but she did give him some advice.

Wisdom will come to you when you least expect it. And someday you must face your own shadow. Beware, Son of Hades, the path you walk will never be straight but it will lead you home.

He didn’t know what to make of her words but he chose to guard them closely and maybe soon they would become clearer.

He travelled the underworld and began to feel more at home amongst the souls that transcended through the realm. Sometimes Ms O’Leary joined him, more often than not though, he travelled alone. Daedalus’ hearing took place and although Minos pushed for a malice filled punishment, the Lord of the Underworld had other ideas. It was the first time Nico saw his father enact any type of power within his realm. Minos stewed quietly behind his golden mask and obeyed his master. He visited his father at court and found nothing but malevolence boiling below the surface of their relationship. Questions about his mother and the life he led before the Lotus Hotel remained a mystery.

Time passed quickly and before he knew it, days had turned into months.

He became familiar with the happenings of the Underworld and the created a map inside his mind. He placed all the rivers in his model and added in Asphodel and the Fields of Punishment. It was only when he got to the River Styx that he discovered something that may change the way his wind blew.

A plan formed in his mind.

A bargain made with his father.

And then, he went off to return to the one person that scared him the most.

He watched Percy from the bottom of the fire escape . The demigod gently placed a sprig into a small planter box and sprinkled it with nectar. The look on Percy’s face was almost melancholic, it pulled at Nico’s heartstrings. He took a breath and stepped into the shadows, and tried to leave any feelings for Percy at the bottom of the stairs.

‘Nice plant.’ He said, stepping out of the shadows.

Watching Percy Jackson jump was one of the few pleasures Nico had left in life.

‘Sorry.’ He said, not meaning it. ‘Didn’t mean to startle you.’

Percy’s eyes looked greener in the moonlight, the sprig that had grown in the plant box and the way he had handled it made Nico wonder if he’d ever be able to treat something with so much care.

For a mere moment, he wondered if he might, someday, be able to treat Percy with such care.

A compliment was on the tip of his tongue. Instead he said ‘I want to make you an offer.’

All business, all the time.

Over blue cake and soda, Nico explained to Percy what he was proposing. How Percy could save the world, how the tide of the upcoming war could be changed. It was risky and really, really stupid, still Nico was convincing.

But Percy was scared.

For that, Nico could not blame him. Still, he had to push.

He decided what Percy needed was time. And what he needed was answers. So he left Percy in New York to stew over his plan with the intention to return within the month.

It took him much longer than that. Almost a year passed before Nico next contacted Percy to set their plan into motion.

It brought him back to his time in the Underworld. Back when he thought there was no place a son of Hades couldn’t see. He should have stayed home, even if home was a ghastly castle made of black marble that provided a highway for souls to transcend their mortal lives. 

There had been some comfort there though.

There had been Bob…

The most gentle of giants, the friendliest Titan in the world.

‘Time passes quickly.’ Bob had said to Nico as he cleaned the stairs of the palace. Though how that was possible for an immortal Titan, Nico did not know.

Nico sat on the marble staircase and watched the giant.

‘Never quickly enough…’ Nico had muttered under his breath. He had meant not quickly enough to forgo the suffering he was enduring but Bob had misunderstood.

‘You’ll see your friends soon.’ His tone was light.

‘Friends…’ Nico hesitated.

‘Bob would like to have friends.’ The Titan’s expression was thoughtful, melancholy even.

‘You’d need a friend like Percy.’ The worlds rolled out of Nico before he could stop them.

‘Percy…’ Bob looked at Nico curiously.

‘Yeah, you know…’ He swallowed his pride. ‘Someone who looks out for you when you’re in trouble. Who comforts you when you’re down and tells you no matter what it’s gonna be alright.’

‘Your Percy… he does this?’

Your Percy.

It shouldn’t have struck a chord with Nico but it did.

‘Yeah.’ He swallowed hard. ‘He does.’

-

He took the breadcrumbs his father gave him about his mother’s birth and followed them to Olympus. While he was in the area, he headed to Mount Othrys. Any chance to eavesdrop on a Titan was a good chance to take. While he was there he sent a dream vision to Percy, this was the time to push. Time was running out and he was running out of leads.

‘You see Percy?’ His voice barely a whisper. ‘You’re running out of time.’

A change in the air told him to return to his father’s realm. A shift was about to take place.

He followed his impulse back to Styx where he went to speak with Charon, the ferryman of the Underworld. Before he could greet the Spirit of Boundaries a presence drew his eye. Between a small group of people he found the head of tall dark familiar person. Beckendorf looks at him with recognition and regret.

Nico walks up feeling a little numb.

Beckendorf had been the best of them. Always the first to take the lead, the first to sacrifice, the first to comfort. He was in the wrong place. And yet, Nico knew that Beckendorf’s mortal life was over.

‘Hey.’ Beckendorf’s low voice was still comforting.

‘Hey.’

‘Nice place you got here.’ Beckendorf raises an eyebrow in jest.

Nico snorts. ‘Thanks.’

He sobers and turns to his tall companion. ‘Follow me. You don’t have to wait in line.’

Beckendorf walks behind Nico, who leads him to Charon and passes the ferryman with a nod.

They speak little on their journey to the hearing. Beckendorf asks if Percy survived the fall from the Princess Andromeda and for one awful second Nico needs to go searching for his soul and hope to Gods that he doesn’t find it. He breathes a sigh of relief. Percy’s soul has not passed on. He survived the explosion.

He tells Beckendorf as much and mentions that for his heroic sacrifice he will be granted admission to Elysium. Nico brings up rebirth but Beckendorf only smiles and shakes his head.

‘I’m waiting for someone.’

His stance is resolute. His eyes are clear.

‘If you see Percy…’ Beckendorf smiles ruefully. He will never see Percy again. ‘Tell him it wasn’t his fault. That he shouldn’t beat himself up over this. I’m good here. I’ve got something worth waiting for.’

Watching Beckendorf pass through the gates towards the court of judgement made Nico feel dizzy. He had seen demigods fall before, he had felt souls pass on a-plenty but this was different. Beckendorf had been the most competent soldier amongst their legion. And still, he had fallen. It hit close to home.

He needed to protect what little he had left.

He needed to protect Percy.

And he would.

After he found out about his mother.

The plan wasn’t thought through. He doesn’t know why he trusted his father and betrayed Percy. Tricking a guy into an audience with your undead Lord of the Dead father is the best way to get someone to fall in love with you – not. Still, there were some things that took precedent. And the di Angelo history was one of them. One of the few. Okay, the only thing.

The look of betrayal on Percy’s face had Nico looking away in shame.

The throat pin in the cell was definitely deserved.

‘I swear on the River Styx, I didn’t know what he was planning.’ Nico heard the rush of water in his ears as the oath was sworn.

‘You know what your dad is like!’

The anger was real and justified. Nico hadn’t given Percy any reason to trust him in the past and he may have just marred any chance he had of getting Percy to trust him in the future.

But Percy bathed anyway.

Even when Achilles told him to turn back.

It will make you powerful. But it will also make you weak.

Nico watched Percy stare in Achilles’ face and say no. If Luke had bathed, then Percy must too. It is the only way he would stand a chance.

Let the gods witness I tried.

The boys shivered as the wisdom of the greatest mortal hero to ever live rolled down their backs. Achilles disappeared and the river kept churning.

The minutes Nico spent on shore seemed endless. He counted the pebbles at his feet and tried to ignore the river that had swallowed his friend. A son of Poseidon couldn’t drown…right?

This was the only way. This was the right choice.

Nico repeated the words in his mind like a mantra. This will save him. This will set him free.

There was no doubt in Nico’s mind that Percy was the hero of the prophecy. That knowledge both hurt and healed him. He knew the object of his affection was going to be a great hero, was an honourable half blood but the same hero’s hubris may come at too high a cost. Nico would never be the child of the prophecy. It had nothing to do with his father’s taunts of Your sister would have done a better job. And more to do with the fact that Percy was just cut from hero cloth. He inspired loyalty and trust…and love.

And if he took this dip. If Percy came out of the river alive then he would be able to survive the prophecy and he would be saved!

Then we would thank Nico!

Then maybe…

Maybe they could start over.

-

After that night the trust was broken between Nico and Percy and maybe that was for the best. He stayed in the Underworld and attempted to persuade Hades to join the fight.

It was futile.

Their relationship, what was left of it, was strained and strenuous at best. Nico tried to implore his father but to no avail. He couldn’t understand why Hades would rather watch the world burn and him with it than protect what he loved by serving the greater good.

Only when he dug up Persephone’s flower beds and called upon his mother did he begin to understand the god he called his father.

‘Why? What is he hiding?’ Nico had asked Bianca when she took her mother’s place.

‘Pain. Hatred. This knowledge will only hurt you. Remember what I said.’

He clawed his way through her image, it was replaced by a series of scenes like something out of a movie.

He watched his own mother’s death and the destruction of life as he knew it. He felt he couldn’t take it all in until a girl entered the picture and Hades began to chant.

His eyes fully black, Hades looked possessed by an otherworldly creature. ‘I swear as long as my children remain outcasts, as long as I labour under the curse of your Great Prophecy, the Oracle of Delphi will never have another mortal host. You will never rest in peace. No other will take your place. Your body will wither and die, and still the Oracle’s spirit will be locked inside you. You will speak your bitter prophecies until you crumble to nothing. The Oracle will die with you!’

The screams of the girl would make Nico wake up in cold sweat for many years to come. So chilling was it, watching his father enact his rage on an innocent bystander.

Now Nico knew why Bianca had warned him. Grudges were fatal to the children of Hades because they had been fatal to their father. A curse born of hatred had caused the world to fall into chaos and it was their duty, no, only Nico’s duty now, to atone for the sins his father had committed.

 It must have been a miracle that Hades decided to join the war, that Luke woke up at Annabeth’s injury, that Olympus didn’t fall at the hands of Kronos that day.

Hades was welcomed into the throne room with pats on the back and words of welcome. And Nico sat at the foot of his make-shift throne feeling like he might finally be worthy of his father’s attention. The Curse of the Oracle had been broken. Or so it seemed…

The next few weeks are something out of a dream. Nico is welcomed the same way his father was and for a while things seem to be looking up. He built his cabin with style. Obsidian walls and green fire torches. No cabin would compare.

He spent a little time in the med-bay again. This time his wounds were minor but his health had deteriorated due to his shadow travel. He would need to get stronger to shadow travel more often. The head counsellor was nowhere to be seen. The kid he had seen at Castor’s bedside treated his wounds instead. His bright eyes and sunny disposition were jarring. Still there was something calming about the guy.

‘Solace. Will Solace.’

After the blonde, Will, had covered Nico’s wounds in nectar and band aids, he held out his hand.

‘Right uh, Nico. di Angelo.’

He hesitantly grabbed Will’s hand, standing up. To his surprise, Will didn’t shiver or back away from Nico. He grasped Nico’s hand softly and gave it a shake.

‘Nice fighting and all that.’

‘Oh uh thanks.’ Nico, who had never really interacted much with people, became aware that it might be normal to compliment Will as well. ‘Nice… um.. healing and stuff.’

If Will thought his reaction was strange, he didn’t show it. He simply flashed Nico a blinding smile and threw up a peace sign.

‘Thanks.’ He gave Nico a wink. ‘See you round.’

With that he turned and exited.

The people he met – Annabeth, Grover, Rachel … Percy… they all became his friends. They became his reason for continuing his journey. Maybe the curse of Hades really had been broken. Nico finally felt like he had something worth returning to.

-

There were so many experiences that led Nico to becoming the person he was destined to be.  Meeting Percy at Camp Jupiter had shaken him but he had remained strong. His father’s will would undoubtedly win. And his word’s rang true. Go to them. It is important you make this connection. The path was never going to be easy. Hestia had all but promised him that much. Whether Tartarus had always been part of that destiny, though, was unclear. But Nico knew if he could give it back – he would.

The pull of the pit had been too strong. It sucked him in like a black hole and left him feeling naked, empty and helpless. Still, he followed it. He knew he would find the Doors at the end of the burning road. Nevertheless, he drank the fire water and faced the Goddess of Misery, Akhlys. She had congratulated him on his sorrow and whined ‘Child of Hades, what more could I do to you? You are so perfect. So much sorrow, so much pain.’

He could add it to the things that kept him up at night. Her blood streaked face, his distress mirrored in her tears on the shield of Hercules. He would never forget the true face of misery and how it had welcomed him home.

In a way it seemed right for him to be overwhelmed in Tartarus. Overrun by Gaea’s minions. In a way, he had seen it coming. He had prepared for the worst.

The pomegranate seeds he ate had been a last resort. As the air in the bronze jar thinned and his pomegranate supply dwindled, he wondered if this was all he had been meant for.

To be a puppet in another god’s game.

He had been so close. He had found the Doors of Death. He almost saved them.

He had only just gotten Hazel back and now he would be the one that needed finding in the Fields of Asphodel.

He thought suffocating under Rome in a bronze jar would be the worst thing to happen to him since losing Bianca.

And then…

And then he watched Percy and Annabeth fall to their doom.

Lead them there! Percy had begged him. Promise me!

He saw them fall into blackness and almost jumped after them. He clawed at the rocks and bellowed and cried. Not again. Nico screamed until his lungs gave out. Bring them back! Bring them back! Bring them back! He was inconsolable.

Not again!

None of it seemed to matter anymore. He knew Percy could survive Tartarus, especially if Annabeth was with him. Nico just didn’t know who Percy would come out as at the other side.

Gaea didn’t want to give him time to dwell on it but he did so anyway.

He’d stay up late at night and watch the shadows dance against the walls as Coach Hedge walked up and down the hallway making sure everyone was in their own cabin. Not that Nico had anywhere else to go.

The last battle ran through his head like a movie. Some parts were marred by dizziness and fog because he hadn’t completely recovered from the asphyxiation in that moment but still, the outlines of the figures were clear. Percy was standing over him again. Percy was saving him again.

And all Nico could do was lay there trying to catch his breath.

The Death Trance had taken plenty out of him. The black clothes he wore seemed to slowly become one with him as he faded in and out of the shadows. It took his upmost control to not sink through the lumpy mattress he was sitting on in that moment.

He needed to be stronger.

He always needed to be stronger.

Bu there was no time. Every minute Percy (and Annabeth, he reminded himself) stayed in Tartarus was a minute longer they stood in hell. They needed a way out and Nico had to make it to the Doors of Death when they found it.

Nico would make sure that Percy and Annabeth survived their walk through the abyss. But it would be a whole lot easier with an army by his side…

Chasing the Sceptre of Diocletian brought Nico face to face with a demigod he thought he’d never see again. Jason Grace.

He looked different than Nico remembered.

His close cut hair had grown slightly, the glasses on his face (also new) seemed to be permanently askew. His strength hadn’t waned though. Jason still emanated an intense aura. Like that of a lightning storm coming to pass. Close, suffocating and inevitable. Still, he didn’t look so Roman anymore.

Nico had extended a challenge. Go with me to Diocletian’s Palace if you dare. And the son of Jupiter was never one to back down from a fight.

Maybe Jason had become a little more Greek than he’d like to admit.

‘I just can’t imagine how weird that must be, coming from another time.’

It almost made a shiver run down Nico’s spine. You have no idea.  

‘No, you can’t.’ He wanted to end the conversation there but sometimes you have to take one for the team. Jason wasn’t trying to be hostile or interrogative.

‘I don’t like talking about it… Honestly, I think Hazel has it worse. Me…’ a beat. Not just him. ‘Me and Bianca, we were stuck in the Lotus Hotel. Time passed so quickly. In a weird way, that made the transition easier.’

‘Percy told me about that place. Seventy years but it only felt like a month?’

A hitch in Nico’s stride and a darkness that seemed to fall over them.

‘Yeah. I’m sure Percy told you all about me.’

If Nico had known who he would meet in the Palace, he would have never entered in the first place. Let alone taken Jason with him.

What Favonius said wasn’t cruel but it may as well have been because it felt like a sword sharper than his stygian iron one was being pushed through Nico’s heart.

‘I knew eventually you would return to look upon my master’s face.’

What little blood Nico had left in his cheeks drained.

‘The one you care for most … plunged into Tartarus. Still, you will not allow the truth?’

Panic rose in Nico until he felt the gall all the way at the top of his throat. His heart rate quickened and the grip on his sword loosened as his hands became sweaty.

No.

‘We’ve come for Diocletian’s sceptre.’ He struggled to keep his voice level.

The words Hestia spoke to him years ago came back to haunt him.

‘Your trials will be much more difficult.’ Favonius looked amused. ‘If you want the sceptre, you must face the god of love.’

Favonius almost ripped Nico apart by taking him to see Eros. But the grass that wilted at his feet and the blackness of his shadow that snaked out wasn’t only due to unforeseen air travel.

‘I don’t blame you for being nervous, Nico di Angelo. Do you know how I ended up serving Cupid?’

A knot tightened in Nico’s stomach, for a second he regained his stature and stood. ‘I don’t serve anyone. Especially not Cupid.’

 What came next was anyone’s guess. Nico would have never thought that the god of love and the god of death were so intimately connected. But Cupid had been right, sometimes Death was kinder.

Blood ran down Nico’s sword arm, the red arrow lying at his feet dissolved with his wound. Nico’s fear was replaced by frustration.

He watched Jason get thrown around. First hitting the columns, then almost swallowed by a crumbling wall.

‘Stop it! It’s me you want. Leave him alone!’ He stretched out his arms as if standing in front of Jason and covering him would stop the god from attacking his friend.

Still, the taunting continued.

‘And you – what have you risked in my name?’

Anger burned in his stomach.

‘I have been to Tartarus and back,’ Nico snarled, his eyes icy. ‘You. Don’t. Scare. Me.’

For a second it seemed like Nico had found his fight again. ‘Give us Diocletian’s sceptre, we don’t have time for games.’

 An invisible hand rapped against Nico’s cheek. He went flying into a granite pedestal. Head cloudy and throbbing, Nico tried to sit up.

‘Tell him, Nico di Angelo. Tell him you are a coward, afraid of yourself and your feelings. Tell him the real reason you ran away from Camp Half-Blood and are always alone.’

Something inside Nico broke. His eyes were shaking and he lost control. He let loose a terrifying scream as he realized that there was nowhere left to hide. Nowhere that Cupid wouldn’t find him. The ground split open and bodies of passed soldiers clawed their way to the surface until they surrounded Nico.

The darkness rolled off of Nico in waves so powerful Jason almost couldn’t withstand it. Every pulse of energy that Nico released, seemingly unintentional, brought with it a wave of hatred, shame and fear.  

The images his power brought to the surface were ones he tried his best to supress. Percy’s smile, the clap on the shoulder he received after the Battle of New York, the way his stomach flipped when they were together.

To his horror, he realized Jason saw all the same things.

He looked over at the blonde in horror and urged his soldiers forward.

They grappled with the invisible god until he released a cruel, low laugh.

‘I wasn’t in love with Annabeth.’ Nico’s confession is hollow, his eyes downcast. He looks as if he has lost all his strength. The fight, the denial, it all left his body at once.

Nico crumbled to the ground with his soldiers and the darkness around him subsided. All that was left was a boy drowning in his own shame and misunderstanding.

Jason couldn’t believe how young Nico looked in that moment.

‘I hated myself.’ Nico confessed quietly. ‘I hated Percy Jackson.’  Because I loved him.

Cupid’s shape became clear, the white wings and black hair that belonged to the god were startlingly magnificent yet Jason couldn’t help but hate him. Love was cruel and Cupid was a monster.

‘Happy now?’ Nico demanded.

Cupid’s gaze changed, for a moment he seemed to almost pity Nico. ‘I wouldn’t say Love always makes you happy. But at least you’ve faced it now. That is the only way to conquer me.’

With the next gust of wind, the god dissolved and in his place was the sceptre of Diocletian.

It suddenly dawned on Jason that Nico’s story was not an ordinary one. He finally understood why Nico’s past weighed on him so much. To be born in the 1940s, during a time of war, a time where feelings such as Nico’s would have been shunned. It’s no wonder Nico battled so heavily with his secret.

The modern world that he lived in now, where acceptance was more wide spread than before, was not his home. Nico had always felt out of place. And the acceptance that the queer community got nowadays did not feel inclusive to the kid from World War II. 

‘Nico,’ Jason said gently, ‘I’ve seen a lot of brave things. But what you just did… that was maybe the bravest.’

Jason was unsure if Nico’s battle with Cupid had changed anything within the son of Hades but over the next days he saw Nico firm up. His once starved body became taut with muscles though his skin stayed as pale as ever.

And waiting in front of northern coast of Africa was making everyone antsy. Especially Nico.

‘Any word from the king?’

‘Every day, he calls for me later and later.’ Jason sounded frustrated.

‘We need to leave,’ Nico insisted. ‘Soon. Percy is close to the Doors.’

Jason had his doubts. The king of the South Wind was uncooperative, the ship was no where near ready and now with Leo gone…

‘I promised I’d lead you to the House of Hades,’ Nico said, his voice hard as if sensing Jason’s uncertainty. ‘One way or another, I will.’

