#but hopefully now that all the new kids have been properly introduced it will tighten back up again

[egophiliac]

i love your blog bc i love kamen rider AND twst- it’s like a one stop shop for me xoxo

ps. how did you like the new geats episode?

i’m so excited the next one, my friends and i started called sunday “geatsday” cuz that’s when we get together to watch it lol

k bye 🤞💚

there are so many of us who are into both Rider and Twst! excellent taste all-round. ✨

I had to double-check the episode number we were up to on Geats because I cannot believe we're only about halfway through? somehow?! I am absolutely with you that Sunday is Geatsday, I need to know where the heck they're going with this. we've gone from tournament to reality show to...counter-reality show?...what could possibly be next. please let it be a bake-off

also...Beroba...😳

[straykidsreactions]

Reaction To: NCT Dream Flirting With Their S/O

STRAY KIDS REACTION TO : You, their significant other, being hit on backstage by a member of NCT Dream.

A/N: This was a popular request! Sorry for the delay, hopefully this makes up for it, (I added gifs for skz and dream bc yall deserve it) also I had to use 1 dream member twice so I picked Jeno bc that’s who was mentioned in the request      (+ he’s my dream bias oops)

Genre: jealous/possessive!skz ( I wouldn't call it angst, it's cute I promise )

Chan:

When you'd agreed to accompany Chan to the award show and watch his performance live from backstage he'd been so excited and filled with pride.Taking you anywhere, especially when he'd be performing, gave him a huge boost of confidence- so knowing that you'd be right there by his side cheering him on from backstage made the whole evening more enjoyable for him. He had to admit there was also a small part of him that felt pretty cool introducing you to other idol friends of his after the show- since your relationship wasn't public amongst the fans and idol industry it always took people by surprise to see the two of you together and so comfortable with one another.While generally liked that your relationship was private and low-key,there were definitely times when the unspoken status of your dating life would drive him absolutely insane.That, when other guys tried to flirt with you. 

In a way he could understand it, you had an infectious personality and you certainly were stunning, especially all dressed up for the award show you looked like you belonged on a runway, but that didn't change the fact that Chan's blood would begin to boil whenever he noticed someone being a little too friendly towards you.

When Chan originally noticed you in the hallway outside Stray Kid's designated backstage room having a casual conversation with a few idols he'd felt an immense sense of pride, not wanting to interrupt your conversation he'd leave you to make new friends on your own .It wouldn't be until a handful of minutes later, just before they were getting ready to take the stage, that he noticed the other idols surrounding you had now disappeared- and you were alone with none other than Mark Lee.Mark was a generally sweet and personable guy and, though Chan wasn't particularly close with the younger man, he'd heard only positive things about him.

At a glance the conversation seemed simple enough, but just as Chan was about to call you over he noticed Mark's arm press against the wall behind him,leaning over you slightly as he laughed and adjusted his mic set- clearly having just finished his stage performance with the rest of NCT. Chan's jaw would tighten; on one hand as the eldest and the leader he has a responsibility to be diplomatic and polite to other people in the industry, but on the other hand Mark's body was hovering a little too close to yours and your demeanor had quickly shifted into one of slight discomfort.Before could overthink his decision, Chan had calmly walked up beside the two of you, placing a firm hand on Mark's shoulder and easily pulling him away to create distance between him and you .Sliding his hand around your waist, he'd give Mark a small smile that let him know he was anything but pleased to see him.

“Ahh, it's Mark, right? I'm Chan, I don't think we've formally met before.” 

*extending his free hand for mark to shake, which he reluctantly did- looking between the two of you in slight confusion*

“Uhh, y-yeah it's nice to meet you too, man.”

“Hyung.”

*Chan retorted coolly, correcting the younger idol who was already slightly flustered that he'd clearly misread the situation*

“Uh, oh sorry- Hyung. Uhm, sorry...are the two of you-?”

*Chan's gaze never wavering from Mark's as he nodded, looking over at you and flashing you a cheeky smile that let you know he had everything under control*

“Oh, my bad mate, I didn't properly introduce you- this is my ( girlfriend/ boyfriend ), Y/N. ( She/He ) was just going though, isn't that right love? Our performance is about to start, you wouldn't wanna miss it, hmm?”

Bonus gif, Mark:

Minho:

When you'd agreed to go with him and the other members to the award show, he'd honestly hadn't even thought twice about the possibility of other idols coming up to you.It wasn't that he'd never seen someone hit on you before, but it had never happened with a fellow idol and Minho had assumed that because you'd arrived together everyone would've known that you were clearly together.His thoughts were clearly mistaken, however, when he saw Renjun approach you backstage. 

Out of all the members, Minho is easily one of the most confrontational and because of this there was very little doubt in his mind when it came to handling situations like this in an upfront manner.He becomes possessive over you quickly, even between his other members there are times when he'd feel the need to pull you away and keep you to himself (though he was usually able to restrain himself on those occasions because he fully trusted his members not to step out of line).When it came to other guys outside of his close group of friends, however, there was absolutely no way that Minho would hold back.So when he saw Renjun talking to you alone, smiling at you sweetly as he asked you for help touching up his makeup, Minho's entire body would grow tense. 

*walking over to wear you were standing, reluctantly adding a facial jewel to the stranger's cheek as he tried to make conversation*

“Baby, that's enough. Why don't you head back to our dressing room- I'll be there in a few minutes.”

His voice was stern and unwavering as you quickly stood, giving him a look that warned him not to go overboard on the man who had clearly been trying his luck with you.Minho patted your head reassuringly before gesturing for you to leave, to which you obliged.Once you were out of sight, he turned his attention back to the man in front of him, who's expression was nothing short of utter confusion.

“Hyung, II don't think that's really an appropriate way to talk to a stylist.”

*Minho scoffed lowly, willing to play along for a minute as he gestured in your direction*

"Who, Y/N?"

*watching at the younger man nodded, running a hand through his hair*

“Mhm. I get it though, ( she's/he’s ) pretty...did Y/N do your makeup too?”

*Minho's eyes darkened slightly at this as he took a step closer to the younger man, who at this point was getting a strong feeling that he was missing something*

“Since you're slow, I'll spell it out for you- Y/N isn't my stylist, ( she's/he’s ) my date. So I'd appreciate it if you didn't make comments about ( her/ his ) appearance. Actually, I'd rather not see you around Y/N again unless ( she/he ) wants you there.”

*pausing as he watched Renjun's face become cautious, leaning in slightly to finish the conversation in a low voice before heading back towards the dressing room*

“Let's not have this conversation again, ok?”

Bonus gif, Renjun:

Changbin:

While Changbin was usually the first to invite you to music video shoots, livestage tapings and plenty of other events, he wasn’t a big fan of bringing you along to award shows- for exactly this reason. There were so many idols in close quarters for the entire night, many of whom he didn’t fully trust around you considering the two of you weren’t publicly out as a couple. As long as you were with him and his members he was fine, but he’d be quickly grow tense and become on edge whenever you were out of his sight, and when him and the other members had to.get ready for their performance it wasn’t hard to tell that he wasn’t fully comfortable leaving you alone. Of course you tried to assure him that you were fine, but he also knew you didn’t always have the best gauge for knowing when people were flirting with you. 

For the most part no issues arose, that is, until all of you were moved into the large waiting room for upcoming performers. Several groups of idols were finishing up last minute practices and mingling with one another before their respective performances- Changbin had opted for sitting down and quickly going over the difficult lyrics for his part in the new song they were going to perform. You hadn’t wanted to disturb him or the other guys while they prepped for their performance, so you’d quietly placed yourself in the corner to take in your surroundings- but it didn’t take long for a certain somebody to take an interest in you and Changbin could tell.

The instant he noticed Donghyuck walk up to you he had a gut feeling that it wasn’t just to say ‘hello’. He had a reputation for being harmlessly flirty, and though Changbin isn’t the type to get up and step in over-protectively he’d certainly hoped that you would leave the stranger and come sit beside him instead. Mostly he’d just become frustrated, completely unable to focus on his lyric sheet as his eyes kept drifting upward to watch as Donghyuck laughed at something funny you’d said, slowly edging himself closer to you- something you hadn’t yet picked up on. In all honesty he’d probably observe the situation from a distance for a while, letting his frustrations build the longer Donghyuck monopolized your time. Changbin might talk a big game and have the on-stage persona of a tough and confrontational guy- but when it comes to your relationship he’s actually very soft and mild mannered so getting him to the point where he’d say something in a bothersome situation took a lot. That being said, after 15+ minutes of watching his dongsaeng flirt with you- he’d had enough. He wasn’t one for a lot of words, you knew the tones of his voice well enough to understand that when he spoke it was something important.

*clearly his throat as the looked up from his paper, having a better view of the two of you now that the room had emptied some*

“Yah, baby, come over here and sit with your boyfriend, ok?”

*not waiting for you to respond before dropping his gaze back to his lyric sheet, preserving the face of an unbothered man despite his inner feelings*

“I don’t like you talking to strangers.”

Bonus gif, Donghyuck: 

Hyunjin: 

As shy as Hyunjin can be sometimes when it comes to be complimented himself, there’s definitely a part of him that loves showing you off and receiving compliments from others on how good the two of you look together. He takes a lot of pride in you, so when he’d invited you to come with him and the members to the upcoming award show there hadn’t been a shadow of a doubt in his mind. He loved the way you were dressed to the 9′s just to watch their rehearsal and performances from backstage, so much so that he insisted you come out into the mostly empty arena to watch them do soundcheck before they went into hair and makeup to prepare for the show. There were only a few other groups there that early to do soundcheck and no media had arrived yet, so he felt comfortable bringing you out, knowing that it gave him a boost of confidence to make eye contact with you while he practiced. What didn’t boost his confidence, however, was glancing over into the rows of mostly empty seats to see that you were no longer alone- someone had approached you and was sitting a little too close for Hyunjin’s liking.

Hyunjin didn’t know Jaemin well, they’d only met in passing at a few other shows, but it wasn’t hard to tell that his outwardly charismatic personality and flirtacious attitude were translating into his conversation with you. Your boyfriend wasn’t one to stop group practice in the middle of a routine, he’d continue with the choreography but his eyes would never leave you as he watched the NCT member shamelessly flirt with you- though perhaps it wasn’t entirely his fault since you and Hyunjin weren’t publicly dating. It wouldn’t take long for the other members to catch on to the fact that you’d been semi-cornered by the overly-friendly idol, unsure of what you were supposed to do. It wasn’t that you didn’t enjoy meeting new people, but you couldn’t be sure if he was just an overly-friendly person or if he was genuinely flirting- and Hyunjin was clearly not happy about it. He watched from the stage, putting his hands on his hips as the other members gave him a look of confusion. Hyunjin wouldn’t say anything in the moment, he knew Jaemin was harmless but it didn’t mean he was comfortable with the situation- it was more the fact that he didn’t want to embarrass you or make you feel as though he was being too over-protective. In the moment he’d try to shake his frustrated feelings- but he’d only truly feel comfortable after you’d excused yourself from the conversation with Jaemin, quickly walking up to your boyfriend and cutely wrapping your arms around him as you pressed a kiss to his cheek.

*blushing profusely as a wide grin spread across his face*

“What was that for, Jagi?”

*smiling sweetly as you let go of him, making your way back towards the viewing room backstage to let him finish practicing*

“Just because...Hyunjinnie?”

*smiling as he put his arms on his hips, noticing Jaemin’s confused look out of the corner of his gaze as he watched your interactions with Hyunjin from a distance- clearly beginning to connect the dots*

“Hmm?”

*blowing him a reassuring kiss to make sure he knew that you were his and his alone*

“I love you! Fighting!”

Bonus gif, Jaemin: 

Jisung:

Jisung is easily one of the more possessive members of the group, his general demeanor is of course very sociable and sweet but there are certain things that set this boy off and because he has a little bit of a hot temper he wouldn’t always be the best at keeping those possessive feelings at bay. 

He’d had a few reservations about inviting you to the award show, he loves when you come and support him at events and knowing that you’re by his side gives him endless confidence, but he didn’t like exposing you to any kind of potential harm or unwanted attention- whether that be from publicity or other guys. Nevertheless, your excitement regarding the upcoming show and his love for seeing you by his side won over and in the end he’d happily invited you to join him and the other members. The first half of the evening had been everything he’d hoped for- you watched them rehearse and kept him company through hair and makeup- you’d even met a few other idols who had been so friendly and understanding when it came to keeping your relationship with Jisung low-profile. The issue arose when Jisung and the other members stepped into another room to take some promotional photos, leaving you alone backstage amidst a hoard of strangers and celebrities who you didn’t know all that well. 

it wasn’t that you minded, you were perfectly content to find a comfortable seat out of the way and just observe, but Jisung would be a little on edge from the moment he let you out of his sight. This was his world, he was used to how things worked here, but you weren’t and that alone was enough to worry him. 

He’d only been gone from the backstage room where you were seated around 15 minutes when he came back to grab his phone, but it didn’t take him long to spot you- or the person who was talking to you a little too closely. 

He hadn’t noticed the members of NCT Dream when he’d left earlier, but they were all there going through hair and makeup now and it wasn’t hard to tell that one of them had taken a particular interest in you- Jeno. He was sitting beside you, having what could’ve been a perfectly normal conversation- but Jisung knew better than that. Though he wasn’t particularly close with Jeno, it wasn’t hard to tell by his body language that he was a little too interested in you. The way he leaned closer every time you spoke and laughed so effortlessly at the things you said would make Jisung furious, his usual effortlessly fun-loving persona completely gone as he walked towards you without hesitation. Unlike some of the other members, Jisung wasn’t the kind to hesitate, even if it was slightly rash. You hadn’t spotted him until he was directly in front of you, but once your gaze found his it didn’t take you long to realize that he was angry.

*giving the two of you a stern look as Jeno smiled up at your boyfriend from his seated position*

“Hey man, you’re Han Jisung, right? I’m Lee Jeno, from Dream..it’s nice to meet you.”

*Jisung’s firm gaze never wavering as he rejected Jeno’s extended hand, instead helping you up from the sofa and guiding you to stand beside him*

“Were you hitting on my (girlfriend/boyfriend)?”

*his straightforward question took the other man by surprise, giving him a confused look before his gaze fell on you and your cautious face as you glanced between the two of them*

“Oh, I- you mean Y/N? I didn’t realize you two were dating.”

*glancing between you and Jisung with a slight smile*

Maybe it was the fact that it had been a long night and he was tired, maybe it was the fact that he’d just seen one too many guys hit on you under the assumption that you were single, but whatever it was Jisung was suddenly very over the entire “low-profile relationship” situation. Scoffing lowly under his breath, he picked up his phone from out of his nearby bag, opening Instagram and pulling up a photo the two of you had taken on a recent date night. You were both dressed well, standing outside near a cherry blossom tree with his arm around your waist as you stared at each other lovingly. Your face was mostly covered by a mask and your boyfriend’s baseball cap so people would have a difficult time discovering your identity, but the message was clear- Han Jisung was in a relationship. Without much more thought, he added a straight forward and to-the-point caption, “Happy With You.❤️” before quickly uploading the photo to their official Stray Kids instagram account. Your eyes widened in shock as you gave him a worried look, knowing that the post would inevitably cause some backlash for him at the company. Without hesitation, Jisung leaned over towards Jeno who was still looking slightly confused, showing him the uploaded photo. 

*tilting his head slightly and giving him the same unwavering stern glare as Jeno’s face fell slightly into shock at the bold move*

“Well it’s official now, got that? So I wouldn’t get involved with (her/him) unless you’re ready for one hell of a scandal.”

Bonus gif, Jeno:

Felix: jeno

Felix loves, and I mean loves, bringing you along to events, concerts and award shows. If he was performing- hell even if he was just going to practice at the studio, he wanted you to be there. Obviously you couldn’t come to every single practice and performance because you were busy yourself- but you did your best to be there for the big moments, and this award show was one of them. Not only were Stray Kids performing their latest comeback, they were also up for a couple big awards this year- and more than anything he wanted you to be by his side. 

As far as jealousy goes, Felix isn’t one to get possessive and upset over the little things. He wouldn’t say something unless he felt like he needed to, but he also has an innate inability to hide his emotions. If he was hurt or frustrated, it was apparent on his face. That being said, he’d honestly never expected to leave you alone that night in the first place. Aside from the actual performance and award ceremony where you’d watch from the viewing room with the other idol’s guests, Felix hadn’t planned on leaving you alone backstage with a sea of strangers. It wasn’t until their manager announced that they’d been asked to do some additional promotional recordings prior to the show that Felix realized you’d have to wait backstage on your own. It put him on edge a bit, but another idol hitting on you wasn’t his main concern- more than anything he just felt bad for leaving you alone when you didn’t know many people around. Nevertheless, you assured him that you’d be fine and reluctantly he left you backstage- swearing that he’d try to finish as quickly as possible. 

He’d only been gone around 20 minutes, but he still made a point to get back to you as quickly as possible. It wouldn’t take him long to find you and when he first noticed a couple other idols talking with you he’d feel excited and proud to see you making friends so easily- that is until he saw the person standing closest to you, handing you a bottle of water and making comments on how cute you looked. He knew he shouldn’t let it get to him, of course it was possible the NCT Dream member was being nothing more than polite, but something inside him didn’t like the way he was smiling at you and it must’ve been obvious in the way his generally happy and loving expression shifted into something darker. The other idols who were talking with you had excused themselves at this point, leaving only you and Jeno who didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving your side- that is until Felix walked up to you, doing his absolute best to keep his breathing steady and voice calm. 

*Jeno smiling at him cluelessly, giving him a nod of introduction*

“Oh, hey man how are you? I’m Jeno, I don’t think we’ve met before- oh! And this is (Y/N)-”

*scoffing slightly as his patience began to wear thin, glancing in your direction as you gave him an apologetic frown*

“I know who (she/he) is..but yeah, um..it’s nice to meet you- I’m Felix.”

His deep voice felt calming, even when he himself was anything but relaxed. He shook Jeno’s hand begrudgingly, giving him a small smile as his gaze never wavered from you. 

“Oh really? Don’t tell me you came over here to ask (her/him) out too! Wahh, you must be so popular tonight, (Y/N)...”

*Jeno laughing playfully as he teased you, your face going flustered and eyes widening at his bold statement, your shock nothing in comparison to the look of absolute rage in Felix’s eyes as he scrunched his eyebrows momentarily, trying to maintain composure*

“Nah, actually I came over here to get my (girlfriend/boyfriend)...Jagi?”

*turning to you with the slightest hint of a smirk playing on his lips as you blushed, not daring to glance in Jeno’s direction as his face fell into slight shock and embarrassment*

“We should get going now, it was nice to meet you though.”

