#except for 'please stop having everything be off-screen' but that's old hat at this point

[ac-liveblogs]

I at least think that in 3.2 we're gonna 'solve racism' in a really basic way by beating up the three sages who are, in HYV's fantasy land, the three dudes holding together the entirety of Sumeru's racism.

(In real life, discrimination is obviously more complicated than that. Hell, even in game it's clearly more complicated than that because the sages racism trickled down to the ordinary scholar. But this is the team that gave us Heizou with no complex thought so hopes are low.)

Course, this is gonna expose all the dumbassery HYV tried to pull with 'war and conflict is bad' when we inevitably go to war with the sages like the eremites planned to do, but it's okay when we do it because we're polite! and not brown religious extremists (nice look HYV. Real nice look.)

After that, all they'd have to do is show more brown people being npc and pc scholars (I personally think Dehya and Cyno would be good picks, considering how it'd pay off their stories) to imply that the physical and metaphorical wall had broken down.

Honestly I'm just surprised it's THIS bad, considering Cyno was actually really good imo. (IM DEFINITELY READING TOO FAR IN THOUGH LOL)

He's a cop who genuinely believed in what he was doing and can be considered as 'having made it' because he was a desert person in a 'high ranking position'. Then this cop 1. learns his duty isn't to do justice, but to enforce the sages hierarchy. 2. That they never trusted him and effectively put a nanny cam on him (which can be symbolically compared to a collar).

His position as a doer of violence also ultimately fits into the sage's hierarchy, where desert folk can't be scholars, and are only fit for brutish, violent jobs like mercenaries (and cops) so even his high ranking position is inherently lesser in their culture. Additionally, this position forces him to distance himself from his own community.

Then you add the theme of dehumanisation with how everyone talks about him like he's some dangerous animal (because he's scary and brown) along with how he resists this classification with his terrible jokes. Even his hat adds to this with how it 1. is initially a desert folk hat, thereby serving simultaneously as proof the sages thought of him as other AND as a connection with his people. and 2. marks him as a fake animal, someone made inhuman and violent by their job.

But then the rest of the quest is just. Like that. Which is why I'm pretty sure I'm just reading in too hard. Where's the guy who wrote Itto? I want him back.

Haha, yeah I wouldn't expect much more than that. I wonder if Cyno will ever formally go back to the Akademiya, or if he's just going to stand ominously in the corner tapping his foot whenever dubious shit starts happening. I hope at least the 3 Sages are removed and the leaks about the "corrupting influence (the Fatui) infected them" won't mean they get to stay in power.

But that said, the Akademiya doesn't have a godwaifu that would be negatively impacted by the sages getting torn apart since Nahida is their victim, not their boss, so I think we'll get to sidestep a lot of the issues we got in Inazuma. We can't think EI did a bad, but 3 random old dudes, literally who cares etc etc etc.

(We've already gotten "Rukkhadevata did nothing wrong!" with her dealings with the Scarlet King, after all).

Course, this is gonna expose all the dumbassery HYV tried to pull with 'war and conflict is bad' when we inevitably go to war with the sages like the eremites planned to do, but it's okay when we do it because we're polite! and not brown religious extremists (nice look HYV. Real nice look.)

I am probably not the person to be talking to about colourism and HYV's handling of it, but I do wonder how meaningfully different this is to the way Narukami vs Watatsumi was handled in Kokomi's quest. We definitely had some ~Stupid ~Extremists in Watatsumi that almost ruined everything (the original basis of the conflict being the Raiden/Orobashi divide), and the Right Answer was Kokomi sitting down with Sara to talk things out ~diplomatically. It's not a good look from HYV here, but it's definitely not new ground beyond more unfortunate aesthetics this time around.

Not that it was any good the first time, but at least they're consistent about it(?) God damn, I hate the "bad rebels did rebellion badly, we the civilised shall TALK THINGS OUT" trope. Though I do wonder how much baggage HYV as a CN company is saddled with, there.

I also wonder how much diplomacy there'll be this time... maybe we'll beat up Scaramouche and the Sages will be scared of us/acknowledge Nahida is cool actually and do whatever we want. And then everything will be fine once Nahida is in power?

I think Genshin is pretty much almost always going to go "the Archons did nothing wrong!!!!!!!" and god forbid how bad anyone else looks because of it. This paired with HYV's unfortunate though hopefully subconscious biases is coming off really badly in Sumeru. We can only pray they don't also apply this standard to the Tsaritsa, and... I guess that it is applied in Natlan? ugh...

I think re; Cyno... there's an interesting narrative around him atm but we'll have to see how that plays out in Act V when we finally meet the Sages. I do think that HYV won't acknowledge most of what they've laid down and depending on how delicate their writing is (lol Inazuma) and how much of it was actual intentional commentary vs "we just didn't think about it lol" it might be for the best that they don't. Guess we'll see.

Speaking of Cyno's headdress and wolf-like partial transformation, while I think that's just meant to invoke Anubis/"Judgment"/"Guardian of the Scales" imagery than it is meant to be dehumanising, I would maybe like some more information about it??? what's with that??? hello???? wolf man transformation? WHY??

[gildedmuse]

Hey, everyone.

So recently I've (predictably) very not well. Actually, whenever I don't post for long periods, just assume my body is trying to kill me. But I've gotten messages from three people asking if I. Okay, which is super sweet. I am actually trying to work on the next All Hearts, a really long ZoLaw post and two request fics, but mixing chronic kidney pain and capitalist society's mandate to work 40+ hours is not recommended.

But to prove I'm okay and still me, here is some Shanks antics with him being a total slut while Mihawk and Beckman just roll their eyes and go along with it. [Shout out to @jhaernyl who not only listens to me ramble about this stuff, but actively encourages it]. I also have many thoughts on the latest episodes and so many screenshots it's embarrassing. Hopefully, when I'm in less pain, I'll get around to actually posting those. Otherwise I just look like an insane person who literally takes by the second frame shots every time Zoro is on screen.

.... What is that? I look like that anyway? Fair.

Shanks Is A Bad Influence

It feels like Buggy and Shanks split up after Roger's death (the crew was told to, and they are the only ones who went to his execution) and I find it impossible to think Shanks didn't immediately set out and find a crew; like, pirating is the only thing this kid knows in life. This means two things:

He set out from East Blue. Also, he seemed at ease and familiar with the East so it's possible he spent like a year there getting everything together. Maybe he even played around in the other blues for a while before heading back to the Grand Line. I say this because his crew is from all over so either he found and recruited them in the Grand Line or visited various blues. Either way, I'm gonna say it took him about two years before getting a 'proper' start. In that case, he would have started out properly at the age of 17 and we know One Piece likes it's parallels.

That still puts Shanks at 17 to Benn Beckmen's 28. How the fuck did Shanks manage that? I'd call it grave robbing, but let's face it, the little tyke probably got up to some actual robbing of graves as well.

My point being everytime Shanks teases Mihawk about keeping this 19 year old kid on his personal island, mostly shirtless, Benn Beckmen just lifts an eyebrow.

Excuse me, captain, who had prefected the 'opps still don't have my sea legs' trip-and-fall into their first mates lap by the age of 17?

Shanks: Beckmen, you caught me! *Shamelessly nuzzles up* Thank goodness! I could be a devil's fruit user after all and - Ahh!

Benn: *Drops Shanks straight over the side of the ship into the water*

Shanks: *Sputtering* What what that!?

Benn: Checking to see if you had eaten a devil's fruit on us, Capatin.

Benn: You didn't.

Smart ass. But he can't resist Shanks forever. Shanks will wear him down eventually.

Next time Mihawk tracks him down for another match - because you know he gets bored way quicker than he'll ever admit and Shanks is at least amusing a challenge - Shanks makes a big deal out of how Mihawk follows him around, "accidentally" revealing they slept together, sighing about how it's so hard to resist him.

Benn Beckmen is just leaning against the side of the ship, sipping his booze.

Shanks: -and I can't stay for hours like last time!!

Mihawk: Are you quite done?

Shanks: *whispering* Does Benn look jealous?

Mihawk: He looks bored. Much like I am. Is this some strange attempt to get out of my challenge, Akagami?

Shanks: What? No, come on I told you I was game. But, hey, could you do me a favor? Maybe like try and kiss me or something? Like take a swing like your going to hit me but then stop shot and grab me by the waist instead.

Mihawk: .... Trickery is beneath you. Besides, you're absolute rubbish at it.

Shanks: Oh, come on, I would totally help you get laid if you asked!

Mihawk: .... *Sigh* I want a proper match afterwards.

Mihawk: *In a forced, monotone voice* After this I will take you to my lair and have my way with you, Akagami.

Mihawk: ... My lair? Really?

Shanks: *Holding up cue card with quickly scribbled line* What? That is how you talk.

Mihawk: I can't believe I wasted precious hours of light tracking you to this atrociously rural port.

Shanks: See? Now, read the next one.

Benn: Captain? If this is going to take all night, I am going to go join the rest of the men in the tavern.

Shanks: Huh? Wait! Benn! What if Miha really stabs me this time!?

Benn: *Salutes Shanks with his bottle* Sounds like that is his plan captain. Have a good 'challenge'.

Shanks: What? No... *Reaching out hand, like he might die if Benn leaves, looking completely devastated* Not even a little jealous...

Mihawk: You couldn't have thought that pantomime would actually work.

Shanks: Benny, don't leave me.... *Turns to Mihawk, immediately brightening* Oh, well, there's always tomorrow. Hey, Miha, guess whose free all night and horny as a pirate in the calm belt?

Mihawk: .... *Sigh* Very well.

Mihawk might as well get something for the trip he made. Although, he's reconsidering if the sex was actually worth the trouble after he ends up listening to Shanks worry half the night that Benn is shacking up with someone else (after a couple hours of rough and raw fucking, admittedly).

Is it the hat? He likes his captain's hat. Miha, you think his captain's hat is sexy, don't you?

Mihawk: It's utterly ridiculous.

Shanks: ....

Shanks: ....

Shanks: *Smile* Ahh, Miha, I knew you liked the hat!

Shanks: What do you old Northerns find sexy?

Mihawk: I am only four years older than you.

Mihawk: And silence.

Trying to convince Mihawk to go spy on Beckman for him. Shanks doesn't actually care if he does sleep with someone else, it's more that Beckman didn't immediately turn angry and jealous like Buggy would have that has him paranoid.

Mihawk is going to fuck this annoying red head again just to shut him up.

Mihawk: Maybe he doesn't like red haired boys who don't know when to be quiet?

The next morning Shanks is pacing among his poor crew that's gotten stuck listening to Shanks obsess about Beckman again. IS IT REALLY THE HAIR!?

It's not even a matter of Shanks's age (or obvious immaturity). I mean, Beckman got on board and stayed, didn't he? Beckman just enjoys watching Shanks try so hard to get his attention. Like Benn's attention isn't constantly on Shanks. He had to when his captain is always one step away from disaster.

He only left him with Mihawk because it was clear Dracule is not a real danger to Beckman's captain.

Except maybe insulting him to death. But Beckman is pretty sure Shanks can handle it. He's met Buggy. He's suspects Shanks LIKES it if anything.

It gets to the point where when they dock somewhere and see Mihawk waiting, or come back to the ship and spot his familiar silhouette, most of the crew goes off somewhere for another drink (sometimes the newer kids will stay to watch such an awesome fight, everyone else is like... Look, you'll have plenty of opportunities later. This is not a one off.)

Benn just takes a look around, nods to Mihawk (a silent signal for, "he's all yours, do with him as you please, if anything happens to him I will track you down and make sure your last few hours on this blue world are as painful as humanly possible") and heads off.

Oh, it's just the Hawk boy.

That's fine then.

Benn use to be a sailor on a trade ship between the North, East, West and Grand Line. He's seen it all.

They called him The Gun Slinger BEFORE he joined Shanks's crew and became a pirate.

So this young, broke ass kid from the streets of some near artic northern island trying to pass himself off as a Lower North rich type has a thing for his captain? Not really enough to keep Beckman up at night, no matter how good at swords he's supposed to be

Besides, he's pretty sure for the kid to keep tracking down Shanks, he must be bored out of his skull. He's not going to do anything to endanger their captain.

Not if Shanks is the only thing he can find to keep him entertained.

One day, Mihawk is going to be waiting on the dock when a bunch of Red Haired pirates are stumbling home, laughing and chattering amongst themselves (Shanks's crew always seems to be in a good mood). One of them will catch sight if Mihawk and walk by with a smile, patting him on the shoulder.

The captain's occupied. Seems likely he'll be 'occupied' for a good while, too.

Mihawk won't smile, but he will think "So you finally warmed him up to you, Akagami?" and snort lightly.

Poor Benn, though. Mihawk could never imagine being with someone so much younger than him. Shanks is only four years his junior and already it strains Mihawk to put up with his occasional moments of "youthful whimsy" (aka being an annoying, immature child)

"A young, cocky pirate with strangely colored bright hair"

Mihawk just putting that on his Not To Do List.

That lasted until Roronoa.

(Mihawk just looking at Zoro knowing this is bad news.)

Mihawk: *Takes list from Benn*

*Cross out, scribbles*

*Hands back to Benn*

Do Not Do:

- A young, cocky pirate with strangely colored bright hair a silly hat, who is overly dramatic and in any way, shape or form related to Gol D Rogers.

Ace: Hey what's up?

Mihawk: *Takes list from Benn*

Go ahead, Benn, laugh it up. Mihawk is aware he has a type. Young, pretty, and utterly insane.

After that night where Shanks was otherwise 'occupied', it's over six months before Mihawk sees his friend his rival again. He is, as expected, far too smug and proud looking.

Shanks: Oh, Miha, so sorry you came all this way, I'm-

Benn: Well, I'm off, captain.

Shanks: What!? But we, you, I... Benn, hessoeexyarentyouworriedforyourcaptain?

Benn: *patting Mihawk on the shoulder* Have fun with him. Don't forget to return him by noon tomorrow, we have a schedule. Oh, but if you can babysit him for at least four hours? That would be great.

Shanks: BABYSIT!?

Mihawk: I suppose I can be troubled to do so.

Shanks: TROUBLED!?

Benn: Thanks, Hawkeyes. I owe you.

Shanks: *Fake tears clinging to his lashes* You two are so mean!

No, don't feel bad for him. Shanks is just trying to guilt the two of them into bed at the same time, and they both know it.

Thanks no thanks, they're not into that. But Shanks can be pretty cute when he's trying so hard (Benn) and at least he's not as boring as everything else in this world (Mihawk) so they allow him to keep up the act

Shanks: *looking at Zoro's wanted poster over Mihawk's shoulder* But I feel like you'd gladly go to bed with him and his captain if he asked. That doesn't seem fair to me. You'd never go that far with me and Benn.

Mihawk: *Eyes Benn*

Mihawk: *DEAD. ONLY.*

Mihawk: I have my reasons.

They can and do agree on plenty of things, including reciprocally not being that attracted to each other.

Shanks: Sounds fake to me

Shanks: But guys!

Shanks: This isn't about you

He's gonna need you guys to drop the egos and focus on what HE wants. I.E., being in the middle of two sexy Northern men.

Honestly, so mean to poor Shanks!

[winterscaptain]

figure it out.

Aaron Hotchner x Gender Neutral Reader a joyful future fic

a/n: this has been in my wips for literal months as i’ve done my best to get it just right for yall. i hope you enjoy it, and tell me what you think! There’s an addendum to this one, and i’m already working on it, but we’ll see a few more things before that’s ready :)

words: 3.5k warnings: sex mention, sex implication, language

summary: “love is like a backache. it doesn’t show up on an x-ray, but you know it’s there.” - george burns. au!january 2012. 

masterlist | a joyful future masterlist | ajf faq | requests closed!

You roll over in bed when your alarm goes off, but you don’t get very far. Aaron throws an arm over you and pulls you back to him with a grumble. 

You huff a laugh and wiggle up against him. It’s all a tease and you both know it - there isn’t any time to get up to anything fun before work, but it’s far too entertaining to rile him up.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish.” His voice escapes his lips between your shoulder blades and you can feel his smile. 

“Oh, trust me, babe. I can finish.” 

He hums, his smile breaking out into something real. “I noticed.” 

+++

When the two of you finally make it out of bed (surprisingly still on time), you grab one of Aaron’s scarves and a hat on your way out. It’s your turn to drop Jack at school today on your way into the office, and the task serves two purposes. 

The first? It’s nice to spend time with Jack, just the two of you, when it’s your turn and you’re not on a case. It’s the same for Aaron, who always leaves a little earlier so he and Jack can sit down somewhere and have breakfast together.

The second is pure logistics. You two can’t show up to work in the same car at the same time, so a convenient excuse to separate and stagger your arrivals is welcome. 

“Really?” 

Aaron’s question stops you at the threshold and you look over your shoulder “What?” 

“My hat? My scarf?” 

It’s almost too tempting to cave when he’s looking at you like that - his tie hanging around his neck, shirt untucked, arms crossed, and playful frown hiding a smile. 

“Yeah. It’s warm and it’s here and we’re late.” 

Jack squints up at you and says, “We’re not late.”

“You’re not late.”

The observations come within split seconds of each other and you laugh. 

“Fine. Not late, but warm. And you have more hats.” You scamper back into the house to plant a kiss on his lips, smoothing the hair at his temples. 

Jack’s laughter is the underscore to your next quip. “You’re very handsome and I’m sure you’re very smart so you can figure it out.” 

“Yeah, Dad,” Jack chirps. “Figure it out.”

He has nothing to say to your retreating forms as he catches a glimpse of your smile through the crack in the closing door.

+++

Emily and Spencer are away at a conference-book-signing thing, so it’s just the five of you and Penelope this morning. You’d normally figure that would be Rossi’s purview, but apparently - 

“My book-signing days have been put on hold indefinitely in favor of -”

“ - He’s back.” Garcia interrupts, tossing case files at all of you. The conversation is cut short and you suppress a smile. “The Marin headlands last night.” 

You can see Aaron’s lips pull as well. 

It’s the little things. 

Penelope gestures with the notes and crime scene photos appear on the screen. “David Atley and Nicole Puli, both 24, both grad students at Berkeley, shot multiple times in their vehicle-- wait for it--” She clicks again and a familiar sigil appears. 

“The Zodiac?” Morgan’s shock is almost sardonic in its delivery. 

Rossi snorts. “No way.”

“Come on,” Derek says, amused, while JJ chimes in as well. 

 “It's gotta be the 2.0 version.”

While neither of you speak, you share a glance with Aaron. You’re kidding. 

He only raises his eyebrows for a split second and shrugs. 

There’s some part of you a little paranoid that you’re the most obvious couple to exist in the history of the universe. Sure, the team has been teasing you about your friendship for years, the will-the-won’t-they of it all, but now that it’s real you’re almost terrified that they know everything. 

Thus, the overcompensation has been wretched. You and Aaron barely look at each other in the field if you can help it (which you usually can’t) and he tends to put you with Derek more often than not. 

In truth, the others have noticed, but are far too interested in the spectacle to say anything. Emily’s almost certain the two of you have slept together, and Dave may or may not have suggested the possibility of a secret marriage during your period of suspension. 

However far-fetched and ridiculous their theories, they know you two well enough to know that something happened. The tension is gone. 

Derek almost finds himself missing the tension. There hasn’t been much to tease you about lately in its absence. 

“Yeah, you would think so, except for the crazy similarities in the MO.” Penelope clicks through the photos as she talks. 

“I'm talking same victimology, same geography. And,” she adds. “Two souvenirs were left at the crime scene.” She clicks once more and stands back for the full effect. 

“He left a photo?” Rossi asks.

She hums in the affirmative. “Local police say that is Marcia Miller. She was found near Napa in 1971. Strongly suspected that she was a victim of the Zodiac, but police never confirmed it and they didn't publicize the case.” 

Morgan’s still squinting at the screen. “So the Zodiac took this photo at the killing and then saved it all these years?”

“The Zodiac's last confirmed victim was the cabdriver Paul Stine,” Dave notes devolving into a conversation about The Zodiac, his timeline, his signature. 

It’s nothing new - The Zodiac Killer’s case details are common knowledge in your line of work, nevermind the sheer number of copycats that try their hand at the highly-ritualistic murders before inevitably getting arrested. 

There’s a reason this guy hasn’t been caught in forty years. 

After a few minutes of bouncing between you all, Hotch pushes back from the table and stands. “Have Reid and Prentiss meet us in San Francisco. Wheels up in 30.”

He heads straight to his office to collect his things and you swing in by the tips of your fingers for just a second. “You wanna call Jess or do you want me to?” 

In the middle of throwing files in his briefcase, he doesn’t look up when he answers. “Can you, please? I was supposed to meet with Strauss this afternoon and need to stop by her office before wheels up.” 

You smile at him, tapping the door frame twice. “You got it.” 

+++

It’s boots on the ground right away when you land in San Francisco. You drive to the crime scene with Aaron in the passenger seat beside you and JJ in the back. The radio’s on, and you sing under your breath, tapping your fingers on the steering wheel as you make your way up to the crime scene. 

Before you get to the local FBI agents, JJ catches you by the sleeve. “It’s nice to have music in the car again.” 

You just smile at her. Aaron looks a little puzzled. 

The three of you wipe the looks off your faces by the time you get to Agent Lynn. 

+++

“What did JJ mean?” Aaron asks you. 

The two of you are alone for the time being, posted up in the conference room with the old Zodiac case files. You look up. “Hmm?” 

“What did she mean when she mentioned the music earlier?” 

“Oh.” A little flush of embarrassment shoots down your gut. “Derek pointed out to me last summer that I didn’t play any music in the car.” 

...while you were gone is the thing you don’t say, but he knows that’s what you mean. 

“I didn’t really notice.” You shrug to cover your fib. “I guess I’ve reacquainted myself with the radio in the last couple of weeks.” 

Aaron hums, returning to his work. Something’s off, but you’re sure it’ll come up later. 

+++

“You don’t think it’s really him, do you?” You ask, unbuttoning your shirt and throwing your pajamas on. 

Surprisingly, this case seems to be one of those that allows for sleep at regular hours. For that, you’re grateful. It’s much harder to find time to wind down with Aaron at the end of the day when you’re all forced to sleep in shifts. 

Aaron shakes his head, “No, I think Reid’s right. We’re looking at a particularly sophisticated copycat.” 

“Isn’t that kind of worse?” Hopping up on your bed, you curl up and look at him over your nose - a clear invitation to join you. 

With a huff down his nose and a little smile, he flops down beside you and props his chin on his arms over your belly. “Could be. Luckily, we have Reid.” 

You almost think he’s going to say something else, but he gets that pensive look on his face again. 

“What?” 

With a sigh, he says, “I’m just thinking about what JJ said.” 

“Oh, Aaron -” 

He doesn’t let you finish. It’s probably a good thing. You didn’t know what you wanted to say anyway. 

“I knew how hard it was on me, but I’m realizing more and more how hard it was on you, too.” He shakes his head. “I feel ...I don’t know. I feel like I should have known better… or something.” 

Winding your fingers in his hair, you sit in silence for a moment. He doesn’t have anything more to say and eventually he crawls up your body and settles in under your arm, his head on your chest and legs wound between yours.

Sometimes, you’ve found, he likes to feel small.  

“You’re safe and you’re home. That’s what matters.” You kiss the top of his head. “And I love you.” 

He hums, arcing into your touch and wrapping an arm around your waist. “I love you.” 

+++

You spend much of the next day chasing Spencer around the city, keeping notes handy (for yourself, not for him - he doesn't need them) and reporting back on his discoveries to the team like some kind of overwrought and hyper-trained secretary. 

Stepping off to the side, you answer a call from Aaron. 

“Hit your limit yet?” 

You look over at Spencer, who’s flipping through a newspaper like a man on a mission. “It’s actually kind of entertaining.” 

And that’s actually true. Watching Spencer push the limits of his intelligence is always a treat - it happens so rarely you almost forget how much you enjoy it every time. 

He huffs into the phone. “Hang in there. We’ll all meet back at the precinct once Reid’s done -”

“Doing magic?” 

“Exactly. Keep me posted.” There’s a pause. It’s an odd little habit you two developed in the field to leave space for the words you can’t say in front of the others. 

I love you.

“Me too.” 

+++

You’re almost asleep when a sliver of yellow light shoots across your room, promptly disappearing as the door to the hallway closes. 

He pads across the room and slips under the covers. “Hi.” 

A little smile crosses your face as you roll over to face him. “Hi.”

Before you can say anything else, his hands are on you and he’s half on top of you as he captures your lips. 

Needless to say, the lack of sleep is worth it. 

+++

Emily, long after she and Aaron are the only ones left in the precinct conference room, squints as she notices something right under his collar. 

He’s already loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his dress shirt, no longer standing on ceremony now that all the local police have retired and the rest of the team gone up to their hotel rooms. There’s not much to do, but the compulsion to get ahead for tomorrow is one neither one of them can shake. 

What Aaron failed to remember when executing his wardrobe adjustment was the rather...spirited romp in your room the night prior. The little purple swatches painted on his skin just under the line of his collar stood out stark against the crisp lines of his dress shirt. 

Fortunately for you, there was no way in hell the rest of the team would find anything he left on you last night. 

Emily reaches into her purse and pulls out a tube of concealer and a powder compact. Though he’s more olive-toned than she is, it’ll be good enough in a pinch. “Hey, Hotch.” 

He looks at her over his nose, his eyes tired. 

“You might want this for tomorrow morning.” She pushes the crisis control kit across the table to him, but he only frowns and deepens his squint. 

By way of explanation, she reaches across the table and presses the tip of her finger into one of the visible bruises in the hollow of his throat. He flinches, freezes, and then immediately drops his head into his hands. 

It’s easy to say Emily is amused in the extreme. “Those look...really fresh.” 

He shakes his head, insisting as he picks up a file at random, “They’re from before we left.” 

It’s only because it’s Emily that he’s even humoring this conversation. 

“No they’re not.” She sticks her tongue firmly in her cheek. “These ones are though.” She points at yellowing marks on his collarbone and he smacks her hands away. 

“And I know what fresh hickies look like, Hotch. Those are fresh fresh. Like, last night fresh. And we’ve been here for four days.” She frowns, tracking back through the day. “When on earth would you have time to -” 

A series of images flash through her head, random wayward connections flashing together in an alarmingly clear picture.

You, avoiding her at the office back in September with quickly-covered marks painted across your neck.

You, flirting with Sean and having way too much fun doing it, looking over his shoulder at ...someone else.

Hotch, in a perpetually good mood (for him, anyway, and despite looking ill-slept) for the last five months. 

The way the mistletoe kiss at Dave’s Christmas party looked way too easy, too familiar. 

And now, the obvious indicators that Hotch is not only getting it, he’s getting it good. 

If he got those last night…

Wait. 

Their hotel rooms are right next to …

Oh my God. 

Hotch watches the realization flash across Emily’s face, and he knows you’re both busted. Instead of losing her shit like he expected, Emily just leans back in her chair - smug. 

“So. Are you still Not the Boyfriend, or has there been an update?”

He sighs. 

The corner of her mouth tips up. “How long?”

“For which part? The not-boyfriend part, the boyfriend part, or this part?” He gestures vaguely to the space behind his tie, and Emily snorts. 

“Just spill it.” 

Holding up a finger, he pulls his phone out of his pocket, dialing the first number on his speed dial. 

You’re hardly asleep, sitting up in bed waiting for him with a case file in your lap, when you get the call. You’re not sure who’s listening, so a “Hey, Hotch. What’s up?” will have to do. 

“Emily knows.” 

You straighten. “How?”

“Doesn’t matter. She knows.” 

There’s a scramble, and suddenly Emily’s on the other end of the phone. “He’s got very questionable and very fresh bruises just under his collar. Care to explain?”

There’s another shuffle. 

“Ignore her,” Aaron says. With a hand pressed to your forehead, you understand the question implicit in his phone call. 

“Just tell her. It’s basically her fault, anyways. If she hadn’t ditched it then we’d have our heads up our asses for another five years.”

“Alright,” then, after a second of realizing you don’t sound sleepy at all, “Go to bed.”

“I’m in bed.” 

He rolls his eyes. Emily can only look on with amusement, gleeful in the extreme. “You know that’s not what I mean. Go to sleep.”

“Alright, alright. Fine.” You reluctantly close the casefile and put him on speaker so he can hear the light click off. “I’m going to sleep.” Then, “I love you. Come up soon.”

“Okay.” He shoots a glance at Emily. Because he’ll never hear the end of it anyway, more ammo won’t hurt at this point. “I love you too. Now, really. Go to slee -”

You hang up on him. He double-takes at his phone for a moment before shoving it back in his pocket. 

He’s met with Emily’s surprisingly moved eyes. “You’re...okay.”

What she means is, You’re happy. 

He knows. 

He nods. “I’m okay.”

She puts her files down and leans forward, resting her elbows on the table and lacing her fingers. “Tell me.” 

So, he does. 

He tells her about the way you stuck to him like glue through the divorce, the way you wiggled your way into Haley’s heart, captured the love of his son, and earned the trust of his entire family. 

He tells her what Haley said in the hospital, the tenacious care you showed his unyielding and unwilling ass when he was healing, the way your grief soothed his in the wake of Haley’s loss. 

He tells her about the moments of euphoria in the years of want and doubt and fear. 

He tells Emily about the day she died, how there was nothing more painful than that necessary lie. He tells her how easy it was to lie to the others, how it ripped him in half to lie to you. 

He tells her about the day he left for Pakistan, about the fight the night before, the kiss he pressed to your cheek on the tarmac, the endless, wretched nights missing you in the desert. 

He tells her about the fight when he finally came home, skims over the following days, jumps and meanders around to Christmas, to moving in, to the bliss that now seems to follow him wherever he goes. 

Emily watches the smile that plays at his mouth when he talks about you, the softness in his eyes as recalls the look on your face and the words you said and the way you are with Jack. There’s a kind of peace in him that she’s never really seen before. 

Maybe, she imagines, it was there before she met him (the second time). Maybe this peace existed with Haley. Maybe this is the most she’s ever heard him speak at once. Maybe it makes her smile. 

Maybe this peace is what his love looks like. 

If that’s the case, she thinks, you are very lucky indeed. 

It could have been hours, it could have been minutes, but at some point he stops talking. 

“Hotch?” 

He looks over at her, the softness lingering in his eyes. 

“I’m really happy for you.” 

His lips twitch. “Thanks.” 

“And you know it’s my God-given right to tell everyone else once this case is over, right?”

+++

You actually are asleep by the time Aaron gets back to the hotel. He leans against the wall in the dark with his hands in his pockets, enjoying the peace before the inevitable shitshow. 

He crosses the room and crouches at your side, running the back of his fingers over your cheek. You stir, sleepy noises leaving your throat as your eyes crack open. 

“Aaron?”

“Yeah. Just me.” 

You smile a little and close your eyes again. “How’d she take it?”

“Remarkably well.” He kisses your forehead. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.” 

“No,” you whine, drawn-out and slurred. “Don’t leave. Stay. I set an alarm.”

With a resigned sigh, he strips and slides into bed behind you, wrapping you in his arms and holding you close. 

+++

You and Aaron sit on proverbial pins and needles for the rest of the case, but Emily keeps her word. The only indication of her knowledge came the morning after her chat with Aaron, when she pulled you to her and hugged you so tight you could hardly breathe. 

She seizes her moment on the plane, about halfway home. 

“Derek, you owe me fifty bucks.” 

She hardly looks up from her book as she speaks. 

He takes off his headphones and wrinkles his brow. “What?”

She repeats herself, slower, as if she was speaking to a child. “You. Owe. Me. Fifty. Bucks.”

“...Why?” 

Emily finally looks up from her book to pointedly stare at you and Aaron, seated next to each other and sharing a bag of Goldfish you stole from Jack’s snack drawer. You’re both reading from the same file, absently reaching for crackers as you go along. 

Derek’s confusion continues to smother his face until it finally clicks in. 

He steals a page from Reid’s notebook and balls it up, tossing it across the plane and breaking your concentration. You look up, only a little startled, to find a face-splitting grin blinding you across the cabin.

Derek’s small ruckus has drawn the attention of the rest of the team - well, all except JJ, who’s fast asleep on the couch. 

There seems to be a collective sigh of relief as money exchanges hands. You’re not quite sure what the bet was, but Emily seems to have won handily. 

Aaron takes your hand under the table, waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

It doesn’t. 

Everyone simply returns to their tasks, little smiles on their faces. 

+++

tagging: @quillvine @agenthotchner @hurricanejjareau @rousethemouse @criminalsmarts @genevievedarcygrangerwriting @ssaic-jareau @davidrossi-ismydad @angelsbabey @hotchsflower @hotchslatte @risenfox @mrs-dr-reid @captain-christopher-pike @dwellingsofrosie @pan-pride-12 @sunshine-em @word-scribbless @jdougl-love @sageellsworth05 @dreila03 @forgottenword @aaronhotchnerr @ssa-morgan @tegggeeee @abschaffer2 @ellyhotchner @lotties-journey-abroad @mrs-joel-pimentel-23-25 @laneygthememequeen @mooneylupinblack @ssareidbby @violet-amxthyst @bwbatta @roses-and-grasses @lcvischmitt @capricorngf @missdowntonabbey @averyhotchner @mandylove1000 @cevanswhre @qvid-pro-qvo @jeor @spencers-hoodrat @infinity1321 @zizzlekwum @popped-weasels @evee87 @nuvoleincielo @this-broken-band-girl @reidtomestyles @hotch-meeeeeuppppp @winqhster @arthurmorrgans @the-falling-in-the-danger @softbibxtch @iconicc @mangoberry43 @andreasworlsboring101 @kerrswriting @mac99martin @itsalwaysb33nyou @baumarvel @kerrswriting @messyhairday-me @ssworldofsw @deagibs @crazyshannonigans @moonshinerbynight @jhiddles03 @teamhappyme @mendesmelodies @starsandasteroids @unicorn-bitch @ambicaos

[quills-creative-corner]

Unexpected Visit

Pairing: Carulia

Prompt: confession

“Agent Argent, I assume you are about to head out for the day?” asked Chief, raising an eyebrow at the amount of work Julia had on her desk.

Julia sighed, “Actually, I am not Chief. I have to figure out a way to come in contact with an old friend who could help me solve this case. It is proving to be more difficult than I anticipated.”

“I’m sorry to hear that Agent. Maybe you’ll have some luck one of these days.” Chief started heading out, but not before saying “Oh and Agent, if you do come into contact with your friend, please, tell Ms. Sandiego I said hello.”

“But how did you kn-” Julia cut off, knowing well enough she wouldn’t get an answer. She continued to work on her current personal mission for another 30 minutes before heading home. 

“Carmen Sandiego, I really hope I’m able to find you soon enough.”

2 days earlier, Carmen’s POV

“Player, I’ve been thinking about giving my favorite ACME agent a little visit. Fortunately, it’s not about any sort of mission. What do you think?” Carmen was pacing around her home as she talked with her friend, hoping to get some advice while managing to be as vague as possible about the motives for her wanting to visit Jules.

Player knew very well what Carmen’s intentions were in paying a visit to her friend in France. “I don’t know Red. Depends on what your reasons are for wanting to see her.”

“What, can’t a gal just want to visit an old friend?” Carmen shrugged as she spoke, trying her best to sound aloof about the entire situation.

“Not when that friend is someone you have feelings for.”

“Wait. What the- how did you even come to that conclusion?”

“Quite simple Red, I just saw the way you look at her. The longing in your eyes to be able to talk to her outside of a work setting instead of just solving crime.” Player said smugly.

Carmen couldn’t even answer, she was dumbfounded.

“Am I really that obvious..? Player, please, what if she’s noticed the flirts when we would work on missions together. I don’t think she’d be okay with that.” Carmen looked at the screen, hoping her friend would comfort her.

“Look Red, I wouldn’t mention it if I didn’t think you should do it, but I think you should confess to Jules.” Player gave her the most serious look he had, hoping she would see that this was something she had to do.

“I...I don’t know Player. What if I do confess, then what? It won’t do anything except possibly damage everything I have as her friend. I would hate for that to happen to me and Jules.” Carmen sighed, scared of what could happen if she were to confess to her friend.

“Listen to me. All this flirty banter, the roses, almost literally every single interaction between you two. You don’t think this has gone unnoticed do you? Sure she may have not realized that was you on the train, but she definitely isn’t dumb.” Player knew he was right, and so did Carmen, but she couldn’t really say anything.

“I’ll go ahead and go, alright Player? I need to think some things over and before you ask, yes, I have decided to tell her. In person, hopefully it will be easier that way. See you later.” Carmen hung up before Player could say anything, and slid down the wall, wondering what she’d got herself into.

Present day, Julia’s POV

Julia walked home, stopping by her favorite café to grab a latte in hopes of receiving enough energy from it to continue her search for ‘la femme rouge’, as her partner liked to call her.

When she stepped inside her apartment, she noticed the flowers hanging and just decorating her house. Then she saw the notes on the wall, with arrows pointing towards a figure emerging from the shadows.

“Carmen Sandiego? Is that you?”

Carmen walked out of the corner she stood in, shining her usual smile towards Julia.

“Jules, happy to see you. Sorry for the unexpected visit, it just seemed better to have this happen this way.”

Julia looked around, wondering what could possibly be hidden amongst the flowers and..the dinner on the table?

“Ms. Sandiego, would you mind explaining what is going on here?” Julia gave Carmen a questioning look, hoping she would get some answers.

“So Jules, please sit down. I’ll explain everything during dinner, if that’s okay with you.” Carmen almost seemed....nervous. Julia would make a point to bring it up over dinner.

She walked over to her table, while Carmen pulled out the chair for her to sit.

“So, Ms. Sandiego, what brings you here to my apartment? I assume it’s having something to do with VILE? Although that wouldn’t explain the dinner and flowers..” Julia stopped her musings, looking up at Carmen just in time to see her looking at her, smiling. Huh.

“Actually Jules, I had something entirely different in mind. This is more of a personal matter.” Carmen kept smiling confidently in spite of her nerves, making sure Julia didn’t take notice.

“Oh? Is that so? Well then, I’d love to hear this. Please do tell me what it is that brought you all the way to Poitiers.” Julia was growing more and more curious by the second, anxious for the words about to come out of Carmen’s mouth.

“Well, so here’s the thing. Jules, I like you. As more than a friend. I thought, well actually Player suggested the in person part of this, that I should tell this to you. I wanted to do something special and I thought the roses and dinner at your apartment would be perfect and formal enough. I hope you don’t mind the mess that will ensue.” Carmen laughed at this last bit and looked up at Julia for the first time since beginning to confess, who looked shocked.

“Wow. Ms. Sandiego, I never would have guessed it. Although that would explain why you seemed nervous, even if you did try to hide it. I know you well enough to see through the confident mask you put on tonight.”

“Jules, please don’t think an-” Julia stopped her talking there, not wanting Carmen to feel bad about anything.

“Carmen, please do not feel bad about this. I’m trying to think back to everything and I’m finding an explanation for it now. I guess that explains a lot that has occurred in the past year or so.” Julia looked at Carmen, who just looked guilty, like somehow her feelings were entirely wrong and she had no entitlement to them.

“Ms. Sandiego, what I’m trying to say is I’m pleasantly surprised with this new information. I was actually working on trying to find a way to ask you to meet up, for matters not related to ACME. Because I feel the same way Carmen. You are so incredibly talented and an amazing person. You always manage to help others and I admire you for it. Actually, I’m surprised that you, being an international super thief, didn’t pick up on the signals that I’ve been sending you this entire time. Of course I noticed the flirts you’d initiate, and I’d send the same energy back. I like you Carmen.” Julia was definitely blushing by now, amazed at the confession that she’d just given. 

“Wait you flirted back? And I didn’t notice? Jules I thought you were only being friendly.” Carmen looked at Julia inquisitively, wondering how she managed to not notice.

“Oh mon dieu, tu es très très mignonne.” Julia muttered this under her breath, so the scarlet super thief wouldn’t be able to catch what she said. 

Just as Carmen was about to ask what Julia had said, Julia exclaimed “You are so oblivious, please don’t tell me you think this is something a friend would do.” Julia leaned in and gave Carmen a kiss, which left Carmen astounded.

Julia pulled away, smiling at the now blushing thief. Carmen still couldn’t process what just happened but in spite of that she looked at Julia and answered her question.

“Actually I’d rather that not be something friends do. I’d be incredibly disappointed.” She said this with a smile, glad to know that the feelings were reciprocated. 

“So..what now Ms. Sandiego?” Julia was looking at Carmen, hoping for any indication of what would come next.

“Well, hopefully, what we do first is enjoy this dinner, don’t you think Jules? It sure would be a bad idea to let this go to waste.” Carmen grabbed a hold on Julia’s hand, leading her back to the table. Julia hadn’t even noticed how they had drifted away from the dining area, but she did take notice of Carmen’s hand in hers. She smiled and let the lady in red lead her.

