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ruthoakenshield · 4 years

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The Lady in Black Leather (Ch 13)

Catch up here: [Chapter 12]

Richard x reader

Warning: (18+ only!!!) Explicit descriptions of smut, fluff and lovemaking.

You shut off the shower and wring out your hair. You open the door to find two fluffy towels sitting on the counter for you. You grab one and turn with your back to the door, you bend over and pull your hair over the top of your head so you can dry it with the towel.

Richard glances over and sees you and is immediately hard. He groans at how enticing you are and comes over to stand behind you.

He grasps your hips and runs his hands up and down your back, enjoying being able to feel how soft your skin is. Then he reaches around to cup your breasts that are hanging down like lovely teardrops. He drops his towel and starts to grind against you, making you chuckle.

“Couldn’t resist the view?” you ask, giggling. He leans over you and whispers into your ear, “How could I when you are such a temptress, you have me under your spell, my Sweet.”

You shake you head, chuckling and get your hair wrapped in the towel. He pulls you to stand and turns you towards the counter. He takes the towel from off the counter and places it on the edge and leans you over the counter. He leans over you and asks, “Ready for round two?” then nibbles on your neck.

“I’m always ready for you, Rich. You can have me every day for the rest of our lives if you like.” You reply. You feel him put his head between your shoulder blades and groan.

“God, Woman! You sure know what to say to get me picturin’ dirty things!” he tells you as he reaches around and begins to play with your clit. You drop your head to the counter and moan, “Oh God, Rich!”

He grins. “Do you like it, my Sweet, or shall I stop and go get dressed?” he teases.

You shake your head unable to form coherent sentences.

You feel him at your entrance and then he starts to pepper your back with kisses and he enters you with a single thrust and a grunt. He takes your hips in his hands and starts to thrust, slowly at first, then faster. The two of you chasing that pleasure, and you begin to match his thrusts and reach back to grab his ass. He groans and starts to thrust erratically and feels you start to come.

You groan and squeeze his ass as you come, and he thrusts into you once more then comes with a growl and collapses on top of you. He wraps his arms around your waist as he regains his senses and caresses your front. He pulls you to stand and holds you as the two of you look at yourselves in the mirror. Faces flushed, eyes dilated, your towel had fallen off your head and your long, damp hair is hanging over your shoulders covering Rich’s hands which cup your breasts.

You grin seeing the satisfied look on his face like a cat that got into the milk canister. He grins down at you and kisses the top of your head which he tucks under his chin. He gives your breasts a gentle squeeze then carefully removes himself and grabs a washcloth and wets it in the sink. He gently cleans you off and then hands you the towel to wrap up in.

Rich tosses the washcloth into the hamper and then ushers you into the bedroom. “Rich, can you go get my messenger bag from downstairs? I need some of the stuff that is in it.” You ask him.

He nods, grabs his housecoat and puts it on. He heads down to the living room and grabs it, then sees both of your phones blinking from messages.

He grabs his, sees it’s almost 10am and sees Aiden has called multiple times this morning and texted. He opens the texts and sees what it says, his eyes get huge. He grabs your phone and tries to check it, but you have it locked. He grabs your messenger bag and the phones and bolts back upstairs.

Richard comes rushing into the bedroom and you look up and see something is wrong. “What is it Rich? What’s the matter?” you ask.

He hands you your phone and says, “Check your messages!” and puts the messenger bag on the bed then quickly tosses off the robe and starts digging for clothes to put on.

You take the phone and unlock it with your finger. You gasp when you see that Alex, Aiden and Scarlett have all called you this morning and texted you multiple times. You look up at Richard, worried. He is scrambling to get into his boxers and has a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt on the bed.

You read the texts and your eyes fill with tears. “Harley, someone set fire to your apartment last night and this morning someone attacked Todd at the bookstore and shot him! Hurry and get to the hospital when you get this!” said the one from Scarlett.

You hand the phone to Rich and he nods, “Aiden sent me something similar.” He tells you. Hurry now, get ready and we’ll have to pick up breakfast on the go.” He tells you.

“Rich, call and see if Graham knows.” You tell him. He nods and once he is dressed, he calls Graham.

You sit there stunned for a moment and then look around for your underwear. You can’t find them and look up at Rich, who has a smug smile on his face and has them hanging off his finger.

You get up to take them from him and he grins and shoves them in his pants pocket and refuses to let you have them.

When Graham picks up, you wait till Rich is distracted talking to him and you shove your hand into his pocket and snatch your underwear out. He glares at you and you smirk and put them on. He walks over and gives your bare rear a smack when you bend to pick up your leather pants.

Squeaking in surprise from the sting of his hand on your rear, you rub your ass and then seductively pull on your leather pants. He watches, grinning. You quickly look around for your top and can’t find it. You grin and go over to his dresser and pull open the drawer that he took the shirt out from last night. You dig around and don’t see any black shirts, but there is a grey one, so you shrug and grab it and pull it on.

Richard’s eyes get huge when he realizes you’re gonna wear one of his shirts today. You look around for your corset, then remember you left it downstairs, and then pull on your socks.

You grab your messenger bag and dump it out on the bed. You pull the hair oil out and put some in your hands and massage it into your hair like the stylist showed you. Then you take the comb and gently comb your hair, working out the snarls and kinks. You grab your deodorant and put it on, then decide to put your hair up in a renaissance bun.

You section off the hair around the perimeter of your head leaving 1” worth and take the rest and wrap it around your hand and then around itself until you run out of hair. You fold the piece that you wrapped around your hand over the hair you wound around itself and pushed the wad through the center of the loop. Securing it with hair pins, you then start at the back of your head, taking two small sections, twisting them once you add a small section to the bottom bunch with each twist, working your way all the way around your head until you were back where you started.

You secured it with an elastic hair band and then braided the remaining length into a five-strand braid. You fished it through the loop where you started and pinned it so it wouldn’t come loose.

Richard talked with Graham while you got ready, amazed at what you were able to do with your hair.

Graham filled Rich in that Scarlett had called him when they couldn’t get ahold of either of you. He told Rich he was about ready to come over and pound on the door if he wouldn’t have called when he did. “What the hell were you two doing that you didn’t have yer phones?” Graham asked.

“We were upstairs sleeping, Graham. It was a late night of movies and cuddles and the phones got left downstairs on the coffee table.” He tells him truthfully.

“Mmmmhmmm.” Graham grumbles. Well get yer asses over here. Everyone is at the hospital except Alex, who is dealing with the fire and the firefighters.” He tells Richard. I already called Mark and told him we’d be over later on for the lessons.” He reminds Rich.

“See you soon, Graham.” Rich says and hangs up.

He glances at you and you get up and head to the bathroom to put on makeup, then decide not to wear any today. “I don’t want to look like a raccoon from crying, cuz I know I will be crying.” You tell him.

“Rich, where’s my choker necklace?” you ask. He grins and pulls the necklace out of his sweatpants pocket from last night. “I didn’t want it to get lost. My couch tends to eat things that fall on it. Last time it was Martin’s wallet.” He giggles.

You grin. He comes and stands behind you and brings the necklace in front of you and drapes it onto your collar bone, then wraps it around your neck and clasps it in back. “It’s a beautiful necklace, where did you get it?” he asks.

“My Dad gave it to me for my 40th birthday along with these earrings. They are real sapphires and not synthetic.” You explain. “Pops had been saving for them since I was 18 and he finally had enough to get the stone on my choker and my earrings. He had the jeweler make them into earrings and he knew I liked that choker necklace since I have another one like it with fake rubies.

