#guess if you pull a wit and cover everything with a cool fight scene people dont see or care to see anything else

[theysangastheyslew]

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[quazartranslates]

Welcome to the Nightmare Game II - CH36

**This is an edited machine translation. For more information, please [click here]**

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Chapter 36: Star Death Reality Show (XIX) {cw: gore}

After being preached to about gods, Lara was silent and did not dare to talk to Qi Leren as they walked.

Qi Leren’s heart was still thinking about Dr. Lu and Du Yue, and at that time he was silent. After cutting off the power supply in the underground laboratory, he had returned to the laser corridor. Although the door to the corridor was open, Dr. Lu and Du Yue were gone. Outside this door was Jing Siyu's basement, where there were traces of fighting. Qi Leren guessed that someone had entered the basement whom Dr. Lu had judged to be a threat. It was not clear which side won, but both sides had left the scene, and it was indistinguishable whether they had returned to the surface or entered the underground research institute.

Earlier, he had entered the underground research institute, but Dr. Lu and Du Yue had been locked out. These two people must have been looking for ways to enter the underground research institute everywhere, and they also met Lara and the others. Later, Dr. Lu had used his talent of "treasure hunting expert" and found another ID card, so he opened the door.

It was already 11 o'clock on the fourth night. According to the amphioctopus’s parasitic tendencies, except Xue Jiahui who was killed by Qi Leren, the remaining three amphioctopuses may or may not have finished one round of parasitism. Now, the total number of amphioctopuses should be between three to six.

The larval body had no fighting power, and could even be eaten by other octopuses in a competitive state, so the enemies he needed to face at present were only three mature octopuses.

Qi Leren quietly caught a glimpse of Lara. On the way to Lara's house, he had been ready to face two octopuses at the same time, because Xue Jiahui had been infected the previous night. After one day, the octopus in her body had matured. On the third night, she should have infected one person. Qi Leren felt that Lara, who had been taking care of her, was the most suspect.

However, when he sneaked into Laura's house and overheard her and Xue Jiahui's speech, he temporarily ruled out Laura's suspicion and just killed Xue Jiahui on the spot. But if Laura wasn't parasitic, who would it be?

"Who has seen Xue Jiahui in the last day?" Qi Leren asked.

"Jing Siyu, Jing Sixue, and Francis," Lara said, her face turned white. "Do you mean..."

"Were any of them in your room between 8:00 and midnight last night?" Qi Leren asked, roughly calculating when the octopus would have become parasitic.

"...Francis. He had come many times, mainly to see me... I... I asked him to take care of Xue Jiahui..." Lara's face became pale and almost ghostly.

The two walked in the snow, and only their footsteps and breathing were left in the quiet space between heaven and earth. Lara swallowed saliva hard and asked in a hoarse voice: "Has he already..."

Qi Leren nodded his head.

The cold wind blew and froze the tears that had just flowed out of her eyes. Lara covered her face and breathed hard, and the exhaled hot air was frozen into a white mist amidst the snow and ice. She was shaking, and even a temperature-regulating suit could not warm her frozen heart at the moment.

Qi Leren was taken by Lara's emotional state, and he couldn't help feeling sorry for her. But her strength is beyond Qi Leren’s imagination. In less than a few minutes, she calmed down, and only her reddish eyes exposed her heart.

"I see, if he really becomes a monster, I... I... I will... I will," Lara resolutely said.

Qi Leren thought, and thought, and thought.

What if it was him? Could he make a decision like Lara’s?

"You don't have to make a decision now. You’ll never know your choice until that moment," Qi Leren said to Lara, as if he were talking to himself.

No one could easily make such a difficult choice. No matter how many plans there are before things happen, it’s not necessarily rationality that makes people decide. Maybe the righteous would become deserters, but the cowardly would become heroes, who knows?

In the extremely bright night, two people who didn't need additional lighting arrived at Annie's house smoothly. The lights inside were off, but Qi Leren didn't dare to take it lightly. Mark was the first person to be parasitized, and the second was Xue Jiahui. On the third day, one of the two victims was Francis and the other was Annie. Aware of the terrible amphioctopus, she had still cooperated with Mark, the parasitized person. Her position was not innocent.

Whether she was parasitized or not, breaking into Annie's house was bound to be a great risk. If the octopus in her body had matured, Qi Leren couldn't think of a good way to catch her by surprise.

"Take this, you hide. If you hear me call your name from inside, throw this into the window and then run away." Qi Leren gave Lara a hand grenade, which had been taken from the institute, and instructed her on how to use it.

Lara was uneasy: "Can you handle it?"

Qi Leren showed that kind of sage-like smile again, paving the way for his "miracle": "Don't worry, God will bless me."

Although Qi Leren's expression and tone at this time was very confident, it still couldn't completely reassure Lara. After all, she had witnessed the "Apostle of God" being hit on the back by an exploded door not long ago, which seriously damaged his credibility. Laura looked at Qi Leren full of worries, hoping that the injury wouldn’t affect his combat effectiveness.

Qi Leren was stressed by Lara's gaze, so he had to jolt himself into taking action. He turned to look for the window he had used to sneak into Annie's house last time. The last time, they had a hard time climbing up, but after his near-death breakthrough in the laser corridor, Qi Leren felt that he could climb in by himself without help.

Indeed, Qi Leren was as agile as a cat, climbing the notches on the outer wall, and the strength in his arms easily supported his body, pulling himself up the wall to climb to the window sill on the second floor and sneak into this quiet house.

The room was dark, and the light outside the window wasn’t enough to illuminate it. However, after the shell was broken, Qi Leren's eyesight was significantly enhanced, and he could see the environment clearly. There was no one in the room, so he quietly opened the door, holding the revolver in both hands, and walked forward against the wall.

Annie seldom left her house, but at this time she was most likely looking for the next parasitic prey. Whether she was here or not, she would surely come back.

Qi Leren quickly searched the second floor of the house. Annie wasn’t here, so he came to the first floor again and still found nothing.

Now there were only two possibilities. She was out foraging, or she was in the basement.

But if he wanted to enter the basement, it was too dangerous to crawl down the pipe. He didn't forget how he had ambushed Annie when she had climbed down the pipe before.

Qi Leren was caught in a dilemma. Although waiting could give him an answer, he didn't have much time to delay here. He would continue to look for Dr. Lu and Du Yue.

Let's go to the attic, Qi Leren thought. He found the hidden ladder on the second floor’s ceiling and entered the attic.

That special floor panel in the attic was there, just lift it up...

With a "click" sound, the floor was suddenly pushed and lifted from the inside. Annie suddenly was crouched there. Qi Leren’s mind raced—should he throw a bomb immediately or test the waters first?

Panic broke out in two very different creatures at the same time. Annie screamed, and Qi Leren dove to the ground, but didn’t forget to pull out his gun and pull the trigger to shoot—Bang! Bang!

Three consecutive shots hit the nearby target. Annie's beautiful head had been blown into a broken watermelon. Without the command of her brain, she failed to support her body. She immediately fell into the pipe and fell back down to the basement. However, Qi Leren knew that it was not dead, its brain was only broken. For it, this is just like a hermit crab that has lost its temporary residence. Its vitality was tenacious enough and its fighting capacity was amazing.

Qi Leren almost held his breath. He took out a grenade and threw it into the pipe, and then ran away, squatting in the corner with his head in his hands.

After an earth-shattering noise, the whole house shook a few times, and then everything was silent again.

You must be dead now, right? Qi Leren guessed that this hand grenade should be enough to kill the octopus. If Mark was down there, it would be a perfect double kill.

Qi Leren waited on it for ten minutes before returning to the pipe’s opening that led to the basement, looking down. It was dark and silent below. He hesitated for a moment, making sure he didn't have the tracking camera on, then he took out a long rope from the item bar and tied it, and stepped on the iron ladder that had become fragile after the explosion.

It was dark in the basement, and in this unlit environment, you couldn't see anything without turning on the lights. Qi Leren smelled the hot and smoky air after the explosion, and reached out and touched the handgun in his pocket…

The Rain-Day Laundry skill hadn’t cooled down after the laser corridor, and it was impossible for it to give him an early warning. But in this deep-sea darkness, Qi Leren's intuition screamed in his mind, danger! Danger! Danger!

At this moment, the reaction forced on him by Chen Baiqi torture made Qi Leren fall to the ground, and something heavy flew over his head and slammed against the wall.

It wasn’t dead yet! Qi Leren’s mind screamed. S/L hadn't cooled down yet. In this case, he had only one life!

Darkness was obviously not an obstacle to the amphioctopus. It started to attack relentlessly in the darkness. Even if his intuition was sensitive again, being passive right now would make him lose. Qi Leren turned on his flashlight and threw it out. Only by this light did he see around.

Needless to say, the octopus that had broken free from its human shell was waving its tentacles freely, grabbing up the rubble on the ground and throwing it at Qi Leren. It didn't rush up to attack because it was kind, but because after the explosion, a huge rock was pressing down more than half of its body, making it unable to move.

Looking at the immobile enemy in front of him, Qi Leren was greatly relieved. He got up from the ground and easily avoided the stones it threw. After the light came on, its crazy attack with only two tentacles seemed to be like a child’s unreasonable protest.

It seems that my luck is really good this time, Qi Leren thought, aiming the revolver at the monster that had once lived in Annie's body, and he fired three shots. The monster was dying, and dark brown mucus flowed all over the floor, but its vitality was still tenacious, almost like an immortal monster.

When the bullet chamber was empty, Qi Leren had to stop and load the revolver while walking around and dodging the stones thrown at him. He even had the leisure to think about where Mark had gone.

Did it go out to find a new host? Originally, he had thought that Mark would continue to dig out the stones here and aim to quickly clear the passage so it could enter the underground research institute.

.....So this was already done.

Qi Leren stepped forward, circumvented the obstacles, and looked deep into the basement. The channel that had been blocked by collapsed stones had been pried open, revealing a hole more than one meter wide. Qi Leren was frightened, and he suddenly understood why He Yi hadn’t turned off the power in time when he left the laser corridor—because he had met a difficult opponent.

And at this moment, the opponent was standing at the end of the hole, holding a single rocket launcher powerful enough to blow the basement to ruins!

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[thirstystarkey]

HATE CAN SOUND LIKE LOVE • JJ MAYBANK

Summary: JJ and Y/N have always fought, since everyone can remember. They both have short tempers and a endless love for surf and chaos. But what happens when they have to pretend to be a couple? Well.. people always said that hate can sound like love sometimes.

Warnings: Mention of underage drinking, drugs, minor violence, some smutty scenarios and a ton of sexual induendos, JJ being a hot idiot and Y/N a wild girl brat

CHAPTER 19

The midsummers party was just around the corner, in fact it was happening in a few hours but Y/N couldn’t bring herself to find within her the strength to get up and get ready, she even thought about faking the flu which didn’t work since her mom knew her best than everyone else in the face of the earth.

A soft knock echoed through the room, the sun was just setting and decorated everything in shades of orange and pink, her mom made her way to her daughter’s bed seeing how unhappy Y/N had been in the last few days broke her heart. Y/N wasn’t the type of girl to stay more than a few days at home without her friends but since JJ got arrested and his father went to pick him up angrily she hadn’t left home nor she had seen her friends pretty much, surfing had the same end.

“Darling.” Her mom called, playing hit her curls. “I know you are sad and don’t want to go but it’s really important that you do. Being outside, seeing your friends who miss you and especially get some fresh air.” She tried to convince Y/N who sat up to look at her mom properly. Her dark circles more prodominant.

“Can’t I just stay home?” Y/N begged without emotion.

“No Y/N come on and you need to take a shower and get ready.” Her mom ordered. “Your dress was a expensive, pretty expensive and I don’t have that money to sit dead in a closet so make good use of it.”

Y/N rolled her eyes once sher mom left, not that she was round she wasn’t but at that moment Y/N preferred to be sucked into a black hole than shower and get all fancy for a stupid event but she disinterested want to upset her mom either since she knew all the struggles she dealt with duo to the money.

“Guess I don’t have an option this time.” Y/N said defetead once the warm water hit her body, leaving goosebumps all over her shoulders. It felt nice and Y/N needed some self care.

After the shower she stepped out of the bathroom to find her dress laid out in her bed waiting for her. Her mom thought everything through. It was a beautiful dress that Y/N couldn’t argue, the soft shade of blue was her favorite color and remained her of a calm day at the ocean she so dearly missed.

Y/N stepped into the dress, getting a look at the full body mirror. She smiled at herself patting the full skirt of the dress thinking about JJ, she wanted him to be there, to see her in that dress, she wanted to see him and tell him everything was okay but she knew it wouldn’t happen that night since he had invatition to the midsummers party.

“You look beautiful.” Her mom bursted out once she saw her daughter, coming down the stairs.

“Don’t cry please mom.” Y/N joked.

Even though the midsummers was going well and Y/N was reunited with her friends she still felt uneasy in the kooks land. Sarah apologized to her for her brother maniac idea, that didn’t brought JJ back to her but still helped to ease the pain in her heart and she knew Sarah was nothing like her brother, she was a sweet girl.

“You look so beautiful!” Kiara hugged her for the trillion time that night.

“Thank you Kie, you look absolutely gorgeous too.” She laughed feeling Kiara’s arma crush her.

“How are you dealing with everything?” She asked.

“I don’t know.” Y/N shrugged her shoulders watching her friends party from a distance as she and Kiara sat to cool down. “I really miss him you know, I miss him taunting me and I miss being with him.” Y/N confessed.

“You like him don’t you?” Kiara questioned bluntly.

“Kiara!” Y/N slapped her arm.

“C’mon!! You can tell me anything!” Kiara begged.

“Yes. I guess I do.” Y/N said fast. “Wait I do know, I like JJ, I have feelings for him.”

“I knew it!” Kiara screamed catching some people’s attention who were near by. “You’ve always had feelings for each other, I saw it and I was sure way way back.”

“Sure, Sherlock Holmes.” Y/N laughed. “I just wish he was here.”

“Yeah... I miss JJ too.” Kiara agreed. “Come on, lets dance!” She tried to cheer up Y/N by puller her up on her feet again pushing her by the hand to the middle of her friends.

Y/N danced around with Sarah and Kiara for a few minutes before John B appeared, he was there since he was dating Sarah, he had a sly smirk on his face was he pulled Y/N to spin.

“You need to go inside.” He said. “There’s someone who wants to talk to you.” John B winked at her.

“No way.” She said covering her mouth. Feeling a rush of adrenaline through her body.

“Yes.” John B laughed. “Come on, go before he gets in trouble!”

Y/N didn’t answer, being go excited to even process a coherent phrase, she ran straight inside where the indoor bar took place. For her surprise she found JJ Maybank there, behind the bar, pretending to work as one of the catering guys. The bar was empty, for her luck.

“What will you desire mademoiselle?” He asked, with a big smile. Seeing her after almost a week apart, they never been so long without each other not even when they “hated” each other.

She ran to him, hugging him tightly. It didn’t felt real at all, so she made sure to really press herself against him, finding a sweet spot to nestle her head where his neck met his shoulder.

“I missed you so much stupid ass mop head.” Y/N whimper into his skin.

“I know I know, I missed you being a brat as usual.” He mocked, hugging her even more, hands moving all along her back. “You have no idea how bad I missed you.” He whispered.

“Don’t disappear again please.” Y/N closed her eyes at the familiar scent of JJ.

“Baby I was arrested, I didn’t disappear.” He joked pulling away. “I’m here now, I’m not going anywhere.” He assured her grabbing her face, but her loving expression changed to a worried one once she got a better look at his wounded face.

“Did Shoup do that?” Y/N questioned terrified as she brushed one finger through his slightly bruised cheek, scared to hurt him.

“Oh, this? No.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I was my dad, you know, he was that right jab.” JJ said like it wasn’t a big deal but for Y/N it felt like her whole world tremble beneath her feet. “Can really snap it off at times.” He added but Y/N didn’t took it.

“Looks more than a jab to me JJ.” She said serious even though her voice was shaky.

JJ sighed pulling her into an embrace again, he caressed her hair, calming her for a bit before kissing her forehead. “You don’t have to worry about this and a mean it Y/N.”

“But I worry about you.” She said headstrong.

“I forgot how stubborn you are.” JJ teased her.

“Good cause I’ll always be.”

Before JJ had time to answer Rafe and his minions entered the room, surprising them.

“Why don’t you get me something to drink, my friend.” Rafe demanded, making Y/N stomach turn.

“Your bed time already passed, my dear kook friend.” JJ teased stepping in front of Y/N.

“I can kick your ass back to jail so don’t be too funny.” Rafe threatened.

It was all happening again, with a blink of an eye Topper and Kelce already had JJ and Rafe stood in front of him presumptuous.

“Starting to look a lot like your dad.” Rafe commented viciously and Y/N wanted to sink her heel into his eyes.

“And you haven’t change a thing, still like three to one type of fights.” JJ fighted back, spitting in his face.