Carmen grabbed two roses on their way to the table, making sure to put one in Julia’s hair, and giving her the other. 

“You know Jules, thank you. This was one of the scariest moments of my life and yet you made it one of the most memorable.”

Julia looked at her, making sure to take in everything that was this girl, and she took their interlocked hands gave Carmen a kiss on her hand. 

“Let’s eat, we can take care of the flowers later. Although I quite like them, they add a hint of color to the apartment.” Julia said this and looked at Carmen, who even if she wasn’t rocking her usual red hat and coat, still had many hints of red on her outfit.

Julia and Carmen smiled as they both sat down to enjoy their dinner, happy to be in the presence of each other.

[aerialflight]

Fic Rec (where i'm into too many fandoms rn and ships which is weird of me)

[Bleach] (been a while amiright?)

Oxytocin by Asuka Kureru (Askerian)

Ship: Grimmjow/Ichigo/Orihime

Complete trust and physical affection are great!

They're a bit less great when they were caused by weird hollow drugs.

They're even less great when the guy who was drugged up into loving the hell out of you is the same guy who tried to murder you a couple times a couple years ago.

(listen i just stumbled upon this and I have no regrets. i don't usually go for ships, let alone poly, but like, GOD, i love how everyone is characterized here, especially orihime and i just want to SCREAM OK? OK. the vibe i get from this fic reminds me of @murderlight (big fan) and if that doesn't say anything, i don't know what will.)

-

[Gintama] (i don't know how i spiralled into this fandom either, been literal years since i've even thought about this fandom, i have no regrets)

Grab Your Dreams With Your Fists While You Can Still Remember It by yatagarasu (leelhiette)

Ship: Hijikata Toshirou/Sakata Gintoki

Toshirou should learn to look both ways before crossing the road.

(Or he learns more about the people around him and about himself.)

(amnesia fic, and i know it's a common trope but they did it BEAUTIFULLY here. love this so much. and it's post-canon.)

I feel you by arashian155 for machinecuisine

Ship: Hijikata Toshirou/Sakata Gintoki

“I’m so done with this,” Gintoki muttered angrily. Zura sighed while Tatsuma laughed loudly. “Your soulmate’s getting roughed up again?” Gintoki groaned. “Worst timing ever! There was this one Amanto swinging his gigantic sword at me and I was just about to dodge it when, out of fucking nowhere, I feel something stabbing my shoulder! It threw me off and if it weren’t for that, I would have been perfectly healthy right now instead of getting nursed for this stupid wound!” he pointed at the ugly slash across his torso. “Fuck soulmates!”

A story about Sakata Gintoki's journey into embracing his soulbond, falling in love, and learning the cons of selflessness.

(THE SLOW BUILD-UP OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND THE PLOT FOLLOWS CANON AND I CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS STUPID FIC I'M SO STUPID FOR THIS STUPID SHIP FEIWNFOPA)

-

[One Piece] (of course)

Undone by pkmntrainer_alex

After the entire family almost dies at WCI, Judge Vinsmoke orders the removal of his sons' emotional modifications in a bid to save his own skin in future endeavors. He doesn't stop to consider the ramifications of his 21-year-old sons finally, suddenly, being able to feel their human emotions in full - and their newfound ability to judge both themselves and him by their past actions.

(the vinsmoke family dynamics and the brothers trying to deal with 21 years of pent up emotions? they're trying?? so freaking hard to be functional people and they realize just how freaking amazing sanji is and that HE wasn't the failure in this family??? god, i've reread this fic so many times like an addict please read and suffer the feels with me. this is the one fic where i'm trying to patiently wait for an update. i'm just happy that this exists.)

Song of the Swords by authenticaussie

Wado is tiny when she first appears before him; her tears are as silver as her hair and the moonlight, and they gleam from within with golden fire as they pour down her cheeks.

Zoro’s heart fairly stops in his chest for a very, very long moment.

(personified swords au! introspective and fascinating and a character study of zoro and his relationship with his swords! really liked this!)

where the rims have ridges by Civillain

Everything everyone does is in their own self-interest.

"I like your hat," she calls out quietly.

And the change is instantaneous. He stops where he stands, a hand on his head and his knees still bent to take another step, and turns to look over his shoulder.

There's a moment of silence where he says nothing, just peering at her with squinted eyes, before: "Thanks!" he beams.

His smile is wide and unchecked, so wide that it might make his cheeks ache. He doesn't have laugh lines, but the way he smiles makes her imagine that he's spent his whole life grinning like that, warmly and brightly, so sincere and upfront that the breath gets punched right out her lungs.

Sometimes, there are people close to exceptions. But not quite.

20 years apart, and two people that don't make any sense.

(god, such a good outside pov look on luffy! luffy is such an unreadable character lots of times and it's so hard to pin down his characterization but this fic got it so right! made me fall for luffy all over again and realize just how incredible he is, as both a not-hero figure and main character! definitely recommend!)

those things beyond us by Civillain

There's something different about Luffy on nights like this, nights where there's soft rain and half-moons, and when the streets are quiet; no cars or trucks, only midnight joggers or early risers taking walks to the beach.

(Where Luffy and his friends have a relationship Sabo doesn't think he'll ever be able to understand.)

(honestly, i just love all of this author's one piece works. its a modern au where the straw hats are reincarnated and find each other all in sabo's pov. it's beautiful and this is how i would picture how the straw hats would fit in a modern au. nakamaship is the best ship, no questions needed. so so good!)

Magic Paint by 8ball

Luffy sticks his hands out.

“Paint mine!”

Usopp watches the expressions on Sanji’s face. He likes watching the obvious emotions go through him like a slideshow, and it's somehow comforting that he can see the exact moment Sanji decides that going along with Luffy will be the easiest choice. So Usopp waits for Sanji to test his own nails, deem them dry enough, unscrew the tiny brush top again, and then he asks if Sanji will do his, too. And because Sanji already has the brush ready, and they’re both right there anyways, Usopp knows he’s going to get what he wants.

or the au that came from nowhere where Sanji paints his nails and everyone elses and thats really it

(*screams* the pureness, the fluff, the nakamaship!! fneiwoapfe!! the best, sweetest headcanon ever! had the biggest grin on my face the whole time i was reading this! please please read!!!)

-

[Percy Jackson & the Olympians]

Stealing Shells by the Seashore by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

Ship: Sally Jackson/Posiedon

Sally's eyes flicked between Poseidon and then the sea below. He could feel the understanding click.

"Oh, absolutely not-"

"It isn't that high!"

"Poseidon, I am not jumping off of this cliff! I'm not doing it. I won't, you can't make me, it's very high, I am not going to-"

"If my brother sees you here, he's going to assume that you're carrying my child."

"Ridiculous. I have much higher standards."

"I also have higher standards, but he isn't going to listen to us," Poseidon reasoned. The wind blew a bit harder, and Poseidon felt the sea rise with his anxiety. "I would use my powers to hide you, but he'll sense I've used them. You'll be fine," he tried, and Sally gave something of a skeptical laugh.

"Not happening."

The lightning grew closer. For the love of-

"In that case… I'm sorry," he said. Sally tilted her head suspiciously.

"Why are you-" she began but was cut off by Poseidon shoving her off the cliff's edge. He could hear a scream. It started loud and high before getting smaller and smaller. Finally, a splash followed.

Or

Sally and Poseidon spent one summer together… and most of it was them being on the run for a godly crime they didn't commit.

(THIS is the ONLY backstory i will ever accept regarding this ship for the REST OF MY LIFE. i binged this so freaking fast and i am in love with sally as much as posiedon is. percy jackson got his Everything from his mom you can't change my fucking mind. THIS FIC NEEDS MORE ATTENTION AND KUDOS! READ!!!)

Son of Sea Foam by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle

“She’ll never claim me,” he whispered. Silena shook her head, eyes wild as she looked around for anyone who could be watching.

“My mother doesn’t remember half of her children as it is,” she said with a note of bitterness. “If you do something to impress her, it won’t matter. Return the bolt in her name. She’ll claim you if you act the part. If you stay unclaimed then they'll figure out what you really are," she said, squeezing his hands tightly. Percy's heart sped up.

"I - I don't know the first thing about Aphrodite-"

"My mother was born of sea foam," Silena cut him off. "And if you're really who I think you are... you are the sea. You can pull this off," she said and touched his cheek. "Get the bolt. Survive," she said. Percy swallowed.

"What if I can't act the part?" He asked. Silena's expression went blank for a moment. Slowly, she slipped off her bracelet and placed it in his hands.

"If you're going to be one of us... you better learn."

Or

AU where Percy has to hide the fact he's a Big Three kid otherwise he'll be killed on the spot. Unfortunately for him, unclaimed kids tend to raise the most suspicion... but he might have found a loophole in the form Aphrodite.

(one of my current obsessions rn. my eyes are constantly glued on the screen because i want to devour more of this galaxy brained fic. this author just keeps on giving and i love them for it. also, SILENA IS AMAZING AND SHE'S GETTING THE ATTENTION SHE DESERVES HELL YEAH!)

-

[Haikyuu!!]

He Waits For a Miracle by ich_bin_ein_stern

Ship: Hinata/Kageyama

A minute ago, he was on the ground after he and the others were tackled by their happily weeping senpai.

They had just beat Shiratorizawa.

And now - "Kageyama-kun? Are you paying attention?" - he's trying not to freak out because he's surrounded by distantly familiar faces while wearing a school uniform he hasn't worn in almost a year.

(TIME TRAVEL TIME TRAVEL TIME TRAVEL *screams*)

-

[The Witcher] (seriously, all my rare fandoms somehow popped up this month)

the way fire holds by theundiagnosable

Ship: Geralt/Yennefer/Jaskier

“There’s a song there, somewhere, don’t you think?” Jaskier says. “‘A witcher, a sorcerer, and a human walk into a bar’…”

(ROLE REVERSAL FIC HECK YES!! Witcher!Yennefer, Mage!Jaskier, Human!Geralt is amazing omg. It all works out so damn well and the relationship between yennefer and jaskier makes me want to cry so much. Geralt is at peak himbo greatness and it's fantastic haha! Their dynamics are just *chefs kiss* so damn good.)

The Shape of You by lirulin

Ship: Geralt/Jaskier

Some people say it's old elven magic, a remnant from before the conjunction of the spheres. Other's will say it's the last fading vestiges of chaos as the modern era slowly drives all magic and wonder out of the world. Those people are, naturally, real killjoys whom Jaskier cannot envision loving anything, but that's fine. To each their own.

Soulmate Spiritual Animal AU

(you have no idea how much i laughed when reading this fic. no idea. jaskier makes me want to scream with how much of a himbo he is and geralt, for once, is not the complete idiot between these two though it's a close call, not gonna lie.)

to grow in adversity by Soulykins

Ship: Geralt/Jaskier, Renfri & Jaskier

“For you!” Julian cried, shoving a fistful of weeds in Renfri’s direction, his smile wide and carefree. Renfri carefully took them in her hands that were only shaking a little bit now, smearing red onto green stems and yellow petals.

Julian clambered into the bed beside her and crawled halfway onto her lap. “I got you flowers, ‘cause you’re so pretty like them!”

“These aren’t flowers, they’re weeds.” Renfri told him, rolling her eyes but allowing the contact with ease. Somedays it seemed like Julian was the only person in the entire castle who wasn’t afraid of her.

“They look like flowers.” He said, crinkling his nose.

“They’re dandelions,” Renfri informed her brother with a tiny smile, “They grow everywhere, even places they perhaps shouldn’t. That’s why they’re a weed.”

“Perhaps they’re a little like you,” She teased, “Growing in even the scariest of places with no fear.” Like a monster’s heart, she doesn’t say.

“Like a superpower!” Julian gasped.

Renfri separated one dandelion from the little clutch and reached out to tuck it behind a little ear. “For the stubborn hero, Jaskier.”

(this is THE fic that got me into the witcher fandom and i can't believe i never reced this before. renfri & jaskier's siblingship is so damn good and just, the amount of effort put into their backstory and relationship makes me want to cry sometimes. and yennefer, ohoho, yennefer is at her Best here, i love her in this fic and her relationship with these siblings! geralt both makes me want to punch him and hug him, which is the norm and totally understandable hahaha! seriously, one of the best witcher fics i've ever read, please please read!)

-

[Boku no Hero Academia]

Where your love has always been enough (for me) by classicequinox

Ship: Todorki Enji/Todorki Rei

It's a dark coil of anger deep in the pit of his stomach, reminding him that he was the root, the catalyst, the trigger for their family's downward spiral. It did happen - he reminds himself harshly. He can't forget that, even if time has actually reset itself.

Todoroki Enji gets a second chance. It's up to him to see what he can do with it.

(genuinely the most believable enji i've seen regarding how he deals with his past actions and trying to be better and rei being a complicated, good person who i can see matches well with enji. really well done characterization and slow building relationship that is believable to me. enji trying to change things in a meaningful, careful manner makes me want to root for him!)

Katsuki Bakugou Makes A Friend (And Also Almost Dies, But Whatever) by Sif (Rosae)

Katsuki Bakugou is eight years old, he has no idea how he got here, where he is, or who this other kid is with him, but that's not gonna stop him from being brave and tough, just like the hero he's gonna be when he's older!

The universe has other ideas, but Katsuki Bakugou is a child made of spite, hubris, determination, and way too much nitroglycerin, so the universe can take it's ideas and shove 'em. After all, nobody out-stubborns Katsuki. Nobody.

(KID BAKUGOU & KID SHIGARAKI FRIENDSHIP! BAKUGOU STOLE MY HEART! SO SMART, SUCH A HERO! I LAUGHED AND CRIED THROUGHOUT THIS FIC, MY HEART CAN'T TAKE THIS! LITTLE SHIGARAKI MAKES A FRIEND AND IT'S TOO CUTE!!! so freaking adorable, oh lord. fneiwofpweafe)

Play The Field by lalazee for Banna_Banana

Ship: Bakugou/Midoriya

Baseball and feelings, feelings and baseball. Turns out, Bakugou and Deku are both good and bad at the same things. They try to work on it.

(look, i don't even know man. i stumbled upon this baseball au fic and the characterization is so top notch!! the backstories and feelings you get from this matches bakugou and deku's canon relationship perfectly and i flew past this so fast, god. please give this a chance, it's fantastic!)

-

[Marvel]

Blips on the Record by ambivalentangst for Bean_reads_fanfic

Flash, let it be known, doesn’t like Peter. He’s too good at everything—infuriatingly so—and nobody ever calls him on his bullshit, like with AcaDec nationals. Flash has to put his all into everything he does for a fraction of the attention Peter gets for his bare minimum, and it pisses him off, to say the least, so sue him for looking for chances here and there to knock him down a peg.

However, when he notices, he shuts his entire operation down.

Maybe Peter has a decade on his age when he was in the thick of it, but Flash remembers what it was like. He gets having school be a safe place, and nobody, not even himself, is going to jeopardize that for Peter.

//

Flash Thompson’s story is not simple, Peter Parker can always use someone else in his corner, and secrets are had and protected by all.

(flash is fleshed out! flash is getting some Good Rep! flash doing his best and being grumpy but ultimately trying to help peter in what ways he could! flash being a complex character and making me love him all over again! flash! getting some actual freaking attention fewnifoapew! THANK YOU! seriously, if you're looking for an actual good flash fic that doesn't feel disingenuous, read this!)

people were mean to you, but I always thought you were cool by suzukiblu for beckyh2112

Fandoms: Avengers & X-men

“What are your feelings on the mutant threat?!” one of the reporters shouts, and Steve just looks at him.

“I think anyone threatening mutants should be stopped,” he says calmly, and the swarm of reporters explodes, a dozen camera flashes going off at once.

(not exaggerating when i say i've reread this fic so many times that it's honestly concerning. steve & cyclop's friendship here makes me so soft?? they're both leaders of their teams and steve not being what everyone expects of him is always a soft spot for me. will forever be addicted to this fic, please enjoy!)

#notmycap by missgoalie75

Fandom: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

In which Bucky fully embraces the 21st century and is a salty bitch on Twitter.

(nonono, you don't understand. you don't understand how much i howled and screamed in public while reading this, oh my GOD. honestly the funniest shit i've read in a VERY long time, bucky is Perfect here. fucking drag that guy you beautiful cranky soul. X'D)

[nialledfromfics]

nothing (except for your love)

 a part two oneshot to Summer Camp

pairing: Niall/ofc

word count: 27,192

warnings: sexually explicit content; nsfw; 18+ only please

what holds me when I’m alone, what makes the tiger tame

what turns the sky from black to gold, what sends my tears up in flames.

~~

The last time she had been back in her hometown was nearly four years ago. It was the summer before she had started college, Cat spending her last four weeks as a camp counselor. It was the best fucking summer of her life. The summer she met Niall Horan. 

She had to admit that it was slightly weird being back at her parents house, in her old bedroom. Walls haphazardly covered with posters of The Strokes and Evanescence, half-burnt candles still sitting on her nightstand and her faded yellow daisy comforter neatly tucked into her bed. It looked just as it did the day she left for college, and oddly enough, that made her feel somewhat comforting. Like it was welcoming her home with open arms. At least that's what Cat told herself. Reality of the matter was, the job that she had lined up after graduating college, the same one that she had studied her butt off for, didn’t pan out like she had hoped and left her jobless and up to her eyeballs in student loans and questioning everything she had worked so hard for up until that point. 

Her parents, of course, were beyond ecstatic to have her back home, in her old neighborhood, in her old city. And Cat was happy to be back too, she missed being around her family; her mother, always the one to make sure she was eating well and not surviving off of pizza rolls and Poptarts, her dad, always there when she needed advice or just to lend an ear and her little sister, Katrina, always ready to gossip and bicker at the drop of a hat, like nothing had changed. She was happy to be home, but a part of her wondered if it was just a huge step back for her. That she could have just stayed where she was and made the best of her situation instead of, as she looked at it, crawled back to her parents for help. 

The thought left a sour taste in her mouth. 

But she figured that the only thing she could do at that point was to make the best of her current situation. She was back in the city she grew up in, back in her old room and following the next morning, hopefully back to work. 

•

It was a Friday. Cat woke up bright and early, turning over in her squeaky-framed bed to tap away at the alarm going off on her phone. She grumbled, stretching under the sheets as she rubbed away at the sleep that had consumed her eyes. The rising sun had just started to peek through her curtains and she could already smell the aroma of coffee floating through the air, readily filling her nose. It was her dad. She picked up her phone to glance at the time, needing some convincing, before forcing herself up as she knew her interview was in just a couple short hours. Hopping in the shower, Cat put on the appropriate pressed black pant suit and a pair of beige heels and made sure her hair and makeup were done accordingly before she finally made her way out to the kitchen to grab a much needed cup of that coffee. 

“Morning, Dad,” she greeted her father who had just finished packing up his lunch for the day.  

He looked over at his daughter and gave her a smile. “Good morning, doll.” Cat opened the cabinet and took out a mug, helping herself to the pot of warm coffee. “Don’t you look all dressed up today,” her father then mentioned. 

Spinning around to face him as she took a long sip of her hot beverage, Cat nodded her head. “I have that interview this morning, remember? For that company downtown, Stomon Tech? It’s at 9:30.” 

“Oh right, right,” he stumbled, “you wasted no time, did ya?” 

Cat pressed her lips in a tight line and raised her brows. “Not home for a vacation, Dad, I gotta have a job. I still have bills to pay.” 

He nodded, grabbing his lunch pail and keys off of the counter. “Alright, kiddo, well, good luck and I will see you later. I think Mom is making cacciatore for dinner tonight.” 

Smiling as her father stepped over to kiss her cheek, Cat rubbed his shoulder before he turned to walk towards the front door. “Have a good day at work, Dad.” 

•

Her wide eyes scanned up the towering glass-paneled front of the 24-story building as she sucked in a steadying breath in an effort to appease the nerves that were creeping under her skin. Interviews always made her overly anxious. Would she say the right thing, what they wanted to hear? Were her credentials enough? Did she look and dress the part? Cat let out a tiny groan, annoyed with herself as she forced her feet to move, climbing up the front steps and into the building. 

The Stomon Tech company took up two floors of the massive office building, floors 23 and 24 respectively, and the young woman followed behind a few others that were filing into one of the open elevators. She knew she had to go to the very top floor, as that was where the person she had conversed with instructed her to go, so she watched with bated breath as the numbered buttons slowly lit up one by one as they passed. It seemed like they had stopped at each floor, a good five minutes of people getting on and off, before she finally made it to where she was supposed to be. 

The doors slid open with a ding and she was immediately met with a huge reception area; gorgeous marbled-tiled floors, partitioned walls made of beveled glass and ultra-contemporary light fixtures hanging from the ceiling, all topped off with a stunningly perfect blonde sitting behind a large curved desk that was straight ahead. There was a big sign above the girl’s head that read Stomon Tech Limited, seemingly carved out of a silvery metal. The place was very modern and shiny, very clean and Cat politely smiled as she walked up to the front desk. The blonde peered up at her, a timid grin on her dark painted lips. “Welcome to Stomon Tech, how can I help you?” she asked. 

Cat cleared her throat and placed a hand on the chest-high counter in front of her. She squeezed hard around the edge, hoping it would tame the shaking in her fingers. “Hi, uh, my name is Catherine Williams and I have an interview at 9:30.” 

Tapping at the keyboard of her computer, the receptionist read over her screen before she looked back up at Cat with a tight, but friendlier, smile. “If you want to find a seat right over there,” she instructed, pointing just over Cat’s shoulder to a small reception area, “someone will be with you shortly.” 

“Thank you.” 

Holding her folder of paperwork to her chest, Cat walked over and sat down in one of the chairs, planning to use the extra time to give everything she had brought with her one last check. She had her folder spread out across her knees, quietly scanning through the papers one by one, making sure nothing was amiss. A few minutes had gone by when she heard the ding of the elevator doors open next to her, and she glanced up just as a dark haired man in a suit hurriedly walked by. She paid him no mind and looked back down at her lap, her focus on the remaining paperwork she was going over. Cat bit at her lip as a few muddled whispers between the receptionist and the man floated through the air of the lobby, and she furrowed her brows to concentrate, mouthing the words as she read over the bottom page of her resume. 

“Cat?” 

Her lips stopped moving, her fingertip halting on the paper in front of her. How did that person know her nickname? And why did his voice sound so familiar? Slowly sliding her stare up, from the expensive black oxfords to the perfectly pressed grey suit to the crisp white button up that was left slightly open at the base of his neck, Cat’s breath stalled in her throat as her eyes finally met his. As blue as the salty ocean’s waves, cool and sticking to your skin, her heart nearly skipped a solid beat when he smirked, and then it hit her. Oh my God. “Niall?” 

Narrowing her eyes, she moved her folder from her lap onto the chair as she stood up. Her mouth hanging open slightly as she dragged her stare across his features, his smile getting wider the closer she slowly shuffled over to him. His hair was dark, no longer that bleached out blond that she had remembered of him, and it was cut shorter, styled much better, delicately swept over to the side with little pieces hanging just across his forehead. It looked soft and inviting, pretty if she had to give it an adjective, and the corners of her mouth began to tug into a smile. He was older than her mind was letting her remember him, more refined and his body definitely more defined, at least what she could tell under his extremely well-fitted suit, and he had a thick dark stubble lining his jaw. 

She pushed out a huff as she stepped closer to him and before she could say hello, even mutter a coherent word, he had wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her into a hug. Cat’s eyes fluttered as she buried her nose against his shoulder, inhaling slightly as her hands gently cradled his upper back. He smelled good. Really good. Nothing like the boy sweat and sunscreen that she remembered, but fresh and clean, like a soft floral mint with a subtle hint of cedar. She rolled her eyes at herself for dissecting the man’s cologne as Niall eased himself from the embrace. “Hi, Niall,” Cat finally greeted him, tucking some hair behind her ear. 

“Shit,” Niall huffed, his blue eyes noticeably spanning down Cat’s frame. She looked older too, polished and put together in her fitted dark pantsuit. Her hair was longer than he had remembered, a natural wave adorning the strands and her skin looked softer too, well taken care of and Niall immediately found himself struggling with wanting his hands on her. She looked beautiful, more beautiful than when Niall had seen her last. And he thought that would have been hard to top. She was a hot, fiery little thing at 18 when he had first met her, but now–Niall licked across his lips as his gaze met hers again–now she was a woman, and she was absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. He stuffed his hands down into the front pockets of his trousers. “It’s been, what….four years?” 

Cat nodded. “Yeah...it’s, um, it’s been awhile.” 

“How are ya?” he asked her, his head tipping slightly as he kept his stare on hers, “I thought you lived in...Denver, was it? At least that’s where ya were going the last time we spoke.” 

“Yeah, I was living there,” she told him, “that's where I went to college. And I stayed there after I graduated but the job I had...it wasn’t-...well, it just wasn’t working out. So I moved back here, back in with my parents.” Cat scraped her teeth across her bottom lip, wanting to scream at herself for telling him that last bit. 

But he just smiled at her. “You’re parents live here?” 

“Yup, over on the Eastside,” she said, Niall nodding as Cat went on, wrinkling her brows. “Do you...work here too? I’m here for an interview.”

Niall huffed out a chuckle and bowed his head as he rubbed over his chin with his fingers. “Uh, actually,” he started, looking back up at her, “its-...this is my company.” 

Cat’s stare went big, her tongue stumbling over her words. She totally just made a fool out of herself. “Oh...oh God,” she mumbled, Niall highly amused as he peered at her with those dreamy hooded blue eyes of his. Bedroom eyes as Cat liked to remember them, and he knew it. She cleared her throat. “Um, wow, uh...are you interviewing me?” Her brows pulled in as she pointed at herself. 

He chuckled again, waving a hand in front of himself. “No, no, that would be Elena in HR. Probably would be a bit unfair if I were to interview ya. I’d be a little too biased.” 

Cat breathed out a smile and lowered her stare. Her gaze dotted across the silver-speckled tile that rested below her feet. “Yeah, I guess that would be a conflict of interest.” 

Bellowing out a hearty laugh, the reminiscent sound bounced off the glass walls around them and caused Cat to glance up at him. In that moment, with the crinkles forming by his eyes and that soft dimple pressing into his left cheek, he looked exactly like he had four years prior. It made her smile. Niall yanked his hand from his pocket to check his watch. “Shit, um, I really hate to cut this short, Cat,” he began as he met her gaze again, “unfortunately, I’ve got an important meeting startin’ in just a couple minutes, but, um…” 

Niall paused, licking over his lips as his brows pulled in. “We should meet up for drinks tonight.” 

His offer caught her off guard, and she stuttered a little before being able to pull herself together. “Uh...yeah, yeah...sure.” 

“Great,” Niall concluded, the edges of his mouth tugging up, “my secretary will get your number from your file and I’ll give ya a ring.” Cat nodded. “Good luck in there!” 

“Thank you.” 

Niall had already started to walk past the front desk and down the hallway, Cat having just made it back to the chair she had been sitting in. She reached down to pick up her folder when he stopped in his tracks. “Hey, kitty cat?”

The sound of his husky voice and that gritty accent, calling her that very thing that only he called her, that very thing she hadn’t heard in four years, caused her entire body to tense up and an instant warmth to pool in her belly. She slowly turned to face him and he cocked his head back, rolling his tongue in his mouth. “You look really fuckin’ good, by the way.” 

Giving her a wink, no other words were shared between them as he stepped away and disappeared around the corner. Cat couldn’t help but smile. That was the Niall she remembered. 

•

She received a call from Niall a few hours later, inviting her out that evening to a pretty popular bar downtown. Cat, who was already back at her house and into her sweatpants, agreed to meet him there around 9, as that was when Niall said he’d be through with work. She didn’t have much expectations for the night, and she wasn’t trying to encourage any expectations either, far be it to be honest, but she thought that for the sake of going out to a rather upscale place, that she would dress up a bit more than usual. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had dressed up, or even went out to a nice bar for that matter. 

As Cat sat on the bus, the bright neon lights of the busy city nightlife zipping past the window, she glanced down at her lap. For a moment she was questioning what she was wearing; a short blue dress that was low and tight across her chest but flowy around her hips, one that she had bought a year or so back for a friend’s wedding, and a pair of strappy black heels. Maybe, she thought, she had dressed up too much, maybe it would give him the wrong impression. The impression that she wanted anything to do with him. 

Sighing lightly under her breath, Cat turned her head and stared out of the smudged window next to her. It wasn’t that she hadn’t thought about Niall all those years, it wasn’t that she hadn’t hoped that what they had had that summer could have been more than what it was at the time, or that they could have reconnected at some point, she had very much thought of all of that, many times over the course of her first year in college. But with four years passing since then, she was older, wiser, time had changed and so had she. Her biggest fear was that Niall hadn’t. And while that little piece of her hoped to cling onto that old Niall that set her world ablaze that one amazing summer, another part of her, a bigger part, hoped that he had also grown up and matured, that he had moved on from his womanizing ways. 

Maybe that hope was too big of a stretch. 

Cat arrived at the bar a little before their intended meet time and she wondered, as she stepped through the large baroque doors, how long she would be waiting there for him to show up. There was a hostess standing just off to the side behind a sleek black marble counter and she smiled as Cat bounced her stare around the incredibly posh looking space. “Welcome, do you have a reservation?” 

Cat looked over at the hostess, smiling politely as she walked towards where she was standing. “No, no reservation...um, I’m actually meeting someone...I’m not sure if they are here yet…”

“Niall Horan?” 

Wrinkling her brows slightly, Cat pulled her face in. “Yes, actually…” she chuckled. 

The young woman smiled. “Right this way.” 

Hugging the sweater she had brought with her to her chest, Cat followed the hostess through the swanky bar, weaving around high top tables and other equally as dressed up patrons before they came to a large booth tucked in the back corner. Her eyes met his the second the hostess stepped away, and Cat just stood there by the edge of the half-moon table, quiet and trying with all her might to stop the rattling in her chest. He was the only man that had ever made her feel that way with one single glance, even when she didn’t want it. Niall was slumped back in the booth, his suit jacket now off and folded next to him on the seat and his crisp white shirt unbuttoned even further, showing off that gorgeously dark smattering of chest hair and a simple gold chain, finished with a tiny round pendant hanging from it. Cat hadn’t noticed it before, but thought that it suited him well. 

She swallowed hard as her eyes flowed down the length of his arms, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing his toned forearms and that very expensive watch that was strapped to his wrist. Cat looked back up at his face. He smirked at her, his brow rising just enough beneath those few strands of dark hair that laid across his forehead that it made the air catch like glue in her throat. All she could do was smile. “Hey,” she said, barely over a whisper. 

“Hi,” Niall responded, nodding towards his left, instructing her to join him into the crescent shaped booth. She willingly obliged and slid herself in next to him. Not even meaning to, she pulled in a deep breath as their bodies moved closer, instinctually needing to smell him. She wasn’t disappointed. “You look incredible, Cat.” 

Tucking her face down in a slightly sheepish smile, the girl combed some hair behind her ear and plunked her elbow onto the table, peering over at him. “You didn’t change,” she mentioned.

Niall peeked down with a chuckle, using his fingers to pluck at the semi-opened button up adorning his upper half. “What, ya sayin’ I don’t look nice?”

“I didn’t say that,” Cat said, biting at her lip.

Tapping his fingers on the nearly empty glass that was wrapped in his one hand, Niall raised his brows. “Would ya like a drink?” 

“Yeah,” Cat replied with a slight inhale, sitting back in the booth, “beer’s fine.” 

“Oh, ya like beer, huh?”

She shrugged. “I’m a simple girl, doesn’t take much to impress me.” 

“Shit, coulda fooled me,” he scoffed with a short chuckle. Cat just stared at him, a tiny roll of her eyes caught by Niall and he smirked. “Beer it is then.” 

Niall ordered them both a couple beers, and then a few more. Over the next hour and a half, they immersed themselves in light conversation, keeping the subjects superficial and easy flowing. They talked about what they had accomplished in school and work, where they had been living, a little friendly banter mixed in between until the effects of the alcohol had started to create a bit of tempestuous buzz in their heads. It wasn’t long before the vibe had shifted, their body language and their small talk becoming more relaxed and comfortable. Cat felt like maybe Niall had changed more than she had assumed, he was very polite and engaging, super sweet and had yet to make any crude remark. 

Though the night was still young. 

“I guess, I should thank you for the job, by the way,” Cat stated, taking a sip of her beer. Her eyes were locked on Niall’s over the rim of the frosted glass. 

He was leaned back, his one arm slung behind Cat along the back edge of the booth and he casually smirked. “Why do ya say that?” 

Cat rolled her eyes. “I know it was you, Niall. I hadn't even gotten back to my car yet, by the time they called me and offered me the job.” 

Niall brought his pint to his mouth, tipping his head back as he took a long, quiet and very telling, sip. Licking the remnants off his lips, he set the glass back onto the wooden table, twirling it around in the wet ring of built up condensation. “That was all you, Cat, must’ve had a really good interview.”

“Right…”

He laughed. “Listen, you ain’t gettin’ nothin’ outta me.”

Cat bowed her head in a giggle, and swept her hair behind her ear as she looked over at him. “Fine,” she said softly, “but thank you, really. I’ve not had the easiest time, so...it does mean a lot to me.” 

Niall’s blue eyes fanned over her face and he gave her a sincere smile, one that she knew all too well, and nodded. “Guess that means we’re gonna be hangin’ out a lot more now,” he joked as he pulled in a deep breath. 

Cat rested back into the booth, folding her hands on top of her crossed legs. “Are we gonna be work buddies?” she asked him with a playful grin. Niall glanced down, noticing her dress had ridden up a tad on her thigh. She used her fingers to straighten the material, her stare never faltering off his face and he peeked back up at her. 

The corner of his mouth tugged up slightly, and Cat felt the faintest of tickle at the back of her neck, as if someone was very delicately playing with the ends of her hair. It caused a shiver to splay across her skin. “I’m not talkin’ ‘bout work buddies,” Niall finally said, his voice low and heavy in his throat, inducing a familiar clamping of Cat’s thighs at the sound. 

She inhaled sharp and lightly shook her head. “Mmm...I figured you weren’t.” 

“So…”

Slipping her gaze from his, Cat glanced at the half drank pint that rested in front of her. She watched the tiny bubbles glide up the side of the glass. Her tummy was flipping in on itself, her heartbeat picking up as each second passed and she breathed out a sigh, hoping to create some calm within the obnoxious chaos going on inside her. “Look, Niall, I know what you’re hinting at and I just, um,..I want you to know that-...” Cat paused and scraped her teeth across her bottom lip as she slowly brought her eyes back to his. “I, um...I have a boyfriend.” 

His brows furrowed, his hand reluctantly inching back from its close proximity to her shoulder. “You do?”

Cat nodded. “Yeah, he still lives back in Denver...but, yeah.” 

Shifting himself to face her, Niall tipped his head as he lifted his arm from behind Cat and rubbed across his bearded chin. “Well, it can’t be that serious,” he mumbled.

“Why do you say that?” she asked him with wrinkled brows.

“ ‘cause he’s in Denver and you’re here,” he explained with a shrug.

“I-,” Cat paused and shook her head, her lips falling to a part, “its long distance…” 

“It won’t work out.” 

She was the one to turn her body to face him this time, her brows pulling in even more. Cat hooked her arms across her chest in slight annoyance. “You don’t know that,” she spit out to him. 

Niall scoffed lightly, dropping his stare to his lap as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, I do know that if you were my girl,” he began, catching her stare. His eyes looked dark, seedy in the low lights of the bar. “I would not be able to go more than one fuckin’ day without ya.” 

A heavy breath hilted in the back of her throat at his words, Cat staying quiet as Niall reached out and grabbed his pint from the table, taking a sip of his beer. Peering down, Cat slowly unfolded her arms from her chest and pressed her palms across her thighs. She chewed at a piece of dry skin from the edge of her lip before looking back up at Niall. “Maybe it won’t,” she admitted with a shrug of her shoulder, “but that’s where I’m at right now.” 

Niall shook his head, pulling a breath in between clenched teeth as he set his beer back down on the table. “It won’t. Trust me.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Fine, whatever. Enough about me. What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

Niall pushed out a snort. “No...I don’t.”

“And why not?” Cat asked him, shifting her eyes over his features. He was so handsome, it made her insides ache. His dark eyelashes, that perfect nose...his soft, pink lips. She wondered, for a single moment, what it would feel like to kiss him again. To have his mouth pressed to hers, swallowing his breath, tasting his tongue. Then she wondered what the hell was she thinking. 

Noticing her stare on his mouth, Niall tucked his lips in and cocked his head back. Her eyes landed on his once more. “Just don’t do serious relationships, ya know?”

“That sounds about right,” Cat muttered under her breath. “Can I ask you something, Niall?”

He lifted a brow in amusement. “Sure, petal, isn’t that what we’re doin’ here?”

“Yes, smart ass,” she replied sharply. Niall pushed out a laugh, taking another long sip of his beer. “Whatever happened with you and Sarah? You know the girl from camp? I mean, I’m only asking ‘cause I never went back and I’m...kinda curious.” 

Niall narrowed his eyes a bit and a smirk began to curl at the corner of his mouth. “Are ya askin’ me if I slept with her?”

She tilted her head. “In a less intrusive way, I guess...yeah.” 

With his hooded eyes darting over hers, Niall stayed quiet for a minute, almost as if he was trying to read what Cat was thinking. If only he could ever get a clear read on that girl. The one person he was never able to, and that frustrated him. She pulled in a shaky breath, moving her gaze away from his as it became almost too intimidating for her. “Do ya really wanna know?” he then asked her. 

She nodded and Niall straightened his body, leaning forward to rest his forearms across the edge of the table. His chin bumped at the peak of his shoulder as he looked back over at her. “I did end up fuckin’ her,” Niall went on, pausing to lick across his lips. “That next summer, actually.” 

Cat bit at her lip, a tiny pang settling in the pit of her stomach and she reached out to grab her beer, throwing back a big gulp. She didn’t like the way his words were making her feel. “I thought, um...I thought you didn’t like her.”

“I didn’t,” Niall spit out, lifting his shoulder, “but...you weren't there.” 

Shooting her stare back to his as she put her glass back down, she watched as a soft smile etched over his lips, nearly hidden behind the round of his shoulder. Cat cleared her throat. “I know,” she started, taking in a deep breath, “I really wanted to come back, I know I had told you the summer before I left that I would, but then I got this internship in Denver that I just couldn’t pass up, so I...just decided to stay–” 

His mouth turned down at the corners and he faintly shook his head. “It’s okay, Cat. I understand,” Niall told her, slumping back into the booth again. “It was my last summer there, and I dunno, I guess I got bored. She was shit, anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.” 

Cat’s eyes went big at his statement and she threw a hand to her mouth to stifle her laugh. Niall, on the other hand, freely belted out. The sound, still reminiscent of years before, made her laugh even harder. “I missed you that summer,” Niall then sighed out. 

“That’s surprising,” Cat chuckled. 

Niall wrinkled his brows. “Why’s that?” 

“Because I’m sure you had a swarm of girls all over you,” she explained, gesticulating as she spoke, “like you always do. Like I’m sure you still do.” 

He cocked his head back as his stare stayed on her. “Doesn’t mean I didn’t think about ya, Cat,” he said, lifting his shoulder in a shrug, “or that I didn’t miss ya.” 

Cat darted her eyes over his as an awkward quiet had settled between them. She really didn’t know what to say to that declaration of honesty coming from him, so she just picked her pint up off the table and silently guzzled back the rest of her beer. “You want another?” Niall asked her, pointing to her empty glass as she wiped across her lips. She glanced at it before looking back over at him, a smirk forming on his mouth. “Or should we just go back to my place…”

Cat chuckled as she set her glass down. “Nice.” 

“What?” he laughed. 

“I’m not going home with you.” 

Shifting his body closer, Niall inched his face in right up next to hers, her heart surging as she felt the heat of his breath on her jaw. She struggled with wanting to move away, with not wanting to move away, with letting her eyes flutter closed as the warmth of his entire body started to encapsulate every inch of her exposed skin as he ever-so-softly let the tip of his nose brush over her ear. “Are ya sure about that, love?” 

It was the slickest, naughtiest, grittiest tone of whisper that she had ever heard and it took every part of her to not jump in his lap at that very second. But she knew she couldn’t. Cat forced herself to laugh at his attempt and Niall eased back, a cocky smirk still plastered across his face. “Niall, as hard as you’re gonna try,” she told him, raising her brows to assert herself, “I’m not going to sleep with you.”

Plopping back into the seat in a defeated huff, Niall rubbed his palm over the front of his face. “Fuck...well, that ruins all me plans,” he joked as they both laughed. “How ‘bout I just take you home then?” he went on, catching her stare going wide as she peered over at him. He pinched his eyes shut in a snort upon realizing what he had said. “No-...to your home. Jesus…” 

Smiling at him, she softly giggled and nodded her head. “Yeah...that’d be nice, thanks.”

