#but if I went past six I know it’d go all day

[findinghomes]

Tag at least six people (can be more than six if you want), and say at least one nice thing about or to each of them. Can be mutuals, can be people you follow, can be people you don’t know but just happen to exist in the same circle(s) with. All you gotta do is tag them and say something nice about/to them :)

I was tagged by the lovely and talented @bottleofchaos and @mahikamihan (and @rebelwithoutabroom) <3

@mello-when-hi - Your inspirational (and dog) posts are amazing (and perfectly timed) and your writing is incredible. I’ve always admired your positive outlook on life and I love reading the small notes you add in the tags of posts <3

@tinogiehd - You’re such a talented writer. You always find a way to flip everyday actions on their heads and it’s so beautiful. I also always know I can rely on you if I’m stuck on a part of my own writing or if I need to talk a part out or if I want to scream about Hozier lyrics compared to dnf <3

@dnfed - Your posts and gifs are always top tier. Every time I see your bongo cat edits to dteam pictures, they always make me laugh. I also think of you every time I post angst and send a little apology into the universe <3

@froggyrights - I don’t send many anonymous anons but if I counted the majority of them were probably asking you facts about frogs because your frog posting always makes me smile. You’re one of the kindest people and I’ve really enjoyed seeing you on my dash and being able to talk with you <3

@havocrat - This is me confessing that I’ve been reading your fics for over a year and only recently figured out it’s havoc rat and not havo crat (rhyming with habitat) (but on a more serious note I’ve really loved beta reading and getting to know you. You have a really upbeat and positive energy that I really admire) <3

@prettygnf - I love your writing so much. Even before lurking tumblr and becoming involved in the fandom, I would get so excited every time I saw a new upload on ao3 and still do today. Every time I read something new of yours it becomes my new favorite. I still re-read the soccer au whenever I’m feeling sad and want something comforting <3

[lilac-5ky]

Roommates from Hell, pt.1 (Toji x Fem!Reader)

Chapter 1: Stolen Fries taste best

(pic from loving yamada at lvl999, adorable manga, recommend)

Chapter 2 | Story Masterlist | Masterlist

Plot: Out of all the women that come and go in Toji's life, you're the only one he calls his friend. But when he suddenly forces his way into your apartment, the feelings you've kept from him are put to the test.

Setting: Pre Hidden Inventory Arc. Toji and reader are both in their late twenties, no Megumi in picture... yet :p

Themes: Cohabitation, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers

Warning: Slight sexual content minus the actual smut.

A/N at the bottom

“You’re late. Again.”

The small silver bell at the top of the glass door notified you of a man’s arrival, his heavy steps refusing to wipe themselves upon entry, spreading mud all over the now-blotted checkered tiles of the dimly lit diner. You’d been expecting the owner of those shoes for the past six hours, his untimely arrival coming as a bitter aftertaste to an afternoon full of childish joy and mayhem— popped balloons, colorful confetti, and half-eaten pieces of cakes swept into one big pile at the room’s southernmost corner by yours truly.

“I never said I was coming,” the voice retorted, its defiant sound overshadowed by the gruesome screech of a metallic chair. “Not interested in celebrating some brat’s b-day, ‘specially if it ain’t mine.”

“How many helpless children must have spent their birthdays without their no-good father, I wonder,” you wiped your hands against your cherry-red apron, pushing the broom back into place. “If your goal is to repopulate Japan, I’m certain you’ll succeed.”

Hefty fingers mindlessly combed through a head of obsidian black, little spikes forming and then settling back down. “None, as far as I’m concerned,” sarcasm dripped from his tongue.

“Well, I find that hard to believe,” you mumbled under your breath, circling through the room to ensure everything was dealt with: leftovers in the fridge, gift wrappings in the bin, and the large aforementioned pile of garbage waiting to be scooped up. “You’ve known Kenzo since birth. Even if this ain’t your thing, the least you could’ve done was make an appearance. He kept asking about his favorite uncle all night long.”

“Except I’m not his uncle. Don’t mix me in with your sister’s family, I ride solo.”

Sigh.

“My sister’s family might as well be your family, Toji. You know how much Hinata and her kids adore you.”

“Good for them, I suppose.”

Another sigh.

“Can you at least tell me what was so important for you to not even pick the goddamn phone up?”

As if the device had grown sentient, a generic tune began tooting from the back pocket of his sweatpants, eradicating your final hope that it’d simply run out of battery.

Without budging from his seat, Toji twisted an arm around his back to pull his flip-phone out, the silver-tinted lid slamming shut as soon as he’d peered at the caller’s number, his next immediate move being to drown the sound in a glass of leftover Coke, fizzy bubbles playing the device’s final requiem.

You didn’t need to ask to know it was a woman, and he didn’t need to answer that she, whatever the name of his latest conquest was, happened to also be the reason for his being unfashionably late.

It was always like that. He was always like that. He went out with one girl after the other; from women of extreme beauty and poise to mindless bimbos who couldn’t tell tea leaves and coffee beans apart. He’d spend some cash to butter them up with expensive meals at overpriced restaurants, or VIP entrance at the hottest club, or even pay for the name tag on their designer clothes, but come next morning, he was either caught stealing straight out of their pockets or checking whether the tag was still attached to the dress for him to return it to the store—at which point, the vast majority gave up, except for those few poor souls who earnestly believed they could fix him, though they never would.

If there were two things in this world that remained unfaltering and resolute throughout the eons, then that was the earth’s orbiting the sun, and Zen’in Toji’s being the bastard of a man you knew and loved— special intonation of that last part.

It was quite the oxymoron. To know him as an irredeemable scumbag with no intention of changing, and to love him for all he was; a sentence as contradictory and controversial as the man before you. What was there to love? He never gave two shits about the people around him dying, and if he could encourage or partake in their deaths then he certainly would. He gambled every cent of cash in his hands away, and his every attachment ended with the disposal of his used-up condom. He was vulgar, cynical, and brass, and he possessed a great charisma of making people dislike him at first glance. His only saving grace was his good looks and even those he managed to scrape on a daily basis.

So, really, what was there to love about a man whose place fitted best among the pile of garbage in the corner? What was the point in all that?

He never answered your question, and when you realized he wasn’t planning to, you dragged a second chair to his side, propping your elbows first and then your chin over the vinyl backrest, feet landing at each side. You took in his expression— sour and undeniably agitated, with a frown tugging at the scarred corner of his lower lip, and a glare too icy to be meant for the wall of American-styled neon billboards he mercilessly studied. Something definitely bothered him, and as a huff stiffened his chin, the reason became evident enough for you to point at it.

“Woman or work?” you gestured at the blood that dribbled below his ear and down his neck.

He followed your forefinger with his eyes, thumb scrubbing where the gush began. He seemed oblivious to his injury, though it wasn’t as if his becoming aware changed a thing.

“So it is a woman,” you gladly seized the chance to rub salt into his wound, drawing a frustrated grumble from him.“What did you do this time? Stole her car and crashed it into a tree? Blew all her savings on cockfight betting?”

“Horse races,” he had the nerve to correct.

“Or… did you by any chance bring an uncalled ménage à trois to her bed?”

“What kind of man you take me for?” Toji protested.

“A very, very, veeeery bad man,” you smirked, and he returned it. You knew him like the back of your hand. There was no need to pretend otherwise after well over a decade’s worth of friendship.

“If a very bad man is what I am, then why’d ya let me in?” he asked. “A young unprotected woman all by herself in the middle of the night letting such scum in never ends well. Thought you were smarter than this.”

“If I was smarter, then I wouldn’t be calling you my friend, would I?”

His grimace turned into a full-blown devilish grin, the kind that secretly had your heart buzzing against the frail set of bones of your chest. He always looked so dazzling when he smiled, that sometimes you couldn’t find fault in those women wanting to believe in his pretty lies, because you, too, wanted to. You hoped that whatever the price for those smiles was, you would one day be able to afford it and gain ownership of his heart, no matter how wretched or blackened it was.

“You are a real idiot to mix it up with me,” he conceded. “Though, you are a greater idiot for letting that term define us. I bet your nights serving meals at some kiddie place get rather lonely. But I could help. I could make you feel really good, Y/N. So good that you’d risk some prick getting in, lest he is me.”

His tongue poked out his mouth, giving his bottom lip a brief lick while he peered at you through half-lidded eyes. He had this way of turning things sexual in the blink of an eye, selling himself so well that your refusal to buy seemed commendable— despite the unmistakable affection you held for his face. Little did he know how much you longed to push that chair to the side and rip his cocky expression along his black-sleeved shirt off his body, making it so that neither of you had a place to hide from the other.

Now, that’d feel good.

“My nights are fine as they are, thank you very much,” you countered your instincts much to his disappointment. “And if I ever needed myself a helping hand, know that you’d be the last I’d call!” Not as if you’d pick up, anyway, you mentally added.

His gust of interest fizzled out as soon as it surged, your rejection forcing him to rock back and forth between the chair’s legs. He wasn’t interested in continuing this. It was enough for him to take in the dusty pink shading of your ears and smile to himself, knowing you were still the kind of woman affected by his charms. Yes, that certainly was enough, for now.

“I’ll clean you up,” you declared, getting off your spot in haste and strolling through the bar in search of a clean towel.

Once you found it, you let it soak under the faucet and brought it back to him, rubbing against his skin regardless of his petty attempt at gritting his teeth. You placed one hand on his shoulder and another at his jaw, pushing them apart to no avail. Every muscle in his body was stronger than your entire bodily force combined, and he was awfully willing to flex that difference between you, just as he was at letting you straddle his hips and climb all over his body like some sort of feral monkey in heat.

A string of profanities that ranged from “bastard” to “shit-eating-asshole-shithead” poured out your mouth while Toji smirked, and smiled, and grinned, and didn’t even try to stop you from knocking the two of you onto the ground, palms barely managing to stable your head over his face. Your pleated skirt had risen, or rather flipped, over your panties, revealing the strawberry pattern panties you were wearing to his greedy hands as they hiked up your flesh without an ounce of shame.

“Wh-What are you doing?!”

“What do you think I’m doing?” he cooed, burying his calloused fingers under the elastic waistband of your underwear.

You felt him trace the inward of your thighs in languid strokes, the fabric stretching the further his hand dipped— closer, and closer to your now-pulsing core, but never so close as to make actual contact. His hot breath tingled your lips, smelling of nothing in particular, but a sweaty tang of a woman’s deodorant that still lingered in his clothes. Had he fucked her before making it here, you wondered, heart tightening at the thought.

Your legs wiggled shut, unable to fully repel his hand, and for a brief moment, you considered letting him go through with this— whatever this was. Even if you came to be another conquest won, you didn’t care. All you needed was for him to hush all logic from your brain, and fuck you senselessly against the checkered tile floor of the “kiddie food place” you served meals at.

“Toji…” you begged, uncertain what you were begging him for until you felt the warmth in your thighs subside.

“Makin’ sure to preserve your maiden’s dignity,” he said as he fixed your skirt in place. “Wouldn’t want some perv catching sight of your cute little ass, would we?”

His condescending tone made you want to throw a slap across his face and then yours; for thinking that maybe this wasn’t a mistake, that you could really move past the pretense of friendship and aim at what you really sought. But he’d been right once before. You were stupid, stupider than all those girls combined, considering you knew and still wouldn’t mind being dragged down with him one bit.

“Fucking asshole,” you blurted as you pushed yourself off him, dumping the cloth on his smug face.

Your lip quivered as you stepped onto your feet, unable to quite shake the feeling of incompletion from your core, walls pathetically clenching around nothingness. You refused to look at him, lest you caved in a second time, and thus you paced around the booths, stopping before the one window whose blinds didn’t block the magnificent parking lot view. Only a black SUV was left— most likely his newest rental.

Following a beep, you watched the lights flicker white, his reflection in the window lifting the chair back up. You crossed your arms over your chest and waited, your impatience and frustration churning into a dangerous mix within your guts, as the asshole whose name wasn’t worth saying moved past you and walked straight to the door, not a single word or goodbye said.

“What about your phone?” you asked, at last paying him a look of spite.

“I’ll text ya my new number.”

“We both know you won’t.”

He glanced over his shoulder and showed you his pearly white canines, his expression not polished enough to be called a smile. You rolled your eyes in the opposite direction, spotting his old device blinking a variety of different lights, refusing to die just like its bastard of an owner.

“What should I do with this?”

“How the hell should I know?” Toji shrugged. “Get rid of it, or toss it in some burger. I’m sure no one will be able to tell the difference. Later,” the bell chimed as the door collided with the frame, chiming a second time as his head popped in a moment later. “Loved the raspberries.”

“They were strawberries, you scatterbrained swine,” you cursed, but he’d heard none of it. The car was gone, and so was he, and it was for the best that he didn’t get to witness the strawberry-colored shadow that loomed over both your cheeks.

Fanning some of that heat away, you returned to the table, surprised to find a white envelope with the name Kenzo hastily written on the front. Cash. Lots of cash. Enough cash to keep a low-end apartment afloat for at least a couple of months. An excuse and simultaneously the answer to all your previous questions.

“You fucking bastard,” you hummed, the term switching to one of utter endearment.

When the first instance of a wintry breeze came charging at the semi-exposed features of your face—a scarf’s fluff tucked right below your nose— you knew that walking all the way to the location where the unknown ID claiming to be Zen’in Toji ordered you to meet up was probably a bad idea.

For starters, you’d turn into an icicle long before making it back to your workplace. Not to mention you had no foolproof way of guaranteeing the person you were about to meet wasn’t some random impersonating psychopath. But when you finally spotted the yellow curvy “M” upon the rectangular red sign that spelled the fast food chain’s name, you narrowed down the psychopaths to that one cheapskate you happened to know.

Walking into the nearly vacant dining area —only the first two booths near the door occupying a family of four each— you detected him almost immediately. He was the only one seated in his wing. Head slightly tilted to look past the window, golden highlights showering the curve of a nose as it arched into thin eyebrows, calm eyes glinting with subtle emerald, and fingers that absentmindedly tapped away onto one of the two paper-covered trays. He had the decency to wait for you before getting into his food, though that didn’t stop him from munching on the occasional fry.

You tugged the handbag off your shoulder and slowly approached him, hesitating to enter his field of view, if just for a moment. He seemed so peaceful and serene, that if you had the guts, you’d snap a picture of him right then and there and make it into your phone’s wallpaper. But you didn’t. You’d never be able to explain it to him in a non-humiliating way, should he catch you in the act, and so, you shook the notion off and marched in his direction, his eyes lighting up in recognition.

“What’s the point of calling me out here for lunch if we are gonna have burgers?” you dropped your bag at the far end of the table. “Why not eat at our place?”

“I like the fries here better,” he bit onto one as if to affirm his claim, licking the salty essence off his fingers. “You should be glad I got you some, too,” he nodded toward the closed dome-shaped box that lay in front of you. “Nuggets over burgers, right? Didn’t know what toy ya wanted though. Cashier girl told me bunnies are quite popular with girls your age, so I went with that.”

Ignoring, or rather postponing your answer to his outrageous suggestion, you peered through the contents of your meal’s box, spotting the wrapped-in-plastic purple-colored bunny key chain right at the bottom between the small portion of deluxe potatoes and even smaller portion of chicken nuggets that still steamed hot air. You were surprised he remembered everything about your order, down to your preference for milkshake over other beverages, and perhaps you would have shown your gratitude if it wasn’t for that last comment of his gnawing at your pride.

“How old did you tell the cashier I was, again?” you gritted, trying to suppress the toy’s cuteness within your fist.

“Didn’t. Just said it’s for some kid I know. Probably thought it was for my daughter or something.”

A pair of googly eyes popped out from their sockets, the bunny’s head in serious danger of coming right off.

“Stop acting like an old man,” you muttered in embarrassment. “A nine-month head start in life doesn’t make you old enough to be my father.”

“Still older than you, kid,” said Toji, his fingers latching onto his wrapped-up burger. “Now eat up. Didn’t pay ya lunch for it to go cold.”

Annoyed by his remarks, but oh-so terribly starved, you decided to let things slide, the two of you lunching in a period of temporal truce. He went through his burger in big bites, clearing it out before you even finished your portion of nuggets. You mildly wondered why he’d held off if he was this hungry, but didn’t press on the reason behind his invitation until after his tray was half-emptied.

“So… why’d you wanna meet up? Got something to tell me?”

“Mhm, I actually do. How would you like us to be room—Nah, that doesn’t sound too right,” Toji shook his head off, dusting the excess salt off his fingers. “I decided I’m moving in with you.”

“You, what?!?” You shrieked, eyes wide with shock, resembling those of your newly acquired key chain.

“What I just said. I’m moving in,” he repeated as if you hadn’t heard him the first time around. “Got everything right here. I’ll pop by later so you can show me my room.”

You glanced down at what he tapped as “here”, spotting a large black duffel bag that rested on his feet. He wasn’t joking, you panicked. He was being 100% serious about this. Directing your milkshake to your mouth, you took a nervous sip, nearly choking on the plastic straw between your teeth, while Toji kept staring at you, awaiting no answer in particular. After all, he wasn’t asking. He was proclaiming.

“Why would you want that?” you asked once you regained the ability to think rationally. “Weren’t you the one who said you ride solo?”

“Numerous reasons,” he stated, drawing his forefinger forth as if to recount. “For starters, rental prices going up, gas too. Inflation in the market and all that crap. Your place is also closer to work, and” he leaned closer, “wasn’t your neighborhood the one on the news recently? You know, those serial break-and-enter cases? As far as I’m aware, the culprit’s still running loose, could be a cursed spirit or something. You can’t see ‘em, but I can. I’ll keep ya safe. Wouldn’t you want that? Sounds like a fair deal to me, at least.”

The repetitive pattern of a catchy pop song blasting from the speakers served as a backdrop to your thoughts, eyes flickering between the table and his face. He wasn’t exactly wrong about what he said. The girl next door was the robber’s last victim, and from what you’d gathered, it seemed like the ones targeted were exclusively single women in their twenties. Curse or not, that was the intruder’s type, and you just so happened to tick both of those boxes.

From a standpoint of reason, his suggestion sounded fair alright, but this was Toji we were talking about. The man whose name was your first thought in the morning and the final afterthought in the night. The man you were coincidentally in love with.

Living with him would entail being around him a lot more than you could handle. Waking and sleeping and eating in the same house as him, spending your days off together, bickering about bills, take-out, and the TV remote’s ownership, doing things that only couples got to do, and of course, sharing a bathroom, which on its own meant seeing him parade through the cramped little space of your apartment in nothing but a soggy towel, hair slick and teeth beaming as he’d be asking if you’d like to join him in the shower—

You hit the break on these thoughts and pressed your forehead flat against both palms, feeling the heat exuding through your fingers. You were only able to keep this relationship platonic because of the distance he put between you. If he were to suddenly close it, what would come of you? How on earth would you be able to hold back?

“Don’t you want me?”

“Huh?” you bit at the straw again, snapping it in half.

“I said, you hate the idea of living with me that much?”

Toji certainly didn’t mince his words, but the way he was looking at you, brows furrowing and lips quivering into a frown despite the edge in his tone, almost made it seem as if hearing your rejection out loud would hurt him, and because of that, you had no choice, but to shake your head in denial. You wanted this. More than words could express, you wanted to be with him like that, even if you refrained from disclosing that truth.

You wanted him.

“What about your girlfriends? Wouldn’t they be against you living with some woman?”

“Nah, I’m done with that. Done with all of ‘em.”

“But my apartment is too small. I don’t think it’d suit you—”

“I’ll manage,” he cut you off.

“I don’t even have a second bed-”

“We can always share,” he smirked, letting out a light-hearted chuckle as he watched color paint your cheeks. “Couch is fine, too. So, whaddya say, roomie?”

“…Fine,” you conceded, very well knowing you’d come to regret this decision. “But we need to set some ground rules! No trashing the apartment, no throwing your ‘work tools’ all over the place, no smoking, no drinking, no loud music, and no bringing in random women. No starting fights either! You’ll help around and pay half of what’s needed, so no gambling your money away. Those are my terms.”

“You drive a hard bargain, roomie,” Toji said, balancing his chin atop his elbow. “Fine by me. Told you I’m done with half those things anyway, and I don’t mind helping you with anything. I mean that.”

But I could help. I could make you feel really good, Y/N.

His words from that night still lingered in your mind like an unfulfilled promise, and when he phrased it like that, you couldn’t help but be reminded of how good his hands felt that night, creeping all over your skin as if he owned it— as if he owned you.

“G-good!” you said, picking up a fry off his tray and tossing it in your mouth, lest you said something stupid.

“No one taught you stealing other people’s food is rude?” Toji shot you a glare unequal to your crime.

“It’s not stealing if you are done with it!” you protested. “You haven’t touched your fries in over ten minutes now.”

His tongue clicked against his mouth’s roof, producing a series of “tsk” sounds while he shook his head in disapproval. “Didn’t take ya for such a brat, Y/N. Disrespecting me in my face right after we came to an agreement? That’s some bad business ethics.”

You rolled your eyes at his comment, barely keeping yourself from groaning. “I’m so terribly sorry, sir. I shouldn’t have stolen your esteemed fries, sir. Won’t ever happen again, sir. Please allow me to express my profound remorse, sir.”

Although Toji knew you only addressed him as such to get on his nerves, he was still pleased enough to grace with you an unsuspecting smile, seconds before you shoved a ketchup-covered potato against his mouth, smudging the left corner of his lips in a way akin to that of his right corner scar. He blinked, clouds of fury gathering in the bleakness of his eyes and cheeks puffing up, painting the most adorable expression you’d ever seen him wear.

“So cute,” you gushed, unable to suppress a hearty laughter that agitated him even more, red blooming across his cheeks— most likely by the lack of oxygen, you interpreted.

“Fucking brat,” he hissed, dipping the last of his fries in ketchup and then stuffing your mouth with it before you could even react. “I’ll show ya how it’s done!” he declared, your lips puckering against his fingers, condiment spreading all over like lipstick. His other hand forced your head in place, stilling your chin for him to work on his masterpiece, making a much bigger mess out of you than you had made of him.

“Hmphmmph!” you hummed while Toji laughed, a deep sound that reverberated straight from his guts, his eyes glinting along with his teeth in sheer joy that convinced you to give up so as to not spoil his fun. It was rare to see him genuinely happy.

“That should teach ya to behave,” he spat, smugness in every aspect of his features as he pressed his thumb onto his mouth, cleaning the ketchup off with a lick. “But you did address me properly, so you’ve earned the right to choose. Napkin or my lips? Which one?”

