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cheseyre · 4 years

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good news, sluts! my brain's no longer being completely stupid (only mostly), i've seen the new asides and...have some thought-y thot thoughts:

*deep inhale*

Okay, first things first: this art style is soooo fucking cUTE and I'm a jealous, squealing bitch. Anyone who knows who the artist is, could you link me to them, stat? I think Thomas mentioned them at the beginning of the ep, but nYeh, brain hurt, doesn't wanna do wooork-

Okay, I'll admit, I was a little...apprehensive when I first saw the thumbnail and title. Part of it's just me being a bitter Remus Stan, but also...okay, deep breaths, controversial opinion time, get ready:

I don't ship Prinxiety.

Like, at all.

I can see the appeal, and these dorks were so very, VERY cute in this particular ep, but I was honestly turned off by the ship long ago due to how overwhelmingly popular it is and how some fans characterize these two and treat this relationship as if it's the only valid one, y'know, the works—slight tangent, but that's also why I don't ship Logicality or Remile. I honestly vibe much better with ships like Roceit or Analogical, y'know?

Cutting in for another brief tangent: I'm surprisingly okay with Demus/Dukeceit/Receit/Trashnoodle/Whatever-Their-Ship-Name-Is-Oh-God-Why-Do-They-Have-So-Many-Fucking-Names; maybe it's cause they haven't actually interacted in canon and the fan content gives me such good Gay Disney Villain content, idk man im weird—).

Still, their interactions were both hilarious and sweet and like I said, I see the appeal, it's just not my cup of tea. y'all Prinxiety fans got fucking FED and I'm happy for you nerds. Enjoy ze happy boys!

I guess another factor in my...low-key hesitance when I first saw what the ep was about is that...okay, get ready, another controversial opinion, le gasp: well, I'm not a big Virgil fan. In fact, at times, he swaps places with Patton as my least favorite sides—especially with some of his recent behavior in eps like DWIT (the "prohibit your breathing comment" really triggered me, for example). Sometimes, his attitude, especially around other sides like Roman or Janus, reminds me a little too much of my sister, who I don't have...a very good relationship with. Add to that how the more...intense side of the fandom has a disturbing tendency to turn him into the 'uwu precious woobie emo baby who can do no wrong' while unnecessarily villainizing other CERTAIN sides in the process, and...I think you all see where I'm going with this little rant 😅

However, upon actually watching the ep, he wasn't...that bad? I don't think? I enjoyed watching him be a flustered, disaster-y mess and genuinely excited at the end, his interactions with Roman were nice enough, and him literally pushing Thomas to make a move with Nico despite his obvious panic attack was a nice moment of genuine character development. I like seeing that, that's the good shit right there. And him being all flustered and shit, and smiling so much at the end of the vid was just...well, adorable. This man has no fucking right to be this cute, my god

alsoooo

pURPLE EYESHADOW

PURPLE EYESHADOW HE LOOKS?? SO GOOD?? WTF?? SLAY EMO, SLAAAAAAAY FUCK, DOES THIS MEAN I HAVE TO CHANGE MY HALLOWEEN COSTUME NOW?

alsoooo

hAPPY ROMAN

YESSSSS~ MAH BOI MAH SON MAH DUMB BITCH HIMBO PRINCE MAH EXTRA MESSY CINNAMON ROLL

ITS BEEN SO LONG

AND HIS LITTLE HEART EYES THROUGHOUT THE VID, OH MY GOD-

IMMA JUST IGNORE THAT "ADDING [MISTAKE] TO THE LIST" COMMENT I AM LOOKING AWAY I DO NOT SEE IT LALALALALA

THOMATHY, SIR, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT MAKING THESE TWO GAY IDIOTS SO BAEBY

Okay, but Virgil not realizing that "cyberstalking in real life" is literally just stalking is both a big ass mood and further proof that, yes, Logan is indeed the only one holding the braincell out of this disaster of a lot. God help them all if he ducks out in the next ep.

👀

And Thomas x Trash Can is my new OTP. I dub thee ✨ "Trashmas" ✨

we sTAN TRASHMAS

Wait, does that mean Remus actually WAS in the ep? Cause, y'know, trash man?

hmmm

👀 👀

Okay, okay.

With how much Virgil and Roman were going off about Thomas constantly lying, I was (understandably) a tad bit disappointed my snek son didn't even make a fucking cameo, but y'know what? In hindsight, I'm okay with this it's fineee~

He was just off playing with shadow puppets and stealing money from us desperate, content-starved peasants with his sheer extra-ness and, honestly? Gotta respect the hustle.

Get that precious, precious coin, dapper snake! Wring us poor losers dryyyy!

*evil snek laugh*

Also, this is a breather ep and adding Janus in probably would've caused unnecessary drama with the Roceit breakup and the constant antagonism between Virgil and him. It probably would've distracted from the point of the ep (flirting with social anxiety, exactly what it says in the tin)—much like it wasn't really Virgil or Remus's place to show up during POF. Does that make sense? I think it makes sense. Sorry, brain going brr-

Still, I can't believe the "Fuck Janus Sanders" Club is actually canon now 😂

God, first Patton in a skirt and now this.

Thomas Sanders, you delight in fucking feEDING this gremlin nest of a fanbase, don’t you? You RELISH our screams of joy and pain and suffering, dON’T YOU?

What's next, actual canonical Janus and Remus interaction? Patton saying the fuck word? The Dragon Witch comes back? Janus's bowler hat gains sentience and takes over the world, Doris-style? What do you have planned, Thomas? Joan? WHAT ART THOU PLANNING, I MUST KNOW YOU HEATHENS YOU FIENDS-

And Virgil's little "would it be fair to him" comment, tho.

👀

Like, I get in the context of the ep, he was likely talking about Nico and how it wouldn’t be good for a potential relationship with Tomas to be founded on lies, but still...my anxceit heart aches, man.

Gimme that sweet, sweet angst with a side of mutual regret and possible future reconciliation and maybe something more wink wink nudge nudge on top, pls

...and fries.

Honestly, tho, that entire bathroom monologue was fucking beautiful, man. And relatable, too—i can't tell you how many times I've talked to myself in public restrooms because I just didn't know how to get the words I wanted to say out. It's...kind of embarrassing, tbh

Speaking of embarrassing, uh, crying stall guy.

Just...

Crying Stall Guy

Like, I was expecting someone to come out the bathroom stall after Thomas stopped talking, but...I honestly wasn't expecting that. God, that whole scene was so cringe worthy and fucking hilarious

Honestly, Thomas in the ep in general was a huge ass mOOD and we collective gay/bi disasters ALL related with him, and if you say you don't, you're either lying to yourself or a demon.

There is no in between

sorry I don't make the rules

Like, I get this series is literally a gay disaster talking to himself for thirty minutes or longer, but like- EMPHASIS on the 'disaster' part 😂

Like...Thomas, you're lucky you're such a goddamn bean, because GOD, I cringing so hard when he first started talking to Nico

Although, I too have apologized profusely for genuine mistakes and am a flustered bi mess around my crush sooo

😅

And god, Roman's "thirty = old man" jokes made me feel old...and I literally just turned twenty, like, come on, man!

Maybe that's because I was literally watching this ep after finishing my ACT and had been sitting with a bunch of high schoolers, with their tiny fucking desks and tiny fucking water fountains smeh

*clears throat*

Anyways, uh, we STAN Nico Pintrovert Florés in this house

He gives me such big Carlos from WTNV vibes for some reason and this makes me sooo happy

and YESS, he's a WRITER

And he's??? So sweet?? A pure bean?? Just sits on his laptop at the mall food court all day, like a god-fucking iCON?? A Nightmare Before Christmas fan?? weARS GLASSES??

my hEART

*cries*

The fandom seems torn between "Nicomas" and "Karrot Kings" as a ship name atm—personally speaking, I'm casting my vote for the latter

*crosses fingers* please dont be another janus x remus multiple ship name issue guys, please please please I can't keep track of them all-

*clears throat*

On that note, I'm guess I'm gonna go try and whoo over my crush with carrots now. If THIS disaster can do it and make it actually fucking work, god damnit, so cAN I

Meanwhile, in hell, my brain's just screaming "CANON LOVE INTEREST CANON LOVE INTEREST CANON LOVE INTEREST-"

God, I hope Nico isn't just a one-shot character, he's too pure and Thomas and him are adorable gay Disney fans and I stan

Oh, I wonder how the other sides'll react to him.

Wait.

Oh god.

This ep just unleashed a new fresh hell of potential Nico x Sides ships, hasn't it?

Welp, time to prepare for ze incoming flood of fanfics, I guess. I'll get my umbrella and rain boots.

That last shot of Virgil during the endcard was so fucking ominous oh my god mom im scared can you come pick me up-

Goddammit, Thomas and Joan, I'm NOT fucking ready to be traumatized again, fUCK

I wish I wasn't a broke ass university student so I could contribute to Thomas's gloriously extra Patreon—both so I can support my favorite content creators who make this amazing blessed content and also, to join my boi Janus in fucking destroying society by giving money to the people who actually deserve it, fuck YOU GOVERNMENT-

Okay.

New headcanon time as to why Patton, Remus, and Logan weren't in the ep: they were helping Jan film that Patreon promotional video.

Remus directed it, Logan helped with the lighting and script, and Patton was just there as the cheerleader.

The reason Janus made a dog with shadow puppets wasn't just to flaunt his deity status and prove how he is truly above us mere wretched mortals

despite that being the absolute truth and we all know it, don't lie to yourselves

No, it was really him trying to do something cute and silly for Patton, because Moceit rights, daMMIT

*inhales*

noww

guys, gals, and nonbinary pals

it’s time forr

the most wonderful time of the yearrr

WAITING FOR THE NEXT EPISODE

Step right up, folks! Hear ye, hear ye, my prediction for the next episode: Prinxiety v. Moceit! With special guest stars: Karrot Kings vibing in adorable gay and Intrulogical, bitter at being excluded aGAIN

Who will win? Who will lose?

here’s a hint: we all will because in this sick twisted game they are no winners only losers-

Place your bets, folks! ✨

Haha im not readyyy~

tl;dr

this episode has cleared my skin, watered my crops, and ended my suffering—an adorable calm before the... angsty fucking shitstorm that’s coming far too soon. Prinxiety stans, enjoy your food. Place an 'F' in the chat for me and my fellow grieving Remus stans. Trashmas is the true OTP, but Karrot Kings is cute too I guess. I've only had Nico Florés for 24 minutes, but if anything happens to him, I'll kill everyone in this room and then myself. Purple eyeshadow Virgil makes me question my sexuality aGAIN, and happy gay disney prince rights y'all. Say a big ole 'fuck you' to capitalism by giving your local dapper snake moneys. Concussion makes brain go brr and imma go buy some carrots and be gay now.

psst hey @quarantinevibes2020 you wanna join me in being disaster-y? i’ll bring my best gay stare and you bring the wine

Until next time, my lovelies! ~ Ches 🖤

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bladekindeyewear · 4 years

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Time to see if there’s anything relevant in this new HS^2 bonus or if it’s just fun!

I’ll be catching up with the commentary I’ve missed in a separate post.

(Off-topic, the ending of Steven Universe / SU:F recently was good and satisfying. I know everyone in my orbit was justifiably worried they’d take an Epilogues route with this, but they knew how to not screw it up like that and make it worth it, acknowledge the hurt endured and uplift enough to make up for it. I wouldn't be afraid to watch it if I were you. BUT WHAT WAS IN THE-)

As usual, since this is a paid Patreon Bonus I’ll be light on images and full descriptions, mostly only remarking emotionally or on plot-relevant, character-relevant stuff.

3/23/2020 - Diamonds, Dames, and Dads, Part 1 (NEW!)

Ooh, a new midnight site theme!

> Hours ago, but not many.

Spose we’ll see why DD was trying to handcuffarrest Dad?

Some fun mock-Noir narration I’ll omit.

> ==>

Your name is DIAMONDS DROOG and you are currently OUT OF WORK.

Wait, so he’s not in the crew or any sort of gang or enforcement? How handcuffs then--? Oh, right. Probably shenanigans. Guess we’ll see~

With your boss gone, there’s really nothing for this shitty little town to offer a guy like you. Nothing here ever changes.

Really? Guess he doesn’t have confidence he can throw together a ruthless team on his own, hm. (My previous classpect guess on Droog was... Mage of Mind I believe? About as subtle/vague as CD’s Rogue of Doom guess, not as clear-cut and well-evidenced as Jack’s Prince of Blood.)

> ==>

Aaand Dad walks in. Will this be a black thing? Cause red would be fun but seems a little unlikely.

> ==>

The newcomer takes a seat next to you. The sets your hackles up, because what the fuck. This place is basically empty. So many options to choose from and he gets right up in your personal space.

...Wait a minute. That’s right -- THIS Dad has met a different version of DD from the alpha session, when he was the one who kept him locked up but was on otherwise surprisingly good terms between the two. Maybe Dad recognizes him and figures he’d be useful helping find his daughter, dangerous as he is?

He’s certainly playing it cool from the dialogue, hasn’t brought it up yet.

> ==>

--Yep, he probably thinks if anyone knows if anyone new is in town, it might be this guy. That, or he doesn’t recognize him at all and is just asking dramatically. Dad IS a big fan of hardboiled sleuths and the likes of Harry Anderson (who sleuthed in Jane’s timeline), possibly for reasons.

> ==>

Showing him a news clipping of Jane... oh dear.

Who’s the broad, you ask. Gotta admit, you don’t blame him for looking for her in the slightest. There’s a lot there to look at.

Wrrrrong move.

> ==>

Watch your mouth, he says. That’s my daughter.

Already getting handsy!

> ==>

Maybe you shouldn’t be carrying around sepia pictures of your daughter and showing them off to sad drunks if you don’t want the conversation getting a little blue.

Fair. (And gotta remember that trolls aside, Gray Ladies in newsprint are what traditionally did it for this guy.)

The guy looks at you. He says that he thought he recognized you. He figured the two of you went way back, but now he’s not so sure. He’s starting to think that maybe he knew a different version of you, from an alternate dimension.