So, he had Mom make one for me and he brought it to the jeweler who mounted the stone in a setting and then sewed it onto the center of the choker.” You say as you caress it.

Richard hugs you from behind. “Well, it’s lovely on you. Now, your corset is downstairs as are your boots and coat. We need to get going, Love. Everyone is waiting for us at the hospital.” He tells you.

You nod and pack everything up back in your messenger bag. You grab your toothbrush and toothpaste and go brush your teeth as Richard does the same and runs a brush through his hair.

You toss your toothbrush and paste into your messenger bag and then head downstairs with it. Sitting down on the second step from the bottom, you pull on your boots and zip them up, then grab your corset and put it on.

You lean forward and hook the hooks then adjust your girls. Standing up, you reach back for the loops, but Richard is already there, starting to tug on them and helps you position the center panel. He gets you cinched into your corset and tucks the laces in. You turn and he grins now that you’re taller in your boots and he doesn’t have to bend down so far to kiss you. He gives you a quick kiss and then grabs your coat.

He helps you into the coat, grabs his and puts it on, then the two of you are out the door and heading for breakfast and the hospital.

Richard stopped at a fast food place and got you both breakfast sandwiches and crispy tater rounds and orange juice for you. He then stopped and got a coffee from a drive through vendor he liked for himself then headed for the hospital.

You both arrived and met everyone in the waiting room. Scarlett, Aiden and Graham were there along with several officers who knew the two Sand brothers.

Graham sat you down and told you to eat first before you did anything else. You nod and pull out the food Richard bought you.

Graham took Richard out into the hall and told him how bad Todd had been hurt. “I found him this morning around 7:30am when I went for a coffee before heading into work. He had been shot in the back a couple times, and his face and sides beaten pretty bad.

Looked like they kicked him when he was down. He’s unconscious and lost a lot of blood. They think he’ll survive, but he’s pretty badly beaten, Rich. He won’t be able to have the shop open for at least a month or more.”

Richard rubs his face and groans. “Rich, it was a good thing he made Harley take the day off. Remember, she was supposed to work today! Had she been there she would have ended up the same way!” Graham tells him.

He sees Richard’s face go white and his knees buckle. Graham caught him and slid him down the wall till he was sitting on the floor.

“Oh, God, Graham! I don’t even want to think about what would’ve happened if she was there!” Richard gets out. “Do they know who did this?” he asks Graham.

“Not yet, they’re reviewing the surveillance footage right now. I have a funny feeling though it’s either Harley’s ex or one of his lackeys.” Graham replies. “You gonna be okay, Rich?” he asks.

Richard sighs and puts his head in his hands. “I don’t know Graham. Harley and I are finally making progress and she is finally starting to relax and come out of her shell and feels safe allowing me to get closer and cuddle her. I am worried this will set her back again!” he tells Graham.

“Rich, you gotta tell her what happened. She deserves to know the truth. They torched her old apartment last night too. Someone threw a brick through the windows and then a lit maltov cocktail, chucking it in as well and started the living room on fire. It spread quickly and the whole building is a loss. Displaced three other families.” He told Rich.

“Apparently they didn’t realize she had been moved out of the apartment!” he tells Rich. “We’re lucky those cops moved her when they did, or she would’ve lost all her belongings that weren’t in those suitcases she packed!” Graham says quietly.

“Alex set up a permanent officer to watch her new apartment to make sure there’s no incidents there. And said they will have to hold off on moving her in until these guys are caught. I already told him I’ll cover the rent since she won’t be able to work till Todd is back on his feet. Lee is heading there to pay the pet deposit this morning.

It’s a good thing she spent the night with you last night. Aiden and Scarlett were at Lee’s for a party and they didn’t leave there till dawn. Came home to find Officer Sand in the entry waiting to talk to them since he couldn’t get ahold of you or Harley. He told them what happened and asked them to let you two know.” Graham tells Rich. “They called me, and I was already here with the cops waiting to find out if Todd made it.”

Rich nods. “They tried calling and left texts, but we didn’t see them till I came downstairs this morning and saw the phones blinking on the coffee table.” He rubs his face and slowly goes to stand. Graham helps him up and Richard leans against the wall rubbing his face.

“What are we gonna do Graham. You and I have to work. Aiden and Scarlett can’t protect her, and she isn’t gonna agree to stay in one place alone!” he says frustrated.

Graham thinks for a minute then smiles. “She can hang out with Scarlett at the studios. Aiden brings her with him every day he’s filming that other film the studio is working on trying to finish for the July release.

There’s plenty of places they can wander around on the property and they are safe cuz no one gets in unless the gate guards allow it. They already know what is going on and are being more selective now anyway.

All of a sudden Richard hears a phone ringing on the other side of the wall, then a few moments later he and Graham hear you cry out “NO!!!” and they look at each other and bolt into the waiting room.

Scarlett is sitting next to you, and Aiden is on the other side. You’re phone is on the floor an the officers are squatting around you trying to get out of you what just happened. Rich and Gram see you’re having a panic attack and are crying.

One officer picks up your phone and sees you had a call. He brings up the call log and pulls out his notepad. He sets the phone down on a seat and writes down the phone number of the last caller, the time of the call and the length of the call.

Richard rushes over to you and Aiden moves out of the way so Richard can sit by you. “Sweetheart, tell us what just happened.”

You are having a panic attack, trembling and crying and cling to him. You can’t talk you’re so upset. He wraps his arms protectively around you and looks up at Graham, who shrugs and walks over to the officer who picked up your phone.

“What happened?” he asks the officer.

“She was sitting there eating, and her phone rang. She answered it and then just screamed ‘No!’ and dropped the phone like it was on fire and she just went into a panic attack. She won’t talk and just sat there shaking and trembling and crying.” He explained.

Richard picks you up and carries you to a smaller waiting room down the hall that is empty and sits down with you in his lap. He shushes you and caresses your face.

You finally start to calm, and he murmurs to you that you’re safe and begs you to tell him what happened.

“It was him, my ex!” you cry. “He said ‘I warned you to stay away from him and you didn’t. Now your apartment is burned, as are your belongings, and your boss is dead, your lover and friends are next!’.” You tell him and start bawling again. Richard holds you closely and is now truly unnerved and pissed.

“Sweetheart, your boss isn’t dead, he is severely injured and badly bruised, but is still alive. The apartment that was torched, was your old one, not the new one. Your belongings are still safe in the moving truck, the arsonist didn’t realize the cops had emptied your old apartment out. As far as them getting me, and our friends, we will talk with Alex and let him know; and see what he suggests, OK?” he tells you as you calm down a little. “I’m still here, Sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.” He tells you.

“Now, if we get you some paper, will you write down what you just told me, and we’ll give it to the officers to deal with?” he asks you. You sniffle and nod.

“Will you hold me a little longer, Rich? I’m really scared.” You say. “Innocent people are being hurt cuz he is after me. I don’t want anyone else hurt or lose their homes because of me.” You tell him.

“Honey, you have no control over what he does. It’s not your fault that any of this is happening. The blame lies squarely on your ex and his insanity. These are guerrilla tactics he is using to scare and intimidate you. He knows he can’t approach you directly cuz of the restraining order, so he is attacking those around you to get at you indirectly. Like in the game of chess.

What he doesn’t realize is that he is out matched and outnumbered. It’s a matter of time before he screws up and is caught.” He tells you. “And when he does, he will never be able to hurt you again.”

