#everyone please note that this is what i did this afternoon instead of the two (2) assignments i have due tomorrow | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

reidarkholme · 24 days ago

Text

PROLOGUE — synopsis | Owen Taylor, a new professor from your class assigned a thesis project right at the start of semester and due next week. Burdened by the amount of paperworks to do, your only solace is a pack of cigarette and your secret “spot”.

CONTAINS❕: age gap, owen taylor × reader, smoking, forbidden attraction, teacher’s pet, vivid description of matured contents, no use of y/n, erotic fanfiction

WORD COUNT : 3.4k

WARNING❕: MDNI

▫️ AUTHOR’S NOTES : Based on “The Starling Girl” played by Lewis Pullman. This is my first time writing a fanfiction with R18+ contents. English is not my first language, please do understand that there may be ungrammatical errors made. BEST VIEW ON DARK MODE !

other social: @d4rkholme on tiktok — an edit based on this story is posted already on my account, you can check it out. <3

It’s been a hell of a week and I haven’t even finished my thesis yet. I am so piled up with schoolworks that I even forgot what it was like to socialize with people, but I don’t have many friends who I can talk and banter with. So, I just sit here in my room with my laptop and a cigarette on hand to lessen the stress that I’m feeling while working on my paper that I have to pass next week.

I rolled my eyes out of frustration and shut my laptop. I checked the time and it’s already two in the afternoon, I have a class at three.

This professor that I will be attending class on has only been here since the second semester started and just casually gave us a thesis to work on, isn’t he just a bundle of joy? But, I’m not going to deny… He’s kind of attractive compared to other professors I had for the past two years I’ve been here at this school. Tall, maybe he’s about six feet, muscles are perfectly defined and doesn’t look exaggerated, slicked back hair, wears a polo shirt that fits him just fine, smells like… I don’t know what brand he’s using but it’s definitely not cheap. Looking at him from head to toe, he’s the accurate figure of what a man should look like. Not some guy who thinks full of himself while looking like trash and treats people, especially women, as some kind of punching bag.

As soon as I stepped foot in the hallway, I instantly went to my class and sat on an empty chair far from everyone. I don’t want to socialize–I am overstimulated because of this paperwork.

Before I even put my earphones on, he came into the room, “Good afternoon.” His voice was mildly loud and sharp enough to make me roll my eyes once again because of irritation. I only hate him because he gave us paperwork like this, but what else could I do? Throw hands at him? Only if I could, I would.

I didn’t even notice that he caught me eye-rolling at him. “Is there any problem?” He said, looking directly at me while placing his book and papers on the table.

Of course I play dumb. “Me…?” I said. “Yes, you. Who else might I be referring to? You’re the only one who’s sitting there far away from your classmates,” he replied.

I sarcastically replied, “There is, in fact, no problem.” I faked my smile.

He seemed not to be content with my answer, but he just went lecturing about a new lesson for today and added some suggestions to put in our paper just in case we haven’t done it yet. But, did I mention I listened to everything he said? Right. I didn’t, because I was busy studying his figure… I don’t know what’s gotten into my mind but I feel like I’m being slowly pulled to him, like some kind of magnetic force that an equation or anything about science could not even explain. I’m still irritated by him, though.

It’s already five o’clock and his class just finished. Before I could even step outside of the door, he called my name and asked me, “How’s your paper?” Really? Why not ask how I am instead of the paper, I thought. “Going pretty well,’’ I replied. “Good, because that will help you to finish your studies,” he said, as he put his book and papers inside of his crossbody bag.

I nodded and gave him a bitter smile. “Yeah, I know.” I didn’t even wait for him to say anything back and just went outside already.

A cigarette could really be a good use to free myself from stress. I have a perfect spot to smoke after class whenever I feel stressed, which I do every time. It’s been a coping mechanism since I was in high school and I could never seem to get it out of my system.

Without hesitation, I lit my cigarette and covered it with my left hand so the fire won’t be blown by the wind.

After inhaling it three times with my eyes closed while leaning on the brick, I was startled by a familiar voice. “Still got some?”

I turned around and recognized it’s my professor from my class… Owen Taylor. I almost threw away my cigarette when he saw me. “Holy shi–” I paused, “I’m… I’m really sorry, I won’t do this again. Just promise me you won’t tell it to the dean.” I pleaded. I feel embarrassed that I want to be eaten alive right now.

He looks unfazed. “I just said if you still got some but you straight up get worried.” He paused for a second, maintaining eye-contact, “So, are you going to hand me one or not?” He handed out his hand from his pocket.

Still startled from what just happened, I grabbed a pack of my cigarettes in my pocket and handed him one of it.

He puts the cigarette on his lips, but he’s still not lighting it up. “Are you just going to let it be like this or will you light it up for me?” He asked, putting away the cigarette from his lips.

“Oh, yeah, sorry. Here.” I said as I handed him my lighter.

He took the lighter from me and lit up his cigarette. Oh, God, I’ve never seen a man who lit up a cigarette effortlessly making it look… I don’t know. Hot? Maybe. But, that’s weird to be fascinated by. He’s my professor and it’s wrong to think of him that way. God forbid a woman who finds anything attractive, especially if it’s acted out by an attractive man, I thought.

There’s a minute of silence before he speaks, “When did you start?” He said as he took a puff.

I instantly understood his question. “Since high school. Just a coping mechanism and not just to be seen as cool by other kids.” I said as I inhaled mine.

“I see.” He nodded.

We didn’t do much talking and just went to finish smoking. We just stand beside each other as we inhale every nicotine we have.

He breaks the silence, “Thank you,” he said. “Yeah, no problem. Just don’t tell anyone from school then we’ll be fine.” I nodded.

He chuckled. “Is that a threat?”

I answered, “No, but if you perceive it that way… Maybe, yes.”

As we were walking away from that “spot” the rain started to pour. Shit, I forgot to bring an umbrella with me, my bag is going to be soaked and my laptop’s inside, I thought as I frowned my brows and looked at the ground getting wet.

He stopped walking and looked at me with concern. “You don’t have an umbrella with you?”

As much as I hate to admit it. “Yeah… I forgot.”

“I have my car with me parked near here, you want a ride?” He offered.

I really wanted to refuse but I am caught with this situation with nothing but his offer. “Okay… sure.” I said as I followed him walking towards his car.

He opened the door for the passenger seat, I didn’t know he’s a gentleman. I thought he was just some kind of teacher to put some stress on his students. Judged him too far, I think.

He closed the car door for me and went to sit on the driver’s seat. I’m too focused on checking my laptop forgetting that I need to put my seatbelt on. “Buckle up, the road’s slippery.” He commanded.

After I buckled up, he started to drive. His attention was too focused on the road so the ride just went silent until the rain started to pour heavily so that he had to idle his car.

“We have to wait for the rain to subside, I can’t risk us getting into an accident,” he said.

I didn’t say anything, I just rested my head on the window beside me, watching and listening to the rain downpour.

Minutes passed by and the rain is still ongoing. When will this end? I need to go home and finish my thesis, I thought.

I noticed him moving from my peripheral vision, he turned the music on.

The mirror’s image tells me it’s home time

But I’m not finished, ‘cause you’re not by my side

And as I arrived I thought I saw you leavin’

Carryin’ your shoes

Decided that once again I was just dreamin’

Of bumpin’ into you

“You listen to Arctic Monkeys?” I asked as he hummed along with the music.

“Hmm, yeah. How ‘bout you? A fan of ‘em?” He asked, turned to look at me after staring at his front windshield for God knows how long.

Now, it's three in the mornin’

And I’m tryna’ change your mind

Left you multiple missed calls

And to my message, you reply

“Why’d you only call me when you’re high?”

“Hi, why’d you only call me when you’re high?”

“Yeah, I am.” I said, as I looked into his eyes. Those eyes… those eyes that could make you crippling your sheets–Oh, oh, no. Enough, I thought. I covered my face with shame.

He looks confused. “What’s wrong?” He frowned his brows.

“Nothing… Just shrugging a thought,” I nervously replied, but I somehow managed to hide my nervousness. If I really did…

“And what those thoughts got something to do with looking at me for too long?” His voice snapped me back to reality and made me realize I stared at him for too long.

Somewhere darker, talkin’ the same shite

I need a partner, (High) well are you out tonight?

It’s harder and harder to get you to listen

More I get through the gears

Incapable of makin’ alright decisions

And having bad ideas

His voice echoed in my ears. “Are you having ideas?”

I gulped, not knowing what to answer. I looked away from him but he cupped my chin with his left hand. The hand that he used to smoke earlier, it still smells marlboro red.

“What ideas…?” I asked weakly.

“You know what,” he said, his voice became deep and raspy.

Now, it’s three in the mornin’

And I’m tryna’ change your mind

Left you multiple missed calls

And to my message, you reply (Message, you reply)

I chuckled shakily. “Are you high?” I asked.

“Why’d you only call me when you’re high?”

(Why’d you only call me when you’re)

His tone seems confused at the same time. “High?”

“Hi, why’d you only call me when you’re high?”

We stared at each other, waiting for one of us to make a move. The tension is palpable inside of his car. I can smell his breath, his perfume, I can see the details of his hair looking soft with a sense of rawness in every strand. The way his eyes blink at the same time as mine. The way my heart pounds at every second his face gets closer with me. I’m not turning away from him which made me question myself. He’s thirty-two years old and I’m only twenty-one. This can’t be happening–I am dreaming but I’m not…

In a flash of two seconds, his lips pressed on mine. I can feel its softness and the way it devours me. I kissed back… I know I shouldn’t, but here I am.

And I can’t see you here, wonder where I might

It sort of feels like I’m runnin’ out of time

Our lips continue to savour every taste, not wasting any saliva. He slides his tongue inside of my mouth. The way our tongues dance with each other is enough to send shivers down my spine. I can feel my entrance getting wet as he touches my left leg with his right hand and his left hand at my nape while making out with me.

His kiss gets deeper and deeper at every second and I fear I might run out of breath. The music still plays while we’re doing an unholy act. What a perfect song for a perfect time.

I haven’t found all I was hopin’ to find

You said you gotta be up in the mornin’

Gonna have an early night

I let out a huge breath after he released his mouth to mine, his lips went down on my neck… A part of my body I considered to be more sensitive than my entrance. I grip his hair signaling for him to suck deeper which he did. This man is going to be the end of me.

And you’re startin’ to bore me, baby

“Why’d you only call me when you’re high?”

He stopped for seconds to pull my shirt up and threw it away at the backseat. I did the same thing with him, I unbuttoned his polo shirt and saw his majestic deliciously carved body. He has the perfect shape I wanted.

“Why’d you only ever phone me when you’re high?”

“Why’d you only ever phone me when you’re (high)?”

The song stopped, then we realized what we were doing. “Are we going to continue this?” He asked, breathing heavily.

I nodded unhesitatingly. “Are you sure?” He asked again.

As soon as he got the answer which I think he wanted to hear, he scooted over in the backseat. I did the same as well.

I laid down and found myself being dominated by this man. He started to unbuckle his belt and unzipped his pants. I also started to take off my underwear but I still haven’t unhooked my bra. He leaned over me and I can feel his manhood bulging and ready to be released from being caged in his pants.

His breath is hot as fire as he breathes, I can feel it in my ears as he kisses my neck again. His right hand slowly went from holding my hair to going down on my abdomen to tracing my legs using his middle and ring finger, teasing my insides.

I sighed out of frustration at being teased. “Touch me…” I said, breathing shakily.

He seems to not have heard what I said. I grabbed his wrist and put it in my center, started grinding and made it more wet than ever.

“Ohh… Slow down.” He said between the kisses.

He breaks the kisses and rises up. “Unhook your bra.” He commanded.

I arched my brow, teasing him. “Why don’t you unhook my bra?”

He looks at me seriously. “Are you going to follow or not?” He said, voice low and raspy.

I took a little sigh and unhooked my bra. It felt like freedom to remove this thing from me. I’ve never been a fan of wearing a bra, so I only wear a shirt whenever I’m at home.

He leaned back again, but this time, it’s my chest that he’s starting to violate. He sucks my nipples as if there’s no tomorrow. His mouth on my left chest, his left hand on my right. Massaging it slowly.

I can feel the metal of his watch touching my skin, sending shivers to my body. The way his tongue twirls on my nipple makes me crazy like an animal. My thoughts are full of lust. This man is breathtaking.

He paused, sliding down his pants. He stroked his manhood three times before entering my insides. I let out a soft moan, feeling every inch of him in my body.

He started to thrust me slowly at first, giving me time to adjust from his hard length. Every single thrust he makes, I can hear him whimper even though he’s trying not to make any sound.

His hair touches my face, giving me a tickling sensation. I brushed and grip the back of his hair. I put both of my feet behind his waist, holding on to his nape as he goes faster and deeper than he did minutes later.

I can feel my core throbbing and pulsating, like a morse code spelling his name repeatedly—like an echo in my mind.

I gripped his back using my fingers to support the force he’s giving. My nails are long enough to leave claw marks on his skin, leaving trails of my scratches.

He licked his lips and started to explore my mouth again. Sliding his tongue in me, sharing heat and feeding each other’s hunger. His kiss gets deeper and deeper as he thrusts me harder and faster. This is the first time a man has given me this kind of pleasure. This is heaven.

He got up carrying my back with him, still not breaking the kiss. Our bodies shifted, I hovered over him—breathless and wanting more.

I began dancing on his lap, my lips traced a path along his throat, sucking hard like what he did to me.

He groaned. “I—I’m close…” He gasped, chest rising.

“It’s okay… I’m taking birth control pills,” I said, gasping for air.

He shut his eyes, each of my thrusts met me with equal intensity. My hips are bouncing by the way our bodies move together in sync. The atmosphere became more tense and hotter as we felt our climax built with every thrust.

We couldn’t hold back much longer anymore. Our bodies collapse together as we breathe against our skin, bodies trembling.

My head resting against his neck, hands hugging his back. His hands stroked my hair, giving me a sense of comfort.

I lifted my head up and leaned backwards, holding on to the passenger seat behind me, I grabbed my bag.

I put down my bag on his right and started to look for my cigarette. I took one and put it between my lips as I lit it up in front of him.

He watches me smoke and blow it, not minding the suffocating feeling it might cause us. I once again inhaled and held it in for three seconds, I leaned onto him, my lips coaxing his mouth open as I exhaled into his.

He grabbed the cigarette from my fingers and inhaled deeply, not breaking an eye-contact.

“You’re good, huh?” His voice, dark and smooth.

I smirked. “And you’re bold,” I replied. I snatched my bag beside him and looked for gum, still not leaving from our position. I peeled the packaging and started to chew.

He frowned his brows slightly. “Are you chewing gum?”

I let out a small smile. “No,” I replied, sarcastically.

“Spit it out.” He demanded.

I stared at him, not doing what he requested. I just started to chew this tasteful gum, there’s no way I’ll throw it away this soon, I thought.

He handed out his other hand close to my mouth, signaling me to spit it out. He looked down at his hand, then he met my gaze again and he slightly arched both of his brows.

I gave him a confused reaction because I can’t understand why he wants me to spit this out, maybe he’s irritated by the sound it makes? I don’t know.

“Spit it out and I’ll give you a high grade on your paper,” he added.

Without a further thought, I spat out my gum. I’d rather waste a gum than waste my grades.

“There you go,” I said, looking at the gum I just sacrificed for a grade. But, whatever.

“We should go, the rain just stopped pouring. I’ll drive you home.” I nodded. I got off of his lap and we picked up our clothes and wore them like nothing happened. I opened the car door beside me and went outside to go back to the passenger seat. He did the same thing and went back to the driver’s seat.

He started to drive and focuses on driving. I broke the silence, “So… what are we going to do now?” I asked.

His left hand on the steering wheel, while his right hand squeezed my thigh, still not breaking his attention from the road. “Meet me at my office tomorrow. I’m going to give you something,” he replied.

I just nodded and let him continue driving until I reached home. It only took me five seconds before I reached for his face, giving him a kiss. I went outside of his car and watched him drive away.

▪️ AUTHOR’S NOTES : DO NOT STEAL❕

#lewis pullman #marvel #bob thunderbolts #smut #mcu #owen taylor #the starling girl #owen taylor × reader

218 notes · View notes

dovesdreaming · 3 months ago

Text

Just get together already

Summary: You try so hard to deny that you have feelings for Benny even when he’s telling you he’s hopelessly in love with you every chance he gets. Why can’t you see what everyone else sees? (Vampire!reader) (1.5k words)

Requested

Masterlist

"Hey, bloodsucker” You glanced up from your untouched tray to find Benny sliding into the seat beside you, his signature smirk firmly in place. Ethan followed, offering a more timid smile as he sat across from you.

"Hey, spell nerd” You shot back, nudging him with your shoulder. "Aren't you supposed to be getting your daily allowance of pizza grease and regret?"

"Already inhaled it” Benny grinned, wiggling his fingers. "Gotta keep these bad boys powered up for casting spells and charming ladies”.

You snorted. "Guess it's only working for the spells, then”.

Ethan sputtered a laugh while Benny clutched his chest dramatically. "Wounded! The love of my life, the immortal goddess of my dreams, disrespects me in front of my own best friend!"

"More like in front of your only friend” you corrected, stealing a fry off his tray.

Benny's grin widened. "Please, if I didn’t know any better, I'd think you like me”.

Your eyes rolled, a smile tugging at the corner of your mouth. "Yeah, yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night”. From across the table, Ethan sighed and shot Sarah a pointed look when she walked up. She glanced between you and Benny and muttered, "Just get together already. We're all sick of this, literally I can feel my breakfast coming back up from the sight of you two”.

"Yeah, okay” Benny said easily, looping an arm around your shoulders and squeezing. "Right after she finally admits she's madly in love with me”.

Your laugh bubbled up, sharp and instinctive, and you swatted his hand away. "In your dreams, Weir”. But the way his arm had draped over your shoulders, warm and casual felt more natural than you’d like to admit.

After lunch classes continued and you managed to clear the thoughts of bennys teasing from your head instead focusing on whatever the teacher was droning on about. After another lot of homework was dumped on your work pile you knew it was gonna be another afternoon in the library with benny again. You didn’t know whether this made you feel excited or nervous.

"Are you even listening to me?"

Benny’s head snapped up from his phone, eyes wide. “Huh? Yeah, of course!”

You lifted an eyebrow, pointing to the notes sprawled across the table. "Oh, really? So what’s the answer to number four?”

He squinted at the paper. “Uh… B?”

“It’s a math question, Benny”.

He sighed, flopping back in his chair. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I just don’t get why we need algebra. Do you think I’ll be fighting vampires with the quadratic formula?”

“Well, no, but-“

“Exactly! I need to be studying important things, like defense spells, potion recipes… your favorite blood type” He grinned, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“Gross” you snorted. “And I don’t have a favorite, you dork”.

“Come on” Benny leaned in, his face inches from yours. “Aren’t you a little curious? Like, what if your dream blood is out there? What if it’s mine?”

You laughed, shoving his shoulder lightly. “Benny, I already know your blood would taste like Mountain Dew and bad decisions”

“Ouch” He pressed a hand to his chest, but his smile never faltered. “Lucky for you, I think all your vampire stuff is hot anyway”.

Your stomach did a weird little flip, but you quickly shot him a smirk. “Don’t you have a spell or class to be failing?”

You tried to put your head back down to concentrate on your work, you really wanted this done so it was one less thing on your mind but you knew with Benny around it’d take an immense amount of willpower to resist his presence. Willpower you didn’t posses so you gave in. You’d just have to complete the homework tonight like usual, you don’t know why you kept inviting him to your study sessions.

What you didn’t anticipate was that later would never come for your homework. You had sat down at your desk to finally complete it when your stomach growled but not for food, curse being a vampire. An overwhelming need for blood took over, the sort of craving you haven’t had since you started giving up human blood.

It led to a near slip-up. You’d felt that ache, that hunger clawing at you, so close to the edge of losing control. You didn’t know who else to go to, who else could calm you down like he did.

Benny had found you sitting on the curb outside his house, face buried in your hands. When he sat beside you, you didn’t have the energy to pretend.

“I almost…” you whispered, voice thick. “I could’ve hurt someone”. He was quiet, the stillness stretching. When you dared to look at him, his gaze was steady. Warm.

“But you didn’t” he finally said. “And you won’t. You’re stronger than that”.

“What if I’m not?” you murmured.

“Then I’ll be right there. I’ll help you”.

It was so simple, so Benny, that your throat tightened. “Why are you always like this?”

He blinked, a lopsided smile breaking through. “Because I’m in love with you, obviously”.

“Benny-“

“I’m serious”.

You shook your head, but the weight of his sincerity settled heavily on your shoulders. This was Benny. Always flirty, always playing around. You heart couldn’t take another punch tonight so you just let his words roll off of you.

You were thankful when Friday night finally came. Finally able to rest and not worry about school and of course being able to hang out with your friends. Friday is movie night at Ethan’s place, and as usual, Benny sat sprawled across the couch, his head resting on your lap. You ran your fingers absentmindedly through his hair, your eyes half-watching the screen while Ethan and Sarah whispered snide remarks beside you.

“Are we watching the movie or the world’s slowest confession?” Sarah muttered, nudging Ethan.

Ethan snickered, and you shot them both a playful glare. "I heard that”.

"Good!" Sarah grinned. "Maybe you'll finally realize what literally everyone else has”.

Benny craned his neck up to face you, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh, you mean how I'm desperately, hopelessly, and completely in love with her?"

You laughed, nudging his shoulder. "Yeah, yeah, Benny. Keep dreaming”.

Ethan and Sarah exchanged a knowing look, but you chose to ignore it. It was just Benny being Benny. Flirty, bold, and impossible to take seriously.

Later, when the others had finally retreated to their own homes, you and Benny found yourselves alone in his room. The hum of his computer filled the quiet, and you leaned back against the wall, watching as he messed with some spell book he had picked up from Grandma Weir's collection.

"You're lucky you don't have to deal with this magic stuff” Benny said, flipping a page. "All you gotta do is look hot and, you know, not eat anyone”.

You rolled your eyes, but a soft laugh escaped. "Yeah, because resisting bloodlust is just that easy”.

His gaze softened, the usual playfulness fading into something sincere. "Hey, I know it's not. And I know you’re always worried about... slipping up or whatever. But you’re not a monster, okay?" It wasn't the first time he'd said something like that, reassured you that your vampire side didn't make you any less... you. But it still felt different every time.

You tried to brush off the way your chest tightened. "Yeah, well, you’re just saying that because you think I’m 'hot and badass.'"

"And because I love you” he added smoothly, a grin flickering at his lips.

You laughed, the sound wavering just slightly. "Oh, please”.

He set the book down and turned to face you fully. His smile softened, his eyes searching yours. “I’m serious, you know. I love you. Not just in the ‘oh wow, she’s hot’ way. In the 'I think about you all the time and want to be around you forever' way”.

Your smile faltered, caught between disbelief and something that felt like hope. Something was different about the way he was saying those words now. “You- you can’t be serious”.

Benny’s eyes never wavered. “Why wouldn’t I be? I’ve been trying to tell you this whole time”

Because you were a vampire. Because you had parts of you that craved blood and darkness, parts that scared you sometimes. Because Benny deserved someone easy and safe.

“Because I’m a vampire, Benny” It came out weaker than you intended.

He stepped closer, his hands reaching out to gently hold your arms. “I don’t care. I think all of that just makes you more... you. And I think you’re amazing”.

Your mind spun, every instinct telling you to laugh it off like always. But the sincerity in his eyes wouldn’t let you.

“Are you- like, actually serious?” you whispered.

“Completely”

His face was inches from yours, his eyes warm and unwavering. You took a breath, feeling every hesitation crumble under his gaze.

“I think... I think I love you, too” you admitted quietly.

A grin broke across his face bright, infectious, so completely Benny. “Yeah?”

You rolled your eyes, the familiar banter slipping back into place. “Yes, idiot”.

Before you could second-guess yourself, you leaned in and kissed him, his breath hitching just before his lips met yours. When you pulled back, his grin was still there, but softer, sweeter.

“Finally” he whispered, pressing his forehead to yours. And for once, you didn’t laugh it off.

183 notes · View notes

gothgleek · 1 year ago

Text

How Many Licks? (Just Bite It)

Angus Tully x fem!reader

Summary: You work at the University’s mail room sorting packages and trying to keep yourself from boredom. However- not that you would ever admit it out loud- you look forward to Thursday afternoons when Angus Tully stops by.

Based on my post Dominic Sessa looking like he bites people.

Word Count: 1,900+

Notes: She/her pronouns, Afab reader, Christmas mention, biting, cunnilingus, unprotected sex, unsafe sex, semi-public sex, sex at the workplace, overstimulation, quickies, reader being a brat, calling each other ‘slut’, everyone involved is over the age of 18

Notes: Huge thank you to my friend, Mera for helping me come up with what to call Angus because there is no way I’m moaning that name either fictionally or irl. It’s like moaning ‘Ulysses’ or ‘Cornelius.’ Please be nice as this is the first fanfic I’ve ever posted on Tumblr and first ever reader insert I’ve ever written. I tried being as neutral as possible when describing physical features but please let me know if there is anything that takes you out. Specifically I tried saying bite marks instead of bruises because not all skin tones bruise easily but I’m sure I missed some.

Comments, likes, and reblogs are appreciated 💕💕💕

Minors DNI

Your bright red stockings paired well with your wool black dress that hits you mid-thigh. You couldn’t see Angus from this angle, but you could feel his gaze rising up your legs and to the garter belt as you climbed the ladder. You knew he was a boob man but it was too cold for a v-neck dress. You put his package on the top shelf specifically so you could show off your legs when he arrived.

“Thanks, I got them Black Friday shopping.” You tell him, stepping down the ladder, his package on your hip. “Which is what I assume this is?” You shake the box in your hands. It’s not heavy but you can tell it’s packed to the brim.

“Hope so,” You hear him unwrap a lollipop and pop it in his mouth. You cringe as you hear him bite the lollipop.

You step off the ladder and tuck the box under your breasts, pushing them up more. “If you keep biting them, I’m going to start hiding them when you stop by.”

He smiles obnoxiously. “Then you would’ve hid them away by now.”

You roll your eyes, putting the box on the counter. “It’s disgusting.”

“No, it’s actually pretty tasty,” He smirked and took the used lollipop stick out of his mouth. “Wanna guess what flavor it is?” Angus sticks his artificially red tongue out.

“You’re such a slut.” You roll your eyes and shake your head.

---

The piles of new shipments kept the two of you hidden from the public eye as Angus got on his knees, pushing you against the wall. Your stockings had been quickly disposed of, tossed over his shoulder before you could say anything. His mouth was on your left knee, pressing a kiss as he opened your legs. One warm hand rests on your stomach, balancing himself.

He places a sloppy, open mouthed kiss on your inner thigh, above your knee. He licked upwards and bit down, sucking on the flesh between his teeth. He mirrors his actions on your left thigh. You hissed, knowing (and loving) that it would leave marks.

“You smell fucking amazing,” He says against your skin, his big brown eyes looking up at you. Motivated by your scent, Angus’s kisses get sloppier and while his bites are quicker, it is no less painful as he moves upward your legs. You glanced at the entrance to the office, double checking you could freely respond to his actions.

“God, you’re fucking soaked,” Angus said smirking, the cold air making your clit pulse. His thumb lightly moved over your lace covered pussy.

“Did you get jealous of the lollipop? The way I licked,” You jumped as his tongue touched your clit, the lace of your panties adding to the friction. “And bit?” His teeth graze against it.

“God, you’re such a dirty slut,” You tell him, only half teasing.

“And you’re a loud slut,” Angus teases and pushes your dress upwards. “Bite on this.”

You wordlessly accepted and clamp down on the polyester fabric. He slowly pulled down your red panties to show him your beautiful pussy. Since your lower half and most of your torso was visible, Angus greedily took in the sight of your bare stomach and underboob. He kisses your clit and spits on it. He traces his tongue over the sensitive nub and gives you slow, deliberate licks, creating a bigger mess between your thighs.

You let out muffled moans, your fingers tangled in his curly hair and grinding your hips for more friction. Angus once told you he would die a happy man if that meant being between your legs. Today is a good day to test that. You grip his hair, forcing his mouth to wrap around your clit, an action he responds to with a hum of approval. The vibrations make your hips roll and back arch. You can feel him laugh because he knows he has you where he wants you but you cannot care about that now. You hold his head there, pleading whimpers begging for more. Angus removes his hands from your pussy so he could grip your thighs for balance but makes no effort to loosen your grip.

Embarrassingly, it doesn’t take you long to reach your peak. Not when his mouth is making you feel so, so good. Your dress falls down as your mouth opens, a strangled cry echoing in the room, and your nails dig into his scalp as you cum. Angus keeps licking you as if you’re not melting around his mouth. As if your legs are not shaking in his hands from overstimulation. Eventually you cannot take it anymore and you have to push him away. Still, he licks up the mess you’ve created on your thighs before standing to face you with a satisfied smirk.

The intensity of your orgasm leaves you feeling dizzy so his hands stay on your hips as he rises. Though his face is painted with arrogance, Angus gently sits you on the table your boss reserved for processing packages. He lifts your dress over your head and tosses it to the side, impatiently but gently. Your nipples pebble because of the cold air and his lustful gaze.

Eyes never leaving yours, Angus unbuckles his belt and pulls his cock out. He pushed you against the table, kissing you at the same time. You wrap your arms around his neck as you taste his mouth- a combination of your pussy and his strawberry lollipop.

His hand gently pushed your thighs wider as his other hand slipped a finger between your entrance. His thumb gently rubbed your clit in exactly the way you taught him so you couldn’t help the moans that escaped your mouth. He slid another finger in and you gasped out a “Yes!” You rode his fingers, chasing your pleasure. Your moans ricocheting off the walls, not caring how slutty you acted.

But he cared.

Angus pulled away from your breast, not bothering to wipe away the string of spit connecting his lips to your breast. The hand on your thigh paused your movements and his fingers slowed.

“Tell me you’re my slut,” he smirked. You whined in response. “Come on, say it.”

He gently lays you back on the table and takes his shirt off. Angus turned around to see the clock on the wall ticking down the minutes until your boss came back from lunch.

“Tick tock.” He said, emphasizing each word with the tap of his cock on your entrance. “Tick, tock.”

You had no doubt he would elongate this. Last time you pushed your luck, you weren’t caught, but you didn’t you cum either. Angus had the biggest shit eating grin when he came in the following day and you begged him to fuck you.

But you still weren’t going to give him the satisfaction.

And he knew that.

“How does it feel to be a slut?” He murmured against your ear. Angus buried his face in the crook of your neck, biting down and pulling satisfied moans out of your mouth. “To be my slut?”

“I’m not your slut,” You protested between your moans.

He stopped biting your neck to simply nip at it, moving downwards to your breasts. Your trembling fingers grabbed at the curls on the back of his head, encouraging him. Agnus took a nipple into his hot mouth causing your left hand to dig into his shoulder and your right hand to pull his hair. Angus let out a muffled moan of pleasure and sucked on your nipple harder. There was tension building in your stomach but you couldn’t release it until you were around him.

“Say it,” Angus said as he alternated between your breasts. “Say it and I’ll fuck you.”

“Fine! I’m a slut!” You cried. “I’m your slut! Now please! Fuck me!”

Angus chuckled and slid into you. You instinctively wrapped your legs around him, pulling him closer. His eyes fluttered as he felt your heat surround his cock. He stared down at you as he found his rhythm. his fingers finding your clit again. Angus’s fingers moved in the same rhythm as his hips.He moved his hips faster, forcing your back to arch off the desk. Moaning, you clenched around his cock.

Angus kept his pace but his mouth suctioned around your breast as his tongue swirled around your nipple faster. The hand not on your clit reached over to grab your other breast, rolling the nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

“Keep going…” You whined, almost begging. The tension was reaching its peak. “So… close…”

Hearing you cry out, Angus pulled away from your beast and watched you fall apart.