“Oh, shit.” Rafe laughed darkly wiping his face.

Before they had the change to touch JJ a security guard entered the room, asking if something was wrong and for the first time Y/N thanked the presence of autorithy.

“Yes sir!” JJ said onde he was free. “See I crashed this beautiful party, so the security must suck, you should escort me out if you please.” He raised his wrists in the air making Y/N confused.

“Are you crazy?” She asked him when the security began to escort him out.

In front of everyone to see the disgusting security pushed JJ like he was a stay dog even though JJ warned him not to, that alone made Y/N blood boil inside her with a deep rage ignited by the poor system they lived in. She found it not worth of her respect and although her mom was there witnessing everything and Y/N wasn’t the type of girl to cause a scene she couldn’t help herself watching the boy she adored being treated unfairly after all that happen, so she took manners to her own hands.

“Let him go.” She screamed making everyone look at her. “I invited him.” She said serious as the security guard let JJ go. “So don’t fucking touch him again.” She warned.

JJ watched her talk like that with a one mouth, he didn’t knew if he found it arousing or if he was extremely proud of his girl. Y/N began to walk his way when a rush of adrenaline ran to JJ’s body and he said without thinking:

“Come one pogues unite!” JJ said loudly making Y/N laugh as she ran the rest of the way to his arms. He picked her up, spinning her around in his arms. “Kie!” He pointed at her, making the communist symbol with his wrist.

Soon the group was reunited again, the angry a parents warning them as they ran through the grass away from the midsummers party. Sarah eventually joined them, sick of her parents and her brother.

Y/N got rid of her shoes the moment her feet touched the sand, her dress in her hands raised up to her calves as she and her friends walked down the beach, sitting down in a makeshift circle.

“I didn’t forgot your plan.” JJ winked at her, remembering when she told her friends she’d ran from the midsummers. “I also brought this with me.” He pulled a few blunts out of his pocket.

“I desperately need one.” Y/N laughed taking one from JJ’s hands.

“I got you.” He laughed, lighting the blunt he gave her. Passing the rest to his friends.

The calm waves breaking in the shore in front of them made the atmosphere more serene away from all the kook chaos muffled in the background. They spend the rest of the night like that, playing games and teasing each other as the blunts burned away.

Once everyone left JJ and Y/N alone, discreetly coming up with excuses to leave and give them some much needed privacy, they laid into the sand looking at the clear sky like the first time they kissed.

“I really missed you.” Y/N said again, this time sultry against his ear lobe.

“Yeah you did?” JJ asked, turning on his side to face her. “How much?” He added running one hand throughout her sides slightly pushing her against him.

“You have no idea.” She whined through a small laugh. “This much.” She whispered against his lips, brushing them against his. JJ pulled her close to her by her thigh who surround his waist like a hook.

Every time they kissed it seemed like time stood still for a couple seconds. JJ was on top of her as his fingers ran down her exposed thigh while he kissed her lips desperately trying to cease the hunger he felt deep inside him.

“JJ.” She called through a moan, clawing softly at his back. “I really want you but I don’t wanna do this here.” Y/N admitted pulling away even though she really wanted him at the moment.

“Don’t worry sugar, we don’t have to do anything you aren’t comfortable doing.” He assured her, kissing her sweetly, playing with a string of hair of hers.

“You’re not mad?” Y/N asked inscure.

“Of course I’m not mad Y/N, why would I be?” JJ said getting off her, laying again next to her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

“I don’t know, sometimes boys get mad about this stuff.” She said looking at the stars.

“Fuck them, they’re stupid.” JJ kissed her temper. “You don’t own me anything.” He assured nestling into her side.

Tag list 💞

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[btswishes]

Love me for who I am now

Bucky x Reader ( Chapter 3)

Previous / Next (4)

Summary: You apply for the Stark internship and end up getting it, so now you have 5 months to make a good impression to continue working with the Avengers.

A/N: Ok Chapter 3 here we go, things are moving 10 000+ words later XD. Sorry for any mistakes made, hope you enjoy it even a tiny bit.

Word count:  3,997

Warmings: fights, harsh language, not part of the original MCU

Y/N- Your name

Y/L/N- Your Last Name

Tag list: @vicmc624​

                                    ----------------------------

   Two men dressed in dark fancy suits helped Captain America sit on the bench next to Dr. Banner, while one more presumably, also an agent rolled in 2 stretchers. From the voices you could distinguish Natasha Romanoff and Sergeant James Barnes. Not too far, with a confidant step followed Tony Stark keeping the splint around his left hand, covered slightly by the expensive material of his jacket - throw casually over his shoulders. Poor Pepper having her husband come home almost dead all the time- must be just awful.

“What happened?” Bruce barked out intensely checking Natasha in a hastily manner, making sure there wasn’t anything too major

 “HYDRA fed us the wrong information, long story short caught the link in time and no one died.” Tony explained, pulling a squished protein bar from the inside of his pant pocket

“I almost saw the light for a second time Tony.” Captain hissed when you began disinfecting his wounds, reacting to the cold cooling yet irritating feeling of the clear liquid on the cotton ball.

“I am sure that was the explosion.” Natasha snickered at the blond man. ”Next time don’t look at it, ok?” One after the other injured agents flooded the lab making motion difficult. Most of the equipment was on the other end of the packed room. Talking and a mix of incoherent sounds filled your head, causing you to go into overdrive. You had no idea how people could work in such an environment. Hospital work was part of your curriculum, as weird as it sounded, since you were dabbling in human body functions. Even there you never had so many people on your head, there was order- obviously lacking here.

  Some were very badly injured, near-death was a correct way to say it, but for sure not 90%. Looking around you couldn’t find a shorter way towards the bandages and irrigation solution. Tables and people were placed like chess pieces in a game you were losing because of panic. Tony kept his eyes on you, biting down on the crumpling snack, waiting to see what you would do. It could have been all a test for what you knew, yet it flew over your head.

“Dr. Banner.” You yelled out patching up the Cap and moving onto one of the stretchers “Can you pass me the small bag behind you please?” he nodded and did it all without even taking a look away from Natasha’s wounds. Professional or just slightly overconfident?

  Rising your right hand you caught the bag making its way towards you. The flap flung open and you pulled out the 4 bottles of vibranium dust onto the table, right next to you. A hair tie emerged from the same place shortly after. Bucky looked up at the changing expression on your face, interested in silence maybe also in a bit of pain. Your fingers raked up your scalp, gathering as much hair as possible to imprison with the elastic. Tony ever so silent but focused, a good judge of character.

  The lids of the bottles rolled onto the desk, discarded without a thought. Your hands cupped all of them and spilling piles of metallic dust on the floor. Stark rose an eyebrow and stopped chewing for a second. Taking a deep breath the oxygen gathered all your thoughts into an anxiety suppressing pill, shooting in waves through your bloodstream. You didn’t waste any time, your eyelids swung up letting your lashes almost hit your brows. Both your elbows bent in, positioning themselves next to your waist line snugly. You could feel your back muscles clench and tighten before extending. They shot your arms to the sides, dust cloud forming two plates pushing agents to the side. 

“SILANCE!” the room granted your wish, even the atoms could be heard moving with the shock engulfing the field “This is a lab NOT a playground! If you are able to cause such ruckus you aren’t hurt enough to be here. If any of you insist on doing this, I will give you a reason to scream. If you are patched up leave! Got a paper cut or bruise- leave! Unless you crawl to me, I don’t want to see you.” hunched over your body didn’t move from its metal bending pose, arms spread like a bird in flight, eyes looking forward “Now, out.” the words vibrated fearless in your throat

  It wasn’t surprising that almost all people in black suits left in a rush, accept some that were actually getting treated from the mission. Sergeant Barnes was still laying on the stretcher waiting for his turn, taken back from the scene that unraveled above him. Almost in a Dr. Strange hand motion you pulled the vibranium back.

  The silence continued making your confidence evaporate and let the anxiety condensate back into you. Eyes roaming around the room till a loud and audible clap pulled the strings of your head towards it. Tony was doing his best not to mess his arm up more, but to him this deserved praise.

“Well done Miss inter, I am pleasantly surprised with your actions…” his footsteps creeped up, letting his body lean onto Bucky’s current bed, ignoring the man’s grunt of discomfort “…and that.” his finger made circles pointing at your arms covered with the metallic dust shaped slightly like a gauntlet

“It’s amazing isn’t it?” Banner, back still facing the rest of the room, scoffed proud like a father witnessing his child’s grades 

“You know about it?” Tony crushed up the plastic of the protein bar, tossing it in the trash in the corner of the room

“Yeah.” The doctor was finishing up with Natasha “We were actually talking about that with her before you rushed in. I was lucky enough to get a special demonstration as well.”

“So what is it Miss intern ?” his head tilted, showing a new angle of his goatee

  It didn’t take you long to notice that the sergeant couldn’t get up because he was shot pretty badly. Your desk had turned into a makeshift surgical table with all kinds of things on it - soon to be used. One of the gauntlets flew off your soft skin and pulled up the soldier like he was made of feathers. The wound seemed to be closing up fast, the super serum did give him abnormal healing. This was proof that not everything is a good thing. The bullet was still lodged inside his body, which wasn’t the optimal place for foreign matter.

“It’s vibranium dust. I am sure Mr. Stark knows about it. It was in my application papers.” You began disinfecting the area, applying a small dose of lidocaine onto the open cut, just to numb it as much as possible. Somehow you didn’t want this man to feel any more pain that he already had endured, past or present moment.

“You did, about it being inside the body not throwing it like the pissed off Sand man.” The ever so playful with words Tony ladies and gentlemen 

“I might have skipped one or two parts, but they were something I was experimenting with on the side and not on the subject I was offering.” The vibranium took the elegant shape of a sharp scalpel. With a light hand, the pressure made the blade disappear into Bucky’s skin, making a big enough incision. Tweezers fit inside snugly, pulling out the bullet that looked almost destroyed in his body. “ This batch is under my willful control.”

“Transmitter?” Tony’s eyes went over your whole body trying to find something, still consciously making a mental mark, on the little knife you manifested from basically a pile of metal “Doesn’t look like they are voice triggered .”

“The only transmitter is my brain waves.” Placing your fingers over a cup of rubbing alcohol, you dropped in the tweezers and the scalpel, now turned into the same shiny mass as it was originally in its own jar “ Quantum engineered with quarks made from my own tissues.”

“Ssss.” The hissing sound that came out from in-between Tony’s teeth as he took a sharp breath in, send chills down his own back “Masochist aren’t you. Hey, we don’t kink shame here sweetie, don’t worry.” A playful wink flew towards you “Y/N right?” your head nodded, hands putting things in their original place, trying to give the room back its original look “Nice nice. Welcome to the team, glad to have you. Seems like you chose Banner to start off your training. I am deeply offended .” a big hand grabbed onto the fabric over his heart, in the most theatrical way possible “Most people go for the playboy billionaire. I guess not everyone has good taste, don’t worry I will fix it.” 

“Excuse me?” training? Well that definitely was NOT in the list of activities for you internship “Ugh…”

“Sweet cheeks, you didn’t thought I would give access to Avengers information just like that to an intern?” he scoffed at exactly what you were thinking. The rest of the members were observing the situation from the sidelines. It wasn’t yet their time to jump in.

“Look.” His thigh went over the desk, sitting half way onto it, head crooked at you. Tony was focused on the ever so slightly changing lines of your face. He wasn’t the only one holding a breath in in expectation “I went over you application, I was taken back by your idea. It was so outside the box I am kinda jelly I didn’t come up with it. Some more digging here and there... turns out joining my university was done on a whim - second shot to the heart sweetie.” his fingers back onto his chest next to the reactor core “ Lack of history before that, no future ambitions whatsoever. Heck -” Tony’s body slid off the hard flat surface, fixing the jacket slipping off his shoulder. His back was facing you as he began walking towards the exit “ Even your professors were worried about you- gave them a lil call. I just saw a bright cookie I wanted, so I got you.” With a sideways, look he smirked almost like a cat playing with a mouse

“And I plan to keep you here one way or the other, so I offer you this.” Arms spread sideways, garment now resting on the floor, gathering the dust and dirt from all the shoes in here previously “Training, knowledge and access to tech you would never have even in university or the government. Your choice. Become someone who you used to look up to, or go back after the end of your internship.”

  Your eyes moved from the floor, slowly towards his jacket, over it and straight up his body. The breath lodged inside your throat began moving in and out unnoticeable. The two super soldiers could practically hear you inhaling a storm around yourself and Natasha read your body language. To all of them you were as simple as an open brochure. Tony knew, he was just waiting for the moment you crack under. You were but a pile of clay with astonishing properties, ready to be turned into anything.

“I did apply to Stark university as a last choice. BUT! I applied to this internship for the sole reason of doing nothing but the best to build up a reputation and secure a position in the future.” Your voice snuck out from between your soft lips as a rising in octaves whisper. As confidence began to accumulate so did the need for you to prove your qualities “Even if you didn’t tell me this Mr. Stark, I would have still whipped my success onto your face. There is something I just gotta know.”

  The loud laugh echoing from inside his voice box made your whole body flinch, a blink opening your eyes wide simultaneously. “That is my girl! Exactly what I wanted to hear from you. I knew I chose you very very well. And call me Tony, I am not that old yet for Mr.” his heels swung his body like a ballerina to face you for a bit “ First round you have with green angry guy over there. Banner seems to like you already, but I want to see how true those PE grades of yours are. I expect you to take the gym in the building as serious as the rest do, little smarty pants. I would say don’t disappoint, but that look in your eyes shows me you don’t need cheesy lines. ”

  It felt like time froze the moment the owner of the building stepped out of the lab. The heartbeat in your ears was the only thing counting down the seconds passing by you, before a big and firm arm rested onto your right shoulder. Neck cracked a bit looking up at the huge yet gentle owner. He flashed you a smile almost as bright as his blonde hair.

“He tends to mess with newcomers, don’t worry your head about it too much. Was like that with me too.” Captain America looked down at Bucky and then back at you “I leave my oldie here with you, make sure you take good care of him. “

“Thank you sir.” You blurred out, out of respect towards your childhood hero and probably one of the few people who you felt you could talk casually with out side of ‘work’

“Please, call me Steve. Even if you are a baby to the group, you are still an Avenger in training so, no need for formalities with us.”  With a gentle patting motion he pushed himself off you and in the direction of his own room. ”Don’t stay too long and forget to eat, I know how you science people get.”

  Natasha jumped off the stretcher and groaned out, trying to reposition the shoulder that once more was part of her body and not just hanging by muscles and tissues.

“See you later.” She flashed you a smile, red locks of hair dancing like fire around her “Neighbor.” The word sung out playfully, in a teasing big sister manner

“You staying behind for the usual check up?” Bruce’s voice cracked, waves directed towards the super soldier sitting on the stretcher next to you.

“Yeah.” The word bass low almost pushed his head to the side, but he stopped half way- direction opposite from you

“Y/N would you be a dear and do it for me? I have to go and get Clint his meds.” His thin figure skillfully snaked around tables, chairs and desks out of the room - door sliding closed behind him. You could hear the pressured air whistled inside from the movement.

  Pushing the screen over to the Sergeant’s body made you paused. The scanner caught easily the interference caused by his weapons, plastered over his body in bondage style belts and bags.

“Um, you will have to take those off. Sorry.” Your voice but a whisper that only his super senses could catch. With a nod he reach up to the clasp. The straps were pushing into his strong and muscular body so much, the moment he pressed the button they popped off with a jump, landing onto this pectorals seconds later. As much as you tried to stay professional, your eyes kept drifting over his body. Bucky looked huge compared to the TV version of him. Everyone knew he was experimented on by HYDRA and made into an enhanced human, but this man was a walking tank. His biceps and thighs waiting to just bust out of the fabric. Going wide, your eyes connected with your brain, realizing you were practically having weird thoughts over an injured person. Shaking out of it, you pulled back.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. ?” calling out, the interface answered practically before you could finish saying the name

Yes Miss.

“Do a standard scan and a nerve check please.”

Shall I send the results to your tablet?

“Yes, thank you.” The sound of the machine turning on led you to pull the flat screen and look at the image developing as pixels. Bucky’s body didn’t move, a bolder just sitting there and waiting. Yet his eyes caught a glimpse of your body slowly leaning onto the desk, focused on your work, unintentionally exposing your neck to him - the shapes your curves made. Somehow he couldn’t avert his gaze even if his head was empty from thoughts.

Done

“Ok...” the letters were prolonged. Biting your nail you noticed the inflamed nerve on his shoulder, pinched between his metal arm and the flesh of his body. “ Any shoulder pain?” you wanted him to say it, not you showing it

“None that I know of.” He responded, voice like thick caramel- sweet. Breathy as it was, the sigh left your mouth open, pulling your eyelids down over your irises. Your hips pushed you away from the desk and over to his left side. The cold vibranium under your touch felt refreshing. Soon as you found the spot, just the slightest pressure made him grunt.