Stupefied as you were, you didn’t understand the full context of his question until you felt the sudden warmth of his mouth flutter over your skin, the tip of his tongue sloppily gathering the leftover ketchup off your right cheek. Your jaw popped open, a small gasp escaping as a result of his action.

“Too slow,” Toji whispered, hooded green eyes peering right into yours. “I’ll ask again. Napkin or my lips? What’s it gonna be, doll?”

“N-n-n-napkin!” you must have stuttered at least a thousand times before forming a comprehensible answer. He was so close that if he tilted his head any closer your lips were sure to touch. “P-please get me a napkin.”

“Please?” he chuckled, acting as if was really going to kiss you and then pulling away. “Be right back.”

Even after Toji let go, you could still feel the weight of his thumb holding you down, your eyes zeroing in on his black sweater as he set off for the other side of the room where the napkin and condiments stand was located. You heard a few whispers coming from beside your table, catching three pairs of eyes shooting daggers right at your back.

“Don’t they have a home?” a woman’s voice echoed first.

“Kids these days…” a man added.

“Honey, don’t look at their sinfulness, it’s the devil’s work.” A second woman concluded.

You were on the verge of experiencing a cardiac arrest, and you were pretty darn sure you would have if Toji hadn’t returned with the napkins in time, his hand snatched by yours as you forcefully dragged him out of the place, spelling frantic apologies at whoever was listening.

Once you’d made it outside, you sighed in relief, winter’s viciousness coming as a much-needed slap across your face. You took in a few breaths, letting go of his hand and padding a few steps away from the store’s windows, afraid you were still the focus of their attention. Toji followed, one hand stuffed inside his jeans pocket, while the other held the duffel bag over his shoulder in a lazy manner.

“Can you give me a lift to work?” you managed to ask, dodging his stare even as he stepped to the front.

“I would, but I can’t. Gave the car away.”

“You did what?”

Nothing about your reaction was funny in any shape or form, but he seemed amused enough to break into a soft chuckle, his eyes, too, softening ever so slightly.

“Planning to walk around town like a bloodsucker?” he asked, bringing a napkin to wipe your lips with greater care than you’d think. “How dirty,” he cooed, gently tapping at the center. “Next time, I won’t ask for permission to kiss you, roomie. Let’s go.”

“W-Where?” your voice came out so frail that you doubted he’d heard your question, his bag bouncing over his taut body with every step he took outside the parking lot.

“You asked for a ride, didn’t ya? Come.”

A/N: Launching a new series because I have so many feelings bottled up that I'm in danger of farting hearts and rainbows and shit. Decided to take the time off and write this fic for myself cause I needed it, but then I thought why not share it with the world? First time writing for Jujutsu Kaisen and Toji in particular, so hopefully it's received well!

[captain039]

PART 2 Fangs

Astarion x werewolf!reader

Warnings: hurt/comfort, feelings, vampire things, werewolf things, jealousy, swearing, intimacy, first times, swearing, anxiety, anxiety attacks

I love the ideas of soulmates xD so probably gonna make it soulmatish, but more on the terms of they turn into your soulmate, like a friend to best friend to lovers. You just click but have issues, but you work them out 🥹❤️

Sorry I was struggling to figure out where this was gonna go haha

Previous part <-

It was a horrible time, but you needed to go to the village, your clothing situation had seem to run thin. You gathered some items in a bag, a bed roll and small tent, you hated this journey. Your next shift wasn’t for another fifteen days so you’d not be shifting randomly any time soon. You made sure your chickens had lots of food and a source of water, you closed off your garden and locked what needed to be locked before heading out. The first night was daunting, you always hated going to the village, hated the amount of people in one area. You made it by nightfall though to the village and headed to the inn. You were hit with music and noise and wanted to shrink. You headed to the inn keeper mindful of all the body’s.

“How’s it going need a room or some drink?” The inn keeper smiled.

“Room please” you said and he nodded turning around and grabbing a key before handing it to you.

“Will you be needing some food?” He asked and you shook your head.

“No worries head upstairs, number six you’re staying in” he gave a wink and went back to serving the other customers. You thanked him and headed upstairs, you found your room and sighed in relief. The rooms door up from yours opened and you froze seeing a familiar paled haired elf you quickly went to unlock your door and hide but, failed.

“Hello” he drawled out smirking.

“Evening” you said cursing the key.

“I believe it says six on your key, not four” he commented and you looked to the number and flushed, gods you felt stupid.

“Thank you” you moved past him and checked the number before unlocking it.

“Not one for a party?” He questioned turning to you.

“No” you said curtly wanting to go in, but his words stopped you.

“Why’re you here? I thought your cozy little home had everything?” He asked and you sighed.

“I need things” you said not wanting to talk and just sleep.

“Don’t be dull, I mean you did try to kill me” he grinned and you glared at him.

“You-?!” You went to shout, but someone came up and headed into a room.

“You bit me!” You hissed quietly.

“I apologised!” He argued back.

“Argh, gods, I just want to sleep, so” you gestured and he sighed.

“Don’t let the bed bugs bite” he said as you headed inside and closed the door.

You sighed shrugging your pack off and going to the bed. You laid down and cursed the chatter downstairs, hopefully it’d die down. What was that vampires problem? He tried to kill you first! Probably would’ve sucked you dry had you not woken up. Gods you don’t even know him and he irritated you. You gave up quickly on trying to sleep, the thought of a warm meal too delightful. You headed back downstairs and ordered some food before sitting in a corner with the least amount of people. It was too loud in here, maybe you should head back to your room. Your meal came and you ate in silence before someone came over.

“Did the bed bugs bite?” You sighed looking to the pale elf as he sat beside you.

“I was hungry” you stated gesturing to your food and giving him a pointed look.

“It’s rather loud in here for a small village” he said and you hummed in agreement trying to ignore the rowdiness. He kept talking, but you weren’t listening. You tried to ignore the nausea in your stomach and the way you grew dizzy, your beast sought to protect your body and you quickly got up and left, the vampire following you.

“Why’re we running?!” He called confused as you ran into your room and slammed the door shut. Your hands were clammy and you panted harshly as you forced control.

“You know I was having a nice conversation! Even if you weren’t listening!” The vampire yelled and you cursed him as you sat down on the floor and began to shake.

“Little wolf?” He called and you shook your head slightly rocking yourself.

“I’m coming in” he stated as he came in and closed the door.

“Oh” he said as you groaned in pain, some bones shifting and shifting back. You panted and covered your ears, mind running a million miles and hour. You shook your head slightly forcing the beast back, you’d be killed if you changed! You didn’t even see the vampire by you till you felt his hands. You flinched roughly as you turned to him. He held his hands up, posing no threat, he had sat by you. He lowered his hands slowly and nodded as he wrapped one arm around your shoulders and tugged you closer. You felt your body fall on him and you sighed, you could hear a faint heartbeat in his chest and focused on that, your eyes closing. Some time past and you felt the world drown out, you only felt his cool skin and hear the faint beating of his heart. His hand on the arm around you began tangling with your hair, gently soothing you, it reminded you of what your grandma once did. You opened your eyes and focused on the bedroom, feeling your body ache from the few shifts your beast tried to enforce. You didn’t want to move from the vampire though, the contentness you felt was too nice.

“Your hearts calmed down” he commented softly and you took that as an indication to move. You sat up slowly, his hand leaving your hair.

“You didn’t have to move” he said.

“I was squishing you” you said sighing softly.

“You’re rather warm, it was enjoyable” he said carefree and you felt your cheeks grow warm.

“I assume loud people don’t agree with you?” He asked and you nodded embarrassed.

“People in general” you mumbled.

“Matches the whole hag out in the woods” he gave a small grin and you laughed lightly.

“My names Astarion” he said holding out his hand.

“Y/n” you held out yours and shook it.

“Now that you’re settled, I do have someone to seduce, I’m rather parched” he smirked standing up and you flushed and glared.

“Go away vampire” you shooed, but couldn’t help a smile as he helped you up.

“Of course if you do need me” he said suggestively and you groaned rolling your eyes despite the warmth that filled you.

“I was only offering a nibble” he teased heading to the door making you huff as he left. You shook your head a smile on your face as you repeated his name in your head.

Astarion headed downstairs on search of some warm blood, he had a problem though. Not if his looks or his suggestive smirks, no he kept thinking back to the wolf upstairs who’d he just calmed down. You looked terrified when he tried to touch you, but after you relaxed against him he felt like it was the most normal thing in the world despite not knowing your name and you trying to kill him. He left his little hunting grounds and headed to his room, he could handle not eating tonight, he only left because he was afraid of your reaction of him pursuing you. Odd really, he’d never had those thoughts, once he saw someone he wanted, he’d have them quickly, but you, you were different, your taste was different. Maybe it was the wolf inside you, or maybe it was just his imagination. When he first saw you passed out he was concerned till he heard a heartbeat and the need for blood blinded his actions. He briefly wondered why a naked woman was lying in the woods, but your scent was different from a normal human. The second time you met, he actually got to taste you, the powerful beast inside you made him yearn your blood more. You were quick in wanting to kill him though, he’d only gotten one suck in before you were using his own knife against him. Something had shifted in your eyes though, then your body began to crack horribly and he saw things shift under your skin, he hadn’t meant to touch you, but he did, you dropped the knife in pain and curled in on yourself. Being a gentlemen he took of his shirt to cover you quickly, he’d seen most of you anyway, gorgeous curves, even more gorgeous glaring with his shirt on, hells he’d just met you!

Seeing you panic made him panic, felt like his caring instincts kicked in finally and he sought to comfort you. You were awfully warm against, but he couldn’t deny how enjoyable it was. Your hair was a little uncared for, but he didn’t mind as he played with it, he felt your whole body slouch into his, contentness practically humming off your body, he found it cute. Seeing your flushed cheeks and avoidant eyes made him wonder if you’d ever taken a partner, when he offered with a smirk he knew his assumption of no was correct, you tensed and it was like walls covered you, he wanted to break those walls.

Next part ->

[lowcosmic]

—— because nothing compares to you .

— 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮 : kokichi messed up , you’re temporarily gone , and he has to spend that time alone.

— 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚 : angst & fluff ( hurt -> comfort )

— 𝙘𝙬 : mentions of bad eating , sleep deprivation , fighting , sad stuff ( but resolved with a happy ending )

— 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 : the request was too long to fit on here , it’d make up the entire story itself.

↳ kokichi spun a pencil around with his fingers , mindlessly thinking about yesterday. he glanced over to your empty seat. maybe he was too harsh on you. you’d definitely come back tomorrow , right?

→ the day before , you’d fought with each other. or , more like kokichi was fuming at you and you were just listening. even if you did decide to speak , he’d just slam your words down and mix them up to be an accusation. he’d said some pretty bad stuff , and he thoroughly regretted them now that he was looking back.

→ and then he’d just left you there. he didn’t break up or anything , he just left the room with the tension still up in the air. he didn’t even apologize for all the things he said and couldn’t take back.

→ kokichi had been “ blinded by rage , ” and as he’s heard before , anger can make you say things you’ll regret.

→ right after class , he messaged you immediately. no response came , even after the twentieth time. then he gave up and went to your house instead.

→ sprinting to your house , he got reminded on how you’d , after every school day , offer to take him home instead of walking the way. his heart stung even more.

→ when he got there , he pounded on the door. realizing no one was home , he went to the neighbors instead. he refrained from knocking down their door to ask for answers , but he did knock rather hurriedly.

→ your neighbor came out , and kokichi quickly pushed the question he’d had lodged in his throat out. “ do you know where (s/o) is? ”

→ “ ahh — they left early in the morning to go on a trip. they’ll come back , as it’s only a well deserved vacation i’m presuming. ” as kokichi listened , he thought to himself , “ well … could be worse. was this … what they were trying to tell me yesterday? …

→ he would be okay. you would be okay. everything would be okay. he’d apologize and everything would be resolved. it just had to.

→ things were not going well the first few days. kokichi had grown self aware to everything you did for him ; from self care like eating proper meals and comfort of having someone to talk to who wouldn’t scorn him every time he walked past , to someone to help him stay energized by driving him home on your motorcycle or even just cuddling with him when he needed it. he missed you dearly.

→ even worse — what if something happened to you? you didn’t respond at all — what if something bad happened? did your plane crash? — no , if it had , he would’ve heard something about that. maybe you just lost your phone or … maybe you were simply ignoring him out of spite.

→ he felt sick , physically and mentally. he hadn’t eaten healthily due to the sick feeling he got whenever he ate , just because it reminded him of you and some of his last words to you before you left. what if you found someone better? he deserved to be dumped. you deserved better.

→ on day six , he was flat out broke. he never found any reason to get a job yet , mostly because you’d help him with purchases. he had a cold from walking in the rain to avoid paying to go home. he felt horrible.

→ unlike his usual character , he had trouble keeping up a devious persona everyday without you , as silly and weak as it sounded. where did that “ i can do everything by myself ” kokichi go? was he fully gone? he just wouldn’t , and couldn’t , accept that yet. he swore later that he’d become more independent , and not let you dote on him so much anymore.

→ homework and tests? forget it. he forgot it often because he was busy hanging out with his dice gang to soothe himself a bit , not that it helped tons. he also forgot because you’d be there to remind him. if it weren’t for his capable mind , he would’ve flunked — but thankfully , he’s kokichi.

→ and then there was the issue of not sleeping. his thoughts were muddled with you. he’d hug his pillow and blankets that still smelt of you from when you were there to stay over for a few days. he’d listen to some of your favorite music tracks. but it wasn’t the same without you.

→ he waited. and waited. and waited some more.

→ message after message he sent everyday , nothing went through. until …

ding! kokichi lifted himself up from his pillow with a jolt. you replied. pictures and descriptions of where you were , what you were doing , why some of the messages may have not gone through … a signal issue. suddenly , his phone began vibrating consistently due to a flooding of messages to him — all about your days and such. and at the end … over the days , kokichi had messaged you with apologies stacked on top of each other. and at the end , an apology of your own waited for him. it was stupid , whatever he argued with you on. he didn’t understand why you’d apologize over that. and once you video called him , he made sure to say that.

→ he’d hold in his crying , both in relief and overwhelming stress. and then he heard that you were home.

→ it was pouring out , but kokichi couldn’t care less. he was meeting with you , even if you had to unpack still. his feet splashed against the puddles , and as he arrived to your door , he knocked once again.

→ when you opened the door , he tackled you in a hug. you were both drenched now , but he felt so warm inside instead. ignoring your warnings about “ catching a cold from you , kokichi ” , he dragged you upstairs so that he could finally , properly hug you.

→ the next few days after that , he was clingy. but he told you he could do some things himself. and he did … for the most part , at least. but he tried.

→ forget about being partners or talking to anyone else the next few days without being interrupted , you’re sticking with kokichi.

please don’t repost , translate , or claim my works as your own.

[rivertalesien]

Death is not the end.

The rusty creak of a weather vane cut through the quiet over the leaf-strewn grounds.

Staring at the words carved in stone, Clarke traced them in her mind, over and over, as she pulled at a handful of weeds and replaced the old dead flowers with the fresh-cut bouquet she’d bought at the little supermarket on her way to the cemetery. 

Death is not the end. Death is not the end. Death is not the end.

She thought about the cashier who’d wrapped the flowers for her, an older woman, maybe as old as her grandmother, someone who should have retired by now (but who can retire anymore, she’d wondered). The surgical paper mask had slipped down the woman’s nose several times as she looked down at the thin sheets of paper, the skin of her fingers worn almost the same.

Who were they for, she’d asked, absently, reaching for a strip of tape off an old plastic reel of Scotch.

Is it someone’s birthday? Spooky time of year for it.

Clarke shook her head and smiled, reaching for a packet of Wintergreen chewing gum. Her heart was skipping and the sudden stops were making her dizzy.

“Oh, it’s a date, huh?” 

“Sort of.” 

Sliding her card through the reader, she declined the receipt and gave a short thanks to the woman, who adjusted her mask and eyed her as she took up her purchases and made a slight gesture with one hand.

“It’ll get better, you know. It always does.”

Clarke was unsure what the cashier might be referring to: maybe she was thinking of the pandemic, maybe she thought someone was ill. Nodding, she pushed gently at the double doors and stepped outside, moving smoothly past a neglected pile of small pumpkins resting on hay bales.  

Reaching for her keys Clarke took a small breath, grateful that the skies were still clear even if it smelled like rain was on its way and the trees were drizzling red and gold around her car.

It’ll get better. It’ll get better. It always does.

Death is not the end. 

Then what is it?

She shook slightly and remembered where she was.

Touching the engraved L and E and X and A, as if her fingers could reach through the letters and caress the person this once was; a face she hadn’t seen in three years, a voice she hadn’t heard, a kiss she hadn’t shared with anyone else.

A grief that wasn’t going away.

“I love you, Lex. I miss you so much. I don’t know what to do.”

It was dark by the time she left and the leaves were piling high on the grass, crunching beneath her shoes like old newspapers.

She could still smell the rain on the way, but something had shifted. She was tired. Bed would be easy tonight.

As she started the car and drove off, the weathervane creaked again.

And changed direction.

*

“I know it’s a bad time, Clarke, but I was wondering if you could come in for just a bit on Monday? I’ve got someone I think you’d be good with and maybe it’d be good for you. Just call me back when you get this. Love you.”

Clarke deleted her mother’s message, tossing her phone on the saggy green couch before flopping down in Lexa’s old leather armchair. It had been her dad’s and she’d lugged it around from Navy dorms to small apartments until it had finally found a permanent home in the little Craftsman they’d bought six years ago. Clarke laughed a little to herself. For something she was so devoted to, Lexa had rarely sat in it. She just liked the aesthetic of it. And that it was her dad’s.

They’d lost their fathers at almost the same time, both men working in different parts of the same building, both unable to escape when a bomb went off in a bathroom and took out nine floors in just under two minutes. Clarke had received a single text: I love you, sweetheart, hours before she’d finally answered all the missed calls, still trying to avoid Finn, and couldn’t stop crying for days afterward.

They had met at the memorial service, where the President gave a speech that rang hollow and bitter and hypocritical and Lexa was forced to stand at attention with her squadron and salute the man who had helped ignite and fund the war that led to the terrible tragedies that seemed to be plaguing random cities all over.

Clarke had noticed her outright, recognized her from the news reports, though she looked more polished than the footage of her in a flight suit, giving a press briefing from an aircraft carrier in the Atlantic somewhere.

Commander Woods’ elegy to her father had been through clenched teeth and pain, perhaps only partly from the wound in her shoulder, where she’d taken two slugs from an enemy rifle only three weeks before. Standing before the congregation in the Sixth Avenue Church, Lexa had first said the words Clarke couldn’t get out of her mind, even now, almost ten years later.

Death is not the end.

Finn had shown up, though, uninvited, wanting to pay his respects, wanting to apologize, again, wanting Clarke back, again, and it was Raven who surprised him and dragged him out, offering Clarke a small apology as they left. She had just wanted to get some air, to be alone, to not listen to her mother grieving with all the other widows and to expel Finn’s presence for good. She could hardly picture her dad, even with his photo on the tall easel. Nothing felt real.

She hadn’t expected to see the rumpled military figure sitting on a small bench under the church’s stone lichgate, tugging at the knees of her uniform trousers, as if irritated with the material. She hadn’t expected her eyes to be so soft and gray or how quiet her voice could be. They’d sat together under the small shelter as the rain fell and the world slipped away.

Curling up in the chair, Clarke lingered in that memory: how an hour had passed and then another and how phones rang but no one answered them and how, when the rain let up, Clarke made sure Lexa followed her home.

Always staying a few steps ahead, sometimes turning to look back, never speaking, not even when they got to the door.

Clarke left it open as she stopped in the middle of the empty living room and waited as the door was closed and long fingers pulled down the zipper of her dress, then the straps, smooth over her shoulders, as a gentle breath warmed her cheek. As arms slipped around her and held her tightly, groping her breasts, as lips pressed rough and sweet at the wild pulse in her throat.

She could always smile at the memory of that first time, both in terrible need of something, anything to bury the ache, to feel anything but their pain. How they clutched and clung and held on for dear life as they lost themselves in one another and found it too perfect to stop. She could remember every detail: the color of the ceiling, the contrast of Lexa’s jacket, the polished shoes kicked into a corner as she was lifted, laid against the table, almost eaten alive, almost until she was screaming.

It was torture now, remembering how Lexa felt, how her hands shook, the glint of her watch, the scent of her shampoo, her red-rimmed eyes staring up at her from between her legs as she burrowed into Clarke’s soul through her cunt and made her forget.

Days of fucking and sleeping and so few words passing between them; that’s how it was, until Lexa had to return to assignment, had to fly off into hell and gone and how they had both shuddered, almost painfully, at that last time, in the back of the rental, where Clarke had bit her so hard it left a scar under her ear and they cried in frustration at one last release, slotted so hard and hot between them, pressing until it hurt, hoping the hurt would make goodbye easier.

But it wasn’t and it didn’t and it only took three years to get a yes out of her, and a ring, and a place for her dad’s chair.

Reaching between her thighs, Clarke ached now, worse than any ache she’d ever known, and pressed into herself until the ache settled a little and she could lose herself in sleep.

Outside, the rain fell.

*

“Oh god you’re soaked. Come in, quick.”

Clarke held the door open as Raven entered, dripping but smiling, holding what looked

like a bag of groceries.

“I was in the area, thought I should visit. Wow, Clarke. What have you been doing?”

Shaking off her jacket, Raven made a slow inspection of the living room, noting all the piles of books and boxes and empty fast food bags.

Hanging up her friend’s coat, Clarke shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself as if cold.

“Just thought I’d do some spring clinging, dust, you know.” 

“Well, it’s October, and aren’t these Lexa’s?”

Picking up a dusty volume, Raven flipped through the pages.

Clarke dropped back into the leather chair and nodded.

“Yeah, I just thought I’d maybe go through them. Figure out what to keep.”

“She really had a library, huh?”

“If you want something, just, go ahead.”

Raven stopped and looked back at Clarke, curled up in her spot, a red-wine throw draped over her shoulders. 

“Hey, I stopped at the Dragon and brought some food. I got those noodles you like and the chicken. We can eat and I’ll help you clean up.”

“I’m okay, Raven. Really.”

“You haven’t been to work for a week.” 

Clarke sighed and pulled the throw up to her chin.

Why does everyone have to fuss?

“I’m fine. I get down sometimes. I’ll get over it. I’ll be back at work on Monday.”

Kneeling by the chair, Raven picked invisible lint off the blanket.