He tried to fuck you through your orgasm but he couldn’t help but he wasn’t far behind you. Not when pleasure washed over your face. Not when you squeezed him like that. Not when your voice echoed like that in the small room. With a stuttering groan, Angus came inside your pussy while biting your shoulder.

Your legs loosened around his waist as your body relaxed but your pussy still clenched around his twitching cock, taking every drop of him. Angus’s body relaxed and his mouth loosened its grip on your shoulder. But you can feel his teeth scraping against your tender skin. He pressed gentle, open mouth kisses against your neck as he pulled out of you. You whimpered as he did that, already missing him inside you.

Tiredly and lazily, he kissed his way down your body until he got to his knees again. Angus spread your legs again, watching his cum dripping out of you and pooling on the table. You felt his mouth cover your pussy once again. Though tired, you couldn’t help but arch your back a little when you felt his tongue lap at your sensitive pussy, cleaning you. Angus pulled away before you could cum, though you are thankful he did as your body was not ready to accept another orgasm.

He helped you to your feet and kissed you gently on the mouth. You returned the kiss, leaning against him for balance. However, your orgasms still left you a little tired so you had to break the kiss to retain your balance. Not that Angus minded, he still kissed you, this time peppering them on your neck. Your hands loosely held his neck before you noticed the clock.

“Unless you have a turtleneck for me in that package, don’t you dare leave another hickey on my neck,” You told him as your wits came back to you and he laughed against your skin. He kissed your neck and went to his package on the counter.

“As a matter of fact,” He said, tearing it open and digging around, not caring he was still naked. “I do.”

He pulled out a knit black sweater with a thick, folded turtleneck. You accepted it and marveled at how soft it was.

“For me?” Your eyes were wide.

“Yeah, well, you always complain it’s cold down here, ” Angus shrugged nonchalantly but you could see color rising to his cheeks.

“Plus you know,” He brushed your hair off your shoulder. “It’ll hide those bite marks I left behind.”

You look down at your body to see a map of bite marks and bruises identical to his mouth and fingers. You snatched your new sweater from his hands and threw it on.

#angus tully #angus tully x reader #angus tully imagine #angus tully smut #the holdovers #smut #fanfic #reader insert #mine #my fanfic

522 notes · View notes

jentrovert · 11 months ago

Text

Love to Hate You ♡

(Charlie Dalton x Fem Reader)

Enemies to Lovers Oneshot!

Warnings: Swearing, 1950’s stereotypes (purity, clothing style, cigarettes), mentions of neglect, immature high school drama, talk of paddling at school, dumb pranks, kissing, romance, teen partying, suggestive flirting, mention of a diet, moral grayness, parental issues, arguing, drinking, jealously, reader possesses slight anger issues, Neil lives and all is well.

Synopsis: The highly regarded Welton Academy has two buildings, one strictly for girl students, and the other for young boys. By a turn of events, they all end up having to share study hall together in the afternoons. (Y/n), your typical rich, hyper-feminine prima donna, thinks she’s in charge of Welton Academy. With her squeaky clean reputation and unwavering confidence, surely no one will ever see her sweat. However, being the drama queen that she is, she takes her first encounter with Charlie Dalton as a personal attack. Teenage chaos ensues. ~

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈•ﾟ｡ *

Authors Note: Hello! I just got into DPS, and I don’t write very much, so be gentle. This was originally supposed to be a dumb little blurb I wrote without intent to post. Short and silly. Obviously it’s based on the movie, but I also made it my own. Reader is referred to as a female, woman, and girl. She/Her pronouns used. It’s mentioned once that the reader has hair, but other than that, if something doesn’t feel neutral as far as the reader’s appearance, please let me know. Feel free to request! :)

Dramatic Princess Society

꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎

To say you were a diva was a staggering understatement. Everyone who graced your presence could see that you were in control of any room you happened to wander into. You weren’t a princess; you were the princess. A fond nickname you’d developed as well. You were never afraid to say whatever was on your mind, and you figured that really wasn’t such a bad thing. You just knew what you wanted, and that was all.

It didn’t help that your wealthy parents constantly fed into your ego, insistently showering you with lavish clothes and gifts to distract you from the fact that they only saw their child a few times a year. The only time your mother really gave you any guidance or contacted you at all was to ask about your diet or your clothing size, which was honestly fine by you. You had a social hierarchy to rule over, and that kept you plenty busy. Yeah, you were vain, and maybe even a bit too proud, but if anyone had the right to be, it was certainly you.

Your parents had pushed you into doing all sorts of extracurricular activities throughout your childhood and adolescence. They put a lot of weight on status and education, so failure just wasn’t an option in their eyes. You were meant to sit above everyone else at all times with a crown fixed on your head. Maybe if you could accomplish that, then you’d have to be good enough in their eyes.

What most people didn’t usually see, however, was the bleeding heart beneath all of that pompous prestige. Just below the surface, there was a young girl who wanted the same thing every other teenager so desperately did: to be accepted. But no one was going to knock down that wall you’d built.

On par for the course, you attended Welton Academy, one of the most distinguished prep schools in the country, made strictly for young women like yourself. The catch was that just across the lake from your school, there was another high school identical to your own, except it was made for young men instead.

The girl’s building was a fairly recent addition to the school grounds themselves. The schools weren’t necessarily close in proximity, but they were close enough that you could always see the opposing building. On the rare occasion of a mixed assembly, the Welton staff were always swift to pull you in opposite directions when the event had ended. There would be absolutely no one partaking in any premarital activities on their watch. The adults around you were very strict in that regard.

“What do you think the boys are doing over there right now?” Your roomate Maddie wondered aloud, her elbows propped up on the seal of your dorm window as she ogled dreamily across the lake.

You gave a teasing scoff as you turned away from your chemistry work to face her. “Probably using binoculars to stare at our building.”

“You think?” She chirped in almost a hopeful tone, glancing over her shoulder at you.

Your eyes nearly rolled out of your head. “That would not be a good thing, Madison. They’re a bunch of little perverts, and everyone knows it.”

“Maybe I should wear prettier night gowns,” She mused, ignoring your input completely.

You groaned. “Gross. Please just close the shutters.”

“At least you said ‘please’ for once,” Madison grumbled, doing just as you’d told her before deciding to turn in for the night.

You sighed, playing with a strand of your hair. “Madison. They’re just boys; I promise you, they don’t have anything special.”

Once you heard Maddie’s mischievous giggle, you already knew where she was about to go with that statement.

“Oh, I’d beg to differ on that one.”

You waved a dismissive hand in her direction.

“Well, maybe if you weren’t so uptight, then boys wouldn’t be so scared of you all the time,” She laughed.

You looked over at her again, brows raised. “Ha! That’s the way I like it,” You hummed, shrugging your shoulders as you inspected the polish on your nails. “But who could really blame them? I’m pretty intimidating, if I do say so myself.

Now it was Maddie’s turn to roll her eyes. “Whatever you say, princess,” She said, bowing theatrically before flopping back on her pillow. “Can you cut the lights off already? You’ve been looking at that forever.”

“Oh, I have to say ‘please’, but you don’t?” You huffed, but obliged anyway.

Cutting off your lamp, you followed Maddie’s lead and crawled beneath your own blankets, curling into a cozy little ball. Your eyes lingered on the ceiling for a while before you finally drifted off. You couldn’t stop yourself from wondering if there really was anything interesting about the boys over there. You doubted it, but you wouldn’t know unless you saw for yourself. Perhaps they could make things a little less boring in your current life. As much as you appreciated all the praise from your female peers, it was getting a little tired.

The next afternoon, it was nearing the end of the school day when you were sitting in Mrs. Newman’s class, daydreaming about your next salon appointment before dismissal. That’s when the older woman made an extremely important announcement to the class. Apparently, the boy’s library was under some new renovations, and as such, all of the boys who still wanted to attend study hall were instructed to use the girl’s library in your building until construction was over.

Your eyes widened when you heard the news, and you’d never admit it, but your heart also sped up a little at the thought. A few coy giggles echoed through the room as Mrs. Newman spoke.

“Now, ladies,” Your senile instructor boomed, scanning the room with a very firm look on her face. “I expect nothing but professional behavior from you all, and anything to the contrary will not be taken lightly. Do you all understand?”

“Yes, Mrs. Newman,” The class cooed in unison, not sounding nearly convincing enough.

You never thought you’d live to see the day Welton Academy would actually allow males and females to mingle. Hell had finally frozen over, you thought.

Newman kept a narrow eye on all of you as she dismissed class, but none of you seemed to pay her any mind. You were all too busy laughing and gossiping about what it would be like to merge study hall with boys. You must’ve heard your name being called a hundred times as you made your way to your locker.

“(Y/n)! (Y/n)! Did you hear?! We get to be with the boys every single day for the next few weeks!” A freshman girl named Rachel beamed as she approached.

The mundane expression never left your face. “Duh, of course I did. That’s all anyone’s talked about for the last five minutes.”

She deflated a bit. “Oh. Right. Um, I like your makeup today, by the way… Always, really.”

“Of course, Rach. You know me,” You remarked, stopping to fiddle with the combination on your locker. You could see her grin from your peripheral as she started to turn away.

“Alright, well, I’ll see you later, (Y/n)!”

You wiggled your fingers in her direction as you sorted through the books you wanted for study hall. You liked Rachel; she had great fashion sense, but she was a little too boy-obsessed for you, even worse than Maddie. You refused to give young men so much of your attention. They should be excited to see you, not the other way around. You’d never judge her or anyone else for it, but there was no way you were going to be dubbed a ‘tramp’ and end up being an outcast from your social groups. At least that’s what your parents told you would happen. So a boy would need to have something truly magical in order to make you break a sweat over them.

As you gripped your stack of books and began making your way to the now highly sought-after library, a small group of girls began trailing close behind you, a couple of them throwing affirmations your way about your hair or outfit. A few of them you knew, a few you didn’t, but at least you never had to worry about sitting alone.

“(Y/n), I love your pink socks.”

“Thanks. You know I just can’t be bothered with their horrid dress code. The patterns on the skirts are bad enough.”

“(Y/n), where did you get your bag?”

“Don’t remember. I just grabbed one this morning.”

“(Y/n), are you going to talk to any boys?”

“They can come up and talk to me if they want.”

“If they dare,” Maddie laughed, amplifying the string of constant giggles behind you.

You had your hand on the library door, ready to push it open, when a high-pitched voice startled you by crying, “Wait!”

You pulled away, immediately recognizing a sophomore named Jenny as she rushed over, peaking her head through the window of the large double doors.

“Ohmygosh,” She whispered. “They’re really in there.”

The group laughed, but you simply nudged her aside. “Please, Jen. Of course they are.”

“Oh! Let me pick where to sit!” Maddie begged with her sad brown eyes.

You thought about it briefly and ultimately caved in to her request. She cheered as she took a turn looking through the window, scanning each male specimen with great precision. A few women were in the library already, but not too many just yet. You tapped your foot impatiently, staring at the side of Maddie’s head while you waited on her decision.

“Pick cute ones to sit by!” A little red-headed girl commented, and the rest of them whispered amongst themselves in agreement.

You huffed, stamping your foot a bit as you began to push by your classmates. “For God’s sake, women, can we pull ourselves together a bit? Maddie Garcia, you’ve got two seconds before I pick for you.”

“Okay! Okay!” She squealed. “Um… That one! That table right there.” You stepped beside her, observing the large table that she’d pointed out. It was only half full, with one side harboring a fairly normal-looking group of young men, and the other side vacant.

“Fine. Perfect.”

Giving the entrance a quick shove, the group began filing in to the library one by one. Maddie and Rachel stayed by your side in order to get a closer look at the scope of people, and the rest of them hung behind you shyly. If the boys weren’t looking your way already, they certainly were after you haphazardly dropped your pile of books on the table. The rest of the girls sheepishly sorted out which chairs to take, making sure to leave a space between them and any boys. Almost instantly, you began burying yourself in your chemistry book, ignoring the girl’s whispering and the boy’s eyes that were burning holes in your head. You couldn’t believe all that fuss was just for them to not even talk to a single male in the room. You simply had no time for the nonsense.

After a while, everyone seemed to settle in and get back to their books and homework like normal, but every minute or so, Maddie would tap on you and ask, “What about that one? Is he cute?”, only for you to look over and shrug. More and more students came through during the hour. The library had stayed surprisingly quiet, so you figured the boys must be on their best behavior in the new environment. They were very careful not to say anything too loudly about any of you, though you knew what they were probably talking about when they lowered their voices. It was fine by you as long as they weren’t being overly distracting.

Your friends, on the other hand, weren’t doing anything with their time except yammering on; their books were open to a random page in the hopes that none of the teachers would actually notice. That day probably set a record for how many students attended study hall in Welton history, and the ironic part was hardly anyone was studying.

“Hey, (Y/n)?” A girl named Tayla asked, catching your attention.

You looked up at her in acknowledgment, so she continued. “How do you always keep from getting in trouble during Mr. Baker’s class?”

You thought about it for a second and laughed. “Well, you see, if you misbehave in a male teacher’s class, but you simultaneously wear a skirt that’s two sizes too small, then they won’t paddle you. None of them would dare make you bend over in a skirt that short.”

And you were right; teachers wouldn’t paddle you if your clothing seemed too short, so you always made sure wear clothing from previous school years if you were planning on causing problems. It may have been a shoddy thing for you to do, but so was hitting your students with an object, you thought. At least this way you could laugh about it.

A few of them giggled, one calling you a ‘genius’ in a playful manner. However, you could see from across the table that a few of the boys had suddenly turned rather crimson, and you knew it was likely from your conversation. You couldn’t fault them, because you weren’t exactly being quiet. Though you wouldn’t concern yourself with it either. If they were embarrassed, that was their problem.

A toothy smile graced your lips as you returned to your book, feeling oddly triumphant in your “advice”. But alas, you couldn’t revel in it; you had chemistry work that desperately needed your attention as well. Your parents would have your head if your grades proved any less than perfect.

You’d sat at the head of the table, trying your best to focus for at least a few minutes once everyone had gone quiet. However, rather than focusing on chemistry formulas, you’d slowly started to take notice of a young brunette who sat opposite you. He wasn’t doing anything particularly special, just chewing gum and trying to kick one of his friends under the table, not paying much mind to the new female table-mates. One of his classmates had called him “Charlie”, which was a name you actually recognized. You’d definitely heard a few of the girls talk about him before, and his not-so-appropriate stories.

You took a moment to observe the details of his face and the way he interacted with his friends, your work now long forgotten. He seemed so confident and loud, clearly a class clown as well. His boyish features were pretty charming, if you had to admit it. Soft and mischievous at the same time. The uniform looked handsome on him too. His looks and mannerisms definitely made you want to get to know him a bit better.

Suddenly, the same male you were admiring cleared his throat in a loud, dramatic sort of fashion, catching everyone at the table’s attention. He made quite a show of folding his hands out in front of him on the table, leaning toward you with direct eye contact, so you knew that whatever he was about to say, he was talking to you.

You cocked a brow at the boy, clueless as to what he could possibly be drawing so much attention for.

“Ma’am, since I don’t see any paint or an easel in front of you, I’m going to have to ask that you refrain from staring, please. Not that I don’t enjoy it, but it is very distracting at the moment,” He explained in mock concern, smiling in almost a taunting sort of fashion.

Your eyes blew wide, your jaw all but dropping to the floor as everyone who was listening turned to see your reaction. A few other tables had heard the disturbance as well. Your back suddenly straightened, and you opened and closed your mouth a few times in an attempt to defend yourself, but nothing came out. Normally, you’d fire off something snarky in return, maybe even insulting, but instead, your mind was rendered completely blank. It was strange, really. Sex and everything related to it were extremely taboo, especially with the way you’d been raised. It was one thing when you were talking to your female peers, but having a male address you in that sort of manner was kind of petrifying.

Your cheeks burned with humiliation from all the giggles that met your ears. His gaze never left yours as a huge smirk began to paint his features, causing you to avert your eyes. You couldn’t remember when you became so shy.

“I, uh...” Your eyes darted around to various on-looking students. “Whatever,” you muttered, propping your book up in a way that would block most people from seeing your face.

A symphony of “Ooo’s” echoed from all around you, the group of boys laughing as they playfully punched their friend on the shoulder. Only one boy in a vest who sat closest seemed to give Charlie a displeased look. Some of your own friends began poking you and laughing themselves. Your skin was on fire. You hardly even interacted with men in your day to day life, much less experienced this. You were mortified. You could only take it for a few more moments before you stood straight up from your chair, slamming your chemistry book. Charlie and a couple of your friends were the only ones who noticed the tantrum you were throwing, and Maddie stood to follow you as you made your way out of the library.

You practically stomped out of the room, never once looking behind you. “Who the hell even is that? Who does he think he is talking to me that way? This is why they shouldn’t be over here,” You ranted, directing it toward Maddie, even though she hadn’t caught up to you yet.

Before the door could shut behind both of you, someone had flung it open once more. You turned to see if the rest of the girls were following you, only to be met with his face again. You groaned and began walking faster to your locker.

“Hey!” The boy laughed, hurrying to catch you. “Hey, hold on-”

You didn’t answer, the click of your heels being the only noise you made. Maddie didn’t say anything either, but she watched the two of you with suspicious eyes.

“Wait a second,” He urged, attempting to grab your sleeve before you swatted him away.

“Who do you think you are, exactly?” You snapped, suddenly spinning on your heel to face him. He nearly tripped over his feet to stop himself from running into you.

“Uh, I think I’m Charlie,” he stated, taking a couple steps backward.

Your eyes narrowed. “And what do you want? Why are you trying to humiliate me?”

Charlie stared at you for a second, then let out a small chuckle as he began rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. “Ah, I see. You’re one of those types.”

“Excuse me?” You seethed, digging your nails into your textbooks. “One of what type? Nobody is like me, not even close, so get that straight.”

The male put his hands up in defense. “Now, I didn’t mean it like that, babe.”

Throwing him a fake laugh, you rolled your eyes and continued the journey to your dorm. “Babe? I’m not your babe; my name is (Y/n). Now go torture some other girl.”

Charlie stuffed his hands in his pockets as he watched you walk away, glancing over at Maddie, who had yet to follow you again. "Well, now I have to torture her,” he said.

“Good luck with that. She’s, like, the queen of Welton,” Maddie laughed. “Although, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody work her up that much before.”

Charlie hummed, fixed on the spot you once stood. “Well, then the king himself will just have to take that as a challenge.”

The next few days went by with you avoiding study hall like the plague, no matter how much any of the other girls begged you to go. You were sick, you were hungry, you were tired—anything it took to avoid him until you were certain the whispers had died down. You hated his cocky demeanor. You were the only one who should be cocky at Welton. Of course, the rumor of your “crush” had made its rounds by now, much to your dismay. Maddie told you she’d heard some of the boys talking about it as well. The majority of girls just couldn’t shut up about how cute you’d be together with one the “poetry nerds”.

You must’ve been asked a dozen times if you and Charlie were dating, and for once you wished people would stop paying so much attention to you. That was the point where you’d had enough. There was no way you were going to let people think you had a thing for that clown, absolutely no way. You knew he just liked to flirt with every girl anyway, so his advances meant nothing to you. He had embarrassed you on purpose, and you were going to make damn sure you returned the favor someday. These were your school grounds, not his, and not anybody else’s either. Mr. Nolan, the old bat, could take that fact and shove it for all you cared.

The day you finally went back to study hall was on a Friday. There was a chemistry test on Monday morning, and no matter how much you detested it, you really could’ve used one of the boys’ help to study. This chapter of Chemistry was your weak point, and you’d heard a lot of good things about a boy called “Meeks” and his godlike abilities in that realm. You’d seen him sitting around Charlie on that fateful day, which troubled you at first, but once you thought about it for a while, an idea started forming in your brain. That’s where your friend Rachel came in.

Rachel had an affinity for lizards, frogs, and any other small creature that crawled along the ground, which was just perfect for you. You just hoped Charlie loved lizards as much as she did. By the time Friday afternoon had rolled around, you all but dragged Rachel out and down to the library. You could tell she was very unsure, but went along with you anyway.

You stopped and turned to her right outside the doors. “Did you catch one?”

“Yeah,” she sighed, crouching down to fish through her bag.

After a moment, she stood, holding out her hand to reveal a small lizard gently clenched in her grasp. You grinned a wide, maniacal grin, carefully taking the creature from her hands. He was small enough that he would hopefully go undetected for a while, which is exactly what you wanted.

“Thanks, Rach. Alright, c’mon, let’s go,” You instructed, holding the creature in one hand behind your back.

“Ok—ay,” Rachel replied, trialing behind you with your chemistry books in hand.

You strutted right through the room and towards Steven Meeks’ table, ignoring any whispers you heard along the way. Sure enough, Charlie was sitting right beside the Meeks boy, laughing at something his friend had said.

Perfect.

As you approached, most of the table’s attention had turned your way. Charlie immediately plastered that smug look across his face at the sight of you. You scowled at first, but quickly switched your expression to something nice and welcoming as you looked toward Steven, leaning down to his level once you were beside him.

“Hello, gentlemen. Do you mind if I steal your friend Steven for a moment? Rachel and I are seriously clueless when it comes to chemistry, and we need some help for our test Monday,” You explained in a sugary sweet tone, intentionally placing your hand on Meeks’ shoulder. You knew they would fold like wet paper at your request.

The group exchanged several glances with one another, during which, you took the opportunity to place your lizard friend into Charlie’s uniform coat, carefully planting him where he’d likely go down rather than out the top.

“Uh, yeah, alright, sure,” Meeks agreed, gathering up his things and rising from his chair. Rachel chuckled awkwardly, giving a timid “Thank you” to the boy for his help. You couldn’t distinguish whether she was nervous about what you’d done or if Rachel actually had a thing for Meeks. Either way, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting to witness the events that unfolded when Charlie realized something besides him was moving in his clothes.

You and Rachel led Meeks to a vacant table off to the left and began setting up things to study. You could tell the boy was a bit nervous around you, but he but shook it off pretty quickly. You, however, were still too distracted with watching Charlie. Once Meeks noticed this, he chuckled, gaining your attention.

“What is it?” You questioned.

“It’s just that… I noticed you staring over there.”

You shot him a chilling glare.

“I was not staring at him!” You blurted a little too loudly. A few students glanced your way before going back to their work, making you take a breath and sit back in your chair. “I apologize. Continue, please.”

Rachel held in a laugh, but said nothing.

A few minutes had gone by before you finally caught a sign of Charlie feeling around in the sleeve of his clothes. You leaned forward in anticipation, waiting eagerly for some sort of panic to ensue. However, rather than panicking, Charlie stood up, removing his jackst and flipping it to search the inside. After some investigation, he found whatever he was looking for.

“Oh, man!” You heard Charlie exclaim as he pulled something from the article of clothing. “Guys, check this out.”

He seemed excited about it, much to your utter frustration. The group all gathered around to view the animal Charlie now held in his hand, all taking turns viewing the small reptile. You were fuming, now sunken down in your chair with your arms folded.

“Yeah, I wonder where he came from, too,” Charlie articulated louder than before, peering over his shoulder at you with a knowing look.

That cocky smile of his made you stand up so hard that your chair fell backwards. You snatched your book off the desk and started to walk out, not bothering to say anything other than, “I’m going to study in my room.”

“Okay,” Rachel squeaked as she and Meeks’ eyes followed you out the door.

Charlie couldn’t stop the laughter that nearly doubled him over as he witnessed you pretty much barrel through the door on your way out. You ignored him, walking briskly to your locker to grab another book, accidentally bumping into a few people on your way. Once you stopped in front of your locker door, a puzzled look replaced your once furious one. The combination lock on your locker had completely disappeared, initially making you think someone had stolen something out of it.

In a panic, you threw open the door to see what might be missing, but rather than finding an empty space, you found the exact opposite. The second you tore it open, an absolute mountain of paper came toppling out like a waterfall, making you shriek as they pooled all around your feet. You stood staring at the ground for a moment, desperately trying to process what just occurred. That’s when you heard footsteps approaching to your right. You didn’t even have to look to know who it was.

Charlie was stifling laughter as he closed in on you. Then he dug around in his front pocket for a moment before pulling out your missing lock and holding it towards you. “Figure you’d want this back,” he offered between chuckles.

“You put these here?” It came out as a statement rather than a question.

“Yeah, kinda like you put a lizard in my shirt. Funny coincidence. Mine was funnier, but I guess we’re even now, eh?”

You studied the inside of your locker for a second more before slamming it shut as hard as you could and pivoting on your heel to face him. His expression faltered a bit when he saw the rage evident in your features.

“Babe, hold on, it was just a jo-”

“How did you get my lock off of there?!” You roared, kicking papers away as you shoved your manicured finger right in his face.

Charlie smirked. “The same way I knew it was you who got that lizard in my blazer, I’m just smart, is all.” He didn’t seem too fazed, which angered you even further. “That was pretty corny, by the way. You should know that we men aren’t afraid of our own shadows like you ladies are.”

You thought your head was about to spin around.

“Afraid of our own shadows?! Are you aware that it was a girl who got the lizard in the first place, you hoity, lame, stupid, conceited-”

“Children!” An adult’s voice boomed from down the hall, making you both whip your heads in that direction.

“Shit,” You and Charlie whispered in unison.

“What on earth is going on here?! What’s all of this mess for?!” Mrs. Newman screeched as she advanced toward you, her brow carved into a deep, wrinkled frown.

You quickly began straightening your outfit, scanning your brain for an excuse to the papers.

“Well, Ma’am, I, uh- Um, Mr. Dalton here had accidentally bumped into me, and I dropped a bunch of papers on the ground,” You rushed out, flashing her an innocent smile as you flattened your skirt.

She gave you a skeptical look up and down, then turned her attention to Charlie. “Is that so? Then what’s with all the noise?”

Charlie coughed into the crook of his elbow before he spoke, giving himself a moment to think.

“Were we being loud? I’m so sorry, Mrs. Newman; we’ll keep our voices down. Won’t happen again, I promise.”

After contemplating it for a minute, she finally let the two of you off the hook, scolding you not to let it happen again and instructing Charlie to help you clean up. Once she was out of sight, the boy grinned at you, kneeling down to help you sort through the sheets of paper littering the floor. “You lied for me, babe?”

You could hear the satisfaction in his voice. “Don’t flatter yourself. I knew if I told on you, then you’d probably narc me out too.”

He paused for a second, then laughed under his breath. “You hardly look at me when we talk like this. Do I make you that nervous, babe?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, you reached over and kicked the foot he was balancing his weight on, effectively toppling him over. Charlie was quick to catch himself, though, cackling like it was the funniest thing he’d ever seen happen.

You stood to your full height, intending to leave him on the ground to fend for himself. “I told you to stop calling me that!”

“Hold on!” He cried rather dramatically, grabbing you by the hand while on his knees in front of you. “I’m sorry. How could I have ever upset the most amazing girl at Welton? A beautiful flame that I’ve tried to snuff out. Could you ever forgive me?”

It was almost weirdly poetic, but still very sarcastic.

Your expression couldn’t have been less amused than it was in that moment, but it quickly twisted into one of shock and horror as the boy leaned forward and planted a curt kiss on your knuckles, still staring up at you with a look that feigned remorse. Those auburn eyes froze you in place for just a moment before you finally snapped out of it, tearing your hand away. The recoil of your action caused you to stumble back a step, which Charlie was thoroughly entertained by, of course.

You shook your head. “Ugh! Can you just stop messing with me, Dalton?! There’s a hundred other girls here; try one of them.”

As much as you hated it, Charlie was right about one thing: You did have a difficult time meeting his gaze. Something about those eyes just made it frustratingly difficult for you to string the right words together. So instead, you scooped up your books and trudged back to your dorm, leaving him surrounded by mounds of paper that still needed to be dealt with.

It seemed that the more irate you became, the more Charlie couldn’t help but laugh. Whatever the reason was, you were not amused in the slightest. You were really about to snap, and dumb little pranks weren’t going to alleviate your feelings. As the day crawled to an end, you took a shower, ate a snack, and eventually decided on going to Maddie’s house for the weekend. You figured it would do you some good to hang out and relax rather than staying at school, and it wasn’t as though your parents cared anyway.

Madison lived close by, and her parents would always come pick her up if she wanted. They were happy to have you since they got along well with your family, so it worked out perfect anytime you needed to get away. By the time you got there and caught up with her family for a bit, it had grown dark outside. She was quiet for a while as she put her things away and meandered around aimlessly, obviously stalling for something she wanted to say.

“So,” she finally said, drawing out the “o” at the end. Your eyes flickered up from your book to see Maddie fighting a smile, her hip cocked with one hand placed on top of it. “I heard about your locker.”

Your jaw clenched. “Maddie, let me stop you right there. I do not want to talk about it. I do not want to think about it. And it was hardly a joke at all; it was just stupid. I had no idea he’d actually pull something so dumb.”

She let out a breathy laugh and picked up a book of her own, beginning to immerse herself in its contents after plopping onto her bed. “Right, so stupid. It's almost as stupid as putting a lizard in someone’s clothes.”

Your nails nearly tore the page you were pretending to read. “I asked you to drop it. I do not want to talk about that man child anymore this weekend.”

“Actually, you didn’t ask,” She hummed. “And it’s funny, since he’s all you’ve wanted to talk about for the past week.”

“Is not!” You wailed, dropping your book on the desk to look at her.

Maddie blinked at you owlishly, though she was plenty used to your antics by now. “(Y/n), I know how much you adore drama, but don’t you think you’re being a touch dramatic here? He probably just likes you.”

“Well, he has a horrible way of showing it.”

“He’s a teenage boy, (Y/n).”

“I don’t care. You all are gonna make me take up smoking.”

She pursed her lips, observing you for a moment. “Are you sure you don’t think he’s kind of cute..?”

You heard the skepticism in her voice. “... Absolutely not.”

She didn’t acknowledge the fact that you hesitated for a split second, she just smiled and went back to reading. “Whatever you say, princess. I’d say you match each other’s egotism.” She paused for a second. “I was going to tell you something else, but now I forgot what it was.”

“Mm. That’s a shame; I would’ve really been interested to hear more of what you had to say,” You drawled, sarcasm dripping from your words.

She grinned. “Shut up, you-… Hold on, do you hear that?”

You glanced around. “What? It’s quiet.”

Maddie lived in a pretty wealthy neighborhood so everyone, including her parents, had turned in by half an hour ago. It stayed generally pretty mundane.

“Listen,” She said, walking to her window and moving the curtains. Both of you stilled as you strained to hear something, and sure enough, the sound of distant music met your ear.

“Is someone throwing a party?” You asked.

“Must be that girl across the street. I bet her parents are out for the weekend.”

“Hm. And where does she go again?”

Maddie shrugged. “One of the public high schools nearby, I suppose.”

“Whatever,” You sighed, standing up. “I guess I’m going to head over to the guest room and get some sleep.”

Maddie nodded. “Alright. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be next door.”

“Thanks, Mads.”

Surprisingly, it didn’t take much for you to doze off once you’d gotten comfortable. Perhaps you were exhausting yourself worrying about nonsense. The unfortunate part was that you didn’t stay asleep for very long. About three hours went by before Maddie was shaking you awake again.

“Ugh,” You groaned in annoyance, shifting as your stirred awake. “Wha—at, Maddie? My beauty sleep-”

“Don’t you hear that? I haven’t been able to sleep forever!” She interjected.

Your eyes fluttered open as you listened. That’s when you finally processed how excessively loud the party music was playing from outside. Maddie was hardly visible in the darkness, but you could still make out the aggravated expression etched on her features.

Now you were pissed.

The absolute last thing you wanted to deal with was being woken up out of your sleep by some inconsiderate bunch of teenagers with nothing productive to do in their spare time.

“I’m surprised no one in the neighborhood has called the police on those kids or something,” She grumbled, folding her arms over her chest. “I guess none of them are as close to her house as we are.”

You kicked your legs over the side of the bed, weaving past the young girl and practically growling as you went digging around for some shoes.

“What are you doing?” Maddie quizzed, watching as you tugged some slippers onto your feet and started towards the door.

“I’m going to make sure they quiet down. Come on.”