“Hm.”an amused smirk followed the huff of air through your nose “Well I am sure this is something you know of.” Bucky kept his serious face, looking forward and not acknowledging the pain you pulled out of his extremity “Sergeant Barnes, come on.” He didn’t budge nor would he any time soon and you knew that without a verbal answer or marker

 Inhaling some air, you prepared yourself for a conversation that might just jab at more than his inflamed nerve. It could or couldn’t end up with you dead, but you weren’t getting anywhere with this. Pulling the chair on one leg, you swung it over standing directly in front of the tense man. It was time for a confrontation that no one wanted. With a push of your coat you sat down, crossing your legs and leaning onto the knee, elbow to palm.

“Look, I may not be the best person to have this conversation with or anywhere close to that, but you really need to start opening up at least to the people that care about you. Steve ‘cough cough’.”

  Bucky was still jumping from object to object but staying away from you “Keep your secrets to yourself soldier. Fighting inner demons and past trauma that you don’t even remember is hell, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer on the outside too. No one would think of you any less if you said ‘hey my shoulder hurt’.” Leaning onto the chair’s back you let your head fall towards the wood behind . Diverting your physical eye contact let him eye you comfortably.

“What would you know about that?” ok he spoke, defensive and aggressive but progress- we are making it

“I don’t, I never said I did. If I could experience what you have, I would do it to understand you.” Side to side your head rubbed over the backrest, little splints tugging on your hair “Trust me, I would make this whole situation a lot better.”

“Is this part of your internship or something?” his words pulled your teeth to your bottom lip, squeezing away gently the remark you wished to make. Maybe a bit of Tony was rubbing off onto you.

“Babysitting problematic kids?” head shot up, as your fingers found your chin, placing your whole demeanor into a thinking position “No, I don’t think so.I don’t tend to brats, not my forte.”

“You seem to let your lips lose in bad situations.” Oh now, now he was mad. “Might end up biting you in the ass later.” You didn’t need superpowers or the bp of his heart to deduce it. Since we jumped over the acceptable line by a mile, no need to turn back now. There is one way to deal with an ass and that was bite back harder.

“Sorry for not walking on eggshells around you. Sergeant Barnes.” You saluted him in a mocking way, leaning back in the chair, basically feeling the waves of anger directed towards you. If this was the Winter Soldier he would have bitten off my throat, disgraceful. - the contractions of your lungs stopped at that thought, so rude...so you? Almost like you knew him personally. Ok, ok time to cool down before something happens.

“How do you expect me to help you if you don’t throw me a bone?” you sighed, feeling still how angry Bucky was about the whole conversation and situation in general. You were in the same headspace, if not in a weird yet familiar one” If the arm hurts, let people help, heck ask Dr. Banner or Tony.” It still felt weird using their first names - energizing no doubt

“They don’t understand, never will, nor will you.” This grown man was acting like a child, like the world didn’t have people who had similar levels of stress in their life. It was slowly crawling up your nerves and igniting a fire that could, if unleashed, burn him down so fast, only the metal arm would be left. But you tried to stay cool and calm, be the adult.

“Fine, do what you want.” Your body shot up as you threw your hands even higher. The lab coat fixed itself back onto you, fingers rubbing the back of your neck. The man sat there hunched over, arm stinging with the most dumbfounded look he could plaster over his stoic façade. “You can go, but if you don’t fix it you will be a burden on the next mission.” And you threw the hook, now all good ol’Bucky had to do is bite and this would be all over in the nick of time. There was a room with your name on it, calling.

  You waited and waited till you noticed the stars pocking inside from the window. Head moving towards your clock made you realize that it was already 9pm. With a jump in your step you pulled all the vibranium back in its original comfy home and inside the space in your new desk. Whipping dust off tech and trying to organize your papers, completely ignoring the tantrum little boy pretty close by.

“Fine.” Bucky’s voice was louder and deeper than before

“What?” your neck tugged on the muscles, letting you look at him with an unbothered look swimming around in your eyes.

“I said fine.Do what you gotta do.” And the verbal consent was given on a whim. Joy filled you up knowing you wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore. All happened in a blink of an eye - arms wrapping around his, a sudden loud and painful swing leading to the crack of his whole metallic prosthetic. This was probably the first time you saw such an expression on his face. His brain now activated to deference mode, reached to grab your neck. Any normal person would piss their pants, but you tried to stay calm. Tapping his wrist you played a small echoing sound, when his eyes landed on the full extension and rotation of his arm.

  The accumulating pressure left his muscles as it showed on his face. Bucky’s eyes were wide, roaming over his arm with the speed of light, pulling a light cough out of your throat.

“Sorry. “ he pulled back instantly.

“I just repositioned your arm you big brute. Next time swing gentle, no need to go through walls.” Palming your neck you pointed at the door

“Now leave me to my work.” A light jump and he was on his legs again doing as you requested, not being able to say anything. Leaning onto the door frame he mumbled something and left.

Sergeant Barnes was thankful Miss.

F.R.I.D.A.Y. informed you, pulling a smirk from deep inside. “Yeah yeah, I know. Tough nut that James Barnes. Such a kid.” One more giggle and it was off to finishing up for you.

[caffeinejournalist23]

Rewriting Pretty Little Liars - Part II

I didn't think my original post "Rewriting Pretty Little Liars would get as much interaction as I did (thanks btw! I'm not necessarily writing to get some kind of interaction as much as I'm writing to improve my own writing skills, but getting likes and "reblogs" helps me feel not so alone in the Tumblr community!) So, with that in mind, I thought I'd follow-up with a better fleshed-out explanation - with scenes! This post is gonna be a long one folks, so grab your popcorn and your teA, And pretend the unsAtisfying reveAl in the show never hAppened.

!! SPOILER WARNING FOR TV SHOW & BOOK PLL!!

Hate is not a vice; it's a coping mechanism. Lying is not a crime; it's a game. Mona is not a stable girl, but is her instability more excusable than the evil and torment Aria and Alison chose to exert on their supposed friends?

Allison got in deep shit with members of the N.A.T. club, along with pretty much everyone in Rosewood. The result? Mona hit Allison over the head with a shovel - and Melissa Hastings buried her. But Aria came to the rescue; Aria was planning to say goodbye to Allison before she ran away from Rosewood as Vivian Darkbloom.

"Oh my God are you kidding me?" Allison sulked, dirt staining her yellow top as she held her hands to the sore spot on her head. "Loser Mona?! She really thought she could just get rid of me like that - when I tell my parents our lawyers are gonna make the rest of her life a living hell -" "No, Alli," Aria interrupted sternly, gently wiping dirt from Allison's shoulders as they quickly sashayed through the yard between the DeLaurentis' and Hastings' households. "We can use this, we need someone to take the fall when we take our game for a test run." Allison rolled her eyes. "Jeez Aria since when did you find something to obsess over besides Noel?" Allison asked asked curtly, clearly annoyed. "Trust me on this Alli, this will work. It's what Doctor Sullivan calls 'Refocusing my rage into something productive.' And besides," Aria stared glassy-eyed into the stormy sky for moment, her eyes seeing fantasies she couldn't disclose to anyone other than Allison. "They deserve it," Aria continued. Allison scrunched her lips, not sure exactly what to think. "I like this side of you as much as the next bitch, Aria, but I'm starting to think maybe you're taking it too seriously - it's just a game, and yeah the other three aren't as cool as us but that crazy bitch Mona just tried to kill me!" Allison shouted. "And that bitch took my phone." Aria felt for the pink flip-phone snugly buried in her back pocket before she stopped suddenly and gently gripped Allison's arm, causing her to stop also. "It'll all go according to plan," Aria chided, "and it's gonna be so worth it." A dark car pulled up their street suddenly. Aria looked to try to make out the driver, but it was too dark for her to see who it was - perhaps the driver was wearing a hoodie or something. "Do we know this person?" Aria asked looking between the car and Allison. Allison smoothed down her hair a bit. "Not 'we' - just me; he's a friend," said Allison softly. She turned to Aria, who passed her the brown wig and red coat. "This is where we say goodbye," said Allison. "For now," added Aria with certainty. The two friends hugged briefly, Allison looking at Aria in a similar way she occasionally looked at Emily, then Allison entered the passenger seat of the dark vehicle. Aria watched the car pull away before heading back to the barn. She thought she saw another blonde in a yellow top dart behind the DeLaurentis house, but Aria assumed it was a delusion; she was starting to spiral in her head a little, like another episode was threatening to occur - maybe it was the alcohol, or the stress of watching a psycho loser hit her best friend with a shovel and then watching another friend's older sister bury said best friend. Allison's "friend" sped the car smoothly towards Radley sanitarium as Allison smoothed the brown wig over her throbbing head. "What took you so long Ezra?" Allison spat bitterly to the driver. Ezra Fitz swallowed nervously. "And good evening to you too," Ezra said; nervous and intimidated as he was by Allison, the sarcasm couldn't be helped. "Long night?" asked Ezra dryly. "I told you not to talk to me, Ezra; you do me this last favor, or I shove a sharp third-degree-rape lawsuit up your ass. Not to mention the obsessive stalking." Allison barked bitterly. She thought back to Aria and her obsession with the anonymous texting app they found; Aria had texted Allison a creepy "I'm watching you" message from the app last Halloween as a prank, and ever since Aria was obsessed with how someone could use the anonymous texting app for good or evil. Allison rolled her eyes and shook her head at the silly similarity. "You know, I have this friend - obsessive and a super writer geek. You two would be perfect for each other," Allison says scornfully. Ezra swallowed again. "I doubt she'd be as interesting as you," Ezra whispered, alluding to the book about Allison he had been drafting. Allison thought for a moment, her need to be on top competed with her curious feelings for her female friends. "People can surprise you," Allison shrugged.

So as we can see, Allison and Aria had a dysfunctional dynamic - I guess when you can't fight fire with fire, you make the whole town burn. Soon after Ezra helps Allison hide in Radley (pretending to be Aria), Aria and her family temporarily relocate to Iceland because Byron and Ella Montgomery are warned that the case regarding the death of Toby's mother in Radley has been reopened, and because the time and occurrence correlates with when Aria was there regularly before she convinced her psychiatrist that she's recovering enough to go back to school and "normal" life. Aria's psychiatrist Dr. Sullivan had been worried while Aria was in Radley; she thought that Aria's friend Allison seemed to be encouraging Aria's psychosis and erratic behavior. Meanwhile, Hanna befriends Mona at "fat camp," and together they coach each other to replace Allison - Mona is convinced Allison is dead, so she feels confident replacing her despite Hanna worrying Allison could come back any day. "There'd be hell to pay if Allison suddenly came back and just saw us trying to be her," said Hanna anxiously as Mona curled the ends of her hair. "That's 'if,' Hanna, why would she come back to this godforsaken town," Mona asks passively. "yeah, you're right," Hanna chuckled shyly, rolling her eyes. "I bet she just ran off to a boujie island or something with some hot guy." Mona paused in thought for a moment. "I bet she did." Melissa continues to work with the N.A.T. club - primarily to ensure there was no evidence of her burying Allison's body to help Mona. Mona continually annoys Melissa about it, terrified she will get caught - that it was just an accident and it just happened too fast. Melissa checks the N.A.T. club cameras - cameras secretly placed/tapped into several places throughout Rosewood, funded by Jason's share of the DeLaurentis fortune/stake in the industry company (I can't remember the name of the company, but it's the same one Cece claimed to have used as A). Melissa is certain she literally got away with murder, and fabricates a confession video for Spencer if the investigation got too close to her and she needed Spencer's help to cover herself. Emily continues to grieve for Allison, wondering if she'll ever be found, or if she just ran away with some guy - typical Alli. Spencer feels relief with Alli gone; less rivalry and competition, and the secrets Allison had on her couldn't be weaponized - right?

When Aria returns from Iceland, she's furious to find that the other friends had "moved on" from Allison; Hanna tried to take Allison's place and befriended Mona (who Allison totally despised), Spencer admitted she was relieved that Alli was gone, and Emily dated [that one guy] and disregarded her feelings for Allison. These conditions are the perfect justifications for Aria's torturous experiment; the girls need to remember Allison is still there - one day Allison will come home and everything will go back to how it was, and her friends will be who they used to be before Allison went away. Aria confronts Mona about the night she "killed" Allison, and threatens to bear witness against Mona unless Mona does her bidding. Mona agrees to do whatever Aria asks her to do. Now that "Allison's body" has been found, Aria promises Mona will never be caught for "killing Allison" if Mona uses her wits and skill in her plan to "remind the girls closest to Allison that she's still in charge" - and Mona manifests it into a game.

Who is Mona playing the game against? The N.A.T. club (and Big A). Aria and the N.A.T. do not exactly work together, but they know of each other and compete with each other through Mona. This is why later on the Halloween train members of the N.A.T. club try to murder Aria, as a means to play against the A(D) team (Aria, Mona, Cece, and Allison). Aria had killed Garrett after Allison texts her that Garett realized Aria was A, but Allison actually manipulated Aria to kill Garrett because Garett realized Cece was still feeding them (Allison and Aria) info from the N.A.T. club. Members of the N.A.T. club are slowly killed off by the A Team. Allison kills Ian for moving on to Spencer. Ian was going to make Allison the subject of a movie he wanted to make, but he moved on to Spencer/Melissa as soon as Allison disappeared, which infuriates Allison's self-absorbed ego. Jason is injured by Cece in the elevator because she's pissed he developed an interest in Aria, and he starts connecting dots together between Cece and Allison still being alive (around this time the A Team hits a fork; Cece and Allison versus Aria/Mona)..

Mona is sent to Radley sanitarium after being caught as A by Spencer; Mona thought she could reveal herself as A and convince Spencer to join the team, but Spencer refuses. When every other girl she gets tangled up with (Aria, Allison, and Melissa) is motivated by secrets, Mona assumed that the allure of secret info would be enough to convince Spencer. Mona continues playing the game while in Radley, but she realizes she rather be part of the group than win the game, so after she's released she starts victimizing herself by "A" (her accomplices Toby and Lucas). Aria finds out Mona went behind her back to recruit help for Mona's sake of winning the game and victimizing herself, and confronts Mona at the movies and whispers to her, "you'll never be part of the group, especially if they learn you killed their best friend" - which makes her cry.

After stealing Allison's diaries from Spencer (season 4?), Aria dissects the diaries and reaches out to someone recurring in Allison's diaries; Cece. Aria realizes through Allison's diaries and Cece that despite her unwavering loyalty, Allison kept secrets from Aria - and that just didn't sit right with Aria. Cece is still mad at Allison for jeopardizing her spot in the N.A.T. club - and her relationship with Jason (she was hoping to get a cut from his stake in the DeLaurentis fortune), which motivates her to spill anything she has on Allison to Aria - including Allison's secret relationship with Ezra. Aria visits Allison in Radley, who is anxious to go home, but when Aria confronts Allison about Ezra, she lies, which severs Aria's tie to her. Aria dissociates with her rage and tells Alison she'll never be able to safely escape Radley and go home. After this confrontation in Radley, Allison snaps and has a mental breakdown; she rips off the brown wig and insists she's not Aria but Allison DeLaurentis - the most popular "It" girl in Rosewood. Radley then treats Allison as a "Jane Doe" after confirming with Dr. Sullivan that Aria has been released, and Allison's body has been found so this can't be her. Allison is getting fed up with Aria for stranding her in Radley for years and works with Wren, one of the new hot doctors at Radley, to get fake IDs for her and Cece. Allison continues to pretend to be Aria and visits Mona, asking for all the info she has on the girls and the A game; Allison is ready to take over. Allison promises Cece a cut of the DeLaurentis fortune if she can help her escape. Cece agrees; Allison tells her about the A game, and if "A" kills Jason they can inherit his share of the wealth. Finally Allison can escape Radley for good and steal the A game from Mona/Aria.

Allison and Cece escape Radley and hide in New York [soon] after Mona leaves and steal the game from Mona/Aria. Allison recruits new A team members, including Shawna. Allison as A also inadvertently recruits Jenna, who has no clue A is Alison and Cece. Later, Aria realizes Allison and Cece came back are roaming around Rosewood in red coats and starts the fire in the cabin when she thinks Allison and Cece are nearby to kill Mona - yes, Aria used Mona as bait to bring in Cece and Allison and planned to kill them. She rescued Emily, Spencer and Hanna because to take Allison's place she needs them - the group; Hanna saw Aria in a red coat and an Allison mask. This is why Aria and Cece fight in the warehouse; Cece and Aria used to be chill but now Cece is team Allison (for the money obvi), and Aria tries to save Cece saying she can "be Allison" and give Cece the same money when she fully becomes Allison, but Cece slips and Aria leaves her for dead. Cece resents Aria for leaving her for dead and plays A against Aria.

