#branson attractions

[bransonattractions]

[nikethestatue]

The Agreement

Chapter 5

Elain Archeron

Elain was carried over the threshold, bridal style.

Azriel insisted on it.

He swung her in his arms once they were on the porch and then shouldered the door, as he carried her in his arms. She didn’t know why he wanted to do it like that, but he insisted upon it. Or rather, didn't give her the chance to argue with him.

She clung to him, feeling overwhelmed. Her hair had dislodged from her bun and from under her hat and tugged on his black jacket, the golden threads in such contrast to his formal coat.

The house staff was small indeed. That was the first thing that Elain observed. Considering Lord Night’s title and wealth, she expected a double row of servants greeting him, but there were only four people. Two males, and two females.

Azriel clasped his hands behind his back and introduced them,

“Mr. Devlon–the house butler. Mr. Balthazar–my valet. Miss Nuala–house maid. Miss Cerridwen–house cook.”

The two women were young, in their 20s, and identical twins. Additionally, they looked…exotic. Something about them immediately reminded Elain of Azriel. They possessed the same sharp, beautiful features, dark soulful eyes, black hair, and tall graceful figures. 

Mr. Balthazar seemed to be of similar stock: he was young, brawny, muscular, and dark–just like Azriel. Lastly, Mr. Devlon was the same, only older. Wherever they all came from, the fact that they all emerged from the same location was obvious. 

It wasn’t the first time that Elain wondered about Azriel’s origins and how he came about to receive this hereditary title, while not being entirely British. But it didn’t matter. What mattered were his next words:

“Please meet Miss Elain Archeron. She is my confidant and companion for the foreseeable future. Miss Archeron has full access to the house. Mr. Devlon, please inform Branson that if Miss Archeron wishes to take the automobile, he is to drive her.”

“Of course, my lord,” the butler nodded. 

Azriel continued,

“Miss Archeron is to dine with me at dinner, unless I state otherwise. I would prefer to take breakfast together as well.”

Elain didn’t know what the proper way of responding was, because she wasn’t the help and he seemed to be talking to everyone at once, so she just nodded. 

“Miss Archeron’s rooms will be in my wing of the house,” Azriel announced blandly, while Elain blushed violently. None of the servants seemed to react at all. Everyone acted like this was perfectly normal.

“Nuala, please take Miss Archeron upstairs. Elain, settle in, and then we’ll eat lunch.”

That was all the introduction that was given.

Elain felt strange–like she was having some kind of out of body experience, as she walked behind Nuala. It was going to be a challenge to tell the twins apart–they looked exactly alike. Even though they were servants, both moved with unhurried grace, and seemed very elegant, and compared to them, Elain felt frumpy, and…common. She was common. Gone were the days when she enjoyed picnics and races, when she attended celebrations, receptions and balls. When she and her sisters were the talk of the town and whatever they wore was discussed at length. When suitors inquired about their availability and their father needed to select the most appropriate ones. It’s been a long time since she felt pretty, or since someone desired her. She was surprised by Lord Night–he seemed genuine. For some reason, he was taken with her. Perhaps she was some kind of a charity case for him and he pitied her, which wouldn’t be surprising, but she hoped that it was more than that. She hoped that he was in fact attracted to her, despite her thinness and her awful dress. Because she knew that her dresses were ugly and there was nothing fashionable or stylish about how she dressed. She was a charity case. No matter how she looked at it, she was a whore and a charity case–she needed to whore herself out to a wealthy man, so he could take pity on her, fornicate with her and pay her for it. 

The thought made her depressed, and melancholy washed over her so potently that she felt like she was about to cry. Thank god Lord Night stayed behind, because right now, she was on the verge of tears, her lip wobbling, and she kept biting on it, to keep herself from sniffling. She felt dirty and cheap, and embarrassed. At least these twins, these Nuala and Cerridwen earned honest wages. They worked and they were paid, and they didn’t need to spread their legs to make a shilling. 

Maybe, it would’ve been better if Lord Night was Jack the Ripper. He could’ve just murdered her and she wouldn’t have to go through with any of it.

“Oh, cheer up, Miss Archeron. It can’t be all bad!”

Nuala’s soft, cheerful voice jolted Elain out of her mental stupor. “Lord Night is a good and kind lord. Strict and a bit aloof, but he is fair and generally considerate. Whatever your business is with him, he’ll treat you well.”

If only Nuala knew that business Elain had signed up for!

“This is your bedroom,” they stopped in a hallway and Nuala opened the door. “His lordship requested that I take you to the shops tomorrow,” she prattled on, while Elain surveyed the wonderful bedroom. It was finely appointed, with a large bed, and beautiful Oriental themed wallpaper, which depicted delicate paintings of cherry blossoms. There was a console, a wardrobe, a full length mirror too. Not a doily in sight. The room was pretty and feminine, but there was nothing unnecessary in it. Even the mantle of the white marble fireplace only had a small vase with jasmine flowers and a small clock on it.

“I would not want to inconvenience Lord Night,” Elain said quietly, while Nuala opened the pathetic satchel that Elain brought with her and began to bustle around the room, sorting through the meagre possessions.

“You won’t be inconveniencing him. But if he gives an order, we follow,” he offered Elain a meaningful glance, the expression on her lovely face warm, but cautionary. Elain took it as whatever Lord Night tells you to do, do it. No arguments.

“The shops are faster, though if you prefer a seamstress, we can get you one tomorrow. But the lord would like for you to have dresses and other items as soon as possible.”

What Elain didn’t know was that last night, Azriel told Nuala ‘take the girl shopping at once. She looks homeless.’

Now, Nuala flitted about the room, showing Elain all sorts of things that weren’t expected–

“We have electricity in the house,” she announced. “If you wish to use kerosine lamps, let me know, but this switch turns on the lights, and the switch on your bed lamp is right here,” and she pointed to it. 

Electricity was rare and expensive. Not that Elain was exactly surprised that Lord Night would have his house outfitted with electricity, but still, such extravagance was mind boggling.

Before she could inquire further, Nuala told her ‘we have a generator’, as if Elain was expected to know that that was. All of Nuala's movements were easy and fluid, and while opening another door she said, “this is your bathing room and the loo.”

Elain peeked into the large bathing chamber, which was clad in marble and tile and had a great tub, as well as another enclosure. Nuala again preemptively explained, “this is a shower. His lordship prefers a shower, because he is not one to linger in a bath for long. I would imagine he wouldn’t care about your preferences, but he had installed showers in all the bathing rooms and even we have them in the servants’ quarters.”

“I’ve never been in a shower,” Elain admitted, amazed by all these fascinating contraptions.

Nuala wasn’t done–”the toilet flushes,” she told her and pointed to the long string attached to the water tank. “Pull on that and…done!”

“How’s this even possible?” Elain marvelled, overwhelmed by all the luxuries and these amazingly convenient devices.

“His lordship has great interest in scientific innovations. After he returned from the World Fair last year, he set about updating all the residences with the newest fixtures. There are things in the kitchen that you wouldn’t believe!”

“Oh, there are many interesting items at the World Fair that I saw and was intrigued by,” Azriel’s deep, low voice startled both of them. He was standing in the doorway, watching the two of them with a pleased expression. It was probably odd to have two women oohing and ahhing about toilets and kitchen equipment, but he seemed amused, but also satisfied. 

“Miss Archeron,” he looked at Elain, “when you are settled, come to my office. Nuala will show you where.

“Otherwise, is everything to your liking?”

Though alarmed by his order to see him in his office, Elain nodded and said, “everything is lovely, my lord. The room is perfect.”

“I am glad.”

He left and Nuala opened the wardrobe, where there hung a smattering of clothes.

“If you wish to change for lunch, there are some items to choose from. His lordship would like for you to have a proper wardrobe–luncheon attire is more relaxed–this blouse,” and she withdrew a hanger with a chiffon blouse hanging off it, “and perhaps this skirt?”

All Elain heard from this was ‘luncheon attire’. Back in her childhood days, they changed for every meal–at least her parents did, as well as Nesta–but it’s been a long time since she needed to think about changing outfits throughout the day.

“Since his lordship wants you to breakfast with him,” Nuala continued, “you do not need to dress. You may attend in your house dress. However, for lunch and for dinner, you would be expected to dress accordingly.”

She helped with the buttons on Elain’s dress and once it was off, her nose scrunched and she popped her lips.

“What is the matter?” Elain gasped, seeing Nuala’s disapproving look.

“Oh, it’s nothing really,” Nuala took the dress and folded it. Elain made an involuntary lurch towards it, seeing that it was only one of her two dresses, and someone taking it away seemed…final. 

“Oh, I will just take it to the laundry,” Nuala assured her softly. 

“But I can have it back?” Elain asked nervously, still eyeing the dress. 

“Of course.” Nuala smiled at her, her face gentle and friendly. “Don’t worry, Miss Archeron, we’ll take good care of you. What’s yours is yours.”

“You may call me Elain.”

“Alright, Elain. But, his lordship wouldn’t like the corset,” Nuala said bluntly, looking over Elain’s basic corset.

Blushing, Elain ran her hands over her body and looked down at her beat up boots and thick stockings.

“He told me that much,” she murmured.

Nuala smiled softly and then went rummaging in the dresser. 

Swallowing hard, Elain asked, her voice barely audible, “Are you,” 

Nuala looked over her shoulder, and looked at Elain with kindness in her eyes.

“Aware of why you are here?” she offered simply. 

Elain only nodded once.

“I know enough…His lordship takes us in his confidence. He told us about his plans.”

“He is demanding,” Elain pouted and Nuala chuckled.

“Not really, but he certainly knows what he wants.”

Nuala laid out a pair of…something on the bed. Silk and lace underwear Elain could at least recognise–though it was so beautifully made, it was almost unbelievable. 

“What is this?” Elain asked, inspecting the other item. It was made of the same gorgeous delicate materials, but she was unfamiliar with the contraption.

“It’s a brassiere,” Nuala explained. “His lordship saw it presented at the World Fair and he took interest in it,”

Muttering under her breath, Elain pondered, “what hasn’t been presented at that Fair?”

“It supports your bust. It’s quite comfortable, and if I may say so myself, it is superior to a corset. You don’t need to wear this right now, but this is what his lordship would want you to wear…I believe he’s ordered a number of sets…”

“Oh my…he’s ordered undergarments for me?!” Elain gasped.

“Oh, believe me, Lord Azriel does not care at all about such trivial things. It’s difficult to embarrass the man. If he wants you in lingerie, then that’s what he will have.”

-

Ten minutes later, Elain walked down the wide, airy hallway in her new clothes–the blouse was beautiful, chiffon and silk, with sleeves that fluttered around her arms. It was more revealing than what she was used to, but she didn't mind it. The skirt was also silk, comfortable and not constricting. Whoever ordered the clothes definitely had good taste.

Nuala told Elain where Azriel’s office was located and she knocked on the door.

“Come in, Elain,” he called out, somehow knowing that it was she who stood on the other side.

Azriel was standing by the window, his jacket off, his sleeves rolled up, showing off muscular forearms.

It seemed so…domestic.

He turned around and brazenly looked her over, before saying, “you look nice, Elain”.

“Thank you, my lord. The clothes are beautiful,” she said softly.

Azriel’s office was big, with warm walnut furniture and light upholstery. True to form, not many unnecessary things on any of the surfaces. 

“Sit, and don’t be so nervous,” he told her and pointed to an armchair. Elain did as she was told and he reminded her, “you know, this is your house now. No need to be bashful, or uncomfortable.”

She nodded and sighed, and then told him, with unflinching honesty,

“It’s just happening so quickly, my lord. I am coming to terms with all of this…”

He moved away from the window and walked to his desk, as he began shuffling through some papers.

“I understand, Elain. It’s moving quite quickly for me as well. So…let’s slow it down, yeah?”

She glanced at him hopefully and asked, “How?”

“A bit of business first.”

He handed her a folder and said, “your copy of the contract.”

Elain grabbed it and pressed it to her chest, as if he would’ve taken it away from her. Azriel didn’t comment, but propped himself against the desk, and crossed his legs at the ankles. 

“I’ve added your points,” he told her calmly. “The kissing, the pastries and the flowers.”

She looked up at him in awe and murmured, “truly?”

“Of course. We agreed to it. It’s all there.”

“Thank you.”

“You are welcome, Elain. It’s my pleasure.”

“I took the liberty of opening up two bank accounts for you, in your name.”

“Oh?”

“One is your own personal account, for the moneys that you’ll be receiving from our agreement. The other account is the one you can share with your family. I assumed that you wouldn’t want them to see everything that you would be receiving, and therefore, thought that this is an optimal solution.”

“I…thank you,” Elain gasped, “I haven’t even thought of all of this.”

It didn’t seem to surprise him, so he smiled and then drummed his fingers on the edge of the desk, thinking about something. Without his jacket, and with the sleeves rolled up, the scarring on his arms and hands was even more obvious and Elain wondered if it hurt him to this day? The scarring on his left hand and arm was brutal and extensive. And yet, she secretly wanted to touch him. Instead of being repulsed by it, she was attracted to the marred skin, and wished to run her fingers over it, feel its texture, press her lips to it. These were inappropriate, lascivious thoughts which confounded her and made her feel confused, and caused her great, but desirable discomfort. Perhaps it was the silky blouse too, with its immodest neckline and its sensual material. But she definitely was feeling an unfamiliar fluttering in her lower belly, which was both very pleasant, but also disturbing. 

Azriel folded those thick, muscular arms on his wide chest and Elain recalled how she bumped into it earlier this morning. How it felt to be next to him, next to his great, masculine body. How he smelled. He smelled delicious and she could scent him right now as well.

“Miss Archeron?” he called out, raising his brow at her in inquiry.

She felt her skin heat and a wave of flush rolled over her body.

“I am sorry, sir. I was daydreaming…”

“Is that so?” he smirked his naughty smirk and her blush only intensified. “May I inquire about what?”

She glared at him and then snapped rudely ‘no!’

“No?” he chuckled. “What is so secret about your daydreams?”

“Nothing my lord,” she insisted. “May I go?”

“No.”

She glared at him, and those damned arms of his, and that face, and the strong neck, and the shoulders that could batter through a door and…

“Why?”

“We aren’t done talking,” he shrugged.

There was a long pause, where he just observed her, and she was trying not to squirm under his heavy gaze, until he scrubbed his chin and sighed.

“I’ve decided against having a physician examine you.”

“Examine me?” she gulped. “What for? I am healthy.”

He tapped those long fingers on the desk again and said, ‘to confirm your virginity, for example’.

Elain almost fainted right then and there.

“My lord…sir…” she huffed and babbled in horror, “I can assure you, I absolutely,”

“Simmer down, Elain,” he waved his hand at her, “as I said–I've decided against it. I trust you, but I also don’t want to embarrass you.”

“I appreciate it, my lord,” she exhaled loudly. “I…I would not want to go through that.”

“I can imagine,” he agreed. “But, I would like a doctor to see you, and make sure that you are healthy. Without any intimate examinations,” he added quickly, when he noticed her paling face. “Just your vitals and such. I imagine that you haven’t been getting all your nutrients, and therefore, I'd like to know what I can do to make sure that you are eating healthy.”

“My lord, you are doing so much already…” Elain protested weakly, shocked by his continuous generosity. 

Azriel took a silver cigarette holder out of his pocket and lit up a cigarette.

He pulled a long drag into his lungs and then said, “Elain, you’ll soon learn that when I commit, I commit fully.

“I will commit to you. Not only can you count on my exclusivity, but I will devote much of my time to you. Your health. Your happiness. Your satisfaction.”

He smoked slowly, while watching her. Elain was getting used to his intense stares, which seemed so…hungry. Like he desired her. He watched her so closely, it seemed as if he was keeping himself in place, and his gaze devoured her where his hands wanted to follow. For the first time in her life, Elain felt wanted. Azriel, Lord Night needed her. Wanted her, for whatever reason. 

“My lord,” Elain whispered softly, looking at him from under her lashes, “will we…engage in,”

He grinned and teased, “carnal fornication?”

“Tonight?” she gasped.

He pulled another drag of his cigarette and asked, “is that what you’d like, Miss Archeron? To be mine tonight? For me to take your precious maidenhead? For your first erotic experience to finally take place?”

Before she could even answer, he continued,

“Truth be told, we don’t have to wait until tonight. My bedroom is just two doors down the hall. Yours–two doors away from there. We can head on there right now,”

“My lord!” she even stomped her foot in outrage, making him laugh, “you are being scandalous! I shall not fornicate in the daylight,”

Shaking his head, he tsked at her, 

“Ahhh, but Elain, perhaps you should re-read the agreement. Any time I desire is one of the non-negotiable points.”

“Still!”

Stubbing his cigarette out in a crystal ashtray, he popped his lips, “Worry not, lovely Elain. I am not taking your virginity just yet. You don’t need to disrobe in front of me, at night or in the daytime.”

“You aren’t?” she sounded both relieved and perplexed.

Absently, he promised, “we’ll have time. I don’t need to hurry this up.” He took a sip of whiskey which was left on his desk, and whispered, “But…” he stepped closer to the chair where she was sitting, and then carefully, but firmly lifted her up from the chair, until she stood before him. He looked down at her, and she now realised that despite her average height, she only reached his shoulder. He dwarfed her with his massive presence, his beautiful amber eyes watching and looking intently. But what Elain had learned in the past day was that unlike everyone else, Azriel Night didn't just look. He was the only one who saw. He saw all the sad and broken parts of her, he saw her pathetic poverty, her pride, her desperation, her hope. There was no hiding from him. He saw and he did not judge and he did not question and he did not diminish.

At that moment, Elain was overcome by another insane urge–to wrap her arms around his neck and climb him like a tree. To have his thick, strong arms close around her, and hold her. Hold her and hold her and never let go. She wanted to bury her face in his neck, and simply release…everything. She wanted to unburden herself of her worries, her complexes, her concerns, her fears. He seemed like a man who could just ease all of them off her back and make her light and happy. Maybe she was just starved for affection. Or attention. Or anything. Any human kindness.

So she clasped two of his fingers together in her fist and held onto his hand. He didn’t move for a moment, or longer, but let her hold his fingers in her hand, but then he asked, his voice gravelly, but tender, “do you remember what I told you before?”

“You told me many things,” she breathed, trying to commit his spectacular face to memory. That gorgeous face dipped lower until it was in line with her own, and suddenly, the tip of his nose brushed against her cheekbone. He nuzzled on her face with his nose, his lips dangerously close to hers, and Elain briefly wondered if she was having a heart attack, considering the intense palpitations that she was experiencing. Everything in her turned hot and strangely needy and her breasts felt thick and heavy, which startled her. Somewhere inside, in her most secret place, a painful, hungry twinge made itself known. She gasped loudly, not knowing what was happening to her, and yet, on some primitive, primal level, understanding that what she was experiencing was in fact desire. Arousal. Elain wanted him. Wanted Azriel’s scent of tobacco and cedar to waft over her, and the warmth of his body to envelop her, though his arms remained at his side, and she was just clutching his fingers in desperation. But she wanted his breath, his nose to make gentle circles around her face, wanted the scrape of his cheek on hers. He inhaled her deeply into his lungs, savouring her scent, and her eyes closed of their own volition, her aching breasts needing the closeness of his chest. 

“I told you,” he murmured against her skin, his lips sliding softly against the apple of her cheek, “that I wanted to kiss you.”

“Yes,” she half-moaned, her hand clutching his forearm, her fingers dipping into the dents and grooves of his scarred skin. 

And then he bit her.

His teeth pressed and lightly clamped over her cheek, and a sob of enjoyment and need escaped her parted lips.

He bit her. 

His hand shot up and he gripped her jaw, his hold firm, but not abrasive. He turned her head to the side, positioning her the way he wanted to, and then tenderly, slowly he bit her again. He bit her in the hollow of her cheek, and then travelled lower, to her jaw, peppering it with tiny sharp nips. 

Elain was trembling violently against him, clutching at his forearm with both hands, her legs soft and useless beneath her. Thank god for the support of his other arm, when he wrapped it around her waist and held her to him, bearing her weight, lest she dropped on the floor like a platter of vanilla pudding.

She was panting like a mule, all thoughts of decorum and propriety having flown out the window, or at least out of her head, the moment his lips and his teeth began their torturously delicious journey over her face. She was breathing him in like she was drowning, the fine scent of his body making her feel drunk. And that was before he even touched her neck.

A needy masculine growl reverberated from deep within his chest, and it made Elain whimper pathetically because she understood, at once, and without doubt, that this was her doing–he wanted her and she made him just as ravenous as he was making her. Meanwhile, he tucked her head to the side and dragged his teeth over the delicate skin of her throat, pressing just enough to make her feel it. He didn’t leave any marks, but skated along the pulsating vein on her neck, popping it between his lips, while his thumb caressed the back of her neck slowly and indolently. He bit a little harder, and Elain buckled against him, while he hushed ‘shhh’ into her neck, his tongue darting out and licking over the bite, soothing the bit of pain that he delivered. 

However, the bites didn’t stop. 

He grazed her collarbones with his teeth, and then lightly lifted the pretty flowy sleeves of her blouse, baring her upper arms, which he stroked lightly with the backs of his fingers. Easily, he threw Elain’s arms around his neck, and her body stretched against his firm body, while she clung to him like her life depended on it, pressing her breasts into his chest. 

Oh god…he felt good. He felt incredible, and mindlessly, she dug her nails into his neck, wanting to feel his skin, his soft hair, the breadth of his shoulders beneath her hands. When he lightly bit her earlobe, her eyes rolled back in her head, and then, he did something…oh god…she didn’t know what he was doing, but it was indecent. Utterly, deliciously forbidden. The tip of his tongue flicked her lobe back and forth and then he sucked it into his mouth. It was obscene. If someone had told Elain 2 days ago that she would be panting and writhing against a man she barely knew, while he was licking and sucking on her earlobe, she’d recommend in no uncertain terms that they’d be admitted straight to Bedlam. But here she was, needing more. It felt amazing. His breath was warm and his tongue and his teeth and the things that he did with his mouth…

“Oh my god…” she cried out, her toes barely touching the floor, as she hung onto him, and Azriel held her up effortlessly with one arm. Suddenly, his large, strong, warm palm landed on her throat and clasped it, making her groan loudly. He was not squeezing, or restricting her air, but held her neck in his hand, as if listening to something, his face buried in the crook of her neck. 

“Easy there, lassie,” he murmured and before she could respond, his lips descended upon her skin. He held her neck in his grip and nuzzled on her throat, kissing her delicate skin, laving on it with his hungry tongue, the strokes lavish and forceful. 