She was quick to follow after that, not uttering a word as you padded down the stairs and out the front door. You were careful not to alert her parents of your exit, even though you knew they slept through everything anyway. Maddie almost had to jog to keep up with your pace.

As you made your way across the street, it became even more glaringly obvious where all the noise was coming from. The neighbor’s backyard was practically lit up like a rock concert. You didn’t even bother with the front door at that point and instead looped your way around the back of the house, straight for the source. You could hear Maddie faltering behind you.

“(Y/n), wait, if there are boys here, we can’t be in nightgowns! What are you even going to say? What if-!”

“Listen, I know you’re a ridiculously light sleeper, and this noise is just stupid, so I’m fixing it right now. Either follow me or don’t,” You snapped, not bothering to look in her direction.

She didn’t reply, but never stopped following you. You were on a war path, but the instant you rounded the corner, you came to a screeching halt, causing Maddie to smack into your backside.

“Ouch!” She yelped, stepping backward. “Why did you…” Maddie trailed off as she caught sight of what you were staring at—the very thing that had caused you to stop in your tracks.

“No. Way.”

Just as you suspected, there was a crowd of high school kids everywhere, some drinking, some smoking, and others dangling their feet in the large pool. You didn’t recognize any of them—none of them except two teenage boys standing by a large table of refreshments. One of them you knew as Knox Overstreet, and the other was Charlie Dalton himself, right there in the flesh, sipping on a cup of God-knows-what with his arm slung around a young brunette girl’s shoulders. They were preoccupied laughing at something Charlie had said, completely oblivious to your presence.

God, he looked just as arrogant as ever with that horrible smug look slapped across his face. To you, it looked like he thought he was getting somewhere with that girl.

You were initially shocked to see them both, but quickly shaped up when you remembered why you were standing there in the first place.

“That’s Mary, the girl that lives here. Is she with Charlie?” Maddie asked.

“Over my dead fucking body,” You mumbled, marching right towards where they stood. It only took a second for them to notice you approaching. The girl, Mary, seemed only bewildered by your clothing choice, while the two boys looked like they had suddenly seen a ghost.

You got about six feet away before stopping and jamming a finger in their direction. “I apologize, but this music is-!”

“What?” Mary yelled over the music. You could tell by her body language that she really wasn’t all that interested in what you had to say regardless. Like you were the one being a nuisance, not the other way around.

You gritted your teeth, glaring down at one of the radios that blasted on the table beside you. You all but ripped the knob off that damn machine trying to turn it off. At that point, nearly everyone had turned to look at the commotion you’d caused, but you truly couldn’t have cared less. The perplexed expression had melted off Charlie’s face, now seeming more impressed than anything. But what he was impressed by, you weren’t quite sure.

“I said,” You snarled, practically boring holes into the girl’s head. “I’m sorry, but music is over the top. I’m at my friend’s house across the street, and it’s clear as day through the walls. It’s late. We and everybody else in the neighborhood are really trying to sleep, and you’re being a bit inconsiderate with this. There is zero reason for it to be that loud all night.”

Your head snapped to Charlie when you heard his laugh, and it was all you could do not to tackle him, then it went back to the girl.

“Or maybe,” Mary said slowly, “You should try putting some clothes on before you decide to come stomp on everyone’s fun. I mean, seriously, are you a prostitute or something?” Her words were slurring together. Then she took a final swig from a glass bottle she held before tossing it in your direction.

You stepped back quickly, listening to her giggle as the bottle rolled along the grass and bounced off your foot. Charlie chose to step away from her at that point. Taunting “Ooo’s” came from the crowd of people, who were now fully engrossed as they moved closer to watch the show. You stood there stunned for a moment, in disbelief that someone had actually thrown a glass object at you. Sure, you could be catty sometimes, but you’d never done anything like that to a stranger.

“(Y/n)..?” Came Maddie’s meek voice. You could hear her take a few steps in your direction.

You ignored her and instead looked up at Mary again with a calm smile.

“Hey, alright, look, you can’t-” Charlie began to tell her, but you stopped him politely.

Her smugness seemed to diminish at your mellow reaction, which was quite the opposite of what everyone thought. She had clearly anticipated on you being angry.

But you were angry. You were literally shaking with anger. However, you opted not to express it right away. You weren’t going to give her the pleasure of seeing you scream or cry over her actions.

Still sporting your gentle expression, you sauntered around to the back of the refreshment table and stood there for a moment, all while maintaining eye contact with the young girl.

Mary furrowed her brows, almost ready to laugh at whatever you were doing, but just as she did, you reached out in a quick motion, and flipped the table completely over onto its side, emphasized by a deep ‘thud’ as it hit the ground.

Food went cascading in various directions, the radio rolled several times, and the punch bowl’s contents shot out so far that it covered almost all three of their shoes, causing Mary to shriek and jump backwards. You could tell she had some nice shoes on, too. Well, they were nice.

“Oops,” You sang, “My mistake.”

You could tell she was furious, but thankfully for her, she didn’t move to approach you.

“What in the hell is wrong with you?!” She screeched, face now glowing with anger.

“What’s wrong with me? It’s you, bitch. You’re what’s wrong.”

Noises of surprise and astonishment came from the other teenagers, some egging you on and others commenting on how unladylike you were. You didn’t care; you were ready to shove her in the pool if she tried something else. However, Maddie was there to snatch your hand and start tugging you in the opposite direction.

“(Y/n), let’s go,” She demanded.

You pulled your arm back, knocking her aside as you left all the laughter and commotion behind you. She was about to take out, but Charlie stopped her.

“Hey, head on home, I’ll handle it.”

Maddie sneered at him. “Are you kidding me? You? You think you’re going to help?”

“I’ve got it, I promise. She’ll be back at yours afterward,” He assured.

She sighed, and begrudgingly allowed him to go after you. It didn’t take him long to catch up, but he was confused to find you walking down the road rather than back toward Maddie’s house. You knew from the weight of the footsteps that it wasn’t Maddie behind you, but that didn’t concern you in the slightest. You were too busy fighting tears that threatened to swell in your eyes, the adrenaline making your emotions run rampant. You just wanted to walk and cool your head a little bit, and you were deaf to anything else going on around you.

“(Y/n)! Shit, I didn’t know you had that kind of fire, babe!” Charlie hollered, but when you didn’t stop or even slow down after a few more steps, he took the liberty of grabbing you by the shoulders and spinning you around to face him.

“(Y/N)! Where are you-“

“What?!” You yelled, not bothering to fight him as he held you. He let go when he saw the way you were looking at him, then opened his mouth to say something, but you immediately cut him off.

“What do you want with me? What did I even do to you?”

“What? I’m pretty sure you started this whole thing, not me. Besides, where are you even going?” Charlie laughed.

You glared. “Does it really matter? And what the hell is so funny? What are you so amused with all the goddamn time?!”

“You,” He stated dryly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Me?” You quizzed. “I’m is amusing? Is that why you embarrassed me in front of my friends the first day we met?”

He pulled back. “I wasn’t trying to embarrass you, I was trying to get your attention.”

“Well, congratulations, you’ve got it!” You ridiculed. “What are you even doing here? Did you sneak out with Knox to go to that stupid party? And who was that girl hanging all over you like that? She’s awful.”

A broad, playful smirk stretched across the boy’s cheeks. “Why do you care who she was?”

You straightened, placing a hand on your chest. “I don’t. I just don’t see why you have to throw yourself on every girl like that; it’s gross.”

He stepped forward with that ever-teasing look on his face. “Oh, but it was okay when you were rubbing Meeks’ shoulder at school?”

“I wasn’t ‘rubbing’ his shoulder!”

“Yeah, and I don’t actually ‘throw myself’ at women, either,” He shrugged. “I only talk a big game. I make jokes, it’s what I do.”

You tried to fight it, but it was useless. He just looked so attractive under the warm street lights, the wind making his hair all ruffled and messy. Your resentment diminished at the sight, and instead was replaced with a pang of jealousy. The reality was that you wanted Charlie’s arm around you instead. You needed it to be you, and not Mary or anybody else. The facade had finally lost its luster. Realization was now staring in the face: you had feelings for Charlie Dalton.

“Yeah, right, Dalton. That’s what I’d say too,” You uttered, demeanor now flat.

“It’s part of my charm,” He affirmed.

“Of course…”

Charlie was so easy to admire that it made you loath him for it. A thick silence hung between you both for a second.

“I wasn’t trying to make you that angry, for the record. I was just teasing. You’re absolutely gorgeous, and everyone at school wants your attention, so I was trying to make sure I kept it to myself for more than two seconds,” He mused, scuffing his shoe on the pavement. “Although you are pretty hot when you’re mad, so I’ll admit it was a little fun.”

Chills ran down your arms, eyes drifting to the ground bashfully. “You’re crazy, Charles Dalton.”

“Hm. Then I guess we have a lot in common,” He retorted.

“Really? You can’t be serious for two seconds?”

“You can’t loosen up for two seconds!”

You wheeled around, ready to walk away from the conversation and let your crush die with it, but Charlie grabbed you again. This time he wrapped one arm around your waist and pulled you dangerously close, using his other hand to firmly grasp your chin so you’d have to look at him.

You were about to reprimand him, tell him to unhand you and to go back to that other girl, but before you knew what was happening, he’d already leaned in and smushed his lips right up against yours.

A bolt of electricity ran through your body upon contact, and the words that died on your lips came out as a small moan of surprise. He was kissing you. You couldn’t believe it, Charlie was actually kissing you. A real kiss. The sharp scent of cologne and cigarettes invaded your nose, overwhelming your senses. It took a moment for your brain to process the situation, but when it did, you relaxed against him, instinctively letting your eyes close and snaking your arms around his neck. You felt him smile against you as you pulled him flush to your body. It was sweet, meaningful. Your heart thumped wildly in your chest, making you slightly lightheaded.

Oh, you were so screwed.

You had no foggy idea what came over you, but you didn’t have to think twice about it. You began running your fingers through his chocolate locs of hair, nails grazing his scalp ever so slightly in a way that had him sighing against you. He ran his hand to the back of your neck began moving his lips feverishly with your own. You could taste whatever fruity substance he’d been sipping on earlier, but it was heaven. The way he kissed you caused your tongues to brush together a few times, and your stomach flipped each time it happened.

All the built-up tension you’d acquired over the past week was completely released in those few moments as his hands moved up and down your torso. You were fully content to stay like that for the rest of the night, but of course, it was over all too soon.

“Hey, Dalton! Why can't we leave you alone for five minutes, man?” Knox’s voice made you jump away from Charlie, ears warm from being caught.

You weren’t exactly being discreet about it by making out in the middle of the street, but you were still surprised and suddenly much more aware of the fact that you were in nothing but a nightgown.

“Hey, Carpe Diem, man!” Charlie called back to him from down the street, sporting a grin that was probably less than trustworthy.

He continued when all he got was silence in return, “Hold on a second; I’ll be right there, I swear!”

Knox rolled his eyes, turning back toward the house. “Make it quick; we’ve gotta get back before someone misses us!”

Charlie gave his friend a thumbs up, then turned back just as you shivered from a gust of cool night air. Without missing a beat, he peeled off his jacket and placed it over your shoulders, shooting you a goofy smile.

You pulled it around you while shaking your head, then leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, and watched as youthful excitement erupted on his face.

“So you were staring at me that day.”

“Mmm, let’s not push it, Dalton. You’ve been having way too much fun this week,” You warned, stifling a smile.

“Neil owes me a dollar.”

Eyeing the wet grass for a moment, you thought carefully about what you wanted to say next, but it proved difficult to come back down from the high that kiss had put you on.

“You know… I really am sorry about everything that happened,” You said ashamedly.

Charlie’s silence urged you to continue.

“You… I like you, truthfully. And I’ve never really been interested in a boy like this before. When you called me out that day in the library, it sort of hurt my pride a little bit for everyone to see how flustered I got.” Your breathing trembled. "And… I don't know, I guess I just panicked when I realized I couldn’t be cool in front of you."

It felt foreign to open up like that. Showing soft emotions was just not your forte. You were always taught to suck it up and keep going; you were to cry about things in private and smile like a lady in public. But fortunately, Charlie didn’t care about that, and he listened to you ramble with perfect patience. You couldn’t tell if you wanted to cry or throw up at that point, but you were glad you got it out.

“That’s what all this was about?”

You nodded.

“(Y/n)… You need to stop worrying so much about what everyone else thinks. I was sure you just hated me by this point.”

“Charlie, I can’t help it. I’ve worked hard all my life trying to impress everyone,” You defended, feeling a twinge of sadness as you thought back to your parents.

“Well, whether you believe me or not, I would never want you to feel like you had to earn my acceptance. Never.” He gave you a sympathetic look. “And please trust me when I tell you it’s not worth trying to be whatever your family expects you to be. You’re better than whatever they have in their head for you.”

You nodded, and he smiled. A genuine smile, not that patronizing smirk.

“I could’ve approached you so much better than I did, and it was immature to keep antagonizing you like that. I’m sorry, (Y/n).”

You shook your head. “No, I should’ve controlled my temper. You and that poor lizard didn’t deserve it either. And now I need to go apologize to Maddie for the feud her family is going to have with the neighbors for the rest of their life.”

He grimaced. “Eh, they sort of had it coming, if you ask me. I should’ve known you could handle yourself just fine.”

“Don’t encourage me,” You hummed in amusement, watching the trees sway in the breeze.

“Man. Nobody gets the last word with you, do they?” He said through chuckles. “Honestly… What you did was pretty funny. And you were right; the music was obnoxious. It was giving me a headache. Also, let it be known that none of this was my idea, by the way; Knox dragged me here.”

You smiled back at him half-heartedly. “Yeah, I’m never going to hear the end of it… Not that I necessarily deserve mercy.”

“Well, regardless of how it started out, I hope it can continue.” Charlie took your hand, kissing your knuckles just as he’d done before, mumbling against your skin, “If I had known all it took to get on your good side was to stick my tongue in your mouth, I would’ve done it a while ago.”

You took your hand away and whacked his shoulder gently. “Shut it.”

You didn’t have to look at him to know he was grinning from ear to ear.

“I’ll see you Monday! And I’ll have to properly introduce you to my friends,” He joked, walking backward toward the direction Knox had disappeared in. “They all think you’re pretty, but they’re also scared of you, so you have to sit by me.”

“Wait! Do you want your coat back?”

“Nah, I’ll get it Monday, and I’ll get you your lock back, too,” He laughed. “And next time we’ll have to do this at my place, babe!”

You rolled your eyes. “Only if you wear the nightgown next time, Charles.”

329 notes · View notes

tiredetective · 1 month ago

Text

Conjunction Wright & Left!

Miles Edgeworth, after five months abroad dealing with secrets, tragedies, and many kinds of new justice systems under his belt, settles down back in Japanifornia in time for fall. The cold air that follows himself, the newly employed private investigator Kay and recently promoted Sergeant Gumshoe leads them all back together to be wrapped up in another conspiracy of a smuggling ring surrounding stolen evidence, full of betrayal and corruption! But everything feels strange. Our newly promoted Gumshoe seems antsy about anything, new witnesses of wild proportions throwing out accusations and lies, and a new mysterious man seems to be everywhere and nowhere. Kay and Miles find out more than they ever bargained for, especially about the new revelations of a long time dear friend of Edgeworth.

Fic based between AA3 -- AA4 of my own making!

This story is a case fic with....

canon-typical violence, Narumitsu + Trucy + Kay, dadworth, Gumshoe Lore, Phoenix Lore, fluff, angst, arguing, injuries, found family shenanigans, and original characters as well!

Here's the whole of chapter one before my edits and I publish it on AO3!

word count 13.6k (someone please tell me this isn't a lot for a FIRST chapter uegh)

edgeworth pov

Chapter 1 → What is your name?

Edgeworth would care to just have one week where he isn’t pulled from his prosecutorial duties or studies to do some ridiculous case. Even if cases lasted a day or two, to be distracted with nonsense like this is unproductive. He has had a few weeks where he wasn’t immediately given some absurd news about an attempted presidential assassination or having to use his own new knowledge to solve convoluted mysteries or some other complicated matter. Thankfully. He certainly needed those weeks to recuperate from traveling and settle back in Japanifornia. But he knew this week would certainly be the end of carefreeness, when he stumbled upon a body laying on the street. No rest for the wicked as they say.

September 21th, 2019

Edgeworth’s Office Room 1202, Prosecutor’s Office

There, Edgeworth was sitting at his desk before misfortune struck. Pen in hand and a cup of tea in another, it was rather calm today and the prosecutor was rather relieved of that. Himself just working away on papers before he’d call it a day at four in the afternoon or finish a good stack before the day ended. He was certain he could do more, even with the many stacks of papers of towering heights waiting for him. With that much, you’d think he was the chief prosecutor, instead of a current sabbatical attorney. But he was trying to pace himself, understanding the notion that work couldn’t be akin to a sprint, but rather a marathon. It was the only way he wouldn't overwork himself for the millionth time. He did promise several people about taking his time with less urgent matters.

Edgeworth would think that’d be silly (and he does still think so), but then he winced a little. He grumbled, setting down his cup to grasp his hand holding the fountain pen. He gently rubbed against his wrist and felt a sharp pain strike his whole entire arm. Sucking a breath in, the pen drops to the table and Edgeworth leans back in his chair. He could only think, ‘Not again.’ This would be the third time his hand was strained from all the writing he’s done for the last four hours. He sighed. He’s only twenty seven! How could he be straining his body already? Aren’t I a perfectly healthy man?! These setbacks shouldn’t be happening!

Then, he scowled. This is actually expected, very much in denial and very aware of said denial. Doesn’t make it any less frustrating. He has been studying and taking rigorous notes overseas. But after around two years of studying abroad and prosecuting with very little breaks, it has finally started taking a toll on him. So he conceded to everyone’s concerns. Less rigorous writing and more patience around the setbacks he may come across. Sure, it was a little annoying, but Edgeworth knew they meant well. Especially coming from one Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey.

When he started doing his weekly video calls with Wright and Ms. Fey on occasion, they had immediately noticed him straining his wrist and called him out of it. Edgeworth could recall it being like…

“Edgeworth, what’s up with your hand?” Wright was taking a bite from his sandwich as he looked through the prosecutor’s eyes from the screen.

“What do you mean, Wright?” The prosecutor paused his writing and raised his eyebrow. He wasn’t doing anything remarkable, just scribbling notes in a book.

Wright looked at Edgeworth with a shrug. “I mean I don’t think anyone holds their wrist or arm straight like that when they write. Unless you happen to act like those electronic hands with those stiff movements, further proving that I can rightfully say that you’re a robot?”

“EDGEWORTH’S A ROBOT?” A very loud Maya Fey scream echoed from the speaker of his laptop, though she was nowhere to be found on the screen.

“URK–” The prosecutor felt his ears heat up. It had been ten minutes since the video call had started and Wright was getting another jab at him with that robot nonsense with Ms. Fey joined in on his carnage. “Absolutely not, you cannot say that!” He scoffed, and shook his head in annoyance. He saw that man’s mouth curl up in response, forcing Miles to quickly dart his gaze away. Wright couldn’t see any blushing exuding from the prosecutor’s face, though he had no idea if he already failed miserably.

“Well, you’re not really proving your point well with your polished angry cat speech either, Edgeworth~” Wright sounded so smug already, damn him.

The prosecutor sneered as he leaned against the table and crossed his arms. “So if I’m a robot, what makes you? A hedgehog? One of those anti-bird spikes? Icicles attached to a human body? I was unaware Sonic was even real, but here we are.” He mused to the defense attorney. That man bursted out with a joyful laughter, and Edgeworth’s heart soared into the sky. Ms. Fey’s cackle followed as she came into frame and landed her arm against Wright’s shoulder, jabbering and pointing about how the prosecutor got him good with that remark. The defense attorney, in response, swatted the girl’s arm away from the screen with a lovely grin across his face.

This was what he needed today. Just these people on video call. A little obnoxious and sometimes snarky, but they made him feel less alone about his journey around Europe to discover more about the legal codex and justice systems. He no longer felt like he was stuck on this rocky planet without anyone, he was with people who care about him and wanted to know his days traveling.

They were his… friends. Not acquaintances, not peers. Friends.

“Ooooouuuuch. Edgeworth, y’know Nick has a point about your hand! I mean– look at how you’re grasping your arm!” Ms. Fey grimaced as she looked at Miles, who was still evidently trying to write to be efficient with his time. “What’s up with that? Did you get hurt or something? Hopefully nothing as bad as that bonk on the head when you returned to the states a few weeks ago.”

Miles sighed and shook his head, looking to the side at his mountain tall stack of books. “I’ve simply been trying to avoid straining my hand, that is all. Learning abroad means journaling more, but my hand’s taking the blunt blow of all my working.” He looked back to the screen to unexpectedly alarmed Wright and Maya. They looked at each other with unsure expressions, which made Miles raise an eye. “What is it?” He inquired, their expressions making his stomach feel empty in comparison to a minute ago.

“Er… Edgeworth… Maybe you should be more careful about your hands and arms.” Maya crossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders as she sat down in the open chair next to Wright. “Y’know, rest ‘em?” She looked hesitant, why?

“I understand that, but also understand that I must get as much writing in as possible if I were to return–”

“It’s not that. You are aware you tend to overwork yourself, especially if no one’s there to stop you, right?” Wright’s frown deepened.

“Wh–” Miles shook his head rapidly in surprise. “What?” What were they trying to say? “Please, I think I can check up on myself. I can stop myself whenever I can.”

“We just don’t want you to overwork yourself, ok?” Maya smiled at Edgeworth, but it didn’t quite reach the same winning grin as before. “No need to hurt yourself to do your job.” Maya tilted her head towards Phoenix and darted her eyes. Miles could only guess that she was taking a jab at that man next to her.

“Yeah. Maybe, if you’re doing interviews with legal people, record them rather than take notes. Might take some strain off your wrist.” Wright nodded, not noticing Maya’s odd gesturing towards him.

“Surely you two aren’t trying to parent me in things I am already aware of–”

Wright’s earnest grin immediately flashed back at Miles, that man raising his hand out to the screen and his other on his heart. “Absolutely not, my dear Edgeworth!” Blinking, Miles realized his face felt hot to the touch at that cringey dramatism from Wright. Goodness, I’m becoming more pathetic than imaginable.

“Then, what are you trying to do?” He dropped his pen and crossed his arms, leaning into the dark office chair.

“We obviously care about you! So do us a favor and take care of yourself!” The Fey girl pouted. “It does no one good if your wrists are going to get carpal tunnel at twenty-seven!”

“I’m not going to get carpal tunnel, I’ve taken enough breaks!” The prosecutor spat back, though it lacked any heat to really make a dent into the two’s infallible spirits.

“And how many is ‘enough’, Edgeworth?” Wright raised an eyebrow, settling his arms down.

Miles took a moment to remember the last time he rested his hand. He was doing it right now, as he massaged his wrist. His eyes darted to the side, almost like he was caught stealing. He heard a sigh from his laptop and turned back. “Edgeworth… that’s not a good sign.” Wright’s face downward but his eyes into Edgeworth’s.

“I–” Miles scoffed. “It’s nothing to be worried about. It was way worse when I was younger.”

“That’s even more concerning!” Wright smacked his hand down against the table with a rather distraught face. “Edgeworth, don’t do that to yourself. Please…” Wright’s expression morphed into something more somber, with his lowered eyelids and rather unhappy frown.

“Why would my hand be so of utmost importance to you all?” Miles rolled his eyes. “I doubt these reactions are required for such an obstacle.”

“Because Mia also had the same issue when she was alive.”

Miles’ eyes widened and took a look back at the screen. Maya’s eyes became rather sobered with a weak smile and her head tilted down. “I remember she used to complain about having to write a lot when she was at her first attorney’s office, and she started getting aches on her arms as a result.” Miles flinched at remembering the young girl’s oldest sister. Mia Fey. He’d remember her being the dearly departed for both of them, as well as a tenacious lawyer up until her death. Maya did mention times before how much she studied to beat the odds of her difficult upbringing. ‘There’s a price to pay for that,’ he supposed.

“Ah.” That was all he could muster.

Miles heard a sniffle, and then Maya exclaimed. “S-so! You have to take care of yourself! Promise us, my Steel Samurai ranter!!”

He chuckled contentedly, feeling his ears blessed by the following snicker of that man, making his cheeks feel a little warmer. “Yeah, we care about you, Edgeworth. We understand that your work is important. Buuuut~” Wright smirked and leaned his head on his arm, his lovingly endearing expression making Edgeworth feel even more pathetic to the defense attorney. “Can’t do much to fix a legal system when your hands are broken, right? It’d be a shame if you weren’t able to point in a courtroom anymore,”

While Wright was joking, he did have a point. Edgeworth could tell from how he felt his usually straight face start twisting the mouth into a smile. He does want to try and follow their advice. Least he can do for all they’ve done for him. “I’ll…” He conceded with a warm feeling marring his face. “I shall try and incorporate your advice into my life. I promise that, at least.”

“Not just that! Make sure to enjoy wherever the hell you’re going to! Take pictures, walk around, shop! Actually–” Maya slammed her hands down onto the table as she pushed herself up from her seat. She walked away from the screen, with Wright looking towards her. Seconds later, Maya comes back with a paper list. “If you’re in Europe… you can get all kinds of Steel Samurai merch…”

“Maya, don’t make Edgeworth your way to tour cities through exclusive merchandise.” Wright gave a flat unimpressed stare to his assistant, to which Maya scoffed in his face.

“Well, he’s in Munich, right?! So he might as well get something!” Maya rolled her eyes back at the defense attorney and grinned back to Edgeworth.

Miles was certainly as blase as Wright, but these two on his screen paired always with a feeling of sweetness he isn’t used to. They were like a duo of annoying familial raccoons, nagging each other and others, all the while being a troublesome kind of disturbances to the normal. Not like he minded. “I’ll take that into consideration whenever I am out and about, Ms. Fey.”

Before Maya could utter a word in her agape mouth, a bunch of clutter could be heard in the distance. “MYSTIC MAYAAAAAAA–”

“Coming, Pearly!” Before he knew it, Maya dashed off the camera.

Wright sighed and smiled bashfully at Edgeworth. “Think Pearls toppled her wardrobe again.”

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. “Surely, it must be time to bolt those wardrobes down? Lest you get into another one of those incidents, or an earthquake comes and shakes everything in your apartment, Wright.”

To which, Wright shrugged nonchalantly. “Would if I could, but that’d take at least a few days. Days I don’t have, unfortunately.” He pouted, and crossed his arms. “Besides, there hasn't been any bad disturbances lately, and the girls will be going back to Kurain next week.”

“Procrastination at its finest, hm?” Miles smirked at that man, whose soft chuckles escaped from that always made Miles turn any smugness into a soft smile. It’d been awhile Edgeworth felt this content, having been so busy with conferences and working as a prosecutor at once. Splitting headaches somehow subsided when he was able to see his friends again (no matter how antisocial he was). Then, that man turned his head toward Edgeworth, his eyes of dark oak shining at the screen, along with a tinge of a sky in each of his eyes. Tantalizing pupils that made Miles so much to be there in person to just see them closer. But studies came first. Then, soon, he could return home. So close to seeing him in person again–

The prosecutor quickly realized he was staring and cleared his throat. “W-w-with that in mind, Phoenix–!” He coughed a bit, hoping to have the anxious stumbling leave his throat, “I will take yours and Maya’s thoughts into consideration. In fact, once I return to Japanifornia, I’ll be having my optometrist appointment.”

Phoenix grinned, flinging his arms out in a wide stretch. “Finally~! How long have I been bugging you to get those!”

Miles rolled his eyes, closing his notebook and setting them aside. “Yes, yes. Point taken. I’ve just been apprehensive about it. That is all…” He conceded. Despite the admittedly calm feeling in his head, it was paired with half the parts of

Wright looked off for a minute, his expression unreadable until it turned utterly soft towards Miles.“Is it— because they remind you of your dad, right?” Phoenix’s voice was cautious and curious, though his face was entirely filled with a worry that Miles could only wish didn’t have to appear after such a pleasant conversation. But off course, nothing escaped the defense attorney

“....Was that more of a simple conclusion than anything?”

“Yes.” Immediately?!

“Nrgk…” A brash groan left from Edgeworth’s mouth, “I suppose it was part of the reason… Another was just this baseless need to be perfect. Glasses mean less than perfect eyesight,” He rubbed the bridge of his nose, a burning feeling behind his face that he wished to freeze. “But fortunately, I’ve left that mindset years ago.”

“OBJECTION!”

That nearly takes the prosecutor off his chair, knocking over everything on his desk with him. He clutched back and settled the chair down, his head marred with a confused expression. “W-what was that about, Phoenix?!”

“I believe the prosecution is ly~ing!” Phoenix’s sing-songy end tone with his pointed finger at the screen with much entirely unnecessary gravitas as in court, with a cheeky grin lacing his face.

Miles sat straight in his seat, pushing his arm against the chair in need to steady himself with these theatrics. “That’s your opening statement?!”

“Well~ I believe you inherently still have that perfectionist mindset! After all, who’s the currently overworking prosecutor to the point of carpal tunnel?”

“NRGK–! PHOENIX! I don’t have a carpal tunnel!”

“But does that mean you admit to being an overworked prosecutor?!”

“N-NGHOO–! ABSOLUTELY NOT, THAT IS NOT ADMISSION OF-”

That man. That damnable man! His voice, laughter and smile all rang with hysterics and absolute joy. His body had leaned all the way back in the dining chair as much as likely it could before it tipped. Miles bit his lips, but immediately scoffed with a smile he couldn’t stop spreading across his face. Phoenix was that damnable man, yes he was. But he couldn’t really help leave some of the irritation from his expression, not when he laughed like that.

“Ahah…” Phoenix wheezed a little, clearing a stray tear from his eye. “Sorry, Miles. That was not meant to be a jab at you. Not intentional!”

Miles shook his head and sighed. “What was that supposed to be?”

That man’s smile momentarily seemed to go rigid, before smoothing out into a natural smirk Miles’ would recognize any time during court. In that context, it’d be irritatingly charming of that man to do, seeing that he’d be insufferably correct about something or pointing out an inconsistency. This time around, however, it clutches Edgeworth’s chest with insurmountable impulses. Maybe because he’s being looked at with such… such…

What was it exactly?

“It’s a sign that you have to take care of yourself more.” Phoenix finally spoke. “We- umm… y’know…” That man waved his hand around to conjure the idea, though he himself looked a little lost on what to say.

Miles smirked. “I don’t know, actually. Maybe you could try and create a more compelling argument for me, Phoenix.” He rolled his eyes, unable to keep this feeling of smugness surging from his face. “Though, I understand that it can be difficult sometimes for your calibur.”

“HAH!” Phoenix smacked the table, and leaned far back into his chair with a graciously handsome grin and an undeniably addictive laughter, even if Miles has heard it so often already in this one conversation. He’d never admit it, but it utmostly made his heart race significantly, like time rushing forward. Miles felt his smile grow wider, a chuckle escaping his mouth. “We care about you, Miles!” The man leaned way closer towards the camera, his face filled with an odd determination that surprised the prosecutor. Phoenix continues, his eyes softening but continuing the very excitation that the prosecutor could feel emanating from the screen. “You are a good friend, y’know? It’s natural we worry about you, especially with youuur less than healthy work habits.”

Then, the expression Phoenix gave. Miles remembers it so well. His blue and brown eyes twinkled at him, while still showing a kind of compassion that is so reminiscent of the past and continues to be his present. That man’s smile grew to be something quiet however. Unseen. Almost invisible. But Miles remembered it, along with what Phoenix said to him, even after the many weeks since this conversation had ended.

“So if you care for us, make sure to take care of yourself too.”

“Of course, Phoenix.”