Allison reveals she's alive to the rest of the girls but she can't come home yet; it's not because of A she can't come home, because as far as she thinks she stole the A game from Aria - she can't come home because of her mom and the family secrets. Jessica DeLaurentis did not want Allison to come home - by assuming Allison was dead she inherited Allison's share of the DeLaurentis company stake, and Allison blackmails Jessica when she learns of Mary Drake - Jessica's deranged twin. To free herself from the restraints her mother poses (she thinks her mother really would kill her), Allison kills Jessica as A. The group is still suspicious of Allison being A, and because she's running out of cards to play, Aria relies on these suspicions to get the game back from Allison.

However, Allison throws a curveball (to Aria) and convinces Cece to reveal herself as A to the girls; Cece is guilty of killing Wilden for Allison and of course Allison has proof. This lands Cece in Radley. Cece learns Allison killed Jessica through the N.A.T. club cameras (because she was allies with Jenna and [Allison's fiance (can't remember his name)] while in Radley), so she threatens to convict Allison with the video footage if Allison does not advocate for her release from Radley. So Allison fights to get Cece released by creating this narrative that they are deranged relatives/half-siblings. Cece is released but Allison hates that Cece has the footage of Jessica's death on her, so she kills Cece. Aria uses this as the perfect means to steal the A game back, but this time she plays it as AD; AD for Alison DeLaurentis, and Aria believes she is Alison DeLaurentis. They play the final game and Aria shoots Spencer near the heart because she's Allison now, and Allison was "heartbroken" Spencer stole Ian from her. Aria/AD abducts and tortures Hanna for trying to take her/Allison's place as HBIC. And the eggs with Emily? That was because Aria was jealous she and Ezra couldn't have kids, and she believed Allison and Emily were supposed to be together in the beginning anyway; Emily did nothing wrong, so Aria's rewarding her by getting her with Alison.

Damn that took me almost 3 hours lmao. Any unanswered plot points this rewrite fixed? Let me know your thoughts! Who do y'all think would've made the most sense to end up as AD? Thanks for reading this far lmao. Wishing y'all the best.

[amandaklwrites]

TV Series Review: Miss Scarlet and the Duke (2019)

Genre: Historical Fiction/Murder Mystery/British Period Drama

Rating: 10/10

TV Show Review:

I. LOVE. THIS SHOW.

Pretty much this review will be me talking about everything I love this series, just a warning. I hope you love it too, so you can enjoy my blabbering and gushing!

I will do this review a bit differently, since it’s still relatively new, especially here in the US. I’ll talk about my general thoughts, and then I’ll do a “keep reading” when it goes down into spoilers for each episode.

So, here, for the spoiler-free part of my review:

Let me start out by saying that these characters make the whole damn show. Yes, the mysteries are great and all, but it’s the characters in this series, for me, that drives the whole thing. Eliza Scarlet is a masterful main character, and I love everything about her—from her determination, her willingness to fight the crowd to be what she wants, how she’s willing to admit some issues, that she still relies so heavily on her father after he passed away. Her humor is so incredible, and I think she’s just someone I wish I could be. Her feistiness is so wonderful. And then our Inspector Detective William “the Duke” Wellington is… one of my favorite leading men, fictional of course. I like that he’s overprotective of her (sometimes, to funny extents), that he does his job well and follows a lot of the right paths, that he doesn’t seem surprised by much of anything, and that he’s willing to fight even when he’s falling apart at the seams. And their relationship! They are so clearly in love with each other (probably have since that “chaste kiss” when they were teens…), they bicker like a married couple, and though they annoy the living hell out of each other, they would die for one another. I like that their relationship isn’t perfect and they take note of that in the show, but it feels real. It’s one of the most real relationships I have ever seen.

Moses and Rupert are such important characters and I LOVE their relationship with Eliza, their friendships that seem so different, but they just fit. I can’t go much into detail about either of them, or it will spoil entire plotlines of mysteries, but I will say that I love what the story does with their characters, how it gives them breaths of their own, that they become some of the most dynamic characters in the show with so much to them and that take a life of their own. That they feel real and important and interesting, and I love the representation. That’s all I’ll say about them in the spoiler-free review.

Now, the mysteries, were incredible. They kept me guessing through every episode, and I would have some feelings about things/people, but I wasn’t sure how it would get there. At times, I thought of the truth, but figured that they were going to trick me with it (my grandpa always told me that I have a brain for a detective, if I had some training, so that’s fun!). But still, they were so innovative and different from other mysteries that I had experienced. And I liked that each episode felt a bit different—we had a taste of ghost story feeling, even an intense thriller. They were really, really good mysteries, to me at least. And I do love me some mysteries.

Okay, so the costumes, sets and music. MY GOD. It was all SO BEAUTIFUL! Eliza’s clothes were magnificent and they had POCKETS!!! William was way too sexy in those clothes (can we bring those back??? We can leave out the discrimination that came with the time period, but let’s bring back the clothes at least!). Everyone had gorgeous clothes. And the sets were beautiful—those dirty, Victorian, coal covered streets… I loved it! (My mom says she’s not sure why I’m so in love with the dark atmosphere of the Victorian era, but I am!). The MUSIC. Can they just upload a damn soundtrack already? I need to listen to this music all the time! It sounds different and cool and I’m just so in love with it.

THE HUMOR! My god, I had never seen a murder mystery show set in another time that does humor so well. I love how they travel between scenes to make it funnier, the lines they say to one another. It makes me feel like these actors absolutely had a blast filming this show. They were so on point, and some of the funny scenes made me laugh harder than any comedy movie I’ve seen.

As you can see, I’m obsessed with this show altogether. I love it, and I want to watch it over and over. The vibe, the love stories, the characters, every. single. thing. is my jam. I know they’re planning a second season and I cannot wait for it. Ugh. My god. It’s wonderful.

So here ends my spoiler-free review. After this, I’m going to talk spoilers. So if you have seen the show and/or want to read the spoiler-y thoughts, please click on the “keep reading.” If not, see you around after your watch the show! It’s well worth it!

Let me start out by explaining more of my thoughts on the relationship between William and Eliza, because I worried that some of what I had said would give away possibly too much. So here’s that part:

The (hilarious) way that William mutters “oh jesus” whenever he finds Eliza waiting in his office, or the fact that Eliza calls herself his wife (or in one instance, something worse, but to save herself) to get what she wants also feels like a sly to personally agitate him. How that he would toss her into jail/into court when she went against things he said she shouldn’t do (though he released her/got her out at some point) never got old and even funnier to me each time. I told my mom, she was like a toddler—he couldn’t keep her in sight, so he had to lock her out. But I liked that she still argued with him despite it. Their back and forth was perfect.

I will say here, that I have seen people’s comments online how they wish that William was more on board with Eliza’s detective dreams and support her 100% much earlier on. And I get that, that he can seem like an ass at times. But honestly, I think he feels more realistic that he’s a little harder about it in the beginning. Trust me, I love this show and the way they play with characters and storylines, and that they are so forward (I mean, Eliza is so forward-thinking and modern, it’s amazing), but to me, if they made EVERYONE, i.e. William especially, it wouldn’t ground me into the time very well. I like that it was more gradual for him, to fully support her. And actually, I think for a man in the Victorian Era, with his position, he supported her as much as he could. Though he fought her on it at times, he eventually gave up trying to stop her. And I do think, in some respect, he was trying to protect her, because he does care for her. He was a man of his time, in his position, and he is changing. Can we at least give him that? Because, in all throughout history, it took a while for things to change. And it was men like William that started to understand, that started to recognize that, that helped make it happen. Plus, Eliza didn’t let him pull shit all the time, and she did fight him on it.

Now, I’m going to comment on each individual episode with my thoughts. I’ve never done this before so yay! Here it goes!

EPISODE ONE: Inheritance

I knew the weird uncle wasn’t the girl’s uncle. I didn’t expect that it was her husband (I should’ve!! We knew he was a cheat and a conartist!!), but I knew it wasn’t her rich uncle. I knew from the moment he came on screen—I remember thinking, this guy looks too young around his eyes. His beard and mustache look fake. So, I was right to an extent.

I can’t be the only one who was horrified to discover what the police did to women who worked as prostitutes or in dance halls—they could be arrested and searched for venereal disease? Seriously??? For men who were so obsessed with wanting their wives to “stay safe” and “be protected,” they sure were fine with flipping the case when it came to women that they would also gladly pay to sleep with? Why don’t they check the male clients who are PAYING for this industry. It was appalling and horrendous, and it made my skin literally crawl as they tried tying Eliza down to the chair.

On the note of that scene, Eliza calling herself William’s favorite whore to save herself is literally one of the funniest (though, darkly) things—especially in the next scene, when you see the two of them sitting in his office in silence and William is mortified, annoyed, and I think amused at the same time.

I loved how Eliza tricked that bastard husband—she set him up, AND she gave him laudanum to make him pass out? This woman knows what’s up!

Instantly from this first episode, I knew I loved this show and these characters. Eliza shows her charm and wit and humor and smarts. She’s skilled and I love her personality so much. Though I can see how she could be aggravating to others. William absolutely adores her. Rupert annoyed me a bit at the beginning, but by the end—when he asked Eliza to not marry him, I knew I would like him. And Moses! A Jamaican man brings in the race question of this dark, old world, but I love that he likes Eliza and finds her interesting. He’s terrifying, but I think he’s a good, decent man, he’s only trapped in this world because no one will let him be anything else. But he’s such a rich, interesting character.

EPISODE TWO: The Woman in Red

This episode brings in the reality of homosexuality in this world. That it has always been there (damn those bastards who think otherwise), but it has been hidden away. That men and women have to fear for their lives, and also marry people they do not want because they want to not be noticed. I loved finding out Rupert was gay—my mom called that one!—and the friendship he develops with Eliza. That he trusts her to tell a secret that could literally have him killed and ruined. And that Eliza doesn’t even blink, that she’s willing to keep his secret to the grave, and I cried when she basically told him that. It’s quite beautiful that Eliza even seemed to be grateful that he trusted her enough to give her that secret.

Which was used in interesting juxtaposition to the gay man, accused of murdering his lover, and his wife. I understand the woman’s hurt, that she loved this man and it turned out he didn’t love her in the same way. But that didn’t mean her willingness to let him die for a crime he didn’t commit was at all good or called for. With Eliza talking her down, to prove that the woman’s husband was innocent, I think proved that though she was hurt beyond reason, she did love that man who was her husband and didn’t want to see her die. It’s really a hard situation, especially during that time, when people were constantly shoved down their throats that homosexuality was bad. Not that I’m giving her a “it’s okay,” but I can understand the pain and confusion she went through. Especially because she pulled through.

Through this whole episode, we thought it was the wife that had murdered the lover (the other man). I was surprised to find out that he had killed himself, cut his own throat (which I had heard wasn’t possible to do—but my grandpa, who had worked as a detective, told me that is a myth people talk about, that it’s really easy to cut your own throat). That was a shock, and it made me so sad. That he was dying because he was unhappy, because he hated what he was, because of damn society telling him so. I actually started crying, because as someone who is bisexual, I would be condemned in this time during for openly being with men and women, though I couldn’t even compare to people who are gay or lesbian, because the situation is not the same. But I could connect, I could understand. And I hated knowing the pain all those people were in, that a man had killed himself because of what he was, and that another man had to live with that. It truly breaks your heart.

William’s response to finding out the dead man was gay was interesting. I thought his comment “in my line of work, nothing surprises you” funny, but also telling. He didn’t act disgusted, he didn’t mistreat the husband when they questioned him afterward. The show didn’t directly say his thoughts on homosexuality, but I got the vibe that he was “whatever” about it. Like he knew it was there, and he wasn’t condemning it publicly. That gives him credit, in my book.

Another great episode that got deep and beautiful.

EPISODE THREE: Deeds Not Words

Is this show just obsessed with getting right down to modern issues that were also faced in this time, but not as strongly discussed? Because I’m all for it! This episode was all about the suffrage movement. But I liked the take they did on it.

Yes, they spoke out about the treatment of women. That men, white men, controlled this whole world. But I also thought it was interesting that they made this main suffragette not the greatest person. It made everything complicated. Like, everything she said to Eliza made sense, and I found myself cheering with her. But she shot a man in cold blood, she was willing to bomb a whole building of men—even though it seems justified because of what their club represents.

I think this episode was discussing the balance. That there can be change, but when you attack the people who you are trying to change, it may not work in your favor. At least, that was the vibe I got. Not to stoop to their levels, to become just as horrible as them. Her ideas and words were great, but her actions were a bit… skeptical.

Eliza and William’s response were interesting as well. Eliza felt a passion for the cause, William thought it a bit extreme. But, to me, by the end of the episode, they had a common understanding, they had reached a comfortable middle. I think, this show was showing that was how change came. People seeing eye to eye, and then it spreading from there. Of course, William has faults, but I think he’s truly trying. Especially with each episode. And the more Eliza and he grow.

EPISODE FOUR: Memento Mori

We got our ghost episode! I wasn’t even expecting it, it was incredible! A ghostly image of a dead wife that had killed herself reappearing in photos? How wild and cool is that idea!

I didn’t know that the Victorians had a thing where they took photos of their dead loved ones, looking like they were alive (y’all, the Victorians were obsessed with death…), but it’s an interesting concept. Maybe even sweet. I get what they were trying to do, even if it did seem morbid. How I feel about it is, if it brings you peace, then go for it (as long as it’s nothing disturbing or harming anyone).

The twist was one I had a hint of but hadn’t expected the whole thing. I knew the daughter had something to do with it (how disturbed is this poor girl??), but I hadn’t expected that the mother had planned this before she killed herself because she knew the woman and her husband were already having an affair. It was interesting and a creepy twist, but I was all for it.

Still, I loved how we had moments of eeriness and the haunting feeling in the house when Eliza stayed over. I felt scared and freaked, and most people that know me know that I do not like horror. But this was the perfect eeriness, which I do love.

That scene from this episode where William screams at the poor telegram young man to give them the message or he’ll break everyone bone in his body and then being like “are you crying?” was the funniest thing I had ever seen. I laughed so hard that I couldn’t breathe. I mean, it’s terrible, but the way it was done was hilarious and amazing.

EPISODE FIVE: Cell 99

This episode was… dark. I liked that it was set in an abandoned prison, and my god, was it creepy as hell. I loved all the shots of William walking through gave me the chills.

This one felt like a thriller to me. How it was filmed, set up, how everything went down. Except for the hilarious scene when they are both so annoyed with each other (Eliza and William, that is) that they both scream in frustration is brilliant. But otherwise, it took a dark tone that made me feel like something was watching my back. Especially as that big, scary guy came walking down the stairs when William and Eliza were trapped, ready to kill them both. I was nearly screaming at the tv in utter horror.

My mom had called it—and I had a feeling—that Eliza’s father had been murdered, not just drinking himself to death and found in the gutter. And there’s a gang now? How interesting!

The masked man was strange, as well as the forger locked away. But he was shot and killed, and it confused me.

I have a strange confession to make: that whole time with William in his dress shirt (without the coat), with his arm covered in blood, was weirdly…. Hot? Please don’t ask me explain. I have weird things to me. But I think it was also hot that though he was hurt and bleeding, he was gearing up to fight that big, scary man to protect himself and Eliza. I like that kind of shit, so much.

This episode was twisted, and it left me with more questions than anything.

EPISODE SIX: The Case of Henry Scarlet

My mom knew William’s boss was in with the gang! I liked that they actually explored the reality of corruptness in the police force (my grandpa had personal experiences himself, and that was why he left), and they laid it all bare. Despite the things that we are learning in this present day, it’s always been there. Which is horrifying and disturbing. That these police who are supposed to protect us are willing to delve into the corrupt world to bring themselves more power and money. Because that’s what it boils down to, doesn’t it? Powerful men wanting more and more.

I liked that William was okay with the truth unfolding, and not fighting it, trying to prove innocence for his boss. To me, it made me feel like that he knew something was up with that man (just beyond not liking him). For his character, it made me think that he was one of those people that was actually good and good at his job, trying to do the right thing. Even if he got distracted and didn’t give Eliza credit where it was due, and fought some things, he was trying to do what he thought was right. He didn’t kill anyone, he didn’t go after anyone specifically. Though him and Moses had some standoffs because he wasn’t sure about the other man, he gave him some thanks and shook his hand. Which is huge for that time period.

I did suspect William’s buddy. I always felt like something was happening with him, and that he would be the perfect bad guy because he knew what was going on at all times. And it was proven right! Though it wasn’t any less terrible, William having to realize that his close friend at Scotland Yard as the bad, bad guy who killed their boss when things were turning ugly.

But Moses to the rescue! I loved that he swooped in, teaming up with Eliza, and taking the guy out! I love Moses so much, he’s one of my other favorites.

And their ending, with a promise of dinner, of love on the horizon was exactly what I needed.