Elain’s head was swimming with lustful, confusing thoughts. She chose to simply let go for now. She wanted to feel all of his possessive urgency, experience the touch of his lips, savour the ownership of his hands on her. She wasn’t going to have this first ever again, and she knew that there was no way out. Not that she wanted out. She already adored her lovely bedroom, and she already wanted to try and shower in that marble bathing room of hers, she already enjoyed the new wardrobe and the clothes that she was wearing now, but most of all, she wanted to bask in the closeness of this intensely masculine, aggressively dominating man, whose eyes were filled with such tender longing, but whose touch made her whole body ache and succumb to him. Maybe she should’ve tried to hold her own for a little longer, but he was not someone that she wished to reject, even a little bit. The moment she saw him yesterday, dark and mysterious, oddly honest, but demanding, uncompromising and unflinching, but fair and generous, she knew that she’d have to say ‘yes’. To him. To everything. 

God. The man could kiss. His lips were remarkable–soft, but urgent and firm on her neck, taking and taking, and giving her such pleasure, she wanted to shout. He promised that he’d give, and that she’d take and here they were, wrapped in each other, starved for closeness, each one being what the other one wanted. 

Azriel kissed her neck, nosing into the little spot behind her ear, the touch making her shiver with pleasure. She thrust her fingers in his thick, black hair, keeping his head near her neck, wanting him to continue the sweet torment of his lips. Without warning, he sunk his teeth into her flesh, no longer toying and teasing her, but overtaking her with more urgency, his hands hot on her body, one squeezing her waist, the other still firmly controlling her neck, as he lavished it with his kisses and bites. When he bit harder and then sucked her skin into his mouth, mauling it between his teeth, Elain hissed and moaned from the pleasurable pain that he was marking her with.

He bit her.

Long and hard, he bit and licked on that special, sensitive spot on her neck, showing her no mercy. She was buckling against him, trying to escape the pain, the branding, but he wouldn’t let go. Pulling back at last, but not releasing her, Azriel looked at her flushed face. His eyes were dark and hungry, his high cheekbones reddened, and she’d mussed his hair with enough enthusiasm that for once, he didn’t look impeccable. His thumb rubbed the spot on her neck when he just bit her, and he kissed the tip of her nose, before whispering, “would you like me to show you the garden?”

Dazed, Elain stared back at him, the point on her neck aching pleasantly, and she touched it, tangling her fingers with his. He kissed her nose again, his lips so close to hers, she almost lunged upward to have him put his mouth on her own.

“No!” she just about shrieked, feeling wild and unsatisfied. If he was going to release her from his arms, surely she’d just drop dead at his feet. She wanted more. 

Azriel chuckled smugly and brushed her cheek with his own, the subtle stubble grazing over her skin in a most decadent way. She hummed softly to herself from sheer enjoyment.

Whispering into her ear, his wicked tongue playing with the lobe again, indecent and unabashed, he asked, “I thought you like to garden, Miss Archeron?”

She much preferred when he called her ‘lass’ than ‘Miss Archeron’ but she wasn’t in the right presence of mind to argue about that.

“No.”

“No what?” he prodded.

“I don’t want garden,” she panted. “I don’t want…anything…”

“Anything?” he repeated, and when he bit her earlobe again and tugged on it with his teeth she made a sound that was borderline animalistic. 

“I don’t want garden!” she insisted. “I want this,”

“This?”

“Stop it,” she stomped her foot. “I want more kissing! Give me more kissing!”

Grinning like a cat that got the cream, he murmured into her neck,

“As my lady commands…”

Just to make sure that he didn’t get any stupid ideas about going somewhere, she wrapped her arms tighter around him and then heard him say, “you may kiss me back, you know.”

“I don’t know how to kiss you, so you kiss me,” she demanded. “Also, more biting.”

“Kissing and biting?” he was laughing openly now, and the glorious smile on his face was something sublime. Elain stared at him in awe, while sensing that it was likely he wasn’t this jovial and open with anyone. Maybe, somehow, for some strange reason, she was the rare recipient of his mirth, or his happiness, and the realisation made her feel excited. It was a privilege that was granted exclusively to her. 

“Let’s go,” he wrapped his arms tightly around her body, while he took a step forward, lifting her off the floor entirely, “I want to show you the garden.”

She frowned, but he nuzzled on her jaw, nipping on it lightly and said, “You know, I can kiss you in the garden too!”

“Oh,”

“The whole house, the garden, the park–all made for kissing and biting you.”

“But others will see,” she said, still worried.

“Doubt it. And if they do, what are they going to do? Will Mr. Devlon turn me in to the authorities for kissing you?”

She smirked. 

“Then I’d like to see the garden.”

The mansion was immense and Elain knew that it would take her some time to learn its layout and all the rooms. There seemed to be multiple parlours, drawing rooms, sitting rooms, smoking rooms…The style was reserved. Miles of white marble, it seemed, and clean, unfussy lines everywhere. His words rang in her head: I am a man, Miss Archeron. No doilies. 

There were definitely no doilies anywhere. 

He probably ransacked a marble quarry somewhere, but at least the elegant coldness was broken up by the presence of slate, which frankly, was also a stone, and thankfully some wood, glass, leather. It wasn’t exactly cosy, but it was elegant and beautiful nonetheless.

They didn’t encounter any of the help on their way through the house, and Elain felt encouraged and when Azriel picked her up properly, and carried her in the cradle of his arms, instead of dangling her like a baby, she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and leaned her head against his chest. He certainly didn’t protest, but caught her finger in his teeth and bit it playfully. She laughed. 

“I told you I’d bite you, lass,” he reminded her, his face buried in her hair. “And here you are, liking it.”

“I do like it,” she nodded. “But you don’t need to carry me,”

“I don’t have to,” he agreed, “but carrying you is a personal pleasure that I think I will indulge in a little while longer.”

Azriel walked through a back veranda, and then stepped outside. 

It wasn’t a huge garden, and it was a little wild from what Elain could see, but there was an untamed sort of beauty to it, which she admired. It felt like everything was let go a bit too long, and needed a steady, loving hand to care for it.

There was a weeping willow next to a small fountain, and that’s where Azriel brough them. A wrought iron table and chairs stood beneath the swaying branches of the tree, and he sat Elain down. A tea service was left on the table for the two of them–somehow, the servants knew where their lord was going to go and they saw to it that he was taken care of. 

Once she was settled, he slumped into the chair across from her. There were also two leather binders on the table, and he opened them up, skimming whatever was inside. 

Elain was still feeling flushed and completely disarrayed, especially when he unbuttoned a couple of buttons of his shirt and lounged back in his seat. God he was big. He took up a tremendous amount of space, with his long limbs and his big, powerful body, and Elain…loved it. She stared at his relaxed form from under her lashes, mesmerised by the muscular forearms and the strong chest that was peeking from beneath his shirt. She could’ve sworn that she saw ink on his chest, but that couldn’t be right?

“Come on, lass,” he encouraged her, “get us some food.”

Elain snapped out of it, and began bustling around with the tea and the luncheon which was left out for them. There was bread, and cold sliced beef, a vegetable pie, fresh butter, and young vegetables sauteed with herbs. 

“My goodness, that’s more food than we had for Christmas,” she muttered. 

He glanced at her from his papers, and then said evenly, but gently,

“Elain. I am very wealthy. I am not saying this to boast, but as a statement of fact. You have to accept that. But I am also a military man, and my tastes are simple, so while this may look unusually lavish to you, bread and boiled beef is hardly elegant fare. Cerridwen knows what I like and it’s usually dishes without too much pomp. I am rich, but I am reasonable in my demands.”

“I understand, my lord,” she nodded. “May I serve you?”

“You don’t have to,” he told her, though his gaze wouldn’t leave her or her hands, as they moved about and sorted out the dishes, “but if you’d like to, I wouldn’t be opposed.”

“Then I would like to,” she decided and placed a slice of pie on his plate, along with beef and bread. “Is that work?” she inquired, once she piled food on her plate as well, and then nodded towards his binders.

“It is,” he sighed. “There is no escaping work,”

“You hold a job, my lord?” she looked baffled.

“I do, and sometimes it takes me away from here. I would expect you to travel with me,” he added instantly, and offered her a meaningful look.

She blushed and nodded.

“Don’t worry. We will be discreet.”

He lounged in his chair, his booted feet crossed and resting on the edge of the fountain, and Elain couldn’t help but notice how big they were. Big feet. Big hands. Everything just so…large. Not to mention all his apparent musculature. And the size of his shoulders. Which he rolled, as he read through his reports. Somehow, he made the simple roll seem very sensual…or maybe it was just her and her inappropriate thoughts. She still felt his lips, his teeth and his fingers all over her. The bite that he has sucked into her neck ached. His body flexed with every movement, and she wasn’t sure if he was moving for her benefit, or because he needed to stretch his neck and spread his arms and shoulders, but by golly, she was almost drooling. 

“Would you like me to go?” she murmured, flustered, almost wishing that he’d say ‘yes’. And she could just leave and not be subjected to this torment. 

He glanced at her and raised his brow.

“Not at all. I rather enjoy being in your company, Elain. Why, do you have somewhere to be?”

“No, of course not. I just thought that maybe you were busy and preferred to be alone,”

“I’ve been alone too long,” he interrupted her. “Now, I want to be with you, lass. In fact,” he scratched his chin thoughtful, “now that I think about it, and now that you are here, I think I shall require that of you,”

“What exactly?”

“For you to be in my vicinity when I am around. You can do whatever you want, but I want you to be by my side,” he decided firmly.

“You’ll get tired of me soon enough,” she chuckled a self-deprecating laugh.

“I doubt it,” he contradicted her flatly. Then, his eyes grew darker and heavier, the look on his face changing and the lilt of his voice becoming even deeper and huskier. “In fact,” he added, “watching you is becoming my favourite thing.”

He closed his binder decisively and then said,

“Come here, lass,”

Her brow furrowed in confusion, since she was already here. 

“I want to feed you.”

“Feed me?” she mumbled.

He extended his hand and clasped her wrist, urging her up. She stumbled and the next thing she knew, his arm was wrapping tightly around her waist and he was pulling her into his lap.

“My lor-,” she began exclaiming, but he pressed his finger to her lips and shook his head.

“Az, lassie. Azriel. No ‘my lords’, as I ordered before. Save it for when we are in public.”

He sat her across his lap, balancing her on his firm thighs until she was somewhat comfortable, though her thoughts were in complete disarray. She was sitting in his lap! The idea seemed preposterous, but here they were, in a sensual embrace, his large, warm body surrounding hers intimately. He was a duke. He knew the Queen! And she was sitting in his lap and he wanted her to. It was mind-bendingly bizarre.

Azriel gently lifted her sleeve and pressed his lips to her upper arm. 

“Oh,” she mewled with delight. She didn’t even care if she was being vocal about the pleasures of the flesh–it seemed to her that Azriel was enjoying all the sounds that he tore out of her chest with his sinful ministrations. 

“I cannot wait to see you in a dinner dress,” he admitted, his breath warm and still scented with whiskey and tobacco, his knuckles running lightly over her forearm, and then up to her shoulder, which he kissed softly. “I know you will look marvellous. And I can’t wait to see more of these gorgeous arms,”

Elain laughed and waved him off, “They are just arms. They aren’t gorgeous!”

“I beg to differ,” he kissed her neck, burying his face in it and kissing her all over the back of her neck, and then he hooked his finger into the collar of her blouse and pulled it down a bit, so he could kiss the top knob of her spine.

He speared some roast beef on his fork and then brought it to her lips, whispering, “open up”. She did, feeling ridiculous, but at the same time incredibly cared for. Who would ever do something like this for her? Feed her, while kissing her hands and her arms.

He fed her vegetables, more beef, as he waited patiently for her to chew, and the look on his face was that of pure contentment. As if this was his most favourite thing to do in the world. It was strange but in those moments, Elain felt like he was offering her sustenance as well as shelter, as if they were performing a long-forgotten mating ritual of eating food together in privacy as a couple. 

But they weren’t a couple. This was a business arrangement and she needed to remember that.

They were not lovers, and although she enjoyed his tenderness and his affections, and his kisses were wonderful, she needed to keep her head clear. It was paramount for her own well-being that she did not get too attached to him.

“My lor-,”

Azriel shot her a glance of rebuke, and she quickly corrected herself.

“Sir. May I ask a question?”

“You don't need to announce every time you wish to ask a question, Elain. Ask away!” he chuckled, and then reached for her hair, trying to pull the pin that held it up. But Elain’s hand shot up and stopped him mid-motion. He paused and looked at her, a somewhat bewildered expression on his face.

“May I see your hair?” he asked, brow furrowed.

“Sir, when,” she swallowed, “will our arrangement begin?”

“Hmm, do you wish for it to begin promptly? As I told you before, I want to make you comfortable in your new environment, Elain,”

She raised her chin and said dryly,

“Maybe I don't wish to be comfortable.”

“Maybe I decide that,” he cut her off just as dryly.

“No, my lord, perhaps I don’t want you to court me…or do nice things for me,”

“You don’t?” the look on his face morphed into something cold and detached.

“Why should I? This is all quite temporary,” she reminded him, stoic, though he still saw through her bravado. “So I don’t see the need to pretend,”

“You think I am pretending?”

“I am not sure if this is the correct word, but,”

Callously, he said, shrugging, “If you prefer to forgo all intimacy and kindness, Miss Archeron,”

Oh, they were back to Miss Archeron now.

“Then I will have no qualms about bending you over this garden table and riding you to my heart’s delight.”

“I…” she blanched, frightened by his cold tone and the threat that fell off his lips so easily, “I didn’t mean it like that, my lord. Sir. I only meant,”

He interrupted her and warned,

“Take what I give, woman, and don't fuss. I am not always feeling this charitable. If you want to see the other side of my personality, I will show it to you. Doubt you’ll like it though.”

Her hand shaking, she reached out and then drew her fingers over his cheek, noticing the rigid movement of his jowl,

“I am sorry…I didn’t mean to upset you. You’ve been nothing but kind,”

“Don’t force me to treat you like a whore, Elain,” he ordered firmly, glaring at her. “It’s not my wish and I don’t want pay to be the basis for our relationship. 

“If I want to court you, I will court you. Believe me, you will appreciate it down the road.”

His hands clasped her waist and he removed her from his lap.

“I will see you at dinner,” he said flatly, as he got up from the chair.

“Are you angry?”

“Yes,” he said simply. “I don’t like confrontation,”

“Oh, neither do I!”

He ignored her and continued, “and I don’t want to quarrel in my home. Understood?”

“Yes,” she nodded and sighed.

He looked at her for a long while, at her bowed head and the slope of her curving shoulders.

Then, she felt his big rough palm slide under her jaw and he lifted her head, so she could look at him.

“I am not upset with you,” he said softly, his tone mellower, especially when he noticed her eyes wet with tears. 

“You are,”

“I really am not. I understand, and I will be reminding myself of this all the time–I know this is new to you. I realise how discomforting this must feel. To some extent, it feels the same for me. That is why…” he paused, thinking it over, and then explained, “I want to make it less painful. I want to put you at ease with me, with your position. I promised to cherish you. You will be the mother of my child, and I want good-will and cohesion between the two of us.

“Let me court you.”

Gently drawing his thumb over her eye, he added, “please”.

The pleading ‘please’ did it for her. 

Elain sobbed softly and nodded. 

“Yes. Please.”

“Alright, lass. Don’t cry,” he urged her. “There is a silver lining to this!” he smiled at her.

“What is it?”

“We just had our first quarrel!”

[heydorothea009]

Bread on Toast - A Future Man Fanfiction

Josh Futturman and his fellow coworker and best friend, Liv Branson, get roped into saving the world as time traveling saviors with, what were thought to be, video game characters, Wolf and Tiger. Not only are Liv and Josh completely incompetent, but they are also emotionally inept- will this cause the destruction of mankind? Only time will tell.

Warnings: strong language, (this is probably the episode you all have been waiting for) Josh puts on lingerie (and looks hot while doing it), alludes to Kronish and Leslie having sex, hijinks are about to ensue

Chapter 8: Operation: Fatal Attraction

A/N: hey party people, just wanted to pop in and tell you this is my favorite chapter :p

Tiger threw Josh to the ground faster than he had time to react. All of the sudden his back hit the ground and it knocked the wind out of him.

“Tiger!” Liv cried, also shocked.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Tiger yelled, stepping on his chest. “This was not the plan. You’re fucking up the plan!”

“This day was the turning point in Kronish’s life!” Josh gasped. “He was going to give it all up and sail away with his one true love, Leslie! Instead he stayed with his wife and kept doing research. It’s his biggest regret-“

Tiger rolled her eyes at Josh’s blabbering. “Wolf! Help me stand on his chest!” She called to Wolf, who was still excitedly checking out the Corey Hart poster.

“Tiger! Off his chest!” Liv snapped her fingers as if Tiger were a dog. “Let him breathe!”

“I thought you weren’t happy with him.” Tiger said flatly to Liv. “Why don’t you help me stand on his chest.”

“Tiger, let him speak!” Liv marched up to Tiger, ready to push her off of Josh’s chest, but realized she might suffer the same fate if she did that. Josh tried to sit up but Tiger just pushed him right back down with her boot.

“Tiger,” Josh’s voice cracked. “You said that if there was a way to save the world without killing anyone you would do it. This is a way.”

Tiger pursed her lips as she considered this. “How do we get him on the boat?” Tiger shot Liv a glare as she inched a little too close. “He gets to get up if he can come up with an actual good plan.” She hissed to Liv, who shrunk away, giving Josh an apologetic look.

“We already know Kronish is having an affair with Leslie. So, we just need to expose that-“

“Difficult.” Tiger interrupted, placing her hands on her hips and shaking her head down at him.

“-which will blow up his marriage-“

“Speculative .”

“-which was bad anyways because Marigold was already cheating on him too-“

“Hearsay.”

“-which would give him the push he needs to leave. It’ll be a win-win for everybody!” Josh finished, sounding positive. “It’s gonna work. Trust me, alright? We’ll go back to 2017 to a world with no Kronish Labs…and if there is, well, there’s always a baby to kill in 1949.”

Wolf wandered back to the group holding two ice cream cones, offering Liv one. Tiger caught Josh’s attention again by slightly digging her heel into his ribs, making him wince.

“If you time trick us again, I'll burst your nut sack.” She stated, taking her foot off his chest.

Josh’s expression fell as he instinctively covered his crotch. “…okay…” he mumbled, sitting up. Liv held out a hand and helped him to his feet as she licked her ice cream. “Hey, Wolf,” he looked at Wolf, who was licking his ice cream as well. “We need some wheels.”

Wolf stopped licking the ice cream. “Oh, I’ll get you 100 fuckin’ wheels.” He said, growing excited.

“Oh, uh, no, we just need four. On a car.” Josh said, glancing at Liv again, who glanced at him too, trying to suppress a smile behind her ice cream, probably at how giddy Wolf seemed to be. Josh couldn’t help but grin too, her smile was contagious.

“On it.” Wolf nodded, diving back into the chocolate ice cream.

“Is that good, Wolf?” Liv giggled. Wolf was on cloud 9, he’d never had ice cream before.

“Fuckin’ delicious.” Wolf looked like he was making out with the ice cream. Liv snickered and scrunched her nose, going back to her own ice cream. Josh’s eyes were still stuck on Liv. He had no thoughts in his head, he’d even forgotten where they were for a second. He just watched Liv giggle at Wolf. He liked her laugh.

“What else?” Tiger’s harsh voice snapped him back to reality.

“We’ve, uh, we’ve got some shopping to do.” Josh said, looking back to Tiger, her eyes piercing into his.

“What.” She grumbled.

“I’ll explain when we get there.” Josh said.

“Are we going to get, like, era appropriate outfits, because we look stupid, Josh.” Liv said, referring to the janitor uniforms they both were wearing.

“Uh, if you want?” Josh shrugged. “You don’t look stupid though, Liv, I hope you know that.” Wolf hummed happily, licking some melting ice cream off of the cone. Tiger sharply exhaled through her nose and slapped the cone from Wolf’s hand. Wolf looked down at the ice cream, stunned. Tiger slapped Liv’s from her hands too and marched away. Liv frowned.

“Tiger,” Wolf growled. “I was licking that.”

“I don’t give a shit.” Tiger snapped as she stomped away.

“Jesus,” Liv muttered, trying to wipe chocolate ice cream off of her jumpsuit. “What’s her deal?”

Wolf sauntered after Tiger, and Josh and Liv fell slightly behind. “I thought I came up with a good plan, she stopped stepping on me.” Josh mumbled to Liv.

“Oh…she might still be moody from the police station.” Liv whispered.

“Maybe.” Josh whispered back. Tiger whipped her head around to glare at them.

“Could you walk any fucking slower? Come on! We don’t have all day!” She lashed. Liv and Josh both sped up. As they both walked closer to Tiger and Wolf, their hands brushed. Liv’s immediate response was to move her hand away, acting like she just needed to scratch her arm. Josh’s hand lingered for a moment as his brain buffered. He slowly copied Liv, moving his hand away and pretending he needed to rub his eye. Wolf stopped in his tracks and turned around.

“Okay Liv, you and me need to go find us a sweet ride.” He beamed.

“Actually!” Josh blurted out, louder than he’d meant to. “Wolf, you can do this on your own.”

“Are you sure?” Liv asked skeptically.

“Yeah!” Josh awkwardly folded his arms.

“I can go by myself?” Wolf asked, sounding stunned that Josh trusted him. Tiger pursed her lips and looked annoyed.

“Fine.” She gave an annoyed huff. “Wolf, get us a car.” She glanced at Josh and looked him up and down. She then glanced at Liv, then back to Josh, realizing she was about to be third wheeling. Wolf took off running.

“I won’t let you down!” He shouted as he ran off.

“Where are we going Josh?” Liv asked, combing her fingers through her hair. Josh stared at her for a moment. Liv gave him a weird look, making him blink and look at the ground. Tiger groaned. Yeah, she was third wheeling.

“Okay, so, we need to find a lingerie store.”

The moment they walked up to the adult shop, Liv started to separate from the group.

“Liv, where are you going?” Josh asked, sounding panicked. He didn’t want to be left alone with Tiger and surrounded by lingerie.

“We’re getting weird looks, I’m going to get an era appropriate outfit.” Liv said.

“Smart.” Tiger stated from behind Josh.

“Liv, can’t you wait?” Josh whined, he didn’t feel comfortable picking out lingerie for Tiger. He called his plan “Operation: Fatal Attraction”, like the movie, Fatal Attraction.

“Josh.” Liv sighed and pointed to the clothing store next door. “I’ll just be in there. You’re a big boy, go and pick out lingerie.” She poked him in the ribs. Josh’s stomach flip flopped and his cheeks flushed as she turned and walked into the neighboring store and stared longingly after her.

“…you’ve gotta be shitting me.” Tiger murmured as she marched into the adult novelties store. Josh snapped back to reality and followed her in.