Yup.

Oh yeah, you say. You wouldn’t be surprised. That sort of shit happens all the time around here.

Pfffff.

So the you this guy knew in another dimension. What was he like? Were you friends? Partners in crime? He tells you that the other you once kept him locked in a room. Well, that certainly sounds like you.

PFFFFF.

Alright Boots, quit quoting in full, fun as it is.

> ==>

Wait, he IS going to help, out of pique at his uselessness lately in others’ possibly-imagined perception? (Very Mind.) But the handcuffs later in Catnapped--

> ==>

Think about this other guy. This gentleman who lit your cigarette when you needed it. This guy. You could really vibe with this guy. As in, kick back with a drink and discuss business and broads and share lingering, slightly sexually-charged eye contact.

THERE we go. Nice.

He asks you if you’ve been looking for someone too, since you seem to know all the best finders in town. You ask what’s it to him. He says, just a feeling he’s got.

Who? One of the former crew? Or the boss?

You tell him to watch his mouth. He tells you that maybe you better watch it for him. You ask him what the fuck that’s supposed to mean and he tells you to pay the man and meet him outside.

DD I expected, but Dad are you straight up flirting with this dude???

Maybe more happened in that locked room in the session than we thought.

> ==>

P.S. still isn’t out of his office.

> ==>

THE DOOR WAS OPEN? AGAIN???

--Oh wait. THIS is the guy DD said he knew.

> ==>

We got a job for you, Sleuth. Get out of that fort.

Guess their relationship isn’t gonna evolve to handcuffs til later.

#Homestuck #hs2 #Homestuck Liveblog #upd8 #Homestuck^2 #bladekindeyewear #blastyoboots #spoiler #spoilers #(also we never saw how Greg got tanbalded by magic which is prolly for the best that couldve been heavy)

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alonely-dreamer · 5 years

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The Valuable Sun | Chapter 8

Summary: Brooklynne Stackhouse is Sookie and Jason Stackhouse’s little sister. Like her older sibling, she is a telepath, but her powers are far more stronger and far more uncontrollable than her sister’s. After a series of murders in Bon Temps, Sookie takes it upon herself to investigate, taking her younger sister with her in a club called Fangtasia, where they meet vampire and sheriff Eric Northman.

Pairing: Eric x OC

Warnings: 18+ (language, violence, blood, sexual assault)

A/N: Please, note that I am French so there might be some mistakes here and there.

Words: 8014

Schedule: Chapters 9 to 12 are available on my Patreon for early and instant access.

Masterlist

Brooklynne was lying unconscious on the ground of the basement of the church, in the wired cage where Sookie, Hugo and herself had been locked in for a couple of hours. Her hands were tied painfully behind her back and a piece of tape was covering her mouth. Hugo and Sookie also had their hands tied but they were free to talk and shout for help like they had been doing for the last two hours. When they understood no one was coming to help them, not even Bill to Sookie’s concern, Sookie started to call for Godric whom she knew was somewhere in the basement with them. She kept an eye on her little sister, making sure she was breathing every five minutes or so. Hugo’s claustrophobia made Sookie stay away from his thoughts, not wanting to get anywhere near them.

When Brooklynne woke up, she was confused and in a lot of pain. Sookie tried to reassure her, apologizing for not being able to remove the tape, which made it hard for Brooke to breathe. Her fear caused her heart to beat faster, and she wished she were able to breathe through her mouth.

“Breathe in, breathe out, slowly,” Sookie instructed her. “When Bill gets here, he’ll give you his blood and heal your leg, everything’s gonna be okay, I promise.”

But Bill never came. They waited all night long, Brooklynne falling asleep and waking up over and over again because of her leg pain. Around 10 in the morning, Steve and Gabriel came down to talk to them. They looked pretty proud of themselves.

“She needs a hospital!” Sookie told them. “Her leg might be broken, and she might have a concussion!”

“I will admit, things got a little out of hand last night, and I apologize for that. I’m not the monster that the vampire-loving media makes me out to be.”

“You’re right. You’re worse. She could die!”

“But that is your fault, not mine,” he said. “After all, you dragged her into this. You’re the one loving a vampire, aren’t you? She’s just an innocent girl following her big sister around.”

“Screw you, you hateful…”

“Ah,” Steve interrupted her, raising a finger. “Now, now, there’s no need for that. All I want from you is a couple of answers. And then, I’ll be more than happy to feed you breakfast and send you on your way.”

“What do you wanna know?” Hugo asked.

“Shut up!” Sookie breathed out.

“Sookie, we need to get out of here. Tell them what they wanna know?”

“I want to get out of here, this wasn’t supposed to happen, just tell them what they wanna know, I want out. Out!”

“Her name is Sookie Stackhouse, her sister is Brooklynne Stackhouse, and I’m Hugo Ayers.”

“Hugo, no!”

“We were sent here by the vampires of Area 9 to find their sheriff.”

“Sookie Stackhouse,” Steve repeated in a whisper, looking pale like he had just seen a ghost. “From Bon Temps?”

“How do you know where I’m from?”

“You’re Jason Stackhouse’s…” he paused, then swallowed, anger filling his veins, “sister. Am I right?”

“How do you know Jason? He’s got nothing to do with this!”

Steve took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, but failing. “The bastard, the traitor, the Judas!”

“Come on, Gabe,” Steve said before they left.

“Nice work!” Sookie reprimanded Hugo.

“Hey, we sat here all night waiting for your boyfriend to show up. You can go on and play damsel in distress all you want, but I’m getting us out of here. Think of you sister. She needs a hospital, now!”

“Don’t you think I know that?”

“Barry!” Sookie called, making her sister frown. “Barry, can you hear me? You’ve gotta help me. I need you to go to the hotel and find Bill Compton and tell him I’m at the Fellowship of the Sun church in the basement. The sheriff is here somewhere and I’m in big trouble. Please, don’t ignore me, this is a life-or-death situation. Please!”

“Do you think he can hear you?”

“I think he’s our only shot.”

Hugo was getting worse. He kept pacing around, shouting for them to come back.

“Hey! Hey, I need to use the bathroom! Hey! Come on, let me out of here!”

“Hugo, this is not helping. Just, sit down. Try and rela-“

She stopped when his thoughts invaded hers. Images of him praying with Sarah and Steve, of him spying on Isabel at the summit, of him telling Sookie’s plan to Steve over the phone. She gasped.

“You? You’re the traitor!”

He didn’t even try to deny it. He looked relieved he didn’t have to hide it anymore.

“Yeah. It’s me.”

“But… why?” Sookie couldn’t understand it. Isabel loved him, and from what she had previously heard, he seemed to love her too.

“I used to be just like you. Thought I was a real emancipated thinker. Especially when Isabel took me to bed. And the sex was… amazing,” he chuckled. “The best I ever… well, you know. It’s addictive, isn’t it? To be desired by something that powerful…”

“I’m no addict.”

“No,” he shrugged, “I guess you wouldn’t know how your life changes to suit them. You start missing work, can’t get up in the morning, can’t stand to leave them after dark… Before you know it, you’re somebody you don’t even recognize.”

“So you went to the Fellowship because you can’t control yourself?”

“I begged her to turn me. It was the only way we could be together as equals. But see, they don’t want us to be equals. No, she’s just been using me. The same way that Bill’s been using you.”

“You don’t know Bill,” Sookie snarled.

“I know he and his friends are having you do their dirty work. And you even let them drag your sister into it! A telepath’s gotta be a real trophy for a vampire, but two? That Eric vampire really seemed interested in Brooklynne, I saw the way he looked at her, even Isabel said so.”

Sookie gave a look to her sister, who, despite the pain and the fatigue, tried to stay awake.

“Eric’s gonna end up making her his, and she’s gonna end up like us. Thinking he cares, but he doesn’t. He just wants to use her.”

“Shut up!”

“All they care about is their own kind. Okay? That’s why I joined the Fellowship.”

“So if the Newlins care so much about you how come you’re still in here?” she asked, and he had no answer for her. “Face it, Hugo. You’re nothing but a fangbanging traitor to them.”

“Gabe?” Hugo called. “Gabe, she knows everything. You can let me out know!” But no one came. “Hey, come on, let me out!”

“Yep, you’re so all-fired important to them, aren’t you?”

Hugo didn’t reply, he stared at the door, waiting for someone to come in. But no one showed up.

They spent the rest of the day in there, with no food, no water, no one else coming to ask questions. The lights on the ceiling were shining hot, or maybe it was just the pain that made Brooklynne sweat, but right now she felt like she was frying under the sun.

Gabriel eventually came in, around 8, according to Hugo’s watch. He looked furious, and he was alone, still wearing that stupid blue sweatshirt with a sun on it. His lip was cut like someone had just punched him in the face.

“Gabe,” Hugo said, relieved, thinking he’d come to free him. “What happened to your face?”

Gabriel didn’t reply and approached the cage with a set of keys in his hand.

“Listen, she knows everything. Which never would’ve happened if you hadn’t kept me here with two mind readers.”

Gabriel opened the door in silence.

“Yeah, I hope the reverend knows that I’m gonna need protection now.”

Gabriel stepped inside, seized Hugo by the shirt and punched him in the face, making him fall over, Sookie gasp and Brooklynne wince.

“You want protection, you fangbanging sack of shit?” Gabriel said before he kicked him in the stomach.

Sookie said nothing as she positioned herself in front of her sister, shielding her from whatever Gabriel had came in here to do.

“How’s that for protection, huh?” Gabriel asked as he kneeled near Hugo, taking him by his shirt and punching him once, then twice. “Here’s a little more protection for you.”

“Stop it!” Sookie shouted as she launched herself at him.

She tried to kick him, there was nothing else she could do as her hands were tied behind her back. He got up easily, pushing her against the wall. Brooklynne’s muffled screams echoed in the room. Gabriel turned around, putting his hands around Sookie’s neck.

“You and your moron brother think you can make an asshole out of me?” he growled. “That’s what you think, uh?”

“Get your filthy hands off me!” she choked.

“What’s wrong? Your own kind not good enough for you?” he asked. “Lucky your sister didn’t follow in your footsteps,” he said as he threw her on the floor, and she landed near Hugo. “I’m gonna show her what a good decision that was.”

Brooklynne watched with big eyes as he made his way to her. She tried to push herself against the wired wall, her foot sliding on the floor, again and again as if she’d eventually move. Her screams were stopped by the tape and didn’t leave her throat. The big man seized her by the shoulders and pushed her down on the floor. She kicked him as hard as she could, with her good leg, but he slapped her once, then twice as she didn’t stop. She kicked and screamed and kicked and screamed but he wouldn’t stop. His hand landed on her shirt, his sweaty knuckles touching her cleavage. He ripped her shirt, both halves hanging on each side of her body. Every time she kicked, he slapped her, but she wouldn’t give up.

“Leave her alone!” Sookie shouted as she recollected herself, but Gabriel ignored her. He easily pushed her away when she tried to get him off her sister.

But Gabriel did get off Brooklynne. It just wasn’t thanks to Sookie. Brooke watched with wild eyes as he was held above her by a kid, a vampire no doubt, given his strength. She breathed heavily as she sat back up against the wires, with difficulty and pain. Gabriel was being choked by his sweatshirt from which he was being held.

“Godric?” Sookie breathed out.

The vampire’s eyes travelled from Sookie to Brooklynne, though they didn’t stay long there, and she was grateful he looked away as she was sitting there, in her bra, unable to conceal herself.

“Godric,” Gabriel pleaded, “it’s me!”

But whether he recognized him or not, Godric didn’t care. Appalled by what the human had done, and was about to do, the vampire broke his neck, letting his lifeless body fall on the ground.

“You should not have come,” was all Godric said.

Screams could be heard from upstairs, and Sookie and Brooklynne knew another vampire was present.

“Bill!” Sookie said, happy at the possibility that he was finally coming for her.

“No,” Godric shook his head. “I’m here my child. Down here.”

“Eric.” Brooklynne thought.

“Eric?” Sookie asked silently. “Godric’s Eric’s maker?”

The blond vampire appeared suddenly in the basement, instantly falling on his knees to his maker’s feet.

“You’re a fool for sending humans after me.”

“I had no other choice. These savages, they… they seek to destroy you.”

“I’m aware of what they have planned. This one betrayed you,” he said as he pointed at Hugo who was still unconscious behind him.

“He’s with the Fellowship,” Sookie explained. “They set a trap for us.”

A cry of pain escaped Brooklynne which drove Eric’s attention. Maybe he hadn’t seen her before, or maybe he was too focused on his maker to notice anyone else was there.

“This one needs medical attention,” Godric said.

Eric stood on his feet, his eyes moving from Brooke’s body to Gabriel’s, who was lying at his feet. He frowned, a trace of rage appearing then disappearing from his face. Brooklynne, who was still scared out of her mind, tried to move away as he approached. He removed his black leather jacket which he used to cover her. He then removed the tape from her mouth. She took a deep breath as soon as she could.

“Her leg is broken,” Sookie told him.

“My blood will heal you,” he said as a way to ask her permission.

She looked at him with fear in her eyes, pain on her face. She was panting and confused. All she wanted was to go home.

“Please,” is all she managed to say. She looked terrible, as pale as he was, and as tired as ever.

He bit his wrist and positioned himself behind her, feeding her his blood with one hand, while he removed the rope with another. She took a shaky breath as he removed his wrist from her mouth. She brought her fingers to her sore wrists, one, then the other, before she wiped the tears away from her cheeks, and brought her hands to her chest, to Eric’s jacket.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she moved her legs and felt no pain whatsoever.

She quickly slid her arms in the sleeves of the jacket and concealed herself in the cold black leather. She was still trembling, despite Eric’s blood. The physical pain might have gone, but it didn’t make her forget what she had just been through.

An alarm went off as the lights started to flicker.

“Save the humans,” Godric ordered Eric.

Brooklynne gasped as she felt Eric’s hands move under her thighs. He scooped her up in his arms and she was too weak to even fight the idea of him carrying her around. She rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes, enjoying the coldness of his body.