Lasting thoughts:

Besides all the amazing storylines and characters they brought in, besides Eliza and William’s chemistry and relationship, to me, this felt like a story about a daughter and her father. We see flashbacks of Eliza as a child with her father, how he taught her his detective work, when that wasn’t something men did typically in that time, and how she would still talk to him after he had died. That though she had chosen this profession for herself, it was also some way to connect to her father. Something they had shared when she was motherless and only had him, and he gave her these skills and talents, helped her hone in on them. And once he had passed, she fought like hell to keep it, but make it her own. I liked that their relationship wasn’t perfect, but they loved the hell out of each other. She was a grown woman, who believed in herself, but she still turned to him—a ghost, a memory, or whatnot—when she felt at the bottom.

This series is incredible, perfect and just all around so masterful in so many different ways. I knew from the moment I heard about it that I would love it. And it turns out I was right, but even more than I had expected.

Now, I think it’s time for a rewatch.

[remsmoonlight]

Title: safety net

Pairing: daryl dixon / original female character

Chapter: one

Summary: In a world designed to test your humanity, a woman fights to keep hers. But she walks a fine line between staying human and welcoming death and darkness. [ S2 - S4 ]

The light coloured gaze that belongs to a lone female almost darkens in frustration as she notices the sky beginning to dull and bleed into beautiful tones that always signified the oncoming approach of the night and the glistening stars that could only be seen more prominently ever since the world had passed its very own death day. Light pollution has become a thing of the past. Cassie hadn’t meant to stay out so late, but she had wanted to prove to herself and members of the Greene family that she was able to survive out in the town as she scavenged for things that would be useful to them.

Maggie had made many trips into town, always refusing Cassie’s help. Now, whether or not that was because she couldn’t trust her friend to hold her own, she doesn’t know but this was something that would only bring concrete proof that she was able to survive. She lets out a sigh at the whole situation, digging into her backpack for the half full bottle of water that she’d managed to ration very well -- you couldn’t be too careful those days. Such as when you lose track of time and end up staying out hours later than you should. They’re so gonna kill me later Cassie mentally remarks to herself, she thought it would be a quick trip but she’d gotten too distracted by trying to be useful.

The woman drops the bottle back into the backpack as she drags her feet along the cooling dirt that had suffered the heat from the punishing Georgian sun. She scans every building in her line of sight, call her a perfectionist but all she can see are the defects with the potential safe shelter. Are you trying to die out here? she asks, as she thinks negatively to herself. Too many breaks in that window, that door looks weak, not enough exit routes. The slow dragging of a pair of feet and snarls causes her to turn suddenly, she hates this part. Cassie knows she can handle herself, she’d done so with those things before she’d found refuge at her old school friend’s farm but it isn’t something she enjoys. It wouldn’t even be the first thing she wished to do, but it had to be done.

I don’t have to like it but I’ll do it.

Gripping the knife, Cassie slowly advances to meet the dead being halfway, studying its movements intently  -- a few seconds and it’s over. She pulls the knife from their head with little less fight than she was used to, I’m getting better at this she comments to herself in her mind, though a heavy feeling soon begins to settle in her heart as she realises that this person used to have life. They used to have friends and family, they used to have bills to pay, they used to have favourite songs to sing along to. They were human. Cassie doesn’t want to believe that she disregarded their humanity so easily in favour of thinking about herself and how well she was able to cope.

This is what you were afraid of. You’re losing yourself faster than you thought.

She pushes herself up harshly with a verbal shudder, tears beginning to build. She rubs her eyes with force to banish them away and sniffs. The young woman needs to collect herself before she finds herself in a situation she can’t get out of. One of the things she has feared ever since killing the first of those things was losing her humanity.. even before the world turned she knew how despicable people could become. She didn’t want to think about who she could become if she survived this world, Cassie didn’t want to lose her light or her life -- the world was dark as it was.

As if planned perfectly, her eyes settle on an aging liquor store.The cobwebs and dried spray paint were visible from the distance she sadly stood. I remember that, she mused fondly. It was when she and some friends were caught trying to convince someone to buy a bottle of alcohol for them as teenagers - before her father forced them to move out of the town to the next one over. It was a strange sight to see, how these places that held so much life now dead and silent.

Still, the stone walls and bars on the windows are perfect and wash a warming comfort over her entire body, it was safe enough to spend the night in. She only prays silently that  trouble doesn’t follow in her path.

A small grunt of effort is dropped into the open air from her parted lips as she dedicates little energy and force to open the doors into the building. People had been there before her, the assumption is only confirmed when she makes her way through the door and scans the area - everything, empty. A disbelieving chuckle erupts from her. The end of the world where the dead roam the Earth and what do people go and do? They leave the shelves bare from bottles of alcohol. When you need your wits about you and they want themselves inebriated, Cassie didn’t want to believe it. Human nature was still a surprising thing.

With a bicycle lock secured to prevent anything or anyone gaining entry into her temporary housing, the woman allows herself some steady breaths before she overturns one of the few chairs from it’s upside down position on the floor to sit down on it. There isn’t much effort when she lifts the bag to the table, not much was left to scavenge. Cassie is happy with what she did get however, smiling to herself when she pulls out dried food that would be beneficial in the long run and the batteries that would be needed soon. There were a few other trinkets that may or may not be of use but she proved something to herself -- and for that, she learnt something about herself.

Despite laying herself on the floor to sleep, it doesn’t come easy. Her mind is too preoccupied with the noises from the outside of the building, sometimes they were too close to be able to tell if they belonged to the living or the dead. She tries, however, to give a mighty fight with her own mind to fall asleep by scrutinising the dust that littered the creaky floors but it’s a fight she’s destined to be defeated in. When she finally spots sunlight beginning to break through the clouds to fill the dirtied room, Cassie makes no hesitation in deciding it is a good enough alarm clock. She swiftly realises that she isn’t  going to be getting anymore sleep and she’d rather be back at the farm anyway.

There’s an energetic spring in her step despite the lack of sleep she had been able to get but that doesn’t matter, she’s happy to be home soon. The nagging thought of Maggie and her family being furious with her lack of notification of her whereabouts lay heavily on her soul -- though she was good with confrontation though, her patience was almost never ending.

Her heart beats rapidly as she spots a group of people she had never laid eyes on in her life, they surrounded one of the wells on the property, standing out against the warm shades of the ever growing grass and oversized bushes that were everywhere. The only solace granted to her weary soul is that Maggie is standing with them and does not appear to be in any distress by their presence. She cautiously steps closer and closer to the scene, mentally placing the pieces to make a puzzle -- yet even then it’s as if her fingers are trying to force pieces that do not fit together.

“ Maggie! What’s going on? “ she calls out to her friend, closing the distance between them with each growing second.

“ Ca- where have you been ?! “ Maggie shouts, ignoring the question put to her. Maggie storms forward to her friend, eyes have been ignited with a growing fire as she sets her sight on the other woman.

“ I went out on a run, I .. I just lost track of time, I guess. “ Cassie shrugs effortlessly with an upbeat tone despite the tense atmosphere.

“ How do you lose track of time? “ scoffs Maggie, she could feel the panic merging with the pain in her veins to form a melted pot of furiosity. “ You didn’t -? We didn’t know where you were! Cassie, Otis is dead. “

The optimistic glow that had powered her journey back to the home is instantaneously diminished until it’s no more than dying embers as she allows the words Maggie had just spoken to her to soak in completely. The bag that she held on one shoulder fell to the hay covered grass with a flat thud as she moves closer to her friend to embrace her. In the time Cassie had known the man, he was nothing more than a gentle giant. She can physically feel her heart break into pieces at their loss, the woman clinging to Maggie as she disregards the others who watch curiously momentarily.

“ Mag’s.. I’m so sorry. “

“ Come on, let’s get you back. “ Maggie speaks, pulling away from Cassie. She tries to paint a lighter image on her features as this. She was grateful that her friend had not suffered a fate that is a mirror image to that of Otis. “ Everyone will be happy to know you’re here. “

“ What happened to him? Who are they? “ she asks with curiosity, as she’s led back by her friend with an arm around her shoulder.

“ They showed up last night, one of their guy’s with an injured kid on our doorstep. '' the two walk up the steps of the large house, facing one another. “ Couldn’t exactly say no. They showed up after. “

A storm slowly battles its through the woman’s features as she tries to come to terms with how inverted their situation had quickly become in the hours she had not been present, she doesn’t want to shed her tears in front of strangers but you never expected to lose your friends or family under such circumstances. She brings both of her hands to wipe her face - as if to wash the pain away until it was no more than a ghost across her image.

“ He died gettin’ equipment dad needed to help their boy. “

Cassie is hardly looking forward to any lecture that every Greene in the household probably had for her absence. She admits to herself she should have told them that she was going but her stubbornness prevented her, to her, it was just a quick trip. However quick trips were not to the corner stores now, but what used to be people’s own homes. Their sanctuaries that now have become their graves.. providing they were not graced with the blessing to escape from one nightmare into another, one they had more control over.

Her knees bob up and down at a brisk pace as she watches Hershel walk into the room from her seated position on the plush couch in the living room.

“ What you did was very irresponsible, Cassie. We wouldn’t have been able to send anyone out after you. Between the boy and Otis.. “ Hershel’s tones are filled to the brim with disappointment, especially as they had the little boy to deal with.

The eye contact shared is broke harshly, she’s unable to hold the connection under the burden of his disappointment.

“ I’m sorry, I mean it. But you guys wouldn’t let me out! Even with Maggie. “

“ You must understand there’s a reason for these decisions. You might not understand now, but down the road. “ Hershel replies gently, his voice is a step above a whisper. He’d known the woman since she was a child -- Maggie and her were both so close as children.

A cynical laugh hangs in the air over those in the room, she hates to be so disrespectful to the family who has handed her security with the seclusion the farm provides. On a rare occasion she would find herself forgetting that the world had collapsed into itself, the serenity providing her a peace that was often a missing part that her soul craved from time to time. Cassie certainly doesn't want to offend anyone but she needs them to realise that she wasn’t naive as she may present herself to be, she knows how the world works.. though his denial would prove a burdensome load on that plan of hers.

“ I understand! I mean it that I’m super grateful for everything, but you need to realise. It’s not what you think! “ she argues, feeling a tingle in the very ends of her fingertips from the emotion she felt.

“ I don’t want anyone in this house getting sick, that was the risk that you took without consulting us and it’s something that I can’t allow to happen again. “

Guilt begins to overwhelm her shuddering body, she knew she did wrong and it was the circumstances that really threw her plan of independence into the deep river of inconveniences but it was a battle she would lose and she knows it’s best not to argue. She truly does feel bad that she had added onto the Greene family’s stress those two days, she prefers not to burden people after all -- knowing there had been incidents in the past that had been out of her control yet she brought down the spectacle from time to time. However, within the dark corners of her mind she yearns to intently to yell at him, to scream they’re not sick but rather they are dead. Hershel was a man in denial, and there was nothing harder to break than a man who cannot confront the truth that is right in front of him.

“ You’re right, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. “

“ Look -- “ Hershel leans forward, and clasped his hands together. He could see both of her parents in her. “ I promised your father you would be safe here, and if you’re not here that can’t happen. “

“ May I be excused? “ she asks the man, inching towards the end of her seat.  

Hershel simply nods, he’d also rather wash his hands of the situation, especially as they had bigger things to worry about now. The new additions to the farm did not taste so sweet on his tongue and the sooner the boy was ready and healthy, the sooner they could leave.

As Cassie stands before the declining state of the mirror, small particles of dust lining the mirror as a light blanket she washes the cooling liquid running from the tap over her face. She can hear the voices from the unknown new arrivals from the open window, needless to say she was curious of the new situation but, there was also a sense of dread clawing its way from her gut. She had a bad feeling that a storm was on its way.

AN: okay this is the first time writing for twd and im nervous and excited, especially as i'm not used to writing in this style! but i hope this will be something you will like soooo just let me know what you liked or what could be done better! we'll be having team family interactions next!

[jq37]

The Royal Report– A Crown of Candy Ep 12 Rescue at Buzzybrook

The Peppermint Knight Rises

Welcome to an extremely wild two minutes in the lives of the Rocks family and all those assembled to witness the insanity about to take place.

The gang (along w/ Cara, Manta Ray Jack, and Rina’s crew) have poofed into Buzzybrook where Liam’s dad--Joren Jawbreaker--is about to be executed. They’re able to stay relatively stealthy on their group stealth check (despite Rina’s Nat 1) and, peeking outside, the group sees Bulbian priests, Imperial soldiers, and Ceresian soldiers (like, Ciabatta’s men, not Imperials). Their flags are stationed outside of various cottages in the area (which Ruby uses Mage Hand, her rogue skills, and a grudgingly accepted help action from Rina to unlock). Rina also helps Cara with her concentration checks on the teleportation spell by casting Wall of Ice (the special ability of her staff, Winterscoop) to give her a protected area which Cara just lets happen because sure, why not? 

Just to set the scene a little more, it’s dark outside except for some lit braziers, the village has been largely burned down except for the cottages I mentioned before, and the citizens are being forced to march to the gallows to watch the execution, though Joren hasn’t been brought out yet. With all the banners of the different factions gathered together, it seems almost celebratory. They’re within the standing stones which is in what’s called a sugar hut--basically, just a kind of house built over the standing stones so they can claim it’s a Candian cultural thing and not witchcraft if Bulbian missionaries show up.

Liam and Ruby decide to check out the cottages to get a better idea of what’s going on. Liam, in his cottage, finds Oliver Onionpatch (the Bulbian Archbishop) speedily transcribing information into his book including pictures/schematics of monsters, Ceresian constructs, war engines like Lazuli was working on, and liquid daggers. It seems like Ciabatta gave Alfredi’s notes to the church and they are expanding on them. He’s being guarded by Bonathan Flashfry (fry guy from Jet’s fight). Liam casts Hunter’s Mark on Onionpatch. In her cottage, Ruby sees Grissini speaking to Spearia Mentha (Liam’s mom) who is chained up. Ruby tells Liam who tells her what he found and then Ruby fills in Theo.

While they’re working on a plan, Jawbreaker is led to the noose and they start to read his crimes. Liam casts Disguise Self to look like Onionpatch. They pull the lever and Jawbreaker begins to hang and the gang rolls for initiative!

Because of the circumstances the party gets a surprise round.

Jawbreaker succeeds on his first death save but, even if he hadn’t, he would have been in good hands because Theo Misty Steps to the gallows, and cuts him down before running for cover.

Liam, on a Nat 1, shatters the glass while trying to attack Onionpatch fully giving away his position. That single mistake out of his system, Liam once again goes full Peppermint Batman and hits Onionpatch (and, judging by his reaction, Brennan by proxy) with two more attacks--one of them being a Nat 20--for a total of *84 points of damage*. He uses his movement to hide in the next house over where he has great line of sight for another attack (and he hides with a Nat 20 plus his natural plus 10 plus Pass Without a Trace for a total of 40 which is the DC for things that are nigh impossible).

Ruby casts Jump to help with her movement and gets into position to help break Spearia out. Grissini who was snapped out of his surprise when Theo did his thing starts yelling orders to his men outside.

Reap the Whirlwind

And then it’s Saccharina’s turn.

Yeah, I know I said her full name was annoying to type out every time but she deserves to get her full name for what she’s about to do.

Rina runs through the crowd, uses her Storm Sorcerer ability to Fly (which she can do before she casts a 1st level spell or higher which is such cool flavor and good for utility as well--in this case it means she doesn’t take opportunity attacks). She casts Thunderstep at 4th level (which is like Misty Step but you can take someone with you and it does AoE damage when you poof away) and uses her Channel Divinity from her Tempest Domain Cleric levels to auto do max damage (40 or half if they save) and they also get another plus three because it’s lightning damage (she has some kind of aura that does that) *and* she uses Quicken Spell (a Sorc thing that lets you cast a spell that takes an action as a bonus action) to cast Spare the Dying on Jawbreaker as she brings him to safety. 

If Liam is Batman then Rina is Storm, for sure. 

Brennan is ruined but everyone else is *loving it*--me included. She takes out a bunch of weakling enemies even at without seeing if they save and the few (I think 4) who are left are not doing great. She hands over Jawbreaker to Amethar and has Gooey and Swifty go to Theo and help him out.     

Cumulous rushes in, finishes off two more of the injured guards, and dives into the hole under the gallows for cover. 

Amethar starts herding the civilians into the sugar hut so they can all escape together, tells Jack to help start cleaning up these soldiers, and goes to work himself, going into a rage and killing two Ceresians. Jack kills one too and the citizens start running to safety.

Theo sees that the house he’s hiding behind is full of sick ass weapons so he kills the single guard and Gooey and Swifty (Swifty very gleefully) help him with some looting. 

Grissini leaves his cottage to order around his men which Ruby is very happy about as it makes the sneaking she’s about to do a lot easier.

Back in John Wick, staring Liam Wilhelmina, he does another 23 points of damage to Onionpatch and yells at him in Bulbosi (while disguised as him mind you), “You have made a big mistake.”

Ruby springs Spearia and casts Invisibility on her so she can safely make her way to the others. 

Grissini whistles and a soldier lights a signal fire. Some bread guys crowd Amethar but he doesn’t take much damage and actually kills one with a Riposte reaction--one of Jet’s old tricks. 