“Wait- Tiger!”

“Do I seriously have to hang around…” she gestured to all of Josh. “…this right now?”

Josh frowned. “Ouch…”

“This pathetic, sad, little…puppy dog man?” She spat. People around them started looking.

“Tiger, that’s mean.” Josh mumbled.

“You’re a pathetic mess right now.” Tiger hissed through gritted teeth. Josh looked like a deer in headlights as she leaned down to his level. “Stay hard.”

“What?”

“Stay hard.” Tiger repeated. Josh blinked obliviously. “Stop staring at Liv.” She squinted her eyes at him. “You’re supposed to stay focused.” Josh went beet red and turned to a rack of bras and started looking through them without responding. Tiger let out a heavy sigh and put her hands on her hips. “…sorry.” She hesitated before saying it, she wasn’t usually one to apologize and she wasn’t sure why she felt the need to do so, but she did. She took another deep breath in and out. “Let’s just get this job done. Why are we here in this skimpy clothes store?”

“It’s like the movie Fatal Attraction, you’re playing a psycho mistress like the one played by Glenn Close, but you will be posing as Leslie. In the movie she has sex with Michael Douglas, who’s like Kronish. We’re going to go into Kronish’s house, take some sexy pictures of you on his bed, leave it there for his wife to find, affair exposed, marriage over, future saved.”

“Or,” Tiger said, picking up some red knee high nylon socks. “We put a gun to his head and make him get on the boat.”

“No Tiger, we can’t force him. It has to be on his own free will, okay?” Josh shook his head, picking up a corset as holding it up to Tiger’s body. She tensed up and pursed her lips. “That looks right, right?” Josh muttered.

“Don’t touch me.” Tiger slapped the corset away and rolled her eyes.

“What about this robe?” Josh studied a pink lace and silk robe.

“I literally don’t care.” Tiger huffed. “Just get something and let’s get this over with.”

Tiger was annoyed the rest of the time while Josh held up different bra options for her to wear asking questions like “what size are you?” (She didn’t know) “what color looks best on you?” (She didn’t care) “Would you be willing to wear assless chaps?” (She was 5 seconds away from strangling Josh with said assless chaps).

“Why can’t Liv do this?” Tiger finally complained, slapping a thong out of his hands.

“Because-“ Josh froze. The very thought of Liv in any of this was too much for his brain to handle. “Because, you’re doing it.” Josh choked out. Tiger groaned. “Tiger, just go with me here, okay?” Josh sighed, making his way over to the section with lipsticks on display.

They bought the items they’d picked out and met Liv outside of the shop, who was wearing baggy jean shorts and a yellow tank top. She fit right in and Josh thought she looked really pretty. In the most platonic way possible, of course. It’s not like he was falling for her every time he looked her in the eyes.

“So, what is this?” Liv asked, snatching the bag from Josh’s hands and rifling through it. “Josh, are you going to seduce Kronish?” Liv teased, giving him a smug look and pulling out a tube of lipstick.

“Ha. Ha.” Josh snatched the bag back. “No.” He grabbed the lipstick from her hand and stuck it back in the bag.

“I’m psycho mistress, Glenn Close.” Tiger said. “I have pleasure sex with Michael Douglas.” Liv gave her a weird look.

“Fatal Attraction.” Josh added.

“Yeah, I know that movie. What does this have to do with anything?” Liv asked.

“We’re going to take sexy pictures of Tiger on Kronish’s bed and leave them for Marigold to find.” Josh said.

Liv nodded. “Hot.” A red car came squealing to a halt on the street next to them and Wolf proudly got out.

“What the fuck is this?” Tiger grumbled.

“1985 Pontiac Fiero GT, 2.8 liter V6, 140 horsepower, and four fuckin’ wheels.” Wolf proudly folded his arms and leaned against the car.

Tiger looked unimpressed. “And two fucking seats.”

“Where do Liv and I sit?” Josh asked.

“Liv can squeeze next to Tiger.” Wolf said.

“No.” Liv and Tiger said at the exact same time. They already knew how Tiger didn’t like when Liv sat too close.

“Josh,” Wolf opened the hood of the car to reveal a small trunk that held a man who was bound and gagged.

“Jesus Christ!” Josh gasped.

“Wolf! Did you steal this man’s car?” Liv scolded.

Tiger stepped forward and slammed the hood. “This car is useless.”

Josh turned to Liv with panicked eyes. “Is that kidnapping?” He asked frantically. Liv shrugged and looked equally as panicked.

“We’d be more successful if we took electrodes, attached them to a sewer clown’s nuts and told him to run.” Tiger narrowed her eyes at Wolf.

“Oh what? You wanna sedan? Fuckin- a minivan? We’re gonna look lame!” Wolf argued.

“I’ll make you lame if you don’t return this car.” Tiger demanded. “That’s an order.”

Wolf looked at Liv, as if she would say something different. “Fine.” He seethed when Liv didn't say anything.

“And- and return the guy please.” Josh spoke up as Wolf angrily got in the driver’s seat. Wolf growled and slammed the door. He rolled down the windows and shot Tiger a nasty glare.

“Can a fucking sewer clown do this?” He growled as he loudly revved the engine. He sped away and the tires squealed. The three of them stared after the car for a moment, Tiger looking pissed, Josh looking stressed, and Liv looking scared.

“Okay. We’re walking.” Tiger turned on her heel and started walking down the sidewalk.

“Tiger,” Josh spoke up. “We have to go this way.” He pointed in the opposite direction. Tiger rolled her eyes and walked quickly past Liv and Josh.

“Does she know where she’s going?” Liv whispered to Josh as Tiger walked further and further ahead.

“I have no idea if we even know where we’re going.” Josh admitted quietly.

“He probably lived in the same house in ‘85…right?”

“I hope so.”

There was a few minutes of awkward silence between them, save for Liv and Josh calling up to Tiger when to make a turn. Tiger would throw dirty looks back at them, but would do as they would tell her. She clearly didn’t like being ordered around, even when it was simply just directions to Kronish’s house.

“Hey Liv?” Josh finally said, clutching the bag of lingerie in his arms. “Are you still mad at me?”

“What? Oh,” Liv folded her arms and looked at the ground. “Josh, I wasn’t mad at you, it’s just that I felt embarrassed.”

“Why are you embarrassed?”

“Josh, I really don’t want to talk about it.” Liv sighed. “Please.”

“Liv, I just wanted to say I’m really sorry for bringing it up. I thought Jeri was lying and that it was crazy, I…I just don’t want you to be mad at me.” Josh apologized.

Liv’s body language shifted, uncrossing her arms and becoming less guarded. “I’m not mad at you, Josh,” Liv laughed lightly. “I promise. It’s just…wouldn’t you feel a little embarrassed if someone had told Jeri you’d liked her and she approached you about it?”

Josh nodded and shrugged. “Yeah, good point.”

“This doesn’t mean I don’t want to be friends, I hope you know. I promise I won’t act all weird now. I don’t ever want to lose you.” Liv said. Josh’s heart swelled as he slowed down and gave Liv a sentimental and sweet look.

“Yeah, same. You mean a lot to me.” Josh looked down at the ground and felt his cheeks get warmer.

Liv bumped shoulders with him as they walked. “I mean, you’re cool I guess. I tolerate you.” She teased. Josh looked back at her, a sappy grin spreading over his face.

“I see it.” Tiger stated loudly, turning right.

Josh and Liv both sped up. Sure enough, the name Kronish was scrawled in cursive along the side of their mailbox in front of their house.

“Rat pot.” Tiger muttered, ducking behind a car. Josh grabbed Liv’s arm and followed Tiger. Tiger went digging through her satchel and pulled out a pair of binoculars, handing them to Josh. “Find an entrance, we can’t just walk in through the front door.”

Josh peeked over the hood of the car with the binoculars. He looked around for a moment, when he saw a little white cat climb up and into an open window. “Bingo. I found our way in.”

Tiger popped up from behind the car, holding her hand up behind the sky and squinting. “Wolf was supposed to be here three fingers ago,” she said, measuring how far the sun had moved with her fingers. Liv and Josh’s eyes bugged out of their heads and they pulled Tiger back down. “He’s never late!”

“Get down, get down!” They both hissed.

“Maybe he got lost.” Josh said in a hushed voice, looking over at Liv, who was digging through the bag and pulling out lipsticks and examining them.

“Resistance soldiers don’t ever get lost, we’re born trackers. He could sniff out a sludge grub in a blood bog 20 kilometers away.” Tiger said. She looked up at the sky as she had a realization. “It’s gotta be the Biotics.”

“There’s Biotics here?” Liv asked.

“Yeah, after all our dicking around in history, they probably put deep cover guards on Kronish at every point in his life.” Tiger sank lower onto the ground. “Shit…he has the TTD. They’re gonna be tracking that.” She muttered. Josh looked over at Liv and they gave each other worried looks. Tiger looked at both of them. “I gotta go find Wolf.”

“B-but Tiger, this is our only shot.” Josh protested.

“You planned this op, you two are going to pull it off without me.” Tiger said.

“But-“ Josh started.

“You've got this. I trust you two, you’ve come a long way.” Tiger said, digging through the lingerie. “Now put on these assless chaps.” She threw some leather pants at Josh and stood up. “Saddle up.” Liv couldn’t help but snicker at Josh’s horrified face.

“Tiger! Tiger, wait!” Josh called after her as she began to walk away.

“And stay focused!” She turned around and pointed to Josh. “Liv! You’re the Josh babysitter now! Make sure you don’t, I dunno, distract him!”

Liv looked confused and blushed. Josh’s face grew more horrified and turned bright red. “I don’t need a babysitter!”

Tiger didn’t respond. Josh awkwardly turned to Liv. “I guess we-“

“Come on,” Liv snatched the pants from his hands and stuffed them back into the shopping bag. They both stealthily snuck across the yard and to the window.

“I’ll give you a boost.” Josh whispered, propping himself up on one knee. He boosted Liv up to the window and she pulled herself up. She awkwardly crawled through and fell right onto the ground in what she assumed was Kronish’s bedroom.

“Okay, Josh, hold on one sec, I- Josh!” Josh came through the window and fell right onto her. “Ow!” She groaned as Josh crashed into her, laying right on top of her.

He quickly scrambled off of her. “Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!” His cheeks were burning a bright red. Liv’s whole face was hot and her body felt like it was on fire. “Did I hurt you?”

“I’m okay,” she said, scrambling to her feet. “I’ll-“ she tucked her hair behind her ear. “Um, I’ll go and make sure the coast is clear.” Liv dashed towards the door.

“Yeah, okay, I’ll um…yeah…” Josh started pulling everything out of the bag. Liv snuck out of the bedroom and into the hall. After a few seconds she tiptoed back in.

“House is empty.” She said in a low voice.

A nervous tingle flushed through Josh’s body as Liv walked up next to him and surveyed the lingerie options. He shifted his feet awkwardly. “Okay, so, uh…I guess without Tiger here we can just have you put some of this on and-“

“Woah there,” Liv stopped him, holding up a finger. “Tiger clearly picked you to replace her.” She said, a smug grin spreading across her face. “She threw those assless chaps at you.”

Josh’s face flushed even redder. “Liv-“

“We can make it look like you’re a woman.” Liv said confidently. “Remember? I’m a great photographer.” She walked over to a nightstand and grabbed a polaroid camera. “You’re gonna want a cameraman.”

Josh looked horrified. “No, Liv-“

“You don’t want to see me in any of this.” She laughed walking back over to Josh, camera in her hands. Josh paused for a moment. He glanced at the lingerie and back to Liv. Thinking of Liv in lingerie again made his heart stop and his head feel a little dizzy. “Come on.” Liv said, shoving his arm.

“Are you sure it would work?” Josh asked nervously.

“Put that lingerie on, Futturman. For the fate of the world.” Liv added, bumping his hip with hers.

Josh inhaled deeply and looked back at his many, many options. “Fate of the world.” He muttered. He looked at Liv and rolled his eyes (playfully). “Goddammit Liv.”

“Hey, Tiger’s the one who picked you.” Liv giggled, sitting on the bed.

“I am not wearing the assless chaps.” Josh said loudly.

“Good, I didn’t want you to.”

“You have to turn around, you can’t look.” Josh muttered as he started to sort through the lacy pieces of clothing.

Liv slapped his hand away. “Okay, I don’t trust you to pick out anything sexy here. You’re a boy. Let the touch of a woman help you out here.”

“You could have said man.” Josh pouted.

“Boy.” Liv repeated, picking up some fishnets. “Boy.” She picked up some leopard print panties and snickered evilly.

“At least pick something flattering.” Josh started unzipping his jumpsuit.

“Woah there, Mr. Eager!” Liv stopped him. “Clothes stay on for right now, no one wants to see that!” Josh thought about making a snarky remark about her liking him, but decided against it. He didn’t want to make her mad for real this time. Liv turned around with his first option, fish nets, a tiny little black corset, and the leopard print panties.

“This is the best photoshoot ever.” Liv said to him with a teasing smile. She was so looking forward to how stupid he would look. Josh huffed and took the lingerie from her hands.

“Turn around.”

“There’s a bathroom right there.”

Josh paused and looked into the bathroom. “Just…turn around…” he muttered again. Liv shrugged and turned to the wall.

“Okay, suit yourself.”

“What if I need help getting some of this on?” Josh finally admitted. Liv laughed.

“Then I will help you…depending on what you need help with.” When Josh was sure she couldn’t see, he quickly stripped everything off.

“This is crazy.” He muttered. “This is so, so, so, crazy.”

“Get dressed.” Liv snapped her fingers.

“How do girls wear stuff like this?” He complained, putting on the panties.

Liv leaned her forehead against the wall with her hands covering her eyes. “I dunno, I’ve never worn lingerie.”

Josh paused. “…really?”

“Putting on underwear,” Liv snapped her fingers again. “Feeling sexy and free.” She continued, loudly pep talking to him. Josh huffed and dropped the corset on the ground, picking up the stockings instead.

“How do I…?” He held up the fishnet stockings. “…Liv?”

“Oh God, don’t tell me you need help.”

“Help.” Nothing. “Please?”

Liv hesitated, but turned around and saw the sight in front of her. This was the absolute most she’d ever seen of Josh. She burst out laughing.

“Liv!” Josh whined and held up the fishnets.

“Oh so what? You don’t know how to put on tights?” Liv made her way over to him. Josh’s heart lurched and he got a tingly feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“There’s…a lot of holes…”

She pointed at the stockings. “Put them on like you would put on socks.” As Josh figured out how to put on the fishnets, Liv excitedly went through some of the other things on the bed. “Put these shoes on, your mom told me you could walk in heels.” Josh looked up from adjusting the stocking on his thighs to see Liv holding some chunky heels.

“My mom told you what?”

The heels made Josh about four inches taller than Liv (which was a first, they were the same height). She stood in front of him, putting a layered pearl choker around his neck. Josh’s heart was racing quicker than normal as he felt Liv’s fingers brushing against his neck.

“Looking gorgeous.” Liv teased, twisting the choker around so the clasp was in the back.

“Yeah,” Josh scoffed. “You’re probably loving this.” As soon as he said it he froze. Liv took a step away and gave him a stern look.

“What.”

Josh’s eyes widened. “I just meant- ‘cause- you know? I look like an idiot right now.” He said quickly.

Liv narrowed her eyes at him, studying him, but visibly relaxing. “You’re a very beautiful woman, Josh.” Josh let out a chuckle, feeling his shoulders relax. “This is the best you’ve ever looked.” She teased.

“Oh I bet.” Josh said, picking up the corset again.

“Actually wait,” Liv picked up a lacy little shawl. “Try this instead.” She helped Josh put it on and took a step back to admire her work (and admire her work). “Amazing!” She sang. She picked the camera off of the bed. “Now pose.”

“What do I do?” He asked as she held up the camera to her eye.

“Be sexy.” Liv said.

“Easier said than done,” he muttered.

“Just…pop your knee and put your hands on your hips like this.” Liv demonstrated for him. Josh awkwardly copied. “Okay,” Liv snapped a picture and waited for the picture to develop. Josh wandered over next to her and watched as the photo slowly developed.

“Is that a good one?” Josh asked as Liv took the picture and studied it.

“We’ll figure out once it develops!” She shooed him away. “Go back over there and pose again, I’ll get a couple angles.”

As Liv snapped more pictures, Josh became more comfortable and giddy. Liv made him put on a couple more outfits, including the silky pink robe from earlier with a boa around his neck, a little leopard print number with feather trim and a spiked choker, red fishnets and lacy red shorts, and several others. He’d even attempted a bit of liner on his eyes (which ended up a faded, smudged mess in three seconds anyways. Liv also reminded him his face wouldn’t be in the pictures after he’d decided to do that). He’d caught Liv staring and her eyes lingering on him several times, and every time a surge of tingly nerves shot through him. He was never nervous around Liv. He decided to chalk it all up to the fact he was so exposed and definitely not because he liked the feeling of her fingers lightly brushing his skin as she adjusted his jewelry and his corsets. That was for sure.

Liv was turned around with her face pressed into her hands as he changed again. It looked like a sexy, lingerie tornado had hit the room. The one problem Josh found with putting on the panties was the fact his dick was enormous now.

“Ow!” He yelped, trying to shove everything into place.

“You good?” Liv asked, starting to turn around.

“Don’t turn around!” Josh yelped.

“Okay, okay!” Liv turned back to the wall. Josh did a little hop as he adjusted the underwear. Putting on a blue robe with feathers on the trim, he did a little spin for himself in the mirror, humming to himself. “You can look now.”

Liv turned around and couldn’t suppress a smile as she watched him check himself out in the mirror (she shyly did too). She walked over to him, picking up different chokers from off the bed and holding them up to Josh’s neck, seeing which one she liked best. She was humming too.

“What song are you humming?” Josh asked.

“What song are you humming?” Liv asked as she picked the spiked choker.

“‘Love Shack’.” Josh said, then tensed up, wondering if that sounded weird.

“Ah, the whole shack shimmy.” Liv quoted the song as she clasped the choker and pushed it around. “I was humming ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’.” She said. “By Tiffany.” She added.

Josh gulped as Liv’s fingers brushed down his neck. “That- that is such a good song.” Josh said, red all the way up to the tips of his ears. He was going insane, if Liv adjusted anything on his body one more time, he thought he might explode. At the same time, he liked when she was this close to him.

Liv shoved everything off the bed while Josh figured out how to lace up a corset himself, they were almost done. The last batch of photos they were going to do were ones of Josh laying on Kronish’s bed. Josh sat on the edge of the bed.

“Wait, stay right there.” Liv crouched in front of him, snapping a picture. She stood up and waited for the picture to develop. “Okay, let’s do a couple more and then we can put leave the pictures for Marigold to find.”

Josh sorted through the pictures they already had. “Too much dick…” he tossed a picture behind him. “Oh God, are my legs really that hairy? Nope.” He tossed another one. “Wolf’s dick is ruining most of these pictures.” He muttered, looking up and seeing Liv pretending the bedding was far more interesting than what Josh was saying, cheeks rosy. Josh pried his eyes away from Liv’s blushing face and back to the pictures, blushing himself. “We can sort through these after, let’s take some more pictures.”

Liv stood on the bed with Josh laying in between her legs as the two of them giggled and took more raunchy pictures. “I’m trying to only get pictures without your face.” Liv giggled as Josh made a face at the camera.

“Oh what? Am I too beautiful for the pictures?” Josh asked teasingly.

“If that’s what helps you sleep at night.” Liv giggled. “Mkay, I think…these are good right?” Liv leaned down to show Josh, who was still laying on the bed, the pictures that were developed already. He sat up and looked through them.

“Yeah,” Josh muttered as he went through them. “Yeah!” He looked up at Liv, impressed with her work. “That’s a woman!” He joked.

“Here,” Liv clambered off the bed. “Start looking at the other ones and then put them in here.” She placed an envelope on the bed next to him. “I’ll clean this shit up.”

Josh scooted to the edge of the bed and sorted through the pictures, putting the best ones in there. “Oh Liv, we should seal this with a kiss for Marigold!” He said with a proud grin.

“Yeah, you should do that with the lipstick, put it to good use.” Liv laughed as she shoved the thick heels into the bag.

“Will you…help me put it on?” Josh asked sheepishly.

Liv playfully rolled her eyes and dropped the bag to the ground. “Oh so you can walk in heels but can’t put on lipstick?” She teased, digging out a tube of fire engine red lipstick. “You better hold still.” She knelt on this floor in front of him.

Josh didn’t know what to do with his mouth, Liv put a hand on his cheek to hold his face in place. Josh saw the look in Liv’s eyes as she realized how close their faces were, he probably had the same look in his eyes too.

“Open- open your mouth a little bit.” Liv stammered, blinking a few times. Josh did so and she started to run the lipstick over his lips.

“This good?” Josh asked, rubbing his lips together.

“Uh…” Liv didn’t move away after she finished applying the lipstick to Josh’s lips. Josh didn’t move away either. They both looked at each other, faces just inches apart.

Kiss her. KISS HER! His brain screamed. His eyes darted between her lips and her eyes. It felt like they sat there for eternity, when in reality it was more of an awkwardly silent three seconds. “Do I…do I have something on my face?” Josh asked awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Liv looked like she wanted to move away, but was entranced. Josh’s face was on fire all the way up to his ears. The sexual tension between them was so thick, Josh could slice it open with a knife.

“Sorry…I…” Liv trailed off. She didn’t know what to say. Josh could feel Liv’s shallow breaths against his face. As their noses brushed, Josh’s heart jumped into his throat. He’d never realized how much he wanted to kiss her until right in this moment. His heart was hammering in his chest. Oh God. He liked her. A lot.

Liv’s brain was glitching. “Josh?” She breathed out, still not moving away.

“Liv…I…” Josh whispered. He glanced into her eyes. He’d always thought Liv was beautiful, but right now in this moment, she was everything. She’d always meant so much to him and he’d always thought it was platonic…but the way he could feel her breath on his lips and the way her eyes looked longingly into his, he wanted to throw that all away. He wanted to kiss her so badly. His eyes dropped back down to her lips.

Liv wasn’t thinking about every reason she’d ever shoved down her feelings for Josh, she wasn’t thinking about what would happen after they kissed, if they did. She was thinking about Josh, sitting in front of her with lingerie on and smudged makeup and how she thought he was gorgeous. Her heart was palpitating.

“Liv, can I…kiss you?” Josh breathed out. He moved in, just centimeters closer, aching to close the gap between them. Liv gave a small nod and reciprocated. The tube of lipstick fell from her hand as they both slowly and nervously moved in. His hands gently set themselves on her waist. Their lips shyly brushed against each other.