Eric stopped before Godric, waiting for him to follow him.

“Go on.”

“I am not leaving your side until you…”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Come on, we have to go,” Sookie insisted.

“Spill no blood on your way out,” Godric ordered, which obviously went against Eric’s initial plans.

He sighed before he left the basement with Sookie and Brooklynne.

“What took you so long to find us?” Sookie asked as they walked up the stairs. “Where’s Bill?”

“We didn’t know where you were. A human named Barry told Bill he had a message from you, I don’t know where your boyfriend is. He hasn’t come out of his room since you left.”

“Brothers and sisters, we are on lockdown,” Steve’s voice came out of the speakers. “Women with children, please, take them to our classroom buildings. Men and able-bodied women, security will provide you with stakes and silver just outside the chapel. Our Soldiers of the Sun are on their way to protect our church, but safely evacuate the building now. Brothers and sisters, the hour is upon us.”

Eric and Sookie reached the top of the stairs, where they hid behind the wall and watched as Steve’s followers exited through the front door.

“I could have you out in seconds,” Eric said, though he wasn’t about to disobey his maker.

“There’s kids out there!” Sookie protested.

“Well, those humans wouldn’t think twice about hurting us,” he said, which made Brooklynne shiver. He looked down at her, but she was looking away, staring at nothing in particular.

“Why didn’t you tell me Godric was your maker?”

He looked down at the telepath standing beside him, wondering if Brooke had told her or if she had guessed. “Don’t use words you don’t understand.”

“You have a lot of love for him.”

“Don’t use words I don’t understand.”

He looked back towards the hall where the only humans remaining were three “guards” in shorts with silver chains around their neck and a stake in their hands. He gently put Brooklynne down who was reluctant to let him go.

“Trust me,” he whispered in her ear as he saw the confused look she was giving him.

Eric left them and stepped inside the hall, making his way towards the three guards.

“Oh, hey, y’all,” he said with a grin. “How’s it going?”

They didn’t reply as they looked at the stranger walking towards them with confused looks.

“Steve sent me over to man the exit here. I think I can take it from here.”

“By yourself?” one of them asked with concern.

“Yeah.”

“You’re big and all, but there’s a vampire on the loose.”

“Where’s your stake?”

Brooklynne shook her head as she rolled her eyes. She stepped out of the shadows, making all four men look at her. She didn’t give them time to say anything before she helped Eric out of the silly situation he had put himself in.

“Sleep,” she said, and the three humans instantly fell on the ground.

They had kidnapped her, broken her leg, tried to rape her. She was pissed and she wasn’t going to stay behind while Eric was trying to find a way to get them out of here.

“Thank you,” Eric said, impressed, before he opened the front door.

But they weren’t out yet. A group of humans was coming their way. The front door wasn’t going to be their exit.

“Eric, through the sanctuary,” Sookie told him.

She led them through the empty nave.

“Where’s the exit?” Eric asked.

“Back that way.”

“There are several exits, actually,” Steve said as he appeared near the altar. “For you, the easiest one takes you straight to hell.”

“Brooklynne,” Eric asked but she didn’t have time to work her magic because the Soldiers of the Sun were coming through every door, filling the room. There must have been around fifty of them.

“Let us go!” Sookie said. “Save yourselves, no one has to die!”

“The war has begun, you evil whore of Satan,” Steve told her. “You vampires cast the first stone by killing my family. The lines have been drawn. You’re either with us or against us. We are prepared for Armageddon.”

“You’re insane,” Brooklynne told him.

“The vampire you’re holding prisoner got away. He’s a sheriff. He’s bound to send for help.”

“I’m not concerned with Godric,” Steve shrugged. “Any vampire will do for our grand celebration, and we got one right here.”

Sookie and Brooke looked up at Eric who was looking around. There were too many of them, and if he were to leave with both sisters without spilling any blood… he’d end up dead.

Eric, resigned to his fate, took a step forward. Brooklynne instinctively seized his hand, trying to stop him. He raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her. She released his hand.

“I’ll be fine,” he told her.

“Brothers and sisters, there will be a holy bonfire at dawn.”

Brooklynne watched as Eric let the reverend silver him to the altar, each chain burning his skin.

“There’s too many of them. I can’t hypnotize them all.”

“What else can we do?”

“I don’t know. I could try just stopping Steve.”

“They’ll think you’re glamouring him.”

“Then what can we do?”

Sookie didn’t reply. She didn’t have an answer.

“Don’t touch me!” Brooklynne shouted as a man tried to put his hands on her.

Eric growled in pain as he turned his head towards her, despite the silver chains around his neck.

“Get your hands off my sister!”

“Easy brothers,” Steve said. “They can’t go anywhere. You see,” he told them all as he went to stand behind the altar where Eric was immobilized. “A few ounces of silver can betray a child of Satan to the world.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!” Sookie shouted. “How can you people listen to him?”

“I…” Eric tried to say. “I offer myself in exchange for Godric’s freedom. And the girls’ as well.”

“That’s noble. But they’re just as culpable as you are. They’re traitors to their race. The human race. They hardly deserve mercy. Maybe I should tie them to you so you can meet the sun together.”

A loud noise came from the hall, as if something heavy had just fallen, or maybe it was the doors banging on the walls. The Soldiers of the Sun gasped as the doors of the sanctuary opened and Bill stepped inside.

“Sookie!”

As Bill started to make his way towards his girlfriend, Steve took a gun out of his jacket and pointed it at her head.

“One move, vampire, and I shoot her.”

“If you shoot her, everyone here will die!”

“Put the gun down you moron,” Brooklynne growled, and he obeyed.

“Stop doing that!” he whined. “You see! She spent so much time with vampires she’s learnt their tricks!”

“Let them go, now!” Bill ordered the reverend.

Steve sighed. “Honestly, what do they see in you two?” he asked the sisters. “Soldiers, some silver chains for our friend, here.”

“Don’t, he’s done nothing to you!”

“Sookie, I will be fine!”

“Newlin!”

Every single person in the nave looked up towards the second floor, where Jason was perched on the balcony. He had a gunshot aimed at Steve and he shot the reverend in the hand, making him drop the gun he was holding.

“Let them go, fuckwad!”

“Ow!” Steve shook his injured hand. But it wasn’t blood dropping on the floor, it was… paint.

Jason shot again and Steve stepped back as he was hit by a bullet of green paint, right in the middle of his forehead. His people gasped as they stepped back, the distraction allowing Bill to get close to Sookie. He took her in his arms, then inspected her for any injury. Jason was stopped by three men who took his guns away.

“Son of a bitch!” Steve groaned in pain.

As the Soldiers scattered, Brooklynne took the opportunity to get to the altar and free Eric of his chains.

“Let’s go,” she told him.

But Eric wasn’t going anywhere. His fangs were already out when he got off the altar, taking Steve by the throat and pushing him down on the stairs.

“Eric! Do not kill him,” Sookie said.

“Kill him!” Jason shouted. “Kill the motherfucker!”

“Go ahead,” Steve said. “Murder me. Murder us before God! We are willing to die!”

Brooklynne didn’t need to read their thoughts, to know these people weren’t willing to die at all.

Noises from the hall could be heard suddenly and the doors of the sanctuary were opened by a vampire once again. Stan appeared, followed by a few vampires.

“Steve Newlin,” he said as he walked in with a few friends.

In less than half a minute, the church was surrounded by creatures of the night.

“You have pushed us too far,” the vampire continued. “You expect us to sit on our thumbs while you round up your men to come lynch us? We’ll kill you first.”

Steve’s people gathered together, now outnumbered, clenching their stakes and their silver chains.

“Same way we did your father,” the vampire finished with a smirk.

“Oh God, no,” Sookie breathed out.

“Murderer!” Steve choked, trying to get up, but in the impossibility to do so because of Eric’s grip on his throat.

“Destroy them. All of them,” Stan ordered the vampire.

Brooklynne gasped as she saw all the vampires seizing at least one human in supernatural speed. Eric let go of Steve, and made his way towards her, putting her under his protection, making sure no vampire would mistake her for a target.

“We have to go, now!” Bill shouted.

But they didn’t have time to go far, as even before anyone had the chance to get hurt, they were interrupted by a higher power.

“Enough!” Godric called from where he was standing above them, on a wooden beam above the doorway. “You came for me, I assume. Underling?” he asked Stan who growled, then sighed.

“Yes, sheriff,” the vampire in the cowboy hat rolled his eyes.

“These people have not harmed me,” he told them. “You see? We can coexist. Mr. Newlin, I do not wish to create bloodshed where none is called for. Help me set an example. If we leave you in peace, will you do the same?”

“I will not negotiate with subhumans,” he said, kneeling on the ground, untying his tie. “Kill me.”

“No!” a woman from the crowd begged.

“Do it! Jesus will protect me.”

“I’m actually older than your Jesus. I wish I could have known him. But I missed it,” Godric shrugged before he disappeared from where he was standing.

He appeared suddenly behind the reverend, seizing him by the nape. His sudden emergence made Brooklynne and Sookie jump. The two thousand-years-old vampire made Steve stand up on his feet.

“Good people,” he said, “who of you is willing to die for this man’s madness?”

No one replied, of course. Steve watched as his followers stepped away, not just from the vampires, but from him too.

“That’s what I thought,” Godric nodded. “Stand down, everyone.”

Stan’s vampires obeyed, to his dismay.

“People, go home. It’s over now.”

“Oh, thank God, Bill,” Sookie breathed out as she hugged her boyfriend.

“It’s all right. You’re safe now,” Bill whispered.

Eric looked down at Brooklynne who was watching everyone leave. She was still wearing his jacket which she had closed. It was way too big for her. He brought a hand to her face, gently taking her chin between his cold fingers. The sudden gesture made her look up at him in confusion. He could see she was tired, relieved, but still extremely uncomfortable.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She tried to cross her arms over her chest, but the giant jacket made it impossible. She moved away from his gentle touch as she looked down.

“I’m fine,” she whispered. An obvious lie.

“Please, don’t leave me,” Steve started calling after his people.

Godric let him go, and he fell to the floor.

“I daresay my faith in humankind is stronger than yours.”

Newlin didn’t reply, he just watched the last of his people leave him behind.

“Come,” Godric instructed his progeny.

Eric gave another look to Brooklynne, who didn’t look back. She tried to walk down the stairs of the altar but tripped on the second step, the heel of her shoe breaking under her. She was sure she’d hit the floor hard, but Eric caught her right on time.

“Alright,” he sighed as he scooped her into his arms once again.

She was too weak and too exhausted to blush at the situation. She just rested her head against his chest as she closed her eyes, hoping for a little peace.

“Sir,” Stan said as Godric approached him. “After what these humans have done to you?”

“I said come,” was all Godric said to him before he walked out.

“Sookie, Brooke.”

An out of breath Jason appeared, relieved his sisters were alright. He gave Sookie a long hug as he sighed.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Will you please forgive me?”

“What were you doing with those people? You out of your mind?”

“Yeah, I was,” he nodded. “Just… that son of a bitch sucked out my brain and planted all his own babies in there,” he said, gesturing towards Steve who was trying to get up from the floor.

“You know nothing,” Steve told him. “On the final day of reckoning, we’ll see who goes to heaven and who goes to hell.”

Jason laughed as he approached the reverend. “I reckon I’ve already been to heaven. It was inside your wife,” he said, enjoying the look on Steve’s face before he punched him.

Sookie gasped. Bill took it upon himself to separate the two of them.

“I’m fine,” he said. “I’m fine.” He then made his way to Eric to whom he gestured to give him his sister. “I’ve got her.”

“I’m fine,” Eric told him.

“Give me my sister, vampire,” Jason said in a threatening tone, amusing Eric.

“Jason!” Sookie reprimanded her brother.

Brooklynne moved away from the vampire’s chest, stretching her arms towards her brother who happily welcomed her into his arms.

“What happened to her?”

“That Gabe guy,” Sookie said and she could tell her brother knew him well, “he tried to… well…”

“Son of a bitch,” he growled. “Where is the motherfucker? I’m gonna kill him!”

“He’s already dead,” Eric informed him.

“Oh,” Jason nodded. “Good. D’you kill him?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

“Godric saved her,” Sookie said.

“That’s good. That’s good,” he nodded. “Let’s go.”

They all walked out of the church, leaving Reverend Newlin alone with his thoughts, and his hate.

***

It was loud and surprisingly warm in Godric’s house where a party had started. Brooklynne was standing near the fireplace in the middle of the room, looking right into the flames, hearing everything that was being said to Godric, who was sitting in his chair, facing a line of people waiting to welcome him back. Jason, for some reason, was one of them.

“I just wanted to say I’m real sorry for what the Fellowship put you through. And I wanted to thank you, for helping my sister.”

Godric stared in silent for a moment, which Jason understood as a dismissal.

“You helped save many lives today, Mr. Stackhouse,” Godric said as Jason was about to turn around. “Please know you have friends in this area whenever you visit.”

“Thanks, man, but uh… I don’t know if I’ll be wanting to come back any time soon.”

Godric gave him what could have been an attempt at a smile before Jason practically ran out of there. He turned around and walked away and almost ran into Eric who was leaning against the brick wall of the fireplace. Brooke watched as the two exchanged words.

“Hail the conquering hero,” Eric said sarcastically, but sarcasm wasn’t a language Jason Stackhouse understood.

“Oh, no,” he chuckled. “I’m no hero.”

“No, you are in this town,” Eric insisted. “But in my area we know you well as a buyer and user of vampire blood,” he said and all colors drained from Jason’s face, “and that’s a very grave offense.”

“Yeah, listen, I don’t do that no more.”

“All things considered, however… we’ll call it even.”

Jason smiled, relieved, and nodded, ready to get the hell out of there, but Eric stopped him.

“But you won’t be doing it again,” the vampire continued, leaning forward.

“Yeah,” Jason nodded.

“No,” Eric shook his head and Jason imitated him.

“No, got it.”

“Good boy. Run along,” he let him go and Jason couldn’t have left faster. Eric smiled, amused by the eldest Stackhouse.