Saccharina--I gotta give her her full name again--clocks a very convenient straight line of enemies and casts Lightning Bolt at 4th Level (using another Sorc trick, Empower Spell, to reroll her low damage dice) for 39 damage + 3 for her aura. Even without rolling saves for half damage, this fully kills everyone but Grissini who is badly injured. And just to make things worse, she uses Grissini to conduct the lightning and has it set his banner on fire. 

Cumulous whiffs a couple of attacks, jumps on a roof and then (along with Liam) fails a Perception check, which is always fun as a player.

Amethar runs over to Grissini, attacks of opportunity be damned, and says, “Do you remember my daughter?” Grissini who has just been electrocuted, is a little out of it but Amethar says that Jet might be dead but he just met his new daughter (except, in the heat of the moment, he says it less coherently) and attacks him. Rina (or really Emily who knows exactly what she is doing) calls it a daddy-daughter special. Grissini is F’d up but not near death.

But speaking of people who are near death, Onionpatch yells, “Bulb protect me!” in Liam’s general direction, causing the house he’s in to catch on fire. Liam takes 18 points of fire damage.

Jack kills another baddie and the rest of the civilians run into the sugar hut.

Mom Said We’re Leaving! 

And then, suddenly, these huge, terrifying, bread constructs arrive on the scene (along with a giant corn monster that everyone immediately insists is cute because Brennan will never win this one and should really stop trying unless he’s a fan of futility). Amethar takes some hits and then has to make Con Saving throws. He fails one of them which reduces his HP max by the damage of the first hit he took from this thing (4 pts). One goes for Rina but she Shields and takes nothing. One goes for Jack (doesn’t hit) and one goes for the Standing Stones. Theo casts Compelled Duel on one of the constructs to draw fire but can’t hit (2 Nat 1s in a row!)  

Grissini does a bunch of damage to Amethar and then grants an attack to the nearest bread monster who crits on Rina for 31 points of damage, bringing her down to 18, but she passes her Con saving throw (she only has to do one for some reason).

Liam busts into the house with Onionpatch and demands to know who’s in the military tent with a Nat 20 Intimidation check. Onionpatch, who’s basically pissing himself, says that it’s Kerradin’s tent but he’s not in there at the moment because he’s tracking down escaped prisoners. Onionpatch blubbers that all the different factions are there on behalf of the Pontifex and are in talks with Plumbeline to create a new Concord. There are tons of letters and maps and information in the tent and he can tell them everything. Guess what idiot? You already did. Liam ices him with another Nat 20 and takes his book. As he does so, he basically speedruns the entire rest of puberty and sheds his teenage awkwardness (I mean, allegedly. I’ll believe it if he can talk to Annabelle without getting slapped). The pages that have ripped from the book are effortlessly placed back in with shadow magic. He also fires an arrow at Bonathan as he exits because why not? He lets Ruby know about the info in the tent so, on her turn she sends Spearia away, and goes for it.

Cara basically yells at everyone and they have one round to get into the car because the meter’s about to run out and she’s gotta go. 

Ruby takes 34 points of damage from archers. Rina gets Amethar to safety with Fly plus another Thunderstep and sends Swifty to help Ruby if necessary. Cumulous gets to safety as well (killing one more guy for the road). The constructs try to crack the standing stones but fail.

Amether, channeling Jet yet again, does some Maneuvering Attacks to give Ruby some instant movement to get into the tent and grab the map with all the Imperial/Ceresian military troop movement info and start to run back. Jack gets to safety.  

The constructs try and fail to crack the stones again. One of them attacks Theo for 45 points of damage and then he fails one of his saves, dropping his HP max by 30. Theo holds his turn until Liam and Ruby make it to safety. Gooey and Swifty make it in. 

Kerradin suddenly shows up and Liam has to summon all of his self control to not go after him. He instead taunts him by showing him the book he got from Onionpatch, and (taking damage as he does so) slides into the sugar hut. His mom, invisible, places a hand on his cheek and says, “Oh no. They took my sweet baby and made him a war guy.” 

Grissini Nat 20’s to attack on Amethar but Theo takes the 38 points of damage which drops him dangerously low for Theo standards (like low 20s or the teens). Theo runs in. One of the archers Nat 20 on Ruby who’s hit for 4 points after she Uncanny Dodges (she’s at 21).

Like Liam, Ruby very reluctantly does the smart thing and, instead of going for Grissini so she can get at least one kill this fight, dives into the hut. Cara let’s the spell go off right as Grisini tells the constructs to charge and Jawbreaker regains consciousness, looking proudly into the face of his son, Preston. No wait, that’s not right. 

Medal of Honor

EMILY AXFORD LET’S GOOOOOO

Saccharina really said, “First impressions? Don’t know her. SECOND impressions are where it’s at.” Like, dare I say, instant legend? First fight of the game and she instantly fulfills the win condition, frying a bunch of dudes just, incidentally (but w/ surgical precision from an out of game point of view with all that deft use of action economy and sorcerer mojo). What and ENTRANCE. And then that Lightning? Brennan said it best on Adventuring Party. If you saw her do that, you would have no choice but to follow her.

But honestly, she lowkey deserves a medal just for joining the party with two levels of cleric. That alone is damn near heroic at this point. 

I can’t believe Brennan let *Emily Axford* have spell cards in his gritty, low magic setting. My guy really served himself his own dice. Bon Appetit dude and, again, welcome back Emily! 

Things I’m Concerned About

I mean, I can’t say that I’m surprised about the collusion going on but I don’t love it. I really hope the group gets to talk to Plumbeline again before the end of this. Just to see what she has to say to Amethar and visa-versa. It was an interesting dynamic before she decided to turn traitor and it’s even more interesting now. 

Since when can Bulbian priests do magic? Miracle working is supposed to be super rare, right? Like the Pontifex could heal herself but that was the only thing we knew of that was real Bulb magic (along with Citrina’s book I guess but she’s dead). But Onionpatch used magic against Liam and a different priest did some abjuration on Theo. Are they using Bulbian magic or faking like Lapin was? Or is this something new?

Really don’t love that those bread constructs were making people roll Con Saves. I instantly thought it was a water dagger thing (since they did have those plans too) but then he said 2 saves and not 3. Not sure what the other save was since I think we only saw the “drop max HP” effect. And I don’t know why Rina only had to roll 1 and not 2. Either way, I hope Liam stealing that book at least slowed them down because this is Bad Info for them to have.  

Five More Things

Just so you know, Rina’s build is 6 levels Storm Sorc, 2 levels Tempest Domain Cleric.

The dynamic of Swifty and Theo is low-key the funniest thing. I want them to team up always. Also funny was Brennan’s straight-faced “Correct” to being asked if what Onionpatch just saw was himself pull a crossbow on him.

Listen, I need to know if Grissini has enough information to know that he’s working for the bad guys. Like, if he has the information and he chooses to be complacent then cool kill him, that’s fine. I’ve seen The Sound of Music and we all hate Rolf. But I gotta know. What are the odds that Amethar invoking Jet will pay dividends later? (Again, it did not work in The Sound of Music. And now I kinda wanna watch Sound of Music). 

Grissini knows Jet is dead. Has the news fully spread? Does Primsy know? If so, sad! If not, even sadder but on a time delayed fuse!

I already mentioned this earlier and when the episode aired but the absolute DUNKING of Brennan this episode by Emily and Ally. Man oh man the LOOK on the dude’s face? The glee from everyone else? All those dice Ally rolled? All the people Emily iced without even having to roll dice? The gang sorely needed a win and, folks, this was it.

AN ANNOUNCEMENT! 

Listen, we all know Wednesdays are for D20. And, for a lot of y’all, I’m sure Thursdays are for CritRole and/or Naddpod. But what are you doing Tuesdays (or at least every other Tuesday)? Well, I’m gonna tell you what. @drinkingdeadpeopletea (who you’ve probably seen around as she’s active in all three of the aforementioned fandoms) is launching a D&D podcast called Ship of Fools and it drops TOMORROW with a two episode premiere. It’s D&D! It’s nautical! And it’s being DM’d by her so I can confidently say that it’s gonna be hilarious and a super fun time! So if you want even more D&D in your life (rhetorical question, all of us do) check it out!

[wistfulcynic]

The Bend of the Arc (2/ 4)

SUMMARY: Emma Swan hates Killian Jones at first sight. He's everything she despises in a man: arrogant, provocative, and a known criminal associate of the city’s most notorious gangster. She’s determined to put him behind bars, until a shocking event forces them together and Emma discovers that there’s a lot more to Killian than meets the eye.

-

So, the enthusiastic response to part one of this story has been amazing but also completely terrifying. I have no idea if this second part will live up to that or not. I AM VERY INSECURE ABOUT THIS AND DO NOT LIKE IT. Nevertheless I thought I’d post this part sooner rather than later so at least we’ll KNOW. 

A profuseness of thanks to @thisonesatellite @ohmightydevviepuu and @katie-dub for attempting to soothe these insecurities. 

Rating: M (language and eventual smut)   Words: 9.2k (of 30k total) Tags: Modern AU, enemies to lovers, bounty hunter!Emma, criminal!Killian, smut, bedsharing

Part One | On AO3

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PART TWO:

The car was silent as it moved through the dark city streets. Killian kept his eyes on the road while Emma stared out the window at the neon signs and streetlights smudged into watery blurs by the tears she kept having to blink back. It was a weighty silence, heavy with tension, but she felt no itchy discomfort or urge to fill it as she often did whenever she found herself alone with people she didn’t know well. She supposed this should surprise her, but she had no energy left for surprise. Now that the adrenaline was draining out of her she felt exhausted, and deeply, achingly sad. 

She blinked again as more tears welled, fighting to keep them contained, not wanting to show any weakness in front of Killian. But they were too strong and she was too tired. They dripped down her cheeks and off her chin and she choked on a sob—then something soft brushed against her arm and she glanced over to see Killian holding out a handkerchief. 

“Go ahead and cry,” he said. 

Emma wiped her face with her palms. “I don’t need—” 

“Yes you do. You’re human and you witnessed something terrible. Cry.” He shook the handkerchief at her. 

She sobbed again and snatched it from his fingers, buried her face in it and let the tears pour out. Her mind kept replaying, over and over, the scene in the gallery—the blade sinking into Felix’s chest, the awful sound it made and the hiss of satisfaction from the elegant man—Robert Gold—as he pushed it in to the hilt. She cried until her tears dried up and her sobs were hollow gasps, and then she leaned her head against the window with the sodden handkerchief still covering her eyes.

The car stopped and she removed the handkerchief, squeezing her eyes shut then blinking rapidly to clear them. They were at the marina. That made sense, Emma thought. Killian’s boat was his pride and joy—a sailing yacht, sleek and elegant and above all, fast. The perfect vessel for making a quick getaway. Killian got out of the car and she did the same, turning to head in the direction of his mooring. 

“It’s this way, Swan,” he said, and she turned to see him pointing at a mooring directly ahead of them. 

“But your—” 

“We’re not taking mine. Come, quickly now.” 

She followed him to another boat, still in the yacht class but far smaller than his, and without sails. She stopped in front of it as he began to untie it from its mooring.  

“This isn’t yours,” she stated.  

“Aye, I believe we’ve established that.” 

“So you’re stealing it.” 

“Not precisely.” 

Emma crossed her arms over her chest. “We’re taking a boat that isn’t yours and definitely isn’t mine, how is that not stealing?” 

“Bloody hell,” Killian snarled as he tossed the lines up onto the boat’s deck, “you are the most infuriating creature.” He rounded on her with a menacing glower but she held her ground, arms still crossed, glaring back until he sighed and pressed his fingers to his eyes. “This boat belongs to an employee of mine,” he said. “We’re borrowing it. He’ll get it back in due course, and in one piece too as long as you bloody cooperate. We need to be as far away as possible before Gold realises I’m the one who helped you get away, and that means we need to leave now.” 

“But—” 

“Swan,” he enunciated through clenched teeth. “Get. On. The. Bloody. Boat.” 

Emma released her breath in a hiss but did as he asked, stalking up to the deck and standing stiffly as he made the preparations to launch, his every action economical and precise. Well practiced. This may not be his boat but he knew it well, and she tried to let that reassure her. 

Soon they were leaving the marina and heading for the open water. Emma watched Killian at the helm, steering the boat with tension in his shoulders and a frown between his eyes, but as they moved further and further from the shore with nothing untoward occurring he began visibly to relax. About twenty minutes after their departure, by Emma’s estimation, he turned to her with what was almost a smile. 

“We’ll be on the water for several hours,” he said. “You should get some rest.” 

She wanted to protest, didn’t want to let him out of her sight for a moment. But exhaustion weighed heavily on her body and mind, and the wind off the sea was cuttingly cold. “Where?” she asked.

He indicated a small door just to the left of the helm. “Down there. There’s a sleeping berth in the stern, with pillows and blankets in the drawer beneath it.”

She nodded, hesitating just a moment longer before opening the door to reveal a narrow set of stairs. Slipping off her shoes, she climbed down them and stumbled towards the rear of the boat where she found the sleeping berth, pillows and blankets just where Killian had said they would be. After a brief moment of wishing she had something to wear besides her evening gown she wrapped a thick woollen blanket around herself, curled up on the narrow bed and fell asleep. 

~

“Swan. Swan!” 

“Huh? Wha—” 

“You have to wake up now, love. Hurry.” 

Emma blinked hazily through the thick fog of sleep clouding her brain. Where was she? She rubbed her eyes and forced herself to focus. Wherever she was it was dimly lit, but there was a spicy scent in the air that she remembered and that voice—oh. Right.

She sat bolt upright as the memories came rushing back. 

“Ah, there you are,” said Killian. “Good. Come with me, and bring that blanket.” 

Emma opened her mouth to argue, then caught the look on his face and shut it again. Her mind felt clearer, she realised, sharper than it had before her nap, the horror at what she’d witnessed less acute—and the reality of the situation and the danger they were in struck her like a blow. Her life was linked to Killian’s now, her survival dependent on him, and if she argued and second-guessed him all the time they were going to get nowhere fast. She nodded her agreement and he huffed a sigh of relief, turning to head back up on deck. She grabbed the blanket and her shoes and followed him. 

The boat was moored on a tiny pier in what to her surprise appeared to be not the ocean at all but a lake, a wide, calm one surrounded by tall trees with taller mountains rising up behind them. Aside from the pier, there was no sign of any human presence, no cabins or boat houses, not even a tent. The air was cool and misty, and with such a heavy stillness Emma almost fancied she could touch it.

Killian disembarked and she followed again, down the pier to where another, far smaller boat was tied. A basic motorboat, Emma observed, and not a new one, with an outboard motor and a single bench seat. Not suitable for long distances. Wherever they were headed, they must be close to it. 

Killian reached into the motorboat and removed two waterproof jackets and life vests. “Put these on,” he said, handing one of each to Emma. She did, and he donned the others, putting them on over the tuxedo he still wore. When the jackets were zipped and the life vests secured, Killian stepped one foot into the boat and held out his hand. Emma scowled but took it without protest, shivering at the contact, and allowed him to help her into the boat. She settled down onto one side of the bench and Killian passed her the blanket. 

“You’ll want to tuck this around your legs. We don’t have too far to go but it’ll be at least an hour and very cold.” 

She nodded and did as he suggested, wrapping it securely around herself and digging her icy toes into the wool as Killian started the motor. Emma jumped in alarm at the noise, ear-splittingly loud in the soft, dense quiet. He sat next to her on the bench and took the rudder, piloting the boat in a wide arc that took them into the centre of the lake then veering left. It looked at first as though they were heading for the shore, but as they approached Emma could see the narrow mouth of a river peeking out between the trees. Killian steered them into it, navigating carefully between the banks until the river widened to a more comfortable size. They continued steadily along it for some time, the only view of water and trees and the sky beginning to lighten above them. 

Emma had a million questions: where they were and how they had ended up there, where they were going and what would happen when they arrived, how Killian had known where to find her in that gallery and how he seemed to know what she’d witnessed there. Why he was going to so much trouble to help her. But she asked none of them. There would be time for that later, plenty of it, she sensed, and right now the cool calm of the morning and the strange peace that had settled between them, even the hum of the boat’s motor, was soothing, and she didn’t wish to ruin it. 

The river widened steadily until it opened into another lake, this one long and slender and curved at one end. Killian took them around the curve and when they cleared it she could see a small pier with no boats moored but a dark green Jeep parked on the shore behind it. 

He pulled the boat up to the pier and cut the engine, then looped a coil of rope around a piling to secure it. Bracing one leg against the pier, he held out his hand again and this time she didn’t hesitate to take it, or to lean on him for support as she climbed out. Killian released her hand quickly but remained close behind her as they approached the Jeep. He opened the unlocked rear door and tossed his life vest and waterproof jacket into the back. Emma did the same, shivering in the chilly air. 

“Keep the blanket,” Killian said. “We’ve a bit of a drive yet.” 