You nod and press against Richard’s chest, wishing you could just hide away somewhere with him till this is all over.

“Come on now, Love. Let’s put on our brave face and deal with this new development.” He says gently. “Graham, Scarlett, Aid and I are all here with you and so are four cops in the waiting room.” He tells you. “You aren’t in this alone.” He assures you.

You nod. “Ok. Rich. Just stay right with me please?” you ask. He lifts your hand and kisses it. “I will be right here by your side, Love.” He tells you.

You climb off his lap and he stands, takes your hand and leads you back into the larger waiting room. He leads you back to your seat and the officer with your phone comes over and squats down.

“Miss, the last call you received, do you recognize the number as belonging to anyone you know?” he asks as he pulls up your call log and shows you the phone number the call came from.

You frown. “Do you have it written down?” you ask him as you look up at him. He nods.

Taking the phone, you go into your contact list and pull up your ex’s information. You had put a note on his contact when he changed his phone number last time. You noted what the old number was just in case it ever got activated again. It was the old number!

You showed the officer the note on the contact information. He asked if he could take a photo of it with his phone to send to Alex. You nodded and he did so, then sent a photo of the call ledger.

“Miss, can you tell us what was said that upset you so much?” he asks.

You ask him for his notepad and pen. He hands them to you, and you write down: “My ex was the one who just called. He said, ‘I warned you to stay away from him (Richard) and you didn’t. Now your apartment is burned, as are your belongings, and your boss is dead, your lover and friends are next!’”

You hand him the notepad and his eyes get huge when he reads it. You show him the restraining order and he grins.

“Well your ex just fucked up, Miss. That call and threat was a direct violation of the restraining order and now we can arrest him on sight. We have 6 witnesses who saw what happened and your reaction to it.” He tells you. “Will you sign your name and write the date and time down on this statement so I can send a picture of it to Alex?”

You nod and sign, date and time stamp the note. The officer takes a picture of it and sends it to Alex who immediately calls back and asks to talk to you.

“Harley?” Alex asks when you are handed the phone and say hello. “Yeah, Alex, it’s me.” You reply.

“Sweetheart, your old apartment was torched. The entire building is a total loss and displaced three families living there. Someone intentionally burned it to the ground, but your stuff is still safe at the precinct’s storage facility. The guards there have been warned what is going on and have extra patrols guarding it. Todd is still alive, very badly beaten, but he IS alive. It’ll be a month or more before he can work though. Ok?” he tells you.

“Ok. Alex.” You say sadly. “I’m SO sorry your brother got hurt. I feel terrible!” you apologize.

“Honey, it’s NOT your fault. Do not feel bad. Todd knew the risk when he hired you. He’s gonna be all right. You should’ve seen him when the semi hit him on the side of the highway last year when he pulled a guy over for a DUI! He was much worse off than he is now. He will recover and be as good as new! Now, I want you to do something for me okay?” he asks.

“What do you want me to do Alex?” you ask.

“Sweetheart, I want you, your friends and Richard to go and finish the training with Phantom right away, and I don’t want you leaving there until you have him with you. I talked to Mark already and he knows what is going on. He will be waiting for you to come and finish the training ASAP. He says Phantom has been whining for you all morning.” He tells you. “There isn’t anything more we can do for Todd right now, so go and take your friends and please go finish the training and keep Phantom right with you!” he says.

“All right Alex. I’ll go and do that.” You tell him.

“Good, Sweetheart. We’ll find your ex now that he has violated the restraining order and contacted you, it’s a matter of time before we catch him and lock him away.”

“Ok Alex, I’ll tell them.” You say.

“I gotta go now, Sweetheart, do as I instructed and be safe. I’ll be in touch, and keep your phone on you at all times, honey! I need to be able to reach right away until this is all over.” He reminds you.

“Ok, Alex. I will. Bye.” You say and hang up.

Rich was standing right next to you and heard everything. You look up at him worried and he nods. You hand the officer the phone back and thank him.

He nods and tells you to be safe and if there’s any changes with Todd, someone will be in touch. “I have your phone number now, and so does Alex. One of us will call you and keep you posted how Todd is doing.” He tells you. “Go now with your friends and do what Alex instructed, Sweetheart.” He tells you.

You nod and move over to Aiden and Scarlett. Richard pulls Graham over and you sit and tell them what all happened, and they get a scared look on their faces. They look up at Richard, who’s face is currently unreadable, Graham is looking pissed.

You tell them, “Alex ordered that we all go to Mark’s so I can finish my training with Phantom. We are not to leave there unless Phantom is with us. The police are looking for my ex now that he violated the restraining order, committed arson and shot Todd.” You tell them.

Aiden and Scarlett nod and stand, “Well then, let’s get going.” Aiden says. “Graham, you riding with us or with Harley or are you driving your jag?” He asks.

“I’ll go with Harley, you follow Rich’s car out to Mark’s.” he tells Aiden.

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shielddrake · 6 years

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Rebel of Sky City Ch. 23

Wow, I am so sorry for the long wait! I wanted to post this ages ago! But work and school makes life difficult. Darn you, responsibilities!

So, after reading this, I’m sure most of you will think there is only one more chapter left. Well, you would be incorrect. There will in fact be an epilogue after that chapter, so there are two more posts after this one. Hopefully I will be able to have them out sooner rather than later.

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Hey Jesse! Check it out!”

Jesse looked over her shoulder. At the scene, she turned around completely with a smile. There stood Lukas, his bright blonde hair shining in the sun. He held up a beautifully crafted beacon in his hands. He placed it on the ground, letting the beam shoot up into the bright blue sky above. The only thing brighter than the beam was his own grin.

“I finally got the recipe right for a beacon!” he declared, spreading his arms out wide.

“That’s so great, Lukas!” Jesse gave him a tight hug. “I knew you’d get it!”

“And an impressive beacon it is.” Isa walked up to the pair and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “This will make it easier for people on other islands to find us.”

“We can keep everyone safe this way,” Jesse said.

“I’m glad you suggested changing the laws, Jesse,” Isa commented. She glanced around at all the people who were happily crafting whatever they wanted. “I’ve never seen the people so joyful.”

“But it’s good to have some supervision so no one gets hurt,” Lukas added. “Just not so much that it oppresses anyone.”

“Yeah.” Jesse closed her eyes and let the sun hit her face. “It’s good that everyone’s getting along now.”

“Too bad it’s too late for us,” Isa said all of a sudden.

Jesse looked at her with raised eyebrows. “What do you mean, Mother?”

“Lukas and I,” the older woman answered. “We’ll never see this Sky City.”

“What?”

“We’ve already fallen,” Lukas said.

The city around them vanished, along with the ground beneath their feet. Jesse watched as Lukas and her mother both fell away from her, down towards the darkness that was the Void. They both let out loud screams that echoed against the clouds as they plummeted.

Jesse wasn’t falling with them. Instead, she floated in the air like a bird, completely safe and unaffected by gravity. She reached out her hands, hoping against hope she would be able to catch them and pull them back up. Even as slow as her loved ones seem to fall, Jesse wasn’t quick enough to grab them.

“No!”

Jesse’s eyes snapped open. The chill of the stone against her back disappeared as she leaned forward, reaching her hands out like she did in her dream. She gasped and let out a small cough. Rubbing her eyes, Jesse tried to recall what happen. She heard Reuben oinking beside her, and she glanced down to see his worried face.

