#but I had to look at this map to figure out which trail I'm taking from LED up to Wildwood

[merakiui]

meraaa !! consider this : 

it's late at night, and you're leaving a party; all your friends are drunk, so none can give you a ride home. you call an uber, and [insert yandere twst character] is your driver. all is going well during the drive; you're engaging in cordial conversation with him until you notice he's not following the directions on the map. you question him –

"don't worry, i'm just taking a shortcut,"

suddenly, everything feels off. his smile didn't look as kind as before, and his attempts at reviving the conversation were fruitless. whether to fill the uncomfortable silence or because he's confident he'll get away with what he'll do next, he reveals the truth. he's been stalking you for the last four months; in those four months, he's learned everything about you. innocent things like your pet peeves, favorite foods, and friend group to not-so-innocent things like the size underwear and bra you wear, how many hook-ups and partners you've had, how many times your heart beats a minute (*cough cough* rook), etc.

you sit there in mortified silence, mind racing to think of a plan to escape, call for help, hijack the car, anything. he watches you through the mirror, observing your countenance, awaiting your response. the doors have a child lock on them, your phone is dead, and you figure he probably has a weapon in the compartment next to him in case you attempt to seize control of the vehicle. even if you manage to, you’ll likely both be killed in an accident.

amidst your anxiety, the car stops. you look out the front window to see woods ahead of you. is he going to kill you here?

he turns back to face you, flashing you an eerie smile.

“don’t forget to give me a five-star rating.”

you hear the doors unlock. 

you quickly open the door and decide to make a run for it.

anddd.. the rest is up to you ! i based this on a horror short on yt. i think this concept would fit characters like rook, jade, trey, and maybe even jamil.  

also, can i be 👁️‍🗨️anon?

AAAAAA this concept is made for characters like Rook and Jade, but then I also agree that it can fit Trey and Jamil. The latter two fall into the unsuspecting types category, in which they just seem so friendly or so average and normal that they couldn't ever do something so horrible. They don't have to try very hard to catch you either. You're intoxicated and it's dark; you'll stumble and possibly injure yourself if you aren't careful, or you'll run yourself lost and they'll easily catch up to you. The night ends with you captured and packed neatly away in their car, where they'll drive you to your new home. It may be difficult at first, having to get accustomed to shackles and a mattress and a cold, eerie basement, but you'll learn to find comfort in him and your surroundings.

And the "don't forget to give a five-star rating" part... please, that's so Jade. T_T he's about to hunt you down, and yet he still wants that rating... he's so troublesome! Although it's not much of a hunt if he's just casually trailing behind you while you stumble blindly through the woods. ^^;;; depending on who kidnaps you, I think the situation will be slightly different. Trey and Jamil are definitely the better out of the four because they won't do anything rash, whereas Rook and Jade just like to walk the line of danger when they're able to. The rush is what invigorates them. But Trey and Jamil are determined to keep you captive, so they won't risk losing you just for temporary excitement.

It's all varying types of logic with the four of them. >_< but we can agree that the worst of them all are Jade and Rook. They're just a different level of crazy and dangerous. ;;;;;;

[parachutingkitten]

Dragons Rising Lloyd/Akita Reunion, cuz the show hasn't given it to me yet.

Lloyd and the kids are on their way to the First Realm, but run into an old familiar face along the way. Definitely a little flirty, but can still be read as platonic.

No one could quite pin down what was wrong with the trees around them. They were too straight. Too baren. Too… something. It was as if they had somehow noticed a change about this place which they had no familiarity with. Perhaps it was just the overcast day and the subtle winds which made the wood seem so ominous, or perhaps there was something more sinister going on. Either way, the feeling between the group was palpable- they were lost.

“You sure you know where we’re going?” Sora asked. “This doesn’t really seem like a trail anymore.”

“That’s because it’s a shortcut,” Lloyd assured her, holding up the map. “Or at least… I think it is.”

“I might have preferred the main path if it had less of a creepy forest vibe than this one,” Arin added, looking skeptically up at the trees.

Lloyd closed the map, confident in his direction. “Look, this will save us two whole hours, the only reason it’s typically avoided is because this forest is supposedly cursed.”

“You know, you had the option of not telling us that,” Arin groaned. 

“Trust me, the last thing you want is your teacher keeping things from you,” Lloyd mused. 

“Did you guys hear that?” Sora broke in. 

“Hear what?” Arin asked. 

Lloyd held his hand up, stopping the group. “No, I heard it too.”

The three stood in silence for a moment, listening for the sound to come again. It was hard to discern through the light winds humming through the branches, but it was there: the sound of living movement.

“You two stay close,” Lloyd instructed his students, continuing to scan the treeline. He squinted through the homogeneous rows of bark surrounding them, but still couldn’t see where the noise sourced from. Erring on the side of caution, his hand began to reach back for his sword. However, before he could even make contact with the metal, a flash of white burst towards him, knocking him to his back. The movement was accompanied by a deep growl, and a sharp scream from either side of him. 

Lloyd felt strangely overpowered by the weight which fell on his chest. It came in two pointed placements and pressed in a way which seemed to go through him, taking with it most of his breath. The noise he heard was unequivocally animal, and the vigor which restrained him matched that assessment. As he squinted upwards at his attacker he was able to make out the beast's face. A wolf- but not just any wolf.

"Akita?" He used the last of his air to address the creature.

The growling stopped as the animal retreated, allowing Lloyd to sit up, and more importantly, breath.

The wolf now circled around him, bumping into his arms with a friendly familiarity. 

"Hey, it's good to see you too," Lloyd chuckled. 

"You know this dog?" Sora asked.

"I do!" Lloyd smiled. He looked into the animal's eyes fondly. "She was, um…"

There was a bright flash of light as the form before him began to shift. As the shock from the shine subsided, he made out the image of a woman reaching down to help him up. It was a familiar face, but a changed one. Her wild raven hair was much longer now, tied back into a tight ponytail which exploded behind her, and topped with her familiar animal adornment. Her figure was clothed largely in black, and fit to her body much more closely. On her were obviously several weapons, along with a number of other useful objects attached to her person directly. But her face seemed much the same, her smile just as shyly offered, and the marks which framed it right where he remembered them. "I'm an old friend," she finished. 

Lloyd took her hand as a pair of awed marvelings came from the kids. Her strength easily tugged him upward, their eyes remaining locked as he made his ascent. 

“I didn’t think you were- I mean-” Lloyd paused for a moment to avoid stumbling over himself any further. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

“I can’t say I thought the same.” Akita tightened her grip on his hand before finally letting it go.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lloyd chuckled.

“It means Lloyd Garmadon seems like the type of person to turn up in unexpected places.” Akita smiled. “As you have!” She gestured to the forest around them.

“This is the girl from the Never-Realm!” Arin burst out, finally drawing their attention away from each other.

Lloyd glanced back and forth between him and Akita. “Yes, she is. How did you-?”

“Does this mean she’s the one that-”

“We don’t have to elaborate on that description,” Lloyd stopped him, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks. “Seems like you got it figured out.”

“I’m still lost,” Sora chimed in.

Lloyd let out a heavy sigh. “Sora, Arin, this is Akita, I met her on a mission a while back, she’s originally from the Never-Realm. Akita, this is Arin and Sora, they’re my… students.”

Akita was grinning wildly by this point. “Students, huh?” she turned her attention to the children in question. “What’s this idiot been teaching you?”

“He’s been training us to be ninja!” Arin jumped excitedly.

“He’s been training me to use my elemental power,” Sora added.

“I already taught myself the basics of spinjitzu,” Arin continued. “but it’s awesome having a teacher!”

“Self taught is the best way to learn,” Akita offered Arin a high five, which he eagerly reciprocated. “I like your ears,” Akita turned to Sora, pointing above her head. “You make them yourself?”

Sora reached up toward the accessory, pleasantly surprised. “Thank you, I… yeah.”

“What are you doing out here?” Lloyd asked, his attention still strongly attached to his rediscovered ally. 

“I live here,” She shrugged. “I’m out collecting tree bark.” She tapped a small pouch that hung at her side. “What are you doing here?”

“What do you do with the tree bark?” Arin cut in.

Akita smiled, pulling out her dagger. “You peel it off, very carefully,” She placed her blade along the nearest tree, carefully shaving off a long strip of bark. “You take it home, clean it, dry it.” She tossed the piece to Arin, who caught it easily. “And it makes an excellent tea.”

Arin’s eyes had grown wide, Sora looking at it over his shoulder, her hands reaching for her pocket knife.

Having distracted the kids, Akita again turned to her new-found companion, quieting her voice.

“What are you doing here? No one ever comes through here.”

“We’re headed to the First Realm.” Lloyd answered, matching her tone. “We’ve got a whole dragon problem going on, and we think the realm of Oni and Dragon might have some answers.”

Akita’s face ruffled in confusion. “The First Realm?”

“Yeah,” Lloyd answered, a strain of uncertainty entering his tone.

Akita stared at him a moment in thought. “You’re almost certainly headed the wrong direction.”

“Really?” Lloyd sighed, reaching for his map. 

“I told you we were lost!” Sora called over to them, now struggling with her knife against a nearby tree.

“We can’t be going the wrong direction. We’re right here,” Lloyd pointed on the map. “in the Unsleeping Woods-”

“No, right now we’re in the Forest of the Tamed.” Akita placed a finger a few inches away from Lloyd’s as his gaze froze on the spot. 

“How could we have…”

“You probably mixed up the Forbidden Path with the Forsaken Path.” Akita took the map from his hands, tracing along the two trails. “The Forsaken Path takes you much farther North.”

“That… would do it.” Lloyd sighed.

“I’m sorry, we were on something called the Forsaken Path?” Arin butt in. 

“Technically, I thought I was taking you on the Forbidden Path.” Lloyd corrected him. 

“You do know that’s not better, right?” Arin groaned. 

“Well, it’s far too late an hour for you to start that direction now.” Akita rolled up the map, handing it back to her companion. “But my camp is nearby, and I have plenty of extra space.”

Lloyd’s vision turned to his students, thinking for a moment.

“You are gonna let us hang out with the cool wolf-lady, right?” Sora asserted, bark strip in hand. 

“Wait, does that mean this forest isn’t cursed?” Arin spoke up.

“Well, it's a different forest, but it could still be cursed.” Sora prodded him. 

Lloyd turned back to Akita, his eyes narrow. “You sure we won’t be a bother to anyone?”

Akita smirked. “No one to be a bother to, except me. I’m a scout. I’m camped by myself in an abandoned fishing village. It’ll be nice to have the company,” she assured him.

Lloyd smiled, his mind still a mush at seeing the face in front of him. “You’re sure?”

Akita rolled her eyes, walking past him. “Come one everyone! Camp is just a few minutes west of here!”

…

Akita gingerly closed the door on the common building, a targeted grin on her lips. “So… Kids?”

“It’s a new development.” Lloyd shrugged, shrinking back a bit.

“No, I like it!” she quickly clarified. “The responsibility seems good for you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lloyd chuckled, swinging off his backpack.

“It just means…” Akita thought for a moment. “Adulthood is a good look on you, that’s all.”

“Well, your new job looks good on you too,” Lloyd glanced up at her as he sat the pack on a bench near the door. “You seem like you make a great scout.”

“Well, I certainly did a good job of finding you,” she teased. 

“It seems like a pretty important role. I bet Kataru is really proud!” Lloyd continued.

Akita was quiet for a moment, her demeanor falling. “Yes…”

Lloyd paused, studying her face. “Or not?” He offered. 

Akita’s face hung before facing her companion. “Kataru didn’t make it through the merge.” The air in the room was suddenly filled with a thick stillness. “Most of my people didn’t.”

There was a beat of silence before Lloyd took her arm, guiding them both down to the bench. “Are you alright? I mean, I can’t imagine. Have you been by yourself all this time?”

“I’ve been fine,” Akita waved it off.

Lloyd’s face was stuck puzzled as he processed the new information. “I thought the Never-Realm had a lot of land carry over. The produce is all over the place.”

“Much of the realm did make it through.” Akita agreed. “But the majority of it is uninhabited wilderness… so that’s largely what survived.”

“Akita, I’m so sorry,” Lloyd placed a hand on her knee. “I had no idea.”

“My role as scout is the only reason I made it. If I had been home with my family, I would be gone with them.”

Lloyd felt the pain in her words, and could empathize all too easily. “You know, I lost my whole team in the merge. I thought I would never see them again. And I’ve found some of them since then, but I still remember how hard it was, thinking you’re absolutely alone like that. It can be so difficult just to find a reason to keep going.”

Akita looked back at her friend with pity. “Well, it’s nothing worth complaining about.” She pat his back as she stood, making her way further into the room.

“...what?” Lloyd turned over his shoulder to look back at her, thoroughly confused.

“Everyone lost things in the merge.” She shrugged. “We are not special. All that’s left to do is focus on what we do have.” Akita pulled out her dagger, moving to the water basin towards the back of the room to clean it. “I was lucky enough to make it through the merge, and with me came an abundance of territory I was familiar with and knew how to survive off of.” She glanced up from her work. “And now I’ve even found you. So that’s three things I have to my advantage.”

Lloyd sat on the bench, body twisted around, stunned for a moment. “I guess that’s one way of looking at things.”

“What’s the alternative?” Akita questioned. 

“I don’t know. Feel your feelings a bit?” Lloyd offered. “Didn’t losing so much ever make you feel a little… I don’t know. Lost? Scared? Hopeless?”

There was a breath of silence as Akita pinpoint her words. “Loss is unavoidably painful, and I am not immune to pain.” Akita dried her dagger, it shining in the dim lantern light. “But giving up hope is the coward’s way out. It means you’ve decided you will no longer fight.” She stood up, starting back towards Lloyd. “And I am no coward.”

Lloyd sat with the statement, his eyes still caught on the shine of the dagger as she again approached the bench. 

“You on the other hand,” she pointed the weapon at him with a smirk. “I’m not so sure.”

“Hey!” Lloyd laughed, standing to meet her height. “I’m plenty courageous!”

“Perhapps, but not that I’ve seen.” Akita shrugged, slipping the knife back into its scabbard. 

“Not true.” Lloyd shook his head.

“What was the brave part? When I had to save you from wolves, or from the giant ice bird, or when you spilled out your feelings to an animal you thought couldn’t understand you,”

“Okay, okay,” Lloyd waved her off, still chuckling.

“-when your supposed friend very easily captured you, or when you ran away after a girl kissed you?”

“To be fair, she was a very intimidating girl,” Lloyd beamed.

Akita grinned, a bit of blush sneaking onto her cheeks. “Well, I don’t think she was trying to be… at the time anyway.”

Lloyd’s face tensed for a moment, his words hesitating. “I feel like I might need to apologize-”

“No, no!” Akita quickly cut him off. “You don’t need to-”

“Well, everything just ended so abruptly,” Lloyd shrugged. “I feel like maybe we didn’t get any proper closure because I had to leave-”

Akita scrambled for words. “I knew what I was doing, and that it would leave things…” a sigh of defeat left her lips. “It was just one of those silly teenage impulses,” she chuckled. Her frame had softened a drastic amount over the past few exchanges. 

Lloyd sat with the statement for a moment, still unsure of how he felt about it. “Yeah… right,” he landed on matching her nervous chuckle, the room now palpably less fluid.

Akita leaned forward, attempting to ease the newfound tension. “Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s caused you much more distress than it ever has me.” A smile snuck onto her lips again. “Given your romantic history and all.”

Lloyd’s eyes playfully narrowed. “Low blow.”

“How has it been since then? Anyone else to add to the story?” Akita asked, starting towards one of the food storages. 

Lloyd laughed to himself, loosely following her movements over to the large table at the center of the room. “Yeah actually, it’s… Harumi.”

Akita looked up from her search for a snack. “Again?”

“Yep,” Lloyd nodded, leaning back on the table.

“I thought she died.” Akita returned to her search, thoroughly confused. 

“Well, she did. Or at least I think she did. But she got resurrected through like… dark magic I guess?” 

Akita pulled out an orange from the pack. “So she came back. Was she different?” she asked, beginning to peel her snack. “Like she didn’t want to kill you anymore after the building collapse or..?”

Lloyd’s mouth hung agape, trying to avoid stating the inevitable. “No she… she still wanted to kill me.”

“And you still liked her?” 

“Well, when you put it like that it sounds really bad!” Lloyd began to laugh.

“That is really bad!” Akita stressed, her too beginning to chuckle.

“Come on, I mean first crushes are always the hardest to shake, you know?”

“I do…” Akita’s smile landed quietly on her expression, her eyes darting back down to her orange as she finished peeling. “So, what happened with her?” She crossed the expanse between them to the table and leaned next to him.

“Well, she went to prison. She did a bunch of crazy stuff, so there was no way she was getting out of that.”

Akita offered him an orange wedge, which he promptly took. “Well, that will put a spike in things.”

He hummed in agreement as he finished chewing. “It’s probably for the better though. I do not think that relationship would have worked out.”

“No kidding,” Akita mused, popping another wedge into her own mouth. 