*taking your hand in his and effortlessly guiding you out of the room*

Bonus gif, Jeno: 

Seungmin:

Some people would find it slightly odd how close the two of you were, because despite being in a relationship with Seungmin the two of you were also like best friends. You shared everything with each other and though your relationship was, of course, different from the kind of friendships he had with his members, he’d worked hard to make you feel as close and comfortable as possible. In all honesty he got a little nervous performing in front of you, mostly because he felt an added pressure to do well and show you his best side- but it fueled him to do better on stage so he was happy to hear that you’d agreed to accompany him and the other members to the upcoming award show. 

Seungmin isn’t naturally an overly jealous person, if instances did arise where someone was flirting with you it’d certainly bother him- but he isn’t one to step in unless he feels like it’s absolutely necessary. He trusted you and didn’t want to make a situation confrontational if it didn’t need to be, but he wouldn’t mind saying something if he thought you were at all uncomfortable. 

The guys had just finished going through hair and makeup, where you spent the majority of the time talking with your boyfriend, and they were getting ready to do a last minute sound check before getting ready for their performance. He didn’t think it’d be a big deal to leave you backstage for half an hour or so, flashing you his signature smile and giving your hand a reassuring squeeze before letting you know that he’d be back soon and to make yourself comfortable. He’d suggested you get a bite to eat from the food stations backstage, but after he’d left you quickly realized you had no idea where any of that was located. After searching and maneuvering through the crowded and hectic backstage green rooms for what seemed like an eternity, not only were you discouraged and hungry- you were a little bit lost. Stray Kids’ designated room was no where in sight- and at this point you were wandering aimlessly. Aimlessly, that is, until a helpful stranger approached you with a smile and a sandwich in hand. 

Seungmin did his best to get back to the dressing room as quickly as possible after finishing sound check, eager to see you again and tell you about all the funny little mishaps that had happened since he’d last seen you- but he’d quickly realize you were nowhere to be found. He tried calling you, but after getting your voicemail a couple times he started to grow concerned. It wasn’t until he’d been looking around for a few minutes that he happened to find you near the sandwich station talking to someone. Not just someone- another idol. 

You couldn’t be sure if Chenle had just happened to have a sandwich in hand when he found you or if he’d noticed you earlier searching for something to eat, but he was quick to offer you the packaged snack which you had politely accepted- striking up a conversation about the event. You weren’t sure how long the two of you had been talking, but after a while you’d noticed your boyfriend out of the corner of your eye- and he didn’t seem pleased. 

Maybe it was the fact that you hadn’t answerd his calls, a mixture of worry and sudden frustration seeing that you were perfectly fine and otherwise engaged in a conversation with NCT Dream’s Chenle, but Seungmin could feel the annoyance bubbling inside him. Walking over to the two of you, he politely introduced himself to Chenle, before turning his attention back towards you. 

“(Y/N), we should get going, our performance is coming up soon, ok?”

*nodding as you turned towards the man you’d just met, preparing to say goodbye and thank him for the food*

“It was nice meeting you! Thanks again for the sandwich.”

*smiling cheekily as he nodded, waving in your direction*

“It was nice meeting you too, and hey- if you’re free after the show, call me.”

*smirking as he pointed towards the wrapper of the sandwich, before turning and walking away*

A confused look was exchanged between you and Seungmin as you glanced at the underside of the wrapper, noticing that he’d written his phone number in small, neat handwriting. Seungmin just rolled his eyes, pressing his tongue to the inside of his cheek in frustration to keep himself from calling out to the other man who was already walking away. Instead, he’d take the sandwich wrapper from your hands, balling it up and throwing it in the nearest garbage can before turning to you with his usual smiling face. You could tell he was frustrated, but he wasn’t going to let it bother him. 

*taking your hand in his and pulling you closer to him as he smiled at you sweetly*

“You ok, baby? Did you get lost?”

*nodding as you blushed, feeling apologetic for making him frustrated even if it wasn’t your doing*

“I’m glad I found you, should we head back now? I wouldn’t want my pretty (girlfriend/boyfriend) to miss our big performance.”

Bonus gif, Chenle: 

Jeongin: 

Jeongin would easily be the most giddy and excited to hear that you’d agreed to come to the award show- having you by his side would make him light up like nothing else and knowing that you’d be cheering him and his members on from backstage would make him fill with pride and confidence. He knew it was difficult for the two of you sometimes since your relationship wasn’t out in the open, but for the most part the two of you kept to yourselves and there weren’t too many instances that either of you had experienced firsthand of another person coming up to you and shamelessly flirting. You spent so much of your time together that he wouldn’t really know how to react- Jeongin is generally a very lighthearted and goofy person, but he also has a habit for letting his quippy comments and fiery attitude shine when something is comical or annoying to him. That being said, he isn’t a terribly possessive person, but he doesn’t mind a little confrontation if he feels like it’s necessary. 

You’d been at the award show venue for a while at this point, watching as more and more famous groups were guided through the backstage area into various dressing rooms while you stayed beside Jeongin before he had to go through hair and makeup. A few other idol groups were mingling about and a few had started conversing around a fairly empty lounge space with a few of the other members of Stray Kids. Jeongin had walked over to take a seat beside his hyungs and introduce himself to several other idols talking with them, and though he’d encouraged you to come with him you felt a little awkward butting into the conversation so you chose to stay seated a little ways a way- not wanting to encroach on his time with other friends and colleagues. It wasn’t until a handful of minutes later that you got a text from your boyfriend, asking if you could bring him a coffee. You smiled, knowing it was just a small excuse to bring you over to where he was sitting, but happily taking the bait nevertheless as you rolled your eyes teasingly in his direction. 

You brought over a few cups of coffee, not wanting to look conspicuous by only bringing one, handing them to the other members of stray kids who gave you a questioning but grateful look. You were just about to step away when another voice from the group stopped you.

“Wahh, you’re so helpful- would it be alright if I got a coffee as well? Only if it isn’t too much trouble.”

You turned towards the voice, recognizing it as Jisung from NCT Dream, who was among the idols sitting and talking with one another casually. While it hadn’t been your intention to come across as an assistant, you had to give him credit for asking so politely- so you just smiled in return. 

“Actually (Y/N)’s not-”

“Sure, of course. What would you like?”

Jeongin gave you a confused look, but you silently reassured him that it was ok. Neither of you wanted to come out as being in a relationship, and it was just a simple coffee. Jisung kindly asked you for an Americano and thanked you despite being clueless to the fact that assisting idols backstage was, in fact, not your job. This alone was enough to put Jeongin on edge, of course he knew Jisung didn’t know better, but he still didn’t like the idea of you fetching things for people you weren’t even friends with. He didn’t plan on saying anything, though, since he knew you were only putting up with it to save your relationship’s private image. 

You returned with the coffee, smiling softly as you handed it to the stylish and beaming Dream member. You were just about to walk away, however, when he did something that took you by surprise. Without a second thought, Jisung lightly took your wrist in his hand, smiling as you turned to face him and patting the seat beside him with his free hand. 

“No, please! Have a seat!” You glanced cautiously towards Jeongin who’s face was blank, but he didn’t say anything so reluctantly you sat beside the perfect stranger. 

“So your name’s (Y/N), is that right?”

*nodding as you asked for his name, to which he introduced himself*

“I’m sorry if I startled you- I just thought maybe it’d be nice to sit down, I’m sure you’re very busy...”

*laughing slightly as you tried to find a way to explain that you weren’t an assistant, without outing yourself as being in a relationship with Jeongin*

“Uhm, well actually-”

“Are you a model by chance?”

*your eyes widening as you gave him a confused look*

“W-why do you ask that?”

*Jeongin’s face growing stern as he listened intently to your side conversation with the overly friendly man beside you*

“I just, I’ve never seen anyone with your kind of beauty before...I like it.”

Jeongin’s face quickly went from intent listening to one of extreme confusion as his brows raised and head tilted, giving the man a look of obvious judgement and disapproval. Before you had a chance to respond to the forward compliment, however, Jeongin was quick to speak up. 

“Are you serious?”

*Jisung turning towards him with a look of slight perplexity as why he’d been listening in on your conversation*

“Oh, um- sorry I was just-”

*Jisung’s cheeks growing flushed as Jeongin laughed slightly, trying his best to hold back from sharing anything regarding your relationship while still telling him off for flirting with you*

“Yah, don’t be so cringey- you don’t even know (her/him)! And...don’t ask strangers to get you coffee, ok? (She/He) isn’t your assistant.”

Bonus gif, Jisung: 

[amythedvdhoarder]

Memories to Keep

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Summary: You discover Bucky keeps diaries about his life, who knew they would change yours?

Warnings: Some swearing, little bit of angst and a whole load of fluff

Word count: 3K

A/N: (gif not mine) Ahhh the return to Bucky fluff. This is for the lovely @angelinathebook and her 300 challenge. I had the prompt “The memories I have with you, are the best memories I have.” I tried to be a little more creative with this one so I hope you like it.

Not beta read, any mistakes are my own.

Reblogs and feedback are most welcome, so let me know what you think x

Masterlist

xxx

An odd scratching noise woke you from your slumber. You squinted across the bed to see the bedside lamp on and your boyfriend still sat up in bed.

“Buck, what’s going on?” you murmured, still half asleep.

“Sorry doll, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Buck reached across and gently swiped his thumb across your cheek.

“ ‘s okay.” You pushed yourself up so that you leaning against the headboard, drawing your knees up so that you were mimicking Bucky. After rubbing your eyes and blinking a couple of times you looked across at him and spotted a notebook resting against his thighs and a pencil in his hand.

“So that was what the scratching sound was. I thought we had mice,” your voice wavering slightly as you stretched your arms out in front of you.

“Nope no mice doll, just writing,” he chuckled softly.

“We’ve been going out for 6 months and known you for 2 years. I don’t think I have ever seen you writing before.”

“I’m not surprised, you sleep like a log. I normally wait ‘til your asleep doll,” you elbowed him gently and he clutched his arm in mock hurt.

“Hey you know what I’m like if I don’t get my 8 hours.” Bucky rolled his eyes at you and grinned.

“Yeah I learnt that the hard way. I remember trying to get you up for breakfast after one of Tony’s parties, I was actually terrified you were going to murder me,” Bucky couldn’t keep the amusement out of his voice.

“In my defence I was hungover and it was 8 in the morning, to be honest that was entirely your fault,” you yawned and leaned over to snuggle up against Bucky who lifted up his arm to let you get closer.

“What you writing anyway, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“You can ask me whatever you want doll, it’s um-” he scratched his head with the end of the pencil as he tried to find the right word “- a diary I guess, just stuff I don’t want to forget.”

Your brows furrowed together and you tilted your head up to look at him properly. “What do you mean forget?”

A sadness filled his eyes as he looked at you. “Um I know what it’s like not to remember things, if I keep a diary then if, you know the soldier ever got activated then –“ his words tailed off and he sighed heavily, “-it’s like an insurance policy. It took ages for me to remember everything before. There is stuff that’s happened recently that I can’t afford to forget.” There were tears in his eyes now, lips pressed into tight line.

You nuzzled into his chest, arm tightening around his stomach squeezing him gently. He leaned down and placed a kiss to the top of your head. “You know that’s not going to happen Buck, don’t you? Shuri made sure that would never happen.”

“I just can’t run the risk doll,” he placed another quick kiss and closed his notebook, the pencil marking his the page and put it on the bedside table. “I’m gonna get a drink, you want one?” You untangled yourself from his so he could get off the bed. You smiled and shook your head.

As Bucky expected you were asleep again. He picked up his notepad from where he had left it, gingerly clambered back into bed as to not wake you. After his finished writing his entry for the day he clicked of the lamp and curled himself around your body. Even in your sleep you instinctively moved, pushing your body against him and gripping onto the arm he had thrown over your waist.

Bucky knew he couldn’t live without you. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would ever meet someone like you, that would let him in, treat him as normal person. He had never felt a love like it. Steve cared about him deeply and showed him every day. But you. He didn’t deserve you, the looks of adoration you aimed at him every time he walked into a room. He treasured every second he had ever spent with you even before you were together as a couple.

From the moment he had met you he knew there could never be anyone else. He had resigned himself to being your friend but when you had asked him out he could have exploded with joy. The thought of losing you made his chest tighten but he knew that one day something could come between you, that was part of the reason behind the diaries. He needed evidence that his time with you wasn’t just a dream but something real. Bucky had never imagined himself with a wife or kids or even a proper future until he met you. As he listened to your soft sighs as you slept he knew exactly what he had to do.

xxx

The other side of the bed was empty when you woke. As you stretched out like a starfish your fingers brushed up against a piece of paper. You took hold of it to see Bucky’s distinctive cursive writing on it.  

‘Sorry doll, didn’t want to wake you. Gone on an emergency mission should be back later tonight. Can you do something for me Y/N? (I’m gonna assume you’re going to agree J ) Please open my bedside cabinet?”

Quickly you climbed off the bed and knelt down in front of his bedside table and pulled open the door. Inside there was a small pile of leather-bound notebooks, similar to the one Bucky had been writing in last night. On top of these was another note.

‘These are all my journals from the last couple of years. Please read them and hopefully you will understand. I love you, B xxx”

So that is exactly what you did. You got yourself settled with a cup of tea and some snacks and hid yourself away in yours and Bucky’s room, knowing that it was the best place to avoid interruptions. The oldest of the books were written during Bucky’s time in Wakanda. It detailed the joy of having Steve back, making friends with Shuri and finding some acceptance of what he had been through and the reality of starting over again. He even hinted that birdbrain (Sam) didn’t seem too bad, he appreciated how loyal he had been to Steve and how he had sacrificed his own freedom for him.

When you got to the second book you found yourself reading about the first time you met Bucky.

Wakanda -  August 2018

Steve showed up and said the world is about to end. Surprisingly not the most interesting thing to happen today. A woman showed up with Steve, Y/N. No words would adequately describe her. She’s breath-taking and her smile lit up the room. I can still feel her hand in mine from when she shook me hand. There was no trace of fear when she introduced herself. Maybe she doesn’t know about me. All I know is before she showed up the end of the world didn’t seem too bad but now all I want is a chance to get to know her a little better. Steve better be wrong about tomorrow.

New York -  August 2022

5 years. I’ve lost 5 years of my life but on the upside the world didn’t actually end. Steve looks different; tired and there is a sadness to him. Y/N came and found me, turns out she wasn’t ‘dusted’. She said that the last five years had been awful. The world had changed and tried to move on as no one ever expected the team to succeed. But they hadn’t given up. She looks exactly the same as she did when I met her, which oddly was only yesterday for me but 5 years for her. Even covered in dirt and blood she was still the most beautiful person I have laid eyes on.

We sat and talked for hours whilst Steve was busy with the aftermath. I don’t think I have met anyone so easy to talk to, despite the day that she’d had she still managed to smile and laugh. Even though not much had happened to me in the grand scheme of things, she checked that I was alright and showed little concern for herself. When she left to find somewhere to sleep for the night she promised to catch me up on everything that had happened over the last 75 years. I never planned on re-joining the real world, I was just going to be a recluse and farm in Wakanda. Y/N makes me want more than that, is it possible that I can have a ‘normal’ life. Do I deserve it? All I know is that I haven’t been excited about anything for a long time, probably not since going to Coney Island with Steve. Now I am excited to start living again with Y/N as my guide.

You took a break at this point overwhelmed by what you were feeling. You could remember meeting Bucky for the first time; you had been so nervous. Steve had told you so much about him that you felt like you already knew him. Immediately you had been distracted by his eyes, they were impossibly blue and you could have spent hours looking into them. You had felt an immediate connection with him. But then of course Thanos happened and Bucky was ripped from your life before you even had chance to get to know him. All of the pain and challenges of those five years felt worth it the moment you saw Bucky again. You felt hopeful again. You had never known that he felt exactly the same way so early on.

For the next few hours you poured over Bucky’s journals, each page you turned your heart melting even more. As the diary entries moved on the content shifted. Most of what Bucky wrote was about the time he spent with you as you reintroduced him to the modern world. He outlined the moments where he realised he wanted more that friendship with you, the moments he started falling more and more in love with you. The first time you watched a film with him, the first time you ate lunch together, the first time you hugged him, your first date, your first kiss, the first time you admitted you loved each other. Each first was described in such detail you could see it all from his perspective. You had never felt so loved or in love with him. To anyone else this may seem a little obsessive or creepy but to you it made perfect sense. Bucky was afraid that one day he wouldn’t have his memories anymore, the thought of forgetting all the time he had spent with you terrified him. So, he wrote it all down to preserve it, that way he couldn’t forget everything, forget you.  

The fourth journal was the most recent. Bucky last entry was clearly the one he had started last night; the writing stopping midway through a sentence when you had clearly woken up and interrupted him. You flopped back onto the bed, your head landing on Bucky’s pillow, his diary clutched to your chest. Inhaling you took in that scent that was distinctly Bucky, a serene calmness washing over you. You weren’t sure why you did it but you turned to the next page. There was some writing there. Maybe Bucky had missed a page a while ago? You moved the page closer to your face so you could read it better. It was dated with today’s date.

Today is the day. I can’t wait any longer. You are the reason I still exist, you’re my everything. I realise that until I had you in my life I wasn’t living, simply existing. There is nothing in this world that I value more than the time we have spent together. The memories I have with you, are the best memories I have. With this in mind there’s one more thing I need to ask you to do doll.

Your eyes blurred with tears as you read the next line. Climbing off the bed, you quickly freshened up in the bathroom, pulled on some proper clothes and grabbed you bag before heading out the door. Bucky’s diary abandoned on the bed, open the last page he had written on.

xxx

Bucky headed straight for your room when he got back. He realised he had missed his time frame with it just having crept past midnight. This meant that you were likely in your room, curled up fast asleep in one of his t-shirts. He opened the door and noticed the light on, his diaries on the bed but worryingly you weren’t there. He glanced on the page that his diary had been left open and and immediately felt a wave of nausea. 

“FRIDAY, where is Y/N?” he said quietly.

“Miss Y/N is on the roof terrace Sargent Barnes.” He was already out of the door as FRIDAY finished her response.

He pushed open the doors and immediately spotted you leaning against the railings looking out over the city. Bucky’s heart was in his throat but as you turned and smiled at him, he felt instantly relieved.

“You’re late,” you teased.

Bucky covered the distance between you in a couple of long steps and went to wrap his arms around you but you stepped away. “Doll, come on. I missed you,” he pouted.