“Abby said you were thinking about quitting.”

“It’s got nothing to do with Lex. I’ve been thinking about taking up painting again and I just need a little less stress in my life. That’s good, right?”

Raven nodded.

“You’d really walk away? I mean, it’s kind of been your life, Clarke.”

Gritting herself, Clarke took a calming breath.

“I haven’t decided anything yet, I just need some time to do that. I need something different, Raven. I’m not like my mom. I’m not like Wells. They just don’t get it and I’m tired of having to explain it. I’ll be fine. I just need…something else.”

She was everything and she’s gone and took everything with her.

Rubbing at Clarke’s covered foot, Raven attempted a smile.

“I’m sorry. I’m not here to pile-on. Come on. Let’s eat and sort some books.”

*

It was after midnight when Raven left, taking a box of books with her.

Clarke had tried to offer Lexa’s piano, but Raven doubted it would fit in the car and doubted further that Clarke really wanted to part with it. Music was Lexa’s first love, even if her dad and the military put it second and it was a love she shared with Clarke through mix tapes and play lists and old vinyl and late night slow dances in the kitchen.

In such moments they would dream up names for their fantasy lounge act, with Clarke draped across the piano like Michelle Pfeiffer in The Fabulous Baker Boys, but all the good ones were taken and Lexa had read where the actress had to wear knee and elbow pads for the scene, so the idea was often floated around but then abandoned by the time they reached their bed.

Sitting at the dusty keyboard, Clarke tried to remember a few notes Lexa had taught her, an old Billie Holiday song she’d always loved.

Ask the sky above And ask the earth below Why I'm so in love And why I love you so Couldn't tell you though I tried do Just why I'm yours

Resting her head against the top of the fallboard, Clarke’s hands stilled and her eyes closed, and in her mind she could see Lexa beside her, playing quietly, never looking up from her hands as the melody unwound itself from the instrument.

When you went away You left a glowing spark Trying to be gay As whistling in the dark I am only what you make me Come take me I'm yours

She remembered it was Halloween and she’d forgotten candy again and the clock had stopped and the rain had stopped but the music was too gentle and comforting and she could hear it clearer now, imagining a warm shoulder against hers, moving.

How happy I would be to beg or borrow For sorrow with you Even though I knew tomorrow You'd say we were through If we drift apart Then I'll be lost and alone Though you use my heart Just for a steppin' stone How can I help dreaming of you I love you I'm yours

The song ended and she felt herself breathless with racked sobs that wouldn’t stop, even as strange, familiar arms held her and rocked her, silently, and clear gray eyes met hers and nothing was real but everything was real and she felt her heart sinking and rising so painfully it might have been shock: the unspoken wish, fulfilled.

“Are you here?”

No sound, only graceful caresses across her cheeks, her temples, through her hair, and those eyes that saw through everything and said everything.

“Are you here?”

Silence again, then something like a smile.

“Do you want me to be?”

Tears were catching on her jaw, dripping into her neck and Clarke felt herself laughing. Maybe she was dying. Maybe this was the end of everything.

She pressed the longed-for face between her hands and the answer frozen the air between them--until their lips deliquesced in yes after yes after yes.

[bridgyrose]

Ruby and Maria were kidnapped, locked in a dungeon together. Their captors are Silver Eye Warriors, with their elder leader having a strong resemblance to Summer Rose.

(Not what you want exactly, but... this is going to be fun)

Ruby closed her eyes and took a deep breath to focus on the smell of a finished rain and to listen to water drip on the stones next to her. She hadnt the faintest idea how long she and Maria had been locked down here, the small window at the top of her cell always lit with a light that kept her from seeing moonlight. Though, from the meals she’d received, she figured she’d been in this dungeon for a couple of days. Six meals had come and gone, none of them particularly filling though that didnt bother her much since all she seemed to be allowed to do was move around the cell at her own leisure. 

“Have you and your friends been kidnapped like this often?” Maria asked as she sat down her now empty tray. “You seem rather calm about this.” 

“I think Weiss is the only one that’s actually been kidnapped, but I did fall down into an abandoned subway tunnel when the  ground collapsed under me so I’m sure that counts.” Ruby sighed and tossed a rock down the empty cell, listening to the echo to gauge how long it was. “Though, I was only tied up for an hour or two before my friends came to get me. Being locked in a cell like this is certainly a first for me.” 

“You fell into an abandoned subway tunnel?” 

Ruby counted the seconds she could hear the echo, a sigh left her lips when she heard the echo continue to her other side. “Guess its a bit too empty to figure things out that way. Have you seen anyone come by to give us food? The tray always seems to be here when I wake.” 

Maria shook her head. “No, I havent. “

Ruby slowly nodded and went back to leaning against the brick wall of her cell as she listened for any footsteps. She hoped her friends were still okay and that they had made it out of the blizzard after the ambush that took her and Maria. Not that she could really call it an ambush, it almost seemed like a panicked grab for both her and Maria. And to make matters worse, she lost the lamp that Oscar had entrusted her with. 

Her ears perked up a bit as she heard footsteps echo from down the hall. She moved herself closer to the bars and slowly stood up so she could see who was coming and be ready to strike once they opened the door. With a deep breath, Ruby stood motionless as she waited as quietly as she could. Then, she froze as she saw a woman come into view that could’ve been a near spitting image of her mother. 

The woman stopped in front of Ruby’s cell and started to unlock it and open the door. “Our elder wants to see you both.” 

“Your… elder?” Ruby asked. 

“Get moving,” the woman said as she pulled Ruby out of the cell and pushed her forward down the hall. “You do not want to be late and anger him.” 

Ruby grunted a bit as she was pushed forward, catching Maria still in her own cell. “What about Maria? Is she going to come with us?” 

“The elder wanted you.” 

“And who is this elder?” 

“No more questions until the elder deems you as one of us.” 

Ruby sighed and spoke under her breath. “I dont know who you are.” She walked forward as she was directed and made her way down the hall. Her eyes glanced at the stone walls to the side of her, not quite sure if she recognized any of the stonework. Not that any of it really would’ve helped since Oobleck had always lectured about relics and old forts a bit too quickly for her to follow. Still, it’d be nice to know if she was still near Mistral. 

She winced as she was nudged to turn left, still following the directions she was given as the woman who followed her made sure to keep her on track. Soon, the hallway led to a set of stairs that led up, lanterns still lit along the walls. Once she reached the end of the stairs, she opened the heavy door that led to a ruined courtyard, one that was long past it’s prime. Where walls once stood were now only stones barely poking out of the ground, A few buildings still in livable condition covered in snow and vines that only grew in the cold. 

The woman pulled Ruby close and tied her arms behind her back. “Follow me and keep quiet.” 

Ruby nodded and followed as she was pulled on a rope leash, her eyes glanced around to look for an escape route. The first thing she noticed were the people around, most of them looked like they could’ve been huntsmen or bandits, but what struck her as odd was that all of them had silver eyes. She wasnt able to look for an escape for long as she was pulled into what remained of the keep of an old castle, promptly pulled and practically thrown down to the ground. 

“I brought her like you asked,” the woman said. 

The elder, an older man who looked much like he could’ve been related to Ruby, turned away from a map that he had marked with a few pins and looked over Ruby. He walked over and lifted her head, almost as if he was looking for something. Soon, a smile crossed his lips once he found what he was looking for. “I’d swear you were Summer if I didnt know she was much older than you.” 

Ruby paused for a moment. “You… you know my mom?” 

“Your mother, huh?” The elder asked. “Well, that would seem to explain why you look so much like her. But enough of that, lets get you free.” 

Ruby flinched for a moment as the ropes were cut and her wrists were freed. She gently rubbed them as she looked over the elder. “Who are you? A-and where am I?” 

“This here, is the remains of those families who hunt grimm like in the fairytales,” the elder started as he went back to his map. “Most of everyone came here to hide while others grew up in this little clan of ours to help keep Anima safe. Though, when Summer ran off, I’d never thought her daughter would make it here.” 

“You still havent told me who you are.” 

The elder smiled and took one more look at Ruby. “I figured it’d be obvious. I’m your grandfather, Amadeus Rose. And you, Ruby, are home.” 

[mirkwoodshewolf]

No following; Planet of the apes fanfic Chap. 7

*Author's note*

Here we go readers, here we now enter the world of DAWN of the Planet of the Apes. Now here is where the warnings are bumped up to at least 3x mainly due to the level of swearing involved and certain words which I will point out in certain chapters. But I hope you all continue to enjoy this series and follow along as Lin navigates through a decade later and find out she's hiding secrets from her past that will be explained further on in the story.

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@gay-and-ready-to-cry

@queen-paladin

@psychosupernatural

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Ten years.  It almost doesn’t even seem that long ago, but in this day in age; one year can almost feel like 20-100 depending on who you ask.  After Caesar and the apes escaped into the Red Woods, the world went to shit known as the Simian Flu.  A global pandemic that swept over the entire world and in just six months there were over 5 million deaths worldwide.

I, however, was one of the unlucky ones to somehow be immune from getting the Simian flu.  Caroline and uncle Will—they weren’t.  Caroline got sick within a year of the outbreak and died just days later.  Uncle Will and I were forced into quarantine after she had gotten sick and I was told he died 2 months after he had passed away.

Being the sole survivor of your family…..it’s hard.  And it didn’t help when I came across a news feed of the government sending in the military to burn the Red Woods down.  If somehow Caesar had survived up until that point, I doubt he and the other apes made it out of that alive.

In this whole chaos, governments eventually shut down, nuclear power was cut off and civil unrest occurred on a daily basis.  Humanity was tearing itself apart and it’d only be a matter of time before I too might be killed off.  If I don’t eventually get the virus, I could end up on the wrong end of a war and end up being another civilian casualty, hell I got lucky last time.

I was awakened by a wet tongue and a loud howl before a yip finally forced my eyes opened and I saw a red wolf pup staring me right in the face.

“Good morning Toboe.” He let out a huffed bark before sniffing my face and licking it.  “Alright, alright, god you’ve got really bad breath.” I got out of bed and stretched myself out before heading downstairs.  As the wood creaked with each step, three more wolves perked up at my arrival.  A large dark grey wolf, a Mexican wolf, and a pure white wolf.  “Morning Hige, Tsume, Kiba. You boys ready for breakfast?”

At the mention of food, Hige stood up and wagged his bushy tail and let out a several loud barks.

“Okay, okay Hige no need to get your fur in a twist. Just let me get dressed and my supplies and we’ll head for the woods.” I headed over to the chest and headed for the bathroom and changed out of my sweats and into my hunting/scouting attire.  Some simple black leggings, a black tank-top and my old military camo-jacket (I’d rather not talk about my days in the military).

I also grabbed my bow and arrows that I handmade myself and ordered the boys to come and they followed right behind me.  We came out of the house and I unveiled my bike from under the tarp.  One can never be too careful, I’ve seen thieves from the colonies coming around this part of the neighborhood trying to get anything they can get their hands on.

I started up my bike and my wolves followed right behind me as we raced down the road and across the abandoned Golden gate bridge.  A place frozen in time from when the apes first made their escape a decade ago.

After arriving at the entrance path to the Red woods, I shut my bike off and pocketed the keys and whistled for the pack to scout ahead.  They took off running and disappeared into the forest.

If you’re wondering just how in the hell does a 28 year old know how to control four male wolves? Well I don’t.  Nor can I, for one thing I know they’re wild animals, just like Caesar was.  I respect them and let them be who they are.  They just choose whether or not they want to stay with me.  Hige had migrated from his normal home (since Mexican wolves were found near Arizona and not California) where I found him in a trap and I set him free.  After that he kinda just stuck around (I think it also helped that since he had tried to get back in the trap for the food that was in there and I had tossed it to him. That wolf can get in trouble for his stomach I’ll tell you what).

Kiba and Tsume I found together injured and barely alive especially Kiba.  Poor thing was covered in blood I almost had mistaken him for a red wolf.  Both of them suffering from what appeared to be animal attack wounds.  And I swore from the bite marks alone they looked like apes (since they were almost identical to human bites) but I brushed it aside as impossible.  No one’s seen any of the apes since the forest burning eight years ago.

It took a long while for Tsume and Kiba to come around but eventually they did even though there are times I do get bit or growled at.  And then there’s the pup of the pack, Toboe.  He was found abandoned in the woods during one of our hunts just a year ago.  Poor thing was so frail and skinny, I feared he wouldn’t make it.  But two weeks rest by the fire and after being given some water and food he started to come around.

In total. I’ve had these wolves at my side for almost 3 years now and they’ve kinda filled in a void that I thought was long gone after uncle Will had passed away.  I got up into the trees and perched myself on the first branch I could settle on and waited for food to come to me.

While it is true I grew up playing in these woods, lately with no human interference, there have been animals who were never native to this area had migrated their way down to California for the first time in hundreds of years.  Last I heard from when I was making trade with the nearby colony, I overhear someone saying that grizzly bears were found in these woods now, and that the mountain lion population was starting to make a comeback more than it ever had before.  So one can never be too cautious in these woods now.

I scanned the area and all I could hear were birds softly chirping or the occasional squirrel or two.  I heard a rustle of the trees and readied my bow and arrow when out popped out a doe and following short behind her was her fawn.  I lowered my bow and watched as the mother and baby walked across the woods and stopped right at the creek nearby for a drink of water.  Even though it had been over 20 years since my parents died, I still think about them every now and then but lately their faces have become nothing but a blur.

Another sound caught my attention and I turned to see two squirrels trying to get one acorn.  One squirrel already had the nut and was trying to chew it open but the other squirrel was trying to weasel it’s way in and steal the nut.  There was chittering exchanged before the second squirrel stole the nut and a chase soon commenced up one of the nearby trees.

Even in the animal kingdom there will always be thieves.  But seeing these two comical squirrels made me smile as I became invested in their little game of chase.  That was until the snapping of a twig caught my ear.  It was then I saw a large six point deer staring directly at me.  I stared right back at him and slowly raised my bow and he took off running back towards the woods.  But I released my arrow and just as he disappeared I heard him let out a pained yelp as my arrow managed to get him before he got too far into the trees.

I climbed down the tree and raced towards him taking out my hunting knife.  I saw the deer struggling to get up as my arrow had gotten him in the ribs.  I held my knife in my hand and said to him.

“I’m sorry.” I then stabbed him right in the back of the neck and gave it a twist and he immediately went still and ceased his screaming.  I took back my knife and my arrow and cleaned them off in the grass before readying the deer for travel.

After stringing him up and getting him into the side cart of my bike I turned back towards the woods and let out a single wolf howl, signaling to the boys that I was leaving for back home.  I started up the engine and drove back into town to get my meat ready for lunch and dinner.

After skinning and preparing the meat I dug into my deer meat and felt like I had died and gone to heaven.  Lately my hunting hasn’t had the best game, really only getting the smaller creatures, hell my last deer catch was well over 2 months ago so to finally get the richer meat that is deer, god I could die happy now.  After lunch and saving the rest of the meat for later tonight, the pack soon returned with four birds in their mouths.

Toboe was the first to set his bird down at my feet, I soon realized that they had all managed to catch some quail.  Hige then came up next and set his quail on top of Toboe’s.  Then finally, Tsume and Kiba set their quail before me.  I smiled and told them.

“Thank you boys.” Toboe’s and Hige’s tails wagged softly while Tsume and Kiba just sat down and stared at me.  “It’s time I went out and made a trade with the colony, who wants to come?” Hige and Toboe immediately back off and headed back for the living room leaving Tsume and Kiba with me.  “Seems like it’s the three of us, or are you two gonna ditch me too?” they stood up but they didn’t leave.

I went to the back and grabbed the supplies I managed to find further up in the city that no one dared to go since the riots a year ago.  I also went into my spare closet and took out my old sniper rifle.  I grimaced at it before putting it around my back as well as placed my gun holster belt around my waist.

“C’mon boys.” I grabbed my cloak and placed the hood over my head and once again readied my bike for the drive down to the SF Colony.  Tsume and Kiba running close beside me until we finally reached it within 10 minutes.

The colony was once the Quarantine center of San Fransico.  Anyone who had come into contact with someone who caught the Simian flu was sent here like Will and I were after Caroline got sick.  But this was no home, it felt more like solitary confinement.  A steal-enforced room that was most likely an 8x10 room (just like a jail cell) with lights always blaring down at you as your temperature, blood pressure and vitals were constantly being monitored.

Will and I couldn’t even share the same hallway as each other so I never got to say goodbye to my uncle.  Only be told that he had died after a nurse was going her daily checkup on me.  After a year with no symptoms, I was let go and finally felt the first beam of sunlight and fresh air on my face.

Nowadays this former quarantine cell now holds those in San Francisco that remain immune to the virus.  But when the colony was being forged and the two men who were running it had found me, I refused to be a part of this prison once again.  However hunting and fishing can only get me so far in life, so I made a deal with one of them.

If I could go out and find supplies whether it be weapons, food, a source of fresh water, or by some miracle an alternate power source, I would be given some portions of their food and drugs.  But there are some people who try to test me because I’m an outsider taking some of their portions but they eventually learned that if you attack someone with a sniper rifle and has wolves who walk calmly beside her, you don’t test her.

Once I came up to the gates, they immediately opened up and I walked inside along with Kiba and Tsume walking on either side of me.  The crowd already making room for us to walk through the colony.  I walked further in until I came up to the stairway leading up to the catwalk.

“No one’s seen you in two weeks Lin. Some were starting to think you were dead.” I turned my head and just on the other side of the catwalk was Malcolm.  He walked over to me and I said to him.

“A girl decides to hold off on her deal to get more supplies and people start spreading rumors about me.”

“I see that once again you brought your….backup.” he nervously looked down at Kiba and Tsume who both licked their chops and stood like two alpha wolves.

“You know they only bite when they want to. Or if I tell them it’s okay. Whichever comes first. Where’s Dreyfus?”

“In his office. C’mon.” he guided us towards his office and there at his desk sat Dreyfus holding a dead i-pad.  “Dreyfus, she’s here.” He stood up as I came in.

“Lin. This is a surprise, we thought…..”

“I was dead? Yeah, yeah Malcolm already filled me in on the rumors. Look I was scouting for more supplies so I could get more income. Last time you skipped out on me for food portions and I don’t take kindly to that. So this time, I’m making it worth your while.” I set the bag down on his desk and leaned against the door while the two men went through the sack.

There they found new reading material for the children, some ‘new’ cables and wires that they could use for their radios to get a signal out, several healing herbs I picked from the Red woods, and a few magazine clippings with live rounds inside taken from some of the police cars that still stood along the bridge.

“Lin, this is—”

“Don’t patronize me Dreyfus. I’m not doing this for you, I’m doing it for those here that really need it. Now my portions and drugs.”

“Right, right. I’ll personally see to it that Scotty gets your portions correct this time around.” I then turned to Malcolm and asked.

“That girl of yours still have the strong stuff?”

“Yeah, yeah I’ll have Ellie give you whatever antibodies you need.”

“No antibodies this time, I want sleeping pills. The strong kind, not anything miniscule.” They both looked at me perplexed.  “It’s that or it’s no deal.” I threatened.

“We’ll go talk to Ellie.” He then escorted me out of Dreyfus’ office and we headed towards his corner of the quarantine zone where they used to store all the medicine for the fever and sore throats but now he had made it into his personal little one level home with his girl Ellie and his son, Alexander.

When we came in and Alexander saw Kiba and Tsume, he jumped back but Malcolm assured him.

“It’s okay Alex just don’t provoke them.”

“And don’t look them directly in the eyes. Wolves take that as a challenge, at least these two do.” I also warned.  The kid remained frozen where he stood until Ellie came around the corner and when she saw me she said my name. “Hey Ellie. Look I need sleeping pills, the strong kind and strongest you’ve got and I don’t mean no Nyquil or melatonin BS. Find whatever you’ve got and I’ll be on my way.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll see what I have. It may not be much but I’ll just see what I’ve got.” She said turning back to look through her supplies.  I then turned to Malcolm who has been giving me the side-eyed downward look like he was figuring out what to say to me.

“Spit it out Malcolm.”

“What?”

“Don’t play dumb. Ever since you saw me, you’ve been meaning to ask me something so just say it!” I snarled lowly.  He took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose.

“We’re almost running out of power. We’ve tried to rewire and connect to any alternative sources but they’re all dried out. But we’ve discovered that hidden within the redwoods is a dam that could help us restore limited power. And being that you’re the only one with a clear expertise on navigating those woods, we were hoping you could lead a handful of us to the dam. Just to see if it still works.”

Kiba and Tsume huffed and lowly growled as I took my sniper rifle off my shoulder and admired it as I asked him.

“How many is a handful?” I asked brushing off my scope.

“About six of us. Ellie, me, Alex, Kemper, Foster, and Carver.”

“No.” I immediately said.  “I’ll take the rest of you but absolutely not Carver. That sniveling jellyfish can’t be trusted with a gun much less a knife.”

“Look I know you two have a….history, but he did work for the water company before all this went down. He knows all the ins and outs of how to get it running.” I glared at him.  “Lin please. If we don’t try our luck with the dam, we’ll lose…..everything. More than we already have. You can’t tell me you’ll really let all these innocent civilians die.” I remained silent for a moment before telling him.

“I’ll let you know by sunset.” At that moment Ellie came back in and said as she held out two pill bottles.

“I had a quarter of Eszopiclone and half bottle of Zolpidem. Don’t take more than one pill a night and don’t…..”

“Don’t mix with alcohol yeah, yeah I know. I’ve been to health class.”

“Don’t be a smartass.” She demanded.  “These aren’t to be taken lightly.”

“That’s why I asked for them.” I said taking the pill bottles out of her hands and let out a whistle as I placed my rifle around my chest and Kiba and Tsume followed me out the door.

I saddled up on my bike as Dreyfus handed me my rations and I told him.

“And Dreyfus, next time you want to ask me for a personal favor, do it yourself don’t get Malcolm to do your dirty work for you.” I revved up my bike and took off with Kiba and Tsume running right behind me.

Time passed and it would be dark within an hour.  I had written my message for Malcolm about my decision to lead them to the Red Woods, I tied the note to a carrier pigeon and let it fly off to the colony base and I let out a deep sigh.

“You think I’m doing the right thing boys?” the four of them looked at me heads tilted.  “Yeah didn’t think so. But I can’t just let them die. Even if some of them are assholes who deserve it, particularly Carver. But if that base goes, so do I. Hunting can only get us so far boys, and we can’t really leave this city unfortunately. If there even is a chance at restoring power, we gotta take it.” I popped open one of the pills Ellie gave me and washed it down with just a bit of water before falling backwards onto my bed and shut my eyes as the sky went from grey to black.