“I mean she had a lot of trauma related to me, and I had a lot of trauma related to her. And now I don’t even know where she is after the merge.”

“Did the prison make it through?”

Lloyd nodded. “It did, but there was also a massive jailbreak during the chaos, so she could be anywhere. It’s possible she didn’t even make it through.”

Akita stared down at the orange cradled in her hands. “Do you… think about her much?”

Lloyd breathed a heavy sigh. “It’s been less as time goes on. But it’s hard not to wonder about her.” His voice had quieted dramatically. “I don’t even know if she ever had feelings for me. But I think there’s part of me that will always care about her, despite everything.” He rolled his eyes. 

Akita held a glance over at him, her mind running with a thousand thoughts. “Maybe you just have a thing for women who try to kill you.”

His expression cracked again into laughter. “No, I don’t think so.”

“I don’t know, I don’t see any other reasonable explanation for your attachment to her.”

Lloyd smirked. “You know, you’re right. I can’t help it. I’m attracted to the danger.”

“No,” Akita shook her head. “I find it much more likely you enjoy feeling intimidated.”

“Is that why you attacked me out in the forest?” he teased. “So maybe your little crush would go somewhere?”

Akita smiled, her gaze returning forward. “You know, I did have a crush on you when you left.” 

“Yeah?” Lloyd prompted her.

“I did.” Akita set the orange down next to her. “And I’ve spent most days after that wondering how on earth,” Lloyd began giggling. “that could ever have happened. I mean someone so annoying, immature, weak,”

“Okay-” Lloyd interjected.

“dorky, cocky, just generally unlikable as you,” Akita continued. “I wrote it off as a complete fluke fairly quickly.”

“Well, that’s great to know.” They both smiled at each other. Akita’s eyes broke first, a weakness entering her voice.

“But, I have to say, being here with you again,” She spoke, her voice almost a whisper. ��...I get it.” 

Her eyes remained firmly forward, refusing to perceive whatever reaction might come from her words. 

Lloyd was pensive, a number of emotions beginning to manifest inside him. “You know, I meet a lot of people in a lot of different places doing my job,” he began. “And I always thought it was so unfair that the one person I wanted to see again the most, was the one person I couldn’t get to.”

Akita turned to glance at him again, his eyes ready to meet hers with an admiration that instantly encircled her gaze. A strain built between the two; she could almost swear it was physicalizing in the air around them.

Akita groaned, burying her head in her hands as her nerves caught up with her. “I did it last time- I’m not going to be the one to do it again.”

Lloyd giggled dizzily at her reaction. “You know, girls have only ever kissed me first. I don’t really have experience initiating things.”

Akita tilted her face back to him. “So, you’re saying you would want to kiss me right now?” she challenged. 

Lloyd felt the blood rush further into his cheeks as he struggled for an answer. “I’m not saying that I… I mean you-” 

Akita chuckled, straightening up to face him again, waiting for a response.

Lloyd sighed, his eyes refusing to leave hers as much as he wished he might be able to. “It’s just… silly teenage impulses.”

[pedroshotwifey]

Favorite Bounty chapter 5

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Din Djarin x afab!bounty!reader

Chapter word count: 7.3k

Chapter summary: Being on the run is harder than you thought...

Chapter tags/warnings: angst, canon-typical violence, cliffhangers bc I like chaos, stuff I'm forgetting

A/N: Hey, y'all!! I'm so, so sorry this took so long to get out! I think I had gotten used to writing shorter fics, so doing a long chapter was just kind of a pain for me. I'm super happy to get this updated though. Gonna go ahead and say that this will likely be a short series with less than ten chapters purely because of the length of each one, but that's not set in stone. If this is your first time reading this series, there are four parts before this! <3

****

It’s easy to get lost in the crowd once you step off the Crest. Mando had landed fairly close to the open market but, unfortunately, a good bit away from the spaceport. You immediately get sucked into the throng of people browsing the shops, your heart pounding hard against your ribs. The only thought that settles your ridiculous pulse is that you must be pretty damn hard to find mixed in with this lot. Though, of course, you know Mando, and you know that if he really wanted to spot you, he would. Bounty hunting fucking bastard.

You can't help but look over your shoulder every couple of minutes. Each time you do so, you fully expect to see Mando trailing behind you, cuffs in hand. You choose to ignore the pang of hurt in your chest when you think about him—about how easily he betrayed you. It didn’t even seem like he gave it a second thought. You curse yourself for dwelling on the issue and shake your head. You can't afford to waste time on facts you have already accepted. 

You stumble as a man knocks into your shoulder, bringing you out of your thoughts and making you lose your balance. You narrowly miss running into a woman holding hands with a young boy as you struggle to keep yourself up. You flash her a sorry look in response to her dirty one. You really need to figure out where you’re supposed to be going. You’re unfamiliar with Nevarro’s layout so you have no idea what direction you should go.

You walk straight for a few minutes before you decide that isn’t going to get you anywhere. This part of the planet is so ridiculously congested that there's no point in even moving your feet if you don’t have a set path. There's no telling which way you might be swept. kriff, a few minutes from now, you might realize that you had been traveling in a circle, and hadn’t even noticed.

Deciding that you would like to avoid such a circumstance, you push your way out to the side of the crowd so you can find somewhere to get a better view. You have to be quick about it—you know you’re low on time as it is, you can’t waste precious seconds trying to figure out a game-plan. You need to come up with a quick and easy route in a quick and easy fashion. 

Fortunately, as you push your way out of the heated blob of people, you spot a building that looks easy enough to get on top of. It's not super high up, so you won’t attract any unwanted attention, but it’s just tall enough for you to be able to spot the space-port. 

You figure it’s the best plan you’re going to be able to think of for now, so you quickly scramble to the side of the building, stopping in front of the ladder that goes all the way up to the top. Grabbing the first wrung, you begin to climb up, glancing back every now and out of paranoia. Of course, Mando’s never there, but you can’t help but check just in case. 

On the roof, you find that it’s easy—just as you suspected—to spot the port over the thousands of people. You easily map out a path before rushing back down the ladder. It shouldn’t take too long to get to the port, most of the roads you picked out were clear of people for the most part. 

Once your feet are back on the ground, you take off toward the first turn in your plan. It looks pretty busy, but from here it should be smooth sailing.

You become part of the market crowd the second you turn onto the street. Your jaw drops at the sight of so many people in one place. And you had thought there had been a lot of people around the crest… that was nothing. It definitely didn’t look like that many people from above. 

The throng of people is quick to take you into its embrace as you hastily make your way into the streets filled to the brim with shops. Everywhere you look, there is some kind of cart or stand offering some kind of merchandise. You ignore it all as you try to push your way through the crowd. 

It’s a bit hard to do when there are vendors shouting in your ear and popping out in front of you, making you stop briefly as they shove their product in your face. You resist the urge to push people out of your way. You really don’t have the time—or patience—for this right now, but you don’t need to draw unwanted attention. 

You look for signs posted with directions, letting them guide you until you’re able to push your way out of the main strip and into a less crowded street. You let out a breath of relief as you take in your surroundings, noticing the port close by. It’s not a straight shot, but it should only take you another few minutes or so. 

You try to stay discreet as you cling to sides of buildings and use hanging awnings for cover. It’s surprisingly hard to act nonchalant and unsuspicious if you’re trying too hard to do so. Having a price on your head is a real pain in the ass.

Adrenaline starts to sneak into your system as you grow close enough to the ships to decide which one to take. You need to be quick and choose one that will be leaving within the next few minutes. You know well enough to be aware of the fact that security will start to check passengers if there’s word of an escaped bounty. You can feel your breath starting to grow thinner and your body getting hotter. 

There’s a passenger ship near the back of the port. It seems smart enough to catch something like that so you don’t seem like you’re, well, on the run. You look around again before starting that way, breezing past people to find the line for tickets. You cross your fingers that there will be spots available on such short notice. 

As you approach the stand, you discover that there are only a few people waiting to purchase a seat. By the time you’re standing still, there’s only one person in front of you. A warm feeling rushes through your body, making you almost light-headed. You’re so close to escaping. Nobody ever does that.  

“Next!” 

You take a breath as you step up, trying to calm your nerves. 

“Hi, I need to get one ticket to…” you glance at the sign hanging from the stand. “Coruscant.” You wince internally. That probably isn't the best place to go in this situation, but at least you’ll be off of this planet. 

The woman looks at you skeptically, obviously confused by why you didn’t even know where the ship would be going. You flash her what you hope is a disarming smile as she squints and tells you your total none-the-less. 

You quickly swing your bag around and unzip it, pulling out your money. You’re handing it over when you hear your name called from behind you. 

Your heart drops to your ass as you turn, wide eyed, to see Mando running full speed at you. You don’t even have a second to think before you’re running too, scanning the area in front of you for an escape route. 

Curses repeat themselves endlessly in your panicked mind as you spy a ship getting ready to depart. It’s beat up and seedy looking, but it’s also likely your only chance. With one more glance behind you, you turn sharply to the left and make a bee-line for your escape. 

You try to focus on your breathing instead of the Mandalorian quickly gaining on you. The ship you’re headed toward is already starting to descend, and you just about triple your efforts. 

You hear your name again, and it makes you wince. A dull throb starts in your chest. Being this close in proximity with Mando again, but now as official enemies, hurts in a way you didn’t think was possible. 

You’ve been betrayed before, but not in such an intimate way. The fact that he pretended to have genuine interest in you—to engage in sexual acts with you—when he knew the entire time that he would be turning you in for a reward, digs deep into your chest like a rusted knife. 

Tears are obstructing your vision before you can deny them, but you push through until you’re only a few feet away from your ship. The gangplank is still open about halfway, but it should be enough for you to squeeze through by the time you reach it. It’s maybe five feet in the air right now, so it’s going to be tough to get up there.

Mando is only a few feet behind you now. You lunge for the plank with everything you have, and your fingers grasp on by just a few inches, the jagged metal stinging as you pull up enough to get both arms up. 

You look at the ground, seeing Mando coming to a stop from where you just jumped. You’re up too high now for him to jump after you, but you forget he has his jetpack until it comes to life. You scramble up the plank as it continues closing to avoid getting cut in half. 

In the end, it’s your only saving grace. You and Mando are able to see each other face to helmet briefly before you’re closed inside, and you make sure to let him see the raw anguish on your face before it does so. You almost wish he had that stupid helmet off so you could see for yourself if the asshole has any kind of remorse. 

A shuddering breath escapes from your lips as you wipe your tears. You turn around on your knees to examine the ship. It’s dark, dingy, and smells absolutely horrid. There’s no crew in sight, to your absolute relief. 

Resisting the urge to gag at the stench, you begin to crawl quietly away from the closed hatch. There are crates everywhere, taking as much floor space as possible and stacked as high as they can go. You’re confused for a moment as to why there needs to be so much product on board, but then a heavy realization dawns on you. 

These chests are filled with spice. 

You’ve seen these come in at your job at the junkyard. Old ones that had surpassed any kind of use for runners. Never in your life though, have you ever seen so many in one place. You absentmindedly hold your breath as you crawl forward, trying to find a place to hide. 

You stop in your tracks when you hear laughter coming from the cockpit—at least two men. 

Shitshitshitshitshit

There’s no getting out of this if you’re discovered. Your heart races in your chest as fear overtakes your body. You really can’t seem to catch a fucking break, can you?

You look around frantically until you see a small space toward the ceiling. It’s partially covered by a crate, which will make it harder to get to, but better for hiding. You scootch to the end of the crate you’re currently behind, peeking your head out just enough to make sure the hull is clear. 

As soon as you’re in the clear, you bolt as quickly and quietly as you can toward the concealed space. As you approach, you map out the notches and grooves you’re going to use to climb up there. 

Step by shaky step,  you pull yourself up, ignoring the stinging cuts in your hands and forearms from the plank. They’re not very deep or wide, but the strain on them hurts almost just as much. 

The crate at the top wobbles as you put all of your weight on it, the entire stack swaying slightly. Your eyes flutter shut as you mutter a silent prayer. It’s much too precarious for your liking as you swing one leg onto the edge of the cubby. You’re way too close for this plan to fail now. 

You’re only able to take a full breath once your entire body is safely tucked within the small space. It’s cozy, barely enough room for you to sit comfortably. You don’t even think it’s big enough to lay down if you wanted to. 

Chatting and laughter continues from the front of the ship as you slowly pull the crate in front of you to conceal you better. It’s heavy as hell and you have to nudge it inch by inch so as to not make a screeching sound against the one below it. 

Once you’re satisfied with the placement, you lean back against the cold metal wall behind you. Now that the exhaustion is beginning to seep into your bones, you can’t help but think that the feeling reminds you of sitting in the Razor Crest. 

You don’t stop the tears that run down your cheeks now. You deserve to cry after the week you’ve had. 

****

You realize much too late that you have no idea where this ship could be going, nor how long it’s going to take to get there. You have food and water in your bag, but you don’t know how you’re supposed to go about your other…needs. 

Thankfully, it seems that the destination is close enough to only be in hyperspace for what you assume was about half the day. You’re half asleep when you feel the tell-tale jerk of the ship coming out of it. It startles you enough to wake up the rest of the way, and you silently scold yourself for letting your guard down for so long—though you can’t remember exactly when you last got some decent sleep. 

The ship rattles as it cuts through the atmosphere of whatever planet it’s dropping this shit off at. The thought crossed your mind at one point that you could have possibly inhaled some of the spice lingering in the air. 

How great would that be? Trying to plead guilty of whatever crime you supposedly committed and then failing a drug test. Really screams “I’m innocent!” You roll your eyes, tired of your brain making up scenarios to throw you through more hoops. 

The ship stops rattling after a moment, and you can feel the glide as it lowers to the ground. The crates rattle once again as the ship plants itself. The walls of the craft creak and groan as a swaying starts, which is strange considering you’ve definitely landed. 

The motion makes you sick to your stomach, but it’s almost a welcome distraction from the fact that you’re about to piss yourself. You need to find a way off of this death-trap before one of the runners discovers you. 

You hear the gangplank starting to lower, and as it does, a gust of heavy rain pushes into the hull. A cold spray hits your face, making you flinch and cover yourself with your arm. From the sliver of scenery you can see, the sky appears to be dark, but not enough so for it to be night. 

You’ve heard about places like this; planets that storm every day of the year and never see the sunlight. They’re usually only used for fishermen, junk yards, and spots for spice traders to meet up. Which absolutely makes sense at the moment. 

You back into the cubby as much as you can, making yourself scarce as two men walk out of the ship and into the dreadful weather. They appear to be dressed for it, both of them wearing rubber boots and thick raincoats. You watch them until they’re out of sight, and then wait a few minutes before climbing back down to the floor. 

You get low, bending enough to be concealed by the chests until you get to the opening of the ship. You let out a breath of relief upon seeing that there’s no threat anywhere near at the moment. You’re so sick of luck not being on your side. This is definitely a welcome change. 

The rain is bone-chilling as you step out into it, immediately soaking you. It’s so thick that you can barely see in front of you. A couple buildings are within view every couple of seconds when there’s a break in the sheets of rain due to the heavy wind. With no other options, you decide to head that way. 

As you trek through the unforgiving storm, you can’t help but compare the way the fat drops of water hit your face to being cut by shards of glass. Though even if you were being cut, you would never be able to tell with how fast the blood would be washed from your numb skin. 

When you reach the closest building, you don’t waste a second before pushing the door open. The loud atmosphere of a cantina immediately welcomes you into its warmth. Despite the heat, you still shiver as you make your way through the main room and to the back. You rush into the bathroom and wait until a stall empties. 

As you wait, you get a couple strange looks, but you’re too tired to do anything about it. You just want to pee and find some directions to get the hell out of this place.

****

When you get out of the restroom, you spot an empty stool wedged between a burly looking man with a beard and a plump woman who seems to have had one or a dozen too many. Every other spot is full, so you hop up and lean forward, trying to catch the bartender’s attention. 

She works quickly, cleaning glasses in between serving replacements and taking orders. It takes a moment for her to come your way, but when she does, you have her full attention. 

“What can I get you, hon?” 

The bartender is a clean but busy looking woman with frizzy hair and a stained apron. You clock the kindness in her eyes immediately, and decide to put your trust in her. She looks like one of those women who would offer up a pad or tampon even if it was her last one. 

“Hi, uh, I’m actually not looking for a drink,” you say, trying to keep the tremble out of your voice. You’re not sure if it’s there due to the cold, the exhaustion, or the anxiety. “Can you tell me–”

You stop talking when the woman purses her lips and shakes her head. 

“Sorry, babe, I can’t hear you over this damn ruckus,” she gestures to the people around you, and then points to a corner where you assume the entrance to the bar is. “Meet me right there.” At least she can tell you’re not here to party. 

You slide down from your stool and squeeze your way to where she pointed. She’s already there when you get there. She’s taken her apron off, which confuses you slightly. 

“Hey, I–”

“Honey, you need to get out of here,” she cuts you off, hanging up her apron. 