Miles clutched the pen as the memory engulfed his thoughts, letting that hand sit on his waistcoat. His face felt a strange warmth emanating from those thoughts, changing from intricate plans for the upcoming weeks to all the times he’s had a chance to have normal conversations where his friends aren’t just lawyers and criminal-justice good-doers. They were people he could rely on in many if not all circumstances, even if their methods are…unorthodox at worst. There was Kay with her absolute optimism and unshakable jokes. Franziska with her somewhat caring demeanor under her strict attitude. Gumshoe with his resilient vigilance and thoughtfulness. Phoenix and Maya with their can-do attitude in ever-present damning circumstances. It was unfamiliar, a different language he was getting used to. People he’s known for several years that he didn’t dislike their presence in his life? Unheard of!

He grasped his teacup, the smell of sweetness even after an hour of being poured. He sipped from the cup slowly and sighed. Maybe he should call it a day. His wrist would absolutely join in on this assertion, and to credit its pain, he’d been working since 9AM. He checked his watch.

12:03pm.

Remembering what the defense had to say as he took another sip, it’d be crucial to turn in all the work he had currently and have his lunch. If his wrist felt better afterwards, he could certainly get a few more files sorted in time. Excellent, that’d be crucial and productive to do–

“HI, MR. EDGEWORTH!”

Miles nearly spat out his tea onto his papers, but instead, the tea seemingly had a hiccup through his throat. He hacked into arm, turning away from his desk, before looking ahead to the door of his office. One Kay Faraday had the door open with jade eyes pointedly staring at the prosecutor. “Urk–! Kay, what did I say about knocking?!”

“Oop-!” Kay covered her mouth as if she regretted her choice of loudness. She usually never did, but this case was an exception. Her cheeky little smile did twitch downwards some as she twiddled her thumbs to Miles’ recognition. “Sorry, Mr. Edgeworth! That was a-my-bad! Did ya spill your tea?” Kay replied sheepishly.

“...No,” he shook his head. “I am fine. Nothing’s been affected. Please… knock next time however. I’d rather avoid choking as my cause of death.”

“That’s a little morbid. I thought it would be getting carpal tunnel square!”

He lowered his eyes with an unimpressed glare, though it seems very ineffective against Kay given she grinned her trademark cheeky smile. “You’re all absurd and nothing else.” Miles scoffs before taking another sip of his tea, while looking around for spills.

“Of course! Only the best kind of absurdity from the Yatagarasu!” Kay raised her arms out and bowed, before straightening back up with a confident cheer. “I could never be anything else!”

Miles rolled his eyes, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Is there a particular reason explaining why you’re here today, Kay?” If Miles had to guess, she just wanted to drag him somewhere, which would inevitably lead to some mess. That had happened more than he was comfortable having in the given year so far.

“Wanted to ask you if you wanted to join me and Gummy for lunch! It’s been toooooo long since we all got to hang out!” The young Yatagarasu looked at Edgeworth with eager eyes.

His brain paused for a moment before replying with, “Kay, I saw you two a week ago.”

“EXACTLY! How could it be a week since we last saw each other? That. Is. Criminal!” She huffed and shook her fists, punctuating those last three words.

Miles raised an eyebrow. “If that were a crime, how long would the sentence be for not seeing each other since April?”

“Hmmmm….” She tapped her finger on her arm, eyes closed and a jutted lip, before immediately shifting to something more mischievous.” “Dunno! Only thing I want to know is whether you’re coming with us!”

“Oh? I’m given a choice now? What an honor.”

“Pshhh– please.” She waved her hand away. “If you don’t come this time around, I’ll drag you out of your office for another reason. Easy peasy! After all, what did we say about your carpal tunnel?”

Miles’ flat stare, again, did no wonders on Kay, who had her diligent smirk on her face. He sighed and replied, “Well, I had decided to take a break now anyways. So I’ll take you up on your offer. Where to?”

Kay’s smile widened in victory and she immediately propelled herself up in a cheer. “Hip-hip! Hooray!” Miles was very glad he had his tea cup in his hand, seeing his pen rolled away that he swiftly placed back into his drawer. “Gummy wants to go to the sandwich and soup place near Fern St.”

Miles stiffened. That street of all things? If Fern St. was any indicator of something bad, he’d certainly be the one to know it. Since he was quite literally given a report on suspicious activity in that area. “May I please suggest something else? Somewhere less likely to cause trouble. ” He groused at what he remembered.

“Oh, do you know the place?” She tilted her head, her long hair following suit.

“Be it as you may, but that area has been on the constant radar of the police department due to unwanted activity, I hear. I’m even surprised Gumshoe wants to be around there, seeing it increases our chances of being dragged along to some kind of investigation.”

“Like what? Can’t be worse than what we’ve all been through, riiiight?” She smiles, which to the edges of her mouth slowly curls downwards as Miles looks on with a very dead-eye stare. She started to look a little more concerned at the suggestion being true, though Miles can’t really fault her (being as everything that transpired months ago).

“Surprisingly, it isn’t the worst experience as far as I’m hearing. But I’d really rather not get involved unless it’s urgent.” Miles relented the stare, and finished his tea. He set the cup on a tray by his window and lifted himself up from his chair. “However, if Gumshoe would certainly like to eat at that establishment, I won’t argue as long as the food there is satisfactory. Can he at least confirm that?” The prosecutor raised an eyebrow, collecting his files and papers with careful consideration of their placement.

“He said he likes the food! I don’t know how that’d really factor things in for you, considering you probably eat at really fancy places.”

“I don’t always dine at high-end restaurants, Kay. Especially with how busy I am.” He scoffed, walking to the shelf to his left and taking out a file folder to place some papers in.

“But You have incredibly high standards!”

“Kay, does it not occur to you that I may have my own standards because I also cook to survive?” He turned to her with sensible eyes. “That’s something you have to learn as well, at least basic kitchen needs.”

“Ugh– yes, dad. As if you hadn’t reminded me twenty thousand times after you left for Europe.” Kay rolled her eyes and raspberries in the general direction of Edgeworth. “Y’know how busy I was for the last three months? So busy! It’s not easy being a private investigator and a detective at once!”

Edgeworth shook his head with a sigh. The prosecutor was fully aware of Kay’s rather ridiculously difficult task she’d want to accomplish. While Kay is an astonishingly observant and determined person, Edgeworth had a little worry cooking on the back burner. That’d she do something reckless again, get into danger or find herself injured. It has happened way more times than anyone should be comfortable with, and Edgeworth was very much hoping a streak of his loved ones being in danger would find its end eventually. “I told you to take your time with these kinds of studies, Kay.” He said with a firm tone.

“Why?!” Kay huffed, gritting her teeth in annoyance.“Can’t I try to get along a liiiiiittle faster? Can’t hurt to get in the field now, right?”

“I understand your excitement to start working,” He stepped forward to be in front of Kay, and placed his hand on her shoulder. “But please, take your time. There is no rush, and there’s a possibility you may change your mind on career choices later on.”

“I haven’t felt this sure about what I wanted to do in my life, Mr. Edgeworth.” She quickly spoke with a serious expression, though the attitude she was likely trying to emanate fell short with her wide eye stare. Miles smirked and promptly dropped his hands to cross his arms. “Of course you are, but a word of advice is mayhaps look a little less like you had too many cups of caffeine, Kay.” He shifted and headed to the door, opening it wide open. “We’ll talk more about this while we get Lieutenant Gumshoe. Let’s go,”

Kay paused, looking at Edgeworth with an intense thought under those brimming eyes. It was a little long for a stare, but before Edgeworth could mention anything, she grinned and nodded, following Edgeworth’s lead. “Does this meal have Edgeworth insurance?”

“Absolutely not, pay for your own meal, Kay.”

“Aww…”

–

“So this is the place, huh Gummy?” Kay and Miles looked up at the bistro that was quite… cozy in where it sat on the street. “Looks nice! ‘Rendezvous’ is a cool name for a restaurant!” Kay glanced around, more information about what the bistro had to offer with her zipping eyes zipping looking at all the small details. She seems to have a habit of doing that quite often.

Though, that’s probably due to her need to survey the area from her training. Miles did have to admit, the place looked welcoming. A rather pastel green that stood out in the gray, while having an even darker summer-y green on the awning and roof. It both stood out and did not. On one hand, Japanifornia is known for their incredibly diverse palette for houses. He’s seen his fair share of interesting color combinations alongside that fact. On the other hand, many of the buildings down the road were certainly not as appealing, especially with the “interesting” circumstances with the area. He was also quite glad that they didn’t come across anything horrible.

Like finding a body on the street.

Miles grimaced at his morbid thoughts. Better not let that unfortunate thought take over me, especially not to spoil my appetite. Don’t need to have another go-around with finding corpses.

Gumshoe smiled as he beckoned his friends towards the small entrance, opening the door for them. “Yup! It’s a good spot! Been here with some friends, and the chef is quite nice! C’mon, let's head inside.”

As they entered, Edgeworth’s ears were filled with chatter from patrons, staff clicking their heels on the ceramic plated floor. Dark wooden paneling surrounded the walls with warm light filled the room. Edgeworth adjusted his glasses a little to see the wide amount of plants hanging on the ceiling with greenery flowing outwards that had quite a glow in the light. The outside may have looked quaint but it definitely looked quite clean inside. Which was a happy surprise for Miles, although he thinks to himself to maybe act a little less surprised at the detective’s expense. The Lieutenant’s expense, actually.

Though, it seems like they were being ignored with how many waiters walking around attending to customers and delivering. A blonde waiter, who was about to walk by Gumshoe, pauses before turning in surprise. Gumshoe gives his old wide grin. “Hey, Fotoi! Is there a table for three?”

The waiter’s surprise morphs into a broad smile that shines back at the lieutenant. The boy clasped his hands together with excitement. “Hey, Mr. Gumshoe! Absolutely! Seating’s a few feet away from the window with the potted plant. I’ll be right with you!” The waiter continues his general direction to attend to other customers. Gumshoe nodded his head back to the other two to follow him and seat themselves at a wooden table with already set cutlery.

Just as Edgeworth sat down, Kay already had her hands on a menu and looked back curiously before turning to Gumshoe. “You know the people who work here, Gummy?”

Gumshoe’s eyes wince, which immediately leads to him sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. “Ah, I know some of the staff. Someone introduced me to them when I first came here.”

Ah, that certainly explains this choice. I’m certain he would’ve simply asked to go to a ramen place.

Miles shook the thought out of his head and grabbed a menu, at which he looked at the options. “Do you have any recommendations, lieutenant?”

Gumshoe paused, sighing softly and chuckled. “Augh, never going to get used to you saying that, sir… lieutenant Gumshoe sounds so…odd!”

“Well, it is a fairly new title, so understandably so.” Miles agreed, raising his gaze back to the lieutenant. It is a strange feeling to remember that he's known Gumshoe since Miles was twenty. Once a nervous detective now turned into a lieutenant seven years from then on. So much had happened in the meantime.

“But a well-deserved title!” Kay grinned as she leaned on to the table with her elbows. “Hope ya don’t mind if I still call you a detective by accident though..”

“No troubles, pal. I’m your Uncle Gummy after all!” He smiled and gave a light pat on Kay’s shoulder. “

“Ah! Gumshoe! Good sir!” The three of them turned to the new voice in their conversation, which was an older chef with grey lavender hair, who was waving at the counter. “Blessed to see you, good sir!”

“O-oh! Good to see you too, Mr. Ward!” Gumshoe laughed sheepishly before turning away to look at the others.

Miles raised an eyebrow. “They seem oddly friendly to you, Gumshoe.”

“A-ah, they’re always like that.” Gumshoe chuckled as he took a look at the menu. “It feels a little odd, since I’ve been here only like– four times.”

I suppose this is just a look into Gumshoe’s life in that sense, a man able to attract friendliness..

“They do seem really friendly!” Kay grinned and took a look at the menu as well. ”By the way, Gummy. Who brought ya here? Seems out of your usual way to come here.”

Is that your round-about way of saying that this looks like it’s out of his normal budget? Miles rolled his eyes but straightened in his seat anyways. He was curious about how Gumshoe inquired about this place. That should be an easy question to answer.

That’s what Edgeworth thought.

Except Gumshoe froze in place. His eyes wide and his back hunched over the menu he clutched. Miles caught Gumshoe gripping the edges of his menu, his fingers twitching and doggy-earring the side of the paper. The table had suddenly become wildly awkward.

“Are you ready to take your order?” Everyone stiffened and turned to see the same waiter Gumshoe knew. Standing by the table with paper and pen in hand.

“Ah- I-I am! Are you two ready?” Gumshoe grinned.

That…was odd. Perhaps he’s unsure? Edgeworth sighed and nodded. “Sure.”

“Hold it! I need to double check!” Kay yelped as she scrambled through the options on the menu.

–

Lunch was quite good all things considered. Not only being able to talk with his companions but also the food. Gumshoe did have a reasonable feeling to be pleased with the place, Miles surmised. The food was satisfying, the staff was kind and patient with many of the customers that came and went, and finally, nothing odd was happening. Well, except for Gumshoe’s odd pause. That felt very unlike him, but Miles didn’t push the question once their orders were taken and the conversation directed itself to matters about Kay’s new adventures. Though, he shared a knowing glance with the girl. Kay shifted her eyebrows and shrugged before returning back to the conversation. Something was up, but they wouldn’t want to stress the lieutenant. He was already bombarded with work hours that were difficult to catch up with. No need to add to that.

“So, how is work treating you, lieutenant?” Miles inquired as he took a sip of his tea. “Hopefully it’s fulfilling?”

The older man’s face lit up and nodded. “Ah, you bet, sir! It’s a little difficult to get used to having to direct a lot more people. Weird to have to command my fellow detectives,” Gumshoe huffs a little, before his frown turns into a small chuckle. “Can’t complain more though. Some of the newbies are funny.”

Kay grins as she wipes her mouth with a napkin. “Of course, I am really funny. Absolute comedian!”

“I hope you’re also doing your work adequately along with your jokes, Kay.” Miles lowered his cup and eyes towards the young Yatagarasu.

“Absolutely! Why would I let anyone else do my favorite job in the world, Mr. Edgeworth?!” She glared darts at the prosecutor, though ineffective at intimidating the prosecutor. That was usually Edgeworth’s job after all.

“Of course, apologies.” Miles allowed a small smile to slip through. This lunch really had done a number on the weight Edgeworth felt on his shoulders. He could feel the muscles relax a little. He supposed that was thanks to these…

He stopped anything wider than a smirk from escaping from his mouth. Smiling about his companions. The friends that were there with him in these scuffed periods for him, allowing him to heal from strains and bruises. He looked up to see Kay and Gumshoe talking about detective work and what they’d be doing that afternoon. It seemed a little amusing, with how baffled Gumshoe was with Kay’s eagerness. He tapped the cup down back on the wooden table.”That was a fairly adequate meal, Gumshoe. Thank you for showing us this place.”

The detective turned and grinned. “Aw, ain’t nothing much sir! It’s a good little old shop. Very well known to the locals and the chef basically knows everybody!” Gumshoe surmised and shrugged.

“Ah, that explains why the chef’s so welcoming!” Kay grinned, and Miles hummed in agreement.

“Yeah! He’s a sweet old guy. My sister said he’s bee–”

Sirens blare loudly blare into the trio’s ears. The screeching horns introduce themselves into the once quiet cafe. Most of the patrons seem to find the random presence of law enforcement jarring, with Edgeworth noticing some patrons flinching and making surprised faces. Though others pay very little attention to the new introduction of noise and return to their business.

The waiter (Fotoi, was it?) seemed to have rushed out the door in a hurry, while the other staff simply sighed, followed by the detective’s muttering. “Kid’s gonna get in trouble one day when he keeps doing that.. Maybe we should take a look outside to see what’s the commotion about, Mr. Edgeworth?”

“An investigation?! Hell yeah!” Kay jumped out of seat, to the dismay of Edgeworth’s relaxation. And just when I was just starting to think about how beneficial it was to take breaks with friends.

“If we must.” Miles stood up and placed money for his meal, before looking out the window to see the waiter sprinting down the street. “Does that waiter seem to dive head first into danger? Seems reckless of him.”

“That’s Fotoi for ya!” Gumshoe chuckled, adjusting his dark green coat to take out his wallet. “He seems to be interested in being a photographer when he heads off to college. Weird kiddo, but I like him when he doesn’t find a way to endanger himself.”

Kay giggles, placing down her own payment of the meal, “But that sense of seeking danger and excitement is quite admirable, you gotta admit that.”

“It is not, it's simply foolish in nature.” Edgeworth shook his head and started his way out of the bistro. It’s not like I had my fair share of foolish people in my life, seeking danger or always in a collision with an experience of a lifetime over and over. If only that wasn’t the case, especially with that man and Kay. Miles could only sigh as he heard Kay whine behind him.

“Boooo~! Just let people have their fun with it, Mr. Edgeworth!” Kay pouted as she and Gumshoe followed him out.

Oh, certainly. If only it didn’t happen constantly with the people I cared about. Miles shuddered with the windy breeze hitting his face, and turned to glance around. Seeing a flash of blue followed by red in his peripheral vision, he turned right and followed the blinking lights. His two investigation partners followed suit.

–

Edgeworth knew he ate his words the moment that they found a crime scene being secured by police officers roaming the area. Truly wishing he’d never ever even thought of the briefest idea of a body the moment he stepped into the area, but alas. He was given a light rundown by one hurrying officer. Information about an assassin’s guild being in the area, two of its members being the victims. That was quite a lackluster of info for the three investigators, so they all approached another officer who seemed to be on standby.

Once they started heading closer, Miles glanced at Kay briefly to see her eyes had perked up. “Oh! Officer Saber!” Kay started to grin and sprint to the officer, who looked up from his papers and smiled at Kay.

“Hi, Kay, Did you get a memo from the department about assassination guild alerts?” The officer sighed as he lowered his clipboard.

“Nah, we heard sirens from our lunch spot and decided to check it out!”

“We-?” The officer was about to tilt their head in confusion before they spotted the other two and reeled backwards in a panic yelped.

“Lieutenant Gumshoe?! Prosecutor Edgeworth?!! What are you two doing here?!” The officer looked baffled at the two men. Though, they really shouldn’t be. Regarding this situation happening in the middle of the more “high activity” areas, where apparently a brawl between amateur assassins took place. The fact that a lieutenant and a star prosecutor are in his presence should be the least of his surprise, but Edgeworth simply digresses and sighs, pinching his nose bridge.

“Officer, can we get a run down of what transpired? We were only briefed that two known assassins were fighting and both were taken down, correct?”

“O-oh! Y-yyes!” The officer cleared his throat and looked at the clipboard he was holding. “The incident took place here on Fern St., where apparently there were two victims who were fighting in disagreement. Many residents in the area could hear angry yelling from two voices. Apparently, it got angrier and angrier, so residents decided to try and ignore it to avoid conflict with them.”

Edgeworth looked beyond the yellow tape, seeing two outlines on the asphalt ground. White chalk outlines overlapping with each other.

“Then, a passerby saw the two people on the ground in the middle of the road, and called in. He said no one was nearby, which was around 1:10pm. Police arrived at 1:20pm, and took over the scene” The officer continued, pointing to where the outlines are. “The bodies were overlapping each other, both holding a knife in their hand. But what killed them was a bullet that pierced one of them in the stomach and another in the neck. Same bullet.”

“But no one heard that, pal?!” Gumshoe agape in shock, himself wobbled back in shock.

“Nope. We asked the residents around here, and they didn’t hear anything. But they did notice that the yelling had died down and thought nothing of it.” They sighed. “We’ll try to get a timeline of everything that’s happened to fully connect the series of events, sirs!”

“Alright, good summary, officer Saber! Get back to us when you can!” Gumshoe grinned, while the officer nodded, waved, and walked away to talk to another police member.

Kay turned around with a sparkle in her eyes. “That must mean the weapon had a silencer, right? How else could the perp have gotten two kills without anyone noticing?”

“It’s a likely conclusion, though, without further investigation, that is just a theory.” Miles glanced around the scene, getting a fuller clue into what transpired, though seemingly to much of Kay’s dismay.

“That’s fair.” She pouted, crossing her arms. “But finally, investigation work! And with you two! This will be great!” She punched her arm into the air and turned around to slide under the tape with a mischievous but determined look into the scene. Miles recalled when this shouldn’t be the case, when she wasn’t able to directly examine crime scenes (although, it was never going to happen with Kay around, was it?)

Before, Miles would begrudgingly go along with the young Yatagarasu, who definitely shouldn’t have been allowed on crime scenes, not to mention at this level of confidentiality in terms of the public view. But she did typically nudge her way into these things, insisting that she was Edgeworth’s assistant until she did become his assistant many months ago. But now, she was a fledgling detective and aspiring investigator, scrutinizing each detail of the crime scene at the same grueling intensity as they did before earlier this spring.

He wasn’t going to exactly say it aloud, but he was proud of her. Though he thought she was breezing through her studies a little too fast, Miles knew she was going to make a great detective. Even if she likely shouldn’t be here at this level of a crime with a dangerous organization likely falls into a category of wildly unsafe and top secret for the thief. But Edgeworth would argue this investigation simply makes good practice for her.

Though, I doubt that I’d want to argue with Kay about semantics about someone so early in training being on a very important investigation…

“Well, what’s the first thing on the list, sir? This one’s a little hard to decide whether it has credence to that assassination guild’s whereabouts.”

Miles’ train of thought derailed as he heard Gumshoe’s voice, startled by the sudden voice in his mind. The prosecutor turned to Gumshoe and cleared his throat. “That’s true, but I’d still like to assist in this investigation. Do we know who was the one who found the scene?”

“Oh, yeah! Uhh… let’s see.” Gumshoe turned his head around, over and over until his eyes perked up. “It’s that guy over there with the winter coat and long hair, sir! Didn’t get a name, but I’ve been briefed that he’s a journalist and writer well known around the area.”

“I see…” I don’t exactly feel like dealing with journalists, especially after the last two were incredibly difficult to deal with, but I must progress with this investigation. “Very well. I will go speak with him. Please brief with the rest of the officers here and find any other clues in the vicinity, Lieutenant Gumshoe.”

The detective beamed and saluted with quick energy. “Yessir!” Then, he quickly headed in the opposite direction to a group of law enforcement,

Edgeworth sighed as he walked towards the witness. Those two. He doesn’t want to think they’re foolish. Maybe the foolish one is a good fit for the lieutenant, but really, he has been past that terminology for them. Silly was quite appropriate for both of them, especially with their radically upbeat personalities around Edgeworth. But that didn’t sound right with how serious they took any investigation. What was the right word? Miles briefly smirked at the question. Objectively right word was amiss to him, but he did know what the Wright word would be for the two of them.

Genuine.

That sounds about right for those two.

By the time Edgeworth waltzed over to the mystery man, said man was with a notebook open and a pen clutched in his teeth. “Good afternoon. I am prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. I am here to inquire about what you saw earlier today. How may I address you?” Edgeworth had thought that a first witness should be a casual way to transition from lunch to work (even if annoyingly so.) This guy didn’t seem like trouble.

Should be… Miles thought.

Miles would think quite the opposite after he saw the journalist in a puzzling expression under his eyes as he stood up. His pupils twitched around, as if instead of his head taking glances, it was his eyes. The way the journalist looked at Edgeworth was with quick ups and side to side. Gazing upon the prosecutor with careful precision. His appearance seemed to have matched that probing look, him looking to be in his late thirties, with long dark brown hair and eyes with a winter’s coat, stubble combined with eyebags gracing his face. Although unassuming, the journalist’s appearance paired in a strange essence to knowing eyes, each with intricate intentions behind every expression. Quite literally the opposite of someone like Lotta or The journalist smiled with low eyes. “Ah, good afternoon, Mr. Edgeworth. I am Derek Mist. Address me as you please for a man such as yourself.”

Edgeworth crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. That statement certainly did not put the prosecutor in ease.“Mr. Mist, you were the one who found the bodies, correct?”

“Correct.”

“When would that have been?”

“Around 1:08. I had spent a minute or two looking around before calling the police.”

“You thought to look around for the perpetrator?” Miles started his notes down in his organizer that he’d removed from his coat pocket.

“Well, I heard a little bit of scuffle and noise before I came across the bodies. I figured that I could catch a glimpse of whoever may have been around the bodies before I was.” Mist looked back and forth between Edgeworth and the crime scene behind him.

“What is this said noise?”

“Hmm…” Mr. Mist placed his hand on his chin, with his pointer finger scratching the stubble under it. “It sounded sort of- bang. Something loud and sudden, like y’know- a gunshot?”

“You heard a shot?”

“I guess so.” Mist shrugged. “It was a little quiet, but I wasn’t exactly close from where I first spotted the bodies,”

Edgeworth felt his face scrunch up in that perplexing detail, one where he’d have to deal with once he collected the full story. “Where were you when you spotted the victims?”

The journalist covered his mouth and closed his eyes with a rather sleepy expression. “Hmmm… I must've been turning around the corner at Heathers St.”

His pen scratched onto the surface of the paper. “Was there any particular reason for your appearance in this area?”

Mist’s eyes open, blinking surprised as his hand drops to gravity. His mouth turned downward as his eyes searched for something far. “I quite forgot what I was doing here, actually. My mind’s been racing about a new article to write.”

Head in the sky? Edgeworth’s eyes squint. “Presumably about this case?”

“Pfft–” Mr. Mist looked up and covered his remorseful smile and chuckle. “Of course

not.”

Miles narrowed his eyes. Below crimes as journalist topics? He thought before crossing his arms. “Can you elaborate?”

“I already am aware that this investigation is of the highest level. Why else would a lieutenant be on scene? Or maybe why is there a rather well known star and international prosecutor taking testimonies, hm?”

Edgeworth momentarily paused for a moment before setting the pen into a pocket and closing the organizer. “I suppose it makes some level of sense you would be aware of my identity. Though, that doesn’t explain your lack of interest in such a case.”

“Simple. I don’t deal with that bullshit,” The man clicks his tongue, hiding his hands and notebook under his winter coat. “I would rather not get wrapped up in this. I can gauge a quick idea of what’s happening and leave it at that. Going any further, well, that’s simply ASKING for trouble, Mr. Edgeworth.”

Fair enough. No one should be allowing this much danger in anyone’s life really. “I see. I presumed otherwise with how other reporters and journalists deal with these sorts of matters.”

“It’s only natural. Fellow journalists are always looking for the next scoop, the newest headline to make a quick buck. Like that kid over there,” He tilts his head backwards, and Edgeworth spots the waiter that ran out in the distance, clicking his camera in rapid succession. He seemed rather full of energy about all the photos he was taking, though Edgeworth wondered when he’d start running out of film with how often the young man was snapping the button. “Though, I’m sure that kid is simply a photographer. He’s a little too eager to get photos of everything.”

“You seem to have a good eye for everything, Mr. Mist.” Edgeworth tapped his finger on his suit slowly.

“Ah, comes with the job. If only memory did as well.” Mist glanced to the side with a light head tilt, before looking up into Edgeworth’s eyes.

Miles squinted back. “Is something coming back to mind?”

The journalist smiled. “Now I remember what I was doing in the area. Sorry ‘bout that. Age is catching up to me,” He chuckled, shaking his head against his hand that laid across his forehead. “I was here to meet up with a friend working at the Borscht Bowl Club,” He snapped his fingers, recalling something else. “I called him right after I called law enforcement to tell him I wouldn’t be able to make it to our get-together because I was told to stay at the scene of the crime.”

“Borscht Bowl Club?” Miles tilted his head.

“Yep. It's the building right at the corner over there.” Mr. Mist pointed to a shabby building with dark bricks and a rusty sign out at the front hanging from the side.

“I see.” Building’s not in great condition, but does that require more investigation personally? I’ll have to ask Gumshoe for his consensus. “Alright, I have more questions to ask, then I will allow the officers to assist you in leaving the scene for the day.” Before Edgeworth opened his organizer once more, he could hear Mist again.

“It will be worth investigating there, Mr. Edgeworth.”

Miles looked up, tilting his head up and tall. Mr. Mist wasn’t quite looking at the prosecutor, but had his eyes dead set on the Borscht Bowl Club in the distance. “What makes you say that, Mr. Mist?”

“Let’s say that restaurant has eyes and ears on all corners of that building.” Mr. Mist tapped his face with a rather uninterested expression. But then, the man made a small smile and shrugged. “But anyways, is there any more I should divulge, Mr. Edgeworth?”

—

Miles had pocketed his organizer by the time he’d return back to the crime scene. Edgeworth already summarized the main points made by Mr. Mist as the prosecutor’s shoes clacked on the sidewalk.

Mr. Mist, while walking to the Borscht Bowl Club, had turned a corner and heard a muffled but loud noise that sounded like a bang. Upon hearing that, Mist had further walked down his intended path from Heathers St to Fern St, when he saw the bodies from a distance as he turned the corner. Seeing it, he would look around rapidly to see no other physical witnesses on scene, nor any suspicious people in the vicinity. He would then call the law enforcement, and then his friend at the Borscht Bowl Club.

Derek Mist was certainly an interesting character, Edgeworth thought. He seems both interested in the matter that he had almost witnessed and yet could not be anymore bored about anything else. Edgeworth clicked his pen closed and into his pocket as he sat on that idea. If he’s truly right about the club’s relation to the crime scene, he would certainly need to be on closer watch. Speaking of a closer watch, Miles notices Kay and Gumshoe were huddled together near the crime scene, and calm speech replaced their rather loud dispositions.

But approaching from behind, he realized they were talking quietly, with few shuddering shoulders and unnaturally tense agitated words. That explains why they didn’t seem to notice Miles creeping closer to them, only a few feet away. At first, Edgeworth thought it was typical office gossip with Kay’s giggles being usually the biggest indicator. But Gumshoe seemed to be guiding the conversation, with hushed bated breath and gruff words under his mouth. Although Miles wouldn’t particularly participate in gossip at this very time, he leaned a little closer and to catch some whispers.

With a rushed voice, Gumshoe spoke quietly. “Look, pal…. ‘m not kidding… a guy around here… looks really pissed… so you want to guide him away from Mr. Edg…”

Me? What are they…

“Gummy, calm down….” Kay grumbled a little loudly, sounding perturbed by Gumshoe’s insistent voice. “Why would this guy bother Mr. Edgeworth? Unless you don’t really want to deal with Edgeworth being angry as all hell, I’d understand but–”

“This is different, pal!” Gumshoe warns, his voice becoming more… panicked? Was that accurate? He certainly sounded less calm, even under his whispering. “This guy shouldn’t be NEAR Mr. Edgeworth. It’ll be… uhhh– what’s that word…”

“Would you two stop gossiping behind my back on a crime scene of all things?” The two detectives jumped and turned around to look at Miles, his eyes glaring through them. Gumshoe looked two parts anxious for every part of Kay that looked sheepish. Edgeworth sighs, wanting to make an addendum in his first statement of the detectives’ being genuine people: horribly chatty as well. “What were you two even talking about?”

“NOTHING–” “EVERYTHING–”

The two looked at each other briefly, and then turned back to Edgeworth.

“NOTHING!”

Well, at least they made up their minds together at the end…

Miles only sighed and squinted for a few moments before his head was winding around what was happening in front of him. “Who in the world said ‘everything’?”

“GUMMY!” “KAY!”

The two detectives looked at each other with grim suspicion, like they had learned of each other’s deepest dark secrets in a comical villainous way. Miles sighed again, rubbing his nose bridge in what felt like an incoming side effect of being near hyper-active detectives all afternoon. “What has gotten you both so on edge?”

“Hah! Mr. Edgeworth just used ‘on edge’--” Before Kay could even spout another word, Miles had taken upon himself to just stop the young Yatagarasu by giving a firm yet forgiving pat on Kay’s head.

“Owww! Hey! Assault!!”

Miles rolled his eyes, lowering his hand. “As much as I’d like to see you try and prosecute a case like that in a court of law, you are skirting around my question. What were you two talking about?” He crossed his arms, giving himself time to see both of his investigation partners’ reactions.

Kay looked expectantly at Gumshoe, his being now in the spotlight. His shoulders slumped and his lip jutted out in a pout. “Aw, c’mon pal. No help for good old Uncle Gummy?”

The young Yatagarasu simply grinned and shrugged her shoulders. “You’re gonna have to come clean. I don’t even have any idea what or who you were talking about!”