•

They had been sitting in his Audi, parked outside her house, chatting for a good five minutes. She glanced out of the passenger side window and glared slightly upon seeing the movement of a curtain in one of the living room windows. Clearing her throat, she shifted her attention back to Niall. “Thank you again for the ride,” she said to him, unbuckling her seatbelt. “Saved me from having to take the bus home at 11:30 at night.” 

“Of course, anytime,” he said, tipping his head over to the side as he slid his eyes down her body. He had been checking her out all night, Niall never being one to be shy about the fact, he knew and she knew, but he couldn’t help himself when it came to Cat. Licking over his lips, his stare slowly drifted over the suppleness of her exposed cleavage, his mind wandering back to the vivid memory of how her skin had tasted on his tongue. He swallowed hard as he shot his eyes back up to hers. “Cat, can I kiss you?” 

Cat’s fingers paused on the door handle, and she turned to look over at him. “Honestly, I’m surprised you're asking,” she chortled. 

Niall leaned his head back on the headrest, his hooded eyes narrowing slightly as he smirked. “Well, ya do have a boyfriend…”

She pushed out a chuckle. “So, the only reason you're asking to kiss me, is because I have a boyfriend?”

He flicked his brow and she rolled her eyes, gathering her sweater and small bag as she opened the car door. “You’ve really not changed a bit,” she finished. 

“So that’s a no?” 

Stepping out of the car, Cat spun around and bent over, catching his stare. “That’s a goodnight, Niall.” 

He smiled and nodded his head. “Guess, I’ll see ya at work on Monday, then.” 

“Guess you will,” she said with a soft smile, “but no special treatment, okay?” 

His mouth turned down as he lifted his head from the seat. “Can’t promise ya that,” he said, running the tip of his tongue across his lips. His eyes were darting heavily with hers, and Cat could have sworn she felt a drunken buzz quickly submerse her head. She felt dizzy every time he looked at her like that, with that intensity that only he knew how to do. She sucked in a shaky breath, attempting to settle herself. 

“Behave yourself, Niall.”

Quirking a brow, he gave her a low, thigh-clenching chuckle as he slipped his car into drive. “Sweet dreams, kitty cat.” 

Cat rolled her eyes, trying to bite away at the smile on her lips as she closed the passenger door and waved as he drove off. She watched the tail lights of his car disappear around the corner, before she let out a long, melodramatic sigh. Her mind was reeling with memories of him, how he talked to her, how he touched her, her body on fire even just being near him, but there was no way she was gonna let him in. Not again. 

Making her way into her house, Cat quietly shut the front door and looked up to see her little sister in the living room, hanging over the back of the couch as she curiously peered out of the large window. “Trina, what are you doing?” Cat asked, placing her hands on her hips. 

“Who was that?” Katrina questioned, hoping up off the couch and bounding over towards her older sister. 

Cat pulled in a breath, knowing her little sister was always the inquisitive one. And relentless about it too. “Just an old friend,” she told her, “someone I used to know a few years back.” 

Trina folded her arms over her chest. “He’s got a nice car.” 

Rolling her eyes, Cat let out a laugh and reached out to teasingly ruffle Trina’s head. “Go to bed, child,” she muttered as she walked away.

“Hey!” the young girl huffed loudly in protest, smoothing her hair back down as she watched Cat sneak her way upstairs to her bedroom. “I’m not a child!”

•

Monday came a bit quicker than Cat had hoped, and while she was eager to get back to a steady job, she was also nervous about how her first day was going to go. It was always a bit difficult for her to make friends; she was reserved but head-strong, opinionated when it mattered and learned very fast to not take anyone’s bullshit. All of those qualities sometimes made her more of a loner than an approachable person. But she was willing to try her best to be more personable, hopefully make a few acquaintances as well. 

One person she knew she’d have no trouble winning over was Niall. And that was a whole other ballgame. 

By late morning, Cat had settled in nicely to her work environment. She had her own desk and computer, a little space of her own within the huge, monochromatic space of the office located on the 23rd floor. Her co-workers, at least the ones in the cubicles surrounding her, were all very nice and had already offered to take her out to lunch as a welcome. Cat happily accepted, choosing to leave the lunch she had brought with her in the break room refrigerator for another day. 

Even though Cat knew Niall’s office was actually on the next floor up, she wasn’t really surprised to see him strutting around her floor a few times already that morning. He hadn’t come up to her yet, Cat supposed he was heeding her words about not showing her any special treatment, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t caught his eye a few times as she peered over and saw him propped up against a cubicle wall, flirting away with a few of the ladies throughout the office. He was very charismatic, and annoyingly sexy, using his charms and his wit to entice as many sweet giggles and subtle arm touches as he could get. 

Maybe that was his plan, to flaunt himself in front of Cat, showing her just how desirable he was, how easily he could get any woman he wanted. As if she didn’t already know that, or expect it. Niall would be leaned down, whispering sweet nothings in their ears with high pitched giggles spilling from their mouths as his blue eyes stuck right on Cat. She’d shake her head in a chuckle and focus back on her work, but the gears were grinding hard in her head. She wondered, just out of pure curiosity, how many of the women in the office he actually had bedded. And how many of them had felt what she felt when with him. She sucked in a deep breath, mad at herself for even entertaining the thought, because what did it matter to her? It didn’t and it shouldn’t. 

Later that afternoon, waist deep in a coding error she was attempting to fix, a notification popped up on Cat’s computer that she had received an email. It was from Niall. She peeked around the short walls of her cubicle, wary of prying eyes before opening it. 

            Cat, 

  Please come see me in my office. 

   Niall Horan

   CEO

   Stomon Tech Limited

Her heart thumped loud in her chest as she read over it a few more times, just that one single sentence causing a frenzy inside her and she figured since he was her boss, there was no getting out of it. Maybe that was another one of his plans. 

She smiled at the thought–it was textbook Niall–as she stepped off the elevator and onto the 24th floor. The blonde at the desk nodded her through and she made her way down the hallway, following it straight to his unnecessarily large office. The walls were all constructed of the same thick glass as the rest of the office, his door as well and she could clearly see Niall sitting at his sleek jet black desk, jotting something down as she reached out and gently knocked. 

His eyes raised from the papers before him to see Cat standing outside his office door. Niall pulled in a deep breath and stood up, promptly waving her in. “Hello, Cat,” he greeted her as she stepped through the door and closed it. Niall held his hand out to one of the chairs that were lined up in front of his desk and she walked over, smiling at him as she sat down. 

“Hey, Niall.”

Her eyes stayed glued to him as he stepped around his desk and stood in front of her, casually slipping his hands into his pants pockets. Cat bit at her lip, realizing he was finally close enough for her to get a good whiff of his expensive cologne and she tried to hide the fact that it was nearly intoxicating. On top of that, he had on a perfectly fitted deep blue suit, that hugged his broad shoulders and slim waist like it was a second skin. And with his dark hair, soft and swept to the side and just a hint of a scruffy beard, he looked like a dream. She hated that she couldn’t get those irritating thoughts out of her mind. 

She shakily cleared her throat and watched as he tipped his head slightly. “Just wanted to see how your first day’s been goin’,” he said, peering down at her. Niall couldn't take his eyes off of her. Off of the low cut blouse she was wearing, off the soft curl of her hair that was brushing at her shoulder, off the tiny bit of flesh showing at her thigh where her legs were crossed. She shifted slightly in her chair from the burning heat of his gaze, and it caused her skirt to ride up just a bit more. Niall’s breath caught in his throat. It was like she was tempting him, even if she didn’t know it. 

“It’s been nice,” she told him, fully aware that his stare was sliding over her lap where her skirt had ridden up and then over her breasts before finally settling on her face. She smirked. Maybe she did like flirting with him. Just a little bit. “Went out to lunch with a few coworkers. But really all I was wondering about is when you were gonna come over and say hi to me.” 

“Yeah?” he asked, raising a brow. 

“I mean, you were talking to everyone else…” 

Niall chuckled, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. His chin tipped down slightly as he kept his stare on hers. “Were you jealous?”

“No,” Cat responded, shaking her head. “I have no reason to be, I have a boyfriend, remember?”

“Ah, yes the boyfriend,” Niall said, licking across his lips as he reached up and ran a hand through the side of his hair, “I forgot about him.” 

“I bet you did,” Cat scoffed. 

“I wanna take ya out, Cat,” Niall then said, “on a date.” 

She breathed out a smile. “I can’t do that, Niall.” His eyes were darting over hers, as if he was trying to lure her in, pull her into his little trap just as he had done before. That reckless, all-consuming arousing stare, the one that shook her to the core, that literally brought her to her knees. The one that she would fall asleep thinking about almost every night. And that was all she could think about. Him. How he had made her feel, how they felt together. How he had turned her world upside down that one unforgettable summer night, and she never thought she would ever see him again. And now all she was trying to do was fight it. Fight that feeling of wanting him. She had to fight it. She had to.

“And why can’t ya?” 

Cat sucked in a sharp breath, tilting her head to her shoulder. “Well, let’s see, for one, the whole boyfriend thing and for two,” she paused, scraping her teeth over her bottom lip. Niall watched the tip of her tongue roll out across the pink-bitten skin of her lip and he swallowed hard. “...I don’t think that would look very good. I just started here and, well, ya know, favoritism and all.” 

“But ya are me favorite,” Niall bluntly stated with a smirk, quirking up his brow. 

Cat bowed her head in a bashful grin, bringing her fingers up to her lips. He really knew how to work her, that was for sure. “Okay, but I’m not trying to make enemies the first week I’m working here,” she explained, glancing back up at him, “if I went out with you, I don’t think the other ladies in the office would like me very much.” 

Niall furrowed his brow slightly and crossed his ankles as he rested his bum on the edge of his desk. “How so?”

“Niall, I’ve been here barely one day and have already heard them gossiping in the break room,” she told him, raising her brows. “And they all very much want to fuck you.” 

A loud laugh belted out past his lips, and he tipped his face down, hiding his pinched eyes behind his hand. “They’ve heard the rumors then,” he muttered between chuckles.

Cat’s brows twisted up. “What rumors are those?”

He brought his stare back to hers, slowly running his tongue over his lips. “You know first hand what those rumors are, kitty cat.” 

She could hardly breathe with his eyes on her like that, with his words floating in her head and she gently cleared her throat. “Yeah...well...they don’t know that,” she squeaked out. 

He narrowed his eyes. “You’ve not told ‘em?”

“Niall, I barely know these people,” she spit out, “why would I tell them that we slept together one time four years ago?”

Stepping towards her, Niall curled his hands around the arms of the chair and leaned down, his face sitting flush with hers. Cat kept her eyes fixed on his, her mouth falling to a faint part as his warm breath seeped over her lips. He was so close she could almost taste him on her tongue and her eyes fluttered just from the thought. A few strands of his dark hair had fallen over his eyes, and Cat’s lungs were struggling to find air as a delicious smirk slid over his mouth. “ ‘cause, baby, the way I fuck is life changin’.”

His comment made Cat gasp, before she realized his obvious intentions with the remark and she breathed out a soft giggle instead, rolling her eyes. “You’re insane,” she mumbled, Niall chuckling at her response. He leaned up and stepped away, clearing his throat as he shuffled back behind his desk. Cat watched him for a moment, never having been around someone as bluntly cocky and intriguing as Niall, and she bit at her lip as he picked up a portfolio and began flipping through some pages. “How many of those girls have you actually slept with anyway?” she asked. 

Niall’s fingers stalled on the papers and he peered at her through the tops of his hooded eyes. “What, the girls who work for me?”

“Yeah…”

“None actually.” Her stare went wide at his answer, obviously surprised by it and he pinched an eye shut. “Don’t wanna mix business and pleasure and all that, you know…”

Cat tipped her face down in a laugh. “Right,” she said, glancing back up at him, “Niall, the forever chivalrous gentleman.”

Niall snorted out a laugh and dropped the portfolio back down on his desk. He glanced over her head before catching her stare again. “Reckon ya better get back to work now, Ms. Williams, or you’ll be havin’ lots of gossip to answer to in the break room the next time you’re there.” 

Her brows wrinkled. “Huh?”

Faintly nodding towards the glass wall behind her, Cat turned around in the chair to see a few nosy busy-bodies with their full attention planted on the two of them. She was bound to be the talk of the office break room after that. Cat huffed out a laugh as she looked back over at Niall, giving him a grin. Niall watched as she stood up from her seat and smoothed down her skirt. “We’ll chat later,” he told her.

She nodded, biting off her smile as she began to step away. “Have a good rest of your day, Mr. Horan.” 

He shot her a wink. “You too, Cat.” 

•

The next two weeks were surprisingly calm. Cat had settled nicely into work, and with her colleagues, better than she was expecting, and her interactions with Niall seemed to be more on the friendly side than him trying to flirt his way into her pants. To be honest, that confused her a bit. But she was always left confused and thrown off balance when it came to Niall. She had a hard time denying how much she wanted him, how he made her feel just by looking at her, but also knew that it would be disastrous if it ever happened again. She had to remain logical at all times around him, because God knows, he was extremely tempting and she had to fight within herself to not lose all sense of control. 

He had called her a couple times, again, just friendly conversation and light banter, but other than that, Cat really hadn’t seen too much of him at work. She was aware of a huge project deadline coming up, Niall telling her of the copious amounts of boring meetings he had been partaking in and even flying out to NYC for two days on business. She thought it was oddly sweet that he was keeping her in the loop, so to speak, of his schedule and his life, and they would often find themselves texting each other well into the night, just to say goodnight. 

Cat thought it was lovely that she could have real, thoughtful and intellectual conversations with him, because up until that point, even during the summer they had met, it had only been focused on one thing: sex. Not that she minded much. A man like him wanting a woman like her, it was flattering and it made her feel good, she definitely wasn’t going to deny that. She was just happy that her and Niall had moved into a more comfortable level in their growing friendship. Cat was happy to have him as her friend. 

It was an early Saturday afternoon, Cat was at home with her family, her mother and sister in the kitchen unpacking groceries that they had just picked up for the evening. Cat was in her bedroom finishing her laundry, and had just put away some of her folded t-shirts when her cell phone rang. Bumping the dresser drawer closed with her hip, she shuffled her bare feet over to her nightstand to grab her phone, checking the name that was highlighted across the screen. Niall. 

She breathed out a smile and answered, tucking the phone between her shoulder and her cheek as she walked over to her closet and pulled out a few hangers. “Hey, you,” she greeted him as she made her way back towards her bed to hang up some of her dresses and pantsuits. 

“Hey, kitty cat, what ya doin’?”

She giggled. “Just some laundry,” she told him, “what are you doing?” 

“Uh, layin’ in me bed,” he told her, Cat noticing a softness in his voice. “Naked. Thinkin’ ‘bout you.” 

Cat rolled her eyes in a snort. “So...just a normal day then, huh?” 

A deep laugh rumbled from his end of the line. “I was wonderin’ if maybe ya wanna go out with me tonight?” he then asked, pausing for a moment to clear his throat before he continued. “Just as friends. Been so busy with work lately, we haven’t hung out and I miss seein’ ya.” 

Cat bit at her bottom lip, her cheeks running warm as she stepped back over to her closet to hook her clothes up on the rack. “I don’t know, Niall,” she hummed out, darting her stare around her room and realizing she had left her water bottle downstairs. “My mom has this whole family dinner thing planned for my Dad’s birthday tonight and it would be kinda rude for me to just bail.”

Bouncing down the stairs and into the kitchen where her mother and sister were still putting groceries away, she held the phone to her ear and snatched her water bottle off of the counter just as Katrina had opened the cupboard above her head. Trina shot her a look, and Cat stuck her tongue out at her. “Hmm...okay, well, maybe tomorrow then? Are ya free?” 

“I should be,” Cat huffed out as she refilled her bottle, her eyes studying the clear stream of water filtering into the metal flask, “what did you wanna do, anyway?” 

Niall had started to mumble something, when Cat’s mom looked over at her. “Who’s that?” she nosily asked. 

“It's that guy with the really nice car, isn’t it?” Trina interjected.

Cat’s eyes went big at her little sister as Niall continued to talk into her ear, and she set the water bottle down and smushed her hand over the bottom of the phone. “Shh!” she snapped back, shifting her eyes from her sister to her mom. “Just...a friend.” 

“Who?” 

A distinguishable quiet had settled on the end of the line before the young woman heard a faint ‘Cat?’ in a low, husky voice. She held up her finger to her mom and put her attention back to Niall. “Yeah, I’m here, sorry my mom was saying something to me. Can you hold for, like, one second?” 

“Yeah, sure.”

Blocking the end of her phone again with her palm, she playfully glared over at Trina before pushing out a sigh. “Just this guy, Niall. I met him a few years ago before I left for college and, weirdly enough, he's now my boss.” 

Trina rounded her lips. “Oooh.” 

“Your boss?” her mother repeated, opening the fridge to set a gallon of milk inside. “Well, Cat, you should invite him over for dinner tonight!” 

“Mom, it’s Dad’s birthday,” she questioned, wrinkling her brow, “And I thought it was just ‘family’ anyway...” 

The older woman waved off her daughter with a huff, turning to gather up the reusable shopping bags from the countertop. “Please, you know your father would love to meet your boss, Cat, birthday or not. And he's your friend. Invite him over.” 

Cat’s heartbeat picked up in her chest, so much so that it was like a heavy bass drum in the back of her ears steadily getting louder as her palms started to sweat. It was obnoxious. She curled her fingers tighter around her phone as she silently shot her stare between her mom and her sister, who had a very smug grin plastered over her lips. “....alright,” she gingerly sighed out, bringing her phone back up to her ear. “Niall?” 

“Yup?”

“Hey, so, um…” Cat paused, bowing her head down and anxiously scratching across the skin of her forehead, “weird question, I guess, but would you, maybe...like to come over to my house for dinner tonight?” 

“With your family?” 

“Yeah.” 

Scraping her teeth over her bottom lip, two sets of curious eyes were glued to her, waiting in as much anticipation as Cat was for Niall’s answer. She heard a short chuckle bleed into her ear before Niall pulled in a deep breath. “Sure, I’d love to.” 

•

Niall was standing on her front stoop, knocking at her door only a mere few hours later. Not really sure why she felt so nervous, her belly tying into knots as she had been getting ready and her heart thumping along with the ticking of the clock as it counted down to when he was supposed to arrive. But the second she opened the door, the second his stunning ocean blue eyes met hers, it all faded away. He looked gorgeous, as he always did; a fitted pressed dark pair of trousers topped with a silky patterned button up short sleeve shirt, it was undone slightly at the top, just enough to showcase that gold necklace that hung around his neck. Niall smiled at Cat as she invited him in. 

His eyes danced over her body as he stepped through the door, seeing her in a pair of tight jeans and slightly fitted top, she hadn’t dressed sexy, it was her Dad’s birthday after all, but Niall thought she looked amazing. He liked seeing her in a more casual look, different then how he had seen her at work. He noticed right away that her hair, usually down and sitting just below her shoulders, was pulled back into a high ponytail and for a moment, he was transported back to summer camp. Back to that first time that he saw her. Standing amongst the other counselors, listening to the director spout out the camp rules and whatnot, but even then, Niall’s full attention was on Cat. She looked absolutely beautiful, just like every time he had laid eyes on her since. 

Smiling back at him, her parents had made their way into the small foyer, eager to meet the mystery boss-friend with the super nice car. Cat introduced him, Niall having brought her father a bottle of extremely expensive Irish whiskey as a gift, and she stood off to the side as he engaged her parents in polite small talk. He was very impressive to watch–Cat finding herself sinking her teeth into her bottom lip as he freely chatted and laughed along with her parents. His charisma even snagged her old, rigid dad and his cheekiness made her mother blush a shade of pink Cat had rarely seen. 

“And this is my sister, Katrina,” she said to Niall, pointing at her little sister who had just emerged from the living room as her parents made their way back into the kitchen to finish up dinner. 

The young girl popped her gum in her mouth as she gave Niall an apathetic wave. “Everyone calls me Trina.” 

“Nice to meet ya, Trina,” Niall greeted her with a nod. 

Perching her hands on her hips, Trina narrowed her eyes as she looked over at Niall. Her stare slid down his frame and then back up before she tipped her chin in a smile. “You’re smokin’ hot.” 

“Trina! Jesus,” Cat snipped, furrowing her brows as Niall chuckled. She grabbed around Niall’s bicep and he moved his attention to her. “I’m sorry, she’s just–”

“Spitting facts?” Trina raised her brows. 

Cat glared at her sister and before she could respond with a growling rebuff, their mother called out from the kitchen. “Trina, behave yourself!” Rolling her eyes in a displeased huff, the teenager spun around on her socked heels and slumped back into the living room without another word. 

Niall licked across his lips, fighting off his inevitable snickering as he looked over at Cat. “She’s cute,” he told her, quirking a brow.

“She’s fifteen,” Cat shot back. 

“I can tell,” he snorted, “she’s still funny, though.” 

“You’re only saying that because she said you were hot.” 

“Uh, smokin’ hot,” Niall corrected, cocking his head to the side. “Would’ve rather you been the one sayin’ it though...”

Cat giggled. “Keep dreaming, Niall.” 

“Ya just keep breakin’ me heart, Cat,” Niall mumbled out, dramatically slapping a hand to his chest. “Jesus…”

Her eyes pinched shut in a laugh before she reached out and grabbed Niall’s hand. “C’mon,” she said, pulling him after her, “I’ll show you around a bit.”

After leading him through the downstairs area, Cat took Niall upstairs and into her bedroom. She didn’t really think much of it when he was trailing behind her up the stairs, their hands still loosely entangled with the heat of his skin melting into hers. It felt natural to her, so much so that she had forgotten that she was even holding his hand that whole time until they stepped into her room. “So, this is it,” Cat said, her fingers slowly sliding from his as he brushed past her and further into her bedroom. 

Niall stood near the side of her bed with his hands hooked on his hips, his stare floating across the small bedroom; from the posters still hung up on her walls to the shelves of academic trophies and awards she had acquired throughout school. Cat crossed her arms over her chest, gnawing on her lip as she kept her eyes glued to him. He had faced himself away from her, studying some old pictures of Cat and her friends from high school that were pinned up on her wall, and she let her gaze drag down the length of his frame. His shoulders were wide under the thin material of his shirt, his back broad, a lot broader than she had remembered, and his waist slim, but it was the deliciously supple curve of his ass that forced Cat to draw in a jittery breath. He had such a nice body, toned but soft in all the right places and her eyes fluttered as the memories of how he felt on top of her, pushing himself inside her, came rushing like an unstoppable flood back into her head. 

Her eyelids were pressed closed, enjoying her dirty thoughts, when Niall had unknowingly turned around to get her attention. He smiled to himself upon seeing how pretty Cat looked with her head tipped to the side and her bottom lip sucked into her mouth. He cleared his throat and her eyes popped open, met with a cocky grin. She froze. “This looks familiar…” he said to her, his brows raising as he held up a grey snapback that had been slung over the front bedpost of her bed. 

She smiled at him. “It should. You gave it to me.” 

Niall flicked the hat in his hand as he peered down at it, the very tip of his tongue poking out between his lips. “I know, I remember,” he mumbled, wiggling the hat down on his head. Her stare went glassy, widening slightly as she peered over at him, struck with how much he looked like he used to once that hat was back on him and she struggled to find a solid breath. The corner of his mouth tugged into a smirk. “Bring back any memories?” 

It did. But she wasn’t about to tell him that. 

Dropping her hands at her sides, Cat slowly stepped around the end of her bed and came up flush to him. His hooded gaze was fixated on her, holding tight to every movement, as she leaned herself in close to him, so close that Niall could feel the tiny wisps of her hot breath against the front of his neck. It made his stomach twist. His mouth parted slightly as she rose to her tiptoes, his blue eyes darting wild over hers and there was a hint of a devilish smirk pulling at her lips as she inched closer and closer, her warm body practically on top of his. 

And as quick as Cat had pressed flush to him, she just as quickly reached up and snatched the hat off of Niall’s head. She leaned past him slightly as she flung the hat back onto the bedpost where it belonged. “It’s still mine,” she claimed, raising her brow. 

His stare hadn’t left hers, it couldn’t even if he had wanted it to and Niall turned his mouth down at her, fully impressed that he had fallen for that little game she had just played. She grinned at him, pleased with herself and it made Niall’s chest ache with how cute she looked. “It’s still yours,” he assured softly, giving her one single nod. 

Cat tilted her face down, hiding the flush that had invaded her cheeks as Niall moved his eyes beside her. “So this is where you sleep?” he asked, pointing to the bed.

“Well, that sounds creepy,” she mentioned with a giggle. 

Niall laughed. “Just tryin’ to get a feel for the place.” 

“Oh, right,” she scoffed, plopping her bottom down on the side of the bed. “Yup, this is my bed. Same one since I was, like...twelve.” 

Sitting himself down next to her, Niall carded his hand through his hair as he turned his head to catch her stare. “Should I be jealous?” 

“Of what?” Cat asked, wrinkling her brows.

Niall peeked over his shoulder at her yellow daisy printed comforter. “All the people that have gotten to sleep with you in this very spot.” 

Cat rolled her eyes before meeting his stare again. “Niall, we’ve had sex before so, no, you shouldn’t be jealous and to be honest, besides that, there’s nothing to be jealous of…” 

His brows pulled in. “You tellin’ me you’ve never had sex in this bed?” 

“That’s exactly what I’m telling you,” she huffed, glancing down at her lap. “I’ve never even had a boy in this room before.” 

Niall clicked his tongue in his mouth. “So I’m your first…”

“Weird way of putting it,” Cat replied with a soft giggle, peering over at him, “but yes.” 

Leaning in towards her, the air stifled in the back of Cat’s throat as she felt his hot, silky breath spill over the slope of her neck. It made her eyes flutter, and she fought back a whimper when the tip of his nose just barely brushed along her jaw. His large palm was resting at her lower back, ever so faintly and she swallowed hard and stayed still, not daring to move an inch as Niall hungrily licked across his lips. “We can add another first to the list if ya want…” 

Slowly turning her head to look over at him, she caught his hooded stare. She struggled to find her words. “Are you, um…are you propositioning me, Mr. Horan?” Cat whispered, darting her eyes with his. Her chest was rising high with her quick, unruly breaths, her fingers curling into the thick blanket on both sides of her knees. Niall lifted his shoulder in a shrug, his brow quirking up. The darkness in his eyes was filling Cat’s belly with a fire that was proving hard to fight off, and she scraped her teeth across her bottom lip. “With my parents right downstairs?”

“Makes it even hotter,” he confidently said with a wink.

Cat let out a groan and playfully pushed him away with a nudge of her shoulder. “You’re filthy,” she told him, shaking her head as she stood up. 

Niall belted out a laugh, looking up at her. “Mmm, well, we both know that’s how ya like it.”  

With her eyes going big, her pouty lips fell to a part and Niall smirked proudly at her reaction. All she could do was let the dizziness fill her head, flustered every time he even so much as caught her stare as Niall reached out and gently grabbed her hand. Her knees wanted to crumble beneath her, her body wanting to let go as his thumb rubbed tiny circles over her skin. She slowly lifted her gaze back to his, her breaths stunted in her lungs, just as her father called them down to dinner. 

Cat squeezed her eyes closed for a split second as Niall stood up right in front of her. His intoxicating scent filled her nose and she let her gaze drift up from his chest to his blue eyes. “Saved by the bell, huh, kitty cat?” 

Pressing her lips in a line, she tipped her chin up, determined to not let him get the best of her. “It’s not like I was considering it.” 

A smug smirk tugged at the edge of Niall’s lips and he lightly placed his hand to Cat’s waist, his fingertips pushing in slightly. “Oh, baby, you were definitely considerin’ it,” he whispered, his voice low and rough in his throat. A pulsing heat coursed through her entire body, from her head to her toes, itching over her skin and pooling between her thighs. Licking across his lips, Niall quirked his brow as he quietly stepped away, slowly letting his fingertips drag down the curve of her hip. 

Watching as he sauntered out of her bedroom, Cat pushed out a heavy, choppy breath and reached up to rub across her dampened forehead. She didn’t even realize she had started to sweat, just from that short interaction and she swallowed hard before shaking her head and following him out of the room. 

She hated that he could still, without question, cause that kind of reaction in her.

•

After an uneventful, yet really good dinner followed by some delicious homemade birthday cake, Cat and Niall found themselves sitting out on the steps of her small front stoop. The sun had long set, just the street lamps casting a yellow glow along the road and the porch light shining onto their backs. Niall had his arms resting on his bent knees, sipping on a bottle of beer that Cat’s father had graciously offered him. Peering over at him, her eyes trailed the long slope of his throat as he tipped his head back to take a gulp. She pulled in a deep breath, hugging her arms tighter around her middle. 

“So,” she began, shifting her eyes back out into the dark of the street, “is owning a tech company something you always wanted to do?” 

Niall had just finished another sip of his beer and he chuckled as he licked his lips. “No, not really,” he admitted. “I mean, I knew I was gonna own a company one day, my dad owned a company, and I don’t have a business degree for nothin’, but...tech wasn’t really somethin’ I was ever super into, ya know?” He shrugged. “It is what it is, I guess.” 

Cat peeked over at him, resting her chin on the round of her shoulder. “So it was…easy for you.”

“An easy choice?” he repeated, catching her stare. “Yeah, I had the money, I had the resources.” 

Cat chuckled under her breath, shaking her head as she drifted her eyes along the chain link fence that enclosed her tiny front yard. “What?” Niall asked. 

“Nothing,” she replied, “just...crazy how shit always comes so easy for you. Wish I had a little bit of that.” 

“Shit doesn’t always come easy for me,” Niall scoffed.

Rolling her stare over to him, Cat snorted. “Oh yeah? Like what?” 

Niall licked over his lips. “You.” 

“Me?” she huffed, wrinkling her brow, “you never had to try hard in that department, Niall.” 

With his mouth falling to a part, Niall pushed out a low huff. “Are ya kiddin’ me? I’ve never had to work so hard for a second go in me life.” 

Cat groaned and reached out, snatching the beer bottle from his hands and promptly taking a sip. “You deserve a challenge once in a while.” 

Niall chuckled and leaned towards her, his eyes stuck on hers. “If you think for one second that I’m not up for it, baby, you’re bloody fuckin’ wrong…” 

Her heart nearly skipped a solid beat as she pushed out a soft chuckle. “Charming.” 

Niall threw his head back in a laugh before hoisting himself up. He turned around and stood in front of her at the bottom of the steps. Cat bit at her lip as she looked up at him, noticing a smirk pulling at his mouth as he leaned on the handrail. “I wanna take ya somewhere,” he then blurted out. 

“Like...now?” 

“No, this weekend,” Niall chuckled. 

Cat dropped her gaze to the ground under his feet and swallowed hard. “ Where do you wanna take me?” she asked, glancing back up at him. 

“I’m not tellin’ ya,” he said, raising his brows, “it’s part of the surprise. It won���t be for the whole weekend, just Saturday. It’s not too long of a drive.” 

Narrowing her eyes at him, Cat took another sip of the beer and tucked her lips into her mouth. She stayed quiet, studying his features as he turned his face slightly and peered down at her through the corners of his eyes. Niall wasn’t sure what she was thinking, or what her answer was going to be, but he was hopeful. “What do’ya say?” 

Pulling in a deep breath, Cat set the empty beer bottle down next to her. “Do I have a choice?” 

“Baby, you always have a choice,” he replied, cocking his head back slightly. 

Cat dipped her head down in a smile. “Okay, fine,” she said as she looked back at him, “but we're only going as friends. Nothing is gonna happen.” 

“Of course,” he smirked, “would ya expect anythin’ less of me, kitty cat?” 

Her brows raised. “Do you really want me to answer that?” Niall pointed a finger at her. “No.” He watched as Cat’s head softly rolled back to her shoulders in a laugh, her eyes squeezing shut and he couldn’t help but smile as the pretty sound slipped past her lips. She was perfect. “Alright then,” Niall went on as Cat caught her breath, “I’m gonna head out, but, um...thanks for havin’ me over. It was lovely. I had fun spendin’ time with you.” 

Cat chewed at her bottom lip as she darted her eyes over his, hugging her arms around her middle once again. “Yeah, it was...surprisingly nice. I really enjoyed it. Thanks for coming.” 

Fishing his car keys out of his front pocket, a tiny breath hitched in Cat’s chest as Niall leaned down and pushed a tender kiss to her cheek. “Sweet dreams, petal,” he whispered, the warmth of his lips lingering on her skin. It was one of the sweetest, softest moments she had ever experienced. And it was coming from Niall. 

Her eyes fluttered open when he stepped back, a smile on his face as he spun around and made his way to his car. Cat watched with a dreamy haze in her eyes, curiosity bounding to her fingertips and an ache befalling her chest as he hopped in his car and drove off. She sat on that top step of her stoop, head cupped in her hands and a million thoughts pouring through her mind for what seemed like ages. 

What was she getting herself into? And more importantly...after all these years, why did she still want him so bad?

•

It was hard for Cat not to think about Niall over the following week, the nonstop, and frankly, obscene cataclysm he created inside her and how confused it made her feel. It was also hard for Cat to hide how excited she was for whatever Niall had planned for that weekend. She tried telling herself that it meant nothing, he was just doing what Niall did and did well; seduce and concur and that it would be no different this time around, but the thoughts of how much she wanted to be with him, wanted to feel him, wanted to kiss him and touch him and taste him again, how much she wanted to just be with him, kept creeping into the back of her mind. 

Part of her, an incredibly hard to ignore part, didn’t care that Niall was a self-proclaimed womanizer, at least to her knowledge, and all she wanted was to have him. To let herself feel what she had always felt for him, without hesitation or worry, without a second thought. To let him care about her…love her. She knew without a doubt that Niall would treat her well, that he would be good to her, but there was always that inkling of what if. What if she let herself give into him again and he didn’t want anything more than that. What if she succumbed to those physical primal needs that itched across her skin every time he was near, and that indescribable longing in her heart she couldn’t hide from and it turned out that he didn’t feel that same way about her. What if she fell for him, really fell for him, and in the end...he didn’t want her anymore. 

That was what Cat couldn’t shake from her mind. The fear of him not feeling for her the way she knew, deep down, she really felt for him. 

Niall picked her up at her house around 3 that Saturday afternoon. Cat was beside herself; she was nervous, but excited, giddy like a teenager going out on her first date, and if anyone would have asked her why she was feeling all of those things, she really could not have given them a straight answer. Apart from the fact that it was mainly because of Niall. Being around him made her feel exuberant and alive, he made her feel sexy and alluring. He made her feel important and wanted. He made her feel 18 all over again, but more mature, more in control. And as hard as he tried, as much as he used his charms and his flirtatious ways on her, it was clear that she was the one in control this time. She was the one who was holding him like putty in her hand. And that simple fact made her feel more powerful than she had ever felt before. 

He refused to discuss where they were headed as they drove, just telling her that it wasn’t very far away, but Cat was more than eager to find out what the big surprise was. She had worried for a moment while getting ready that she was overdressed, a light breezy yellow sundress and pair of low open-toed sandals, but Niall immediately complimented her outfit as he met her at her front door and that quickly reassured her. He was also dressed quite freely with a linen short sleeve button down and a pair of fitted twill trousers, Cat smiling as she looked him over, making sure to tell him that he looked nice as well. 

The late afternoon sun was bright, strings of gold streaming in through the car windows and Cat peered over at Niall as he sat buckled in the driver's seat. Her eyes tenderly fawned down his profile, engrossed in the perfectly sharp slope of his nose and the tiny pout of his lips. His beard was grown in heavy, his dark brown hair styled softly and over to the side, and she couldn’t see his eyes underneath his sunglasses but she knew they were just as blue, just as gorgeous and dreamy as they had always been. The thought made her smile and without thinking, she reached over and gently ran her fingers through the side swept part of his hair, right over his ear. 

Niall slowly glanced over at her, a faint smirk at the corner of his mouth and Cat stared at him as she retracted her hand and rested it back into her lap. “Sorry,” she muttered, flinging her face forward as she peered down at her hands, “couldn’t...help myself.” 

A chuckle left Niall’s lips and she felt the faintest brush of his fingertips over her temple and then carding delicately through her hair. “It’s okay,” he told her. 

Her eyes flew over to his. “So you’re really not going to tell me where we’re going?” 

“Nope,” he said, shaking his head. Cat’s stare slipped down the length of his arm that was gripped onto the steering wheel. The sun’s rays glimmered across the silver metal of his watch and it made her eyes squint. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I did that.” 

“I’m much more surprised you didn’t blindfold me,” she chuckled. 

Niall’s grip on the steering wheel tightened at her words and he shot his eyes over to her. “I can definitely do that if ya want,” he said, voice deep in his throat. 

Cat smiled, biting at her lip as she turned her head to peer out of her window. “Maybe later…” 

Fluttering his eyes under the guise of his sunglasses, Niall blew out a heavy breath and licked across his lips. He was trying so hard to control himself around Cat, to not be who she had this perception of him to be, and he folded his fingers into a fist on his thigh as he continued to drive. “Not much longer,” he said aloud. 

•

The second they turned down the tree-lined dirt road, Cat knew exactly where they were. Her eyes went wide and she leaned forward, staring up through the windshield as they passed under the old wooden sign: Camp Sparrow. It had been years since she had been back, four years to be exact, and she breathed out a smile, glancing over at Niall. He quirked his brows at her as they slowly drove down the winding lane of dirt and rocks towards the front office of the camp. “I can’t believe you,” Cat whispered, mainly to herself but Niall heard her loud and clear and he dipped his chin down in a big smile, a pink hue blushing his cheeks. 

Coming to a stop in the same exact place that Cat had watched Niall leave that very summer, the two of them climbed out of the car, Niall grabbing a cloth bag and blanket from the back seat. It was clear that the camp was no longer a functioning summer camp; the grass somewhat overgrown and the wooden buildings a bit worn down, but as Cat peered around the large area, from the numbered cabins to the old dock that jutted out into the lake from the tiny beach area, it felt like nothing had changed. Niall had planned for them to have a picnic, some light food and wine and they spent the following couple hours sprawled out on the woolen blanket in the grass, staring off into the dark muddled water watching as the sun slowly set behind the trees. It was beautiful and quiet, serene and the two of them talked and laughed and reminisced about their past summer together. Cat felt good, she felt happy and she peeked over at Niall, catching the cute lopsided smirk on his face and it made a warmth flutter in her tummy. 

Niall was just happy to see Cat happy, it made his heart pound in his chest to hear her soft laugh and see her bright smile. He knew bringing her back to that place was exactly what they needed, what he needed to show her just how he felt about her. Taking one last sip of wine as the sun had just dipped below the treeline across the lake, Niall dusted off his palms as he stood up. 

“C’mere,” he said, holding out his hand to her. Cat tipped her head back to look up at him, biting at her lip. Sliding her hand into his, Niall gently pulled her up to her feet and slowly began to lead them out towards the lake. Cat’s heart was lashing against her ribcage, heavy and fast as her fingers tightened around Niall’s. His skin was blistering hot, but felt soft pressed to her own, and she thought for a moment that she would be content to stay like that with him. But she also thought that everything that was happening, all that she was feeling was just some kind of fever dream, something that could never really be and she pulled in a jittery sigh just as their bare feet hit the cool white sand of the tiny man-made beach. 

Niall’s fingers eased away from hers and he slipped his hands in the front pockets of his pants. Cat chewed lightly at her bottom lip, unsure as to why he had let her hand go and she crossed her arms over her chest. They stood there reveling in the peaceful silence, stares drowning in the little ripples of water that floated by from the tepid breeze before she cleared her throat. There was something on her mind that she had to get out. “Niall?” she said, her voice meek and nearly carried away by the soft lapping of the water on the shore. 

“Yeah?” He had turned his face to look over at her, Cat’s gaze watching the silhouette of a bird coasting above the tree line.  

She sucked back a sharp breath, peeking down at her painted toes as they curled into the cold sand. “Why did you bring me here?” 

He remained quiet for a moment, her question hanging idle in the air as he gathered his thoughts. “I don’t know,” Niall shrugged, “I guess, I thought that maybe...bein’ here again, seein’ the lake and the cabins and shit, that it would, ya know...spark somethin’ in ya. Memories. About me. About...us.” 

Cat hastily ran her tongue over her lips as she kicked her toes in the sand. “There never really was an us, Niall,” she stated, chuckling lightly, “I mean, we flirted for a few weeks, slept together once...then went back to our normal lives. If anything, I’d say it was just...a summer fling.” 

Niall shifted his stare downwards, rolling his lips into his mouth as he nodded his head. “So I didn’t mean anythin’ to ya, then.” 