“I know, I missed you too but I have something to give you first,” you pulled the small leather-bound book out of the pocket of your trench coat and offered it to Bucky.

He took the book from your hand and inspected it with a look of utter confusion. “Doll isn’t this one of my books?”

“Nope, it’s new. I went out and bought it today,” you rolled your eyes at him. “Why don’t you open it?”

On the inside cover her spotted an inscription.  

To the love of my life,

From the first day I met you I knew I wanted to be in your life, whether that was as a friend, a lover or even a wife. Don’t ask me how I knew back then, maybe I didn’t, but every minute I spend with you just affirms what I know with all my heart. I can’t live without you James Barnes. I will spend every day showing you that because you are the best man I know. Today is the day you asked me to marry you and today is the day I say yes.

This book is for you to write down our memories, the ones created as husband and wife. Love always Y/N xxx

“Not factually correct anymore as you’re late,” you wiped away the tears that had slipped from your eyes.

He looked up at you, his own tears falling and his signature lopsided grin plastered to his face. “Doll, do you mean it?”

“Yes Bucky, I want to marry you. I’ve loved you for years, but reading your diaries-“ you sniffed as your emotions started to overwhelm you. “I love you, you’re –“ Your words were cut off when Bucky swept you up in his arms and swung you around, all the while peppering your face with butterfly kisses.

He finally put you down, one hand cupping your cheek and tilting your head up so that your watery eyes met his. “I love you. You’re my everything. I know I should have got on one knee and had a ring but I just couldn’t wait,” he was rambling now. “Shit, I shouldn’t have asked you by writing the question in a diary. I’m so-“

You stood up on your tiptoes and crashed you lips to his in an attempt to shut him up.

“Buck, it was perfect ok? I don’t care about a ring or a fancy proposal. I’m yours. I don’t need a piece of jewellery to know that. Plus, your way was a lot more romantic” He leaned his forehead against yours and sighed. “But, if it makes you feel better then ask me again,” you grinned.

He pulled away, placed the notebook carefully on the floor and got on one knee. “Y/N will you-“

“Yes” you blurted out. Bucky shook his head.

“You’re supposed to let me finish the question,” he chuckled. You mouthed sorry at him and pretended to zip up your lips.

“Y/N, will you marry me?”

“Easiest question I have ever been asked. Yes, I will marry you Bucky Barnes.”

As soon as he stood again his mouth was on yours, his hands lightly gripping the side of your face keeping you close. Instinctively your hand went up to rest on his chest as you sighed into the kiss. His lips were soft, and gentle. There was no sense urgency in the way your lips moved against each other’s. There was no need. You had all the time in the world.

Taglist is open so let me know if you want in or out

Taglist: @stargazingfangirl18 ,  @silentcoyotesong, @queenofstarliqht​, @buckys-henley​, @lonelyheartsm​ @alexa-lightwood-blog​, @angrythingstarlight​, @drabblewithfranny​, @rogueheretic555,​ @rebekahdawkins​

[malfoyfarms]

Behind His Back

maybe a rafe imagine? i get it if you don’t want to write for him :) -nonnie

hi can you do a fluff/angst with rafe pls 🥺🥺-nonnie

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x Reader

Word Count: 1.4k

T/W: couple a swear words

A/N: So I managed to finish three requests bc I’m sitting in the barn waiting for my last three cows to calve... hopefully they’ll all be posted soon! 

You pushed the lobster and pasta around your plate trying to avoid any conversation with the adults who were gathered around you. The polka dotted dress you were wearing was constricting your movement, probably on purpose so you wouldn’t mess up the perfectly pinned back hair. 

Your family had invited the Cameron’s over this evening, celebrating you and Rafe’s one and a half years of dating. To you it felt like a business deal, but all you wanted from your parents was to hear “We’re proud of you,” and if that meant dating Rafe Cameron, then so be it. 

You weren’t one to lie, you had fallen in love with the boy, but things between the two of you weren’t exactly the same as when you had first announced your partnership. Deep down you two understood each other, but it still didn’t completely outweigh the unhealthy behavior. 

“So Y/N, where have you been looking for college? I know your Mom’s an alum of Wake Forest,” Ward asked you from across the large table. Swallowing your bite and wiping your mouth, you prepared your answer. Rafe and I were a year apart, him already attending the university in Chapel Hill.

“It was supposed to be a surprise for next week, but I accepted a position to play field hockey at Dartmouth College,” you responded absentmindedly. You flashed a large smile, feeling Rafe’s hand tighten around your thigh. He hated thinking about the two of you parting ways for college, therefore you never talked about it. 

“Y/N, I thought you were applying to UNC Chapel Hill?” Rafe asked, caught off guard by the response you gave his father. 

“No, not anymore. With double legacy, a first-gen woman at Dartmouth, and a position to keep playing field hockey, I’d be stupid not to accept,” I stated, getting heated. My two older brothers made eye contact with Sarah, John B and Wheezie, knowing it was about to get interesting. 

“It’s beautiful here in North Carolina, why would you want to leave?”

“I can ski in New Hampshire,” I retorted.

“We’re a team, Y/N, I thought we talked about decisions before we made them,” Rafe was turning red. You were challenging him, in front of both families and a pogue. 

“We’re not married, Rafe, I can make my own decisions,” You rolled your eyes. As if anything more could go wrong, your eldest brother threw in a comment about a friend of his he could introduce you to so you can acclimate to the campus properly. 

“I just can’t believe you went behind my back when making such a life altering decision. What you chose affects my reputation,” He was looking down at you, like you were a dog and he was your owner. You were ready to destroy, destroy, destroy, just like Daddy had taught his little girl. 

“Oh, so it’s okay to go behind my back and do drugs with Topper and Kelce, or go around beating the shit out of the kids from the cut?” His eyes were starting to dart around as the entire table kept watching. You weren’t finished though. “It’s okay to go behind my back and take my tip money to pay your drug lord? Rafe, your actions affect my reputation.” You spat with a mocking tone. Everyone was silent. 

You stood up, pushed in your chair and made your way to your bedroom. You hadn’t even had the door closed before you stripped your dress off, replacing it with shorts and a sweatshirt representing your future commitment.

Tears were pricking your eyes due to the scene you had caused downstairs. Your mother would be furious without a doubt, but your dad may let you off the hook, you were his baby girl. All you wanted to do was impress your parents with the academic and athletic achievement, but once again you let Rafe’s words cause actions that took that very moment away from you. 

~

It was going on 3:30 in the morning, when you heard your brother walk down the hall towards your room. Quickly wiping your eyes, and standing up to greet him.

“Rafe is on the front porch waiting for you. He called me like nine times because you decided to turn off your phone,” he said. “I can make him go away if you want.”

You shrugged your shoulders and silently made your way to your boyfriend. Once you opened the door and took in his appearance as it matched your own. Red-rimmed eyes, runny nose and twitchy hands. 

Here the vicious cycle began again. You’d fight, make a fool of each other, and then run right back to each other. You slid right into his arms, holding onto him as tight as your hands could. This cycle was the only way you knew how to love. You had learned from your parents, seeing many situations such as the one that had just played out between you and Rafe. 

What you noticed was that as you gripped him, he didn’t return the favor. He gently peeled your arms off of his body, then turning away and wiping his eyes. 

“Look, Y/N, after the scene you caused tonight, I think we,” he paused. You knew exactly where this was going. You had thrown too big of a fit this time. “We need to take a break for a little, get ourselves on the right path, then possibly rejoin.”

“Rafe what the fuck, did you just recite that from a script?” he wouldn’t make eye contact with you, proving your theory correct. 

“No, I just think it’s best for us, this way we can figure out what we’re doing before you leave in the fall.”

“Rafe, I leave the second week of May to start practices, we either fix this now, or end it now,” you whimpered, revealing another secret you hadn’t had time to tell anyone yet.

“Goodbye Y/N.”

~

It was the annual Christmas Party at the Country Club, and you were not looking forward to it. All the kook families were going to be there, including the Cameron’s. It wasn’t Ward, or Rose, or even Sarah that you were scared to see, it was Rafe. Ward wasn’t as upset as you thought he would be to find out you had ended things with his son, probably more focused on cleaning the reputation his son had picked up. 

The preppy skirt and sweater combination you had on complemented your new body type, highlighting the now more developed muscles. One semester of collegiate sports had completely changed you. You finished pinning back your front pieces of hair and made your way to the living room where your family and your new boyfriend were waiting. 

His name was Wilder Buchanon, a third year at Dartmouth, you had met over the summer as he was another fellow athlete. Your families adored one another, almost more than the two of you’s attraction to each other.

As you made your way into the venue, all eyes were on you once again. You were flooded with greetings from other kook kids, asking how New Hampshire was, about your studies, and most importantly the man standing next to you. Everything around was a blur when your eyes met Rafe’s from across the room. 

He didn’t look the same. His eyes had dark circles around them, his shoulders were slightly hunched as if he was trying to hide. He overall just didn’t look well.

“Wilder, I’m going to go get something to drink, I’ll be right back,” he nodded in acknowledgement and removed his hand from your back. 

Your feet carried you towards the former lover, and he instantly looked at you. He flashed a soft smile and took in your new appearance. Your y/h/c hair had grown long, you had put on muscle, not in a bad way. 

“You look good kid,” he chuckled softly.

“How have you been doing Rafe?” There was a genuine tone to your voice.

“Better, I’m officially two months sober, and I’ll be going back to Chapel Hill in the spring,” he responded. 

He didn’t expect you to envelope him in a hug, and tell him you were proud of him, but he accepted it greatly. Of course his smile softened when he met Wilder, but he was right. The two of you needed to work on yourselves as the relationship the two of you shared was unhealthy. He couldn’t be mad at Wilder for falling for such a wonderful girl like you. 

“Go back to be with your boy,” he said softly. “Just remember kid, I’ll always be in your corner.” He moved your hair behind your ear, and sent you on your way.

[mickmarstookmyheart]

Life's a Sick Joke pt 15

Pairing: Mick Mars x Reader

15. Bark at the Moon

Summary: Mötley Crüe joins Ozzy on his tour. Finally, someone scolds down the band while the person who is the most 'innocent', gets in trouble.

∆

"I see the holidays went well." Vince smirked when he noticed you and Mick approaching the tour bus in the parking lot. You were smiling from ear-to-ear because you haven't felt so good for months, also the Crüe joins Ozzy, and this way you can spend more time with Sharon. She truly helped a lot with your brother and since it's only a few weeks until Dylan gets out of jail she will be able to tell you some pieces of advice.

"Indeed." You said, your brand new camera hanging on your neck. Mick placed a soft kiss on your forehead and headed to pack the bags on the bus. You hugged Vince and got on the bus, he following you. When you got on board, you saw Nikki and Tommy in a booth already doing drugs. You sighed but stood beside them anyway. "Hey, guys." You uttered giving them a judging look.

Tommy lifted his head and his eyes lit up when he saw you. He stood up and gave you a big bear hug you couldn't even breathe from his grip. "It's so good to see you, (Y/N). I've missed you." He murmured in your hair.

"Me, too, but can you let me go, please? I-I can't breathe." You mumbled and gasped for air when he let you free and sat back to Nikki. He didn't even glance at you just kept doing lines. "What's up, Nikki? Are you ready?" You hit him in the shoulder playfully.

"Yeah." He rubbed his nose. This tour will be unforgettable but not in a good way. Not to mention Ozzy. The guys worshiped him as a god or something.

"Cool." You settled down behind the bus driver and waited for Mick and Doc to finally got on and set off to this madness. You weren't worried about the concerts, more like the things happening after those. The parties, the drugs, and the booze. This will have a bad ending. Or middle...

"Hello, (Y/N)." Doc greeted you and looked over the guys. He made an 'i can't make it through' face which you could relate with.

"Hey, Doc." You tried to smile and cheer him up, unsuccessfully.

"I hope we will survive, (Y/N)." He huffed sitting down and burying his face into his hands.

"We will don't worry. I just don't know with what kind of injuries." You hummed.

∆

"So he has three children?" Vince gasped as he was consuming his food in the canteen of the hotel. It was nearly noon so plenty of customers were spending their time there. You could hear people murmuring, the forks and spoons hitting the plates.

"Shut up, Vin. Nobody can know about that." You hissed through your teeth and glanced around to see if anyone could hear that.

"Sorry. But really? I knew he is old and all but I didn't think he is a father. He isn't father material." He chuckled. You kicked his foot under the table making him groan. "Hey! What was that for?!"

"Mick is a so much better father material than you. And you don't know the circumstances." You took a sip from your coffee. Not that you knew properly.

"Alright, I'm sorry." He sighed and started to observe your face. "Did something happened?" He tilted his head.

"It's just..." You hooked your feet around the chair legs and were drumming your fingers on the table. "Did you know Mick was the one who got me the job?" You asked quietly.

"What?" Vince frowned his brows. "I thought Doc hired you."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. But while we were at his parents' house I heard them talking about me. And that Mick talked with Doc to give me the job. And I'm happy, truly, but...I don't know. Maybe I would just have to accept it." You twirled your fork in your food.

"Look, (Y/N). I don't think Mick was the only reason. You are a great photographer, a great person and you make Mick happy. I think these are more than enough reasons." He cracked a smile and placed his hands on yours.

"Thank you, Vinnie." He managed to calm down a bit, though that thought didn't let you rest.

∆

"Tommy fucking Lee, come here!" You exclaimed while trying to catching up with him in the corridor. He stole your camera giving you a heart attack every time he jumped or dropped it in the air. "GIVE IT BACK!"

"Catch me if you can, Cooper." He snickered and turned in the corner disappearing from your sight. When you turned, too, you bumped into Tommy's back. You rubbed your nose and stepped aside to see why he stopped. Sharon was standing in front of him with crossed arms and stomping feet.

"Oh my, Sharon! Praise Satan, you are here." You let out a long breath both from the running and relief. You walked over to her and hugged her. "It's so good to see you."

"It's good to see you, too, (Y/N)! How is your brother?" She asked resting her hand on your shoulder.

"He is getting better and better. Thanks to you." You smiled gratefully.

"I'm glad I could help...not another inch Mr. Lee!" She yelled. Tommy stopped as he was trying to escape. "Give the camera back to her."

"No." He murmured pressing it to his chest.

"What did you say?" Sharon required while staring right into the drummer's eyes. 

"That...oh come on, I was just kidding. You are such a buzz to kill." Tommy scoffed and handed you back your working equipment. Tommy turned around and turned in the corner, getting out of sight. You sighed and rubbed your nose from annoyance and tiredness.

"And it's only the second day, Sharon. I don't know how I will make this through." You complained making the woman chuckle.

"Don't worry, darling. Just leave it to me. Everything will go smooth, I promise." She winked encouragingly.

"I hope you are right."

You really did hope. All the stupid stuff they could do was countless and their purpose was to try them all, making all the people around them annoyed, feared, and fed up, hopefully not injured. However, with Sharon by your side, the tour, will be a piece of cake.

∆

Three weeks already passed and you have been to many interesting and new places you have never been to. The only constant thing was traveling, sitting on the bus, packing the pieces of equipment off and on the bus, running backstage if either of them needed anything. You were a photographer, of course, you just helped the crew out occasionally which they thanked very much with grateful smiles and great company after the concerts.

If you could, you didn't attend the parties which were not that rad, thanks to Sharon. She let neither Ozzy, not the Crüe to buy and do drugs and merely drink booze. You and Mick often went for a walk nearby the hotel to kill time or stayed and relaxed in the spa section or your room. You had the time of your life and you felt like the luckiest girl alive. Working for a rock band, being the girlfriend for a kind, generous and hot guitarist; and lastly having your brother back the next day. You were eagerly waiting backstage just before the concert started. You were walking in circles when you felt a hand on your shoulder.

"Hey, are you alright?" Mick asked as you turned around to face him. He cupped your face with his big hands and pecked your lips which never failed to melt your heart. You sighed as you placed your hands on his.

"Yeah. I just-Dylan will get out of jail on Thursday and I can't wait to meet him, that's all. There are many things I would like to tell him."

"I'm sure everything will be just fine. And I will stand beside you no matter what." His lips curved into a smile and you couldn't how lucky you were. He always listened to your problems, helped you with everything you needed, and even introduced you to his family. You almost managed to let go of the thing that was nagging you and just tried to live in the present.

"Thank you, it means a lot to me." You whispered and pressed your forehead to his while you intertwined your hands. You stayed like this until you heard footsteps and loud groaning.

"I can't believe that we can't have 5 fucking moments." Mick cursed and tightened his jaw.

"Hey, Mick! Let's go!" Tommy yelled so loudly you needed to press your hands on your ears so as not to get deaf. He drummed on the wall with his sticks as the other members arrived, too. Nikki looked clean, though you doubted since he didn't even look at you. You began to worry, maybe he was mad at you, but why? You didn't do anything.

"Come, (Y/N)!" Vince hang his arm around your shoulder and followed Tommy. "Make some marvelous photos of us." He smirked. You glanced back at Mick who just shook his head but smiled. You couldn't help it, Vince was just Vince. "Also, there is someone who is eager to see you."

"Who?" You asked turning to him when you felt two cold hands folding your eyes.

"Guess who!" Isabelle giggled as you saw, well, rather hear her. You hugged her tightly, almost choking her. Being in her embrace made you forget everything around you. Never leaving her side for years and now not seeing her for months made you sorrowful, yet proud that she went to college and is standing on her own.

"What are you doing here?" You inquired with wide eyes.

"You didn't think I will let you and Dylan have two quiet minutes without me, right?" She chuckled and pulled you back into her embrace once more. "I've missed you." She muffled in your hair.

"Me, too."

"She meant 'we'." Mick noted as he caught up with you in the meantime. He opened his arms and hugged your sister.

"Hey, Mick." She greeted the guitarist. "What's up?"

"Nothing much." He said as he pulled her in a sideways hug and headed towards the stage just as Vince did previously. He looked back and smirked leaving you there with a pout on your lips. Nevertheless, you adored both of them and would kill for them instantly. You sighed and followed the others as the concert could start at any moment now. You arrived at the same moment Vince ran on the stage with huge steps after the others got their instruments. The crowd was more than ready and they got what they wanted. More than they wanted.

This time you weren't alone since your sister was in your steps like a puppy but you didn't mind at all. You even let her take some photos with your camera, yet you took it back quickly after she almost managed to drop it. When your eyes wandered to Tommy he looked quite shocked when he noticed your sister. Considering, he fell in love with her then later 'lost' her. You just hoped that he accepted that your sister wouldn't return his feelings. Pity, though since Tommy was the only guy you would be happy to see your sister with. Not Vinnie, not Nikki.