Panting, she slowly put a hand on Reuben’s head. “A dream. It was just a dream.”

But she knew, it wasn’t a dream. Lukas really had fallen off the island, followed very shortly by Isa. Aiden has pushed them, all in the effort of taking over the city. And for what? Because he was jealous. Because of that petty emotion, Jesse had lost everything. Her mother, her boyfriend, her friends, her home, her freedom…everything was gone. Ripped away from her in a single day.

Jesse slammed her head against the wall behind her. How did I let all this happen?

There was a bang and a shriek, making Jesse jump. Reuben let out a loud squeal and started running in circles, panic taking over his tiny body. Jesse stood up in time to hear the rumblings of another shriek.

“Wait, I know that sound.” It wasn’t something she had often heard in her life. The first time she had heard it, as a child, she knew she would never forget it. “That was a ghast. What’s going on?”

In spite of his human’s comforting pets, Reuben could only give her a scared and perplexed look. Without any windows or doors, it was impossible to know what was happening beyond the dark corridor they hid in.

“We better check it out,” Jesse said in a whisper, and Reuben quietly oinked in reply.

She walked over to a small doorway in the hall, covered by what she knew was just a portrait of something. Reaching out a hand, she paused. Being literally inside the walls of the palace was her safeguard. Isa had built these tunnels for this kind of emergency, to keep Jesse safe. No one else knew about them. The chances of Aiden (or anyone, for that matter) finding her in there were slim to none.

Jesse knew she couldn’t hide forever though, and she really didn’t want to. She had been locked up for nearly her entire life. Staying hidden away wasn’t so different, other than never seeing the outdoors or other people again. Her gilded cage had been bad enough.

She placed a hand on the wood of the portrait back. Despite these thoughts, part of Jesse didn’t want to leave the dark corridor either. Going outside meant she had to face reality, face the fact that she was alone in the world once again, only this time it was even worse. While before she had been ignorant, his time around she knew what she had lost. Lukas and her mother were gone, Ivor was gone, probably falling to his doom in the Void as well, and Reginald was captured. Who knew where Petra and the others were? Going outside meant facing what happened and dealing with it.

I don’t know if I can, she thought, letting out a deep sigh.

Never took you for a coward, Jesse. She could almost hear Lukas teasing her. To her surprise, this thought managed to bring a tiny laugh from her mouth.

“Now’s not the time to be afraid,” Jesse told herself, and she pushed the painting forward.

The palace halls were dark. There wasn’t anyone around to light any of the lamps or torches that lined the ceiling. No light came from the windows either. This normally would indicate the hour of sunlight, but Jesse was pretty during it was daytime now. She felt rested enough that she was pretty sure she had slept for at least an hour or two.

Stepping out of the hidden passage, Reuben right behind her, Jesse made her way to the closest window. It did seem to be day, but the dark clouds and falling rain gave the sky a gloomier appearance. But even without the sun, Jesse could see what was going on, and she gasped.

Many of the city buildings had crumbled to the ground. A few areas were on fire, in spite of the rain. Meanwhile, the communal pond had turned into a shallow lake and was running over the sides of the island. Jesse was so accustomed to seeing the sharp and pristine buildings and streets of Sky City. To see it in such shambles was a complete shock to her system. She stepped back to take a breath before trying to make out some of the details of the city.

The heavy water droplets on the glass made it hard to make out, but Jesse could see a few small forms running around in clear panic. Although they were few and far between, the people were still being targeted by what could only be mobs that had been released from Benedict’s eggs. The white forms of ghasts flew around and spat fire at anything that moved, and zombies shuffled futilely after the fleeing people. A couple of spiders climbed up and down the remaining buildings. Creepers, meanwhile, hissed right before they exploded and created more rubble.

Jesse put a hand up to her mouth. Her home was completely in ruins!

“Aiden.” The answer of what had happened was obvious. She glared at a ghast that flew a little too close to her window. “He’s gone completely crazy!”

Reuben squealed, both at his human’s outburst and at the sight of the monsters everywhere. He glanced at Jesse, wondering what she was going to do. Jesse was looking at her hands, glaring at them with narrow eyes.

“This is my fault,” she muttered. “I didn’t stand up to Aiden when I needed to. All this is because of me.”

Reuben let out a small cry and rubbed his head against her leg. It was a small comfort, but it seemed to snap her out of her self-pity. Jesse fisted her hands and looked out the window again at her city.

“No. I have to do something,” she growled. “Lukas wouldn’t want me to just give up. He’d want me to keep going, no matter what.”

She turned sharply to Reuben, and she placed her hand on his head.

“And Mother was right about one thing. With her gone, I’m in charge of Sky City, and it’s my responsibility to protect my people.” Jesse straightened up, pulling her pickaxe out of her inventory. “Aiden’s going to keep hurting them until he finds me. I have to do something to stop him, and that means facing him head on.”

With a spin of her heel, Jesse began to make her way down the halls. “He’s going to be in the throne room. And if not, I can wait for him there.”

Before Jesse was able to take more than a few steps, the familiar feeling of a wet snout pressed against her fingers. Jesse looked down to see Reuben watching her with wide eyes. She shook her head.

“Sorry, Reuben. You can’t come with me,” she said. “Not this time.”

Well, that statement didn’t sit to well with the pig. Reuben glared, crumpling his nose with a grunt. She kneeled down to him and smiled, a sad smile that didn’t reach her sleepy eyes.

“I don’t want to lose you,” she murmured to him. “You understand?”

Reuben gave a quiet oink and a nod. He understood all too well.

“You’re all I have left, Reuben. If something happened to you…”

The little swine oinked again. He stepped in front of her, blocking her path, and stomped his front hooves. Like she said, Reuben was the only one Jesse had left. No way was he going to abandon her now. Friends didn’t do that. They stuck with each other through thick and thin, regardless of species difference.

He stomped his feet once more, and Jesse actually chuckled. “Yeah, I know. I…Just…run at the first sign of trouble, okay?”

Reuben snorted in response. Jesse didn’t need to know about that little fib.

Jesse glanced at her stone pickaxe in her hand as she made her way down the halls to the throne room. This was the only weapon she had. Chances were Aiden and his goons had pilfered the weapons storage that Reginald kept for the Guard. Even if there was a single weapon left in there, what were the chances she could reach it without having to fight anyway?

It was quite a choice. Either take her chances with her stone pickaxe against Aiden (and anyone else he had with him). Or take her chances of fighting more battles in order to reach the armory, which may or may not have anything she could use.

“No. No more waiting,” she said firmly. “I’m not going to let Aiden do any more damage than he already has.”

With that, she took the corner that would lead her to the throne room. Reuben galloped right behind her, his hooves echoing against the iron walls.

It took very little time for the two friends to reach the throne room’s double doors. To Jesse’s surprise, they were already partly open. This allowed Jesse to peek into the room before she actually went inside.

Far to the right was Reginald, tied up and appeared to be unconscious. Benedict stood with him, flapping her wings and clucking. She seemed to be trying to wake him up, but to no avail. There was a black scorch mark on the ground, along with a few missing blocks from the decorated floor. Jesse immediately recognized these as signs of a creeper having exploded there.

That’s obviously Aiden’s work, she thought. Creeper eggs are one of the most dangerous to use.