Shooting her eyes over to him, she furrowed her brow. “No, I didn’t say that–” 

“Because I know I made ya feel good,” he spit out, aggravation clear in his voice as he caught her stare, “didn’t I?” 

Cat swallowed hard. She couldn’t lie to him, not about that. “Yeah,” she said softly. 

“You liked the way I fucked ya.” 

His words, so deliberate and suggestive in their intention as they floated off his tongue, made her chest feel heavy, like a ton of bricks smashing her down as her breaths stuck thick to the back of her throat. But she still couldn’t lie to him. “Yeah…” 

Niall turned his broad shoulders as he faced her, his brow raised. “The guy you’re with now, does he fuck you like that?” He paused and licked across his lips, his chest swelling with his rapid breaths. “Does he fuck ya like he needs ya, like he can’t get enough of ya? Like he owns ya?” 

Cat’s lips parted as she struggled to find the words, any words and she gingerly shook her head. Honesty was all she could muster as she darted her stare with his. “You’re the only person who’s ever fucked me like that,” she said, her tone subdued, “who’s ever made me...feel like that…” 

“That’s what I thought,” Niall huffed out. 

She rolled her eyes at his callous attitude and pushed out a heavy breath. “You really haven’t changed, have you, Niall?” 

“Not much, kitty cat,” he lightly scoffed, “ ‘cept I’m richer now and I fuck even better.” 

His joke, if that was what he was trying to intend, made Cat sigh out loud. “And it seems like you’re even more full of yourself,” she said. 

Niall smirked at her. “You used to be into that.” 

“Yeah, well...it worked,” she snapped, moving her gaze back out to the calmness of the water. “Four years ago.” 

Niall’s eyes narrowed and he yanked his hands from his pockets, crossing his arms over his chest. Licking across his lips, his eyes studied over Cat; the light flutter of her eyelashes and tiny upturned pout of her mouth, watching as a slight breeze swept a few strands of her hair over her cheek. She reached up and tucked it behind her ear. She was so hauntingly beautiful, it made his chest ache to even look at her, but she consistently left Niall stumped. He didn’t know what to do or say around her, he didn’t know how to pursue her. How to make her want him as much as she had four years ago. As much as he wanted her. But he was determined to find out. “So tell me then, what works now?”

Cat slowly peered back over at him. “You, Niall,” she told him blankly, “just be you.” 

“This is me–”

“No,” she choked out a laugh, shaking her head, “it's not. It's not the real you. Niall, you’re sweet and caring, and sensual and fun. But this? This is you when you’ve got one thing on your mind. When all you wanna do is sleep with somebody, when you’re on the chase.” 

Cat watched his eyes narrow, listening as she went on. “And I’m not saying I don’t like when you talk dirty to me or...flirt so shamelessly and try so hard to get me into bed, I do, but the chase is over...you’ve already fucked me.” 

He cocked his head back. “And what if I wanna fuck you again?” 

“Maybe…” Cat paused and sucked in a shaky breath. His eyes fixated on hers, the intensity causing a ripple of heat to glide over her skin, tiny goosebumps shedding its path. “Maybe you just don’t need to try so hard this time.” 

Niall tipped his head back to his shoulders in a low, frustrated groan, rubbing his palms down the front of his face. Perching his hands on his hips, a dumbfounded chuckle broke under his breath as he looked back over at her. 

“What?” she questioned, wrinkling her brow. 

“I don’t even fuckin’ know anymore,” he snorted, “you make me-...fuck, you make so confused, Cat. It completely fucks with me head, ya know? I feel so different when I’m around you, I always have. And I knew from the first time I saw ya, that first day at summer camp four years ago, that I had to have ya.” 

He paused, licking across his lips. “But it’s like...I don’t even know how to act around ya,” he told her, scratching through his scruffy beard. “The things I’d normally say, what I’d normally do. I flirt with ya, I do everythin’ I can to get ya to want me but, ya just...ya don’t fall for any of me shit. I don’t know what else to do.” 

Cat’s eyes pinched shut in a soft snicker, her head rolling to her shoulder. “I do fall for your shit, Niall,” she confessed, glancing back over at him. “I have...I am.” 

His brows shot up. “You are?”

Biting at her lip, Cat tried to tame back her emerging smile. “I mean, as much as I’d like to say no, that none of your usual shit is working on me, I’m here...right now with you, Niall,” she said softly, “and...I could never lie to you about that.”

Niall gingerly nodded his head, “Okay,” he spoke up, a confidant smirk sliding over his lips, “so if that’s how ya feel, what would you say if I told you that I wanted to lay ya down right here...and fuck ya like you’ve never been fucked before...” 

A breath stalled in Cat’s throat and her eyes fluttered as she peered over the ground at their feet. “Well,” she gently mewed, “I would say that I’d rather not like to have sand in my bits while you’re fucking me, so maybe we can find a hotel nearby instead?” 

Niall took her words, as salaciously as they had left her lips, as a joke and he dropped his forehead into the cup of his hand in a rowdy laugh. Raising his eyes back to hers in a sigh, he noticed that she wasn’t laughing, or smiling along with him. Just...staring at him. His eyes narrowed as he settled himself and he swallowed hard. “You’re serious. You really want me to fuck ya, don’t ya...”

It came out more of a statement than a question in that gritty accent of his, dripping over Cat’s ears like warm honey, sticky and thick, begging to be licked. Her fingers curled into her palms, an unstoppable heat coursing through her body as she sank her teeth down into her bottom lip. She tried to smile at him, tried to conjure up the nerve to be flippant with the lewd words floating in her head, but she couldn’t even settle the uneven pounding of her heart. It was too much. He was too much. “Honestly, Niall,” she said, turning towards him, “there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by these last four years that I haven’t wanted you to fuck me again.” 

Cat barely had time to react before Niall had stepped up flush to her, cradling her face in his big hands. The blistering heat from his palms seared into her soft skin and she lightly gasped as he slowly slid the pad of his thumb over her plump bottom lip. “You don’t know how long I’ve dreamt about hearin’ those words come out of this pretty little mouth.” 

Her eyes fluttered and she swallowed hard, eager to play his game. “Should I say them again?” Cat teased. 

Niall smirked and leaned in closer, his lips just ghosting over hers. His breath, hot and silky, spilled out over her lips and she eased her hands up, splaying them at his sides. His hooded eyes darted fast with hers, a recklessness fading into the dark and she struggled to properly inhale. He was too intoxicating, too overwhelming but she wanted him. She wanted him so bad she could feel it swirling in her lower belly and taste it tingling on her tongue. And that was all it took. 

“I...want you...to fuck me…” 

A seedy growl edged from Niall’s throat at Cat’s words and she felt his body tense up under the press of her palms. His chest was heaving, rising high against hers as his lips brushed at the corner of her mouth. “Can I kiss you now?” 

Cat’s eyes fell closed at his sweetness and a hint of a smile tugged at her parted lips as she raised just a bit to her tiptoes. “Yes…please...” 

Niall pushed his mouth to hers, kissing her deep and full, sweeping his tongue into her open mouth. Cat whined out as she kissed him back, harder and with more vigor than she knew she had in her. Niall brought that out in her, that greedy hunger, a hunger she needed to feed. To feel his lips on hers, to taste him on her tongue and swallow his warm breath, she didn’t even realize just how much she had missed him, missed feeling him, until it was happening. Her fingers twisted into the material of his shirt, yanking at it as she tugged his body even closer into her. His big hands held her face, his tongue curling over hers, and Cat felt as if she was going to float away if Niall hadn’t had her tethered so taut down against him. 

The heat was indescribable, the fieriness surging between their flesh sending both into an unyielding desire that neither had thought possible. She wanted him even more than she had years before, and he wanted her more than he had ever wanted any other woman. Niall had this need inside of him, an almost feral desire that only she could tame. She was his weakness, and he lavished the power she had over him. With her hands coming up and wrapping around his strong forearms, Niall nipped at her bottom lip as they left hers, a desperate gasp of air shared between the two. His darkened eyes only met hers for a second before he had grabbed her hand in his and began leading her back into the grassy area. 

Without a word spoken, they both hurriedly gathered their things and the remnants of their picnic and headed towards Niall’s parked car. Hopping in and closing the doors, Niall leaned his upper body almost all the way over into her seat, bringing Cat into a heated kiss once more, not being able to help himself. She ran her fingers up through his soft dark hair, twisting into the tiny ends as she urged his tongue into her mouth. Struggling to catch her breath as Niall kissed over her chin and down to her neck, Cat tipped her head back as he sucked along her throat. His thick fingers were tangled in the side of her hair, his tongue slinking over her exposed collarbone before she forced herself to inch away from him, his lips popping off her flushed skin. 

She was drowning in the gaze of his heavy lidded eyes and it took all she had in her to fight off the temptation to straddle him in his seat and fuck him right then and there. Niall swallowed hard as he stared at her. “We have to wait,” she whispered, her eyes fluttering as she cupped her hand around the back of his neck and tugged him into another kiss. “Not here.” 

Nodding his head as he reluctantly eased back, Niall wiped across his mouth with the back of his hand as he settled himself into the driver’s seat. He raked his fingers through his hair, a long drawn out breath huffing past his lips before he started up the car and took off. The ride back was torture, Niall’s big hand not leaving its claimed spot on her thigh, the pads of his fingers kneading into her silky skin as their eyes shot over to one another with each passing minute. He knew he needed her; needed to touch her, taste her, fuck her. Cat could barely hold herself together, her mind reeling with the thoughts of his touch and his kisses, her body aching to have him inside her and her stare stayed hooked on him as he drove, racing through the twists and turns of the back roads. 

After about twenty minutes, Cat had noticed that they had passed a few different motels and was perplexed on why he hadn’t bothered to stop at any of them. “Niall, where are we going?”

“I’m not fuckin’ you in a motel,” he bluntly said, his eyes on the road. 

Cat’s head toppled back to the seat rest and she ran her hand over his that was still clutched to her thigh. “You were gonna fuck me by the lake,” she reminded him, raising a brow. 

Niall peeked over at her, a seriousness written over his face. “Cat, I’ve waited four years to be inside ya again, I’m not wastin’ it on some cheap ass motel.” 

A shaky breath spilled past her lips as he flicked his eyes back to the road ahead, just the bluish beam of his headlights lighting their way. Biting at her bottom lip, Cat could feel herself aching for him, just the way he looked at her, the way he spoke to her, the way his touch felt on her skin, it was all more than she could take. She needed him inside her. Slowly tugging the bottom hem of her dress up her thighs, she spread her knees and with the guide of her fingers, eased Niall’s hand down between her legs. 

The car jerked slightly as Niall glanced over to her and was instantly captivated by the seductiveness in her eyes. A rabid heat pulsed through his veins from the soft, playful look on her face. Using the press of her fingertips, Cat kept her stare on Niall as she pushed his hand harder against her. His heart was pounding in his chest as he took her lead, carefully inching the middle of her panties over to slide his fingers along her warm, wet slit. Cat’s eyes fluttered closed, her head tipping back in a shallow gasp as Niall played with her, the pads of his fingertips swirling deliciously over her swollen clit. 

Her hips rolled gently against the seat as she held his hand right where she wanted him to be, coaxing him for more and more. It wasn’t long until he had two of his thick fingers pushing inside her and a barrage of whimpers and moans poured past her parted lips. Seeing Cat like that, rocking herself against his hand, completely at his mercy and falling apart just from his fingers inside her, was the sexiest thing Niall had ever witnessed. But there was no way he was going to let her finish. He was hard as rock in his pants, throbbing with his need for her, and he continued to work her, fingering her and teasing her clit until he knew she was right there, right about to spill over that blissful edge before he yanked his hand away. 

Cat’s mouth dropped open in a shattered gasp, her body trembling from the loss of his touch as she cupped her hand between her legs. Her chest heaved as she strained to catch her breath and she peeled open her eyes to glare over at him, seeing a half smirk tugging at his lips. “I was so close,” she breathed out. 

“I know,” he told her, licking over his lips, “but you’re not allowed to come yet.” He had done it on purpose, bringing her so close and then ripping it away like she was a bad girl being punished and she huffed out an annoyed groan, clamping her thighs together to ease the vibration of her core as she turned her attention out of the passenger window. 

Niall chuckled at her reaction and adjusted himself in his pants as they continued their way back into the city.

•

They made it back to his place, the penthouse of the most luxurious condo building downtown, of course, in nearly record time. His mouth on hers as soon as the doors to the elevator slid closed behind them, her fingers cupped around the back of his neck as his hands slipped up under her dress. Cat gasped for air as his lips left hers when the elevator finally made it to his floor, opening right at his front door. She had soaked all the way through her panties by that point, and it took her a moment to gather herself as he shuffled off the elevator and over to his front door. Stepping up behind him, Cat raised to her tiptoes and slid her hands around his waist as her wet mouth attached to the side of his neck. Niall was fumbling with his keys, cursing lightly under his breath as he was more than desperate to get the girl inside his apartment. 

“Fuck,” he groaned, attempting to turn the lock. Cat giggled against his neck, pleased with his reaction and her eyes watched his fingers shake as he continued to struggle. Burying her nose into the side of his throat, his skin was tepid and salty on her tongue and she hummed faintly as her small hand ran down the front of his body. Niall choked back a breath as he felt Cat palm him on the outside of his pants. 

She smiled to herself, feeling just how swollen he was for her already as she wrapped her fingers around his length. Swallowing hard, Niall finally clicked the door open, but he froze, slowly turning his face to catch her stare. She was still feeling at him, his cock pulsing against the curve of her palm and he smirked. “You want it, don’t ya?” 

Cat pushed the tip of her tongue to her teeth, the pads of her fingers roughly tracing down the length of him. “It’s still mine.” 

“It’s still yours,” he breathed out. 

Tugging Cat in front of him by her wrist, Niall cradled her face and pushed his mouth to hers in another deep kiss, leading them through the doorway and into his place. The front door eased closed and Niall had her slammed up against it, his hips rudding into hers as his tongue swept past her lips. Cat mewed against his mouth, her body vibrating with the yearning to feel him inside her and she tightened her arms around his shoulders, pressing herself harder into him. Breaking the kiss, Cat strained to catch her breath but kept her parted lips brushing at his. Niall had his hand up under her dress again, hooking her thigh at his hip as he groped roughly at her backside. “Not here,” she whispered, eyes pinching closed in a low gasp as his fingers desperately clawed at the soft, meaty flesh. A disjointed whimper spilled out of her mouth. “Your bedroom.” 

Niall faintly chuckled and clasped his hands around her waist, easily hoisting her up. Cat threw her head back in a squeal and locked her heels around his bum. Her mouth was back on his a second later, eager to swallow his hot breath as he walked them to his bedroom. His strong arms were wrapped around her waist, his fingers digging into the thin material of her sundress at her lower back and pulling frantically at the fabric. Holding her hands around the sides of his face, Cat playfully nipped at his bottom lip and rolled her tongue into his mouth in a heated whine. The sound sent shivers down his spine.

As Niall entered the bedroom, the lights low with just the bright glow of the full moon cascading in from the large wall of windows, Cat barely had time to register her surroundings, her eyelids fluttering as Niall sauntered straight over to the end of the large bed and plopped her down onto the mattress. His eyes, now hauntingly dark, were on hers, his chest heaving under the lay of his linen shirt and Cat scraped her teeth across her bottom lip, drowning in the intoxicating heat of his stare. Only the rapid exhales of their breaths could be heard and after a few long, excruciating seconds of them just staring at one another, Cat slowly started to bring her knees up. 

Niall’s lips parted in a low, short gasp as he watched her slip her sandals off her feet and let them drop, his fingers curling into fists at his sides in an attempt to wain the need to have his hands on her. He wanted to touch her so bad, so bad he could feel her searing into his skin, burning his flesh like an unheeded firestorm, reckless in its path. But he also wanted to wait. Watch. He wanted to savor the moment with her, savor being with her and as much as he wanted to feel her tightening around him, feel her skin melting into his as she came, he knew he had to wait. Cat, on the other hand, knew exactly what she was doing. Her chest rose high, a stuttering breath itching at the back of her throat as she rolled her head to the side. With her eyes remaining focused on his, she grabbed at the hem of her dress and carefully pooled it up around her lower tummy. Her fingers danced from her sides to the front of her hips, and she watched Niall bite furiously at his bottom lip as she stuck her thumbs into the hem of her cotton panties and started to wiggle them over her bum. She couldn’t help but giggle, the sound faint and teasing, as she slid her panties down her thighs. 

Niall watched, bated breath and dark hooded eyes, as Cat let the wet, dainty fabric fall from her toe onto the ground at his feet. He swallowed hard as his stare moved from the small heap resting on the floor, back up to her face, a smirk sitting pretty on her lips. “Jesus Christ,” he breathed out, Cat raising a brow slightly at him as she spread her knees apart and slipped her hand down between her legs. Her fingertips hit her swollen clit and Cat pushed her head back in a clenched hiss, her eyelids fluttering closed. Her hips bared down into the mattress as her fingers swirled through her warm, slippery built-up wetness, her thighs shaking out of her control and her toes curling into the white duvet that laid beneath her. Whimpers flowed past her lips, as Cat played with herself right in front of Niall, teasing him, taunting him. She wanted him to want her more than he ever had. Niall strained to settle his breaths, his blue eyes swimming over her as she laid splayed out before him and it got to a point, when her two fingertips circled just right at that sensitive little nub nestled between her folds and caused a broken whine to edge from her throat that Niall couldn’t take it anymore. She was swollen, bright pink and dripping wet, just waiting for him, begging him to slide himself inside her, to fuck her and a deep grunt pushed from Niall’s chest as he leaned down and gently grabbed Cat’s hand. 

The action startled her and she popped her eyes open, staring up at him. “You’re dirty little girl, teasin’ me like that,” he growled out to her, a gasp leaving her lips as Niall brought her used fingers up to his mouth. His eyes stayed on hers, darker than she had ever seen them, as he slowly slipped her coated fingers past his lips. His tongue curled around the ends, Niall sucking the taste of her off of them before he eased them from the heat of his mouth and very slowly pulled her body up to sit. Her head toppled back to her shoulders as she peered up at him, Niall slotting himself between her spread legs that hung off the end of the bed. Cat innocently tucked her bottom lip into her mouth, staying quiet as Niall bent over and began to undress her. She inhaled sharply when Niall’s face rested against the side of hers, Cat feeling as if her skin was going to melt away from the blistering heat of him hovering over her as his fingers fumbled with the back of her dress, easing down the zipper. 

Niall could feel her trembling in anticipation, and he softly tipped his face down against the crook of her neck, pressing his mouth to her skin. “Niall…” she quietly mewed, as his tongue sucked across to her exposed shoulder. His eyes rolled back from the sound of his name spilling so sweetly past her lips as his big hands dragged across her lower back, curling around the thin material. Standing himself back up, Niall tugged her dress up over her head along with him.

“God, you’re fuckin’ beautiful,” he told her, his half-lidded eyes draping over her unclothed body. Cat pulled in a garbled breath, and she carefully reached behind her back to unhook her strapless bra, letting it fall onto the floor next to her dress. There was a single moment where 

Niall just stood there in front of her, Cat completely naked with a parade of goosebumps floating over her skin as his stare slid from her face to her breasts to her center. It was erotic and intoxicating, overwhelmingly sensual and with the wild thumping of her heart in her chest and an ache settling deep between her thighs for him, Cat hurriedly reached out and began to undo the buttons of his pants. Her gaze, now easily matching the pitch black of his own, was glued to him, seeing the tiny flush of pink invading his cheeks and the strands of dark hair falling over his forehead and into his eyes as she yanked his pants down his legs. There was a fierceness in her motions, Niall could see it in her face, feel it in her touch and he went to unbutton his own shirt before Cat hastily swatted his hands away. 

He chuckled at her eagerness, instead carding a hand up through his disheveled hair while she worked to undo each button one by one before easing the linen shirt off of his broad shoulders. Now just as naked as Cat, Niall hung his head down, watching as the girl ran her palms down the front of his body, her curious stare taking every single part of him in as her touch trailed after it. He was beautiful, stunning. The changes in his body since she had seen him last, nothing short of perfection. The soft, dark hair smattering across his toned chest, his tiny waist that was sculpted just enough that you could still sink your nails into. Her fingers gently scratched along the lines of his hips bones that led to the breathtaking landscape of his manhood; hard and thick and red-slick with his want for her. She slowly peeked back up at him, the very tip of her tongue running hungrily across her bottom lip and that was all it took for Niall to give up, clasping a hand around the back of her neck as he leaned over and hastily pushed his mouth to hers.

He crawled up onto the bed, his mouth devouring hers as he led them both further up the mattress. “I want ya so fuckin’ bad, baby,” he muttered against the delicious curl of her tongue. Cat had latched her hands up into the long strands of his hair, humming in agreement as Niall used his knee to spread her legs even more and nestle his body down between. Her head hit one of the many pillows that adorned his bed, his palm dragging from the back of her neck, over the curve of her breast to her waist and he gripped harshly at her warmed skin. A moan edged past her pouty lips as Niall eagerly rocked himself into her, his swollen cock rubbing along her slit as his lips kissed over her chin and attached to the side of her throat. 

With her eyes falling closed, Cat wrapped her arms around Niall’s broad shoulders as he used his strength to lift her hip up slightly off the bed, the angle enough to let the tip of his pulsing length sit right at her opening. Pulling in a jumbled breath, she dug her nails into the smooth skin of his upper back, her body on fire, already vibrating underneath him as she waited for him to sink himself all the way inside her. Her mind was going frantic; the heat of him nearly suffocating as she buried her nose into the crook of his shoulder and he assaulted the flesh at the side of her throat with the hot-wet of his mouth. She knew it was what she wanted, it was everything that she wanted. Him. Being with him like that, just like that. And she couldn’t take it any longer–she fucking needed him. Her thighs clamped around his hips and she rolled her bottom up, encouraging him to enter her. She wanted to feel that burning stretch that she had missed so much, that she had dreamed about for so long. She wanted to feel him buried inside her once again.

A whimper burst freely past her parted lips as his fingers tangled into the side of her hair, Niall finally easing his hips towards her as he oh-so-slowly pushed his hardened length inside her warm, wet center. His body tensed as he entered her all the way, a low groan spilling out against Cat’s sticky skin as Niall began to move inside her. Her head fell back under the guide of his hand entangled in her hair, Niall rounding his back slightly as his mouth trailed down from her neck to her collarbones to her chest, his lips pinching around her supple breast. Cat’s fingers slipped up into the back of Niall’s thick brown hair, pulling at the ends as he thrust his hips harder against her and sucked across her clammy flesh, exploring all her soft, pretty parts. The feelings were building fast in her lower tummy, dancing around like a fiery flame waiting to explode and she whined as his teeth nibbled harshly the sensitive bud of her breast. 

His lips popped off her nipple and he licked between the valley of her breasts as he leaned his upper body up. Cat’s fingers untangled from the strands of his hair as Niall rested back on his hunches, both his big hands curving down the length of her trembling body and grabbing tightly around her thighs as he continued to fuck into her. Easing her eyes open, Cat dreamily stared up at him as heated sparks quickly rushed through her entire body, shooting from the lingering taste of his breath on her tongue to the tips of her tightly curled toes. Tiny grunts were spitting past his parted lips as he fucked into her, sweat dripping along his dampened hairline and down his heaving chest. His stare was fixated between her spread legs, watching as he sunk himself into her over and over, her warmth devouring every impeccable inch of him. She felt so good around him like that, her center swollen and silky-wet, taking him so perfectly and Niall licked across his lips as he tipped his hips down and buried himself all the way inside her. 

Cat cried out from the intense sensation, his thickness stretching her tight walls as her body started to shake under the press of his big hands. Niall shot his eyes up to her face, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he diligently watched her and she gulped back a heavy breath, unruly waves of her impending orgasm creeping up from her aching core and pouring hot over her dewy skin. Clawing her fingers into the duvet at her sides, Cat caught Niall’s stare once more, the look in his eyes sending her into a reckless fit, her body needing to him to fuck her, really fuck her. It seemed so new, so different, but harnessing that same wild heat and unrestrained passion she had felt before. But as Niall continued to push himself inside her, his fingertips bleeding into the meaty flesh at the front of her trembling thighs, Cat wanted more. She needed more. 

Whining out in desperation, Cat pinched her eyes closed as she shook her head, rolling her hips harder into him. “Damn, baby,” Niall chuckled, seeing her lash out. She shuddered slightly, catching his stare again as she untangled her fingers from the soft fabric of his bed and slapped her hand down between her legs, frantically rubbing at her clit. Niall could tell her she was desperate to get off, he could feel her throbbing around him, the quivering of her body and rather than give her exactly what she so clearly wanted, instead he pulled himself nearly all the way out of her. Cat gasped from the loss of him, her brows folding in as she wildly darted her eyes with his. 

Her fingers stayed swirling at her clit as her center throbbed, and Niall just watched her reaction in amusement as he rested the tip of his cock right at her entrance. He was being spiteful, menacing, purposely teasing her at that point and Cat was struggling to catch her breath, her chest heaving as she curiously stared up at him. Her lips pursed and she bucked her hips towards him, wanting him to give her more. Raising a brow, Niall obliged, slowly pushing himself inside her again and Cat moaned, her eyes rolling back at the satisfying feeling. “Niall...,” she whimpered out again, easing her stare back to his. Niall was already looking down at her, his massive hands now wrapped around the sides of her waist as he slowly, and very precisely, rocked his hips against her. His darkened eyes were stuck to hers, watching as her lips briefly parted and she choked back a breath. 

“Fuck me like you did before.” 

It came out as a soft whisper, humming sweetly through the thick air like a cyclone attempting to drown them and Niall licked over his lips, dragging his narrowed stare over her flushed face. “Oh, ya want it like that, huh?” he said to her, cocking his head back slightly. His hips were still thrusting against hers, the intensity nearly overwhelming Cat as she gingerly nodded her head. 

“Please,” she begged under her breath, “just a little bit…” 

Cat knew what she was asking for, Niall knew what she was asking for. And he had been waiting for that exact moment. Rolling his tongue in his mouth, a delicious smirk slid over his lips as he leaned himself down on top of her and placed his mouth right at her ear. Cat’s eyes fluttered shut as Niall squeezed bearishly at her waist and rolled his hips, burying himself all the way inside her, so far it almost hurt. Bringing a hand up, he curled his fingers tight into her hair by the side of her face and held her still. “Tell me how ya want me to fuck ya,” he whispered, his streamy breath sticking to the side of her neck. 

Cat clawed down the slope of his back at his words, biting off a broken cry that had escaped her lips. He was heavy on top of her, their combined sweat pooling between their chests and she could barely breathe, but all she wanted was for him to fuck her, fuck her exactly like he had fucked her before. He was thrusting into her as he waited for her words, deep and steadily, but she wanted more. “Harder…” she gasped with a creaking swallow, “please…” 

Niall cradled his palm around the side of her face, his thumb pressing firmly into her jaw. Sliding his stare over to look at her, he kept his mouth by her ear, just barely letting the tip of his tongue slip over her earlobe. “No, kitty cat,” he teased in that deep, filthy accent of his, “tell me exactly what ya want.” 

Wrapping her hands around the back of his balmy neck, Cat brought Niall’s face flush to hers. Their gaze locked heavy, and she swallowed hard as Niall gripped her chin and brushed the tip of her nose with his own. “Tell me,” he mouthed. 

Cat huffed out a low whine as she held his stare. “Fuck me,” she breathed out, “fuck me harder. Choke me, use me.” She paused, swallowing hard as she felt the cold metal of his necklace slapping against her throat. “Make me come. Make me yours.” 

Niall raised a brow and gave her a faint nod. “Louder,” he demanded, thrusting roughly into her. She gasped against his parted mouth, the feverish, tempting action nearly knocking the air straight from her lungs. Slipping his fingers from the side of her face, Niall pried her hands from around the base of his neck and swung them up above her head, pinning both her wrists down into the pillow. Cat’s mouth dropped open as he ghosted his lips to hers again. She could taste him on her tongue, and she struggled to take in a decent breath under the press of his weight. Niall smirked, clamping harder to her wrists and she shivered from his dominant touch. “I wanna hear ya beg for it, baby…c’mon...” 

Her eyes darted languidly with his as a fiery haziness started to invade her head. “Please,” she pleaded, her voice soft as a whisper. “Niall…please, fuck me, use me...make me yours.” 

It was the last bit that was getting to Niall, that was making his heart pound uneven in his sweaty chest and his stomach tangle into knots. Hearing those words slide so richly, so intently off her tongue, it was like heaven and there was nothing else in the world that he wanted. He swallowed hard. “You wanna be mine?” 

“Yes.” 

“All mine? To do what I want with?” 

Cat lifted her chin just enough to rest her lips to his, barely nodding. “Yes...yes, please,” she breathed out, “I’m all yours.” 

Niall smirked, a devilish little smirk that sent an unparalleled rage of scorching heat pulsing over Cat’s skin before she felt his fingers drag up from their grip on her waist and tap right at her mouth. His darkened stare focused on hers as Cat anticipated his next move, gasping lightly as she felt his two fingers slip past her parted lips and push down her throat. She gagged around the stretch of his thick fingers, her eyes pinching closed before he pulled his hand away, smashing his mouth to hers. He kissed her hard, swallowing her warm spit and her rapacious whines as Cat wiggled beneath him, struggling to yank out of his strong grip. Niall chuckled at her attempt as he sucked at her tongue and held her down.

His hips went crazy; faster and harder, crashing into hers with so much force Cat swore she could see blinding lights flickering under her eyelids with each of his heavy grunts spilling down her throat. But all she could do was moan. She moaned and whimpered and took whatever it was that Niall wanted to give her. She was his. All his. And she was enjoying every single filthy little second of it. 

Pulling back from the kiss, Niall leaned up slightly, Cat’s eyes easing open as she stared up at him and with his hand still holding her wrists tightly, pressing all his weight onto them, Niall reached down and grabbed under Cat’s knee, a jumbled breath filling her lungs as Niall hooked her leg onto the broad of his shoulder and sunk himself all the way inside her. The angle was unbelievable, filling her to the brim with all his perfect swollen thickness and a cry pierced past her pouty lips as she flung her head back into the pillow. He was fucking her so deep; his strokes long and slow, hitting that sweet little spot inside Cat every time his hips met hers. Niall just watched her as he moved on top of her, watched her body shake and coil up as her nipples grew harder with each thrust. He watched beads of sweat drip along her mottled flesh, his hooded stare following the trail of them down the curves of her breasts. He watched her eyes flutter closed as his public bone smacked against her clit, sensuous moans breaking out of her bared throat and Niall pushed out a groan, dropping her leg from his shoulder as he slapped a splayed hand to her lower tummy, slowly sliding his palm up the middle of her torso. 

Cat’s mind was a fury, and she shook her head under the pitch black of her closed eyes just as she felt the heat of his touch cradle around her throat. She choked back a breath before his fingers tightened around the sides of her neck and he started to fuck into her just a bit faster, rolling his hips upwards as the tip of his cock hit right at her slippery upper wall. “Fuckin’ look at you,” she heard him grumble between panting breaths. “So fuckin’ gorgeous takin’ me like this.” 

Cat strained to whine out under the press of his hand, her body convulsing as the unstoppable crest of her orgasm was begging to rip through her. Her center was hot and pulsating, her wetness spilling out of her with every pull of his cock and she began to tremble, her chest burning with the need for air as her body quickly, and unrelentlessly, started to give into her much needed release. It was fast, sneaking up on her with a velocity of a thousand lightning bolts charging through her wasted body all at once. Niall continued to fuck into her, not letting up, the sweet whines that cracked from her pinched throat, her beautiful writhing body urging him on and Cat popped her eyes open and caught his stare just as she hit her peak, her mouth hung idle with the silence held at the tip of her tongue. Her face was bleeding red, her eyes rolling back as Niall buried himself deep inside her and unclamped his hand from her throat. 

She gasped, fully giving into her frantic orgasm as it finally over took her entire sweat-coated body. Slipping his other hand from her wrists, Niall hovered above her with both his palms pressed into the bed beside her head as he slowed his thrusts, languidly pushing inside her. Cat moaned out his name, the sound coming out soft from her dry throat and her sticky chest heaved as she struggled to find her breath. Peering up at him, she carefully brought her arms back down and wrapped her hands around his forearms that rested right next to her face. They stayed like that for a moment, all starry-eyed as they stared at one another, soaking up the feeling of Cat pulsing around him as he just barely moved his hips. 

“Fuck yes,” she breathed out, turning her face to press a tiny kiss to the inside of his wrist. It was a sweet gesture and Niall fought the racing of his heart. “You’re so good.” 

Huffing out a short chuckle at her words, Niall confidently smirked down at her and Cat couldn’t help but smile, a slight bashfulness taking over. He looked so pretty above her like that, ethereal, like a God with his brown hair sweeping into his eyes, his skin shiny and patchy red, covered in sweat. His gaze was dark and salacious, full of lust and an uncontrollable need for her. She had just had one of the best orgasms of her life, but she could already feel the heat starting to build again just from looking up at him. Niall reached over and gently brushed away some matted hair that was stuck to Cat’s forehead, a tender touch to her hot skin before he grabbed around her chin and leaned down, pushing his lips to hers. He kissed her, kissed her deep and with purpose and Cat snaked her arms around his shoulders, curling her fingers up into the back of his dampened hair. 

Inching away slightly, Niall caught her stare again. “I’m not done with you yet,” he told her, a gasp leaving her mouth as Niall shoved an arm up under the arch of her back and yanked her up from the bed. Cat tightened her arms around his shoulders as Niall rested back on his knees and eased her wrecked little body into his lap. He was still buried inside her, the quick motions of him sliding her into his lap not letting him leave the warmth of her for even a second. Niall squeezed his forearm around her lower back, holding her taunt to him as he tangled his other hand into the back of her hair. Cat’s mouth was back on his, eager to kiss him. She sucked at his tongue, nipped at his lower lip and swallowed his hot, panting breaths as he thrust his hips into hers. 

Cat felt the prickles of her next orgasm bubbling wild in her lower tummy, Niall moving faster and sloppier inside her with each minute that passed. She knew he was working himself to his own release, needing to feel that same nearly insurmountable high as Cat had just felt and she cupped her hands around his sweaty neck, whining against his tongue. She started to move with him, her hips rocking to meet his and Niall could feel this change in her, feel her center starting to clench up around him, swollen and warm and he dug his fingertips into the side of her waist, his grip tangling tighter into her hair as he gently tugged her head back. Cat let out a curdled cry as her head fell to her shoulders, her eyes pinching shut and her nails scratching helplessly at his scalp. Niall pushed his wet-hot mouth to her neck, slinking his tongue over the hollow of her throat as he bit hard at the soft skin. Cat sucked back a jilted breath at the feeling, her body starting to tremble and shake against him with each perfect meet of their hips. She was already close again, so fucking close, the fire igniting in her belly and swarming like a fuse throughout her and she rocked harder against him, her arms curling tighter around his shoulders. 

His grunts grew more desperate as his lips travelled over her sticky skin, lapping up the beads of sweat that were painted across her naked body. He sucked along the span of her shoulder, his grown-in beard roughing her tender flesh as the scent of his body heat, thick and musty with arousal, seeped into her nose. He held her tighter as she attempted to rub herself against him, and it was so tight Cat almost couldn’t breathe and she brought her face down, moving her arms to hug around his neck. “Fuck...f-fuck,” Niall moaned out in his gruff voice, his thrusts becoming even rougher. Cat squeezed her eyes closed and buried her face down against his broad shoulder as Niall’s mouth hung open right at the slope of her neck. Curling his fingers into the thick of her hair, Cat whined out as her body started to shake, that familiar heat surging over her skin as the waves of her impending release teetered right at the brink, just teasing her to spill over. She struggled to breathe, struggled to swallow back the spitting cries that were being forced past her lips and just before he was able to coerce her begging body over that blissful edge once more, Niall stiffened inside her. His muscular frame tensed within her hold, his sticky body coiling up and gripping tight to her as he finally reached his well-deserved high. 

A low growl of her name spilled from his mouth onto the side of her neck and Cat gasped as she felt him come inside her. She could feel the warm streams of his load filling her up, thick and slippery, something she had never experienced before and her eyes fluttered as she slowly started to roll against him, wanting him to completely empty himself inside her. There was something about it, something about feeling his sticky, hot cum inside her that turned her on even more. It was filthy, obscene. So fucking sexy. And she couldn’t get enough of him. 

“Holy shit,” Niall barely groaned out, jerking his hips as he finished, “shit...fuck, baby…” His big hand was cupped at the back of her head and he held her quivering body against his, sweetly kissing along the span of her shoulder. He was being soft with her, but Cat wasn’t done. She whimpered at him, rolling her hips against his that had all but stopped moving at that point. Lifting her lips to his ear, Cat swallowed hard as she gripped her hands at his sweat-coated upper back. “Stay inside me,” she breathed out, “please…” 

Her body wriggled against him, throbbing around his spent cock as tiny desperate whines purged from her throat. Niall knew she wasn’t done. He knew, without a doubt, she wanted more. 

Lifting his mouth from the crook of her neck, Niall brought her face to his. Her eyes, half-lidded and glassy, locked on his and Niall drifted his stare over her delicate features, his hot mouth hovering at hers. Cat grinded against him. “You wanna come again, don’t ya?” he teased as the young woman faintly nodded. 

Niall smiled and pressed his lips to hers. Before Cat could even properly kiss him back, he pulled away and had her tossed to the mattress on her stomach. It happened so quick that Cat barely had time to even process what was happening, the side of her face smashed into the bed as Niall fumbled around behind her, roughly grabbing at her hips with his wide palms and lifting her bottom up just a bit. Cat sharply inhaled, twisting her fingers into the blankets beneath her, preparing for what he was about to do to her. A broken cry left her lips, laced with soft desperation as her center ached with the need to feel him inside her, to have him make her come all over again. She could feel his warm load seeping from her opening, dripping down her slit and just as Cat went to turn her head to peer back at him, the unmistakable wet-hot of his mouth cupped around her heat. 

A gasp shuddered past her parted lips, soaking into the white duvet as Niall slipped his tongue along her folds, eating hungrily at her. Her body shook as he curled his lips around her clit, sucking hard as his fingertips dug into the supple flesh of her bottom. He held her still and spread her open, licking and sucking and tasting at her, Cat rocking her bum back against him as she wordlessly pleaded for more. Her tummy sunk in, her eyes fluttering closed as she started to feel the wicked pangs of her release itching across her clammy skin once more. Niall hummed as he slurped over her swollen folds, sinking his tongue down inside her. Twisting her head forward to bury her face down into the duvet, Niall had just moved his mouth to suckle her clit before she felt the warmth of his mouth dissipate and the delicious stretch of his cock push inside her once again. 

She cried out, fisting rough at the blankets as the weight of Niall’s sticky body consumed her. He was back on top of her, his hips slowly rolling into hers as he began to fuck into her. She almost couldn’t fixate on anything she was feeling; him, his thick body on top of her, how he felt so fucking good inside her, his hot breath panting out onto the back of her damp neck. It was all too much, overwhelming and out-of-this-world intense, and before she knew it, Niall had sucked a trail up the side of her throat. “This what ya remember, huh? This what ya want?” he asked her, his voice gravelly in her ear. “Me fuckin’ ya just like this?” 

Cat moaned at his lewd words, the memories of being pinned down on that cold, hard desk as Niall roughly fucked into her from behind, gagging her with his thick fingers and making her come around him, instantly sent a wildfire soaring through her body. She writhed uncontrollably under him, gasping back needed breaths as he continued to move on top of her. God, she needed to come again so bad. His thrusts picked up, feeling the way she was reacting to him, and Niall reached up and wrapped her hair around his fist, easing her head up off the bed. 

Cat’s mouth dropped open in shocked silence, her eyes fluttering as Niall slapped his hips against her bottom, fucking into her even rougher than before. He felt so fucking good and it made her squirm. “This is how ya want it, baby?” he growled out to her, sucking feverishly along her neck. 

“Yes...God, yes…” she choked out. 

“Like bein’ me dirty little girl, don’t ya? Takin’ my big cock so good…”

Another seedy moan edged from her throat and the sound made Niall smirk against her skin. “I wanna come,” Cat begged, barely a whisper between her heavy gasps, “please Niall...I wanna come so bad.” 

Niall swallowed hard at the sweet, pleading sound of her voice, something about hearing her beg him, hearing her wanting him so bad, wanting him to make her come, it made him weak. He was so goddamn weak for her. “Fuck, kitty cat,” he moaned, settling his mouth back at her neck as he took a hand and shoved it under her tummy. 