“W-well, to be fair, Mr. Edgeworth says–”

Pause.

“This guy–”

Another pause.

“It’s–” He sighed.

Gumshoe rubbed his head with this oddly frustrated look in his eyes, but every part of his being looked a little too remorseful. “I don’t know pals!” The lieutenant raised his voice, as did his face. “I dunno how to explain this!?”

Edgeworth recalled much of Gumshoe’s past habits. He had kept secrets from the prosecutor, but one where Gumshoe’s life was in the brinks figuratively has made the detective falter in his honest to good nature in protecting the innocent. Though the detective was kind and generous with his defenses, Miles was certain that he usually failed at these kinds of secret keeping if was given a little bit of a push. “Is this information vital to the case? If so, I wouldn’t appreciate you hiding something consequential to me, Lieutenant.” Edgeworth glared at Gumshoe, knowing any kind of stare might get him to exhaust any information necessary.

“N-N-NO!” Miles and Kay jumped back at how loud Gumshoe spoke, before the detective had slumped again. “Nothing like that! It’s j-just… I know some of the people who live here. T-T-that’s all!”

“...But Gummy– that could help us find witnesses?? Why would that be the cause for a secret?” Kay exclaimed, her mouth agape as Gumshoe sighed.

“W-W-well…”

“Is there a problem, detectives…?”

Miles turned around rapidly with his brows furrowed to something unfamiliar, just as that figure who spoke up. Someone started down the sidewalk, towards the trio who were starting to face this mysterious figure. Seemingly, a man became more clear into view, with his hand on his cap and the other on his waist.

Now what do we have now?

Peripherally, Edgeworth is certain he caught Gumshoe having a nervous side glance at the prosecutor, before turning his attention to the mysterious man. Said man approached the group with a lazy step, his dark eyes and half of his face covered in a light shadow made by a looming baseball hat that spelled ‘IV’. His hand from waist picked itself up to smother the yawn that escaped the man’s mouth, before he looked on at the investigating team, “You are all awfully loud… though I guess that’s expected when a murder just happened…”

“A-ah! M- Mah- Mr. Leff! S-should’ve known you were in the area! Heheheh!” Gumshoe rubbed the back of his neck with a break-neck speed scratching. Edgeworth frowned, and he caught Kay looking back at him as well. A split knowing glance at each other before turning back their focus on this new visitor to the crime scene.

This ‘Mr. Leff’ stood rather unassumingly, hair under the cap had an ebony shine to it that messily let itself go in strands that go odd directions. Along with that was a stormy blue jacket and dark jeans, with ragged sneakers and the most agonizing exhausted face Edgeworth’s seen from anyone other than himself. Even if the cap hid much of that man’s features, Miles could make out rather dark bags under the man’s eyes. This man was probably the likely definition of exhausted. Baggy clothes, sagged shoulders, all the works.

Then, Edgeworth caught that man’s raised eyebrow at him, his shifty dark eyes against his face likewise staring. Then, those eyes briefly moved onto Kay, and then Gumshoe. When his mouth opened, something deep and gravely poured out, but in a calm succession. “Lieutenant.”

“M-Mr. Leff.”

“How are you today?” The man gestured to him cordially.

Gumshoe’s eyes shot wide open, then a grin emerged for his friend. “I’m okay, pal! Well– uhh… could be better if there wasn’t a… y’know.. A crime scene to investigate.”

“Y’know, fair enough.” Mr. Leff shrugged. Then, his eyes slit back to Kay and Miles. ”And who are they?”

I could ask the same of you, whoever you are, joining our crime scene like this. Before Edgeworth could get anything out, Gumshoe cleared his throat quickly.

“O-oh! Uhmm… well let me introduce you to them, first, pal.” He placed a hand on the man’s shoulder and grinned at his team. “This is a friend of mine, Mr. Leff! H-he’s a local around these parts. That’s how I’m familiar with him.”

Mr. Leff looked at Gumshoe with weary eyes and a rather displeased frown. “I appreciate the introduction, Gumshoe. But again, no mister. I don’t like the formalities,” Mr. Leff sighed and patted away the lieutenant’s hand. “Leff works all the same as well. I don’t even think the moniker of mister is even a thing with a name like mine.”

Gumshoe’s eyes looked downward to Mr. Leff, his face scrunched up in anxiousness. “Aww… c’mon pal. Have a little more faith in your identity.”

“You say that, but I’m pretty sure you call some fancy fellow like him–” Leff points at Edgeworth with a weak hand. “--mister. Not like y’know–” Then, the man waves his arms around himself. “..me?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Edgeworth inquired, his arms crossed.

“Whatever it means to you, Mr. Fancy Pants,” Leff rolled his eyes and faced back Gumshoe. “Just use Leff, it’s succinct.”

“So is Mr. Leff!”

The two started off in a tangent conversation of their own. A little awkward to just wait for these two to stop arguing with each other. Of course, Miles could simply use his authority to get Gumshoe on topic. But looking at the detective’s face made it seem this was a more urgent matter he’d wanted to prioritize at the time. Still, it didn't mean Miles’ other assistant would not be gossiping with himself. Kay leaned against Edgeworth’s shoulder and whispered, “Mr. Edgeworth!! This guy screams suspicious!”

His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes looked down at Kay in response. “Care to explain?”

“I dunno… uhh.. He’s being sort of rude to Gummy. Not like rude-rude, more like passive rude, y’know?”

Sure, if that’s what you’re calling it, Kay. Edgeworth nodded nonetheless. “While I don’t agree with the outward assumptions, he is certainly an interesting character.” Miles turned his head to meet the girl’s eyes, who looked rather suspiciously at Mr. Leff, then Edgeworth.

“What do you mean?! He’s so obstinate! Stubborn! Y’know, kind of like you, so maybe it isn’t that odd…”

“Excuse you, Kay. That sounds more like your indomitable spirit than anything!”

“Bah! I can compromise, Mr. Edgeworth! You have a lacking part of that in your generosity!”

“That’s an interesting way to say he’s bitchy,” The two swiftly turned back to see Mr. Leff, whose head is tilted away from his body, his eyes looking like they’d roll off his face. “Or you could say he’s an asshole as well.”

Edgeworth felt a migraine coming against his brain, which was usually a bad sign for trouble. His head pushed forward towards that man. “Excuse me, who asked you to interject into our conversation?”

Mr. Leff waved his hand slowly, scoffing. “Ahh, of course of course, Mr. Ass-cot. My mistake.”

“SNRK, Mr. Ass-cot?” Kay inquired with an odd glint in her jade eyes and along with her cattish smile, Edgeworth should’ve expected this from her honestly. Taking any chances for a jab at him is her go-to when it isn’t urgent. ‘But what is it with people in my life giving me weird nicknames… First, Mr. Fender and now this guy?’ Edgeworth’s frown deepened at the thought.

Then, the other man just gestured around his own neck area, looking into the sky with lackluster enthusiasm. “Y’know, the weird thing around his neck that makes him look like a sick Victorian chil,.” Then, Mr. Leff made a tight grin with amused eyes. “Or like a vampire.”

‘A vampire? Seriously?’ Edgeworth tapped his finger onto his arm with a flat stare at the man. “It’s a cravat, Mr. Leff.”

“Eh, semantics, shemantics, Mr. Ass-cot.”

Kay snickers as Edgeworth sighs. There is a lot Edgeworth would probably like to think about. There was an impertinent case after all. But at this present moment, he could only think as he willed his hand to not grip his arm…

This man is irritating…

“Anyways, just who are your friends, Gumshoe?” Mr. Leff shrugged back to the lieutenant, who perks up.

“O-oh! Well, this is Kay Faraday! A junior detective and upcoming private investigator!” He extended his hand to Kay, his grin wide and proud. “Sort of like a prodigy in all things investigation!”

“Good to meet you, Leff! Kay or Detective Kay works all the same.” Kay grins, putting her hands on her waist with a pep that only she could do at a crime scene.

“Nice to meet you.” Mr. Leff gave a brief smile, before instantaneously frowning at the glance of Edgeworth. Although, Edgeworth shared the same sentiment to his expression by simply keeping his stare at him.

“T-this is Mr. Edgeworth. He’s not a detective, but a star international prosecutor! He does help investigate high profile crime scenes, t-though.”

“Charming.” Mr. Leff batted his eyes away.

“Can’t certainly say the same for you, Mr. Leff.” Mr. Edgeworth replied smoothly.

“Y’know what, not charming. Mr. Ass-cot’s more like a bitch.” Mr. Leff’s eyes quickly sharpen back to Edgeworth, nearly surprising the prosecutor of his quick rebuttal. Danger in his irises, that man scowled and turned back to face Gumshoe.

“A-ah, don’t be mean-spirited. Mr. Edgeworth would probably love to–” Gumshoe paused, his eyes twitching in sudden concentration. “--get to know you…?”

“What.” Kay blinked alongside Edgeworth, allowing his head to turn its cogs a little more before he realized the awkward silence that transpired.

Leff didn’t seem bothered by that however. “Hmmmmmm... Nah. Kay’s a cool gal though. Edgeworth’s more like her lame 1800s vampire sidekick.”

Edgeworth could tell Kay’s eyes glitter with a spark as she perked up and grinned at him. “Y’know what, Mr. Edgeworth. Maybe he’s not shifty after all!”

Of course you switch that quickly. “Just because you think he’s ‘chill’ means he’s not a possible shady man?”

Kay raised her eyebrows and jutted her lip out with stubborn sass. “Just saying. People that are this funny aren’t usually bad guys, y’know.”

“Pfft. Glad to not look like a criminal.” Mr. Leff smirked.

Immediately, Gumshoe’s lips dropped into a sighed. “Awhhh… pal. Not cool.”

“...Still too soon? It’s been like– what… five months?”

“I know! But…”

Edgeworth sighed. Today, he wasn’t exactly expecting to hear from two friends bicker. If one could even call them friends. Edgeworth thought Gumshoe was being rather a pushover, which he’ll have to talk about later. “Anyways, before you all carry out any more blistering stories, do you have any testimonials that we could inquire about, Mr. Leff?”

Leff glanced back at Edgeworth, his expression carefully neutral. “Weeeell, I was told by the manager at the restaurant I work at to tell the police that he, the bartender, and I were inside and talking.”

“Did you hear anything?” Kay inquired. “Like– something loud?”

“Hmmm… no. The bar was empty, so we would’ve heard something outside.”

“Where is this bar?”

“O-oh! Mr. Leff works at the Borscht Bowl Club, right over there, sir!” Gumshoe’s hand directed Miles to a familiar building in the distance, one he was already directed to before. The prosecutor lowered his eyes and turned back to Mr. Leff.

“What is your occupation at this bar?”

Leff snapped his fingers. “Pianist.”

“You can play the piano?! Sweet!” Kay grinned cheerfully.

“Eh. Not very impressive if you ask me. It pays the bills every other day. Piano barely works half the time.” Mr. Leff chuckles as Kay snickers.

Mr. Edgeworth raises an eyebrow. “I surmise that’s probably due to the piano’s misfortune with you as its player.”

“Oh? Quipping, are we, Mr. Ass-cot?” Mr. Leff glinted a glance at the prosecutor, who simply glared at the man.

“Simply stating what seems to be in character for you, Mr. Leff.”

“Wait, if you’re a pianist, why are you at the bar with no people? Seems like a waste of time.” The young Yatagarasu looked at the building with a perturbed mystery on her face.

The man shrugged. “The bar’s usually a waste of time, but fair.”

“But you work there??” Her eyes widened in shock and mouth agaped.

“I stand by what I said.” Mr. Leff smiled.

Edgeworth sighs, but before he could do anything about his growing migraine, Mr. Leff interjected. “If you must know so I don’t get counted as a suspect, I was waiting for a friend. We were simply meeting up at the bar since he knows the place well,”

“Oh? Did he show?”

“Nope, couldn’t. Got stuck staying somewhere”

Mr. Leff is at an empty Borscht Club, waiting for someone who didn’t show.++

++ Mist was to drop by to visit a friend at the Borscht Club.

The two thoughts quickly click like clattering wood pieces, Miles’ eyes drawn to a close to let his brain takeover his movements. These two thoughts weren’t difficult ideas to connect, but anything to build up such vague testimonies will have to be his weapon of choice today. Especially with how much time has been wasted on talking to this ridiculous man. Edgeworth turned his eyes open, glancing back at everyone. Then, he noticed something new that added another mystery puzzle to his stack of ideas. Mr. Leff’s eyes looked at the prosecutor ominously, his squinting eyes shifting over Miles’ entire being, under a watchful gaze that never left the prosecutor. Miles spoke his conclusion. “You must be the acquaintance Mr. Mist mentioned.”

“Hm? You know my buddy, old pal journalist?”

“Well, he was the one who found the body, pal.” Gumshoe chuckled. “He’s our primary witness.”

“Ah.” Mr. Leff hissed between his teeth before his lips made a popping sound. “That’s a yikes. Derek’s not having a lucky day huh? Though, he’s not alone I suppose.” He tapped Gumshoe’s shoulder. “You have to work with Mr. Fancypants all day.”

The lieutenant chuckled slowly, shifting his eyes away. “M-mr. Edgeworth isn’t so bad, pal…”

“He certainly doesn’t look very agreeable.”

Kay snickered, her toothy grin wide and smiley. “Well, Mr. Edgeworth’s certainly much more agreeable when I’m around. I am his handy dandy assistant!”

“I’d argue that’s because you happen to be wildly more improvisational that I have to simply be generous with my patience, Kay.” Edgeworth sighed, before retrieving his organizer from his coat pocket to write down this new conclusion.

“Semantics! I simply have a way with words!” Kay blew raspberries and grinned.

“Snrk–!” Mr. Leff chuckled, almost softly yet drowned by something tired. He smirked at Kay. “Sounds wonderful. Keep up the good work, Kay. Don’t let my favorite lieutenant get bullied around by Mr. Vamps.”

“Heh! Aye aye captain!” Kay returned the smirk with her signature grin and saluted.

He’s the captain now, huh? Edgeworth could feel his entire body mentally roll his eyes at this. “Do you have anything else to contribute to your testimony Mr. Leff? We’d like to resume the investigation if you would be so kind.”

Mr. Leff frowns and glances back to Gumshoe, then back to Edgeworth with a slithering voice under a calm demeanor. “Nothing else to contribute then, Mr. Edgeworth.” The hiss behind Leff’s voice sent an odd prickle down Edgeworth’s neck, one that he immediately shook off as he turned away from that man. “Let’s continue our investigation elsewhere, Gumshoe and Kay.”

“O-oh! Sure! Uhh… See ya, pal!”

“Adios, Leff!”

“Adios.”

And with that, they parted ways with Mr. Leff, who seems to just reenter the Borscht Club, to Miles’ relief.

“Gumshoe, do all your friends happen to act so unmannerly?” Edgeworth turned to look at the lieutenant, whose face looked a little anxious.

“Oh, no, Mr. Edgeworth! Y’know, Maggey and such. She’s a total sweetheart!” Gumshoe chuckled with a pitch higher. “It’s just that Mr. Leff is… a hard nut to crack! Yeah!”

Edgeworth’s frown deepened. “You sound unsure.”

“Well, I’ve only known him for a few months, really… But I’m determined to understand him better!” Gumshoe gave a firm thumbs up to the prosecutor and detective, which gave a little rise to Kay’s eyebrow.

“Really? He honestly sounded more used to you than you make it seem, Gummy!” She crossed her arms and closed her eyes with a pouty lip.

Gumshoe blinked and glanced back and forth between his friends with a little light in his eyes. “D-do we?”

“Yeah!” Kay’s mouth twitched into an uncontrollable grin towards Edgeworth, to which the prosecutor did not look approvingly at. “I mean, why else does he love to make jabs at your own boss?”

“Yes, because that’s completely wise to do for a friend, Kay.” Edgeworth had the urge to roll his eyes at her comment, but simply sighed at the young Yatagarasu.

Kay’s grin continued as she spoke. “Point is! He’s kind of like– chill! Absolute comedian and that’s something to appreciate about him.”

“You think that’s the case with everyone, Kay…” Edgeworth raised an eyebrow, remembering her jabs with Mr. Fender towards him consistently a few months ago.

“Psssh, please! I’ve certainly met my fair share of clowns–”

“Kay.”

“--but I’ve never seen anyone who can really get under your skin! You’re like an impenetrable rock sometimes! Stone-face and all!” Kay looked off, scratching her chin in deep thought. “Yet, quipping at him? First time witnessing Leff?”

“Hmph. I believe you’ve mistaken me for being caught off guard by his hostile demeanor, Kay.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Why else would he be calling me nicknames after two minutes of meeting me?”

“So you’re calling him bitchy as well?”

Exhale, and inhale. “May we please focus back on this case? Mr. Leff’s testimony is fairly interesting. He didn’t hear anything, and that would be attested by two other people. Mr. Mist, meanwhile, was able to hear the shot.”

“Right, so we can be sure that it had to be a silencer!”

“Silencer’s are easier to hear in a range unperturbed by objects. Since there’s sound waves and they like to bounce off objects to create echoes and all that. Mr. Leff was inside a building, and he didn’t hear it. Probably because it was simply too quiet.” Kay spins around to see all the other brick buildings, Edgeworth following where her gaze was looking to see at all the tall buildings. Buildings with dark bricks of spectrums of reds, browns, and grays. Grays that have high ledges and even taller points to look from.

Edgeworth also noticed the rather empty atmosphere, save for a bird tweet and murmur from an officer or two. “That would also explain why everyone else wouldn’t have heard the shot, except for Mist. Everyone was inside because they were afraid of the loud arguing. Which allowed the perpetrator to get the victims without as much as a glance from other potential witnesses.”

“That sucks. Imagine arguing so much that everyone ignores you and allows your murderer to get away from the crime scene, easy peasy.” Kay sighs, hands on her hips.

Tap, tap, tap on his arm as his brain adjusted itself to that comment. “Maybe it’d be advisable to argue with less disdainful speech out in the public.”

Kay’s grin grew wider with cheeky glitter under her eyes. “Mayhaps so! But maybe we can find more witnesses! C’mon! Let’s go!” And before Edgeworth could give her any warnings, she was off.

“Ugh… Kay…” Edgeworth rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Gumshoe chuckled and waved his hand. “Heheh, she’s got a lot of energy, Mr. Edgeworth. Let her get it all out now.”

“Hmph. Perhaps you’re right. Though, she’s way more capable of getting into trouble that’s way more concerning when she’s alone.” ‘But even so, she’s very capable by herself and I don’t want to limit her potential.’ Edgeworth looked off to Kay, who was jumping in place as she was giggling with an officer on duty. He smiled to himself, Kay’s gift of quite literally being the shiny sparkle in any dull moment. Quite literally with her dangly keys paired with the dark clouds above.

“Ahah… that’s.. That’s fair. Anyways! Let’s catch up with her!” Gumshoe sped forward with rapid steps trailing behind him. Leaving Edgeworth, simply watch the two detectives talk with each other and other officers.

He didn’t exactly get to inquire about Gumshoe’s behavior, and the interjecting stuttering is very unlike him. Usually brashly a friend to everyone, but that Mr. Leff had left something on that detective that clearly makes Gumshoe more uneasy than usual. Nervous, clearly on edge, and sweaty. Edgeworth won’t ignore that it was probably the most prominent piece of evidence that proved that Gumshoe was not well. However, Edgeworth thought to himself as he walked closer to the duo, it could be a continuation of Gumshoe’s rather hesitant stature today.

But Miles relented. There was no point in speculating further without simply asking the detective. He’d just have to ask him when it became convenient. Then, an idea conjoined the running train of thought.

He turned back towards the street where that bar sat on. The distance was farther than Miles would preferably like to see from, but glasses helped it go back towards it. He saw a gray silhouette exit the bar, his face covered by his hat but Miles could surmise that it was who he thought it was. Said silhouette gestured away from the door, his mouth moved unhurriedly to the receiver end of those words inside the building. It would seem that he was rather bored of whatever he was doing, his eyes rolling away towards the skies. His hands stuffed into his pocket, and his leg tapping against the ground with a smooth rhythm.

Edgeworth slowly paused his steps, his face tilting and eyes squinting closer.

This man was a bit of an enigma. Someone who made Miles rather curious. The curiosity may have been born out of disrespect to Miles, but the prosecutor was fairly unaffected by it. Irritating people always come into investigations after all. He’s dealt with people like Lotta, Fender, and so many more. Why did this feel different? Something off about the person who Gumshoe considers a friend. What was the goal of this person? Did he have anything under those dark ey–

Stop.

For a quick second, he saw that the pianist’s eyes, as it rolled away from whomever he was talking to, they landed squarely at Edgeworth. Awkwardly staring at one another from a distance of many meters away, Miles stuck squinting at him. Miles swiftly removed his gaze after a few seconds before he heard a familiar voice.

“Mr. Edgeworth! Come over here!” Edgeworth blinked and looked ahead. Kay swung her arm excitedly to beckon him, while Gumshoe was kneeling over something next to her. That thought would have to wait, it appears. Edgeworth adjusted his glasses and stride forward towards the detectives.

Bonus Drawings:

#ace attorney #ace attorney fanart #gyakuten saiban #gyakuten kenji #gyakuten saiban fanart #miles edgeworth investigations #miles edgeworth #miles edgeworth fanart #phoenix wright #phoenix wright fanart #phoenix wright ace attorney #kay faraday #dick gumshoe #narumitsu #wrightworth #mitsunaru

41 notes · View notes

odyssean-flower · 6 months ago

Text

The Winding Path of Fate Chapter 16 - Summer: A Homecoming

Masterpost

Pairing: Neuvillette x Female Reader Summary: You go home to attend your sister's birthday party.

Note: If you want to be on the taglist for this fic, please make a reply to this post, send a message or send a private ask

Have a pic of Neuvillette standing in wherever this is

Previous | Next

“The guesthouse has already been prepared for you, Monsieur Neuvillette. I hope it is to your standards. If you find anything lacking, please inform me or Mrs. Bernard immediately.”

“Thank you, madame, but considering the warm hospitality and consideration I have received from you and your family since I arrived here, I doubt that will be needed,” Neuvillette assured your mother, who seemed to blush at his words.

“Oh...oh my, such kind words,” your mother stammered out, ignoring your pleading look. “W-well then, I shall take my leave now. Breakfast shall be served to you first thing in the morning. I wish you a very good night.”

With that, your mother left the room, closing the door behind her, which, in turn, locked you in with Neuvillette.

The two of you looked at each other in silence for a moment, neither of you knowing what to say in this unthinkable situation you somehow found yourself in.

“It appears that we are to share a bed for the night, Madame. I hope that doesn’t cause you any discomfort,” he said at last, though the furrow in his brow indicated that the question should have been asked to him instead.

“Yes. It appears so,” you nodded, trying to quell your flipping stomach. “It’s only for a night, though, so I, um, hope you can put up with me until then.”

“No, Madame, I should be the one requesting that of you,” he insisted. “I should apologize for the uncomfortable position I have put you in.”

You decided not to say anything more, lest you fall into a never-ending loop of apologies...again.

Neither of you moved from your spots. His gaze was uncharacteristically unfocused, looking at anywhere but you. Though you didn’t have the ability to read emotions like him, you knew exactly what he was thinking then. It was as though you were looking into a mirror.

How did things turn out this way?

Let us return to the beginning of the day...

While you didn’t expect fanfare or anything when you returned home, you didn’t expect the house to be completely empty.

Your father being away wasn’t a surprise. His favorite pastime was wandering the countryside and climbing the jagged mountains near the village with a zither or notebook under his arm. You just hoped he didn’t stumble into a hilichurl camp or something like last time.

As for your mother and your sister Justine’s absence, it was soon explained with a letter given to you by your taciturn housekeeper, Mrs. Bernard.

Dear Sister,

I’m so sorry that I couldn’t welcome you back home! Dominic (do you remember him? He’s the viscount’s son I danced with) has invited me to a tour around Fontaine on those new flying machines for my birthday! He says he knows someone at the Institute and that they can lend it to him for the day. Mother is chaperoning us.

Oh, by the way, I’ve decided not to have the usual garden party this year. We’re going to hold an evening ball at the assembly-hall! Since you so insist on us not celebrating or even mentioning your marriage in any way, this ball will serve as a stealth celebration for you as well (don’t worry, we didn’t tell anyone. But just to warn you, Mother isn’t happy about it). I know how you feel about balls, but I do hope you can enjoy yourself as well. It’s a shame that Monsieur Neuvillette can’t come, but I suppose it can’t be helped. Everyone in the village is invited, and they’re all really excited. It’s been so long since we’ve had a large party like this, after all. Dominic says that he’ll invite some of his friends too. Anne, unfortunately, can’t attend as she’s busy with her babies.

I’ll be back around late afternoon, and I expect to hear all about Monsieur Neuvillette from you (I still can’t believe he’s part of our family now!!!!)

Love, Justine

“A flying tour...and a ball?” you said incredulously as you finished reading the letter. “I don’t think I had that much energy when I was her age.”

Still, you were happy that she was having a grand birthday celebration. Even if you had mixed feelings about a ball. Well, I suppose it’s fine if it’s just a village ball, you told yourself. If worst comes to worst, I can volunteer to play the role of musician all night.

Indeed, you shouldn’t let your personal feelings cloud such a happy event. Even you enjoyed listening to the music, watching others dance, and eating the refreshments. Though, it was a shame that Anne, your best friend, couldn’t be there, as you hadn’t seen each other in ages.

Neuvillette’s dodged a bullet by having to be in court today, you wryly mused to yourself. He frequently received invitations to balls and dinners, but almost always declined them.

“The guest list is here, Madame Neuvillette,” Mrs. Bernard said, handing you a list of names. As your sister had written, all the families in the village were invited, and almost all of them accepted. The unfamiliar names, you assumed, were Dominic’s friends.

“That’s a lot of guests. Did Mother hire any help for you?” you inquired as you followed Mrs. Bernard into the kitchen. Your family only had one housekeeper, but sometimes temporary help was hired from the village when it was needed. “Oh, and you don’t have to call me Madame Neuvillette, you know.”

“I am merely calling you by your proper title, Madame,” Mrs. Bernard said, unsmiling. You could count the number of times you saw her show emotion on one hand. “And no, several of your mother’s friends have offered to help prepare the refreshments. I am only baking the birthday cake and Conch Madeleines.”

“How far have you gotten with the cake?” you asked, rolling your sleeves up and putting on an apron. You usually helped with the measurements and the mixing, as Mrs. Bernard’s eyesight had worsened slightly over the years.

The housekeeper stopped and gave you a look. “What?” you frowned.

“The wife of the Chief Justice has no place in a kitchen, especially after a long trip. I would advise you to rest in your room until the night’s entertainments.”

“Oh, come on, Mrs. Bernard, I’m not too good for kitchen work now just because I’m married to someone important. And you know how things are with our family. We need all the help we can get.”

It wasn’t uncommon for members of the rural nobility to do work that their urban compatriots wouldn’t even deign to do, particularly if they lived on a meager income like yours did. You had grown up accustomed to mending your own clothes and helping with meal preparation.

“It is because I know our circumstances that I cannot approve of you helping me,” Mrs. Bernard replied curtly. Suddenly, her expression turned stormy. “Are you running into any issues with the staff at Monsieur Neuvillette’s household?”

“No, no, not at all,” you said, waving your hands in denial. Mrs. Bernard had been working for your family since your grandfather’s time, when there was still wealth and a fully staffed household, so she remembered a time when young ladies of the family didn’t need to lift a finger for anything except to ring the bell to summon a servant. “I’ve never run into any trouble there. Everything’s being done for me.”

It was the truth. In the beginning, you had tried to help out with the cooking and cleaning, but was firmly turned down every time. “You are here as Monsieur Neuvillette’s wife, not a tenant,” Marie had said. “He would be greatly aggrieved to hear that you feel obliged to do chores in his household.” Personally, you didn’t really understand the problem. You weren’t actually his wife and it wasn’t an obligation to help out in the house that you lived in. To go even further, you thought he ought to hire more staff if he were to live in a house of that size, even if he didn’t dwell there all that often.

Come to think of it, there wasn’t much difference between the two households, particularly in the number of staff. But you decided that it was wiser to keep that to yourself.

“I’m glad to hear that. You must remember that you are of an old, noble bloodline and entitled to all the dignity and respect that entails,” Mrs. Bernard said, fixing you with a steely look. “Do not shrink yourself, even if your husband is the Iudex.”

“I know, I know,” you said, biting back your comments about all the good that a noble bloodline had done you. You knew Mrs. Bernard meant well, though a part of you shuddered at how she would react if she knew the truth behind your marriage. “I’ll be in my room, then.”

Mrs. Bernard nodded and turned back to the kitchen counter, which was fully taken up by mixing bowls and baking ingredients. You studied her stooped back and gray hair tied neatly in a bun. Had she gained more white hair since the last time you saw her?

You went upstairs with those uneasy thoughts in your mind. Mrs. Bernard had stayed loyal to your family even as family heirlooms and parts of the estate were sold to pay off debts, and servants quit in succession. In a wealthier family, she would probably be retired by now and settled comfortably in a cottage, receiving an annual income.

If I were to truly comport myself with the dignity of a noble, then I would be giving money to my family to hire more servants, you thought as you gazed at a faded patch of wallpaper. An oil painting had once hung there, though you had no idea what the subject was or where it was now. The wall there had been bare ever since you could remember. At least one or two people to help in the kitchen and with the laundry, particularly now that Justine is out in society. Ah, come to think of it, she also needs a lady’s maid. And a footman... And...

You did have money from Neuvillette, but it wasn’t enough to pay the yearly wages of a few servants. You would have to ask Neuvillette for more.

Wasn’t this the point of marrying rich? To help one’s family? If only this were a normal marriage, if only you weren’t married to the one person in Fontaine who you didn’t want to ask anything more of...

You shook your head, clearing the thoughts away like cobwebs. You had gotten into this marriage of your own accord and knew exactly what it was. It was pointless to have regrets about it now.

Pushing open your bedroom door with more force than you intended, you breathed in the sweet-smelling air of your room. It was kept dusted and polished even after you moved out. Even the plants on your windowsill were watered. Seeing your familiar wooden writing desk and floral bedspread filled your heart with overpowering gladness, as though you were a weary traveler who had finally come home.

Your bedroom was about half the size of Neuvillette’s guest room and didn’t have a window seat or its own bathroom, but it had always served as your sanctuary. If a room could be the embodiment of one’s soul, then this one would be yours.

You went over to the window. The morning glory vines hanging from the eaves hadn’t been trimmed, so the visibility wasn’t good, but you always liked the way the vines framed the window. When you were younger, you pretended that it was the overgrown window in a crumbling castle. The house was practically covered in ivy and morning glory vines. It lent a wild and rustic appearance that you found charming, but your mother always complained about the “overgrown weeds.”

I think Neuvillette’s house would also look lovely with a bit of greenery on the outside. Not excessively, of course, But a window box of flowers never hurt anyone, or perhaps a wisteria tree near the front door...

You turned to the tall bookcase that housed your carefully cultivated collection of books. Living in a small town far from the city meant that your means of buying new books was limited, but you made do. Your eyes drifted to the leather-bound spines occupying the middle shelf. Those were the albums and journals of your late teacher which she had bequeathed to you. She had more books, but they were donated to the school and local library. While you had brought your favorites with you to the city, you didn’t bring any of these with you out of fear of losing them. And because it still hurt too much to look at them.

But now... You ran a finger across their smooth, cracked spines. You hadn’t visited your teacher’s grave in a long time. You should find time to do it today. There are a lot of things I want to tell her about.

Before that, you decided to take a little nap. The trip here had been rather taxing. You changed into a shift and closed the curtains on the blue sky beyond. It won’t be blue for long though. I hope it doesn’t rain during Justine’s tour.

The thought of rain reminded you of Neuvillette. He was probably still in the middle of a trial, as it hadn’t rained yet. You felt a little guilty, knowing that you promised to attend one of his trials. I’ll go to the next one for sure, you told yourself. I hope he doesn’t stand in the rain for too long. You had grown accustomed to the sight of him standing in the garden as rain fell upon him and readied towels for him whenever he came back indoors. He never talked about it, but you gathered that standing in the rain was soothing for him somehow.