“My husband is coming home in a few hours…so we don’t have much time…uh huh…” They heard from down the hall. Liv and Josh pulled away with wide, panicked eyes. Marigold had come home and neither of them had heard. “Yes, come over now!” They heard her say. Josh and Liv scrambled to their feet. Liv had a light smear of fire engine red across her lips. Josh sassily threw the feather boa he was wearing over his shoulder as he quickly tiptoed over to the door, quietly opening it just a sliver and peeking out.

“She is having an affair, she’s on the phone with someone.” He whispered loudly to Liv as she feverishly cleaned up the last of their mess and shoved it into the bag. “This is even better than my plan.”

“I’m going out to get some champagne and run some errands so just let yourself in. Wear something sexy.” Josh could hear the smile in Marigold’s voice. He watched Marigold excitedly prance over to the front door, and slipped out of the room.

“Josh!” He heard Liv hiss. He tiptoed down the hall to see if she’d left, when she appeared for a second, back turned to him, to grab something she almost forgot. Josh froze mid step, balancing on one leg as she almost turned around and saw him, but instead just walked out the door.

“Josh!” Liv hissed from behind him. “What are you doing?”

“Meddling.” He hissed back, trying to stealthily sneak into the kitchen, despite the loud clomping of his feathery kitten heels he was still wearing. Liv followed him into the kitchen. While Josh was clearly in meddling mode, she couldn’t get the fact that they had essentially kissed about 2 minutes ago out of her head.

“What’s your plan here?” Liv asked in a hushed voice. Josh picked up the phone that Marigold was talking on earlier.

“I’m calling Kronish’s job,” He said. “To see when he’s coming home.” He opened the phone book next to the phone and pointed to a number that was circled. “Bingo bango.” He muttered. Liv stood close behind him, her chest almost touching his back as she tried to see.

Josh looked over his shoulder at her and glanced down at her lips. “Oh…you’ve got…”

“Oh, your lipstick’s kinda…” Josh’s lipstick had gotten smudged and Liv was wearing a little of it.

Josh looked back at the phone, giddiness bubbling inside of him as he thought about what had almost happened a second earlier. “So…”

“Not the time Josh, dial the number.” Liv was trying to play it cool, but her heart was hammering out of her chest and she felt like she might explode with excitement. What would have happened had they not been interrupted? She was dying to know. Josh dialed the lab Kronish worked at.

“Hello, yes, hi,” Josh started. “I’m calling for Dr. Kronish, there’s something important he needs to come home for…oh he’s already on his way home? Oh, he’s sick.” Josh began pacing in front of the kitchen counter, shooting Liv a thumbs up. “That’s wonderful news, thank you.” He hung up the phone. He sassily leaned against the counter.

“Piece of cake. Ooh! Cake!” A cake (presumably a birthday cake for Kronish), sat in front of both of them on the counter. Josh swiped his finger across it, gathering some frosting with his finger, and sticking it in his mouth. “Mm, Liv, try this frosting.”

Liv was distracted, squinting out of the window at a man walking up to the house. “Is he coming here-? That’s him! That’s Marigold’s lover!” She excitedly hit Josh’s arm. Josh’s face broke into a mischievous grin.

“Oh shit, did you leave the bag in the room?” He asked.

“Fuck!” Liv cursed under her breath. Liv and Josh hurriedly dashed back down the hall and into Kronish’s bedroom, finding the bag had fallen off the bed and to the floor. Liv scooped up all the items that had fallen out and haphazardly shoved them back into the bag. Josh bumped into the table and almost knocked a heavy, Easter Island head off of it. They heard the man open and close the front door. They exchanged panicked looks. Josh frantically (but quietly) put the statue on the other side table as he grabbed Liv and pulled her into the closet with him, the man’s steps growing closer and closer to the bedroom door.

Just as Josh slid the closet door closed Liv came to the realization that this closet was tiny. Josh had his body pressed against hers, and Liv’s back was pressed against the wall. Her heart was pounding, both from the adrenaline and the closeness. The man’s shadow moved past the closet and Josh held his finger to his lips as he watched like a hawk. They heard the sound of him walking into the bathroom and undoing his belt. Josh poked his head out to see if the coast was clear. He looked at Liv and signaled for her to follow. The two of them tiptoed out the closet, to the door, and backed down the hall, making sure the man didn’t walk out and see them. Josh turned around just as the front door opened. Kronish. He almost made a noise, but quickly caught himself, grabbing Liv, who was still backing down the hall, by the shoulders and pushing her back into the bedroom.

“Under the bed, go under the bed.” He whispered frantically in her ear, praying the man wouldn’t see them. They snuck back into the room just as the man flushed the toilet, Liv immediately dropped and rolled under the bed and Josh followed her. Both of their eyes were wide as saucers as they tried to catch their breath quietly. They could see the man’s shoes as he walked out of the bathroom. Kronish entered. Josh grabbed Liv’s hand as she grabbed his shoulder excitedly. “It’s happening!” He mouthed to her. Kronish was about to face Marigold’s secret lover.

“Elias?” The man asked.

“…what are you doing here?” Kronish said in a low voice. Liv and Josh were shaking each other, the plan was working! There was a few brief moments where they didn’t hear anything as Kronish slowly approached the man. Liv stopped shaking Josh’s shoulder, they both looked confused. They heard kissing noises. Liv’s eyes went wider. Josh grabbed Liv’s shoulder and looked at her in shock. Clothes started falling to the floor in front of them. Liv slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from gasping out loud.

“Leslie…” they both heard Kronish mumble. Their jaws hit the ground. Leslie. This was Leslie. “…Leslie I’ve missed you…” Kronish said breathlessly as the bed creaked under their weight as they got on. Liv and Josh looked at each other.

“This…this is complicated.” Josh whispered.

Kronish and Leslie went at it for 2 hours. 2 hours of Liv and Josh under the bed listening to their ruckus and the bed rocking above their heads. Liv had somehow dozed off with her head propped up with her hand next to him, the squeaking and loud moaning above them becoming white noise to her. Josh laid his chin on his arms, his eyes were also starting to grow heavy. The two of them hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in days (or years, if you counted all the time traveling). Josh couldn’t stop thinking about how he’d kissed Liv. Quickly, but they’d kissed.

Her head slipped from her hand and gently onto his shoulder. Josh tensed at first, worried she would wake up and move away, but after a few seconds relaxed as he realized she was out. He slowly and gently laid his head on hers, taking in a deep breath and letting himself relax for the first time in a while. Despite the erotic scene above them, the two of them shared a wholesome moment. For a blissful moment, there were no Biotics, they weren’t in the 80s, and there weren’t two people having very loud and passionate sex above them. There was just Josh Futturman and Liv Branson. Josh reflected on their friendship.

He’d met Liv on his first day at Kronish Labs three years prior; she'd only been there a month longer than him. He remembered how they immediately hit it off, teasing each other and cracking jokes the whole day as she showed him around. That day he had gone home and excitedly told his parents about his new friend. He remembered his mom begging him to invite her to their big Futturman Super Bowl party and how nervous he’d been to ask her. The way her face lit up as he asked and the way she enthusiastically agreed to be there was something he had never forgotten. That was the first time Gabe and Diane had met Liv, and they instantly fell in love with her and she attended every party they had thrown after that. In the beginning, Diane was always asking Josh if he liked her. Josh remembered blushing and denying it, saying he liked Jeri. He had liked Jeri, but it was becoming more and more obvious that he also had liked Liv.

He remembered the time a scientist had hit on Liv and asked her on a date, and how he couldn’t go to sleep until Liv called him to tell him all about how it went. He remembered secretly hoping that the date would go badly so Liv didn’t go out with him again. The two of them had stayed up until early the next morning talking about it, laughing at how awkward it had been. He’d been jealous. His heart immediately sank for Liv, who for three years had to hear about his more obvious crush on Jeri. He felt so bad. Liv was always a constant for him while Jeri hadn’t shown any interest until he got wrapped up in the grand scheme of the Resistance. Liv had been his world for three years.

His eyes had fluttered shut as he pondered, not noticing that Liv had rested her hand on his elbow as she slept. The little white cat from earlier snuck under the bed, meowing. Josh’s eyes flew open. Liv inhaled deeply and lifted her head groggily. The cat eyed them curiously, meowing quietly. Liv seemed to slowly be processing where she was, looking confused at first and then remembering everything.

“Shh!” Josh quietly shushed the cat. “Go away!” He reached over Liv and gave the cat a little push. The bed started shaking harder, knocking a book off of the bedside table to their right. Josh gave the cat another small push. “Not right now, go away.” He whispered. The cat walked out from under the bed. Liv and Josh saw the Easter Island statue from earlier go crashing to the ground as the bed rocked violently. It fell onto the poor cat. Killing it.

Liv and Josh couldn’t hold back their gasps of horror, which were thankfully drowned out by the noise Kronish and Leslie were making. Liv scooted over, poking the cat.

“Is it okay?!” Josh whispered.

“Oh my God, the cat is dead.” Liv whispered, starting to well up with tears. Josh remembered another memory about Liv: the time Liv cried on their lunch break the first time she saw a bin of dead possums at work. She didn’t like when animals were in peril. She tearfully pulled the cat back under the bed. “Poor baby…” she whispered.

Josh pressed his ear to the cat, wanting to hear if he could make out a heartbeat. He couldn’t. “It’s dead…”

Kronish and Leslie moaned loudly, seeming to be wrapping things up. Josh’s ears perked up and he looked up hopefully. “Finally.” He breathed out. Liv wiped her tears.

“And now…your turn…” Kronish said to Leslie. The bed began to rock again.

“Are you kidding me?” Josh whispered through gritted teeth. Liv’s forehead hit the ground as she gave a heavy sigh.

30 more minutes of Josh and Liv under the bed listening to Kronish and Leslie have sex went by. Liv slowly stopped crying (Josh had put his arm around her and pulled her in close to him as she mourned the loss of the cat they’d just met). Finally, the bed stopped rocking and the moaning died down, dissolving into content laughter. Josh and Liv glanced up at the bed hopefully.

“Leslie, can I ask you a very serious question?” Kronish asked, his laughter dying down. “Were you…meowing?”

Leslie chuckled. “I thought that was you meowing!” Liv and Josh tensed up, both looking at the dead cat.

“Oh, must’ve been my neighbor's cat, always coming through that window.” Kronish laughed.

“Well, I can’t blame him, I can’t stay away from you either.” Leslie said flirtatiously.

“Well, good, I wouldn’t want you to.” Kronish responded smoothly. “…Ever since 8th grade, I knew who I really was. But…I was just too afraid to act on it. But then I met you.”

Josh looked at Liv with a small smile. They both looked up as if they were grinning at Kronish.

“And you know what? Holding each other?” Kronish continued. “That’s the best part.”

Josh still had his arm around Liv. He rubbed her arm, she looked at him with a small, sappy smile.

There were a few moments of silence above them. “So, how did Marigold take the news?” Leslie asked.

“Well…”

“You haven’t told her?”

Josh and Liv’s faces fell. Poor Kronish.

“…I-I’m going to, I’m packed and everything. This is the hardest part! I-I’m thinking about Dear John-ing it.” Kronish said defensively.

“No, no, no!” Leslie interrupted. Liv and Josh frantically shook their heads in disagreement with Kronish. “You have to tell it to her face! You owe her that much.” Josh and Liv nodded in agreement with Leslie.

“Elias? Are you home?” Marigold was finally back.

“Marigold!” Kronish hissed.

“Shit!” Leslie scrambled off the bed.

“Hey honey!” Kronish yelled for Marigold to hear. Liv and Josh perked up, getting ready to dart out from under the bed and make their escape as soon as Kronish and Leslie were gone.

“Are you having doubts?” Leslie asked. “Tell her.”

“I just came home early!” Kronish continued to call out to his wife, fixing the sheets.

“I wanna hear it.” Leslie kept going. “I’ll be here for moral support, I’ll hide underneath the bed!” Liv and Josh looked at each other, panicked. “I’ll even hide in the closet!”

“That’s ridiculous, go out the window.” Kronish begged.

“Then I’ll see you at the marina tonight?” Leslie bent over, picking up his pants and shirt. Liv scooted back out of fear he might see them. Josh stayed, wide eyed.

“Of course.” Kronish sighed. They heard Kronish open the door just as the rustling of the blinds signaled that Leslie had climbed out the window. Liv crawled out from under the bed, trying to keep the rustling of the lingerie bag quiet. Josh rolled out holding the cat, he carefully tucked it into the bag, Liv looking away so she didn’t get sad. They tiptoed down the hall, hearing Marigold talking to the Kronish.

“What are you doing home?” She asked suspiciously.

“The truth is Marigold, I…uh…” Josh stopped right where the hallway wall ended. Liv came up right behind Josh, listening intently. “I…decided to come home early and give myself a birthday treat…” Liv and Josh nodded along, hoping he would tell Marigold the truth. “…and curl up with that mystery novel I’ve been reading.” He lied. Josh shook his head and Liv deflated.

“Why are you so sweaty?” Marigold asked. Josh turned to Liv with a disappointed look.

“That’s just from my heart racing, I’ve been trying to figure out ‘who done it’.” Kronish lied again.

“Okay, well, I have a surprise for you.” Marigold said excitedly. Josh and Liv pressed themselves against the wall again, trying to listen. “You are going to get back there,” Liv and Josh shoved themselves off of the wall, realizing Kronish was about to make his way back to his room. “And you are going to run me the hottest, nicest bath you can think of, mkay?” Josh grabbed Liv and they sprinted back down the hall as quietly as they could back into Kronish’s room. They froze as they got to the doorway, Leslie was climbing back in. Liv grabbed Josh’s hand and pulled him into a closet at the end of the hall.

“…’cause my hip hurts, but Mama’s feeling fancy.” Marigold called to Kronish. “Mkay, baby?” Josh could make out Kronish’s figure making its way down the hall through the slots in the door, they could hear him sigh.

“Josh,” Liv whispered from behind Josh. “You're stepping on my foot.”

“Sorry, Liv!”

The doorbell rang. Josh looked back out of the slots and Liv peeked over his shoulder. Marigold excitedly went to answer the door.

“Oh, you’re here!” She said in a hushed tone. “I’m freaking out! My husband came home early.”

“Marigold’s lover…” Josh breathed out. Tiger walked through the door.

“What?!” They both gasped.

“I am Glenn Close.” She said in an uneven voice. She stumbled as she began to walk down the hall. Marigold grabbed her and directed her in a different direction.

“Is she drunk?!” Josh shook his head.

“Your husband is attracted to me. Fatally.” Tiger sure sounded drunk.

“Where the fuck did she go?!” Liv asked quietly. As soon as Marigold followed after Tiger, Josh threw open the closet door, looking both ways before bolting into the room to the right of the closet. Liv stood for a moment, unsure of what to do. She heard Kronish’s footsteps coming out of his room and she dove after Josh into the study. Kronish’s footsteps were headed towards the exact room they were in.

Josh looked at Liv and hurriedly beckoned for her to follow him into the walk in closet. Just as they were about duck behind a dresser, Liv’s foot got caught on the rug on the ground. She tripped, falling right into Josh, shoving his back into the wall, faces almost smashing together. He caught her and they looked at each other with wide eyes, realizing that sound was loud. Thankfully, Kronish was too busy shoving things around on the desk in the main room, rustling through the mess on the desk.

“Where did I put that passport?” He mumbled to himself over and over.

“Are you okay?” Josh mouthed to Liv. She nodded slowly, still scared that at any moment Kronish might come and investigate what he might have heard. Josh and Liv stood behind the tall dresser, pressed together with arms around each other, looking at each other with panicked eyes. They were not good at the whole sneaking around thing.

“…So you might have to roll it up and cram it in there.” The sound of Marigold opening the study door was heard. They heard Kronish make a sound and duck out of the room.

Some sweaters that Kronish must have frantically thrown in his panic to run out landed on Josh’s head. Liv helped Josh pull the sweater off, getting his lipstick all over one of them that was a salmon color. Liv poked her head out to make sure no one was there. She grabbed Josh by the corset and pulled him out from behind the dresser, the two of them making a mad dash for the door that led to the dining room.

“Tiger!” Josh yelled in a hushed voice.

“Tiger!” Liv copied. Josh backed straight into a sculpture, almost knocking it from its stand. He quickly caught it and tried to rebalance it.

“Tiger?” Josh called out quietly again. Josh and Liv rounded the corner, heads swiveling back and forth to make sure they didn’t get caught. The front door swung open, scaring both of them. A pretty woman confidently walked through the door, hips swinging as she walked in.

“A Biotic!” Liv yelled. Josh froze for a moment and panicked. The woman turned and looked at them, raising an eyebrow.

Josh frantically pulled his phone from inside his corset. “This is a detonator!” He threatened, holding it as if it were dangerous.

“Really?” The woman rolled her eyes. “That’s what we’re doing?”

“Uh uh! Don’t move!” Liv pointed to Josh’s phone, backing away slightly as she approached them.

“You take another step, I press this button, this whole house is wired, it blows up, we all die, and your mission’s a failure.” Josh threatened. The woman rolled her eyes again. “You wanna test me, you wanna fucking test me? We’ll all die right here, right now, I’m loco!” Josh said, eyes wide like a mad man. Liv nodded along, eyes never leaving the Biotic woman as she stepped closer.

“Okay, you’re in charge. I guess I’m your hostage now or whatever…wait, I didn’t hear anything about there being two of you?” She looked annoyed.

“Yeah? Well, there are two of us.” Liv said, trying to sound brave and menacing. “And you are our hostage…?”

“I suppose you wanna, tie me up or something?” The woman was distracted, looking around the house like she was bored.

Josh was still holding out his phone like a weapon. “Yeah, uh, that’s actually a good idea.” He looked over at Liv.

“Go, go over to the right, go.” Liv shooed her over to the study. She lazily walked over to the study, Josh and Liv following her, Josh still acting like his phone was a bomb.

“Don’t do anything stupid.” He said. They made her sit in a rolling chair in the study as she dropped her bag on the ground. Liv went through the bag and pulled out fluffy handcuffs, ones with red feathers and ones with pink.

“Oh,” the woman drawled. “Those’ll cost you. It’ll also cost you more because there are two of you.”

“You can drop the prostitute act okay? We know who you really are.” Liv threw Josh the red handcuffs.

“Don’t threaten us, okay? This isn’t our first time.” Josh cuffed her to the chair.

“Okay, yeah, I forgot, you’re in complete control.” The woman said condescendingly.

“You have to stay.” Liv pointed sternly at her.

“Okay. I can’t really go anywhere.” The woman looked Liv up and down judgmentally.

“Whatever, perf.” Liv shot back as her and Josh slipped out of the room and back into the dining room.

“Degrading is also ex-“ they shut the door on her.

“Tiger!” Josh hissed loudly. “There’s a Biotic here!”

“Where the fuck did she go?” Liv whispered. Unbeknownst to them, Tiger had left to go catch up with Wolf. Again.

“Tiger!” Josh kept whispering. “Tiger? We need you-“

“Leslie? Is that you?” Kronish whispered from down the hall. Josh and Liv froze. “I told you to go out the window!” Josh looked at Liv with wide eyes. She looked to the counter and tossed the bag over it, hoisting herself up and dropping down behind it. Josh quickly ran around the counter to find Liv shoving things that had fallen out back into the bag. The dead cat was sprawled out on the floor. He scooped up the cat and the two of them hurried into the kitchen. “Marigold is in the bath,” Kronish was getting closer. “You can come out!”

Josh looked for a spot to hide the cat, putting it in a pot that was set out on the stove and shutting the lid. He looked over his shoulder, Liv was gone. He saw her hand pop out from behind the counter, beckoning for him to come hide with her. Josh turned and was jumpscared by Elias Kronish rounding the corner. They both jumped back in shock.

“Oh, good Lord!” Kronish cried out in shock seeing Josh standing in the kitchen. Josh’s immediate reaction was to cover himself up, afterall, he was still in lingerie. Kronish’s eyes did a sweep of Josh in his fluffy black kitten heels, black fishnet stockings, leopard print panties, lacy black corset, feathery black boa and spiked choker, and messy eyeliner and lipstick. He looked concerned and frightened all at once.

“…Happy birthday…” Josh said in a small voice, hands over her crotch and chest as if he had anything to cover up. His mouth twitched as he tried to muster up a smile.

The look in Kronish’s eyes changed as he assessed the situation. “…Oh my God,” he whispered in a strangled voice. “You’re my birthday surprise?” Josh stared at him blankly, wondering if he should just go with it. “She knows…” Kronish whispered, bringing his hand up to cover his mouth.

“She- she knows?” Josh asked.

“You’re a gigolo aren’t you?” Kronish asked. Josh’s ears pricked up as he heard a light breathy laugh come from behind the counter. He looked down at himself. He really did look like a male prostitute.

“Yes…” Josh moved his hands to his hips and nodded.

“Marigold clearly doesn’t know what kind of men I find attractive.” Kronish looked Josh up and down again. Josh looked slightly offended. “But I can’t believe she was willing to hire a prostitute.” Kronish was shocked beyond belief.

At the same time it hit Josh and Liv that the “Biotic” was just a prostitute. “Oh…the Biotic’s a prostitute…” Josh whispered to himself. He heard the faint sound of Liv slapping her forehead and her head hitting the back of the counter. Josh covered it up by clearing his throat.

“If she’s willing to make this kind of accommodation…maybe this marriage will work after all.” Kronish said to himself.

“What? No! No, no! You have to leave her!” Josh said frantically.

“I don’t remember asking you.” Kronish cocked an eyebrow at Josh.

“Look, truth is I’ve been gigoloing- gigolo- gigoing- fucking dudes for money for a while now.” Josh said. “This is not the first time a wife has hired me to save her marriage, and trust me, it never works. Never.”

“Yeah? Well, maybe that’s on you.” Kronish looked Josh up and down again.

“Nuh uh,” Josh pointed down to his crotch. “You see this? I’m the fucking best, okay?”

Behind the counter, Liv was pulling at her face, trying to resist the urge to jump in. She couldn’t take it.

“Listen to me, you are in love with someone else.” Josh said gently. Kronish’s stance softened. “Someone who you have crazy, passionate, vibrant sex with for very long periods of time.” Kronish slowly nodded, looking at the ground. “But, most importantly, you found someone who you truly love to hold. Someone who sees you for who you really are…” Josh sent a quick glance over his shoulder to where Liv was hiding.

Behind the counter, Liv was listening intently, with her knees pulled in close to her chest, looking up as if she could see Josh. She could hear the tenderness in his voice. Her face broke into a sweet smile.

“This marriage that you’re in, it’s an anchor. It’s holding you down. You need to set sail.” Josh moved his hands in a wide motion, gesturing towards the horizon. Kronish looked confused about how Josh could possibly know that. “Metaphorically speaking.” He added at the end.