“What, why?” You ask through your stomach dropping. She flashes you a sympathetic look and you return a defeated one. You’re so fucking tired. How long are you going to have to put up with this shit? 

“Bounty Hunter’s Guild just sent out a high stakes bounty warning. Picture looked just like you, babe.” She raises her eyebrows and gives you a pointed look.

You nod at her. Great, so not only do you have pucks out for any hunter that’s willing to find you, but every being in the galaxy has gotten an alert to look out for you. 

“Yup, That would be me.” 

“Mhm, figured. C’mon, let's get you out of this place. I’ve got somewhere you can stay until you can get off-world.” She exits from behind the bar and takes your hand, attempting to pull you with her. 

You give her a wary look, confused as to why she’s helping you. 

“How do I know you’re not turning me in?” 

“Humor me for a second, just come outside at least. Please?” She stops and looks at you, a pleading look in her eyes. 

You lick your lips but decide to follow her. It really doesn’t seem like she wishes you any harm, but you can’t be sure—you never would have thought Mando would, after all. Just outside, like she said. No further until she spills.

You allow her to pull you back the way you came, into the rain, and then down an alley next to the bar. There’s a flickering street lamp tucked under an awning between the two buildings, which the two of you huddle beneath. 

“Look, I’m gonna make this quick,” the woman says before you have a chance to speak. She pauses and watches you intently. You nod at her, signaling for her to continue. 

“I know how this bounty hunting shit is. My sister was hunted for a good while because she was seen outside the scene of a robbery. She was just a pedestrian, but she got taken in and questioned pretty thoroughly and then ended up spending a few nights in a cell. It’s fucked, to put it simply.”

“I don’t even know what I did,” you tell her, your voice cracking just slightly as you shake your head. She gives you that same sympathetic look from the bar. 

“I know. I read the reasoning for your bounty. It was bantha-shit.” 

“Great,” you say, pinching the bridge of your nose. You’re well aware that 90% of the population doesn’t care about that—all they’ll see is the pay for turning you in. 

“There’s a place on the outside of the city, it’s been abandoned for a couple years. I’m pretty sure the heat and water are still connected, but nobody ever goes there. It’s an outdated complex. You okay with staying there for a bit?” 

You nod at her, not knowing what else to say. Maybe a thank you? She’s talking again before you get the chance to do that though. 

“Alright, you stay here for just a second,” she instructs before running back into the bar. You lean up against the building, listening to the rain as you let out a shuddering breath. The woman is only gone for a few seconds before she re-emerges with a piece of paper in her hand. 

“These are the instructions to get there from here,” she says, grabbing your hand and shoving the paper into it. “I’m here if you need me, but please don’t try anything if you don’t have to.” 

You look at her, and then the paper, studying the scratchy writing. 

“Thank you, really,” you tell her. She just nods and releases your hand with a tight-lipped smile. 

“Be safe, hon,” she says before ducking back into the bar. 

The trek to the safe house is absolutely miserable. Everything on your body is soaked down, and the paper the woman gave you was starting to fall apart. You had to keep ducking under buildings and awnings to memorize what you could of the directions. 

You’re glad you did, because by the time you reach the place, the paper is non-legible. The building itself is pretty isolated. It appears to have been apartments at one point, but is now just a tall junkyard. There’s piles upon piles of trash around it, but you suppose that only gives more of a reason for people to not go inside. 

Unfortunately for you, you don’t exactly have a choice in the matter. You run up to the first door you see, and curse when you try to pull it open. It’s locked, of fucking course. 

You walk around to the side of the building until you see a window that’s not boarded up. Your palms slip against it as you try to get some leverage to push it up, but with some persistence, it comes loose. You almost fall when it springs up, but at least it’s towards the room inside. 

You glance behind you one more time before pushing yourself in. You close the window behind you and take a deep breath as the deafening storm is somewhat quitened. It’s cold in the room you find yourself in, but it’s far better than being out in that shit. 

Looking around, you spot a stove surrounded by counter space, hanging cabinets, and a small, round table accompanied by four outdated chairs. Definitely a kitchen. There’s what appears to be a hall to your right. You walk toward it, trying to hold back your shivering. 

It’s not super long, but you notice how eerily quiet it is as you walk though. On the other side, there’s a room with a bed and a couch. There are three doors, which you can only assume lead to a bathroom, a closet, and the main hall of the building. 

You open the first door, which goes out into the hall. It sends a gust of even colder air into the room, making your teeth chatter as it envelops your wet body. You look left and right, and then reluctantly step into the freezing hallway. It’s dark as shit, but the occasional uncovered window allows enough—albeit dim—lighting to lead you toward the stairwell. 

There’s a sign tacked on the wall there, and you sigh with relief as you spot the directions to the maintenance room. That must be where you can flip the heat on. It’s not far, just down the first staircase and down the hall a little. Without the windows, the room is even darker than the rest of the building. 

You mutter a curse under your breath, figuring that your best bet is going to be blindly running your hands around the walls until you find a switch. You put your hands out and start to glide them slowly left to right, and then up and down until you find an abnormality in the wall. 

You shudder, trying to ignore the cobwebs that have accumulated on the panel which are now sticking to your hands. As long as they’re not spiders, it’s okay. You hesitantly flip the first one, and then the second. Nothing happens in your area, but you swear you hear a click come from one of the floors above you. 

In quick succession, you flip the rest of the switches, and a light finally comes above you once you reach the second to last one. You huff out a breathy laugh at your luck. Now that you aren’t in total darkness, you can clearly see the other panels around you, along with their labels. 

You flip the switch for water, and then another for heat. A low humming starts above you as you do so, indicating that at least the latter is working. 

A piping hot shower and half a ration bar later, you’re laying on top of a bed under a heater, still trying to warm up. You feel the most relaxed you have since you found your bounty puck, although it still isn’t enough to fall asleep without keeping an eye open. Eventually, though, the humming from the heating system lulls you enough to fall into a half-sleep. 

****

You spend three days on what you’ve learned is Attera Bravo before you run out of luck. Word of a Mandalorian bounty hunter is quickly spread, and you catch wind of such as you pay a visit to town for more rations. The panic which had ebbed away after the last few days is suddenly back in full force. 

You really thought you would have a second to catch your breath, but you’re quickly learning that there is no such thing when there’s a price on your head. While you’re in town, you pick up a few rations on the outskirts, and that’s it. You had wanted to find a rain jacket on your trip, but you decide not to risk being in town for too long. 

So you begin to make the trip back to the safe house without a cover from the cold, biting rain. It sucks ass, but it’s better than carbonite. Even though you’re on the outskirts, you still hug the sides of buildings as you make your exit. Your head keeps snapping towards the slightest movements; a flickering street lamp, a closing door, a flash of far away lightning. 

You break off into a sprint as soon as you’re a few feet away from the cover of the nearest building. You don’t look back as you push yourself, not wanting to risk slowing down. All you can see is the terrifying image of Mando catching up with you like he did on Nevarro. 

You glance at the spaceport as you run past, seeing if you can get a glimpse of the Razor Crest. You don’t see it, but that’s probably for the best. There’s no mistaking that the Mandalorian bounty hunter the town’s people are talking about is your Mandalorian bounty hunter, but seeing the Crest would probably crack something within you. That would mean that the kid is likely with him, and you can’t afford to think about him right now. 

You can hear your heavy breaths over the sound of the rain, and you choose to focus on that instead of the icy chill. You try to take breaths in through your nose to calm yourself, but you just get a nose full of water, so you scratch that and continue your panicked breaths through your mouth. 

Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out, breath in–

Your breath hitches. There’s a buzz coming from behind you, steadily growing louder. You spare a glance over your shoulder, and you can just make out the headlights of what looks to be a speeder bike. The pathetic “no” that leaves your mouth would be extremely embarrassing if anyone were around to hear it. 

You try to pick up your pace, but almost trip with your effort. The bike is getting closer, you don’t have to look again to know. There’s no way you’re going to outrun it. You have an idea, but it’s going to be risky. You grit your teeth, thinking it over, and decide that the risk is better than definitely getting caught. 

You stop suddenly, just for a second, until the bike is almost to you. Then you turn around, seeing Mando atop it, only a bit away. He didn’t anticipate your stop, and doesn’t register the fact that he needs to slow down until you’re running past him and back toward town. 

You don’t get much of a head start, but luckily the space port is still close enough that it’s not absolutely necessary. As soon as you’re close enough, you dive around a crate to get out of the way of the speeder. Mando arrives right behind you, quick to hop off it and start on foot after you.

You make your way to where you remember the ship you came on had landed. The last time you passed here, you remember seeing the gangplank open. Either they make routine stops, or they’re here for a while. Either way, it means that your escape will be aided by the same ship that helped you the first time. 

By some incredible luck, it’s still there. There’s a group of relatively shady people gathered a few yards away from it, standing under a wing of another ship, but you’re getting used to dealing with shady things at this point. You run past them, not intending to stop until you’re alone without the threat of Mando. 

Without stopping to turn around or even check if there are people in the ship, you run up the plank, slamming your palm over the button to close it behind you. You hear a couple panicked “Hey”s from behind you, which you can only assume is the protests of the guys who own this ship. You run into the cockpit, which is thankfully empty. 

You start to flick switches and pull knobs, everything you can try to get this thing off the ground in the fastest amount of time. If you learned anything on the Crest, it’s how to work a ship’s panel. You hear pangs coming from the closing door, and look out the window to see that half of the group from earlier has run off, and are likely the source of the sound. 

You looked out just in time to see your Mandalorian coming to a stop in front of the other half of the group, who are blocking him from getting further toward you. You huff out a tiny laugh. Take that, asshole. The ship starts to ascend just as Mando throws his first punch. 

****

Once you’re back into space, your heart gets the memo that it can stop working overtime. You decide you’ll just cruise for a bit while you figure out where the best place to go would be—assuming Mando will be occupied with his opponents below for a moment. It needs to be somewhere pretty isolated and unknown for the most part, but also not painfully obvious. 

You consider going back to Jakku for a moment, but scratch that idea quickly. You would for sure be turned in by someone there. And besides, Mando would look there eventually. 

You sigh and lean back in the outdated pilot’s seat, staring at the stars around you. You hadn’t realized how much you missed this view. It’s quiet and peaceful, and it almost makes you forget everything you’re dealing with right now. A lump catches in your throat at that thought. 

You really don’t understand how you’re going to get through this. You don’t want to spend the rest of your life running; that’s no life at all. To be in constant fear of being caught, never being able to settle down, never able to make connections. It genuinely makes you sick to your stomach. 

You lean back and put one hand over your eyes as you try to think about what your next step is. It also needs to be somewhere where you can get more supplies. You need more clothes since all yours have been pretty weathered by the constant rain. You’re also going to need money at some point. 

How are you going to do that? Something tells you that you won’t be able to just snag a job along the way. You sit forward in your seat again, shaking your head. The air con on the ship has kicked on, hitting your drenched body and making your teeth chatter as you pull up the navigation system to browse nearby planets. 

You’re only pressing the first button when the ship suddenly jolts, a crashing sound coming from the back. It scares the shit out of you, your hand clutching tightly to your chest as you spring up out of your seat and look behind you. 

An alarm sounds, frightening you more as you realize that you’ve just been hit. The impact didn’t seem like enough to do a lot of damage, but you have no idea how to work the cannons on this thing—if there are any cannons at all. Judging by the looks of this thing, if it is equipped with a weapons system, it’s likely out of date and of no use to you. 

You speed up and grab the steering to quickly turn to the right, trying to get out from in front of the offending ship. Maybe if you can get behind them and far enough away, you’ll be able to get into hyperspace. It seems that your best bet is going to be running. You’re sensing a bit of a pattern at this point. 

You grit your teeth as the ship tilts slightly with the momentum of your turn. A couple of left over bins in the hull spill over, making you wince at the crashing sounds. There’s suddenly a sweet smell, and you close your eyes briefly as you pray that there wasn’t any spice in those crates. 

It was only for a split second, but when your eyes open, you’re face to face with another small craft. You swerve again to keep out of its way. As you do so, another pops up in your path, and then another, each of them coming out of hyperspace in quick succession. 

Your heartbeat picks up with your panic as you realize you’re surrounded. You can’t see behind you, and there’s no way to go forward. There’s got to be at least five or six of them, and they’re probably carrying between at least four to eight people a piece. They could take you out right now if they wanted. 

Gulping down your anxiety, you do the most rational thing you can think of in the moment, and reluctantly slow down to a gentle drift. As the ships come in closer with your surrender, you think ahead. If they take you onto one of their ships, you might be able to—

Your train of thought is stopped as you get an alert of an incoming transmission on the dash. You breathe out a shaky breath and press the button to accept it. 

A holo-image of an extremely pissed looking Weequay sprouts from the com. You stand tall and put on a brave face. He stares at you, his eyes narrowing. You gulp, hoping it goes unnoticed. There’s a sour taste in your mouth, and a sick feeling in your stomach. You don’t know if you’re getting out of this one. 

To make matters worse, the spice that had spilled with your turn is starting to creep up to the cockpit in a thick fog. The rusty-orange looking powder floats higher with every second, the effects quickly making you dizzy. 

“Okay, girl,” the rugged looking creature drawls with a weird accent you can’t quite place. “I personally was having a good day today, and I think you should know that, first of all.”

You furrow your brow but don’t interrupt. The creature starts to pace slightly as he speaks in a casual tone. 

“Everything was going great, I was making good sales, had deals going for that spice you have in my ship—which I’m sure you’ve discovered at this point. I was just about to have my guys deal with it—and then I got the call that some bitch stole my ship containing the goods. Would you know anything about that, sweetheart?” 

You wince lightly at the insulting pet name, a stark difference from the way Mando used to say it. The dust around you is starting to pick up to the point where your eyes are stinging. You wish you could think of something to say back, but all you can focus on is the bile crawling up your throat. 

“Hm, I think you would,” he stops to say flatly. “Now, my initial plan had been to force you off my ship and maybe take you out to have a little fun! Told my guys they deserve to have a little treat on me after their hard work the last few days. We’d just need you for a little bit, I’m sure these guys don’t have much stamina if you know what I mean…”

The man continues talking, but you’ve frozen in place. Your stomach twists at his threats, and you suddenly feel the need to throw up. The spice growing thicker around you is definitely not helping that factor. 

“...would have been such a good time,” you zone back into the man’s vulgar words. Letting your gaze drift back to him from where it had fallen to the floor. You find yourself wishing for Mando, for the safety you felt as you laid so briefly within his comforting arms. You want to punch yourself for thinking that. 

The pirate, obviously annoyed with your lack of response, continues rambling about this inconvenience, but you can hardly hear him through the ringing growing louder in your ears. The truth that you’re finally trapped is just catching up to you. 

 “Anyways, when I found your bounty poster, I thought just for a second that it must be your lucky day! But then, I figured that whoever wants you probably doesn’t give a shit about what kind of condition you’re in.” 

He laughs at the increasingly panicked look on your face. 

“Don’t worry, sweetheart! We won’t go too hard on you now. As long as you cooperate, of course. Just be good for us and we’ll send you to Nevarro without so much as a—”

There’s another crash from behind you, but this time it’s not your ship taking the damage. The man in front of you swivels around, straining to see the source of the sound. His eyes widen, and so do yours when you see the fear in his eyes. You take a step back. 

“What the—” 

The pirate is cut off again as his ship abruptly explodes right in front of you. His holo-image glitches out as you scream, falling back into your seat. Your ship is knocked back slightly at the same time you feel two other crafts quickly flying by you, chasing the shadow of the one you see above you. 

Two ships emerge from either side of you, and your heart skips a beat once you catch a glimpse of the one they’re chasing. You know that ship. Two of the smaller crafts race after the Razor Crest as it trails them away from you. 

That doesn’t mean you’re surrendering to anybody today. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, you scramble to push the thrusters, planning to get as far away from here as you can. The two ships that aren’t tailing the Crest suddenly change direction to follow you instead. Shit.

You continue forward at full speed, making quick turns and dodges to throw off the idiots behind you. Unfortunately, it’s not working in your favor. You feel your ship jolt as a blast lands on the surface of it. You hear the sound of something powering down. 

Your craft slows to about half its speed, making you cry out in frustration. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the Crest take out one of the ships that had been pursuing it. Another hit comes to your ship, and this time the hit is so great that you jolt forward and almost hit your head on the dash. 

Another one immediately follows, and this time you do slip out of your chair and smack your head on the edge of the panel. Your vision blacks for a second, and you know it has to be at least a small concussion. A ringing starts back in your ears again as your vision blurs slightly. A big flash blinds you momentarily as—at least you assume—Mando takes out the other craft on his trail in front of your ship. 

For a second, nothing makes sense. There’s another blow to the side of your craft, and then one more, one right after the other. You get rocked back and forth forcefully, only making you more confused. There’s too much going on at once for you to process; time’s moving too slowly and the spice is making you hazy and the alarm’s too loud and there’s another big crash and muffled explosion as another ship is annihilated. 