When the show finished and the audience was prepared for Ozzy, the guys stormed offstage. They were hyped up and powerful and were ready to party.   Mick approached you and pulled you in a sweaty kiss, not that you minded. Vinnie made an 'eww' sound earning a hit from your sister in his shoulder.

"They are so cute, don't dare to deny it." She threatened playfully making you and Mick snicker.

"Hey, Iz, are you coming to the party?" Tommy asked shyly with puppy eyes.

"I don't know, Tommy." She pouted and then turned to you with the same puppy eyes as Tommy. "Can I?"

"Ahh. Alright." You eye-rolled and sighed. 

"Thank you, sis!" Isabelle cheered along with Tommy.

"But behave yourselves." You held up a finger earning quick nods from them.

"Then can I?" Tommy asked Isabelle who looked confused but then the drummer gestured at his back.

"Yeah, sure." She jumped on his back and left shouting.

"I can't believe them. I'm starting to feel like some kind of parent now." You let out a long breath.

"Just now?"

∆

"Alrighty, Isabelle. Truth or dare?" Tommy asked.

"Not this game, again!" She complained.

"Don't kill the mood!" Nikki added. "Come play with us. It will be fun, I promise."

"(Y/N) already told me stories about playing this game with you and it didn't turn out as good." She stated.

"But you are much funnier than her." Vince chuckled and took a sip from his beer.

"Okay, you convinced me. Then let it be truth."

"You are soooo booooring." Vince rolled his eyes while laying down on the floor.

"Hey, you asked."

"I can't believe it. Is this some Cooper thing to say this? It runs in your veins." Nikki muttered.

"Tommy, truth or dare?" Isabelle asked turning to him.

"That's not how it works. It's still your turn." He pointed out frowning.

"I don't care. So?" She had a wicked smile on her face.

"Dare, motherfuckers!" He yelled.

"Fuck, yeah, man!" Vince shouted along as Nikki gave a high-five to Tommy.

"Yes, T-Bone!"

"Okay, tell me what should I do."

∆

"Finally, in bed." Mick muttered into the pillow next to you while you were already on the edge of sleep. It was quite late now and you had to get up early the next morning to be able to pack your stuff and pick up Dylan. He snuggled to your back and placed his arm on your waist and pulled you closer. You smiled at his touch and then fell asleep.

A half an hour could pass when Mick heard loud crashing noises from the corridor.

"No way. I will kill these idiots." He cursed and got out of bed with only a boxer on him trying to scold them down until you get kicked out of this hotel, too. He glanced back at you seeing you didn't even flinch, just kept sleeping. He cautiously opened the door and closed it after himself. He noticed Tommy running towards him almost naked. "Stop it, you idiot!" He hissed through his teeth.

"No way, old man!" He laughed and kept harassing people. He tried not to blow up and start to run after him with a gun but then two cups approached him panting.

"Sir, stop right there." One of them required.

"I beg your pardon?" Mick arched his brow, not understanding.

"Sir, we got a call that a rocker man with long black hair and only a boxer is harassing people in this hotel." He said and the other pulled out a handcuff and put it on Mick.

"But that...I will kill you, drummer." He murmured already planning the various methods.

"Please, not in front of cops." The officer said while escorting Mick to the car.

∆

"(Y/N). (Y/N)! Come on, wake up." Doc was standing by your bed his hand on your shoulder shaking it in order to wake you up.

"What is it?" You murmured into your pillow. "It's already 6 am?"

"No, it's not. But there is a problem." He hesitated.

"It has to be a big problem cause I'm not in the mood, Doc." You growled sitting up and preparing yourself to hear the worst.

"Mick was just taken away by the cops."

"What?" You thought you misheard it. Or dreamed.

"He was arrested. For something he didn't do of course." He added rubbing the back of his head.

"Then it's not an emergency. He can wait. I thought you had a real reason, Doc. Go away and let me rest a bit." You snapped sleepily. It has been quite a rough day, week, and month.

∆

"Good morning, miss. How can I help you?" The cop asked at the entrance.

"There is someone who was brought in during the night and I would like to get him out from here." You smirked.

"This way, ma'am." He gestured toward the door on your left and opened it for you letting you first. You thanked with a nod and you noticed that there were only a few men there, most of them sleeping. "He is here, ma'am. As I'm concerned he didn't bring in any belongings with him. So as you are ready he is free to go." He said goodbye and let you find Mick. The prisoner. The criminal.

"Hey, there." You said trying your best not to laugh. Mick's eyes opened instantly and sat up as quick as he could.

"What took you so long?" He growled as he rose from the bed and stepped in front of you grabbing the bars. You bit down your lip and can't help but chuckle. "Don't dare to laugh. It's not funny."

"Yes, it is." You said and placed your hands on his. "But you know, I'm starting to get tired of visiting the prisons."

"Don't say another word just get me out of here."

"Or what?" You teased him. "I think I should tell the cop to handcuff you, you are being dangerous."

"Are you serious?" He sighed and rolled his eyes. "(Y/N), I just get back to the hotel, get dressed, and rest a bit only after I kill the drummer." He scoffed.

"I will help you if you want."∆

Taglist: @cmft-jr-winchester @safari-karrot @leatherandheels @crazyrockrlady ❤️

[nooneelsecomesclose17]

How I got to where I am - Part 3

I said one more chapter, I know, but it got away from me. So this time, there is definitely only one more chapter to come. Hopefully soon!

He doesn't say much as they walk back to the flat and Aaron leaves him be until they're at the door. "So how long did you rent it for?"

“Uh, three weeks.” He looks down at the key in his hand. "I ruined tonight, didn't I?”

"What? No! Of course not. If anyone did it was him. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“But your party...everyone was there.”

"My lot have never needed an excuse to throw booze down their necks. Reckon they'll be glad of the excuse to do it all again.” He throws an arm round him, “Have you ever known a Dingle turn down a party?”

“Still, you should see your Mum."

“I will, tomorrow. Robert, why are you trying to push me away?"

"I'm not..."

“You are. Why can't you accept that I would rather be with you?"

“Because I wouldn't be like this if you hadn't been so desperate to come here." He regrets it the minute he says it but the words are out and he can’t take them back. The stupid thing is he doesn’t even know why he feels like this.

“I told you time and again not to come here, to let me deal with it. You don’t get to blame me for this." He starts to walk away.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know."

“Aaron, please!"

"Not now Robert.” He watches him walk away. Why did he do this every time. He always ruined everything.

Aaron's gone before he can follow and he lets him go, knows him well enough to know he needs a while alone. He's ruined everything, Aaron's party, meeting his family and now their first night back together.

He starts walking in the direction he’d gone, not knowing what else to do, doesn’t want to go home alone. He can still hear noise from the pub but he’s not going to see if he’s in there. He. He doubts he is anyway. He can just imagine everyone is talking about him anyway. He finds him at the bridge, staring down into the water.

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, I know." He stands next to him itching to touch him, honestly not sure he'd be welcome. "You know, as much as I wanted to see Paddy, I suppose at the back of my mind I always knew I would have to come back one day, because I wanted to be with you and I couldn’t do that properly while I was on the run."

"I shouldn't have snapped at you. Tonight’s been a lot to deal with. I haven't even had chance to say welcome home."

"Nothin' stopping you now, is there?" The smirk is back and he knows he’s not mad anymore.

"I missed you so much."

"Missed you too. I'm so bloody proud of you Robert. Standing up to your Dad like that.”

“I can't believe I did. God everyone is going to know." He’d known that but the reality is just now hitting him.

"That might be a good thing. If everyone knows what he's like. He let everyone believe that you’d just left home. Let people keep worrying about you. Everything is on him, not you. You've got nothing to feel guilty for.”

"I know that I do. I suppose...I guess I hoped that maybe he'd be sorry, that he'd realised he was the one in the wrong."

"You can't make him change." Aaron hesitates, holding him close. "Did it help, getting it all out?”

"A bit.”

“Then that’s the best you can hope for. If…if he had said sorry, would it change anything?”

“Probably not. I…I suppose I just want…is it wrong to want him to just love me?”

“No. Of course it isn’t. He’s your Dad, he’s supposed to…you should be able to rely on him.” He doesn’t move far but he pulls away from Robert just enough that he feels cold with him gone.

“God, Aaron, I’m sorry. I’m such an idiot.”

“Hey, stop it. It’s fine, really. Come on, it’s cold out here. Show me this house you found.”

“I don’t know where I’d be without you, you know.” He tells him, holding his hand as they start to walk back towards the house.

“At home, not here dealing with your Dad.”

“That’s not what I mean! I don’t even think I would’ve said anything if you hadn’t walked in. I saw you and…I knew I could do it. That sounds daft.”

“No it doesn’t.” He presses a kiss to his temple. “Want to go home?”

“Yeah. Maybe we can still salvage something of tonight?"

"What did you have in mind?"

“Well, there's a new episode of Peaky Blinders I've been meaning to watch." He laughs as Aaron's face drops and he can’t help but tease him. "It's only on for an hour. I'm sure we can find something to do after."

"You're an arse."

"Shut up or I'll watch two episodes.”

*****

“Can I ask you something?” Aaron says the next morning when it’s still quite dark outside and he’s in that fuzzy place, half asleep, half awake.

“Mmm.” He tightens his arm around his waist, not wanting to let him go.

“After last night, is it easier, being back?”

“I guess. He’s not the big bad wolf anymore I suppose. I stood up to him. I…what’s it going to be like today, everyone knowing, looking.” He opens his eyes finally, meeting Aaron’s gaze. “Can I…can I ask you something?” Aaron nods, he likely knows what it is because Robert’s only ever hesitant about one thing. “How did you…it’s not the same I know, but how did you cope with everyone staring…knowing?”

“I didn’t really. Hid away for a bit, but I had to go out there in the end. Cain kinda didn’t leave me much choice. Like he said, if they didn’t believe me then it was their problem, not mine. The people I cared about did. They were the ones that mattered, not the likes of Brenda.” He leans closer and kisses him. “You’re not on your own you know. You’ve got me, Sarah and my Mum…no doubt the rest of my lot too. We’re on your side.”

“What about Andy?” He wished he knew why he was so bothered by him but he’d been thinking about it most of the night, unable to sleep.

“Same goes for him as everyone. His choice what to think. He might surprise you.”

"Doubt it.” He wasn’t sure if he wanted to talk him to or not. Maybe there was too much water under the bridge for them to get past. He had to admit a part of him did miss his brother.

"I dunno he looked funny last night, didn't seem happy with Jack to me."

"Andy's too like him though, his problem though, right?" He says much more sure than he feels.

“Exactly,”

He doesn’t get chance to say any more before the door bursts open and Seb is launching himself onto the bed calling them lazybones even though it was barely seven in the morning.

“Aaron!”

"Hi mate ! I’m sorry I didn't see you last night.”

“Where did you go?”

"Had to see someone about work. I'm back now though, for good this time."

“Really?” He sounds sceptical and Robert almost laughs at the look on his face.

"Promise. Have you had breakfast?" Seb shakes his head. “Are you hungry?”

“Yes!” He rubs his belly as if he’s half starved and Aaron tickles him making him shriek.

“We better get you fed then. Come on, let your Dad wake up properly.” Seb’s off the bed and gone in a flash. “One of my fry ups do you?”

“Yeah. Sounds perfect.”

When he’s alone he gets out of bed, looks out of the window at the village. He’s still unsure whether he made the right decision to come. Not about being here for Aaron but raking up the past again, bringing everything back into focus when he’s tried so hard to forget.

“Daddy, breakfast!” He smiles as Seb bellows up the stairs.

“Coming!”

*****

They’ve barely cleared away the plates when the doorbell rings. “Three guesses.” Aaron says with a smile. He answers the door and all Robert can hear is him protesting as Chas talks a mile a minute.

“Mum we’re barely finished with breakfast.” He says as they get closer.

“It’s been years since I saw you. Who cares about a few plates.” Robert sticks the kettle back on for want of something to do. Seb is playing in front of the TV and his Mum is on the phone checking on the restaurant.

“You saw me last night.”

“Not properly. Barely had chance to say hello.”

“That was my fault.” He can’t put it off any longer, turns round to face them.

“No love, that’s not what I meant. Oh I’m making a mess of this. You came into the pub…before, why didn’t you introduce yourself?”

“Soppy here wanted me to introduce you.” Aaron says, laughter all over his face. Chas has this weird look on her face and the next thing he knows she’s hugging him making Aaron laugh harder. “Mum, sit down and stop embarrassing him.”

“So, come on,” She says when they all have a mug of tea in front of them. “I want to know everything. How did you meet?”

He lets Aaron do all the talking, just enjoys watching them. Aaron’s always been quiet back at home. He had a few workmates he’d hang out with but he’d always been one to keep himself to himself. Seeing him chatting and joking with his Mum was almost a revelation. There was a whole side of him that had been missing.

“You know Cain will sort you out with your old job love.”

“Mum…”

“I’m just saying, you’ll want to be earning. This place won’t be cheap if I know Jimmy King.”

“I’ve already got a job. At least I hope I have.”

“I spoke to Jim before I left, gave him a quick rundown. You know him, heard everything, seen everything. He said he’d keep it open for you…all proper this time too.” Aaron just smiles.

“But…you’ll be coming back, now you can. Won’t you?”

“We’re settled where we are Mum.” Robert can’t help but study his face for any sign that it’s not true but there’s nothing. “But I’ll be able to visit now won’t I? And you can visit us. You’ll love it.”

“Yes love. Of course I will. Well, I should let you both get on. Um, last night, Sarah said that it was Seb’s birthday in a few days. We thought…well I thought, how about we throw a party in the pub? Give the family chance to meet Robert properly and that.”

“I don’t know…he’s…well everything changing like this, I don’t know how he’ll be.”

“Every kid loves a party. Come on it’ll just be our lot and anyone you want to ask.” Aaron looks over at him and he nods. What harm can it do really.

“Fine. Don’t go too mad, yeah? I know you Mum.”

“That’s settled then. Thursday teatime in the pub. Paddy should be home by then too.”

When she’s gone he’s staring into space and Aaron has to wave a hand in front of his face a few times to get his attention. “Hey, where’d you go?”

“Sorry. Did you mean that?”

“What?”

“That we’re settled? Don’t you think about moving back here?” Aaron shrugs.

“Sometimes. It wasn’t really my choice to leave.” He starts to get up. “But…I meant it. We are settled, and we’re happy. Probably be happier now everything is out in the open between us, don’t you think?”

“Yeah. Of course it will.” He forces a smile. Why was he so filled with doubts, Aaron looks so sure, why is he questioning everything?

*****

"Are you alright about this?” Aaron asks as they stand outside the pub. It's Seb's birthday and they've spent the morning at a play centre in Hotten and now they're going to the pub for his party.

The rest of the week has been spent together, just them, out and about, avoiding the village. It wasn’t intentional but the first couple of days after Aaron got back they’d barely had a minute to themselves, Chas popping in what felt like every five minutes. He wants to talk more about what comes next but he can’t bring himself to. He doesn’t have any answers and he has no idea what Aaron might say, despite his words earlier in the week.

"We can't let him down, he's excited." It was all he'd talked about for days. "It's fine Aaron. As long as none of your lot threaten me or anything. I do remember them you know."

"They're not that bad. Ok they are but they'll be on they best behaviour. Mum promised."

"Right come on then." He's got hold of Seb's hand and he pulls the doon open, the noise level already pretty loud.

When they get inside they're faced with a wall of Dingles and Robert can't help but move closer to Aaron. He's not scared of them but knowing that they'd heard everything, he was apprehensive of the reception .

"Here's the birthday boy!" Chas, loud as over comes round the bar to stand next to Sarah, The two of them had been plotting for days and Aaron had jokingly said they should be worried. Looking at their identical grins he wasn't sure we was wrong.

"Mum, we said no fuss!"

"Oh hush. If you can't make a fuss on your grandson's birthday then what's the point?" Sarah pipes up. "Andy's here."

"I'm glad. Really." He was. He'd realised the last few days that it had never really been Andy he was mad at, it was his Dad's differing treatment of them both that had caused the rift. He'd been hesitant about it still, until he'd spoken to his Mum, his loyalty always with her first, but she and Andy had sorted themselves too. He had to put as much as he could into the past. She’d said she was going to ask him, probably hopeful they would make up. He didn’t know if he would but he’d make an effort to talk at least. “I’ll talk to him later.”

“Right so, introductions I think.” Aaron claps his hands together, entirely too gleeful for Robert’s liking. He was nervous, not just because they all knew what had gone on, but because he knew what they all meant to Aaron. He wanted them to like him. “We’ll start with Zak and Lisa, you remember them, right?”

“Yeah.” He follows him over, plastering a smile on his face, Seb clinging to his hand still and he picks him up, letting him see everyone properly.

“Uncle Zak, Lisa, this is Robert.”

“Now lad, it’s been a long time, eh? You were a tiny spit of a boy last time I saw you.” He gets a warning nudge from Lisa and Robert smiles, properly this time. “Well anyway, terrible business. You keep our Aaron happy enough by the looks of him.”

“I try.”

“And this handsome boy must be Seb. Hello love. Happy birthday.” Lisa coos as Seb thanks her in his sweetest voice. Robert sets him on the floor as he’s fidgeting but he stays close to Aaron, still unsure about all the strangers. “Now I’m not going to go on but I just wanted to say that took a lot of guts the other night. We were all worried about you when you left, well went missing so we thought.”

“I didn’t…I’m sorry he worried you like that.”

“Don’t you dare love. He’s the one at fault. I said at the time there was something odd, there were never any police or ‘owt. Still at least you were safe, that’s the main thing eh? You’ve done alright for yourself, a lovely little boy, and this one.” He laughs as Aaron blushes. She leans up and kisses him on the cheek, making him blush too. “Welcome to the family love.”

“Oh, well thanks.” He didn’t know what to say and Aaron was just grinning like a loon beside him.

“Come on, there’s loads more of us. See you later Lise.” He grabs his hand and leads him further into the bar. “See, I told you it’d be fine.”

*****

He’s in the corner of the pub, keeping himself to himself, a few minutes peace all he wanted. A long line of Dingles had been introduced and he’d had enough of the long pauses as they tried to work out what to say. Apart from Zak and Lisa he didn’t really know any of them enough to keep up a conversation. They were all nice enough he supposed but for now he’d just had enough.

Aaron had only just left his side, and that was only because Paddy had arrived, still in plaster and needing help. He’d not been introduced yet, he remembered him though, he’d always been up at the farm seeing to the animals, always friendly with his Dad. He was anxious about him, wanted Aaron’s parents to like him.