“Damn, you are one perceptive hooker.” Kronish said quietly.

“The best.” Josh reminded him.

“But you know what? You’re right.”

“I’m right?”

“Yes, I should set sail.”

“Absolutely!”

“I can do this!”

“You can!”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!”

“What do I owe you?” Kronish reached for his wallet.

“Uh, fifty bucks?” Josh shrugged.

“Take sixty.” Kronish gave him that signature warm smile as he handed Josh the money. “You earned it.” He kept his hand out for Josh to shake.

“Thank you very much!” Josh returned the smile.

“Set sail.” Kronish muttered as he walked away.

“Set sail!” Josh repeated enthusiastically.

Liv popped up from behind the counter with a proud smile on her face. “Good job gigolo!”

“Not funny, Liv. We have to let that prostitute go.” He said in a hushed voice. They heard a knock on the door and froze.

“Hurry, just get to the study.” Liv hissed. Liv and Josh tiptoed into the dining room again, looking around as they heard Kronish talking to whoever was at the door. They darted across the dining room and burst into the study.

“We have to get you out of here!” Josh said to the woman frantically.

The woman was watching something on TV and laughing. She stopped when she saw them. “Oh, you’re back. Are you the good guys now?”

“We’re trying to be.” Josh said as Liv fished the handcuff keys from her pocket. “If the wrong person sees you right now it’s gonna undo a whole lot of progress I just made.” The cuffs fell to the ground as they uncuffed her.

“Uh, ‘kay, so, I’m not going anywhere until I get paid.” She said snobbily.

“I got sixty bucks?” Josh held out the money Kronish had given him.

“Sixty bucks? This isn’t a rest stop glory hole. Sixty bucks doesn’t cover the roleplay, cuffing, degrading, and this weird ass threesome.” She rolled her eyes. Josh and Liv eyed each other. “I’m calling Big Lou.”

“No, no, no! Please don’t call Big Lou!” Liv shook her head.

“The last thing we need is to add more people to this right now!” Josh waved his hands. “We’ll get you more money!”

“I’ll take a TaB too.” She said as Josh and Liv went to the door.

“The fuck’s a TaB?” Josh whispered to Liv as he shut the door.

“How do we get her more money?” Liv whispered.

Josh thought for a moment. “Find Marigold’s wallet.”

“Josh!”

“She’s a bitch! I don’t mind stealing from her!”

“…fine.” Liv pursed her lips. They tiptoed back into the dining room, hearing Kronish laugh awkwardly at someone in the living room.

“That’s great, well, if you’ll excuse me, I need to talk to my wife.” Kronish said.

“Alright, but you’ll call me, right Elias?” The visitor asked.

“Yes, I’ll have Marigold call you, alright, bye bye now.”

Josh and Liv heard the front door close. Liv turned to Josh and nodded, ready to sneak into the living room to go snoop through Marigold’s purse. The door opened and closed again, and they heard someone muttering to themself. Josh and Liv stayed still, eyes wide, as a burly, scary looking man came walking past them, back turned to them.

“Fuck! Big Lou!” Josh crouched behind a stool as Liv stayed behind the wall. He went searching in the study. Liv and Josh bolted into the living room and found Marigold’s purse sitting on the coffee table. Liv picked it up and rifled through it.

“Got it!” She pulled out the wallet. A loud commotion came from the kitchen. Liv dropped the purse and they went running into the kitchen to see Big Lou had shoved Leslie to the ground, smashing into the sculpture Josh had almost broken earlier. The pieces of the sculpture lay scattered around him.

“Big Lou! Big Lou!” Josh called out. “It’s okay! We have your money.” He held out Marigold’s wallet.

“Hey! That’s my money!” The prostitute peered around Big Lou.

“What the fuck is going on here?!” Marigold came storming into the dining room in a robe, clearly fresh out of the bath. Kronish rushed in after her.

“This asshole sucker punched me!” Big Lou pointed to Leslie.

“This filthy pimp abuses this woman!” Leslie pointed at Big Lou and then to the prostitute.

“He’s not my pimp?” The prostitute looked at Leslie as if he were stupid.

“I’m a history teacher!” “Big Lou” looked offended. He looked over at her. “You’re a prostitute?”

“No! He’s the prostitute!” Kronish pointed to Josh.

“Neither one is the prostitute!” Marigold shook her head.

“Well, I’m a prostitute.” The prostitute said.

“And you’re so much more than that!” Leslie said to her.

“Shut the fuck up, priest.” She rolled her eyes at Leslie.

“You’re a priest?” Liv gasped.

“Reverend.” Leslie looked confused down at Liv and Josh, who’s jaws were on the ground.

“I don’t care who any of you freaks are, I just want Bunny back!” “Big Lou” wailed, leaving to scour the house.

“Hold on just a second!” Marigold pointed to Josh and looked at Kronish. “You thought he was the prostitute?”

Kronish paused. “…yes…”

“I mean, look at him.” Liv chimed in. Josh shot her a dirty look.

“And who the fuck are you?!” Kronish asked.

Liv opened her mouth to answer, but closed it, not knowing what to say. Josh looked at her with wide eyes. “I…” she looked between everyone, all eyes were on her. “I photograph him…” she pointed to Josh. “I photograph him…gigoloing.” She choked out.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Josh hissed through his teeth.

“You make gay porn?” Leslie looked disgusted at her. Liv shot him a judgemental look. Who was he to judge her?

“…yeah?” Leslie gave her a worried look.

“No, no!” Marigold turned the conversation back to Josh. “Why would I get you a male prostitute?” Kronish glanced at Josh and went back to Marigold.

“Yes Elias,” Leslie crossed his arms. “Why would she get you a male prostitute?” Everyone stared at Kronish expectantly.

“Uh, I thought…you wanted me to watch you have sex with him,” he gestured towards Josh. Josh let go of the bated breath he’d been holding. Leslie looked crushed. Liv took in a sharp breath and slowly shook her head. Marigold gave the three of them weird looks. She looked back at Kronish like he was insane. “I’ve shared with you my cuckolding fantasy haven’t I?” Kronish added.

“No.” Marigold said sharply. She scoffed. “Hm, I thought you were trying to tell me you were gay.”

Kronish let out an abnormally loud, forced laugh. “Oh, no, no. Just your old run-of-the-mill…” he trailed off seeing Leslie’s hurt look. “Cuck…”

Leslie nodded solemnly. “Obviously you two have a lot to talk about. I gotta go.” His eyes bore into Kronish. “My boat still leaves at midnight.” He saw himself out of the house.

“What boat?” Marigold asked rudely.

“I have no idea.” Kronish sighed.

“No! Don’t let him leave!” Josh interrupted. Kronish looked at Josh. “Come on! Be true to yourself!” He looked at Kronish, then Marigold, then to Liv. Liv furrowed her eyebrows. “He’s in love with someone else.” He blurted out.

“Seriously, who are these people?” Marigold shot Liv and Josh dirty looks.

“I have no idea. I have never met them before in my life.” Kronish clenched his jaw uncomfortably. Josh got a look on his face that Liv knew all too well. He was meddling again.

“Oh. Don’t you act like you don’t know exactly who I am, Elias.” Josh said, feigning dramatic heartbreak. He inched closer to Kronish, who backed away uncomfortably. “I will not let you treat me like some slut you can just bang a couple times and then throw in the garbage.”

“I don’t know what this man is talking about!” Kronish cried.

Josh looked back at Liv. She nodded for him to keep going. The prostitute stood slightly behind them, eating all of this drama up. “You thought that you could just come into my life and turn everything upside down and only think about yourself?” He was in Kronish’s face by this point. “You think that we can spend an entire weekend making love,” he looked back at Marigold when he said this, making sure she heard him correctly. She was shocked and horrified. Liv stood next to her, grinning from ear to ear with two thumbs up. “And then you think you can just ignore me?!” He turned back to Kronish. “You’ve got another thing coming, ‘cause you know what?” He turned to Liv, holding out his hand for the bag. Liv handed him the bag and he rummaged through it, pulling out the envelope with the pictures Liv took. He grabbed them and fanned them out so everyone could see. “I will not be ignored, Elias! Proof!” He showed the group. “Look what he made her take pictures of!” He gestured to Liv. “He roped her into this too!”

“What the fuck are these supposed to prove?” Marigold shouted.

“I’m calling the police!” Kronish threatened.

“Give me a 90 second head start?” The prostitute piped up. Josh turned to Liv with panicked eyes.

“Oh no, Bunny!” Someone cried. “Lord, no!” Everyone hurried to the kitchen, where the cat was found in the pot. “Big Lou” had been Kronish’s neighbor. “My Bunny’s dead!” He cried.

“The cat’s name is Bunny?” Liv asked.

Josh gave a small laugh. “If I’d have known that I would have hid it someplace else.” He elbowed Liv lightly, trying to crack a joke. Liv slapped Josh’s chest with the back of her hand as Kronish’s neighbor angrily turned to them. All eyes were on Josh and Liv. “Um…” he grabbed Liv’s hand. “We’ll…we’ll see ourselves out…” they turned and ran for the front door. Kronish followed them to the door.

“And you better stay away!” He screamed after them as they dashed down the driveway.

“Fuck free will! We should have done the gun thing!” Josh cried out as they ran down the street together.

Tiger had finally pinpointed where Wolf was. She’d tracked him all day, through the beach and park where she met an oracle on a bench who told her to let him be free from his ownership chain, and to Kronish’s house where a cunning wife oracle told her to tighten the ownership chain. Tiger knew exactly where Wolf would have ended up. Corey Hart’s concert. She approached the large crowd in front of the venue.

“Well,” she said as she spotted him right at the ticket booth. “If it isn’t the king of the public beach?”

“What took you so long?” Wolf asked, side-eyeing her. “Your tracking skills are slipping.”

“I consulted two oracles today.” Tiger said. “One said give you your freedom and you’ll come back to me. He was dumb and ate his own dog. The other said to rein you in with the illusion of freedom. She was impressive…but crazy.” Wolf looked at her, unphased. “And then I realized, your freedom isn’t mine to give or take. Neither one of us is gonna be free until we finish what we started.”

“You’re wrong.” Wolf said in a low, tired voice. “I’m free now.” Tiger furrowed her brows. Wolf looked her dead on. “Because I quit.”

[rosalyn51]

Thank God for Tom!

From Downton Abbey News Facebook

Having made the decision that Sybil would die because Jessica Brown Findlay wanted to leave the show, we had to decide what to do with Branson. One option was to send him back to Ireland, maybe leaving the baby, and occassionaly he could return as a guest star.🌟

But we all felt Allen Leech was a great asset to the show. He is also an attractive man, and knowing we were about to lose one attractive man, we didn't really want to lose two. More than this, his character is a bridge between the people below stairs and the people above. He has been at different points in the drama on equal terms with both groups, making him unique to the house. Having brought that about believably (I hope), it felt foolish to throw it away.

-Julian Fellowes

Source: 'Downton Abbey, The Complete Scripts', Season Three.

*Special thanks to Fran for heads up!

[importantgalaxyrunaway]

Valentine’s Day (Tom Branson x y/n)

CONTENTS: smut (not to much I cut away) ⚠️ Fluff, kissing.

AUTHORS NOTE 📝: I worked really hard on this. It’s longer than most of the things I write. It was harder to make than the others and I put more effort into it so please like 👍

(Toms pov)

the servants hall is bustling with people chatting over breakfast. There was a significant increase in the amount of mail everyone got.

“why is there so much mail on a Tuesday?” mrs. Hughes questioned

“it’s saint Valentine’s Day” mr. Carson answered

“for you mr. Branson” said the kitchen maid daisy handing me a letter. I looked at the letter and saw the lovely writing of y/n. I decided that I would go into the hallway to read it. It read:

my love,

Happy Valentine’s Day. I think of you every moment of the day. Soon we will be able to be together in front of everyone. But I hope tonight you will come to my room at after dinner. I love you ever so

Sincerely, y/n

I blushed y/n wanted me to visit her tonight! On Valentine’s Day! I have been in a secret relationship for at least 2 years now. We were madly in love with each other. But we both knew we wanted to be more than just an affair. Her parents were trying to set her up with sir Richard Carlisle but she hated him. She was trying to find the right time to tell her parents about us. Anna saw me smiling at the letter in the hallway.

“got a sweetheart mr. Branson?” She joked.

“I suppose so” I chuckled smiling

(Y/n’s pov)

That day I was very excited for it was Valentine’s Day. Not because of the fancy dinners or gifts from suitors. And I did have many suitors who gave me extravagant gifts. But because I was going to see Tom tonight. I knew that so when I got ready for dinner I decided to put on one of my best and favorite dresses. So When tom came to your room he would see you after dinner he would see you like this.

This is the dress you choose. (I love it so much)

The dress perfectly hugged my waist and showed my breasts prominently. I even asked anna to do my hair in a special way.

(Your hair is like this with the clip in it like rose from titanic. This shows that y/n is more adventurous bc it was the norm to have your hair up back then)

Feeling confident in my look I went into the drawing room “ah y/n! You look nice.” Mama said as I sat down in the armchair

“Thank you” I replied smiling because today I did put in more of an effort.

“oh? Trying to attract more suitors are we” granny said chuckling. I decided to ignore her remark

“dinner is served malady” Carson said coming into the room. We all filed out of the drawing room to the dining room. Dinner went smoothly. Mrs. patmore had prepared a delicious dinner.

”but y/n there are plenty of young rich suitors out there and your not getting any younger” granny violet said

but grandmama I don’t want to marry for a title I want to marry for love. What’s so wrong with that?”

“well there’s nothing wrong with that unless your marring a servant” papa joked

the rest of the dinner went by smoothly. But I couldn’t really listen to them talk. All I could think about was Tom. The way he held me. The way he kissed me. And finally the dinner was over. I decided to go upstairs early and tell them that I wasn’t feeling well. That way i wouldn’t need Anna to undress me. And I went into my room.

(Toms pov)

it was late but I was wide awake. All I had been able to think about today was y/n. I looked to make sure no one was there and then made my way to her room by candlelight 🕯

I opened the door to see her sitting down on her bed in her dinner dress. She looked absolutely breathtaking. She looked like Aphrodite herself.I smiled at her and she smiled back “ hello love” I say

“Oh tom” she said rushing into my arms “I love you” and we shared a very passionate kiss

“ I want to tell them about us.”

“what” I say pulling away. A bit taken a back at first.

“they want me to marry soon. And I choose you”

I felt like I was going to cry of joy! “Love, I have been waiting for you to say that for 2 years.” I said “when should we tell them?”

“tomorrow I think. It will be quite a shock but we need to not back down”

(Y/n pov)

I kissed him fiercely and unlike before my kisses weren’t just full of love I want more. Tom could tell this and pushed me back “we’re not married yet. Y/n no matter how much I want to it we’re not married” he said also fighting the urge to kiss back. He wanted it just as much as her.

“we’re to be wed. And we’re in love isn’t that enough” I said looking at him

he didn’t respond and instead closed the gap in between us with his lips. He pushed me on the bed started sucking my neck. It felt so good that I let out a moan. He helped me take my dress off as I unbottoned his shirt. My dress took much longer to take off then his shirt. But when it was finally off he just starred at me with his mouth agape. I covered myself insucure.

“no love” he said reaching up to caress my cheek. “Your beautiful”

-skip cus yk what happened next 🍋🍋🍋-

when I wake up I am on my silk sheets in my bed naked next to Tom Branson. Luckily it was still night and he could get away. It was around 3 am so the staff wouldn’t be up yet.

“Tom” I said slightly shaking him

“what love?”

“you have to go” I said with a sad look on my face “I wish you could stay”

he kissed my hand and got up. He picked his clothes off the floor and got dressed.

“I’m sorry to say you won’t get much sleep”

“I wouldn’t sleep for a week if it meant I could spend another night with you” he turned to me smiling while buttoning up his shirt. I slowly walked over to the door to give him a goodbye kiss. But my legs were shaking and I was heavily sore so I had to lean against the wall and Tom.

“goodbye darling” I said with my hands around his neck and I gave him one last goodbye kiss. “Tomorrow we tell the world” and we both smiled. I looked as he peered out the door to make sure no one was there. And then slipped away quietly into the hallway.

I hope you guys liked it I worked really hard on this one and it was hard to write. But I had fun and happy Valentine’s Day! This took me a long time.

Ty for reading

[adamsvanrhijn]

likehandlingroses if birds fly remains canon to me RE: why sybil's taste in men is Like That- she just wants to move out! (although i see the attraction to tom in s1- like, if i was downstairs at downton i probably would have been into him, loved his swag with the white feather especially... "it's cost me all i've got to say this" is also like <3 to me. but then he's just absolutely awful in s2 and s3!) the one downton abbey man that never got his due was evelyn napier... no one even considered him for a second, not even some random side character... that man was so nice

(@likehandlingroses 💖)

i mean the thing is it is really not a stretch at all because sybil herself says this is why she is interested in tom. out loud to his face, when agreeing to marry him!

& she has two+ other pseudo canonical crushes, one of whom is matthew which like, fair. but the other one is larry grey!!!!

Evelyn napier ultimately ended up in a position where he is just so good at trying to stay in his lane while still helping out his friends... he handled the 1.03 aftermath really well i think. I haven't watched in a minute and I can't remember if he ever got married in the end??? someone jog my memory. i know some people want him to be gay but i think every period drama needs a hapless heterosexual man who genuinely has nothing wrong with him but is just never in the right place or the right time and/or has hotter friends, etc. and that is his role.

tom branson... when i saw the movie first i liked him quite a bit because i had ZERO context but then i watched s1 and was like. oh this guy is very different! wow! (dramatic beat) oh nooooooooooooooooooo

and then he didn't even bother to drink his respect women juice........

[hypersonicxd-blog]

Kinktober 2022 - Day 01

Bareback/First Time

Pairings: Soft Dark Andy Barber/ Reader

Warnings: Mentions of drugging and non con touching (Not Andy), sex, oral sex, bareback, first time, roughish sex.

MINORS DNI! 18+

Day 01 Oct - Bareback with best friends Uncle Andy Barber.

----- x -----

The cabin your besties parents own sits on top of the sand dune shrouded in pink and orange hues from the sinking sunset. The 3 story beach house intimidates you, never did you think in your first year of college you'd be roomed with one of the richest people in your year. Nor did you think she's turn out to be such an amazing friend.

With exam week just behind you, she offered you and your group of friends a trip to her beach house, you all agreed of course. The celebration much needed.

"Dude this is dope." Brad calls from your right, his arm draped over your shoulder. He'd been trying to get into your pants for weeks. Always being overly affectionate, you can't say you mind it. It's nice and sends tingles to all the right places. But you can't help but think something is missing. Something all consuming.

In all the romance novels you read, carnal, animalistic passion is the thing you desire most. Your best friends voice pulls you out of your thoughts.

"Just wait until tomorrow when the other houses fill, they'll be frat parties, hook-ups." As Taylor finishes her sentence she sends you a wink. She's been trying to help you lose your as she calls it - pesky virginity - since you spilled the beans about it in a drunken game of truth or dare.

"You know I have my eye of someone Tay." Brad replied tugging your body closer. You blush and look at the floor, choosing not to reply. You and your group begin the climb up the stairs, Tay and her boyfriend Branson in the lead, followed by Katie and Daryl who are then followed by Liz and her girlfriend Cheryl. Leaving you and Brad at the back.

"You okay babe?" Brad asks, locking his fingers with yours. You nod before finding your voice.

"Yeah I'm good just a little tired, finals damn near killed me." He laughs and agrees before turning to you.

"Don't worry we'll loosen you up this week, get you all refreshed and ready for year two." You blanch slightly as his words come across slightly threatening. You offer him a small smile. Your attention snapping back as you hear Taylor curse.

You reach the top of the step your eyes roving over the decking and the attractive god sat lounging on the sunbed, shorts draped low on his body, his glorious chest on display.

"Uncle Andy, what the hell are you doing here?" Taylor asks, disappointment clouding her face. The man jerks up staring at his niece in shock.

"Taylor?"

"Well duh, you don't have any other nieces or nephews."

"What are you doing here?" The god - Andy asks, his eyes roaming over the group before they settle on you, trailing up and down your curves. You shiver under his gaze.

"We're here for the week, mum and dad gave the go ahead." Taylor replies.

"Are you sure it was this week?" Andy asks, his gaze still locked on you.

"Pretty sure." Taylor replies, you watch her pull her phone out.

"Weird cause Trent said I could use the beach house this week while things are finalising with Laurie." Andy says finally looking back to his niece.

Laurie? A flare of jealously consumes your body, shocking you. You've never had such a visceral reaction to something before.

Taylor doesn't reply but brings her phone up to her ear. The group remains silent, shuffling awkwardly. Andy's eyes return to you, as he checks you out. You return the favour, eyes trailing over his glorious chest and chiselled abs. Your eyes bulge as you trail further down, his grey sweats moulding to an impressive looking bulge. You gulp as you see movement beneath the joggers.

Gulping you look back at the mans face, finding a smirk and his eyes locked on you. He winks at you before turning back to his niece.

"But Mom" Taylor cuts off.

"Ugh fine." She hangs up before turning a glare in her uncles direction

"Apparently they thought we were here next week." She huffs.

"Ahh. Well don't worry. You'll barely know I'm here." Andy says before turning and walking into the house.

Taylor turns back to the group. "Sorry guys. At least my uncles pretty cool. He'll stay out of our way.

----- x -----

Taylor had been right, mostly. Andy had stayed out of the way the last few days. Well around everyone else at least. He seemed to be around when you were on your own quite a bit. You'd had a fair few conversations with the man. Your crush growing further as he makes you laugh and teases you endlessly, walking around shirtless. The pants he's wearing getting tighter.

Or maybe you were just fixating on the monster between his legs. It's been a feature in your fantasies over the past few days as you held the shower head against your clit, Andy's name a whisper on your lips.

Tonight Taylor was throwing a party, so you were looking forward to that. She's picked out a royal blue dress to wear with a shorter skirt than you were comfortable wearing. But you thought fuck it. I'll be drunk enough that I won't be self conscious.

----- x -----

The night rolled around and before you knew it you were 5 drinks in and god knows how many shots. Your vision was blurry as you danced with the rando grinding against you. You began to get lightheaded as the LEDs strobed around the improvised dance floor.

Pulling away from the rando you walked into the kitchen and out onto the deck. Fresh air, helps clear your head as you hear the door open and close behind you.

"You look beautiful tonight babe." Brad's voice slurs as he wraps his arms around you from behind, his hard cock presses into your arse as you wiggle to get free.

"Brad." You start, cut off by his hand wrapping around your throat.

"Now now. You've been a cock tease since I met you. Now I'm finally going to take what's mine." Anger fills his tone as he grinds against you.