‘You can’t shadow-travel with all of us.’ Jason had already considered that idea but it was worthless if Nico wouldn’t survive the trip.

Bringing up Nico’s inability somehow made the orb on the sceptre glow. Hanging on Nico’s belt it somehow seemed to throb.

‘Then you’ve got  to convince the king of the South Wind to help.’  Nico sounded angry. ‘I didn’t come all this, suffer so many humiliations…’ He trailed off but his intention was clear.

I did not suffer all these trials and forcefully out myself to you for you to NOT make it.

The dark energy that swirled around Nico and blackened the floor was unsettling. For the first time in his life, Jason thought this may be a foe he couldn’t defeat in battle. And he didn’t want to find out, if he was truly honest.

Jason wanted to be Nico’s friend but he wasn’t exactly making it easy.

The conversation shifted, for an uncertain amount of time it was always going to be about Nico’s coming out. Until he accepted his own feelings, that is.

‘It’s not like you’ve got a choice. It’s just who you are…’ Jason’s sympathetic voice sounded accusing to Nico.

‘Just who I am... What would you know about who I am? I didn’t choose any of this.’ He lashed out with his hands, swiping through the wind. ‘My father, my feelings.’

There was a pulse of energy.

But for some reason Jason began feeling just as frustrated as Nico.

‘I get it, what do I know. But Nico, you choose how to live your life. You want to trust somebody? Take the risk. Find out if I’m really your friend and if I’ll accept you. At least that’s better than hiding.’

The floor cracked, Nico’s eyes were cold and his aura seemed to be sucking in all the shadows from around him.

‘Hiding?’ It was barely a whisper.

Jason’s instincts told him to run, to grab his sword, to fight this threat. But he stood his ground.

‘Yes, hiding. You’ve run away from bot camps. You’re so afraid they’d reject you that you won’t even try!’ He pushed just a little further. ‘Maybe it’s time you came out of the shadows.’

Hestia’s words echoed in his mind.

And someday you must face your shadow. Beware, son of Hades.

 For one unbearable moment, Jason felt like his bones were being pulled towards the Underworld and then it passed. Nico dropped his eyes and the fissure in the floor closed. The ghostly light around the son of Hades faded.

‘I’ll honour my promise,’ Nico’s voice was barely a whisper. ‘I’ll take you to Epirus. I’ll help you close the Doors of Death. Then that’s it. I’m leaving.’

For a second Nico wonders if he and Jason were always mean to butt heads. After all, it was Zeus who had smited Maria di Angelo. How could Nico be sure that Jason was any different than his father? This olive branch was nothing but rotten.

 The journey to the House of Hades was nothing but unsettling, even for the children of the Underworld. Nico marvelled briefly at Hazel’s ability to crumble a house sized boulder into nothing before they continued their journey.

They reached the chalice filled with dark green liquid. Nico felt he was at a crossroads. Hecate was watching. Nico drank and offered it to Jason.

‘You asked me about trust. Well, here you go, son of Jupiter. How much do you trust me?’

Jason’s eyes glinted but he didn’t hesitate grabbing the cup from Nico. Jason drank never breaking eye contact as if to dare him. Next question. He all but threw the goblet at the others.

Nico hid his shock. An olive branch if he ever did see one.

The group continued downward.

A shudder made his way through Nico’s heart. He kept walking. It happened again. He saw Hazel pause too, ever so briefly. He briefly recounted the time. Twelve minutes. The Doors of Death were opening every twelve minutes.

Then Frank saw a ghost and the plan Nico had in his head went down the drain.

They were surrounded. On all sides.

‘Nico, the sceptre!’

He raised it and the dead with it. Not that it was much use though, Jason couldn’t command them and neither could Frank.

‘My rank,’ Frank realized. ‘I’m only a centurion.’

Nico carved through a gryphon with his stygian sword.

‘Well, then promote him!’ He shouted at Jason as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Jason didn’t hesitate.

‘Frank Zhang! I, Jason Grace, praetor of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata, give you my final order: I resign my post and give you emergency field promotion to praetor, with the full powers of that rank. Take command of this legion.’

Then, the battle changed and Nico couldn’t help but smile.

Watching Frank take control of the legion of undead soldiers had Nico thinking: maybe this guy wasn’t so bad after all. Maybe he could trust Frank with Hazel.

They won. Nico could barely believe it but they won.

A glimmer of hope ran through him.

Until, he staggered. His heart panged and he knew something changed.

‘The Doors,’ Nico said. ‘Something’s happening. We need to go now.’

Hazel and Leo were in full battle mode when they arrived. And Clytius was a terrible foe, even Nico had to admit. They attacked as a group. Even Annabeth and Percy had their weapons raised. Every time the giant attempted to tackle them with his dark smoke, Nico stood guard and absorbed the dark energy. For the first time in his life, he understood what it felt like to inhale and feel true air in his lungs. The substance Clytius released did nothing but agitate Nico’s hunger for darkness more.

Still, watching the giant burn to death had been awful but nevertheless, Nico felt a sick sense of relief.

There was hesitation in his step. Being so close to Percy after almost losing him. He couldn’t help but feel slightly paralyzed. He managed a ‘I’m glad you’re okay,’ and kissed Hazel’s forehead. ‘The ghosts were right,’ he said. ‘Only one of us made it to the Doors of Death. It was you, it was always supposed to be you. You would have made dad proud.’

She noticed his eyes were bloodshot and his face was wet with dried tears. Something had broken inside her brother recently and it was all flooding to the surface now. She wished so badly she could give him some peace of mind and some comfort. But she didn��t understand what was going on. And he wouldn’t tell her.

He got goose bumps as he realized Percy was standing behind him holding up Annabeth. Hazel suggested shadow-travel and Nico winced. ‘Hazel, I can barely manage that with only myself. With seven more people –’ I would die. He thinks.

I don’t want to die.

It’s an afterthought, the first time he had ever thought such a thing, but still it rang true.

‘I’ll help you.’ She’s insistent. And so he believes her.

The pain in Nico’s chest intensified as they sat in a circle and traded war stories. He watched Percy lace his fingers through Annabeth’s and felt like the loneliest person in the world.

Jason caught his eye, his gaze sympathetic. Nico couldn’t do anything but turn away in shame.

Later, when the commotion had passed and Nico was rigging up the statue, Percy found him.

‘Thank you.’

Nico stops. ‘What for?’

‘You promised to lead the others to the House of Hades, you kept your promise.’

Nico’s words are curt and guarded. They have Percy hesitating and rubbing the back of his head in discomfort.

‘Also…’ Percy said, ‘you visited Bob…You convinced Bob that I could be trusted, even though I never visited him. I never gave him a second thought. You probably saved our lives.’

Nico’s face darkens. ‘Yeah, well, not giving people a second thought. That can be danger.’

Confusion joins Percy’s discomfort. ‘Dude, I’m trying to say thank you.’

Nico’s laugh is humourless, there is something icy in his gaze. ‘I’m trying to say you don’t need to.’ You’ll never need to.

He made the one decision that made the most sense. The Athena Parthenos needs to go west, so he will take it there. Along with Reyna and Coach Hedge.

 -

The trip was hard.

Not as hard as surviving Tartarus but still, by all means, hard.

There was no comfort to be found on their journey. His gang slept in their tent on the outskirts of a road that seemed endless.

Maybe he would have felt warmed by the fact that Jason prayed to his dad every time he burned an offering. And that Hazel begged for his safe return. He plagued the thoughts of the Seven.

Reyna lent him her power in their moment of need which was good because he barely had any left. With every jump, he felt the darkness spread. It wasn’t like the darkness he had felt with Clytius, that darkness had strengthened him. This one tried to consume him. Until he was nothing left but shadow.

‘It’s not mind-reading,’ Reyna had said about her gift. ‘Not even an empathy link… just a temporary wave of exhaustion. Your pain washes over me.’ Hesitance. ‘I take some of your burden.

Shame and embarrassment washed over him.

‘You should rest,’ was the only thing she told him.

There was a lot of time spend unconscious for him. A lot of time for him to mull over the last few months. Sometimes he saw Akhylis, the Goddess of Misery, other times a vague picture of his father floated around his mind. Most often though, he was tethered down the thoughts of the Seven. He waned past all the usual painful memories and always landed back on his friends. Hazel’s face, Jason’s intense eyes, Frank’s look of determination.  

He had plenty of grief during his waking hours too though. He wished he could find some peace in his sleep.

The most peace he got was when Clovis dragged him off course and into Hypnos’s dreamscape. The detour was annoying but nonetheless helpful. He watched Will Solace, the lanky boy from the med-bay, diffuse a row between Clarisse and Rachel. The combat medic had something of Jason in him. Brave, loyal but the eyes were different. The eyes… bore right into your soul. Even in the dreamscape, Nico had to look away.

When he awoke he had no choice but to follow the burning man into his father’s chapel.

He felt his father’s presence before he saw him. Like a cold shadow that falls over you.

Nodding at the skull lined walls he asks his father dryly ‘Getting some redecorating ideas?’

‘I can never tell when you’re joking.’

‘Why are you here, Father?’

A pulse of embarrassment rushes through him as Hades mentions the sceptre of Diocletian and it’s… exploded state. It had been enough to rouse the god from his confused state. Still, that was not why he had come.

‘So tell me, Father. What do you want?’

‘Can you entertain the notion that I might be here to help you? Not simply because I want something?’

Nico suppresses a snort. ‘I can entertain the notion that you might be here for multiple reasons.’

It turns out Hades can be useful. He tells of Orion, the fallen archer who gave in to bitterness and anger after being scorned by love. ‘You can understand that.’ Hades had said to Nico.

What do you know about what I understand?

‘Still there is more,’ Hades said, ‘Your sister.’ He falters. ‘Your other sister. Hazel. She has discovered one of the Seven will die.’ Nico’s heart stops. It couldn’t be… ‘She may try to prevent this. In doing so, she may lose sight of her priorities.

Would Hazel be safe? Would Jason?

Nico barely notices that now, Percy is an afterthought.

‘Who will die?’

Hades’ eyes face the floor. ‘Even if I were certain, I could not say. I tell you this because you are my son. You know that some deaths cannot be prevented. Some deaths should not be prevented. When the time comes, you may need to act.’

Great, more responsibility.

A softness enters Hades’ face and his tone. ‘My son,’ he said, ‘whatever happens, you have earned my respect.’ Nico swallows hard. ‘You brought honour to our house when we stood together against Kronos in Manhattan. You risked my wrath and guided that Jackson boy to the River Styx.’ For a second Hades reverts back to his old self. ‘Never before have I been so harassed by one of my sons. Percy this and Percy that. I nearly blasted you to cinders.’

There’s a hollowness in Nico’s chest. That feels like a lifetime ago.

‘I didn’t do it for him,’ he insists. ‘I did it because the whole world was in danger.’

Hades allows his son this lie and gifts him the faintest of smiles. ‘I can entertain that you acted for multiple reasons.’

Nico can’t stop his eyes filling with tears. There was something under the surface there, something close to acceptance.

‘You and I rose to the aid of Olympus because you convinced me to let go of my anger,’ Hades reminded him. ‘I would encourage you to do the same.’ Sadness twinges his voice. ‘My children are so rarely happy. I… I would like to see you be an exception.’

‘My son, what you are attempting – shadow-travel across the world, carrying the statue of Athena – it may well destroy you.’ Nico thought he imagined the pain in his father’s voice. But there was nothing to be done about that.

‘I will see you again,’ Hades promised. ‘I will prepare a room for you at the palace. Perhaps your chambers would look good decorated with skulls of monks.’

‘Now I can’t tell if you’re joking.’

Hades’ eyes shimmered. ‘Then perhaps we are alike in some important ways.’

- 

Lycaon followed just as Hades had said he would. And Orion did too. Their escape led them to Old San Juan. It led Nico to realize that maybe Reyna was as lost and bitter as he was. The only memory left of that part of their trip was a Hawaiian shirt and the glowing figures of Reyna’s past.

‘I can’t,’ she pleaded, as if asking the spectres for forgiveness. ‘Please, I can’t.’

Nico raised his hand and stood in front of her. The ghosts dissipated but they both knew they would never truly be gone. He would shield her from this.

‘I don’t want to talk about San Juan.’ She said when they arrived at their next destination.

For the first time, Nico found himself giving out advice. ‘You should,’ he said, ‘That’s the thing about ghosts – most of them have lost their voices.’ He turns to her and shrugs. ‘In Asphodel, millions of them wander around aimlessly, trying to remember who they were. You know why they end up like that?’ She gave no answer. ‘Because in life they never took a stand one way or another. They never spoke out, so they were never heard.’

She takes in his words. And he does as well.  

‘Your voice is your identity,’ he continues, ‘without it… you’re halfway to Asphodel already.’

Damn, he needed to take his own advice.

‘I don’t like talking about it either,’ he said, looking into her eyes, ‘but sometimes, you have to.’

What Nico learned about Reyna that night thoroughly changed his opinion of the praetor. She was strong and resilient and came from such a broken home. Nico listened attentively, rarely commenting, only taking in.

In the end, the PTSD got to Reyna’s father and he became ‘a mania…’ Nico speculated. ‘I’ve seen it before. A human withering away until he’s not human anymore.’

It didn’t help. Tears filled Reyna’s eyes as she confessed her sins to Nico.

‘I killed my own father.’

He shook his head.

‘No. Reyna, no.’ Nico’s words were firm. ‘That wasn’t him. That was a ghost, a mania. What you did, you did out of self-defence. You were protecting your sister.’ And he would never blame her for that.

‘You don’t understand.’ But he did, she just didn’t know it. ‘Patricide is the worst crime a Roman can commit. It’s unforgivable.’

‘You didn’t kill your father.’ Nico insisted. ‘That man was already dead. All you did was dispel a ghost.’

Her tears awoke something in Nico. A protective instinct that usually only flared up around Hazel, and more recently Jason, came to the surface. He knew a little something about pretending to be strong and putting on a face for everyone around you. And then secretly crumbling away inside like a rock slowly being eroded.

If there were ever a moment when Nico would have imprinted on someone like a duckling, it would have been that moment.

And then, Bryce Lawrence decided to threaten his duckling.

‘I am a descendant of Orcus, the god of broken vows and eternal punishment. I’ve heard the screams of the Fields of Punishment first-hand.’ He stared at Nico crazed. ‘And they’re music to my ears.’

Nico was paralyzed as undead soldiers clawed their way up from a grave that he had thought previously was empty. It was the first time someone had used their own power of the Underworld against him.

The skeletons grabbed Reyna and only then did Nico regain his senses.

‘Nico, take the statue and go!’

He looked down at his hands. They were transparent and smoky. Had Bryce been right? Was he losing his grip, literally?

His energy was waning. Even standing in direct sunlight couldn’t hold his molecules together anymore.

His eyes met Reyna’s and a warmth spread through him.

She shared with him her strength and her drive.

Bryce laughed as if he were invincible. ‘I hope they’ll execute you in the ancient way.’ He nods at Reyna. ‘I’ve always wanted to see that. I can’t wait until your little secret comes out.’ He flicked his pilum across Reyna’s face. A trail of blood poured down.

A beat. Silence.

And then Nico exploded.

The air dropped to freezing temperatures and the grass on which they stood withered and died. With a single, glass-shattering cry the darkness poured out of him leaving every living creature to experience exactly what pain and anger were.  

Bryce had challenged Nico. And Nico would teach him.

You want secrets? HERE.

Bryce’s soldiers disintegrated into dust until all that was left was a shivering Roman falling over his own feet. Tortures of Tartarus and Akhlys, a suffocating bronze jar and modern world that didn’t make sense transmuted through the air.

Nico ripped the probation tablet from about Bryce’s neck. ‘You. Are not. Worthy of this.’

It took all his self-control not to hit Bryce across the face with it. Nico’s eyes were black and he didn’t blink as the rocks split and Bryce sank down to his waist.

‘You took an oath to the legion. You broke its rules. You inflicted pain. You killed you own centurion.’

They weren’t accusations. There was no defence. This was not going to be a fair trial.

‘You should have died for your crimes. That was the punishment.’ Nico cocked his head. ‘Instead, you got exile.’ The crazed look Bryce had carried was now mirrored on Nico’s face. ‘You should have stayed away. Your father may not approve of broken vows but I know another god who does not favour escaped punishment.’

The Underworld had no mercy. It only had justice.

‘Please!’ Bryce whimpered. But his beg fell on deaf ears.

‘You’re already dead.’

Bryce’s eyes widened in horror.

‘You’re a ghost with no tongue, no memory. You won’t share anyone’s secrets anymore.’

‘No!’ Bryce sunk deeper into the ground. ‘No! I’m Bryce Lawrence! I’m alive!’ He recounted it as if it were a mantra but his body turned dark and his skin became translucent.

Nico’s cold eyes gazed down at him.

‘Who are you?’

And Bryce couldn’t answer. Bryce was no longer alive. He would forever be a spirit with no voice. Just a nameless spectre amongst millions of others.

Nico swiped his hand through the ghost’s body. ‘Begone.’

And with that, he collapsed.

-

Three days.

That’s how much time they lost with Nico unconscious and his body barely a shadow.

He had been in a shadow coma. And it scared him.

Am I dying?

He expected them to recoil. To feel threatened and paralyzed by him after the show he had put on. He wanted to feel angry towards them for knowing they were judging him. But his anger wouldn’t materialize. He just felt… tired.

‘Why didn’t you leave me? You knew I couldn’t help you anymore. You wasted three days watching over me. Why?’

Reyna looked at him sympathetically. ‘I trust you, Nico. You lifted some of my burden. Your not the only one who lets out the darkness every once in a while. You shared your painful experiences; how could we not support you?’ Her face opened up. ‘We’re friends.’

‘Two days. The Romans will attack Camp Half-Blood in two days.’ Nico shook his head. ‘We have to hurry. I have to get ready.’ Even if it kills me. He realized.

But Coach Hedge relieved him of his burden.

Instead, they took to the sky with pegasi. And then they took a ride with Jules-Albert, Nico’s undead chauffeur.

He bid Reyna farewell with a grip on the arm.

‘It’s been an honour questing with you, son of Hades.’

‘You’re the most courageous demigod I’ve ever met, Reyna.’ The look in her eyes was almost too much. ‘I won’t let you down.’

Nico made it to the battle with two legionnaires and Jules-Albert at the wheel.

‘Leila, Dakota, Jules-Albert will drive you to the legion lines. Get out, talk to your troops, convince them to follow your lead. I need a distraction.’

‘I’m not hurting any of my fellow legionnaires.’

Nico supressed a growl. ‘No one is asking you. But if we don’t stop this war the entire legion will be wiped out.’ He looked at them, his orders clear. ‘I’m counting on you.’

They nodded at him.

‘I’m going dark,’ Nico said and faded into the shadows. 

- 

The second he jumped the shadows he began to dissolve. It wasn’t setting a great precedent for the battle. The voices called out to him Help us. Remember us. Join us.

He did his best to keep them at way and as he faced the sunlight, he answered. No! I am the son of Hades. I control the shadows. They do not control me. He rested his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

A brief look at Octavian’s tent had Nico wondering if maybe an assassination might solve their current problem. He didn’t have time to test his theory though. Will Solace tapped him on the shoulder instead. Nico jumped and almost took his head off.

The son of Apollo muttered through clenched teeth. ‘Nico, what are you doing here?’

‘Me? What are you doing here? Getting yourselves killed?’

He surveyed Will and his two companions, dressed in black with matching face paint.

‘You’re dressed in black with the sun coming up. You painted your face but didn’t cover that mop of blonde hair. You may as well be waving a yellow flag.’ He scolded. Will’s ears turned red.

Nico inquired about Coach Hedge making it in time for his baby’s birth. The group nodded.

Will grabbed Nico’s hand unexpectedly ‘My hands are still shaking. See? But I delivered it. A very cute little satyr boy.’

Nico pulled his hands away, ignoring the electric current that ran through his body.

He was going to go back to his assassination plan until Will spouted some nonsense.

‘No more shadow-traveling. Doctor’s orders.’

Nico wanted to make a comment about how Will’s ‘doctor’s orders’ didn’t really mean much since he went into the OP with his a scrub shirt, khakis and flipflops but it didn’t seem like the right moment.

Not worth it.

‘Whatever. You follow my lead.’

Nico revised his impression of Will on their way to manipulating onagers. Talented, yes. Cool-headed, yes. Stubborn, double yes. Aggravating, unbelievably so.

In the next minutes Nico learned he could add reckless to that list too. Will, with the intention of creating a diversion, sprinted off and engaged six Romans at once. He needed an assist.  

‘Six at once, not bad.’ Will punched him in the shoulder.

‘Not bad?’ Nico asked blandly. ‘Next time I’ll just let them run you down, Solace.’

‘Ah, they’d never catch me.’ He shoots Nico a blinding smile.

They were moving towards to last onager when they were spotted.

‘Do we run?’ asked Lou Ellen quietly.

‘No,’ Nico said. ‘Let’s give them what they want.’

He raised his hands and called upon five skeletons. Watching the look on the Roman’s faces was almost worth his falling back and being caught by Will.

‘Idiot.’ Will held him up. ‘I told you no more.’