“Rob.” He looks up to see Andy in front of him. “You got a minute?”

“What do you want Andy?”

“I just wanted to talk. Mum said it’d be alright for me to come…I’ll go if…”

“You’re here now.” He looks over to the table his Mum is at, with Paddy, chatting away. She catches his eyes, gives him an encouraging smile. “I don't want a lecture on how bad a son or brother I am though."

"No...Just wondered if we could talk. Sarah, Jack, why don't you go and see your Mum for a minute.” For the first time he notices the two children next to him. Robert looks over the other side of the bar to see a woman, a bit of a scowl on her face. He’d been introduced to her, knew she was related to Aaron somehow but he couldn’t remember her name.

"Are they yours?"

"Yeah. That's Debbie their Mum. She's Aaron's cousin. Did you not know?"

"No. Well, we’ve been introduced but I didn’t know about you and her.” He wonders what else he doesn’t know. “So what do you want to talk about?”

"Was all of that true, the other night?"

"You think I'd lie about all of that?" He should've known. He picks up is drink, all intentions of walking away but a hand on his arm stopped him.

"No...but I don't understand why Dad would…why he'd let me think he didn't know where you were."

"I doubt he wanted anyone finding out the truth about why I left. Wouldn't look good would it?" He sighs. "Andy you're asking the wrong person about what Dad was thinking. Why haven't you asked him?"

"I tried…” Robert could imagine just how that conversation would’ve gone. “It…it’s, I don’t understand, he’s not like that.”

“No…I just wasn’t the son he wanted.”

“Rob…” He shook his head, doesn’t want to talk about it anymore.

"So, what does he think of you and Debbie? I guess you're not together?"

"He wasn't happy about her being a Dingle, but…I guess you…”

"Don't say I know what that feels like. It's not the same. Him thinking he's somehow superior to them is nothing like hating your son for who he is."

"Are you sure it wasn't that you were fifteen?" He resists the urge to roll his eyes.

”Yes Andy, I'm sure. Like I said last night, he never had a problem about you and Katie did he? He made it pretty clear what it was about. Would you like me to tell you the words he used?”

“Sorry."

"It doesn't matter."

"You could've told me you know." He scoffs loudly.

"Come on Andy. You know what it was like back then. Besides I didn't even really know myself. You know my argument isn’t with you. Not that one at least."

"I don't know what to say.”

"You don't have to say anything, you didn’t do anything. I only came back here for Aaron, not a family reunion."

"You're leaving?” Is it his imagination or does he look disappointed.

"Maybe, probably." They hadn’t spoken about it, Aaron still getting used to being around his family again and he was still too shaken about the night in the pub to think clearly.  "Seb will need to go back to school at some point anyway."

“I…didn’t expect you to have a kid.”

“I could say the same.” They laugh, some of the tension clearing. “He wasn’t planned, but he’s the best thing in my life. Him and Aaron.”

“His Mum…you said…”

“Car accident. We weren’t together. I was all he had left.”

“Sorry.” They fall silent and he struggles to know what to say.

“You know Vic's coming, should’ve been here by now, ‘spect she'll want to see you." He'd spent over an hour on the phone to her after the night in the pub, telling her everything and she'd insisted on coming up. A show of unity she'd said which made him smile. He knew she wanted to come, she had her own reasons too, probably needed the push just like he had.

“That’d be nice. What about Dad? Does she want to see him?”

“That’s up to her.”

“What about you…will you see him again before you go?”

“I doubt it. Don’t try and make it all happy between us Andy. Too much has gone on." Andy nods but he’s frowning. Robert’s not surprised, he knows where his loyalty is, always has been.

“I…Are you happy? Bit of a shock you and Aaron."

"Why? Because he's a man?"

"Well yeah, but not like that...It's Aaron. He used to be a right scally...not who I imagined you with." He can't help but smile because he wasn't really wrong.

"Well, people change…he’s…” He shook his head, found it hard putting into words just how he felt, especially to Andy. "I love him."

"I am happy for you Robert. Really."

"Thanks. Maybe we should introduce your two to Seb. They are cousins after all.”

“They’d like that.” He smiles and wanders over to where Seb is sitting on Aaron’s lap.

“You alright love?” His Mum looks worried and he smiles.

”I’m fine. Hey Seb, do you want to play with your cousins?"

"I have cousins?"

"Yes...come on." He leaves Aaron talking to Paddy and his Mum and leads Seb over to Andy. "Seb, this is your Uncle Andy and these are you cousins, Sarah and Jack."

"Sarah. Like Nana?"

“That's right.” He watches as he studies the other boy. He’s always been shy around new people and Robert knows he’s overwhelmed with all the changes the past few weeks so he’s unsure how it’ll go. He really doesn’t want a tantrum in front of everyone.

“Do you like trucks?” Jack asks him in a little voice. Within seconds the two of them were chatting away, Sarah supervising as only older sisters can, and he smiles over at Andy.

“Another pint?" He leads him to the bar. "Thanks for coming."

"I'm glad we've sorted things out."

"Me too “ They weren’t how they’d been as kids, probably never would be, but it was a start.

"I still can't get over you and Aaron." He shakes his head and Robert frowns.

"How do you mean?"

"The two of you both leave the village and yet you find each other."

"I suppose it is a bit of a coincidence."

The rest of the afternoon flies by and he finds himself surrounded by Aaron's family for most of it, all of them wanting to know how they got together, The only one he can't read is Cain and it's not until he heads to the Gents that he speaks.

"So you and Aaron."

"That's right."

"He looks happy. S'pose that's down to you." He shrugs, not really sure what to say. "Just make sure it stays that way, right."

"Uh, yeah." With that he's gone leaving Robert standing there.

"Robert? What's the matter?" Aaron's beside him as he gets back to the bar.

"I think Cain just gave me the ‘hurt him and you're dead' speech."

"What, I'll have a word."

"No. It was kinda sweet really."

"Cain? Sweet? How much have you had to drink?"

“It’s nice you have a protective family, idiot.”

“You know for Cain, that’s good. He’ll be getting the welly out next.”

“Welly? Wait, your Mum said something about that, what is it?” Aaron just wanders away smiling. “Aaron! Tell me!”

"Come on, Seb's eyeing up that pile of presents. Mum can only hold him off for so long.”

“I will get the truth out of you, you know. I have ways.” He knew the Dingles, could only imagine what it was. They had some odd ideas.

Seb's like a little prince, sitting on the bar opening present after present, Aaron and Robert either side of him. They're so engrossed that they don't see the door open, don't notice the extra guest until the room goes quiet. "Looks like I'm just in time then."

"It's a private party." He thinks it's Zak that speaks but he's too busy staring at his Dad, standing in the doorway a clumsily wrapped present in his hand.

"You heard him." That's definitely Chas. “Get out.”

"It's my local.”

"And it's my pub so I get to say who is allowed in. I'm a bit funny about people that hurt their children." Robert can only stare at her, blindly handing Seb another present hoping to distract him.

"Mum." He can't do anything is in disbelief that he's here, that he thinks it's ok to do this. "Leave it."

"Why are you here?" Finally he finds his voice.

"It's the lads birthday."

"I don't want you here." He steps closer.

"Now, Robert..."

"No. I said everything I had to say the other night.”

"He's my grandson."

"No he isn’t. You disowned me, so he's nothing to you. Now go." Out of the corner of his eye he sees Aaron and Cain of all people, move closer. It’s just a step, but he sees his Dad falter a little. He stares at him for a few more seconds before he turns and leaves.

He follows him to the door, telling himself it’s to make sure he leaves but he can't stop himself calling out.

"All I wanted was for you to understand. Why couldn't you do that?"

"You've no idea what you're talking about."

"Do you know how messed up I was after that? I was so confused, hurt and I had no one. The one person I should've been able to trust let me down.” He blinks back tears, refuses to let him see him cry.

"It was years ago."

“That’s no excuse! It’s all still there. Every word. The saddest thing, I believed you for so long, hated that part of myself. Probably until I met Aaron in fact.”

"You can't blame me for everything, you could've settled down, taken over the farm but you always had to be different, could never be satisfied."

"I was fifteen! I…I was figuring out who I was. I needed you to…to be my Dad!”

“Rob?" He swings round to see Vic standing there, bag in hand, clearly having heard everything.

“Victoria?" She ignores him and heads for Robert.

"Are you alright Rob?" She's hugging him and it's only been a week or so but he's missed her.

"You're looking well love." Their Dad tries again.

"It's alright Vic. If you want to talk to him." He whispers.

"I don't. I want to see Seb." She hesitates though, looking over her shoulder at her father, and Robert nods at her again. "I'll come and see you tomorrow Dad."

“Love..." He has to admire his persistence but Vic has every bit of his stubbornness and he knows she won’t budge.

"You heard her. Go home Dad."

"Are you alright? " She asks when he's walked away.

"Yeah. I think so. You go on in I just need a minute." She leaves him and he sits on one of the benches. It's not long before he feels someone sit beside him and when he opens his eyes he expects to see Aaron but it’s his Mum.

"Alright love?"

"Not really. Seb didn't hear did he?"

"No. He's playing with Jack again, happy as anything."

“How am I supposed to consider moving here if he just keeps turning up?” He says almost to himself.

"Are you thinking of moving?"

"Kinda. I think Aaron wants to. He's not said as much, but...he's happier than I've ever seen him, you know. How do I take him away from them all?" He’s been thinking about it for days, could see how Aaron belonged here, how much he was loved.

"He's an adult. He can make his own decisions, have you even asked him? What am I saying, of course you haven't. Talk to him, hmm."

"I know you're right, but..."

"No buts. Besides, if you do move back, I think your father will find he's lonelier than he imagined. There was a pub full of people ready to help you out just now. You won’t be on your own here, not like before.”

“I don’t know. There’s so much to think about. What would I do for work for a start? How can I leave you and Vic?”

“Robert, you’re getting ahead of yourself. Talk to Aaron. Then think about everything else. For all you know he doesn’t want to move back here. You need to decide this together. You can make the decision on your own.”

He sighs. “You’re right.”

“Now come inside. It’s time for cake.” She gets to her feet with a smile.

“Mum…thank you, for coming with me. For…for always being there. I don’t say that enough.”

“You don’t need to love. I’m your Mum. Come on, don’t let him ruin another minute of your boy’s party.”

[writeradamanteve]

Fic Files 2

Here, Jughead meets Chic for the first time. At this point, he is already attending school at Southside High and Betty, with Kevin, pays him a visit at lunch.

The night before, Jughead had told Betty that he had to watch a man getting beaten half to death by the Serpents he was riding with because the man couldn’t come up with the money owed to them. Jughead had to watch, pretend he didn’t care, then later, secretly called for help.

Also, in this story, Alice abusively cut off half of Betty’s hair. Might be a familiar background for those who read Drive.

And yes, there is jealous Juggie in this clip.

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

Jughead was a little surprised that Kevin joined Betty again but became less surprised when Richie sat with him at another table.

Betty winked at him, which made Jughead laugh.

They were at the lunch tables outside, and as Kevin and Richie talked intimately two tables away, Jughead and Betty sat as close to one another as a picnic table could get them. He sat facing the Southside crowd, leaning back with his elbow on the table top. Betty sat beside, facing him, and he had one arm around her waist.

“I missed you last night,” he said, looking at her lips as she twirled a twizzler between them. She would taste like sweet strawberries and he could barely contain his need to kiss her.

She grinned. “I did, too. Did you finish your paper?”

“I did.”

“Is it full of semi-colons?”

He gave her a pointed look. “I do not overuse them.”

She giggled and gave him that mind blowing kiss he craved that was slow, had tongue, and a very soft moan from her that only he could hear. And yes, she did taste like strawberries.

“Yes, you do,” she breathed when they separated.

At that point, she can make him agree to anything.

He loved this “emerging” Betty. It was his new obsession. The short hair and tweaked wardrobe was one thing--he meant it when he said she would look good in anything--but the whole attitude she had brought with it was invigorating. On the surface, she really wasn't that much different. She was still a straight A, extra-curricular avenger, still polite as hell and still so eager to help, but he knew her nuances. He knew her cues. She was letting go of the minutiae, thinking a lot less about what her mother would say and doing a lot more of what she wanted to do. She was being less particular about her language and she was beginning to realize that she didn’t have to smile if she didn’t feel like it.

“So you were going to tell me about your visit to the station,” he said.

She nodded, beginning to unwrap a sandwich, which she gave to him. “It was okay. Sheriff Keller was cranky at first, but I pushed on, and then he was introducing me to a fed assigned to head up the drug case.”

Jughead arched an eyebrow. “Narco agent?”

“Apparently,” Betty said. “So I gave him the packet.”

“You trust him?”

Betty shrugged. “He seemed okay, but we’ll see. If he proves useful, we’ll keep feeding him info. He gave me his card and all.”

Jughead frowned, feeling his stomach tighten with anxiety. “Is that safe? Having you contacting him all the time?”

“Hopefully it’s not all the time.”

Jughead eyed her suspiciously and she began to distract him with the food she brought. He was easy enough in that respect. Food was pretty sacred to him since he had known food insecurity for most of his life.

So when she popped grapes or chips in his mouth, he never resisted. It seemed to please her that he was eating off her hands. God knows, she had him right where she wanted him.

She was just teasing a piece of strawberry between her teeth, which meant he would have to take it with his mouth, when her mouth dropped and the strawberry went tumbling.

He tried to catch it, laughing, but a silence had descended upon the yard and he realized she wasn’t paying attention to him.

Her eyes had fallen on a man approaching them. He was in a suit, and he had the face of seriously good looking angel. His blonde hair glinted in the sun and he had big green eyes.

He came up to them and when Jughead turned to Betty, she looked pissed.

“What part about ‘Don’t go to Jughead directly’ did you not understand?” she demanded of this Greek God in a fierce whisper.

That she knew him was kind of a surprise, and then the questions came. Where did she meet him? How? Did she think him as devastatingly good looking as Jughead thought he was?

The guy put his hands up, unbothered by her tone. “Relax. This is all part of an investigation for something that happened Sunday night. Look around you--there are agents everywhere.”

Jughead scanned the schoolyard with his eyes and saw some of his classmates, most of them jacketed with the Serpent crest, being approached by a fed.

“A man was badly beaten in Wayville the other night,” the agent explained, digging into his pocket and pulling out a badge to show them. He tucked it back into his coat before Jughead can see his name. “The official story is that witnesses singled out a Serpent youth as being present. My lead is a bit more substantial, however.” He pulled out his phone, clicked on the apps, then started to play a message on speaker.

“I’d like to report an assault that occurred on Vance street, east, in Wayville. Hurry… the guy looks like he needs help fast…”

The call ended, but Jughead already knew that. His voice sounded odd on the phone. Deeper, less like a 16 year old kid.

He felt a twitch on his side where Betty’s hand rested on his torso. Instinctively, he took her hand in his own, quieting the anxieties that were probably burgeoning her at the moment.

“Was that you, Mr. Jones?” the agent asked.

Jughead didn’t reply, averting his eyes from the agent rebelliously. It was funny how his juvi habits came to the fore so easily when he felt jammed back in a situation he didn’t want to be in.

“Do you recognize this voice, Betty?”

Betty? Jughead glared at him.

She frowned and shrugged. “Don’t think so.”

Jughead rubbed her back affectionately. Appreciating her support. She was essentially lying for him and she did it without hesitation. It was twisted, but he distrusted this guy so Betty didn’t push him to.

The agent practically rolled his eyes at them, but he put his phone away and took out a pack of gum, taking one for himself and popping it in his mouth.

He offered some first to Betty, who shook her head, then to him. He said nothing. The agent shrugged and put it away.

“You might want to know,” the agent continued, “that the guy made it. They lost him twice at the hospital, but they got him back. If the ambulance hadn’t gotten to him on time, he would’ve died on that street. That was the only call that came in for him that night. He was in a neighborhood full of people and nobody reported it. That call saved his life. And he is a big lead in this investigation.”

Jughead looked up at his face. Though his words brought Jughead a lot of relief, he had never been an easy customer. “You hadn’t introduced yourself properly. I don’t know who the fuck you are.”

The agent arched an eyebrow. “Fair. Special Agent Charles Murray. I work for the FBI narcotics division. We’re investigating an undisclosed amount of heroin that was found on the Blossom property.”

“And how do you know Betty?” he asked, the question coming unbidden. He refused to be sorry for it, however. He got this way when he got jealous. Rude. Straightforward. His fucks going from 60 to zero in a heartbeat. That was just fact.

The agent seemed mildly amused. “At the station. She brought me information, which quite frankly is opening up leads for us.”

Betty did mention an agent. And how he seemed okay. She didn’t tell him he fucking looked like Brad Pitt, though. Not that that was her fault. It would’ve been weird, after all, if she had said something like that. This should’ve been Kevin’s job, right? To give him details like this? He had been at the station when this meet-cute went down.

Jughead nodded, rubbing the back of Betty’s hand with his thumb. “And now here you are. Are you going to arrest me?”

Betty tensed, shifting closer. “He can’t do that.”

Baby, he can.

“I’m not here to arrest you,” said Agent Murray. “I staged this whole inquiry for you, though. I wanted to talk to you directly, but Betty over here said in no uncertain terms that it would be too dangerous for you. I get it, and I just need you guys to trust me. What you two are doing--you can’t do it alone. You gotta let me help you. The kind of sting operation you’re conducting takes months of planning at the agency. You two just threw a Scooby plan together--”

“Why does everyone keep calling it that?” Betty demanded irritably.

“Because you’re teenagers,” Agent Murray replied. “Sorry, princess, but that’s just the way it is.”

Princess?

Betty took a deep breath. “Chic, I’m warning you. Stop calling me that.”

Chic?

This was just getting better and better.

Chic cocked a grin at her. “Sorry, it just works. I know you guys are going to do what you want, but I’m telling you, with my help, you can get to the truth faster. We can communicate by burner, and if you have to give me physical evidence, you can pass stuff to me through Betty. Also, I’ll need to talk to--” he paused, as if searching for the right word “--your parents, Betty.”

Weird.

Jughead frowned, his temper boiling over. “Why so intent on getting private time with Betty?”

Chic looked startled by that. “Private time?” Only then did it seem to dawn on him what Jughead was implying. “God, no. For eff’s sake,it’s not like that. That’s wrong on so many levels. You have no idea.”

“I kinda do,” Jughead said before he could stop himself. “She’s only 16, dude.”

“Juggie!” Betty gasped.

“I’m just saying,” Jughead cried, heatedly.