"No Brad, stop." You struggle to get the words out because of how tight his grip in. Swaying you try to turn in his grip.

"Yes. You want it. I know you do." Brad hisses, groping your breast through your dress.

"Let me go." You rasp as he tugs on the dress, revealing your bare breast to the cool night air. Your nipple pebbles under the breeze and he squeezes in painfully.

"Stop." Your plea is ignored as he pulls on your nipple.

"You heard the lady." A deep voice breaks through the lusty haze in your brain.

"Fuck off Old Man." Brad snaps his hand freezing, as he locks eyes with Andy who's now stood at the top of the stairs. Your eyes plead with Andy.

A murderous look snaps over Andy's vision as he approaches you and Brad.

"Old man, huh? How about you let her go and I'll show you just how old I am." He threatens.

Brad laughs behind you, releasing you quickly enough that you stumble into the railing. "Babe, just wait there. Let me deal with this perv. Then we can get back to what we were doing."

"Not going to happen." Andy says calmly.

Brad approaches Taylors Uncle, fists raised. "Come on then Old man." He taunts, while Andy remains still, unthreatened, calm.

"I've seen you watching her this entire time. You want some of her pussy don't you?"

"How about I let you have her after I've hit it?" Brad offers.

You watch Andy's breathing deepen, his body tensing.

"No thanks." Andy says.

"Fine, more for me. Now leave or I'm gunna kick your ass grandpa." Brad huffs, hands dropping slightly.

"Now that I'd like to see." Andy laughs, dodging easily as Brad throws a punch. Brad stumbles on his feet, catching himself just before Andy's fist connects with his face. Your friend - well so called friend - falls to the ground knocked out cold.

Andy straightens, heated gaze travelling over your body. Stopping slightly on your exposed breast, before snapping to your face. You cover yourself as he steps closer, his hand raising to move your hair out of your face.

"You okay sweetheart?" He asks softly.

"I am now. Thank you."

"Don't mention it, been wanting to punch that guy since I saw him hand in hand with you." He admits.

"And why's that Mr Barber?" You ask, voice slurring as the adrenaline you were feelings starts to wear off.

"Because he doesn't deserve you." You smile, before stumbling, drinks hitting you harder.

"How much did you drink sweetheart?" He asks, a worried look on his face as he cradles you against his body.

"Not that much." You hiccups as your vision starts to blacken.

"Shit, sweetheart." You can see Andy's lips move but his voice sounds far away.

"Y/N keep your eyes open." You eyes close as darkness consumes you, your body falling limp in the older mans arms.

----- x -----

You groan as your head pounds behind your closed eye lids.

"Sweetheart?" A worried voice asks.

You inhale, a masculine smell reaching your nostrils. Panic grips you as you try to recall the events of the night before. You remember Brad being handsy and then it's blank.

"No no no." You mumble, forcing your body to sit up.

"Take it easy." Comes a familiar voice. Your eyes open resting on a worried looking Andy sat on the floor next to the bed you're lying on.

"Andy what happened?" You ask, voice hoarse.

"I'll tell you in a minute. Are you okay?"

"I think so. Got a headache and feel a little floaty."

"Okay that's normal, the doctor said you'd feel that way when you woke up. I've got some water and asprin here." You look at the nightstand noticing a glass of cold water, ice floating on the top. Next to it is a unopened box of asprin.

"What happened?" You sit up slowly, taking the water as Andy hands you the glass."

"Brad happened. Asshole drugged your drink, started to feel you up. I was coming back from the beach when I heard you asking him to let you go. Knocked him out. Then you passed out in my arms, So I called 911."

He pops out two tablets and hands them to you. " Brad got arrested. So you shouldn't have to deal with him." He tells you.

"Thank you." You say taking the pills. A cold draft alerts you to the fact that you're no longer wearing your dress.

"What happened to my clothes?"

"Paramedics, cut it off so they could place some monitor things on your chest. They wanted to take you to hospital but Taylor said you hated those places so I said I'd watch over you and call them if you worsened."

You remain silent, processing everything that happened.

"You need to rest today, okay Sweetheart. Daddy's orders." He says, his palm stroking your exposed thigh.

"What?" Your eyes bulge.

"Doctors orders. He said you need to rest." Andy sends a confused look.

"Oh okay."

----- x ----- 

You wake up, noticing the darkness in the room, hearing the steady breathing of the person next to you. Your eyes trace over Andy's features as the moonlight illuminates his peaceful face.

He lays on top of the covers, fully clothed. You turn on your side admiring his beauty.

"Quit staring at me." He laughs, his eyes popping open.

"Sorry, I can't help it." You admit, a tingle starting in between your thighs.

"I know I'm beautiful, right?" He jokes, turning to face you.

"You are." He freezes for a moment.

"I have noting compared to your beauty sweetheart." A blush rises on your cheeks.

"I mean it. Ever since I've laid eyes on you. I've been bewitched. It took everything in me to not kill that asshole last night. Not because you were so obviously not into it. But because he had his hands on something that was mine."

Your breath hitches, the tingles turning to throbbing as your entire body heats.

"Andy." You breath out.

"I know. You probably don't feel the same and that's okay. I won't act on my feelings." Andy says, smiling softly at you.

"I do. When I saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful man I had ever seen. Then I got to know you and I thought there was no way you could be that person. Someone as amazing as you has to have some flaws. But you don't. You're amazing. I want you so badly Andy." You whisper the last part.

Andy's eyes flame with lust as he sits up, leaning over you.

"Are you sure sweetheart?"

"I've never been surer of anything Andy. I need you." You breath stutters as he grips your throat gently.

"Yeah, you need Daddy's to treat you right? Fuck you the way you've always imagined but never been able to find." His thumb rubs over your pulse.

"I've never -" You stop, a blush spreading over your body.

"You've never what? Had sex?" Andy asks, keeping his eyes locked on yours.

You shake your head and hear him curse.

"I'll stop if this is too much."

"Please don't stop... Daddy." You beg, thrusting your chest up.

"Okay sweetheart. Well I'm not going to fuck you, not this time. This time I'm going to make love to you. The way you deserve. I'm going to eat your out and finally get a taste of that pussy I've been craving. Then when you've cum on my face a few times. I'm going to stretch that tight little cunt on my thick cock."

His hand trails down your chest, to find the hem of the top your wearing he tugs it up and you sit up allowing him to remove it.

"But first, first Daddy is going to get a taste of your lips." With that he leans forward and captures your lips in a mind blowing kiss. His soft lips caress your own, his beard tickling your face causing you to shiver in delight.

Andy kissed down your body, placing soft kisses on the curves of your breasts before flicking his tongue against your nipple. The contact has sparks shooting through your body, your slick dripping into the mattress below. He spends some time appreciating your breasts before kicking the covers onto the floor and crawling between your legs.

His nose nudges your mound. "You smell divine babygirl." You blush as you wriggle, trying to get away from him.

"Don't be nervous sweetheart." He says as his tongue teases your slit. He finds your clit straight away his tongue swiping over the swollen bud. A growl vibrates against you as Andy eyes lock onto yours.

"Taste like heaven." He moans as he nudges your thighs apart with his shoulders. Something prods at your entrance and you moan as he eases a finger into you, finding your g-spot straight away. Stars burst in your eyes.

"Please Daddy."

"Already so desperate baby girl." He teases, adding another finger and assaulting your clit with his mouth.

"Cum babygirl, soak my face." His mouth latches onto your clit as he sucks. Your body tenses as you leap over the edge of oblivion. Your pussy pulses around his fingers, but he doesn't stop.

He adds a third finger, stretching you further as his teeth graze over your clit. "One more for me baby girl." You hear his muffled words, your body rising again as your hips buck against his face. You bite your wrist to stop from screaming as your thighs lock around his head and he throws you into another mind numbing orgasm.

He pulls his face back, eyeing you hungrily. Slowly he removes his fingers before launching up and claiming your mouth with his. You moan as you taste yourself on his lips. His wet beard smearing your release on your face.

After a moment he pulls back and climbs off the bed, dropping his sweats and removing his t-shirt. His cock stands hard and long. Throbbing and leaking at the tip.

"I don't think that's going to fit." You admit nervously.

"It will babygirl, daddy's gunna go nice and slow okay?" Andy reassures you. 

"Okay daddy." You nod sheepishly.

Andy climbs on the bed, settling between your thighs. His cock rests against your slit.

"Condom daddy." You remind him.

"Shit. I haven't got any. I'll just pull out babygirl. I'm clean I swear."

"Okay Daddy, but you have to pull out." He nods as he rubs his cockhead over your clit, making you shudder.

"Ready babygirl?"

"Yes Daddy."

With your words he thrusts forward his head slipping into you. You hiss as his girth stretches you more than his fingers did.

"It will hurt at first baby, but then it's all pleasure." He tells you.

"I can do it." You tell him.

Andy's eyes watch as he sinks into your tight heat. Inch after inch disappearing into your untouched body. He feels the resistance of your hymen and looks at you.

"This bits going to really hurt sweetheart." You nod and bite your lip.

Taking that as confirmation he pushes past the barrier in one brutal thrust that has you crying out.

"Sssh it's okay babygirl." Andy stays still allowing you time to adjust.

The pain slowly starts to ease as you gyrate your hips against him. "Fuck me Daddy."

It's almost like something snaps in Andy, he withdraws completely before slamming back in, setting a brutal pace.

"So tight babygirl. Milking my cock perfectly. Tell me baby girl. How good does my cock feel?" He demands, a darker side of him coming out.

"So good Daddy, you're so big."

"Yeah? You like daddy's cock filling you up?" He teases, one of his hands finding your throat, eyes locked on yours.

"I do daddy."

"Imagine how nice it would be to have my cum filling you baby girl." He moans as his hips connect with your arse. You whine as you pussy clenches around him.

"Already close? My little slut loves my cock doesn't she?" Andy pants removing his hands and lifting your legs so your ankles rest on his shoulders.

"I do daddy. I want it." You moan.

"Want what baby? My cock, my cum. Want me to fill you up, make your belly nice and round" Andy's voice grows harsher as he leans over you, railing into you.

"I want it daddy." You plead, no other thought in your head except being his cumdumpster.

"Beg for it."

His thumb starts to circle your clit, making your delirious.

"Please daddy. I need your cum." You whine, pussy spasming around his throbbing cock.

"That's it sweetheart, milk my cock." He groans as you cum around him, drenching his thighs.

"Here it comes baby." He warns.

You cry out in extasy as you cum around him again, feeling him throb inside you before heat fills you up. Andy growls as he empties himself into you.

He lets your legs drop and kisses you as he softens inside you, the mixture of your release with his trickling out of you and staining the mattress. You remain that way for a few minutes before he rolls off you and flops at your side.

"Fuck sweetheart, I haven't cum that hard in years." He tells you, making you blush before you remember he came inside you.

"Andy. I'm not on birth control." You panic.

He cradles you against him. "It's okay, I'll fix it."

He reassures you. You snuggle into him, relaxing, before falling asleep.

An hour or so later you wake up and head to the bathroom, cleaning yourself up while you're there. As you turn to leave you notice a box of unopened condoms sat next to the sink.

What the hell?

[vampyredefender-a]

              ❝  the love of my life was human. he went through what i imagine you’re going through: denial, anger, et cetera. but at the end of the day ⸺   love really did conquer all. ❞

𝐈 . . . 𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 !

name . . . . alexia branson nicknames . . . . lexi age . . . .21/350+ sexuality . . . .bisexual date of birth . . . .5/5/1659 place of birth . . .plymouth, massachusetts gender . . . .cis-female pronouns . . . .she/her current location . . . .beacon hills languages . . . .english, french, german, greek and russian

𝐈𝐈 . . . 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 !

zodiac . . . .taurus bad habits . . . .talks to herself, overprotective hobbies . . . .dancing, fears . . .loosing the ones she loves

𝐈𝐈𝐈 . . . 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒 !

faceclaim . . . .madelyn cline height . . . .5'5 hair colour . . . .blonde eye colour. . . .hazel scars . . . .scar on her chest where she was staked by damon

𝐈𝐕 . . . 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 !

parents names . . .martha and alexander branson (deceased) parents relationship . . . .married siblings names . . . .edward branson (younger brother, deceased) pets . . . .none. income . . .none. residence . . . .none.

𝐕 . . . 𝐁𝐈𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐘 !

Alexia Branson was born to what was known as a modest life in the 1600′s. Despite her age, the woman never took a husband, instead focusing her attentions on her younger brother. After the unexpected death of their parents the female was sought out by many men, her attractive looks and well spoken manners a desirable trait. However, she refused them all, spending her time raising her sibling. It was a difficult life, and the hardships were beginning to take their toll. At the age of twenty one she knew she was dying, the fever and pains in her body causing agony as she attempted to continue taking care of her brother. 

It was a dark night when one of her suitors came to her door, promising her that he could help heal her. To keep her forever young, so she would have the ability to care for her sibling. In her fevered state she couldn’t help but agree, the blood and fangs seemingly a hallucination as she passed out into the darkness. 

It was only upon awakening that she realised what she’d become. A creature of the devil, cravings of blood, of violence filling her entire being, a creature that could no longer go out in the sunlight. She was bound to the night, for the entireity of her life. But it didn’t matter to her, as long as she could look after her brother. He was but a child, only five, and he needed her. Isolated in her home, her suitor, and now her sire remained in their company, teaching her how to control her urges whilst she taught her brother how to survive in the world. 

But as the years passed the village became suspicious of Alexia, the woman who would only appear at night, and had seemingly not aged in over ten years, and the man that accompanied her. They accused her of witchcraft, and in the middle of the night set the Branson’s home ablaze, with the three of them inside. 

Both her sire and Alexia managed to escape, but her brother was not so lucky, perishing inside their home. The brutal and cruel death of her brother was too much for the vampire, her emotions wild and uncontrollable. It took her sires influence to stop her from walking out into the sunlight to join her family. Instead he told her of a way for the pain to stop, to turn off her emotions and take revenge on the town that had ruined her home.

The next nightfall the young vampire killed each and every single member of the town, leaving no survivors.

For years the two travelled together, relishing in blood lust and hedonism that was frowned upon in that age. It was after massacring yet another village 35 years later that their partnership came to an end. It was as she came upon her sire in one of the homes, adult bodies dead on the floor that she saw what was nearby. Three babies, crying and wailing in their cribs. Innocent, crying, hungry and scared. It was something that sparked her humanity, her instinct to care for the children enough to turn her humanity back on. The three babies were a challenge, but the guilt that gnawed inside her from the murder of their parents left her feeling a duty to protect these three babies. It was one night after they’d taken the three that her sire vanished, leaving her alone with the children.

Percy, Buxton and Hugo were a handful, but they started a new life in a new village, far away from the one they’d all been born in. Alexia was a patient mother, teaching them of her true nature but swearing them to secrecy. The four eventually began to run a butchers in the town, giving Alexia the chance to feed off of the animal blood to avoid suspicion.

When the three children came of an acceptable age Alexia offered them the same thing that she’d been promised, immortality. All three of them were turned that night, and with a kiss to each of them they parted ways, all ready to try and make their way on their own.

There was a longing for repentance in the woman, finding ways to make up for the years without her humanity. Spending her days as a nurse, she crossed paths with other vampires, some lost, some needing help. It has left her with hundreds of vampires and witches around the world as her friends. 

But after Damon staked her, Lexi found herself watching over her closest friend Stefan Salvatore, ensuring that she could do all she could from the other side. When he eventually crossed over the two reunited - and now that Stefan has taken the chance to be alive again, she has also returned, wanting to remain by his side.

𝐕𝐈…𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 !

stefan salvatore: lexi's best friend. the two have been through everything together since she found him in a ripper-like state. lexi taught him how to control his urges, and continued to support him in life and love. he's currently returned to life as a human, and using his money bought a house that he allowed her entrance to. she's currently his roommate, and very concerned over his mortality.

kol mikaelson: her sire, the first man she ever loved. she thought he abandoned her, something that filled her with both rage and sorrow. what she didn’t know was that his siblings had tracked him through the reports of bloodshed, and daggered him for his dangerous actions.

carlisle cullen: an ex-boyfriend. the two met while her children were still young whilst she worked as a nurse and he a doctor. the two were quick to bond, and his kindness helped her through difficult times. the two parted ways when the Spanish flu struck - lexi, fearing for her boys chose a less dangerous career, whilst carlisle left to help the masses. the two split amicably, and are friendly to this day.

[alastairstom]

RANK DOWNTON ABBEY SHIPS THAT MADE IT TO THE ENDGAME AND WHYYYYYY

Gonna be real, I haven't watched it in a while and don't remember all the ships. The only ones that mattered to me were Anna/Bates and Mary/Matthew, though I did love and adore Tom Branson (and therefore his relationship with Sybil, but I will admit that the character is the attraction over the ship.)

[bransonattractions]

The Magic of Rick Thomas Branson

[specialagentlokitty]

Hi there, do you take requests for Tom Branson?

Cannot find enough content for him or the other Downton characters!

If so, x sister reader (younger preferably, maybe late teens) sister reader worked in the house as a lady’s maid for Sybil, whilst Tom was the chauffeur. Sister reader knew of the attraction between her brother and her employer, and encouraged them both. However once they marry, the question of sister readers employment arises. Is it right for her to remain a maid, or should she join the family in the house? I’ll leave the rest up to you!

Just an idea, no worries if not. Thank you!

I don’t think I’ve written for him before but I’ve always been wanting too so this is perfect!

I can defo do this!

[heydorothea009]

Bread on Toast - A Future Man Fanfiction

Josh Futturman and his fellow coworker and best friend, Liv Branson, get roped into saving the world as time traveling saviors with, what were thought to be, video game characters, Wolf and Tiger. Not only are Liv and Josh completely incompetent, but they are also emotionally inept- will this cause the destruction of mankind? Only time will tell.

Warnings: strong language, Liv and Josh try nitrous, Josh does NOT try to bang his mom, sexual innuendos

Chapter 9: Operation: Natal Attraction

As soon as Josh and Liv had turned the corner onto the neighboring street by Kronish’s house they stopped to catch their breath.

“Can I see the bag, Liv?” Josh panted, holding out his hand. Across the street, a lady walking her dog shot the two of them a nasty look. “Have a good day, lady.” Josh called to her. He dug through the bag and paused. He dug through it again. He looked panicked as his face went pale. He knelt on the sidewalk, putting the bag down and rummaged through it again, pulling pieces of lingerie out.

“What’s wrong?” Liv asked.

“…did you drop my clothes?” Josh asked, looking up at her.

“I don’t remember.” She whispered.

“…fuck.”

The plan was to go to Josh’s house and nab the gun that hung on the Futturman family kitchen wall. Josh pulled out a pink robe to try and cover up the lingerie. He contracted many weird looks and comments and they walked to his house. Josh didn’t realize how far his house would be on foot from Kronish’s. They eventually approached a gas station on the corner of a street.

“Can we stop at that 7/11 and try to get this makeup off?” Josh asked.

Josh had Liv come into the family bathroom with him to get the makeup off. She scrubbed his lips and eyes with wet paper towels, giving him an apologetic smile at the sight of his miserable look. It worked well enough. They walked out of the bathroom together, and the teenage boy who worked the counter stared at them.

“It was a dare.” Josh said in an annoyed voice. “Take a picture, it’ll last longer.”

“You and your boyfriend are weird.” The boy said to Liv as they walked out the door. As the sliding door closed behind them, Josh and Liv looked at each other shyly, blushing.

“So…” Josh wrapped the robe tighter around him. “Are we going to address the elephant in the room?” He asked as they continued their trek.

“I guess we have to.” Liv shoved her hands in her back pockets.

“So. We kissed.”

“We did.”

“And you like me.”

“Yes.”

“Can I ask how long you’ve liked me?” Josh asked.

“Since the day I met you.” Liv admitted.

Josh stopped in his tracks. “Really?”

“Why is that so crazy?” Liv asked, giggling slightly at how shocked he seemed by that.

“I remember the day we met very well, and I went home and hoped you didn’t think I was annoying.” Josh laughed. “I went home and told my parents all about you.”

“Yeah, I know, I think your mom brings it up every other time she sees me.” Liv giggled.

“Since the day you met me you’ve liked me?” Josh asked, smiling widely.

“Yeah.” Liv was grinning shyly. “Do…do you…?”

Josh blushed, realizing what she was asking. “Well, I asked to kiss you didn’t I?” He looked back over at her. “I like you, Liv.” Josh admitted out loud. And it wasn’t scary. In fact he was so sure of it.

Liv paused, stopping in her tracks with a wide, goofy grin. Hearing it made her wonder if it was a dream. A dream she’d had before too. Maybe Wolf and Sigorn-E had been right, he wouldn’t be weirded out if he knew. Her body coursed with adrenaline as she continued walking with him. “Really?”

“Do you think if we sneak into my house I’ll get beat up again? Oh wait, you weren’t there for that, never mind.” Josh derailed the conversation.

“Josh!” Liv laughed, hitting him with the bag.

“Sorry, sorry! Just thinking out loud.” He laughed along with her. As they walked and talked, their hands brushed, neither one of them making a move, but neither one of them moving away either.

“…wait, so you’re telling me you never took a date to the Kronish Ball because you were always hoping that I would ask you?” Josh asked in shock.

“I got asked by a couple guys,” Liv confessed.

“Did you turn them all down? Who asked you?” Josh asked.

“Last year both Dr. Smith and Jeremy from HR asked me.” Liv said.

“You turned down Jeremy from HR?!” Josh gasped “Liv, he’s hot! You turned him down because you were hoping I would ask you?!”

“I told them both that I had plans to go with a friend.” She shrugged. “I think most of the lab knows I like you.”

“Liv, I’m so sorry I never asked you.” Josh said.

“We always went together though, right? At least as friends.”

“But I never asked you to go as my date.”

“I was your date for two seconds this time.” Liv gently gave him a shove.

“Oh yeah…sorry for ditching you.” Josh said sheepishly. “…oh my God…that’s why you listened to me every time I talked your ear off about ‘Biotic Wars’.”

“Now you’re getting it.” Liv teased.

“God, you must like me a lot if you let yourself endure that for years.” Josh laughed.

“It’s okay. I like listening to you talk.” Liv said simply, smiling at him. Josh’s stomach fluttered. Liv started snickering.

“What?”

“Sorry, I cannot take you seriously when you’re dressed like that.” She giggled.

Josh rolled his eyes. “Shut up, Liv.” He teased. “You love it.”

“I’ll never say.” She shrugged and pushed his shoulder, almost knocking him off balance.

It was dark by the time they approached his house. Josh checked his phone, 8:33 pm. They still had time. As they walked up to the door they heard loud music and saw colored lights flashing inside. There must have been a party going on inside. Josh looked down at his clothes.

“I can’t go in there looking like this.” He muttered.