“Thank you,” Brooklynne said from where she was standing a few feet away. A human wouldn’t have heard her in the loud room, but Eric was no human. “My brother’s an idiot, but he means well.”

Eric made his way to her, noticing her red cheeks, probably because of the heat coming from the fire.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better, thanks to you. I feel… odd.”

“Vampire blood will do that to you.”

“Sookie said your blood was stronger because you’re older. Is that true?”

“It is,” he nodded. “But you’ll be fine.”

“I know,” she said, looking back into the fire.

“Have you eaten anything?”

“I’m not hungry,” she told him, not moving her eyes away from the fire.

“Come on, you’re going to ruin my jacket if you keep standing in this heat,” he said as he pulled her away.

He took her to the opposite end of the house, a kitchen, as white as the rest of the other rooms. The isle was big, separating the room in two. Eric opened the fridge and Brooklynne was surprised to see regular food among the bottles of Tru Blood.

“Godric has food in his kitchen?”

“As sheriff he needs to accommodate other vampires and that includes their humans.”

“Do you have regular food in your house?”

“I don’t have a house,” he said, taking a box out of the fridge and giving it to Brooklynne.

As soon as she took it, he put his hands on her waist and made her sit on the counter with supernatural speed, the sudden movement making her gasp.

“Don’t do that,” she complained.

“Eat.”

She opened the box to find small pieces of carrots inside. She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Carrots?”

“I don’t know what humans eat.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Do I?”

“You watch TV,” she shrugged. “And you used to be human too,” she said as she brought a piece of carrot to her mouth.

“A thousand years ago.”

“I still think you know more about humans than you say you do. You just want people to think you don’t care.”

“I don’t care.”

“That’s probably why you’re making me eat carrots right now.”

He sighed, stepping back and leaned against the fridge, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I hear they’re good for your eyesight,” he said, making her laugh.

It felt good to laugh, after the two horrible days she had just spent. She needed to laugh, to relax. She needed food, she needed a shower, she needed a bed.

“Now that your blood is in me… Can you know where I am at all times?”

“I can feel you,” he nodded. “If you’re scared, I’ll know where to find you.”

“Does that… does that make me yours?”

“Not unless you want to.”

Did she want to? Sookie would kill her.

The sudden silent coming from the other room invaded the kitchen and made them curious. They returned to Godric and found a crying Isabel standing above Hugo. His face was badly bruised from Gabriel’s beating earlier that night. He was kneeling at Godric’s feet, waiting for his judgement.

“He’s the one who betrayed us,” the vampire said.

“Hugo. He is your human, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Do you love him?”

A tear of blood fell down her cheek as she sniffed. “I thought I did,” she cried.

“It appears you love him still,” Godric said, surprisingly unbothered and calm.

“I do. I’m sorry. But you are my sheriff. Do with him as you please.”

“You are free to go,” Godric said, surprising the entire room.

“What?” Stan growled from where he was standing near the fireplace, behind Isabel.

“The human is free to go,” Godric repeated firmly. “And do not return,” he told Hugo. “I fear it is not safe for you here,” he continued, his eyes falling on Stan.

“This is a travesty,” the cowboy said.

“This is my verdict,” he told him. “Eric,” the vampire called on his progeny who took a step forward. “Escort them out. Make sure he leaves unharmed.”

“Yes, Godric,” he nodded, before he made his way towards the stunned human who could barely believe he was getting out of that house alive.

“Thank you. Thank you, sheriff,” Isabel said with a bow.

Brooklynne watched them leave and saw Jason step out of the house with Bill. She frowned, joining her sister in the other half of the room.

“What is that about?”

“No idea,” her sister shook her head. “What are you doing with Eric?”

“Talking,” she shrugged.

“You know what will happen now that you’ve had his blood, right? You’ll think about him more than usual, dream about him…”

“I know. You told me. So did he.”

“Just be careful, okay. Bill thinks he wants you to be his.”

“Yes, he’s asked a few times.”

“What?” Sookie breathed out. “You didn’t say yes, did you?”

“No…”

“Brooke, he kidnapped and tortured Lafayette for three weeks! He’s not safe to be around!”

“He also saved our lives today.”

“Because his maker made him do it.”

“He’s nice to me, okay?”

“Of course he’s nice to you, he wants you! But that doesn’t mean he’s a nice person!”

“Hello there,” a woman dressed in a long bright red dress, too fancy for this party, interrupted them. “I’m Lorena.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Sookie,” she smiled at her.

“Mmh,” Lorena nodded. “Yes. You are what all the fuss is about.”

“Excuse me?”

“Aren’t you a morsel?”

“I’m sorry. Who are you?”

“Well, we have a mutual friend.”

“Bill?”

“That’s right. Funny he never mentioned me. I practically made him what he is today.”

“Lorena!” Bill called as he appeared in the room, hurrying towards the two sisters and his maker.

“Oh, hello, darling,” she smiled at him. “I was just getting to know your plaything. You always did like to prey on the innocent. The little sister is more to my taste, though,” she grinned and Brooklynne took a step back at the look she was giving her, making her grin grow bigger. Brooklynne’s back met with Eric’s chest, and she looked up at him as he put his hands on her shoulders. Lorena ignored the Viking, just like he stayed silent. He was curious to see what was going to happen next, he just wanted to make sure Brooklynne wouldn’t get caught in the middle of it.

“Bill, is this your maker?” Sookie asked.

“She released me years ago. She no longer has any hold over me.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” she breathed out a laugh. “We had two marvelous nights in your hotel room.”

“What?”

“Did you know your boyfriend hit me over the head with a 52-inch plasma television earlier tonight?” she asked, bringing a hand to the back of her head. “Everyone says they’re so thin and light, but let me tell you when wielded properly, it’s quite a weapon.”

“You did?” Sookie asked Bill.

“Lorena, you need to leave,” Bill told his maker.

Every single person in the room, human or vampire, was watching in silence as the three of them argued.

“I hope he doesn’t pull the same shenanigans with you. There’s no excuse for domestic violence.”

“What she has failed to mention is that she was holding me prisoner.”

“We were just catching up is all. You must have been worried sick, wondering where he was. I admit it got a bit… heated. But you know how old lovers can get sometimes,” she said, bringing a hand to Bill’s face.

Sookie stopped her, taking the vampire’s wrist in her hand. “Do not touch him,” she snarled.

Brooklynne saw Stan chuckle from where he was standing a few feet from them.

“My, we’re feisty too,” she told Sookie who released her wrist. Lorena started laughing. “Aw. You’re no more than a blood bag. You cannot win this.”

“I’ve already won. Bill chose me and yet you still won’t give up. Don’t you have any shame?”

“Sookie, stop,” Bill begged, knowing this wouldn’t end well for her.

“I’d listen to him. Run away, little girl. William and I love each other.”

“She’s insane,” Brooke told her sister silently. Sookie scoffed.

“You’ve gone mad,” Bill told Lorena as he seized her by the arms, pushing her away. “Get out, now!”

“Maybe you do love him,” Sookie decided it to push it for some reason. “Who am I to guess? But he doesn’t love you. He never has, and that we both know.”

Bill was trying to keep Sookie away from Lorena. The vampire let her fangs out with a growl.

“Take those words back or they shall be your last.”

“We’re leaving,” Bill said as he put his arms around Sookie, trying to take her away.

“Go find someone else, you fucking bitch!”

“Sookie!” Brooke breathed out but Eric tightened his grip on her shoulders, not hard enough to hurt her, but enough to make her understand that this wasn’t her fight.

“You’ve lost this one!” Sookie spat at Lorena.

The vampire pushed Bill away from Sookie, sending him flying to the other end of the room, before she took the telepath by the top of her dress and pushed her down on the counter near them. Brooke knew Eric was about to intervene because he let go of her shoulders, but someone else got there first.

Godric stopped Lorena who was about to bite Sookie, stopping Eric and Jason from intervening. He grabbed the vampire by the throat and moved her away from the telepath.

“Retract your fangs,” he ordered and she silently obeyed. “I neither know nor care who you are, but in this area, and certainly in this nest, I am the authority. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sheriff,” she said, and he let go of her.

“This human has proven herself to be a courageous and loyal friend to our kind. And yet you treat her like a child does a dragonfly, pulling off wings for sport. No wonder they hate us.”

“She provoked me.”

“And you provoke me. You disrupted the peace in my own home. I could snap you like a twig. Yet I haven’t. Now, why is that?”

“It’s your choice.”

“Indeed it is. You’re an old vampire, I can tell. You’ve had hundreds of years to better yourself, yet you haven’t. You are still a savage, and I fear for all of us, humans and vampires, if this behavior persists,” he said, not so much for her but for the entirety of the room. “You,” he told Bill. “You seem to know her.”

“Yes, sheriff,” Bill said, clearly unhappy by it.

“Escort her from the nest,” he instructed him. “I wish you out of my area before dawn,” he told Lorena who slowly made her way towards the exit, followed by Bill.

“Thank you,” Sookie told Godric who nodded before he returned to his chair without another word.

“You know what,” Brooke told Eric, “I get what you meant when you said you couldn’t have asked for a better maker.”

The vampire chuckled.

“Who the fuck was that?” Jason asked as he joined them.

“Bill’s maker,” Sookie answered.

“His what?”

“Bon Temps’s your area, right?” Sookie asked Eric. “If she comes to attack me, you could stop her?”

“She’d be smart not to,” the vampire nodded.

“What the fuck?” Jason breathed out.

“What?” Sookie asked.

“That’s Luke. From the Fellowship,” he said, as he pointed towards a man whom they recognized from the church. “What is he doing here?” he asked as he left his sisters to go to him.

He was wearing a big black coat, which was odd considering it was warm outside.

“Stay away from me Stackhouse.”

“What the hell you doing?”

“Just go,” he pushed him away. He opened his mouth, then closed it. Once, twice. Then finally spoke up. “Excuse me, everyone. If I could have your attention,” he called, and everyone appeared in the room, Godric, Isabel, Stan… “My name is Luke McDonald. I’m a member of the Fellowship of the Sun. And I have a message for you all, from Reverend Steve Newlin.”

He opened his coat, showing the chains of silver he had around his chest, wooden bullets attached to it, and a black box, ticking, with a red light flickering. A bomb.

Brooklynne and Sookie gasped as they saw what was under Luke’s coat. Half a second later, Luke blew himself up in a deafening and blinding explosion. Brooklynne felt herself fall though the movement started before she heard the explosion. Her back hit the ground violently and something heavy fell on her as a wave of heat passed over her. Her ears were ringing but she could still hear the screams and the cries. It took her a moment to realize what had just happened and to recognize that it wasn’t an object that had fallen on her, but a person.

“Eric,” she whispered.

He groaned in pain, unable to move. She did her best to move away from him, but he was too heavy. His head was resting on her shoulder and his hair caressed her cheek.

“Eric,” she whispered again. He was too heavy, she couldn’t breathe.

“Sookie, Sookie!” she heard Bill call.

“I’m here,” her sister replied from the other room.

Godric appeared and crouched down near Brooke, gently turning Eric on his back, freeing the telepath.

“I covered your sister,” he told her. “Both your siblings are fine.”

“Thank you,” she said in a whisper.

“He has pieces of wood and silver in his back, will you take care of him?” he asked. “I need to tend to my people.”

She nodded. “Of course.”

She tried to sit up, but felt dizzy, the ringing noise still in her ears. She kneeled as she faced the vampire immobilized on the ground. She gently turned him over, apologizing as he growled in pain. She removed the silver and wood from his back, some of the wounds closing up as soon as the foreign objects were gone, but not all.

“Thank you,” he growled as he sat up with difficulty.

“Are you going to be okay?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“You’re not healing.”

“I need blood,” he said, locking his eyes with hers, silently asking.

She hesitated. But he did just save her life, how could she refuse? Besides, she did want to help him. He gave her his blood, why couldn’t she give him hers?

She brushed her hair away from her shoulder, giving him access to her neck.

“Are you sure?” he asked, which surprised her.

“You just saved my life.”

He nodded before he let out his fangs. She swallowed as she saw them. He cupped her right cheek in his left hand, bringing her closer to him. His right hand moved across her back and rested on the right side of her waist. She felt his cold breath on her neck and his fangs graze her vein before she felt them pierce through her skin. A small cry escaped her. It wasn’t as painful as she’d imagined. She barely felt the blood leave her body, but she felt his cold lips slightly moving on her skin and his tongue licking around the two bleeding puncture wounds. She didn’t realize she had placed a hand on his arm as she waited for him to let her go.

He drank for a minute, it seemed like an eternity. He slowly released her, carefully removing his fangs from her vein, stroking her cheek with his thumb, once, then twice, before he moved away completely. She brought a hand to her bleeding neck as he licked his lips.

“Thank you,” he said before he bit his wrist. “Drink, it’ll heal you.”

“Are you sure?” she frowned. It seemed counterproductive.

“Yes,” he nodded as he brought his wrist to her mouth.

She felt her wound close as his blood fell down her throat. She didn’t need much and didn’t want to take more than she required. She pushed his wrist away as she felt the pain completely vanishing from her neck.

“Thank you.”

He stood up, and she took the hand he was holding out to her before he helped her get back on her feet. They both looked around, taking in the damage the explosion had done. Godric’s living room was completely destroyed. A few vampires had died, given the puddles of blood around the burned room. A few humans too. Isabel and Godric were helping the survivors recover, helped by Bill, Sookie and Jason.

“I can’t believe they’d do that…”

“Really? I’m not surprised at all.”

“Eric,” Godric said as he appeared before them. “Please, bring your human back to the hotel.”

“She’s not mine,” Eric corrected his maker.

“Apologies,” he told Brooklynne. “Please, bring back Mr. Compton and his human too. The brother as well.”

“What about you?”

“I need to sort things out here. Isabel will help me. The sun will be up in less than an hour. Please, rest, and we will talk tonight.”

“I can help…”

“Yes… Please, help her and her siblings. I’m sure they need to rest as much as we do.”

Eric nodded. “I will see you tonight.”

“You will,” Godric assured him before he walked away.