‘I’m fine.’

‘Shut up. You’re not.’

The spat with Will caused him to miss the entrance of the entire First Cohort. Octavian at the helm. His purple robes shone in the sun, jewellery glittering around his neck. On his head he wore a crown of laurels.

He watched Will let out a piercing taxicab whistle and suddenly Octavian didn’t seem so high and mighty anymore.

‘My – my elite guard!’ Octavian spluttered helplessly like a complaining child. The dog-men crumbled at his feet. ‘Did you see what he did to my elite guard?’

Regaining his posture, Octavian marched right up to Nico and to his credit he didn’t seem the slightest bit scared. Nico felt Will tighten his grip, staring Octavian down over Nico’s shoulder.

Up close Octavian looked sickly and bare. A descendant of Apollo but only evident in the shade of his hair. The arrogance and lust for power, that wasn’t a child of Apollo. Octavian was nothing but a watered down copy of Will Solace. Whatever it was that made a child of Apollo special, that made them glow the way Will did, Octavian didn’t have it.

‘Tell me son of Pluto,’ hissed the augur, ‘why are you helping them? What have they ever done for you?’

Nico’s hand itched to reach for his sword. He could do it now. Assassinate Octavian. He could probably even manage before the First Cohort intervened… it would be worth it.

Still, he hesitated.

If he committed this act of murder and died – he wouldn’t mind so much. For the good of the world and all that. But Will, Cecil and Lou Ellen… they would become casualties of his plan.

It wasn’t right.

Octavian intervened in Will and Nico’s quarrel. ‘What do you mean you’re leaving camp?!’ If they lived long enough, they would be able to hash out whether Nico should stay at camp or not.

‘I see ruthlessness in you,’ Octavian encouraged. He looked greedy. ‘And I appreciate that. Step aside and allow the Romans to win.’

‘Don’t do this, Octavian.’ Will shook his head. ‘Don’t force your people to choose. This is your last chance.’

There was sympathy in Will’s eyes. As if the gift of prophecy had been granted to him again, as if Apollo’s head had finally cleared.

The clearer Will’s eyes got, the more crazed Octavian’s seemed in comparison.

‘I will SAVE ROME!’ He explained. ‘Now, Romans, follow my orders! Destroy these Graecus scum!’

‘Don’t be stupid!’ Will yelled, his voice almost as loud as the second taxicab whistle he’d let ring to stop the Greek armies from waging against the Romans.

He pointed to the sky. Nico couldn’t believe his eyes.

Reyna was flying on Guido with six pegasi hauling the Athena Parthenos behind her.

Reyna’s voice boomed. ‘Greek demigods, Behold your most sacred statue. I return it to you now as a gesture of peace.’

An intense energy emanated from the statue all across the Greek camp. Everyone stood dazed. The statue seemed to be speaking out to each of them individually.

Nico felt his throat close as the voice whispered. ‘You are not alone. You are part of the Olympian family. The gods have not abandoned you.’

Reyna asked for the help of the demigods. Unite, please, so that we can all thrive.

‘Listen to her!’ Nico insisted, marching forward. ‘Reyna risked her life for all of you! We brought this statue half way across the world, Roman and Greek working together. We must join forces –’

And then Gaea woke. 

- 

When the battle started, it didn’t seem to end.

Nico found the Seven or well… Six (Leo was no where in sight) on the hill. Nico hadn’t felt his soul pass… still, there were too many casualties to be sure.

‘He’ll be fine.’ He met Jason’s eyes.

‘Sure.’ Jason sounded unconvinced.

‘But…just in case… For Leo.’

Jason nodded. ‘For Leo.’

Fighting with Jason was almost like a dance. It seems although they were made from separate cloth, their threads were very much intwined. They fought in harmony like they had been doing it all their lives.

And then Will Solace ran up to Nico. He said one word into Nico’s ear.

‘Octavian.’

On their way to the augur they felt the Earth shake. Festus snatched up Gaea and soared away with her. Stunned only for a moment, they continued on their way.

As they got closer, Nico saw Octavian furiously messing with an onager’s levers. He kept glancing up at Festus. It seemed his intention was to shoot the bronze dragon out of the sky.

‘Octavian!’ Nico yelled.

With a start, the augur turned, not noticing his flowing purple robe getting caught on the trigger. He looked crazed, hungry.

Will walked forward with his hands raised. ‘Octavian, get away from there. It isn’t safe.’ He spoke in calm, quiet words. As if psst-ing at a frightened kitten.

Nico nudged Will and looked at Jason soaring toward Festus with Piper in his arms.

‘If you fire the onager, you’ll kill Jason and Piper and –’

‘Good!’ Gods, it was hard to reason with him. ‘They’re traitors. All traitors!’

Will tried again. ‘Listen to me. This is not what Apollo would want. Besides, your robes –’

When Mike Kahl showed up, a bruised bump on his head, Nico thought he’d have to draw his sword. The soldier only surveyed the scene and looked at the Centurion.

‘Are you certain, Octavian?’

‘Yes!’

‘Are you absolutely certain?’

‘Octavian, don’t.’ Will pleaded.

He stepped forward only to be stopped by Nico’s hand. ‘Will, we can’t stop him.’

He saw the dread in Will’s eyes, the pain of causing another human being harm. But Hades had been right, some deaths cannot be prevented. And some…should not be prevented.

Octavian cut the release and disappeared into the sky. The flaming fireball landed in the middle of the storm and exploded.

He had achieved his goal. He had saved Rome.

The only sound that Nico registered was Will’s shark inhale.

Nico felt a new soul join the ranks of the Underworld and it wasn’t Octavian.

No.

- 

There was no time for rest and recovery. At least not for Nico.

He watched over the dead and honoured them with the proper funeral proceedings. So many casualties…

Many would be remembered as heroes. Even Octavian would have his place in the stories. But Leo was going to be the hero that no one forgot. The greatest sacrifice.

An oath to keep with a final breath.

Nico wondered who Leo had sworn to and if it was worth it.

They recounted the tales of bravery. Nico never thought he would see the day that Greeks and Romans sat around the campfire singing together. Even if it was a song of mourning.

Reyna stepped up and looked at the faces in front of her and thanked them. For their bravery, for their loyalty, for their loss.

‘We could have chosen hatred and war. Instead, we found acceptance and friendship.’

She turned to Nico with the warmest look he had ever seen and pulled him towards the flames of campfire.

‘We had one home,’ she said. ‘Now we have two.’

Nico didn’t notice but if he had, he would have seen Will’s approving gaze on the two of them. And even a little ways behind him stood Hestia. Disguised as a teenager, she looked out from under her headwrap and nodded. Your path has led you home, don’t you see?

Maybe staying wouldn’t be so bad after all…

- 

At midnight, still awake, Nico saw a blonde tiptoe. His heart jumped but settled when a framed face came into view.

‘Jason.’ Nico greeted.

Nico knew he came to ask about Leo. There was no comfort Nico could give him. They hung their heads together. Jason wanted to convince him to stay. The more he blabbered on, the more endearing he became. ‘I probably can’t change your mind about leaving but I have to try –’

Nico’s ‘I’m staying,’ had Jason blinking so hard that he had to shake his head to clear it.

The joy was so prevalent in his face that Nico even granted him a hug. Soon, Jason was off talking a mile a minute about sharing a table and teaming up and, and, and. The fact that it was midnight didn’t seem to wear on Jason’s enthusiasm.

There was a tiny sense of peace that settled in Nico’s heart.

A true friend.

So that’s what it felt like.

- 

Lucky.

That’s what Nico thought when Will ordered him to the Apollo cabin to rest.

Someone to look out for you. That’s what it seemed like.

In the midnight moon, Will’s hair seemed to shine brighter than usual.

‘I told you, no more Underworldly stuff, doctor’s orders. You owe me at least three days of rest in the infirmary.’

Will held up three fingers with an insistent look on his face.

Nico agreed self-consciously. Still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Will had asked where he had been. That he had been looking for him, that he had wanted to see Nico…

‘I hope you got over all that nonsense about leaving camp.’

Nico looks up with a start. ‘I – yeah. I did. I mean,’ he shrugs, ‘I’m staying.’

‘Good. So you may be dense but you’re not a complete idiot.’

Nico wants to threaten Will or say something back but he doesn’t get the chance.

‘You make yourself an outcast.’ Will told him. His tone would have been accusing if his demeanour hadn’t  changed. He looked tired now, worn. Like someone that had seen hardship and wished it away.  ‘How will people ever accept you if you don’t let them know you?’ It was the first time Nico had ever seen something resembling anger on Will’s face. His eyes were hard and his ears red.

A bout of confusion hit Nico. ‘Who would want to ever be around me?’ His voice is quiet, as if he were truly asking himself that question because he couldn’t comprehend it.

‘Me.’ This time Will’s eyes look open and honest. And a little hurt.

Nico felt reprimanded.

‘I don’t understand.’ Nico whispered, looking confused.

‘Then learn.’ Will insisted.

‘…okay.’

Will huffed as if a weight had been taken from his shoulders. ‘Okay.’

[darlinvandijk]

Just friends

Concept: best friends with Ruel, but there being more than just platonic feelings, along with a nice touch of jealousy from our favorite soft giant, this also goes out to my short not stick thin queens out there that need love to (especially since everyone is beautiful no matter what PERIODT), dm me and whatnot for a request and I’ll be happy to make it for you!ALSO THIS IS SO LONG AND IM SO SORRY BOUT THAT LOLOLOL Hope you enjoy :)

I stand off to the side of the courtyard watching as Marissa hugs Ruel goodbye, trying my hardest to not seem bothered, because he’s just my best friend and nothing more to me. I have no right to be jealous or angry that he’s interested in someone, like who can blame him, she’s literally gorgeous, and everything I’m not.

Marissa is standing at 5’10, with long lean legs, a toned stomach, and is just overall every boys dream girl. Then you have me, with my head barely making it to Ruels chest, and definitely nowhere near the size 2 she wears. I just wish I could be like her, the one he wants, but instead I’m his childhood best friend, and nothing more than that.

“Hey, you ready to go?” Ruel asks as he jogs over to me once he finishes his conversation with her, since we had plans to hangout today at his house, like we usually do everyday after school, since we live down the street from one another.

“Yeah let’s go” I say in a slightly chirpy tone, hoping he doesn’t notice my mood change after watching his encounter with her, the last thing I want to do is start a fight or ruin this friendship over my envy.

“Okay, wanna get something to eat first? I know you’re usually hungry after school” He says once we make it into the car. I softly shake my head no and give him a small smile, because the lord knows I can’t eat with the upset stomach that I have now.

“Nope, I’m good for now, I’ll probs pick something up later” I say with a little laugh to get him to not ask questions, like I know he was about to from the look on his face. He stays silent as he drives back to his house and just looks at me from the corner of his eye. He lets out a little sigh and takes a hand off the steering wheel to rest it on my thigh, giving it a small squeeze, causing me to slightly tense up from the action.

“Are you okay? You seem off today bubs” he speaks up after a moment of slight hesitation. I just give him a small shrug and smile before turning away to look out the window.

“Yeah, just a little more tired than usual today, nothing serious though, so calm down Rueloff” I reply back jokingly, causing him to roll his eyes at the name. Thankfully he drops the topic though, but still keeps his hand on my thigh, not knowing the effect it has on me.

We pull up to his house and I jump out of the car and rush into the house, looking for my go to escape plan, and go to main person I vent to about the little predicament I’m in. I hear someone in the kitchen and rush in, thankfully spoting my savior.

“Babes!” I screech throwing my body onto Coco, who screeches back at me with the same level of enthusiasm. Coco Van Dijk, otherwise known as God, is my absolute best friend, besides Ruel of course. Even though he’s her brother, she still has no problem talking to me about my feelings for him and even helping me when we have little fights or arguments.

“I missed you, wanna hang in my room, we have loads to talk about” she says noticing the tense look on my face as I hear someone enter the kitchen behind me. I send her a pleading look, hoping that she can whisk me away into her room, since I just can’t handle being around ruel at this exact moment. It’s not his fault, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less.

“Uh actually we’re hanging out, sorry Coco” Ruel says with an eye roll dragging me away from her. Coco watches the exchange and the pleading look on my face, before moving her hand down to her front pocket and tapping her phone, signaling me to check my phone once I make it to his room. I give her a slight nod before I’m finally pulled out of the kitchen and practically thrown into his room from the fight I was trying to put up to stay with Coco.

“Holy shit what is your problem?” Ruel exclaims looking at me. I stare him in the eyes before giving a small shrug.

“I just missed Coco and had some things I needed to talk to her about” I say with a laugh knowing that he hates when I tell Coco things and not him.

“What can you tell Coco that you can’t tell me? We literally tell each other everything I thought” He questions with a slightly hurt look on his face. I roll my eyes at his dramatics before putting my head onto his lap as he sits on the bed.

“I do tell you everything, but just like there’s things you tell the boys and not me, I do that with my girl friends too. There’s just some conversations that are girls only, sorry bubs” I say with a laugh as I reach up to pinch his cheek as pouts at me.

“But why can’t you tell me everything? I’m your best friend, not her.” He says with an eye roll while grabbing my hand and holding it to his face so that it’s pressed against the cheek I just pinched.

“Stop whining because you already know you’re my favori-“ I try to say before I get cut off by Ruels phone going off, I get up and grab his phone to hand it to him just to see about 5 texts from “Marissa :)”. The smile on my face instantly drops and I hand him the phone. He looks at me with a questioning look because of my reaction, before glancing at his screen and then looking at me with wide eyes.

“Did you see the messages?” He says with an alaramed look on his face, I step back from him with a confused and hurt face, because what is he talking about with her that I can’t know about, especially since we ‘tell each other everything’ like he said.

“No, I didn’t. I’ll just go hang out with Coco for a bit, and leave you to do whatever it is that you need to do” I mumble giving him a sad smile. He immediately stands up and grabs my wrist as I’m leaving the room, giving me a pleading look.

“Wait, whatever you’re thinking is probably wrong. It’s not like that, I’m not hiding anything from you.” Ruel states trying to get me to not leave. I let out a soft sigh before gently taking my wrist away from his grip.

“Calm down Ruel, I just wanna see Coco for a bit, I’m not mad, you can talk to whoever you want. We’re best friends and I support you” I tell him with a small smile, watching as his face slightly contorts when I say best friends.

Before he can say anything I head straight to Cocos room and throw myself onto her bed. She lightly rubs her fingers throughout my hair as I lay against her legs. I explain everything to her about Marissa and how weird he acted when it came to the messages between the two and wait for her reaction. She gives me a perpelxed look, looking deeply confused.

“That doesn’t add up” she mumbles lost in thought, forgetting I can hear her. I shoot straight up and stare her straight in the eyes, trying to look for any hint on what she’s talking about.

“What doesn’t add up? What do you know?” I question wanting to know more about the situation with Ruel and Marissa. She shakes her head softly at me before lightly giving my hand a squeeze.

“Babes, I don’t know anything about Marissa, so I couldn’t tell you what that’s about. I will tell you though, I don’t think there’s anything going on, because let’s just say I’m not only your confidant, but I’m also his.” She says with a soft smile and I feel my heart break.

“So he talks to you about girls..” I trail off trying to act like I don’t care, even though Coco knows me better than that and can tell I’m hurt. She lets out a laugh and rolls her eyes. Before she can reply and confirm my terrified thoughts, I interupt with a statement of my own.

“It’s whatever though, I mean I heard Luke liked me and was thinking about asking me on a date, so I might just take him up on that offer.” I state trying to sound like I’m not heartbroken, only to look up and see Coco staring behind me with a shocked and terrified look on her face.

I turn to see Ruel standing in the doorway with a pissed off expression, completely glaring at me. He lets out a scoff as he comes into the room and stands in front of where we are sitting. I stare at him in shock with my mouth slightly parted, not even knowing what to do about this situation.

“Let’s go. We need to talk.” He deadpans with no emotions on his face as he easily lifts me up and takes me to his room. He sets me on his bed before going to close his door and standing in front of me. I sit silently and play with my fingers, waiting for him to speak up.

“Are you fucking with me? You ditch me to go talk to Coco about that dick Luke?” He angrily snaps while pacing in front of me. I give him a weary look, not understanding what he’s so worked up about, considering I never even said I’d accept this kids offer.

“I went to Coco so that you could do what you needed to do and whatnot, that was literally my first time mentioning Luke the whole time I was with her, why do you care?” I say in an exasperated tone, because he has no right to get mad at me when he’s over here talking to Marissa, and telling me nothing about it.

“Of course I’m going to care! I’m your best friend, why the fuck do you even need another guy if you have me?” He yells out before slowly getting quiet at the end of his question. I sigh as I look up, his tall frame making me lean back a little just to make eye contact.

“Ruel you’re acting like I’m trying to replace you? I literally just said he was interested and I might take him up on the offer, what’s the big deal?” I say calmly, trying my hardest to not burst and let everything out. He stares at me like I’m crazy before throwing his arms up in the air exasperated.

“How do you not see what the problem is, I’ve made it pretty fucking obvious” he groans out as he drags his hands down his face, leaving me confused on what’s supposed to be oh so obvious to me.

“I literally have no clue what you’re talking about, like what’s wrong with Luke?” I say rolling my eyes at how dramatic Ruel is being about this, especially when I was being nice about his situation with Marissa, that’s currently tearing my heart apart.

“What’s wrong is the fact that he’s not the guy for you! Can’t you see that?” He shouts, his voice cracking with emotion. I sit there silently staring at him, knowing that he’s not done yet with what he has to say.

“I’ve been here your whole life and it’s like you don’t see me, I try and get your attention but I’m just Ruel the best friend, I don’t want to be your fucking best friend.” He states with so much emotion in his voice, leaving me there with nothing to say.

“You don’t have to be my best friend, I’m sorry if you feel like you had to stick with me all this time..” I whisper, my throat closing up, and tears welling up in my eyes. Ruel notices this and his eyes widen and fill with panic. Before he can even say anything I get up and rush to his bedroom door, to open it and leave so that he doesn’t see me breakdown.

“Fuck stop, that’s not what I meant at all” He shouts alarmed grabbing my wrist and pulling me to him so that I can’t leave. I stay silent as I stand in front of him, tears streaming down my face, and wrist still snug in his grip.

“I get it, you don’t want to be friends and that’s okay. You like Marissa and I’m just getting in the way of all that and you living your life. It’s okay Ruel, I want you to be happy and if that means without me, then I accept that.” I say looking up at his face with a small heartbroken smile as a sob tears through my throat.

Ruel stands there shellshocked at what I just said, not being able to fully comprehend everything I said. Before he says anything, he yanks my small frame into him and pulls me tight against him, so that my face is buried in his chest, soaking his hoodie with my salty tears.

“You’re right, I don’t want to be friends with you anymore. I want to be more. I want you to want me the same way I want you. You’re the only girl that makes me happy, and I definitely don’t fucking want Marissa. I was scared when you saw her name on my phone because she was giving me advice on how to finally tell you my feelings.” He whispers softly into my ear with a trembling voice, as he rocks our bodies side to side, completely holding me in his embrace.

I look up into his eyes to see if he is telling the truth, and all I see if love and affection as he stares down at me, slowly lifting a hand to brush the tears off of my cheeks.

“But she’s perfect Ruel, she’s literally the type of girl you should be with, she’s everything I wish I could be” I whimper with a small sob breaking through. He looks at me as if I told him I was 7 months pregnant with his baby.

“You have to be fucking with me, have you ever looked at you? You’re so gorgeous that I literally get weak just watching you, sure Marissa is pretty I guess, but you’re absolutely stunning. There’s no words to explain just how beautiful you are.” He says with so much emotion in his voice, causing my eyes to water and me gripping him in the tightest hug possible.

“Does this mean we’re together now?” I mumble in a shy tone, barely peaking up to make eye contact with him. Ruel throws his head back with a laugh before leaning down and giving me a small chaste kiss.

“Yes it does bubs, so make sure Luke knows you’re off limits.” He says with a light laugh, but slightly dead serious look in his eyes. I roll my eyes knowing that he has nothing to worry about, all I need is right here in front of me.

“Just friends my ass” is all we hear from the doorway in a slight whisper as we turn and see Coco sticking her head through to watch us. We both laugh as she smirks at us and makes her way back to her room, knowing I’ll be in there in a few minutes to tell her what happened.

*side note: every single one of you is beautiful. You’re perfect the way you are and don’t need to change a single thing about yourself for someone else. If you wanna get plastic surgery, go for it, as long as it’s for you. If you wanna lose weight, go for it, as long as it’s for you and under healthy circumstances. I love every single one of you and want the very best for y’all. Life is hard, but you can do it. If you ever want to talk, I’m here and free of judgement. Or even if you just want a friend, I’m here for you. I love you.*

[american-horror-story-trash]

Michael Langdon - Forgotten

Title: Forgotten Requested: No Synopsis: You were living a luxurious life after the end of the world, by the side of the Antichrist.  At least, until it all disappears Word Count: 1318 Notes: I love Love LOVE Michael Langdon, so...yeah Warnings: None

You looked over at your lover, Michael, with a smile on your face.  You had recently arrived at Outpost 3, one of the only remaining pieces of civilization as it was known, and his final selections had been made for the Sanctuary.