You scramble, trying to stay up straight as you use your chair to push yourself up. You need to find a way to get out of here before you’re left alone with Mando. Does the hyperspace still work on this thing? Too bad you won’t find out, because as you reach for the dash, you get sent forward and smack your head again. This time, everything goes black.

***** Thank you for reading!! I'm going to try to have another part out in a few weeks!! I'm also making a taglist for this series if anyone would like to join.

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Stuck Between a Jock and a Metalhead

Summary: Nancy, on a whim, decides to visit Steve at Scoops Ahoy, which leads to her overhearing confessions from Steve that leads her to think about the decisions she's made. A few days later, she decides to come back. She finds him being hit on by the town freak. What's a girl to do? Oh, get stuck in a freezer with the both of them.

Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six - Chapter Seven - Chapter Eight - Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Nancy sighed as she watched Steve sleep. He was lucky he didn't have another concussion or internal bleeding or broken ribs, but the doctors said he was going to be sore for a while, and they wanted to keep him overnight for observation. Him and Eddie both. Eddie did have a broken nose and a mild concussion, much to Eddie's annoyance. Nancy had managed to bully the doctors into letting them have the same room. So, now here she was, sitting in between both of them. El was snoozing against Wayne on the other side of Eddie's bed. Wayne had tried to get the girl to go to Joyce's house or their trailer, but she had been determined to stay by her brother's side. It was amusing how they were both snoring in unison, and Nancy wondered how such a loud sound could come from such a young girl.

"They're definitely related," Eddie said dryly as he looked at his sister and uncle. "How can Steve sleep through this?"

"Steve’s always been a heavy sleeper," Nancy said in amusement.

She reached over and started brushing her fingers through his hair, just like she used to do after she spent the night. She used to study his face and try to map out the freckles on his body like they were constellations. Nancy always thought that he was bigger than this whole town, that someone who had stars written on his body deserved so much better. She stroked Steve’s hair for a while, and she let her finger trail down until her knuckles were brushing his cheek. He leaned into her touch, still fast asleep, just like he always used to. She hadn't realized that she had been crying until Eddie touched her shoulder. When did he get out of bed?

"Nancy?" Eddie asked softly.

"Why does it take something so horrible to happen to realize just how much someone means to you?" Nancy asked softly. "I love him, but it's so complicated."

"Why is it complicated?" Eddie asked.

"Because he's with someone else, and I don't want to get between them even though I - ," Nancy stopped herself.

"He's with someone?" Eddie asked, and she looked at him with teary-eyed confusion.

"Shouldn't you know?" Nancy sniffled.

"Why should I know?" Eddie asked with wide eyes.

"Because you're dating him," she replied.

"I am?!" He asked.

"Aren't you?" She asked.

"No!" Eddie exclaimed.

"Oh. . . "

"Not that I don't want to, but I figured that you two would be getting back together, and I'm not getting in the way of that," Eddie replied.

"He deserves better than me, especially since I also have feelings for someone else," Nancy said.

"Please, tell me that it's not Byers again," Eddie grimaced.

"No. It's you," Nancy said.

Eddie's eyes widened, and he scoffed. He stared at her for a moment.

"I also have feelings for you," Eddie said softly.

"So, wait a minute. . .both of us stepped back because we thought that the other should get with Steve only to find out that we both have feelings for Steve, but we also have feelings for each other as well?" Nancy asked.

Eddie and Nancy burst into laughter. Eddie leaned against the top of the chair, his forehead against the cool plastic.

"You're both idiots," they heard Steve say. "Actually, we're all idiots."

"What?" Nancy asked as she turned to a now wide awake Steve.

"Sorry, Nancy Wheeler, you're an idiot. Do you really think that you don't deserve me?" Steve asked.

"After all that I put you through - "

"You don't need to apologize for that anymore. Do you remember after we got back together? I kept apologizing for the whole theater debacle. It wasn't my proudest moment. You said that I didn't need to apologize for it anymore because the minute I walked into the house, picked up the bat, and put my life on the line for the both of you that I more than made up for it. You came back into my life, Nancy. You took responsibility for what happened. You apologized, and you don't have to keep doing it anymore," Steve said. "I always thought it was me who didn't deserve you."

"You deserve to get whatever you want, Steve Harrington," Nancy sniffled.

"I want you. . .and Eddie," Steve said.

"Well, I think you've got us, big boy," Eddie said, smiling.

"How is this going to work?" Nancy asked.

"I suppose like any other relationship, just with an extra person," Steve said.

Suddenly, Wayne let out a giant snore startling the three of them.

"Jesus," Eddie muttered. "You know, he once snored so loudly that he woke himself up."

"Jeeze," Steve said, and Nancy giggled.

Suddenly, Eddie pulled her up, causing her to squeal as he slid into her spot and pulled her into his lap. Nancy slapped his chest.

"Asshole," Nancy said, and he cackled.

He attempted to kiss her cheek, but his broken nose hit her cheek instead.

"Ow."

"Okay, no kissing until both of you are healed," Nancy said.

"Aww," Steve and Eddie said in unison.

Eddie rested his chin on top of Nancy's shoulder while he grasped Steve’s hand with his own.

"I'm glad I have you guys. I'm not sure if I'd be able to get through this shit if you weren't here. Although, I wish none of us had to deal with this. I mean, El's just a fucking kid and she's just - how the hell do you guys handle this?" Eddie asked.

"Well, clearly not very well," Steve said, and Nancy snorted.

"You should definitely not take a leaf out of my book, Eddie," Nancy said. "I've tried to run away from my feelings in the past. Just try to face them head-on as best you can, and you do have us to talk to."

"All those people absorbed into that. . .thing. . . I'm going to have fucking nightmares forever," Eddie shuddered.

"Yeah, no kidding," Steve muttered. "It makes my stomach churn."

"Tom was an asshole but he didn't deserve that," Nancy said.

"And Hopper. . .man, he was one of the only adults who actually looked at me and didn't see my dad, you know?" Eddie said.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Steve sniffled.

Nancy's eyes filled with tears again as she thought about Hopper. She remembered how often he had come to check up on her after Barb died. He knew how frustrated she had been with what happened, and despite all of her venting to him, it hadn't been enough. Nancy had appreciated how often he tried to be there for her, especially knowing that he was also hiding El in his cabin at the time, and he was also trying to be there for Joyce as well as the other kids. Nancy would miss their long walks, and she would miss him. She couldn't help but think about unfair it was for El and that she wouldn't have her father in her life anymore. Nancy turned and buried her face into Eddie's neck, letting out a hard sob. Eddie held onto her tightly. She felt Steve leaning against her, hugging her back in what she was sure was an awkward position for him.

"That can't be comfortable for you, Steve," Nancy cried.

"Big boy, lay on your side as far back against the bed as you can," Eddie said.

Steve did as he was told. Eddie nudged Nancy into cuddling up next to Steve before he crawled in behind Nancy. The bed was small, but it managed to fit all three of them.

"This is much better," Nancy muttered.

She pressed her head against Steve’s chest as Eddie threw the blanket over the three of them and wrapped his around them. Nancy sighed in contentment, completely safe in the arms of the two men she cared about.

"I'm definitely wrapping you both in bubble wrap," she muttered before drifting off to sleep.

When Nancy woke up the next morning, the boys were still asleep, and El was staring at her from beside the bed. Wayne wasn't in the room.

"Are you dating both of them?" El asked.

There wasn't really a way to explain herself out of this one, and El would probably be able to sniff out that she was lying.

"As of yesterday, yes," Nancy mumbled sleepily.

"You can do that?" El asked.

"If it makes you happy, yes. People will be bothered by it because they're taught that relationships like this are wrong, but they're the ones who are wrong. It's as normal as any other relationship," Nancy said. "Although, I never really thought about having a relationship like this until recently. I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone yet."

"Okay," El said softly.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Robin skidded into the room. Eddie jumped up, but Steve continued to sleep.

"My parents finally released me," Robin said, and then she stopped as she stared at the people in the bed.

"They are just cuddling!" El said quickly.

"Uh, yeah, your uncle and Mrs. Byers sent me to tell you that they wanted to talk to you out in the hallway," Robin said to El.

El nodded solemnly and headed out in the hallway.

"What was that about?" Eddie asked.

"I don't know, but I have to ask. . . Although I'm not sure if I should. . . Is this a thing?" Robin asked, pointing at them.

Eddie shared a look with Nancy, unsure if they should say anything or not.

"Uh, well. . . Is he still asleep?" Eddie asked. "Buckley barging in here like a bull in a china shop should have woken him up!"

"Hey!"

"Like I said, heavy sleeper," Nancy giggled.

"I'm not going to judge you if it's true," Robin said and paused to look at them for a moment. "I'm going to tell you what I told Steve here on the floor of the bathroom of Starcourt. . .I'm strictly into boobs."

Nancy and Eddie shared a look before grinning.

"Boobs and dicks for me," Eddie laughed.

"I'm up for anything regardless of a person's genitals," Nancy giggled.

"So, yeah, we're a thing," Eddie snorted.

"I knew you liked both of them," Robin said. "That day in Starcourt when you and Eddie came in with Holly. . . That's when you realized it, isn't it?"

"Yes," Nancy blushed.

"So, what was it? Me standing up to the troll?" Eddie asked.

"No, it was how sweet you were with Holly," Nancy blushed.

"Oh, kissing you right now would be worth the pain," Eddie said.

He pressed his fingers to his lips and then pressed the same fingers to Nancy's lips. It was a very sweet gesture until Robin spoke.

"You better hope he didn't scratch his ass with those fingers," Robin said.

"You don't have a filter, do you?" Nancy asked.

"Not really, no," Robin shrugged.

"It's okay, neither do I," Eddie laughed. "But next time, don't step on my moment."

"Oh! Hey, speaking of that troll of a delivery guy! He was actually a Russian!" Robin exclaimed.

"Seriously?" Nancy asked.

"Yeah, Steve totally knocked him on his ass. He was like, 'That's for scaring Holly!' You two would have gone all gooey eyed over it," Robin said.

"Aw man, we missed it," Eddie whined.

"Well, you got a couple of badasses on your hands there, Munson. I'm sure they're not going to waste a chance to show off every once in a while," Robin said.

"Hell, I would let Nancy shoot me if she allowed it," Eddie sighed dreamily. "It'd be an honor to be shot by Nancy Wheeler."

"Almost as honoring as being killed by Eddie Munson in a freezer," Nancy teased.

"Oh, you do that once, and you never hear the end of it," Eddie sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Excuse me," Nancy laughed and started to climb over Eddie.

"Aw, are you trying to cuddle or get frisky? You should know that Robin's still in the room and Steve's still alseep," Eddie said.

Nancy scowled and slapped his chest.

"I'm trying to go to the bathroom," Nancy said.

Eddie cackled and maneuvered until Nancy was freed from the bed. She shook her numb legs and walked into the bathroom. When she came back, a still sleeping Steve was tucked in Eddie's side with his face pressed against his chest.

"Isn't he the cutest?" Eddie cooed. "I just want to nibble on his face."

Nancy laughed and stroked Steve’s hair before bending down to kiss his forehead. She brushed her knuckles against his cheek and sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"So, how are you dealing with this, Robin?" Nancy asked.

"I don't know. It kind of feels like I'm having an out of body experience," Robin said. "If I wasn't here right now, I would think it was all a nightmare."

"I've been through this a few times, and I still feel like it's all a nightmare," Nancy said.

"I feel like I'm going to need a shit ton of therapy, except we can't talk about what we went through due to all the NDAs that we had to sign," Robin said. "They could have thrown in a free therapist in there except knowing what the Lab did, I wouldn't trust them at all, so what's left?"

"Well, we can always talk to each other," Nancy said softly.

"So, we create our own group therapy?" Eddie asked.

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Nancy said.

"It is? I mean, of course it is. I came up with it, after all," Eddie grinned.

"I mean, of course, we can't force the kids to talk, but maybe if we let them know we're there for them and maybe if they see us talking to each other, they'll want to talk too," Nancy said.

"Maybe," Robin said.

It was then that Steve woke up with a loud yawn. He blinked sleepily at Robin.

"What did I miss?" Steve asked.

"We've decided to create a cult, baby. We're going to dye our hair bright pink and start talking backward," Eddie said. "And we all worship at the feet of Scooby-Doo."

"What?" Steve asked, blinking slowly at him in sleepy confusion.

"Munson, how in the hell do you have powers?" Robin asked.

"My powers are very passive, thank you," Eddie said and stuck his tongue out at her.

"She's my new best friend. You have to get along," Steve said, poking him in the chest.

"Anything for you and Nancy," Eddie sighed.

"If we must," Robin said, but she was smiling, indicating that she really didn't have a problem getting along with Eddie.

"So, where would we meet for this group therapy?" Eddie asked. "My trailer is not big enough."

"My dad already complains about Mike, and the basement plus, it wouldn't exactly be private," Nancy said.

"And I'm moving out of my house," Steve said casually.

"What?!" The three of them exclaimed.

"Yeah, I figured my parents don't really want me there so. . . Why not? I figured once I get the place cleaned up, I would move back into the apartment above my grandfather's salon," Steve said. "I was digging through more of his things, and apparently, he left me the place. So, it's all mine."

"I feel like I'm missing some things," Robin said.

"His parents are evil, vile villainous homophobic - " Eddie trailed off as he found himself unable to speak.

"Assholes!" Nancy exclaimed.

"Ah, gotcha," Robin said and paused. "Homophobic?"

"Very," Eddie and Nancy said.

"That sucks," Robin said softly.

"You get used to it," Steve said, shrugging.

"Does he do that a lot? Downplay something in his life that's clearly tragic?" Robin asked.

"Yes," Eddie and Nancy coursed together.

"I have my work cut out for me, don't I?" Robin asked.

"Kind of," Nancy grinned.

"I am right here!" Steve exclaimed.

"We hear you, and we see you," Robin said, touching his foot. "My parents went to couples counseling. The therapist made them say that to each other."

As Nancy laughed with Eddie, she remembered the first time she went through this and how alone she had felt afterward. She was glad that she wasn't so alone this time, that she could stay out of the dark cloud of regret to finally help others through this dark, helpless time. She only hoped that she could actually help them, and she realized that the best way to do that was to make sure that they didn't feel all alone. Nancy could already feel another bond forming between them. One had already forged between Nancy, Steve, and Eddie. Another had obviously formed between Steve and Robin, but now it was connecting between all of them. Nancy could feel it solidify into a friendship much like Otis, Irene, and Steven. One side platonic, one side romantic. Both of equal value.

Chapter Eleven

[sirfrogsworth]

hey man, well done for getting out there with your camera when it must be unspeakably exhausting sometimes. i'm really enjoying all the urban photography! but i'm too shy to say it non-anon! keep it up though!

Thanks!

I've been challenging myself to go on a photography field trip once or twice a month. I realized if I scout a location on Google Maps and do some pre-planning with the street view, I can drive somewhere, set up and take my pictures, and be done within an hour or so.

For my bridge pictures I was looking for a good vantage point and street view had this...

And I knew I could make that work. So on my way to get more eggs I decided to take a detour. I timed it for sunset and headed over there.

Unfortunately there is a really confusing bridge you have to drive over to get there. There was a stoplight, but there was no intersection.

I could not figure out the purpose of this damn stoplight. I was sitting there for nearly 5 minutes and didn't understand why the light wasn't changing. So I thought maybe it was broken or something and just drove ahead.

Then I got to the middle of the bridge and realized my error.

The bridge only had one lane for car traffic. And the light had a sensor that told you if a car was coming from the other direction. And so I was face to face with a car in the same lane.

The area on the right is a bike lane. And there is a huge bump separating the car lane and the bike lane. And unless I wanted to do the world's longest drive in reverse, I had to hop that little curb into the bike lane. As I proceeded forward I could hear it just barely scraping the bottom of my car.

I was very embarrassed.

I'm really hoping I didn't damage anything. But I could tell it was just barely kissing the bottom of my car and only 2 or 3 times so I think it is okay.

But I learned an important lesson.

They don't put out random stoplights for no reason.

In any case, I was able to get my photos and my eggs and be home in about an hour in a half. And that is just about the limit of my energy.

It's actually easier than going to the movies. 3 hours being upright was just too much for me. And I get to spend the next week editing photos and feeling artistically satisfied.

So my photo field trips have been a big help to my mental health and usually only have a day or two of post-exertional malaise. Which is pretty manageable. Going to the movies was usually double that. Which is problematic because I am thinking about going to see Dune 2... which is a 3 hour movie. So 4 hours out and about including driving and whatnot.

I've picked out my next photo field trip already.

This may look like a boring highway, but if I go at night every single one of those cars will leave a long bright light trail that will probably span all the way to the horizon. My only issue is I could really use a companion to go with me. I don't feel safe going by myself. But hopefully I can get that figured out by the time I am ready to go.

I took over 250 photos at the bridge the other night. And I am having trouble choosing which ones are best to share. So I have decided to do some very interesting edits to make them all a bit different. I will be sharing one of those shortly. But I'm a little worried you all are going to get very sick of this bridge.