His hips slowed a bit, fucking into her with long, deep thrusts as his hand slipped down between her spread legs. Cat cried out as she felt the pads of his two fingers start to circle at her clit. Niall had eased her face back down, hovering over her as his puffy lips stayed resting at the corner of her open mouth. She breathed heavy as he continued to fuck her, slow and steady, the tip of his hardened length hitting perfectly inside her swollen center as his fingertips played with her sensitive little nub. Her mind was frazzled, wicked and drenched with the sensations that were quickly consuming her entire fucked-out body and it was when Niall softly brushed some strands of her hair away from the side of her face, tiny kisses being planted to the crease of her mouth, that she knew something was different. His big hand was cradling her head as he pushed inside her, his hot breath mixing with her own as they perfectly moved together and a smile started to tug at the corner of her lips. 

His eyes were stuck to her as he rested his forehead at her temple. “You’re so beautiful,” he breathed out, “so fuckin’ beautiful. God, baby, I-...” he paused, swallowing hard as he gathered his breath. Cat faintly moaned as he buried himself deep inside her. She was right there, so close fucking close to coming she could taste it on the tip of her tongue, her center clenching hard around him. But all she wanted in that split second was to hear his voice. “I missed bein’ inside ya so much.”  

Unfolding her fist from the white blanket, Cat reached behind her and curled her fingers into the back of his hair. “Couldn’t stop thinkin’ bout ya, ‘bout fuckin’ ya just like this,” Niall went on, “all I wanted...was to be with ya again, feel ya around me, sinkin’ into ya, baby.” 

A low whimper poured from her lips and Cat rocked her body back into him, the last little thing she needed before she felt her body lose all control. She slowly writhed under him, under the heat of his thick, strong body, her toes curling and her shaken breaths stalled in her risen chest as he continued to fuck into her, riding her through her intoxicating, mind-numbing high. Broken moans bounced off his stark walls and filled their ears as Niall kept his stare on her, urging her through with the steady, skilled rocks of his hips. His fingers moved between her folds, the warm wetness of her orgasm slick as it spilled out around him and onto his hand. Cat called out his name, over and over, as she succumbed to him, to all that he was giving her, her desired release long and nearly paralyzing, the intense heat crawling over her wrecked body and biting at her flushed skin as she trembled uncontrollably against him. She had come hard, harder and more thoroughly than she had before and she didn’t even know that was possible. And with the mind-blowing sensation of her letting go around him again, it was only a fraction of a moment before Niall was hitting his own second release, much more soft and subdued that time. Cat couldn’t help but smile at the intimate feeling. 

“Oh my God,” she finally mumbled, both having barely come down. Cat strained to find her full breaths as Niall eased his hips to a stop. “I-...I’ve never felt like that before. With anyone.” 

Her eyes were still closed, Cat reeling in the over-heightened feelings of her powerful orgasm as Niall chuckled against her. He pressed his lips to the side of hers. “Good,” he said, slowly pulling his hand out from under her. The loss of his touch between her legs made Cat whine, and Niall smiled down at her. “I love makin’ ya feel like that.” 

Niall stayed resting inside her for a few minutes, sweetly kissing along her jaw and shoulder as she continued to come down, her sticky body relishing in the cool air of his bedroom. Contented hums slipped past her lips, a blissful smile following as she finally was able to catch her breath. She had never felt so satisfied, so purely whole, before in her entire life, he had outdone himself and they were both blatantly aware of that fact. Niall, on the other hand, had never felt with anyone the way he was feeling with Cat in that very moment. He had never felt happy, so fulfilled, so...absolutely in love. Twisting her fingers into his damp hair, Cat lifted her face from the mattress just enough so she could fully kiss him. She needed to kiss him. She needed to taste his breath on her tongue and feel the beautiful heat of his mouth. Niall eagerly kissed her back, and it wasn’t long before he had slipped himself from her and turned her body over in his arms. Curling up in his bed, they tenderly kissed until their lips were sore and their naked bodies nearly listless. They stay snuggled together under the warm covers, a sated, simple quiet filling the room between the last few soft kisses until they both drifted off to sleep. 

•

Sometime in the middle of the night, Cat awoke. Her eyes blinked open, struggling to adjust to the dark room and she wrinkled her brow, unsure as to where she was before everything came flooding back to her. Peeking over to her left, she caught a glimpse of Niall. He was laying on his back, perfectly still as he slept, his chest rising with the soft ebb and flow of his steady breaths. He looked so pretty, his dark brown hair all disheveled and swept across his forehead as his tiny eyelashes rested daintily on his cheeks. But there was nothing dainty about that man. Sweet in his own ways, soft in others, but he was rough and dirty, and eager and good, and as the thoughts of just a few hours prior started to swim around in her head, Cat suddenly felt the soreness that had settled between her legs. Niall had fucked her, really fucked her, fucked her better than she had ever had before and the girl chewed at her lip as her stare lazily dragged over him, the only thought left in her mind was what was going to happen between them now.

Deciding that she needed some water, her mouth unnaturally dry–she assumed from the endless moans and many frantic kisses shared–Cat very carefully untangled her naked body from his and out from under the covers. She sat at the edge of the bed for a moment, finally being able to take in the sight of the room she had been holed up in all night. Her stare didn’t know what to focus on first; the expansiveness of the space with its decadent art pieces adorning one of the walls, the large expanding floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the cityscape or the enormous bed that she had just been laying in. Cat twisted around, peeking back at Niall. He hadn’t moved a single muscle. And still looked just as cute, just as breathtakingly gorgeous as ever. She smiled down into the round of her shoulder and a slight chill broke out over her bare skin. 

Scraping her teeth over her dry bottom lip, Cat eased up from the bed and peered around the floor, grabbing the first thing she saw to cover herself up with. It was Niall’s linen button up. She slid her arms into the shirt as she quietly stepped over to the window, just letting the thin material hang open down her body. It was a bit short, just barely covering her bum, but it did the trick for the time being and she tipped her head to the side as she flicked her wide, curious stare out across the city’s rooftops. It was beautiful, the bright flickering neon lights, the wiz of the cars zooming through the dark streets and Cat stood there, arms crossed over her front for a few more minutes, soaking up the beautiful scene in front of her before tip-toeing out of the bedroom. 

She didn’t really remember how they had gotten back to his bedroom; her attention, and her mouth, stuck to Niall on the way in, but it wasn’t hard to find her way back out into the open floor plan of his two-story condo. If she had thought his bedroom was spacious, she didn’t even know what to do the second her bare feet hit the threshold of his main living space. Another enormous wall of windows overlooking the city, the space decorated just how she had imagined it would be, much like Niall’s office. Modern and sleek, incredibly expensive, with only a few punches of color amongst the dark tonal colors, it was unreal. There was no questioning that Niall was a wealthy man. 

“Holy shit,” Cat breathed out to herself with a short giggle, tucking some unruly hair behind her ear. She stepped forward, making her way through the open living room and into the kitchen. There were a few lights on, just really soft dim lighting under the cabinets that she assumed accented the atmosphere of his home, so she was able to easily find her way to the fridge. Niall had a few glass bottles of water resting along the shelf in the door and Cat eagerly helped herself to one. Unscrewing the metal cap, Cat shuffled over to the long kitchen island, facing out towards his living room as she put the rim of the bottle to her lips and took a nice, slow sip. Her eyes fluttered closed as she tilted her head back, letting the cold refreshing liquid slip down her dry throat. She had never tasted water that good before. 

The girl must have lost herself in the water for a moment, as it was only when she heard the faint clearing of a throat that she shot her eyes open, bringing her chin back down. It was Niall. Standing just at the threshold of the kitchen, in nothing but a tiny pair of white boxers. Licking her lips, Cat smiled at him, her stare noticeably dragging over the exquisitely intricate lines of his toned body. He was by far the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on. And she was pretty sure he knew it too. 

“Thirsty?” Niall commented. 

Cat wrinkled her brows and flicked her gaze back up to his. “Huh?” He nodded towards the bottle of water in her hand as he stepped over to the kitchen counter, pulling out a stool to sit down. Cat peered down at the bottle that was gripped in her hand. “Oh...yeah,” she giggled in response.

Niall leaned in, resting his forearms on the edge of the counter. His tired, half lidded eyes stayed on hers, those hypnotizingly ocean blue eyes that Cat just couldn’t seem to get away from. As much as she knew she should. She quickly took another sip of water. Niall gaffed and tipped his head down, running his fingers through his mess of hair. “Cat, can I be honest?” he then blurted out. 

Swallowing down the frigid water that was held in her mouth, Cat faintly nodded as she set the bottle down on the counter in front of her. His eyes darted heavy with hers and for a moment, Cat almost couldn’t breathe. She didn’t like that feeling. Not when she had an idea what was coming next. “I wanna be with you,” he said bluntly. 

She dropped her stare, mainly because the intensity of his was eating at her skin, and tucked some fallen hair behind her ear. “I...can’t,” she muttered, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip as she annoyingly picked at the paper label of her bottled water. 

“Why?”

“Because, I-…we shouldn’t,” she said. 

Niall shook his head. “Listen, if it's this boyfriend of yours,” he started, Cat catching his stare again, “ya know it’s not real, it can’t be. And ya know I can fuck ya better, you know I can treat ya better. Better than anyone.” 

Rolling her eyes, Cat huffed out a breath as she rubbed over her forehead. She knew it had gone on long enough, and she had no choice but to tell him. She couldn’t keep lying to him. It was tearing her up inside. “Look, Niall…” Cat paused, already frustrated and needing to collect her thoughts before continuing, “I’ve got to tell you something and I don’t want you to get mad at me.” 

He narrowed his stare at her as he listened, not sure where the conversation was headed. “I, um…” Cat fiddled with a button on his shirt, tugging the airy material tighter around her chest, hoping it was covering her bare breasts. “I don’t really have a boyfriend.” 

“What?” he scoffed.

Cat flicked her eyes up to his, she could see the confusion pulling at his face. His lips dropping open, his eyes scouring over hers, like he was desperately searching for answers. It nearly broke her heart. “I was-, fuck, I don’t even know now why I did it,” she started, plopping her elbows down to the countertop as she covered her face with her hands. “I guess, I said that hoping it would keep a distance between us. To...keep myself from...falling for you.” 

Niall’s brows drew in further. He wasn’t even mad that she had lied, just more than confused at that point. He never knew what was going on inside that girl’s head, and it frustrated the hell out of him. “Cat, why would ya wanna do that?” 

“Are you kidding me?” she shot back, scrunching her face in. “You told me yourself that you don’t do serious girlfriends. You’ve slept with half the city, Niall. I know you. I know how you are and I know that I was to ever get involved with you, really involved... it wouldn’t end well for me.” 

Niall darted his stare over hers for a second as he stayed quiet before he pushed out a long sigh, Cat watching as he hung his head down. She sucked in a deep breath, instantly feeling horrible for all of the shit that had just spewed from her mouth. She hadn’t meant for it to come out like that, not in that way and definitely not after the night they had just had. But she also didn’t know how else she was supposed to get it across to him. He was stubborn, persistent and with guys like Niall, sometimes it was just easier to rip the bandaid off fast. It was better for both of them that way. No matter how she actually felt. 

And as much as she needed to get all of that off her chest, she hated seeing him upset. It hurt her heart looking over at him, slouched over his countertop with his head hanging between his shoulders. He didn’t say a word, not a single word and Cat couldn’t take it anymore. Shuffling around the kitchen island, she stepped over to him and cradled her hand to the side of his face, her thumb rubbing over his bearded jaw. “I’m sorry, Niall,” she whispered, “I didn’t mean it like that, I–”

“That’s exactly how ya meant it,” he mumbled. 

Cat let out a soft sigh. “No, it’s not. Not at all. I like you, okay?” she went on, “I really...I really do like you. What I feel for you is–...I can’t even explain it, and I don’t know how to make any sense of it. I never meant to lie to you, but I’m just-...I didn’t know what else to do. I’m trying to protect myself, okay? I have to.” 

Niall flung his head up as he looked over at her, his body following his movements. His knees bumped hers and she herself slotted between his spread legs, facing each other. “Protect yourself from what?” he asked, brow furrowed. “How I feel about ya? How I make ya feel?” 

Cat shook her head. “You’re gonna get tired of me, Niall.” 

“No.” 

“Yes, you are,” she told him, exasperation idle in her voice, “you’re gonna get tired of me. You’ll get tired of me and you won’t want me anymore and it will just-...I won’t be able to take it, okay? Not from you. It will break my heart.” 

And there it was. The real reason why she was scared. Why she was so intent on holding him at a distance. Why she had lied to him in the first place. Her feelings for him were much deeper than she was letting on, much deeper than maybe she even wanted to admit. Niall huffed out a deep breath and reached up, cupping his hands around the sides of her face. Cat’s gaze met his, and she nearly wanted to burst out crying. She didn’t even know why. “Listen to me,” he began, his brows raised as he stared at her through the tops of his eyes, “I will never get tired of you. I couldn’t. Cat, you are all that I think about, all the bloody fuckin’ time. I can’t get ya out of me head. Shit, I don’t want to. You, love, you are what I want. You have always been what I wanted. I have loved ya since the first time ya looked at me and havin’ ya back in me life these past few weeks, it’s just made me realize that I am nothin’...nothin’ without you.” 

His words slid over her ears, so sweet and so pure, it was hard to believe it was coming from Niall. But it was, and it made her heart soar. She was so intent on the thought of him breaking her heart, on not feeling the same way for her that she did for him, that she hadn’t even thought of the possibility that he, Niall Horan, had real, honest, true and undeniable feelings for her. She swallowed hard, resting her hands to his chest as he went on. “The reason why I haven’t had a serious girlfriend is not ‘cause I didn’t want one, not ‘cause I wanted to go out and fuck everyone, Cat...it’s ‘cause none of them were you.” 

A heavy breath eased past Cat’s lips and she knew there was no way she could hold in the tears that had worked their way to the brims of her eyes. Her eyelids fluttered closed, her chin wobbling as a tear slid down her cheek. She softly giggled, her nerves getting the better of her and Niall gently wiped the tear away as he stood up and pushed his forehead to hers. “Baby, none of them were you.” 

Dragging her hands across the span of his bare chest, Cat gingerly shook her head and just barely eased her chin up, bringing her mouth to his. She kissed him, kissed him soft and then deeper, wrapping her arms around his body as a few more tears slipped down her face. Niall might have shed a tear or two as well, not being one to shout that from the rooftops, but Cat felt the wetness on her skin as he buried his face against her neck when he pulled her into a tight hug. 

“So, you’ll be mine then?” Niall spoke up once more after a few quiet moments, inching back slightly from her embrace. 

Cat smiled up at him, reaching up to brush some hair from his eyes. They were too pretty to cover up. “Niall James, I was always yours. From the first time you kissed me. Besides…how on earth could I say no after that?” 

He snorted. “I’m sure you’d find a way…”

She pinched her eyes closed in a faint laugh. “Not this time,” she whispered, urging him into another kiss. His tongue curled around hers, and Cat sweetly whined before just barely pulling back. “So...I heard you, like, love me or something...” 

Niall cocked his head back, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Oh, ya did, did’ya?” 

“Yeah,” she nodded, with a faint shrug.

He breathed out a soft smile, one that made her heart nearly explode. “Well, ya heard right. I fuckin’ love you, Cat.”

“I love you, too, Niall,” she replied, her eyes dancing over his, “I always have, even though I spent the last four years trying to fight it.” 

With his brow raising, Niall licked across his lips. “Figured that. I always knew ya loved me,” he said. 

“You’re just being cocky now,” Cat rolled her eyes, her fingernails raking down the slope of his back. “You didn’t know shit.”

Niall laughed. “Of course I did, petal. Just had to get you to admit it,” he said. Pulling himself away slightly, he slipped his gaze down her scantily covered frame. She was on full display, nothing being hidden by the material of his shirt at that point. A familiar heat began to crawl over Cat’s exposed skin, Niall’s wild blue eyes bleeding dark as the intensity of his stare grew with each passing second that he looked over her. She knew that look all too well. “And I also know…” he paused, slipping one of his hands inside the hem of his open shirt that adorned her body. She faintly gasped as he groped at her breast, rubbing his fingertips across her pert nipple. His playful touch burned at her sensitive flesh and he peered back up at her. 

Niall thumbed at her bottom lip as he leaned in close. “...we got a lot more fuckin’ to do, kitty cat.” 

Cat bit off the bashful smile that was etching across her lips, her cheeks punching a bright pink. Niall chuckled amusingly at her reaction and took her hand in his, kissing sweetly across her knuckles before leading the way back to his bedroom. And as Cat held his fingers within hers, watching the muscles in his back move as he walked in front of her and felt the soreness between her legs dissipate as that uncompromisable need for him took over, all she could think about was the fact that he was hers. All hers. Hers to kiss and touch, to play with and fuck. To laugh with, and cry with and cuddle and enjoy. Hers to make love to. Hers to love.  

And it was so much better than a million hot and sticky nights spent at summer camp. 

~~

Without your love, I’m jaded, going crazy, come save me,

Hearts beating, not breathing, I’m breathing...

[niksixx]

Patience

~The final part!! Thank you for reading and supporting this mini series. I hope you enjoy part 5.~

Pairing: Axl Rose/Vince Neil x Female Reader 

A/N: Reblog so others can see! 

*Picture is NOT mine. Found on Google. Credit to the owner!*

Tag list: @littlemisscare-all @curly-hudson @julessworldd @madamsixx @headlight-queen @metalheartofgold @ginny-baker-sixx @mickmarstookmyheart @gunsngunners @bex-tothe-rescue

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s raining again, and the weather outside matches your mood. Dark gray clouds cover the sky, and lightning strikes every so often. It’s one of the colder days in California, and you tug the sleeves of your sweater down to cover your wrists.

Vince hasn’t spoken to you in two days, and you haven’t heard from Axl since your boyfriend threatened him out of your house. You spent that day scrubbing the icing from the kitchen, tears sliding down your cheeks as Vince screamed at you the whole time. He left that night to visit a bar with Nikki, leaving you to cry softly in your bed. He didn’t return until the next morning.  

Two days later, your lips still tingle from the kiss you and Axl shared. It was the first time in weeks you’d felt something. Something good. Something wholesome. The tenderness in the kiss kept you wanting more, wanting to feel his lips on yours again.

In your heart, there’s conflicting feelings. And no one is there for guidance. Whatever Axl feels for you is strong. It could be love, and you’re not sure if you feel the same thing.

Of course, all three of the Mötley boys would listen to you ramble about your troubles, but none of them were experts in the dating scene. None of them had been in love before, with the exception of Tommy, but he fell in love with every woman he laid eyes on.

There’s an ache in your heart as you sit by the television, thinking back on the past three years you spent with Vince. Times that you hid in the shadows away from paparazzi. Times where you watched music award ceremonies on television, a pain in your heart knowing that you’d never be on Vince’s arm congratulating him. What kind of a relationship was that?

Even in the privacy of your own home, Vince struggled to love you and care for you. He wasn’t affectionate by nature. He’d greet you with small little pecks on your cheeks or lips, and his sex drive was usually through the roof, but being intimate with Vince felt anything other than intimate. It felt like a chore, and you were bored within ten minutes. With Vince, there was no cuddling or showering after sex, no confessions of love. It was hard to be open and honest with him about your wants and needs, because half of the time he seemed uninterested, or played you off as needy, clingy. It hurt, especially because you’d do anything for him. Mick had always said you deserved better. And Axl had said it too. When were you going to believe it?

There’s faint footsteps behind you as your eyes are glued to the TV, catching the last bit of a Skid Row music video. They were good, sure, but nothing compared to Motley Crue or even Guns N’ Roses.

There’s a change of scenery on the TV that makes you blink twice. It’s a live video, currently happening right at that moment, as Axl and his bandmates settle themselves into stools in an empty studio.

“Get them off my screen,” Vince calls from behind you. He sits at the dining room table, beer bottle suffocating in his grasp.

You don’t even pay him much mind. “You can leave if you don’t like it. I’m keeping it on.”

Surprisingly, he doesn’t fight back, but you hear him mumble a few curse words under his breath. The last words out of his mouth sound like a defeated “I give the fuck up with you.”

On screen, Axl is handed a microphone as more are distributed to the rest of the band. Tilting your head slightly, you drink in his appearance, obsessed with the way he presents himself. He’s more casual today, with both a bandana and a hat on his head, a short sleeve white shirt that shows off his unique tattoos, and tight leather pants that shouldn’t look as good on him as they do.

“This was a spur of the moment type of thing,” he says shyly, rubbing a palm on his thigh. Nervous habit.  “We wrote this song in about two hours a few nights ago and the reason I was eager to play it today...is because I wrote it for a woman who I’ve been shamelessly in love with since I was sixteen years old.”

Something in the air shifts. Slack mouthed, you sit up straight as you turn up the volume. The sound of a chair scratching against the floor has goosebumps littering your skin, and before you know it Vince is standing beside you, gritting his teeth. He takes a long swig of the alcohol, wiping his lips with the back of his hand, before setting his jaw, folding his tanned arms across the front of his black muscle tee.

“So Y/N, if by some miracle you’re watching this right now, I want you to know that you were the only person on my mind as we wrote this song. It is solely, purely, for you.”

“Along with all the other love songs he’s written,” Izzy deadpans.

Vince’s eyes burn into the side of your head, but all your attention is directed toward the television as Axl begins to hum a soft tune.

~~~

It’s almost as if you forget how to breathe. It’s an easy process, in and out, in and out, but you struggle with something so simple as the song ends.

Vince hasn’t moved. His face is still visibly flushed, knuckles the palest shade of white as his hand still grips his beer, but he stands completely frozen, eyes boring into the television screen.

You shift uncomfortably on the sofa, pushing your feet deeper into the back of the couch underneath you, reaching out to place a gentle hand on your fuming boyfriend’s elbow. He pulls away, uninterested, and he sips the remaining liquid in the bottle.

“Vinnie…”

“The dude just doesn’t listen,” The laugh that falls from his lips is anything but humorous. It’s empty and dark. There’s an edge to his low voice, and while it’s not angry, it’s...cool. Even. It frightens you. “How many times do I have to tell him to stay away from you? How many different fucking ways can he come up with to get your attention?”

“Vince I had no idea he was going to do something like this.”

But hell, if it wasn’t the most romantic thing a man has ever done for you. He’d broadcasted to the world his raw feelings and emotions, and there was something so sexy about a man who wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable and knew what, or who, he wanted. And the song, so sweet and meaningful, confirmed your suspicions. Axl Rose, the little boy from the playground, the man who sang his heart out on live TV, was in love with you.

Vince shakes his head, clapping a closed fist into an open palm. “This is your fault, you know.”

You blink, standing from the couch, folding your arms over the oversized green sweater. “My fault?”

He takes a step forward, but this time you don’t back down. “You let him back in your life. For seven years you’ve been fine without him, but all of a sudden you meet him one day on the street and decide you apparently can’t live without him? Bullshit.”

“He was my best friend!”

“And I’m your boyfriend!” Vince shouts back. He takes another step forward, nose to nose, and with the strength you gather from your very core, you shove him out of your face.

“You’re nothing!”

The anger in your voice shocks you, startling Vince. He stumbles against the dining room chair, holding onto the arm to regain his balance.

The air between you sizzles with resentment as Vince licks his lips, chewing on the skin. You're both breathing heavily, neither one backing down. “What did you say to me?”

And everything you've been feeling for the last few years comes out in a wave. “I can’t be with you anymore, Vince. I can’t be with someone who is so controlling of my life. I can’t be with someone who would rather please his record label than his girlfriend. I have been waiting for you to wake up for three years now and realize that I deserve better than what you’re giving me.”

“What the fuck have I done that is so bad, huh?” Vince yells, throwing up his arms. “Tell me. Because I sure as shit don’t know.”

It’s hopeless.

He’s hopeless.

And there’s nothing else you can do besides give up.

~~~

You fight for two hours. Screaming, crying, followed by more screaming and crying. It’s exhausting. Somehow, after pointing out everything Vince has done to you, or what he hasn’t done, he convinces himself he’s never been the problem. And that’s when you realize he’s never going to change.

Your phone has buzzed four times in those two hours, but whoever it was would have to wait. There was too much going on, your head was spinning, skin sweating, heart beating wildly. You were on the brink of ending your relationship after wasting three years of your life trying to convince yourself the man, who was currently nestled in the couch nursing another beer, loved you.

Letting out a defeated sigh, your feet drag against the wooden floor as they carry you to your room. There’s a small duffel bag under the bed and you grab it, fishing out some clothes and stuffing it into the bag. Grabbing a few of your necessary toiletries, you shove them in the side pockets as Vince watches from the doorway.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m not staying here. I’ll go stay at Lei’s or maybe my parents or hell maybe even Mick will let me stay over, but I’m not staying here.”

“We still have a lot to talk about.”

The closet door slams closed as your blood boils. “No, Vince. We have nothing to talk about. Not anymore.”

You zip up the duffel and heave it to the living room, slipping on a pair of beat up Chuck Taylors. You pace the house for your keys, Vince following, watching your every move.

“I love you.”

You stop abruptly, spinning around, sucking in shallow breaths of air. No way. No fucking way was he going to manipulate you into staying. Not with those three goddamn words you longed to hear after such a long time.

“You don’t even know what love is, Vince.”

“Kiss me and I’ll show you.”

You find the keys to your car on the kitchen counter, snagging them from the tile. “I’m not kissing you, Vince. Never again.”

“Why not?”

“Because there’s nothing left!” Heaving the duffel onto your shoulder, you grab your phone and slide it into the side of the bag. “Fuck, at least with Axl I felt something!”

Vince freezes, veins popping out from his forehead. Fidgeting with the hem of your sweater, your mouth dries as you mentally scold yourself for the slip of the tongue.

“He...kissed you?” And for the first time in his life, Vince looks almost...upset. “And you kissed him back?”

Drumming your fingers on your jean clad thigh, you rub your palms against the fabric, wiping off the sweat. “Um…”

“Did you kiss him back?” Vince asks, emphasizing each word. “Yes or no?”

You can’t bring yourself to say it. So you don’t.

But no answer is always an answer.

In a flash, Vince is flying out the door, and you’re following just behind him. He throws open the door to his car, turning the key in the ignition, and fishes his phone from his jeans pockets, quickly dialing before holding it to his ear. “Sixx, what’s the address to Slash’s apartment? He still lives with the rest of ‘em, right?”

All the blood rushes to your cheeks when you realize what Vince is about to do. Throwing yourself at him, you try to pry the phone from his ear, but he stiffarms you, keeping you from the phone. “Don’t worry about what I’m going to do, man. Just tell me the damn address, I know you know it. You did coke with the guy for fucks sake.”  

“Vince, please don’t do this.”