Turning her head to the left, Jesse couldn’t help but drop her jaw at the sight before her. Locked together in one-to-one combat were Lukas and Aiden. The latter undoubtedly had the upper hand, pushing and slamming his sword against Lukas’ with strong blows. He was able to push the blonde against a wall, but Lukas was quick enough to dodge in time and roll away. He backed up a little, but Aiden immediately spun around and continued his assault.

“Lukas…” Jesse whispered, all breath having escaped her as she watched the blonde fight. “He’s alive…”

Jesse felt like she could fall to her knees in relief. The possibility that she was hallucinating didn’t even cross her mind. Lukas was there! He was alive and breathing and moving!

And fighting with Aiden!

Aiden swiped his sword against Lukas, slicing him across his chest. Lukas fell to the ground and crawled backwards as he held a hand up to his bloodied shirt. He looked up as Aiden raised his sword, looking ready to bring it down.

“No!” Jesse’s voice was still raspy as she rushed forward, bringing her pickaxe to the front.

Reuben, however, was a faster runner than Jesse, and he reached the dueling men first. He released a battle cry (which really was just a loud squeal, but it was a battle cry for a pig) as he lowered his head and slammed right into Aiden’s stomach. Aiden let out an undignified grunt, lowering his sword and crossing his arms across his abdomen. This gave Jesse the opportunity to place herself between him and her boyfriend. She brandished her pickaxe and parried Aiden’s next blow.

Aiden snarled as his sword was blocked, pressing hard against the sudden appearance of another rebel. Who would dare try to fight him, against the diamond sword he took, with something as pitiful as a stone pickaxe?

His answer came in the form of green eyes that burned like torches. “Jesse?!”

“You better back off, Aiden.”

Without a second thought, Jesse shoved Aiden away with her foot. This came as such a surprise to him that Aiden dropped his sword. He looked up at her, as he lay sprawled against the steps at the base of the throne. She breathed heavily through her nose as she approached him, ready to stab him in the face with the sharp end of her pick.

Aiden was not completely without something up his sleeve though. He gave out a loud roar as he tossed an orange and yellow-spotted egg at the ground. The shell blew apart, and with a puff of smoke came a floating yellow head and several yellow rods. The entire creature was engulfed in flames, and the heat of the room increased dramatically with its presence.

Jesse had to step back to avoid the blaze’s flying tackle, allowing Aiden the opportunity to dash behind the throne. He took refuge on the small outcrop of land that stuck behind it, grabbing his sword on his way. Jesse growled.

“Get back here, you coward!”

The blaze blocked her way, spitting three fireballs in her direction. Jesse rolled out of the way of the flames, and the two spun around to face each other. Thankfully, Jesse was much faster than the blaze. With a sharp bend of her knees, she was able to leap up and bring down her pickaxe onto the blaze, slicing right through it.

The blaze fell to the ground and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Unfortunately, it was the final strike the pickaxe could take. It also vanished from Jesse’s hands, a small wisp being all that was left. Jesse cursed, but she immediately forgot about it when her eyes fell on Lukas again.

There was only a moment of pause before the pair immediately ran to each other, clinging to each other as tightly as their arms would allow. When Jesse pulled back, all she did was place her hands on Lukas’ cheeks. Upon seeing her glossy eyes, Lukas covered one of her hands with his own and pressed his lips against her palm. They shared a reassured smile.

“I thought you were dead…” Jesse whispered.

“I thought I was too.” Lukas’ voice was just as quiet.

A sudden thought crossed her mind, and Jesse kicked herself for not asking about it sooner. “What about…Mother?”

“She’s okay,” he answered. “She’s fighting the monsters in the city right now.”

With another sigh of immense relief, Jesse pressed her forehead against his chest. She listened to his heartbeat, relishing in the fact that she could hear it.

Their moment was interrupted by the painful groan coming from behind Lukas. Jesse looked over the blonde’s shoulder, spotting Reginald as he started to rouse. Reuben and Benedict were with him, nudging him with their feet in an attempt to wake him.

Jesse finally became aware of their situation again, and her back stiffened. She pulled away from Lukas, turning in the direction Aiden had fled in. She clenched her fists and started walking that way. She was barely able to keep her feet from stomping holes into the floor. Every fiber of her being told her to throw Aiden off the island.

See how he likes it!

A hand on her shoulder momentarily stopped her. Jesse almost wanted to snap at Lukas for keeping her even a moment from exacting some revenge on Aiden for everything he had done. Only her relief that Lukas was alive gave her enough patience to keep her from baring her teeth.

In truth, Jesse didn’t need to worry about Lukas actually stopping her. Rather, he held out his diamond sword to her. He pressed it against her palm, waiting until she enclosed her fingers around the hilt before he let go. Jesse looked up to see a confident smile on his visage.

“Kick his butt.”

Lukas backed up a step, out of the way for Jesse to head to Aiden. She took a deep breath and nodded.

“Will you check on Reginald?”

“Will do.”

With that, Lukas joined the oinking pig and clucking chicken as Reginald continued to groan and rub his head. That creeper explosion clearly took a lot out of him. Jesse watched her boyfriend go before returning her attention to the task at hand.

Aiden was waiting for her on the bit of island behind the throne. He had built a few blocks of dirt out into the cloudy sky, creating a bridge leading to nothing. He held his sword lowered at his side. His face was pointed at the ground, but his eyes faced forward to look at Jesse from under his upper eyelids. She could see he was breathing a little heavily, which was odd considering he hadn’t exerted himself recently.

Jesse slowly walked forward, ignoring the rain as it soaked her hair and clothes. She had her eyes on Aiden and nothing else. In contrast to him, her breathing was slow and smooth, allowing her to keep a clear head.

Stay focused. She slowly breathed out of her mouth. This is just like in training with Reginald.

Once she was a mere three meters from Aiden, she stopped, giving Aiden one last chance to show some remorse for his actions. Just one bit. One little bit.

But it seemed that was not to be. Aiden looked up at her with a creased nose.

“It wasn’t supposed to be this way, Jesse,” he barked, holding a clenched fist in front of him. “This was supposed to be our world. Together! I did this all for us! You and me, ruling together! And you ruined it!”

“Listen to yourself! That’s insane!” Jesse argued. “You got people thrown in jail! You tried to kill Lukas and my mother! You let your people release all kinds of monsters all over the city! Who knows how many more people have been hurt or killed?! Do you really think that would all be something I’d want?!”

“Was it too much to ask to win something for once?!” Aiden hollered. “I was supposed to be the top builder in Build Club! I was supposed to The Founder’s right hand! I was supposed to win you!”

Jesse couldn’t help but shake her head at his logic. “Aiden, this isn’t about who wins and who loses. It’s about what’s right.”

“Then I’m going to make it right.” Aiden pointed his sword towards her, a toothy smirk on his face.

Jesse lifted her blade as well. The two paused for an instant before Aiden narrowed his eyes and rushed forward. Jesse met him halfway across the dirt crag just in time to block Aiden’s sword as it came down towards her. He swung a second time with a long grunt, and then thrust the sword towards Jesse’s chest. It was painfully obvious that it didn’t matter to him anymore who his opponent was. Aiden wasn’t going to hold back in this duel.

Jesse easily dodged to the side, which also put her in a clear position to block Aiden’s backswing that followed. She lifted her sword, flinging Aiden’s above their heads. This forced Aiden’s center of balance behind him, and he stumbled backwards.

Keep your feet spread, Jesse reminded herself. Solid footing. Remember training.