Keys were waiting beneath the visor on the driver's side and as soon as they were settled Killian brought the Jeep roaring to life and drove straight into the forest, steering them through a near-invisible gap in the trees Emma clung to the door handle and her calm as he navigated them over the rough terrain. They followed no path she could see, nothing but the faintest tire tracks barely visible on the forest floor ahead—though if she hadn’t been looking carefully Emma doubted she’d have spotted them. 

Killian knew where he was going, though, that much was obvious. He’d known from the beginning. Every step of their escape had been meticulously planned and smoothly executed, which added at least another half dozen questions to her list. 

Their way began to twist upward, climbing into the mountains. The Jeep jolted over rocks and fallen branches as it sped along a course that was far from straight and at times seemed actually to double back on itself, confusing Emma’s already tired mind and hopelessly scrambling her sense of direction. The sun was up by that time—she could see daylight through the leaves—but the canopy of trees was too thick to make out its location in the sky. 

After thirty-seven minutes according to the clock on the Jeep’s dash, they turned into a clearing where a small cabin stood dwarfed amongst some of the tallest trees Emma had ever seen. Their height and the elevation of their lowest branches gave the impression of airy space within the clearing yet she doubted it could easily be seen from above—the trees’ thick canopy of leaves would appear solid, though enough sunlight filtered through to make it bright and relatively warm. The cabin sat at its centre, a small wooden structure with generous windows and a stone chimney and on its tiny porch a single chair, and when she got out of the Jeep Emma spotted what looked like a fire pit around the back of it. 

Killian went onto the porch and opened the door. Emma frowned, surprised that it was unlocked, but once inside he pressed his thumb against a small screen in the wall, nearly invisible, and a panel slid open to reveal another, larger screen. Killian stood still as it scanned his face then when the display switched to a keypad, he typed in a very long code. When it was entered a red light on the inside of the panel flashed green, and Killian closed it over the screen once more. 

“Hell of a security system,” observed Emma. 

“We’ll be safe here.” 

She followed him into a cosy, sparsely furnished room. A stone fireplace took up most of one wall, with a stack of logs beside it and a single armchair positioned at the perfect angle to catch the warmth of the flames. Next to the chair a table sat, with a reading lamp atop it. There was no sofa, but an old sea chest was pushed up beneath one of the windows, covered in pillows and a throw blanket to form a window seat. Tucked into the corner to her right was a well-equipped kitchen area with two doors beyond it—bedroom and bathroom, Emma presumed. Everything was austerely tasteful and looked expensive, which came as no surprise to her; Killian was a man who appreciated his creature comforts. What did surprise her were the books. Shelves and shelves of them, lining one entire wall from floor to ceiling. Emma would have suspected them of being for display, or even fake—the shelves could hide a secret escape passage, for example, she’d seen crazier things that day—except that they weren’t leather-bound or elegant, they were ordinary books. Hardbacks and paperbacks, some old and others much newer, lined up tidily but also plainly there to be read. 

She turned to Killian with a sceptical look. “I suppose it’s too much to hope that this is actually your cabin.” 

“It is, in fact,” he replied. 

“Huh.” 

“That surprises you?” 

She shrugged. “You don’t exactly seem like the outdoorsy type.” 

“I’m not. But despite the adage that the best place to hide a pin is amongst other pins, sometimes alone in the wilderness is the safest place to be.” 

“Uh huh. Interesting that an innocent man like you would need a safe place at all,” she retorted. “Seeing as how you’re so completely innocent and all.”

“Yes, yes, point taken, love,” he said with a smirk and an exaggerated sigh. “But my innocence or lack thereof aside, my line of work remains dangerous and my associates highly untrustworthy. There’s always someone out to hurt me and no telling when they might find the opportunity to do so. I’m very good at what I do, but I’d be a fool not to prepare for contingencies.” 

“You could just get a different line of work.” 

He laughed. “Ah, Swan, things are very simple in your world, aren’t they?” 

“Why make them complicated when they don’t need to be?” 

“That is indeed the question.” 

He went through one of the doors and emerged a minute later with an armload of clothing. “I’m afraid I wasn’t planning for visitors, so you’ll have to make do with my clothes,” he said. “The bathroom’s through there.” 

The room he indicated turned out to be a surprisingly generous space given the size of the rest of the cabin, enough to accommodate a claw-foot tub with a shower head above it and a circular rail hung with a curtain. The sink was a deep pedestal flanked by tall shelves, and the toilet nestled in the corner. 

Emma stripped off her dress, wincing at the state of it—dirty and wrinkled and stretched in odd ways—and draped it over the shower rail with a sigh of relief. She was never very comfortable in clothes like that, and the soft garments Killian had given her were an extremely welcome change. They included a plain white t-shirt and flannel pajama pants in grey and blue plaid, and a thick, fleecy charcoal grey sweatshirt that swallowed her up. Emma sighed, snuggling into it. Despite the blanket she felt like she’d been cold for forever, and the huge, toasty sweatshirt felt amazing. 

He’d also given her a pair of thick socks, a toothbrush, and a washcloth. Emma sat on the edge of the tub to pull the socks on, sighing again at the warmth, then brushed her teeth and scrubbed her face with the washcloth, removing as much of her smudged makeup as she could. She found a comb on a shelf next to the sink and carefully combed the worst of the tangles from her hair, wishing she could pull it into a ponytail or braid, but she doubted Killian’s provisions extended to rubber bands or hair clips. 

Still, she felt immensely better, warmer and less grimy, and very, very sleepy. Leaving the bathroom she found Killian in the kitchen, dressed in pajama bottoms similar to hers though his shirt was a blue henley. The clothes made him look softer, more approachable, and she had to remind herself that he was still the man she’d spent the past year loathing and that all the cabins and henleys and daring rescues in the world would never change that. She couldn’t allow them to. 

He turned around and smiled at her, and held out a steaming mug. She took it, sniffing warily. 

“What’s this?” 

“Hot milk, with honey and a little rum.” 

“Really?” She wrinkled her nose. 

“Aye, an odd combination I grant you, but soothing. It’ll help you sleep.” 

“I don’t think I’ll need any help on that front,” she said, stifling a yawn as though to prove the point. 

“Quite understandable, you’ve had a hell of a day. Drink it anyway.” He nodded approvingly when she did, and when her eyebrows rose in surprise at the pleasantly sweet, creamy flavour. “You can take it into the bedroom if you like,” he said. “I’ll be there in a minute.” 

It took her a second to register his words and then she nearly spit out her drink. “You’ll be—but—you don’t mean—” 

He watched her calmly, one eyebrow quirked, clearly expecting this exact reaction. “It’s a small cabin, Swan, intended for one person. We’re going to be here for some time, weeks perhaps. I do not intend to spend those weeks sleeping in an armchair or God forbid the floor. We’ll share the bed. It’s the only way.” 

“Oh, well isn’t that fucking convenient,” she spat, even as lust coiled low in her belly. 

“Not really. I prefer to sleep alone.” 

“That’s sure as hell not what you implied before!” 

“Sleep, Swan, not sex.” Emma blinked at this, accustomed to smirky quips and innuendoes from him. “For that of course I like to have a partner.” 

She wished there was some argument she could make, some reason she could think of why he had to sleep as far away from her as possible, but the direct, straightforward way he spoke and looked at her underlined the truth of his claim. That and his obvious exhaustion, the dark smudges under the eyes he was fighting to keep open. 

Still she hesitated, biting her lip as she scrambled for an alternative. Maybe she could take the chair, she thought, or—Killian sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. 

“Look,” he said. “I realise I’ve given you compelling cause to believe otherwise, but I really have no interest in pursuing women who find me repugnant. I swear to you on every scrap of honour I have left that I only wish to get some sleep, and you should too. Can we do that, Emma? Please?” 

That please, and the use of her name, the sound of it in his voice, did funny things to Emma’s insides. It was a genuine plea from an honest place, and she couldn’t refuse it. 

“Okay,” she said. 

He smiled, the first true smile she’d seen from him. It made him look boyish and almost sweet, and the funny feeling in her chest twisted painfully. 

“You go on in,” he said. “I’ll be there in a minute. And finish your milk.” 

She smiled in return—she couldn’t help it—and retreated into the bedroom, sipping her milk. The bed was a decent size at least, laid with fluffy pillows and a thick comforter that she snuggled beneath with a hum of delight, yawning hugely and just managing to set her empty cup on the table next to her pillows before burrowing deep into them and pulling the comforter up to her chin, and by the time Killian slid into bed next to her she was sound asleep. 

~

When she woke again the pillow beside her was empty, though she could see the indent where Killian’s head had rested and smell the faint traces of spice. Light shone through the bedroom’s tall window, dappled by the trees and angled in a way that suggested late afternoon. Emma listened carefully but heard nothing at all; the silence was so complete it was eerie. 

She got out of bed somewhat reluctantly. It was warm beneath the comforter and the air in the room was cool, though the thick socks she wore protected her feet from the bare floorboards and made no noise as she crept across them to the door. She eased it open until she could see Killian, sitting in the armchair in front of a small but lively fire, still dressed in the clothes he’d slept in. A plate with half a sandwich and some apple slices sat on the table next to him, and in his lap lay a thick book. As she watched he reached for the plate and took an apple slice, munching it as he turned a page. 

Emma pushed the door open completely and went through it, approaching him cautiously. “Um,” she said, and he looked up with a somewhat tentative smile. 

“Swan. How did you sleep?” 

“Pretty well,” she replied, moving further into the room. “I feel rested. I mean, I’m still—I still—” Her heart still ached with sorrow for Felix and clenched in fear when she thought of Gold, but trying to articulate either feeling had her throat closing up in protest. She wanted to talk about it but also she really didn’t.  

His expression shifted to one of such gentle understanding it left her blinking in astonishment. “Aye,” he said. “The mind is like any other organ, damage to it will take time to heal. Don’t try to force it.” 

She nodded gratefully just as her stomach chose that moment to growl, long and rumbly and very loud. “Oh my God,” she groaned, pressing a hand to her belly and another over her eyes. He laughed. 

“Canapés were a long time ago,” he said. “What would you like to eat?” 

“Um, a sandwich is fine, if that’s what you’re having.” 

“Have whatever you like, I’ve got plenty of everything. We’re decently stocked to last a few months, if necessary. There’s bread and cheese and some lunch meat, and tins of tuna. Eggs, some bacon, soup. Apples and oranges, potatoes, meat in the freezer. Plenty of milk. What would you like?” 

“Would it be okay if I made myself a grilled cheese?” 

“Of course. Whatever’s in the kitchen, feel free to use it.”

Emma located some thick-sliced bread in a wooden bin and a block of real cheese in the fridge, and a slab of butter in a dish on the countertop. She scowled as she sliced the cheese as thinly as she could manage and spread butter on the bread. It was all undoubtedly better than the thin white bread and processed cheese she usually ate, but grilled cheese was about comfort, not quality. She wanted some damn junk food. 

She strongly suspected that Killian Jones did not do junk food. 

The resulting sandwich was good, though, very good she had to admit, even if it wasn’t precisely what she was craving. She hummed in enjoyment as she took a bite, salty and crunchy and oozing with cheese. 

“You don’t have to stand over the stove, love.” Killian’s voice was amused. “You can sit here.” 

“No, it’s okay.” Emma put her sandwich on a plate and carried it over to the window seat, sitting down and curling her legs beneath her. “I’m okay here.” 

“You sure?” 

“Yep.” 

They ate in silence for a moment before she spoke. 

“So how do you know Graham?” 

A flash of genuine surprise crossed Killian’s face, and for a moment he was speechless. Emma licked a drop of cheese off her thumb with a small smirk. 

“Er, he was my police contact when I was—” 

She waved this away. “Yeah, yeah, your contact when you were undercover, but how do you know him?” 

He looked at her warily. “What do you mean?” 

“Oh come on,” she mocked, “you don’t think you’re the only one who knows how to read a tell?” When he didn’t reply, she gave an exaggerated sigh. “Graham trusts you. Despite knowing who you are and the things you’ve done he trusts you completely. The most upright cop I’ve ever known just takes it on faith that you’re telling the whole truth and that bringing down Pan was for the good of society and not just to benefit you, or to clear a path for you to take over crime in the city. So I have to ask myself why that is. What could possibly lead to that kind of trust between a cop and a gangster?”

Killian’s expression was still wary, but with the tiniest glimmer of admiration in his eye. 

“And what was your conclusion?” he asked. 

“Well, fortunately men are simple creatures and so the answer is pretty obvious.” 

“Indeed?” 

“Mmm hmm.” 

He quirked an eyebrow. “Do enlighten me.” 

Emma watched him intently as she replied. “You were kids together.”

“Were we?” His expression didn’t change but Emma’s livelihood relied on pinpoint observation and she did not miss the tiny twitch of his eyelid that confirmed her conclusion. She suppressed the urge to do a fist-pump. 

“Yep,” she said, not a little smugly. “Or maybe not kids, but still pretty young. I know Graham was kind of a loner growing up, so maybe you were his first friend. You shared some sort of very intense masculine bonding experience and even now, decades later, you still feel that bond, despite what you both have become. Stop me if any of this is incorrect.” 

The corner of Killian’s mouth twitched as he tried to suppress a grin. “Graham says you’re the best at what you do,” he remarked wryly. “I can see why.” 

Emma polished off the last of her sandwich and licked her fingers, then set the plate aside and leaned back against the windowsill with a triumphant smirk. “So what was it?” she asked. “Boy Scout camp? First orgy?” 

“We were in the navy together.” 

That wiped the smirk clean off her face. “You were in the navy?” 

“I was,” he said with a smirk of his own. “Her Majesty’s Royal one.” 

“But isn’t Graham Irish? What was he doing in the British Navy?” 

“Northern Ireland, love. Part of the UK. Whether they like it or not, as I remind Graham as often as I can.” 

“Huh.” Killian’s expression was amused but his eyes were cool and shuttered. She sensed he was deflecting, trying to distract her. “So what happened with you two?” she persisted.

He huffed a small sigh. “Is there a purpose to this interrogation, Swan?” 

“Just trying to get to the bottom of you.” 

“Why would you do that, when the surface of me is far more pleasant?” he asked, lowering his voice to a purr.  

As innuendoes went it was a weak attempt, particularly from him, and Emma could see that his heart wasn’t in it. She could also see she wouldn’t get anything more out of him today. Which was fine. She could wait. 

“So you think,” she retorted and picked up her plate, carrying it back to the kitchen. She felt his eyes on her back as she went, but when she’d rinsed the plate and put it in the rack to dry she turned to find his attention focused on his book. 

He looked so different here, she thought, taking advantage of the opportunity to study him. It wasn’t just the casual clothes or the halfhearted innuendo—his whole demeanour had changed. Like he’d shed a layer of himself, or maybe a layer that was not himself. Emma knew better than most what it was to wear armour—that solid steel she kept between her heart and those who sought to harm it—and she did not care for the creeping suspicion that she and Killian might have this in common. That he might in fact be not be quite what she’d thought he was.

She didn’t care for it. But she couldn’t ignore it.  

~

They passed the rest of the day in relative peace. Killian continued to read and Emma, after a quick exploration of the cabin revealed there was no television, decided she might as well join him. She spent a long time going through his bookshelves—he had an amazing range of books, both fiction and non, in every genre she could imagine. Including, Emma discovered with a triumphant cry and a pounce, romances. 

“You read romance novels?” she exclaimed, waving the paperback with its illustration of a man and woman, embracing on what appeared to be the deck of a pirate ship, beneath Killian’s nose. “You?”

His lip curled in an almost-smile. “Why does that surprise you? You’ve spent nearly an hour perusing my shelves, you surely noticed that I read just about anything.” 

“Sure, but this?” 

“And why not that?” 

“Well,” Emma hedged, feeling uncomfortably as though her attack had become an ambush, “because it’s dumb.” 

“Oh? Dumb how?” He gave her a polite, attentive look edged with challenge, and she scowled. 

“Dumb as in ridiculous,” she declared. “Cheesy and overblown and unrealistic, and seriously nobody looks like that!” She stabbed the cover with her finger.  

“It’s fantasy, Swan. There are no wizards or dragons or aliens either, and yet books about all of them remain wildly popular. And besides”—he leaned towards her with a smirk and a glint in his eye that made her belly twist and tighten—“those books feature quite a lot of sex, written by women. What better way to learn what a woman likes than to read the fantasies she writes for herself and others like her?” 

“Huh,” said Emma, frowning at the book to distract herself from the flare of heat his words ignited. "I guess—I’ve never thought about it that way before.” 

“That one there is one of my favourites,” Killian informed her. “The chap is quite dashing. Pirate, you know. Miscreant.” He waggled his eyebrows at her and she snorted. “You should give it a try.” 

It was an unmistakable dare, and though she tried to tell herself not to let him goad her in such an obvious way, one she couldn’t resist. 

“I will,” she declared, and took the book back to the window seat, making herself comfortable with the pillows and blanket and beginning to read. 