A wicked gleam shines in his eyes, and you hear Nikki recite the address on the other end of the line. Frantically, you run to your car, throwing open the door, only to see Vince take off down the street.

~~~

When you pull up to the apartment, Vince is quickly climbing the stairs, cracking each knuckle. Grabbing your bag from the passenger’s seat, you stagger out of the car, locking it, before climbing the steps two at a time. “Vince, stop!”

He sprints down the hall, too fast for you as you heave the bag further up your shoulder. You watch as he knocks loud and hard on the door, and when it opens, he forces himself inside the apartment.

You hear Duff’s voice. “What the fuck--.” He peeks his head out, eyes widening when he sees you hobbling over. “Y/N? What is going on?”

By the time you reach the door, Vince has Axl pinned against the wall. From the kitchen, Izzy watches, horrified, as Steven and Slash pull on Vince’s shoulders.

“Stop!” Dropping the duffel by the door, you sprint across the room, pulling the two boys away. The last thing you need is someone getting hurt. “Vince, get off him!”

By some miracle, he lets go.

“You want to tell us what’s going on?” Steven directs to no one in particular, hands on his waist.

“How many times do I need to threaten you, Rose?” Vince asks, nostrils flaring as he glares at the startled redhead. “Because clearly, once wasn’t fucking enough.”

“Vin--.”

“She doesn’t fucking want you,” Vince continues. Axl fidgets under his gaze. “No song, no kiss, and yeah, I fucking know about that, too, will ever make her want you. You’re a pathetic excuse of a man. Your daddy didn’t want you, your step-daddy didn’t want you, and my girlfriend sure as fuck doesn’t want you.”

Your heart stills when Axl’s face falls. His father had always been a touchy subject. Though Axl hadn’t remembered much about his biological dad, there was still trauma hidden deep within as his brain tried to block it out. You were the first person Axl had told about the abuse, as he was a victim of both his biological father and step father.  You were there for him then, and just like you promised all those years ago, you’d be here for him now.

Vince backs away and you seize the advantage, positioning your body between them. Letting an open palm fall behind you, your heart bursts with love when another hand slides into yours.

Vince eyes your entwined hands, letting out a shaky laugh. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“We’re done, Vince. You have hurt me for the very last time, and I will not stand here and let you hurt Axl. I simply won’t. Axl is a good man with a good heart and he always has been. And I know he loves me. He’s proved it,” Glancing back over your shoulder, you offer Axl a smile. His eyes are full of love as he watches you, squeezing your hand encouragingly. “And that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

There’s nothing Vince can say. He can’t fix it. He can’t change. He’s lost you to a better man, a man that knows what he wants, and how to love someone the way they need to be loved.

He looks around the room, fists balled by his sides. Frowns, narrowed eyes, and bared teeth are directed toward him.

From the kitchen, Izzy is the first one to open his mouth. “You have three seconds to get your ass out that door before I call the police.”

With burning eyes, Vince backs away to the door, keeping his gaze locked on your face. “You’re going to regret this.”

He’s met with a confident shake of your head. “No, I don’t think I will.”

At the door, Duff gives Vince a warning stare. The blonde bassist towers over the scrawny blonde singer, looking even more intimidating in his leather apparel. Vince gives him a look before crossing the threshold, and Duff doesn’t hesitate shutting the door in his face.

Tension leaves your shoulders, the boys in the room letting out loud sighs of relief. You turn, lips turning upward. “I heard the song.”

Axl’s face softens. Sliding his hands around the sides of your neck, he pulls you close, foreheads just barely touching. “I figured. And you should know I meant every word.”

You don’t care that there are four boys watching you.

You don’t care that your eyes are shining with unshed tears.

You don’t care that you just ended a three year relationship.

All you care about is the moment when you push forward and kiss the lips in front of you with a fervent need. Arms circle your waist, pulling you deep as lips kiss you deeper. You cling to Axl’s shirt, never wanting to be apart from him again. But you know in your heart he’ll never let you go.

The warmth of his body dissipates when you pull back for a breath, the tips of your fingers grazing over the angles of his jaw, his cheekbones, and slowly coming back to the outline of his lips. They purse together, gently kissing the soft pads of your skin.

“I don’t want to rush anything,” Axl murmurs, and the butterflies in your stomach flutter at the sincerity in his voice.

“Oh, bullshit,” Duff laughs, leaning against the door. “He’d marry you tomorrow if he could.”

“Lovesick fool,” Slash chuckles in agreement, arm resting on Izzy’s shoulder.

“They’re not entirely wrong,” Axl says with a wink. “But the name of the song is Patience for a reason. We have all the time in the world, sugar.”

“I mean, you waited over seven years already, what’s another seven?” Steven jokes heartily.

Hands sliding around Axl’s neck, you pull him toward you once more. He dips to kiss you, and you savor in the feeling. Yeah, you’ll definitely get used to this.

“According to Izzy, you have a few other songs you wrote for me,” you say with a wiggle of your brows. “What do you say you sing them for me?”

In those perfect gray eyes, there’s nothing but love. And you feel it in your heart that you’re beginning to love him, too.  Maybe you won’t have to be patient after all. Love is natural, and with Axl, you don’t have to force it.

He whisks you away to his room, serenading you as you lie comfortably in his arms. He knows the songs by heart, and each one is unquestionably unique with different tones and melodies.

Turning in his arms, he continues to sing as you gaze at his face. So calm. So peaceful. So breathtakingly beautiful. And you realize now that somewhere in your heart, you had always loved that little boy on the playground.

And you were in love with the man he became.  

[cyberdva]

house of cards- j.jk

Summary: A vacation by the shore with a break from constant labor was all a young couple could dream of and when that time finally presented itself it was exactly what they pounced for. A tiny community on the edge of a coastline caught the attention of a young idol and his hidden lover, yet the all but homey atmosphere chipped away at an alarming rate past their arrival. Small happenings caught the eye of the sharp-witted woman, more and more occurrences kept shoving chilling encounters her way. Something was brewing and with the faith of next to no one it was in her hands to keep the life of her dearest at bay along with the force of a menacing spirit having ties to hundreds of myths, it might just be too late. Was it time for a final goodbye?

Warnings: Horror Themes, Sexual References and Romantic Scenarios, Violence, and Cursing  (Perfect Just For Your Halloween) 

Word Count: 4.7k

BTS Masterlist

Main Masterlist

“A house made of cards, and us, inside

Even though the end is visible

Even if it’s going to collapse soon. 

A house made of cards, we’re like idiots

Even if it’s a vain dream, stay like this a little more…”

-

A frisk zephyr of overlooking, pristine Autumn air plunged a heavy set attack through the leaves of helpless trees. Tiny bumps formed by the hundreds along the skin of an unsuspecting idol. His mind was still set in the summer season, time was nothing but a concept to the young adult’s mind. Hours spent training and rehearsing can do that to a person. Life was hard enough trying to shield your personal life away from the public, Jungkook always thought of it like putting his memories in a small box, they never saw the light of day again. His inner frustrations boiled inside of him. He already missed out on so many important journeys in a common life. Even now at age twenty-three  he still has to beg for a break, on his knees if he has to.

“I’m telling you. Nothing’s going to go wrong. Can you please trust me for once.” His voice laced with anticipation, a weekend away from everything, from all the hell pushing its way through the cracks of its gates, felt like a dream. Which was the problem, “like a dream.” Jungkook wanted more than anything to ditch his constant rehearsals and run away with his endearing better half. If it weren’t for the constant bickering of the elders in his group the plan would’ve been set in stone. 

“Fine,” Jungkook sprung back in his girlfriend’s direction and threw his bulky arms over her shoulder, “Just this once, I don’t want Joonie to get mad at you.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Finally the day came, it was a risky trip, especially with the newest comeback just around the corner. Really, a miracle. In retrospect, it wasn’t the most organized plan, but the small house the couple rented was only a mere hour away. More like thirty minutes away since Jungkook was driving. Y/N would constantly poke fun with him for his reckless behavior behind the wheel, not like she was complaining. It took a good half hour just to reach the highway, the area was lined up with houses, one by one space filled the gaps and the scene trickled out.

Up and down, up and down, the two of them bobbed up and down continuously. You would think for such a mainstream road it would be in much better condition, A wave of uneasiness fell over  Y/N, her eyes crinkled while still trying to keep her composure. Her mind shifted between thoughts of car sickness or a longing of home. Up, up, up they went, the evergreen landscape quickly morphed into blue waves. Jungkook gave a quick glance her way, then again. His brows furrowed, but his eyes stayed on the road. 

“Baby? Are you doing okay? You’re not pregnant or anything, right?” Even with the joking manner his voice gave a shaky form. He cleared his throat, unsure how to continue.

"Nope, I'm ok." she hissed. This road was too crazy, the car too crazy, the whole scenario far from a nice day off. “And no I’m not pregnant yet. Relax a little bit. I just haven’t been feeling great these past few days.” She trailed off. Y/N knew it sounded silly, but as if just admitting it made it real and added a big weight on her chest.” A huff of air spilt from her mouth in a laugh. With hands gripping the edge of the window, things felt easier. Still, a small lump of anxiousness stayed embedded in the back of her mind. Something just felt wrong. There was nothing to pinpoint exactly what. 

“You’re probably just hungry or car sick,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll get over it.”

“I hope so,” Y/N replied. The tiny bit of his smile twitched in the corner of his lips. “Maybe I just left something back at the house. No big deal, no big deal.” She attentively reassured herself.

"Are you sure?" Jungkook squeaked. "We can pull over. I don’t want you to be in any pain."

"Don't worry." Y/N muttered while she chewed on her nail, it was a bad habit. She couldn’t help doing it. Relief washed over her contemplation just imaging how her old friends tried to force her out of it. Soon sorrow after, it had been forever since they last talked. “Nonsense.” A voice reasoned back, Y/N dropped reminiscing on the past quickly. She looked out the window and her mouth grew dry. So much water, she thought. All those farms way back when and none in sight. 

Small airplanes gilded with banners, advertisements for local businesses, or even insurance, it must be ironic if one of those crashes. The place looked menacing. The road became shorter and turns filled their place, looks like their next stop was to fill up the tank. Y/N could see the townsfolk, not all congregated. They speckled out every few yards or so. The vehicle stopped abruptly and Jungkook hopped out without a word. Once the cut door swung open the soft song dancing across the air went dark. Silent. The wooden and glass buildings still standing, the old-timers sitting at the gas pumps, the store shelves still full, the strangers walking. They're all strangers out here, but they've all lived here since more people have come and gone. Weathered, even at their age.  She looked to her boyfriend, her eyes widening. What if that were him? What if they both died there? Or anywhere like this, it better not come to that. She meant no offense, but these people seemed off. It could just be the way they look, but even their movements felt robotic. They were already strangers here, not like they were really going to fit in. Having the small break made Y/N’s nerves settle, the car door slammed shut and back onto the freeway it was.

Blue blurs formed again and music, louder this time, picked back up. Manufactured cool air blew onto Y/N’s face, her fingers clasped the opening shut. The feeling could be described as far from pleasurable. The small knacks in the road kept coming, the build up was painful. A glitchy GPS voice crackled on and off. 

“Dammit, I thought I fixed this.” Jungkook whacked his head against his seat. The poor man spent hours trying to mend the apparent virus filled app, Y/N grabbed the device and replaced it with hers. No bother in trying to mend it now. There was only around five minutes left until they arrived, elation flared through their veins. 

“This is it.” Gravel crunched beneath the tires, leaving a path of marks down the long driveway. Trees cascaded down the trail, sunlight shined down past the windshield, lighting up the various screens underneath. The silhouette of the house loomed down beyond the small white garage which was accompanied by a lean basketball net attached by the top. It was homely, clearly meant for a larger family. It gave more space for random objects trying to fit that “beach theme.” Y/N swung her backpack over her right shoulder with a loud thud, Jungkook snagged his wallet from the cup holder and plopped a dark bucket hat over his head. Even with the odd setting, he couldn’t be noticed by an unsuspecting fan, it definitely wouldn’t end.

“Found the keys under the mat, you can head in.” The door was painted and off brand white, a chiseled glass pane was positioned in the center. It creaked open to reveal a balmy ambience, the kitchen laid straight ahead. A warm brown color pallet coincided with a lemon motley. A beam formed on Y/N’s face. This place lightened the foul spirit from before. The parlor was across the way, a giant TV cascaded over the wall with a slim couch behind. It was cute, except for the off setting décor. There comes a point when too many seashells overload a room. Next to that mess was a long corridor which probably led to the bedrooms, maybe even the bathroom and suddenly Y/N caught wind of a sound, like footsteps. Walking just right in front of her, right down that same hallway. Instinctively, she followed. Her hand shook with small pints of fear. More assorted paintings graced the wall, she didn’t bother stopping to poke fun. The creaking moved faster, so did she. The end of the pathway was nearing, the energy darted to the left, a children’s room. Y/N’s heart beat with fury, her mind was screaming at her to stop, far too late. A whisper swirled past her ears, it was at a nearly unintelligible decibel. The bed was perfectly made, a doorway led to the posh yard out back, and a mirror clung to the wall. No child would really want to stay here, too antiquated. Again, the murmurs returned, this time more of them and they were much louder.

“Bring her back. Bring her back.”

“What in the goddamn fu-” The glass door slammed itself shut, there was no wind, no person. Small cracks forced their way through the corners of the frame. Y/N’s eyes were stunned open, a hand covering her dropped jaw. There is no way she saw that, this has to be a joke.

A hand grabbed her shoulder, shivers ran up her arms with an ache. Her head zipped around with an instinct, her palm smashing into whatever was behind her. A mistake, Jungkook toppled down, grasping his eye. A single tear slipped down the red shot iris. His nose crinkled in distress.

“Baby!” She rushed over to him, “Are you okay? You scared the absolute shit out of me!” Her fingers pressed up against the sensitive skin which relived the man of a groan. 

He brushed her off, “It’s okay, don’t worry.” He pulled her into a quick hug and placed a kiss on her forehead. She was trying best to ignore whatever the hell just happened. “Babe,” he groaned, “It’s so good to see you again.” His body slumped onto the spare bed. Children weren’t an “issue” yet, so the room lost its charming use. In all honesty, it didn’t look really safe to begin with. Open outlets, high ledges, who knows what could happen here. Jungkook grabbed Y/N out of her thoughts, literally, and plucked the air right out of her. Soft lips powdering small kisses across the woman’s face much to her delight. A pang of red heat rose to her cheeks. It was hard to notice, but a wave of satisfaction tore through the face of the maknae. 

“You see me all the time Koo, what do you mean?’ The space radiated passion. This is all Jungkook could have ever asked for. Of course, the circumstances weren’t all the best, but still it was perfect to him. His hands roamed their way across her torso as the kiss deepened. A gasp exploded from Y/N’s mouth with her boyfriend’s lips grazing the crook of her neck.

“Koo.” Her words trembled with conflict, ”Jungkook.” His attention cracking back to actuality, hair dilated with static and all, a faint mark of his tenderness was left by a circular imprint. His smile beamed with devious pride, slowly growing bigger. 

A hand intercepted his ardor. "There’s still stuff in the car. We have to bring it in, before the sunsets please.” A slick eyeroll was the only response mustered up. 

“You’re no fun…” Jungkook slumped to the ground from the edge of the bed into a crumpled pile on the floor. His posture curved and a small pout was sent in Y/N’s direction, down to the small flick of his outer lip. Only she could barely escape his enticing puppy dog eyes. A continuous click sprouted from the disturbed blinds behind their heads, the pressure was obvious. Neither one of them made the first move, it had been so long, too long. They sensed something else though, again no one could put their finger on it.

Amusement was drawn from the other despite the odd mood, ”You’re such a child!” Y/N giggled, which got Jungkook going. He propped himself right back up with full energy bouncing off the yellow-chipped walls.

“We can do whatever you want after we get our bags, scouts honor.” Y/N delicately placed one hand on her chest, the other up on the air. Her boyfriend had absolutely no clue on what she was talking about, but still went along with the spiel best as he could. A dazed nod came from him and his slim finger grasped the ends of his hair, running them through the roots. He slid a small elastic over it all, forming a tiny bun in the back of his head. Jungkook knew it drew his girlfriend wild, that’s why he does these sorts of things. Out of the room he went, Y/N stood silently in her same place, trying to listen for something. Her mind on high alert kept driving her insane. Her only hope, maybe some Advil, was still locked in the car. Her head never moved its spot, furthering the booming discomfort she felt, staring at the large door. It wasn’t right, or it was just her imagination once more. Too soon to determine according to her. The jingling of the car keys signaled the end of her inner battle, louder and louder they went. A small crack emitted from her ankles while slipping her shoes on, accompanied by a groan. It’d been forever since the two of them went out, being locked away in your house while the days stripped away can do that to a person. Hell, it has happened! Jungkook’s hand graced her back ever so slightly, sending the woman into brief hysteria. 

“Screw you!” Y/N jabbed at the chest of her boyfriend playfully.

Jungkook dogged her blows and stuck out his tongue, “Hey! You’re being the jumpy one today!”

Instead of going all the way round the lot, the couple opted for passing through the shady back door, much to Y/N distaste.

“It’s just a door, sweetheart.” Jungkook cooed. He found the situation comical, not knowing the full story of what happened. He grabbed the handle to the exit and it slid back with haste, they were quite careful as to not rupture it even more. The landlord didn’t seem like a pleasant person from their experiences. It felt like opening a greenhouse while stepping outdoors. Even with winter approaching, the atmosphere clung to their frames likes a spider entangled in pesticide. The grass beamed an unnatural green giving it some otherworldly look. Along with the various brightly colored lawn décor, it looked god awful. 

There was a light mist floating above them, blending in with the ash sky. It was truly a freak of nature photo opt, the weather changed more promptly than usual. 

“Maybe we should buy another house like this, huh?” The boyfriend wasn’t just yet done with his rampage of witty one liners, most of which making no sense.

“I never striked you as the suburban family type of man.” Y/N patted his back.

“Dear god no, my standards aren’t that low. Imagine the neighbors.” Now that’s the real horror show. The car was already unlocked, rapidly the trunk was swung open. Just two suitcases and a medium sized bag was left. 

Parading back in didn’t take much time. Next door was the main bedroom, it was nearly identical to the other. Jungkook wheeled his belongings into a folding closet, grabbing the TV remote in the process. Finally, he could rest. Y/N did the same, afterwards she made her way towards the washroom, in hopes of placing a bag filled with various items for hygiene inside. The events that occurred minutes ago had already been mangled aside. 

A mortified shriek came from the very same room Y/N had just stumbled into. Jungkook’s head snapped right up, quickly running down the narrow hallway pictured with corny beach puns and postcards he busted the door right open. The very bags his paramour had just lugged in clatter to the cheap wooden flooring in an instant. With one hand covering her mouth, the other shakily pointed to the wall across the way.

An assortment of hundred legged creatures made their way around the right side of the room, some on the floor, even on the ceiling. Stares of horror were the only response, at least thirty of the innocents were visible.

“Dear god,” Jungkook didn’t like bugs, even more than Y/N. His nerves sprung shot and slowly made his way out of the doorway. The inamorata looked for any spray or object to hurdle their way. The only option was to scavenge through whatever chemicals that could be found in the cabinets. Her shoes slid across the floor with an edge while trying to compose herself. Her boyfriend was scared shitless and the least she could do was calm his nerves. After grabbing handfuls of bottles back she went, but Jungkook was already in her place. 

“Y/N.. you saw that right? You saw the bugs?” His voice trembled.

“What is happening… are we going insane?”

So much continued to happen, proceeding the weird visions Jungkook and Y/N sat outside, watching the stars form. A small dinner was prepared, outdoors of course, the weather refused to make amends and discomfort was high. 

“You know, it’s getting pretty late,” Jungkook smoothed his hands around his lover’s waist. “We should go back inside and try to get some rest. We’re going to be okay.” He got up and extended his arm out as an offer to cling to. No exchange of words provided. Tiredness washed over the two, there was no point in arguing. Walking back into the shady house found only hours ago could be considered the worst choice made, but carelessness was the new fad. Both doors were locked upon entry. The house was warmer than before, Y/N stripped into a cooler outfit, Jungkook removed his lighter shirt and as soon as they hit the bed they were out like a light.

Y/N shot straight up in the air, breathing heavily. Her head whipped around to the clock, 2:24 am. Her other half was still passed out, but he wasn’t the only other person watching them. A large, black figure stood right outside the same glass door. It looked inhuman, what seemed to be seven feet tall, a bony structure giving it the posture of a lazy school boy and it was looking right at her.

Violently shaking the man she whispered, “Someone’s outside Jungkook. Please tell me we aren’t going to die.” He awoke at an instant trying to grasp what was going on around him. Anxiety mixed with shock filled his mind. He held her back down to his chest seeking to go unnoticed.  

“We aren’t going to die. I love you so much princess, please trust me.” Empty promises, he didn’t know what was going to happen. Hope was the only option he had. Hope was the only thing that could save him. He was going to stay up as long as he could until his body gave in. They ran past the doors, the creature created haunting moans while pushing at the crystalware. He showed Y/N into the small supply closet. Sobs racked out of Y/N body, Jungkook’s tears plopped past the roots of her hair. He kept gripping harder onto her, trying to get as close as possible to her core.

“Honey, we have to stay very quiet so nobody gets to us. Okay?” He whispered.

“I know. We don’t want to get in trouble. I’ll go first.” Y/N said, quietly breathing heavily.

“Okay, you know I’ll never let anyone hurt you.” His angelic voice replied, “I’ll go get a knife. Stay right here.” Objections spewed from her mouth, but he didn’t listen.  

The distinct sound of glass shattering filled the vicinity. Then silence. The walls felt like they were closing in on them, the girl knew this might be it. She couldn’t even say goodbye since her boyfriend clamped her mouth shut with his vast palm. It was for the best, surely her head would’ve been on a platter from her cries being found.

“JK?” Y/N called out for him with a longing for his response, “Jungkook? Please come out, I think we’re okay!” So much desperation in her sore croaks. He had to be out there she knew he was.

Her hand flew up in defense as she took a deep blow to her stomach, toppling over the metal coffee table. The ringing became worse, old coffee from yesterday morning mixed with the liquid flowing from fresh, small cuts. Her arms flew up in retaliation, but Y/N’s instincts weren’t as sharp as the knife on the kitchen counter once held by the goner searching for protection. 

There wasn’t any screaming, no struggle or pain. All she could hear was the soft singing of him, they were forever young. He was gone. His smell engulfed her senses, memories, all gone. Y/N would see him soon

“A house made of cards, and us, inside

Even though the end is visible

Even if it’s going to collapse soon

A house made of cards, we’re like idiots

Even if it’s a vain dream, stay like this a little more…”

They sang, they mocked. Her mind was numb with the figure of god-knows-who hovered over her limp physique. Little to her knowledge, Jungkook’s phone laid in the grasp of their left hand with the tantalizing feeling to take a photo to capture this moment. All for nothing.

It was over, they should’ve just stayed home.

Moral of the story: always listen to RM.

cyberdva. 2020

[half-bakedboy]

quarantine is a lot sweeter with you on my screen (read on ao3)

Pairing: Alec Lightwood/Magnus Bane Rated: Gen Summary: “Daddy, look! Mr. Bane is at Timmy’s house and he already went to Becca’s and Christy’s and he said he’s dropping off treats for all of us!” If Alec wasn’t already in love with Magnus, he would have been at that. The kids had all missed seeing their teacher’s face in person and even through a terrible storm, Magnus was making a visit to each of their doorsteps with gifts.

Magnus was making a visit to each of their doorsteps.

Magnus was going to be at Alec’s home.

For @malecdiscordserver Prompt Advent Event

There were about a million other things Alec could picture himself doing on one of the snowiest days of the season. It might have only been the middle of December, but Alec worked from the safety of his living room and didn’t think he would have to go out in a storm this year. The snow dampened his hair and his fingers were tingling from the sudden onslaught of heat as his daughter, Lil, opened the door to the bakery just down the street. 

“The Lightwoods!” The person behind the counter shouted, “I haven’t seen the pair of you in here since before the plague! How is my favorite girl doing?” Lil ran to the counter and jumped excitedly, but Alec rested his hands on her shoulders before she could touch everything in sight. 

“Lil, remember what I’ve been teaching you. Hands to yourself and keep a safe distance,” Alec corrected as Lil pouted up at him. 

“I know, daddy. I don’t wanna spread germs to Ms. Loss,” Lil resigned, still grinning widely at the baker. Catarina had always been kind to Lil and in the current state of the world, Alec was grateful for the few friendly people he was able to interact with. 

“Have you guys been staying safe?” Catarina asked as Lil took a close look through the glass, eyeing every treat she had to choose from. 

Alec nodded and said, “I’m working from home so this one can get her remote learning done. She’s pretty self-sufficient for her age so I feel pretty lucky.” He patted Lil’s hair who swatted his hand at the interruption. The adults both laughed as Lil stopped, her eyes widening over what must have been her favorite dessert. 

“Daddy, this one! I want this one and Mr. Bane is going to die because it’s his favorite color,” Lil practically shrieked as she bounced on her tiptoes to point it out, careful to keep her finger away from the glass. Alec praised her for it as Catarina took the cupcake out of the display. 

“Are you preparing for one of Magnus Bane’s infamous zoom parties?” Catarina asked. The second the name left her lips, Alec felt himself blush. He was grateful for the mask covering his cheeks so that it wasn’t too obvious, but Catarina seemed to take his pause into consideration. 

“You know Mr. Bane?” Lil asked with wide eyes. Alec thought it was adorable how much she looked up to her second grade teacher. Couple that with the kind woman who made her delicious treats and Lil probably felt like she was the luckiest girl in the world. 

Catarina nodded as she put the cupcake in a special box and said, “I do. He’s been my best friend for about as long as you’ve been alive!” Lil squealed at that, her eyes darting from Alec to Catarina in sheer excitement. 

“That is so cool! Is Mr. Bane gonna throw an awesome party today? I was sad when we couldn’t have it in the classroom, but Mr. Bane said it’s gonna be just as fun on the computer and he had a surprise for us!” Alec laughed as he pulled out his wallet to pay Catarina for the cupcake. She winked at him and she threw in a few of his favorite cookies. Alec made sure to tip her extra well. 

“Mr. Bane’s virtual parties are the best and you both are gonna have so much fun!” Catarina said, clapping her hands together as Lil did. 

“I’ll probably just hang back and let Lil do her thing, you know?” Alec said bashfully as he took the bag from the counter. Catarina stared at him like she had known something he didn’t and the look frightened him only a little. 

“I’m sure Magnus would love to see you, Alexander,” she said and Alec noticed it was the first time she had ever used his full name, the name that Magnus called him the few times they had spoken. He briefly wondered - and hoped - if Magnus had mentioned him before but brushed the thought away as quickly as it had come. That would be ridiculous and Alec was nothing if not completely sane and not in love with his kid’s teacher. 

“Well,” Alec said as he cleared his throat, “we better head back before the snow gets too bad. Stay safe, okay?” Catarina nodded and saluted to them as they walked away, Lil waving an energetic hand behind her. 

“Thank you, Ms. Loss! Stay healthy!” Lil yelled as Alec tugged her out the door. Catarina’s laughter chimed through the air until the door shut behind them, silencing the speck of brightness she gave them. 

Unfortunately, that meant that all Alec could think about was seeing Mr. Bane - Magnus - once they arrived back home. He had planned to sneak into the room a few times, out of sight of the camera, to make sure that Lil was behaving appropriately during her party in order to avoid making himself look like a fool in front of Magnus as was inevitable. Social interaction was not Alec’s specialty pre-quarantine and his skills were bound to have dimmed when the only constant contact he had was with an 8-year-old. 

Before he had much time to panic, Lil’s voice broke him from his thoughts as she sprinted forward to their door, shouting, “Daddy, hurry up!” He laughed softly as he reached the steps and unlocked the door. 

“You’re getting too quick for your old man, kiddo,” Alec teased, running a hand through his hair to melt the snow that had gathered on it. He should have worn a hat but he didn’t think two blocks would accumulate this much of a headache. Lil giggled as she toed off her boots and hung her jacket, hat, and gloves up on the drying rack as if the simple task was a race. 

“I’ve always been quicker than you,” she said simply, squealing and dodging Alec’s hands as he reached for her with a growl. She ran toward the dining room where Alec had set up her work station and started booting up her laptop. Alec leaned against the doorframe and watched her consideringly. When he was 8 years old, he could barely make a sandwich, let alone work a laptop. He was pretty impressed with how well she had transitioned into their new way of learning and was once again grateful for having such a bright and competent child. 

“Can you tell me how much more time until your party?” Alec asked as Lil started the log in process. She glanced down at the corner of the screen and wrote down the time before consulting with her clock cheat sheet. 

“10 minutes!” She squealed, running to Alec to grab the treat from his hand. He pulled it up quickly and raised his eyebrows and Lil knew exactly what that meant. “Can I please have my cupcake, daddy?” She asked sweetly with the puppy dog eyes Izzy had taught her to do at too young an age. Alec rolled his eyes playfully and took the cupcake box out of the bag, handing it to Lil slowly. 

“Careful!” He shouted as she sprinted back to her desk. Lil waved him off, sitting on her hands as she waited for the video screen to load. 

Alec left her to it, keeping a close ear on the screaming kids and smooth voice he instantly recognized as Magnus’. He sounded almost out of breath and Alec was instantly intrigued as to what could have caused it, so he peeked his head into the dining room to see Lil’s wide grin spreading further on her lips. 

When she noticed her dad, she screamed, “Daddy, look! Mr. Bane is at Timmy’s house and he already went to Becca’s and Christy’s and he said he’s dropping off treats for all of us!” If Alec wasn’t already in love with Magnus, he would have been at that. The kids had all missed seeing their teacher’s face in person and even through a terrible storm, Magnus was making a visit to each of their doorsteps with gifts. 

Magnus was making a visit to each of their doorsteps. 

Magnus was going to be at Alec’s home. 

Alec dashed toward the bathroom to make sure his hair wasn’t too messed up from the snowy trek he had taken earlier and sighed when he saw that it was somehow still damp. He ran his hands through it a few times and pretended that it made a lick of difference before patting his rosy cheeks with some warm water. 

“He’s coming here next, daddy!” Lil yelled joyfully and when Alec exited the bathroom, she had already started her sprint to the door. 

“Put on your mask, sweetie!” Alec said quickly as he grabbed his own from the table in the entryway. Lil threw open the front door and the cold blast of air was enough to have Alec glancing up, but his eyes stayed glued to the beautiful bundled up form that was Magnus. 

He had never met the teacher in person but he looked exactly as Alec would have expected him to. His coat was knee length and looked more expensive than Alec’s entire wardrobe. The dark maroon color matched perfectly with black boots and the necessary winter accessories. Magnus didn’t have a hat on and Alec felt weirdly comforted that Magnus had made the same decision as he had earlier, except Magnus’ hair somehow still looked perfect. Alec thought it wasn’t fair how perfect Magnus looked even with half of his face covered by a black mask with a large smile painted on it. The parts of his face that could be seen had his usual makeup that was unsmudged through the inclement weather. If Alec hadn’t known any better, he would think Magnus was made of magic. 

“Mr. Bane!” Lil shrieked, jumping up and down, using her small hand on the door handle as leverage. She was giggling and squealing and Alec couldn’t remember the last time he had seen her that happy. He placed his mask over his face and met her at the door as Magnus made his way up the stairs. 

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite smiling face,” Magnus said as he approached, careful to stay a step down as to not break social distancing rules. Alec was simultaneously impressed and disappointed by it. “I do hope you weren’t too busy enjoying your cupcake, Ms. Lightwood,” Magnus teased as he brought the small gift bag he was holding behind his back in front of him. Lil’s eyes seemed to shine as she reached out for it. When she realized her arms were just a bit too short, she glanced hopelessly back at her father. 

Alec chuckled and said, “I got it, Lil,” as he stepped up and reached for the bag on his own. His eyes connected with Magnus’ and he had to tear them away from the golden ones that gleamed back at him. 

“I put an extra something special in there for you, Alexander,” Magnus said with a wink, and once again, Alec thanked the current pandemic for his easily hideable blush that spread across his masked cheeks. He leaned down to look at Lil and said, “Thank you for being such a wonderful student during this crazy time, Lil. I’ve been so lucky to have you in my class and I hope you enjoy some time away from your boring old teacher during winter break.” 

Lil gasped and said, “You’re not boring, Mr. Bane, you’re the best!” Alec could see Magnus’ grin widen in the way his eyes creased at the corners. Alec loved that Magnus smiled with his entire face and it warmed something inside of him even through the cold breeze of the storm. 

“I think that title belongs to you, my dear,” Magnus said as he straightened. “Why don’t you go look through your treats while I talk to your father, yeah?” Lil nodded excitedly and went to turn, but stopped abruptly to look seriously back at Magnus. 

“I know I can’t give you a hug, but I am giving you a mental hug and my daddy says that those still make a person feel warm and cozy. Do you feel warm and cozy?” Lil asked, widening her eyes at her teacher. Magnus’s visible features softened as he nodded back. 

“I feel the warmest and coziest I’ve felt in weeks, Lil.” 

As his daughter pranced back to her chair, Alec laughed and said, “You really made her day by coming here. I’m sure all the kids have been excited to see you.” He rocked back and forth on his feet, suddenly nervous to be left alone and in person with Magnus for the first time. 

“They have been. I know this time has been difficult for the little ones so I wanted to give them as much joy as I could,” Magnus said as if it was simple. Alec had known that Magnus had always gone above and beyond for his students but walking the streets of New York in a blizzard was more than anyone had probably expected. 

“I wish you would have let me know!” Alec said quickly, playing with his fingers anxiously. “I would’ve made you a cup of coffee to take with you or given you a gift of your own,” he added when Magnus looked at him in confusion.

Magnus chuckled and said, “Well, I got the gift of seeing my favorite student and I have to admit,” he paused as if considering his next words, “getting to finally lay my eyes on her handsome father in person was my own little treat for the day.” Alec’s blush darkened and he ran a hand through his hair before scratching at his scalp. 

“What do you think about getting a socially distanced cup of coffee after you’re done for the day?” Alec asked quickly before he could change his mind. He was sure then that Magnus was at least interested in him and he wasn’t about to let the opportunity of a date with the teacher pass him by. 

“I’ll meet you here at 3?” Magnus answered as he backed down the steps toward the car that awaited him. Alec nodded and waved, fully aware that the wide smile on his face couldn’t be hidden by his mask. 

“It’s a date!” He shouted, just to make sure they were on the same page. When Magnus waved back, Alec closed the door and leaned against it, sighing happily. 

“Daddy, look what Magnus got you!” Lil yelled as she ran into the entryway, a cookie in hand. Alec recognized it immediately; it was the same kind Catarina had snuck into their order a few hours prior and happened to be his favorite flavor. 

There was a note stuck on the bag and as Alec read it, he smiled brightly and couldn’t help but laugh. 

“What does it say?” Lil asked, standing on her tiptoes to try and read it. Alec decided to keep it to himself. 

Alexander, Quarantine is a lot sweeter with you on my screen.

[sugarandspice-games]

Okay, so I finally got through Saeran's good ending, I might go back and play the normal and other bad endings later if I feel like it, but as that was an emotional rollercoaster, I need some time to recover. But I'm going to put my full review under the cut.

Will I be releasing my rewrite outline at this point (though not really a rewrite, since I made it before the AE was ever released when I was drunk and salty at the lack of news)? I'm not sure. I wasn't 100% satisfied, but we'll call it a good 65% as I feel like there was more I liked than I hated. I'll leave that decision up to my dear readers, whether or not they want to see it. (Though there are only like... 8 of you here and I know you're probably here for Obey Me content and not MysMess)

I do plan on playing the Jumin Bad End DLC, but I may not liveblog it as I haven't really heard good things. This seems like another ploy for fanservice, but I do want to get more lore about Jumin's backstory, and honestly... I'm gay and want to see those sexy CGs. That being said... this is the last I will discuss the canon material on this blog, and it may be the last time I engage with the canon material (as I believe cheritz has announced that this is the finale anyway, and will no longer update the game). I will most likely continue to create fan content for it, as Sugar and I have our own sort of... fanfic thing going on with the characters and our OCs. But this is a personal and huge special interest of mine, and rather than go through everything and pick it apart for the rest of my days... I want to leave the game and the characters I love so much with only my happiest memories. They'll live on in my heart.

But I digress... here is my semi-condensed review. Sugar may talk about it as well, though I do not speak for them. THIS SHOULDN'T NEED TO BE SAID BUT HERE THERE BE SPOILERS. DO NOT READ IF YOU DID NOT COMPLETE THE GOOD END OF RAY'S AE.

The Good:

Saeran. Saeran was the best thing about this route. His character development was beautiful, and every time I saw him, I felt my heart swell with pride and love. His new sprites are so adorable as well as his beautiful CGs, and he looks healthier and happier in a lot of them. He's grown to be such a loving, gorgeous, wonderful man despite everything that happened in his painful life, and his story is nothing short of inspirational. I have a lot of love for Saeran, I have from the moment I saw him but this route really drove it home for me. He will have a special place in my heart among my fictional loves that can never be replaced.

Jumin Jumin Jumin! Jumin was one of the absolute MVPs this route, he was doing the most and boy... I just want to hug him. Even though he was in horrendous pain he was doing the absolute best he could to help everyone. He's been a love of mine for a long time, and that love only grew in this route. I was also glad to meet Driver Kim and see the interaction between him and Daddy Han Sr. (Because obviously Juju is the junior Daddy Han lol)-- even though I have mixed feelings about the Chairman, it makes me happy to see Jumin getting the caring he deserves from his father. And the fact that he even turned his back to let Jumin express his emotions without feeling embarrassed... Fucking killed me.

They did Rika right this go around. Yes, she got off to a really rough start, but she was very human and bearable here... and complete with her realizing her wrongdoings and working to right them in the end. It was a gorgeous arc, I'm so happy for her. I have a love hate relationship with her character, as she used to be a very badly written villain IMO... but one of the good things about Another Story in general is that it gave her depth that she didn't have before. And if they wanted to redeem her, they 100% did it right here, even if she had a rough beginning and had to make mistakes to get to where she was. I thought it was very human. Good on you, cheritz.

Vanderwood got a lot of good interactions here, and I'm really happy they gave us more Van content. Even if we're not getting a route for him, it's enough to me to finally see him expressing the affection we all know that he holds for Saeyoung, and working to help him.

The twins finally get to be happy! Need I say more?

Everyone doing well in their lives made me really happy too... most of the other routes had this problem where if one person got to be happy, someone else would have to suffer in exchange. I'm so glad that everyone got a happy ending.

The new chats made me extra emotional... I'm not sure why, to be honest, I think I'm just happy to see everyone again. It had been such a long time since I played Mystic Messenger, and talking to everyone again just like old times felt like returning to a childhood home (though I was 19 when I discovered this game initially, haha). I cried a lot, which is extra weird for me since I don't tend to cry in general.

Yoosung loves Saeran soooo much... in fact, everyone does. It made me happy, bc I was initially worried that he wouldn't have made friends with the RFA or that it would be awkward, but seeing everyone loving him and him being sweet back to them was adorable. Jumin also loves him and you can't change my mind (though maybe that's my wishful thinking of being in a Jumin & Saeran sandwich talking...)

So many good messages in this AE, and they hit very personally. I came to the same realization last year, that in the end, nothing in life matters except love, since you can't take anything else with you when you die. I shan't elaborate more!

Everyone's voice acting was so good! It was so beautiful and emotional, I could feel it through their voices. I usually skip the voice lines since I read so fast, but I'm happy I didn't.

The Bad:

Oh Jihyun... what have they done to you? I know I said he wasn't OOC and I stand by that, but it really feels like the writers hated him this AE. Even his sprite looked so awful and blurry. And he didn't get any good realization that he deserved better or anything, the literal cult leader and prime fucking minister got to be redeemed when he didn't. What the actual fuck. Sugar will definitely have more to say about it, and probably in a more articulate way, but let it be known that I don't like it either.

Furthermore, even if it's not OOC, it's structurally sloppy for him to come to some realization only to stay the exact same as he's always been. And same with Rika too. As I said in a previous post, having them both go through these realizations only to make them the villains again really felt like beating a dead horse. What can I say except AAAAAAAAA. WHAT THE FUCK?

Again, I must reiterate... why'd they make it so you have to be a bitch to Rika to get the good ending? I get that it's probably wish fulfillment for some people in the fandom, but it isn't for me. I really don't have any desire to berate or insult her bc in the end she needs serious help (even if I wanted to throw hands with her sometimes), and if the point was to call her on her misbehavior... some of it went too far (looking @ the "Don't stab Saeran's eyes out!" choice. I didn't like that at all, especially since it felt like you were making fun of Jihyun's trauma.) It especially made the end of her arc fall flat when she's like "Thank you for being kind and trying to understand me..." like, gurl... the game didn't let me do that without making me bad end! Jeez.

Also, literally why was it necessary to redeem the prime minister? He's a monster who tried to murder his own children. It's okay if they needed that scene where Saeran and you tried to understand him, but having him actually come around made no sense... why would he want to listen to you or Saeran when we've seen time and time again that there isn't really any good in him? He's just not a good person. And no, I'm not saying this because I wanted him to die or anything! ...Okay, maybe I did. Fuck that guy. I hate him. (Also the whole "you're only this way because you're lonely!" was so corny, I didn't choose those options but gjkgkgkfk)

The Ugly:

Have y'all heard about how much I hate the agency Boss? I hate him so much... I want to drown him in the toilet. I want to feed him taco bell laced with laxatives. I want to-- anyway, I digress. Not classifying this under bad because cheritz did their job by making him hateable and oh boy, did I hate him. He made me want to barf. I also commend his voice actor for somehow making me feel greasy through the screen. Seriously, dude, hats off to you. You are a genius.

That's about all I have to say for now... you can peruse my talk tag if you want to see any of my other thoughts on this game, but they don't tie into the good and bad. Despite the flaws, I enjoyed myself this route and I'm happy I played it. Even though there will always be things to improve upon in this game... I'm happy I picked it up, and I'm happy I met everyone. I would write them all letters or something but that'd be kinda corny since they're just game characters and won't see it anyway, and I know I'm not the only nor am I the most attractive MC out there... so this is Spice, signing out! Byebye, Mystic Messenger. You'll always have a special place in my heart.

All of the... weird horniness between Rika and Saeran made me feel grossed out. Her having him in a collar with a leash, and the game options that insinuate she has a thing for him... ew ew ew. Please stop it. That shit is so disgusting and I'm going to puke.

@ Both Saeyoung and Saeran: stop fucking trying to die all the time! Seriously! Let me love you and want to save you, when will you get it through your thick skulls that one gay ass MC who loves you very very dearly would NEVER be happy if you died? AAAAAAAA

[thedreammweaver]

You really thought I’d leave? (Burton-Schumacherverse riddlebird , trans!Oswald)

Warnings: Dysphoria, misunderstandings, accidental misgendering, Clueless Ed is clueless, brief mention of suicidal thoughts of no physical consequence, medium to mild amount of blood, forced to come out by stupid dumb uterus, so. many. penguin. tears., A N G S T, pain, suffering, the lads talk about their trauma, 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃 (it turns out okay though)

Ed was still feeling his post heist high when he threw himself onto Oswald’s bed while Oswald was hanging up his coat, hat, and umbrella. Ed looked over when he heard Oswald sigh, he was rubbing at his back like it hurt. “I’m sorry..” Ed blurted out.

“It’s not your fault.” Oswald said flatly as he went behind an ornate screen in the corner of his bedroom to change into pajamas. Ed had wondered a few times why Oswald didn’t change in front of him but after all they’d only been in a relationship for a few weeks, it felt like longer to Ed, but maybe the other man just needed more time. Ed rested his head in his hands, feeling guilty

“I was being theatrical and I took too long...if I had hurried up like you said batman wouldn’t have gotten there in time to hurt you..”

Oswald scoffed “It’s OK, Eddie! I needed to let off some steam anyways.”

“If getting thrown into a cement wall where you could’ve been seriously hurt and I would’ve spent forever wishing it had been me instead because..” ‘Because I love you. C’mon, Ed, just say it!’ Ed screamed at himself in his mind “well... because it just wouldn’t be right..I mean if that’s you’re idea of letting off steam then sure.” Ed pouted, kicking himself mentally and burying his face in Oswald’s bed, the comforter smelled like him which lifted Ed’s spirits a bit. “I don’t wanna go home tonight.” He hadn’t meant to say that out loud but didn’t regret it either. “Then stay,” Oswald said, coming out from behind the screen now dressed in black and purple satin pjs “I mean...if this- or- we work out you’ll probably be staying here half the time anyhow, right?” “Yeah, I guess so.” Ed said absently getting off the bed to peel himself out of the green glittery spandex suit he was in, he only had his briefs and a plain tank top underneath, he’d learned to wear some sort of undershirt with the spandex if he was going to Oswald’s after unless he wanted his core to feel an ice box. “Look! The bat got you too, we’re even.” Oswald chuckled pointing out bruises on Ed’s arm and shoulder as he got under the covers. Ed rolled his eyes and crawled into bed next to Oswald he had been afraid this would be awkward but the idea of falling asleep next to Oswald came naturally and he was soon asleep.

Ed was stirred awake just as easily as he’d drifted off by Oswald quicky getting out of bed and muttering curses “Shit, shit, shit...goddamnit..” Ed sat up a bit “Wha...Ozzie, what is it??” He asked groggily. “Uh- it’s- just- nothing, nothing just uh-uh stay there or you maybe better sleep on the couch instead uh...just- go back to sleep. Don’t turn the lights on.” After that panicked deluge of unclear instruction Oswald ran off to the bathroom down the hallway. Ed still drowsy, now worried and curious he turned on the lamp by the bed and looked over to Oswald’s side of the bed, all he could make out was a blurry red blob. He huffed and clumsily reached for his glasses, he’d left them on the nightstand before he and Oswald had gone on the heist as he’d gotten changed at Oswald’s too. His eyes were slowly adjusting and the red blob revealed itself to be a sizeable bloodstain, Ed’s heart dropped. He got up and ran down the hall to the bathroom as well. When Ed went to open the door there was a shrill “DON’T COME IN!!” which made him jump and step back. “But Oswald you’re bleeding!”