By the time Aiden recovered, it was Jesse’s turn to be on the offensive. She brought her sword over her head and then down onto his. He managed to block her attack, but rather than a full parry, Aiden’s blade was knocked to the side. She echoed his motions with a backswing of her own, forcing Aiden’s sword to go the other way.

With another overhead blow, Jesse was able to throw off his balance again. Aiden swayed on the bridge, barely missing the edge, and landed backwards on his rear. His eyebrows furrowed with worry, but he swiftly flipped back onto his feet and swung his sword again.

Jesse was on a roll. She blocked his next attack, along with the one after that, with nothing more than a flick of her sword arm. She didn’t even have to put much force into her blows. Aiden was so angry that it was distracting him from making meaningful strikes.

Wait for the right opening, she thought, her mind still flashing back to her practice with Reginald. Just like I disarmed him.

It happened almost with another thought. Jesse was able to press Aiden’s sword down towards their feet. With a flick, she used the momentum of Aiden’s sword against him, forcing Aiden to release his hold on its hilt. His diamond sword flew over his head while its wielder was pushed back to the ground, landing on his back. The sword itself shimmered in the rain as it fell from the dirt outcrop and plummeted to the world below.

Aiden gasped, crawling backwards until he was at the edge of the ridge he had built. He looked up at Jesse’s narrowed eyes as she advanced on him, her sword still aimed in his direction.

“Wait, wait, wait! Jesse! Hang on!” He threw a palm out to gesture her to stop. “Hang on! I surrender! Just, please. Don’t hurt me.”

Jesse continued to frown at the young man. Did he really think she would spare him, after everything that had happened? He had talked so big only minutes before, and now he was groveling and pleading for mercy? She shook her head and huffed.

A coward. That’s all he is. Why did I ever feel threatened by him?

“You did it, Jesse!” She turned to see Lukas standing with Reuben, Benedict and Reginald. They all remained at the edge of the island, a safe enough distance from her. “Way to go!”

Jesse smiled at him before turning her eyes to Reginald.

“Are you all right?” The concern in her voice could still be heard over the thunder in the sky and the shrieking ghasts in the distance.

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me,” Reginald replied. “But Jesse, we need to get out of here.”

“Yeah, we have to check on the others,” Lukas agreed. The screams of the Sky City citizens only punctuated this statement.

Reginald glared at Aiden. “What do you want to do with him?

Jesse looked at the pleader out the corner of her eye. Aiden braved getting up from his prone position, though he decided it was in his best interest to remain on his knees with his hands in the air.

“Jesse…Jesse, please,” he begged with wide eyes. “This place is getting worse by the minute.”

“And whose fault is that?” Lukas disputed, crossing his arms over his chest. Reuben snorted at his side and started digging a hoof into the ground.

Aiden cringed at his former friend’s words, but kept his gaze on Jesse. “Please, you can’t just leave me here. Take me with you!”

“Oh no! After everything you’ve done?” Reginald yelled. “I’m not sure you deserve that kind of mercy!”

Of course, this echoed Jesse’s very own thoughts from just moment ago. However, though she still agreed with the sentiment, hearing it from someone else made the gravity of that option truly apparent. Could she really leave Aiden to the mercy of the monsters in the city? Even though it was his fault the monsters were there to begin with?

Aiden certainly didn’t like the idea.

“No! No, no, no! Come on! You can’t just leave me behind! If you leave me here, I’ll die! Would you really do that, Jesse?” The desperation in his voice almost made it break. At her silence, Aiden instead focused on Lukas. “Lukas! We used to be friends! You’d leave me to die like this?!”

“You haven’t been acting like a friend,” Lukas sneered. Reuben oinked in stern agreement. “You haven’t for a long time.”

Aiden’s breathing quickened as he looked back at Jesse. He ran his hands through his hair, pulling hard on it before slamming his hands on the ground and ducking his head.

“Please. I’ll do anything.”

He really is pathetic, Jesse thought, slowly blinking her eyes as rain trickled down her face. This is the guy who tormented Olivia, teased Axel, got nearly all my friends thrown in prison, threatened Reuben, tried to kill Mother and Lukas…Kissed me against my will! Why on earth should I spare him?

But there was a nagging beat in the back of her head. It was the part of her who argued with her mother about how unfair it was to treat people poorly, how cruel it was to punish people for having different perspectives from you. Shouldn’t Jesse try to practice what she preached and treat others with kindness? And learn to forgive? Aiden was just a poor, jealous soul who just wanted people to appreciate him and like him. Was that really too much to ask? Of course, he went about it in the worst way possible, but did Jesse really want to be the person who didn’t show mercy to someone who clearly needed it, even if he didn’t deserve it?

She sighed and looked at Lukas. “What do you think?”

He took a breath before answering. “I think it’s up to you.”

And there was the biggest difference between Lukas and almost everyone else Jesse had encountered in her life. So many people wanted to tell her what to do, how to act. Even if they had the best of intensions, like her mother, Jesse always felt like people only wanted to control her.

Lukas was nothing like that. He shared his views with her, certainly, but he never tried to force Jesse into anything she didn’t want. He was leaving it up to her and her own judgment to decide what to do. And considering what Aiden had done to him, it would be no surprise to Jesse if Lukas wanted nothing more than to throw him off the island as well. Perhaps it was the smallest bit of him that still cared somewhat for Aiden that kept him from voicing that opinion. But the fact that he was keeping that opinion, whatever it really was, to himself showed that he trusted Jesse to do what she thought was right.

She didn’t want to be the kind of person who didn’t know how to forgive, no matter how heinous the crime.

Jesse clicked her tongue. “Get moving, Aiden. You’re coming with us.”

She ignored his simpering thanks as she turned her back to him and returned to the cover of the throne room. It was about time to get out of the rain.

Reginald huffed, as Aiden passed him. “More than you deserve, frankly.”

This sentiment was echoed by both Reuben’s snort and Benedict’s cluck.

Once they reached the throne room proper, Reginald grabbed Aiden’s hands from above his head and forced them behind his back. Taking the rope he had previously been bound in, he tied Aiden’s wrists together, ignoring the young man’s grimace when he cinched them tight.

Reginald looked down at Reuben and Benedict, both of whom were giving Aiden a disgusted look. Having become accustomed to living with both of these animals, he was surprisingly good at recognizing from their expressions what they wanted. And the looks the pig and chicken were giving him detainee were not pleasant at all.

“Don’t even think about it,” he warned them when they took a step towards Aiden. “We still need to get out of here first. This fiend will get his just desserts. Mark my words.”

His voice rumbled with these last words, and Aiden couldn’t help but gulp at the implication. He was sure he would prefer the animals’ punishment compared to the Captain’s.

Reginald was about to lead his prisoner out of the throne room when he turned to address Jesse and Lukas. However, his plan to lead them out of the palace would have to wait.

Jesse had her arms wrapped around Lukas’ neck as she kissed him firmly on the lips. Lukas tightened one arm around her waist while his other hand carefully ran against her wet hair. One of Jesse’s hands ran up and down his arm. In response, he brought his matching hand up to hers, entwining their fingers together as they continued to kiss.

Don’t really have time for that, but after what’s happened, I don’t have the heart to interrupt. Reginald suppressed a laugh. You better take good care of Jesse, young man. I’d really hate to have to run you through with the sharp end of my sword.