Chic put up his hands. “Alright, stop. Break. Everyone take a deep breath. This is getting--well, uncomfortable, frankly. Jughead, are you going to let me help you or not? This is important, for your safety and hers. I urge you to go at this with a clear head. Think. I know you’re a really smart kid. All those teachers I asked when I did a check on you said so.”

Jughead threw him a sidelong glare. “Really, dude? Flattery?”

“I do what I have to do.”

Jughead sighed, looking at Betty’s upturned face. Her brows were creased with worry. She might not know it, but her eyes, so beautiful and green, were staring into his soul, pleadingly. It was painful, what he was about to do.

He looked Chic in the eyes. “If I do this with you, I can’t take the stand for you. That would be snitching and my actions would follow my father. I can’t dishonor the one thing in his life he’s committed to.”

Chic sighed. “Jughead, how do you think this works?”

“I’ll do what you want me to do. Hell, I’ll even let you put a wire on me, but I can’t take the stand. You’ll have to get someone else to do that for you. Besides, if I do that, I’ll have to go into witness protection, and then what? I’ll leave everyone behind and--and I can’t. I won’t.” He looked at Betty.

“Jug,” she said, shaking him gently. “I’ll go with you--”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Chic interjected, patting Betty’s shoulder lightly. “You may never have to do that. But I hear your terms, and they’re fair. We’ll work something out. I can’t promise that I won’t pressure you to take the stand, but let’s take it a day at a time. Cool?”

Jughead thought briefly on it then nodded. “Cool.”

He could feel the tension leaving Betty’s body.

“So what now, Chic?” Jughead asked.

“You just do what you’re doing for now. I’ll let you know through Betty what you have to do next if there’s anything immediate, but I’ll send a burner phone over for you to use, so that we don’t have to keep making Betty pass notes between us. We good?”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Jones.” With that, Chic left, going to one of the agents talking to another Serpent.

Betty turned to him. “I think we can trust him.”

Jughead laughed softly. “Oh, do you, now? He is kind of an angel face.”

Betty looked him in the eyes. “Jughead Jones. Are you jealous?”

He felt his face warming, even as the corners of his lips threatened to turn up. “And so what? I can be jealous, right, princess?”

“Juggie,” she said in a gently chiding tone. “Do I really have to tell you how ridiculous you’re being?”

He shrugged and leaned closer. “I’m an insecure kid and he’s an Abercrombie model in a suit. My ego needs constant stroking.”

“Mmm, ego? Is that what the kids call it now?”

He grinned. “Betty, I would never! Get your mind out of the gutter.”

She leaned over and he felt her lips feather his ear. Her warm breath sent tingles down his body. “How about I stroke that ego after work?”

And there she was again. Emerging Betty.

He threw his head back slightly and groaned. “After work. That’s hours away. Oh, the pain.”

She chuckled, moving even closer. “We have responsibilities, you know. Important things.”

“Oh, yeah, super important,” he mumbled, already pressing his lips on hers. She responded immediately, and it felt so good that he didn’t even care that the whole Southside High was probably enjoying the show.

“Excuse me, couple of things.”

Betty gave a gasp of surprise and Jughead looked over his shoulder behind him, incredulous.

Chic. It was Chic interrupting them.

“Are you fucking kidding me, man?” Jughead demanded.

Chic ignored his question, pointing a finger at Jughead. “First, don’t leave town. Two, don’t freak out if you feel like someone’s shadowing you sometimes. Those are my guys, under my orders, watching out for you both intermittently. Many agents are already stationed around town, anyway, and three--like, cool it with the public displays of affection, okay? Show some respect.”

“To whom?!” Jughead asked. “And that’s three things, you know. Don’t say ‘a couple’ if you mean three.”

Chic looked at him pointedly. “Don’t be a smartass, Forsythe Pendleton III.” Then he left.

He looked at Betty in disbelief.

“Weird,” she said, but he could tell that she was trying not to laugh.

Jughead wilted into a sardonic smile. “Oh, you find this funny?”

She giggled. “A little. He’s such a hall monitor type, isn’t he? The exact opposite of you. And you’re so un-intimidated by him. I find it sexy.”

“He called me Forsythe,” Jughead grumbled.

“He did,” she cooed, playing with some locks of his hair with her fingers. “What a terrible person. Of all the things he could’ve done… haul you away for questioning, slapping made up charges on you, cuffing you for antagonizing him, this is the ultimate offense.”

“I’m sensing sarcasm.”

“I love how smart you are, too, Forsythe.”

He made a face, which she laughed at.

He heard a scramble of limbs behind him, and of course it was Kevin and Richie.

“Wasn’t that a hot dish, Richie?” Kevin was saying.

Richie wiggled his eyebrows up and down. “Arresting!”

“Good one! So, Betty? What did he want? Did he identify himself and flash his badge?”

Jughead’s eyebrow arched, and it occurred to him that Kevin was pretending, for Richie’s benefit, that this was the first time Betty had met Chic.

Betty didn’t miss a beat. “He had some questions about whether we knew of any Serpent talk of beating up a guy. Maybe some kid bragging about it or something.” She rolled her eyes. “Like really, as if anyone would tell them the truth if they knew.”

“I think I may tell him anything if my fed looked like that,” Kevin said, draping an arm around Richie.

Jughead also realized that Kevin had gotten this way because he’d been burned before. He had absolutely no reason to believe that Richie wasn’t a plant. Not after what Joaquin was made to do.

He caught Betty’s eyes and they exchanged knowing glances.

Yeah. Betty knew it, too.

[serenlyss]

Don’t Thank Me Yet Chapter 2

Rating: M (guns, casual murder, torture, violence, ptsd, dissociation, blood, injury) Pairing: ritshou Summary: “Alright then. I’m Shou,” he says, introducing himself more properly this time. “I’m an esper, like you, the first in existence to be forcibly awoken by Claw’s crazy torture machines. They kidnap kids with potential latent psychic powers and break them, over and over, until either their powers emerge or they die. It doesn’t matter either way to them.” His expression hardens as he speaks, clear distaste and outright malice evident in his tone. “I could really use your help here, you know. A partner of sorts, someone to watch my back. What do you say?" Ritsu hesitates. He isn’t a fighter by any means, and the psychic powers now churning beneath his skin are still very new and frightening. It’s all very overwhelming, but Ritsu can’t help but feel a sort of sickening hope at Shou’s promise for revenge. It did have a sort of dark draw to it. In which Claw is a lot worse than they seem and Shigeo isn't able to find his brother after he's kidnapped. Crossposted to AO3: Chapter 2

Chapter 1 // Chapter 3

Here's chapter 2! My idea for the time being is to update every Wednesday if I can, but I'm also doing summer term which means not a lot of writing time left over so those updates may get a bit sparser near the end! At the moment I have almost 5 chapters out of 8 at drafted, so hopefully that will help me have some extra time to make sure everything ends up polished!

Thanks to my beta readers @shutupeleven​ and @soapipia​ for helping me edit this chapter! Your help is much appreciated my friends!

Shou pushes the door of the empty house open with his powers, letting it swing open noisily in front of him. He tightens his grip on the arm around his shoulder, feeling the weight of his partner heavy against his side. His other arm is wrapped around Ritsu’s waist, offering as much physical support as he can. “You still with me, dude?” he asks, making his way over to an old couch in the area of the house that’s been designated the med bay.

He can practically feel Ritsu rolling his eyes at his dramatics as Shou helps him sit down on the couch, wincing as his sore body protests every movement. “I’m not gonna die, Shou, I’m just a little banged up,” Ritsu replies, leaning his head back against the top of the couch with a sigh. “You know I’m more durable than that.”

Shou flashes his friend an amused grin, extending a hand toward a shelf at the back of the room. His red-orange aura appears around his hand and stretches out with an invisible thread to encircle a beat-up cardboard box on the middle shelf, levitating it to his side.

Ritsu carefully shucks off his jacket, which is at this point destroyed beyond repair and covered in his own blood, and discards it to the side of the couch. Shou gives him a quick once-over, taking stock of his injuries. Most of them are clean cuts, inflicted by the window he’d crashed through during their unfortunate brawl. “Guess I’m still not so good at putting up barriers under pressure, huh? Even after all the training you put me through, my reflexes are still slow,” Ritsu sighs.

“It comes with years of practice and muscle memory. You’ve only had a few months to develop your powers, give it some more time,” Shou replies, reaching out a hand to turn over Ritsu’s arm and address the cuts there. Ritsu flinches as his fingers press into a particularly bad cut, earning an apologetic glance from his friend. He continues, “Things got a bit out of hand, anyway. There wasn’t supposed to be a fight, but I guess we weren’t so lucky today.” He reaches deftly for a cloth and dabs an antiseptic solution onto it, pressing it against Ritsu’s cuts. “If everything had gone as planned, we would’ve just killed ‘em all and disappeared, but one of their guys was able to see through my invisibility. Can’t tell you how, but it’s something to keep in mind for the future, I guess.”

Ritsu hisses out a pained breath as the cloth comes into contact with his open wounds, clenching his hand into a fist. Shou continues as though he hadn’t moved at all, and he might have been afraid of coming across apathetic if he isn’t aware of how well Ritsu knows him. “God, that stings. I keep thinking I’ll be used to it next time, but that never happens,” Ritsu grunts, gripping the arm of the chair tightly beside him.

Shou huffs out a short laugh. “Yeah, it never really gets any better, even after years of fighting,” he agrees, gently wiping away the blood that had seeped from Ritsu’s cuts and stained his skin bright red. “Look on the bright side, though: Once these are all healed up in a few days, you’ll have some more badass battle scars to show off!” He flashes Ritsu another lopsided grin, trying to lighten the mood.

“Ah, yeah, I guess espers do heal pretty fast, don’t we?” Ritsu murmurs in response as Shou wraps his arm in clean white bandages, though he doesn’t sound nearly as excited about the scars as Shou does. He already has plenty, after all. He opens and closes his hand experimentally. “My brother’s gonna have a fit when he sees them.”

“It’s one of the perks,” says Shou, moving up to Ritsu’s face now. “You went out shoulder-first, though, so luckily the damage was contained to mostly one arm.” He dabs away a trail of blood that had run down his neck and soaked into the collar of his black shirt, leaving a dark stain behind. “How’re your powers treating you? Feel any better about using them?”

Ritsu hums, closing his eyes for a moment as Shou wipes the cloth over a cut on his forehead. He doesn’t answer right away, and Shou doesn't press him to hurry up. “It still takes me way longer than you to do anything,” he says at last, letting his eyes blink open as Shou moves to push Ritsu’s shaggy hair out of his face with one hand, “but I think I’m getting better at controlling them. I’m still nowhere near as strong as that first night, though. It’s taken a lot of work to get to where I am now.”

Shou nods, pleased. Any progress is good progress, in his eyes. “Well, of course you’re not as good as I am, I’ve had these powers for years,” he replies, tone coming off cocky. “Even though Claw forced them on us, they’re still a part of us, and always have been. Not to mention, they’re good reminders to keep us focused on what we’re fighting against.”

“I could never forget, anyway,” Ritsu says back, voice quiet and grim.

Shou smiles at him, sympathetic, and lets his hand linger on Ritsu’s cheek a moment after he’s removed the cloth from his face. Then he pulls a bandaid out of the box and unwraps it, covering a small but persistently bleeding cut on Ritsu’s forehead. “Yeah, me neither. Still, I am grateful to them for bringing me such a strong and dependable ally. I’ve got Ootsuki and the rest, but they don’t know Claw as intimately as we do. Plus, you’re way smarter than they are.”

Ritsu cracks a small smile at this, and Shou takes it as a victory. Ritsu isn’t nearly as comfortable expressing his thoughts and memories as Shou is, so he sometimes finds himself guessing what words will work as a form of comfort in what situation. “Don’t thank me yet, we haven’t finished what we started,” Ritsu reminds him.

Shou pats his knee to show he’s heard, dropping the stained cloth into a trash can beside the couch. “We’ve come a long way these last few months. Especially you. You’ve changed a lot since the night I found you,” he comments, voice edging on fond.

Ritsu hums, glancing down at his bandaged hand with eyes that stare at something far away from where they are now. It’s not unusual for Ritsu to space out like this, but Shou can’t find himself getting used to the way his gaze fogs over and he falls deathly still and quiet, his soft breathing the only thing rooting him to the living world. He can only imagine what kinds of memories he sinks into when he falls into these moods, if he thinks of anything at all. Ritsu’s unwilling to parse the details of his kidnapping and captivity, subsequent torture, or anything else he experienced in Claw’s awakening lab, and Shou doesn’t want to pry too far, as curious as he is to compare his own experiences against another survivor.

He gives Ritsu a few minutes, moving to address the glass cuts on the bottom of his one bare foot. He’d lost his shoe when the Claw esper had thrown him through the window, and the broken glass had been quick to bite into the soft flesh of his sole. Shou suspects his shoe is probably still back in the base, no one left alive inside to take it for themself. Perhaps Ritsu would be able to retrieve it later, when they inevitably went back to blow the place up entirely. It wouldn’t do to leave it vacant and let Claw send more of their scientists to start work back up again, after all. Shou gently covers his injuries in the same white bandages that now litter Ritsu’s body. The dark-haired boy doesn’t flinch, or acknowledge his existence at all. It’s more than an little worrying when Ritsu falls into trances like this. Once he’s finished bandaging Ritsu’s foot, he decides to break the spell. “Ritsu,” he says, soft and careful.

Ritsu blinks when he hears his name called, knocked out of his reverie by Shou’s curious voice. He’s frozen for a moment, and his eyes dart back and forth as he reorients himself in the present moment. “Sorry, I spaced for a bit there,” he murmurs, reaching up with one hand to push his bangs away from his face. He stares down at his lap, dark lashes hiding his half-lidded eyes. “Did you finish?”

Shou raises an eyebrow at him, faintly amused, and hopes it covers the concern he feels underneath. “Yeah, you’re all good. It’s your turn to do me now,” he says, gesturing to his own bedraggled appearance. He’s not nearly as bad off as Ritsu is, but his hands are cut up and there’s a gash on the back of one of his calves. “What were you thinking about?”

Ritsu lets out a breath, pushing himself to his feet and swapping places with Shou. He doesn’t meet Shou’s gaze, eager to do something with his hands. “Just… stuff,” he replies, and it’s a terrible way to cover up the fact that he’d spiraled into a realm of unpleasant memories.

“Mmhmm, sure,” Shou replies, not convinced in the slightest. He hesitates, wanting to confirm his own suspicions but still conscious of the fact that Ritsu has boundaries that Shou doesn’t, and his traumatic memories are one of the things he doesn’t really talk about. He bites his lip, debating back and forth for a moment before he finally decides to just rip the metaphorical bandaid off. “You were thinking about the night I found you, right?” he asks.

Ritsu freezes for a split-second, not long enough to be noticeable unless you’re really paying attention, like Shou is. Busted. Ritsu chuckles dryly, but there’s no humor in it, and he doesn’t smile, just copies Shou’s earlier actions of wetting a clean cloth with the disinfectant liquid so he can return the favor. Shou rolls up the leg of his pants, granting access to the cut underneath, and doesn't say anything else. He knows that if Ritsu doesn’t want to talk about it, he won’t.

“It happens sometimes. My memories of that night are… foggy,” Ritsu says after a moment, his words carefully chosen. “I remember being locked in this weird pod, and I remember you picking me up in the forest, but in between that it’s just kinda… hazy.” He presses the cloth against Shou’s leg, and Shou squirms, grimacing at the sharp sting that shoots up his calf. Ritsu grasps his ankle with one hand, holding him steady. “Don’t move,” he chastises.

Shou grunts, trying to take his mind off the stinging by focusing on Ritsu’s words. “I’m not surprised. You were exhausted to the point where you could barely stay standing. You’d lost a lot of blood, too, from whatever torture they put you through.” He shakes his head, clenching his teeth at the memory. “I still can’t believe they got those machines to work on someone with your kind of power. Before you, I was the only one.” He huffs out a bitter laugh, glancing away. “The great son of the leader of Claw, the first successful attempt at forcibly awakening a person’s latent psychic power. Can’t say if it was worth the cost, though.”

Ritsu frowns at this, Shou notices, as he tightly bandages his injured calf to keep it from bleeding any further. Shou’s not shy about talking about his own experiences in Claw’s awakening labs, and he bears plenty of scars from his time there, whether it's the singed skin on his back and arms or the thin lines that litter his torso and legs. Memories that will never disappear, etched for eternity into his flesh. He shows his scars proudly. They’re evidence of his ability to survive, to overcome. He takes great pride in recounting the stories of how they got there, stories he embellishes with all the flourish and drama he can muster.

Ritsu isn’t like that, though. He hides his insecurities behind carefully-crafted layers, like the psychic barrier he uses to protect himself from corporeal harm. Going through one would only reveal another, and then another, too many for any one person to break through by force. He covers his scars with gloves and long-sleeved jackets, even in the searing summer heat, even though Shou has seen them all and knows most of the stories behind them.

Ritsu swallows, clearly uncomfortable. He never had enjoyed when Shou brought up his father. “I remember being on the ground when my powers came to me,” he says, and Shou tries to hide his surprise. He’s avoided speaking about anything regarding the awakening lab in the past, unsure if he was ready to face what happened. Perhaps it was just an easier topic than trying to parse Shou’s family trauma. “They’d been torturing me nonstop for two days, trying to get me to break, to force my psychic powers to awaken and protect me. It worked.” He pauses, swallowing thickly. “Shou… back when you found me, the night I broke out of that place, you killed two scientists.”

Shou’s breathing stutters in his chest. He remembers it well, the way he’d shot them to death to keep them away from Ritsu. “Yeah, I did,” he replies, uncertain why Ritsu would bring it up now, a month later.

“You’ve killed a lot of people,” Ritsu continues, eyes still diligently focused on the task at hand.

Shou tenses up. Where is he going with this? “Yeah, I have.”

Ritsu just nods, falling quiet for a moment, as though this isn’t a revelation to him. Shou supposes it probably isn’t. Ritsu isn’t stupid, after all, and he’s see the way Shou handles a gun. Not to mention all the Claw bases they’d demolished in their short partnership.

“I think,” Ritsu begins, wiping away the blood that clings to Shou’s calf and ankle, “that I also killed a lot of people, when I lost control of my power.” He speaks slowly, choosing his words with care. “I don’t remember the details, but I know that some of the people in that lab tried to stop me. It was like I wasn’t even in control of my own body, but I still remember doing it, faintly.” Then, quietly, he adds, “I didn’t want to kill them.”

Shou hums as he listens to Ritsu speak. “You were only protecting yourself,” he says with a frown. “Besides, they deserved what was coming to them. It’s their own fault for getting involved with Claw to begin with.”