Thanks for writing in. I hope you have a lovely day.

[stwritings]

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 & 𝑯𝒂𝒕𝒆

𝑹𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓!𝑬𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒆 𝒙 𝑭𝒆𝒎!𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 - 𝑫𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒚 𝑱𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 & 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒊𝒙 𝒂𝒖

𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑰 - 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝑬𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒚

𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: 𝘢𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘩𝘰𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨.

May, 1988

The sun beamed through the chipped windshield of Eddie's 1971 Chevy as he made his was through the city of Chicago. Taking quick glances at his map every chance he got, his eyes honed in on the big red pen mark circling his new address.

Truth be told, Eddie wouldn't have believed it if he were told a few months back that he would be uprooting his life one state over. He wasn't much of a plan kind of guy, so this move was rather spontaneous. The town of Hawkins no longer felt like home but a prison, it's tight shackles a reminder of the simpleton lifestyle he was bound to lead if he stayed in this godforsaken place. He dreamt of a bigger life, for it to have meaning. And if he couldn't attain it in Indiana, perhaps Illinois was the place to be.

He finally pulled over to the side of the road next to a dilapidated building. He put the car in park and glanced at his map once more, then back at the rough looking structure. Eddie caught a glimpse of a golden plate on the brick wall reading '242' and sighed. The number, unfortunately, corresponds with the address on his lease. He could only hope for a nicer interior as he climbed out of the driver's seat and walked towards the building.

Upon entering his new residence, his prior optimism was shattered by more unfavorable characteristics. The building had a distinct smell that Eddie couldn't quite place, but it certainly wasn't a pleasant one. It reminded him of his great aunt's home that reeked of cigarettes and peppermint, only so much worse. He tried not to think about too much, making his way up the flight of stairs. As he came to his apartment door, he noticed a small note taped to the door. He squinted as he attempted to read the scribbled writing:

'See 87 for key' the note read.

Assuming this was the work of his landlord, he began looking for the number eighty seven. The apartment was relatively easy to find, given that the building only had 2 flights of stairs. Eddie noted that his landlord lived directly above him before knocking on the door. He took a step back as he waited for a response.

A few seconds passed, then a whole minute did and still... No answer. Not wanting to seem too eager, he decided against knocking again. This decision was forfeited once 2 minutes elapsed without any sign of life inside that apartment. Eddie knocked once again, this time more forcefully which, luckily, yielded results. An older gentlemen with large bi-focal glasses opened the door, smiling, though he did look a tad frazzled.

"Can i help you?" he asked, pushing the bridge of his glasses up his nose.

"I think so... Uh, i hope so." he nervously chuckled. "I'm moving into 82...." he trailed off, pointing at his feet in reference to the vacant apartment below them.

"Oh, yes. Eddie, is it?" the man asked, eyeing him up and down curiously.

Eddie nodded, feeling slightly uneasy under his landlord's inquisitive gaze.

"Brian, pleasure." the old man extended his hand while smiling.

They shook hands and Eddie was taken aback by Brian's strong grip, especially considering his small stature. He handed Eddie the key and gave him the rundown of the building. Despite it's dodgy appearance, this appeared to be a great place to live. Rent was affordable, his landlord was nice and the interior of his bachelor pad was newly renovated.

After two hours and several tedious trips up and down the stairs, Eddie was finally settled in. He sat on the window seat overlooking the city, feeling excited for the morning to come. When it eventually did, he embarked on then next task at hand; finding a job. He figured it wouldn't be too difficult in a city this size, and began wandering the streets, walking into all shops and bars in sight within walking distance from his home.

Eventually, he found a shoe store that was hiring. Now, this wasn't the kind of excitement he was hoping for, but given his circumstance and dire need for cash, it would have to do for now.

_

Following a closing shift one Saturday night, he decided to venture down the bustling street, figuring a night out on the town would lift his spirits. Luckily the shoe store wasn't strict on attire, so Eddie rolled out of there wearing his nicer pair of jeans along with a Van Halen band tee and his trusty leather jacket. He eventually stumbled upon a small rock junction with a flashing neon light reading 'LIVE! SHOWS! EVERY! SATURDAY!'

Obnoxious advertising aside, he was intrigued, and decided to give this place a chance. He felt right at home once her entered, noting that it was very clearly a dive bar similar to the one he used to play at with his former band back in Hawkins.

Given it's size, it didn't take much time for him to find the bar and order himself a beer. His usual go to of Pabst Blue Ribbon was anything but his favorite, but it was the cheaper option. He thanked the bar tender and found a spot to stand within the small crowd gathered near the stage. Eddie noticed almost instantly the lead singer's inebriated state as he swayed and screeched the lyrics into the mic. Eddie quickly took a large sip of his beer in an attempt to hide the grimace forming on his face. He hoped that maybe after a few drinks himself, the drunkard would sound better.

He didn't.

The band carried on for another 10 excruciating minutes, the crowd filing out of the bar as they tried to escape the horrendous performer. Eddie stayed put though, amused yet feeling sorry for the rest of the band mates who looked absolutely horrified.

Without warning, the man hurled the mic down to the ground, causing a shrill ring to blast through the sound system. He then stumbled off the stage, yelling words at his bandmates that Eddie couldn't quite make out before stumbling out the back door.

Eddie downed the rest of his beer, placed it on a nearby table waiting to be bussed and headed out the front door. Once outside, he leaned against the brick wall, sighing as he looked for his pack of cigarettes.

'What a night.' he thought to himself.

His attention was diverted to the front door swinging open and an agitated woman storming out. Eddie avoided eye contact, trying to mind his business and not irritate her further.

"Got a light?" she blurted out, staring directly at him.

Eddie froze at the sudden interaction, eyes widening. He quickly snapped out of it, hurriedly digging in his pocket to retrieve it. He pulled out the small blue lighter, flicking it before the cigarette placed between her lips.

Once he successfully lit it, they stood together quietly, Eddie not daring to speak a word. From experience, he knew better than to try to feign encouragement to make someone feel better about a clearly shitty situation. The antsy woman paced around for a bit, before turning to face him once more.

"You don't happen to know any available front men, do you?"

Eddie chuckled at her desperate, unexpected plea. "Uh.. none that you'd be interested in". he responded while putting out his cigarette.

She perked up. "What do you mean by that?"

"None in the city, i mean..." he quickly corrected himself.

"Shit..." she muttered under her breath, her disappointment very evident.

Eddie felt bad for bending the truth... He would be a front man, hell he was one once! But this band was different than anything he had ever played before, and he knew better than to try to live up to an expectation he knew he couldn't live up to.

"Well, thanks for the light." She offered a kind smile before retreating inside the bar.

"Good luck!" Eddie called out, truly wishing her the best.

_

June, 1988

It had been a month now since Eddie had moved to the city, and he had become quite comfortable here. He finally ditched the shoe store, finding work at a record store where he restored donated instruments, a gig that proved to be urgently needed given how many busted up Les Pauls' ended up in his care. He had yet to make any friends, apart from his co-workers, but that felt like plenty for now. Especially since his time off was mostly spent wandering the nearby shops or visiting friends and Wayne back in Hawkins.

The only real complaint he could think of was with his landlord, Marvin, who had a nasty habit of falling asleep at the drop of a dime. This would often result in the tap being left on causing flooding in his apartment. This, in turn, would lead to the flooding of Eddie's apartment as well.

Despite Eddie's patience and understanding for the older gentleman, he had reached his breaking point one morning when he was awoken by the uncomfortable feeling of damp sheets surrounding him.

"...what... the fuck..." he mumbled while sitting up from his drenched mattress. He instinctively looked up just as a droplet of water splatted on his forehead. "God dammit!!" he screeched, the covers flinging off of his body and onto the floor from the motion of him launching out of bed.

He hurried to his closet where he practically ripped his house coat off the hanger, shoving his arms through the sleeves and tying the loose belt around his waist. He stormed up the staircase and hurried over to apartment 82.

After knocking several times with varying amounts of force, the brass door creaked open. Marvin appeared in the doorway looking rather disheveled, wearing a similar house coat to Eddie's. The older gentlemen chuckled at the sight of his young tenant, not used to seeing him look so.. flustered. "I'm sorry Eddie, you know how i get after I've had tea." was all the gentleman offered as he looked at him apologetically.

Eddie often wondered if the tea in question happened to be laced with some type of sleep agent. Nevertheless, he no longer wanted to deal with it, deciding right then and there to look for new places to live.

His search for one bedroom apartments proved to be a challenge, as most of the places he was interested in were way out of his budget. He was forced to look for bedrooms to lease, even though he wasn't keen on the idea of having roommates.

After a slew of disappointing visits to sketchy buildings with even sketchier people, he had but two ads in the paper left to respond to. One was on the far side of town, and the other was a room a few blocks away from his place. He figured he'd start with the further option since the description of the place sounded a lot nicer than the latter.

After a lengthy cab ride, the car pulled up to a building stained with light blue paint lazily applied onto the brick wall. He exited the cab after paying the driver and made his way into the building. Despite the unkept exterior, the lobby was very nice and even came equip with an elevator, something Eddie wasn't so lucky to have where he currently resided.

He eagerly got into the elevator, pressing onto the number four until it illuminated, signaling it's final destination before promptly shutting the doors. Finding the listed apartment was fairly easy given the small amount of homes per floor. He knocked on the door and waited patiently for his potential roommates to answer. He only had to wait a couple of seconds for the door to swing open, a stark contrast from how long it takes for Marvin to respond.

"No shit!" a familiar voice exclaimed.

'"Oh, hey!" Eddie replied, surprised to find the keyboard player from the bar standing before him.

"What? What is it?" came a muffled voice from another room.

"Just some guy i know." the woman responded, smiling amusingly. Eddie couldn't help but smirk at her response. 'Some guy i know' was generous given their brief interaction a month ago.

"Eddie." he said introducing himself.

"Well, Eddie, you come to see the place?" she began before extending her hand. "I'm Steph."

"Uh, yeah! I saw your ad in the paper..." he shook her hand in return.

"Why you moving, Eddie?" the voice called from afar. "You get evicted or something?" he questioned challengingly.

"Don't mind him." Steph responded while smiling warmly, a stark contrast to her annoyed tone. "He assumes the worst in people."

"Because people are the worst!"

She rolled her eyes in response. "Well, come on in! It's a two bedroom, but we converted the living room into a bedroom, which don't worry! Is not the room you'll be staying in!" she spoke rapidly while making her way through each room. Eddie followed along, though he struggled to keep up.

Steph guided him to the bedrooms, urging Eddie to enter the larger vacant one. "This is the master," she stated. "perks include more space and access to the fire escape!"

Eddie stepped inside to have a look. Although he liked what he was seeing, he wanted to make sure it wasn't too good to be true.

"And you said 200$?" he asked while inspecting the room.

"A month, yeah. Usually we'd get you to pay first and last's but... We're kind of desperate..." she admitted, trailing off.

"Desperate, huh? Well, when could i move in?"

"Tomorrow's good!" she eagerly responded.

Eddie raised his eyebrows, unable to prevent the chuckle from escaping his lips. Just then, a man appeared behind her, presumably the voice that rang through the apartment earlier.

"You're really dropping the ball here, Stephanie." he teased as he put both hands on her shoulders. She quickly shrugged them off of her, turning to glare. "Eddie, is it?" the man continued.

Eddie hummed in acknowledgment.

"Tom." he said dryly.

"Or Thomas if he's being a real prick." Steph chimed in, clearly retaliating for his prior use of her full name.

"Don't call me that." Tom said in a stern manor, pointing a threatening finger at Eddie.

"Noted, Steph and Tom." Eddie reassured, raising both hands up defensively. He had to admit, Tom's attitude was slightly off-putting and he certainly found his and Steph's dynamic odd, but amusing nonetheless. Despite this, Eddie felt that he was a pretty good judge of character, and apart from this small quirk, the lack alarm bells sounding off in his brain helped him make a decision.

He took a leap and agreed to move in, which in tern, caused Steph to leap as well.

Literally.

-

September, 1988

Despite everything that resulted in Eddie seeking a new apartment and Steph's eager offer for him to move in so soon, he chose to give Marvin a few month's notice out of respect. After all, he wasn't a bad guy, he just had a bad habit.

Luckily, there were no more incidents leading up to him leaving and soon enough, moving day came. Much to his surprise, his new roommates offered a helping hand, though Tom seemed less than pleased. What would have normally taken Eddie a full day, only took two hours.

Once all of his belongings were set in his room, Eddie walked around his new place, taking in small details he hadn't noticed before. For example, the collection of shot glasses neatly placed on a hanging shelf near the kitchen. He couldn't help the smile that formed on his face, the arrangement reminded him of his uncle's collection of mugs back at the trailer.

Steph appeared behind him, gazing up at the shelf. "Oh, yeah! Just a.. silly little thing i like to do." she stated, seeming proud of the display.

"My uncle's got a bunch of mugs he collects, too."

"Does your uncle steal them from bars and restaurants, too?"

Eddie turned to face her, eyes wide and fully invested in what he thought was just mindless chit chatting. He glanced back at the collection, then to Steph one more. He nodded, his lips forming into a pout while his eyebrows raised. "Impressive."

-

October, 1988

The trio had gotten closer in the small amount of time spent living together. Tom finally warmed up to Eddie, allowing him to see the good side of him that wasn't always snarky and judgmental. He opened up to Eddie one night following a smoking session, speaking of his tumultuous upbringing. The pair bonded over shared experiences, and realized that they actually had quite a lot in common. Thus, a friendship blossomed where Eddie didn't think it would.

As for Steph, they became close almost instantaneously, all thanks to her bubbly, in your face personality. Their banter, though not as intense as hers and Tom's, was always cause for entertainment. Unlike the men, Steph had lead a simple life, some might even call it easy. Her lack of trauma was almost unbelievable to Eddie, but it made him very protective of his new friend. In his eyes, if she was lucky enough to have gone through 24 years of life without experiencing hardships, now was not the time for that to happen.

Eddie as well as his roommates had varying work schedules, which often resulted in at least one person being left alone at the house.

This time, it was Eddie's turn for some much needed me time. He spent the afternoon reading and smoking in his favorite spot: the fire escape. Though, spending more than an hour at a time in there resulted in him being covered in dust and debris, most likely becoming airborne from the speeding cars passing by.

This slight annoyance caused him to cut his reading session short, heading inside in desperate need of a shower. With everyone out of the house, Eddie didn't feel as bad blasting his music through his stereo as he occupied the bathroom. He sang along loudly to the Black Sabbath album playing through the apartment without a care in the world. He lathered his hair in foamy shampoo, enjoying every minute of this warm shower when suddenly, the bathroom door swung open and a wide eyed Steph came gawking in.

"JESUS CHRIST!!" he exclaimed, quickly covering his bottom half with his hands.

"You sing?!" she shouted over the music still blaring, paying no mind to his naked body.

"Uh, yeah...Do you knock??" he blurted out, now blushing from her presence.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she pushed on.

"Can we have this conversation some other time? Maybe when i'm not naked, THREE FEET AWAY FROM YOU."

Steph rolled her eyes, storming forward and pulling the transparent curtain aside causing Eddie to yelp. "Like this thing covers anything anyway. Besides, i don't care about that right now. Why didn't you tell me you can sing, you could have joined our band ages ago!"

"Because, you... Could you at least hand me that towel?" he asked pleadingly.

"No." she responded without missing a beat, causing Eddie to sigh.

"I didn't think you'd want me to join... Our styles are so... different. Plus, don't you need a bass player?"

"And a singer!" she corrected.

"Right... But i don't play bass, remember?" he asked rhetorically, knowing Steph had seen his guitar hanging up on his bedroom wall.

"I know, jackass." she said, throwing the towel at him. "But if we have you as our lead, it'll be way easier finding a bass player rather than someone who can do both! You've heard of two birds, one stone? Well this is one stone and you're the bird!"

Eddie paused, blinking slowly while trying to decipher her jumbled metaphor. "What...are you talking about...?"

"Forget it, can you just do me this one favor, and please join the band?" she pleaded, bringing her hands up to intertwine her fingers.

"If i say yes will you get the hell out of here?" he asked, wanting nothing more than for this interaction to be over.

"No backsies?" she urged, narrowing her eyes.

"Yeah, fine!!" Eddie blurted out, growing frustrated as the foamy shampoo began trickling down his forehead and into his eyes.

Steph shrieked excitedly while exiting the bathroom. "Alright! Let's find that other bird!"

_

𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 2

[breathlesslink]

Chapter Four — Truth

[chapter warnings: cursing, dark past, hints at depression/grief, death topics]

t.o.c ; << | >>

a/n: hi everyone thanks for being so patient w me i know i’m bad at updating regularly idk what my issue is. also this chapter is for sure just a filler to get the reader’s backstory and motivation it’s literally ALL dialogue thank u love u

Pissed was an understatement.

You knew your sleep felt too fulfilling. You felt it in your dreams that you'd been sleeping for too long.