#mcsm #mcsm au #mcsm jesse #mcsm lukas #Sky City!AU #Sky City!Jesse #fanfiction

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scottyunfamous · 6 years

Text

#RunningWilde Ch. 35 | Fallen from Grace

Remove her, send the cheetahs to the tomb

Our war is over, our queen has met her doom

No more she lives no more serpent in her room

No more he has killed Cleopatra

-Pyramids

Frank Ocean

What should she have done; said yes and risked Aiden's wrath or denied it and seized her first real opportunity of freedom? Because this thing -this all-consuming, dark, glittering vice that enveloped their indomitable attraction wasn't right, no matter how right it felt... Yes, Aiden was unfairly handsome, attentive, thoughtful, loyal, protective, downright irresistible...but he was also a murderer; cruel and dangerously impulsive with an army of murderers and narcotic dealers who would fulfil his every whim. With she who would fulfil his every whim (hard limits not included). He was the anomaly that perplexed and predicated her. A monster crafted by the harsh hands of the city's ghetto and a poor excuse of a woman who was no more his mother than an addict who had an accident. What was she meant to do?

Aiden stepped in front of her once more, shielding her from his mother's beady eyed gaze. "Her name is Heaven Michaels. She is my wife and I forbid you from speaking to her."

"Your wife," Grace guffawed, "As if any woman in her right mind would marry a twisted little fuck like you!"

Aiden's nostrils flared and his colour deepened.

"The only bitch dumb enough to want that title is dead –good riddance." She spat on the ground. "This is the Lockewood girl. I know it." She swiped the back of her arm across her chapped lips where remains of her spit lingered.

Heaven tried her best not to scrunch her nose up at her only way out.

"Poor thing; I don't even want to think about what my son has been putting you through, but don't you worry, we're gonna help each other out, you and me." She peered around Aiden and flashed Heaven a nefarious smile the same colour as her stained walls, "Looks like I don't need your money, A. Once the police get wind of this they'll be offering me a fuck-load of it on a silver platter. No doubt you will too, ain't that right sweetheart? Gratitude and all that shit. I bet you can't wait to get home and be back with your friends and family again. Won't that be nice; to be free of this cunt?"

Aiden gripped Heaven's hand tightly, "You're high," he tried unconvincingly, wanting to convince his mother that it was the drugs skewering her perception. He knew he'd have to deal with Heaven being recognised eventually, but he'd anticipated it being by someone easily disposable, not his mother. He couldn't dispose of her...could he?

No!

It was out of the question, and even entertaining such a thought only made Grace's words ring truer -twisted little fuck.

"High doesn't mean stupid, Aiden. I know it's her. It's hard to forget such a pretty face –I expect that's why the media are still so obsessed with you, girl, because you look the way you do. So pretty..." she reached out to graze her haggard fingers against her new meal ticket.

Aiden knocked her hand away, glaring at her like she was mad to even think she could touch Heaven. His jaw clenched and his chest rose and fell making the still wet droplets of Titan's blood gleam under the naked lightbulb that hung from a wire in the middle of the kitchen ceiling. He'd bought her a shade because she complained the light had been too bright for her bloodshot eyes, but it wasn't there anymore. No doubt she'd sold it.

It's unquestionable. I could never. She's my mother...

"What do you want, Grace?"

Grace rose up and wobbled on her tip toes, futilely trying to be at eye level with her son's towering frame. "I want to see you rot in a jail cell for the rest of your life, you little shit. The money is just a bonus. I've got a new piggy bank. You can't control me anymore," she cackled.

"I'll double your allowance."

"Pfftt!"

"Triple it. Just keep your mouth shut."

"Hmm," Grace straightened up, "And the funeral?"

"No."

"Well then I can't help you."

Aiden's hand slammed against the flaky door jamb close to his mother's head, making her jump back as tinted paint flakes crumble to the sticky linoleum floor. "You can't do that. There are people after her. Bad people. If they find her, she'll die."

"Is that what he told you?" She looked past him and at Heaven, "Is that how he's kept you foolishly at his side, because he's trying to save you? Listen girl, if anyone will be the death of you, it's him. Ask the white girl...oops, sorry, you can't," she smiled sardonically at Aiden with more pleasure than a soul should possess for such a ugly subject, "She dead." She barged past him and staggered in the dank dimness of her living room.

"Grace," Aiden growled, his tone inflected with warning. She was really toeing the line right now.

"I have nothing else to say to you." She picked up her handset, yet another tar stained object -a retro fashioned (formerly) baby pink rotary dialer. She stuck her gnawed finger in the hole with a 9 inside of it and dragged it around thrice.

"Didn't you hear what I said? They will kill her."

His mother turned her back on him and waited for the calm enunciated voice of the lady working at the emergency services switchboard to monotonously drone, "999, what's your emergency?"

"Yes, hi. I'd like to speak to the police please."

His heart turned to stone...

"Okay ma'am. May I ask what it's regarding?"

"I've found the Lockewood girl."

...And sunk with the quickness of an anchor with a broken chain, falling aimlessly into the boundless darkness below.

"Okay ma'am. I'm putting you thr..."

A hulking roar masked the end of the operator's sentence and a terrible tearing and popping sound played percussion beneath it. The line went dead.

"Hello?" When Grace looked back at her son she saw his eyes void and the severed phone cord sparking and hanging from his prominently vein encased fist, looking like wrought iron placed underneath his skin to hold that terrible, terrible thing inside of him in.

"What the fuck are you doing, you little shit?"

Wordlessly, Aiden allowed for her chosen terms of endearment to roll off his back and glided into the hallway with savage elegance. He was too calm on the surface –it contrasted with the hell that had risen inside of him, all thick black smoke, and fire, and brimstone and claws rattling his rib cage.

She'd attempted to take his life and now she was risking Heaven's.

The unquestionable became questionable.

He hooked his arm through Heaven's and dragged her half walking, half stumbling behind him to the front door. "Dougie?" he rumbled.

Dougie raised his eyebrow.

"Take Heaven down to the car and wait for me. Tell Driver to turn the engine on. The rest of you," he looked at his men, each of them as still as the gargoyles on the Notre Dame with worry etched into their features. Calm Aiden wasn't a good thing, not when he was this calm; his voice levelled and lulling like the ocean gently lapping against a rocky cliff, his eyes beholding the macabre soul of the underworld... "You can go."

"Until when, boss?" one of them spoke up.

Aiden narrowed his eyes at the one who dared to speak. "Go. Now."

They scattered like cockroaches.

Dougie didn't move.

"What's going on, A?"

"We're done here. Do as I say. Go."

"Aiden," he came closer and lowered his voice, "I know that look. I invented that look... Think about what you're about to do."

Aiden blinked at his best friend like he hadn't heard a word he'd said, "Why are you still here? The feds will be here soon. Stop wasting my time." He pushed Heaven out and closed the door in their faces.

"Shit," Dougie muttered. He rounded on her, "What happened in there?" he snarled.

Heaven flinched, "T-they w-were fighting."

"They always fight. What else?"

"S-s-she called the p-police," she squeaked, trembling under his unnerving stare. "She was going to t-tell them that she f-found me."

Dougie's blood ran cold and he glared at her, "Of course. You." He grabbed her arm and tugged her down the empty cement block stairwell, "It's always you. If he'd just killed you like he was supposed to, we could have avoided all this extra shit, but no_"

Finding her voice, she tugged her arm away, "Stop acting like I asked for this. I was happy. I didn't want any of it."

"Didn't you?" You could have stopped this a long time ago if you'd had the common sense not to get involved with him."

"Then I'd be dead!"

He gritted his teeth and growled, "You were dead the day he met you. It's only a matter of time now."