“How can you say that so easily?” Ritsu asks, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. “Sure, they were members of Claw, and the stuff they did was terrible. I’m not saying it wasn’t, but they… they were still people, in the end.”

Shou’s frown deepens. “So what?” he snaps, harsher and angrier than he intends. His shoulders lift subconsciously, and he feels suddenly defensive. “They hurt us, Ritsu, really badly. That kind of damage can’t be healed by time or therapy or counseling. It’ll never go away, not ever.” He crosses his arms, drawing into himself when he would normally sit with open posture. “They broke us in a way that can’t be fixed, so I think it’s justified if we break them back. Compared to what they did to us, killing them is mercy.” He scoffs, looking away. “Anyway, it’s not like it matters anymore. They’re already dead, so there’s nothing left to talk about.”

Ritsu doesn’t answer, lips turning down in a disapproving frown. Shou notices belatedly that his hands are shaking. The sight of it sends a little shock of regret down his spine: he hadn’t meant to get defensive. In the four months they’ve stayed together, they haven’t butted heads very often, and the times they did were usually over things so small and trivial that they really didn’t matter in the end.

“Like I said, you were protecting yourself,” Shou mumbles, attempting to backpedal. “That must have been why you were so tired when you finally made it up the hill. Once everything was said and done you could hardly keep yourself standing. Adrenaline, probably.” He feels silly, like he’s rambling, but he’s desperate to change the subject now. “I basically had to carry you to the car, and you fell right asleep as soon as I told you to. Higashio hit a pothole halfway back, but you didn’t even react. You did end up leaning on my shoulder, though, somehow,” Shou says as Ritsu’s finishing up cleaning a cut on the side of his neck. “You slept the whole way back. I was pretty impressed. I had to levitate you all the way to the bed, ‘cause you wouldn’t wake up.”

Ritsu flushes pink as Shou speaks, setting aside the rag and grabbing a long band-aid from the box. His hands stop shaking.

Shou’s surprised to see Ritsu blush, and he can’t help the grin that comes to his face as the sour mood seems to lift a little. “Oh? Are you embarrassed? What’s wrong, Ritsu, you lean on me all the time now!” he teases, grateful for the chance to talk about something less heavy. Teasing is easy, even if the implications of their earlier conversation still hang thick in the air.

“Oh, shut up,” Ritsu retorts, but Shou’s teasing only makes his blush darken. It brings Shou a giddy kind of satisfaction to see Ritsu loosen up a little like this. Ritsu continues, “I don’t remember ever getting in the car. Guess my mind was too overloaded.”

“Trauma can do that to a person,” Shou agrees casually, leaning back on the couch as Ritsu finishes his work. “There’s a ton of stuff I blocked out of my memory growing up.”

Ritsu sighs, sitting up and taking a seat on the couch next to Shou. “That’s not a good thing,” he points out, fixing his dark gray gaze on Shou with a frown. “How do you even know that if you don’t remember what you’ve forgotten?”

“Well, it’s like you said. I remember what happened before and after, but my memory just kinda leaps forward in time. There’s an empty space that I know is there because it doesn’t make sense otherwise, but no matter how hard I try I can’t seem to figure out the missing pieces,” Shou explains with a wave of his hand. “They’re not important memories, though. I can live without them.”

Ritsu just stares at him with that same look, wordlessly telling him that his experience isn’t normal or desirable, as though he doesn’t already know.

Shou gulps, glancing away. Ritsu always has been pretty good at seeing right through him. “You know what they say, ignorance is bliss,” he says, though his words are lacking his usual confidence all of a sudden. Clearing his throat, he shifts in his seat, restless. “Er, was there anything else you wanted me to tell you? I don’t mind, you can ask me whatever you like.”

Ritsu shakes his head. “Ah, that’s okay, thanks. I remember everything that happened afterward,” he replies, but it’s clear to Shou that there’s something there, sitting on the tip of his tongue, barely held back by Ritsu’s unwillingness to step out of his comfort zone.

It’s been four months since they’d first partnered up, and Shou has grown somewhat accustomed to the little habits Ritsu uses to subtly express his emotions, like the way he avoids eye contact when he’s feeling vulnerable, or how he’ll fidget when he’s nervous or contemplative. Right now, he’s doing the former, eyes looking anywhere but at Shou as he piles the first aid equipment back into the box in preparation to store it again.

Shou stands and snaps the box up with his hands before Ritsu can, folding it shut and crossing the few steps over to the shelf at the other end of the room. “If you have something else to ask, you should just ask it,” he says. He doesn’t look back at Ritsu, if only because he knows his friend is less likely to ask if he feels like he’s being stared at.

Ritsu chuckles softly at this, leaning back in his seat. “I’m never going to be able to sneak one past you, am I?” he says.

Shou just shrugs, sliding the box into its place on the middle shelf. “I guess you could say I’ve gotten pretty good at reading you,” he replies, though it’s only somewhat true. Much of Ritsu’s mannerisms and habits are still a mystery to him, especially the ones that stem from his experiences with Claw. “So, what’s on your mind? You know you can talk to me, right?”

“I know,” Ritsu says without hesitation, and it puts some of Shou’s doubts to rest. He takes an audible breath, then asks, “When am I going to be able to see my brother? It’s been four months. He probably thinks I’m still missing, if he doesn’t think I’m dead. I want him to know that I’m safe.”

Shou pauses, his hands hovering on the box’s cut-out handles. For a long, silent moment, he just stands there, hands held in front of him. Then, he turns and walks over to where Ritsu is sitting, crouching in front of him and offering him a rehearsed smile. It’s meant to be reassuring, but Shou’s never been very good at that. “You’ll be able to see him soon, I promise,” he says.

Ritsu must pick up on his false persona, because his eyes narrow, and his lips turn down in a frown. Shou knows immediately that he’s fucked up. Ritsu’s glare is dark and biting, sending a shiver down his spine. Shou forgets sometimes how terrifying Ritsu can be, until that anger is turned on him instead of an enemy.

Ritsu stands up hastily, hands bunching into fists at his sides. “Don’t make me a promise you don’t intend to keep,” he snaps, tone harsh and angry.

Shou flinches, already regretful.

Ritsu pushes his way past him and disappears around a corner, and Shou hears the door of his room close behind him with finality.

Shou lets out a soft groan, leaning his forehead on the couch cushion in defeat. He hadn’t meant it like that. He really does have plans to let Ritsu talk to Shigeo, just… not yet. It’s still dangerous, there’s still a chance that Claw could realize their mistake in mixing them up and go after Shigeo instead, and he really doesn’t want Ritsu’s interference to be the reason Shigeo ends up in the same situation the two of them are in now. He knows that being away from his brother is the thing that Ritsu finds the most undesirable about their arrangement, but he just can’t think of a way for the two of them to meet without jeopardizing one or both of them in the process. Ritsu is too important to their mission, too important to him, to risk him falling into Claw’s grip again.

You’re so selfish, he berates himself, clenching his hands into fists. Ritsu isn’t your pawn, you can’t control him.

Shou has never been one to stifle or repress his own feelings and emotions, and because of this, he can’t deny that he cares for Ritsu in a very personal way. It extends beyond the bounds of their self-determined mission, morphing into a feeling that’s a bit deeper and more potent than he’s willing to delve into with the way things are. He frowns. These are dangerous feelings, distracting and unappreciated. If he lets them run wild without putting a cap on them, he’ll end up doing something he regrets. He can’t afford to let such things interfere with the goal he’s worked toward for more than three years now, so he recognizes them, acknowledges them, buries them. There’s no place for such wants here.

I should apologize, he thinks, pushing himself to his feet slowly. He owes Ritsu an explanation, needs to repair what he’s broken with his careless words. He hopes that Ritsu’s cooled off enough to let him.

He walks to the door in silence, footsteps light, treading on his toes before his heels so his steps don’t echo. It’s a habit he’s picked up from years of sneaking around enemy bases and sabotaging them from the inside. He pauses just outside, listening, but there’s no noise on the other side of the door. He reaches out tentatively, gives the door a little knock with the back of his hand. If Ritsu doesn’t want him there, he won’t answer, and Shou will leave as though he’d never knocked at all.

Luckily for him, Ritsu isn’t so angry that he’s forcing Shou away. “What do you want?” comes his muffled voice, his words ice-cold. It’s an invitation. A harsh one, sure, but it’s better than being outright ignored.

“Can I come in?” Shou asks.

“You can do what you want,” Ritsu replies dismissively. His words are biting, lined with sharp thorns, but Shou can read the quiet consent within them.

Shou lets out a breath he hasn’t realized he’s been holding, cracking the door open and stepping inside. Ritsu’s laying on the dingy bed on his side, facing the wall, and he refuses to look up as Shou enters. Shou can see the angry pout on his lip from across the room, and he might have found it cute if he hadn’t been its target.

He hesitates in the doorway, then moves to the far wall and grabs the folding chair set up in the corner, dragging it over by the bed. He leaves a respectable distance between them as he sits down, clasping his hands in front of him. “I’m sorry,” he says, never one to beat around the bush. “You will see your brother again, I just don’t know if it’s safe yet.”

“You never do,” Ritsu sighs in reply, and it’ll be a lie if Shou says it doesn’t sting. Ritsu shifts onto his back, looking up at the ceiling. His shaggy black bangs flop to the side, showing his forehead. “I know you’re just trying to protect me, but I’m getting restless. My brother’s out there, somewhere, wondering where I am, and I can’t even get a message to him to let him know that I’m even alive. I’m frustrated, and frankly, I’m running out of patience. We’ve been at this for months, and that’s just in the time I’ve been here. You’ve been fighting for over three years, but it feels like nothing’s changed.”

Ritsu’s expressing his feelings, a rare occurrence, but Shou can’t bring himself to appreciate the effort. His heart drops, a ball of worry and anxiety forming deep in his stomach. “Things have changed, though. The number of Claw bases is going down all the time. My father is on his last nerve, I can feel it-”

“How much longer is this going to take, Shou?” Ritsu demands, sitting up and meeting Shou’s gaze for the first time. “Another month? Six months? A year? I don’t… I don’t know if I can go that long without contacting Shigeo, at least.” He crosses his legs on the bed, gaze turning to stare down at his lap, angry, persistent.

Shou’s mouth goes dry, and he feels a rare stab of guilt in his chest. “I don’t know,” he admits, voice soft, and he lets it reflect his feelings of vulnerability and insecurity, if only for a moment. “I feel like it won’t be much longer, but I can’t tell you for sure. I don’t know how much more it’ll take.” He rests his elbows on his knees and lets his face fall into his hands. He swallows, his words heavy on his tongue. “If you’re having second thoughts, it’s okay. I’m not gonna make you stick around, after all. You can go back home whenever you want. I just don’t want you to get hurt,” he admits after a moment of contemplation.

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, he feels a wave of dread come over him. He doesn’t want Ritsu to leave. He wants him to stay his partner, wants them to trust each other. He wants Ritsu to be there when he finally shoves it in his dad’s face that he was wrong all along about world domination, but he can’t make him go along with it if he doesn’t want to.

Ritsu turns to him with wide eyes, momentarily shocked into silence, then his expression softens some and he says, “I’m not gonna leave, Shou.”

Shou looks up, catching Ritsu’s gray-eyed gaze for a moment before his friend looks away again. Ritsu fiddles with the edge of his sleeve, agitated. “I just… really miss my brother. I don’t want him to worry about me the way I worry about him.” He runs his fingers over the scars on one hand, marks and lines that Shou knows intimately, because he’d tended them when they were fresh. Ritsu runs his fingers over them, and says, “You’re my best friend, Shou, my partner, and I’m not going to abandon you. My brother is going to need me, but you need me, too. I’ll just have to come up with a safe way to contact him without alerting Claw, that’s all.”

Shou can’t help but let out a laugh, breathy and relieved, and the tension he’s been feeling melts away a little. “Yeah, alright. If anyone can figure it out, you can,” he says. It comes across a bit fonder than he intends, but there’s nothing he can do about it once it’s left his mouth. “Thanks for sticking by me, Ritsu. I know I’m not a very good friend, and I kinda suck at relationships in general, but it really means a lot that you have my back,” he adds, genuinely happy that Ritsu won’t be going away after all.

Shou catches the beginning of a blush on Ritsu’s cheeks as he glances away, hiding his face from Shou in a familiar way. “Don’t thank me yet,” he reminds him with a little smile. Shou knows he’s been forgiven.

Ritsu opens his mouth to say something else, but before he can, there’s a knock on the door. “Come in,” he says instead, turning toward the door.

Higashio opens the door, stepping into the threshold. “We’ve located a Claw base about thirty miles outside Seasoning City,” he says, all business. “We’ve confirmed its location after following an unmarked vehicle there. We’re ready to strike at any time, leader.”

Shou and Ritsu exchange a knowing look. There’s really no debating it. Shou turns back to Higashio and grins, feeling a familiar anticipation building up in him. He stands up, and Ritsu follows at his side.

“Let’s not waste time, then.”

[yellowsugarwords]

Walking Dead Game FanFiction - "Meeting Jesus"

[loalagrace]

the fool; day 1 ~ part 2.

( I’m new to tagging TW’s but I’m going to try my best. Please note before you read that this RP is NOT for the faint-hearted & may be hard to read for some. I put a keep reading so hopefully that works for everyone!  – RP w/ @kingofstags & @angiebrice  )

Archelaos unmounted. He had left Olivia there some hours before, in a cage barely big enough for her to stand up, and with nothing but a bowl of water. She was nude, with bruises around her neck and likely around her ribs as well from a well delivered kick or two, "Her name is The Fool." He told Angie firmly, "She knows nothing else."

Olivia was sitting in the cage pouring tiny bits of water over her small injuries, like that would help any. She didn’t pay much of any mind to them when they appeared. Maybe that would make them leave.

Angaela scoots her way up to the cage, bringing a hand up to rub her own cheek as she grins at Olivia. "Oh wow.  This brings back some memories."  She glances back towards Archelaos. "Am I expected to call her that?"

Archelaos nodded, "Yes, you are. Do you remember Dirt?" He stopped, "Probably not. But I am modelling her breaking after his."

Angaela rests her fingers on the cage, squatting down to try to look eye-to-eye with Olivia. "Hello, Fool.  Looks like you've been having fun here." Angie's lips curl further into a grin as she teases the caged woman.

Olivia slowly averted a blank gaze over to Angaela as her head tilted towards a shoulder. As she continued teasing her, Olivia appeared completely unamused as her eyes went half-lidded into a near glare.

Angaela lets out a little fit of giggles as she stands back to her full height to look back to Archelaos, still keeping her hands on the cage. "So, what're you going to do from here?"

Archelaos placed his hands behind his back, "Do you have a spell that makes it so Fool can't hear us? I want it to be a surprise for her."

Olivia threw herself against the cage with that, sending it rattling and rippling. She didn't want that.

Angaela looks back at Archelaos, nodding.  She's caught unaware by Olivia and squeaks in surprise, stumbling back away from the cage. Olivia notices this and does it again, this time more aggressively.

Archelaos grinned as he watched this, seemingly amused and approving, "I do good work, don't I?" He mused, patting himself on the back as he watched his desired results in action. He brought a leg up, bringing a forceful cock to the cage and rattling it.

Angaela flushes a little bit, brushing off her robes. She isn't nearly as startled by the second rattling of the cage. She looks towards Archelaos, nodding. "I can take away her hearing. I imagine you mean temporarily, though. I'm certain I have the tool for this."

Olivia crawls backwards as far as she could away as he approached, though that wasn't much; she was still basically right there. She kicked the cage. "NO!"

Archelaos ignored Angie for the moment, looming over the cage. He wore a wide, sadistic grin on his features.  Looking her over with eyes that were more predatory than anything else, he growled: "I don't remember giving you permission to speak."

Olivia wore an angry expression, growing more so by the minute. She kicked it - again, and growled in turn. Loud, at the both of them.

Angaela leans down to brush fingers over her shadow. It suddenly seems quite a bit more liquid and sticky than before and begins to flow towards the cage. "That should do it." Hands reach up out of her shadow, which has totally left her feet now. They grasp for the bars of the cage, slowly climbing up it and out of the puddle of darkness. The full height of the creature is revealed as it oozes its way through the bars, looking disturbingly similar to a year-younger Olivia. It reaches through the bars, oozing through gaps as a testament to its liquid nature. It wants to clasp its hands over Olivia's ears.

Olivia presses her form against the back of the cage upon the revelation of the liquid, black shadow out of pure fear. This day just kept getting worse from the time the man outside was holding her by her neck. “No, no, no, no.” She kept saying, as if begging, and then she screamed it as the shadow wrapped its hands around her ears. “NO!”

Archelaos smiled as he watched all of this, his delight out of pure sadism. Once she was deafened, he began speaking, "I'm not going to feed her." he told Angie, "She has water, I will give her that to keep her alive, but I am going to starve her. Once she's desperate enough, I'll bring something out, something cute. Make her kill it and eat it. I was considering introducing it to her first as a comfort animal."

Angaela looks towards Archelaos, offering a smile. The shadow continued to press inward, intent on taking up as much space in the cage as possible without smothering Olivia to death. Angie nods at Archelaos. "How long do you plan to keep her like this? You could use this as an opportunity to cull down the number of cats she owns." Angie actually seems excited at the idea of Olivia eating her own cats.

Olivia eventually gave up and wrapped herself into a ball, her arms around her shins as her head delved into the space between her chest and knees. She couldn't hear, she couldn't even try to read their lips. She wanted to die. Is that where the scars on her arms came from?

Archelaos shook his head once, "Cats are predatory animals, it needs to be a prey animal. I want her to understand that prey are fit for consumption, nothing more. We will start with animals, and then work our way up. Once she's sufficiently broken, I will start rewarding her. Small things at first. Blankets, clothes. I will train her and she will be something amazing once I'm through with her."

Angaela's face contorts with genuine surprise.  She apparently doesn't know much about cats.  She shakes that off. "Well, if you would like any help, I'm certainly willing.  It's been awhile since I've gotten to be involved in fun activities like these. What's the end result you're hoping to reach from her?  Do you want to make her into a "predator"? Angaela does actual air quotes.

Archelaos snorted, "A hunter." He told her, "But a predator, if you want to get edgy with it, yes. If she wants to play with the big kids, I'm going to make her a big kid."

Angaela lets out a laugh.  "She might actually be somewhat scary once you're finished with her."  She reaches up to tap her chin. "How did Dirt turn out?  I'd always assumed he'd killed himself or something."

Archelaos looked over to Angie, "I think he did?" His brows furrowed, "I broke him badly, then I never saw him again. I figured either he killed himself or someone took pity on him and released him."