[whatstruthgottodowithit]

Little Bird

Fandom: Elvis Presley, American Musician, RPF

Pairing: Elvis Presley x Addison Goodwin

Characters: Elvis Presley, Addison Goodwin, Jess Goodwin, Jess Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, Original Female Character, Jerry Schilling,  Marci Cunningham,

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 4621

Summary: Walked down the aisle, breakin' my heart, Lay down my pride, I know I gotta let you go.

Tags/Warnings: One Shot, Elvis and Addison, Weddings, Flashbacks, Love, Established Relationship, Marriage, Angst, Fluff, Abandonment Issues, Kisses, Dancing, Love, Graceland, Pregnancy, Maybe time line shift, Song Fic,  Halloween, Halloween Challenge, Writing Challenge, Little Bird // Jonas Brothers, First In Line // Elvis Presley

Notes: Another lil Elvis and Addie one shot for yall.

Honestly thinking of everything he missed makes me want to scream and cry.

ELVIS & ADDIE // SONG LINK // HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE

‘Ugh would you stop it,’ Jess snapped batting her sister’s hand away from her face as she tried to manoeuvre an uncooperative brown tendril away from her line of sight. Lisa pulled back, sighing as Jess’ own hand immediately went to the strand of hair as she tried to fix it herself.

‘Hey, it’s not her fault,’ came a voice from below them. Jess watched as her mother rose from where she had been crouched, unfurling the layers of her dress so they weren’t touching the floor, a chastising glare on her face before she said, ‘she’s only trying to help.’

‘Sorry,’ Jess said looking at Lisa who shrugged but smiled, ‘it’s just it won’t cooperate.’

‘It looks fine,’ Lisa said reassuringly as Jess looked past her mother, trying to tuck the piece of hair out of the way.

‘Lisa’s right,’ Addison said as she reached her hand out, moving the strand into a place where, much to Jess’ surprise, it stuck. Once it was tucked away Addison placed a tender hand on her daughter’s cheek and said, ‘besides, in five hours, hell probably five minutes you won’t even remember that silly strand of hair that was annoying you. All you’ll remember is the excitement and happiness of getting married.’

‘Yeah, I don’t even remember what I wore on my wedding day,’ Lisa chuckled.

‘Or that you’re meant to invite people to it,’ said a deep velvety voice from behind them. All three of the women turned to look at where it had come from. Standing there, decked out in his finest tuxedo, was Elvis. His lip was curled up in a smile as he watched Lisa roll her eyes once more.

‘Hey, I remembered to invite you guys…eventually,’ Lisa said as he walked towards them.

‘Yeah, six hours before it was set to happen,’ Jess teased.

‘It’s not my fault Jessie is the traditional one,’ Lisa said, ‘anyway it’d be boring if we were the same right?’

‘It’d give me less of a heart attack,’ Elvis countered earning himself a shove from his youngest daughter.

‘Anyway,’ Addison said moving them along, ‘traditional or a little… fast-paced-’

‘Rushed,’ Elvis said at the same time.

‘You’re both doing what you wanted right?’ she said looking at the girls.

‘Yeah,’ both of them said in unison. Addison smiled, touching her daughter’s cheek once again hoping that her words would calm her just a little. She could tell she was nervous and though she knew it was more excitement than worry she hoped she had helped. After all when Addison had been nervous her first thought had been to run, she didn’t want her daughter quite literally following in her footsteps. Yet as Jess smiled back at her she could see her words had soothed her.

‘So just enjoy it okay? It’ll go by in the blink of an eye and you’ll be wanting to do it all over again tomorrow I promise,’ Addison said.

‘I think my bank balance might have something to say about that,’ Elvis jested earning a swat on the chest from Addison though when she looked back at her daughter she was smiling.

‘Thanks Mom,’ Jess said.

‘No problem honey,’ Addison said.

‘Uh, guys,’ Jerry said from the doorway capturing everyone’s attention, ‘everyone’s ready. The wedding party’s downstairs waitin’ to head out.’

‘Well, I better go and take my seat then huh?’ Addison said.

‘I’ll come with you,’ Lisa said grabbing her bouquet off the dresser it had been laying on before she turned back to her sister and said, ‘see you down there, okay?’

‘See ya,’ Jess nodded, feeling reassured as she touched her shoulder gently and then headed out the door.

‘I’ll see you down there too. Remember just breathe, okay,’ Addison said. Jess nodded and then said, ‘I love you.’

‘I love you too honey,’ Addison replied.

‘What about me?’ Elvis said as Addison moved to walk away from them though she stopped, rolling her eyes as she placed a hand on his chest.

‘Jury’s still out,’ she smirked and though she was sure it would mean she would have to touch up her make-up she didn’t move away as he leaned down to kiss her, their lips meeting briefly before she headed out of the room.

Once she was gone Elvis’ attention fell to Jess who, though she was feeling a lot better, was watching her reflection nervously in the mirror. She had spent months agonising over this wedding. Since she had gotten engaged she had planned everything out meticulously and now it was all here. She sometimes wished she could be different, that she too could call her parents just hours before she got married and ask them to jump on a plane but she wasn’t built that way. She just hoped that all her stressing and obsessing would be worth it.

‘Ready honey?’ Elvis asked snapping her from her thoughts. Jess looked at him and nodded, allowing him to link her at the elbow before grabbing her bouquet so they could walk out of her old room. They walked across the hall and down the few steps to the landing where Jerry was waiting.

‘You look lovely Vegas,’ he said.

‘Thanks,’ Jess said, those nerves still swirling around inside her, ‘is everything ready?’

‘Yep,’ Jerry said making her nerves fade just a little. She peeped around the corner, spotting most of her bridal party gathered in the hallway, ready to head out onto the lawn where her fiancée would be waiting.

‘Well I’m ready when you are honey,’ Elvis said looking down at her.

‘I’m ready,’ she said. Jerry nodded and with that, he headed downstairs and started to direct everyone out the door. Jess watched as the pairs of groomsmen and bridesmaids started to filter out, flashes of a camera going off the moment they stepped outside. And at that moment she was glad to be hidden given that this was the last minute she’d have without all eyes on her. As she pulled back her pretty features going pensive Elvis watched her closely. He could see her getting into her own head, like she normally did when she had a lot to focus on, like her mother did. In all the years he’d known her she hadn’t changed; she was still that sensitive soul he had met at fourteen years old not that that was a bad thing. If anything it was the perfect balance. Where Lisa was outgoing, free-spirited and rebellious Jess was her opposite and yet he loved them both equally. It just meant that he parented them differently. As he watched her start to succumb to her nerves he deployed the tactic he always did when this happened. Where her mother would use logic and reason Elvis simply elected to make her smile.

‘So,’ Elvis mused making her gaze fall on him, ‘still wanna do this?’

‘Dad,’ Jess groaned though there was a smile on her face.

‘I’m just sayin’. Kitchen stairs are right there we could have you halfway to Texas by nightfall,’ Elvis joked.

‘I thought you liked Scott,’ Jess countered.

‘Oh you know I’m just playin’ with ya,’ Elvis said nudging her with his elbow as he pretended to sigh, ‘though I can’t say I’m happy both my girls are leaving me in the same year.’

‘We live right around the block!’ Jess giggled, ‘besides I thought this is what you and mom wanted. No more babies, living your kid-free life and whatnot.’

‘Yeah and then your sister got knocked up,’ Elvis said.

‘Oh come on you two look good as a Granny and Grandpa,’ Jess teased running her finger along the flecks of grey that now wove into his sideburns.

‘Don’t let your mother hear you call her that,’ Elvis retorted making Jess’ smile widen which in turn made his own smile grow, he’d succeeded. Whatever thoughts she had been fretting over now gone as she enjoyed their teasing. It had been a joke on his end and though he knew it didn’t mean anything he couldn’t help but feel there was a hint of truth to what he had said. He had given both his daughters away in the space of six months, one of them even preparing to have her own baby in the next couple. It was a change that was coming. One he hadn’t really prepared himself for and though it made him sad he was also happy for them both. After all, it wasn’t as if he wished the hardships that he and Addison had gone through to get together.

‘I’m happy for you Jessie,’ he said after a moment. She hadn’t been looking at him, instead, she had been watching as the final couple of the wedding party headed out, signalling it was time for them to head down the stairs, though she looked up as he spoke a smile still playing on her lips.

‘I’m happy for me too,’ she said.

✵✵✵

Addison had been right. Jess had barely had time to breathe throughout the day let alone worry about what she looked like. Fortunately, though the day had gone off without a hitch and once the ceremony was done out front, the dozens of pictures taken, and the meal completed she could finally relax. She had enjoyed every minute of it even if it had meant being the centre of attention, something she normally left to the rest of her family. Luckily, she only had more spotlight moment before the night would fade into drinks and dancing, she just had to get through it first.

Jess watched as her father climbed onto the small stage the band was on, immediately capturing everyone’s attention. He smiled as he stood behind the mic, looking towards her for a second with a smile before he said, ‘hello again,’ earning a chuckle from the crowd.

‘Now, I know you’re all excited to get to a night of dancing and drinks but uh first we gotta do something. When Jessie first told me she was getting married I was happy for her but I had one stipulation, please don’t ask me to help plan the damn thing,’ Elvis said earning another chuckle from the crowd, ‘fortunately for me she’s got quite the team around her so I didn’t have much to do though she did put me in charge of one thing. Music.’

‘God knows why,’ Jerry heckled causing a giggle to emit from Jess and the crowd.

‘Well anyway even with my limited knowledge I managed to find a band Jessie and Scott quite liked and if you’ve enjoyed them up to now I know you’ll like it when they really get swingin’ but uh when the topic of the first dance came up I was surprised to find out there was only one song Jess had thought of, I’d say Jess and Scott but I know my daughter well enough to know he probably had no say in the matter,’ Elvis joked glancing at Jess who rolled her eyes and Scott who smiled, kissing her temple as he held her from behind, ‘so if you’d like to help me welcome the happy couple to the dance floor for their first dance officially married I’m gonna do my only job for the night.’

As music started to twinkle through the airwaves, along with claps and cheers as the couple took to the dancefloor Addison made her way to the fray of the crowd to watch, but where most people’s gazes were on Jess and Scott hers migrated past, watching Elvis as his velvet-covered voice rang out.

When they gave out eyes like diamonds, That would shame the stars that shine, My darlin', my darlin', You were the first in line.

When they gave out lips like honey, That hold a new thrill every time, My darlin', my darlin', You were the first in line.

She didn’t know why Jess had picked it. It wasn’t one of his most famous, one of the ones normally played at weddings but it was Addison’s favourite. Though as she listened to the smoother, more mature voice ring out around the garden it wasn’t as though she was listening to him now. She was reminded of her favourite rendition, one performed in a voice much younger and gruffer. Though the night sky above them was clear she could almost hear rain battering against the glass of a windshield and feel Elvis’ fingers running through her hair. At seventeen, when her life had been ripped to shreds once more, this time by her mother, she had never dreamed she’d end up somewhere like here. That she’d be standing in her backyard watching her daughter sway gently to the music with a good man at her side. A good man like she herself had.

As she watched Jess she smiled though she could feel tears burning in her eyes. They surprised her, after all, she had managed to make it through the day without crying she had thought she was home free but as she watched Jess throw her head back, laughing at something Scott had said, she felt the happiness spill out trickling down her face. She turned around and headed to a deserted table, reaching for a napkin so that she could dab her eyes. Fortunately, more couples had taken to the dance floor now meaning that no one seemed to notice her absence. That was until she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her middle, a pair of lips nuzzling into her neck making her tears disappear in an instant.

‘Hey,’ she said, allowing Elvis to hold her as she straightened up in his grasp.

‘Hi,’ he said with a smile before he spun her around to face him, ‘how’d I do?’

‘Good,’ Addison said placing her hands on his chest.

‘Just good?’ Elvis chuckled, ‘wow Addie I don’t think I’m gonna recover from that review.’

‘Well I’d tell you what I really thought but,’ Addison said making him quirk an eyebrow as she fiddled with his bowtie, ‘but we know what normally happens after you come off stage and somehow I don’t think that’s appropriate.’

‘Mmm probably not,’ Elvis mused.

‘Maybe we could dance instead,’ she smiled.

‘Sounds good to me honey,’ Elvis said.

Addison smiled, moving out of his grip and taking his hand as she led him towards the dance floor, which was now inundated with couples enamoured with one another as they moved slowly along to the song now being played by the band. As they moved to an open space Elvis’ hand went to her waist his other clasping one of hers as she nestled into his chest, his chin resting on the top of her head. They moved in silence, content with holding one another as they rotated in a slow circle. Addison’s eyes fluttered closed as she took in his warmth, his cologne a familiar comfort. Yet when she opened her eyes her line of sight was on Jess and Scott once more, still dancing in their own content little bubble, and her mind flew back to a memory.

‘Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?’ Marci said as she slipped on her shoes. She was lingering by the front door, a concerned look on her face as she watched Addison struggle to keep Jess in her arms. It was bedtime but Jess hadn't seemed to have gotten that memo, her bright eyes watching Marci as she tried to get to her.

‘No it’s fine,’ Addison said, wincing as her hair caught in Jess’ pudgy fist before she untangled herself.

‘I can you know,’ Marci said, ‘it’s only Bill.’

‘You cancelled last time,’ Addison said guiltily, ‘go. Honestly, have fun. We’ll be fine.’

‘Well we’re eating at Charlie’s if you need me,’ Marci said. Addison nodded.

‘Have fun,’ Addison smiled.

‘You too,’ Marci chuckled moving to pinch Jess’ cheek, ‘you be good for your mama now Jessie you hear me.’

‘Mama,’ Jess echoed making both women smile before Marci headed out the door. Though once she was gone Jess started to fuss. She moved her in her arms, trying to get her into a comfortable position but it was no use, she kept wriggling reaching for the door where Marci had disappeared.

‘Jessie,’ Addison huffed trying to get her settled, ‘honey she’ll be back later okay?’

But it wasn’t working. Jess was starting to cry, big shimmering tears glinting in her eyes before they ran down her reddened cheeks.

‘Oh come it’s not that bad,’ Addison cooed as she rocked her back and forth on her hip though as she stared at the doorway her friend had just disappeared through she couldn’t help but feel as forlorn as the screaming child on her hip. In fact she kind of wished she was headed out to the door too. Though with that thought she felt a wave of guilt crash through her. After all she had chosen this life, Jess. It wasn’t her baby’s fault that her other care giver had a life of her own, one she’d put on hold far too long for both of them. See, soon after Jess was born they had realised that sharing the workload didn’t always mean doing everything fifty/fifty so whilst Marci picked up shifts as the diner they both worked at and went to school Addison tended to Jess, working when Marci could be home. It meant that Marci was out virtually all day so when she did get the occasional night to herself Addison didn’t begrudge her that. Yet over the past couple of weeks things had been different. Marci’s school course had been on break for the holidays and so she’d been home more meaning that Addison could take the better paying shifts and Marci could watch Jess, studying once she was safely tucked up in bed. But as the holidays ended and they’d gone back to their normal routine Addison had found her daughter had quite taken to having someone else put her to bed every night. She knew it was a phase, but she couldn’t deny seeing her fuss and fidget for someone other than her hurt.

As Jess continued to move Addison wracked her brain for a distraction. She walked them through to the small room they shared, Jess’ crib pressed against the wall. She took the teddy bear that was resting in the cot and presented it to her daughter earning the bear a swift smack upside the head.

‘Not that then,’ Addison sighed. Then she spotted a pacifier on her nightstand and offered it to her, receiving a more positive reaction this time as Jess took it out of Addison’s hand and pushed it into her mouth.

‘See that’s better,’ Addison said though Jess still didn’t seem settled enough to place down in her crib just yet, ‘so, you're missing Aunt Mar? Well, you're not the only one…but she’s got a life too y'know. Can't be running around after us all the time.’

Jess looked up at her, a distinct pout on her face as though she could understand what her mother was saying. Addison smiled sadly at her, pressing a kiss to her forehead which to her surprise she allowed her to do.

She did miss her friend though it was hard because she was happy for her, she truly was. She was happy that at least one of them got to have a normal life. That one of them could go out on dates and be romanced and happy. Yet as she looked down at Jess, her big blue eyes, ones that were so familiar, she found it wasn’t just Marci she was missing. She missed Elvis.

She missed everything about him. How infectious his aura was. How no matter how bad of a day she was having he could make her feel better. She could almost hear his voice. If he were here he’d probably handle Jess with a natural ease, the way he did everything. She’d probably settle just being in his arms, that aura comforting her the way it had her mother, but that wasn’t their reality. Addison didn’t have Elvis to rely on and she couldn't keep depending on Marci. So she had to figure it out on her own.

Though as she thought about him an idea came to her and before she knew it she was singing, rocking their baby slowly as they danced in their tiny bedroom. Her voice wasn’t as good as his but Jess didn’t seem to care, in fact as she stared up at her, her pudgy hand wrapping around Addison’s finger as her fidgeting stopped.

There may be others that know you longer, Who pledge their hearts to you, But there's no other could love you stronger, Any stronger than I do.

As Addison continued Jess relaxed, leaning against her as they continued to dance, until eventually Addison glanced down to find her daughter’s eyes were now closed. Though the song ended she didn’t stop rocking her though as they moved she found an odd feeling plaguing her.

It was one of panic. She didn’t know where it had come from but it had come on with such a vengeance she felt tears start to roll down her face. It was one of panic because she knew that one day Jess wouldn’t settle in her arms. One day her comfort wouldn’t be needed. She’d have someone else.

Yes, she had managed to win her favour after two weeks of Marci being the favourite but what about in the future? What about when she met someone? Would she leave her? The way her parents had. The way Elvis had. The way Marci was sure to once she found a guy she could settle down with. Jess was the only thing she had, the only thing she had gotten right in this trainwreck she called life, and yet she knew one day she’d go too. One day she’d be alone. She shouldn’t have been thinking that way after all as a parent that was the goal right? Raise a child to be a well-rounded individual so that they could eventually leave the nest, and maybe find someone along the way who made them as happy as their parents used to when they sang them to sleep.

But it didn’t mean she wanted it.

She’d lost enough already.

Addison was pulled out of her thoughts as she heard Elvis’ voice rumble against her ear and she pulled back to find him watching her expectantly, those same eyes from her memories sparkling from the twinkling lights overhead.

‘Huh?’ Addison said making him smirk.

‘She asks me to dance and then she doesn’t even pay attention to me honestly,’ Elvis said shaking his head in jest.

‘Sorry,’ Addison said meekly. Elvis waved her off noticing there was something on her mind and then his hand moved to her jawline, stroking along it gently as he said, ‘what are you thinking about honey?’

‘Everything,’ Addison said with a wistful sigh as she glanced back to Jess, Elvis’ gaze following hers, ‘I can’t believe she’s grown up.’

‘I know. Both of them are,’ Elvis said as their eyes moved to where Lisa was dancing nearby, Danny’s hands on her baby bump as he whispered something in her ear to make her laugh.

‘What are we going to do with ourselves?’ Addison said.

‘Oh I’m sure we can think of plenty of ways to pass the time,’ Elvis said low enough that only she could hear as he pressed a kiss to her temple making her smile before she pulled back, finally tearing her gaze away from the girls.

‘I bet,’ she mused though her face fell as she admitted, ‘you know I used to worry about this.’

‘The wedding?’ Elvis asked his brows knitting together. Throughout this whole process Addison had been a rock. She’d kept Jess sane, him informed and everyone else in line. Not once had she shown any trepidation.

‘Yeah not recently…when she was little,’ she admitted, ‘I know it’s silly.’

‘Why?’ he asked curiously.

‘Because I was on my own,’ she admitted, smiling at him guiltily, ‘I had Jess and only Jess...and I thought once she finds her person that'd be it for me y'know? That’s selfish isn’t it?’

‘Not at all. Things were different back then,’ Elvis said feeling his own guilt creep in. They’d been together so long now he tended to forget what it was like back in those early days. How raw everything had been for both of them. Yet where he’d clung to anyone he could find, trying to push the memory of her from his brain, she’d clung to Jess, petrified that she’d lose her like she had everyone else.

‘You’re telling me,’ Addison said in a breathy laugh before her smile turned earnest as she looked at him and said, ‘you gave me more than I can ever ask for you know that?’

‘I’d give you anything you wanted,’ Elvis said honestly.

‘How about we renew our vows?’ Addison said. It was an idea that came out of the blue, tripping off her tongue before she had a chance to think about it. She couldn’t help it, after all, today had been all about declaring your love. Was it so odd to want to let people know she still loved him more than anything all these years later?

‘Like I said, let my wallet recover first,’ Elvis teased.

‘Har har,’ Addison said rolling her eyes.

‘Besides, I thought you didn’t like parties? You detested planning our wedding,’ Elvis said raising an eyebrow. That had been an amusement to him throughout the past year of planning this thing. Throughout their wedding planning, she had begged him time and time again to just run away and elope but he had made her compromise. He wanted the world to know they’d finally gotten their happy ending.

‘I like our actual wedding,’ Addison said, ‘the proper one.’

‘The one where we hid from everyone you mean?’ Elvis chuckled as he remembered the day she’d finally worn him down. They’d had their big wedding of course but they’d also had a day just them, their official wedding, away from prying eyes, filled with love and happiness.

‘That’s the one,’ Addison chuckled.

‘Okay,’ he said earning himself a smile, ‘but let’s get today over with first.’

‘Deal,’ Addison agreed. They danced in silence for a moment, their gazes watching all the other couples until they landed on Jess and Scott one more. Lisa was standing at her sister’s side, the two of them talking in whispers as the boys waited patiently behind them. As Elvis watched he remembered something. He was sure it had been a dream, but looking at them together he couldn’t help but feel he had been seeing this moment only years before it happened. Like Addison he had thought about this day. Of Jess flying their little nest. Yet it hadn't filled him with as much sadness because he knew that throughout it they’d have each other. When he looked back Addison was watching him.

‘We didn’t do too bad huh?’ Elvis said making her smirk.

‘No we didn’t,’ she said caressing his face gently.

‘I love you Mrs Presley,’ he said, no longer having to hope that she wouldn’t say it back. He wasn’t dreaming here. She was his, nothing would take that away.

‘I love you too Mr Presley.’

Cause I know if I'm doin' my job correct, Nights like these will happen less, So please just keep me in your heart, When you fly into somebody else's arms, little bird.