“I know, Ed, it’s normal...” Ed could hear that Oswald’s teeth were gritted. “That was a lot of blood Oswald! You could have internal damage from “letting off steam” with the bat earlier. I have to take you to the hospital, I know you hate doctors but-“

“It is normal, Edward! Now leave me be!!”

Ed was taken aback, Oswald had never yelled at him like this before. He put his ear to the door, he could hear plastic ripping and crinkling, was Oswald trying to tend to the damage himself? “Oswald, please please let me help. I know you have a lot of weird..stuff going on but bleeding like that isn’t normal.”

“Yes, it is. This has nothing to do with that son of a bitch Batman, this happens every month..”

“EVERY MONTH?! Since when??”

“...since I was about twelve or thirteen..I don’t remember.”

Ed was bewildered “Since you were- you mean as in years old right??? Oswald! That could be indicative of SERIOUS health problems!!”

“Ed just leave me alone please...stop worrying, it’s fine.”Oswald’s gruff voice was beginning sound shaky. Ed was wracking his brain trying to figure out what was going on. “Oswald please talk to me, if this is “normal” I want to understand why..I-I mean is it like the stuff that comes out of your mouth or-“ “No! It’s not like that...”

“Then what??-“

“Gimme a minute! I’ve never really had to..vocalize it..before..”

Ed leaned his head on the door, now he felt confused and impatient. Oswald cleared just throat nervously “So...I’m a man right except I- Except I got born with the wrong sort of...equipment for that..”

“What??” Ed asked, more a noise of exasperation than a question. “Jesus, Ed- I...got born with a chick’s body but later I figured out I’m not a chick alright, not really..not on the inside-We’re both guys but if you wanted to narrow things down to a strictly physical matter I have more in common with the catbitch than with you..”

Ed’s brow furrowed “So you’re a woman?”

“NO!! GOD NO, ED!! DID YOU EVEN HEAR A WORD I JUST FUCKING SAID?!”

“Okay! Okay! I-I-just-“

“DON’T EVER SAY THAT SHIT TO ME AGAIN!!”

“OKAY!!” There was an uncomfortable beat of silence before Ed spoke again “So.....what are are you?” Oswald scoffed, a pitiful tone to the noise “You’re just trying your damndest to make me feel like shit aren’t you?” Ed’s heart broke when he heard Oswald’s voice break. “No! No! I- Oswald, I swear I’m just trying to understand. S-So you’re a guy? Right? On the inside..that’s what you said? But you have...girl..parts? Then-so the blood.......oh......you-...you’re just..menstruating?” Oswald didn’t answer him. “Oswald??” Ed gently pushed the door open. Oswald was on the floor leaning against the bathtub, he was just in his underpants and pajama top now, the blood stained bottoms tossed aside. Parts of his thighs were also bloodstained, he was sobbing into his flippers, a pathetic gasping hitching noise. Ed got on his knees beside Oswald, he’d never seen the man cry before and it was making him panic “Oswald, please...I didn’t mean to- did-did...I get it right the last time at least..?” Oswald whined “Yes!...yes...but it doesn’t matter...you don’t like me anymore..” “What?? Of course I still lo- like you.” Ed grabbed the other man by the shoulders to make them face eachother. Oswald took his flippers down from his tear drenched face “Just wait, you say that now but in time..you’ll get frustrated and you’ll leave, your need for a “real man” will win out over any feelings you claim to have for me. Eddie, I’ve been through this before..I know how this works..” Oswald broke down into sobs again “Except it’s worse this time..because you actually fucking matter to me, you’re not someone I paid to tell me they love me just because I needed to to hear it on a shitty night.” He was beginning to hyperventilate now “I-I never needed anyone before like I need you and I-I didn’t mean to keep this from you but I got so scared! I was so SCARED!! Scared because I think if you left me especially because of this I’d-I’d just have to go and find the tallest building in Gotham and throw myself off...see if maybe one penguin an fly after all...this poor old bird couldn’t take that, not after everything....not after all this. I thought about it so much and I’d really rather die than have you leave me, Eddie, leave me like every other little sparkling thing that cuddled up to me as if I meant something to them! Like my parents the night I was born!! They doomed me to a life of being thrown away. Th-They cursed me that night do you understand?! An-and I so need you to be the one that breaks that curse cause I. AM. telling. you! I can’t stand that happening again..not one time more...please...not once more..please.....pleease...” Oswald begged as he collapsed into Ed’s arms, sobbing, burying his face in the other man’s chest. “Oh...Oswald I- please don’t talk like that...like you’re nothing..” Ed felt tears flowing down his own face as he cradled his bird. “I..love you. God, Oswald, I love you..you really thought I’d leave?” Oswald raised his head a bit “...Eddie, people get killed for being like me...you can never tell how people will react to what they don’t understand..” Ed absently rocked himself and Oswald softly “...I love you...I wanted to say it for so long but I was scared too, I thought you were gonna be like these type of guys I messed around with in school, they’d call you baby when you’re alone and act like they really care but then you see them with their girlfriends the next day, acting like they don’t know you...and you just feel like a fucking idiot all because they don’t like who they are... I never thought I could mean as much to you as...how you said.” Oswald wrapped his arms around Ed’s waist. “You love me? Why?” There was a pitiful wistfulness in his voice. Ed didn’t have to think for long “You’re warm. You’re the only thing that makes me feel held, only thing that makes me feel safe, wanted. It’s like I wasn’t even real before I met you...I was just here..barely. I carry your warmth with me everywhere now, so I can feel real all the time..instead of like I’m floating away. You...obviously love me too, why?”

“You make me feel human. I got too used to being an animal after being treated like one...manipulated like one. You talk to me like- I don’t know...like you care..” They sat there holding eachother for a few minutes more until Oswald’s crying resumed “It wasn’t enough that I had to get born like this..” he sobbed gesturing to his flippers and nose “I had to get born with the wrong insides too...as if I wasn’t a complete freak already..” Ed held the shorter man tighter “No, no, no, no, no, don’t say that, Oswald, don’t say that,” Ed cooed, stroking Oswald’s hair “I promise I’m going to learn how to treat you right, after all this time you deserve it..I promise I’m gonna learn, okay? And I’m not leaving, you don’t have to be scared anymore..” Oswald was still crying, Ed scooted back a bit so he could see Oswald’s face. “Look, look, I-I can run you a bath so you can get cleaned up and I’ll take care of the bed, then you don’t have to think about it anymore tonight. Would that be good...if I did that?” Ed offered earnestly. Oswald sighed and nodded, Ed smiled weakly and cupped the other man’s cheek “Good-..good, so I’ll- I’m gonna do that and you can stay here and just relax, please.” Ed kissed Oswald’s cheek before getting up and turning on the bath to let it fill while he stripped the bed. Before leaving the bathroom he just had to say it once more “I love you, Oswald.” “I love you too, asshole..” Oswald grumbled, while wiping the dried, drying, and still wet tears from his face. Ed sighed happily knowing that his bird was starting to calm down already, and basking in the knowledge that he was loved back.

[squirrelly831]

Kidnaps Her [Jaehwan and Sanghyuk]

This is a yandere au! A bit more on the darker side of things. It strays away from the idea of love and more to control and so I leave you with that as my warning. There’s violence and lots of it for some members. You’ve been warned.

I’m not playing… There’s violence. Not for the weak hearted or easily triggered by violence.

Enjoy~

He was her best friend. The one who she could confide in or cry to, but there were other benefits too. They weren’t unfamiliar with each other’s bodies, the heat that they received from the other, the heated kisses that would lead nowhere the next day. He had done things to her that only other men could dare dream to do as he would severe any ties she had with another man at a drop of a hat. They were lucky to make it passed first base, but he made it clear that second and third were reserved for only him.

She was clueless to the obstacle he made himself in her relationships. She always thought they left because they found better or that she was lacking. Each break up hurt more than the last and she found herself in her best friend’s arms time and again upset and defeated. But, he always had a way to cheer her up--he always knew how to help her. 

And there she was again, wrapped up in his arms as her heart ached. He combed a hand through her hair as she cried in his chest. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes towards the back of his skull. He didn’t understand why it made her so upset. She should be thankful that those creatures were out of her life, that they left before they could dig their claws into her. He whispered comforting words as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. His lips lingered on her forehead long enough to draw her attention to him. She tilted her head up to see him uncaring of the tear-stains down her cheeks. Even with those stains, she looked like a goddess to him. He wasted no time capturing her lips with his. He was cleansing her--purifying her. He shifted his weigh, pushing himself over her as his hand pressed her on the mattress. He wanted more--needed more of her.

However, her tiny hands pressed against his chest in a feeble attempt to push him off. An action that alerted him--she had never denied him before. He pulled away from her to see fresh tears escaping her. “Sorry” her voice shook as she rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “It’s just--I slept with Jayden three days ago and for him to just break up with me afterwards. It feels disgusting--I feel disgusting.”

“You what” he hadn’t meant for how harsh his voice came out, but this rage was something he couldn’t put a lid over. A growl sounded as he jumped off of her like she had struck him with thorns. He ran his hand through his hair as his eyes darkened. “You slept with that-that thing like some whore” He shouted. 

A flash of pain crossed her face as she slipped off his bed. She bit her bottom lip as more tears blurred her eyes, “So, I’m some whore now?” Her bottom lip quivered. “Maybe I am--Maybe I am just some cheap whore. But, you continued to sleep with me too, so what does that make you?” She turned away from him and ran out of his room. Never stopping until she was out his apartment complex not knowing of the destruction that was soon to follow.

Jaehwan

Jayden went missing. Gwen should have saw the signs when her ex disappeared without a trace. Everyone questioned her--believed it was her. She didn’t understand it. Jayden wasn’t the type to run away especially when his life wasn’t the one in ruins after sleeping with her. Friends began to withdraw from her, people she didn’t even know now whispered about her and how she had gotten away with hurting Jayden. It was a rumor even police looked into and yet she was clear from any suspicion. However, no one made any attempt to console her. Jayden hit it and left, but that didn’t mean she didn’t care for him. She really thought he was the one. 

"Gwynevere.”

Her head shot up from the textbook she was studying from for psychology. It was a subject she enjoyed, picking the brains of others and observing all she could about people was her specialty--which made her question how she didn’t see his signs. 

Jaehwan grinned widely as he approached her at the library table and threw himself in the chair across from her. “How many of your so called friends stayed with you after the dumbass’s disappearance?”

Her head jerked as his words repeated in her head. “It was you--” she stated, a tone of disbelief wrapped around her words. “You caused everyone to--” her throat ran dry, “to hate me.” 

Jaehwan smiled a loving smile. One he flashed her often, “I didn’t make them hate you. I was showing you that no one would love you lik--”

“Don’t touch me!” She swatted his approaching hand and stood quickly. She gathered her belonging. “Don’t ever come near me again, Jaehwan. OR I’ll call the fucking police...”

“How dare you!” Jaehwan growled as he shot up from his chair and chased her down. She neared the stair rail exit of the library to escape him, “You think I’d just let you leave?” He reached out and grabbed her hair. A yelp left her lips as he yanked her away from the stairs, her one way of escape. 

“You’re a fucking psycho” she tried to claw at his hand as her materials fell from her hand. Jaehwan released her but her relief was short lived as he shoved her violently down the stairs. 

“I’m psycho?” He let out a cruel laugh as he took the steps slowly. “I’m the psycho? Then what the fuck are you? You teased me and used me for your personal pleasure, but I’m the crazy one?” Gwen tried to move, but he kicked her down. He proceeded to step on her until her head hit the concrete and she began to lose consciousness.

When Gwen came to, she found herself on Jaehwan’s bed. She sat up and a sharp pain , her head spun as she tried to recall what happened. 

“Oh, good. You’re up” Jaehwan entered the room with a cup of water. He smiled at her as she attempted to stand up. She swayed as Jaehwan reached out to help her stand, “Ah ah ah, I wouldn’t do that. You probably got a concussion.” 

Gwen swatted his hand from her only to be shoved to the ground. “Don’t you ever stop me from touching you!” He snapped. Jaehwan slammed down the cup of water and took a seat in his chair. His fingers interlaced with one another as he looked away from her in annoyance. “After all I’ve done for you over the years and this is how you treat me? Apologize.” 

She moved back from him still on the ground, “You think I’ll apologize to you? You’re a crazy fu--”

He stood from his seat, her words died on her lips as he approached her. His aura frightened her as he loomed over her. Jaehwan was waiting for her to finish, “Well finish what you were saying.” His demeanor was different from the one she saw in class.

Jaehwan’s face remained unchanged as he looked at her, “Get on your knees and apologize. You’ve been really rude” his hand reached down and pulled her chin up to see him. “If you do it right, I won’t have to punish you again” his voice caused shivers down her spine.

“I’m sorry--” she yelped as his hand pulled her hair with a force. She got on her knees as she tried to ignore the pain, “I’m sorry I was being disrespectful” her voice quivered. “Please, I’ll be good. I swear.”

Jaehwan’s hand loosened before it was extracted from her hair, “See, that wasn’t so hard.” He knelt before her and pinched her cheeks in his hand. His eyes darkened, “You still have a lot to learn, but I’ll train you well, kitten. As long as you do what I say, nothing bad will happen to you.”

Sanghyuk

It had been days since Melody saw Sanghyuk. She had made it a point to avoid their favorite place on campus. She got her coffee from the pod stations near her class that never had anything but cold day old black coffee. Her meals in the cafeteria were no longer with Sanghyuk but with a group from her art class that had begged her for months to join them. She began to really live--Sanghyuk was no longer attached to her him and suddenly more people surrounded her. 

But she was never really without Sanghyuk. Sanghyuk bided his time, waited for her to have a moment alone before he spoke to her. Except, that never came. Day in and day out, Melody was with someone. A classmate, a new friend, or a new interest. It made Sanghyuk pissed. Why did these people think it was okay to come between Melody and him? He’d call her phone as he hid in the shadows and he watched how she pulled out her phone, saw his number, and silence the call before placing it back in her bag. 

Months had passed, Melody would be lying if she said she didn’t miss Sanghyuk. He was her best friend, the guy who helped her through everything from her heartbreaks to studying for an exam. He was her anchor, but he hurt her too... She pulled out her phone to call Sanghyuk, maybe she could talk things out with him. Maybe they could move passed whatever this was... They could go back to being friends-no strings or benefits. 

However, before could call him, her phone rang and the name of one of her art friends flashed on the screen. She picked it up with a bright smile as they spoke about have a gathering at Patricia’s home to celebrate the end of term. Melody hung up and headed to catch a cab to Patricia’s apartment. All thoughts of Sanghyuk were put on hold, she didn’t want to keep thinking about it when it only upset her more.

When Melody arrived to Patricia’s apartment, she was surprised to see the door cracked open and no sound inside. She pushed the door open more to see a gathering of shoes in the doorway which only made her more curious. “Patty? Nico?” She called out as she entered the apartment. The eerie silence that followed gave her shivers. She headed down the hallway to the living room where she was met with a horrific surprise. Melody let out a shriek as she scampered back to the archway of the hallway. The living room was painted with the blood of her friends and some others she didn’t know. They were all lifeless some slumped on the other while others were more mutilated.

In her frightened state, she didn’t hear the footsteps behind her. “This is your fault” his voice was cold and dead of emotions. 

She pushed herself from the archway as she turned to see Sanghyuk covered in blood. “H-Hyuk? Wha-what is---” her eyes trailed down to his hand where the blood covered knife rested and her words died. 

“You did this” he took a step towards her ignoring the blood he stepped in. “You left me for these-these things.” His hand shifted the knife to point it at her. 

Melody didn’t stay to find out what he would do next. She took off further in the apartment hearing the sound of his boots close behind. She ran straight into Patty’s bedroom and slammed the door just as Hyuk’s hand hit the wood. The sound of the knife driven into the door echoed as Melody fastened the lock. 

A cold laugh sounded, “You think this will keep me away, Mel?” He banged on the door harder, “You think you can keep me away from you?” Melody looked around the room before deciding to slip under the bed and hid herself behind the couple containers she found. 

It was only minutes before Hyuk broke down the door as he slammed his body into it. The wood snapped under the pressure and he made his way inside. “Mel, come out... We can talk.” His voice was calm--it was the voice of the Hyuk she knew. “I’m sorry I called you a whore--Really, Melody I am. I was just hurt. I love you. I’ve always loved you and I wanted to be your boyfriend for so long...” He confessed. 

Melody held her breath as she saw his shadow near the bed. She squeezed her eyes shut as she prayed that the containers around her shielded her from him. She held her breath as the room went quiet. 

“I didn’t want anyone else to have you. I know I should have just told you how I felt, but I thought I made it obvious.” He continued. His voice ventured further from her as the creak of a door sounded. Melody let out an almost silent shaky breath. Her eyes widened as something grabbed her leg and yanked her violently from under the bed. The room spun as her head hit the container and soon she found herself looking up at the dark eyes of her former best friend. His lips twitched as they shaped upward.

”Found you.” 

Taekwoon and Wonshik|| Hakyeon and Hongbin

Credit to gif owners

Written & revamped by Squirrelly831

♕ REQUEST

☮ VIXX MASTERLIST

∞ ULTIMATE MASTERLIST

[bang-exo-tan]

Etched Hearts and Broken Parts

Chapter 4

You watched as the thin man paced back and forth in the corridor of the apartment complex. His tan skin illuminated every time he passed by a ray of light coming through the concrete breezeway.

Is this considered “normal, everyday,” celebrity clothes? You wondered as you looked him up and down. Donned in a tropical shirt that obviously looked expensive and name brand, black chokers around his neck, tight white jeans and loafers that looked at the very least limited edition. His mask, dad hat and sunglasses did nothing to hide his celebrity status. He was about as “incognito” as a neon sign in Vegas.

Whether it was looking down at your old converses, rolling and unrolling the sleeves of your striped shirt, or playing with the straps of your overalls, you tried to distract yourself from everything except looking at him.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. It looked so soft you wanted to just reach up and touch it.

WAIT. Get it together. You cannot get attached. Cut it out!

As he paced down to the end of the corridor, he turned around and stared you down. “Who are they to you?” he asked.

“I’m sorry?”

“I said, what are they to you?”

You were both facing each other on opposite sides of the hallway. His gaze was strong. Not so strong that you felt fearful or intimidated, but a strength you couldn’t quite place. You weren’t afraid of him, that much was certain. The other one you were much more afraid of, the one who didn’t want you. Either way, you knew you couldn’t get attached. It wouldn’t work, you were the flaw in the system. The accidental soulmate to an already mated couple.

You looked up and you didn’t know when, but he was right in front of you. You almost had to strain to look up at him. “Please, just… who are they? Why do you live with them? What’s your relationship?” He asked again, “Are you…”

Before he could finish, a couple passed in between causing him to break off and go back to his “side” of the hall.

“I- I-,” you began as the couple walked in their apartment down the hall.

Kill this. NOW. Do not let yourself get any kind of hope. You are NOT made for them, for this. You are a fault and nothing more.

You sighed then looked up with determination. “Mr. Park I do not think that’s any of your business.”

“And it’s not any of his business,” Yixing said from the door. He walked up to you and put a hand at your back, “Please leave.” He said as he led you back to your apartment and slammed the door behind you.

***

The next day you had quite a few words for your boss. You stormed in the studio and yelled, “Jongdae, get your ass in here!”

The guy from the other day was there. He averted his head when your eyes met, obviously feeling a little awkward seeing you again. Jongdae made him sign a waver after the incident so word wouldn’t get out. It had worked, no one who was there that day said a word. 

“Please, _______, don’t kill me,” He whispered as he peeked from the side of a prop he was setting up.

“I will if I want to! How DARE you give out my address! That’s against the law!” 

“Actually, it’s technically “not” against the law seeing as we’re actually, “technically” part - OUCH!” 

His speaking was cut short by your swift pinch to his arm. Partially as payback for giving Park Jongin your address, and partially for almost revealing the secret you had been keeping since the start of the company.

Yes, your boss was not technically your “boss”. You and Jongdae had started the filming company from the ground up. But the thing was, you absolutely hated the business end of it. Paperwork made you gag and the thought of trying to sell why your company was the best made you want to do anything else but the sort. Though you did have to admit, you would defend your company any day, it was one of the top in Korea at this point, all due to the fact that you and Jongdae kept to your positions in the company. 

There was also a perk to working behind the scenes in the company. You had one of the highest employee satisfaction ratings almost solely due to the fact that you were behind the scenes. You were friendly with all of the workers, as the saw you as just a co-worker, so when they complained about something in the company to you, you and Jongdae did your best to correct the situation.

Yes, people were suspicious of you and “the boss” and your quirks, but they just chalked it up to you and him being best friends, and you keeping him in his place.

They trusted you and it was better this way. It was best when no one knew, a permanent “undercover” boss situation.

As Jongdae stopped whining, he looked at you as smiled so mischievously you had the urge to give him another good pinch. “What else did you do?”

“A movie deal,” Jongdae said as he wriggled his eyebrows.

“Wait... what did you just say?”

“A M.O.V.I.E. DEAL!!!” he emphasized again, “And not just any movie deal, THE movie deal. It’s going to put us to the TOP!” 

You were hesitant, it wasn’t like you hadn’t done movies before but they were mostly indie movies, the kinds you send to film festivals, not the big screen.

“How much?” you asked hesitantly.

Jongdae got out his phone and typed the number on his calculator. As you saw zero after zero entered in you began to get giddy. This was it, your chance to prove yourself, to prove your company, to prove your workers, everything. 

you screeched as you both hugged and jumped up and down.

The other guy cleared his throat from behind you. “I’m sorry, but what does this mean?”

You put your hand on his shoulder, “It means the big screen buddy. We are going to the BIG SCREEN.”

You turned back at Jongdae, and he had this guilty look on his face. His excitement vanished.

“... what’s the catch Jongdae?” 

He looked up at you as he shuffled his feet, “Yeah, about that...”

[pilyarquitect]

Hello everyone!

PLEASE, READ THIS FIRST. I just want to say this chapter may can be confusing if you think it starts just after the previous one. Actually, this chapter begins after all the family saw Huey just after the duckling woke up. I wanted to clarify this so it wouldn’t be confusing. That said, you can go ahead with the chapter 😊

As always, I’d like to thank @empro-8 for helping me editing this story. Honestly, without her help this wouldn’t be as good as it is, so thank you very much @empro-8 you’re amazing!

Welp, I’ll stop talking and let you read the chapter, enjoy it! 😉

30.- More revelations arrive

The next morning after Huey woke up, the family was at the mansion. Donald was dejected. When he hugged his nephew, he had hoped it would help Huey. But it seemed to have the opposite effect. The duck dressed as a sailor felt from the very moment, he had surrounded the little boy in his arms, Huey became completely rigid. He could also hear how his heart began to pound. That… broke Donald’s heart. All he wanted was to help his nephew, but… he had been wrong in his method.

It had been almost afternoon when the doorbell rang. That surprised them.  Soon everyone gathered at the entrance to see who had arrived, and when they opened the door, they discovered it was the officer Cabrera, who was asking to speak to them. Apparently she had gone to the hospital, and there she was said they had returned home. That was why she had come here. The policewoman's face showed… a certain degree of concern, which wasn’t very encouraging to Donald. What had happened to her?

"Mr. McDuck,” said the police officer looking at the old duck.

For his part, Uncle Scrooge seemed surprised by the sudden visit and with a certain apprehension in his voice, asked:

"Yes, officer Cabrera? Is something wrong?"

The woman sighed closing her eyes and then replied:

"Actually yes, I've… brought something… that I think you should see."

"What… what is it about?" Donald asked anxiously.  Any matter related to the kidnapping or torture Huey might have suffered, Donald was afraid to hear it.

The police officer sighed again and responded by saying:

"It's difficult to explain. Can I come in?"

"Yes, yes, of course, enter lass," replied his Uncle Scrooge, allowing the woman to enter the mansion. Once inside, it was Beakley who spoke then asking:

"And well? What do you want to show us? "

The woman stirred uncomfortably, looking first at the adults and then at the little ones and said:

"I… I don’t know if it's good for children to see this,"

"Of course, yes!" Dewey said abruptly before any of the adults could say anything. The policewoman opened her eyes in surprise and completely shocked, asked:

"What?"

Louie and Webby ran to Dewey's side and between the three of them said:

"If we want to help Huey, we also have to know everything that happened!"

"You can't hide anything from us!"

"We deserve to know the truth!"

"We want Huey to heal as soon as possible, so we need to know everything."

Donald said nothing, it was true they had hidden too much information from these children, and it was also true they deserved to know the truth too… but he was afraid of how it could affect them. Apparently, the police officer seemed to think the same way, because then, she said:

"Okay… but I'd rather you didn't see this-"

"We don't plan to stay apart!" Dewey jumped suddenly, interrupting the woman. She seemed to finally convince herself it was impossible to change the kids’ mind and she agreed, saying:

"Okay, okay. Do you have a computer?”

"Of course," Scrooge replied.

Instead of the computer, they decided to connect it to the TV in the living room so that everyone could watch it comfortably. After connecting, Gloria showed them what Gyro and his team had already shown them, something that deeply shocked the children since they, despite having some knowledge of what was there, hadn’t actually seen it. For her part, the police officer seemed a bit surprised that the adults already knew about this, but it didn't take long to connect the dots. After all, she had installed the device that allowed them to obtain that information in the first place. But there was something else, something she had to show them, something that hadn't been, among Beaks’ data, something they found in the room Falcon had occupied in the building where they kept Huey locked up. What Officer Cabrera showed them were… heartbreaking videos.

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

All what could be seen was that it was dark, although movement could be seen in the background, as if there was someone there, against the wall. Suddenly the door burst open, bringing light into the room. There, sitting hugging his knees, dressed in the same way as when they found found him (except he still had his cap), was Huey. The poor duckling, with obvious signs of having been crying, looked at whoever had just entered and his face suddenly took on an expression of sheer horror and his breath hitched.

Huey was on his feet almost immediately, the palms of his hands pressing against the wall behind him. Suddenly the intruding figure appeared in the vision field, revealing who appeared to be Gizmoduck.

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

At this point, the viewers made a collective amazement breath, they knew it couldn't be the real superhero, it had to be Graves in disguise, but the resemblance was truly uncanny.

 ***********************************

Graves moved closer to the duckling and all Huey could do was press his back against the wall. He couldn't escape. There was no way out. He was cornered. The red-clad duckling began to tremble slightly, but he didn't take his eyes off the disguised falcon.

For its part, the brown-plumaged bird approached until he was in front of the boy and once there, he extended his hand. Huey closed his eyes in fear, but all Graves did was take off his cap.

 ***********************************

"Why did he take off his cap?" Dewey asked then.

Louie looked at him and with a slightly angry expression, replied:

"How do you expect us to know Dew? Just look and be quiet please.”

 ***********************************

"Hey! Give it back!” Huey yelled angrily, stepping forward, he tried to seem brave. The falcon replied in a hard, dry voice:

"No."

Huey immediately backed away; eyes wide. His back touched the wall again. The boy dressed in red stuttered:

"W-why n-not?"

Graves leaned slightly towards the frightened boy and deeply replied:

"I'm going to teach you a lesson."

Shivering even more than before, Huey’s breathing speed up, so before speaking, it was clear he tried to control his inhales and exhaled. When he managed to re-establish himself enough, the older triplet asked:

"What… kind of lesson?”

Graves straightened up again and simply replied:

"One that will teach you respect.” 

And then, raising his free hand, he revealed a lighter in it, which he proceeded to light. A yellow flame shone bright in the dark space.

 ***********************************

Webby gave a little strangled squeak and in a slightly anguished voice asked:

"Wait, don't you think he's going to…?"

"Burn Huey's cap, yes, that's what I'm afraid of las," replied Uncle Scrooge. Donald glanced at him and saw the older duck was staring at the screen with a stiff expression, obviously getting infuriated by what Graves had done to his beloved great-nephew. Donald felt the same way as the rich duck. The younger adult sighed and looked at the screen again:

 ***********************************

"No! Wait! What are you going to do?" the boy yelled in obvious panic. He had guessed what the falcon was going to do and tried to avoid it.

Graves replied:

"I told you brat, Teach you a lesson."

Seeing that the hawk was bringing the flame closer to his beloved garment, Huey jumped up and grabbed Graves's arm with which held the cap. At the same time as he did that, he exclaimed:

"How can burning my hat be a lesson? Please don't do this… don't take it from me!”

Graves regarded the boy as if he was a pesky fly on his arm.  Then, with a jolt, he literally knocked Huey off him, knocking him to the ground. The boy stood up quickly, only to witness Graves set the cap on fire and drop it to the ground. Seeing this, the duckling immediately tried to run towards his burning garment while screaming:

"NO!"

 ***********************************

A sudden gasp of astonishment, mixed with horror spread among all who were looking at the screen. How had that bird been able to do something so monstrous?

 ***********************************

Huey tried to reach up to his cap and put out the flames, but he didn't go very far because Graves lifted him off the ground and imprisoned his small body to the abdomen of the false Gizmoduck armor. The boy was literally caught in an iron hug, but that didn't stop him from fighting to try to break free while saying:

"Hey, no, release me! Let me go! I have to put out the fire! I have to-"

But the disguised hawk cut him off, saying:

"No, what you have to do is watch that hat be consumed until there is nothing left."

Huey stopped fighting and looked up to see Falcon's face. The boy’s face reflected horror and unbelieving, surely wondering why they were doing something like that to him. The boy turned his gaze back to his burning hat.

Slowly these flames were getting smaller and smaller, until finally there was nothing but ashes. As soon as it finished, Graves released him, and Huey fell to his hands and knees, head down, his body trembling.  It couldn’t be seen, but it was clear the boy was crying, a bitter cry mixed with hiccups.

Huey looked up again. There in the middle was a pile of ashes with what used to be his cap. The boy stared at that little mountain while Graves disappeared from the screen.

 ***********************************

"How was Graves able to do something like that to Huey?" Louie asked in a shaking voice, it was clear that what he had seen had affected him, and although Donald hadn’t said anything, he was also deeply horrified by what he had seen. How could that falcon have been so cruel with his nephew?

Dewey looked at his brother and then said angrily:

"And above all, how could they have been so sick as to record it?"

Donald was about to get up and leave when he heard a sigh from beside him. Officer Cabrera said:

"Guys… the video is not over yet,"

Not yet? What else could there be? Looking back at the screen, Donald saw his nephew was still crying as he looked at his ruined cap.

 ***********************************

Suddenly there was a clink that caused Huey to look up, and his eyes went wide. A few seconds later, Graves appeared on the screen again carrying… chains in his hands.

"W-what's that for?" Huey asked in a shaky voice. Graves just kept advancing towards the boy as he replied:

"You'll see it right away,"

The hawk grabbed Huey when the duckling tried to get up and escape, the bird disguised as Gizmoduck dragged Huey to the back of the room, where he pushed the boy against the wall, causing Huey to hit the back of his head with it, an action that stunned him and subsequently made him fall to the ground. Without giving him time to react, Graves took the chains and attached them to the boy's wrists with rings.

"No Please! Why do this? There's no need to… being locked in here is enough, I can't escape,” Huey pleaded as he struggled weakly to remove the chains.

The hawk looked at him and replied:

"There may be no need, but this will make it more fun."

Huey's eyes widened in horror again and tremblingly asked:

"F-fun?"

"For me, yes," replied the hawk in a jovial voice, and then proceeded to nail the chains to the wall behind the boy. This done, he got up and started to leave the room.

Huey immediately got up and ran forward, reaching as far as the chains allowed, which didn’t even allow him to reach what had been his cap a few minutes ago, and pleaded:

"Please don't do this! Don't leave me in chains!”

Graves turned to him and said to the distressed duckling:

"Oh, I'm going to do it, it's the least you deserve."

And having said that, the hawk left the room, while the door was closed and the room was once again going dark, Huey fell to his knees and the only thing that could be heard when everything was dark, were the cries of the trapped and now chained child.

 ***********************************

This was the last thing in the video. And when it was over, Donald wished the children hadn't seen it. Even he didn't know if he could recover from what they had just seen. That… had been extremely ruthless. And while they now understood why Huey wasn't wearing his cap when they found him, it was also true the way it was taken from him was extremely cruel, and that right after that he was chained only made the traumatizing situation worse. Huey had suffered hell, that was a clear example of it, but on the other hand… that gave Donald an idea. Something they could do to cheer up his nephew.

Officer Cabrera then informed them that in addition to that video, there were others of a similar style, and that, in all of them, that hawk always appeared in disguise, treating Huey badly in some way or another. He also commented from what they had seen, the worst treatments Huey received always happened when the hawk disguised himself as Gizmoduck.

"It seems made on purpose for the boy to fear Gizmoduck.” 

Scrooge then sighed and replied:

"I’m afraid that it is precisely made with that intention,"

"What?" they all asked in a surprised voice. The old duck sighed and replied:

“I mean we all know how much Huey admires that superhero, I'm sure Beaks knew it too.  It's very likely that he held a grudge towards him too, so making the lad fear Gizmoduck would be a way to…"

"Get revenge on him," Donald said when he understood what his uncle was trying to say.

Scrooge looked at him and, nodding, replied:

"Exactly."

This new possibility, even if it was just a hypothesis for the moment, didn’t leave the police officer indifferent.  She rose quickly and announced:

"This matter needs to be investigated further, I’ll personally and immediately interrogate the suspects and if that is true, it would be best to notify Gizmoduck as soon as possible,"

Uncle Scrooge nodded and responded to the woman by saying:

"I couldn’t agree more, official Cabrera, do what ye’ve got to do and please continue to keep us informed."

"I will." she concluded, and after these words the woman left the mansion.

The other inhabitants tried to continue with their normal life, although it was difficult after having seen what they had seen.

 ***********************************

In the early afternoon, they suddenly received a phone call from Fenton, it wasn’t needed to say that everyone immediately gathered around the set to find out what had happened and why the Hispanic duck was calling. Fenton began to explain:

“After bringing Huey's food, the doctor judged he seemed recovered enough to start walking. He even said he no longer needed the IV. Huey was very happy with this and to know he could leave the room and walk through the corridors. But… when we have both left, a lot of journalists have come out of nowhere and have surrounded Huey as if they were a herd of wolves and he his prey. Barely left him space."

When they learned what happened, they all looked at each other with concern, and then his uncle asked:

"And what did you do?"

They heard a sigh and then the duck explained:

"The logical thing of course. Between the hospital staff and I, we took Huey out of there and brought him back to the room, preventing anyone from entering."

Donald sighed in relief, at least they had reacted quickly, getting his boy out of 'danger'.

"And how is Huey?" Louie then asked in an obviously worried voice. Donald was anguished seeing how concerned his other two nephews were for their older brother. A few seconds of silence passed and then Fenton spoke again saying:

"Right now, he’s sleeping. I think the meeting with the press has been an exhausting event for him, so we have told him to rest."

Uncle Scrooge nodded with a slight smile, then said:

"Excellent lad, I'll take care of the rest."

 ***********************************

And truly his uncle took care of it, as soon as Uncle Scrooge hung up, the rich duck called the hospital to ask them to put surveillance on Huey's room, and to forbid the passage of anyone who wasn’t authorized.

The next thing they did was organize a visiting schedule so that everyone would come to see him and there were never more than two people per visit. In addition to including family members, they had also added other people, Huey’s friends with whom they hoped the boy wouldn't feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, they hoped it would give Fenton some moments for him to rest and relax a little, since they knew that constantly accompanying someone sick or injured was extremely exhausting.

This strategy seemed to work on the days following the incident. And having other people visit, Huey gave Fenton a chance to rest, something the Hispanic Duck had deservedly earned.

Donald hadn't visited his nephew since the boy had woken up, and he knew his Uncle Scrooge hadn't been, either. For that reason, he decided they could both go see him together, as a way to show Huey that both of his uncles wanted his speedy recovery. Also, Donald didn't want to show up there empty-handed, no, he wanted to bring something to Huey, and he knew very well what that something was. Although… before going there, he wanted to warn his Uncle Scrooge of his plans so that he wouldn’t be caught off guard once they were in the hospital.

With this idea in mind, the duck dressed as a sailor went to his uncle's office, and after knocking on the door he entered to speak with him. Once inside he asked:

"Uncle Scrooge?"

"Yes, lad? What do you want?" the older duck asked in turn.

Donald took a deep breath and replied:

"I… I thought we could go see Huey tomorrow morning, if that's okay with you."

"Of course, it is, I’m looking forward to seeing him," his uncle replied with a nod. Donald smiled, then added:

"Yeah, me too… besides…"

"What's wrong Donald?" Uncle Scrooge asked, apparently a little intrigued:

"I… well, I had thought of bringing this to him."

After those words, he pulled out the Junior Woodchuck Guidebook they found in the park the day Huey was kidnapped. The rich duck looked down at what Donald was showing him. Suddenly, to the complete surprise of the sailor-clad duck, Scrooge began to laugh. This angered Donald, who, squinting, then said to his uncle angrily:

"Do you find it funny? I do it because I sincerely believe it can help him,"

Scrooge raised a hand to silence his nephew, and then, trying to stop laughing, said to his nephew:

"Calm down lad, it's not what you think. It just so happens that I had thought of something similar,"

And with that said, he opened a drawer in his desk and took out a red object from it, an object that Donald instantly recognized:

"Huey's cap!"

"One of the ones he has a spare," Uncle Scrooge clarified, then added:

“I asked Dewey and Louie to bring me one to take it to Huey. After seeing how Graves burned his, I think it's the least we can do for him "

Donald smiled, he had rushed to judge his uncle, now he realized that he had had the same idea, only with a different object. This lifted his spirits, and much more animated, he then said:

"Well, we’ll bring him both."

Scrooge nodded and replied:

"It seems very good to me, tomorrow we’ll take it to him."

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

Okay, with this chapter I tried to explain why Donald and Scrooge decided to bring this presents to Huey. Also, if any of you remember it, Beaks asked Beaks to record the moment where he'd burn Huey's cap, and obviously, if the police managed to get all Beaks data, they for sure found out those recordings. I know this had to be heartbreaking, but in order to help Huey, they need to know what the duckling went through. Welp, what do you think about it? Did you liked it? Leave me your thoughts.

Okay, after say that, I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I also would like to thank to all the people who’d read this story, the ones who commented, those who reblogged it and: @mysteriouswriter72 @elianemariane17 @araminakilla20 @hakuneki07 @i-cant-find-any-creative-name @gizmovi @some-dum-wizard-bitch @infamousquack  @margaretnobbs @alphatheplant @sugerheart @squackcrowquack @nsbfenro @marshmeadow12 @ohgeeeznotagain @constellations1 @isabellanajera @you-big-palooka @deathcat003 @dragonsareawesome123 @via15 @wellshit333 @ninjawarrior100 @your-salty-dorito @rowan-npg @thesuperepicawesomefireninja @duckworth-is-love @worldsbesteagle @shaz231 @cherriesandpoison @softlemonboi @rosebu-uds @mulaneysnl @ihavenonamehalp @drummergirl231 @narnour-momo-007 @via15 @trash-queen-fahey @gamerfansims389 @lesbianz4glomgoldje @jessie-00 @maclove54north @northofanvi @maditheanimaniacuwu @gabrielpainterfest-blog @Variousfandompage @whiteeyesandtina @official-toebeans @r6sedust @gabrielpainterfest @obsessionhell @werdna213 @chydesa-star @a-stupid-girl @fudgecantlife @elipaghy04 @whisperwillyou @fnafgirl30 @exceeeed-charger2020

And if I’ve forgot someone, I’m sorry

See you in the next chapter 😉

[youarejesting]

BTS365 Prompt.Week25

[Full Masterlist] [Prompt Masterlist]

Beta: @jung-hoseok-s-airplane

Please tag me in your work if you use my prompts. I want to see your work. Ever your Jester.

Tell me your birthday and I will tag you on your special day!

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        June 18th - 24th

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Kim Seokjin - panic @absoluteyoongit (I am so sorry I didn’t get to post it on your birthday, but still Happy Birthday my love)

You were at the BTS concert. It took all your savings, a countdown timer and quick refresh skills and you had scored mosh pit tickets. The concert was amazing. The fans were shrieking, pressing you to the gates and you were a little annoying. Until you were actually elbowed in the face by a fan during Dionysus. 

You fell forward over the gate and was grabbed by security, passing out with an apology. 

You woke to ice to your neck, you were sat hunched forward, hands holding your shoulders and chin. 

You blinked sitting up noticing the two medics were holding a bloody rag to your nose and you apologized taking the cloth and holding it. 

"How are you feeling?" The woman asked. 

"Uh my head hurts, some girl elbowed me during Dionysus, but I guess you couldn't blame her it's a really good song," it was awfully quiet and you had a nervous sick feeling, "what time is it, am I okay? I don't want to miss the concert"

"It is over," she said and you frowned.

"No it can't be over, I paid so much and I didn't get to even see them perform their new songs"

"I am sorry, but the concert is over, you can head home if you are ready just follow the exit signs," she said quietly you nodded holding your emotions in. 

You grabbed your small bag and stepped out the infirmary, tears starting to flow. Following the exit signs the further away you got the more you broke down. 

Until you bumped into someone re-injuring your nose and fell back onto your behind, openly crying as you sat like a child, shirt all bloody and nose bleeding once more. 

"Oh I'm so sorry" the voice said, it was soft and unsure, "I didn't mean to hurt you?"

A figure crouched in front of you and tilted your head a little to look you over, "Are you badly hurt?"

"I missed the concert," you sobbed and wiped your eyes, “I used all my money for the best seat in the house but I was knocked out. I didn't get to see any of their new songs.” 

"Hey shh, neoneun neui jigu, nege nan just a moon, me mameul baikyeojuneun neoui jageun byeol, neoneun naui jigu and all I see is you," he sang and you looked up to see the Kim Seokjin kneeling in front of you holding his handkerchief to your nose and smiling. 

The only appropriate response was for panic to set in. 

Min Yoongi - picnic

You were planning to have a picnic with your boyfriend of many years when he called and said he wasn’t able to attend but everything sounded suspicious especially the woman giggling in the background. So here you sat in the parking lot of a hotel with a picnic basket full of homemade snacks 

You entered the lobby and made the trek to the front desk. The young man at the front desk looked up and laughed at your light sky blue sundress, mismatched red coat and picnic basket. “Hello, little red riding hood, how can I help you?”

“I am looking for my boyfriend,” you said seriously, giving him the name and his face fell looking at your concerned face. “Are you sure he is at this hotel, maybe I spelt his name wrong.”

“The idiot used my credit card, I know he is here with another woman. You will give me the key to the room I paid for.”

“With pleasure little red, I will come with you purely for your protection.” He grabbed the keys and sprung over the desk shouting “I am on lunch, Mister Seokjin!”

The two of you took the elevator up to the fourteenth floor, where he asked you about you and your partner. He asked you all sorts of questions and generally being nosey but he was funny.

“Who rents a room at midday to cheat on someone, psychopaths, I am glad you found out now before you got murdered or something.” Making you laugh and taking your mind off the present issues regarding your cheating and lying boyfriend. 

“Listen little red, I finish work in less than thirty minutes. Let’s go on this picnic” He gave a cheeky smile showing all his pink gums. And for a moment you were happy with what had happened.

Jung Hoseok - sauntering

Hoseok was walking leisurely through Malta trying to find some souvenirs for the other boys. It was a hot day and he had lost Namjoon in a crowd, the music pulled Hoseok and when he looked back he was alone with only one cameraman. That’s when he saw you working at a restaurant, weaving through tables while dancing to the street music. 

You moved so elegantly rolling your head to the side while placing plates down at the tables. You didn’t walk, you glided slowly captivating him, every movement was so simple and yet looked like you were an angel floating and inch above the ground. 

In a way he was right, your six-inch heels kept you lighter than air on your feet and yet never let you touch the ground. Your hips swinging in figure eights exaggeratedly and seductively but it was your natural gait. 

He adjusted his collar and hat and went to saunter over letting his body move to the music in hopes to impress you like some nature documentary where the male species must impress the female with their moves. 

Kim Namjoon - juggling

The circus seemed like a fun idea, he thought the other members would enjoy the stunts and jokes and more. They were only in town for a week so he knew he had to get it over and done with before they missed out. It was a carefree night filled with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ but then she appeared in a sparkly crimson leotard her lips as red as her outfit and she moved with grace to the music. 

Lowered from the ceiling she unravelled herself like a present and he watched her move the lights hitting her figure just right casting a silhouette onto the back of the tent, she rolled her hips and danced on pointed to kicking her legs and she began juggling three became four became five, six, seven and she spun and danced never dropping a single one. 

She started juggling both hands above her head and she slid into the splits and caught all the balls raising both hands into the air. He would be back. 

Park Jimin - Daylight (this will become a story but the details of the scene and how the reader finds the elevator might be different) 

You were being chased by a young woman trying to take your bag, you took a wrong turn in a shopping mall’s parking lot followed by at least four more until you reached an old abandoned floor below the basement you could hear her coming and you looked around finding a door with a faint glowing keypad, you pressed each number four times. 

1,1,1,1. No.

2,2,2,2. No.

3,3,3,3. No.

4,4,4,4. Beep. Yes, the reset sequence works on most old pin code machines. You snuck inside and it locked behind you.

Inside the room was kind of dark, you saw small glowing arrows one pointing up the other down, pressing the down arrow the doors opened and light poured in. 

It was an elevator and it looked like it was in good condition, stepping inside you pressed the button and headed down. What you saw shocked you; it was like an artificial world. It seemed to go on for a fairway, you could just see walls in the distance but there were lights that created an artificial daylight. 

The roof had screens showing a fake sky, there must have been UV lights as the trees and vegetation were growing well. Then of course there was the elevator shaft you were in, the further you went down the more you saw, animals and buildings and people. 

They turned to you watching the elevator come to a stop each holding weapons, it was then you noticed how big this underground ecosystem was and on top of that, the people were all handsome young men. 

They all looked scared of you except one. Jimin looked at you curiously. He had never seen anything like you before, what were you, you looked like him and yet different?