Liv pointed up to the window that led to his room, which was cracked open. They climbed through, this time, Josh waiting for Liv to tell him he was good to climb in after her. After helping him off the desk the sat right under the window, they looked around.

“This is my Uncle Barry’s room.” Josh whispered, surveying the room. Josh accidentally backed into a small garbage can, spilling discarded papers. He dropped down to pick everything up. He picked up a job application that read “America Online ‘AOL’ application due by 4pm”.

“What is it?” Liv asked as she saw Josh’s face. He was shaking his head with a look of disappointment.

“Come on Uncle Barry,” he muttered. “Maybe if he applied for this job he wouldn’t be such a sad and lonely douche in 2017.” He showed Liv the paper.

“Damn…” Liv exhaled.

Josh set the paper on the desk and started going through Barry’s drawers. “If I find anything bad in here…” Josh mumbled, digging through Barry’s pants drawer. Liv took that as a sign to find interest in something else. It was strange to see Josh’s room not look like Josh’s room. There were no movie posters, his gaming chair wasn’t there, no evidence of Josh in the room. Josh turned around holding the ugliest pink button down with black and white triangles, a jacket with graffiti style writing all over, and black pants.

“Oh Jesus.” Liv eyed the shirt is disdain.

“Uncle Barry was never known for his style choices.” Josh sighed. After turning around and letting Josh change and helping him shove all the lingerie into the bag and hiding it under Barry’s bed, Liv and Josh snuck out of the room and tried to discreetly join the party. There were college kids everywhere. Liv sent Josh a wide eyed look as they slowly walked down the stairs, trying to remain unnoticed.

“I didn’t take Gabe to be such a party animal?” She muttered in his ear.

“Did you think it was my mom who always throws parties?” Josh asked.

“…it’s not your mom?!”

“There it is.” Josh’s voice dropped to a whisper, quickly pointing to the gun. Liv followed Josh down the stairs and amongst the party goers, heading towards the gun that was apparently mounted on the living room wall in the 80s.

“Gabe! Gabe! Gabe! Gabe!” They both heard chanting. Liv and Josh turned to the kitchen to see Gabe Futturman, on his knees, chugging alcohol being funneled into his mouth. “Futturman!” The crowd of people around him cheered.

“…Dad?” Josh breathed out. Gabe grimaced as he pulled his mouth away from the funnel, victoriously fist pumping the air.

“Yeah!” He began high fiving his friends around him.

“I’m gonna go high five my dad!” Josh whispered excitedly, making his way over.

“Wait-“ Liv hurried after Josh as he walked up to his dad with a big grin on his face.

“Hey!” Josh said as Gabe absentmindedly high fived Josh’s readied hand. “That was…radical.” Josh seemed to be in awe that his dad was actually cool.

“Thanks dude! You can’t spell ‘funnel’ without ‘fun’, am I right?” Yep, that was Gabe Futturman alright.

“Yep, you definitely are Gabe!” Josh laughed, looking at Liv.

“That’s mi nombre! Do I know you guys?” Gabe asked.

“No,” Liv said quickly.

Josh was looking at Gabe like he was a magical creature that he’d just discovered. “No, we’ve never met.”

Gabe studied them. “I dunno, there’s something familiar about you,” he pointed at Josh. “Especially you, you sure we didn’t go to middle school together or something? What’s your name?”

“J-Joosh.” Josh lied. Liv puffed out her cheeks as she tried not to laugh. “Joosh.” He repeated.

“Joosh, your name’s Joosh.” Gabe said, shaking Josh’s hand, saying that as if he almost didn’t believe him.

“Yes. My name is Joosh.” Liv could see the immediate regret in his face.

“And you are?” Gabe turned to Liv.

“Liv.” She said, shaking Gabe’s hand too.

“Wow, you guys rule!” Gabe said excitedly. “We’re gonna go get high.”

“What?” Josh grinned in shock. “You- you don’t get high?”

“That’s right, I stay high.” Gabe grinned. “You guys in?”

“Wow, uh, you know there is nothing I would rather do than stay and party with you but…” he glanced at Liv. “We’ve got somewhere we need to be…”

“Hey man, no worries. My door is always open. This is a Futturman house! That means it’s a,” Gabe did a goofy little dance with his shoulders. “Party house, okay?” He gave Liv and Josh pats on the shoulders. “You can come by anytime!” He walked away to rejoin some friends.

Josh turned his body to watch his dad walk away. “You wanna stay for a bit, don’t you?” Liv said.

“We’ve got time.” He muttered. It was only close to 9. The marina wasn’t too far from Josh’s house. “We’ve got some time, actually!” Josh called out to Gabe. “We would love to stay and party with you.” He turned to Liv. “I mean, if you want to.”

“Sure, why not.” Liv giggled.

“Get over here, new friends.” Gabe waved them over.

“Okay!” Liv followed Josh as he excitedly walked to his dad.

“I like your coat.” Gabe complimented Josh. “What is that, French or something?” He tried reading the writing on the coat.

“He just got it today, actually!” Liv said, sitting on the couch in between Gabe and Josh.

“You guys ever tried nitrous?”

Nitrous made Liv’s brain feel like it turned into a puddle. She bravely was the first to try it, her eyes immediately fluttering as she said, “What is this stuff?” Her voice came out low as she giggled. “Feels like my brain just orgasmed.” Gabe burst out laughing, clapping his hands. Liv saw Josh’s eyes glaze over at her reaction, shifting on the couch.

“My turn! My turn!” Gabe took the mask from her and deeply inhaled. “Joosh, I am your father.” He said in a deep voice.

Liv cackled as Josh let out a flustered laugh. “Ahhh, you are, you really are.”

“Try it Joosh,” Gabe held out the mask.

“It’s crazy Jo- Joosh, you have to try it.” Liv said. Josh looked hesitant at first, glancing between Liv and his dad.

“Uhhhh…you know what? You taught me to ride a bike, I trust you.” Josh grabbed the mask from Gabe’s extended hand.

“Joosh!” Gabe cheered.

“Yeah Joosh!” Liv gave him a teasing grin. Everyone started chanting his fake name. Josh took a deep inhale of nitrous, quickly pulling the mask from his face.

“The Joosh is loose!” Gabe cheered.

Josh’s head rolled back and it hit the couch as he spoke in a deep voice. “My brain melted.” He giggled deeply. Liv giggled and rested her head on his shoulder, leaning back on the couch.

“Shit’s gnarly, right? I made Barry steal it from dentist school.” Gabe said, looking over at a guy who was pulling the tape out of a cassette and laughing, amused by the destruction. Josh bolted upright, making Liv’s head fall off of his shoulder.

“Barry?” He looked nothing like the Uncle Barry they both knew, but he sure acted like him. “He’s in dentist school?”

“Was. Big was.” Gabe looked back over at Barry. “Yeah, he got kicked out for ganking the nitrous.” He pointed to the tank. “You’d have to be crazy to let that kid anywhere near your teeth with a drill.” He looked back at Josh and Liv. “I wouldn’t let him near drywall with a drill.”

“Sometimes Gabe, people get better at things. Maybe give him a little more time and maybe he’ll change.” Josh said. His dad and Barry had always had a rocky relationship and he hoped maybe he could soften it. “People change!” He said. “Big, big changes!”

“I hope not for me! My life is perfect right now. Why would I change a thing?” Gabe scoffed.

“Well, for example…what if you had a child-“

“Ha! A kid?”

Josh’s face fell. “Yeah?”

“I’m this close to getting snipped. Barry’s got a friend in med school who says he’ll do it for free if he can practice on me.” Gabe said. Liv turned her head so Gabe couldn’t see and gave Josh the widest, most panicked eyes.

“Oh! Um! You know what, that- that seems like a decision I shouldn’t influence!” Josh gulped. “I’m sure- I’m sure you’ll make the right choice…uh…”

“So you two,” Gabe propped his elbow up on the back of the couch. “What’s your whole deal? Boyfriend/girlfriend? The rooms upstairs are available for any couples who wanna sneak off.” Gabe elbowed Liv’s arm, winking. Josh and Liv went bright red.

“Oh! We’re-“

“Liv and I- uh-“

They both searched for the right words. They couldn’t call each other friends, that put them back in the friend zone, and they definitely had crossed that zone…but they weren’t really dating either…yet.

“Oh…” Gabe chuckled. “I see, it’s complicated huh?” He reached over Liv and patted Josh’s knee. “Something about Futturman house parties is that they have a way of bringing people together.” He winked at them and stood up, walking back to the kitchen.

“It’s true.” Josh whispered to her. “My parents met at a college party.”

“Hello, cupcakes.” They heard Gabe slowly drawl from behind them. They turned to see two girls walking in and looking around, holding a pan of cupcakes.

“Cupcake?” Liv hit Josh’s arm. “Josh, that’s your mom!” She pointed to the blonde girl with the cupcakes.

Barry was trying to haul the heavy nitrous tank away from them. Josh stood up from the couch to talk to him, Liv followed. “Unc- Barry? Who are those two girls?” Josh asked.

Barry swept his long hair out of his face. “Uhhh,” he held the mask up to his mouth. “I think those are Richie’s friends, Vanessa and Diane. They’re hot.”

“Diane!” Liv and Josh excitedly hit each other.

“Oh my God, tonight is Richie’s birthday, the night of the flaming sombrero! This is the night my parents meet.” Josh nodded in the direction of a man lighting a cigarette, lighter dangerously close to his giant sombrero that hung low on his head.

“Dude,” Barry’s voice was exceptionally low now, having inhaled the nitrous. “Your parents never met? That’s fucked up.”

“You’re fucked up.” Liv deadpanned.

Barry excitedly grabbed Josh’s elbow. “No way dude! I have this same jacket!”

Josh slowly turned to look at his uncle. “Barry. What’s your plan?” He asked like a high school counselor.

Barry giggled, drunk and brain loopy from the nitrous. “I dunno, finish this and then humiliate myself in front of some women?” He glanced at Liv. “Wanna be one of them?”

“Eat shit, Barry.” Liv scowled. Barry had always been a jackass.

“Barry. You need to get that AOL application and apply for that job.” Josh said seriously.

Barry blinked a couple times, shocked. “How’d you know about that?”

“I went through your garbage.” Josh said.

“It’s something he does.” Liv said.

“But there’s no money in that, man.” Barry complained. “I mean, what, it’s like stock options, what am I-? What good is that gonna do for me?”

“Barry, we have to go, but listen to me and listen good. You need to apply for that job, take those options, and get the fuck out before 4.0. Trust me.” Josh brushed past Barry, who looked surprised by what had just happened.

“I’d trust him if I were you.” Liv said, stepping around him to follow Josh. She realized where Josh was headed; to his dad and Vanessa and his mom.

“Hey guys, what’s going on?” He stepped in between his parents, throwing his arms around them. “Okay, so, here’s the sitch, Liv and I’ve gotta head, but we couldn’t help but notice that we really like what we’re seeing here.” He looked between his parents. “Right Liv?”

Liv stood in front of them awkwardly, nodding. “Mhm!” What the fuck was he doing?!

“You are just the most beautiful thing!” He complimented his mom. “You have the smoothest skin I've ever seen. Your skin is like…an angel’s bottom.”

“Oh…thanks!” Diane smiled. Liv stared at him.

“Have you ever been in a moment where time just freezes and everything seems perfect?” Gabe and Diane looked at each other and then back to Josh, who was dreamily looking back between his parents, clearly convincing himself he was creating a romantic scenario for them.

“It’s his first time doing nitrous.” Gabe explained to Diane, who just giggled.

“It is. But! Not the nitrous talking my friends, you two are perfect.” He looked at Liv. “Right Liv?”

Liv wanted to drag Josh away. She couldn’t figure out why Josh was trying to set his parents up with each other. They were bound to end up together anyways. “Yeah.” She crossed her arms.

“What about me?” The other girl with brown hair, Vanessa, asked.

“Yeah, sure, you’re fine.” Josh said dismissively. “But this one,” he looked at Diane. “Gabey, this is the one right here. This is the kind of woman you have to hang on to, and never, ever let go of.” Liv saw Josh’s eyes flick over to her multiple times, making her body feel warm. “The kind of woman that could change your life.” Gabe and Diane shared a moment, looking at each other. “Alright,” Josh unattached himself from them. “We’ve got a boat to catch, Joosh and Liv out!” He called.

Finally. Liv turned on her heel and walked towards the gun on the wall with Josh.

“Wait!” Diane pranced after them, making them turn around. Liv looked slightly annoyed. “I like boats.” She eyed Josh flirtatiously. “Maybe I could change your life.” She grabbed his hand. Josh pulled his hand away, looking horrified. Liv stepped closer to him, pressing her body into Josh.

“That’s not happening.” Liv said sharply.

“No! No! No, no, no! I’m too smart to fall into that old trap,” Josh frantically shook his head at his mom. “You need to come with me young lady.” He sounded like such a dad. He pulled away from Liv to try and drag Diane back over to Gabe.

“Ugh! Chill out, Jesus Christ!” Diane slapped his hand away from her arm.

“Yes, that’s more like it. You’re supposed to think I’m repulsive.” Josh looked over at his dad to see him standing way too close to Vanesssa.

“What, no!” Liv was right next to Josh again, watching together as Vanessa touched Gabe’s forearm. “What have you done?” She looked at Diane, who looked annoyed and confused. She saw her friend talking to Gabe flirtatiously and her face brightened.

“Oh God, they’re adorable! Bet that’s the last we’re gonna see of them tonight.” She tittered.

“Liv, what do I do? I’m Back to the Future-ing myself.” Josh panicked.

Liv pursed her lips. “Okay, talk to your d- Gabe, I’ll talk to the girls.”

“Okay.” Josh nodded, sounding nervous. Liv dragged Diane over to Vanessa and Gabe. “Hey Gabe, can I steal you for a sec? Okay, awesome.” Josh pulled his dad away and Gabe looked confused. Vanessa and Diane eyed Liv as she stood in between them.

“What’s the deal?” Vanessa asked. “I was talking to him.”

“Hello ladies.” She said awkwardly.

“Who’s he?” Vanessa asked.

“Gabe?”

“No, your boyfriend.”

“Not my boyfriend.”

“Oh! Perfect!” Diane leaned against the table. Liv looked up at her with concerned eyes.

Liv looked between them uncomfortably. “Gabe sure is cool though, right?” She said in a high, uncomfortable voice. They weren’t here to talk about Josh, she was there to fix the fact that Josh might not exist if Gabe talked to the wrong girl.

Diane looked over at Gabe and giggled. “Oh, I dunno, he’s pretty cute too.” She blushed. Yes! Okay, this was working!

Vanessa linked her arm through Liv’s and spoke to Diane. “You can have him if I can have, what’s his name? Joosh?” Liv’s eyes widened and jealousy brewed inside of her. She slowly turned her head to look at her. Vanessa saw Liv’s face and lightly hit her shoulder, giggling up a storm with Diane. Liv loved Diane Futturman, saw her as a second mother, but college Diane and her friend Vanessa were annoying as hell.

“What? Do you want him?” Diane linked her arm through Liv’s other arm. She’d never felt so trapped and uncomfortable in a non-threatening situation.

“Oh my God! She does!” Vanessa tittered. “What’s your name?”

“Liv.” She said uncomfortably.

“Liv,” Vanessa gave Liv a small hip bump. “Well, you better go and get that boy or I might steal him from you!” Diane and Vanessa dissolved into giggles. “He’s so cute and mysterious, I’ve never seen him around here before.” She lowered her voice and said in Liv’s ear, “So, if you dont fuck him, I will-“

“Okay!” Liv said loudly, breaking away from the two girls. “Lovely chat! I think that’s enough Vanessa-“ she said to Vanessa.

“Vanessa? Oh!” She giggled and pointed to Diane. “She’s Vanessa, I’m Diane!”

“Yeah, I’m Vanessa!” They giggled. “This happens all the time, we’re so close that people always get us mixed up.”

Liv’s brain shutdown. Diane. Vanessa was Diane. SHE JUST TOLD ME SHE WANTS TO FUCK HER SON?!?!?! Liv’s brain shrieked. “Oh!” Her voice came out strangled. “Um! Be right back.” She spun around and marched towards Josh and Gabe.

Meanwhile, in the time Liv was chatting up the girls, Josh had pulled Gabe over by the couch. “I was kinda in the middle of a thing, Joosh-“

“That’s okay, just one quick moment of your time.” Josh placed a hand on Gabe’s shoulder. “I know we just met and this might seem a bit weird to you, but trust me I’m really, really good with these kinds of things. Liv and I are like, we share a brain, okay? We were just talking with her,” he pointed to his mom, or who he thought was his mom. “And we think that you two would be just a dream together. Absolutely perfect, okay?”

Gabe shook his head and gave a lopsided grin as he glanced over at “Diane”.

“I don’t know if it’s just your energies, or your vibes, or something, but it’s, like, a romance written in the stars!”

“You think so?” Gabe blushed as he looked at “Diane”. “She is really pretty…”

“Yes! And! She totally seems into you too!” Josh said excitedly. “Trust me Gabe, the way you two looked at each other, the earth stopped spinning for a moment.”

“Well, it’ll also stop spinning when I’m finger blasting her in the laundry room-“

“Oh my God, dad! No!” Josh was horrified.

“Doing the big one in the-“ Gabe just kept going.

“No! Just stop! You went from stars to the fucking gutter. She’s a lady, you’ve gotta treat her like one.” Josh patted his dad’s shoulder.

“…did you call me ‘dad’?” Gabe finally realized.

“No. I didn’t.” Josh shook his head. Liv came marching over and grabbed Josh’s arm, pulling him away roughly.

“Yeah! Woo!” Vanessa and Diane were cheering. “Get him!”

“Hey, rooms are free upstairs!” Gabe teasingly called after them as Liv dragged him all the way to the corner of the living room.

“Liv, what-“

“That’s not your mom.” Liv said. “The blonde? Not your mom, she is.” She pointed to the real Diane.

Josh’s eyes were so wide Liv thought they might fall out of his head. “What?! How do you know?”

“She told me that she’s Diane after I called her Vanessa.” Liv huffed. “What time is it?”

Josh looked at his phone. 9:17. They still had time. “Okay, uh, uh, what do we do? Am- am I disappearing? Is my existence stopping?” Josh was panicking.

“Josh, you’re fine. Calm down.” She hissed. She turned around to see Gabe had both Diane and Vanessa draped over him. “Talk to your dad again.”

“And what? Tell him I changed my mind and he and other girl would be better together?” Josh asked anxiously.

“Sure, I don’t care, just get him to talk to her. And she’s Diane, not ‘other girl’.”

Josh sighed. “You have to tell him with me.”

“Fine. I don’t want to talk to your mom and your friend again.” She shuddered.

“What? What happened?” Josh asked, looking concerned.

“Nothing. It was just weird.” She didn’t feel like telling him his mom thought he was attractive. It truly was the plot of Back to the Future. “Hey Gabe!” Liv waved him over. Gabe looked more annoyed this time and pulled away from the two girls. He sauntered over.

“What?” He asked, trying to hide the fact he was severely annoyed with them right now.

“Hey, so, Diane, she’s pretty…cool?” Josh started awkwardly.

“What is it this time?” Gabe folded his arms.

“So here’s the thing,” Liv jumped in. “We got her confused with Vanessa-“

“Yeah, earlier when I told you Liv and I shared a brain, we both were thinking of Diane, but we thought Vanessa was Diane.” They both laughed awkwardly.

“…huh?”

“You should go get with Diane.” Liv stated plainly.

“But, Van-“

“Yeah, she’s cool, but she was telling me about some other guy and…” Liv shrugged and made a “you know what I mean” face. “Diane, is really sweet. And funny. And she makes an amazing seven layer bean dip.”

“She does!” Josh chimed in.

“Well…I do like bean dip.” Gabe considered. “Listen, I appreciate the matchmaker thing you two have going on, but I am going to head back over and talk to the two pretty ladies and decide for myself.” Gabe gave them a sly grin. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll end up with both in my bed tonight?”

“Oh…God…” Josh shuddered as his dad walked back over to Diane and Vanessa.

“Well…we tried.”

“Liv, I might stop existing.”

“Eh, maybe you’ll just have a different mom in the future.” She lightly hit his chest with the back of her hand. “Do you wanna leave right now, or, do you wanna stay? Or?”

Josh looked around and sighed. “Can we stick around to see if my parents hit it off at least?”

“Yeah,” Liv nodded. She knew now he was stressed. “You sure you don’t trust nature to just take its course?”

“I think I might have accidentally fucked everything up.”

“That’s what happens when you meddle, Futturman.” She teased, tugging his shirt collar. Josh immediately flushed a dark red.

“You wanna do nitrous again?”

“Um, you know what, I think I’m okay. Let’s stay for 25 more minutes.” Josh saw Liv’s eyes wander over to the table with alcohol on it. “And let’s not drink. We need to be able to walk.”

Liv playfully rolled her eyes, grabbing his hands and leading him back over to the couch they were sitting on earlier. As they sat down, Barry plopped next to them. Great.

“Liv?” He asked, clearly very drunk. “That’s your name right? I heard you tell Vanessa and Diane. Do you wanna…go upstairs with me?” He insinuated.

Liv felt Josh tense next to her. “No Barry, I don’t want to go upstairs with you. Like at all.” She felt Josh’s arm slide around her shoulders, pulling her against his side.

Barry let out a noisy sigh. “No one ever does.” He groaned.

“Maybe that’s ‘cause you’re an asshole, Barry.” Josh said as Barry stood up and sauntered away. Liv turned to look at Josh.

“Oh God, you’re jealous.” She teased, poking him in the side playfully. Josh never moved his arm, it stayed lazily wrapped around her shoulders.

“Oh you mean like you were when Vanessa tried to flirt with me earlier?” He teased back.

“I thought she was your mom!” Liv giggled defensively.

“You pressed yourself against me.” Josh laughed.

“Yeah? Well you liked it.” She said, flirtatiously. Her heart and her stomach fluttered as she openly flirted with him.

“Oh, you mean like you liking the sight of me in lingerie?” He smirked as he leaned back on the couch. The sexual tension between them was thickening like it had back in Kronish’s bedroom, only this time, they were openly flirting and teasing each other. Oh, they wanted each other so badly. The music loudly played over the stereo as they talked, playing “Can’t Fight This Feeling” by REO Speedwagon.

“Hm,” Liv pretended to think about it. “Well, I guess you looked okay.” Josh had a dorky, “I knew it” smirk on his face. “But you were jealous.” She said in a singsong voice.

“Maybe I was.” Josh said in the same tone, looking smug. “Maybe I was jealous because all the guys at this party have been checking you out.”

“Have they?”

“Oh yeah,” Josh rolled his eyes. He really was jealous.