“Come on,” Eric told Brooklynne. “Let’s find you sister.”

*********

Tags: @thepoet1975 @nerdysandwichqueen @catchmeupimgettingoutofhere @raegan-hale @colie87

#true blood #fanfiction #fanfic #eric northman #sookie stackhouse #bill compton #jason stackhouse #godric #eric x oc #eric northman x oc #eric x reader #eric northman x reader #imagine #reader #oc

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lumikinetic · 5 years

Text

Mega Spoilers She Ra S4

Under the cut!! Last chance!!

1. Double Trouble

God I love them I love them I love them. As I said on twitter I speculated that Double Trouble was what Catra needed. A friend. Sure, Scorpia was there but she was never gonna recognise Scorpia for who she was and what she meant to Scorpia and true to form, it was only after she realised Scorpia was truly never coming back that she honestly started to miss her. But she was never going to appreciate Scorpia I think because she was too much like Adora. She shows kindness. She shows empathy and love and joy, all the things the Rebellion stands for, all the things Adora left her for and when Scorpia told her she was a bad friend and left her, like Adora did, she became a second Adora in her eyes. Another person who left. Now Double Trouble (who I've been calling Dub, first to save space on my tweets and then it just stuck), they're nothing like Adora. They're treacherous and sneaky and dirty, just like she believes herself to be, like she has to believe herself to be, because otherwise she would have to admit she's worthy of love, friendship, happiness and worthy of Adora, and so Catra feels like she can really be friends with them. She doesn't want to show it because she's still hurting from being burned before but Dub's not having that shit they pick up on it real fast and tease her about having fun. Not even beginning to delve into the genius of using Dub as a narrative device of calling everybody on their bullshit, Dub then finds Catra after her fight with Hordak and gives her the straight facts but what I really liked was they didn't say "I know there's still good in you", they said "you were never cut out to be the bad guy" like that was so smart of them. Dub's thing is that they know everyone, they know how they think and act so they know if they tell Catra she's still good (like Adora keeps saying) her abandonment issues are gonna kick in and she's gonna lose it and lash out. By telling her she wasn't cut out to be a villain, oh man where do I even start?

It's harsh, yes but maybe Catra believes she deserves harsh. If she is told she's still good, that gives hope and she's had too much false hope to ever accept that again

Because Dub can see people for who they really are, they can see Catra has been left too many times. Adora left, Scorpia left, she thought Dub left and they accurately predicted that would break her, Glimmer will return to Bright Moon at some point and I think there might be some reluctant bonding while they're in space, so Dub gave Catra an out. "Everyone else left. You can too." That's what they're really saying, I think.

Putting her down provides a new option for Catra yes, but it's still putting her down. It was mean, true but again, I think it's what Catra believes she deserves right now. And so she resigns. She collapses, defeated and when Glimmer shows up, she says she'd rather die because it's better than leaving, even if it's by her own free will. She's had enough of leaving.

Of course, Catra turns herself right around and trades Hordak in for Horde Prime, pledging her allegiance to a newer, superior, stronger Hordak but she can't unhear what Double said to her. She can't unfeel her feelings, no matter how hard she tries. And that seed will grow and grow in her mind until eventually the time will come where she's gotta make a decision - does she finally leave for herself and shed herself of the Horde or does she continue to play at being the villain, because she knows she doesn't have what it takes to be the hero?

2. Catra

Catra is a princess! Of course she's a princess! The biggest evidence, the cat that can be seen in the corner when Light Hope shows all the princesses to Adora, telling her about the purpose of She-Ra. I have no idea why but the fact Catra's head gear make a metallic sound when it hits the floor when she takes it off somehow made me think it was an heirloom or something, maybe a token of royalty. And if Entrapta doesn't need a Runestone to qualify as a princess, then why can't Catra?! But anyway I think Catra knows she's a princess. She's never going to admit it of course, but she knows. And I think that's where her abandonment issues stem from. The Horde obviously lied to her, like they did to Scorpia and how her family let the Horde have the Black Garnet but Catra is smart, smarter than she gives herself credit for. She figures it out and realises she's been lied to. She doesn't leave, maybe because she's too caught up in her emotions to decide what to do, because she's found someone she can trust in Adora and she doesn't want to leave her, or simply because the easiest thing to do is stay. Whatever the reason, she stays, knowing that her family never actually rejected her but the self-doubt remains and grows. What if they did? What if my family never wanted me? What if they cast me out for something I did? What if they turned me over to the Horde in exchange for keeping their lands safe? And when Adora leaves her, everything she questioned becomes true except the focus shifts from her kingdom and a possibility to her best friend and a certainty.

Along comes Double Trouble. They see she's not a villain. They see she just wants to belong to something. And they put it together too so they plant the seed. What if my family wanted me all along? What if I could leave? Everyone else did. What if I went ahead and did what I want to do instead of what I have to do? And when the time comes for her to decide if she's going to leave and forge her own path, she can decide to head to Adora or seek out her kingdom. If you wanna get really into it, you could say Catra is a representation of her kingdom, like the other princesses are and it gives an insight into what her kingdom might look like and be, culturally. Perfuma controls nature, so she's a very spiritual hippie type person. Frosta is cold and distant (even though she opens up, that's how we meet her). Mermista is uncaring, like the ocean when it kills you and no one will ever know because it is a vast void both above and below the surface I have a fear of the ocean, in case you could not tell. Catra is cunning, proud and vicious. Caring when she wants to be but hostile because she feels she needs to be. Catra's kingdom is probably an outland tribe, not too far off from what the Crimson Waste is like, but with laws and guards and stuff like any other kingdom, shunned from the princess alliance for their unpredictable nature (you might even say the princess alliance left them?) and so have trust issues with princesses. This is why Scorpia was obviously a Princess, because she was so happy and positive all the time like the other princesses but Catra hides it so well because she's naturally mean and calloused. It'd be so dope if Catra was an Anti-Princess, like the Dark Jedi in Star Wars.

Alternatively, she was nice and her kingdom is nice but the Horde rubbed off on her. Either way, Catra's arc ends when she starts to attempt to be good and finding her kingdom might be the first step in doing that. My ideal ending for Catra's character arc, regardless of whether she is a princess or not, is she finds someone or something to help her overcome her PTSD, abandonment issues and anger management problems (I REALLY HOPE IT'S RAZZ) and she joins the Rebellion as a black ops agent, doing infiltration and sabotage missions but she keeps her S4 outfit and everyone just lets her cause they all agree it fucks. (Noelle please give me vigilante black ops Catra but give her therapy first.)

Quick thing I wanted to add before posting after reading back over this - the scene where she removes her head gear and sobs on the floor of the control room. I think she's wondering why she didn't just leave with Adora. Why she didn't just leave to find her real family. Why she didn't just leave to find herself. Why she didn't just leave. And it eats away at her soul every goddamn day she spends in the Fright Zone, but she can't stop now, she's come too far.

3. Glimmer

Oh man. Oh man. This Micah/Glimmer reunion is gonna be HEAVY. Truly, the She-Ra fandom is Atlas. Honestly, I wanna say it was Shadow Weaver that started to turn her into Dark Glimmer but I don't think that was it. This whole season, Shadow Weaver has just been like "bro I am just s. I am just sitting here". She's very literally done nothing wrong. She's just been gardening and giving Glimmer magic lessons. Dub is to blame with that. Their twisting of Glimmer's mind set her on that path and all it took was Adora to disagree with her on one thing and she exploded and thought "if no one will fix it, then I'll do it". Her regret at what she'd done on Horde Prime's ship probably means she'll profusely apologise but that's really all there is to say on that issue. Other that, everything I can say about Glimmer will come to me when she meets Micah.

4. Scorpia

Hell yes my baby. Episode 6 was so good. When I think about Scorpia and Catra's relationship, I think about this line by Alex Hunter AKA HiTop Films on YouTube in one of his Spider-Man essays I forget which one (but you should go watch all of them anyway cause they're all really good and go watch his other stuff and support him on Patreon, if you can) about the relationship between MJ and Harry in the Raimi Spider-Man trilogy:

Maybe Harry (Scorpia) loves her (Catra) the best Harry Osborn COULD love someone, but it's not the love she needs.

It doesn't fit Scorpia and Catra exactly so I'll explain. Obviously Scorpia loves Catra a lot but Catra's not the right person she needs to love, nor does Catra need love herself. She will need it, eventually, but right now Catra needs therapy. She needs help before she needs love and she needs to work out her own issues. That leaves Scorpia with a big heart and no one to fill it with. Ironically it's a robot that helps her realise Catra isn't good for her. It's hard for Scorpia to hear but Emily has to show her that Entrapta was her real friend and they had fun together and what Catra and her have is not fun. Then the next step in moving out of Catra's abusive relationship is the Royal Hall. It's here that Scorpia has to admit to herself that the Horde weren't pleasant, if tough, diplomats who simply negotiated ownership of the Runestone. She doesn't even know any of the members of her family except her grandfather and even then she was too young to remember him and she realises that the Horde eradicated her culture when the colonised the place and she's hurt. She's really and truly broken and to make matters worse, Emily is still trying to tell her that her friend isn't really her friend. It's difficult to face these two massive truths but Scorpia hides her pain. Not to run from it, like Catra, but because she's Scorpia, and Scorpia doesn't give up. So she seeks out the princesses. She knows she's a princess so she hopes she'll find some belonging there and she's right. After some understandable hostility, she's greeted. Not very warmly but still greeted. Her first friend is Perfuma, which I think is so fitting because Perfuma is the princess most like Scorpia, she's all about love and positivity and acceptance so of course she's gonna be the first to treat her with an equal amount of kindness that Scorpia would readily give anyone and everyone else. Frosta is next, the princess who knows what it's like to be an outsider, having shut off her kingdom from the outside world for so long and it's at Bright Moon Scorpia finally gets to give a real hug, not one where people squirm out of her grasp. One where she gets hugged back.

Backtracking a little, when Scorpia said to Emily that Catra has been under a lot of pressure and that's why she's acting this way, I don't think she was making excuses for her behaviour, I think she really notices how close Catra is to snapping completely. Since the moment she realised Adora wasn't coming back to the Horde, Catra has just been completely shit on, episode after episode. Nothing goes right for her and it piles on and on and on and Scorpia's been right beside her this whole time watching it happen. Except Catra doesn't have her optimism, she's got spite and rage so she can't handle it as well as Scorpia and Scorpia knows this so even when she admits Catra was abusive and cruel, she still wants to help, because she is a good person. And good people help others, help those in pain, no matter what.

#she ra #she ra season 4 spoilers #she ra s4 #spop spoilers #catra #double trouble #glimmer #king micah #scorpia #she ra spoilers

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oldandannoyed-blog · 6 years

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[1]I am sorry if I am bothering you and if you don't like the subject I want to discuss with you, but I followed you for a while and I really like your thoughts and ideas about different matters concerning ava's demon. I just caught up with fandom drama about those leaked arts and I can't really understand why people now are soo mean to the author. Maybe it's just different cultures (in my country people are not THAT active on such matters, they are active on others) but I really don't see the

[2] the problem here: characters are aged up, it’s just some fanart drawn not by the author herself but by the colorist and it doesn’t affect the comic (in which, to my mind were raised even darker themes, than aged up porn with demons) and now people are freaked out and name it “calling out” on the child porn. I don’t really understand the matter, so, I really wanted to see your thoughts if you don’t mind. (Also I saw post that MC decided to ban those who leaked arts)

you’re not bothering me lovely, don’t you fret! and thank you, it’s nice knowing people like my thoughts and opinions on things, even though I ramble a hell of a lot about all sorts of shit :“’>

oh god though, where to even begin with the current crap raging in the tags. I’ll start off by saying I probably only contain surface level knowledge of the situation because I think the whole things ridiculous and haven’t delved very deep into it because of that. but I do know some shit, so I’ll talk about that and explain to people why they’re being dumb (again. you’d think they’d listen the first time but nope!)

to start off with, why are people being mean to Michelle? cause they’ve got no lives. like, I’d sugar coat it, but that’s it. some people like to think they’re better than others by spreading false information around and gaining a following who boost their egos, making them feel better and superior over those they’re bullying. you can try and feed me crap like how they’re trying to protect minors against a paedophile but if you really wanted to protect anyone, you wouldn’t leak pornographic images from a locked website and post them on a website where minors are present and could be exposed to the images.

do I even need to mention that if you wanted to actually protect children against a paedophile, you wouldn’t make such a big hullabaloo about it? I’ve done safeguarding before, the whole fucking point is that you’re trying to protect the child so you gotta keep shit on the down low, like you don’t go fucking telling everybody about it, you keep shit discreet, you contact the right people, and you get it sorted with as little fuss as possible for the safety and protection of the child.

obviously the people in these tags don’t get that and just like screaming nasty words at someone who draws art for a living, like I bet these fuckwits go over to old ladies houses and stomp on their fucking flowers n shit man.

I digress.

from what I understand, some 17y/o knob jockey wanted in on the patreon, but hello, the nsfw patreon tier is for 18+ only (ya know, the same way porn sites and other websites containing adult content are) and so this lil shitbag badgered their friend until their mate showed them the art which the shitbag later leaked.

like…… man, where do I even begin, what even is there to say anymore? they wanted to see that shit and when they were told no they got petty and found a way to leak the art. and they’ve started this whole fucking shitstorm about child porn, and like…….. can you IMAGINE going out onto the fucking street and telling someone casually “oh yeah, this artist I like has this website where they post art and I wasn’t allowed to see it so I found a way to steal one of their artworks to leak it and claim it as child porn” like….. you’d think they were off their fucking rocker, what kind of insane shit ??

it ain’t child porn, plain and fucking simple. I’ve seen the artwork and it ain’t. Pedri’s a big fucking lad, he’s a giant fucking ALIEN and Ava is a short human gal. like ???? my man, I don’t even KNOW what to say. it’s not child porn, Ava isn’t drawn as a fucking child, it doesn’t MATTER that she’s currently 15 in the comic because she’s not drawn as a child in the nsfw artwork, it’s !!! it’s literally driving me up the fucking wall that people can’t understand that??

just…… ya know what makes child porn child porn? it’s images or videos showcasing young children being sexually abused and raped. and that is fucking disgusting, the fact content like that exists makes me sick to my fucking stomach.

this artwork? not child porn. it’s a rough sketch, rough lines digitally drawn on a digital canvas, of a fictional alien man who is a literal long legged giant and a short woman who has been appropriately depicted as being an adult.

if this sketch got lined and coloured and suddenly Ava looked like a hairless mole rat and her body size suddenly shrunk to look like a toddlers and the pair of hanging tiddies she got fell off, THEN I’d have reason to be concerned. as it stands? people are fuckwits and need to hop over to specsavers and get their eyes looked at cause I dunno WHAT they’re fucking seeing to make them think this is fucking child porn, the dirty fucking cunts.