Link had chosen not to wake you for your night shift, opting to sit on a stool next to your bed with a book lying around the stable the entire night.

You felt off, wondering why chirping birds had woken you from your slumber instead of Link, before shooting up in the bed and looking around. It was getting light outside, the clock on one of the support beams of the stable reading "6:20".

Beside you, Link dog-eared the book page and tilted his head innocently. "Are you alright?"

"You!" Your head whipped around to him, "You didn't wake me up!"

"You needed sleep."

"So do you, asshat."

Link shook his head, putting the book down and standing up to stretch. "I slept for 100 years. I'm fully rested still."

You rolled your eyes. "As if."

Still slightly seething, you kicked the blankets off, shivering as the cool air hit your legs. You quickly put your socks and shoes on, grabbing your bag and getting ready to travel. Link was already outside readying the horses, and he handed you an apple for breakfast.

Taz and Epona seemed to follow the trails by heart now, which made it incredibly easy for Link to multitask looking at the paper map. He lifted the sheet up to you, pointing at a specific spot that was marked with an X.

"This mark is supposed to be Zora's Domain." He explains, "It'll probably take a while to get there, especially if we try to just catch stables to rest. Hate to break it to you, but we might be coming upon our first camp."

You groaned, half playfully and half not. Who could blame you, though?

"Goodbye, warm bed." You slumped into Taz's neck, earning a small chuckle from Link. "Are we going to the tower first? To get the actual map on your little gadget?"

"The Sheikah Slate? Yes." Link squinted at the map for a second time. "Before that, though. I want to head back to Impa to talk to her about my memories, so maybe we can take a shortcut through Kakariko to cut down time."

"We'd have to turn back and go down the other trail." You replied.

"It's like, a 10 minute ride back. You'll be fine."

"I'm not complaining!" You gasped, feigning offense. "If anything I'm, uh, rejoicing."

Link quirked an eyebrow. "About what? You can't be that excited to spend more time with me." He teased. The longer you spent with him, the more sassy and talkative he's become. Your only choice is to rival his sarcasm with your own.

"You're gonna make me hurl." You shot back, "In actuality, I want to ask her some things too." Sensing Link's silence as a motion to continue, you did. "She had to have known my parents before my siblings and I got taken. We lived in Kakariko. So maybe she knows something about the night it happened or anything that could lead me to Hiro."

You were silently kicking yourself in the rear for not thinking of it before, when you were originally in Kakariko. If Impa had been the Chief 100 years before your existence, and has been since then, then surely she knew of your family.

Link nodded, not pushing further. He'd figured out by now that your past was something you weren't ready to talk about. You both turned the horses around and headed back up the road, basking in a comfortable silence as you traveled towards the village.

———

Impa spoke to Link first.

You were allowed to stay in the room this time, as Link had told her you were traveling partners. It was interesting to watch from the sidelines as the two spoke of Link's missions— the Divine Beasts, Ganon, regaining his memories.

It all seemed so overwhelming to you, and yet Link stood firm. Ready to give his life again for a country he didn't even remember. You admired him for it.

It made your own mission seem smaller in comparison, so when Impa sent Link out to run errands for her for you to speak alone, you felt like a bug. Just waiting to be squashed under scrutiny. But that insecurity faded quickly as the door shut behind Link and Impa regarded you with a warm, familiar smile.

"It's been quite a long time, hasn't it?"

Relief flooded your system. She remembered you.  "Yeah." You let out a breathy laugh, "It has. I, uh, actually have some questions. About that night."

"It seems as if trauma does not discriminate with repressed memories, does it? Whether it be an abduction or a hundred-year-old injury."

Pressing your lips together, you agreed once more. You struggled to make the words come out of your mouth. Too many questions floated through your head, and you couldn't choose which to ask first. As if sensing your unease, Impa spoke again.

"I'm assuming you'd like to know what happened."

You nodded. "It's been so long. Even if I did remember it all, it would be fuzzy."

"You were eleven whenever the Yiga attacked Kakariko. Your brother was eight, and your sister was only two." Impa started from the beginning, her eyes continuously assessing your reaction. "They came in the middle of the night, and lit the town ablaze. The people of Kakariko evacuated and met up at the mouth of the mountain, where the entrance to the town is, and did a headcount. Your entire family was nowhere to be found."

"What happened to my parents?" You were aware of the implications, and figured they had moved on from such a traumatic event in their life. Perhaps they had moved to another village to escape.

Impa averted her eyes, which confirmed the worst for you. "We found their bodies, but we could not find you three. We thought that perhaps the flames burned so hot that you all were gone without a trace, but soon after, a few Sheikah soldiers went undercover at the Yiga hideout for intel. Calamity Ganon is close to being back, so the Yiga have been more active.

We found files pertaining you— they had been watching for years. Waiting for a moment to strike. We wanted to get you out, but the Yiga had you all so heavily guarded. It was nearly impossible. One day, however, another mission went undercover and couldn't find you. That's when we heard of the escape. I figured it was only a matter of time until one of you came home."

You didn't speak for a moment, letting it all sink in. They were actively trying to find you. "Why us? We were just kids."

"100 years ago, before Calamity Ganon's return, your great grandfather was the top researcher of Sheikah technology. He worked alongside the King of Hyrule, Princess Zelda, and myself to prepare for the battle ahead." Impa smiled fondly, as if she was remembering the good times with your ancestor. "For some reason, the Guardians just listened to him. They activated at his touch while dead to everyone else. They were finicky things— still dangerous, even back then. And yet they'd listen to everything your great grandfather did.

The same went for your grandmother, and then your mother. My guess is that the Yiga believed one of you possessed the same gift of controlling such uncontrollable energy that our ancient technology contained. They wanted you on their side, so they could easily control it whenever the time came."

Reeling. That was the only word to describe your mental state.

You'd spent years— captive and free— wondering why. Why such things happened to you, how you played into these little plans that the Goddesses gave you. It almost felt comforting, though, when there was doubt. An idea that the Yiga grabbed you for no reason, or had the wrong people.

"How did you recognize me? It's been eight years."

"You're the mirror image of your father, dear." Impa gestured to the right of her, to a picture on the wall. You cautiously walked towards it, nervous to see whatever the frame held, yet fear was soon replaced with an entire flurry of emotions. 

Happiness, nostalgia. Grief. 

It was a family of five-- your family. You held Kimi against your hip, smiling a toothy, child-like grin as the baby version of your sister sucked her thumb. Hiro sported his signature pout, the picture taken while he was in the middle of rolling his eyes. Very typical. 

What stuck out the most, however, was your parents. Their eyes were shining so brightly, and their smiles matched. Your mom was looking at you and your siblings with absolute adoration. Your father looked at her in the exact same way. 

Your heart ached.  

They loved you so much. They probably gave their lives protecting you, Hiro, and Kimi until the very end. 

"This was taken only days before the incident." Impa explained, "It hangs as a memorial, but I want you to take it. Keep it as your own memorial now, in remembrance of not only your family, but also for your journey." 

"My family isn't entirely gone. I  found Kimi, just not Hiro." 

Impa sighed. "I cannot help you there, but he is out there. An old lady knows it all." There was a twinkle in her eye as she winked. "Another thing. Rely on Link more. He speaks highly of you." 

"He does? I haven't done anything, though--"

"100 years ago, Link was regarded as the Silent Knight." Impa all but interrupted you, presumably to keep you away from the route of self-doubt. "He never spoke to anyone. It took the Princess ages to even get a sentence out of him. I know not if it has to do with him simply forgetting who he used to be, or your presence, but he is open. Talkative. Relaxed. I saw him smile for the first time during our talk today, and it was when he was telling a story about you. Link is opening up to you, and it would help your journey so much if you did the same." 

You looked back at the picture frame on the wall. At first, you felt so much despair thinking about the family you'd lost. You hadn't even thought about what you gained. 

Your family in Gerudo-- Romah, Olu, Ashai, even the newest Chief had made your acquaintance during your stay. Impa. Link. 

People were there to support you, even if they weren't your family. They were found, not given, and chose you. Going out of their way to love you. 

And as you took the picture out of the frame and folded it into your pocket, thanking Impa for her time, you smiled. A real, genuine smile. The first one in a very long time. 

"And don't forget to pull your collar up on the back of your neck!" 

[delopsia]

Del,

I loved the haunted house blurp! It had me thinking , would our trio do a corn maze? Who's the best navigator? Do Rhett and Bob fight at every turn to figure out which way to go? Bob knows his way around due to being a WSO but does that in the air training transfer to being on the ground too? Rhett probably knows directions pretty well but can be a stubborn mule. How long do you think it would take them to complete the maze? Do they stop for sneaky kisses?

I personally couldn't find my way out of a shoe box so I'd be no help lol.

Omg I forgot about corn mazes! I'm so sorry I took forever on this 😭

Events like corn mazes are the thing that truly set apart Rhett and Bob's differences. Rhett's better with the land, and he could probably navigate himself from New York to California with nothing but the sun and the moon to guide him. Bob is better with crops, can tell from a glance what bug has been nibbling on the leaves, if they've had too much water or not enough.

Surprisingly, they're horrible when it comes to the other's talent. Bob can't navigate (on the ground) to save his life, doesn't know where he's going or what the land may be trying to tell him, and Rhett can kill a plant just by looking at it. Flowers, succulents, hell, he's even killed a cactus.

So, when it comes to the mazes, Rhett is the navigator. All he needs is a quick glance at the map before you go in, and he's got it down. The exit faces the west, so you must continue trying to go, well, west! He knows his directions the best out of the three, but he likes to keep it to himself.

Bob and Reader have no damn clue where they're going or how far they've made it. Whereas Rhett can tell you which direction is north and south without batting an eye, Bob takes a little longer to figure it out from the ground. He's become a little too used to having a compass to rely on.

"This is west, right?" Bob chirps after a moment, wary blue eyes flicking up to meet with Rhett's. "...right?"

The wavering upturn of Rhett's lips is the biggest 'no' he's ever gotten in his life. "That's north, Bobby."

"So, which way is west?"

"Well, that's gonna cost you both a kiss."

Because Rhett, as stubborn as he is, has begun charging for his assistance, and the only currencies he accepts are kisses and something not appropriate for corn mazes. But he doesn't quite know what to do when Bob and Reader yank him down and pepper his flushed cheeks with as many kisses as they can give him.

And maybe it would have led to rushing out of the maze in a dash for the car, desperate to stumble in the front door in a tangled frenzy, leaving a trail of clothes that led to the bedroom, if Bob hadn't gotten distracted by a stalk of corn, afflicted by some sort of fungus.

"It's sick :("

And that's why it takes an hour to get through a thirty-minute maze.

[draagu]

outer wildss agaibns

yello! back again!

first things first i conquered my fears again and went back to the dark bramble, thanks to the hints of a wonderful amazing cool fren, i found the 3rd escape pod! unscathed this time too!

despite the nomai leaving a light trail, i still managed to go the wrong way apparently and stumbled into a cave of many, many anglerfish:

managed to eject and make my way towards the red light i initially was aiming for, which was like a bunch of angler eggs or something, but pushed past and went through yet another seed

and hey! made it to the vessel even still!

cool tidbits there, its nice and also sad that its still receiving messages from other vessels

but! that control panel(?) passcode? thingy? i have some theories over what it does or how to mess with it! I don't even know if I can get anything inside the vessel to work anymore but hey worth a thought.

i've started to take notice to the reoccurring shape--hexagon?--and its like the shape of the nomai's antlers I believe, or at least the statues!

if or if not this is actually important, I think it's a neat detail nonetheless, very curious

anywho! after that i went to the sun station again! and made the cross! again thanks to the hints of wonderful fren :>

i kind of forgot if i had learnt anything about the purpose of the sun station beforehand, so learning that they were purposefully trying to supernova the sun was, something. not sure why, but hey it failed i guess

the mural in the station caught my eye though, the sun and the eye being equal on a scale was hmmm

also I found. multiple. ash twin projection stones today, I really need to figure out what is going on there, but that was another thing that sparked my interest in the hexagons, since they light up behind the glowing heads. also, what's the reason behind only three of the head glowing, if any?

nn then i managed to get into the black hole forge, some neat stuff here n there, mainly warp core things i sort of figured out on my own, still neat tho! forgot if it was here or not, but the ash twin center has a warp pad! wheres the counterpart warp pad so I can get there, I must find!

after that I triieeed again on the quantum moon to get it to the 6th location, no luck though. I am able to get the shrine to the north pole, or at least I think, I shoot my little scout in and let it teleport till I see it at the north on the map and snap a picture, but what I do after that I unno. I think I'm missing something or just not realizing something, but it's definitely not moving to the location in the first place ;-;

still have some theories I can test out for next time though! not losing hope yet. currently thinking I can do something with making everything dark, if possible, but we'll see

I only realized today that the quantum moons land correlates to the planet it orbits, guess I had it at the twins each time before, is there new things on each land?

also only realized today that the moon also shifts the nomai body pose around when you look away, so I may have messed around with that for no good reason

ended it off by telling chert that modern nomai knew the galaxy was dying, so uh, sorry chert

to do: go back to bramble again for stuff I missed, and go the safer way if possible, figure out quantum moon, figure out anything about the ash twin project center, and a little less to my concern but also the lakebed cave on the ember twin

[t-h-i-n-g]

Day Four: Candlelit Confessions

Character: Sam Winchester

b's halloween 31 day bash m.masterlist

a/n: day Four and we got SAMMY, omg I want this sm. I WANT HIM-

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

"Mmm, pumpkin spice," you hummed. The candle in front of you flickers as a light trail of smoke fluttered into the air. The table illuminated as the other candles continued to light up the surrounding areas.

The bunkers' generator had previously gave out. Apparently a little storm makes a top secret underground surviver reinforced basement just absolutely crumble.

That's what youre saying it is anyways. Dean is currently checking what the hell has happened in the breaker room as you and Sam looked at the blue prints to see if they had some magic reason for the incident. Well more like Sam was looking. You were just taking in the comforting scents and watching as the candles light flashed crossed Sam's features.

Both actions were quite enjoyable.

"It just doesn't make sense. After everything this place has been through. One thunder storm and it's done for," his tone laced more confusion than actual frustration.

You hummed in reply, curling further into the comforter you had brought with you to cuddle with in your chair. Plopping your chin onto your knees which were brought close to your chest, you sighed.

Sam's eyes darted to you for a second before retreating back to the maps once your eyes met his. He cleared his throat.

"Everything okay?"

"No," you drawled. Sam raised a brow, waiting for an explanation. "It's just that... Yknow. We're here."

"We are."

"And it's just us. No Dean around for the first time in forever." Sams gaze grew slightly wider. He scanned across your nonchalant figure. Your head was placed in the crook of your elbow while your finger traced the carved out initials in the table.

"What are you trying to get at, Y/n?"

Sighing again you looked over from the candle up to Sams face. His eyes held yours.

"I've never confessed by candle light before. Have you, Sammy?" you whispered. The man visably gulped.

"Uh- ehem. Me- me neither, no." A small smile grew on the corner of your lips.

Sam had not mentally prepared for this conversation. A little heads up would have been nice-

"I think I'm about to do a first," you stated, picking your head up to place it in your palm. Your smile had doubled in size. Your features were lit by the candle light so perfectly.

Sam's face slowly mirrored yours.

"I think I'm about to, too "

[seldomscilence16]

Whumptober day 28:

"We might not make it to the morning, so go on and tell me now."

Bloody knife | sacrifice | "You'll have to go through me."

Fandom: Voltron (El dorado Au)

Prompts used: All

Alright so, I have so much I want to do with this au, so this is short and does end on a vague cliff hanger (heheh). If you've watched the movie you can assume the end, however when I get around to writing this fully, it may be different to how you'd expect. This was intended however, to end up as a Klank story (is that right?), and while it's not present in this it will be in the full one.

TW for blood

…

El Dorado. The city of gold, gifted to mortals by the Gods over a thousand years ago. It was a legend to many, a myth to many more, a hope to some.

Keith and Hunk had differing views, before this whole journey began. Hunk had wanted something solid and tangible- Spain, or any of the civilizations they knew and had seen before their eyes. Keith had adventure in his eyes, a yearning to go and find and discover and MOVE. The map had given them something, a trail to blaze rather than an ocean of peril.

Their semi-stolen, rescuer to rescued, horse hadn't been completely swayed, but was loyal enough to stay with them- which Hunk took as a win. Especially when they found the natives- well they found them- were led to El Dorado, and decided to pretend to be Gods. And honestly, everything had been surprisingly fine!

Until Keith got fed up with Haggar's bs- which yeah fair, but come on!- and now they were… well here.

Confined to their temple- to bask or rest or pray, Hunk couldn't even recall- because tomorrow they had to prove their Godness again. The anniversary of El Dorado's creation and the day before they were set to leave, a big event with the Gods themselves present.

"You just had to upset Haggar!" Hunk is pacing, heart pounding and breaths short and mind racing.

"I didn't know she'd do… this!" He gestures vaguely to encompass their situation.