Angaela nods her head. "Well, if Olivia kills herself I demand her eyes." She steps closer to the cage, leaning down to whisper something incomprehensible and guttural to the shadowy monster. It promptly responds by tightening its' grip on Olly's head and trying to pry her out of her fetal state enough to slam the back of her head against the inside of the cage's wall.

Olivia yelps a high-pitched scream as it’s grasp tightens around her head, forcing her to look up though her eyes were squeezed shut with the pain it caused her. Her head was easily slammed against the back of the cage, causing blood to pour down her neck and back now. Where she may have halted her crying for those short moments, it had certainly started again - much harder.

Archelaos watched all of this with his hands behind his back, "Don't hurt her to the point that it's a danger to her health," he murmured to Angie, "I do want her to survive the ordeal, after all."

Angaela lets out a sick little laugh, more from Archelaos' request for her to tone it down than for Olivia's pain. She makes her way around behind the cage, leaning down to inspect the wound. "Oops. It's much more violent than I tend to usually expect. I just wanted her to be rattled. Oh well." She prods a finger through the bars to prod Olivia's fresh head-wound. "Want me to heal her? I doubt she'll die from this."

Olivia jerked her head back forward with the poke, "OUCH!" She growled, "Don't fucking touch me."

Archelaos’ sharp eye fell on Olivia, and he promptly kicked the cage again, "If you speak out of turn again I will rip your vocal cords out myself!" He barked at her, then looked up to Angie, "By all means, please heal her. And try to touch her as much as possible."

Olivia just glared at him. She couldn't hear him, but she hated them both already.

Angaela prods her finger back through the bars, trying to reach for any part of Olivia.   She looks over the cage towards Archelaos, grinning. "Do you want me to call off the shadows so she can hear you?"

Olivia wraps herself inward the best she could, trying to make herself small, but there was -no- room for her to move in the cage.

Archelaos nodded, "Yes, please. I can't properly threaten her unless she can hear what I'm saying, and I do hate to repeat myself." He leaned on the cage, glaring down to the girl.

Olivia looked away and grabbed the back of her head, gently, then held out her bloodied hand for him to see.

Angaela's shadowy monster melts away back down into a puddle over Olivia before pooling at the bottom of the cage and oozing out back to the ground at Angie's feet. "There."

Archelaos continued to glare down to Olivia, "What I said was: If you speak out of turn again, I will rip your vocal chords out myself, Fool." He sneered to her, exposing his teeth as he did.

Angaela pulls off her right glove, tucking it away into her robes. "Light, forgive my request for your aid in healing the worthless and weak. Grant me the strength to undo the wounds of The Fool, even as much as she deserves them for my amusement." Her ungloved hand glows golden with the Holy Light. She jams it through the bars, trying to prod Olivia in her head wound once again, this time also mending the wound her shadow caused.

Olivia appeared incredibly disturbed by that, but continued holding up her hand. "It hurts." She whined, quietly, almost begging her captor to help her. She could barely keep her eyes open, until Angaela's hand touched her wound - again-. Fuck. Though it wasn't actively bleeding anymore, her head still pounded with pain.

Archelaos scoffed, "Good. Embrace the pain, Fool." He looked over to Angie, "Tell me when you're done so I can punish her." While he wouldn't actually rip them out, as that would likely kill the girl, he knew how to simulate unnervingly realistic hallucinations: It had been what Redright had him do to Dirt to break him, and it is what he would do to Olivia.

Angaela seemed quite content with her healing and wipes her hand clean of the Light onto the side of her robes, snuffing out the glow before she puts her glove back on. "I'm all done." Angie makes her way around next to Archelaos, smiling quite genuinely as she settles in to watch.

Olivia let her hand just fall, defeated. She waited for whatever he was about to do. It wasn't like there was anywhere for her to go.

Archelaos brought his hand through the bars of the cage, poking his thumb to Olivia's forehead. Shadow magic danced around the digit. To him and Angie, nothing was happening. To Olivia, she would watch as an illusion of Archelaos ripped open the door of the cage and dug his hand physically into her neck. It was a horrifically realistic vision. She would be able to feel his fingernails and knuckles tearing through flesh and muscle, hear the sickening squishes and pops as he pulled back, bringing the majority her throat with him and preventing her from breathing -- Or so it felt like. Physically, she could breathe just fine.

Angaela swayed from side to side, watching Archelaos do his magic.  It wasn't terribly interesting from her perspective but he had a rough idea of what he was doing and she knew quite well that Olivia's reaction would be the entertaining part of this.

Olivia leaned her head back and began to choke - apparently she couldn’t even tell that she was actually able to breath just fine if she tried. She would have tried to scream with the assumption nothing would come out - though it did, and it was loud and agonizing. Her hands began to swat around the air at her neck where she would have thought his own were but nothing was there. It didn’t matter. She couldn’t tell it wasn’t real.

Angaela brings a hand up to her mouth, covering it to muffle her giggles so everyone can enjoy the screaming unhindered.

Archelaos watched, a smile twisting on his face as he withdrew his hand and observed her reactions. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a moment and drinking in her terror and agony. His hands balled into fists, "Light, how I've missed this. I used to do shit like this every damn day when I lead an Inquisition." He opened his eyes, then allowed the illusion to drop, still smiling almost dreamily down to Olivia, as though he were getting some sort of high from it.

Olivia instantaneously rose her hand to grab her neck as reality set back in before her; it was just her neck. It hurt from the bruising, though there was no hole. The blood on her hands was there from her head. She looked up to Archelaos, knowing exactly what he had done then, and she looked both afraid and disgusted. She spat at the ground.

Angaela lets out a sudden fit of obnoxiously loud laughter, as if she'd been holding back to wait for the punchline of a joke she knew was coming.  It was cruel laughter, entirely directed at Olivia.

Olivia glared those eyes right over at Angaela now, though that was all she did for the time being.

Archelaos inhaled, then exhaled. He looked over to Angie, "Well, that's all I really wanted to show you. I'm finished with her for today, unless she acts up again."

Angaela nods her head at Archelaos. "Call me over again if you'd like.  This is definitely the sort of thing I enjoy watching."

Archelaos chuckled at that, "I will. I'm glad that you enjoyed it." He looked over to Olivia then, "I expect you to be better behaved tomorrow, Fool. I pray for your sake that you are."

Olivia just stared at the two of them, waiting for them to leave. Archelaos left, as Angaela waves at Olivia, offering her a smile before climbing back onto her carpet and shooting off into the distance.

[itsworn]

The Time is NOW to Get Kids Into Cars!

In the January 2018 issue, the editor’s column and a story inside the magazine introduced readers to young Frankie Waters and her passion for her 1967 Mustang fastback project. That story and column elicited more comments than we’ve gotten in quite some time, showing that it hit a real nerve about saving our automotive hobby and industry by getting young people off their cell phones, out in the garage, and interested in cars and, hopefully, Mustangs.

This month’s cover story is on the Rebuilding Generations program that does just that—gets kids working with adults to build cars while teaching the generations about each other. Kids and adults alike learn new things through the program under the guise of mentorship, and great cars come out of it as well. It’s a real win-win. This story is meant to show more real-world examples of young people and their passion for Mustangs using their own words and pictures. We started it off with the story of Timothy Baba and his two daughters as they restored a Mach 1 (which you may have seen on Mustang-360.com back in December).

Papa’s Race Car J.M. McLain, from Lake Elsinore, California, wrote in to tell us about his grandson, who already has the Mustang bug. He said, “Our grandson, Jacob, has been a Mustang enthusiast since he was a toddler. He would go out to the garage with Papa and work on Papa’s ‘race car.’ The ‘race car’ is really a 1965 fastback that has been on the project list for over 20 years after the framerail ended up in the trunk compartment. It’s a work in progress but holds a special place in our grandson’s heart and mind.”

Jacob doesn’t live very close to his grandparents anymore, but his grandfather said, “He still remembers working on ‘Papa’s race car.’ He visited us a few months ago and he was out in the garage ready to work on the Mustang with his grandpa. He is eight years old now and is anxious to learn more about Mustangs and cars in general. He and grandpa decided it would be cool to get the car running so they could hear it rumble. Jacob was grinning from ear to ear. Because of his great love of Mustangs, we ordered him his very own subscription to Mustang Monthly so he and grandpa can look at it together across the physical miles that separate them now. He also learned how to change a tire. Grandpa taught him how to remove the lug nuts, jack the car up, use jackstands and place the tire under the car for safety, rotate the tires properly, and tighten the lug nuts in the star pattern. It gives his grandpa great pleasure that the disappearing desire for working on muscle cars is still strong in Jacob.”

Making Memories Together Joey Burkman read the Hoofbeats column on HotRod.com and wrote to say, “It had me reflecting back on so many memories from my youth, building cars and friendships. Late nights in the garage with buddies firing up the latest engine build at 2:00 in the morning to break in the engine…no, the neighbors weren’t very appreciative of that, to say the least.

“The reason for my email is to talk about my son Logan who turned 16 this past June. He currently has his learner’s permit and he is very enthusiastic about cars. He purchased his first car over this past summer from the money he saved from his part-time job, a 1991 Mustang GT. We’re no strangers to Mustangs here as I’ve owned several over the years. He currently has it in the garage ready to pull the engine to deal with the oil leaks, and the plan is to swap out the AOD for a manual. While it’s up we’ll also address the almost 30-year-old suspension. The car sat for a number of years, the paint is faded—quite badly actually—but the interior is very clean and the ashtray door works! It’s hard to believe looking at it from the outside that it only has 86,000 miles on it. We continue to source parts for it and have hit a few swap meets, which has been a huge help. The memories we’re making and the time we’re spending together on his car are priceless. I hope that one day when he has his own son he’ll look back and remember all the great times we’ve shared.”

Mechanically Inclined Kids Are Still Around, and I’m the Proud Parent of One! Linda Cocce of Wayland, Massachusetts, says:

“My son John became fascinated with my ’64½ Mustang at a young age. He would have slept in it if allowed. To keep him happy I made him a Mustang bedroom with a custom rug, comforter, curtains with radio knob ties, and later he added Chip Foose signed Mustang emblems to the wall. He read everything he could about Mustangs, especially Mustang Monthly.

“If the Mustang was going in for service he was there trying to help. He was like a sponge—he wanted to know how everything worked; luckily, we had a very patient mechanic who would take the time to explain things to him. This just piqued his interest even more.

“He never had an X-box, computer games, or was allowed to watch TV during the day, so for fun he played outside with friends or used his tools to fix something. His fascination with motors continued, and soon other people’s discarded machines filled the garage. He would take them apart to see how they worked and make a new contraption out of the parts. By age 15 he started his own lawn care business. When his machines broke down, he’d fix them himself. This led to John repairing broken go-karts, mowers, chain saws, etc. for people in our town.

“He is 21 now, studying to be a mechanical engineer. During his summers, he works in his landscape business, fixes machines, and works as a mechanic in a garage. The first thing he packs when heading off to college in the fall are his tools!”

Johnny and the “very patient” mechanic Tom Morrell (from Butch & Son Automotive in Sudbury, MA) in the garage.

Installing carpet at a young age.

Helping a friend work on their car.

How cool would it be to wear a Mustang shirt in a Ferrari museum?

A Ford Family Through and Through The Hamilton Family lives in Eastern Oregon and are dyed-in-the-wool Ford people, with all the kids into building their own Fords, including a few Mustangs and Mavericks. The family patriarch Marvin wrote, “I was glad to see other families doing what we have been doing for years. I have five children (four daughters and one son) and all have received an old Ford at the age of 13 and began the process of tearing down and rebuilding on their own car. We have three Mustangs (a ’67, ’72 and ’73), two Mavericks (’75 and ’72 Grabber), and a 1967 F100 Stepside truck. My son Marvin is the second to oldest and he has been there for every car from day one. He has an amazing thirst for knowledge and a big heart. My daughters Cassie, Neali’i, Nive, Teelay, and Lani have also had the thrill of their first car and the pain of busting their knuckles on a flywheel (that is how you learn). I have been blessed to see how they have taken what they have been taught and use it to diagnose and repair an engine problem. I have also gotten my wife, Tile (pronounced “TEE lay”), into the game. The kids and I pulled together and built her a beautiful 1997 convertible with three-stage paint, and I had her in the 100-plus summer heat swapping out the top.”

“We are Hawaiian and Samoan; we do great BBQ and have fun with cars. We attend an awesome church where there are members with more Ford parts stored in their houses and out buildings than in Detroit, and our pastor always works his ’65 Mustang into the sermon one way or another. We are all about trade at the church and I have traded paintwork, beef jerky, BBQ (I make the best), and child labor for parts. If my kids need a part or something they want but don’t have they look to them for trade and go work for the part or the help fixing it. Not only do they learn the love of cars they learn community and the value of ‘trade’ (trade is a lost art). So many memories to share with my wife and kids and their cars.”

The Hamilton Family

The oldest daughter Cassie found her 1973 Mustang on a Facebook posting. Her dad said, “She sold her VW bug (that we built together) in a week and prayed the car was still for sale. We got it home and cleaned up and color-matched the copper to the repaired fenders. Then on her graduation day my son smashed into her car with his Maverick and mashed the passenger door and fender. My daughter went on a mission to Samoa after graduation and my son promised to have the repairs done before she came back. While pulling the fender and doing repairs my son asked, ‘Do we have the stuff to paint the whole car? We can do a full color change!’ That boy spent the next week and a half in 100-plus degree temps sanding and pulling dents and fixing old problems along the way. One picture you see him throwing down the black 2K. We shot the car in the garage and you can see it and my ’72 in gray. She is 22 now and has an Explorer after selling her ’73, which she totally regrets now.”

The kids and their Mavericks. The Hamilton’s house has “been the demise of many Granadas, Monarchs, and four-door Mavericks” used as parts cars. All cars have had Granada disc brake upgrades and were converted from a four-bolt lug drum to a five-bolt disc and matching rearend.

Keali’i is now 16 but got her car at 13. Her proud papa said, “She loves rolling up at her high school with that orange one-of-a-kind ’72 Grabber that she put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into (she is an Oregon Beavers fan, so now you get the colors).

Nive (age 14) is in the initial stages of her 1967 F100 build (she had to be different). She has the bed off of it and is using the garage and winter to set herself up great for spring. Dad said, “We have a set of old school turbines that are going to be powdercoated crimson red and it will be a flat black with crimson red scallops. She made that call and I am all good with it.”

Lastly you see a 1987 GT and a 1967 hardtop. Dad said, “My children and I spent several years building that ’87 for the wife and gave it to her on her birthday. She drove it a year, then one day at church one of our church members showed up in a ’66 coupe and that was it. She wanted a classic. Now I am about to start with her car.”

The Longest Summer of All Time Tommy Ratatsidis has been into cars his entire life, saying it started when he was a toddler, “My friends call me obsessed. I think it’s in my blood. My mom and dad bought a brand-new 1988 LX hatch when they got married, and when I was 3-4 years old my dad would street race his 1978 Cobra and my mom would take me to watch him race his LX. My dad always had Mustangs growing up.”

Dad’s stable included the ’78 Cobra, as well as a 1971 Boss 351 clone, a ’78 King Cobra, a ’73 Mach 1, an ’88 coupe, “and many in between.” When Tommy was 15, he worked at a car wash for the summer and saved everything he could to find a project car. He said, “I had my heart set on a 1969 SportsRoof. I would have settled for a shell, then work from there. Every week the Auto Trader would come to the shop and I would go through it on my break and the prices for first-generation Mustangs were starting to climb and climb and the cars were junk—rotten garbage cars for too much money. Then one day I was skimming through the pages and found an ad for an original-owner 1978 that ‘had to be seen’ according to the ad. I got home that day and told my dad, ‘You need to drive me to see a car!’”

With a mere $500 in his pocket and expecting to find a basket case, the car turned out to be clean and spotless with no filler and Tommy asked his dad what he thought. “He turned to me and said, ‘This is your car and your money, go make a deal.’ So [the owner and I] went to the backyard patio table and I told him I only had $500. He gave a look that said, ‘Do you know how much the car is worth?’ I told him I’d work all summer and could make $1,500 to $1,700 maximum, and he said $1,500 was enough. I offered to give him the $500 as a deposit and he said, ‘No, the car will go back in the garage with your name on it.’ We shook hands and went on our way. It was the longest summer of all time. I worked and made money and phoned him every two weeks to update him on how much more money I had. Finally at the end of August I got to go pick up the car. I couldn’t drive of course, so my dad drove it home but I couldn’t have been happier. Right away I yanked the four-cylinder drivetrain out to make room for a 351 Cleveland and automatic.”

Tommy later swapped the gas-guzzling Cleveland for a 302 and five-speed combo that he blew up street racing, so now the car has a 5.0 EFI engine from a 1989 Mustang GT and a Vortech blower. He also just added a 1978 Cobra to the stable, saying, “Now I have a newborn and wanted a project for her when she’s older, so we picked up a clean ’78 Cobra originally from Texas that had been sitting in a garage since 1983. My brother followed my footsteps and bought his first car when he was 15, a 1974 Mach 1. He’s 17 now and works incredibly hard and has a 1991 Fox coupe and a 1987 Bronco. We love our Fords; it’s in our blood.”

Tommy Ratatsidis at 17 with his first Mustang, a 1978 coupe.

The green coupe has had pretty much everything done to it and sees occasional dragstrip duty with an ’89 5.0 and a Vortech supercharger.

The Ratatsidis family. This baby girl probably already has Ford-blue blood in her!

Tommy’s brother and his LX coupe in the summer of 2017.

The Top of His Class Don Cort wrote to tell us, “My wife and I recently purchased a Mustang for our son, Donny. He then taught himself, with my help, and worked through to complete a ground-up restoration of this 1966 Mustang GT hardtop. He stripped and restored the entire car by himself. He rebuilt the 289 engine and four-speed transmission, completely stripped the body, straightened it, then painted it and then reassembled the entire car with a full detailed nut-and-bolt restoration. He worked through the entire interior (bench seat car), wiring, and suspension as well. Essentially, the 15 year-old completed the entire project himself with some guidance in a year and learned incredible skill along the way, which put him at the top of his entire school’s automotive class as a freshman/sophomore. I offer this as an example of what is possible with our younger generation if opportunities are available. The pride, knowledge, and skills he gained were incredible and I could only hope you may find it in your best interest to reflect this in your fine magazine so others may see the light and opportunities available to the younger generation which may occupy their minds with something other than a video game, a cell phone, and the rest of time-wasting devices which so many are lost in.”

Absolutely Mr. Cort!

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