ELVIS TAGS

@girlblogger2002 @sania562 @caitlin1996 @literally-just-elvis-fics @notstefaniepresley   @artlesson8892 @18lkpeters​ @velvetelvis @jaqueline19997 @elvispresleyxoxo @amydarcimarie @presleyenterprise @everythingelvispresley @elvispresleywife @lillypink @richardslady121 @lettersfromvenus @louisejoy86 @ccab

[syncopein3d]

Broken World

4: Bad Night

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

CW: badly injured whumpee, implied past violence, loss of consciousness, fear of death, discussion of death, offensive/ignorant cis questions, blood, bruises, broken ribs, difficulty breathing, stranger caretaker, uncertain fate

Ripper ate the noodles without much interest. They felt like they gouged on their way down, and it couldn’t taste much. It wouldn’t be able to for a couple of days. Mostly they kept an eye on Robert as they sat there, in case he dropped the fat styrofoam cup or threw up. Neither happened. Afterward, he set the cup on the nightstand and sloshed water from the bottle around his mouth before he swallowed.

“So, where do you sleep?” Robert asked.

“I’ve got a couple of things to do. Then I’ll lie on top of the other side. It’s a big bed,” Ripper said.

“Yeah, well, if I die just dump the body in the garage,” Robert said. “In case I get back up.”

“Do I want that?” Ripper asked.

“It’d mean your extra work wasn’t wasted.” He leaned back into the pillow stack, swollen eyes all the way shut now.

“Good point.” They threw away the trash and washed the cup and fork they’d used for the noodles. Then they grabbed the duffel and went to take a hurried shower and brush their teeth. In a few minutes they were cleaned, changed into different sweats, and padding barefoot back into the guest room. Robert was still breathing, the wheeze audible, so Ripper shut off the light and lay down facing him on top of the comforter. Its current cheapish smart phone made a small weight in one pocket. It actually thought he was asleep until he said,

“You sleep in a mask?”

“Nobody knows my face, and I’m not starting with you. Go to sleep.” It was all the Ripper could do to keep its own eyes open. Food eased the stomach cramps even if it didn’t affect the overall raw feeling that came from turning itself inside out to pass through the Other Place. Acetaminophen dulled the pain a little. And they were so very tired…

Ripper woke up with a start, rolling backward off the bed to crouch on the floor behind before they even registered why they were awake.

Then the noise happened again, a small, pained bark, and it realized Robert was trying not to cough and failing. They clawed their way back up onto the bed, stifling a groan. It felt like every raw place inside them had stiffened. A glance at the phone said it was six a.m. They must have slept for about six hours. There had been dreams, a snarl of uncolors and pain.

“You okay?” Robert asked. He was half-curled on his side facing away, so he could stay supported by pillows but keep weight off his left ribs. For a second his misshapen nose was there in silhouette as he tried to look over his shoulder.

“Better off than you are. How long have you been coughing?”

“Few minutes, I guess. Hurts like Hell. Is that normal?” His voice wasn’t any less graveled than yesterday.

“With broken ribs, yes. I’ll make tea.”

“All this time I thought people were really weird about pain,” he muttered. “Turns out I wasn’t feeling most of – kaff – fuck! Feeling most of it.”

“How sad for you,” rasped Ripper, already carrying the kettle away to refill. Robert coughed again twice while it was doing this. When it came back he was lying with his eyes closed, face half-buried in the pillow. Ripper thought he had passed out or gone back to sleep for a minute or so. Then, when it was pouring hot water over the black tea bags, he said,

“Why you doin’ this?”

“Good for a sore throat.”

“You know what – kff – what I meant.”

“You said your blood could heal me, remember?” Even to themselves, they sounded dry.

“It can. But you haven’t gone looking for needles or asked my blood type or nothing. Y’don’t believe me, do you?”

“I believe you’d say anything to stay alive.” Ripper shrugged. “I would, too, if I was you. But you did tell me where the carnite was. That’s worth something. And I can’t do anything with it for another couple of days anyway. I’m not busy.”

“Can’t. Why?” A thin sliver of bloodshot eye appeared to regard them.

“None of your business.”

“You’re sick,” Robert said. “Worse than when you found me. That thing you do, it hurts you.”

“Shut up. You want milk and sugar or not?”

“Nah,” Robert said. He eased himself into a more upright position, gritting his teeth. “Thanks. So you can’t travel to sell this shit until you get better. DO you get better?”

Ripper glared down at him. Robert looked back up at him. Then he grinned, showing a couple of missing teeth.

“You don’t scare me,” he said. Ripper exhaled involuntarily, not quite a laugh.

“Fine, you ass. I get better until I have to tear again. It’s never right any more, but tearing is worse. Can you hold this?”

“Yeah. Gimme it.” He held the mug in both hands, inhaling the steam. “So you think you can find somebody to fix you with the carnite so it doesn’t hurt no more. Who would you even trust to do that?”

“I know someone,” Ripper said. “She’s operated on me. She’ll be honest enough as long as I pay up.”

Robert listened as he drank tea, nodding slightly. Then he said, “You don’t think you’ll wake up strapped down and she’ll cut bits off you until you tell her where the carnite is?”

“I think her reputation is worth more to her than nine hundred fifty million dollars.”

“That’s crazy.”

“She’s a very specific kind of crazy. Do you think you can eat a protein bar?”

“No,” Robert said. “Stomach feels weird.” He set down the mug on the nightstand and would have just flopped backward if Ripper hadn’t caught him by the shoulders to help lower him back down. He didn’t wince at the thumb on the bandaged ball of his shoulder.

“Robert?” There was a clotty mumble, then a cough, no real answer. Ripper wedged him into the pillow pile so he would stay upright. They would swear they heard a crackle to his breathing now, mucus sticking to itself and the walls inside when he breathed. He didn’t fight them.

The wounded man slept fitfully all day. He was never awake enough for a real conversation until evening, when he started to really have trouble breathing. At that point, it decided the risk of suffocation was as bad as the risk of a punctured lung. The Ripper peeled back the covers, put a towel over one shoulder, and straddled his legs, pulling him forward. Then, as he lay with the unbroken side of his ribs against their chest, they thumped his back with their fist to help him cough. The sound was awful, and it could hear the wet sound of tarry mucus and blood hitting the terry cloth. Their arms ached, and that made the ache inside worse, but they didn’t even think of stopping.

Afterward, he breathed a little easier. Ripper could feel him trying to wipe his mouth on the towel before he nudged it aside and rested his forehead on their shoulder. It rubbed his naked back silently for a couple of minutes. His skin still felt hot. The NSAID helped the fever, but had not eliminated it.

“Hey, Ripper,” he said weakly.

“Yeah.”

“I’m afraid to die. I thought I never could.”

“Maybe you won’t,” the Ripper said. “It’s too early to say.” Robert grunted, but he didn’t move, so neither did they.

“Will you tell me one thing?” he whispered.

“Probably,” Ripper said.

“You born flat, or you get ‘em removed?”

It pushed him back into the pillows, ignoring his wheezing laugh. He curled onto his side, but didn’t stop for a while as it stalked away to shove the now-horrible towel into the washer.

“Asshole,” they said, as they came to pull the covers back over him.

“You said you’d tell,” Robert gasped. A weak hand clutched at their wrist. They detached it, but carefully, setting his hand back on the mattress.

“I had top surgery. Why do you care?”

“I never knew an agender type – thing - before. Don’t want to die wondering. One more?”

“It better not be about my genitals again, because I’m not answering that.” The fact that he’d said “thing” tempered its annoyance a little. Usually it didn’t even bother with that, because no one would use it. Robert had.

“What d’you call yourself in your head?” he was asking. “Not he or she.”

“It,” Ripper said. “Sometimes they.”

“Yeah. That makes sense.” The swelling in his eyes might be a little less. It was easier to tell when he closed them. Ripper sat on the edge of the bed beside him for a couple of minutes, elbow resting on his hip. After a minute, he said, “Will you stay? It’s gonna be a bad night. If it’s going to happen, I don’t want to be alone.”

“You won’t be alone. I’ll be here,” Ripper said. “But it’s only fair you know that if you do die, I’m rolling your ass off the balcony.”

“Don’ make me laugh again, damn you.”

He couldn’t even drink broth that night. Ripper finished the cup itself. When they had showered they crawled into bed with him under the covers, wearing boxers and a loose tee shirt with the name of a college they’d never been to on it. They pressed up close to his burning body, arm carefully over his belly so that they could feel him breathe.

“Starting to feel floaty,” Robert said. “I don’t think it’ll be long.”

“Sh,” Ripper said. “You’re not going anywhere. I’ve got you.”

Robert turned his face into their shoulder. He stayed that way for a long time, his labored breathing loud in the dark room. Ripper held onto him, thumb stroking one of the only unbruised parts of his side, listening to each breath get farther apart.

It was sure he would be dead before morning, that it would one moment be holding a living man and the next moment a corpse. That was bad, but it had done that before in a way that had been much worse. This couldn’t pay for that, but it could at least make it easier for Robert than it had been for Blackknife.

But that wasn’t how it happened.

Ripper snapped awake, arm tightening. Something in the sound of the room had changed. It could feel Robert still breathing –

But it could barely hear him. It lay still for a while, listening, but he had stopped wheezing. Under their arm he breathed easily and regularly, without a hint of obstruction. That couldn’t be. They sat up on one elbow. Robert let his cheek be slid onto the pillow with a small mumble of protest, bur he didn’t wake up. That let Ripper turn far enough to grope around for the hoodie with the smartphone in the pocket. Then it turned the dim half-light of the screen on Robert’s face.

His eyelids were a little dark, but they were smooth, barely swollen. His face was no longer swollen at all, the line of his jaw straight and perfect. His nose was still crooked. Ripper tugged the covers down from his chest to look at his ribcage and was staring dumbfounded at the unbroken and unmarked skin when something hit it so hard in the chest it was knocked backward off the bed.

It knew just enough to cover its head with its arms before it hit the rugs. The phone went flying. Ripper curled on its side, gasping, wondering if its sternum had cracked. Spots danced in front of its eyes, blacker against the black.

“Ripper? Ripper?? Shit!” It was a new voice now. Still a little rough, but strong, definite. They heard Robert slide off the bed, and then felt him scoop them up against his body as if they weighed almost nothing, pulling them into the vee of his legs. “Hey, talk to me. Are you okay? Is anything broken?” He patted at their chest, producing a protesting hiss but no shift of cracked bone. “Fuck. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean -”

“Robert,” it panted.

“Yeah.”

“ Are you better?”

“Yeah. It wore off, finally,” he said.

“Oh. Good,” Ripper said. It let its head rest against a more muscular shoulder than it remembered. Robert was saying something else, shaking them a little, but that was all right. Robert was all right. The thing inside that burned felt farther away...

Ripper felt themselves turning into dead weight, heavy and limp, but it didn't feel important. The world had gone soft and dark.

Part 5

[filmtv2022]

By Your Side: Chapter Six (18+ Minor DNI)

Image Credit - IMDB The Void

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

Masterlist

Pairing: Rhett Abbott x Reader & platonic!Perry x Reader

Chapter Summary: Rhett asks Y/N to stay with him now that the secret about her past has been revealed. But it doesn’t take long for Y/N to see that Rhett has his own demons living just below the surface screaming to escape. Rhett & Y/N find comfort in each other as they work to rebuild their relationship.

Summary: Returning to Wabang was never something that Y/N had planned on, but with the loss of her father leaving her the sole owner of her family’s farm she must go back. Time spent at home forces Y/N to face the people she left behind. Will Y/N be able to navigate the murky waters of her past and present as the lines between them blur?

Warnings: SMUT + language + seeing Y/N’s scars from the incident + some alcohol consumption

A/N: Sorry this took so long! Work has been killer and I haven’t had much time to write during the week. Hopefully, it was worth the wait! As always, I apologize for any of my mistakes! Enjoy!

_____________________________

The sky burned brilliant orange as the sun set behind the clouds that had formed during the day leaving behind a stunning picture. Burnished hues poured in through the window behind the couch, the light catching on the speckles of dust floating through the air accenting just how long it’d been since the house had received a proper cleaning. Time was relative to you and Rhett. Stiff muscle gave away just how long you’d been sitting on the couch, and yet it didn’t seem long enough. For the first time in an incredibly long time, you were unburdened by secrets. And while in the back of his mind Rhett realized there were more tough conversations to have, for the moment he was content to just to understand, even minutely, what your life had entailed while you were away from Wabang.

“I hate the idea of you bein’ in this house alone knowin’ that asshole is still out there somewhere.”

“I know.” Your lips brushed the back of his knuckles in an attempt to comfort Rhett.

“Come stay with us… with me.”

“I can’t put your family out like that, you’ve done enough for me already. And you and I…”

“I know, but I meant what I said. I’m not goin’ anywhere. And you wouldn’t be puttin’ us out. I know Amy would love having you around too, and I’m pretty sure my Ma would bury me if she knew what you were going through, and I let you stay here alone.”

“You can’t say anything to them, Rhett.” Panic was evident in your voice as you pleaded with him.

“I promise I won’t, not unless you tell me to, all right?”

“All right.”

Adjusting your body, your cheek pressed into the scoop of Rhett’s shoulder and chest. The cotton of his work shirt was grounding as it caressed your skin.

“At least come stay with us for a night or two. Give me a chance to come check the house out, make sure everything’s secure.”

“Okay”

“Good. We should-” Rhett’s phone vibrated in his pocket, shifting to the side, he pulled it out and answered.

“Hey, Ma. What’s going on?”

Rhett’s face and body went rigid as he listened to Ceci speak, your grip on his hand tightened in concern.

“Okay, be home soon. Y/N’s comin’ too.”

Lifting the phone from his ear, he hung up with a smooth swipe.

“She’s got dinner waitin’. Why don’t we get you a bag packed?”

You nodded yes, releasing his hand to move. Standing up you shook out your joints taking your time getting to your bedroom. Rhett followed behind, ready to help if you needed it. Taking the last few steps to the room, he leaned on the door frame as he watched you pack.

“It looks the same.” A soft touch of nostalgia and humor was clear in his words as a small smile pulled at the corner of his lips.

Lost in the process of packing up, you had heard him speak, but were unsure of what he’d said.

“Hmm?”

“Your room. It’s the same as it was during high school.” Looking at your bed frame, a small chuckle escaped from him as he remembered one of your more interesting nights together. Using his shoulder to push off the frame, Rhett made his way over to you, picking up one of the shirts on the bed, and folding it.

“Do you remember the night that-”

“The night that your ass got caught sneaking out of my room at two in the morning?” You threw a smirk over your shoulder as you glanced at him, “Yeah… I remember.” You couldn’t help but laugh at the memory, “I also remember how we both thought we got away with it.”

“Yeah, until your mom cornered me the next time I was over for dinner and handed me a box of condoms.” Rhett chuckled at the memory. The atmosphere shifted as you sat on the edge of the bed, a partially folded shirt tucked on your lap.

“I miss her.”

“I know, me too.” Sliding the bag out of the way, Rhett sat down next to you, the mattress creaking under the extra weight.

“She loved you so much.”

“Then why did she have to die?” Your anger burned at the edge of your nose, your throat tight as you kept the fierce sweep of emotions from spilling over.

Your thought caught him off guard, leaving him unable to form a good response. Rhett’s left arm circled behind you, coming to rest on the mattress next to your left hip.

“Y/N, she-” Clenching the muscles in your back at his touch, you abruptly stood, grabbing for the rest of the clothes you’d planned to pack, shoving them into the bag without care.

“She stayed as long as she could, I know. I fuckin’ get it. It’s just that I hate-”

The words stuck on your shame forcing your mouth to weld shut. Your hands shook as you zipped the bag a bit too aggressively, the sleeve of a shirt getting caught in the teeth preventing it from closing fully. With an aggravated grunt, you pulled at the tab in an attempt to force it past the sticking point. Forcing the air from your lungs, you threw the bag back on the bed after trying several more times to close it. Your eyes averted to the ceiling as you breathed through the moment.

Rhett looked from bag to you and back again, reaching for the discarded item. Working with care, he backed the zipper up and wiggled the fabric free from the teeth, zipping the closure fully after stuffing the shirt back into the depths of the pocket. Finished fixing the problem, he looked up at you again, your face stiff and stoic. Setting the bag on the bed, Rhett took a deep breath and stood to face you, his hands reaching out and pulling you close. With one hand on your hip and the other cupping the side of your neck, Rhett tipped his face down to look at you more closely. The tension in your body was evident in the way you swallowed, the ripple of the movement palpable under his fingers. His encouragement for you to tell him what was on your heart passed silently between you.

“I hate her for leaving me.” Your chest rose and fell rapidly as the guilt you felt poured over your body, your skin hot with the admission. Your breathing tumbled into hyperventilation the longer you sat with your words.

Rhett exaggerated the motion of filling his lungs deeply, hoping you would follow the lead. It took a few more tries before your chest mirrored his, but eventually, you were able to fully fill your lungs, the oxygen reviving your brain.

“God, fuck! Why can’t I keep my shit together?!” The words were meant for only you, an outward expression of your frustration not only about life in general but also at yourself for breaking down in front of Rhett yet again.

“Y/N. You just lost your dad, and you survived a fucking nightmare. Give yourself a break.” Brushing his words off you tried to pull away from his grip, but Rhett wasn’t ready to let you, “Let’s get you out of here, okay?”

He didn’t wait for you to respond before turning back to pick up your back. With a hand on your lower back, Rhett led you through the house, picking up the last few items you needed to get from the bathroom. The ride back to the Abbott’s was hazy, wide open fields blurring past the truck windows as you stared without seeing. Rhett glanced at you in between scanning the road ahead, his own mind split between his worry for you and the anxiety of what awaited him at home. The events of the previous nights came back in full force as he got closer to home, nausea flipped his stomach as he saw the barn come into view.

Parking the truck, Rhett yanked the driver's door open and made his way around to your side. Freeing yourself from the seatbelt, your fingers had barely touched the handle when Rhett opened it for you. Leaning inside the cab, he grabbed for your bag and then your hand to help you down.

“Thank you.”

He grunted in response, his body tense. Turning towards the house, Rhett moved, pulling you gently with him as he went. Covering the last few steps to the porch, Rhett glanced over his shoulder, your eyes following the same path to the barn.

Planting your feet you stopped Rhett in his tracks, his body turning to you. A mixture of emotion swept over his features as he waited for you to speak. The furrow of his brows showcasing the telltale signs of anxiety. Squeezing his hand twice, you turned back to the door, this time leading the way with Rhett following behind.

Amy’s happy voice floated into the entryway as you took off your boots. Dropping your hand, Rhett didn’t wait for you to follow.

“Uncle Rhett! We saved you an’ Y/N some food.”

“Thanks, bug.” Rhett managed a small smile for his niece as he picked up the plate that was on the counter, filling it with food from the containers that now lined the counter next to the sink. With his dinner ready to go, Rhett grabbed a beer from the fridge before heading back to the table.

“Y/N!” Flying from her seat, Amy came to hug you the second you entered the kitchen.

“Hey, baby bug. Heard you saved food for us. What’re we eatin’?”

“There’s salad, and baked potatoes with all the toppings!”

“Sounds delicious. So, oh wise one, what toppings should I choose?”

The little girl took a second to thoughtfully ponder the question before speaking.

“Umm well, you can’t go wrong with cheese, sour cream and…. bacon.”

“Bacon, there’s bacon! Well, now you’ve sold me.”

Amy giggled, never leaving your side as you added the items to your plate. It wasn’t until you turned around to take your seat that it hit you. Not a single other person had spoken in the time you’d been in the kitchen. Surveying the room, you found Perry, Royal, and Ceci lost in deep thought, the food on their plates mostly untouched. Amy paused next to you, waiting to go back to the table when you were ready. Wrapping your free hand around her shoulder, you made your way to your seat between her and Rhett.

Taking a few bites, you let the food settle in your stomach before eating more.

“Thanks for the food Ceci, it’s delicious.”

“Hmm… oh yeah, you’re welcome Y/N. Glad you could join us.”

Turning in her seat, Amy joined the conversation, “So, are you coming Friday?”

“To where bug?”

“Uncle Rhett’s competition.”

“I don’t know, I’d say that’s up to him.”

“Come on Y/N you’ve gotta go! Grandma Ceci says you were always Uncle Rhett’s good luck charm.”

A deep chuckle slipped from the others as they listened to Amy. The earlier tension melted just a bit at her comment.

“Oh really?”

“Yes, really!” Amy once again popped up from her chair, but this time she shot over to Rhett grabbing onto his shoulder and shaking, the fork in his hand wobbling as she worked.

“Please Uncle Rhett, Y/N has to come. Please, please, please! If she doesn’t come I’ll be so bored. Please!”

His laughter grew more intense as he listened to her overdramatic pleas.

“Hey, now. You’ve been to plenty of competitions without Y/N. Are you saying you’ve been bored this whole time?” Sarcasm dripped from his words as he teased Amy.

“Well, no, but I just really need Y/N to come. And Grandpa says you need to do well if you wanna move forward… so it makes sense to me that you should have your good luck charm with you.”

Placing his fork down on the plate, Rhett turned to Amy, bringing her close to him by her shoulders, “But I thought you were my good luck charm?”

“Well, I am, but Y/N’s your first, and I’m your second.”

Rhett smiled wide at Amy, his eyes meeting yours over her shoulder as he huffed out another small laugh, this one mostly to himself. The happiness and sentimentality not quite reaching his eyes.

“Well, I suppose you're right, it never hurts to have a little extra luck on my side, does it? How ‘bout it Y/N?”

“I mean I don’t know how you argue with that logic.”

“So you’ll go?” Amy was nearly vibrating with anticipation.

“Of course, baby bug. How could I possibly say no?”

“Yes!”

Amy buzzed for the rest of dinner, but the feeling in the room teetered on the edge with any lull in the conversation. While talking with Amy your focus shifted from person to person, observing them in detail. Ceci and Royal sat rigged as stone in their chairs, a great void between them. Royal’s eyes tore a hole through Perry as the younger man attempted to engage with Amy, but failed as his mind wandered. Rhett mirrored his brother, the only difference being that his own focus fell on Royal every few minutes, looking for some type of tell or sign as to what was running through his father’s head.

Scooping the last bite of potato into your mouth, you stacked your plate on top of Amy’s. Pushing back from the table, you held the small stack of plates out towards Rhett encouraging him to put his on top. Seconds that felt like minutes passed brutally slow without him moving.

“Rhett?”

“Hmm?”

“Your plate?”