“Awww, poor Joshy.” She fake pouted and tapped his nose. “It sucks when your best friend is so beautiful.”

“You're not just my best friend.” He said in a low voice. Their faces were inches apart again. Liv was practically in Josh’s lap.

“Then what are we?” Liv whispered.

“I dunno, we’ve definitely overstepped the friendship line, but I don’t know when is too soon to ask you out, so I guess we’re kinda just in this awkward-“

“Shut up, Josh.” Liv breathed out as her lips crashed into his desperately. Josh’s lips excitedly reciprocated the kiss just as desperately as hers, like he was dying of thirst and she was water. Liv melted. No one had ever kissed her with this kind of passion, this kind of desperation, it was magical. He pulled Liv all the way into his lap as they couldn’t get enough of each other. No one else at the party paid any mind to them, as there were several other couples scattered along the house doing the same. Well, no one minded except for Gabe.

“Yes! Go Joosh!” He cheered as the song kept loudly playing, becoming the soundtrack to their first actual kiss. Josh and Liv didn’t break away, instead they both grinned into the kiss, Liv bringing her hands up to Josh’s jaw and trying to pull him in closer, if that were even possible. Josh’s tongue snuck into her mouth, and Liv melted in his lap again. His hands were rubbing up and down her back, Liv’s thumbs lightly rubbed the stubble on his jaw. Josh pulled away slightly to catch his breath, lips still brushing.

“Have I ever told you I love this song?” He grinned even wider.

“You’re stupid.” Liv grabbed him by the shirt collar and smashed their lips together again. Josh’s hand ran up her back to the nape of her neck, pulling away slightly.

“You know, the rooms upstairs are available.” Josh whispered.

Josh kicked open the door to what would one day be his parents room, but was currently his dad’s. It was dark and no one was in there.

“What time is it?” Liv asked, face flushed.

“We’ve got time.” Josh assured her and gave her a quick kiss. “I promise.”

“15 minutes.” Liv said to him as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“15 minutes.” Josh repeated, a dopey smile crossing his lips. “16?”

“Shut up,” Liv gave him a deep kiss. “We’ve got places to be.”

“I never wanna stop kissing you, Liv.”

Kiss.

“You’re gonna distract me, Josh.”

Kiss.

“God, Tiger’s gonna kill me.”

Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Liv giggled into Josh’s mouth as he pulled her with him to the bed and she got in his lap again. Josh gave her soft kisses all over her face, Liv scrunched her nose. Josh chuckled at her face as he planted a soft kiss on her lips.

“Is this happening for real?” She asked, practically glowing in the moonlight shining through the window.

“I should be asking the same thing.” Josh looked up at her with those hazel puppy dog eyes. God. “Hachi machi…”

She made a face. “Please don’t say that ever again.” Liv giggled as he kissed her again lightly, lips traveling over her cheek and down her neck. It was another moment where Biotics weren’t a concern and the weight of the world wasn’t on their shoulders. It was just Liv and Josh together, falling in love. Finally. The feeling of Josh’s lips kissing down her neck was addicting, and she never wanted the moment to end. She balled his jacket in her fists as she let out flustered giggles. She could feel Josh grin as he searched with his lips for any spot on her neck that would make her react the way he wanted her to. His hands slid over her hips, pulling her closer to him.

“Josh?” Liv giggled.

“Hm?”

“Why do you have a fucking lightsaber in your pants?”

Josh pulled back in shock, blushing and laughing. “Oh, uh, sorry…”

“No, it’s okay, it’s just,” she glanced down. “Holy shit?!”

Josh looked down too. “Jesus Christ!” He was in just as much shock. “Way to go Wolf!” Josh hadn’t been lying when he said that this dick was huge.

“You’ll have to show me that sometime.” She whispered slyly in his ear, playing with the collar of his shirt. Josh looked at her with the most shocked and horny look.

“Really…?”

“Yeah…” Liv slowly and sensually kissed him again, tangling her hands into his hair. Josh let out a small moan against her lips. Liv faltered. “Jesus…” she mumbled, grinning against his lips. Josh let his fingers shyly graze up under the back of her shirt.

The door opened, making Liv and Josh look over Liv’s shoulder and freeze. Gabe and Diane’s flirty giggles stopped as they realized the room was occupied.

“Oh! Joosh, Liv! Didn’t realize you were in here.” Gabe said, arm wrapped around Diane’s waist.

“Oh!” Liv scrambled off of Josh’s lap. “Uh, that’s okay, we were just leaving.” She pulled Josh to his feet.

“Diane and I were just…we were coming up here to clean the cupcake off of her.” Gabe stammered, pointing to the frosting mess that decorated her shirt. Yeah, okay, “cleaning”.

“Cupcake…” Josh mumbled under his breath.

“Oh…okay!” Liv said, awkwardly standing in front of Josh, hiding the obvious sign in Josh’s pants that they’d been doing nefarious activities.

“We’ve gotta leave for real this time, it was really nice to meet you Gabe.” Josh said, nudging Liv to head towards the door.

“Likewise,” Gabe said, grinning.

“Oh, well, hopefully we’ll see you guys again, Joosh and Liv.” Diane said as they awkwardly shuffled past them as they exited.

“Oh…you will…” Liv gave Diane a small smile. “I’m pretty sure we will.”

Gabe slapped Josh on the back as he walked past, holding his fist out for a fist bump. “Nice score, Joosh.” Josh awkwardly fist bumped his dad.

“Thanks…bye…” he nudged Liv down the stairs. “I can’t believe my parents just caught us…making out…” he said in disbelief. “And I think my dad just encouraged it.”

“So, your parents are okay!” Liv said excitedly.

“Yeah,” Josh let out a relieved sigh. “They’re okay. I’m okay.”

Liv held out her hand to stop him. “Gun.” She reminded him, staring at it on the wall. “You get it. I’m against guns.”

Josh looked at her and then at the gun. “And I’m not?!”

“If you get it I’ll give you a kiss.”

Josh let out a heavy sigh. “I can’t believe the chokehold you have on me right now.” He muttered. Josh moved from point A (his spot next to Liv) to point B (the mounted gun) as if he were trying to be a ninja. As Liv looked around the room, everyone seemed too drunk and high to notice or care. Josh removed it from its mount and clutched it like it was loaded and ready to fire at any moment.

As Liv casually walked out the front door, Josh sidestepped like a crab with his back against the wall all the way to the exit. “Really?” She asked, unimpressed.

“So, do I get that kiss now, or…?”

“Not while you’re holding that gun!”

“What?!”

“Put it on the ground and I’ll kiss you.”

Josh put the gun gently on the ground and looked at her excitedly. It was adorable how much he wanted to kiss her. Liv grabbed his face and gave him a big, giant kiss on the lips.

“Is this our thing now?” She giggled, pulling away to see Josh’s dopey lovesick grin.

“I think it might be, and you know who’s gonna be pissed? Tiger.” Josh said, making both of them double over laughing.

Corey Hart’s hit song “Sunglasss At Night” was all Tiger could hear. Tiger’s night had not gone down as well as Josh and Liv’s had. In fact she was trapped in Corey Hart’s dressing room inside of a giant pair of sunglasses (thanks to Wolf). She’d followed Wolf backstage after he dropped the bomb on her that he was quitting (she had to recruit some 15 year old Corey Hart fans to help her). Nothing made him want to come back. Not even Liv. She pounded against the front of it enough times she’d felt it start to loosen and open.

“I’m not dying in this fucking sunglasses hut.” She threw all of her body weight against it, almost spilling to the ground as it swung open.

Wolf exited the venue to the back where he’d left his car. He’d never returned it like Tiger, Josh, and Liv wanted him to. It was his. He leaned in through the open window of the driver's seat and grabbed the TTD, ready to destroy it. He loved it in the 80s and wanted to stay, he’d never felt so loved and wanted. Except when he was with Liv and the Futturmans. But he belonged in this era, he knew it. He held it up, ready to smash it against the hood of the car.

“No!” Tiger gave a guttural scream as she tackled Wolf to the ground. The TTD slid under the car.

“Don’t try and stop me!” He yelled, swinging a punch and nailing Tiger in the face.

“Are you trying to strand us here?” She picked up a stanchion and swung it at him. He jumped back and she hit the car instead.

“No, not the car!” He wailed as Tiger repeatedly hit it, breaking off a mirror. “Part of you wants to stay here, I know it! Why else would you take a DNA test?”

“That was a mistake!” She screamed, trying to bash both Wolf and the car as he repeatedly dodged her attempts. He picked up the bumper, which had fallen off in Tiger’s battery of the car. Their metal weapons clanged as they struck at each other. Tiger shoved him back with a heavy grunt. Wolf hit the car as he wound up to strike again, pushing the hood open with the bumper on accident. The tied up man from earlier was still in the trunk and seized the opportunity to make a run for it, going unnoticed by Tiger and Wolf. Tiger managed to hit Wolf in the face with the round base of the stanchion, making him drop the bumper as he reached for his nose in pain. He retaliated by kicking her in the stomach, sending her flying back over the car.

Tiger pulled the katana from her belt, thwipping Wolf several times across the face. He fell onto the hood of the car, leaving a trail of blood over the windshield as Tiger grabbed him, pulling him off and shoving him against a dumpster. He looked up at her, blood trails pouring down his face.

“I’m doing this for both of us.” He panted. Grabbing a brick, he readied his arm in the direction of the TTD.

“Wolf, you stupid motherfucker!” Tiger yelled, punching him and wrestling the brick from his hand. “Stand down!”

She threw him through the passenger window of the car. Grabbing a skateboard from the back, Wolf jabbed Tiger in the ribs, sliding out of the car, broken glass falling from his arms. Tiger landed one last blow to Wolf’s face as he tried to retreat back inside the car, but Tiger kicked him, sending him and the driver’s side door flying across the asphalt. Wolf laid on the door, head spinning. Tiger violently grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him up, landing several blows to his face before letting out a war cry, swinging him over her head and slamming him down to the hood of the car.

Wolf’s face was covered in blood, dripping down his back and seeping into his shirt. Tiger looked at him sadly as she limped around him as his chest heaved.

“Don’t make me keep doing this to you.” She begged.

“I don’t have any fight left in me, Tiger.” She could hear the fatigue in his gravelly voice. “But I got a taste of freedom and there’s no coming back from that.” He shook his head, tears falling from his eyes and mixing with the blood. “I’m done.” He sounded so defeated.

Tiger looked down at him. She quickly shook her head. “You can’t be done, Wolf.”

“I’m not Wolf anymore. You know what my name is.” He said, lifting his head slightly as he could hear the crowd loudly chanting “Corey! Corey! Corey!”

Tiger felt a lump form in her throat as she watched Wolf listen to the crowd cheering for Corey Hart. She didn’t want to lose him.

“You’re going to have to kill me.” He mumbled. Tiger closed her eyes to stop the tears. “Punishment for desertion is death.” He laid his arms straight out of either side of him, prepared for Tiger to plunge her katana in his chest. “Do it.” If he couldn’t live a life where he’d be happy, he didn’t want to live at all. Tiger reached for her knife, chest heaving as she felt tears stream down her face.

Elias Kronish’s heart stopped when he heard a gun cock behind his head. He dropped the full garbage sack he’d been holding out of fear.

“Come with me if you want to live. Truly live.” A voice that sounded like it was trying to be intimidating said. Kronish raised his hands.

“Look, I just-“

“Get in your car.” A woman’s voice said. “Now.”

Kronish fumbled with his car keys in his pocket as his hands began to sweat and his brain was in fight or flight mode.

“Okay, okay, I have my keys.”

“Get in and take us to the marina.” The man’s not so intimidating voice said.

“I-“ Kronish paused. “The marina?”

“The marina.” The two people said at the same time. Kronish inched over to his car, unlocking it and shakily getting in the front seat. He heard the two back doors open as his kidnappers got in.

“The prostitute?!” He cried, whipping around after seeing the man’s face in the rear view mirror.

“We don’t have time to talk about this! You’ve got to get to the marina before midnight!”

Kronish looked over at the woman. “You’re the gay porn girl!” He was shocked.

“Yeah, yes, I’m the prostitute and she’s the gay porn girl.” The gun was pointed at him again. “Drive.”

As Kronish drove, Liv felt the exceeding guilt weigh on her. Josh’s hands were trembling as he kept the gun pointed at Kronish as he shakily took every turn. When they pulled up to the marina, Kronish quickly got out of the car and Josh followed, gun still pointed at him.

“Okay, we’re here!” Kronish held his hands up defensively as Josh followed him so closely with it. “Now will you tell me who the hell you crazy people are and why you are so violently supportive of my…” Kronish whispered as he said, “…homosexual lifestyle?”

“Dr. K, you know what? We really, really tried this whole freewill thing, but it’s not as easy as it seems.” Josh said, nervously shifting back and forth, gun still raised. “So, here we are.”

“You have to get on that boat.” Liv demanded.

“How do you even know about the boat?” Kronish narrowed his eyes at her. “That was a secret plan.”

“We know everything about your secret plan. Seychelles, the conch fritters,” Josh said, making Kronish’s eyes widen. That must have been things 2017 Kronish had told Josh back in the lab. “Trust us. Your life is going to be much happier if you do that and don’t stay here with your wife.”

“You’re telling me to throw my life away.” Kronish pointed toward the boats.

“No, we’re asking you to change your life for the better.” Liv said.

“What do you know? Do you have any idea what it’s like to be a gay black man in this world?”

Josh shot a glance at Liv as he lowered the gun. “Obviously, we don’t.” He said. “Howerever-“

“Getting on that boat…I’m not just throwing my life away, I’m throwing away my career, my social life, the church-“

“Listen! Okay? The world is going to get much better for gay people!” Liv yelled.

“…sort of.” Josh added. “In some states.”

“You’ll wanna stick to the coasts- but! You have a boat! So that’s perfect!” Liv said positively.

“What do you know?” Kronish shouted. “You’re just crazy kidnappers with a gun! Help!” He cried.

Josh panicked as Kronish screamed, looking to Liv, who pried the gun from Josh’s hands and chucked it into the water. Kronish looked stunned.

“We’re not crazy!” Liv cried.

Josh squeezed his eyes shut as he blurted out, “We’re from the future.” Kronish stared at them for a moment. Then he tackled Josh to the ground.

“Josh!” Liv shrieked, jumping back. Kronish wrestled Josh into a headlock. “Dr. Kronish! Dr. Kronish! We can prove it to you!” She begged, grabbing at his arms.

“He can prove it to the sandman,” Kronish said through gritted teeth. “You’re next.” He tried to push her away while still holding Josh in the headlock.

“Show him the picture you took with him, Josh!”

Josh fumbled with his phone in his pocket, dropping it to the ground as his vision went blurry. Liv dropped to her knees, picking it up and hurriedly pulling up the photos of Josh and Kronish, the blurry one, the normal one, and the silly one.

“Look! Look! That’s you and him!” Liv frantically held out the phone. A look of familiarity crossed Kronish’s face as he saw his older self. He dropped Josh to the ground, who gasped for air and rubbed his neck. Kronish reached out and grabbed Josh’s phone from her hands in shock and confusion. Liv helped Josh up, grabbing his face and making sure he was okay. He looked like he was clinging onto consciousness for dear life.

“What- what is this?” Kronish breathed out. Clinging to Liv, Josh turned and touched his phone, zooming in on the picture hanging up behind them in the photo.

“You see that?” It was a picture of the boat Leslie had gotten Kronish. “It’s that…” he pointed to the exact boat behind him. Kronish looked, eyes filled with a million emotions, fear, curiosity, confusion, excitement, all at once.

“That photo is hanging on the wall of your office in 2017.” Liv explained as Josh continued to cling to her like a koala. “We know that because we work for you.”

“We have come a very long way to try and save you.” Josh reached for his throat as he let himself take a deep breath, leaning his head against Liv’s. Kronish looked up at them and shook his head and blinked a few times, as though he were trying to wake up from a dream.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“So you’re telling me you two have been back and forth through time, courting death just to avoid killing me?” The three of them sat on a bench, explaining everything to Kronish. Everything.

Josh slowly nodded. “Yeah. Which is why you have to get on that boat.”

“If you don’t…our colleagues will shoot you as a baby.” Liv said, bracing herself for Kronish’s reaction.

“So, my big breakthrough was possum semen?” Kronish asked. Josh and Liv were not expecting that to be his first follow up question. “Really?”

Josh shrugged. “Yeah, it’s crazy. Look, we have broken every rule of time travel by telling you this, so, please, please get on that boat.”

Kronish looked at them with a soft expression. “You’ve sacrificed so much to be here,” he smiled as he stood from the bench. “The least I could do is sail away with the love of my life and be happy forever.” He stuck out a hand to shake Josh’s hand.

Josh excitedly jumped to his feet. “Oh wow, yes! Thank you!”

He turned to Liv and shook her hand too. “For the record, I don’t film gay porn and he’s not a prostitute.” She said, making Kronish chuckle.

“I figured.” He looked at both of them. “Set sail.” He said, winking at them, remembering Josh’s advice from earlier. He approached the entrance. “Oh, Marigold still thinks I’m taking out the trash-“

“Don’t worry, we’ve got it covered.” Josh assured him. “Bon voyage Dr. K.” He sounded slightly sad.

“Safe travels.” Liv gave him a small wave. They both would miss Kronish dearly.

“Goodbye Josh, goodbye Liv.” He gave them one last smile before hyping himself up to walk through the entrance. Josh and Liv both watched with bated breath as Kronish made his way down the dock and to the boat with the title “S.S. Second Coming”. Leslie stepped off the boat as soon as he saw Kronish.

Josh leaned his head against Liv’s. “Bon voyage.” He whispered as they watched Leslie and Kronish embrace, sinking down to the dock, happiness radiating from them. Liv tightly hugged Josh as happy tears fell from her eyes.

“We did it.” She said quietly.

Josh looked at her and grinned widely. “We did. I’ve never been so relieved.” He planted a light peck on her lips. Liv stiffened as she looked at the headlights approaching behind Josh. He turned his head to look. Correction: headlight. It was Wolf’s Pontiac and it was badly beaten up. The driver’s side door was gone and only Tiger sat in the car, badly bruised with dried blood crusted under her nose. Liv untangled herself from Josh.

“What happened? Where’s Wolf?” Josh’s eyes grew concerned as he bent down to look inside the car.

“He’s gone.” Tiger said.

“Gone.” Liv repeated, eyes welling up again. “What- what do you mean?”

“He’s just- he’s gone.” Tiger stated, looking at the ground. “Don’t ask again.”

“Holy shit.” Josh muttered, looking at Liv, who was holding back tears. He looked back to Tiger, reaching out to comfort her. “Are you okay?”

She flinched away and stared down at the steering wheel. “Did you get Kronish on the boat?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I think we finally did it this time.” Josh solemnly nodded.

“Good. Now let’s go, I fuckin’ hate the 80s.” Tiger said quietly. Liv sat on Josh’s lap in the passenger seat as Tiger drove them back to the lot for sale that would have been the location for Kronish Labs. The ride was mournfully quiet. Liv silently cried as Josh rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. Wolf was gone and her heart ached. Josh caught Tiger eyeing them over and over again. She parked the car in the lot and they all quietly got out of the car and Tiger tapped away on the TTD.

“Okay, Kronish Labs was built in 1992. If my plan worked and we jump back to 2017 it won’t be there.” Josh said.

“Tell me this will all be worth it.” Tiger sighed as the TTD began to whir, firing up.

“Oh shit,” Josh looked over at Liv as he placed a hand on both her and Tiger’s shoulders. “We forgot to tell Marigold- ah whatever.” In a flash of lighting they were gone.

After a less painful time traveling trip, they landed back in 2017 to an empty lot. “Oh my God…” Josh gasped. “We did it!” He turned his head to look at Tiger and Liv. “It worked!” Liv pulled him into a hug, burying her face in his shoulder as they both laughed, relieved.

“Okay, body part check…” Liv pulled away and started patting herself down. “…I think I’m good.”

“Me too…” Josh said, doing the same. “Tiger?” Josh looked at Tiger who was staring up at something, completely horrified. Josh’s face fell. “Tiger?”

Liv's head snapped up, hearing the concern in Josh’s voice. Josh was slowly turning around, face turning white. Liv looked over her shoulder and shock coursed through her veins. A tall and menacing black building loomed over them, The Kronish Labs logo right in the middle.

[kellyvela]

Based on your research on Perry. Do you think he treat Sophie well? Sophie's case remind me of Princess Diana and Aishwairya Rai. All three are kind and beautiful ladies. And, yet. Still cruelly treated by their husbands and family in laws.

Hi anon!

Well, according to US Magazine a "source" told them this:

“Of course, the physical attraction is there, but Perry treats Sophie with nothing but respect and he makes her laugh, which is also so important to her.” Turner and Pearson have mutual friends in common, which the actress “loves” because it allows her to have “a level of familiarity with him that makes her feel comfortable,” the source continues. “Things are going really well, and Sophie couldn’t be happier,” the insider adds.

Perry has 3 older sisters, so I count on that as well.

His oldest sister Eliza married at 21 with a man 10 years older (Edward Abel Smith also known as Ned Rocknroll, some nephew of Richard Branson). They married in August 2009 and divorced in 2011, after only 20 months of marriage. They separated when he told her he had fallen in love with Kate Winslet. This man is the current husband of Winslet and the father of her son Bear.

Eliza married again with Norwegian businessman Leif Christian Kvaal, who at that time already had a son of 5 years from a previous relationship.

Eliza is now the mother of 3 daughters and lives most of the year in Ibiza with her new family.

[angelswing236]

"Nobody warned you about me?"

Fictober 22 challenge

Fandom: Downton Abbey

Fanfiction

“You’re the new chauffeur then?” Thomas says, eyeing the newcomer, feeling his libido perk up.

Shorter than him, better looking than William, certainly more virile than that old cripple Bates. He needs to size him up properly, but there could be a possibility here of ending his – very long – dry spell.  

“No, the new cook,” Branson replies, deadpan.

“Oh, think you’re clever, do you?” Thomas keeps his voice deceptively mild, half annoyed, half attracted.

“The uniform gives it away, doesn’t it?”

The uniform moulded to his pert arse...

“Better watch that smart mouth of yours. It could get you into trouble.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Well, be warned; Mr Carson doesn’t like smart alecs.”

“And I suppose you’re the very model of a good little boy, are you?” the Irishman says, almost playfully, his mouth slanting in a way that makes Thomas imagine things he probably shouldn’t be imagining.

He quirks his eyebrow, letting a smidgeon of interest show, but nothing he can’t deny if necessary. “Nobody warned you about me?”

“Should they have?” Branson gazes at him steadily, raising his own eyebrow, not giving ground.

“Oh, definitely, they should've,” Thomas purrs, hoping like hell Branson is like him.