Nobody had made the cut.

This meant that they’d all die, and you knew just how excited Michael got at the idea of mass death.  Just the thought of it had you fidgeting in your seat, waiting.  The plan had been set into motion, the residents would be eating their poisoned apples any minute.

He looked up at you from his laptop and smiled, closing it and standing from his chair.  “You look excited, my love,” he said as he walked over to you.

Your lips spread upward in a grin as you stood up to give him a peck on the lips.  “Just excited for our new world,” you said as you took his hands in yours.

He looked down at you.  Most people found Michael threatening, but you were the opposite.  That look in his eye made you want to get even closer to him, until no space was between you two.  “It’s all for you, y/n.”

You let out a light giggle as his hand moved to cup your face.  He leaned down to meet your lips, but stopped just when yours were grazing each other.

“Something’s wrong,” he said, pulling away from you and walking to the door.

You looked down at Venable’s bleeding, dead corpse.  There was nobody left in the Outpost, who could he be sensing?

“I’m going to investigate, stay here.”  With that, he stepped out of the room and closed the door.

You wanted to follow him.  You wanted to see what the threat was.  But, you knew better than to disobey Michael, so you sat down in your chair and awaited his return.

You sat in silence for a long moment, before you heard the doors to the outside opening.  Your heart began racing, that could only mean two things - someone had broken in, or Michael was leaving you there to rot.  You couldn’t take it, you jumped up and threw the door open, running out after him.

He stood at the base of one of the staircases, staring down into the main hallway where a group of women stood - three of them being dead Outpost residents.  You ran to stand beside him, somehow thankful that it was an intruder instead of him leaving you.  “Michael, what’s happening?” you asked him.

He put his arm around you, pulling you close to him.  “Just some pests,” he said as he looked down at you.  “They’ll be gone soon.”  He looked back up at them and said, “The world has been remade in my father’s image.”

One of the women with a mess of red hair laughed as she said, “Darling, it seems daddy didn’t tell you the most important rule of bringing on the apocalypse: If you wanna finish the job, the thing you have to do first is get rid of all the witches.”

Your eyes widened.  These were the witches, the ones Michael had been talking about.  You’d never seen them in person until now.

Michael’s grip on you tightened.  “I could annihilate all of you in a second and the world would go on without missing a beat.”  He gently pushed you behind him and began to descend the stairs. “You and all your work will be forgotten in the rubble of the past, but I wanna give you a future.”

You reached for his hand.  “Michael-!”

He pulled his hand out of your reach.  “Fall to your knees and accept me as your Lord and Savior and I will bring you to the table as my obedient subjects.”

One of the women - an Outpost resident with a lipstick heart, scoffed.  “What, so we can end up like your little pet behind you?” she asked, making a motion towards you.  “Yeah, no thanks.”

Rage flared inside you.  “I am not a toy,” you said angrily, stepping forward until Michael’s hand stopped you.

Another of the women spoke up.  “The only way we would sit at your table was if your decapitated head were the centerpiece.”

Michael turned to you and smiled lightly.  “Dear, the slaughter is about to begin.  Go back to our room, I don’t want you getting your beautiful hands dirty.”

You knew better than to argue with Michael, so you bit your tongue and turned to go back up the stairs.  Once you reached a point where Michael could no longer see you, you paused and focused on listening to what was going on downstairs.

An explosion went off, and you couldn’t help yourself.  You flung yourself back down the stairs, looking for Michael.  Your eyes widened when you realized he wasn’t on the stairs anymore, and you looked at the witches frantically.  “What did you do?!” you yelled as you ran down the stairs.  You finally located Michael and ran over to him, but stopped when you saw him cradling Ms. Mead’s decapitated robot head.

You stood, frozen, as you watched Michael stand up.

“Sorry about your little toy, bitch,” a voice said from behind you.  You turned to see one of the witches holding Mead’s gun arm in her hands, and before you could react she began firing at Michael.

“No!” you yelled, jumping to tackle her out of the way.

One of the other witches grabbed you and threw you against a wall, standing over you with a bloody knife in her hand.  The dark-skinned one, the Voodoo Queen, stood before you.

Poised to kill.

“What are you?” she asked as she stared down at you, but all you could look at as the knife dripping blood.  You knew the bullets wouldn’t kill Michael, but they’d slow him down.  He couldn’t protect you until he healed, which would take a minute or two.

But you slowly made yourself look up at the woman.  “I-I’m y/n...” you said quietly.  “Please, please don’t hurt him.  Let us go!”

She laughed.  “You must not know what he is, you poor thing.”

You shook your head.  “No, you have it all wrong!”  You pushed yourself against the wall and stood up.  “Please, please don’t hurt us.”

She glared at you for one last second before saying, “Can’t do that.”  She swung the knife at you, and then it all went black.

--

Your eyes flew open and you shot up in your bed, breathing heavily.  You felt like you were just waking up from some nightmare, but you couldn’t remember any of it.  Something about a boy - a beautiful boy.  You couldn’t quite picture his face, but you weren’t very focused as you turned off your alarm and swung your legs off of your bed.

It was time to prepare for another day at your job in the coffee shop.

As you got ready, you couldn’t help but feel like something was missing.  You looked at the empty chair across from you, which had always been that way.  Empty.  But something about it just felt wrong.

Shaking your head, you finished getting ready for the day and walked out the door.  Your work wasn’t far from your apartment, so you’d usually walk there.

As you were walking, you were stopped by a hand landing on your arm.  You turned to face the hand’s owner - a short woman with black lipstick staring up at you.  “Excuse me,” she said with a scary, wide smile.  “Do you have a minute to learn about our Lord and Savior, Satan?”

The idea of it didn’t appall you like you always thought it would.  It actually intrigued you.  Something about it just felt...Right.  So against your better judgement, you decided to be a little late for work.  “Sure,” you said, giving her a smile.  “Why not?”

[nerdypinupcrystal]

Every Breath You Take Chapter 9: Girls Night

I’m BAAAAACK! I’m so sorry for taking forever to update, guys. I had so much going on; school and work back to back, I seriously get no days off! My aunt was in the hospital for a month, but she’s okay now. And I was also hit with the dreaded writers block.  But I’m finally here with a new chapter, it’s a fun lengthy one, I hope you guys enjoy it!

Masterlist

Chapter 9: Girls Night

After our talk in Matt’s apartment, he walked me back to my place to rest, obviously noticing how drained the talk left me. With one more lingering, spine tingling kiss, he walked back to his apartment with the promise to see me later. 

I called Lucy to invite her to have a  sleepover with me. This day of honesty has encouraged me to want to open up to my new “best friend” as Lucy fondly titled herself. 

I slept the day away until a knock on the door woke me up. I reached for my phone to check the time. My eyes widened with disbelief at reading the large bright numbers on the screen. 6:15 PM 

Holy shit that talk really did drain me!

The knocking continued until I heard a familiar voice through the door. 

“Iris, open up! The strippers are getting restless!” Lucy yelled impatiently. 

I let out a snort of laughter as I made my way towards the door, opening it to reveal my quirky best friend wearing a yellow dress and carrying a green stuffed animal with little tentacles in its face. 

“Good evening, Miss. Do you have a moment to talk about our lord and savior Cthulhu?” Lucy asked, sounding every bit like a missionary. 

“I was under the impression you brought strippers with you.” I replied, arching one brow up as I patiently waited for her response. 

“They got impatient and went back to Chippendales. Now you get Cthulhu.” She responded as she thrust the green stuffed Cthulhu doll into my hands. “He like praises, occasional human sacrifices, and cuddles.”

I giggled as I held the stuffed monster like a baby. “Thank you, I’ll do my best.” I opened the door wider for her, “You may enter if you dare.”

“Thank you, kind gentlewoman.” Lucy replied with a curtsy. She stepped inside carrying a medium sized overnight bag on her shoulder, but surprised me with the tall pink train case she rolled in behind her. 

“Please don’t tell me you have luggage for Cthulhu.” I pleaded, my brows furrowed in slight worry. 

Lucy was quick to respond. “Nope! I came prepared with some essentials.”

She unlocked each compartment of the large case and proceeded to open and separate the case. Each compartment, to my amazement, revealed an assortment of pastries and desserts from the bakery. The top compartment had a protective container filled with a variety of cupcakes; the second compartment held a wide selection of French macarons, truffles,and fruit tarts; and the third compartment held various cronuts, puff pastry treats, and dulce de leche cookies. 

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head at all the sweets. “Holy shit, Luce! There’s no way we’re gonna finish all of this tonight!”

“Oh don’t be silly!” She replied as she started handing me the desserts to put in the fridge. “Some of this can be our breakfast too. Maybe you can even take some over to Matt.” Lucy wiggled her eyebrows at me with a smirk. 

I blushed at the thought of Matt, my lips still tingling from our kiss this morning. 

“And besides,” Lucy continued, interrupting my thoughts. “You haven’t seen the best part. Guaranteed to hype up that appetite.”

With that, she opened the bottom largest compartment. Revealing six bottles of Stella Rosa wine. 

“Three for you, three for me!” Lucy exclaimed in excitement as she pulled out the bottles and set them on the counter. 

“Holy shit.” I said, too speechless to say anything else. But then I realized to my dismay, “I don’t have a corkscrew.” 

Lucy, being the ultimate problem solver replied. “No worries, I have one on my keychain.” She held up said keychain in all its pink bedazzled glory. 

“Always prepared.” I spoke with admiration. 

“Never know when you’re gonna need it. My sister and I learned that in Girl Scouts.” Lucy replied as she uncorked one of the bottles. 

My eyebrows raised in surprise, “They taught you about corkscrews?”

“My mom was our scout leader, she insisted. But enough about that,” She thrust the open bottle to my hands as she opened a second bottle. “Let’s drink.”

“Shouldn’t we get some wine glasses?” I asked perplexed. 

Lucy scoffed. “Sweetie, please. We’re ladies. We drink straight from the bottle.” I let out a laugh as I put the rest of the bottles in the fridge to chill. “Now let’s sit down, drink up, and talk about what’s going on with you.”

We got to the couch, I took a healthy gulp of the wine and told her everything. 

She took it pretty well. 

“I’m gonna fuckin kill him.” Lucy growled as we both wiped our tears. “I’m gonna fly out to Miami, and kill him to death!”

I let out a snort of laughter. “How do you kill someone to death?”

“Oh there are ways.” Lucy was quick to reply. “I can get quite creative when the inspiration hits me.”

“I don’t doubt that for a second,” I chuckled. “But I just got away from him and I hate the idea of you being in the same room as him. What he did to me was horrible enough. The thought of him doing anything to you or anyone else I care about terrifies me.” I felt a chill of fear go up my spine just saying it. 

Lucy frowned in sympathy and pulled me into a comforting embrace. “Hey now, get that thought out of your mind. He’s thousands of miles away back in Miami. We’re in New York. You changed your look, it’s a huge city, and he thinks you’re dead. And most importantly, you’re not alone anymore. You have me, and two adorable kick ass lawyers that will fight for you. Especially Matt.” Lucy finished with a wink. 

My cheeks reddened at the thought of my sweet, gorgeous neighbor. “That’s a pretty valid point.”

“Does he know?” Lucy asked. 

I nodded. “Yeah, I told him this morning before I called you.”

“How did he take it?”

I hesitated before I answered. “Better than I thought. At first, though, he was silent. I guess he was processing everything, but I was so sure he hated me.” Lucy looked confused before I elaborated. “For lying. For running away from my problems like a coward.”

“Oh sweetie, you’re not a coward!” Lucy exclaimed, her eyes meeting mine. “You were being abused, you were alone and scared! You said yourself that cops couldn’t help you. It would’ve gotten even worse the longer you stayed. You did what you had to do, and on top of that, you snuck out to move your mom and faked her death to protect her even though you knew that you were gonna get hurt for disappearing like that. That took a lot of guts, you must know that by now.”

I nodded shakily, fighting the tears threatening to shed. “I do now. Matt said as much himself.”

Lucy’s face brightened. “See? That man is as smart as he is gorgeous...”

“And kissable.” I muttered as I took a sip of my wine. 

Lucy continued, “Just like my Foggy- time the fuck out!” 

My eyes widened at the sudden outburst. “What?”

“You kissed Matt?!” She asked excitedly. 

“Oh, yeah, I did.” I replied with a timid smile, my cheeks flushing into a rosy pink. 

Lucy could barely contain her composure, her hands were flailing and her body jumping from excitement. She shot up off the couch and rushed to the fridge, returning with the container of cupcakes before going back to the fridge to grab two more bottles of wine. She gingerly sat back on the couch, her legs folded like a kid eager for story time. 

“Okay, I’m ready! Tell me everything.” She begged with glee. 

Exasperated, I shook my head and replied. “Luce, there isn’t that much to tell. It wasn’t hot and heavy, it was sweet and tender during a vulnerable moment.” 

“You say there isn’t much to tell, but I don’t care. Tell me about it anyway!” Lucy exclaimed impatiently. “Finish your first bottle and we can share all the dirty fantasies about our guys.” Her eyebrows wiggled suggestively as she nudged my open bottle towards me. 

“Luce!” I laughed out. “I don’t really talk about this kind of stuff.”

“Oh you will,” Lucy stated. “Now sip sip.”

30 minutes, one and a half bottles of wine later….

“Matt’s so fuckin beautiful, it’s unfair!” I cried out dramatically, fully feeling the effects of the sweet wine. Lucy giggling like a drunk hyena as I continued. 

“Like, he’s so sweet and precious with that smile made of sunshine, but he’s also sexy as fuck with that body- oh God, that body! I’ve bumped into him like a billion times, he even caught me in his arms once, and sweet baby Jesus that man is pure muscle! I wanna play with it like a jungle gym. Like every time I look at him...I feel it in my bones,” My eyes welled up with drunk tears, “I know his dick is big, I know it! I know it’s big! Oh God, my heart hurts!” 

I was full on sobbing as I bit into my fifth or tenth cupcake. 

Lucy was no better off than I was. She was on the brink of tears as she hugged me sympathetically. “My poor, sweet, thirsty flower child needs to get Murdocked so bad.”

“I really do!” I replied as I wiped my tears. “I’ve never had an orgasm and I really really wanna know what one feels like before I die of old age or something.”

“You what?!” Lucy exclaimed with and inhuman sounding gasp of breath. “How have you never had an orgasm?!”

I rolled my eyes and took a huge gulp of wine. “I was a virgin when I met Paul. He insisted we wait until after the wedding to make it more ‘special’. And the whole time during our honeymoon, it was uncomfortable and kinda hurt like hell, but he was a little gentle with me.” My mood began to dampen as I went on, “When he showed his true colors, he stopped being gentle. He took what he wanted and I just laid there and let him. It was better if I didn’t fight.”

I took another gulp of wine as Lucy processed everything. “Could he be any more of an asshole?!” She yelled in disgust. “If he has to be so controlling that he doesn’t care whether or not you cum, then he’s probably shit in bed anyway.” 

I nodded in agreement, “That actually makes so much sense. He’s…..” I hesitated for a second. 

Come on, girl. Say what you want about him. He’s not here to stop you. 

I stood up on the couch, holding my bottle up high and proudly cried out, “Paul Burney is a fuckin asshole! I hate him with every inch of my body, and I deserve a better man that will give me all the love and orgasms I want!”

“Fuckin A, babydoll!” Lucy cheered as she clumsily stood up on the couch alongside me, holding her own bottle up high as she pledged, “Love and orgasms for us! A lifetime of STDs and...um...unlubed anal for Paul!”

I laughed so hard, I couldn’t control the sudden spray of wine from my mouth. I collapsed onto the couch, struggling to breathe through my drunken laughter. 

“What the fuck?” I managed to ask. 

Lucy hopped off the couch to sit back down. “It’ll be my birthday present to you.”

“My birthday isn’t until October.” I replied. 

Lucy’s eyes widened in excitement. “Ooh only two months away then! What day? I wanna start planning now.”

I snorted in amusement as I replied. “The 31st. “

Lucy looked almost ready to have a heart attack. “NO WAY!!! Your birthday is on Halloween?!” She waved her hands ecstatically. “Halloween is my Christmas! And you get to have it for your birthday! That’s so cool!! It must’ve been so fun celebrating it.”

My smile dimmed. “It was when I was with my mom. When I got married, I didn’t get to celebrate either holiday anymore. Paul doesn’t like celebrating holidays, especially Halloween. He finds them childish.” 

I looked down at my feet in shame, hating myself for letting him control me for so long. Lucy’s smile dropped; her face turned red, either from anger or the wine, or possibly both. She shook her head in disgust, relaxing her face back into a smile. 

“Well he’s not here, and this is a new start for you, right?” I nodded for her to continue. “So it’s decided. I’m throwing you the spookiest, most epic Halloween birthday party ever! Costumes, Halloween themed birthday cake, booze, candy, the works! What do you say, birthday ghoul?”

Lucy wasn’t prepared for me to pounce onto her into an attack hug, she let out a yelp as the impact caused us to fall off the couch and onto the floor. She giggled hysterically as I peppered her face with drunken kisses. 

“I take that as a yes?” She asked with excitement. 

“Can we make jack-o-lanterns?” I asked, my eyes widened with childlike glee. 

“Are you kidding? That’s gonna be the first thing we do, of course we can make them!” Lucy replied happily. “We’ll have a day at the pumpkin patch, ooh and I’m sure there’s a corn maze out there too. This is gonna be so much fun!” She clapped with excitement. 

I was too drunk to keep any ounce of composure, l squealed and kicked my feet in the air like I just didn’t care. Then a thought occurred to me. 

“Do you think Matt and Foggy would wanna join us? Would they even be into that sort of thing?” I asked, starting to feel a smidge of doubt. 

Lucy gave my hair a gentle tug. “If they’re as into us as I’m pretty positive they are, then they’ll totally wanna join in. You can find out when you see Matt tomorrow.” She replied with a wink. “Besides, you pretty much have to be a soulless asshole to not wanna celebrate Halloween- let alone someone’s birthday!”

“Well, that explains Paul.”

Lucy scoffed. “Fuck that dumpster fire of a human being with something hard and sandpapery.”

I let out a snort of laughter, “Oh Luce, you have such a way with words.”

Lucy grinned with pride. “It’s a talent. However speaking of assholes…” 

I caught her finger before it had the chance to poke at my bruised cheek. 

“Who’s the asshole that hurt your cheek? What the Hell happened? Tell me everything!”

My clouded brain didn’t understand what she was talking about, until a certain sexy vigilante in black pajamas flashed through my mind. 

“Oh my god, I totally forgot about that!” I exclaimed. “I had a crazy night last night.” 

“Well don’t leave me in suspense, Woman! What happened???” Lucy asked impatiently. 

I sat up before I started my tale of the night before. “So, I didn’t go home after seeing you. I needed to go somewhere to breathe. And while I was out, I made some new friends. Like this nurse who I ended up spilling my guts to about my situation, and she gave me a checkup. Her name’s Claire, very cool chick, she gets a free treat from the bakery, I can’t wait for you to meet her. Oh and I met this super cool group of musicians and jammed with them at Guitar Center, they’re my own band of gypsies, you’ll love them!” Focus, girl. “Anywho, I was walking home and it was dark. Then this dirty creepy guy dragged me down an alley. My dumb ass thought it was Paul, but nope, I was just being mugged. I tried to get away, but he threw me against the wall, which caused this,” I gestured to the bruised scrape in my cheek. “He started groping me and wanted to do other stuff to me,” I shivered at the memory. “But then, out of nowhere, this guy shows up, throws the mugger off me, and beats the mad shit out of him!”

“No way!” Lucy exclaimed as she sat up facing me. “Who was it?! Ooh was it one of the Avengers?”

I shrugged, “I don’t think so. Do any of the Avengers dress in head to toe black and fight like some kind of sexy acrobatic ninja?” 

Lucy let out a dramatic gasp. “Oh my god, you lucky bitch! You got rescued by Daredevil!”

“Who?” I asked, not familiar with the name. 

“Oh that’s right, you haven’t lived here long enough to be familiar with him. He’s our local vigilante, also known as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. He’s been around for about a year now, I think, trying to clean the streets of criminals and scumbags with some epic ass kicking from what I’ve heard. And you got rescued by him!” Lucy finished excitedly. 

I sat there in disbelief. I couldn’t believe that not only did someone care enough to save my life, but that it was by an apparently famous crime fighter. 

“What happened after that?” Lucy asked. “Did he talk to you? Or did he disappear mysteriously into the night?” She finished with a dramatic whisper. 

I blushed as I remembered how close and intimate my moment with the masked man felt. 

“He spoke to me…” I trailed off. 

“And????” Lucy asked impatiently. 

She wasn’t going to let it go until I told her, so I let out a sigh and continued. “He asked me if I was okay. He got really close to me, he touched my cheek…” I felt my heart race remembering his touch. “It felt so intimate. Like he really genuinely cared about me. Like he wanted to hold me, you know?” Lucy dreamily nodded as I continued. “He told me to go home and be safe. I thanked him, and then he was gone.”