“Oh, thanks”

The clink of the plates hitting together clumsily accented the quiet of the room.

“Hey, Amy, want to help me clean up?”

“Sure.”

Quick work was made of taking care of the kitchen with Ceci joining you after a minute. The rush of water filling the sink seemed to return her to reality. The three of you moving in harmony through the small space, narrowly avoiding collisions with one another with ease. The boys sat stoically at the table, the air between them ringing with silent arguing.

Drying your hands on the towel hanging from the front of the stove, you felt Amy come to stand by your side. Her warm body leaned against yours as you folded the towel neatly, arranging it just so on the handle. Ceci and Royal took their exit quietly from the kitchen, heading upstairs for the night.

Perry came to stand next to you both, his hand finding its way to Amy’s shoulder, jiggling lightly. His voice gritty with exhaustion, the edges of his words catching roughly in his throat.

“All right, little lady, it’s time for bed.”

“Already?” An award-winning pout formed as she spoke.

“Yes, already, it’s a school night.” His voice almost sad and pleading.

“Go on baby bug.” Nudging her gently towards her dad, you moved back towards the table, and Rhett who was still sitting in his place

The legs of your chair skidded over the floor as you pulled it closer to Rhett, your legs touching under the table. Reaching for the beer in front of him, Rhett’s arm stilled, forearm resting on the edge of the table.

“Rhett-”

“The guest room’s open for ya.’”

Cutting you off, Rhett stood, taking his beer with him, and dumping it down the drain. Not wanting to push him further, you decided to shut down the room and head upstairs. Flicking the light switch off, the room fell into complete silence, only the faint noise of running water from the bathroom could be heard over your breathing. In the dark, fingers sliding along the wall, you searched for your bag in the entryway. The muffled thump of your foot on the bag gave away its position allowing you to bend over and retrieve it. Eyes now adjusted to the murky blackness, the short trip to the stairs was no problem, yet you took your time covering the distance, giving Rhett and the others more space to get ready without your presence. Unease filled the house as the day came to an end, the walls seemed to expand with anxiety forcing them to close on the Abbotts.

Hearing the activity dissipate, you flung your bag over one shoulder, taking the stairs at a snail's place allowing the boards to creak fully in the hope that the sharp sound would act as a warning signal for the others. At the top, the hallway appeared to be empty as your head swiveled side-to-side. Yellow light emanated from the partially closed bathroom door, a gentle push with the palm of your hand on the wood sent it into motion, your face trained on the floor to protect your sensitive eyes from the brightness. Squinting, you took a step into the bathroom, allowing your vision to adjust for a few seconds more before looking up. When you did your heart sank, sitting there was Rhett, head buried in his hands. His shirt and jeans were in a discarded heap on the floor next to him, only his boxers providing a barrier between his warm skin and the cool porcelain of the toilet.

If he noticed your presence at first, he didn’t show it. Putting your bag down on the edge of the sink, you made your way to Rhett, stopping when you were standing directly in front of him, your feet between his.

“Rhett.”

His hands fell from his face, arms reaching out tenderly to hold on to you, wrapping around your waist and tugging you close. Your own hand smoothed lightly over his shoulders before threading into his hair, holding his head flush with your stomach. The heat of your body radiated like the sun as the two of you embraced. Rhett’s breathing grew jagged as your fingers massaged his scalp and neck. Silent sobs wracked his body, his tears dampening the front of your shirt. Your grip tightened as his fingers dug more deeply into the muscles of your lower back. Leaning down, your lips found the top of his head, placing an understanding kiss on the spot.

….

With time Rhett’s body began to relax, his lungs filling fully and rhythmically, each exhaling blowing warm air over your stomach. Lifting his head from your body, he pulled back enough to look up at you. Your grip on him shifted allowing your fingers to trace the side of his neck and jawline, the stubble of facial hair rough under your hands. His ocean-blue eyes locked on yours as he stood, his hands never leaving your body; his left palm finding purchase on the curve of your waist while the other grazed your side before landing on your face. Your arms mirrored his as you accommodated his frame.

Rhett’s eye flicked over your face, his brow furrowed as he took in the sight of you. Your head swam at the feeling of his hands, skin burning with his touch. With a gentle lift, Rhett tipped your face up, giving him a clearer view of the flush painting the delicate skin of your cheeks. Blood pounded in his ears as he fought with himself, the internal debate deepening the lines between his eyebrows and pulling down at the corners of his lips. The whisper of his breath caressed your face as he leaned closer, the space between you nearly non-existent as he used his strong arms to pull you impossibly closer. Struggling against himself, Rhett rolled his forehead against yours so that his face was angled just slightly away.

Your name tumbled like a cry for help from his lips, “Y/N.”

“I’m right here.”

Your voice crumbled the last of his resolve. With a deep breath, Rhett crashed your lips together, a gasp ripped from your chest at the feeling. Hearing your reaction sent a jolt through his body, spurring him into motion. Stepping forward Rhett pushed you back against the wall, his tongue sliding along your lips begging for more. Using one arm to brace himself on the wall behind you, Rhett slotted his thigh between your legs, while his other hand remained on your neck holding your face to his. Seeking more, you pressed yourself onto his thigh, the friction all-consuming as you threaded your arm behind his back forcing his weight against your body. A needy groan choked from him, his tongue fighting for dominance. Rhett could feel the heat of your skin under your shirt and wanted more. Reaching for the hem, his fingertips teased the edge before slipping underneath.

The warm expanse of your skin that had once been as familiar to him as his own felt foreign under his hands. Lines of scars littered your sides and back, some sunken in from the depth of the original wound, while others were raised up from your delicate skin. The sensation of his hand on your bare skin sent panic coursing through you, tearing your brain and body from the moment. Your hand flew to his wrist, locking it in place, your breath catching in ragged gasps. Rhett’s eyes shot open with the sudden motion, your muscles stiff under his hands.

“I’m sorry…no one…”

Your thoughts were too jumbled up to form coherent sentences despite your desperate need to explain what was going on in your head. Rhett tried to pull back and give you space, but your grip on him wouldn’t relent. Taking the hint, he settled himself back into your embrace, his hand still burning in place on your waist, the other tangled in your hair. Unsure of what to say, you brushed your lips with his. The pair of you fell into a languid kiss, allowing the intimacy to communicate for you both.

Slowly, your body regulated, the tension melting away. Without speaking you turned in his arms, grabbing for his hand, and leading him out of the bathroom. Tentatively, you opened the door to Rhett’s room, the space cluttered just as it always had been. Letting go of you Rhett closed the door behind himself, the lock rattling the handle as he turned it into place. Even though your eyes were not on him, you could feel his presence behind you as you stood at the foot of his bed. Leaning back, you allowed yourself to melt into Rhett, his arms encircling you as his lips found your neck. Comforting kisses marked the column of exposed skin, leaving sensitive spots in their wake.

Rhett pulled away just long enough for you to shift to face him, one hand settling on the top of his shoulder while the other traced the tattoo on his chest. Goosebumps welled on his skin as your placed searing kisses along his collarbones and pecs, pausing for a moment to rest your forehead on his sternum. Dropping your arms, you pulled back from Rhett, putting a couple of steps between you, the back of your knees bumping on the foot of the bed.

Rhett’s gaze admired you from head to toe, the distance finally giving him a chance to see the depth of your beauty. The admiration in his eyes gave you the confidence to continue. With great care, your hands came up to your belt, undoing the buckle before releasing the button and zipper. Shimming out of the jeans and underwear, you flicked them to the side with your foot. Rhett’s hands clenched in fists at his side as he tried to restrain himself. He knew that you needed control at this moment, but it was taking every ounce of himself to stay put. Not wanting to give yourself time to overthink, you spun so that you were facing away from Rhett, your hands finding purchase on the bottom edge of your shirt. Taking a steadying breath, you lifted the garment from your body slowly, discarding it with a light toss in the same direction as your jeans.

Anger coursed through him as he mapped the litany of scars adorning the back of your body. As if moving on their own, his legs brought him toward you, stopping once you were within reach. The calloused pads of his fingers brushed light touches to the marks littering your skin. He could feel you tighten under his ministrations and paused until you relaxed again. Minutes slipped away as Rhett continued to trace along your back. Soon his lips joined in, working over the scars methodically as if each kiss held the power to heal.

Having touched every mark that he could from this position, Rhett knelt on the ground, his left palm resting flat on your stomach as his right held you in place by the front of your thigh. Your left hand came to rest on top of his, holding it like a lifeline. His lips and tongue laved over the fragile skin along your lower back, thighs, and ass. The sensation of his lips on your scars sent a shiver down your spine, your head tipping back in lust as he mouthed at the crease of your knee. You were burning fiery hot, desire pulsing through you like a freight train.

“Rhett, please.”

Needing no further invitation, he stood up, turning you around to face him. Pulling him close, you slotted your lips with his, allowing the kiss to escalate quickly. With as much gentleness as he could muster, Rhett lowered you to the bed, his strong arms keeping you from falling. His body came with you as you sunk into the soft quilt below you. Without breaking the kiss, the pair of you drifted back on the bed.

Resting your head on his pillow, you allowed yourself to let go, to relinquish every memory of grief, sorrow, and fear that had lived with you for years, and instead focus on the present. Rhett’s felt more balanced and sure than had since the day you left Wabang, for him it was as if having you back in his arms righted so many wrongs in his life.

His right forearm support his weight as it nestled into the space next to your head, his left leg in between yours while the right half of his body pressed into you and into the mattress on an angle. Tracing the swell of your breast all the way down to your hip, Rhett rubbed soft arcs along your hipbone as she kissed you. Wanting to feel him, your own hand slid down his torso, reveling in the feeling of the strong muscles sitting just below the skin. Finding the top of his boxers, your hand dipped inside, palming him. A deep groan echoed through the room as Rhett registered the feeling of your fingers wrapped around him.

His hand that had been rubbing gently at your hip continued on in its exploration, feathering over your inner thigh before dipping into your folds. Gasping, your head tipped back further into the pillow supporting it. Rhett’s fingers worked through your slick a few times allowing you a chance to adjust to the feeling. Needing more, your hips bucked up into his hand encouraging him to keep going. The pair of you moaned into the kiss as he pressed his fingers into you.

“Fuck” was all you manage as your desire for Rhett clouded every part of your brain. He could feel you were getting close, his own desire matching yours.

“I need you” His voice was desperate with want as he continued his ministrations.

“You already have me”

“Y/N, please-”

“Let me feel you, Rhett”

Gently rolling away from you, Rhett stood from the bed, removing his boxers and grabbing a condom from the nightstand. Unable to wait any longer, he joined you back on the mattress, settling himself between yours. The mattress moved under his weight as he adjust your body under him. Reaching between you, he aligned himself with you, slowly sinking into your core. The feeling of him sent shockwaves through your body. As the familiar burn subsided, your wrapped your legs around him, threading your right hand into this soft hair and gripping onto him tightly with your left. Taking this as a sign, Rhett began to move.

The two of you fell into oblivion together, your bodies molding together as if you had been made for one another. Feeling the twitch in your inner thigh, Rhett brought the pad of his finger to your sensitive bud. Electricity coursed through your body as you reached your high. Rhett was right behind you, the heat of your lips on the hollow of his neck sent him tumbling into his own release.

Not wanting to part from you Rhett rolled onto this back, pulling you with him, your heat still wrapped around him. The two of you lay like this for a while, catching your breath, your hands caressing each other. The air around you grew cold causing your both to shiver. Not wanting you to be uncomfortable in any way, Rhett carefully stood from the bed and pulled on his boxers before walking to the bathroom to grab a washcloth. Returning to the room, he picked up an extra blanket that had been thrown over the chair in the corner.

Setting the blanket down on the bed next to you, Rhett slipped back into bed. Gingerly, he took the washcloth and cleaned you up, discarding the rag on the floor when he was done. Seeing the goosebumps that had formed on your skin from the chill, he helped you under the quilt before laying the extra blanket on top of you and joining you under the covers.

Reaching out, you pressed yourself against Rhett your head resting on his chest as you listened to the sound of his breathing. His right arm found a spot behind your head on the pillow, his other hand tickled lines up and down your arm that was on his chest.

So many emotions swelled in your chest, as Rhett’s lips pressed into the crown of your head. Despite the fact that there were still so many uncertainties in your life and in Rhett’s, for tonight none of that mattered. For the first time in years, both of you fell into a peaceful sleep, neither of you waking to the horrors that filled your dreams.

_____________________

Tag list:

@lostinthefandoms11

@eugene-emt-roe

[mydictionary-yume]

A3! Event Story | A Year of Romance with You - Chapter 5

(Contains very minor spoilers for A3! Act 12)

Izumi: (Huh…? What’s Sakuya doing here this early?)

Izumi: (Wait, Lu, too?!)

Sakuya: Mmn…

Sakuya: Director?!

Izumi: Sakuya, what are you doing out here? And more importantly…

Sakuya: I’m really sorry, director! I know we shouldn’t have guests over without permission, but she was standing out there in the middle of the night, so I figured it’d be best if she just stayed, and-

Izumi: Relax, Sakuya. I’m not mad or anything, you did the right thing. 

Sakuya: But still…

Izumi: It’s alright, really. 

Lucille: Mm… huh?

Sakuya: Oh! Good morning, Lu!

Izumi: Morning, Lu. 

Lucille: Ack-! I’m so sorry director, I didn’t plan on staying, it was my idea, I’m really, really, sorry, and-

Izumi: Woah, woah, you’re fine! You two really were made for each other, huh…

Lucille & Sakuya: Ahaha…

Lucille: Wait, what time is it?! 

Izumi: Hm? It’s just past six. You two are up pretty early.

Lucille: Oh thank God, we’ve got time.

Izumi: Oh? What did you two have planned for today?

Lucille: Just a trip.

Izumi: A trip, huh? Sounds fun! Where to?

Lucille: Well, I guess it’d be fine to say now that it’s the day of…

Lucille: We’re going to Hokkaido for a couple of days!

Izumi: You’re WHAT?!

Lucille: Thanks again for the ride, Itaru!

Itaru: Hey, don’t sweat it. I’m the one who’s probably doing the least here. Except for maybe Masumi, but all he’s doing is moping about how he wants to do this kind of thing with the director sometime. 

Sakuya: That’s fair! Still, you all didn’t need to go this far, I could probably live without going more than once a year…

Itaru: Yeah, but it’s just good manners to introduce your girlfriend to your parents, right?

Sakuya: You have a point. 

Sakuya: (As nice as the sentiment is, I don’t know if this is the best way to go about it…)

Sakuya: (But they went out of their way to help us go on this trip, so I’d better make the most of it, right?)

Lucille: I think I’ve got all my bags situated. What about yours, Saku?

Sakuya: Hm? Oh, yeah, I do. 

Itaru: A’ight, let’s head out. 

Sakuya: I always forget how short that flight is!

Lucille: Seriously! I’ll definitely have to give props to Chikage for managing to even get a flight for us. 

Sakuya: That’s a good idea! 

Sakuya: So, where to from here?

Lucille: Well, Chikage managed to get us a few day passes for the trains around here, so I figured we’d settle in at the hotel for a bit. 

Sakuya: Sounds good! 

<Previous  Next>

Event story masterlist

Divider credit

[stardustndreamsofsilver]

Everything is Temporary

Part Four

Josh x Reader (f)

Warnings: angst, cursing, pregnancy

Find All Parts Here

Six Months Later

A lot had changed in the last six months. After you found out you were pregnant, you were in shock for about a week. But once the shock wore off, the love for your coming little one grew. You moved out of your old one bedroom apartment into a little two bedroom cottage about an hour outside of Nashville. Your job offered you a remote position with a small raise, so you were able to afford the move and able to furnish the baby’s nursery with everything they could possibly need.

You’d thought about telling Josh about the baby, but figured it was best if he didn’t know. Even if he didn't love you, you knew that if you told him, he’d feel obligated to make the three of you a family. You didn’t want that. You didn’t want to be an obligation, you didn’t want your baby to be an obligation. You wanted them to only ever know love. So, you decided he would never know. With that decision, you also blocked him on all social media. Not only to keep him from finding out, but also to keep you from having to see him.

You were called into the main office one day for a meeting, so you drove into Nashville for the day. It’d been awhile since you’d come to town, so you decided to stop by your favorite coffee house. You ordered your favorite drink and a breakfast sandwich and sat by the window. You enjoyed your breakfast and got up to leave. As you leaned over to grab your purse, you heard the door chime as it opened. You straightened back up and faced the doorway. There he was. You stared at Josh in disbelief and he stared at your 37 week pregnant belly.

A million thoughts raced through your mind. When did he get back? Why did he have to be here? Why today? Will he realize this is his baby? Will he try to take the baby from you? 

Shaking your head, you rush past him. You needed to get out of there. You got out the door and a few steps down the sidewalk before you heard someone running up behind you.

“Hey! Hey! Where the hell do you think you’re going?” He says, grabbing your arm and stopping you.

You yank your arm back and sigh. “What do you want Josh?”

“Are you serious? I want to know what the hell this is?” He says, gesturing toward your bump.

“It’s none of your concern. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting to go to.” 

“Like hell it isn’t! Why didn’t you tell me? It’s mine right?” He asks, searching your face for answers.

“Josh, I really need to go.”

“No. You’re going to tell me what’s going on.” He says, stepping closer to you.

You backed away and said, “Fine, how about this, I’ll meet you for dinner and explain everything. But, I have to go.”

“Where? When?” He asks.

“I’ll meet you at that ramen shop downtown around 6.”

“Alright. Fine. Swear you’ll actually show up and this isn’t a trick so you can go?” He asks.

Scoffing, you say, “I promise. I don’t lie. You’re the one who’s good at that, remember?”

You watched guilt sweep over him, but it didn’t change the facts. Everything had been real for you and it was just a game to him.

“Alright. I’ll see you then.” He says looking down to the ground and sticking his hands in his pockets.

“See you there.” You say as you walk away.

You went to your meeting at the office and everything went smoothly. You decided to catch up on some work while you were there since you had time to kill until dinner with Josh. You dreaded this dinner. You’d finally started to get over him and your life had started to come together. And now it was all coming down around you. Finishing up one last email, you checked the time. It was close to 5 so you decided to go ahead and pack up. As you were riding the elevator down to the ground floor to go meet Josh, you felt a twinge.

Your water broke.

[catierambles]

Masks Ch.2

Pairing: the Rogues Gallery (Syverson, Mike, Walter Marshall, August Walker, Geralt) x Sophie (OFC)

WC 713 (is a short one, 3 will be longer)

Warnings: None

@identity2212

Another couple of days went by and she finished packing, leaving her suitcase by the front door so she wouldn’t be rolling it through the house over the wood floors when her Uber got there.

“You got your toothbrush?” Syverson asked as he, she, and Mike sat around her room and she nodded.

“Packed my travel one.”

“Spare chargers?”

“And powerbanks, just in case.”

“Your itinerary?”

“On my phone.”

“You already check-in?” He asked but she shook her head.

“I can do that when I get there and get my boarding passes.”

“Got your rental handled?” He asked and she sighed.

“Sy, it’s covered.” She said and he gave her a look.

“Just makin’ sure you didn’t forget anything.” He said.

“This ain’t my first rodeo.” She said and Walter poked his head into her room through the partially open door.

“Looking for you.” He said.

“I know that look, that’s the “bad news Bear bearing bad news” look.” She said and he snorted.

“The winter storm was upgraded to a full on blizzard.” He said, “We’re supposed to be getting a record amount of snowfall. I checked the flights, yours and every other one has been preemptively canceled.”

“Fuck.” She said, “I could always drive. I’d get there a couple days behind schedule, but it’d be doable.”

“The roads will be a mess, love.” Walter said, “You know August won’t let you out in that.”

“Not if I leave early enough, he never has to know.”

“I don’t have to know what?” August asked, pushing open the door wider.

“Sophie’s flights were canceled.” Walter said, “Inclement weather.”

“I was actually looking forward to this one! It was in Vegas!” She whined and fell back on her bed.

“I thought you didn’t have time to do anything on your trips.” August said and she turned her head to look at them.

“I don’t. Doesn’t mean I can’t admire the pretty lights from my hotel room window.” Sophie said.

“We should all go to Vegas!” Mike said with an eager smile, “It’d be fun! The six of us on the Strip! Showgirls!”

“Blackjack and Texas Hold’em.” Syverson said wistfully.

“All you can eat buffets.” Walter said just as wistfully.

“I’ll see if I can plan something.” August said with a sigh. “For now: Sophie, you’re not driving to Vegas in the weather we’re getting. End of story.”

“Fuck it, fine.” She said, laying her arm over her eyes before flailing a little in a pout. “I love you guys, I really do, but these are the only times I get to have to myself. Outside of the work stuff.”

“We don’t bother you, do we?” Mike asked and she reached over, patting his leg.

“No, Puppy, you don’t bother me. I just like getting away every now and then and these trips let me do that.” Sophie said, “I’ll call work and let them know, but chances are they already do.”

“I’ll call them.” August said and she looked at him again.

“No, it’s fine, I got it.” She said, “I’ll send them an email, too, for good measure. Just so they have something in writing. Walter, can you send me a screenshot to my email of the canceled flights from the airline website?”

“I’ll do it right now.” He said and ducked out of her room to head back to his.

“We’ll leave you to it.” Syverson said and got up from his seat, mussing with Mike’s hair as he went past, the youngest Alpha getting up from her bed. They moved around August who stood in her doorway fully, crossing his arms over his chest.

“What?” She asked and he just stared at her for a moment before turning and walking away without a word. Getting up from her bed, she closed the door with a sigh. “It’s going to be fine. It’s going to be okay.” She whispered to herself before heading back over to her bed and picking up her phone, she had plans and reservations to cancel.

It started snowing late that night, blanketing the world in white and she stared at the snowfall out of her window, the familiar ache starting her muscles making her sigh, rolling her head to try to relieve the tension in her neck.

[rotworld]

14: Nostalgia

a trip back to your small hometown leads to a long overdue reunion.

->explicit. contains discrimination, implied child abuse, murder, gore, blood drinking, terato.

.

.

.

It feels a bit like turning the pages of a singed photo album. A line of things frozen just as you left them, and then a scorch mark—a hole in the past. Someone has come and started little fires throughout your memory.

That’s the sweets shop where you’d press your grubby little fingers to the glass and watch Ms. Martz set out the day’s fresh cookies and fill up the candy jars, but the decor is different and there’s two teenage girls lounging at the register counter. The mattress place across from your old favorite coffee shop is gone, clipped out with hole punch precision. The empty building where it used to be has been stripped of all signage, nothing but dusty concrete and disembodied wooden beams for a storefront display. There’s the courthouse with its looming clocktower, the factory silos, the ice cream stand along the riverfront, closed for the season, and it’s all familiar, almost how you remember it, but not quite the same. 