You climbed into bed and slipped under the covers, then stared up at the ceiling. Sleep wasn’t coming easily.

Birdsong sounded outside the window. Faint shadows played on the wall opposite your bed. You could hear Mrs. Bernard moving around in the kitchen downstairs. Everything was so familiar and unchanged that you could almost fool yourself into believing that you had never left your village at all. The woman who had married the Iudex, petted a vishap’s snout, got attacked by a drunk at night (O Archons, how were you going to bring that up to your parents?), and spoke to the Hydro Archon, seemed to be someone else entirely.

I feel like everything that happened in the past few months was a dream, and now I’m back to reality...

You could even sense the difference between your two lives in the bedding. The sheets in my room in the city are silkier and smell like detergent, while these sheets are more worn and stiffer, and smell like wildflowers...

You blinked at the intrusive thought. It would not do to compare. Or to grow accustomed to this, because it would all be over in the blink of an eye. The life that awaited you would be difficult, so it was better to prepare for it beforehand.

You tried to think about things that were more relevant to your future, like how you would advertise yourself or do some networking (perhaps you could ask Neuvillette to do some inquiring for you), but for some reason, your thoughts kept straying to other things. Like saving two slices of cake for Neuvillette and Marie. Marie would love the cake, and even though Neuvillette rarely ate sweets, you were sure he would enjoy it as well. It should be moist enough for him. The only question was, how were you going to keep the cakes fresh on the way home tomorrow? That reminds me, didn’t Neuvillette promise to take me to a restaurant? I hope he hasn’t forgotten about it. Well, he’s so busy these days that I wouldn’t be surprised if he had. Still, I was really looking forward to it...

A little voice in your head asked you if you were perhaps thinking about Neuvillette a little too much, but it was soon pulled under by a wave of drowsiness.

“I hope you’re not going to hide away in the corner with the piano all night.”

You glanced up from the sheet music for a high-spirited country dance as Justine strode into the parlor. Her hair was up in curlers, and she was wearing her bathrobe and a facial mask.

“Who else is going to play the music for all the dancing you and your friends are going to do? There’s no one as skilled on the piano as me in town, and no one else willing to take on the role of the musician all night.”

You weren’t bragging. You had plenty of practice playing reels and jigs for Justine and her friends, who lived for dancing. Though, you had been a little rusty as of late, which was why you were warming up right now.

“Mr. Guillaume will be playing the violin, and Mrs. Allen has agreed to lend her harp. And Mother can take your place on the piano. You have to take a break at some point,” Justine leaned against the piano. “Just do one or two dances, please?”

“Oh, all right.” You supposed you could dance a cotillion or a longways set.

“You can practice with me, if you want. ...I doubt Monsieur Neuvillette danced much with you.”

“How do you know that?”

“It would have made the headlines of all the newspapers if he attended a ball with an unknown woman on his arm,” Justine said, as if it was obvious. Then, her face brightened. “Unless those secret evening balls the tabloids talk about are true...?”

“I wouldn’t know about that.” Though the thought of Neuvillette sneaking off at night to go dancing was rather amusing.

“Why wouldn’t you know? You’re his wife!”

“Well...just because two people are married, it doesn’t mean they have to know everything about each other,” you said. It occurred to you then that this was the perfect opportunity to “foreshadow” your eventual divorce. “To be honest, we don’t see each other all that often. His job keeps him very busy, you know, and he comes home very late. We live separate lives, and neither of us has much interest in each other. It’s not exactly the fairytale marriage you’re hoping for, I’m afraid.”

“Oh, I know that,” Justine waved her hand. “There’s some kind of circumstance behind it, right?” Your expression must have been comical because she let out a snort of laughter. “Come on, my serious and level-headed sister suddenly getting married to the Iudex in a secret wedding within a week? You have to be an idiot not to see something’s up. I think Mother suspects it as well, but she’s choosing to ignore it.”

“I see...” Now you felt foolish. “Um...you must want to know--”

“I won’t pry. As long as he’s good to you and supports you in every way, then it doesn’t matter,” Justine peered at you closely. You were surprised. She had always been a romantic and, like your mother, devoured romance novels. “He is good to you, right? He’s not cold or neglectful? Everyone says he doesn’t like humans and is only kind to the Melusines. If he's cruel to you, then--”

“No!” you said, a little too quickly. Justine raised her eyebrow. You cleared your throat. “I mean, he’s been nothing but gentlemanly and considerate. He’s very kind and gentle--nothing at all like how he presents in court. I don’t think he hates humans at all. It’s just that he...keeps a distance from most people due to the nature of his work.”

You thought back to all the conversations you had with Neuvillette, and what you had observed of him. He simply didn’t give off the air of someone who hated humans. Would someone like that sit in the seat of the Chief Justice for centuries?

But you couldn’t say he wholeheartedly loved them either. There was a deliberate distance there, but the reason for it was unknown to you.

“Mm-hmm,” Justine made a sound. She was grinning. You then realized that you had fallen into deep thought. “So, tell me more about my brother-in-law.”

“B-Brother-in-law?” you spluttered.

“Isn’t that what he is?”

“Well...yes, but...” It had only occurred to you then that Neuvillette was technically related to your family now. You had never gave it much thought before, so focused on other aspects of the marriage. You cleared your throat again. “What do you want to know? Just so you know, I don’t know his true identity or anything.”

“I don’t care about that! I want to know what living with him is like. He’s so mysterious, after all! Ooh, I don’t know how you can bear seeing that handsome face every single day!” Now she was sounding more like her old self.

You had a feeling that she would keep pestering you if you didn’t throw her a bone. What’s the harm in telling her a few things, you thought. Plus, you did kind of wanted to talk to someone about him.

“You get used to it after a few months,” you started, and Justine leaned forward in rapt attention.

“So...he’s an old man, basically?” Justine said after you finished talking. You were currently in the kitchen, watching Mrs. Bernard icing the cake. The three-tiered butterscotch cake was decorated with pink and blue roses (“Didn’t I tell you? It’s to celebrate your wedding!” Justine answered when you asked about the blue roses) and looked every bit as delicious as something you’d see in the window displays of the fancy cake shops in the Court.

“What...? How did you get to that conclusion?” you whirled around to her. Mrs. Bernard let out a quiet snort.

“According to you, he enjoys long, solitary walks by the water, has a preference for moist foods, and loves talking to his daughters and asking about their day. That sounds just like Old Man Julien,” Justine replied matter-of-factly. Old Man Julien was an elderly neighbor of yours who had no teeth. And he did enjoy long walks and chewable foods.

“...No, it doesn’t,” you said, even as you inwardly thought that you might have inadvertently ruined Neuvillette’s image. Although, he is old...and a man...so she’s technically correct...wait, why am I thinking about this!? “So what? Is that a crime? Nothing wrong with having distinctive tastes, is there?”

“Never said there was,” Justine was still grinning. You turned away from her with a huff, and she hopped around to face you. “And Sister, you’re a terrible liar!”

“What do you mean?”

“You are interested in Monsieur Neuvillette! I’ve never seen you talk so much about someone who isn’t some musty old historical figure!” Justine clapped her hands together.

“And smiling at that,” Mrs. Bernard added. You didn’t recall smiling.

“That’s because he’s an interesting person. Like you said, he’s mysterious. No one knows what he is or where he came from. And he’s hundreds of years old, and...” Realizing that you sounded far too defensive, you clamped your lips shut.

“Oh, Sister, you should just be honest with yourself,” Justine shook her head.

“I do not know what you are talking about. I did not lie about a single thing. And you should watch how you speak about your brother-in-law.”

“I know, I know... Ooh, I have an idea. Let me do your makeup! And then I’ll take pictures and send them to my brother-in-law, and then he’ll be so awestruck by your beauty that he’ll be eager to take you to balls every night!”

“Please don’t do that. It’s a secret marriage, remember?” you reminded her as she dragged you upstairs.

But she wasn’t listening to you as she chattered to herself. “...And then I’ll tie blue ribbons into your hair, to match those blue things in his hair.”

“Actually, those are horns,” you couldn’t help but correct her.

“They are!? ...I bet he let you touch them, didn’t he?”

You suppressed a groan. You were beginning to regret telling her anything at all.

I hope Neuvillette’s having a more relaxing time than me, you thought.

Previous | Next

Taglist:@just-simping-over-genshin, @xalphafox, @jqnehr, @favficdump, @thetwinkims, @cielclassy, @the-mxs-of-many, @mxyarylla, @lynettezz, @rosedpetal, @blue-sapphire-ink, @cringeycookies, @cherie-soup, @rilllvri, @anyaeuh

#neuvillette x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #the winding path of fate #neuvillette x female reader #my works

66 notes · View notes

daydreamer-in-training · 6 months ago

Text

✨OP Advent Calendar Masterlist ✨

Door 23 - Under the Misteltoe Part 2

Eustass Kid x afab!reader

Word Count: 2.200+

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 (nsfw)

As in the previous one, Kid is an Idiot that can't deal with his feelings at first, which leads to him hurting your this time. You two talk and your emotions finally bubble over.

Themes: Hurt and comfort, softness, confession of feelings, NSFW 18+, afab!Reader, hot makeout sesh, vaginal fingering. Missrepräsentation of Kids devil fruit abilities and bad scottish accents 😔

Notes: The three other commanders are the secret heroes here! 😤I didn't plan it to be two parts, but i take it! Wrote and edited this while preparing for Christmas yesterday and after I was full with good food. I wanted to finish this entry in time, as a Christmas present to all of you! ❤️✨ Uploading this now before i think to much about it again. Also its ma first nsfw story and my first story with several parts, yay!

I wish y’all a happy time with your loved ones! Love you! ❤️✨

Please Note that Englisch is not my first languages ✨ Not beta read, I die like the Christmas Ornament our dog broke yesterday! But maybe I will edit it tomorrow.

Advent Calendar Taglist: @jintaka-hane @stuckinmymind22 @chibinasuu @armiliadawn @pandora-writes-one-piece @eustasscapitankid

This part is 18+ at the End, please proceed with caution

The three commanders knew straight away that Kid must have messed things up with you last night on the night watch. Unfortunately, there wasn't much time to set something else up for you two before the Christmas party tonight, especially with you avoiding each other. Fortunately, Killer had managed to talk to you before it started, to know what had happened the night before.

The atmosphere between you and the Capitain has been strange since yesterday. Of course, everyone had already noticed, but nobody said anything. Kid looked like a ticking time bomb all day, he also avoided you and you avoided him in return.

By now the party was in full swing, the eggnog and rum had already flowed freely. But neither you nor Kid touched the alcohol. You were too nervous to Drink after yesterday. It was time for the traditional gift exchange. Everyone gave each other a little something, which was custom at the Viktoriapunk. It was a wild mess as everyone tried to get rid of their presents and get one in return. You had knitted Kid a scarf because he often complained about the cold weather and wanted to give it to him despite everything. Killer had also encouraged you this afternoon, despite everything that had happened.

It was difficult to catch him in all the commotion, but Wire inconspicuously stood in your captain's way so that you were standing in front of him after all. "Captain! Here, this is for you!" Being able to give him the present you made yourself made you very happy. You pressed the lovingly wrapped Box into his hand, but he looked to the side. You couldn't read his expression. "Thank you. I haven't got a present for ya, I guess I forgot." He replied quickly without looking at you.

Ouch, that hurt. But on the outside, you don't let it show. Instead, you smiled warmly at him. "It's no big deal, you have so much to do as captain, stuff like that happens." You replied quickly. To flee this Situation and forget about it, you quickly turned to Bubblegum, with whom you exchanged your gift and an exuberant hug.

Wire had heard all of this and did not believe it at all, you were being to kind and brave about all of this. He decided to keep an eye on you and maybe try to talk to Kid later as well.

After all the presents had been exchanged, the party continued as usual. You tried to be cheerful and enjoy it, but you found it harder and harder to push aside your feelings of sadness and heartbreak. At a moment when you thought you were unnoticed, you disappeared out of the door with a pained expression on your face.

But Killer and Heat saw you do it. Kid's action from earlier hadn't passed them by thanks to Wire. So after exchanging glances, they roughly pulled the captain aside to talk some sense into him.

You tried to push the tears down, that were swelling up in your eyes, as you walked down the hallway towards your sleeping quarters. It didn't quite work.

This morning, Killer obviously noticed the weird vibes between you and Kid and pulled you aside to ask what had happened. “I’m just so confused about this… maybe I’ve made a mistake with Kissing him under the Mistletoe...” you murmured as you wiped a tear away from your cheeks after you explained what had happened the previous night. “I just hope this will pass”. You wanted things to be as before. You started trembling, so Killer pulled you to his broad chest and slid his strong arms around you. He gently rocked you from side to side. “Hey Sweets… No crying on Christmas-Eve, okay?” His voice was gentle through the mask. “You did nothin’ wrong, he is just a fucking Idiot and his emotional capacity is that of a Seaurchin”. His comment made you giggled into his Christmas sweater between sobs. The embrace of the muscular softie always had a calming effect on you. “He cares ‘bout you, I promise. Kid just needs some time to realize things.” The first Mate mused, as he noticed you had calmed down a bit. After a long moment you separated from him with a sniffle and smiled up at him. “Thank you, Killer. I will not give up just yet!”. The first Mate crossed his Arms and nodded proudly.

Maybe Killer was wrong when he said Kid cared? No, that made no sense to you. You trusted Kid as your Captain and he does care about his crew. But maybe he didn't care about you in that special way you wished he would. You sobbed when this thought hit you.

When you heard footsteps approaching from down the hallway, you immediately hid behind the next door you could find. You didn't want anyone to see you upset over a stupid present. As you wiped away your tears, you realized you were standing in Kid’s Workshop. You scoffed a bit at this dumb coincidence. You turned around to leafe, listening if the footsteps had subsided.

But in that moment no other than Captain Eustass Kid pulled the door open and froze for a moment when he finally found you, then closed it behind him. “There ya are!”, he seemed tense. “Oh, hello Captain.” You turned your head away from him, embarrassed that it was him to find you hiding away with puffy eyes from crying.

As you didn't say anything else, he stood there in front of you, not finding the words he desperately wanted to tell you. “I’m sorry about earlier,” he finally said. You still didn't look at him, afraid your emotions would take the better of you. “Please look at me, will ya?”, he added as he gently took your hand in his and brushed a thumb along the back of your hand. His gentle touch made you look up at him. Your heart ached.

Kids amber eyes were soft as he gazed into yours, a tired laughter passend his lips. “I lied about the gift… I made ya something. I don' know what I was thinkin’ back then”. Kid raised his metal arm as small blue lightning started to surround it.

You watched in quiet disbelief as a little metal figurine flew towards you. He caught it in the air and softly placed it into your hand he was still holding. Your heart was pounding in your chest. “I guess I got cold feet or somthin’. Thinking ya woun't want it anyways after yesterday…“.

He watched your eyes well up again as you inspected the little star shaped memento he had handcrafted for you. Your fingers traced the metal slowly. “It's beautiful Kid…thank you.” your voice was a trembling whisper, but you smiled that kind smile of your, that he loved so much.

“I hate seeing ya cry” he blurted out after a moment of silence, in which you continued to look at the figure and thought about what you wanted to say now. “I never meant to hurt you either!”, his face contorted as he said that. Damn it that was hard to say, but he can't lose you.

“Then…what was that yesterday?” You wanted to sound stern and indifferent. But that wasn't you. Your voice was quiet and trembled as you asked him, afraid what his answer might be.

He instinctively took a step towards you, invading your space as he did so. Carefully he watched your reactions to it, and as you didn't step away, he lifted your chin up. Your eyes fluttered at his touch.

Kids eyes darted between yours and he took a deep breath before saying what he did next. “I wanted to protect ya, Sweets… didn' want ya doing anything you might regret later”, you scoffed at that, but he continued talking, holding back a grin at your feistiness “I’m ya Captain, I don't kno’ If ya only doin' it because I want to”.

You rolled your eyes in annoyance at his way of thinking and shoved him against the shoulder, which didn't really have any effect given his size and your strength. “We are Pirates, Kid! I AM a Piraten! Fuck these stupid arbitrary rules” Your eyebrows met in the centre of your forehead, more out of disbelief than anger. Sighing, you put your hand on his chest, shake your head as you gave up your attempt to be angry. “Why would I kiss you If I wasn't-” you swallowed your next words, instead saying something else. “I am my own person! I decide who I want to kiss myself”.

Kids' heart was hammering against his ribcage. He took your hand from its place on his chest and brought it close to his lips. “If you weren’t what?” he lifted his eyebrow smugly, challenging you to say it. He needed to hear you say it.

A defeated sigh left your lips, this man made you weak “If I wasn't completely convinced that I like you and trust you completely.” your face went hot at your confession, but your eyes never left his.

A rough laughter tumblerd over his lips before he pressed them to your hand. His metal arm pulled you close and you let yourself fall against his chest. Your eyes searched his face as he leaned down close to you. “I was scared ya reject me…” he whispered, his arm gliding up your back made you shiver. “Ya make me crazy” he leaned his forehead to yours as he closed his eyes, yours falling shut as well “ya make my heart soar when ya smile at me”.

You turned your head to brush your lips gently against his. “I want ya close ta me, always”, he whispered. At his words, you took his face in your hands and pressed your lips firmly against his. He immediately returned this in an initially cautious kiss, which very quickly gave way to his passion and became more heated.

He lifted you up easily and you slung your legs around him. A soft moan slipped past your lips as his tough started exploring your mouth. He carried you to his workbench, where he set you down without interrupting the kiss.

His warm hand roaming your body, pulling at the fabric of your clothes while you got rid of his harness and shirt. Finally you were able to let your hands glide over his muscular chest and abs. You broke the kiss, out of breath from the passionate kiss to take him in. He was breathtaking. As his eyes took you in hungrily, he slid his hands under your shirt, looking at you questioningly. You nodded and lifted your arms to help him take it off. He breathed out a soft Oh, as he saw your exposed chest for the first time, as you didn't wear a bra underneath. It made you giggle softly.

“Are ya sure ya want this?” your captain asked in a hoarse wisper. His fingers were tracing the exposed skin on your side , itching to go higher. You placed your hands on either side of his face and placed your lips on his nose bridge with a smile. “I am sure, Kid. I want you with me, and on me,” your lips glide down to his lips “and inside me.” you whispered into a hungry kiss. The bold confession made you blush and unleashed a hunger in Kid. His right hand cupped your chest and massaged it gently. In turn, you arched your back, moaning for more into his mouth.

Done with patience, Kid let go of your breasts and ripped your pants off quickly. With a soft tuck on your lips, he let them go to watch, as he pulled down your underwear. Your wetness has made it through the fabric, it left a thin connection to your skin as he pulled it away. “Fuck”, He breathed out, his eyes almost gleaming with lust. “So wet, so beautiful…” he mused as he gently started to toy with your folds, making you shiver. “and all for me?”. You mewled, as he teased you, biting your lips. “Yes Kid…all for you” you said, with that soft smile that made him crazy.

He inserted one finger into your entrance, earning him a whimper from you, and then quickly a second one. He watched you closely as he started pumping in and out and rubbing inside you to figure out the best way to make you feel good. Your desperate moans and mewls stroked his fire.

Kid growled, his hard cock pressing uncomfortably against the inside of his pants. You rubbed him through the fabric at first, now opening the zipper to pull him out. Your nimble fingers where circling his cockhead. He moaned against the skin of your neck, biting and kissing the soft flesh to leave marks there. “Shouldn't have said that, Love”, his low voice gave you goosebumps. “I will make you mine”.

#eustass kid x reader #eustass kid #one piece #one piece x reader #kid x reader #kidd x reader #opkid x reader #OP Advent Calendar 24 #cocos christmas

72 notes · View notes

themissinghand · 1 year ago

Text

Genshin Impact: The Overworked God [2]

Part 1

Summary: In which one of the lore writers who help write the world of Genshin Impact was suddenly thrusted in the very world they created.

Well, testing characters is one thing, but playing God, and raising 7 children at a time?

Oh boy. He just wants to go home and sleep.

Note: Finally back from break!

Part 2 of the Overworked God! Creator! Male OC!

What if we had a smarter Creator that never forgot his initial wish of going home?

Warning: Genshin and SAGAU themes, some OOC and angst.

★・・・・・・★

Tempus, or Kai has been in the world of Genshin Impact for a very long time, since its creation where it was just him and Celestia.

He struck a deal with Celestia, promising to be the Creator and consequently the God of Time to help create Teyvat, but on his own terms. Doing what he can to save his creations from unnecessary pain and suffering.

So, he’s still overworked, stressed and sleepy all the time, especially now that he has to take care of 7 children too.

But finally…today is the day he could finally go home.

Home sounds foreign to him, after all, he spent more years in Teyvat than on Earth, but he has never given up on returning after fulfilling his duty as the Creator.

It’s going to be a difficult announcement to make, considering how attached his children could be, but perhaps, he could twist the narrative just a bit to appease them.

“Tempus!” Speaking of, two bundles of mass hopped towards him as usual, and he caught them with both arms as if it was a routine. He stumbles a bit, sighs, but pats them on the head.

“It’s been so long since you visited Monstadt! I missed you~” Venti hugged his waist as he peaked up with puppy eyes. Before Kai could respond, Furina beat him to it.

“It’s because he likes Fontaine better! He’s been in my country the longest!” Furina quipped back with a proud expression on her face.

“That’s because you suck at ruling your country!”

“Says you, Mr. Drunkard Bard!”

At least they both have trustworthy people like Neuvillette and Jean to take care of their country…

“That’s enough, you two.” A spark of lightning scared the two to cling onto Tempus even more, but Ei easily picked the two off.

Ah, one of the more responsible leaders…

“Please ignore these two, Tempus.” Ei says stoically, as she sends a deadly glare that shuts the two up.

“It’s fine.” Tempus greets every single Archon with a nod, before taking a seat at the head of the table, his expression showing his tiredness despite the light-hearted banter that usually happens during these meetings.

“Have a seat everyone.” All the Archons did a curt bow before taking their respective seats.

Materializing snacks resembling that of an English afternoon teatime, he smiled when even the stoic Tsaritsa seemed to enjoy his food.

It’s a shame though, this will be his last time.

“Tempus.” He turned to the Tsaritsa, who seemed to notice his distress.

“I’m fine.” He brushed it away, before he felt a cold hand on his.

“Let us know if anything is bothering you.” Zhongli added on, and Tempus shook his head.

His children could handle Teyvat without him, what else would he be worried about?

“Tempus, are your worries the reason why did you call us all today?” Sharp as always, Nahida asks, gaining everyone’s attention all at once.

In the end…Rukkhadevata chose her fate. There are things that could not be changed…

“Yes.” Feeling everyone’s eyes on him, he felt even more estranged.

"As you know, I've overseen Teyvat, guided you all, and tried to make amends for the mistakes of the past," Tempus continued.

“After much thought, I believe it’s time for me to rest.”

Multiple teacups fell onto the table with a loud thud. With a wave of his hand, the spilled tea disappeared.

“T-Tempus! What, what do you mean?” Murata stood up abruptly, knocking over a flower vase, which Tempus easily dissolved to nothing.

“Tempus, how could you abandon us!”

“Calm down.” But it seems to have no effect, instead, he felt the cold hand squeeze his own, sending a shiver down his spine.

“Tempus, you belong to us.”

“As I’ve said, I will be going into deep slumber-” Suddenly, many eyes shot towards the Bard who looked very pale.

“-to take a break.” A teacup shattered, but Tempus paid no mind to it.

“My decision is final, and I hope you can take care of Teyvat while I rest.” For eternity.

“Tempus.” Scoring golden eyes burned into Kai’s soul, and he forced himself to remain neutral as he stared at Zhongli-Morax.

“Please stay. I’m begging you, please, Your Eminence. Please don’t leave us.”

"But what of Teyvat? You've become integral to the stability and well-being of this world, and us." There were many nods that followed.

“We need you.”

There was desperation in his voice, and while it did hurt Tempus to leave them, he doubted he could stay any longer knowing that he could finally leave.

“All of you are strong and are capable enough to rule your countries, which I am very proud of. Teyvat will be in good hands." Some Archons smiled briefly, but it was short lived.

"Which is why it's time for me to step aside and take a break."

They had grown accustomed to Tempus's guidance, his wisdom, and his tireless efforts to steer them towards a better path, so for them to lose his support is like fighting without a weapon.

“W-Where, will you be resting? In Temporium?” Furina’s shaky voice filled the silent room.

“Stay here, the Fortress of Meropide will keep you safe. Fontaine and I will keep you safe.”

“Yes.”

“For how long?” Venti asked, anxiety in his voice.

“I’ll find you, I’ll find you no matter where you run.”

“I do not know, for as long as my body needs.” Their faces became pale at thinking of the possibility of not seeing Tempus again.

With a sigh, he stood up, making others rush to stand too.

“Come here, each one of you.” In an instant, they rushed over and Tempus pulled them one by one into a hug. While he made himself tall and muscular, he felt small in the group hug that lasted an incredibly long time.

He felt arms around his waist, chest, arms and back, being hugged by 7 people at once was somewhat suffocating.

“You all will do great. I will miss you all.” This was not a lie.

“Time flows like water, and perhaps I will wake sooner than you all expect.” This was a lie.

Tempus heard sniffles, and felt hands grabbing his robes and weaving through his long hair.

“Tempus…do you have to leave us?” Nahida asked, tugging his heart strings as he saw such a wise person tear up.

Did she read my thoughts?

Tempus got rid of that idea as he forbade her from doing so, and with his current power alongside Celestia’s authority, she should be blocked from doing such a thing.

“I am not leaving, Nahida. I am merely resting.”

Finally, with some coaxing, he managed to peel them off one by one.

“I leave Teyvat in your hands.”

With that, Tempus bid farewell to the Archons and quickly prepared to depart from Celestia. The longer he stayed, the more unbearable this would become.

However, once he left, the atmosphere shifted once more. The Archons, loyal to their Creator beyond measure, exchanged anxious glances, and a heavy silence settled over the chamber.

“Tempus lied.” Nahida said, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Nahida?” All of the Archons felt their heart drop at her words.

“He may be resting in Temporium, but there’s more to it. I can’t read his mind completely, but…he’s going to leave us if we let him go.”

“What are we waiting for then?” Suddenly, the atmosphere turned cold. The Tsaritsa stepped forward with her Ice scepter, Permafrost. Like many other Archon’s weapons, they were gifted to them by the Creator himself.

“If Buer’s words are true, then while his body remains in Temporium, his soul is elsewhere.”

The Archons soon came to a consensus.

“We cannot let him go into slumber.”

Or they will lose him completely.

[Are you ready, dear Creator?]

Tempus laid in his resting chamber on the edges of Temporium, in a makeshift mountain. He created this place in secret, so no one else by him knows.

He felt bad for his kingdom, as he told the royal family that he will be gone doing his Godly duties for a long time, but never informed how long.

Regardless, they should be able to live without a god, considering the technology and time Tempus gave them.

[Yes]

As he lay in his comfortable bed with minimal decorations or other items, he shut his eyes and reminisced about the past.

Although it was a very long time, he was never really alone.

But he has seen much more than a normal human on Earth, from war to life and death, to the repetitions of stories by going back in time many times to fix his mistakes.

“Stop him! He’s going back in time!”

Truly, it takes a mental toll on his mind. He can’t let his emotions take over, otherwise, he would have to redo everything again.

[Thank you for your work, dear Creator]

[Just make sure you fulfill your side of the deal]

[Of course]

When he shut his eyes, he felt safe, comfortable and oddly relieved, relieved of his duties at last.

“Tempus!”

His eyes snapped open and saw his chamber shake with vigor. All of his protective mechanisms activate, indeed, he prepared for this.

“Tempus!”

Voices slowly became louder and the earth seemed to roar.

How did they find him? Was it Buer? It must've been.

“Tempus!”

There was desperation in their voices, and Kai assumed that they seemed to have figured something out.

Perhaps honesty was better, but in the end, this was always the outcome.

Yes, Tempus already knew that no matter what he did, the Archons would rebel, would seek him out.

Even if the walls seem to crumble, it did not affect Kai’s chamber, after all, it was sealed and protected with his powers.

But perhaps with a bit more persistence, they would soon destroy the mountain all together, leaving him and his chamber exposed. But, Tempus was not worried, after all, he had prepared for this moment too long ago.

[Farewell, dear Creator]

Suddenly, he felt a bright light engulf him as he felt incredibly sleepy.

Through his blurred vision, he could see the stormy skies, and all seven Archons rushing towards him.

“Tempus!”

“You can’t leave us, Tempus!”

Seeing them in their prime, in their Archon outfits was a little nostalgic.

Hearing a crack in his chamber’s shield was somewhat surprising, but also, incredible. His children have grown up well.

[Farewell]

With a fleeting smile, Tempus bids farewell to his second home.

“Tempus!”

His eyes close, just as the light takes him whole.

“Tempus!”

Morax and Murata pierced through the tough protective layers desperately, and Ei and Venti whiz past them to reach their Creator.

But, they were too late.

“No, Tempus is…he’s-” Barbados was crying as he held Tempus’s hand.

“Kai! Kai!” Furina bawled her eyes out, calling his real name repeatedly as if it would bring him back.

But he won’t come back.

Bal held his body as she froze in shock (in regret), as if she was reminded of her past.

“Tempus, you’re cruel.” Buer, the one who got them so far and so close but not enough. She knelt down beside him and cried while pressing his hand into her face.

“You’ve left us with death, not slumber. You lied, you lied!”

It was like they lost a part of themselves.

After all, Tempus was there whenever they needed guidance, he sacrificed his own personal time to make sure they were alright.

“K-Kai…” Morax stumbled towards the still body that used to be his friend, mentor, benefactor, love, and everything.

Even in death, he was still so beautiful, kind and holy.

Tempus was their everything.

The Tsaritsa dragged herself towards Tempus with her scepter. She was known to not show her emotions, even when Tempus encouraged her to do so to stay emotionally healthy. He was the only one that saw her vulnerable side, and knew who she really was, and never judged her for it.

“Tempus. How dare you…abandon us like this?” She stood by Tempus’s feet and her eyes did not leave his body at all.

While others wept, her tears were turned into weapons.

Murata stood by her with the same dark, solemn expression.

It’s not fair.

How could he treat them like his everything, and then leave them so abruptly?

If only he could open his eyes again and say it was nothing but a terrible joke.

But Tempus is gone, leaving his lifeless body as his final memory and gift.

296 notes · View notes

mylovelies-docx · 2 years ago

Text

Sorry, I Love You - Part 5

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood afternoon, everyone.

:) Have fun

Plot: You and Bucky have a good thing going - best of friends that also have more than a little chemistry between the sheets. Everything is fine until you develop feelings for the man who doesn't want a relationship. What will happen when Bucky finds out?

C/W: Awkwardness, flashbacks, feels

Word Count: 1,950

Tag List: NOW CLOSED! If you'd like to keep up with this story, please follow my blog and turn on notifications! ❤️ you :)

[Prologue][Part 1][Part 2][Part 3][Part 4]

This wouldn't be your and Bucky's first undercover mission together, but it would be the first one where the tension between you is decidedly not sexual. You're not even sure how well the two of you can pull off this charade since you have no idea what your chemistry is like anymore. Used to, you could do anything together, be anything together.

Not so much now.

There’s an awkwardness between you. Silences pregnant with all the things left unsaid – or should have been left unsaid. You’ll catch Bucky watching you from the corner of your eyes, always with an unreadable expression like he’s trying to figure you out again without actually asking any questions.

You can't imagine that you've changed so much in the intervening months, but Bucky makes so much progress in therapy that his confidence in himself and his personality grow by leaps and bounds all the time.

You don’t know this new Bucky, but you wish you did. You wish you had been with him to see his growth, encourage him on.

You’ve missed out on so much of your life by staying away from the Tower. You’d had so many plans that never came to be – no walks in the park when the flowers started to bloom, no trips to the beach on the hottest days of the year, no ice skating when the first snow fell. You kept a tab on everything that should have been on the calendar in your mind, noting all the days that had significance in the past but went uncelebrated this year.