Lucy sighed. “That sounds so romantic. Having your own superhero to keep you safe. What a dream!”

I couldn’t help but agree. “He certainly got my heart racing, that’s for sure.”

“I heard he has a killer body under those black pajamas.” Lucy pointed out. “How did it look? And most importantly, did you check out his ass?” She asked, causing me to almost choke on my wine. 

“Oh my god, Luce, warn a girl next time!” She simply shrugged. “And seriously? I was in danger. I saw him beat up that creep who wanted to hurt me!”

Lucy’s excitement deflated , “You’re right, I’m sorry-”

“Of course I checked out his ass!” I cut her off. “I’m not stupid! If my life was about to end, I needed something good to look at.”

Lucy let out an excited giggle. “And how was it?”

“Round and juicy, like a perfect peach. If I were to rate it, I’d give it two palms up.” I replied, holding my hands palm side up with a grabbing motion; causing Lucy and I to burst into hysterical laughter. 

“You’ll have to get a good grip on that peach the next time you see him.” Lucy wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. 

I snorted, “Groping a vigilante? Oh yeah, I see that working out well. He’ll probably have me arrested!”

Lucy shrugged, “You know a couple hot lawyers that’ll defend you.”

Matt. 

The thought of him instantly sobered me up. 

“Fuck, how could I have forgotten about Matt? I shouldn’t be thinking these things about some masked stranger! What’s wrong with me?” I asked, frustrated with myself. 

Lucy seemed unfazed by my thoughts. “Don’t worry about that. He won’t mind.”

“What makes you say that?” I looked at her in slight confusion. 

Lucy’s eyes widened as she took a huge gulp of wine. She hesitated for a second before replying. “Maybe...he’s into kinky shit and would be open to a sexy three way. Then you really would be the luckiest bitch in the world!”

I just barely swallowed my wine before cracking up. “I don’t think Matt and I are at that stage of our relationship to talk about that kind of stuff yet. We haven’t even really talked about what we are yet. And besides, I doubt he’s into threesomes and stuff like that anyway.”

Don’t act like the thought didn’t cross your mind. I shrugged at my thoughts. 

“Hey, don’t rule it out,” Lucy insisted. “Just because he’s blind and catholic, doesn’t mean he’s not kinky as hell. In fact, he’s probably very adventurous indeed.” She finished with a wink. 

I rolled my eyes and replied, “I’ll keep that in mind, you weirdo.”

“Dancing!” Lucy exclaimed out of nowhere, immediately changing the subject. “We have to have dancing at your party! Ooh the Time Warp is a must, remind me that we seriously need to go out for a Rocky Horror night, by the way. Ooh we can do the rockabilly stroll! That’ll be a fun and easy dance to do.”

“What’s the rockabilly stroll?” I asked once Luce stopped to take a breath. 

She immediately jumped up and ran for her bag. She pulled out a portable speaker and her phone. A moment later, rockabilly music filled the air. Lucy grabbed my hands, yanking me to my feet. 

“You’re gonna learn today.” She declared before my new dance lessons began. 

The rest of the night was spent dancing, eating, drinking, and leaving all my troubles behind. 

Next Morning 

I woke up the next morning expecting a killer hangover despite Lucy making me take some aspirin and orange juice before passing out, but no such hangover occurred. I wanted to go back to sleep, sure, but thankfully there was no splitting headache from all that wine. 

The smell of coffee brewing prevented me from falling back asleep. I slowly started to rise up from the scattered pillows and tangled blanket on the...floor?

I guess we were too tired or too hammered to make it to the bed. 

“Rise and shine, Ginger!” Lucy called out from the kitchen. 

I forced myself up and clumsily stumbled towards the kitchen. Lucy stood at the counter wide awake and perked full of energy. 

“How are you so full of energy?” I groggily asked her. 

“High metabolism and an iron liver. I get that from my mama.” Lucy replied with a cheeky grin. “How do you take your coffee, my sleepy ginger snap?”

“Sweeter than Matt’s smile.” I replied dreamily, still half asleep. 

“What was that?” Lucy replied with a chuckle. 

“More cream and sugar than coffee.” I clarified, blushing at the realization of what I said. 

Lucy complied, handing me my fresh cup. “One sweet ass coffee for one thirsty ass lady.”

“Thanks, darling.” I replied, drinking the coffee. “So what time are we opening the bakery today?”

“Well I think we can get away with opening up shop a little later today. The boss is pretty lenient.” She winked. “So we can take our time getting more awake and ready for the day.”

“Sounds like a great plan.” I readily agreed. “I love my boss.”

“Love ya too, doll.” Lucy replied with a wink. “But first thing’s first.” She made her way to the fridge. “You’re gonna brush your teeth, get dressed, and take some goodies over to the handsome Mr. Murdock.”

“You don’t mind if I leave you behind for a few minutes?” I asked, not wanting to be rude to my friend. 

Lucy put that worry to rest. “Don’t worry about me. I might take advantage of your shower if you don’t mind?”

“Knock yourself out. I’m just gonna freshen up real quick.” I replied as I raced to my room to change and brush my teeth as well as my birds nest-looking hair. 

I was ready in no time; I rushed over to the kitchen where Lucy had just finished putting together a container full of pastries for me to take. 

Lucy looked at me knowingly. “Wow, someone is eager to get Murdocked.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, you perv.” I replied innocently as I reached for the container. “Thanks for putting this together, Luce. I think I’ll bring him some coffee too. I think he’ll appreciate that.”

“Aww that’s so sweet!” Lucy gushed. She grabbed her overnight bag and pulled out a small stack of to-go coffee cups and lids. “Here, take one of these. Last thing we need is a coffee accident.”

“Thanks, Mary Poppins. You seem to carry everything!” I exclaimed. 

Lucy scoffed. “Sweetie, Mary Poppins has nothing on me. Now go get your Murdock fix!” She started nudging me out the door. “I want details!” She finished with a slam of the door. 

I shook my head with a giggle as I walked over next door. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach as I raised my hand to knock on Matt’s door. 

The door opened after the first knock, revealing Matt, who was looking absolutely sinful in a black suit and tie. His beautiful eyes were already covered by those familiar red sunglasses. 

“Morning, Matt!” I greeted cheerfully, feeling more awake in his presence. 

“Good morning to you too, Iris.” He replied, flashing that gorgeous smile I love so much. “You sound better today.”

“I feel better today.” I replied, the memory of our kiss causing me to blush. 

Matt opened the door wider. “Would you like to come in? I have to leave soon, but I can definitely spare a few minutes for you.” He finished with a wink, causing my organs to bounce. 

I cleared my throat before I could get lost in my dirty thoughts. 

“Why thank you, don’t mind if I do.” I replied with a slight curtsy before entering the apartment. Matt smirked as if he could see my gesture. 

“How are you?” He asked as he closed the door, moving towards me. “I know yesterday had taken a lot out of you. Are you okay?”

He lifted his hand to my shoulder, giving me instant warmth at his thoughtfulness. 

“I am.” I replied with a smile. “For the first time in a long time, I really am.” I leaned up to kiss those sweet lips of his, which he eagerly and gently gave back in kind. “Thank you for listening. And for accepting me and the truth.”

Matt smiled as he caressed my cheek. “Anytime. Thank you for trusting me. I know it wasn’t easy.”

“It wasn’t.” I agreed. “But it feels better to not have to keep this to myself anymore.  I even called Lucy over to tell her.” 

I looked down at the goodies in my hands and remembered the initial reason I was there. 

“And speaking of which, she brought over practically half the treats from the bakery, and I thought you might like some for breakfast. You can maybe share some with Foggy if you want.” I gently nudged the container into his hands. 

Matt’s smile was priceless. “Thank you so much, Iris. That’s so thoughtful of you. Foggy will appreciate this for sure.” He then sniffed the air. “Is that coffee I smell?”

“Yup!” I replied, carefully placing the hot cup in his hands. “I thought you could use a pick-me-up.”

“Wow, thank you! You’re a goddess.” He sighed appreciatively as he smelled the coffee. 

I blushed at the comment, “It’s no problem. I don’t remember how you take your coffee, so I left it black.”

“I actually do take it black, so you did perfectly.” He praised. He took a sip, letting out a soft moan, giving me goosebumps. “Thank you so much, you saved me from having to make some myself.”

“Anytime.” I replied. “I’m happy to help.”

Matt smiled back; he was about to speak, but he was cut off by a robotic voice calling out “Foggy. Foggy. Foggy.”

Letting out a huff he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I’m sorry, Iris, can you give me just a second?” 

“Of course, go ahead.” I assured him as he answered the phone. 

“Hey, Foggy.” Matt greeted. 

I couldn’t hear what Foggy was saying, but from Matt’s expression, I would guess Foggy was getting impatient. 

“I know, I’m sorry I’m running late. I overslept.” He explained. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He tightened his grip on the container of pastries in his hand. He continued with a smirk, “And I’m even bringing breakfast. Courtesy of our favorite ladies.”

I felt my face flush even redder at the comment. Matt had to have known how he was affecting me, his smirk grew with a chuckle. Either at me or at what Foggy was saying, I have no idea. 

“Okay. I’ll be there soon.” He finished before hanging up. 

“I take it this is your cue to go?” I asked, already knowing the answer. 

Matt nodded apologetically. “Yeah.  I’d rather stay, to be honest, but we’re meeting a client today, and we have to prepare for that.”

I immediately felt guilty. “Oh god, Matt, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you late.”

Matt tilted my chin up to look at him. “Hey, don’t ever apologize for coming by. You’re a very welcome distraction.” 

Our noses touched oh so softly, only a breath between our lips. My heart pounded in my ears, I think even Matt could hear it. 

This man will be the death of me. But what a way to go. 

The logical part of me should back away before we get carried away. But the aroused part of me wanted to keep going. 

I gave in and eagerly pressed my lips against his, feeling lighter than air. I could feel Matt’s hand lightly grasp the back of my neck, his fingers combed through my hair as he held me closer to him. My hands clawed at his back, trying to get him even closer. 

I felt the tip of Matt’s tongue at the seam of my lips, begging for entry. I let out an eager gasp in response, I softly began to greet his tongue with mine….

“Foggy. Foggy. Foggy. Fog-”

Letting out a groan of frustration, Matt broke apart from our kiss and answered the phone while still holding me close to him. 

“What, Foggy?” Matt asked through clenched teeth. 

The deep growl sent thrilling chills up my spine. Why does it sound so familiar?

“I knew it!” Foggy yelled on the other end, which I could hear loud and clear this time. “Get your tongue out of Iris’s throat, and get your ass over here!”

Foggy hung up before Matt could even respond. 

We both let out a sigh of disappointment, Matt leaning his forehead against mine. 

“I guess you really have to go this time, huh?” I asked dejectedly. 

“I don’t want to, but he’ll hunt me down if I don’t.” He replied with a half hearted chuckle. “May I walk you back to your door?”

I giggled back, “Of course. Don’t forget the container. You’re gonna need those pastries to calm him down.”

Matt chuckled again, “You might be right about that. Though I think we’ll have to stop by the bakery so he can see Lucy in order for him to forgive me.” 

“That can be arranged.” I replied as we made our way out the door. 

He locked the door just as I noticed something was missing. “Oh Matt, you forgot your coffee.”

He turned to me with a smirk. “It’s okay. I already had my pick-me-up.”

Damn he’s smooth. 

“You’re incorrigible.” I responded, flushing as red as a tomato. 

“And you’re irresistible.” Matt replied with a wink as he held my hand. 

“And you’re running late.” I replied back, trying to control my racing heart. 

Our short walk ended as we stopped in front of my door, our hands still clasped together. 

“You’re right,” He said, sounding disappointed once again about leaving. “Thank you for stopping by. It really made my morning.”

I grinned. “Anytime.” Then I decided to continue my bold streak. “In fact, would you like to come over for dinner tonight? We could whip something up in the kitchen together, it’ll be fun.”

I felt unreasonably nervous waiting for his answer. 

You just soft core made out with the man in his apartment. I don’t think he’s gonna say “no”.

Matt smiled sweetly and replied, “I’d love to. What time should I come over?”

“How about 6:00?” I asked. Lucy won’t mind letting me off before then. 

“Perfect.” He replied. “Want me to bring anything?”

“Just yourself.” I said, not wanting to let go of his hand. “Are you craving for anything in particular?”

I know what I’m craving for. 

Matt smirked as if he heard my thoughts and replied, “How about we bake some dessert for dinner?” His calloused fingers lightly caressed my hand. “I’m suddenly craving for something sweet.”

I suddenly felt hot enough to break a sweat, and my rapidly beating heart certainly didn’t help.  Keep it together. 

“Okay,” Why did I sound so breathless? I cleared my throat before continuing. “I’ll think of something for us to make. I’ll see you tonight?”

“Looking forward to it.” He said as he leaned down to leave a soft, lingering kiss on my lips. “See you tonight.”

“Bye.” I whispered, biting my lip to try to hold back my bashful grin. 

I could faintly hear Lucy’s footsteps shuffling quickly away from the other side of the door. Matt had an amused grin on his face as he turned away and walked towards the elevator. 

I drifted through the doorway of my apartment like I was floating on a cloud. Even Lucy’s knowing smirk couldn’t distract me from the excitement tonight will surely bring. 

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

A/N: And that was chapter 9!!! I hope it was worth the wait and that you loved the bonding between Iris and Lucy. I love them so much! And Matt...*sigh* he makes my heart sing! I hope y’all liked it, please be sure to follow me, reblog and leave a comment telling me what you think. Your comments truly make my day! Well that’s all for now and I’ll do my best not to take forever on the next chapter. Until next time...*kiss noise*

@jobean12-blog @cametobuyplums @tomhollandeu @writeyourmindaway @annavega333 @lullabylike @persephone-of-tartaros @emilymarie0422 @andrasta14

[zankivich]

Neighbors: Shawn x Plus-Size Reader Chapter 1

Prompt: It’s 2am and I’m drunk and I need some salt for my fries and I know your awake so OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR

I’m reminded of that story Shawn told about the girl who showed up on his porch in the middle of the winter with nothing but a crop top on saying she was lost. But like...normal. And not creepy. Also I wanted to write Shawn with a plus size woman and this was my first attempt, but I finished the other one first. Let me know if ya like! 

Edit: Hi! No longer a one shot. This is now a series! Check masterlist for more chapters.

The only only thing that's keeping you whole at the moment was the bag of grease and destruction in your hands. You had gone to some dumb club and danced with some dumb guy only to find out he was a handsy dickhead and you’d had to pull out the switchblade from your bra to give him the message of back the fuck off. You’d specifically gone out to get laid and if dickhead would’ve just not been an uber creep, you definitely would’ve been down. As it was, the only thing going in your mouth was about to be these bomb ass french fries.

You got into your apartment already reaching inside to try a bite only to shutter with disappointment. There was no salt. What fuck is a french fry without salt? It didn’t occur to you to look for any salt yourself. You were drunk for christ’s sake, and if anything you DESERVED someone to fucking salt your fries for you. You’re a lady dammit!

Seeing as how you lived alone in an apartment building, and there was no one there to solve this issue for you, you turned to the next best thing. Neighbors.

You stumbled out into the hallway armed with your bag of fries barefoot and starving. It was well after two am, most of the hallway dead silent except for the neighbor at the end of the hallway. Music drifted from under the door in a soft, muted sort of way, just enough to tell you that someone was definitely in there. Your lord and savior if they had any fucking salt.

You knocked with reckless abandon wanting to make sure they heard you over the music, and it didn’t even occur to you that it might be annoying to slam your first into someone’s door at two fucking am.The fries! They needed to be saved!

“Hi! I know it’s very late, but I can also hear your music. Good choice by the way, I live for Troye Sivan, he’s a bop. But like I need you to open the door, it’s kind of an emergency!!! Life or death!”

The door opened and your whole body was shocked into silence. Because that was Shawn Mendes on the other side of the door, clearly in his sweatpants, and not at all interested in your french fry problem. Your drunken mind received flashbacks of a letter that every person in the building had gotten about generally perfect super star moving into the building. You weren’t supposed to ask for pictures, to release any information, and you certainly weren’t supposed to knock on the guy’s fucking door at two o’clock in the morning.

“Emergency eh? Life or death?” He asked looking you up and down.

You hiccuped--one that made your whole body kind of boop--and he grinned at you.Thank God for bomb ass dresses that showed off every curve in the book. He was almost hot enough to make you forget the fries. Almost.

“Yes, you see I have these fries. And they need salt. And I can’t eat them without the salt, but my apartment has betrayed me in that it is saltless, and so I would be really appreciative if you would salt my fries.” You mumbled.

“‘Salt your fries’” He repeated a smirk permanently etched into his lips. “Is that a euphemism for something?”

You shook your head which made you a little wobbly and he seemed to reach out at the perfect time grabbing your arm to still you. You thanked him sheepishly before holding up the bag of fries as your evidence

“Not a euphemism. Really just need your salt, bro.”

“Alright, alright. Let me see what I can do.”

He headed back into his apartment leaving the door open which your drunk ass took as a personal invitation and followed him into the kitchen, which was nearly identical to yours. By the time he was done fishing around in his cabinets you had already seated yourself at the island opening your bag and taking another experimental bite. Oh what a disappointment it was.

“Found it.” He said offering you the heavenly morsels.

You moaned snatching it out of his hand and proceeding to generously shake the contained into your bag to evenly coat your meal.

“This has been a glorious ending to a really shitty night. Thank you, so much.” You giggled extremely giddy with your french fries.

Shawn was oddly amused at your behavior taking a seat beside you at his own damn island and watching you eat.

“Not a great night?”

You shook your head shaking your body to the rhythm of your chewing before swallowing.

“Went to some club solo. Just wanted to get laid and get back into my bed. Dude was super handsy, which would’ve been fine if not for his insistent attempts to try and fuck me in the middle of the dance floor with his micro penis. Didn’t take no for an answer. Almost had to cut him cause he started with all that fat bitch nonsense. Men who are into plus size women, hate rejection from plus size women because we’re supposed to be like the ugliest and most undesirable. But like… I’m fine and I’m thick and I still don’t want you sir. And then I got the true love my life, these french fries here, and what happens? My fucking salt disappears.”

“I’m sorry.” He says sounding genuinely sympathetic. “That’s not cool. You’re a very beautiful woman”

“You’re right, not cool. I deserve at least average dick and salt on my fries. And I’m not settling for less.”

He chuckled, cheeks warming into this adorable bright pink. He was leaning his chin on his hand watching you with inquisitive eyes and the first thing your mind went to was what a shitty guest you were being. You pushed the bag in his direction as a peace offering.

“You want?”

He smiled eyeing the bag. “Not really supposed to eat those. Bad for my diet.”

You rolled your eyes. “You look like you’re a quarter of my size. Eat a damn french fry.”

His cheeks did this very interesting thing where they just sort of burst with color. It was as if he was destined to be pink and his body was just fighting the inevitable. It was maybe incredibly adorable. You decided to get farther away from his face less it cause you to spontaneously combust. You crawled out of your seat, still barefoot and tipsy and began to look through his cabinets.

“You got something to drink in here by chance?”

“There’s water in the fridge.” He explained around a mouth full of food.

“How the hell is water going to get you as drunk as I am?”

You quickly located the booze, a bottle of tequila and the shot glasses to boot, before crawling back into his too tall seats.

“Oh I can’t I’ve gotta sing in the studio tomorrow.” He mumbled finally addressing the elephant in the room that was popstar letting drunken woman into his apartment against literally anyone’s better judgement.

“Shawn, you don’t know me, which really shame on you cause I’m awesome. But if you’re not eating french fries and drinking tequila is being you even worth it at that point?” You asked.

He laughed. “Is that your way of convincing me?”

You ignored him in favor of pouring each of you a shot and pushing the glass in his direction.

“Me not taking no for an answer, is my way of convincing you.”

He takes the first shot with hesitation. The second, he barely puts up a fight with. The third, he cheer’s his glass against yours. And the fourth he takes with no hands. It’s a wild awakening, but Shawn may just be a lightweight. Or a normal person with four shots of tequila in him. Tomato, potato.

He leaned his head, which seemed to be too heavy for his neck, on his hand and swung his chair back and forth to the rhythm of the music that was still playing the background. Your eyes were trapped on his thighs, which looked glorious even in sweatpants. Yours were biggers, and you thought about how wonderful he might look between them. Thick thighs save lives and give incredible orgasms. It’s kind of a fact.

At the end of the day you were a big woman. It didn’t bother you in the slightest, the way that it used to when you were younger. It had taken years, but you were comfortable in your skin, and happy as hell with the way you looked. And it never occured to you to beg a man for jack shit. Either he was with it, or he wasn’t. And the men who were, were in for a wonderful fucking ride, if you were to say so yourself. That being said, as attractive as he was, it didn’t occur to you to hit on Shawn. You were just kind of vibing and eating french fries. It seemed harmless. He didn’t strike you as the type to be into thick women, with the whole hollywood size two fad that was in place. There’s a quote somewhere about books and covers and judging and whatever.

“What club did you go to tonight, anyways?” He asked still not holding his head up on his own.