ALSO, a point about Ava being short…… there’s artwork on the patreon of Nevy holding up Ava, like it’s an innocent pic, no sex or nanc, it’s just Nevy holding Ava so they’re at eye level, and Ava’s such a lil shortarse that Nevy is holding her up off the ground. her feet don’t even touch the floor she’s such a lil shorty, my fucking god.

so, in all, in conclusion….. I think people are being super fucking dumb and I think people need to get a better fucking grip on reality because if they think that’s child porn then they ain’t got a fucking clue what child porn is, and I can’t even say nanc else cause I hope no one ever has to witness child abuse in that form, and anyone who willingly engages in that content should be fucking locked up or worse.

anyone in this damn fandom who screams paedo or child porn needs to grow the fuck up and understand that they’re being massive fucking wankers, and that’s the end of that.

#asks #long post #I don't even know where this ask went like I fucking rambled like a madman #I'm not sure if this is the sorta answer you were after anon I dunno if you wanted me to have some in depth and well written reply #I just think this whole situation is batshit ridiculous and I can't handle the stupidity of this fandom I tells ya #so..... angry rambling it is #also any anger isn't directed at you anon !!! you are a lovely lil bean #rambling in the tags #again #I need to stop rambling so much #Ava's Demon

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hoseokmylovesworld · 5 years

Text

Picture of Love | 05

Pairing: Photographer!Hoseok x OC x Producer!Yoongi

Genre/Warnings: Hoseok AU/Yoongi AU/Includes strong language.

Words: 5,080

Summary: Charlotte Galloway is the leader of the up and coming girl band, “She-Bang”, with a side hustle as a photographer for anyone who will hire her. She meets a fellow professional photographer named Jung Hoseok who helps “She-Bang” realize their dreams and Charlotte to make a love connection along the way.

"Leyah...Leyah wake up." I say into my best friend's ear. She stirs slightly, but does not respond and makes no efforts to listen further. As I suspected. These girls only respond to one thing.

"LEYAH WAKE UP!" I yell still near her ear. She shrinks back at the noise immediately and rolls to the other side of her bed, covering her ears. "Goddammit Char!"

"Come on. You gotta get up so we can go." I shoo the covers away from her only to see her matching tweety bird shorts and tank top pajamas. I snicker.

"It's Friday. We don't have a gig today ass-hat! What the fuck time is it anyway?" She grabs her covers back.

"You know, I love when you call me that." I look off into the distance for dramatic effect, for no one in particular. "But if you must know, night owl, it is 10:09 AM. The girls are getting ready. You're all that's left. Please join us." I say moving closer to her face with my head in the palm of my hands, elbows resting on her bed. She takes one look at me and breaks. She never was able to resist me.

"Ffffffine. Where are we even going?" She rubs the sleep out of her eyes. YES.

"I just made a benji on Patreon and I wanna share it with my girls and congratulate them on their hard work...by taking them out to brunch thank you very much." I smile brightly. J-Hope encouraged me to start sharing my photos on Patreon recently and apparently people really like my work and want to see more.

"Also I made plans for us all later. Just wear something punk and look cute."

"Why didn't you just start with that?" She sits up and smiles groggily. I smile back. "I just like to fuck with you." I laugh and boop her nose and back away quickly in case she retaliated. She just rolls her eyes and falls back onto the bed waiting for Carrie to get out of the shower.

Seeing as I am fully dressed and ready to go, I wait on my girls and pass the time by tinkering with my phone.

Though I said I would try not to talk to J-Hope until Saturday, he's continued to text me everyday of the week since we last spoke...And so I maybe text him back. He's been away in Maine all week for work, but he promised he would be back for our date on Saturday.

I hear a ping and get a notification on my phone. J-Hope texted me.

J-Hope: Hey! Just landed in San Fran. Told you I'd be back in time.*smiley face emoji*

I roll my eyes and smirk playfully. I send him a quick reply and continue to get ready for brunch with the girls. Me: Well thank you for keeping your word.

I text Kyle where were going, because I still haven't made up with Darren, and we're off.

The train ride to the Hollywood Cafe is short and filled with us making fun of people we see on public transportation. We're seated and soon we each are sipping on different flavored mimosas. "So." I say resting my hands on the table in front of me, getting their attention.

"I have brought you guys here and offered to buy you all brunch with my hard earned money, your welcome, to let you guys know how proud I am of you." I watch their amused expressions from my self-praise turn to looks of sincere gratitude. Leyah still wears her near expressionless mask, but her mouth turns up at the corner slightly and I can tell she's feeling my speech as much as the other girls. I raise my mimosa into the air and the girls follow suit.

"I know how hard you girls have worked and after two years I know that you deserve every good thing that comes your way-"

"Oh my gawd! Why are you doing this?! You told me to get cute and now your making me cry?! What the fuck Char?" Carrie gripes across form me. Vicky chuckles and rubbed her arm in comfort. "Don't touch me, I'm emotional!" She shoos her hand away causing all of us to burst out in laughter at her expense and draw attention to ourselves with our volume.

"I'm sorry Carrie, but my speech has already been prepared, I must finish it." She nods. "If you must." She sniffles, grabbing a napkin. Poor baby, she always was the most emotional one of the group.

"We have been through some shit separately and together, but we were there for each other...you guys were there for me..." I hear my voice crack a bit and I stop. I am taken back to when I met my best friends at a club in L. A. when I was at my lowest. Damn, I didn't expect myself to get this sentimental too.

Leyah reaches over and squeezes my thigh encouragingly, eyebrows furrowed. I clear my throat and continue. "And I just want to say...I love you guys so much...Thank you." We finally clink our glasses, the girls and I say "Cheers." in unison.

The food comes and we enjoy some small talk and breakfast food before I share my other news with them. "So guys, that photographer you all met contacted me early this morning-"

"Is that why you were up so early?" Leyah dragged out. "Yes, now hush. He agreed to meet with us today and seeing as he's only in town for a limited time, he wants to take some test shots in the Trans-america Redwood Park." I say with a hopeful smile.

"Nice one Char. I'm guessing that's why you told us to 'look cute'." Vicky says using air quotes.

"Why, yes it is." I sing, getting more excited by the second.

"Yeah, well my cute is heels. That trip is no walk in the park if you know what I mean and you're wearing flats." Vicky points out. It's true there is a bit of a walk before and after the train ride, but I figured my girls could do this for us.

"Oh come on. It's nothing we can't handle. Look we have like two hours before we have to be there we'll jus-"

"How about we just call Darren and Kyle and tell them to bring the ca-"

"No!" I get shocked and confused glances from each of the girls at my outbursts, I sigh once and spit out an excuse. "It's just that...well they're probably sleeping and we wouldn't want to disturb them." I say almost in the form of a question.

"Char it's twelve o'clock and Kyle is an early bird anyway, we can-"

"We can do this ourselves. We don't need them for everything." I spit the last part out aggressively. The girls eyes are still wide and full of curiosity.

"...Are you in ex-boyfriend mode again?...Do you need a hug?" Carrie whispers the last part, quite seriously, causing me to smirk. "No Carrie, I am fine, thank you for asking." Carrie just nods still keeping a watchful eye on me, while Leyah's eyes become more suspicious than anything.

"Or better yet...Did you two have a fight? You and Darren I mean." Her face finally showing some interest for her best guy friend. I shrug nonchalantly, trying to play it cool. "I wouldn't call it a fight. We had...a disagreement."

"Otherwise known as a fight." Leyah adds flatly.

"Okay we had a spat. It was no big deal. I will talk to him and get everything straightened out soon. That good with you?" I announce with wide, defensively eyes.

"You don't have to prove anything to me Char. You know that." Leyah loses interest and stares back at her pancakes. I wish Darren saw it that way.

"Yes...I do." I look down guiltily. I pay for our food and convince the girls to take this train to the park. "Come on girls, it'll be fun. Like our own little road trip!"

"You don't wear heels on road trips."

"Vicky I swear to God-"

"I'm sorry! My feet hurt. I swear the next time you say 'I have a surprise' I'm staying the fuck in bed." Everyone starts to laugh at Vicky's pain. "I don't know what the fucks so funny." she grumbles from the back of our group.

We arrive at the park. I lead the girls to the meeting spot Mr. Bernard told me about, the main fountain in the center of the park. As we approach we can see a middle aged man with dark brown, graying hair standing near the fountain. "That's him." Leyah says next to me. He's wearing a baby blue button up shirt, a gray V-neck sweater and gray slacks and of course a high tech camera hanging from his neck. Basically he looks like a hot dad out of a Home Goods magazine. Nice.

"Mr. Bernard." I say as I approach, putting on my best communications voice.

"Ms. Galloway?" He looks up and goes to shake my hand. "Yes. Just call me Char though. You've met the girls." I shake his hand and gesture to my crew. They wave.

"Yes, hello again." He smiles. Nice so far.

"So let's talk about how we're going to do this. Yeah?" We sit on two benches that are conveniently next to each other and curved inward. "So what is your brand?" What?

"Our brand?" I ask him and then turn to the girls for help. They are no help. "Yes. What are you about?" He elaborates. OH! Why didn't he just say that?

"Oh! Well we're a punk rock girl band. We sometime make pop rock music as well." I give a sweet close mouthed smile. Mr. Bernard makes a face that suggests he's been caught off guard. "Oh...I didn't see that at the blues hall two days ago." he sneers as if he's been mislead.

Well then.

"We're sorry if you got the wrong idea, we had to change our style a little but we are a punk band." I smile trying to give this man the benefit of the doubt for our bands sake.

"Well alright." He looks down in thought. "Um...what is your collective aesthetic?"

"You're lookin' at it." I say proudly. He studies each of us, eyebrows and unimpressed. "I see."

Who the fuck does this dude think he is?

I send my members an 'are you kidding me?' expression when Mr. Bernard's head is turned and they return the gesture. "Oh well..."

Oh well?!

"Uhhh...The fan-base! How broad is your fan-base?" Is he asking us how successful we are?

"I don't see what that has to do with these photos..." My friendly smile falling.

"Oh well it'll let me know what kind of audience I'm dealing with and how to go about the aesthetics if we were to continue and come to an agreement."

This old head is so full of shit I can smell it on his breath.

"We have at least three hundred people come to our sets, we have over one million Twitter followers and over two million subscribers on Youtube." Why am I entertaining this? Because we need these professional photos. Oh yeah.

Mr. Bernard's face drops considerably once more. "I see..."

If he says 'I see'. One. More. Time.

"Do you even have the money to pay me for my services?" He asks doubtingly.

He. Did. Not. Just-

"You never talked about a price? How much are you asking for?" Leyah thankfully jumped while I simmered down on my own.

"Well I'm a professional so...." Yeah, a professional asshole. "I was expecting a pay of $900 in advance and then we could go from there." He says calmly. My eyes widen and my eyebrows rocket sky high.

"You were actually expecting $900 and then some from a rock band that's just getting their start and lives in a hotel?" I exaggerated.

"Well, yes." He shrugged.

"Well, We're sorry sir, but we don't have that kind of money." Leyah shares indifferently.

Mr. Bernard looks down and sighs while adjusting his sweater. "Well, I'm sorry ladies, but it looks like we won't be doing business together." He gets up and goes to shake my hand. I just look at his hand and then up at him not saying a word.

"Uh-thanks for the opportunity sir." Vicky picks up my slack and even shakes his hand, sending him on his way. I just shake my head back and forth in disbelief. "I'm sorry for dragging you guys here." I say looking down.

"No it was my fault. I set this up." Leyah tries to comfort me. "He approached you Leyah, you were trying to-" "No, I still made this p-"

"It's nobody's fault! You both tried to better the group and that's all that matters." Carrie jumps in. "Yeah guys. We're better off anyway. Let's just go home." Vicky offers.

"You're right. Someone call the guys." I say causing the girls to look at me curiously. "I thought you didn't want us-"

"I know what I said, I just...Just do it please? I'm too bummed out to argue." I rub my forehead out of stress. "Okay then. Just hang tight." Leyah steps away, I assume, to call the boys. Soon enough she is gathering the girls to find Darren and Kyle at a corner of the park. I continue ignore Darren as I enter the van, but it's not as if I said hi to Kyle either. On the way back to the hotel and trying not to think about how depressed I feel, I get an idea.

"Guys we should go out tonight." Multiple pairs of eyes whip in my direction. "Out where?" Vicky asks already on board with my suggestion it seems. "I don't know, like a club or a bar or something. I just wanna forget about this and have some fun." I explain.

"Are we invited?" I hear Darren from the driver's seat, peering at me through the rear view mirror patronizingly. "Yes." I answer simply, not in the mood for Darren's shit after that performance from Asshole Bernard. "I'm down." Kyle offers.

"Yeah me too. We haven't been out clubbing unless it was for a gig." Vicky adds getting a little excited. My plan is workiiinnngggg, I sang in my head.

"Yeah, why the hell not?" Leyah shrugs along with Carrie.

"Awesome! Now let's go back to the hotel and get dolled up!" The group laughs at my enthusiasm.

We pull up to the hotel and I fly out of the car, filled with a newfound energy. My mood is no longer ruined because I'm about to go have fun with my girls and I'm inviting a new friend. The girls were so discouraged by that nitwit photographer that I really want to give them some new confidence and I hope J-Hope can help with that. I mean there's hope in his name, he's gotta be good for something right?