Kim Taehyung - ring

Taehyung’s ears were damaged and he barely had any hearing left all except for the constant ringing. He decided to just use sign language and live his life that is until he met you. You were like a breath of fresh air and you could sign a small hearing aid in your ear brightly colored for your own enjoyment and for others to notice. 

Jeon Jungkook - writer

Jungkook took his monthly wage and ran through the town, he passed a man with a long scar down his face which vaguely reminded him of the king. His thoughts were interrupted by a bearded man hitting him over the head with his fishing pole and Jungkook grabbed him by the collar and punched him. 

The scuffle didn’t take long, as both parties had yielded blaming the man with the scar. Jungkook continued on his way and finally arrived at the postal service. 

“Any letters for me Jimin?”

“None today,” he smiled, “you here to send another?”

“Only the best for my pretty flower.”

“What would you like it to say?”

“My dearest…” Jungkook poured his heart out and Jimin wrote it for him. And the letter was sealed and Jimin grinned, taking the small silver coin and handing back a few even bronze ones. 

[onebourbon-oneshot-onetear]

Aquatica

Chapter 5- Paradise Lost

I do not own D.C Comics, and I only own my OC and my versions of the plots.

"…28…29…30" I huffed, out of breath with sweat dripping down my forehead. I set the dumbbell back on the holder and grabbed a towel off the shelf next to it. I dabbed at my forehead and the back of my neck and was a little disgusted at how quickly the towel became soaked. I grimaced and quickly threw the towel into the bin that held the dirty ones, grabbed my water, and headed towards the door.

It had been a slow day for the Justice League so I decided to head down to the gym and go through my old routine. I started with running 5 miles on the treadmill, an hour of core exercises, and then another 45 minutes of weights. To be honest, this is less than what I am usually used to, but considering I haven't done an actual workout routine in weeks I didn't want to kill myself within the first two hours.

As I'm heading out the door of the gym into the locker room I noticed a certain resident speedster running on the treadmill. Why would the fastest man alive be running on a treadmill? Who knows. But my curiosity got the best of me and I walked over anyway. "Flash, what exactly are you doing?"

He grinned and started slowing down a bit. "Running. It's like walking but faster." He sassed at me, knowing that I would find that annoying as hell.

"Yes Flash, I know what running is. My question to you was why exactly are you running?"

"Well, uh…you see…" he stammered out, completely stopping his machine and slowing to a stop. It was at this moment that I realized that his treadmill was positioned so that he had a clear view of the weight lifting stations, you know, the place where I just was. I should be able to have some fun with this, I thought to myself.

"Wait, you weren't spying on me, were you?" I asked him in the most innocent voice I could muster. He started getting all flustered and he tried stammering out a response but he was so nervous I don't think he knew what to do with himself. A few minutes of this and I figured that I had had enough fun. "Okay, okay Flash, chill. I'm just messing with you. Next time you want to watch me work out at least come over and spot me." I said. He immediately relaxed and went back to being his usual cocky self.

"I might just take you up on that offer Evie!" Flash said giving his usual smirk. I rolled my eyes and shook my head playfully. Over the months Flash and I had grown pretty close. Not in a romantic way, but he was more of a big brother I never had. He was always protective of me, even though he constantly flirted with me. I thought it was okay, as long as he knew that he had to take what he dished out.

I waved goodbye to Flash and headed towards the showers. I got my outfit out of my locker and went to go turn the water on. Ten minutes later I was drying off and getting dressed when my earpiece went off.

"Evie, you there?" Superman asked.

"Yeah, right here, what's up?" I asked him, immediately starting to get changed. If Superman was calling, I assumed I wouldn't be in the Watchtower much longer.

"Tropical Storm Gardner was just upgraded to a hurricane, it's looking pretty bad out here." He said. I was hopping up and down on one leg trying get my leggings on, hoping that he couldn't hear my struggles. "Could you come down with me and Diana to try and help some people out?"

I finally put on my leggings and was working on my leotard top. "Yeah, give me three minutes and I can meet you guys at the jet."

"Okay, over and out." Superman said and the small beep in my ear told me that he had hung up the call. I raced through putting my clothes on and threw my hair up in a ponytail. There was no point in it trying to look nice, especially when I was about to jump into a hurricane.

Within five minutes I was rushing to the flight deck and had met Diana and Superman in the jet. Due to the terrible weather we had to cut our flight short and literally jump out of the jet. I was practically thrown back off my board from the sheer force of the wind. I steadied myself out and listened to Superman's instructions.

"Evie, you take the south side of the city and Diana and I will take the north. Let us know if you need anything, alright?" He asked trying to stay straight in the air himself.

"Sure Supes, whatever you say." I said. I gave them a two fingered salute and headed south, toward the side of the city that had the most water in it. I headed to the harbor where the water was coming up and over the walls in waves. Nobody could possibly be out there in this weather, they'd have to be an idiot, I thought.

Turns out there is not a short supply of idiots in Metropolis. I almost missed him, but through the sheets of rain I could barely make out the outline of a man. He was wearing a bright yellow rain coat with a matching hat and boots. I would have thought this old man was absolutely adorable…if he wasn't standing on a pier in the middle of a hurricane.

"Umm, sir? What exactly are you doing?" I asked, jumping off my board and walking over to him.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Well it appears to me like you're trying to meet your maker a little early. "I'm fishing of course. These babies aren't going to catch themselves." He shouted over the wind. "Kids these days…don't understand hard work anymore. All you youngsters do is stare at electronic screens all day." He grumbled loud enough for me to hear him.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay look, I appreciate your love for the outdoors and everything and I'm not sure if you've noticed but we are currently standing in the middle of a hurricane right now! I need you to go find shelter." I said

At this point the man looked around and must have realized exactly how bad the weather really was. He quickly packed away his fishing gear and high tailed it off the pier and went home. I followed behind him to make sure that nothing happened to him, and I left when he walked through his front door.

I continued through the city for another hour or so before I heard form Superman again. "Evie, you still there?" I jumped a little bit at the sudden voice but I quickly recovered and pressed the button to respond.

"Yeah, I'm soaking wet and cold, but I'm still here."

"Good, because Diana left. It's just you and me." He said.

I blinked, making sure I heard him right. "What the hell do you mean 'she left'?"

"She wanted to go back to Themyscira, something about talking to her mom and making things right." He said. I rolled my eyes again.

"Seriously? She couldn't have gone when, oh I don't know, we weren't in the middle of a hurricane?! I understand she's a princess and all but come on, the world doesn't revolve around her." I huffed out, totally exasperated. I was already tired from trying to stay upright in this damn rain, I certainly wasn't in the mood to deal with the princess' problems.

"Don't blame her, she's having a rough time. We should be able to handle the rest of the city, right?" I still don't understand how Supes could be so calm and collected, but I decided that now wasn't the time to call Diana out on her B.S.

"Yeah, we can handle this. I think the worst of the damage is done, and everyone is inside. There shouldn't be too much to do."

After another few hours of flying around the city and keeping people and stray animals out of the rising water, the storm started to let up and we decided to call it a night. I couldn't wait to get back to the Watchtower and take a really hot shower, and go sit in the bottom of my pool and relax for a little bit.

"Oh, by the way, Diana took the jet, so unless I bring down another one you might want to go back to Gotham for the night." Superman said looking at me a little worriedly. Well there goes my plans for the night, along with the last bit of patience for the day.

"Why the hell did she take the jet? Last time I checked Diana was perfectly capable of flying to wherever she needed to go. But no, please, let's not save the jet for the girl who can't go into space without dying! No no, please, take it for yourself." I ranted, throwing my arms up in the air. Was this unprofessional? Sure. Did I care at the moment? Nope.

"Evie, she hasn't been home in 8 months. I'm sure she's homesick and wants to see her mother." Superman calmly tried to explain to me.

"Yeah? I haven't seen my mom in twelve years, but you don't see me leaving anytime soon to try and talk to her." I grumbled out. Now I was in a really bad mood, thinking that my parents and how I couldn't see them. "You know what? Forget it." I said turning away and creating a board. "I'll fly back to Gotham myself, I need to clear my head anyway." Before Superman could say a word, I was already off in the air, not being able to hear anything except my thoughts and the wind rushing past my ears.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

By the time I got home and took a shower I had managed a few hours of sleep before my earpiece went off again. "Evie, wake up." The deep voice of Superman told me. I shot out of bed, his voice startling me a little bit.

I calmed myself a little bit after I realized that nobody was in my room. "Evie!" Superman yelled again. I pressed the button to respond.

"I'm up. What's going on?" I asked him, a little grumpy from my measly three hours of sleep.

"Diana was just seen destroying a museum. I need you to meet us all there."

I started getting my uniform on and ran a brush through the mess that is currently my hair. "Okay, which museum? I can be there in 20 minutes"

"The one in Central City. Meet us on the roof once you get here." He said and with a small click I knew he had hung up. I finished getting ready, grabbed my staff, and headed toward the fire escape. I jumped on a disc and flew off as fast as I could towards Central.

I arrived there and saw that Superman, J'onn, Flash and Diana were all on the roof. I dissipated my disc and landed on the edge of the roof and walked over to them. "Of course I don't trust this Faust. But what else can I do?" Diana said with her arms crossed and a hip jutted out to the side, a classic defensive stance.

"Wow, way to start the party without me." I grumbled finally making it to the middle of the roof where they all were.

"Time is of the essence, I thought you could have been here a bit faster." Diana said to me. Really? Your ass is in trouble and you want to give me attitude? I took a step forward but I caught the look J'onn sent me and decided yelling at her wasn't worth it right now.

"I say we go back and kick that would-be sorcerer's butt." Flash said. I didn't know what sorcerer he was talking about so I stayed quiet.

"No. Men are forbidden from ever setting foot on Themyscira." Diana said quite stubbornly. Okay, what the hell is going on? I asked myself.

'Felix Faust is a sorcerer who broke into Themyscira and turned all of Diana's sisters and her mother into stone. Diana now needs to collect these artifacts and give them to Faust in order to save her mother and sisters.' J'onn spoke in my head. I jumped at first but I understood what he said. I sent J'onn a nod and a grateful smile. At least now I knew what was going on.

"Somebody should've told him that." Flash said.

"Besides, I gave my word that I would find the other relics." Diana said. Boy, for someone who wants help she sure is being stubborn about it.

"Look, the way I see it, a man already stepped foot on the island anyway therefore making the whole 'no men shall enter here' null and void anyway. If you want to save your family without being double crossed by this Faust guy then you just need to accept the help." I told her.

J'onn finally spoke up. "Evie is right, that only leaves us with one course of action. We'll have to help you." Diana smiled after he said this so I guess she finally understood she couldn't do this by herself. Why she didn't understand that when I said anything? Who knows. But thank God for J'onn.

We decided to split up in order to find the lost relics. J'onn and Flash took the jet and went one way and Superman and Diana took the other gem to find the last relic. I was about to go with J'onn and Flash when Superman stopped me.

"Evie, you should stay here, just in case something happens. That way you won't be tied down with the rest of us." I was disappointed at first. I mean, did they not think I could handle this? But with a little more thought I realized that Superman was right. Someone should stay behind in case either team needed an extra person.

I nodded, "Sure, no problem Supes." He gave me a warm smile and the four of them left, leaving me in Central City by myself. I floated up about a hundred feet above the roof and lazily flew myself around the city, waiting for anyone to call.

It was absolutely freezing and I pulled my jacket closer around me. That was really the only problem with controlling ice and water, it always made me colder than usual, which is one of the reasons that I wore the jacket in the first place. I don't know how Diana does it, wearing practically nothing. I would turn blue and shatter into a million ice cubes.

*Beep Beep* I jumped again but it was only my communicator going off. "Evie here." I said.

"Why aren't you with the others?"

"Well hello to you too Bats." I said.

"Are you busy?" He asked.

"No, I'm the back up tonight. I'm not doing anything." I told him, knowing that he was probably going to make me leave the pretty clouds I was floating in and go help with something.

"Good, you can come with me." He said. "Meet me at the university in Gotham." And with that, the man hung up.

I guess I'm going to Gotham now. I started my way over and it took about 20 minutes. I probably could have been there faster, but the weather from the hurricane was still lingering and I found myself trying to fly in heavy rain. And, as if the rain wasn't bad enough, it was lightning and thundering the whole time.

I found the University and landed on the front path that led to the doors. I looked around and didn't see Batman anywhere. "Of course he would be late. The man makes me fly through a thunderstorm and he couldn't be here on time. Typical man behavior." I huffed.

"I'm not late." A voice said behind me. I jumped and whipped around, my staff already in my hand, only to see Batman behind me with a smirk across his face. All the tension drained from my body and my shoulders slumped.

"Jesus Bats," I said putting a hand over my thundering heart. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" I practically shouted at him. His smirk only got bigger and he walked past me.

"No, but I figured you deserved that since you didn't like my 'typical man behavior'." He said. I could almost see the air quotes he put in around 'typical man behavior'. Lighting flashed and illuminated the whole area in a purple-blue light.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly. "I'm running on three hours of sleep. It's been a long day." He just nodded in understanding, but he still seemed to be pleased that he had snuck up on me. "What are we doing here anyway?" I asked following behind him.

"We need to talk to a Professor Erlich. He should know something about Faust." He leaned up against a giant pillar and for the first time ever I saw him relax a little bit. "Do you think you could do something about the rain?" Apparently the rain was bothering him more than it was bothering me.

"Oh, yeah sure." I looked up and made the rain form a dome around our heads, shielding us from the incoming rain drops. "I'm sure you're perfectly capable of talking to a professor yourself. What am I doing here?"

"I figured you wouldn't want to be the backup anymore and wanted something to do."

Oh. Well that was oddly nice of him. It kind of made me uneasy. "Oh, well thanks." I said giving him a small smile. He suddenly looked past me and he pushed himself off the pillar.

"He's here, get behind the wall." I was confused for a second, why would he hide if we needed to talk to this guy? Apparently I was too slow because Batman grabbed my arm and pulled me behind him, and my sudden lack of concentration caused my water dome to fall to the ground with a big splash. Thankfully it was raining so hard the professor probably didn't notice it over the sound of the rest of the rain coming down.

This man was a stereotypical professor, from the messy white hair to the red bowtie, but he looked like a nice, sweet old man. He walked under the overhang and I saw his umbrella was inside out, probably due to the crazy blasts of wind, and he was soaked to the bone.

At this point Batman stepped out from the shadows. "Professor Erlich?" He asked. The poor man didn't even turn around to see who was behind him.

"Uh, no conferences without an appointment." He said, reaching for his keys in his pocket. "See my secretary if…ah!" The man didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before lighting flashed and he saw a giant bat shaped shadow behind him. I literally threw the palm of my hand against my forehead. Why did Bats have to be so dramatic? We only needed to ask him some simple questions, not give the man a heart attack.

The professor looked scared out of his mind as he watched Bats glide down to him, with his cape open. How the hell did he even get so high up in the first place? I rolled my eyes again. Batman landed and stood up to his tallest height, with his cape around him. He even looked a little creepy to me, especially with this storm raging on.

"Tell me about Faust." He growled out, in a deeper voice than he even used with me. He kept getting closer and closer to the professor until he was blocked my view by a black cape.

"Well, this is fun." I mumbled to myself. I couldn't hear what they were talking about so I figured there was no point in trying to spy on them anymore. I leaned against the pillar and waited until Batman told me I could leave. After about ten minutes the professor picked up his books and practically ran down the path and towards the street.

I figured that it was safe for me to come out of my hiding spot. "Sorry!" I called out to the professor but he was long gone. I turned to Bats. "Seriously? Why are you trying to give everyone heart attacks tonight? That poor man is so old he could have dropped dead!" I said walking over to the door which was now open.

"People tend to talk when they're scared." Really? That's all I'm getting? I just shook my head.

"Whatever. Did you get the information we needed?"

"Some of it, we need to go up to Faust's office for the rest." He said walking through the doors and into the hall of the building.

I followed him and got all the water off our outfits, made it into a ball, and put it outside. Batman turned his head and gave me a confused look. "What? We already scared the poor man, no need to get everything in the building wet too." I said.

"I didn't scare him that badly." He tried to deny it but one look from me and he seemed to realize just how pissed off I was.

"No more scaring old people." I said. "Now, which room is it?" I asked him looking at the directory.

"Fourth floor." He said and he started walking up the stairs. "I already contacted the others. They should be here soon." We continued walking up the stairs as I looked around at the beautiful marble walls.

"You know, I wanted to go here for college?" I don't know why I was trying small talk with Batman, but I figured he would at least listen. "Yeah, I had already decided what my major would be and everything. But when my parents died, plans changed…" I said trailing off at the end.

"You've never talked about your parents before." He said, surprising me that he would even say anything at all.

"Yeah well, it isn't exactly my favorite subject, you know?" I shrugged.

"Yeah, I do." He said quietly. My brows furrowed but before I could ask him what he meant we had stopped in front of a door. "Here, this is his office." He opened the door and we both walked in.

The room looked like a typical professor's room, with a desk, table and a few bookshelves. It wasn't until I took a closer look that I realized just how weird the room actually was. He had old relics and statues scattered everywhere, some of them were quite scary looking.

Within a few minutes the others had arrived and we were all looking around the room.

"Fascinating. Faust clearly has a great passion for learning." J'onn said.

"Yeah, learning about creepy stuff." I scoffed. I was over standing next to Bats looking at a book.

"Where did he get this stuff? Warlocks-R-Us?" Flash asked us. I turned around to see him holding a weird staff with a glass piece at the top.

"Uh, Flash…" I said but before I could say anything else there was a slight buzzing in the room.

"Don't touch that!" Batman said but he was a bit late. Flash turned towards us and a bolt of light shot out of the staff. Batman ducked, pulling me down with him as the bolt hit the wall and made a nice hole in it, right where our heads just were.

"Oops." Flash said, lowering the staff a little bit.

Batman stormed over and grabbed the staff out of his hands. "Don't touch anything!" He said. I flinched a bit when he grabbed the staff again. Right, let's not handle the magic staff with care, let's keep grabbing it. "We don't know what kind of powers we're dealing with." He said setting the staff back where Flash picked it up from.

I looked around and saw that everyone else had picked something up and were slowly putting it back down, making sure they didn't feel Batman's wrath next.

"So who is this Faust?" Superman asked. We all turned to Batman for his explanation.

"Felix Faust was once a respected professor of archaeology." He said throwing down a picture of a man with dark hair, sharp cheekbones and bright blue eyes standing in front of a wall of Egyptian hieroglyphics. He could have even been considered handsome, that is if he didn't have a crazy look in his eye.

"But when he became fascinated with the mystic arts he was kicked out of the university for his heretical ideas." Bats had moved over so he was standing in front of the window. "He swore revenge on those who mocked him and several later disappeared under mysterious circumstances." Batman had turned around and was staring at something on the wall.

We all followed his gaze and saw three stone masks of human faces, which looked exceptionally life like. My stomach lurched as I realized what happened to the mockers. "I have a pretty good idea what happened to them." Diana said.

I forced myself to look away from the masks and down at my boots. That was sick, how crazy do you have to be to not only turn people to stone, but hang their faces up on your wall where you can look at their terrified expressions all day? Faust was worse than we thought he was.

"EW!" Flash said, cringing a little bit and stepping away from the wall.

"He's mad." Superman added in, reflecting my thoughts of Faust.

"It gets worse." Bats said.

"Oh great, what else could he possibly do?" I muttered.

"I found his journal. The last entries make reference to Tartarus." He finished just as a flash of lighting lit up the room.

"The pit of lost souls." Diana said. I have to admit, I'm not her biggest fan but even I was concerned at just how scared she looked.

"Isn't that just a myth?" Superman asked her.

Diana turned away and glanced up at the vases that lined a bookshelf. "If only it were. Long ago, in ancient times my mother Hippolyta, fell in love with a God, Lord Hades. When war broke out between the Olympian Gods and their ancient foes, the Titans, Hades struck a treasonous bargain with the enemy.

"He would deliver Mount Olympus into the Titans' hands. In return he would be given dominion over all humanity. Hades tricked my mother into opening the gates of Olympus to the invading Titans. There was a battle of which the muses still sing.

"The Gods fought back and eventually prevailed. As punishment for his treachery Zeus cast Hades into the pit of Tartarus where he would rule over the dead for all eternity. And for her unwitting role in Hades' plot, my mother was charged with guarding the gateway to the underworld. To make sure the gate could never be unlocked its only key was broken up and scattered across the globe. Mother told me she kept one of the pieces in the temple, as a daily reminder of her eternal shame."

"Then these relics we've been gathering are parts of the key?" J'onn asked. Superman held up the connected parts of the key we had, but it was taken out of his hands by Flash.

"But why would Faust want it?" He asked, looking down at the key. In a flash, pun totally intended, Batman had grabbed the key out of Flash's hands and set it down on the table.

"Only one reason." Batman said.

"He wants to release Hades from the pit, doesn't he?" I asked out loud. My only response was the clicking of the stones connecting into the rest of the key.

Batman turned around and said, "He intends to use it." I just stood there in shock, not fully being able to wrap my head around the fact that we are now dealing with Gods from Olympus instead of some weird man with an obsession for creepy trinkets.

"Where is this gateway to the underworld?" Superman asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Beneath Themyscira." Diana said. Of course the door that should never be opened under any circumstance would be exactly where we would need to go with the key that unlocks said door. Not like it could have been halfway around the world under a volcano or somewhere else that was practically impossible to get to.

"Diana, you can't give Faust the key." Superman told her.

"If I don't, my mother and sisters will remain petrified forever." She tried arguing but I quickly spoke up.

"Yeah and I'm starting to feel a little sympathetic towards you, but if you give him that key then we are all gonna be turned to dust by Hades. I think there is a bigger picture we need to look at here." I said. The look she gave me probably would have killed me had J'onn not stepped in between us.

"What are you going to do, Diana?" He asked her. I wasn't being sarcastic before, I was a little sympathetic towards her. It's hard to pick between family and the rest of the world, but sometimes the best thing to do isn't the easiest thing.

She kept looking at us with such a defeated expression on her face. I sighed and stepped out from behind J'onn. "Look, we are all willing to help you Diana, you just need to be willing to break a few rules." Everyone looked at me questioningly so I just continued.

"Look I know your people don't like men, but the only way to prevent Faust from getting that key is if we all go and stop him." She looked like she was going to protest but I held up my hand to stop her. "Faust probably won't be expecting you to have anyone else with you. You have him release your mother and sisters, you hand him the key, we all pop out and take the key back from him and haul him off to a nice jail cell." I said shrugging, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

"That could work," Superman said rubbing his chin. "but we would have to work out some details first." I smiled to myself, feeling like for the first time today I had actually helped out on this case.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

We had gone over the plan a bunch of times and fine-tuned the details, but for the most part it was the plan I had come up with. We all went to the jet and headed towards Themyscira. I decided to pass the time by looking at the clouds going past us and imagining the different shapes they made. It was a game I played as a child and it always soothed me.

Within no time we had landed on Themyscira and were heading towards the main temple. I wanted to look around but I figured time was of the essence and we needed to hurry. "Okay, Diana goes in by herself, Flash covers one side, J'onn and I will cover the other and Batman and Evie will go by themselves. We all know the signal, right?" Superman whispered to us looking around.

"If we didn't know the plan the first two hundred times you asked, I'm sure we won't know it on the two hundred and first time Supes." I said patting his shoulder.

"Alright then, good luck." He said while Flash dashed off to one side of the building and Superman and J'onn went to another part. I looked at Batman and he was already grappling up the building, heading towards a hole in the roof. I followed him up on my board, and we both climbed through the hole and hid on the shoulder of a giant women with an owl on her shoulder.

Sorry Athena, I thought to myself. Batman and I kneeled down and saw Diana rush in the room and confront Faust. We couldn't really hear what they were saying but we saw Faust turn around and hold up a circular object that glowed. After he held it up to a statue of a woman, the 'statue' became a real life woman who collapsed on the ground. Faust had turned around and picked up the key while Diana went to check on her woman, who I assumed was her mother.

Faust turned back around and held up the circular disc to Diana and her mother, but with a blur of red, the disc was out of his hands and into Flash's.

"That's our cue." I whispered. Batman grappled down to the ground, and hit Faust in the face and I hovered down next to him.

"You brought men here? To Themyscira?" Diana's mother asked her. I rolled my eyes and turned around.

"Yeah, be lucky she did or else you would still be a statue." I growled out. I was slowly running out of patience for princesses and gods today.

"Did you really think she'd trust a scum like you?" Batman asked Faust who was currently laying on the ground holding his jaw. Superman and J'onn flew out of their hiding spaces and flanked Batman on either side.

"It's over Faust. Come along quietly." Superman said.

"Never!" he said, throwing a bolt of light from his hands, causing the men to scatter themselves.

"Here we go again." I mumbled. I pulled my staff off my side and extended it to its full height. Faust kept trying to take out different members, but the blast didn't do anything to Superman and Flash was too fast to get hit by the lights.

I guess Faust realized this because just as Flash was heading towards him, Faust broke up pieces of the ground and Flash tripped over them and rolled across the room. I rolled my eyes, for the fastest man on Earth he sure was the clumsiest.

While Faust was watching Flash, J'onn shoved Faust down some stairs, causing him to drop the key. I moved forward and stood next to J'onn. As soon as Faust recovered he threw a bolt at J'onn but it went straight through him. Frustrated, Faust conjured up a bigger ball of energy and through it our way. I dove to the side and sat up, making sure that no one was hurt. It appeared that no one was hurt.

Straight across from me Batman was thrown forward and landed on the ground. I saw a movement next to him and I saw a column about to topple and fall on him. My heart lurched into my throat as I saw that he wouldn't be able to move out of the way in time. I scrambled to get on my feet to try to help him, but thankfully Superman was quick enough to catch the column before it could fall.

I let out the breath I had been holding in, and looked around for Faust. I saw him running towards the doors with the key in his hand. "Oh no you don't." I said. I threw some water at him and created a sheet of ice.

His feet went flying out from under him and he was thrown up in the air by his momentum, but before he landed a wire flew through the air and wrapped around him. I looked back and saw Batman struggling to pull Faust forward. Diana joined the fight and decided to pull out her lasso and help pull Faust.

I looked back at Faust just in time to see a purple light fly up the length of the cords and electrocute both Batman and Diana. They both flew back with a yell and laid on the ground. I ran back towards them and kneeled next to their heads.

"Are you guys alright?" I asked. Before they could answer there was a rumbling coming from the ground and four tentacle looking vines came out of the ground and wrapped themselves around Superman and Flash. "I hate magic." I grumbled.

By this time Bats and Diana were moving so I left them and went to go help the others. Flash had picked up a sword and tried slashing the plants, so I made an ice sword of my own and stood next to him, trying to help.

"Anybody got some weed killer?" He asked, right before a vine wrapped around his waist and hauled him in the air.

"Now isn't the time to be funny, Flash." I called up to him. My yelling cost me, cause the second I looked up at him the vine wrapped around me, causing me to drop my sword and I was hoisted into the air.

Did I mention these vines have thorns? Cause they do. And they hurt. A lot. I tried prying the vine off me but there was no use. I looked around and saw J'onn, Flash, and Superman were all hanging from a vine, all of them being completely useless. I tried conjuring up more ice but I was swinging around so much that I couldn't make a proper form.

Apparently Diana and Bats had joined the fight because I heard Diana call out to her mother and her voice was directly underneath the vine that was holding me up. A little help here? I thought, but she was going to be too distracted by her mother to be any help to us.

I was being thrown around some more and I was starting to feel a little motion sick. Everything was just a colorful blur and it was all moving too fast. Suddenly, the vine holding me up became very brittle and it snapped, sending me falling to the floor.

I hit the ground and I felt all the air leave my lungs. I closed my eyes as I waited for the ringing in my ears to subside and I tried taking in deep breaths. When I opened them a minute later, Batman was standing over me.

"Are you ok?" He asked, looking over my body for injuries. I suddenly became very self-conscious and sat up quickly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I weakly said. Bats held out his hand and I grabbed it and he pulled me up. "Thanks." I muttered.

Batman looked to the other side of the room where some of the others were gathered. "Faust is gone. And he took the key and Hippolyta."

"Great." I said. We both walked over to the others to see what they were looking at. There was a small crater of dust on the ground, where Faust must have made when he teleported himself out of the building. Bats bent down and rubbed his fingers through the dirt and rubbed them together, as if he could tell what kind of dirt it was just from the sight of it.

"There's only one place they could have gone. Follow me." Diana said quietly and started walking towards one of the walls of the chamber. We all looked at each other and then followed her.

She took a torch off the wall and walked over to a door that blended in with the surrounding walls. She pressed a concrete slab on the wall, and it sunk in, revealing a dark stairway that headed down into the Earth.

Diana went first into the tunnel lighting the way, followed by Batman, Me, Flash, Superman and J'onn.

I looked around at the walls and marveled at the marble designs.

"Woah, what's that smell?" Flash asked. I sniffed a little and realized the stairwell did have a weird smell, almost as if something had been out in the sun for too long.

"Don't ask." Diana said, responding a little too quickly for my liking. If she didn't want to tell us then I wasn't even going to think about what it was.

We went down what seemed to be thousands of stairs until we reached the bottom and it walked to a giant cavern, full of crumbling structures and stones. As we walked closer to the edge of the cliff I saw that an entire city was here, wasted away to rubble and dust.

Suddenly the floor started to shake and there was a large grinding noise, as if two giant rocks were sliding against each other. We headed to where the sounds were coming from and saw that a giant mechanism was opening a very ancient looking door.

"Uh oh." I said. Everyone sprang into action. Superman grabbed Batman and held him as he flew. J'onn grabbed my arm and carried me. I didn't mind and I guess in this case it was a little quicker than flying.

"Hera help us." Diana said. Suddenly the doors opened and a bright yellow light shined through, temporarily blinding me. The light was so bright it was like looking into the sun. I immediately felt he temperature in the room heat up. That probably won't be the best thing for me, I can feel it now.

Suddenly a dark figured stepped out of the light. His silhouette was tall and broad, like he was perfectly muscular. I was hoping he was wearing a helmet, at least I hoped it was a helmet. It had red eyes and two giant horns coming from the top of its head.

We couldn't hear what they were saying, but Faust had kneeled down in respect for his master, and then he gestured to Hippolyta. The man finally took off his mask to reveal quite a handsome face. He had dark hair, the darkest shade of black that I had ever seen. He had a neatly trimmed goatee that accentuated sharp cheekbones and a strong jaw. All in all he looked quite handsome, I can see how Hippolyta could love him.

Hades leaned in and touched Hippolyta's face, squeezing her chin so that she was forced to look at him. Thankfully the little love fest ended when Faust walked over and interrupted them.

By this time we had stopped flying and were hiding behind some pieces of rock, at least all of us except Diana. She flew down and hid behind a pillar close to her mother. Suddenly Hades touched Faust and with a scream he became an ancient looking man. Faust fell to the ground and I looked down in disgust.

"Good Lord." Superman said, apparently feeling just as awed as I was. At this point, Diana must have had enough because she ran from behind her hiding place and grabbed a sword out of a long dead soldier's chest.

She jumped over the column holding her mother and broke her chains, letting her free. Hippolyta slid down and landed on her feet. Hades looked confused for a second, but then he smiled. Not a nice smile either, but one of those 'I'm going to kill you' smiles.

He stepped forward and said something, then he opened his mouth and with a roar he blew a fireball out of his mouth. It hit a column that Diana and her mother ducked behind for cover.

"Are you kidding me? This guy breathes fire now too?!" I asked to no one in particular, but Flash grunted in agreement. Hades stepped through the smoke and flames and he appeared to have grown in size. He was now towering over Diana.

"I wonder if she's as loving as her mother." He said, his voice now echoing off the walls of the cavern. Suddenly Superman flew out and gave an uppercut to Hades, but it only made him stumble back a little bit. Superman went in for another hit but he was met with a backhand that sent him flying and he landed in a pile of rocks.

A whoosh went past my head and headed straight for Hades. It was a batarang, and I knew that it wasn't going to do us a bit of good. Unfortunately I was right, Hades caught it and looked at it curiously. The batarang exploded and when the smoke cleared Hades was walking forward without a scratch on his body.

Batman threw another one but Hades deflected it and it exploded behind him. The rest of us knew it was our turn, so Flash and J'onn raced forward and I followed behind them. Flash raced around Hades trying to throw in a punch, but he didn't feel anything.

Hades must have had enough because he blew a column of fire at Flash. Flash, of course, outran it and said something about breath mints. I don't know, I was too busy to pay attention. I tried freezing his fire, hoping that the cold would stop him. I started freezing the area around him, but Hades barely acknowledged me as he threw up a hand, which caught me in my ribs and sent me flying through the air about twenty feet. I landed on the ground with a thud as the breath was knocked out of me again.

I rolled over onto my stomach and kneeled, trying to force air into my lungs again. I saw Hippolyta had grabbed some weapons and was stalking toward Hades, with a murderous look in her eyes.

"You dare to challenge a God?" Hades yelled out. He threw his hands up and the rocks that he was standing on jutted up into the air. It was silent for a half second, and then something grabbed my ankle. I jumped, effectively loosening the grip on whatever had me and I threw a slice of water at it, cutting off a hand.

"Ew! Ew ew ew ew!" I said, trying to shake the remainder of the hand off my ankle. Then two more arms came out of the ground and grabbed my knees. I immediately swung my staff down and sliced the hand off at the wrist. I flew onto a board and levitated off the ground, enough that nothing that came out of the ground would be able to grab me.

"Is this guy seriously fighting us using dead guys?" I shouted.

Corpses started popping out of the ground, wearing ancient Greek outfits. These bodies were rotted, practically skeletons, with red lights in their eye sockets. I watched as Batman and Flash were both pulled down to the ground.

"Behold, the fate of all heroes." Hades said, standing proudly on his mound with his arms cross. I threw an ice dagger at him, hoping to catch him by surprise. Of course, the God caught my crystal and threw it back at me, with an even deadlier accuracy than what I had. I had seconds to react, so I jumped off my board and fell to the ground.

It was a stupid decision really, because as soon as I landed I was immediately grabbed my rotted hands. I looked up and saw that these things were not only coming out of the ground, but through tunnels in the walls and in different crypts that I hadn't noticed before.

This army of the undead came charging at us and soon I was surrounded by hundreds of them. I ripped my arms from the grips of the ones that were holding me, and tried to fight them off. It worked for the first three zombie things but after that I kept getting more and more overpowered.

I saw Superman fly over me and went to flash. Then I saw Batman using his grapple to get high above the zombies. "Well, I guess it's up to me then." I said, since no one was coming for me. I kicked a zombie so he bent over, then I jumped on his shoulders and as high into the air as I could. I was able to form an ice board under me and I flew to the ceiling, trying to get the feeling of dead people off me.

From the air I was able to freeze whole blocks of these things together, although with the heat the fires were creating, it didn't look like they would stay frozen for too long. But I figured that it would buy me enough time to try and find a way to stop this army.

After I had frozen about five blocks of these soldiers I looked over just in time to see Hades throw another ball of fire at Batman and J'onn. Without thinking I flew over and put up a giant wall of ice. It bought them a few seconds, but it was no use. My wall broke from the impact of the blast. My board melted as well, so I stumbled on the ground but I kept running.

A few seconds later the impact of the blast caught up with us and we were thrown through the air. When I hit the ground I flipped over and must have hit my head on something because when I landed next to Batman I saw stars dance in front of my eyes. I laid there for a minute, trying to get my bearings straight.

I heard Hades laughing in the background, but I couldn't make out what he said after that. Everything in my head was spinning and ringing, I couldn't even open my eyes. I felt a hand on my shoulder and on instinct I flipped over, grabbing the hand about to throw it off me.

"Evie!" Batman shouted at me. He must have been talking to me for a while, but due to the ringing I couldn't hear him. After another moment the ringing in my ears had finally stopped and I could hear him now. "Are you okay?" He asked, looking at my head.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just hit my head." I said. "That's the second time you've helped me up today." I said.

"Don't make it three." He said. He helped me stand up and we looked at Hades, who was encased in a blue light. The blue light vanished, but in its place stood Hades, but he looked even worse than before. Now he had a cat-like face with horns coming out of his head and three tongues sticking out of his mouth like three snakes.

"Man, today just sucks." I said. Batman just looked at me and pulled me over to the side.

"Stay here." He said and he tried walking away. Stay here? I don't think so.

I reached forward and grabbed his arm. "And why the hell am I staying here?"

"You're hurt." He said. Apparently he thought that explained everything.

"Everyone is getting hurt Bats. I'm not sitting out just cause I hit my head." I said. He tried giving me his famous bat glare, but I glared at him right back. Another rumble shook the place as Diana was thrown into a column and slammed to the ground. Ouch.

"Fine, but you stay with me. Understand?" He growled. I nodded and let go of his arm, which I was still holding onto. Oops.

Bats turned around and began to run, dodging in and out of the shadows, trying to stay out of sight. I don't understand how he does that all the time but that is really hard! We were moving closer to where Diana, Hippolyta, and Hades were.

Suddenly Diana flew over to the opening of the door and landed in front of the key. Hippolyta was thrown down by Hades and he kneeled over her, pinning her arms above her head. What did she even see in this guy anyway?

"Diana, destroy the key!" Hippolyta yelled out to her. Hades knocked Hippolyta out, got up and ran over to Diana, who was struggling with the key. Just before he got there, Diana had lifted the key up over her head and turned around to face him.

"No!" Hades yelled out reaching for Diana.

"Back to the pit, you monster." She yelled, throwing the key down and it shattered into pieces. A bright golden light flew up from the broken key and into the doorway of the underworld. A spiral was formed and it started sucking everything into it.

Hades was trying to scratch and claw at the ground, anything to avoid being sucked into the pit. I dug my feet into the ground but I was still slowly being sucked in. I looked over at Batman and saw that he was trying to hold onto the pillar we were in front of.

The suction was increasing with each second. I looked back and saw that Bats was struggling just as much as I was. Suddenly his feet slipped out from under him and he went flying towards the opening.

"No!" I yelled out, letting go to the post I was holding onto and I was being sucked with him. The doorway was approaching faster and faster and I wanted to close my eyes. The heat coming from the doors was incredible. If hell doesn't kill me, the heat will, I thought, knowing that it was probably going to be my last thought on this earth.

Suddenly a hand grabbed my waist and I felt myself being pulled away from the force of the wind. I looked up and yet again, Batman had come to save the day. The man had somehow been able to shoot a grapple, have it wrap around a column, grabbed me, and was now holding on for dear life so we both weren't sucked down into an eternal pit of fire.

"What were you thinking, letting go?" He shouted at me. I rolled my eyes. Even in the face of being sent to hell he would still have something to be angry over.

"You told me to stay with you, so I did." I yelled back, grinning cause I knew he would probably get pissed off at that answer. Suddenly the wind died down to a stop and Bats and I land on our feet. I looked over at him he had a small smirk on his face.

Something deep inside of me hoped he was smiling at what I said, but the more reasonable side of me said he was just happy to be alive.

We looked over at the door and saw all the gears shifting back and locking themselves. Diana and Hippolyta were kneeling in a pile in front of the door, trying to catch their breaths.

I looked around the room at the damage that had been done, and thought about the fact that a Greek God was almost released and wanted to destroy humanity. "I don't know about you guys, but I think I'm gonna need a lot of alcohol tonight." I said. Flash started chuckling, then J'onn, then Supes. Of course, Batman was too cool to laugh, but I swore he nodded his head in agreement.

After a few minutes, all of us headed back up the stairs that led us out of the cavern. Well, I didn't walk. I had persuaded Flash to give me a piggy back ride all the way up. It was nice, not having to walk up a bazillion stairs.

We go up to the entrance to see that all of Diana's sisters were still stone. The magic hadn't been revered and Faust was long gone. Hippolyta buried her face in her hands. Poor woman, she had been through so much in the past day, I would have been a hysterical mess by now.

"Is there nothing we can do for them?" J'onnn asked.

"I still have this snake-headed doohickey." Flash said, pulling the medusa medallion out of his pocket.

"But only Faust knew the spells. Without him…" J'onn said, but he stopped when the sun rose and hit the medallion. It started glowing and flashing and it must have become hot because Flash dropped it, yelling ow.

The medallion continued to glow until it was so bright I had to shield my eyes. When I opened them, the previous stone figures turned into woman.

"But how?" Flash asked.

"Faust's enchantment could only last as long as he willed it." Batman said.

"So now that he's gone, the spell is broken." Diana said, looking around at all of her sisters. I looked back at Flash and I thought his jaw was going to hit the floor. All these beautiful woman and he was right in the middle of them. It must have been a dream come true.

"It's a miracle." Diana said, hugging her mother.

"Athena be praised." Hippolyta said looking around at her island. I, personally, was glad that her sisters were okay and everything but at that point in time I really just wanted to get home. My three hours of sleep was catching up to me and my head had started to throb again.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

We were getting ready to leave the island when Hippolyta decided to have a ceremony for us on the beach. We were in the middle of the ceremony when my eyelids were growing heavy and I was having a hard time staying awake.

"And for your brave assistance against the sorcerer, Faust, and the mad God, Hades, you have earned our eternal gratitude." Hippolyta said. She was sitting on her throne and she looked exactly like a queen should have looked.

"Did you hear that? Eternal gratitude. After she hands out the medals how about you and me taking a private tour of paradise?" Flash said to the Amazonian guard standing next to him. I reached over and slapped his chest lightly.

"Stop flirting with the Amazons." I mumbled.

"She wants me." Flash said.

"Yeah, sure." I said, just as J'onn said "Indeed."

"Before you leave please accept these royal offerings." Hippolyta said, ending whatever Flash was going to say next. Diana and some other Amazonians stepped forward and gave us golden wreaths to wear around our heads. I held mine, not wanting to put it on. Knowing my luck I would break it.

"You are all truly heroes." Hippolyta told us. Well, that's nice to be acknowledge for your work every once in a while.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Superman said, bowing respectfully as he spoke. I leaned my head on J'onn's shoulder. This whole thing was taking too long.

"Diana, Princess of Themyscira, stand forth." The queen said to her daughter. Diana stood in front of her and bowed her head respectfully. "As your mother I am overjoyed that you have finally returned to us." Uh oh, there sounds like there is a giant 'but' coming here. I stood up straighter, waiting for what she was going to say.

"But as your queen I am obliged to uphold the laws of Themyscira. And in bringing these outsiders to our island you have broken our most sacred law. This cannot be overlooked." She said, looking sternly at her daughter, but behind the cold mask I could see that this was killing her to say it just as much as it was hurting Diana to hear it.

"But, mother…" Diana tried protesting but Hippolyta stopped her by holding up her hand.

"Diana, I have no choice. It is with a heavy heart that I must exile you… from Themyscira" She said while standing up from her throne.

I shook my head and looked down at my boots. This was totally unfair. Flash stepped forward, and I tried to grab his arm to pull me back but I couldn't grab him quick enough.

"You can't do that! She risked her butt to save all of you." He said pointing up at the Queen. "She…Hey!" Four different spears were pointed at him and he quieted down.

"Please, she did this because she loves you." Superman tried pleading with the queen. "You can't punish her for that."

"No, mother's right." Diana said quietly. "I did break the law and I humbly accept your judgment." She looked up at her mother for the last time. "The fates were against us mother." She said, her eyes filling with tears. "Goodbye." She said, turning away towards the jet.

The look in Hippolyta eyes broke my heart. She looked like she wanted to take it all back and run down and hug her daughter, but her duties as a queen came first.

"Present arms!" One of the guards called out. The warriors lined up and held their spears out, their way of saluting Diana, and saying goodbye.

"That's it? You're just gonna walk away?" Flash yelled again.

"Flash, stop it." I whispered, grabbing his arm but he just shrugged me off.

"This is so bogus." Flash said turning to Hippolyta. Suddenly an arm reached past me and grabbed Flash's arm.

"Don't make this harder than it already is." Batman said to him. We all walked back to the jet, but Diana stopped at the bottom of the ramp. She stayed quite still for a minute, then with her head held high, she walked into the jet and didn't look back.

I walked on after Bats did, and I found my seat. I buckled myself in and leaned my head against the window. I felt the stress from the day fall onto my shoulders, exhausting me even more. Diana will see her again, their bond is too strong to be broken, was the last thought I had before I fell asleep.