You smiled for no reason at all. “That place nearby with the strobe lights, why?”

“Gotta know where not to go if I don’t wanna be a piece of shit, right?”

“So many double negatives and yet I still appreciate the sentiment.” You grinned.

He chuckled his head lolling from side to side.

“Do you always take the piss out of random men in their apartments?” He sighed hand over his heart. “I’m hurt.”

“Only the ones I like. You’re welcome.”

“It’s an honor, truly.” He murmured taking a moment to hiccup, which was also absolutely fucking adorable. “Can I ask you something?”

You nodded leaning your head on crossed arms because maybe he was on to something and gravity was taking its toll.

“Does that happen to you a lot?”

“What?”

“Guy’s being assholes, saying stuff about how you look?”

You shrugged. “I mean we live in a pretty fucked up culture for sure. You were afraid of a french fry twenty minutes ago because you might look less like you and more like me.”

“No I--”

“Hey, it’s cool. It’s less you and more like our history and our society. People kind of don’t realize they’re saying shitty things. But quite honestly I look good. Like I’m killin’ it over here. And once I figured that out, no one’s been able to stop me since. I’m living my best life.”

His eyes roamed over your body staring at your bare legs and moving over the olive green toned dressed that was hugging you wonderfully. You had a stomach and cellulite and boobs that required a bra and none of these things made you lesser than. In fact you were beautiful because of them, and that had taken far too long to understand.

“ I think that….I think you’re gorgeous.” He shrugged dopely. “You shouldn’t take shit from anyone who can’t see that. The world can be so fucked up sometimes.”

You smiled because in that moment he was nothing but cream and sugar. You wondered what it was like to be so innocent that it just sort of radiated from your pores. He looked untouched by the world, which was something you admired greatly. What a wonderful thing it must have been to exist outside of all the ugliness that surrounded you.

“Thank you. I’m not sweating it though.”

He nodded pushing off of the island and sliding out of his chair. His hair swooped down in his eyes and he pushed it back and it shouldn’t have been so fucking attractive, but here you were lusting over your neighbor at three in the morning with french fry-tequila breath.

“Do you wanna dance?” He asked

You raised an eyebrow. “Dance? Now?... We don’t really know each other like that do we?.”

“That didn’t stop you from taking my salt and forcing tequila down my throat.” He grinned.

“‘Forcing’? That’s a little harsh don’t you think, superstar?”

He licked his lip at the nickname and your brain completely stalled at the visual. Damn him.

“Maybe. I’m Shawn.” He state holding his hand out for you to shake.

“Y/n.”

You slid your hand into his and screeched as he yanked you without an ounce of grace from your chair. You tumbled into his chest and he caught you once again arms seeming to settle around your waist naturally. John Mayer was playing on his stereo system, and there seemed to be multiple speakers throughout the room because the sound pulsed through the floor and in the walls. He started to hum along to the music pulling your body in a sloppy circle as you both danced drunkenly across the hardwood floors. His chest was warm and he smelled of fresh laundry and soap and something that was just entirely him. He nuzzled his face into your hair, the humming turning into a soft singing and your body turned to goo inside his hold. Maybe that had been his plan all along.

Even in his drunken state he didn’t feel you up, though you wouldn’t have minded in the slightest at this point. Instead he leaned back to stare at you and lost his balance almost immediately, so he had to wrap his arms around your neck to save yourself. You laughed and he smiled and you were both just dumb, drunken idiots.

“You’re cute.” He murmured nodding his head as if he had decided it right in that moment, and thus it was fact.

You chuckled. “Thank you. You are cute as well.”

“K.”

His eyes traveled down to your lips and yours traveled to his. If either of you had one brain cell to offer you might have noticed at you’d stopped dancing, or that song had changed. He ran his fingers into your hair and stepped closer in the limited space between you. Before your lips could touch, before you lost every sense of who you were, you were pulling away from his arms, cheeks flaming red.

“I should...I should go home. It’s late.”

His face drooped and it took everything in you not to physically push at his skin until he was smiling. But you were drunk and he was a rock star, and it had all gotten to be a little much.

“Are you sure?” He asked giving you ample opportunity to change your mind.

You smiled slipping his arms from around your waist.

“Yea. Thanks for the salt, neighbor.”

He seemed to remember then that you leaving meant walking the fiver feet to your apartment across the hall, and his smile was suddenly back in full force.

“No problem. Let me walk you home.”

He presented his arm out to you like you were going to a ball and not your apartment door, but you were a sucker for cute boys with brown eyes, so here you were barefoot and drunk in the middle of the hallway with a popstar on your arm. You got all the way to your door and you reached for your pocket to get to your keys only to look down and see that there was no pocket…. Because you were in a tight ass dress designed by some man who hated women. Idiot.

“Something wrong?” Shawn asked as you groaned and slammed your fist against the door.

“My keys. They’re in there.” You explained pointing at the door.

Shawn, the intellectual that he was, shrugged. “Let’s go get them.”

“No, sweetheart. They’re in there. We are out here. I need them to get us in there.”

“Oh.”

Tequila. A hell of a drink.

“I guess you’ll have to stay at my place then huh?” He asked bringing you back from your haze of drunken stupidity yourself. “At least till the morning, when the front desk is open?”

He was wearing a grin that was so smug and dumb and attractive that you didn’t know whether to kiss him or hit him.

You sputtered. “I’m not sleeping in your bed.”

“Sweetheart what kind of guy do you think I am? I have two guest rooms.”

He grabbed your hand interlocking your fingers like you weren’t technically strangers and brought you back to his apartment. True to his word he takes you to a guest room that’s big enough to be the master bedroom in your apartment. So much for similar layouts. He brings you sweatpants that are tight in the thighs and long long long everywhere else and you don’t even bother trying to squeeze a tit into his t-shirt feeling just fine in your bra. But, when he comes to say goodnight you might as well have been one of those skinny girls in the movies with a white button up that was really purposely picked out  three times bigger than the lead actor guy had ever worn to continue the narrative that women have to be dainty and smaller than men to be sexy. He looped his fingers through the waistband string and sent you a smile so goofy and dopey that you just wanted to invite him in to stay forever.

“You look good in my sweatpants.” He mumbled not allowing his eyes to meet your cleavage.

“Yea?” You murmured peering down at wear the material bunched awkwardly around you thighs.

He nodded allowing his thumb to skim up an across your belly, which even on your best days was hard to love.

“Absolutely.”

Maybe it was the tequila. Maybe you were still horny from the club. Or maybe it was just the way that he looked at you like you mattered. But, closing the door with him on the other side just didn’t seem logical.

“Do you wanna… I mean you could sleep in here if you wanted.” You murmured, cheeks burning. “Or not?”

“Do you want me to sleep in here?”

He ducked his head to catch your eye, fingers rubbing soothing circles into your hip. It was a seemingly kind gesture and yet it felt incredibly intimiate at the same time. You found that you loved his hands on your body, which felt kind of astonishing and profound because no man had ever touched your body like him.

“Yea I--I...yes.”

He smiled and his whole face was just a little too cute for comfort.

“Cool.”

He leads you to bed and lets you peel back the covers. You face the wall and he crawls in pressing his chest along your back and slipping an arm over your waist. You feel like your sinking--into what you don’t know, but it feels good, feels right, and you’re hopless to stop it.

“Is this okay?” He whispers against your neck.

All you can do is settle yourself firmly into his body and sigh a sigh of contment.

“Yea.”

What a fuckin night.

***

When you woke up it was with your own personal human sleeping back. Shawn had his large leg draped over your much smaller one, his face hidden in your neck as he slept the sleep of the innocent. It was like something out of a fairytale...but you were nothing like a princess, and this was real life where you’d drank a quarter of your weight in alcohol the night before and had to learch away from the cute boy who’d cuddled you all night to barely make it to his bathroom and vomit horridly.

He found you there, on his pristine, beautiful floor looking like death, and you just knew this was the moment where he realized that you don’t let crazy women into your apartment and officially filed for a restraining order. You’d collapsed against the floor and he quickly made his way to his knees beside you. You thought for sure he would yell and tell you get the hell out of his place but instead he was kneeling to the porcilan god himself. What a fucking shit show.

“Holy fuck this sucks.” He muttered flushing the toilet and collapsing beside you. “I’m supposed to go to the studio today.”

“I feel like I may have had a small part in this and for that I’m sorry.” You mumbled.

He managed to peer over at you around the toilet with a look that said, “are you fucking kidding me?” and despite being on your death bed you still found it within you to bust out laughing. Shawn couldn’t help himself and quickly joined in only for both of you to realize that laughing hurt and you were kind of a couple of goddamn messes.

“This might be the wrong time to say this but...I had a really nice time last night.” He murmured.

You peered over to look at him, again around the toliet, and wondered if this man before you was actually real or if you’d died to alcohol posioning.

“I agree…. It’s the wrong time.”

He laughed at you again only to quickly start heaving and lurch forward for the toilet again. So, it wasn’t a fairytale by any stretch of the imagine. And the fries from the night before had probably all found their way into the toilet bowl. And you spent the rest of the morning on your neighbor’s bathroom floor praying for death to take you. But at one point, when your bones ached and your throat felt like sandpaper, his fingers touched yours on the linolium. And he smiled at you with this pathetic, tiny grin. And you decided that maybe living next door to a popstar might not be so bad afterall.

The End.

[crimsonadri-fanfiction]

My Demons (Chapter 4)

Fandom: Naruto (Anime)

Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, FLUFF

Pairing: Gaara x OC

Rated: T

(First) (Previous)

I cannot stop this sickness taking over It takes control and drags me into nowhere I need your help, I can't fight this forever

…

I need a savior to heal my pain When I become my worst enemy The enemy

-My Demons - Starset

 Gaara and Rin sat at the kitchen table as Yashamaru took a tray of cookies out of the oven.

“Let these cool, okay?” Yashamaru looked at the two who nodded. “Okay. I’ll be right back.” He said before he left the room. Rin hopped off her chair and Gaara frowned.

“Yashamaru said to wait.” he said.

“I’m not gunna take one.” Rin said. “I just wanna look at them.” Gaara continued to frown and hopped off his chair. Rin went on her toes and inhaled deeply. “I love cookies.”

“Me too.” Gaara said going on his toes so he could see them too. “Yashamaru makes the best.”

“I’m gunna make you cookies one day.” Gaara looked over at her as she smiled at him. “Well when I can use an oven.” She moved her hand slightly but just enough for it to touch the still burning hot tray. Rin let out a small scream and Gaara gasped.

Yashamaru heard Rin’s scream and dropped the basket of laundry he was carrying to run to the kitchen.

“What happened?” he gasped. Gaara looked over at him. The two were standing by the sink on a small stool, Gaara holding Rin’s hand under the water while her other hand wiped away some tears.  Yashamaru frowned. “I told you two to wait.”

“We weren’t trying to take one; we were just looking.” Gaara said. Yashamaru sighed and opened a nearby cabinet to get a med-kit. Gaara turned off the water and let Yashamaru take care of Rin’s hand. As Yashamaru put the med-kit away the two moved back to the table. Gaara was frowning as he stared at Rin’s bandaged hand.

“Does it hurt?” Gaara asked as he lifted his head to look at her.

“A little.” Rin said quietly. “I’ll ask mom to kiss it better later.” she said. Yashamaru turned to them and smiled as he saw Gaara take Rin’s hand and kiss her bandage.

“Better?” Gaara asked. Rin’s cheeks were pink as she smiled at him.

“Mhm. Thanks Gaara.” Gaara smiled back.

Yashamaru walked into the kitchen the next morning to see Gaara at the table with a bunch of crumbled pieces of paper, that had been coloured with blue scribbles, all around him as he had his head down on the table.

“Gaara?” Yashamaru asked putting a hand on Gaara’s back. Gaara lifted his head with a frown. “What’s all this?” Yashamaru picked up a ball of paper.

“I saw a paper flower in the window of a shop. I wanted to make one for Rin.” He lowered his head again and his voice was muffled against the table. “But I can’t figure it out.” Yashamaru smiled.

“Would you like me to help you?” Gaara lifted his head as his eyes lit up.

“Yes please!” Yashamaru chuckled and nodded.

“Alright.” Yashamaru picked up a piece of not crumbled paper and Gaara grabbed the blue crayon that had only about an inch left. “I think I might have some blue paper somewhere.” Gaara grinned.

“Can I borrow some?”

“I’ll give you a few pieces.” Yashamaru said with a nod.

“Thanks Yashamaru!”

…

“Gaara!” Rin shouted while waving as Gaara walked up to her on the swing. “What took you so long?” She asked with a playful pout. Gaara bit his lip and held out a blue origami flower. Rin blinked and smiled. “Did you make this?” she asked. Gaara nodded.

“Yashamaru helped me.” he said quietly as she took it from his palm.

“It’s so pretty!” Rin squeaked before kissing his cheek. Gaara smiled as his cheeks went pink.

“It matches your hair.” he said. Rin giggled.

“Now I wanna make you one.”

“Yashamaru has coloured paper he let me use. I’m sure he’d let you use some.” Rin grinned and grabbed Gaara’s hand before running back towards the village excitedly. “Whoa!”

…

Gaara watched Yashamaru show Rin how to make the flower before giving her a piece of blue paper. Rin shook her head and cupped her hand around her mouth to whisper to him. Yashamaru smiled and Gaara tilted his head curiously as Yashamaru sifted through the colours of paper before pulling out a piece of red paper. Rin smiled and started to make the flower. It took a few attempts but she finally finished it and held it out to Gaara.

“It matches your hair.” She said with a smile. His cheeks went pink as he took it.

“Thanks.” he said quietly. He glanced at Rin shyly as she giggled.

“Tag you’re it!” Rin called before running away from the swings. Gaara hopped off his swing, leaving his bear and Rin’s cat to swing while he chased after her with a smile. There were a few other kids playing their own game. Rin looked back to see how far away Gaara was and before she could look back she tripped over her own two feet and hit the sand with a yelp. Gaara gasped and froze. Rin cradled her bleeding knee as tears came to her eyes. The other kids stopped playing their game when they heard Rin’s yelp.

“I think Gaara tripped her.” One of the kids whispered to the group.

“He’s so scary.” A girl whimpered. Gaara’s eyes widened and he shook his head.

"No! I-I didn't hurt her! I swear!" Gaara said. Rin frowned and stood up. The kids all looked at her. She gripped the bottom of her shirt and leaned on her good leg.

"Gaara would never hurt me! So… So shut up!" She shouted before sniffling and wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"Let's get outta here." The kids all ran away and Gaara watched them sadly before running to Rin.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly. Rin let herself fall back and held onto her leg as the tears started to flow freely. Gaara frowned. He helped her stand again and put one of her arms around his shoulders while he put one around hers.

…

When they found Yashamaru, in the kitchen, Rin had stopped crying and was walking better but the blood had trickled down her leg and started to dry making it look a lot worse than it was.

"What happened?" Yashamaru asked. He looked to Gaara who was frowning.

"We were playing and I tripped." Rin said. Yashamaru picked her up and sat her on the counter. Gaara stood next to her and took her hand. She smiled at him and he smile sadly back.

“You have to be more careful.” Yashamaru said to Rin. “You always seem to be getting hurt.” Rin frowned.

“I’m sorry.” she said. He finished cleaning and wrapping her knee and put everything away. When he turned back Rin was giggling as Gaara kissed her knee. He smiled up at her.

“Does it still hurt?” he asked.

“Nu-uh.” She hopped down off the counter and hugged him. “Thanks Gaara!” Gaara’s face went pink and he smiled as he hugged her back.

…

About ten minutes after the two left Yashamaru was cleaning up in the kitchen when he heard two sets of feet and sniffling. He turned to see Gaara and Rin, holding hands, Rin crying silently. She lowered her other hand from her eye and revealed with a scrape on her chin. Yashamaru sighed and took out the med-kit.

Gaara stood in front of a photo of his mother, trying to stab his hand with a knife.

“It doesn’t matter what I do. The sand just gets in the way.” Gaara said looking at the sand.

“Gaara.”

“Yashamaru!” Gaara gasped, turning to see his uncle in the doorway. Yashamaru walked over.

“As a member of the medical corps, our leader the lord Kazekage has asked that I see to your safety and well being personally. Please Gaara; it hurts me to see you do that.” Gaara looked down. “Although I suppose that the sand would protect you anyway.”

“Yashamaru?” Gaara asked.

“What’s the matter?” Yashamaru asked.

“What does pain feel like?”

“Hm?”

“You see, I’ve never actually been injured before and I was wondering what it was like. Rin gets hurt all the time. I want to know what she feels.”

“Hm. How can I put it? It’s… very difficult or maybe upsetting’s what I mean. It’s like, when someone is struck or cut it’s a feeling that’s very hard to take. When you’re hurt you don’t feel normal. I’m not explaining it very well. Basically it’s a situation you wanna avoid if at all possible.”

“Yashamaru?” Gaara asked.

“Yes?”

“Do you… do you not like me Yashamaru, like the others?” Gaara asked looking down.

“Everyone goes through their lives hurting others and being hurt, but it’s not so easy for us to hate one another.” Gaara’s face brightened and he smiled.

“Thanks a lot, Yashamaru.” Gaara said. “That helped, I think I kinda understand what pain is now.”

“I see.”

“I think I might be hurting too, just like everyone else. I’m always in pain.” He put a hand over his heart. “I know I’m not bleeding, but lately I’ve felt a lot of pain here.” He gripped his shirt. Yashamaru took the knife from Gaara and slit his own finger. Gaara gasped and his eyes widened.  

“Wound your body and the blood will flow fast following the heels of pain, but as time passes the pain eventually fades away. With the help of medicine it can heal even faster, but even more dangerous is a wound dealt to the heart.” He put his other hand over his heart. “Cause there’s nothing that has more trouble healing.”

“A wound to the heart?” Gaara asked.

“Wounds to the heart are a little different from wounds of the flesh. Unlike an injury to the body there is no medicine for a wounded heart, and sometimes it never heals.” Gaara looked down and put his hand over his heart and gripped his shirt again. “But don’t worry, there is one thing that can mend a broken heart.” Gaara looked up with a gasp. “But it’s a very complicated remedy. It can only be administered to you by another person.” Yashamaru said looking at the picture of his sister.

“So then, what am I supposed to do?” Gaara asked. He noticed Yashamaru looking at the picture and turned to look as well.

“There’s one thing that can heal the heart. Only one.” He looked back at Gaara. “It’s love, Gaara.”

“Love?”

“You’ve got it.”

“But, but how am I supposed to get rid of it?” Gaara asked with wide eyes. “What is it I have to do to get rid of this pain?”

“Don’t you know, Gaara? It has already been given to you.”

“Huh?” Yashamaru looked at the picture again and Gaara turned his head as well.

“Love is the heart’s desire to serve someone precious to you to watch over them, to care for them. Like my sister did for you. There’s no question that my older sister always loved you. Sukaku the sand spirit is a living soul bent towards the purpose of war. The sand automatically rushes to protect you, just like the love of a mother. I believe your mother’s will’s carried in every grain of that sand. My sister, even after death, wants more than anything to protect you.” Gaara looked at Yashamaru.

“Yashamaru?” he asked. Yashamaru turned his head to look back at Gaara.

“Huh? What is it Gaara?”

“Thank you for all of your help. You know, for stopping me before.”

“You’re very welcome. After all, you’re special Gaara, I hold you very dear to me.” Yashamaru said with his finger in his mouth. Gaara walked forward and took Yashamaru’s hand. He held it for a moment before putting the bleeding finger in his mouth for a few second.

“It tastes like iron.” Gaara said as he lowered Yashamaru’s hand. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

“That must be Rin for your sleep over.” Yashamaru said with a smile as he stood. Gaara’s face lit up.

“Yashamaru!” Yashamaru stopped and turned to Gaara. “W-Whenever I’m around Rin,” He put a hand over his heart again but didn’t grip his shirt. “The pain goes away. Is… Is that because of love too?” Yashamaru stared for a moment, his mouth open, then smiled.

“Let me ask you this: Whenever Rin’s hurt,” Gaara frowned.

“The pain comes back.” Gaara said softly. “I don’t like to see her hurting cause it makes me hurt.” He gripped his shirt. He suddenly gasped with wide eyes and looked up at Yashamaru. “Is that because of love? You said it’s the heart’s desire to serve someone precious to you to watch over them and care for them. Rin is… Rin is precious to me.” Gaara said with a small smile. Yashamaru watched him, his mouth slightly open. “I want to watch over her and protect her.” Yashamaru smiled.

“That’s love Gaara.”

(Next Chapter)

[writesoftherandom]

Of Sea and Space

Part Four

Grayson awoke and immediately noticed how refreshed he felt. He wasn’t sure if it was the bed, his oddly pleasant dreams, or the fact that this was probably the most sleep he had gotten in a long time. Whatever the reason was, it caused Grayson to get up without too many problems. Yes, the pain on his back was annoying, but he had gotten used to it by this point. The fact that Linden had not yet provided him with a shirt tempted Grayson to bring the incredibly comfortable blanket with him, but he decided against it. Something might happen to it up there. After he made this very important decision, Grayson traveled to the upper deck, finding Linden slumped against the mast.