While looking for an outfit I text J-Hope. Me: Hey! Do you wanna meet somewhere or are you feeling jet lagged?

He replies after two minutes or so. J-Hope: No I feel just fine *smiley face* Where do you wanna meet?

Me: The Mezzanine? On Jessie st? My friends and I are having a get together there later tonight around 11.

Me: I know you've probably been to better clubs, but it'll be fun I promise. I write last minute, trying to persuade him further.

J-Hope: Haha, no worries the Mezzanine is great. I'll be there.

My excitement immediately goes through the roof. Me: Oh okay see you there then.

J-Hope: Can't wait *winky face* I roll my eyes and continue getting dressed.

After putting my look together I give one last twirl in the mirror and head out to the family room to pregame with the guys. The group was already taking shots to the head and listening to music, already dressed to go out. I look around to make sure someone is sober enough to drive and all I find is Darren. Not drinking or laughing with the others, but keeping to himself. I slowly approach him.

"So...uh..." I start getting his attention. He looks up at me with interest and then each of us simultaneously looks down when we realize how awkward this encounter is. "So your good to drive...right?" I look up briefly and start to play with my nails. I see him nod from the corner of my eye. "Yeah-uh...yeah I got it. Don't worry." He rubs the back of his neck. "Kaybye." I nod walking over to the girls and take a shot.

Thirty minutes later it's a little before 11 and we're heading out to the club. There's an area for a live band to play and another for the DJ, who's playing now, along with a huge dance floor of people surrounded by tables and booths on the sidelines and a lighted bar that takes up the entire back wall. The place is packed wall to wall with bodies and we struggle to cut through.

Who do I talk to, to get a gig here? There are so many people.

We grab a small, round, tall table with no chairs. Leyah goes to the bar to get our usual drink orders. Soon we're all singing along and dancing to the music. I'm even dancing and talking to Darren like nothing ever happened between us. We retire back to the table and the girls tell Darren and Kyle about why we're even here.

"Wait! So he just said 'fuck ya'll and left?'" Darren iterates, in disbelief making me laugh. "Uhh, not in so many words." I say. "That's still fucked up." Darren shakes his head and sips his drink. "Yeah that wasn't right." Kyle throws his two cents in. "You're telling us." Carrie drones as I get a text.

J-Hope: I'm here. Meet me outside? I smile at the screen and turn my attention to my friends. "Guys! I'm gonna step out, I'll be right back!" I yell over the music and head out to find J-Hope. I find him just outside the transparent door of the club turned away from me and I begin to panic.

Oh god. I haven't seen this guy in a week, how the fuck do I approach him? Do I fucking wave like a jackass? Do I hug him? Do I shake his goddamn hand? Get it together Char, you're an adult!

I continue to walk while I freak out, not knowing how this is going to go. I exit the club and walk towards him. "J-Hope!" I shout as I approach and to my surprise (and delight), J-Hope goes right in for the hug with no hesitation. Leaving me with no room to be awkward. Thank you sweet baby Jesus. "Charlotte!" He shouts back pulling me into his embrace. I'm not mad about it either. I wrap my arms around his shoulders in response and briefly rest my chin on his shoulder while he gives me a quick squeeze. Oop...okay.

"It's good to see you again. I'm glad you could make it." I say with a genuine smile on my face. "Me too. I mean, I didn't expect you to invite me out before our date tomorrow, but I'm glad you did." He smiles that smile that rivals the sun and I have to tear my eyes away from him in order to lead him to the entrance. "Uh-okay, let's go inside yeah?" He nods and pays the bouncer the club fee and I lead him to my friends who are still talking about the whole photographer thing.

"I'm just sayin', ya'll shoulda called me. I woulda handled 'em!" Darren boasts as we approach the table. The rest of the crew laughs at his words even though we all know he's not joking. His face falls as he notices the stranger walking next to me, the rest of the crew does the same as we get closer. "Guys. This is my friend J-Hope." I say lightheartedly hoping no one chops off my head for bringing an outsider here to our crew's night out.

"Hi everyone." J-Hope waves in my crew's general direction. He fucking waved. How cute is that?

The crew gives blank faces with raised eyebrows and I'm debating whether I should just play this off as a joke and throw J-Hope into the crowd of people behind us, but Carrie speaks up. "Hi, I'm Carrie." She smiles. Thank fuck. The rest of the group starts to introduce themselves except for, of course, Darren who is just sipping away on his pussy ass fruity drink and glaring at J-Hope. This guy.

"So what are you guys talkin' about?" J-Hope asks after getting comfortable and receiving his drink. "This photographer ripped us off and said he would take pictures for our website and get some concept photos done then he straight up insulted us and split!" Vicky shouts communicating with her hands raised high. Vicky might be a little drunk.

"Wait seriously? That sucks." J-Hope offers. "Yeah, no shit." Darren pouts from across the table. J-Hope's head instantly cocks back at the remark and his concerned face turns to a face that reads 'well shit...', but thankfully he doesn't seem that bothered by it. There's no other way to describe it. Leyah promptly slaps Darren on the back of the head. Hard. I give her a look of thanks from across the table.

I lean to speak in J-Hope's ear. "Just ignore him, I do." He looks at me understandingly and nods. "So, uh..." J-Hope starts to group. "Do you guys still need those pictures done? 'Cause I could help with that...I'm a photographer." Oh shit, it's that easy? I mean my plan tonight was to just straight up ask like the good for nothing little shit that I am. But shit, he's offering right off the bat? What did I do to deserve this?

"You would do that?" I ask in disbelief, subconsciously gripping his forearm that rested on the table. He looks at it and then looks at me as if his body is lagging and struggling to keep up with his brain. "Uhhh..." He goes to clear his throat. "Uh--of course--yeah." He looks down at the table as he speaks. We still got it I guess. *Internal hair flip*

"Dude that would be great-" Vicky starts, but is cut off by Darren. "Wait, who even are you?" He all but accuses. "Darren!?" I try to reel him back, already tired of his shit. Both he and J-Hope ignore me, the rest the crew the just watches helplessly.

"I'm, uh, J-Hope. We kind of did this already...Twice." J-Hope states, getting a little fed up himself, but keeping it together well.

"No. I mean who are you? Aren't you like some amateur or something? And what kind of name is J-Hope anyway?" Darren literally points fingers at J-Hope as he speaks. "It's a nickname, my real name is Jung Ho-seok and no, actually I'm a professional." J-Hope's Korean accent shows as he stands his ground and wears a straight face. Hot.

"Where did you even go to school?" Darren continues, refusing to accept J-Hope for some insane reason. "Uh, ha ha..." J-Hope laughs, most-likely out of irritation. "I went to the New York School of Visual Arts." He answers calmly. Well shit.

"Are you happy?" I ask Darren brazenly, hoping for this conversation to be over.

Darren pauses. "What degree did you get?" He asks J-Hope. Jesus bloody Christ!

"Oh my god, does it matter!?" I shout at Darren. "No Charlotte, it's okay." He rests his hand over mine. At his words the entire crews eyes widen and I wish I knew why, but before I could ask J-Hope was answering another one of Darren's idiotic questions and my eyes are glued to J-Hope's hand on mine.

"I have my Masters in photography and my Master of the Arts degree, working on my Photographic Craftsmen degree." He says confidently. Someone just got cuter. Darren just stays silent and Vicky takes that as a chance to speak again. "Master of the Arts sounds so fancy. Like you're royalty." She seems sincerely amazed. J-Hope laughs, letting down his defensive demeanor. "Uh, not royalty, but it wasn't easy to get."

"So you'll really do this for us?" Leyah cuts in with her solemn disposition. "Well yeah, you guys seem like you could use a break and I'm a professional-"

"A break? How much are you gonna charge us?" Leyah expression perks up in anticipation, as do the rest of the girls. "Well, I wouldn't, essentially." What?

"Wait, no. We can't let you do that." I interject. He turns to me and looks me in the eyes, our hands still connected. "Of course you can. Like I said you all need a break and this step could bring you closer to getting the recognition you deserve." He broke eye contact to look at the rest of the girls. "I'm a professional, I promise they won't be bad." He laughs at his minor joke and Darren obnoxiously laughs as well.

"It's up to you, leader." Leyah directs at me. Okay then. "You got yourself a deal." I smiled at him and he smiled back, the whites of his eyes disappearing with the crinkles in the corners. "I look forward to doing business with you guys." He gives the girls a genuine smile. "I'll work out a photo shoot soon, just let me know what time is good for you ladies." he says getting into his professional mode. "We will." I speak for the girls. "Good, hey Charlotte?" J-Hope leans down to my ear giving me chills down my spine. What a pussy. "Yeah?" He leans down once more, this time closer than before. "Do you wanna dance, maybe?" he says as he gently squeezes my hand on the table.

My eyes immediately widen and I swear to God I forgot to breathe. My heart gave one hard thud and brought me back to reality. "Fuck..." I voice in reaction to my tiny episode. "Is that a no?" J-Hope laughs in my ear. That motherfucker.

"Yes, you idiot. That was a yes." I get in his face in a playful manor. He smirks and says "Lead the way." I turn to my friends. "Guys. We're gonna go dance. Be right back." I shout to them. Carrie and Kyle nod once in acknowledgement. Leyah and Vicky both squint their eyes and give me knowing grins. I grin back and then my eyes land on Darren. His expression is frozen in a scowl with glaring eyes directed at the table. I shrug and lead J-Hope to the crowded dance floor by his hand.

Once there, I continue to hold onto J-Hope's hand and partake in a little two-step. J-Hope does the same. We watch each other, eyes meeting occasionally, resulting in laughter. Soon enough J-Hope is pulling me towards him, spinning me so that my back was to his chest and we proceeded to sway in this position. He runs his finger tips down my arm causing goosebumps to sprout along that area and rests his big hand on my hip. That's how you wanna play?

I make a show of swaying my hips, angling them in his direction and reach up to wrap my hand around J-Hope's neck behind me, forcing his face to come down to my level more. In the midst of my teasing I could swear I heard a moan come from J-Hope. Mission Accomplished. I turn my head to his to see him already looking at me with lust filled eyes. I'm certain I'm returning a similar look. J-Hope takes this as a signal to lean in and try to kiss me, slightly closing his eyes and I panic a little.

I let him get close enough for our lips to almost brush before I put my index finger in between. He opens his eyes in shock, surveying my reaction. "You didn't think it was gonna be that easy did you?" I offer teasingly. His shocked expression relaxes into one of understanding. "Of course not." J-Hope laughs. We dance like this for another ten minutes before I decide to head back to table and hear that the band is ready to go. This doesn't surprise me, but I am a little disappointed at the news.

The band plus Darren and Kyle are walking to the van, J-Hope and I following a little behind the group. "Thank you for inviting me out tonight. I wasn't expecting it because of our date, but I had fun." J-Hope shared. "No problem. I'm glad you could come out since you just got back and all." I reply, genuinely happy he could make it. "Oh, well, that was no problem at all...I like spending time with you." I immediately stop focusing on the ground to meet J-Hope's eyes.

"Thanks...ditto." J-Hope laughs at my reply while I laugh self consciously not knowing what else to do. The crew reached the van in front of us. Leyah, Carrie, Vicky and Kyle yell varying forms of "goodbye" to J-Hope from where they were standing while Darren just hopped into the drivers seat and waited. J-Hope just waves. They start piling in and J-Hope and I stop to say goodbye to each other.

"So I'll pick you up tomorrow at eight?" J-Hope confirms. "Yup. And you'd better not be late." I say waving my finger accusingly in the air at him. He laughs and says "I wouldn't dare. As a matter of fact I'll show up at 7:59. How about that?" He smirks, taking a step closer to me.

"Yeah, okay. We'll see."

"We will." J-Hope doesn't hesitate this time to kiss me on the cheek and I am not complaining.

"Goodnight Charlotte."

"Goodnight J-Hope." I walk to the van as J-Hope watches and as soon as I get in we take off instantly.

"So who the fuck was he and when did you meet?" I hear Vicky chide next to me. Oh sweet baby Jesus.

#j-hope fanfic #suga fanfic #junghoseok #minyoongi #bts #btsfanfiction #AMBW #humour #kpop #sugardaddyj-hope

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rceebe-blog · 7 years

Text

Ain’t Queer (Commission)

Short-length Patreon story for MrMaxwell, which helps to flesh out a character he and I co-designed: Martin the pandad. This story is tangentially related to Teenage Troubles, Martin being the father of Lars from that story. A sequel to Teenage Troubles is upcoming in which Martin plays a large role, so keep an eye out! Write what you know, they said. Okay, alcoholic assholes dads a-go-go. <:3 I don't condone domestic violence, pedophilia, or homophobia - I just play them on TV. Don't beat other people, especially if you're related to them, and if a friend offers you a blowie, say thank you, because blowies are expensive. Thumbnail background is from Textures.com. Writing (C) me Martin (C) FA: mrmaxwell

Horace wasn't all that surprised to see Martin rubbing every cold beer he grabbed on his knuckles. They were swollen like he'd lost a fight with a nest of hornets, and although Man Code dictated that he not let himself be seen wincing, he favored the right paw by drinking with his left. It was a red flag to somebody as keen-eyed as Horace.

The reason Horace wasn't very surprised was because Martin's old lady could be, to put it diplomatically, kind of a problem. Oh, Sheila was a real beauty, any man would have been glad to have such a pretty wife, but she was damned mouthy. Thought she ran the show sometimes. Martin might have been an alcoholic, he might have been a little rough on their son, but he still provided. She had no right to complain about the drinking when there was food on the table and a roof over their heads, and by God, he had a right to tune her up here and there. After all, if God didn't intend a man keep his wife in line, why did He give him knuckles?

Horace himself believed in the value of busting a woman in the mouth when she lipped off, but Martin made it into an art form. If there were ever wife-beating Olympians, Martin would be the champion to rule them all. Horace had seen Martin tuning up his woman now and then when he stopped by for a cold one after work. They worked vastly different jobs - Martin was a decently-paid mechanic at a shop up the road and Horace worked at the scrapyard, crushing cars and smelting steel - but they got off around the same time, and they came home smelling enough of grease and sweat that they got along just fine.