But what’s done is done, and you have to pay for your actions – half a year away is a small price to have Bucky back in your life, even as a stranger instead of your lover.

You’re now trying to organize your new life on the outskirts of a small town in Russia, just a few miles away from a HYDRA base. Snow was falling thick and fast as the quinjet touched down hours ago, leaving behind a pristine blanket of white outside your new home. The small, two-bedroom cottage looks rustic, but it is still nicer than most of the surrounding homes due to Tony’s influence. There is hidden technology that will help the house to stay warm in this cold climate and random high-tech appliances, lights, and other things that look normal and are anything but.

With the HYDRA base going radio silent, you may be in this little home for longer than was initially expected earlier this year. Bucky is sure that the base is still active, though. He spent a lot of time here as the Winter Soldier, but no one has received reports from the embedded spy in recent months. This inactivity is concerning since you're no longer sure what is going on inside the building anymore.

It would be too obvious for Bucky to go undercover inside the facility, so that leaves it up to you to infiltrate as a researcher. The spy had assured last year that no one from the facility lived in the town you’ve settled in, so it’s safe enough for Bucky to remain close by as you work.

But the small town you’ve settled in is so traditional that the only way to remain inconspicuous as a younger woman is to be connected to a man in some way – be it living with family members or a husband.

And since you don't want to be labeled an outcast or worse, Bucky is here.

Bucky is going to be a mechanic at the small family-owned shop just down the road, and his prosthesis is covered in Stark technology that makes it appear as if he’d never lost it. Bucky used to spend a lot of time fixing up old cars and motorcycles between missions, so he should really enjoy spending his days in the garage helping out the Kowalds.

Unfortunately, your background isn’t as fun. You’re a whiz when it comes to biology, so Nat cooked up a false resume full of lab work that centers around eugenics and biomanipulation – things your spy had reported the facility was actively looking into. In order to get your foot in the door at the HYDRA facility, the Avengers had to create a background so disturbing that you're not even sure if you can interview for it properly.

You're just zipping up into your thick winter coat when Bucky walks out of the kitchen drying his hands on a dish towel.

“You headin’ out now, doll?” He asks, a small worry line between his eyebrows.

“Yup,” you answer back with a comforting smile on your face. “I need to go meet with our contact to make sure that everything is still okay.”

“Just be careful, yeah?” he tells you, slinging the towel up onto his shoulder. Today is his first day at the mechanic shop, so he's dressed in blue overalls with a small name tag stitched onto his chest. The sun is just barely rising, but he's going to be late if he doesn't hurry.

"You know me, Buck. My middle name is Safe."

"Your middle name is Trouble and you can't convince me otherwise, babygirl."

You stick your tongue out at him and blow a raspberry, holding your middle finger up in the air as you turn around and head out the door. Once out of his sight, you smile and bask in the feeling of having your friend back.

You'd missed the banter and easy wit you used to share together, so this small exchange feels like a return to normal. The awkwardness might return in time, but you hope Bucky has forgiven you enough to power through.

You trek along the deserted streets. The early hour and layer of snow on the ground seems to be keeping the townsfolk within their homes, wrapped snugly under their warm blankets. You sigh heavily and watch your breath fog in the air, the mist condensing and freezing your skin as you walk through the cloud.

You pass house after house, noticing lights turning on and the sound of hairdryers, televisions, and conversations humming in the air. Everything has a vague, indistinct quality to it, lulling you into daydreams of what their lives are like. Is it simple? Do they enjoy this cold, snowy location? Or are they also dreaming of a warm day laying in the grass in nothing but a pair of shorts and a tank top?

A memory worms its way to the surface of your mind of a day spent just like that with Bucky.

This was only a few weeks before your friends-with-benefits situation started. It was the hottest day of the year so far, the humidity heavy in the air and making the sidewalks and parks of New York City intensely uncomfortable. Even though Stark has the Tower equipped with the latest technology, he's incapable of leaving anything well enough alone. He'd been tinkering with the HVAC and somehow short-circuited the entire system. Everyone in the Tower was miserable and cranky, choosing to avoid one another in an attempt to stave off arguments and confrontations.

You'd been sitting in the shade of the balcony, fanning yourself as you watched all the teeny tiny people on the ground maneuver the crosswalks and traffic to get to where they were going. It was no warmer outside than it was in your room, so you chose to people-watch instead of lay there and sweat miserably on your clean sheets.

Just as some bratty kid you’d been watching chucked the ice cream he’d been yelling for only moments ago onto the sidewalk, the sliding glass doors behind you whooshed open. The sound of metal knocking against the doorframe had let you know that Bucky was the one to interrupt your spying.

Regretfully turning your neck, you felt your skin sliding wet and hot against itself. A frown marred your features as you stared at Bucky as he stood behind you, his eyes alight with mischievous glee.

“What did you do…?” You question slowly, almost afraid to know what that look was all about.

He shrugged a shoulder and smirked. “Nothing too bad.”

“BARNES!!!” a voice roared from the depths of the Tower.

You quirked an eyebrow at him and a small, disbelieving smile graced your lips. “That doesn’t sound like nothing, Buck.”

Bucky hmm’d and glanced back into the building when a CRASH reverberated from where the voice had yelled moments ago. “I was going to get out of here for a while. You wanna come?” he questioned breezily.

“And why would I want to leave when Tony’s working on fixing the AC?” you replied as you continued to fan yourself. Bucky’s eyebrows had quirked ever so slightly.

“Y/L/N!!!”

Your hand had frozen mid-fan and your eyes widened so much that Bucky couldn’t help but laugh.

“Where’d you say we were going?” you asked as you rose quickly from your seat and bypassed Bucky at the door.

***

“You little shit!” You had laughed uproariously when Bucky finally admitted to the prank.

“What else was I gonna do?” he responded, turning his face to look at you.

Even with the intense heat that day, you and Bucky had decided to forgo the climate controlled vehicles in the garage and went instead with the fastest getaway vehicle – Bucky’s bike. The wind had whipped against your body when you held onto Bucky and watched the city fall into the distance behind you.

He apparently hadn’t had a destination in mind, so you had ridden until cities and towns disappeared. He’d pulled off beside a barely visible hiking trail and jumped off his bike. You had followed suit and watched as Bucky pulled a blanket from inside the storage compartment on the bike. You hiked your eyebrows questioningly, but only got a grin in response.

That’s how you had found yourself lounging on a blanket in the middle of a field with Bucky on the hottest day of the year. You’d chatted and laughed for hours until the sun had slowly faded from the sky. Out that far, the light pollution of the cities couldn’t touch the stars. You had gazed upwards, trying to draw the constellations as you remembered them.

You weren’t any good at astrology or astronomy, but the stories behind the figures in the sky captivated you nonetheless.

You laughed again and turned to face him as well. “And why’d you have to implicate me, huh?”

“Figured it’d be more fun that way,” he had answered slyly.

You had wound your arm up and smacked him on the stomach, your hand bouncing off of the toned muscles. He’d caught your wrist on the next swing and held it up and away from his body. You’d tried to tug it away, but his metal fingers held fast and didn’t let you go. You rolled over toward him and began trying to use your body as leverage, but you had only succeeded in pulling yourself closer to him.

You huffed and blew the piece of hair that had fallen over your eyes away and looked up at him. He’d had a look in his eyes that he hadn’t directed at you before, but you’d seen glimpses of it when he’d find someone to bring back for the night.

You can’t help but think that that moment had been the turning point in your friendship with Bucky, the moment he thought about asking you to be friends-with-benefits. Of course you’d found him handsome long before then, but that was a moment that really cemented your attraction to him.

You didn’t have romantic feelings at the time, but you should have known they were inevitable.

Part 6

@jackiehollanderr @rabbitrabbit12321 @12345sebby @blackwood-bodecker-housewife @lauraashley93 @themorningsunshine @happinessinthebeing @nash-dara @calwitch@stany0url0calwh0res111 @pono-pura-vida @learisa @introverbatim @kentokaze @marvelogic @kaz11283

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky x y/n #bucky fanfic #Sorry I Love You

538 notes · View notes

caramel1mochi · 7 months ago

Text

ㅤㅤPlasma [ Yoru x F! Reader ] [2] [ part 1 / part 2 ] words: 4.5k / Please refrain from stealing my work.

ㅤIt's known that earning Yoru's attention is a futile struggle. Still, the first to achieve it is you — a woman who plans for nothing beyond the optimal spot to doze off.ㅤ

note: This part contains two premium scenes! This emoji 🔆 is where the scenes would take place. Available on my Kofi for tier one and above, hehe

It didn’t take long before you all finally arrived at the base. Fortunately, by the time the vehicle landed, Iso’s body was now capable of healing itself without your help anymore, and the curse on Clove’s bones seemed to be stagnant. All the while Omen suffered no effects from everything that had just occurred.

Perks of being a wraith, right? Or something like that.

With Sage's reassurance, you would potentially get examined, pulled aside to fill out some forms then finally be integrated in the protocol with a codename of your own. From the way she described it, it didn't sound like a very complicated process. Which was very amiss for a so-called covert protocol who were pretty much your enemies twenty minutes ago.

Things seemed to be looking up, you mused.

But just as you stepped foot outside of the vehicle, not only did the afternoon sun pierce your eyes like arrows, but you were met with a group of at least a dozen people… who all had their rifles aimed at you.

What a greeting, huh?

Suddenly you questioned their claims about how friendly the members of this Valorant thing were.

ㅤㅤ

“Who's this, exactly?”

ㅤㅤ

One green-eyed woman hissed before you could take in their appearances. Sage, however, emerged from within the aircraft, and just her presence loosened their grips on their weaponry

ㅤㅤ

“Viper, please, put down the guns! This is our new recruit!”

ㅤㅤ

You expected the expression of wrath to ease, but it wasn’t. In fact, given the look of surprised followed with anger as she glanced at the healer, it let you know her words made things worse.

ㅤㅤ

“Excuse me? I don’t remember giving you the authority to recruit agents on the spot, Sage.”

ㅤㅤ

Viper uttered her name with a certain amount of vitriol.

Then, a much larger hand landed on her shoulder, and all of your eyes were instead locked on a massive burly man with a peculiar orange beret. He triumphed over the chemist with ease in terms of both height and muscle. Despite all of this, however, he was clearly much less intimidating than her by appearance and posture alone.

ㅤㅤ

“Calm down, Sabine. I’m sure Sage had a good reason.”

ㅤㅤ

Sage nodded, relieved at his words.

ㅤㅤ

“The radiants the Scions of Hourglass recruited were incredibly dangerous; we would’ve suffered heavy losses without her. Besides,” she glanced at you with a warm smile, “she’s Iso’s friend. She can help us uncover more about them.”

ㅤㅤ

Viper promptly stared at you with narrow eyes. Her unchanged posture was enough indication that she wasn't phased by Sage's hopeful words in the slightest.

And despite seeing what was practically the worst of the worst, you felt a bit uneasy being ruthlessly scrutinised like this by who seemed to be their superior. So much for a more 'merciful' protocol. Viper was just like one of your superiors, only she didn't hide behind dozens of appearances and fake names to give out cruel orders.

Your train of thought burst once she suddenly put down her weapon.

Everyone put down their own guns with a wave of her hand. Then, she took a step forward, moving closer towards you. With every step, Viper's heels sharply clicked against the porcelain ground you all stood on. Her glare remained unyielding, and her grip on her pistol grew firmer.

ㅤㅤ

“I'm impressed this one managed to gain the trust of our most indispensable assets within...” she stopped and gave you a once-over, “a few hours.”

ㅤㅤ

You were taken aback by her description of Sage. But before any of you could bite back, the larger man stepped up and swiftly interrupted, his tone much louder and friendlier than hers.

ㅤㅤ

"Alright, listen, let's save this chit-chat for later and focus on what's important."

ㅤㅤ

"Of course... I should be taking care of Clove, after all."

ㅤㅤ

You were surprised Brimstone had the guts to say something like that while the rest hadn't dared utter a single sound. Nevertheless, Brim and Sage's attempts to take Viper's attention away from you were in vain. Her eyes still drilled through yours with an unfathomable amount of malice.

Unfathomable to others, of course. This look was very familiar to you.

ㅤㅤ

"I'll handle Sage. Brim, you'll be taking care of our guest."

It wasn't a suggestion, that much could be inferred.

However, you couldn't help but notice how everyone's expressions slightly shifted at this, some more obviously uncomfortable than others. And you also couldn't help but wonder what she meant by 'handling' Sage. Was she going to cut down her rations, or something? Perhaps restrict water and make her train vehemently for hours. Or maybe even public shaming, that sounded like something this green-eyed woman would do.

You smiled fondly at the punishments as they ran through your mind. Did you have a right to say 'good old days' already? You only left a few minutes ago.

You weren't really given the pleasure of seeing the events unfold, not since you were pulled aside in a pristine office with Brimstone. And so far, his questions seemed to fit Sage's words back in the aircraft.

He only asked for basic information. Your age, height, name, and abilities; nothing really about the Scions of Hourglass.

The conversation between you two was calm and, admittedly, unremarkable. In fact, your little brain got more dopamine out of simply inspecting your surroundings. There were charming pictures both hung on the walls and framed on the sturdy wooden desk in front of you, dog tags next to a laptop, a bulletin board cluttered with papers and pictures, even a little CD player on the side.

It was cute.

It was also a massive contrast to the argument you could hear just outside in the hallways. Well, you couldn't exactly hear it. Their words were muffled just enough to be inaudible mumbling. And the remarkable silence in the room only helped magnify the volume of their voices. Even with his questions and the new environment, your mind simply honed on the two women outside.

Was this on purpose? If so, then maybe you were right about that public shaming thing.

Huh.

ㅤㅤ

"What were you thinking, recruiting an enemy like that?"

ㅤㅤ

Viper questioned through gritted teeth, her fists clenched. And while Sage was clearly shaken up by this, her desire to defend her choices overwhelmed her thought process first.

Being in a dreary plain hallway made predominantly of metal, their voices loudly echoing throughout the constricted area, and the lights that hung above that emitted a lifeless glow — all of it contributed to the anxiety that stemmed from arguing with someone like Viper.

ㅤㅤ

"Viper, you don't understand, the damage they've done is irreversible! Clove could still very much be cursed, I–"

ㅤㅤ

"Iso's recruitment in and of itself was a misstep." Viper interrupted. "He only joined to kill Omen; how do you know she's not the same?"

ㅤㅤ

"I assure you, she's not! She has more reasons to go against them than to obey them!"

ㅤㅤ

Sage explained delicately as she took a step forward, both of her hands clasped together. However, her boss could only callously wave her off. Her tone grew harsher with each word, and at this point, she struggled to find reasons to keep Sage around.

Of course, that only applied if Viper wasn't only second-in-command.

ㅤㅤ

"The only reason Iso defected at all is because he happened to be sensitive. What do you think he would've done if he wasn't?!"

ㅤㅤ

"Iso and Clove both would've died if she hadn't alerted us to their state. Viper, I'm sorry but I don't think you understand the magnitude of the situation!"

ㅤㅤ

"Yes. Those two could've died because they were exposed to a rank we were unprepared for — the same rank from which you recruited a member."

ㅤㅤ

"Would you have preferred I let everyone die?!"

ㅤㅤ

Sage's desperation reached higher levels, evident in the slight shakiness of her high-pitched voice, but Viper remained unphased.

As per usual.

ㅤㅤ

"I would've preferred you not be negligent for once!" She stopped herself, promptly sighing and pinching her nose bridge. "I should've known better."

ㅤㅤ

For a moment, there was only silence; all Viper could do was lean on the nearby wall as she gathered her thoughts. And at this point, she heavily regretted not handling you whilst Brimstone dealt with Sage. Hoping to calm her thoughts, Sage opened her mouth to speak−

Then, the door swung open, swiftly interrupting their argument.

The two women didn't even need to look at the figure itself to recognise who it was, considering his massive shadow that concealed a quarter of the hallway's walls.

ㅤㅤ

"Sabine. You're gonna wanna see this."

ㅤㅤ

"What is it? Did she try something?"

ㅤㅤ

Viper's hand fell to her sides, and she turned around to meet his gaze, but the unconcerned look on his face said otherwise. A massive contrast to the chemist herself.

Brimstone couldn't help but chuckle.

ㅤㅤ

"No, it's just her powers. She controls blood... and there's some physiology jargon I don't get along with."

ㅤㅤ

He explained as he slowly stroked his beard.

Brimstone's voice had a softer lilt, he spoke at a much lower volume; Sage couldn't help but be pleased at this given that her throat began to strain from the argument. That, and the ringing in her ears. It was almost as aggravating as the unbearable beeps of a spike preceding its explosion. Including the unfathomable dread she'd feel.

Viper stared at him in silence, presumably looking over the situation. Or just to understand what the heck he meant by that. He couldn't be any less clear if he tried.

With a sigh, she glanced back at Sage, her hand held out.

ㅤㅤ

"Give me your gun."

ㅤㅤ

"There's really no need for–"

ㅤㅤ

"I wasn't asking."

ㅤㅤ

Viper bit back with gritted teeth, swiftly shutting her up. So, with a sigh, Sage took out her Sheriff and reluctantly placed it in her impatient boss's palm.

Gun in hand, Viper marched inside Brimstone's office with both of the superiors behind her.

It took Iso a while to finally come out of his room and sit amongst the others in the lobby. And for the first thirty minutes, it was considerably empty. This unexpected stillness allowed him to simply relax on the comfortable sofa as he scrolled through a few dozen atmospheric songs to help calm him down — even though he had his earphones on and the battery was at 60%.

For a moment, the few people in the lobby minded their own business. This allowed Iso the time he needed to look over the situation without a clouded mind.

His mind was stuck on the mission and you.

To say he felt guilty at practically deserting you at the Scions would be a vast understatement. The second he handed Omen his phone to show him the mission was when he should've also alerted them about you. But he wasn't sure why he didn't. It's not like he had forgotten about you like everything else, but–

Iso flinched once the couch suddenly dipped on his right, and his eyes locked on a very familiar Scot who plopped themselves down directly next to him. Despite being a quarter of his size, the couch was compressed before forming back to its original shape once it adjusted to their weight.

Clove made themselves comfortable before resting one arm on the backrest of the couch, their big eyes glimmering as they glanced at Iso.

ㅤㅤ

"So, Zhao Yu, aye?"

ㅤㅤ

...

ㅤㅤ

"Huh? Oh, yeah. My name." He returned to scrolling. "You can call me Yu, though."

ㅤㅤ

"Really? But I've nae seen yer friend call you that."

ㅤㅤ

Clove asked with a tilt of their head, and Iso shrugged.

ㅤㅤ

"I tried telling her. Once."

ㅤㅤ

This statement made them pause. However, as they looked over what the heck he meant by that, the two didn't notice a figure peer over both of their shoulders.

ㅤㅤ

"So, Iso…"

ㅤㅤ

A high-pitched voice from behind them interrupted their short-lived conversation, and the duo looked over to see both Jett and Neon leaning on the backrest of the couch, their eyes locked on the hitman.

Iso quickly gave the room a once over. Wasn't it empty just a few minutes prior, with the exception of maybe Raze and Killjoy?

ㅤㅤ

"You didn’t tell us you had a friend from where you worked."

ㅤㅤ

Jett started, earning an eye roll from Neon.

ㅤㅤ

"Seriously. No offence, but from what you said back there, we all thought you were a lone-wolf, or whatever."

ㅤㅤ

After what felt like millennia, Iso finally settled on a song without lyrics to help him focus. He tapped on it and promptly pocketed his phone, finally meeting their gazes.

ㅤㅤ

"Technically, I worked alone. She was just my assigned healer."

ㅤㅤ

"Assigned healer!" Jett blurted out, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "You mean you had your very own medic to heal you after your missions?"

ㅤㅤ

"That’s, uh, one way to put it."

ㅤㅤ

"You had your own private healer? Sounds lavish, ja?"

ㅤㅤ

The duo jumped once another voice popped up from behind, and they looked over to see Killjoy leaning on the armrest. The one person Iso wasn't surprised to see.

The three women that surrounded them all bore that same look of excited curiosity. After all, the younglings suffered from a disease called 'being too expressive', and it was bloody obvious they were about to ask every question in the book to learn about you.

Clove couldn't help but lean towards Iso as their eyes jumped from one eager agent to the next.

ㅤㅤ

"Iso, we're getting surrounded."

ㅤㅤ

Iso replied with a light and awkward chuckle. However, before he could respond, Neon suddenly interrupted their would-be conversation with her own question.

ㅤㅤ

"Sige, chika! What's she like? Are you guys actually friends, or it's just that formal crap? How'd you two meet?" <Come on, let's gossip!>

ㅤㅤ

Neon spoke very fast. Almost too quick for him to keep up, but he managed to pick out the important words in her sentence.

ㅤㅤ

"Uh, no, we're friends; I've known her for a while... She's pretty cool." He shrugged. "But I don't remember how we met."

ㅤㅤ

"Lame. You don't remember anything."

ㅤㅤ

Jett grumbled. Clove, however, noticed Iso's very subtle yet uncomfortable reaction to her statement.

ㅤㅤ

"I'd kill to meet her. Hoy, where'd they say she was, again?"

ㅤㅤ

"I heard she's still with Viper. Do you think she's grilling her like she grilled Iso?"

ㅤㅤ

The others exchanged hums and looks of agreement. And because of this, the conversation continued between them, now discussing how they thought the Scions of Hourglass functioned and your role within it. But Iso was clearly and silently displeased at Killjoy's 'grill' comment. He only watched them converse in silence, after all, a slight furrow of his brow being the only indication of such a thing.

For once, however, there was only one person who noticed the aggravation in Iso — Clove glanced at him for a moment before they laid their head on his shoulder.

This gesture served as a successful attempt to ground and calm him. He couldn't help but lightly smile at this, allowing his mind to drift back to the conversation between the group.

Fade was one of the ones who had their guns pointed at you back there. And unlike the other new agents, all whom she utterly disregarded due to their uninteresting personalities, you caught her eye... Really caught her eye.

From the moment you stepped out of the helicopter, Fade couldn’t take her eyes off of you. Your skin, despite most of it being concealed by the robes you wore, was as pale as a bone. And the midnight blue robes only brought out how malnourished you looked.

And your hair?

She loved the way it fell on your shoulders. Almost like wilted flowers that framed one half of your fatigued face while concealing the other with curls that could hardly hold themselves up. If death itself took on the appearance of a woman, she was sure you'd be the result. Her curiosity and desire to seek you out dictated all of her following actions. Which is why she was so willing to wait a few hours until your little talking session with her superiors was finally over.

In fact, she couldn't help but manipulate her essence of raw fear to isolate your location the moment she heard you were finally let go. Nobody knew where you were. But in more ways than one, the nightmare agent was an outlier from the rest.

She marched down the empty hallways as the whispers and shadows guided her to you.

And she found you; you were sitting under the gazebo in the courtyard. Chin on your hand, eyes closed, she wouldn’t have thought twice about you being dead if it weren’t for the rising motion of your chest as you breathed.

Well, that’s really her problem for associating so many things with death. Death, death, death.

Fade marched towards the gazebo and stopped in front of you, her shadow completely engulfing your figure. And yet, you hadn’t noticed the silent Turk. Her steps were impressively quiet, and the only thing that gave away her presence was the coldness emitted from her silhouette.

ㅤㅤ

“Hey.”

ㅤㅤ

Fade's sharp voice broke the previously tranquil silence. You barely lifted your eyelids to meet her gaze. But even with the sun, it was hard to outline her features in such darkness. Fade looked like an extension of the shadows.

She promptly crossed her arms.

ㅤㅤ

“I'm impressed you haven't been found yet.”

ㅤㅤ

At this point, opening your mouth to even reply felt like lifting twelve full suitcases with one hand. But alas, you had to.

ㅤㅤ

“You Valorant soldiers get impressed easily.”

ㅤㅤ

"Ha. Soldiers? Really? You're being too kind."

ㅤㅤ

"So what are you?"

ㅤㅤ

"Me? I'm amazing. Though, I'm not too sure about the others."

ㅤㅤ

You unwittingly tittered at her remark. The sound was unnatural coming out of you. But lord knows you couldn't help yourself, especially not in the face of such a bold woman.

You glanced up at her with a half-smile.

ㅤㅤ

"You know what? I l−"

ㅤㅤ

"I know you do. But for the sake of formalities... thanks."

ㅤㅤ

...

ㅤㅤ

"How did you know what I wanted to say?"

ㅤㅤ

Fade eyed the pearly white bench behind her, the one opposite to you. She promptly sat and made herself comfortable. Then, she glanced at you, a mischievous smile lifting the corner of her black lips.

ㅤㅤ

"I read your mind. Nothing special."

ㅤㅤ

...Wow, you thought to yourself. She really was something else, wasn't she?

However, once she sat down, you finally caught a glimpse of her own set of breath-taking features. Fade's voluminous hair transitioned from a rich black at the top to a bold grey, and that wasn't to mention her unique makeup. It definitely reminded you of something you couldn't put your finger on. Nevertheless, in the same way you hypnotised her, she did the same to you, and you couldn't help but observe those eyes she bore.

One brown, one blue — both competed for your attention and dared you to look away. Other than Iso, this was the first agent you genuinely wanted to speak to.

With all of the scraps of energy you could muster up, you sat up, reclining on the benches.

ㅤㅤ

“What’s your name?”

ㅤㅤ

“Fade. Yours?”

ㅤㅤ

“Y/N. What do you do?”

ㅤㅤ

“I have a lot to do with intuition. Getting into people’s heads, seeing their primal fears, secrets and everything else. It’s hard to hide things from me.”

ㅤㅤ

You half-smiled in response. Your old bosses would've exploited the heck out of her powers. Getting into people's heads? Absolute goldmine.

ㅤㅤ

“Tight. Are you in mine?”

ㅤㅤ

“Working on it. So, Y/N,” she reclined and rested her arm on the back of the bench, further making herself comfortable, “tell me a little bit about yourself. How come you know Iso and this pitiful organisation? And what do you, exactly?”

ㅤㅤ

You averted your gaze to the porcelain flooring, remembering how you got in. But it's not like it was an arduous task; you just spent the past hour or however long recalling everything you could when Viper questioned you earlier. It was a long, and, as you’d say, dumb story. Mostly because you were an incredibly lovestruck girl with radiant powers that just began emerging in your teen years.

Could you even be bothered to explain everything…?

ㅤㅤ

“I control blood. And I joined cus my boyfriend lied to me. Iso joined cus he was a kid.”

ㅤㅤ

Now that Iso wasn’t here, you were free to somewhat talk about this without making him anxious.

ㅤㅤ

“You control blood, and all you can do is heal? That doesn’t add up.“

ㅤㅤ

Word for word what Viper said, you noted in your mind.

ㅤㅤ

“Yup. Cus my powers are disabled.”

ㅤㅤ

She laughed at this, though it was more so a laughter of disbelief than anything else.

ㅤㅤ

“You can’t permanently disable a radiant’s abilities. It’s just not possible.”

ㅤㅤ

“You can if they’re developing.”

ㅤㅤ

“Okay, how did they do it? Did they attach a chip in you, or use some kind of suppression field?”

ㅤㅤ

You had no idea what she meant by a suppression field. Or chip. So you shrugged.

ㅤㅤ

"Dunno, they hired a load of scientists and they did their work."

ㅤㅤ

She nodded with a hum.

ㅤㅤ

“Have you told Viper about all of this?”

ㅤㅤ

“She offered to revert it.”

ㅤㅤ

“And?”

ㅤㅤ

“Dunno. Haven’t decided.”

ㅤㅤ

Fade tilted her head. Clearly, this surprised her as much as it surprised Viper and Sage. And Brimstone.

ㅤㅤ

“Is that seriously something you have to think about?”

ㅤㅤ

“Yup.”

ㅤㅤ

“Why?”

ㅤㅤ

“I don’t wanna learn anything new.”

ㅤㅤ

Fade stared at you for a few seconds, lightly swinging her leg back and forth as she went over what you said. And she couldn't decipher what on Earth you meant. No matter how she framed it.

After all, who would pass up on the opportunity to be able to finally access every aspect of their powers? Especially a late bloomer like yourself.

ㅤㅤ

“I can’t make sense of what you’re trying to get at, Y/N.”

ㅤㅤ

“Can’t you get in my head?”

ㅤㅤ

You noted the surprise on her face judging by the way her eyes slightly widened, and the subtle parting of her lips. It was a bold statement. Clearly, you meant it, your stony face conveying just as much.

Fade cracked a smile once more, amusement now etched all over her features.

ㅤㅤ

“Are you giving me permission?”

ㅤㅤ

You lazily lifted a hand and flashed her a thumbs up. And Fade stared at you for a few seconds, attempting to understand if this was a joke or not.

She secretly probed your brain throughout this whole conversation. Nothing special, she did this with everyone, even if it was an unconscious habit on her side. However, she knew if any one of the others found out, they'd definitely make a scene.

But you were okay with it. Which was perfect.

With this confirmation from you, it allowed her to pick up the painfully slow pace and freely dig into your brain. And, to her surprise, she couldn’t really find anything too debilitating.

Sure, you were just as traumatised as Iso no question as to how she knows that, but she couldn’t find anything intense within you. Not depression, not an overwhelming sense of anger, no lust for revenge, nothing. Heck, even the satisfaction of some of your old superiors being dead was naught.

Nothing but the strong desire to... what was it, be still? It was something stagnant. Idle.

Whatever it was, matched the words you were saying, that’s for sure.

ㅤㅤ

“I’m sensing a detached energy from you.” She paused. “You want to relax? Is that it?”

ㅤㅤ

You replied with a thumbs up again. And Fade was delighted at her correct assumption.

She saw a bit more as she continued observing your brain. It wasn’t anything different from what you said; invasive experiments, different labs, scientists…

But Fade quickly stopped once she saw you shouting at a particular lilac-eyed child, presumably twelve, calling him a thief as you were held down by multiple people and forced to draw your own blood. Jesus, you were way angrier than she thought.

She suddenly shook her head like an irritated cat once she saw one specific memory. It took her a moment to come back from it no thanks to the ringing in her ears.

Fade glanced at you.

ㅤㅤ

“You can’t… naturally draw blood?”

ㅤㅤ

You shook your head. And Fade processed the situation.

This didn’t add up. Why did you undergo so many experiments to prevent you from fully accessing your abilities while the rest were free to make people brain dead within thirty seconds, or curse bones to form holes, or control bloody minds?

Why were you an outlier?

…

It clicked when she saw a few more memories, and a look of realisation painted her previously blank expression.

ㅤㅤ

"Do you understand why they suppressed you specifically, Y/N?"

ㅤㅤ

"I was a bratty kid. Could be that."

ㅤㅤ

You noted with a shrug, earning a smug smile form her. Bratty is an… well, after what she saw? It's not the word she'd use, that's for sure.

ㅤㅤ

“You don’t understand how devastating blood magic can be, do you?”

ㅤㅤ

Given that the sun mostly shined upon you while she herself was engulfed in darkness, she easily noticed the very slight raise of your eyebrow. Enough to indicate you were either curious, or confused.

ㅤㅤ

“My partners are worse.”

ㅤㅤ

Fade cackled at this, her laughter laced with innocent villainy.

ㅤㅤ

“Do you know just how much damage you can cause with these powers, Y/N? Do you know how many lives you can take with just a wave of your hand?” She tucked away a few strands of her black hair, allowing only her brown eye to be visible to you. “Blood is just like fear; you’ll find it in every single living being. And if you control it? You control everything.”

ㅤㅤ

You stared at her for a few seconds as you processed her words.

To her, you had basically won the radiant ability lottery. But to you? Well…

ㅤㅤ

“I don’t wanna control everything.”

ㅤㅤ

“Why not? Too much responsibility?”

ㅤㅤ

"I dunno. Starting all over sounds like work." You noted. "I don't like work."