"Oh gee, the chick that speaks for the Gods that's been on our butts since we got here gets pissed off and talks about a big deal event to get said butts caught!? Wow so surprising!"

"Hunk, I'm sorry, okay! We can figure this out, so stop panicking!"

"Oh yeah let me just turn it off! We might not make it to the morning, so go on and tell me now, what brilliant plan do you have to get us out of here!?" Hunks worked himself up to full on panic.

"If you panic I'm gonna panic! I need your brain! Or else I'm gonna end up jumping off the stairs and hoping I fly!"

"Geez. The horse was right, you two are a mess."

"Lance!" The two turn to find their native guide standing just inside their back entrance, Shiro- their horse- behind him.

"How have you two made it this far?" He mumbles, looking over his shoulder to ensure he wasn't followed.

"This isn't a normal con!" Keith hisses, nerves still high strung, "If they find out we're lying, we're dead!"

"Only because Haggar has her claws in everything. The Chief doesn't like her or her ways, so all you have to do tomorrow is get him on your side and the people will follow."

"You make it sound so easy!" Hunk whines, though both men have calmed down.

Lance is quiet, and the two finally take notice of his own nervous energy.

"Lance? Is there something else we should know?" Keith ventures carefully, the two step closer, each reaching for a hand.

He allows the motion, squeezing gently as he offers up a smile, it falls short to the sunny ones he'd shared the past few days.

"Tomorrow, just… focus on getting out of it alive. You just have to make it through tomorrow then you can take your boat of gold and leave."

"And then WE can take OUR boat of gold and leave." Hunk corrects quickly, nerves growing again.

"Yeah, we have a plan." Keith agrees, intense stare directed at his tan face.

Lance doesn't meet their eyes, instead smiling wide enough for them to squeeze closed, giving their hands one more strong grip.

"Right. I have to go, tomorrow will be fine." Lance pulls away, turning quickly towards where he came.

"We'll all make it out of here Lance." Keith says it firmly, no room for doubt.

"We're in this together." Hunk concurs.

"Get some sleep you two, you'll need your strength tomorrow."

.

.

.

"My Lieges, once again, my apologies for yesterdays… difference of opinions." Haggar offers a smile, long fingers steepled before her, hood hiding her eyes from view. The smile is not comforting, its disconcerting and down right creepy.

"Right well, bigones." Keith waves the lackluster apology away, neutral face hiding how fast his heart is beating.

Hunk and Keith had barely slept, pressed side by side on the plush bed nest, dreading the day to come, trying to think of some feat they could fake. Shiro had been just as nervous, the armadillo that'd been following them around since they arrived curled up on his back as the two almost seemed to converse. To top it all off, they hadn't seen Lance since he left last night. They'd need another miracle to pull all this off.

"I have a gift, one that will hopefully please the Gods this time."

Keith looks ready to protest, to angrily tell her off once again about needless sacrifices, only for the very Earth to shake as a huge stone beast descends from Haggar's temple. The people scream, Hunk frozen beside Keith as they stare upon the crazy woman dwarfed by the glowing eyed creature behind her.

"I have had my eyes opened, the Gods command they do not want Sacrifices, it is because those will not do! The new age is upon us, and a mass cleanse is needed to please the Gods!"

"Quiznak." Keith mutters darkly.

"Unless of course, they wish to speak for themselves?" Her voice is a tad mocking, and the two realize she knows, their jig is up, and these people may very well pay for it.

"The Gods do not deal with petty mortals in their own realm, Haggar!" The voice comes from higher ground, they whip around to find Lance atop Shiro on one of the higher ledges of the city. "You will be judged in their realm and dealt punishment that you are past due for. So say the Gods!"

"What is he doing?" Hunk whispers aghastly.

"Xibalba." Keith utters back, "The whirlpool." He turns to Hunk and sees the realization dawn on his face.

They nod at each other, and turn as one towards the giant beast,

"Yes! Our brothers and sisters upon the higher realm shall judge you accordingly! You, the false prophet, shall not haunt these people any longer!" Hunks voice deepens dramatically as he speaks, false bravado the only thing keeping his panic at bay.

"We shall end this here!" Keith agrees, the people have mostly scattered, but those that haven't quickly follow coarse.

The beast roars, Haggar grinning far too brightly, as the chase begins.

They run through the winding paths of El Dorado, destination clear in their mind, trying to keep steady as every pounce behind them shakes the ground. They suppose they should be grateful Haggar hated them so, or else this chase would be meaningless. Now they simply had to hope this plan worked, lest this be the end of it all.

As the ledge finally comes into view, the area desolate, they slide to a stop.

"False Gods. Now everyone will know the truth of your divinity, and it will be you to be judged! I know what you are, and I know what you are not! And you are not Gods!"

Haggar and the beast block their exit, and they realize they may not have thought this through-

"You're not a God? You… lied to me?" Lance comes, seemingly, out of nowhere, eyeing them both with betrayal.

His eyes motion behind him-

"What? No, he lied to both of us!" Hunk jumps in, pointing at Keith.

"I did not! It was your plan!" Keith fires back, poking Hunks chest.

"You're the one who wanted gold first!"

"Well you're the one falling for your own con!"

"Well at least I didn’t drool at first sight!"

"Oh don't even! Low blow! You gooey eyed him too!"

"You guys said you were gonna ascend! I can't believe you lied to my people!"

They've steadily moved, argument turning physical as they get between the beast and Haggar who watches them with sick glee.

"This is all you're-" Hunk and Keith have a fist in each other's shirts, arms pulled back to sock eachother in the jaws, but before they can do a finishing move, the beast roars once more.

Haggar launches herself at them, knife pulled from some hidden fold of her robes, manic smile bright, only for it to fall as knife plunges into someone else.

Lance stands between them now, knife buried just below his belly button, but face set in a glare.

"You'll have to go through me."

The knife is yanked out- blood splattering across its surface and the stones below- an outraged yell combining with the creature's Earth rumbling bellow. As the beast lunges forward, Keith wraps an arm around Lance as he and Hunk jump to the sides, vine in hand. Haggar's scream echoes, as the ledge breaks off with the weight of the once stone statue, and disappears in the whirlpool below.

[elizmanderson]

2022 wrap-up, part 4

part 1 is here

part 2 is here

part 3 is here

istg this is the last part. it just turns out I did more stuff this year than I thought, which is exactly why I do these wrap-ups for myself every year. otherwise I fixate on the bad parts or the parts where I did nothing yet somehow also failed to rest.

travel

new york

I went to NYC for the first time ever for my friend chelsea's book launch! the officially unofficial one that we had for her in central park, since during her official book launch I was at phantom of the opera with another one of our friends who was kind enough to treat me to a broadway show

I saw and did a lot and went many places, but lowkey the highlight of my trip (aside from meeting all my long-time twitter writing peeps <3) was my last evening in the city. I had a drink at the stonewall inn and then wandered around the village, taking pictures of buildings because I was in love with the light on the fire escapes. I turned down jane street without even thinking about it.

after about a block, I was like, "wait, which street did I just turn down," and I went back to the nearest intersection to check. but nope, I'd turned down the right street without looking at my map, without paying strict attention to street signs and landmarks, without even thinking about it. I realize actual new yorkers will 100% disagree with this, but in that moment new york became a little bit mine and I became a little bit hers.

it took me months to recover financially from this trip, even with staying in a sketchy hostel and without paying for my own broadway tickets, but I loved it. a lot more than I thought I would, actually, since I grew up in the country and I'm probably three trees in a trench coat rather than an actual human person.

admittedly when I got back and saw how green the trails on our campus were, I was like "how did I even THINK I liked it there?? they kept all their nature in one place and it wasn't half this green!!" but I seriously did fall in love with the city, and yes I obnoxiously point at the screen when watching media set in manhattan like "I've been there!!" I am That Bitch.

georgia

I mean okay fine I go to georgia every year because my parents live here now. but still. I love savannah and coastal georgia in general, and this year I also visited jekyll island for the first time. I didn't stay long at jekyll, and unfortunately savannah was so cold I might as well have been back home (jk, it was sub-zero at home and a balmy 15 in savannah on the coldest night), but I always love going, I got to see my beloved atlantic, and I once again took a thousand pictures of live oaks just because.

other things

non-book media

movies: cyrano (yes it says 2021 but it wasn't at my theater until february of this year, so we're calling it 2022), bros, thor: love & thunder, ticket to paradise, see how they run, and actually encanto played at our second-run theater so I saw that in theaters again <3

tv: ofmd and only murders in the building, both new comfort shows despite one involving piracy and the other involving murder

musicals: groundhog day: the musical and come from away, and also I'm listing cyrano here in addition to above bc I love the soundtrack and have it in my car along with the other two

personal tomfoolery

we're about to go full-on diary here, but whatever bc that's how I used this blog before I got 500 new followers and ofmd ruined all other uses of said blog, so that's how I'm finishing this post

queer feels

I've both thought about and avoided about thinking about my sexuality and gender even more than I already have in the past 10 or 12 years. I like "queer" for this reason: it covers any non-allocishet identity I might ever need. it indicates that I'm part of the community while giving me space and time to figure out the particulars on my own (and reduces the need for me to come out repeatedly to the same people as I decide on new identities, which is good bc I viscerally hate coming out at all and dream of a world where I wouldn't have to). I like more particular labels for helping me figure out my experience, validating my experience, and finding other people whose experiences are similar.

I'm still thinking through they, although I admit when I asked folks to use it in a pronoun testing room I got warm fuzzies. I've avoided thinking through my gender in detail, but I bought a genderqueer sticker and enamel pin to add to my existing pride stickers and pins. it's just that it's like I have to come out to myself.

I did actually come out to my dad as queer this year. which made me feel feelings even though it shouldn't have been a big deal bc my parents are allies. my dad's literally in his law school's gsa, much to the confusion of the younger folks. I came out via email, in the spur of the moment, which is both a very me and a very internet-dad way to come out. and he basically said, "thanks for trusting me with that, but I already vibed it from your writing."

(I'm paraphrasing. my sixty-year-old, deeply uncool white-guy father didn't use the word "vibed.")

I'm quietly queer, for the most part, but every year I get a little louder. this year, with fascism on the rise and so many anti-queer and specifically anti-trans bills brought forth in so many states and me only just out of the closet to my parents (albeit less deeply in the closet in the first place than I thought I was), I talked more about my queerness than usual. I put "queer" in every single author bio for every single thing for which I needed a bio. I stickered my laptop in pride flags. I put up pride flags outside my office and pride pins inside it and joined the dei committee at work. I'm not a fighter. but I got just a little bit louder.

friend feels

I kinda started thinking some time within the last few years, how many friendships have I maybe missed out on because both of us were too insecure to take the first real step and be friends?

which has highkey always been my approach to romance. I'll get my heart broke a thousand times and still go after every new person I fall for. but when it comes to friendship, I'm like do not.

but I've been thinking this lately.

so with an existing maybe-friend, when an opportunity came along to write him a letter for a retreat he went on, I basically just wrote him a letter like "hey I care about you and I'm glad we're friends." and boom, lo and behold, he came back like "oh my goodness thank you so much for that wonderful letter," and things have been much more comfortable since then. which was a nice lil validation of my theory that sometimes people Do Not Dislike Me, In Fact, but are just as insecure in friendship as I am.

I also made a whole new friend with this new girl at work. the rsd has hit me fucking hard this year, which I do not appreciate. but I keep pushing past it and making an effort, and now I have a nice stash of good encounters stored up for when the rsd tries to bamboozle me once more. she's so welcoming and lovely and kind, so I hope things are also settled there even if sometimes I feel like they aren't because that's just how I am.

anyway, that's my year. there was a lot of weird and terrible bullshit going on locally, nationally, globally, and in the background, but there was some good shit in there, too.

here's to more friends, more books, more birds, more plants, more falling-in-love-with-cities, more kindness and good and little warm gestures in 2023.

[thegeminisage]

started up zelda to dick around for like an hour & was SHOCKED to find myself on this dragon island. its been so long i literally forgot where i was lol

its difficult to get around here! rain means climbing is hard and i cant make upward gusts from campfires easily :( maybe i need my bike...

man it reminds me so much of the great sky islands...i feel like this must be the second largest collection of islands, actually. but it's been so long since the tutorial and the music is Like That it feels like a ruin of a ruin.......

ugh i ran into the bottom of an island and lost my bike >:(

oh i see! you're not supposed to use a bike but ascend. neat!!

my other issue is. i dont have a single nonmetallic weapon OR bow. so. my twink ass is gonna get fried

and the islands are small so i keep getting ALMOST KNOCKED OFF!!! EXCUSE ME....

snagged a sword! not a very good one though

oh and a BOW thank god

like i have the lightning proof armor i do but it is not at all upgraded so id be taking my life into my hands. no win scenario

well. it's upgraded to like level 2. which is still basically nothing at this point

:D i can see farosh from here!! HEY GIRLLL

i have to put it on to ride this track though lol. the thing im riding is metal!!

wait a sec. i can just wear this lightning proof armor, put on something metal, and STAND NEXT TO the bad guys. this is awesome! zapped his ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh shit this is an eventide shrine lol. fuck my life

they should have shrines with weather i just decided. i wanna zap their asses

NOOOOOOO a shooting star :( i dont WANT to leave but i really can't afford to pass it up :( at least i got a fast travel point i suppose...

ok got it. ugh i have to pick my way back over to where i was now...

oh my god i dove into the eye and CLEARED THE STORM...? THE MUSIC CHANGED........aaaaa ok im taking a break but SO COOL

ok im BACK. this is cool as hell but tbh i miss the storm a little!!

oh!!!!! a door that requires hearts.....

wait this is too serious im going back to get ths shrine real quick

ok got it. im prepared now.

YOOOOOOOOO dude now IM being spoken to by the sage??? SICK!!!!

yet another crystal follows the beam quest lol

i. accidentally. put the fans. on this wing. backwards. and fell. straight down to. the lynels territory

IN THE SPIRIT OF FUN. I DID NOT MAKE MY BIKE. WELL GUESS WHAT I'M DOING NOW. i need. such a speedy exit oh god oh god hes gonna seeee meeee

OKAY i made it out of sight but. this thing im supposed to carry is WAY heavier than a crystal. i carry those all the time and they do make the bike wonky, even more wonky than koroks do, but i can barely get it up off the ground. i even tried the "old" bike build that im more comfortable with and no dice. i fall out of the sky as soon as i get in it. insane.

ok. i made it. jesus fuck. i remember looking for a chasm here marked on my map...i guess im about to find it. AUGH

"we must meet as soon as possible" girl have you not had to wait 10,000 years?

OH WAIT I WAS HERE...THE DUNGEON I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT...THESE LIGHTROOTS HAVE BEEN LIT........thats fuckin crazy

IM GONNA BUILD MINERU A ROBOT BODY...wow just like leverage, i knew it was coming but it's still cool

SAGE OF SPIRIT....................................WAH

wait wait. i thought they took it out of this game bc it wasnt in gerudo desert. WAAAHHHH. it's so dumb and lore breaking but im sentimental

i havent been to the depths in a long time. i forgot that it's like - you see one thing out in the dark. in this instance, poes. and when you get there you see another thing - in this instance, monsters, and behind them, a lightroot. i could make my own little trail forever this way but it would lead me away from the temple and idk if i wanna explore or do the dungeon :/ i hate to leave poes uncollected and lightroots unlit but i also hate to stray so far from ym objective and have to walk ALLLLLL the way back

whatever, dungeon it is

left leg down!!

aaand right arm! building that cart sucked but riding it was awesome

oooh the music's changing...getting a bit creepy.............

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! GLOOM TREES......................

oh god i should check for hands down here right now immediately b4 i take another step

ok im clean. thank fuck

man not for nothing but this robot factory stuff reminds me a little of skyward sword...if only this could make sense and not just in my mind palace lol

its like an escort mission for legs lo. the puzzles in whatever quadrant im in rn are MURDERING me. im just brute forcing my way thru them

WHEEEEEEEE oh my god i get to ride a raft. oh my god worth it

left arm DOWN!!!

oh the music just got a LOT creepier. just for like one section

i remember walking up this big spine last time i was here just for fun. i didn't know if i'd feel like doing it/get the chance later. but now here i am doing it again

last depot...i don't think if there's a boss i want to fight it tonight. i'm bushed lol i have work in the morning

ok. actually. i cant figure the last puzzle out and its making me mad bc im 2sleepy. so im quitting here for the night. something to look forward to.......

[dknuth]

Turkheim to Kaysersberg

Yesterday was a town to town walk. Before breakfast, I closed up my suitcase, which was way too heavy, and carried it down three flights to drop it off at the front desk where a taxi driver would pick it up and take it to the hotel in Kaysersberg. After the breakfast buffet, I headed out of town, past the Hotel de Ville, through the North gate, and up through the vineyards.

The soil in the vineyards and forests looks very dry, especially for this time of year. I've been told they need rain and while true I'm hoping it comes overnight or some other time I'm not walking.

Scattered around the edges of the vineyards are irises. Always a pleasant sight.