The weasel, tipping back his beer, made a thoughtful noise Martin's way. The panda looked back at him with a grousing face. "The fuck is it now?"

"Ah, just wondering what that dumb bitch said this time," Horace chuckled.

Martin grinned. It was a hideous, beastly grin, an expression which harbored such evil intent that it made Horace think of a serial killer. Which one, he wasn't sure. What kind of murderer Martin could turn out to be was one of the thoughts that occupied him sometimes when he was laying awake, unable to get any from his frigid wife. If I could give Martha a tune-up like old Martin does his woman, Horace thought in such times of needs like his own on take on What Would Jesus Do? But she was a skunk, and a burly woman besides, and if anybody was getting tuned-up it was usually him. Just once he would have liked to see Martin knock her teeth out for him. It was a fantasy he turned to on lonely afternoons up in the crane's cab, when there was nothing to do and nobody around.

"Cunt climbed up my ass about not mowin' the grass," said the panda. "Like, bitch. Christ's sake. I just worked a twelve so I could come home'n listen to your bitching?"

"Ain't that the truth. 'Sides, your kid's what, twelve? Thirteen? He can cut the grass."

Martin grumbled. He sipped his beer, then went back to rubbing it on his knuckles. "Lars? He broke his ankle. Got into a pissing match with me and fell out the front door. Clumsy little shithead."

Rubbing the sides of his beer can, making smears in the condensation, Horace hummed in thought. "Still. He's a good kid, right? I mean, I've seen him, he's a good-lookin' boy."

"He's quiet." Martin chugged his beer. "Jesus, he's fuck'n quiet. Kid can be in a room and you wouldn't fuck'n know it. I've busted his ass for that shit but he still keeps silent." Suddenly he laughed. "Shit, if Sheila could be that goddamn quiet."

They snickered together and Martin finished off his beer, tossing the empty in the floor. It clattered against a loose pile of other empties; a cockroach scurried out of one on the margins. "Y'ever gonna take these fucking cans in to the dump or what?"

Horace waved him off and passed him another beer from the cooler. "Much as you gotta bust her face, I bet punchin' her is how you get her primed to fuck, huh?"

The panda scoffed. "She doesn't fuck anymore. Not unless I hold her down." The crack of his beer can cut through the still, humid air of the trailer. Horace's chubby wife, off reading a novel in the bedroom where the air conditioner was, groaned instinctively at the sound. "Fuck'n her when she don't want it ain't as fun as it was ten years ago. Even her shit chute's gettin' worn out from it. Need to find me somethin' else."

A creepy smile spread over Horace's naturally sleazy face. His teeth, busted and ugly from innumerable barroom brawls which he never won, gleamed like wet niblets of corn on a half-eaten cob. "Something else, huh? What would your woman think of that, anyhow?"

Martin snapped his eyes on Horace. "Who fuck'n cares? You know that bitch owns a goddamn vibrator? Oh, sorry, yeah - personal massager. My ass. Lars found it in her closet."

They watched the game, sipping beer and eventually going through a couple more each. The panda was only just buzzed when the lanky, tall weasel was starting to lose much of his coordination. He still had the requisite motor skills to keep raising his beer to his lips, however. "Ey... Martin."

"What now?"

Horace tried to hold aloft his beer, to tip it slightly at Martin in a little pointless gesture. Foamy beer splattered on the pleather sofa, neither man noticing it. "You really oughta find another somethin' to fuck. Somethin' young. Soft. Nice tits. Ya' know."

"Mm. Yeah, that'd be just about all right," Martin chuckled.

"Or... if you can't find a second bitch fuckin' dumb enough to fuck you," Horace grinned, leaning across the seat and almost falling into the smear of beer, "you could find somethin' else to fuck."

Martin scowled, and it was even uglier than his grin. "You goin' faggot on me?"

Horace recoiled, blinking. "No. 'Course not. Nuh-uh." After a slug of beer, he reached across and patted Martin's arm. The panda's bicep was thicker than Horace's thigh. "Y'ever helped a friend out before? In high school?"

The panda grunted, looking away. "You're a fuck'n queer."

"No I ain't!" the weasel huffed. He slipped across the couch, kneeling in the wet spot. In his drunk state he found himself thinking (albeit not caring if it were true) that he'd pissed his pants. "Now listen. It's queer if you look him in the eyes. Or you fuck him in the asshole. But givin' your friend a jerk-off is like... it's fine, ya' know? We all used to do that in the locker room. Almost all of us grew up wantin' pussy."

"Mmh."

The weasel chugged down his beer until it was only foam in the bottom of the can. He tossed it aside and almost fell getting up next to Martin. With drunken, hazy eyes on the prize, he put a long-fingered paw on the panda's groin and pulled down the lead of his zipper. "Lemme jerk you off. Suck your dick if you want. Fuck that cunt wife of yours. You're a good man, Martin. Damn good husband and father. You deserve somethin' good."

"Guess I do," Martin mumbled.

Horace's knee slipped on the wet cushion. He grunted, pushing into Martin's thigh as he straightened out. Chancing a look up at the panda - that handsome, beautiful panda who never smiled unless there was something rotten going down - let him see that Martin was frowning more than ever. His eyes were aimed at the hallway. An excited thought raced through the weasel's mind: his fat bitch of a wife waddling out, finding him with Martin's cock in his mouth. Would she have been surprised? Upset? He didn't know. But he loved the fantasy. His circumcised little cock struggled against the insides of his briefs.

The weasel opened the button Martin's fly. His greasy work pants were worn-out and old; the button slipped out of its gouged eyelet easily. He pulled apart the flaps and the bulge of a large penis greeted him, bigger than any of the other men in the neighborhood (or at least the ones he had talked out of their clothes). Even flaccid it made a beastly hump in his boxer shorts. Horace cupped it reverently, feeling so very thirsty as he palmed it.

"Big ol' dick. Real big." The weasel licked his lips. "Your old woman... dumb bitch don't know how good she got it."

Rain started to tick on the roof, pattering on the dead flowerbed outside the fore window. Martin thought half-heartedly of how he'd left his window cracked to keep the heat down some. He reached down - Horace flinched back a few inches - and scratched his inner thigh. "Geddit over with," he grumbled. "I gotta get--, there's shit I gotta do. Hurry the fuck up."

Horace mumbled an affirmative, counting himself lucky that Martin was being passive. He hadn't thought the big panda would be receptive; all the times he'd gone over the scenario (with your dick in your hand 'cause goddamn he's so fucking perfect) it ended before it started, usually with broken bones and so much blood. But Martin was taking it. He was getting hard, making the stripes on his boxers bend with every pulsing inch. He wanted it.

The weasel, fingers trembling, pulled down Martin's boxers. Opening the front flap wouldn't do, he had to pull them down, tuck the waistband under his balls, and that was what he did, taking the utmost care not to let go and snap the panda's nuts as if with a rubber band. The black, vein-pocked flesh of Martin's cock yawned into view, its surface slick with a hard day's sweat. A thick whiff of musk made the weasel's nostrils flare. He tucked the waistband carefully under Martin's balls and outright savored the heavy dew of sweat in their fur as they brushed against his knuckles.

Fearing perhaps rightly that more praise would just drive Martin off, Horace sidled up to the panda and clutched him with his dominant right paw. He stroked Martin firmly, slowly, exhibiting only the utmost reverence. Precum welled in the puckering and stretching flesh, smearing down the length each time he unpuckered the panda's foreskin.

Martin, at a loss for a more comfortable way to sit, draped his arm over Horace's shoulder. The lanky weasel felt tiny but incredibly safe in the panda's embrace. He bit his lip, tugging Martin harder and faster. Soft wet noises accompanied the gestures; his pads gleamed with the panda's precum. "Y'gonna cum? You gonna shoot for me? You like that, don't you?" Horace asked, his voice hopeful.

"Mmh." Martin watched the TV. It presently showed a whimsical commercial for car insurance. "This doesn't make me a fuck'n queer. It goddamn doesn't."

Horace couldn't agree more. Fags were wrong, unnatural things. They went against everything he knew to be good and pure and perfect - and a perfectly beautiful man like Martin couldn't possibly be a dirty fag. He squeezed fast on the panda's cock, closing his fingers over the head. Martin grunted and shifted in his seat, bucking awkwardly but intently into Horace's grip. It made the weasel shudder. He wasn't a queer either; he just appreciated the good traits in his fellow men, and he liked to show that appreciation physically.

The weasel, unaware and uncaring that the seat of his pants was wet with beer, leaned over into Martin. At first it seemed like he wanted to kiss the panda (he did, but that really was queer) but he leaned down as Martin recoiled. His nose dragged along the red panda's beer belly, down his thin black work shirt with oil and transmission fluid soaked into its pores. Finally his snout neared the panda's cock, and he gulped it down like the secret of eternal youth was inside of it. He sucked and slobbered, making noises far more wet and sultry than the handjob could have ever caused.

Martha heard a few sharp breaks of suction over the din of the air conditioner and the rain on its frame. Although she wasn't particularly hot, she turned the air conditioner up. The sounds of her husband's faggotry were lost under its whirring.

Martin absently set his paw on Horace's shoulder blade. From pinky to thumb, his grasp could cover much of the weasel's narrow back; Horace felt small but cherished under Martin's touch.

Drunk and desperate, thinking only of how perfect Martin was and how much he deserved to be shown affection, Horace bobbed and gulped as if possessed to suck dick. He palmed Martin's balls, appreciating their thickness and warmth, loving how the sweat permeated the fur like a marinade. Martin was such a handsome guy, a devoted husband and father who worked hard even when his balls were swampy and itchy. Who did that dumb cunt Sheila think she was, forcing her hubby to bust his knuckles across her face? Horace doubled down, gulping as much as he could fit in his not-queer mouth. His cock ached.

"Fuck. Fuck'n shit-fuck," Martin grumbled. "You gotta be kiddin' me..."

The panda leaned back firmly, chewing on his lip. He forgot he was even holding a beer in his sore paw and some of it spilled into the carpet. Slowly he closed his fingers around the weasel's shoulder, clutching the ball of it where he could gain the most purchase. His testicles gradually pulled taut in Horace's grasp and his penis throbbed madly, precum hitting the back of the weasel's mouth with every pulse. "Fuck... you're gonna make me--, ugh, you're a fuck'n queer, butt-pumpin' piece of shit, Horace."

Horace winced at the stinging words. He was going to stop, to abort and save face with a fag joke or three, but the panda shot into his mouth. Martin came silently, with little in the way of bucking and breathing, but he was shooting his wad and there was no mistaking it for anything else. Horace's very first thought was one of total delight: it was what he wanted, after all. He gulped down Martin's straight seed, happily chugging what the panda's dead fish wife wouldn't go near anymore. His tail swished and swayed, fingers rubbing the Martin's balls.

Martin breathed slowly, looking up at the cobweb-streaked popcorn ceiling. "You got two seconds to get your fuck'n homo mouth off my dick."

Feeling suddenly very sober as danger reared its head, Horace pulled his ugly mouth off of Martin's shiny cock. "Heh--, hey... Martin, hey. That wasn't queer. C'mon, you know I wouldn't do anything like that. I ain't no faggot."

The panda remembered his beer and took a long drink of it, a drink Horace believed was a thoughtful one. "Martin... Martin, come on. Guys do that. They do, it's just..."

Martin tucked away his genitals, pulling up his zipper. He couldn't get the button to stay - sometimes it didn't - and he let it be. "This shit. That homo shit of yours just now. It happens again and I'm bringin' my friends Smith and Wesson over here. D'you understand me?"

Horace winced. "Don't--, hey, Martin, listen to me," he groaned, touching the panda's shoulder.

In all his life, Martin had never been described as quick, but the punch he threw at Horace's face seemed pretty fast to the buzzed weasel. There was no moment of clarity where he saw it coming in slow motion; it just came, plowing into his face like a locomotive with a few hundred thousand tons behind it, and it took him off the couch and dumped him in a stunned and stupid heap. His eyes were only just getting the memo to start watering when Martin got on top of him, straddling his narrow belly and pummeling his face into paste.

"I am not! A fuck'n queer! And if you ever put your goddamn fingers or your fuck'n mouth on me again, I'm gonna drag your faggot ass behind my car until there ain't nothin' left of you!" Martin snarled, throwing one punch after another, smashing and crushing and pounding Horace's face into unrecognizable humps of swollen flesh and jagged teeth.

Fat Martha emerged from the bedroom and ran up the hall, making the floor shake as though there were a minor earthquake. She came to a sharp halt in the threshold to the living room and she watched her husband's pulverization with equal parts fear and appreciation. She knew, but had never said out of being a good wife, that Horace's homosexual tendencies were going to get him killed. Now she was watching it happen. Indecision plagued her. Horace had guns in the bedroom; there was a phone in there too. But ultimately she went back into the bedroom, turned the air conditioner up as high and noisy as it would go, and wept.

When Martin was done, Horace was unconscious. Blood splattered the carpeting. It cascaded down the weasel's neck like a bandit's bandanna. Cuts and nicks covered Martin's knuckles, and one fist was as swollen and bruised as the other then. "You fuck'n piece of shit queer," he hissed, hawking and spitting a big wad of saliva on the weasel's cratered face. He was shocked to see blood when he spat; he had bitten into his lip in his fury.

Martin gave Horace a kick in the ribs for good measure. He went home, and Sheila and the boy were spared licks for their smartass remarks and stupid questions only because his knuckles were so busted already.

The story that went around the neighborhood was that Horace had gotten his ass beaten for welching on a bet. The cops never came to Martin's house - at least not for that.

With his near-murder of Horace, however, Martin didn't snuff out that dangerous gay pleasure he felt. He hated it. Fucking Sheila even when she wanted to give it up lacked the same thrill it used to give him, but Lars was turning out to be a handsome young man. Very handsome, and very eager to please his violent dad. Martin was getting ideas already.

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