“Mr. Smith!” he cried, rushing over to aid the other man. He shook his shoulders in a panicked frenzy, waiting for some sort of response from the stranger who had saved him. The question of who was steering the ship also crossed his mind, but it didn’t seem as important right now.

In one sudden motion, Linden awoke, lurching forward and grasping Grayson’s shoulders. Both of them promptly lost balance and toppled over. “Oh my god, are you okay?” Linden asked, moving over to Grayson with concern.

“O-kay?” Grayson returned quizzically. He hadn’t recalled ever hearing that word before. Maybe it was some sort of angel speak. The man sat up, looking over at Linden with amusement. “I’m alright, what about ye? Looks like ya’ passed out. I was frightened for a moment.”

“Sorry about that. I accidentally fell asleep.” He buried his face in his hands, causing Grayson to laugh. “I have never been out at sea on my own before, so I’m really unprepared. I was kind of forced out here with no one to guide me. It all sucks.” Linden didn’t make any effort to get up. In fact, he flopped over and just laid there on the deck.

Meanwhile, Grayson’s face went pale when he heard that Linden had never sailed before. Lord knew where they were right now. However, he played it off with a forced chuckle. “It looks like yer the one needin’ some shut-eye,” he said playfully. The only response he got from Linden was a sleepy groan. “I’ll take that as a yes. C’mon, Mr. Smith. Ye nagged me about sleepin’.”

Finally, Linden moved to sit in an upright position. “As nice as that sounds, I have stuff to do. If I’m correct, we’re close to the place where your ship is docked. We should only be a few hours away.” With yet another groan, Linden stood up and stretched. His eyes fell upon Grayson, a smile finding its way onto his lips. “At least one of us will be able to be where we belong.” He gave Grayson a light pat on the shoulder before walking past him to get to the lower deck access.

Something clicked inside of Grayson. Maybe Linden wasn’t such a foreign concept, after all. Maybe he was just another lost soul looking for answers. Another man who needed guidance. With this realization in mind, he swiftly chased after him, descending down to the lower deck. It took a second for him to locate the other man through all of the clutter, but he managed to do it nonetheless. “Pardon me, Mr. Smith, but may I ask ye somethin’?”

Linden turned around, eyebrow quirked and arms crossed. “If it’s about food, then that’s what I’m working on right now. I can only do so much at--” he wasn’t able to finish his sentence before Grayson interrupted.

“I’m nay worried about that, Mr. Smith. This question...it’s a wee bit personal. I didn’t wanna anger ye yesterday ‘cause I was already bein’ a pain.” He nervously scratched the back of his head. “But ye got me thinkin’. Ye said it was yer first time on the waters, yes? Then, what are you doing out here, anyways? Ye got all this amazing stuff! I couldn’t imagine wantin’ to be floatin’ around on some hunk’a wood when I got all this.” He motioned to the piles of junk surrounding them.

“My situation isn’t something you could easily understand,” Linden explained with a sigh. “Let me see if I can explain it in terms you can understand.” After looking around, he located a peculiar chair that seemed to have wheels attached to it and sat down. “I was kidnapped by another captain, more or less. He took a group of people, actually, and forced us to work with him. Went on some sort of rant saying that it was his job to do what he was doing, and that he’d return us back shortly. Long story short, he didn’t. Some of the group learned to live with our new lives, some even grew to like them. I wasn’t one of those people. I adamantly went against the captain, and he punished me for this. That’s why I’m stuck in the middle of the fucking ocean.”

Grayson was aware that Linden was forming words that seemed very important, but he was too infatuated with the object that the man was sitting on to even comprehend what he was saying. The intriguing chair was all he was able to focus on during the entirety of Linden’s speech. Its odd materials. Its spectacular wheels. Its magnificent design. Without giving it much thought, Grayson slowly crept over to the chair with full intent of removing Linden and having it for his own. He did just that, pushing the other man off and picking up this new discovery.

“Marvelous,” he muttered, inspecting every inch of the thing. Grayson put it back on the floor before sitting down in it. He launched himself across the lower deck, running smack into a pile of junk. “This is great! Where does one get such a wonderful invention?” The man’s eyes were wide with wonder as he swiveled around.

Linden did not look amused. In fact, he looked infuriated. “Mr. Swallows, that behavior is very uncalled for! Were you even listening at all?” After he stood back up, Linden approached the man in question, promptly shoving him out of the chair. “I'll take this back, thank you very much.” Instead of sitting in the chair, to Grayson’s horror, Linden tossed it into the sea of oddities surrounding them. It was now lost, without hope of being found.

“Rude!” Grayson exclaimed, hopping to his feet. “I’m injured!”

“And I’m in charge,” Linden snapped, hands planted on is hips. “Now, are you going to listen to me, or should I hand you back over to those friendly men whose company you were in earlier? They seemed like a lovely bunch.” Wearing a smile all too innocent, Linden tapped his chin with his index finger.

“Ye bloody rat,” Grayson grumbled, stepping closer to Linden. “Is that a threat, I hear? Ye better not be makin’ threats around me, ya’ hear? It will nay end well for ya’.” He poked a finger in his chest, trying to assert his seriousness on the matter. Though he was barely an inch taller than Linden, he seemed bigger in that moment.

Until Linden made his bluff seem like nothing. He simply backed away, innocent smile never leaving. “Like you’d do anything. You clearly couldn’t save yourself. I had to do that. Speaking of which, I’m the one nice enough to let you stay on here. I could have thrown you off of the side of the boat yesterday, if I wanted to. So, I would really advise trying to intimidate me. It won’t work.” Linden, again, directed one of his suspiciously bright smiles at Grayson, pushing past the other man. He made sure to poke one of the cuts on his back, rubbing metaphorical salt in the wound. “Also, I wouldn’t be writing checks that your body can’t cash.”

Grayson gasped at the display, obviously not expecting that. “I KNEW IT! YER THE MEANEST ANGEL I’VE EVER MET!” he yelled, trying to follow his salty savior. Being determined to do so, he managed to find him amongst the mess.

“Jokes on you, I’m not an angel at all,” Linden fired back, annoyance written all over his face. “Now, get the hell away from me before I have second thoughts about your right to live.”

Even someone as cocky as Grayson could tell that look was dangerous. He cautiously backed away, hands up in surrender. “Alright, I’ll go mind me own business. Jus’ don’t get all murdery on me, heh. Ye might need someone to help ya’ take care of the ship when ye sleep.” As the words left his mouth, Grayson again began to question how they had not crashed yet. To his knowledge, they were the only two on this ship. However, he chose not to question this further, in fear of angering the beast that was Linden. Instead, the distraught captain crept down to the lower deck in search of something to eat.

[willgayers]

hey! i know you said you mostly do reddie but i was wondering if you would be kind enough and do some stozier too.. maybe with stan being in love with richie but he not noticing it? let it be bc of eddie so there's reddie too :D

hey! its not a problem. :-) honestly i think this is a fun idea and even refreshing bc of all the reddie stuff i have to write so i feel like keeping this as up as series might help me with my writers block idk??? but yeah, there’s some reddie and also cheerleader!eddie warnings; drinking at the end but not heavy. also minor mentions of sex  

does any reddie shipper from the tag list want off of it with this fic? does any stozier shipper wanna get on it for this? tell me and i will grant your wish 

“So Eddie, are we gonna meet after school today?” Stanley asked Eddie as they were sitting on the school inner yard during lunch. “To work on the history project.”

“Shit, that was today?” Eddie asked, and Stan already knew what he was going to say, making his stomach drop a little with disappointment. Not only was he annoyed that Kaspbrak hadn’t really put any effort to the assignment that was a pair study, he was constantly blowing Stan off for Richie.

“Yeah, that was today. It’s Thursday.” Stan said.

“God, I’m sorry, but I promised to go to the movies with Richie.” He said.

“You can’t do that some other day?” Stan frowned.

“Can’t we work that assignment on like, Monday or something?” Eddie asked.

“It’s due Friday, Eddie!” Stanley was pissed off.

Before the brunette could answer, a third person joined their table.

“What’s cooking good looking?”

Richie wrapped his arms around Eddie from behind, snuggling his face to the crook of the shorter boy’s neck as Eddie giggled from the tickling feeling.

“Hey, Rich.” Eddie smiled, before the two of them exchanged a kiss.

Stanley just turned his gaze down, sticking his fork in to the carrot on his plate and guiding it to his mouth. During this, Richie had jumped to the other side of the bench, his hand lazily hanging around Eddie’s shoulder.

“Stan the Man!” Richie smirked, Stanley lifting his gaze.

“Hey,” he said.

“Why so broody?” Richie asked, his gaze sinking down to the plate in front of him. “Wow— I guess that’s why. What even is that?”

“It’s called potato smash, Richie.” Stan said. “With some chicken. And salad.”

“What, you trying to get in shape for some movie, superstar?” Richie laughed, and Stanley glanced away— he didn’t like to be laughed at, especially not by Richie. “I like what I’m seeing on Eddie’s tray more.”

Richie leaned to grab a cheese fry from the tiny cardboard box in front of Eddie.

“Come on, Rich. Stanley’s nice enough to finish the history assignment tonight so that I can hang out with you,” Eddie said, playing with the buttons of Richie’s flannel. Richie glanced at his boyfriend before he turned his gaze to Stanley, who had his mouth open from confusion.

“Is that so?” Richie asked, but his question went un-answered.

“Finish the history assignment?” Stan asked. “Eddie, you’ve barely written a sentence for it!”

“What? Come on, don’t be ridiculous,” Eddie said. “I’ve helped you.”

“Well if you considering texting your boyfriend and chuckling after each one helping,” Stan blurted out, the annoyance shining through from his voice.  

Eddie and Richie glanced at each other, a little confused.

“Chill out, Stanley,” Richie said.

“Whatever,” Stanley mumbled, getting up from the table. “Have fun at the movies.”

“Oh, come on Stan—” Eddie tried but the boy was already walking away.

—–—

Later that day Stanley was sitting in his room by his writing desk, his room dark and only lit by the yellow tiny lamp on the desk.

His hand moved on top of the paper as he kept on glancing at his laptop, reading the research he had gathered, when his doorbell rang.

He frowned as he dropped the pen to the paper and got up, before making his way downstairs and to the door.

And his eyes widened lightly at the sight.

“Richie?” He asked.

“Correct,” Richie nodded. “Can I come in?”

“Um…” Stanley mumbled.

“Oh, come on.” Richie said. “It’s not like I’m trying to sell you some poor handcraft or talk about our lord and savior.”

“Fine, come on in.” Stan said and stepped away from the door, Richie flashing him a smirk before he stepped in, glancing around the house immediately. Richie had actually never been at Stanley’s before; only seen his house from the outside, but this was because Uris didn’t exactly prefer guests.

“Nice house,” Richie commented, grabbing a porcelain goose from the vestibule table and turning it around in his hands, looking in from the hole underneath it.

“Aren’t you supposed to be with Eddie?” Stanley asked, leaning over to grab the goose from his hands and placing it back to the table.

“I’m on my way there,” Richie said. “I just wanted to stop by first.”

“Why?” Stanley frowned, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“To give you this.” Richie said, leaning to pull something out of his back pocket before holding it out to Stan, who glanced at it.

“Are you serious right now?” Stan asked, staring at the ten dollar bill.

“It’s not fair you do all the work and get nothing in return.” Richie shrugged.

“You’re literally paying me to finish the assignment?” Stan asked.

“Yeah. And keep Eddie’s name in it, if your mind would considering taking it off.” Richie said. “Just take it.”

“I am not to be bought, Richie!” Stan blurted out.

“Oh, come on. We’re all friends here, Stanley. I’m not buying you— I’m simply just… being a nice person.” Richie said.

Stanley raised his brows.

“Fine.” He said. “You don’t want the money, don’t take it— I just thought it would be only fair if you—”

Stanley snatched the money from between Richie’s bony fingers fast, a smirk rising to Richie’s face.

“I knew it,” he said. “So, you’ll keep Eddie’s name in it?”

“I’ll keep Eddie’s name in it.” Stanley mumbled.

“Yay! You’re an angel, Uris.” Richie said, grabbing Stanley’s head and pressing a kiss to his forehead; this made Stanley’s stomach fill with butterflies.

“Whatever.” He still just murmured out, not showing any of the feelings inside of him.

“Order a pizza or something.” Richie said, walking over to the door and opening it. “It’s on me.”

He did the finger-guns at Stanley before clicking his tongue and walking out, pulling the door shut behind him— and Stan sighed, shook his head and made his way upstairs.  

—–—

The next day at school, Eddie and Richie were all over each other like usual.

“So Big Bill, that party happening tonight or not?” Richie asked.

The losers were hanging out at the bleachers during their skip-class.

“Yeah,” Bill said. “My pah-parents leave at eight.”

“Awesomeness!” Richie smirked. “You’re gonna give me and Eds your bedroom though, right?”

Eddie rolled his eyes as his boyfriend wiggled his eyebrows at him from above; Eddie was sitting between his legs on the lower bench.

“Hell no, T-Tozier. Tah—That’s disgusting.” Bill said.

“Whatever.” Richie said. “Guess we’re gonna have to settle for the bathroom again.”

He kissed Eddie as the brunette giggled, and all the other losers apart from Stanley just shook their heads with small smiles on their face.

Again? The word made Stanley’s stomach turn around; the idea of Richie and Eddie making out or doing God knows what at each party made him feel awful. He’d never really even thought of it; but was he stupid? Of course they were getting it on at every party. Why wouldn’t they?

“So who’s getting the beer?” Beverly then asked. “Stan, it’s your turn. Richie and I have done it already.”

Richie had made all the losers their own fake ID's— exactly for situations like these.

“Huh?” Stanley flinched back to the moment from glaring at the couple. “Me?”

“Beverly’s rah-right.” Bill said. “It’s your turn.”

Now Eddie and Richie pulled away from each other; well, from each other’s mouths at least.

“Ayeeee, Stanley!” Richie called out, loud.

“Honestly guys, I’m not sure I’m gonna make it.” Stanley shrugged.

“What?” Beverly asked. “You can’t just bail on us.”

Why not? Stanley wanted to answer. Eddie and Richie bailed on the movie night they were all supposed to have last month because they had “something better to do”, according to their words.

“Right,” The light-brown haired boy just only said. “I guess I won’t.”

“Yeah! Partyyyyy!” Richie called, nudging Stan’s back with his knee as he was sitting on the bench above him.

—–—

At the beginning of history class, Stanley was making some final marks to the assignment, when he heard a voice next to him.

 “So did you do it?” Eddie asked, and Stanley glanced up at him.

 “Uh-huh,” he said. 

 “And you’re not gonna, like… tell Mrs. Polly that…?” 

 “That I basically did this by myself?” Stanley asked, now lifting his gaze up to Eddie fully.

The brunette didn’t say anything.

 “I’m not,” Stan then mumbled, before going back to writing. “Even though you’d deserve it.”

He gave Eddie one more glare.

 “I know, and I’m sorry, okay?” He asked.

 “Whatever,” Stanley said, and he didn’t lift his gaze anymore until he saw Eddie not even staying to sit down next to him, but making his way to the front of the class where all the cheerleaders were.

—–—

Around 10PM, Stanley had arrived at the door of Bill’s with two bags of beer cans.

“Hey, Stan.” Bill smiled lightly.

“Hey,” Stan nodded, before walking in.

They made their way to the kitchen where the losers were, some pop song playing from the stereos, but not too loud, as there were already opened half eaten pizza boxes on the table.

“Finally!” Richie blurted out, rushing over to Stanley to grab the bags from him. The teens basically attacked the bags so that they would all get their own cans.

“Aren’t you gonna get one, Stan?” Ben asked, and Stanley glanced at him, before sighing and sitting down, grabbing one Bud Light to himself too.

An hour from that, the house was already bustling with people from their school; and of course, there was a circle of truth and dare going on in the living room.

“Truth or dare, Billy?” Richie asked, leaning back on his place as he sipped on his beer.

“Truth.”

“When’s the last time you jacked off?” Richie smirked, earning some chuckles from the people in the circle.

“W-what?” Bill blurted out.

“Yeah,” Richie said. “When’s the last time you jacked off.”

“Jesus, Richie, w-when’s the last time you?” Bill asked, annoyed with him.

“This morning.” The dark haired boy shrugged, and Eddie shook his head in amusement, next to his boyfriend, who winked at him.

“Well, Billy?” Richie then asked.  "Time’s ticking.“

Stan kinda felt bad for him; masturbating was a personal thing and not all were as open with it as Richie was.

“Tick tock tick tock tick toc—”

“Last night,” Bill finally said, a blush forming to his face.

“Nice.” Richie said. “Spin the bottle.”

Bill, still embarrassed, leaned to the middle of the circle to spin the bottle.

“Richie,” Bill said. “Truth or d—”

“Dare, obviously.” He said. “I’m not a wuss.”

Bill was a little disappointed; there was probably nothing for Richie to do that would be embarrassing for him.

“Oooo, can I pick one?” Beverly rushed to say, before turning her gaze to Bill. “I mean— if you don’t know one already.”

“Be my g-guest.” Bill said, holding his hand out.

“Well, it would be fair. You did kiss Bill earlier instead of the other way around,” Richie shrugged. “What is it, then?”

“You gotta choose one person— not Eddie— and lick salt off their lower tummy, take a tequila shot from their navel and then eat a lemon from their mouth.” Beverly said.

Stanley’s stomach sunk— oh my God, just don’t pick him.

“Pfffft, what kind of a dare is that?” Richie laughed. “That only sounds like fun!”

Eddie however didn’t look as impressed as he stared at his boyfriend, now gazing around the circle like some kind of an animal preying.

Stanley had turned his gaze away, trying not to make eye-contact; the way you do when teachers are looking for someone to volunteer and read the next chapter out loud.

“Stanley!”

The poor boy felt like someone threw a brick at his chest as he turned his head to face Richie, now smirking at him.

“What?” Stanley just blurted out.

“Shirt up! I choose you,” Richie said. Beverly was already getting the supplies.

“Na'ah, I’m not doing that,” Stanley shook his head.

“You kinda don’t have a say in that, though.” Richie said, before he crawled over to Stanley on his knees.

“Shirt up!” He commanded again, and Stanley glanced around again, all eyes of the circle focused on him now.

“Come oooonnnn, Stan. It’s not like I’m asking you to blow me.” Richie said, and the thought immediately blushed his cheeks as a few chuckled.

“Okay, that’s it,” Richie sighed and gently shoved Stanley to his back from his shoulders, and pulled his t-shirt up to his chest.

Stanley was shocked, only staring up at Richie with wide eyes as the boy first grabbed the salt from Beverly, and started to sprinkle it in a line on top of Stanley’s lower stomach, right between his V-line.

Then he grabbed the already filled shot glass, placed it on the navel, and last but not least;

“Open up.” Richie said, holding the slice of lemon in his hand.

Stanley knew it would do no good to fight back at this time, so he just sighed and opened his mouth, so that Richie could adjust the citrus in his mouth.

“Okay, everything ready?” Beverly asked.

“Yeah,” Richie said.

“Aaaand GO!” Beverly said, and Richie lowered his head down to Stanley’s stomach, and the second his tongue touched the skin of the boy on the floor, Stanley felt his breath hitch in his throat and his body go limb. People were cheering and clapping around them.

After that, Richie wrapped his lips around the shot glass and tilted his head back, the burning liquid falling down his throat, before he spat the glass down, and then, he stopped, smirking down at Stanley as his face hovered over his— Stanley’s head was spinning at this point— and then Richie placed his mouth down on his, grabbing the lemon with his lips and squeezing the fruit into his mouth, before he got up and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Mission completed.” He announced and people whistled and clapped as he made his way over to Eddie, who looked pissed off.  

“What?” Richie asked Eddie.

“Nothing.” Eddie shrugged. Richie didn’t pay much attention to that, because he was used to Eddie getting jealous over the tiniest of things. 

“Okay, Stanley, you can get up now, buddy.” Mike said from next to him and helped him get back up on his ass.

“Holy shit—” Beverly suddenly blurted out.

“What?” Stanley asked.

“Are you having a boner?”

All blood rushed down from Stanley’s face as he glanced down at his pants and the visible bulge on his beige chinos, and it was like straight from a nightmare where you’re standing naked in public and everyone’s laughing at you.

Because all the teens around did start to laugh.

“Holy shit, I am good!” Richie blurted out.

Stanley was embarrassed as hell, and he knew he should’ve ran the hell away from the situation already, but for some reason his feet couldn’t move.

Then he turned his gaze to Richie and Eddie— Eddie looked even more pissed off now, glaring at Richie who was clearly proud of himself.

And then Stanley jumped up and rushed upstairs, shoving people out of his way, the laughter still echoing in his ears before he locked himself in the bathroom, soon feeling the hot tears starting to leak out of his eyes.