People act odd at first, everywhere you go. You’re branded an outsider, held at arm’s length until it slips out at some point: “I grew up here.” It’s the strangest sort of homecoming, like showing up late to a funeral. Everything is warmth and wistful sadness. You keep running into people you used to know and everyone has news for you, updates and gossip that make you feel even stranger. Dr. Hanson passed a few years and nobody likes the new guy because he’s curt and quiet and doesn’t bother getting to know anybody. That deathtrap of an old sawmill you used to climb around as a kid is padlocked shut now. 

They found another body in Abbey Hill Park.

You hear about it from Mr. Simmons when you get behind him in line at the grocery store. He taught children’s soccer. He’s retired now, he says, in good shape except for a bad fall last winter while he was out shoveling snow. He mentions the body offhandedly, like something he forgot to pick up at the store. “This was five, six years ago,” he says. “It was just like the first one, if you remember it. You might not, you would’ve been real little at the time.” 

You remember. You were little but it was inescapable. It was hiding everywhere, an ugly thing everybody tiptoed around with whispers and curfews and nervous glances. Mrs. Werther’s class didn’t have to come to school for a week, and they had a substitute teacher for the rest of the year. You heard that the sheriff’s son got ahold of the crime scene pictures and started passing around copies, so everyone knew Mrs. Werther was half-eaten by birds. They’d plucked out her eyes and stolen the tongue out of her gaping mouth and a few of them had torn into her soft belly and started eating everything inside. Small bones and bits of viscera turned up in bird’s nests all around the park for a while. 

A freak accident. That’s what the official verdict was. There had been a construction project nearby, some unstable scaffolding and haphazardly piled debris. How a brick flung itself across the street, up the hill, and against Mrs. Werther’s skull remained a point of debate, as much as where it had gone afterwards. There wasn’t much to work with. No murder weapon, no fingerprints, no witnesses. Just a body in a flower field and a flock of opportunistic carrion eaters.

“That’s awful,” you say, the thoughtless, reflexive way a person does to any bad news. 

“Sure was,” Mr. Simmons says. “Nobody’s calling it an accident this time, though. They caught the guy. People are saying he dumped the body there thinking it’d get pinned on somebody else.” He says the words “somebody else” with sharp disdain. “That whole mess keeps me up at night. Everyone knew. You ask your folks, I’m sure they’ll tell you the same. We didn't used to pussyfoot around just to keep the peace and look progressive. Things like that don’t belong here, but they went ahead and let it get away with murder—”

“He was just a fucking kid!” 

Mr. Simmons’ jaw snaps shut. Everything gets quiet around you. People are staring. You fumble with your groceries and find a different line to stand in. Your face feels hot and your heart is pounding. It’s just another one of the things that hasn’t changed about this place. 

You take a walk to clear your head. All of the houses in your old neighborhood are the same. There’s still a big bump in the concrete where a tree root snuck underneath the sidewalk. Someone new lives on the corner and that big, beautiful garden you remember has shriveled up and become overgrown with weeds. The elementary school is across the street and classes must be out because there’s a long line of cars creeping through the parking lot and kids rushing across the lawn. Your eyes are drawn through the mass of people to an unusually tall man standing off to the side, a child huddled beside him.

They look startlingly similar. Both tall, both with thin, gangly limbs and dark hair, both with shockingly bright, yellow eyes. You haven’t seen the man in years but it’s him, you know it is. His face is like the rest of town, changed in uncanny ways and yet exactly the same. 

“Wes.” His name just slips out in a shocked whisper. You’re too far for him to hear you, a street and a parking lot away, but his head snaps up and those wide, piercing eyes find yours. 

He stares. He smiles. Your feet are tripping over themselves and you’re crossing the street without even looking. “Wes!” you call. Your excited pace quickens when you notice his hand is bleeding. 

He’s wearing a blue button-up and slacks, a leather bag slung over his shoulder. “Hey,” he says. “Been a while.” 

“Your hand—” you stammer. 

“It’s fine,” he says. It’s not. There are awful bites all over, deep cuts and lacerations around the joints. Blood trickles steadily between his fingers and into the grass. “Could you grab the bandages from my bag?” he asks, lifting his shoulder. “They’re in the biggest compartment, right there. I don’t want to get blood on everything.” 

Just like when you were kids, he carries several boxes. Small adhesive dots, large, patterned ones with little cartoon animals, even some gauze and disinfectant crammed in beside books and folders. You see an elementary math textbook, a planner, a thin stack of printed handouts. “You’re a teacher?” you ask him. You mean to ask him, “You stayed?”

Wes gets it, though. He always does. “I thought about it a lot,” he says. You feel his gaze on you, that steady, intimidating focus. There’s fondness and gratitude in his eyes when you smooth a band-aid across his knuckles. “It would’ve been easier, in some ways. Getting a job somewhere else. But it occurred to me that I might be needed here. If there was ever another one.” 

The kid half-hiding behind him hasn’t said a word since you walked up. Just like Wes, he sticks out like a sore thumb, a head above his classmates with bony hands and big, owlish eyes. He clutches the straps of a Spider Man backpack and chews his lip as he watches you. There’s still some blood smeared on his cheek. Wes rests his uninjured hand on the boy’s shoulder. “This is a safe person,” he tells him, nodding towards you. “Kind. Friendly.” 

You smile. The boy looks at his shoes. “...I’m Neely,” he mutters. “It’s…nice to…meet you.” He has the same high-pitched, hoarse voice Wes did as a kid, the same unusual cadence and long pauses as he struggles to find the right word. “Do you know…what I am?” he asks, whispering. 

“Yes, I do,” you say. 

He narrows his eyes like he doesn’t believe you. “Mr. Lynwood said that…that lots of people make…they make, uh…” 

“Assumptions,” Wes says. 

“That,” Neely says. 

“I don’t,” you assure him. “I’ve known Wes—Mr. Lynnwood for a very long time. We both went to this school, in fact. We were in different classes, but we were best friends.” 

Neely gets quiet. He digs the toe of his shoe into the dirt restlessly, his eyes flicking back and forth from you to Wes. A car honks and you see a man and a dog in the front seats of a minivan. There’s no family resemblance at all, but the man waves and Neely trots over with a, “Byeeeee, Mr. Lynwood!” 

Wes waves with his good hand. He waits until Neely has climbed into the backseat and the car long gone before he tells you, “He’s had some trouble with teething.” 

“Ah,” you say. 

“It’s how he deals with his feelings. Mostly the bad ones. But the kids are good. They don’t pick on him. They understand he needs different things.” 

The last bandage wraps around his thumb. Wes thanks you. You shrug it off. You don’t leave. The pattering footsteps and shouts of small children filter out and fade, the rush in the parking lot thinning out. “I have a lot of work to do,” Wes says.

Your heart throbs painfully. “Right, no, of course—” 

“So come over.” 

You think you do an admirable job of looking casual and not shocked or flustered, jamming your hands in your pockets. “Like, to catch up?” you ask.

Wes’ gaze moves from your eyes to a little lower, your lips or maybe your throat. He watches the muscles in your neck flutter when you swallow, nervous and excited. He licks his lips. You feel like a teenager again, crouched behind the riverfront ice cream stand on a chilly autumn day, your hands in Wes’ hair and his lips crushing yours, grinding on each other like you’ll die without this. “Sure,” he says. “To catch up.”

Wes lives in a small, cute house near Abbey Hill. The driveway is half-cement, half dirt. There are flowering shrubs and wild berries growing under the windows, a birdfeeder and stone fountain in the front yard. A child’s drawing of big, smiling seagulls—signed “Neely age 7” in a crude hand—is proudly displayed above a brick fireplace. He gives you a brief tour—living room, kitchen, bed and bathrooms, a home office in a cozy, furnished attic. That’s where you are when you both start dropping the facade, you poking through his collection of house plants and teaching theory books, him standing beside a reclaimed wood desk and running his fingers across the surface. 

“Neely’s been the only one since me,” he tells you. “Seven years ago. His parents took it well. Better than mine.” 

“They’re good to him?” you ask. 

“They’re great. Had them at conferences. They ask lots of questions. They listen.” The floor creaks. You hear him shifting closer, coming up behind you. “They come over sometimes. It’s nice. Then it’s so quiet, after they leave.”

Your hand hovers over the spine of a psychology textbook. A wordy title, something about attachment theory and child neglect. “Are you lonely?” you ask him.

His hand slides up your arm to your shoulder, fingers caressing your jaw. “Are you?” he murmurs against your ear. “You came back.” 

He urges you to lay your head back and bare your throat. You do, your eyes fluttering shut. Wes’ lips trail along the side of your neck, kissing you, blowing softly on damp, shivering skin. His hands are gentle and fleeting, restless like he’s afraid to leave some part of you untouched. They caress your sides and your chest, one wandering teasingly down to your stomach while the other cups your jaw. You want to turn around. You want to see him. He never lets you look. Wes moves his body in a slow, sensual grind against you and you whimper, eager for more. 

“I thought about you,” you say softly. 

He hums in acknowledgement, sucking at the throb of your pulse. 

“I thought about—about her. That awful teacher you had. All those horrible things she did to you and nobody did anything.” It’s fucked up to bring her up, here and now, but you do. You can’t stop the words from spilling out. Wes slows his movements but he doesn’t stop, nipping at your skin as though chastising. “I think about it all the time. Did you know a psychologist came to our class? I think they talked to everyone, even if we’d never met her. I remember one time, Carrie—do you remember her? She started crying because there were a bunch of sparrows making a nest by the front doors. She thought they were going to eat her. Everyone was scared of birds.” 

Wes chuckles, every puffing exhale warming your skin. He’s not upset, but he doesn’t want to talk. He’s just letting you ramble. It’s only fair. He finds a spot he likes, where he can feel your heart beating and every pass of his tongue makes you flinch and shiver, head lolling back against his shoulder. “Everyone but you,” he murmurs. 

You laugh. Wes slips his hand into your pants and you buck your hips against his quick, talented fingers. He breaks away just briefly and you hear fabric shifting, his shirt hitting the floor. “I was lonely,” you admit. “I think about you a lot—” 

Your words break into a moan when Wes seizes you, trapping you against him, and bites you on the neck. It hurts and it feels mind-numbingly good. You push your hips back into him desperately and he humors you, grinding against your ass. “Been thinking about you, too,” he murmurs, the words slurred and muffled against your skin. 

“D-don’t talk while you’re—Wes!” The hand on your sex starts moving faster, his fingers working you into a shivering mess. He moans, tongue darting out to catch a bead of blood dribbling from the bite. He’s starting to get hard and rock his hips more insistently. You’re slammed up against the wall and you hear flesh tearing, his wings ripping through his back. 

“Think about you all the time,” he moans. “Think about high school—making out by the river. The first time you let me drink from you. Wanted you to stay so bad. Wanted to get married…”

The admission slips out with a breathy whine and he’s dry humping you so hard you can feel the outline of his cock through both of your clothes. You want him inside you but he’s too fixated on your neck, licking and kissing the shape of his teeth in your skin and sucking every drop of blood that oozes to the surface. This is orgasm for him, the peak of his pleasure. Fed and comforted and holding you in his arms, he sinks to his knees and brings you gently down with him. His wings, feathers wet and clinging together, fold around you. He keeps kissing and licking you even after he’s finished, nipping the bite affectionately. 

“Sorry, I…sorry,” he murmurs. 

You hold yourself back for a second. You’re wired, worked up and needy for him, drowning in every memory of the time you’ve spent together, but that doesn’t matter, you think. It doesn’t make this feeling any less real. “I wanted that, too,” you say. 

Wes’ cock twitches in his pants. “Can’t just say stuff like that—” 

“I mean it,” you insist. “I only miss one thing about this place, and it’s you.” 

His movements are shaky. His hands tremble as he shifts you around in his lap, allowing you to turn and face him. You look up at a face with a sickly, gray complexion and sharp features. A light speckling of feathers and slender quills poke out of his skin, clustered around his neck and shoulders. Wes’ enormous wings are folded, one draped against your back, the other curled behind him. His long legs are crooked, bent in the same strange ways as a bird with hooked talons instead of feet. It’s the first time you’ve seen him in full, not just a glimpse. He looks at you the same way he always has, his expression soft, his lips parted with just a flash of sharp teeth peeking through, fondness mingling with relief. 

You look at him the same way you always have—with awe and affection.

The sex is rushed and clumsy, not much different than when you were younger. You’re both worked up and impatient, clawing at each other, bumping noses. Wes bounces you in his lap and then seems to get restless, sitting up with his cock still deep inside you and his arms around you, lifting you easily to pin against the wall. You wrap your legs around his waist and his thrusts are slower for a while, a little less frantic. He leaves small, affectionate pecks on your cheek and collarbones, nipping at the bite he left earlier. 

“Not going to last,” he warns you. Sweet of him and totally unnecessary, because you’re so far gone after two orgasms and well on your way to a third. It doesn’t matter how hurried it is, how rough he gets with those sharp, taloned fingers sinking into your skin—it’s exactly what you wanted. There were lines he never let himself cross before. You never saw him, sweat-soaked gazing at you with those golden, lust-filled eyes, your name the only word on his tongue. It’s everything you wanted and more. He’s stronger than he should be with that fragile, willowy build, determined to keep you aloft as he fucks all the doubt and uncertainty out of you. 

It’s a kiss that finally sends him over the edge. Your lips on his, your tongue pressing into his mouth, fingers tangled in his soft, feathery hair. He keens, hips stuttering, and your shoulders dig into the wall from the force of his last, desperate thrusts. The ache is satisfying. You sink to the floor together again, sharing breaths, panting softly. Wes kisses you again, sharp teeth digging into your lower lip. It reminds you of being younger, but it’s not the same. It’s better. 

He makes dinner. You try to help but he pushes you out of the kitchen with his wings, blocking your view of the stove. You talk across rooms in short, disjointed thoughts, getting to know him all over again. There’s a stack of graded math assignments neatly arranged on a coffee table in front of a framed photo. It’s from high school. You’re in the woods, the old lumber mill in the background. Your smile is big and toothy. Wes is smiling, too, but he’s looking at you instead of the camera. 

“How long are you gonna stay?” Wes calls from the kitchen.

“Dunno,” you say. “A little while, at least.” You pass Neely’s drawing, chuckling. You pause, crouching by the fireplace. 

There’s one brick in there that’s a slightly different color from the others. You run your fingers over the bumpy, chipped texture and remember what it felt like against your palm.

[yourlocalartsonist]

ROTTMNT Moths Fly In Packs - Chapter Six

A/N: GREETINGS! I HAVE RETURNED! And like, not much to say in this note imma be honest but I am gonna say this chapter is ridiculously cute and wholesome. It does kinda start delving into the more... traumatic aspects of the fic but still, overall just wholesome and sweet. Hope y'all like it <3

Also! Credit to: @sweaterrat for being my beloved beta reader!

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Chapter One

Disclaimer: Chapter involves familial neglect, gaslighting, hinted abuse, injuries, self deprecation, harmful mentalities, hinted animal death, and curse words. If you're sensitive to that stuff, scroll past and stay safe! <3

I squinted at the pale blue ceiling and the blinding lights surrounding me. The air smelled acidic, kinda like the classic “doctor’s office” scent of medicine and alcohol. Groaning, I shifted around on the soft mattress trying to feel my body again. 

“Look who’s finally up.” I remember that voice.

 

“Salena? Are you okay?” April? 

I turned my head to meet April O’Neil’s stressed out face and the blue idiot next to her smiling with his half-lidded eyes.

“Y-yeah I’m okay, I thi- WAIT.” 

My eyes shot open panicked to see April the human casually sitting next to Leonardo the fucking mutant turtle as if that’s a completely normal-everyday thing.

“L-LEO!? April? How- What? Um… d-do y’all know each other???” 

“I could be asking you the same thing.” She laughed and lightly pat my head “Out of all the mutual friends we could’ve possibly had, it just happened to be mutant turtles. Who woulda thunk, aye?” 

Leo shrugged at her comment “It’s a small world.” 

They both seem so comfortable and at ease around each other. Meanwhile, I’m still trying to process the fact that my old tutor and my new turtle friend are together in the same room laughing and joking like they’ve known each other for years. Speaking of rooms actually.

“So um, where am I?” 

“The med bay. April called for an emergency and when I portalled us here, my brothers and I found you on the ground passed out while she was panicking.”

“I didn’t know any hospitals nearby so I figured it’d be faster to just call Leo. Besides, probably would’ve gotten both of us into a lot of shit if I had to explain to a doctor how we ended up like this.” 

SLAM!

The door slid open loud as thunder, nearly making my soul jump out of my body. 

“SALENA YOU’RE AWAKE!” 

“Easy big man, you’ll make them pass out again.” Raph walked into the room chuckling as the tiny tangerine squeezed me in a hug.

“OW! G-good to see you too, Mikey.” 

“You were gone for days! Days! I thought you were dead!”

“WHAT?-“

“Mikey, you’re exaggerating, stop scaring her.” Donnie carried him off me to let me breathe. “You know, when I asked if you were mentally okay, I didn’t intend to have my doubts justified.” 

I laughed nervously and fiddled with my hair, desperate to change the subject “How long was I actually out for?”

“About an hour, give or take. You lost a bit of blood but it wasn’t too bad. A cut on your temple, the bite on your arm, and a few bruises here and there.”

I lightly touched the bandage on my head and noticed my left arm wrapped in the same manner. Neat, clean, and professional. Definitely Leo’s work.

“We were worried about you, Salena.” Raph took a seat on the bed next to me “About both of you. What even happened?”

“You didn’t tell them?” I looked over at April, puzzled since I assumed her confirmed conspiracy would be the first thing she’d talk about.

“Uh, no? I was waiting for you to wake up first. You were my priority.” Oh. I stand corrected. “All I said was that there’s something funky going on with the government and possibly illegal science experiments.”

“Well, then. I guess we should start at the beginning?”

“But of course! And do not miss a single detail. I wanna hear absolutely everything!” The grip on his pencil was so strong, I’m surprised it didn’t break already.

We went on explaining the situation to the boys, getting them caught up with how the day went. Minus the reason I didn’t go to school, they respected it enough to let me keep it a secret. Quite a pleasant surprise, I must say. 

“Wait you blew up the whole place? What happened to the animals?”

“With any luck, they’re dead. I just couldn’t see any other way to save them.”

Mikey looked so dejected. I don’t even blame him, I feel horrible doing it myself. “But what if the government actually treated them well? Maybe they weren’t actually hurt?”

“No, Salena’s right to assume they wouldn’t. Just a disclaimer, I’m not saying I’ve ever used living beings in my experiments-”

“Aside from your brothers?” 

“Hmm, no that doesn’t sound like me.” Donnie ignored her eye roll. I definitely have to catch that story another time. “But I do know when animals and science are mixed together— even by a smaller company— it is usually not a good thing… One can only assume how the government would treat them, especially if it’s hidden from any public criticism. They probably wouldn’t have lived long under those conditions anyway, Mikey.” 

Mikey clung closer to Raph, I’m guessing animals are a soft topic for him. 

“Hey, guys? I’m honestly starting to wonder just how ‘natural’ those giant cats really were.” Her eyes caught my attention “Salena, you remember when they chased us the first time right? They stopped exactly when we left the military bunker-lab-thing.”

I nodded to let her continue. “But when you went back, I found them still chasing you way past the room’s doors. They recognized you.”

“But that ain’t new for animals, they recognize people all the time. That’s why Mayhem knows who we are.”

“Or why he always only scratches your face, Raph?” 

“Leo!”

Ignoring the two goofs, the more thought I gave that theory the more sense it made. “You know, April might be right. When I was sticking on the explosives, some of the cats started swatting at them like they were trying to take them down. Like they actually knew I was trying to explode the place.”

“Argh, we need more evidence to be sure of any of this! But the lab’s gone now. There’s no way to go back and do more investigating.” Oh shit, that’s right... “All I’ve got are some pictures and these weird papers Salena found.”

“Donnie’s on it!”

He flipped on his goggles and inspected the papers as everyone else watched in anticipation. My brain, however, was still hung up on April’s words. When I exploded the lab my focus was on destroying everything to stop the government from hurting those animals. Stop their progress. I didn’t think that it would stop our progress too. Maybe I didn’t even think period. 

“Strange, there aren’t any matches for it in my database. Must be a secret constructed language of some sort. If that’s the case then I don’t think I can really read it without an English translation to its alphabet, and if it’s supposed to be secret I doubt I’d be able to just find it on the internet.”

“So, it’s completely useless?”

“Yep, basically.”

I had a feeling he’d say that. “How delightful.” 

A large hand gently rubbed my back “Hey, don’t get yourself so down in the dumps. You did what you thought best.” 

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not too hung up on it!” Lies.

I appreciate Raph trying to comfort me, I really do. But it’s not stopping the thoughts running through my head. He’s right that I did what I thought was best but clearly, I thought wrong so why does that even matter? 

I felt a buzz on my leg, someone must’ve texted. It’s around four right now so school’s over, Jaiden and Zane might be wondering where I-

WAIT SCHOOL’S OVER!?

“Oh no!”

“Everything okay?” Mikey was speaking again. Well at least there’s that tiny drop of relief in the vast ocean of “Oh fuck”

“No! I forgot the school day ended already! I was supposed to be home half an hour ago! I always tell my aunt if I’ll be home later but I didn’t expect that to happen today.” I fumbled around trying to get my stupid phone out, seeing my nightmare confirmed reality as my aunt began blowing it up with texts. “Haha, I am so dead.” 

“Can’t you just tell her you’re over at a friend’s place? That’s what April does.”

“Donnie, my aunt and April’s parents are very, very different.” I glanced over at April, then back at him “She’s not gonna let me stay. I need to go, like, right now.”

“Ah ah ah ah ah ah!” A pair of hands placed themselves on my shoulders and plopped me back down. “You’re not going anywhere. You’ve gotta rest up first.”

“But-”

“You weren’t deadly injured or anything, but it was still pretty bad and you healed suspiciously fast. Faster than you should’ve. I wanna monitor your health just in case it gets worse later so you need to stay the night.”

“Oh ho no! No no no no, you guys don’t understand! If I don’t leave now the only place I’ll be staying in is a coffin.” 