They sat in the truck in silence; Heaven milling over her Dougie's words whilst Dougie peered up at the third floor every so often, both anticipating, and dreading, the moment Aiden appeared over the tarnished red barrier of the public balcony of the flat. Aiden was going to hate himself after this. Maybe not right away, but when the magnitude of what would be his deadliest sin finally caught up to him, not even his rationality would let his soul rest. He took a break from staring at the blocks and peered at Heaven in the rear-view mirror. This infuriating young innocent would be Aiden's end...and possibly the only thing capable of pulling him back once he got too close to the edge. He was pretty damn close already. If it hadn't been for that fact Dougie would have did what he does best a long time ago.

Aiden appeared at the foot of the stairs, his body glimpsed and concealed between the grease and dirt clouded glass of the security door, with the same unreadable expression on his face. Too composed, too calm. For a moment Dougie wondered if he'd actually gone through with it, but when he got in the car and closed his eyes, speaking only on syllable to order Driver to "Drive", Dougie feared the worst had come to pass.

Driver pulled out of Myatts Field Estate car park.

He had to know; "Do the maids need to do a double clean up?"

"No. I took care of it."

God dammit Aiden!

"Better safe than sorry," he replied gravely, the burden that would surely rest on Aiden's shoulders starting to weigh down on his own. He should have stopped him. Why the fuck didn't he stop him? Fuck!

"The police will be here soon. There's not enough time. I took care of it."

"A, you can't just leave her there..." he lowered his voice, "She's your mum."

Aiden curled his fist u tightly in his lap and opened his eyes to glare back at his friend in the rear-view, "Stop. Talking."

Heaven shifted closer to her side of the car.

Yeah, so...that happened. On a scale of '0-what the actual fuck bruh?!?' how out of control do you think Aiden is right now? Should Dougie have stopped him or do you think Grace had it coming?

Please click the heart and leave your comments below.

Love Scotty x

#running wilde #street lit #fiction

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heatheradio · 7 years

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Providence- Ch.1

By: Heather Boyce

Today was different. He didn’t know how he knew, but today was, without a doubt, strange. New, but not entirely unwelcome.

“Aiden, I hate what you’ve done with your hair.” A woman with wild dark grey hair and no small amount of freckles stood at an antique desk. “Help me open, would you?”

He pulled the earbuds out and smiled. “You’ll get used to it, Ma.” Bending nearly a foot to kiss the top of her head, Aiden pulled the chain for the open sign. The neon illuminated the shops dusky walkway in hues of green and purple. The effect was warm and inviting to all who ventured in. To the right of the entrance sat four bookshelves side by side. Ancient tomes, rare ingredients, books of shadows dating back centuries, lined the shelves behind Fio’s desk. She opened the register and blew a curl from her face. “Did you see the new ink?” Aiden turned his head showing his mother the runes lining the waist length grey braid down the center of his head, following down his neck and ending on the inner edge of each shoulder blade.

Fiona scoffed. “We got another shipment of pixie dust last night.” Walking to the side of the store opposite her, Aiden opened the box. The jars were placed next to the moon water on one of seven shelves that took up the entire left side of Fio’s store. Halfway through unpacking, he felt it again. Something was different. The air was heavier, everything seemed just a bit brighter. The feeling was comforting and that made it odd. Why wouldn’t he feel comfort in his own home? Why was it prevalent now?

“Alright, Ma, I’m closin’ up. You gunna cook me dinner?” The corner of Aiden’s mouth went up on the left side ending in a dimple identical to his mother’s. Fiona could brew a mean potion, but she had no place in a kitchen. She zapped him in the arm with a point of her finger and he laughed. “Alright, but I’m not wearing shoes.”

She rolled her eyes. “You get that from your father. Now go get changed. Vlad is waiting.”

Aiden returned wearing black cotton pants, grey foot wraps, and a longer violet v neck tank top that matched his eyes. His neck was adorned with wire wrapped stones, his fingers with similar crystals and metals. Various toes wore engraved silver and gold rings. The rings in his left nostril and right brow were silver. Fiona shook her head and huffed out a laugh, turning to leave for Roxanna’s, the best diner in town.

“Fio! Will it be the usual?” A man of six feet and a strong build held the door for them. “Hello, Aiden.” His voice was deep, and still held a hint of a European accent. He smiled and his canines poked at his bottom lip. Aiden waved towards Vlad as Fio passed a hollow gold ring to him, and walked to the bar.

“Oh my gods! You shaved your head!” A young black woman with a nearly bald head covered in tight peach curls reached across the bar to stroke the bald sides and back of Aiden’s head.

“I needed a good place for these runes, and it shows these off quite well.” Aiden tugged at an ear. Each one began at a point just under the top of his head and had ten small gold hoops, his lobes stretched to an inch with charoite stone tunnels, ending just below his jaw. Rox smiled, small fangs glinting off the dull bar lights, and handed him a cup of coffee.

“So, have you told her about the dreams yet?” Rox had moved to sit next to Aiden, cold beer bottle in hand.

“Ha! Definitely not. She would make a huge deal of it and probably end up telling your dad.” Aiden pointed at Vlad. “They’re fucking, you know.”

She sneered. “Don’t change the subject. You’re dreaming about a faceless banal every night. If it was a few times here and there, I wouldn’t worry about it, but it’s every night. You should tell her.” Rox adjusted her gold septum ring with the diamond stud in her top lip. “She will be able to help.”

“She’s not the only witch, Rox. I can handle this on my own. I’m an adult. Just because we live in the same house does not mean I need her for every little thing. I’ve got this.” His don’t-give-a-shit attitude made it clear to her that he in fact could not handle this on his own.

“The banals have it right; you white people are real stupid when it comes to supernatural shit.” She shook her head and rolled her eyes at him.

“Rox, we-” he gestured all around himself, “are the supernatural. All of Providence. I don’t think you can call an elf a white person. Sure, my mom’s white, but so is your dad.”

“You’re rambling.” She threw an arm around his shoulders. “And you’re right. It’s not a white people thing, it’s a you thing.” Patting his head and releasing his shoulder, she stood up. “I’ve got to check on Dawn. She’s had a bit too much tonight.” She headed towards the dwarf at the end of the bar.

An hour, three cups of coffee, and one cheeseburger later, a pixie came flying in. He was silver, five inches tall, and emitted the sparkling dust sold at the shop. “Banal! There’s a banal in Providence!” His high pitched voice echoed around the nearly empty room. Aiden’s ears perked up.

“What did you say?” He stood and held his hand out for Bob to stand on. The pixie took a breath, and said more calmly, “there’s a banal boy in Providence. Heard around the square looking for Fio’s and asking about a half-breed.” Aiden sneered at this. “I’m sorry. I’m only repeating what was said.” His silver cheeks had turned the same shade of pink as his eyes and matching short-shorts. And then it was there again; that strange feeling wrapping around him like a hug from home. His violet eyes turned towards Roxanna, and hers widened. She pointed at the door. “Well?”

Aiden dropped his hand, Bob catching himself with his transparent wings, and spread his feet shoulder width apart. He closed his eyes and breathed deep, thinking home, home, home. The wind rose up and played with his hair, heat from the setting sun warmed his skin, he could smell the distant ocean and feel the Earth beneath his feet. He opened his eyes, and he was home.

#amwriting #urbanfantasy #supernatural #fantasy #queer #verygay #originalwork #I've written this far too many times to count

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