ㅤㅤ

For a moment, there was only silence as she pondered over what you said. You weren't lying when you said you wanted to relax. But still, this desire seemed to stand in the way of — what she considered — powers with vast potential.

But it wasn't hard to see why you weren't convinced; after all, not only were you a late bloomer, you weren't even able to draw an adequate amount of blood.

Fade promptly leaned forward, resting both arms on her lap as she stared right through you; a mischievous glint in her visible eye.

ㅤㅤ

“Okay. You can stay as our healer and only draw a few pitiful drops of blood. But when you’re alone, weaponless, and surrounded, wouldn’t you want maybe… a blood weapon? A blood barrier?” She tilted her head. “Control over other peoples' blood?”

ㅤㅤ

You paused.

This made you remember the altercation you had with Iso, the entire reason you were defenceless when he finally got to you. You had just drawn blood moments prior, and thus, couldn't take out anymore until a few minutes had passed. But even if you managed to get blood, again, you weren’t capable of forming things beyond keys or whatever the heck couldn’t be used as a weapon.

And now that she said it out loud, it sounded pretty cool to be able to create barriers out of your own blood... without any drawbacks, probably.

So, you shrugged again.

ㅤㅤ

“K. I’m convinced.”

ㅤㅤ

“Finally. See, I knew you were smart. You'd have to wait until your files are processed, but it's a start."

ㅤㅤ

Fade noted as she pondered, her eyes locked on the porcelain floor. The visible one, anyway. And for a moment, you wondered what this entailed. Being free of your restrictions and being able to… Wait, besides the barriers, what'd she say? Make blood weapons? You quickly thought of making a spear. That would be so wicked, you thought.

Suddenly, she stood up, catching you off guard.

ㅤㅤ

“Enough talk — it's about time I introduced you to the clowns I work with. What do you say?”

ㅤㅤ

She held her hand out to you.

You stared at her palm, your eyes following the intricate designs that gently enveloped it. A pattern just as mysterious as the woman who created it.

With a smile, you slowly took her hand and stood up, promptly following her.

🔆 (1, 2)

43 notes · View notes

sheepwithspecs · 29 days ago

Text

Sheer Luck: Ch 3

Ao3 Link

"You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from." -No Country for Old Men [Canon-divergent retelling longfic starting from "A Short Walk in a Pretty Town".] (Karen x Sean) (Mary-Beth x Kieran)

III. A Peace Interrupted [Mary-Beth]

It’s not so bad in the mornings, except for the fog. Sometimes it’s so thick you can’t see more than a few inches in front of your face! Turns everything all eerie, too. Like the start of a nightmare. But it stops the sun from heating up the air I suppose, so there’s nothing to do but make the best of it.

Mary-Beth smiled to herself, relishing the subtle scratch of the pencil lead as it danced across the pages of her journal. An afternoon all to herself was a rarity in the camp, but a quiet afternoon even more so. Between the leaves rustling overhead and the soft sounds of water lapping at the lakeshore, she was practically enveloped in the peace that only nature could offer… the perfect setting for writing.

It seemed an age since she’d been able to sit down and update the contents of her private journal. Since the mess at Blackwater, the camp’s daily upkeep had taken precedence over all else. Laundry took twice as long without Grimshaw’s old iron mangler, which had been left behind in the hurry to flee. With no money for spare clothes, everyone had to make the best of what they already owned: holes patched and mended, blouses and trousers scrubbed with extra care, hemlines climbing higher and higher as the fabric was repurposed. Anything no longer fit to wear was eventually salvaged into socks, neckerchiefs, and rags.

As if that was not enough, there must also be someone to fetch the water, wash the dishes, clean the tables, feed the chickens, and tidy the bedrolls. The vegetables did not chop themselves, nor did the herbs grind themselves down into medicine for all the various aches and pains. On top of everything else, she’d taken up teaching Kieran how to read— a chore in itself, thanks to her own ineptitude. Her student was fast to learn and eager to please, but she was quickly growing aware of how much of her own learning she’d taken for granted.

In the end, Mary-Beth found herself feeling pulled six ways to Sunday. What little free time she had was often spent stretching her creative writing muscles, scribbling a few hurried lines by the light of the campfire at the end of a long, exhausting day. But today, with her allotted chores finished early and most of the menfolk away on jobs, she found the afternoon spread before her was rich with possibility.

Lately, I’ve been using the fog to practice “setting the scene”. I try to envision an English duchess wandering the lonely moors after losing her true love in a duel to the death (note: I said that out loud to Sean yesterday and he laughed so hard I thought he was going to spill his coffee. Are the Irish moors not shrouded in fog the way they are in England?)

Anyway, that’s only in the mornings. By midafternoon it’s like being smothered and drowned at the same time. You can’t take more than two steps in broad daylight without being roasted alive and it’s not much better in the shade. If it’s this hot in early June I can only imagine that we’ll all be puddles of sweat come August.

Then again, who knows if we’ll even be here come August! Dutch keeps insisting that we’ll be long gone by then, out West or even out of the country. He mentioned Australia once, which I think is probably much hotter than Lemoyne. At least we’ll have practice in dealing with the weather.

I’ve given up on “The American Wilderness” for the time being. Instead I’ve been trying to plot out something new for my debut novel. I tried to write a story about a Frenchwoman, but I’m afraid I don’t know enough about France to make her sound very interesting. I’ve also been considering the story of a rich lady and her stable hand, maybe a forbidden love triangle with an earl who won’t stop badgering her in her spare time? I don’t think that’s any good, either, but it gives me an excuse to talk to a certain someone about horses and stables and such.

He says he’s lived around them all his life and he’s very knowledgeable about how to care for them, and the different diseases they catch and how to keep them looking beautiful. I think if I let him he’d talk on and on forever about horses.

Ain’t that just the cutest thing?

I think it’s adorable, so much so that the last two times I tried to ask about stable hands, I completely forgot to take notes and instead spent the whole time batting my lashes at him like a ninny. I don’t think he noticed. K— has to be the sweetest, gentlest outlaw I’ve ever met in my life. I’ve never heard him raise his voice even when he’s upset with the way the others treat him. The horses all love him, and I think I might be—.

Tilly says she don’t trust him as far as she can throw him, and don’t care what anyone else thinks. Karen laughs at me for being all friendly, but I’ve seen her act nice towards him (that means she secretly thinks he’s okay). As for myself, I think he’s very hands— so precious— shy and sweet. I think all the time about how he called me pretty and how I called him horrible immediately after. I hope he don’t still hold it against me.

Her eyes lifted from the page, drawn unconsciously to the scout fire burning on the other side of camp. Kieran often sat there alone, working doggedly on whatever task he’d appointed himself for the day. Today he had Lenny’s saddle on his knee, carefully buffing the shining leather with smooth, even strokes. His lips moved, though anything he might have been saying was lost in the distance between them. Was he singing to himself? Or perhaps he was speaking to the horses grazing nearby?

She followed every motion he made, a little astonished at herself for feeling envious of a saddle. Her pulse thrummed beneath her skin as she imagined the touch of those calloused fingers. What would it feel like, if he caressed her face the way he seemed to caress the leather? Just last week she’s gotten a tantalizing taste during their reading lesson, when they’d went to turn the page at the same time. She’d had a split-second to memorize his features when their fingers crashed together— the warmth of his hand, the grit of saddle soap and ingrained dirt, the coarse hairs on the back of his palm—and then it was over. He’d jolted away hard enough to nearly tumble out of his seat, stammering so many apologies that anyone passing by might have assumed the worst.

After that, the lesson might as well have been over. Mary-Beth had not heard a word, her mind wandering to fantasies of perching in his lap and inviting him to do the worst, just to have something to apologize for. For a man with such kissable lips, he was so… so… so infuriatingly courteous! By now, anyone else in camp would have caught a bad case of wandering fingers; meanwhile, he still couldn’t look her in the eye for more than a few seconds without blushing.

Sometimes I think to myself that I ought to be more forward, but he acts so bashful that I wonder if any girl gave him attention before me. Other times he doesn’t seem to notice at all (see above) and I start to think maybe he’s just being kind and not actually interested in a drab little thing like me. But then I’ll catch him staring and my heart starts to beat just a little faster, and I feel like I don’t know anything about anything. I’ve never felt this way before and I can’t tell if I’m going crazy or if—

“Hey—” Mary-Beth clutched the journal to her chest on instinct, arms crossed over her chest before she even looked up. The camp was full of prying eyes, and the last thing she needed was the wrong person to spy her gushing over the man they still considered more of an enemy than an ally. To her surprise, she found Sadie Adler standing before her, a hand on her hip and a question in her eyes.

“Oh, Mrs. Adler!” She let the journal fall again, breathing a soft sigh of relief. “You startled me.” She didn’t know the woman very well—not as well as Arthur and Abigail seemed to know her—but she didn’t think that Mrs. Adler was the sort to peer at a girl’s private thoughts without permission. “Was there… something you needed from me?”

“I wanna know how to get her job.” Mrs. Adler wasted no time with formalities, pointing towards the lake.

“Her…?” Following her finger, Mary-Beth spied Karen marching dutifully along the lakeshore. Although she knew Karen didn’t mind guard duty, she didn’t envy her one bit; her ringlets were long gone, ragged blonde locks plastered to her cheeks with sweat and skirts splattered with mud as she trudged from one embankment to the next.

“From the looks of it, you could probably go out there and ask,” she answered absently, wincing at the state of poor Karen’s shoulders. They were already an alarming shade of pink, and would only get worse the longer she was in direct sunlight. “There’s no rule against trading jobs with someone else, so long as the work’s done in the end,” she explained.

“I want it for more than a day,” Mrs. Adler sat beside her with a huff, shoulders slumping as she lit a cigarette. “Don’t you get sick of it?”

“Sick of what? Chores?” Mary-Beth frowned. “Of course I do, but we all have to pitch in somehow. That’s the rule.”

“Oh yeah?” Mrs. Adler raised her brows. “Then what does he do?” She waved the cigarette at Uncle, snoring loudly beneath the tree in the center of camp.

“He… he makes us laugh, I guess.” Mary-Beth shook her head. “I don’t make the rules. I’m happy enough to follow them.”

“Well, is there a rule that says you have to darn socks while the men chop wood?” Mrs. Adler snorted, exhaling smoke out of her nose. “Damn ridiculous, ‘s what it is.”

“Why on earth would I want to chop wood?” She giggled at the thought of herself swinging an axe over her head every morning while Charles sat hunched over a sock. “I’m not entirely sure what you’re trying to say, Mrs. Adler.”

“Sadie,” she insisted. “I’m asking why they think that we have to stay in camp when—”

“But we don’t have to?” she interrupted, confused. “Sure, we don’t leave as often as the men do, but we get out plenty. I went with Sean and Arthur to help rob a bank coach just last week.”

“Don’t play dumb. You know what I mean.”

“I do. I just don’t agree.” Mary-Beth set the journal aside, lacing her hands in her lap as she turned towards her seriously. “You shouldn’t form an opinion on what we’re like when you’ve only been with us a few weeks,” she stated firmly. “You only met us after we were already on the run. Before Blackwater, things were different; all this constant upheaval and secrecy… it’s strange for us, too. But we’ve got Pinkertons after us now, and don’t think they won’t snatch us up for questioning just because we’re women. If we’re choosing to stay closer to camp, it’s for our own safety.”

“Believe it or not,” she continued, trying to adopt a lighter tone, “Karen, Tilly, and I used to be the ones rustling up jobs for the others… in addition to our own hobbies, of course. We’re good at what we do… we just ain’t had a chance to put it into practice for a while.”

“And what is it that?”

“It depends; we all have our talents. Karen’s sort of an actress, does a lot of the distraction work. And Tilly’s real good at getting others to trust her, on account of looking so innocent. As for me…” She smiled. “I’m not the best actress, and I’m certainly not the best liar, but I’ve got some reallight fingers.”

“Hmph.” Sadie made a face. “That’s all fine, but it’s still not telling me how I can prove myself around here. If I have to spend one more day in the company of that good-for-nothin’ bastard, choppin’ vegetables like I’m a scullery maid, I’m gonna lose my mind!”

“Sometimes it’s easiest to just do it, and not take no for an answer. Grab a repeater and volunteer yourself for a shift, if that’s what you want. Just don’t let Ms. Grimshaw try to bully you into giving up,” she warned. “She’s ornery, but if you show her you mean business she’ll eventually back down.”

“Is that what Karen did?”

“Well….” Mary-Beth trailed off uncertainly, trying to remember exactly how Karen had found herself on guard duty. Was it when Davey and Mac got themselves thrown in jail? Or maybe it was after Bessie died, when Hosea couldn’t be counted on to do anything except drink himself into an early grave. “I guess so,” she finally shrugged. In this case, a white lie was probably better than the truth. “Karen’s never been afraid to tell everyone exactly what she thinks. That’s why she and Ms. Grimshaw always butt heads.”

“Mmm.” Mrs. Adler nodded, her gaze turning thoughtful. “I don’t really know how to ask… not that it’s any of my business, but—” She scratched at a grass stain on her trousers, her eyes carefully averted. “Her and that boy, the loudmouthed one… they sweet on one another?”

“Why? You want him?” Mary-Beth caught herself a moment too late, pressing her lips together tightly with a wince. You… you goose! Her husband’s not yet cold in his grave, and here you are teasing the poor woman in the stupidest way possible!

“Heh…” Mrs. Adler chuckled sadly. “Not hardly. I saw the two of them together this morning, and it brought back some fond memories of my courtin’ days. That’s all.”

Mary-Beth slowly relaxed, seeing that her misstep hadn’t caused offense. On the contrary, Mrs. Adler also seemed to breathe a little easier. She tried to place herself in the older woman’s shoes: alone in the world, her husband dead and her earthly possessions burnt to cinders, stuck with a gang of criminals…. It must be so lonely. All she wanted was to be treated as an equal, to do the same work as the others, to know more about the people she now shared her life with.

She wanted to find her place in their world.

How could she do that if everyone treated her as though she’d break at the slightest push? Maybe what Mrs. Adler needed most right now was not sympathy, but instead to be treated as though she was one of the team.

“That loudmouth has a name, by the way,” she said in lieu of an apology. The best thing to do, she reasoned, was to pretend the thought of poor Mr. Adler had never crossed her mind. “I guess you haven’t had much of a chance to talk to Sean yet, have you? He likes to tease all the ladies, but he’s real sweet on Karen. I’d say he adores her. As for her….” She glanced back to the lake, where Karen was angrily swatting at a cloud of gnats. “It’s kind of hard to say.”

“I thought she wasn’t afraid to tell people what she thinks.”

“She ain’t!” Mary-Beth insisted. “But I don’t think she rightly knows what’s going on between them, either. They sorta dance around each other, I guess. She’ll tell you she hates him, but she’s miserable to be around when he goes off on his own. One time—” She cut herself off with a laugh at the memory.

“What?” Mrs. Adler tilted her head curiously.

“One time, the three of us went with Hosea on a supply run up in North Elizabeth. When we were younger, Sean and I used to playact that we were brother and sister—by different mothers, of course—and Hosea was our poor senile papa. We’d distract the clerk with our sob story in the hopes of getting a good discount, and all the while Karen would be stuffing her pockets with everything she could get her hands on.”

“Anyway, Karen and I stopped at the hotel to have a nice bath before we left town. As we’re coming out of the hotel, we catch Sean flirting with this pretty little blonde outside the saloon. I’ve never seen a person move so fast in all my life!” she cackled, remembering how Karen had jumped from the weathered boards and was halfway across the street before the door fully swung shut behind them. “She caught him up by the arm and dragged him back to the wagon, the both of them screeching loud enough that everyone turned to see what the matter was.”

“Hosea lectured us the whole ride home about not drawing attention to ourselves, but I don’t think either of them heard a word of it.” She smothered a smile with her hand, recalling how Hosea had grown weary of their squabbling and forced them apart, with Sean pouting in the back of the wagon and Karen glaring at everyone from the spring seat. “They were both mad enough to spit fire.”

“What happened?”

“Same thing that always happens. Sean left out the next morning, vanished for a bit, and when he came back you’d have thought they’d never argued a day in their lives. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all… stick around long enough and you’ll see it for yourself.”

“I guess?” Mrs. Adler sounded incredulous.

“She’d kill me for saying this, but I think she likes him a lot more than she lets on,” Mary-Beth admitted. “Karen will tell you she’s not romantic, but it’s all talk. Deep down, she wants to be romanced… but she also hates it when men think a woman is nothing without her husband. She likes her independence too much to content herself with being a housewife. If you ask me, she’s torn between two worlds, and a man like Sean doesn’t always inspire confidence.” Mrs. Adler hummed her agreement.

“I was the same way, once.” Her eyes softened. “But my Jakey, he always used to—” Her breath hitched and she cleared her throat, blinking rapidly. “It’s hard to know what you’re capable of when no one will give you a chance to prove it, just because you were unfortunate enough to be born a woman. And then when you find the one man who believes in you, who sees you for what you truly are… and he’s killed by a bunch of dirty, rotten—” She choked on a sob, swiping at her nose irritably. “Oh, goddamn it!”

“Mrs. Adler— Sadie—”

“I swear I didn’t bring it up to start cryin’.” She rubbed at her eyes as though she could force back the tears with her bare hands. “I just… I want to talk about him, to remember him, but it still hurts so damn much…!”

“Go ahead and cry, if it helps,” Mary-Beth offered. She could tell that she needed to say something, but what could possibly ease that sort of pain? “I know that some people can get uncomfortable around tears, but I don’t mind if you cry.”

“It makes me uncomfortable to cry,” Mrs. Adler chuckled wetly. “I know it ain’t weak to cry, but it sure as hell feels that way sometimes.”

“I do want to hear about him. About your Jakey, I mean. What kind of man was he?”

“He was a good man. Believed in finding the best in everyone.” Her expression hardened. “That’s what got him killed in the end.”

“O-Oh…”

“But he was good,” she repeated, more to herself than to Mary-Beth. “He loved me like a woman and treated me like a man, which was all I ever asked of him. We shared everything: our work, our lives, our bed… I ain’t never gonna find another like him, not as long as I live.”

“I hope I find someone that loves me like that someday.” Mrs. Adler looked at her a long moment, unshed tears glistening on her lashes.

“I hope so, too,” she said finally. “It’s a mighty fine thing.”

“Lord, it’s hotter than two dollar pistol!” Karen plopped down eagle-spread onto her bedroll, fanning herself with the corner of the blanket. Her skin was bright red, the heat rolling from her in waves. “I’m dying,” she announced, throwing an arm over her eyes. “I’m going to be a shriveled husk by the time we leave this damn place.”

“Here, have some of my water.” Mary-Beth passed the cup, nudging at her elbow until she lifted her arm to look. “Maybe Tilly will be nice and let you have a turn with the fan.” She prodded at Karen’s shoulder with one finger as she drank, watching the red skin turn pale as the color leeched away. “That’s going to be awful sore tomorrow, Karen. You should ask Ms. Grimshaw to make you a salve.”

“I ain’t asking that old hag for shit. I’d rather suffer.” She lay back on the bedroll, closing her eyes. “What’d Mrs. Adler want? I saw her sittin’ over here earlier.”

“Your job, mostly. She’s sick of “women’s work”… and Pearson. But mostly the work, I think.”

“Ain’t we all?”

“No, we ain’t,” she responded saucily. Karen kicked blindly at her boot, but didn’t respond. “We also talked about love, and romance.”

“Funny… I didn’t take her for a fool.”

“Be nice!” She slapped lightly at her folded hands— the least sunburnt part of her. “Next time I’ll aim for your cheek.”

“That was nice.”

“She asked after you and Sean, you know,” she couldn’t help but add.

“What about us?”

“Oh, nothing much. Just wanted to know if you were… how did she phrase it? Sweet on each other.” Karen peered once more beneath her arm, eyes wary as she watched Mary-Beth mark her place in her latest novel with an old length of ribbon. She smoothed down the embossed front cover, taking her sweet time and trying to hide her mischievous grin. There was no need to rush; Karen’s rampant curiosity would soon get the better of her.

“Well?”

“Well, what?”

“What did you tell her?!” Karen sat up, pouting. “I think I have a right to know, seeing as you were gossipin’ behind my back.”

“I wasn’t being a gossip!” Mary-Beth looked at her with wide, innocent eyes. “I only told the truth.”

“Which is…?”

“That Sean likes you, but I wasn’t sure if you liked him. Call it gossip if you like, but ain’t it the truth? Or isn’t it?”

“…mlike’uff’,” she muttered, her chin dropping to her chest.

“What?”

“I said I like him enough!” she repeated, slumping back to the bedroll. She turned her back, curling her knees up to her chest. “Don’t know why you had to talk about me,” she added petulantly. “Should’a talked about your little horse boy up on the hill.”

“She wouldn’t have liked that,” Mary-Beth argued. “Not after the O’Driscolls killed her husband. And besides, she’s the one that brought it up, not me.” She scooted closer, lying down as close as she dared. She reached out, putting a hand between her shoulder blades and letting her palm cool the overheated skin. “Hey… you like him enough to be his girl?” she whispered the question, keeping an eye out for any eavesdroppers.

“Dunno… he ain’t never asked me.”

“Karen Jones!” she admonished, a laugh sputtering out of her. “He asks you to marry him at least once a week!”

“And he asked you to marry him two weeks ago. What’s the difference?”

“Well… he’s only teasing—” she managed, somewhat taken aback. “It’s different. You know it’s different.”

“How do you know he ain’t teasing me, too?” she growled. “It wouldn’t kill him to be serious for once, instead of joking all the damn time.”

“Karen….”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Besides, it sounds like you’ve talked enough about me, anyway. What about you?” She flipped over, leaning in until they were nose to nose. “You like that Kieran enough to be his girl?”

“Yes, I do.” She blushed. “If he’d ask me.”

“You would like him.” Karen smirked, rolling onto her back once more and squirming in an effort to find a comfortable position. “You’re the only one silly enough to fall in love with an O’Driscoll.”

“He ain’t an O’Driscoll.”

“You’re right! He’s a baby, which is worse,” she teased. “You’re gonna have to be the one to ask him, seeing as I don’t think he’s even kissed a girl before in his life—”

“Dutch!!!” One single world, loud as a gunshot, echoed across the lake in the sleepy afternoon.

"What in the—?" Karen scrambled to her feet, wide-eyed.

“That sounded like Arthur…” Mary-Beth rose as well, her heart lodging itself at the base of her throat. It pounded unsteadily as she scanned the tree line for any sign of danger. “Do you think… Pinkertons?”

“Dunno. Maybe.”

“What in blue blazes—?!” Dutch emerged from his tent, a book in one hand and his pistol in the other.

“Do they mean to let the whole goddamn state know we’re here?” Hosea griped as he joined him, his newspaper tucked beneath his arm. “Lenny!” he called to the front of the camp. “See anything?”

“No, sir!” came the faint reply. “Only… wait! It’s—” His words were drowned beneath the sound of overlapping riders, horses racing at top speed. Their figures were a blur as they sailed into the clearing, skidding to a stop hard enough that the nearby grazing horses reared in fright. Bill was first to dismount, leaping off a foaming Brown Jack and lumbering for Dutch’s tent as fast as his legs would carry him.

“I swear, I didn’t realize it was set-up— I thought they were legit—” he jabbered.

“Calm down, son!” Dutch held up his hands, looking past him to where the others were gathering near the camp entrance. “Take a breath, for Christ’s sake! What's happened?”

“I told ‘em to drop him a mile back, Dutch.” Micah shouldered his way through the growing crowd, storming towards the lake. His hat was flecked with blood, sanguine droplets crusted on his face and neck. “But Morgan insisted on bringing him back to camp… dumb bastard.”

“Who?” Hosea frowned, tossing the newspaper onto a nearby table as he went to join the others.

“I swear, if I’d thought for a single second that… and Arthur agreed with me!” Bill continued anxiously. “You can ask him, he said himself that—”

“Dutch, get over here.” Hosea’s voice was calm, but there was a jarring note beneath the level tone that set Mary-Beth’s heart racing. “Now.”

"...Sean?"

"What?" Mary-Beth asked, realizing a second too late that Karen was speaking to her.

"Where is he?" Karen looked from Bill to Micah, a crease forming between her brows. "He rode out with them this morning... where...?" Mary-Beth winced as Karen gripped her arm hard enough to hurt, nails digging into the flesh above her elbow.

"I'm sure that he's..." she faltered, searching the huddled figures for that familiar shock of red hair. For a moment she thought she saw him, but it was only Molly, backing away from the others. She looked as green as her favorite gown, both hands over her painted lips. Before either of them could ask, Abigail emerged from the fray. She was carrying Jack with single-minded purpose, one hand covering his eyes.

"Come on, Jack, we'll go down to the creek." Her lips barely moved as she spoke. "We'll see if we can spot any minnows in the water, how about that?" Her eyes locked with Karen’s, the blood draining from her face.

"Abigail?" Karen croaked, her eyes pleading.

"Karen—" Abigail blanched. "You... you shouldn't—" It was too late. With a stumbling lurch, Karen broke free and ran towards the others. Mary-Beth followed on her heels, knowing that whatever awaited could not possibly be weathered alone. "Stop!" Abigail shouted after them, helpless, "don't— don't look at him, he's—!"

They fought their way to the center of the crowd, all elbows and knees as they struggled to see around shifting bodies. Charles frowned when Karen shoved and slapped at his massive torso; he shifted aside without a word, providing a perfect view of the grisly scene. Mary-Beth bit her lip, a cry rising unbidden in her throat and her stomach knotting at the sight.

Arthur knelt on the ground beside his horse. His blue pinstripe shirt was stained black with blood, soaked through and clinging wetly to his skin. He cradled Sean protectively in his arms, the man's head resting at the join of his neck and shoulder. From Mary-Beth's current angle, Sean looked as though he merely slept. The waxen cast to his skin and his tangled, bloodstained hair spoke otherwise. Together, they reminded her vaguely of a painting she'd seen in a book once, years ago. The Deposition, 1545.

"He was awake when I put him on the horse," Arthur informed Dutch, his bloody hands keeping a firm grip on the unconscious young man. "I tried to keep him awake, but he kept mumbling a load of nonsense and then…."

"But what happened?!" Dutch asked, growing impatient. He ran his hands through his greased hair, tugging absently on the ends as he stared down at the two of them. "I though this was supposed to be an easy job! What in hell's name was—"

"I don't know! Why don't you ask him!" Arthur spat, jerking his chin to where Bill stood, lingering near the hitching posts. "The whole thing was a goddamn mess!"

"How the hell was I supposed to know?!" Bill hollered back, pacing back and forth on the worn, packed earth.

“Let me see: they set us up once before, they didn’t like us, we destroyed their farm… should I go on!?”

"Go easy on him, Morgan!" Micah appeared at Dutch's side, gesturing over his shoulder in his usual snarky manner. Mary-Beth noted how he made sure to keep Dutch between them, as though relying on him to be his shield should Arthur fly into a rage. "Bill was out tryin' to find a lead: same as you, same as Hosea." Hosea knelt beside Arthur, Sean's inert wrist held in his long fingers.

"Pulse is faint." He looked up with a grim expression. "Boy needs a doctor, Dutch."

"For all I know, we shot the goddamn doctor!" Arthur’s expression was one of barely contained fury. Fury at Bill, at Micah, at his own powerlessness.

"What happened to him?" Hosea gingerly tilted Sean's head, cursing under his breath as he saw the severity of the wound. From temple to ear, his skull was an unrecognizable mess. Clumps of his hair were stuck together with pieces of skin and flesh, a macabre puzzle waiting to be pieced back together… if such a thing was indeed possible. Streaks of dark blood painted his neck from ear to collarbone.

"It weren't a clean shot," Arthur explained gruffly, his throat working as he stared at the wound. "The bullet must have ricocheted; I heard it hit something. It caught him in the skull as he turned around to look. Idiot!" he hissed, the corners of his mouth drawing tight. "Why did he— why didn't we—"

"A clean shot probably would have killed him… poor bastard."

"We can't go back to Rhodes." Arthur swallowed thickly. "Too many of their men killed. They'll be searching the outskirts for us soon enough."

"Wouldn't do to head to Saint Denis or Valentine, either." Hosea sighed, brushing back Sean's blood-soaked bangs with a gentle touch. "He wouldn't last the ride in this state… it's Davey all over again."

Karen clapped a hand over her mouth, a choked sob rattling her frame. Mary-Beth held her steady, swaying together as they watched. Tears swam in her eyes at the thought of poor Davey, dying a slow death in the back of the wagon as they limped their way into the mountains. She could not bear to imagine Sean in his place, forced to watch the life leech out of him slowly, his boisterous laugh forever lost beyond that final veil.

“Well, Dutch? Should we send for a doctor? Your call.”

"I'll go," Arthur volunteered immediately. "Saint Denis, Valentine… just say where." Dutch stared down at Sean, his expression impassive. He took a deep breath, held it a moment too long, and then closed his eyes.

"We cannot… trust a doctor, not now." He ran a hand over his face wearily. "Not with the price on our heads."

"Dutch." Hosea stood, his expression flinty.

"The kid's gonna die if we don't do somethin'!" Mary-Beth had never heard Arthur sound this close to pleading before. "We can't just—"

"We will do something, Arthur." Dutch waved a hand dismissively. "We'll make him comfortable as we can, the way we did with Davey. The way we did with you," he added pointedly, staring down his nose. "The rest is up to God, or fate, or… whatever you'd prefer to call it. Take your pick, son."

"J-Just make sure his head's upright." There was a sudden hush as every head turned to face the source of the stammering voice. Kieran seemed to wilt on the spot, shoulders hunching in on themselves like a turtle seeking sanctuary in its shell.

"What did you say?" Arthur's eyes narrowed.

"H-His, um… his head?" Kieran repeated, pointing a shaky hand to where Sean's head had began to slip off his shoulder. "It needs to stay up."

"And just how do you know?" Dutch asked, crossing his arms with a frown.

"I, erm… When I was a b-boy, in the stables," Kieran stammered, fingers knotting together, "this fella, he got his head kicked in by a horse. The doctor, he said it needed to stay propped up while it healed. Y-You know," he added, scratching at his sweat-greased locks, "I-I could probably… I mean, I remember what to do, I think—"

You think you know how to fix him, boy?" Arthur rose to his feet, lifting Sean's crumpled form as though he weighed no more than Jack.

"Er… Um…"

"Speak up!"

"Go ahead, son," Hosea urged gently. "Tell us what's on your mind."

"It's only that… in the a-army, I saw men get shot in all kinds of ways," he mumbled, eyes darting nervously as he fidgeted in place. "I carried them to the surgeons, sometimes, and held them while they…. But I think I remember what they did to dress the wounds! Mostly!"

"So now we're trusting O'Driscolls to keep us alive?" Micah laughed coldly. "Why bother wastin' time with this, Morgan? Dutch has already given his orders. Make the man comfortable and let him die in peace." Arthur ignored him, pinning Kieran in place with a steady, earnest gaze.

"You think you can save him?" Kieran held his ground, trembling and pale, but standing firm.

"I… I want to try, sir."

"Try," Arthur agreed softly, nodding. "Please," he added, barely audible.

"Of course, try," Dutch agreed, after a moment's hesitation. "If there's any way to save young Sean—what I mean is, we will of course take every measure within our power to keep him alive. But let's not get our hopes up too high."

"He can go in my tent," John offered, looking solemn as he stepped forward. "It'll be quieter in there, and, uh… it won't kill me to sleep outside, for once."

"Very well, very well," Dutch dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Go and make him comfortable. Ms. Grimshaw, Mr. Pearson: see to it that Mr. Duffy has what he needs. Now, I want the two of you," he said, motioning to Bill and Micah, "to fill me in on exactly what happened out there today. Just how deep is this shit we're standing in?"

"Pretty damn deep, Dutch."

#red dead redemption 2 #rdr2 #rdr2 fanfic #read dead redemption 2 fanfiction #kierabeth #macjones #my writing #mary beth x kieran #sean x karen #sean macguire #karen jones #mary beth gaskill #kieran duffy #fanfic #long fic #rdr2 community

13 notes · View notes