He scoffed “Well, it’s not gonna be much different if you leave in this condition, either. Look, we’ll figure something out but I’m not letting you leave this room till I’m sure you’re not just gonna drop dead. At least not somewhere I can’t reach you.”

He crossed his arms. I was about to object till I heard April’s voice.

“Hey, listen. Just give your aunt a call, put her on speaker, and we’ll all tell her what happened together. And if anything goes wrong, just leave it to me, m’kay? It’ll be fine, promise.” She gave me a reassuring wink. “Better than letting you go back like this.”

April knows what my aunt is like, I’ve talked to her about it before and she’s even met her once. My hands are shaking but if April’s saying it’ll be okay then maybe it’s not such a bad idea. Besides, I could use some time to heal myself before I get back to housework. 

Alright, Salena. You’ve got this. Just be calm. Like April said it’ll be okay!

I took a deep breath and clicked the call button. Not even one ring passed before she picked up and justified every ounce of my anxiety.

“SALENA! WHERE ARE YOU? YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE HOME!” 

“Uh, h-hey Phuphu! So uh, funny story…” I twirled my hair trying to ease my nerves. “Well, first actually, you’re on speaker, I’m with some friends right now. W-we wanna talk to you real quick.”

“You’re with friends!? You left a ridiculous amount of chores lying undone and you’re out fooling around with friends!?”

“U-um no, not like that! Uh…” Well, there goes staying calm.

Raph cleared his voice “Um, hello Ma’am! My name’s Raphael, just wanted to clarify we’re not fooling around! Salena actually got-”

“Wait, IS THAT A BOY?” Dear sweet heavens have mercy. “Salena, are you neglecting your responsibilities to hang out with boys!?”

“No! I wasn’t trying to push any chores away, I promise!”

“Can someone tell me why us being male is such a huge deal?” 

“S-she’s a little old fashioned, don’t question it.” I whispered to Donnie trying to hint at him to drop it. If my aunt went on another “boys and girls shouldn’t be friends” lecture my brain will physically combust and crumble into tiny shreds of cringe and pain.

“Another boy? Salena, how many are you with right now?”

“Four of us plus April, tía! I can call you tía, right?” Oh god no Leo PLEASE. “Look, while I’m sure we’d all love to chat and get to know each other, let’s cut to why we actually called you, hm? Salena got hurt today, they’re fine now but they need to rest. We’re planning on having her stay over for the night to make sure they heal properly.”

“YOU WANT TO STAY AT A HOUSE FULL OF BOYS? Oh my god, what is the matter with you?” 

“Phuphu, I-I need to. I really can’t go home like this, I promise if I could I would.”

She sighed heavily through the phone “Salena, I know you’re not as pretty as Meeta but if you were going to fool around with men, you could at least make sure they’re rich.” 

…

WHAT.

The room went so silent I swear you could hear my internal screaming.

I laughed a little too loud and grit my teeth “Phuphu, I thought I told you you’re on speaker?”

“Yes, and?”

“You know what, give it to me. I’ll take over.” I placed my phone in April’s open palm, astonished at how confident she sounded considering the rest of us were still fucking speechless “Hi there! This is April O’Neil, Salena’s friend and old tutor. You remember me, dontcha?”

“Oh, you. As if I could ever forget.” I could taste her bitterness from all the way over here. She never really liked April. Probably only ‘cause April didn’t hate me.

“Perfect! So, Leo already told you but Salena got a head injury today, kind of a big deal. They’re staying over at my place for the night since it’s too far to walk her home, the guys will leave after a bit. My parents and I’ll take great care of her so you don’t gotta worry ‘bout a thing!” She’s lying. Honestly, smart move, don’t know why I didn’t just try that first.

“Oh of course, because the dishes will just do themselves, won’t they? Salena’s being dramatic, she’ll be fine.”

“No offense, but I think you and your daughter can survive one day without them doing everything for you. But, if you really can’t, then I’ll help!”

Hold the fucking phone, what? “A-April, what are you doing?”

“And how much are you going to charge me for your ‘help’.“

“Nothin’! Since you’re family of a friend, my services will be free ninety-nine. She’s gotta stay in bed for- Leo when can they go home?”

“Probably tomorrow at noon. That’s the soonest I’m willing to risk.”

“Then they’ll be home by noon tomorrow. Till then, I’ll cover for them! I don’t have any classes left, anyway.”

“…Fine. If you can come later today to do her chores, then she can stay. But I’m not allowing another minute afternoon!” 

“You got yourself a deal. Have a nice day!” 

And just like that, it was over. I’m left wondering how the hell human hearts could beat so fast. April triumphantly hung up and gave me back my phone. She’s sure doing a lot for me today…

“Dang, slay April!” Mikey was the first to react “That was so cool! How’d you even do that so smoothly?” 

“Thanks but I really just knew which buttons to press. Salena’s aunt and I met before so I’ve got a neat little cheat sheet on how to deal with her.”

“Ugh while we’re on the topic, Salena, your aunt sucks! Why was she making such a fuss over literally nothing? Seriously, she annoyed me so much I started hacking the call to track down her address! For reasons completely unrelated to violence, of course.” 

“Uh, how did you even do-“

“Don’t worry about it.” 

“Dontron, you know they live in the same apartment right?”

“Really though, does everyone in your life suck? I mean, we got your hoser friend, Zane, and now your aunt. You want another session with Doctor Feelings?”

“I’m good.” I’m tired. “Sorry for how she treated you guys. I honestly don’t know how my aunt and dad were raised under the same roof but alas, here we are.”

“Hey, don’t sweat it. Not like it’s your fault. Raph is sure none of us care a single bit about what that crazy old lady said! Right guys?”

“Correcto! But, now that we’ve got that bullshit settled, shouldn’t we go back to the true matter at hand?” He waved the paper in front of us, I’m kinda surprised it wasn’t trashed already. “April, you’re absolutely positive you can’t give me anything more to go off of? Anything at all?”

“Well, I can try. There’s gotta be something we’re missing or forgetting about.” 

“Hey, hermanos, I am more than happy to talk more about this whole government conspiracy stuff, but maybe we should do it in another room and let Salena, ya know, actually rest?” 

What? “But I’m the only other person who was there! I should be here to help.”

“You’ve helped enough, Salena. If Leo says you need to rest then you need to rest. I’ll be fine on my own.” 

Her tone was soft. Her smile was warm. And even then, I can’t help worrying it’s just an act. I’m the reason she even has to do so much, there’s no way she’s not even a little bit upset at me.

“Isn’t it a bad idea to leave her here alone, though? Raph can stay behind.” 

“No need to, big bro, I already texted Dad. He said he’s on his way so she’ll be okay.” 

“Perfect, perfect, now onward, brethren! Mysteries and research are on the horizon and I can wait no longer!” After his dramatic exit, everyone followed Donnie in pursuit. 

Leo paused, though. His head turned, looking a little conflicted before walking back towards me.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay? No headaches or nausea or anything?”

“Yep, I think I’m feeling pretty fine.”

“Okay, well, in that case.”

Flick!

“OW! What was that for?”

“Stop impulsively jumping into everything like a maniac. You’re gonna get yourself hurt.” 

“Hmph, look who’s talking.” I huffed and dramatically rubbed my forehead at the stinging sensation. It didn’t actually hurt that much but it did hurt my pride, so.

“Exactly! If I’m saying you’re being too reckless then you should probably listen.” His bright eyes dimmed, looking down for a slight second, then right back at mine. “Hey, I know I said you didn’t get hurt too badly but still. You just got lucky, Salena. You really need to be a little more careful and a little less of an… adrenaline junkie, as charming as it is. You’re not invincible, ya know.”

He’s being serious. “I know, I know. I’ll… I’ll try.” I didn’t realize how worried everyone would be over me. It feels a little bittersweet.

“Good enough for me. Try not to give me and my brothers a heart attack next time we meet, aight?” He slid the door back open, ready to join his brothers. “Oh, hey pops!”

Pops? Must be their dad.

…HOLY SHIT I’M MEETING THEIR DAD?

I quickly straightened up and smoothed out my clothes, frustratingly praying my hair didn’t look like a drunk pigeon’s nest. I was so distracted from everything else going on at lightning speed, I didn’t realize Leo just asked their dad to come in and basically babysit me! I can’t believe my first impression of him is gonna be when I look as presentable as a toddler in a restaurant. 

“You must be the new friend.” I followed the new voice, lowering my head to meet the person it came from. 

A round gray rat carrying a tray with two cups of tea. He was dressed in a bronze and gold-colored robe, their family symbol as the centerpiece in red. I don’t know why but I thought he’d be taller.

“U-um yes! I am. My name is Salena, it’s nice to meet you Mr…?”

He chuckled, setting the tray down on a table “Oh please, formalities are for old losers. Call me Splinter.” 

“Right! I didn’t mean to call you old or anything. Well, nice to meet you, Splinter! My name’s Salena!”

“Um yes, you’ve already told me.”

“R-right again!” Dumbass, get a grip. “Sorry um, I’m not really all too great at this socialization ordeal so, ya know… B-but it’s nothing you did! Or said! You’re a really cool dude- er, rat! Whichever you prefer! Wow, I am totally blowing this.” I’ve been talking with my hands, awkwardly laughing, and fumbling with my words for a minute straight.

He laughed at me confirming that I did, in fact, look like an idiot. ”Calm down, calm down! Here, drink some tea. Your body will thank you.”

He handed me one of the small cups with bronze-colored tea, tiny citrus kernels sprinkled all over. I took a sip. A sweet aroma with a spicy ginger taste. I recognized it immediately. It’s been a long while since I’ve had a warm cup of tea like this. Definitely did the trick as my nerves started settling down. 

“Thank you. Sorry about the awkwardness. I did intend to have a better first impression but, ya know.” I looked down at my bandaged arm and sighed “Didn’t quite work out that way.”

He smiled gently, “Yeah, life has a funny sense of humor sometimes.”

“Ha! You can say that again.” 

We sat on the bed drifting off to our own private thoughts, the room now filled with a soft, tranquil vibe. Unfortunately, seeing as my brain hates me, a part of me was still antsy from the whole day just completely unable to relax. I feel overwhelmed and exhausted and it’s not even just physically. There’s just too much going on…

“Spit it out.”

Wh-what? “Spit out the tea?..”

“Yes- I MEAN no! Why would I ask you to spit out the tea?”

I shrugged “Beats me.”

He sighed and rubbed his head, still staring at the wall. “I meant I can tell something’s bothering you. I’m already updated on what happened earlier, so feel free to talk about it.”

“...I’m fine. Tired, but fine.”

“I’ve raised four kids and mentally adopted three more. If you think that’s all it takes to lie to me, then I have very bad news for you.”

My fingers combed through my hair, trying to soothe my stupid, restless mind. 

“I mean, it’s not too bad. I’m just… I dunno, disappointed I guess?”

“About the mission? Or about yourself?”

I scoffed. “What’s the difference? The mission failed because of me. If I just listened to April, maybe things would’ve ended up better.” I vented my frustrations on the teacup, loudly setting it down on the saucer. ”Instead, I ran off and got myself hurt, and now well… I might’ve destroyed the biggest lead she had to solving all of this! Ugh, I’m such a moron- ow!” I slapped my forehead annoyingly forgetting how that’s the literal worst course of action I could’ve taken.

“You made a mistake, everyone does that.”

“Well, yeah, but I keep making mistakes! Over and over and over again! I got hurt, I worried everyone, I ruined April’s mission, I forgot to call my aunt so now April has to do my chores for me!” And I don’t even know what I did to upset Jaiden. Hell, maybe even Zane! Maybe he did know Jaiden had plans with me and decided to fuck me over cause he was mad, too! “I don’t know how but I keep screwing up everything I touch.”

“Salena, there’s a difference between thinking you screwed up and thinking of yourself as a screw up. And you” he paused, pointing a pink finger at me “are doing the latter.”

I raised my brow “Uh, don’t take this the wrong way but… why does that matter? The mission failed either way, it’s not like I can just blast back in time and redo it.”

“Correct! You cannot change the past!” Mimicking my actions from earlier, Splinter placed his own cup on the saucer. “You shouldn’t be dwelling on things you have no control over anymore.”

“I’m dwelling on it because I regret it! I regret hurting my friends.”

He let out a long sigh. “You know, you remind me of a young boy I used to know very well.” I do?

“He was annoying.” Oh. “And impulsive. And reckless, stupid, never thought things through.”

“Okay, I-I think I get-”

“Overly ambitious, overly terrified, constantly bickering, raging perfectionist,” He went down the list counting with his fingers as my soul kept dying a little bit more “but above all, he hurt people. He hurt the ones he loved and he regretted it. Even after his life changed its entire course, the regret never left him.”

He closed his eyes, deep in thought. “He focused on that regret, focused on his mistakes. He was raising four boys all on his own and still could only see what he lost or what he had done wrong. He regret all the things he couldn’t give them, the normal life he lost for himself and his sons. He regretted those things over and over again. And because of that regret, he pushed his family away. He hurt them even more. All because he couldn’t forgive himself for hurting them before.”

He looked at me as I realized who this was about. “Salena, I don’t know how life’s been for you to be so laser-focused on your mistakes. I can only hope it was kinder to you than it was to me. But, I’m trying to help you realize something it took me years to finally accept.”

“And that is?...”

“My sons never regret having me as their dad. They were never obsessed with my failures as much as I was, even when they should have been. You failed one mission, I’ve made years worth of mistakes as a parent. And yet, my kids forgave me. I’m sure they’ve already forgiven you, assuming they were even upset in the first place. All that’s left is for you to forgive yourself.”

The room went quiet again. I thought about his words, letting them swirl around in my mind. I couldn’t think of anything useful I’d done, at least he still raised four mutant children all on his own. But that could also just be my perspective. Maybe he’s right, maybe I am just being harder on myself than anyone else is. But I’m still so scared…

“Splinter?”

“Yeah?”

“Um… do you really think April isn’t mad at me? For… for failing as badly as I did?”

“Well, she didn’t look upset to me. But, I’m not April, am I? If you’re really unsure, just go and talk to her.”

I pursed my lips. “That’s never gone well for me before, though. I get yelled at when I try.”

“Then maybe you weren’t the problem. Maybe it was the people who yelled at you for daring to check if they were okay.” He gently placed his hand on mine. His touch felt familiar and strangely nostalgic. “Still, it’s your life, Pink. Your choice. Don’t feel pressured to do something you aren’t ready to. But, if you do choose to talk to her, I can assure you April’s way too patient to be upset at you for trying.” He chuckled “She’s friends with my boys, she has to be!” 

There’s something so relaxing about his presence, I can’t help but smile. 

“Thank you. I think I’ll try talking to her, just later when my mind feels clearer.”

He gave me a dorky thumbs up. “I’ll be rooting for you!”

They’re really lucky to have him as a dad.

“Would you like a distraction for now?”

“Yes, please. It’s been a really long day.”

“Great, we can watch some of my films! I’ll even give you my own personal director’s cut!” He pulled out his phone and my jaw dropped when I saw the man on the screen, someone I almost entirely forgot about.

“NO WAY!!! YOU’RE LOU JITSU!?” I literally could not stop my hands from flapping in excitement as I explained to him my family’s adoration of Lou Jitsu movies. We used to watch them together all the time, both mom and dad were obsessed with him! I don’t really remember much about the movies, though, so it’s kinda like getting to watch them for the first time now.

The rest of the night went by pretty smoothly. Mostly consisted of Splinter showing me his movies and commercials while giving behind-the-scenes anecdotes about them as I very enthusiastically listened. Mikey and Raph would drop by whenever it was time to eat and Leo checked my vitals every now and then. They’re all a little busy for the most part, though, so it’s a good thing Splinter was here to keep me company. Plus, he seemed to enjoy it just as much as I did.

I didn’t really see April even after she returned back from my aunt’s place. I can only assume she and Donnie were busy the rest of the day trying to pick at every minuscule detail to stretch into a working theory, at least one that satisfies them for now. I replayed Splinter’s words from earlier. His suggestion to go talk to her. I have no idea why but I’m feeling the urge to right now, the time just feels right. So I slid off the bed, shakily getting my footing enough to walk. 

I dragged my body up the stairs to their living room, also known as Splinter’s man cave, and found April there packing her backpack and getting ready to leave.

She perked up when she saw me “Oh, hey! How’re ya feeling? Better than before?”

“Yeah, I think. My head doesn’t hurt as much anymore!” My nerves weren’t entirely gone so a part of me is still hesitating as I’m trying to properly form words. “Are you going home?”

“Yep, I need some serious relaxation after today. And shouldn’t you be doing the same? Doctor Leon’s gonna lose his head if he sees you waltzing around without any help.”

“Oh please, what’s he gonna do? Throw a pun at me?” 

We laughed as the air in the room felt a little bit lighter.

“Actually I wasn’t really just walking for no reason. I wanted to talk to you, April.”

She cocked her head and smiled, sitting down on the floor and patting the area next to her to ask me to join. “Alright, shoot. What is it?”

“Well… okay, full disclosure, this might be a little dumb and just me being paranoid. Or, actually I’m starting to think more and more that it really is just me being paranoid. Point is, I just… I…”

She hummed to let me continue. I fiddled with my fingers and calmed myself down enough to let it out.

“I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

I looked at her, she seemed genuinely confused. “You’re seriously not mad at me? Like, at all? I mean I quite literally barged back into your life on a day when you had a very important mission, proceeded to tag along on that mission, and then ruined it by being dumb and impulsive. I blew it, literally. You’re not upset?”

“Is that what this is about?” Why’s she finding it so funny? “No, of course I’m not mad! You caused your first explosion, no biggie. We’re friends with four bozos who do that all the time! This shit’s normal in this household.”

“Okay um, first of all, what the fuck. Second, I still feel like you shouldn’t be so… casual about it. I mean, even if arson is normal, I still failed. You spent so long trying to track down any lead you can and the first place you find, I show up and explode it before we can get anything that actually made this whole mess worth it.” I can feel my nails in my arms. “And to top it all off, you’re still doing favors for me and taking care of my chores just so I can rest. Even though you need it just as much as I do! April, I just… feel bad. I shouldn’t have joined your mission like an idiot in the first place. I just didn’t wanna be alone. I was being selfish.”

I kept my eyes tunnel visioned on my hands, I can feel April staring at me and I know damn well if I look her in the eyes now I’ll start crying. 

I heard her sigh “Hey, I’ll be honest, I would’ve done the same thing back when I was sixteen. Hell, forget that, I’d probably still do it now if I wasn’t focused on getting you to safety at the time.” Her hand felt soft on my shoulder “I’m not saying whether or not you did the right thing, I’ve got no clue about that myself. But you did what you thought best and that’s what matters.”

“Even if my best wasn’t enough?”

“Your best is always enough.” 

She moved her hand away to wrap her arm around my shoulders. “And for the record, I’m actually happy you ‘barged back into my life’! We have more excuses to hang out now that you know the weirder side of everything.” 

I laughed and felt myself relaxing. I could finally look at her again. “Yeah, I guess so! Although, I think things would go a bit smoother if I had an actual weapon like you guys do.”

Her eyes lit up, the look of mischief plastered all over her face. So much so it actually concerned me. 

“I might actually know a little secret that can help you with that.”

It wasn’t long before the new information lit my eyes the same exact way. At least now I finally have the motivation to go back to school.

I slept pretty peacefully that night. Leo slept on the floor next to me just in case something happened so we ended up talking quite a lot before eventually passing out. The med bay bed is surprisingly cozy and my mind finally felt refreshingly blank. 

I woke up in the morning, stretching my arms, and turning to see two long black gloves covered with white rings and a purple note placed on the desk. I picked it up and read it.

Because you’re seemingly unable of not injuring your fucking arms, here’s a gift to help. P.S.: I whipped this up overnight so if there are any broken features, malfunctions, or unintended explosions, report to my lab immediately. -Othello Von Ryan, Genius Extraordinaire.

I quietly laughed and tried on the gloves. They fit perfectly.

Next Chapter

[clevereverest]

Newsiestober Day 13 - Baking

- Race (POV) & Albert

- I posted the full story here (/safe) on my AO3! Enjoy this little 450+ word snippet :)

(Please imagine this post’s date says Oct. 13, I did not miss the time changing at midnight, no sir)

@newsiestober2023

———

It’s October, specifically Friday the 13th. The perfect time for spooky activities, like watching scary movies, messing around with a Ouija board, enjoying haunted locations and screaming with your friends.

But no.

Race and Albert are baking instead.

See, it’s all Albert’s fault. He gets scared stupidly easily (despite his usually chill persona) and so refused to do any of the aforementioned spooky things Race suggested. Race, on the other hand, would have loved to do that stuff. He could have gotten Spot involved, since he also likes scary stuff, and left Albert with his boyfriend.

But no.

Spot and Finch made plans together ahead of time, leaving Race with Albert. Not unlike parents leaving their children for a few hours unsupervised, Spot and Finch left their chaotic boyfriends for the evening with the guarantee the house would remain standing by the time they returned. And honestly? They deserved the time away after all the shit they put up with.

So yeah. Race and Albert were baking on Friday the 13th.

Race took point on what exactly they’d be baking — he had a master plan. Earlier in the week, he went to a family member’s house and picked up a cookbook with some seasonal recipes he recalled liking. Today, the sun had set around half past six, Albert was dropped off by Finch, who took Spot and left two of the most unhinged best friends alone.

“You ready to see the cookbook we’ll be using?” Race asked after they’d moved into the kitchen. He was grinning, but he couldn’t help it — the anticipation was killing him.

Albert cracked his knuckles, returning the same grin. “Hell yeah.”

Ever the dramatic, Race slowly stepped back, grabbed the book from its hiding spot, and then brandished it in front of him. “Ta-da!”

At first, Albert looked excited. Upon further inspection, his expression faltered. “What the hell is that?”

“The cookbook,” Race quipped cheerily.

“I know that, smartass,” Albert shot back defensively. He gestured at the book. “Why does it look like a witch’s tome of spells?”

“For the vibes,” Race explained like it was the simplest concept in the world.

“Uh-huh…” Albert trailed off, warily eyeing the book. “Are the ‘vibes’ going to summon a demon or something?”

“The vibes are only going to get us some delicious Halloween snacks, so no, it’s not —”

Race paused, considering for a moment. Albert sent him a very pointed look in that same break that Race went to a great length to ignore. He didn’t really think anything would happen. Sure, the relative he loaned this off of was a little strange at times — talking of magic and actually, demons, too — but that doesn’t mean Race and Albert would summon one.

…Right?

Yeah, no, it’d be fine.

———

Check out the link at the top of the post for the rest of the story! :)