@nopetaking @xbell22 @donthateonk8@stenbroughbros @reddiebrekmyheart @itsgreywaterrichie @donvex @blueeyespurpleskies@ageorgymi @oh-youre-the-worst@eddiekaaspbraak @oldfashionedvanilla @rissyq @richietoaster@edskasqbrak @waterlouis @wyattghouleff @urtury @bukiminajimu @kcutieeesblog@stansmansuris @adorefack @reddieaddict @icyeyes102@denbroughbill @graveyardshipper@taletellingsir @anxiety-freak-yuuri @rheddie

[fanfic-inator795]

Zboneak Oneshot: Second Dates, Second Chances

Plot: They’re certainly on better terms than before... So it’s worth a shot, right? 

((Heyyyy, haven’t written one of these in a while! But I’ve had this idea sitting around for a bit, and I’m in a sort of WoY mood after watching the rerun marathon so, here’s just a little something! ^v^ 

Also, quick note: This could be taken as a semi-sequel to another oneshot, ‘Better’, though you don’t need to read that in order to get this one. All you need to know is that both fics take place after ‘The End of the Galaxy’, Hater’s trying to be a good guy, and he now knows that Syl used to be a thief/bounty hunter. Alright, enjoy!))

It was sort of hard to believe that not only did Hater stop minding whenever they ran into their galaxy’s infamous wandering duo, but he was actually looking forward to their next visit. It was almost as hard to believe as the fact that he ended up becoming the Galaxy’s hero and savior rather than its dictator. Life was weird in that sense... Weird but, not necessarily bad.

Still, some things never changed.

“Heya Hatey! How ya doin’, buddy?!” Wander asked as he gave a nearly bone-crushing hug, “Last I heard you guys were goin’ east! I’m sure you’re makin’ all kinds of new friends and fans, aren’t ya? Ooooh you’ve got tell me all about it!”

“Well I would if you let me get a word in edge-wise!” Hater retorted, rolling his eyes. Still, he didn’t try to throw the nomad off him, or even threaten to zap him. That was certainly progress, both Wander and Sylvia thought, even if there were still plenty of grumbles and yelling from the skeletal lord.

“Oh, of course! Where are my manners?” Quickly, Wander let go and sat down cross-legged, like a child waiting to hear to hear a story. “Alright Hater, the floor is yours, buddy! So tell me all about what you guys have been up to!”

“Fine, fine,” Hater sighed, sitting down as well while Sylvia and Peepers took their respective places next to them, “Just don’t interrupt me every five seconds, got it?!” Wander nodded, and mimed zipping his lips shut.

It actually wasn’t that bad of a conversation. After Hater recounted all of their recent successes - from assisting some of their already owned planets with rebuilding efforts to boost morale, to signing treaties with new planets to induct them into the Hater Empire (which, after Hater’s win against Dominator, most planets were more than happy to sign).

Once he was finished, it was once again Wander’s turn, and he eagerly talked about each and every one of his and Sylvia’s adventures since the last time all four of them ran into each other. From wandering around new planets, to babysitting Drakor and Demurra’s kids, to one of their biggest discoveries ever!

“Wait so, you two just found an old pirate ship floating in the middle of nowhere?” Peepers asked, “And no one was on it?”

“Nope!” Wander answered simply, “Not a soul. Completely abandoned. Though, it must’ve been abandoned pretty recently, since it was still in good shape. It just needed a bit of a spit shine and some love, is all.”

“But isn’t that still weird?” Hater questioned, furrowing his boney brow, “Just finding a ship in the middle of nowhere with no one on it, but it’s not, like, totally destroyed or anything?”

Sylvia shrugged. “Hey, you know what they say, don’t look a gift hufflerumples in the trunks. And trust us, we went above and beyond to make sure no one was missing it.” She gave her best friend a side glance, but Wander just smiled. “But, no one claimed it, so it’s ours now. It’ll be a sort of nice change from orbubbles, at least.”

Hater nodded. “I gues... But I bet my ship could still be yours in a race. And probably has cooler stuff too!”

“I dunno about the last point but, I’m pretty sure ours could outrun your bonehead ship if it had to,” Sylvia smirked, “Heck, I can outrun it, or do you need me to remind you of all the times I did outrun it?”

“Oh shut up,” Hater scowled. But Sylvia just chuckled, still smiling. And, despite himself, Hater smiled just a little as well (though he made sure to hide it). 

But, as pleasant and not filled with threats and laser and/or lightning blasts as their visit was, it did eventually have to end. Peepers explained that he had some extra paperwork to go through regarding their newest planet, and Wander added that he promised a few of the Watchdogs that he’d visit with them for a bit too (much to the commander’s annoyance). 

And so, there were only two left.

“...So, I guess things have been going pretty smoothly for you, huh?” Sylvia said after a moment, scooting over and closing the distance between the two of them.

“Yep,” Hater nodded, “I haven’t accidentally destroyed or offended anyone at least so, that’s something.” He had also gotten better at staying focused, keeping end goals in mind instead of simply doing what he felt was right in the moment. Though, there were still moments when he’d get distracted or frustrated, or even lose his temper and start throwing out insults. But he didn’t share that part. 

There really wasn’t a point in it, after all. Just like Wander always seemed to, he was sure Sylvia already knew these things even if he didn’t tell her. She knew what it was like to try being a good guy after years of being bad...

Sylvia gave him a softer smile, using her tail to pat him on the back. “I’m glad things are working out a little better for you now... After all the work that you’ve put into it, you deserve a little return.”

Hater’s own smile grew as he glanced away, giving a small chuckle. “Heh, yeah. I, I guess so...”

A comfortable silence fell between the two. There was a cool breeze, and the sun was starting to set. It was a familiar sight... Though, as he sat there and thought, Hater could remember a time when they were together where the moon was over the horizon instead of a sun. They were together, they had been close, there had been a ki-

Quickly, Hater forced himself as deep into his hood as he could, hoping that the bright green blush on his face would go away soon.

“...Hey, Hater?” he heard Sylvia say.

Taking a deep breath, Hater turned back to her. “Y-Yeah?”

“A week or so ago, Wander and I found this flyer advertising a sort of celebration party that’s happening soon for the whole ‘our galaxy hasn’t been permanently destroyed’ thing. It’s going to be near the center of the Galaxy, and it looks like it’ll be pretty fun. Food, rides, music. And, I know you still aren’t really a people person but, you wanna come with us?”

“R-Really?” Hater asked, his eyes widening. Was he blushing again? He didn’t know. “Uh, yeah! Yeah, sure! I mean, I wouldn’t mind going. Doesn’t seem like it’ll be too annoying at least so, yeah, I’ll go.”

“Great,” Sylvia nodded, her smile growing a bit. If this were a year or so ago, Wander would’ve been doing the inviting in the hopes to get Hater to loosen up and have some fun, and maybe even make a new friend in return. But of course, Hater would have most likely completely rejected the offer, or come to the party just to take it over, or something petty like that.

But no. Hater was no longer an enemy, the idea of him coming to a happy-go-lucky party no longer seemed like the worst idea ever to him, and Sylvia... Well, there were certainly worst people she could be inviting. “Heh... Glad to hear it, Bonehead.”

“Er, y-yeah...” Hater swallowed. She was smiling at him. She liked him... Rather, she liked him now. They understood each other, they were close. Really close... Close enough to... to... 

He closed his eyes. He only had to move forward just a little before he felt his lips touch hers. And as soon as they connected, time froze.

...And then he felt a fist collide with his jaw, sending him backwards.

“WHAT THE FLARP ARE YOU DOING?!” Sylvia shouted.

Hater blinked, to stunned to even think about his now-sore face. “I-I-!”

“What is wrong with you?!” the Zbornak continued, now on her feet, “You don’t just kiss someone like that! All we were doing was talking! You don’t- We’re not even-! Ugh!” Still furious, she began to stomp away. “Guess I should’ve expected something like this,” she mumbled. 

“W-Wait!” Hater shouted, trying to stand up, “Wait, no-!”

“Hmph!” Sylvia didn’t even bother to turn around. Even if he was a ‘hero’ now, deep down he was still the same old Lord Ha-

“I’M SORRY!”

...She froze.

“I’m sorry!” Hater repeated, clenching his fists, “I, I know I shouldn’t have just kissed you like that but, but you were smiling at me! You were smiling and you like me and we were close and I was thinking about our last date-!”

“That wasn’t a real date,” Sylvia mumbled, still not looking at him, “I was ‘Linguini Von Breadstick’ then, remember?”

“...R-Right. Right.” He felt his horns fold down in disappointment, but he ignored them for now. “And, and even if it had been real, it was still wrong for me to just kiss you like that when I know you don’t-” He could feel himself blush again, “d-don’t like-me like-me like that. So... Yeah. I’m sorry.”

Sylvia didn’t say anything, and neither did Hater, figuring that he’d said enough. So he waited, and waited. But the silence kept going... His horns even lower now, he started to walk away-

“Do you like me?”

“Huh?!” Hater looked up. Sylvia had turned around, but she had a neutral face. (Better than glaring at him, at least.)

“I just want to know... Do you like me? Or, like-me like-me, I guess?”

“I...” The skeletal lord looked away again, giving a small sigh. “I dunno... I guess I just... just really want to like-like somebody,” he admitted, “I don’t know who, I just know that I want... that. But... But I know that I do like you. You’re, you know, smart. When it comes to all this going from bad to good stuff... And you’re tough and, and pretty cool and... and sort of pretty.” It was sort of hard to tell since she hardly wore dresses or jewelry (or any clothes, for that matter).

But when she smiled, or when she stood triumphantly after winning a fight, or had her mane in the wind... he could definitely see a bit of beauty there.

“...But?” Sylvia questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“But, I... I guess I’m still figuring things out. But I do like you! And I hope you still like me... Cause, I may want to find someone to like-like but...” He gave a sort of shy smile, “I guess having friends aren’t too bad either.”

“...” Sylvia sighed, a ghost of a smile on her face. She walked over to him, and gave him a hard punch in the shoulder, making him yelp. “That was still a stupid and gross thing for you to do.”

“Yeah I know,” Hater nodded, rubbing his shoulder, “And I’m sor-”

“I know. And, I forgive you,” Sylvia told him, finally letting her smile show, “Just, be sure to ask people before you kiss them. That or maybe start slow just to see if they’re on the same mindset as you. Take their hand or wrap an arm around them or something, and if they squeeze back or move closer, you know they don’t mind the idea. If they pull away, then you know they just want to be friends.”

“Wait, that’s a thing?” Hater asked, a bit surprised. That certainly how things were done in the ron-coms (that he definitely didn’t watch, shut up). 

“Yep,” Sylvia nodded, “And it’s a good thing to always keep in mind. Even people who may like-you like-you still have boundaries and their own limits and pacing.”

“Right, right... Thanks.”

“No problem, bonehead. And by the way... thanks for apologizing.” There really was no doubt about it now... He was getting better, and he had sure as flarp come a long way from being her pushy, rude and oblivious ‘date’ on La’Mouria. 

Sylvia then looked to the Skullship, giving a small hum. “I guess we should get back there. Make sure Wander isn’t annoying your little eyesore too much. Besides, I should tell him the good news.”

“Wait, you mean i’m still- er, y-yeah. Yeah, let’s head back.”

So, that’s what they did. Walking side by side, their pace slow. And as they traveled, Hater started to bite his lip slightly, his hand flexing a bit as a certain question weighed on his mind. In the end, his curiosity won out. “Hey, Sylvia?”

“...Yeah?” she asked, glancing over at him, her feet stopping.

“Would you... C-Could we hold hands? Just, I-I just sorta want to see what it feels like,” Hater tried to explain, unable to look her in the eyes, And, and people who only like each other can still hold hands, right? That’s not weird! But, but if you don’t want to, that’s fine! I just-“

His words died in his throat as soon as he felt her hand grab his, their fingers intertwining. Surprisingly, her three fingers still found a way to fit within his five. Even though his glove, he could feel the small callouses on her palms from years of fighting and dealing with rocks and dirt. But her hand was still sort of soft. Warm, secure... nice. 

Hater looked back at her, barely acknowledging his blushing now. But Sylvia just gave him a small smile before gently pulling him forward. Hater smiled back, and the two continued to the ship. And despite everything that had just happened, there was only one thing on the skeletal overlord’s mind:

He would definitely have to ask her to hold hands with him again.

THE END 

[batfam-imagines]

hello my lord and savior (for all the good you've done for my batfam obsession). i was wondering if you could do an imagine/drabble about jason getting a bit self-conscious about his white streak when someone makes an insensitive comment about it, and his SO dying a piece of her hair like his to make him feel better about it? love you lots :'-)

So I wrote this one really quick! There is a sudden plunge into kink toward the end! If you don’t like that, skip the last few lines. I don’t know what happened, but toward the end of this my mind was suddenly in the gutter.

———-

You love Jason’s whitestreak. It’s one of the physical reminders that Jason survived, and you lovethat. The two of you had been together since before the Joker, and you two hadgotten back together again when Jason came back as the Red Hood.

Gently running yourfingers through the streak, you press kisses all over Jason’s sleeping face. Hestirs, eyes opening slowly, “Morning, baby”

“M’rning”

“Wanna go to the book store today?”

“Yeah … but after coffee”

Chuckling, you lean down, pressing one more kiss to hislips, before you get up and head to the kitchen to make the coffee. “Well getup, I heard that the store got that new book you wanted”

“Really?”

“Mmhmm”

“I’m coming, I’m coming”

–

An hour and a half later you two finally leave for thebookstore. The two of you split up when you get to the store, Jason heading tothe new releases, and you wanting to check out the other sections. When you’vebrowsed the rest of the store you head over to the classic section, the placeyou’ll most likely find your boyfriend.

“I don’t understand the stupid hair that people have now adays. Dude, did you do that shit on purpose?”

Jason hunches his shoulder’s slightly, alreadyself-conscious about his white streak, and he rarely would defend himself. So,you decide to stand up for him.

“Do you have a fucking problem, dude?”

The asshole smirks over at you, “I wasn’t talking about you,sweetheart. I was talking about the freak with the streak over there”

“You mean my boyfriend? You’re standing over there being anasshole for no fucking reason, picking on someone who you don’t even fuckingknow. Does that make you feel better, sweetheart?Does it make you feel like a man to taunt someone in a fucking book-store?”

“Listen, bitch …”

“No you listen, you worthless piece of shit. It’s called atrauma streak. The whitening of hair when a traumatic event occurs causesmelanin to no longer be released by the hair cells. He didn’t fucking choose tohave a constant reminder of his trauma in the middle of his head, and he sureas shit doesn’t need someone like you to fucking point it out!!”

“Y/N …”

“No, Jay! You don’t deserve to be fucking bullied in publicby some ignorant asshole who can’t keep his goddamn mouth shut!!”

The asshole is still standing there, looking like he doesn’tknow what to do with himself. “Baby, let’s go. We can head back to ourapartment, we’ll come back to get the book another day”

You whip around, “Did you get the book?”

“Yes …”

“Good, then we’ll check out, and then leave. I’m not lettingthis asshole stop us from getting your damn book” Turning around again, youlock eyes with the asshole, “And you might want to think next time before yousay something to a stranger. The only reason I haven’t dragged your face acrossthis floor is because I actually like to come here, and don’t want to bebanned, understand?”

“Yes, ma’am”

“Good, now we’re gonna leave, and if you ever talk to myboyfriend again I’ll kill you, understand?”

“Yes, ma’am”

“Good. Jason” You manage to flash an almost manic smile athim, “let’s check out, and leave”

“Alright, baby, let’s do that”

–

Once you’re finally back at the apartment, you wrap yourarms around Jason. “I’m sorry he said those things”

“It’s no big deal, babe”

“It is a big deal! I love your white streak! And I know thatyou hate it! I know how self-conscious you are about it”

“I’ll get over it”

You give Jason a sad smile, “Go start your new book, I’llmake us lunch, alright?”

“Thanks, babe”

–

Jason’s out with Roy for the day. He’s been jumpy lately,ashamed of himself. He won’t let you touch him, or play with his hair, sayingthat he’s tainted form the Pit. So, you had called Roy, asked him to take Jasonout for a while, and then called Dick.

Dick answers on the second ring, “What’s up, Y/N?”

“I need your help, can you be over here in 30 minutes withsome hair bleach and white hair dye?”

“Sure”

“Thanks, Dickie!”

“No problem, kid”

Exactly 30 minutes later Dick shows up at your apartmentwith the supplies, “You’re the best!”

“I know” Dick always puffs up like a peacock wheneversomeone compliments him, “So, why white dye?”

“Some asshole was picking on Jason’s white streak the otherday, and last night I caught Jason trying to dye it black. So, I decided that Iwould make my own white streak in order to make him feel better about his!”

“And I guess you need my help?”

“Yeah, I’d really rather not mess this up”

“Alrighty then” Dick cracks his knuckles, “Let’s get to work”

–

Jason gets back that night in a decidedly better mood thanthe one he left in. “Y/N?”

“In the kitchen!”

“Babe, you wouldn’t believe what Roy … Y/N, what happened toyour hair?”

“I dyed it”

“I can see that, but why?”

You sigh, putting down the spatula, and gently taking Jason’shand, “Because I love you, and I know how much you hate being different, so nowyou aren’t. Now the two us will both have these white streaks, we’ll match, youdon’t need to be self-conscious anymore”

Jason is still for another few seconds, and then suddenlyyou’re in his arms, and he’s trying to squeeze you to death. “I love you, Ilove you, I love you so fucking much”

“Love you too, Jaybird”

He leans down, pressing a hungry kiss to your lips, “You’rethe best girlfriend in the entire multiverse, baby”

You smirk, “I know” Walking your fingers up his chest youlook up at Jason from beneath your eyelashes, “What are you gonna give me for beingsuch a good girl?”

Jason stands to his full height, looming over you, “Now,baby girl, I want you to turn off the stove, and go lay out on the bed. Naked.Daddy has a present for his special girl tonight”

You flush, eyes wide, and immediately scramble to do exactlyas Jason says. Tonight, is gonna be fun.

[dailyaudiobiblechronological]

5/16/2020 DAB Chronological Transcription

Psalm 3-4, 12-13, 28 and 55

Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible Chronological. I'm China. Today is the 16th day of May. Welcome. It is so great to be here with you guys today. It is a pleasure and an honor to be here with you guys today. Today, we are bouncing around in the Psalms. What's new? I love it. We are in Psalm 3-4, 12-13, 28 and 55. And we finish off with the New International version. 

Prayer:

Yes, Lord, we trust in you. We rest here in this place of trust. Knowing that you are good, knowing that your heart is good towards us. And, Lord, I thank you that you are worthy of trust. You are worthy of praise. And we just remind our spirits that remind our hearts and our flesh when it feels like giving up is easier, when it feels like quitting and having a bad attitude is just easier. Lord we choose to step into the sweet truth of who you are knowing that you haven't left us nor forsaken us, nor do you plan on doing so. And so Father we just tap into your world today and forevermore, that we might know you better because of your word. And because of being intentional with you. We love you. We praise you. We honor you. And it's in your son's name we pray. Amen. 

Announcements:

Daily audio Bible dot com is our web site. That is a place of connection. It's where you can see what's happening here in the community- how to get connected and stay connected. So be sure to check that out. If you have prayer requests and things that we as a community can come alongside of you and pray for you and encourage you, you can call in with our prayer line. Or if you listen, through the app and want to send in your prayer request through there. You can do so. Just make sure it is going to the Daily Audio Bible Chronological format so that it gets played in the correct community. But that is all for today. I'm China. I love you and I'll be waiting for you here, tomorrow. 

Community Prayer Line: 

Hi, I got a prayer request for my brother John, that he might know the Lord and accept Jesus as his personal savior. Dear Jesus, we pray, we pray for my brother John Lord. He needs you as a personal...in his life, Lord, as to know you as personal savior, Lord, and be with him in Illinois. And help and when he comes back, help with his traveling mercies as he's flying from Roscoe, Illinois, back to Buffalo, Lord, be with him in Jesus' name.  Amen. 

China, this message is for you. So thankful for you leading this community, so thankful that God gave us you to hear his word every day. Thanks for what you're doing. Keep doing it. 

Hey, DABC family. This is Tony, the narrator here. And I'm kind of got a bit behind because I had to write another book and it just took ages and all that sort of stuff, but. So anyway I'm bingeing and a little while ago China made the point of saying that there weren't enough prayers coming on to the prayer line. And I just wanna rejoice in that. Cuz, I mean, I was just thinking about that now. I heard that a couple of days ago, but I just I'm just thinking about how I mean, I'm rejoicing at that because that says that we are faithful people because we're practicing forbearance. You know that we're locked in our houses or we're going through these times. We're struggling. And do you know what? We're doing it we're taking it on the chin. We're being mature about it. And we're going going through our faith walk, trusting the Lord and saying, God, I know that you're in charge. Daddy, I know that you've got this in your hands. Jesus, I know that you with me through and through. Holy Spirit, I know that you're inside of me and keeping my body pure and keeping my life, you know, my mind, pure, etc.. You know, I'm following and it's just forbearance. So do you know something? The fact that China had to ask people to ask for prayer is something that each one of us can rejoice in, because, first of all, it means China loves us and misses us when we're not around. And number two. And we love you back. And number two is that we're being faithful. So anyway, I just want to share that. God bless you all and pray for all of you. Pray with all of you. I love you all. Goodbye.