Continuing up into the woods I came to the small Chapelle St-Wendelin. It originally belonged to the Knights of Malta. (It seems like an out-of-the-way place for them.) It was destroyed in 1793 during the Revolution but rebuilt in 1803. Saint Wendelin is the patron saint of country people and herdsmen. The local village of Niedermorschwihr has a procession to the chapel on the first Sunday in July.

Alongside the trail, I found this pinecone heart. it was so unexpected it took me a minute to realize what it was.

The trail up at this point is slightly steep and rocky, but nice passing through the oak forests with their bright green spring leaves.

The midpoint of the day was the Monument du Galz, a large statue of Christ on the mountaintop, basically a smaller version of that above Rio de Janeiro. But that was 1,900 feet and some miles up from Turkheim.

To navigate the trails I got GPX files to load into Google Maps and a very detailed description of every possible decision point along the trail. The trails here have numerous way markings. Too numerous. They are marked with colored discs, circles, squares and triangles, as well as some specialized ones and painted blazes on the trees.

These are placed by several different organizations and some of them have "updated' their markings since the notes were published, so the colors of the route marking have changed. It often makes the descriptions in the notes confusing.

Honestly, I can't figure out a pattern. I'll be walking on a red circle route, then it will change to a yellow disc, then back to a red circle. As you can see in the left-hand photo, there are blue discs to the left and yellow triangles to the right, even though I came up this hill from the right with blue discs. You can also see that at this point Katenthal is like Rome, all trails lead there.

Then I got to the sign saying that the Galz Monument was closed. But the trail went just below it, so I walked on up and could just see the backside.

In addition, they had been doing work along the trails and dropping trees across it. It was recent work the shavings from the chainsaw were still fresh.

Then it was downhill all the way to the next valley where Kaysersberg is. I'm a lot faster going downhill, especially on good trails, so that part went quickly.

Arriving in Kaysersberg I was greeted by this very fluffy and sullen-looking cat.

[rulesforthedance]

We are route planning

[michimichim]

in fall & bloom | doyeon

disclaimer: top!fem reader x bottom!doyeon, mention of blood.

your shouts of glee resonate through the bustling streets of the city, pedestrians barely catching glimpse of your zooming figures. the autumn breeze is welcoming against your face, the sunlight warm on your skin as you veer the wheels of your bike onto the next street. your eyes occasionally gaze up at the bleeding tangerine sky through the palm branches without crashing into cars, or worse, have you and your passenger tumbling down the descending street.

“wait!” the latter suddenly yelps into your ear. you press the bike to a stop, both feet coming down to graze the gravel, then to finally land firm on the ground.

“you okay?” you ask when the bike’s stabilized, craning your neck to give doyeon a curious gaze just to find her eyeing the small dip laying a few feet away down the street. there's a pretty blush dusting her cheeks, chestnut hair outlining her forehead and even, darker lashes when her eyes glide back to yours in a form of uncertainty. she's wearing green contacts today, further accentuating her piercing gaze along with the dipping sun highlighting streaks of orange and yellow on her features.

“no way we’re going down that path.” she answers, a tone of incredulity in her voice.

“what?” your brows shoot up as you slightly look back at the road – it is a bit steep, but not dangerously so. you turn back to doyeon. “why not?”

doyeon’s eyes squint back at you, fully glaring, face scrunched – most likely wondering how insane you must truly be. but the endearing and dopey smile you offer back is enough to melt her rigid posture.

“they’ll kill you if i die.” is what she ends up saying instead. the light wind sweeps lightly through her hair, conveying the lulling scent of cotton candy and peach perfume.

you laugh, playfully bumping back into her. “wimp.”

“i’m sorry, is my death a joke to you?” she whispers menacingly into your ear, hooking her index through the belt loops of your jeans.

“hilarious, even.” you tease, tilting your head back to pucker your lips. “kiss.”

“no.” she deadpans, encircling your waist. “first, get me down that road in one piece.” you snort at that, “we can just walk our way down, yeonnie. i was kidding.”

“no, i somehow trust you with this.” she gags out, reluctantly. “why do i trust you?” she mutters right after.

“that’s rich, coming from an arsonist.” you muse, sounding utterly contented, a sharp contradiction to doyeon's allegation.

“shut up,” she starts and you just know she’s about to read you. you furtively feign a roll of your eyes, yet, an infatuated smile stays on the edge of your lips. you'll never tell her, but there’s nothing more attractive than when she gets like this. “–told me you would come and pick me up for a walk, not a bike ride. and unless you have short-term mem–” she stops. “stop staring at my lips.”

you laugh, sheepish, then avert your gaze back to the road ahead. “i'm getting my kiss once i drop you off.”

“if i'm still alive.” she says, hooking her chin on your shoulder.

you whine about her being a pessimist bitch and she lightly, though discreetly presses her lips against your jaw. “kidding.” she singsongs, squeezing your mid.

so you kick off once again. aside from the air being squeezed out of you, you make it down safe and sound. you cycle the both of you through lush paths, to open green fields and watch butterflies fly above, occasionally slowing down the pace of the bike to take it all in. with the scintilla feeling of just the two of you on a bike — blissful with the speed, with the fresh wind in your faces – you’re at home.

doyeon leans the side of her head against your back, letting her eyes take in the beautiful scenery that nature brings. it was nice being able to hold onto you like so, not a care in the world whether she’ll wake up to her name trending on social platforms, or worse, being questioned about her affectionate nature. south korea still has its outdated ideologies, teaching her to enjoy the beauty of whatever it is you’ve started, drawing as much as she can from the light and secretive touches.

unlike her, you no longer seem to focus on the picturesque surroundings. doyeon's hands start having a mind of their own, palms flat on your abdomen, they brush with each movement of your legs on the pedals – and she wastes no time noticing. it's a position she very much enjoys. her eager hands begin to venture areas they’ve never had before. she skims her way up and down your stomach, smiling to herself when she senses you tense. they map their way lower, to the button of your jeans, and without warning, slide up under your sweater. your heart nearly burst from your chest.

the noise that escapes from your throat is a mix of a choke and guttural sound. “christ, doyeon!” you breathe, scandalized. “we’ll fucking crash!”

the frigid feel of her fingers on your skin almost swerves you off the damn bike.

she only laughs, kissing the back of your neck in an apologetic gesture. she resists the urge to tease for the remainder of the ride, only cooing and every so often – she can’t help herself. she’d caress the area over your ribcage, feeling your heart jump beneath the dainty sweater. you can always excuse it as the intensive exercise you have so willingly put yourself through.

you park the bicycle in front of doyeon’s building and lean slightly forward so your elbows rest onto the handlebar. except doyeon doesn’t budge, she stays put, only shifting to press herself further against you.

“you need to keep your hands to yourself, ma’am.” you reproach with a shake of your head, glancing around to make sure no one, especially from her company, is sighting you. “we really could’ve died, and it would’ve been your fault.”

needless to say, that’s no news to you; doyeon has always been quite blasé towards prudence and authority matters. she has a flair for rebellion, not so much that she wants to go against the grain, but she sustains an innate drive towards doing so, and that includes the blatant flirting she would put on at random times.

“but i can’t keep my hands to myself,” she titters and you feel the vibration all throughout your body. you look back at her with narrowed eyes, and she leans her head comfortably against your shoulder, freely gazing at you through long lashes, a smoldering smile on her pouty lips. “plus, i believe i owe you a kiss.”

there's a shout down the street as kids chase after each other, loaded backpacks swinging and feet banging against the gravel.

“i believe you do, yes.” you concur, squeezing her arms that are still wrapped around your mid. “too much people, though.”

and that’s how she ends up dragging you up to her dorms, barely leaving you time to shut the door close behind you – her lips are on yours. thankfully, no one’s home, or at least in the living room because there’s no scientific reason you could come up with to explain why you’re lip locking with one of korea’s favorite girls.

by some miracle, she manages to maneuver you down the hall and into her room, all the while remaining busy giggling and kissing on each other. you throw yourself on her bed, and she ensues, settling down beside you. your feet dangle off the bed as you both lay horizontally – it’s a comical sight that she makes sure to point out.

you're getting progressively mindful of the warmth in your lower belly, the tingling feeling somewhere in your stomach when you engage her into another kiss. the kiss is wet and slow, experimentally tasting the apricot balm coating her plump lips as you leave the sweetest of promises on them. you tentatively stroke her thighs and in turn, her hands resume its trail under your sweater, across your abdomen in a series of affectionate caresses.

you make certain to be slow and considerate as always. after all, this is the farthest you’ve gone. there's only been kissing so far, nothing more, not even touching. you figured if doyeon is ready, she’ll initiate it. which is exactly what’s happening when she leans slightly over you to unbutton your jeans.

“hey,” you whisper against luscious lips, now swollen and tender, while tenderly cradling her jaw into your palm. “no pressure, okay?”

doyeon stills under your earnest look and runs a hand through her locks, pearly teeth toying with her bottom lip. “i know. i just – i need this.” there isn't so much as a slight hint of uncertainty when the reply escapes her lips. more of an emphatic assertion.

you gently push her back down to hover her body, slowly peppering her neck with kisses and tiny licks. doyeon pushes the rear of your head forward, urging for more, however, you take as much time as necessary. your kisses become unbearably slow, irritating her while also lighting up every nerve and muscle within her body. each wet path your tongue leaves further drenches her panties.

you rise back to her mouth, gradually driving her insane with the laid-back, sluggish brush of your tongue on her lips all without fully pressing them. you tease, altering the angle of your head each time she'd drive forward to capture your lips. without much warning, doyeon’s teeth are sinking into your lip, biting harder when you take her sensitive nipple between the spaces of your fingers.

a dainty spill of blood streams down your lip, further startling you when she soothes over the texture with her tongue, gaze darkening as she stares directly into your hooded eyes. “stop fucking with me.” she hisses.

“and since when are you so fucking demanding?” you moan, there’s no denying how turned on and heated the little backtalk makes you. she grinds her hips against yours as your lips crash into hers in a searing fiery kiss. your hands cup her face, both of your tongues rolling, playing and sliding against each other. she’s sucking and biting at your bottom lip, tongue thrusting forward. you close your lips around it and suck with an appreciative moan. god, you could eat her right then.

in the midst, your hands roam over her breasts, fingers pulling her nipples through the thin fabric of her shirt. she breaks the kiss to throw her head back and gasps as you pinch and pull harder at them.

“oh fuck.” with that, she’s once again snaking her hands up your shirt, feeling over your warm skin and bunching the fabric up for you to take off. you grab the hem and slide it off you while the rest slowly comes off in the middle of feverish kisses and explorative touches.

you take to straddle her hips, admiring the pale skin of her tight abdomen with a rapacious curiosity. you gently fondle her pert breasts into your hands, pondering whether to tear the bra keeping you from making skin-to-skin contact. compelling, but an attempt at it will cost you your head – so you contempt yourself by sneaking them underneath the band, relishing in the pretty little sounds rippling out through her lips.

“you like that, don’t you?” you purr out quietly, rubbing your thumbs over the aching, hard peak against your hand.

“harder.” she mewls, torso arching and pushing just to feel more of that pain mixing in with pleasure.

you lean down, a dark glint in your eyes as you bite and tug at her bra’s fabric, she grows wetter at the sight and feel of your warm breath ghosting on her nipples. she wraps her legs around your mid to cage you in, her hand tangling into your hair when you bite down onto her nub. she's letting out a soft cry when your tongue pokes at the tip before sucking the nub into your mouth, pulling on the flesh and grazing the surface, just enough to leave reddened markings on the flesh.

“ooh–” she gasps, breath labored, gripping tightly into your hair as you give the same treatment to the other pair, rolling the tender flesh between your fingers. you're positioned much lower so you rise slightly back up her body so your cores are touching and snap your hips down against hers. it turns her world upside down; everything tingles from her head to her toes as you repeat the motion over and over again.

you lean up to peck her lips, setting an accommodating pace for you both that has doyeon rising up to meet each grind.

she watches you with unfiltered lust; hands coasting down your face, to your shoulders and arms for a few moments, then cupping around the back of your neck and back down to squeeze your breast. she truly cannot keep her hands off of you. “i want it from behind.” there’s always been something impressive, fervent, in the classic simplicity and directness that is doyeon. it still catches you off guard, agape and sputtering. you stop.

with the majority of your thoughts gone, head clouded with wanton pleasure, you’re unsure of what you exactly heard; you ask again, throat closing around the words. “from behind?”

doyeon's brow quirk in a form of amusement, seeming lucid enough to poke fun at you, but still far from collected. the column of her neck is flushed red, eyes low and glazed – she’s beyond gorgeous. “i don’t have a strap, but your fingers will do,” she shoots you a coy look. “so, fuck me from behind.”

you blink slowly. “alright.” you say, heart clenching in what could only be a mix of amazement, lust, anticipation and anything that can match up a synonym in the dictionary. "roll over for me.”

and she does just that, not before unclasping her bra. it falls down her shapely shoulders, exposing her tiny breasts that your mouth begs to take back in. she gets on all fours, back arching and head craning back to stare you down, challenge in her gaze. “better do your best.”

goose bumps break all over her body as you seize her by the shape of her waist, almost taking her up on the challenge. unfortunately, there was only so much you can leave on doyeon’s body. as much as you want to taint her body red with unique markings, she has an image to maintain so it’ll simply have to wait.

you pull her panties down the gracious curve of her ass, leaving it to slip softly down her thighs then off her legs. your hands caress the silky, supple skin appreciatively, tracing over the dip of her waist to the back of her thighs. you give each of her ass cheeks a hard slap, heart pounding with each moan of hers – you’d think she’s used to this.

"come onnn," she whines, pressing back against you.

"relax." you hum, stroking your hand up and down the long of her back, relishing in the way it freely glides. you gently nudge her knees apart and kneel down behind her. the slight bit of slickness trickling down her lips prompts you to give her a few long strokes of your index, doyeon moans and arches her back further down as the same finger gives hot pleasure within her.

“you’re so pretty.” you compliment, fully admiring all esoteric aspects of her body like a tulip about to bloom – the ones who shimmer in the afternoon and reaches to glow of sunshine- as you start licking between her folds, taking your sweet time to lap every drop of her slick melting down her center. you mouth along her swollen clit through the poetic pleasure rolling into every part of her body, spiking in every nerve ending.

you bury your face farther amid the girl’s puffy folds, licking with passion in your movement, your hands gripping her thighs as you lap away at her hole, occasionally reaching up to flicker across her clit and fling her whole body in a mass of spasm.

your sleeked fingertips gradually begin prodding her entrance, easily sliding between the folds, remaining slow and cautious as to not hurt her. doyeon's nails dig into the comforter, unfamiliar pain lightly shooting up her core and spine.

“you alright?” you ask; there is a tiny waver in your voice, concern and apologetic.

“i-” she sucks air through her teeth, “yeah. keep going.”

reluctant, but complying, you extract your index to replace with your thumb. you hope this helps to start small and later on, prep her to take more. she pants softly, eyes teary and unfocused as her body attempts to choose whether she wants to rock back into your hand, stay rooted at the feeling of being stretched or flee from the unfamiliar pain that’s snaking down her thighs.

you thumb through her opening with consoling words along soothing circles of your hand on her lower back. it diverts her from the pain and creeping pleasure probing inside of her. you extend the process, her gradual whines climbing in octaves when she’d try jerking away from a certain spot being brushed by your inquisitive finger. you'd have to grab her by the elegant curve of the waist, pull her back and keep her in place.

it's just a matter of time before she’s past dripping, pleading and moaning for more. hips inclined back, accentuating the fluid lines of her back; she's crying in nothing but divine ecstasy as you switch back to your index. you draw it out until just the tip is in, then plunge it back in her wet tightness. needless to say, she doesn’t simply see the stars but the cosmos in all its entirety before her eyes.

reiteration of strangled sounds and gasps spill from her lips when you start steadily pumping in and out. she tries stifling them by shoving her head down in the covers, not because she wants to be discreet but rather her embarrassment in hearing those sounds coming from herself – they're melodic, symphonic even, to your ears.

it's something doyeon finds herself loving – the feeling of being handled and taken care of. the knowledge that she can easily be reduced to a messy state if you so desired (as one would expect, you’d have to work for it). doyeon's thighs shake with more thrusts of your fingers reaching deep – and she takes it all, with great difficulty, but it’s a start. her eyes flutter closed as the thick stretch that your fingers amply provide, turn into blissful pleasure to bring her closer to her release.

"how about another?" you ask over the high pitched whines. "can you do that?"

"i don–" you swipe your thumb over her clit and her breath catches in her throat before going back to ball the sheets into her hand. you encourage her with a squeeze on her thigh. "yes, yes."

you add your middle finger, cursing at how tight she is, her spasmic muscles start clenching around you. that's all it takes.

in less than a second, your digits are coated in juices and sleek is sliding down her legs as you easily coax her into a slow, staggering orgasm. she bucks her hips up with one last startled moan and you look on, smug, gently twisting your fingers through the slight burn of her orgasm until she slumps down on her stomach with a silent scream.