~

“Do you want some dinner, Swan?” 

“Huh?” Emma jumped at Killian’s voice and looked up at him with a scowl. She’d been in the midst of a high-seas battle, all clashing swords and bursts of cannon fire and the heroine backed into a corner by the rival pirate captain, in danger of kidnap or worse unless she could fight him off with the cutlass she’d only just learned to use. Emma was rooting for her, and extremely displeased by the interruption. “What did you say?” 

“I asked if you’d like some dinner.” Killian’s eyes twinkled with a knowing glint she did not care for. “I’m making some for myself. Just soup, but it’s a good one. You’re welcome to share.” 

“Oh. Um. Yeah, thanks. Do you need help?” 

“No, I’ve got it.” He grinned at her. “You go back to your book.” 

By the time he returned with a large mug emanating delicious-smelling steam and a plate of buttered toast, Emma’s heroine had fought her way free of the rival captain’s clutches and been reunited with her lover—whom she had realised in the terror of the battle she could not live without—and they were making their way back to her home. The pirate was determined to return his lady to her family—for her own good, he said, a pirate’s life was far too dangerous for her—but Emma suspected that before the end of the book the lady would find a way to change his mind. There were still more than a hundred pages left in which to do it. 

Reluctantly she set the book aside and accepted the mug and plate, along with a metal baking tray Killian offered her with a slightly sheepish look. 

“It’s the best I can do for a table,” he said. “You’ve probably noticed this cabin isn’t exactly equipped for two.” 

Emma sat cross-legged with the tray balanced on her knees and managed to eat a spoonful of soup without spilling. It was delicious—spicy but not excessively so, with beans and corn and shredded chicken in a thick tomatoey broth. She hummed as she dug her spoon back in for a second mouthful. 

Killian resumed his place in the armchair—the table next to him was big enough to hold his mug and plate easily, Emma noted—and they munched in silence for several minutes. 

Outside the window the sunlight was just beginning to dwindle into a cool twilight of blue and pastel pink, though the clock on Killian’s oven read 9:53. They must be quite far north, Emma thought, which called to mind another of her many unanswered questions. 

“Where are we?” she asked abruptly. 

Killian carefully swallowed his mouthful of soup and set the mug down before replying. “Canada,” he said.  

“Canada?” Emma stared at him. 

“That’s what I said.” 

“But—I don’t have my passport.” 

“No.” 

“So how did we get over the border?” 

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you really want the answer to that, love?” 

“I—no.” Emma sighed. “I guess I don’t.” 

“Wise.” 

He began to eat again but she frowned into her mug, mind churning. “But how will I get back home?” she asked after a moment’s pause. “We are—you are planning to go back, right?” 

“Of course.” 

“So…” she made an sweeping gesture with her hand. “What’s your plan, then? Assuming you have one?” 

“I do.” He spooned up the last of his soup, set his mug on his table and turned to her with a grim set to his jaw. 

“Perhaps it is time we discussed this. All of it, I mean. What you saw and what it means and where I come in.” He met her eyes and his own were intense, full of an empathy that shouldn’t feel so right from him. “If you think you’re ready?” 

Emma shivered as her memories of the night before returned, along with the ache and chill of fear. The quiet cosiness of the cabin and the escape of her book had dispelled them temporarily—and maybe also deliberately, she thought  in a flash of comprehension. She’d needed that respite. But now—  

“Yeah,” she said, with a deep breath and a nod. “I think I can be.” 

Killian let out a long breath of his own and sat back in his chair. “Do you know who Robert Gold is?” he asked. 

Emma shrugged. “Kind of? The papers always call him a philanthropist, whatever that means.” 

“It’s meant to mean someone who donates great sums of money to multiple causes. Out of a sense of civic duty in the classic definition of the word, but in the case of Gold it means someone who donates just enough to just the right concerns to give people cause to turn a blind eye to his other financial interests.” 

She frowned. “What other interests?” 

“Art theft, forgery, and money laundering, among others,” he replied grimly.  

“But—I thought all of Pan’s associates got arrested.” 

“They did. Gold didn’t work for Pan.” 

“So who does he work for?”

“No one. Himself.” 

“What this whole time? While Pan was in power?” 

“Pan never completely stomped out other criminal concerns, so long as they didn’t interfere with his own interests,” Killian explained. “Gold’s field was separate enough that the two of them rarely crossed paths, though...” he frowned, almost to himself.

“Though what?” 

“I’m not sure really. It’s nothing I could ever put my finger on but I always had the impression that there was another layer to their relationship, one neither wished to discuss or have made public. At any rate they took pains to keep out of each other’s way. And then Pan went down.” 

“And Gold—did what, exactly?”  

“As of right now? Not much that he wasn’t doing before. But he’s laying the groundwork, building foundations for expansion. I was there when Pan did the same. Hell, I helped him do it. And now Gold is preparing to make a move for everything Pan once had.” He gave her a small smile, ironic with a bitter, razor edge. “You were right you know, Emma, to believe that someone would try to step into the breach when Pan went down. Your only mistake was thinking that someone would be me.” 

Something stabbed at Emma, something that felt uncomfortably like remorse. She tried to shake it off but found she couldn’t—it settled in her chest and twisted there, heavy and sharp. “So, um, Gold has been what, just biding his time all these years?” she asked. “Waiting until Pan was gone so he could take over?” 

“Not precisely.” Killian ran a hand over his chin, scratching at the scruff on it. “He’s been involved in the game for a long time, since before Pan came to this country. But he was content to stay in his lane, as it were. Pan had little interest in high-end crime so Gold could conduct his affairs without any conflict of turf. But now with Pan and his whole organisation gone, Gold saw an opportunity he couldn’t resist.” 

“And from the sounds of it, you knew this would happen.” She gave him a probing look. “Did you?” 

“Aye,” he conceded. “I suspected it might. Which was why I kept my eye on Felix.” 

“On Felix?” The ache in Emma’s heart throbbed again.  

“Indeed.” 

“But why? He wasn’t anyone, just a—a lowlife—” she broke off with a little choking sob. Felix may not have been anyone important but he’d been a person and now he was murdered and—she jumped as a warm hand covered hers and looked up into Killian’s eyes, so blue and far too full of understanding. 

He sat next to her on the sea chest and eased his arm around her, gently coaxing her head onto his shoulder. Emma held herself stiff for a moment then melted, unable to resist the comfort he was offering. 

 “Felix was a lowlife, just as you say,” he murmured, the low timbre of his voice soothing in her ear. “One who wasn’t even on Pan’s payroll, which is why he wasn’t implicated in the RICO case. But he did do the odd job for Pan, in exchange for drugs and some other privileges. He wasn’t a bright lad, and Pan held an odd sort of thrall over him.” He paused, his fingers tracing nonsense patterns on Emma’s shoulder, relaxing her further. “Anyway, Gold believes just as you do, that my role in Pan’s downfall was self-serving. He thinks that I held back records from the police, information on how Pan ran his businesses which I could then use to set myself up as the next kingpin in the city. He wanted Felix, as the only other person with ties to Pan who was still walking free, to obtain those records. Felix came to me and asked for them directly.” 

Emma snorted. “Seriously?” 

“I told you he wasn’t bright. I told him that they don’t exist.” 

“Hmmm,” said Emma. “And do they?” 

“No.” 

“You’re lying.” 

He stiffened. “I beg your pardon?” 

Emma sat up so she could see his face. It wore a dark expression that made her shiver. “I can tell when someone is lying to me,” she said. “It’s a gift, like a—a superpower. And right now it’s telling me that you are lying. Not entirely, but there’s something you’re holding back.” 

“I turned over every scrap of information I had on Pan to the police, and I have not engaged in any new illegal activity since he was arrested,” he said, his voice flat and cool. “That is not a lie.” 

“It’s not the whole truth, either. What aren’t you saying?” 

Killian released her and stood, raking a hand through his hair. “Nothing that’s any of your concern.” 

“How the hell do you expect me to trust you when you lie to me?” Emma snapped, irritated at how keenly she felt the loss of his warmth and support. 

“How do you expect me to trust you when I saved your bloody life and you’re still trying to put me in jail?” he snarled. “It goes both ways, darling. I took a huge risk by moving overtly against Gold, and by bringing you here of all places. The very least you could do in return is stop looking at me like all you can see is the price on my head!” 

“There isn’t a price on your head anymore, you saw to that!” she cried. 

“Yes I did. Which was also a risk. I earned my pardon in ways you couldn’t even begin to fathom, and now I’ve put all that in jeopardy because I couldn’t bear to—” He broke off on a hiss, tugging at his hair again. 

“To what?” Emma sneered. “What could you not bear?” 

He turned to face her, angry and sincere and reckless. “To see you dead,” he said bluntly. “I couldn’t bear that, however bloody infuriating you can be.” 

She caught her breath. “But you didn’t know—how could you have known my life was even in danger?” 

“Because I’m the one who brought you into this.”

His voice was quiet, ragged with remorse and utterly truthful, but Emma shook her head. “I was chasing the bounty on Felix, it was nothing to do with—” 

 “I wanted to get Felix off the streets,” he interrupted her. “For his own safety. Once I learned what Gold wanted from him and that Felix would never be able to deliver it, I knew it was only a matter of time before Felix’s body turned up in an alley somewhere, dead of a single stab wound to the heart.” 

She caught her breath and he raised an eyebrow, grim and knowing. “Gold’s signature move. I take it that’s what you witnessed?”

She nodded. “Gold—he asked Felix if he had it, and said don’t disappoint me, you won’t like the consequences. Then Felix said he couldn’t get it because ‘Jones said’ but Gold interrupted him, and said ‘don’t talk to me about Killian Jones.’ Then he held up his cane and Felix—he obviously knew what that meant for him.” 

Killian’s mouth was a tight line, a muscle leaping in his jaw. “I’m so bloody sorry, Swan,” he growled. “I just wanted Felix out of Gold’s reach. He wasn’t worth much but I felt responsible for him, the way he was left at such a loss with Pan gone. Many of his failings were not his fault.”

“But why did you need me for that?”

“Don’t forget I’ve seen you in action, love, I know what you’re capable of,” he said with a poor attempt at a smile. “I knew you could infiltrate Gold’s party and that you’d make quick work of Felix once you were there. So I asked Graham to dig up what he could on Felix—I knew there had to be something—and then put you on his trail. The idea was for you to bring him in so the police could hold him until Gold lost interest. That way he’d be safe from Gold in a non-suspicious way that couldn’t be traced back to me.” 

“That’s—actually not a bad plan.” 

“Oh, aye. Except that it was a spectacular failure.” 

“That’s not your fault, Killian—” 

“It is,” he insisted, clenching his hands into fists. “I should have pointed you in his direction the moment I saw you, but instead I got caught up in—” his mouth twisted. “Well… you know.” 

In sparring with her, Emma thought. In the ridiculous game they’d been playing just twenty-four hours ago, though it felt like years. “Yeah,” she sighed. “I do.” 

“As soon as I saw Felix leave the party I knew what was likely to happen,” continued Killian, pacing up and down the short length of the room. “He didn’t have the records and Gold does not take kindly to being thwarted. His fate was sealed but there was still chance I could save you. I tried to get to you before you left to follow him but I was across the room and the crowd was too thick, I couldn’t move fast enough. So I got my car and got you out of the gallery, then followed my escape plan to bring us here.” 

Emma’s heart was racing again. “How did you know where I’d be?” she asked quietly.  

 “Gold always holds meetings in that gallery, particularly ones he thinks will end as that one did. The room is well sealed and noise insulated and the carpet is made of pre-cut squares, like tiles. Easy to pick up and replace with fresh ones if they get stained.” 

“So basically a perfect murder room.” Her voice sounded foreign to her ears, like it belonged to someone else. 

His was rough. “Basically.” 

“But—” Emma forced herself to breathe steadily, and to remember that she was safe. “What if—what if I hadn’t been near the door? What if Gold had caught me?” She looked up at Killian. “He almost fucking did.” 

Killian’s jaw was tight again, the muscle flexing in it as he approached her cautiously. “I could only hope I got there in time,” he rasped. “There were far too many things I had to trust to luck. But what other choice was there? Do nothing and you would surely have been killed. Do something and you still may have been, but.. well, I had to try.” He swallowed hard. “I’m just glad that it worked.” 

“Yeah.” Emma shuddered, thinking about how close it had come to not working. She hugged herself, sinking her fingernails into the soft fleece of his sweatshirt. “So what happens now?” she asked. “You said you have a plan?”

“Aye.” Slowly he sat next to her and she let him, let him pull her close again and tuck her head onto his shoulder. She sighed as some of her tension ebbed away and her body relaxed against his. “First we have to contact Graham,” he said. “I sent him a message when I woke up, telling him what I thought you had seen and that I would keep you safe. By now Gold certainly knows who you are and that I was the one who helped you get away. He’ll have people searching for both of us; it’s not safe to go back to the city until he’s neutralised.” 

“Neutralised,” she repeated. “Fuck. What’s that gonna take?” 

“Possibly not as much effort as you think. Gold is slick, but he’s not used to being the focus of attention. He gets away with things because for the right incentives people, the police included, are content to look the other way. It’s all a game for Gold, one he’s been playing for so long he believes he’s untouchable.” Emma shivered and his arm tightened around her. “But with Pan gone he’s gotten arrogant, and arrogant means careless. Graham’s been investigating him for a while and he’s got enough evidence to pursue the case. We just have to sit tight until he’s ready to make an arrest—he wants to be sure everything is airtight first. Which means”—he cleared his throat—“that you are going to need to tell him exactly what you saw. Can you do that, Swan?” 

“I—” Emma took a deep breath, full of Killian's scent and the heat of his skin. His nearness shouldn’t comfort her so much but it did, and right now she would take any comfort she could get. “Yes,” she said firmly. “I want to do it.”   

She felt his grin though she couldn’t see it, felt his cheek flex against the top of her head. “You’re a tough lass,” he said. “I admired that about you from the start.” 

~

Graham answered his phone on the first ring. “Detective Humbert,” he said gruffly.

“Graham.” Emma couldn’t believe how good it felt to hear a familiar voice. 

“Emma!” he cried. “How are you? Are you okay? Is everything okay?” 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She flexed her fingers around the phone Killian had given her—a satellite phone he’d said, the size and heft of a cell phone circa 1989.

“Where are you?” Graham demanded.

She was in the bedroom, curled up on the bed with the door tightly shut. But that wasn’t what Graham was asking. “Uh, I don’t quite know. Killian said Canada, but that doesn’t exactly narrow it down.” 

“Killian.” Graham spat the name with a venom that surprised her. 

“Yeah,” she said, frowning. “He’s—well, less awful than I thought. He saved my life.” 

“And he hasn’t—” Graham cleared his throat “—done anything to you?” 

“Like what?”  

“Like—tried anything.” 

Emma felt a surge of indignation on Killian’s behalf. “Okay, one, that’s a hell of a thing to say about your friend—” 

“Who said he’s my friend—” 

“And two, no, he’s not laid a finger on me since we got here.” Except to comfort her, but that wasn’t something Graham needed to know about. Nor did he need to know that the change in Killian’s behaviour, the complete disappearance of any innuendo or provocation, left her feeling oddly disgruntled and unsure what to think. She hadn’t wanted it in the first place so she should be glad it was gone, but its absence had changed their dynamic in a way that had her feeling a bit off balance.

“—did he say he’s my friend?” Graham was almost shouting. “Emma?” 

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Graham, it doesn’t matter,” she snapped. “Whether you’re friends with Killian or not, that’s not important. I’m fine, he’s fine, and we both want to go home, so can we talk about how to make that happen?” 

Graham took a deep breath, and when he spoke again his voice was calm and professional. “Yes we can. Tell me what you witnessed at Gold’s mansion.” 

Emma took a breath of her own, wrapped her arms around her knees and began to speak. 

~

When she hung up the phone she returned to the living room to find Killian leaning against the stone mantel above the fireplace, staring into the flames. He looked up sharply when she entered. “How was it?” he demanded. “Are you all right?” 

She nodded. “A bit bruised, but yeah, I’m okay.” She gave him a faint smile. “I’m okay. I’ll be oka—” 

He hesitated for the briefest moment then strode across the room and wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay not to be okay, you know,” he said softly. “If you’re not.” 

“I—” Emma’s voice caught on a sob and she buried her face in his chest. 

“Shhh, love, it’s all right,” he murmured. She felt his hand stroke her hair and the lightest press of his lips on the side of her head. Closing her fist on a handful of his shirt, she breathed in shuddering heaves as her tears continued to fall. 

“I feel like I can’t stop crying,” she whispered. “Why can’t I? I never cry.” 

“Because you’re a human being with a soul,” he replied, with an edge to his voice she hadn’t heard in it before. “You’re not a monster like Gold or—others of his kind.” 

Or me, he was going to say, she realised. He thought he and Gold were the same. 

“You like to think you’re tough, Emma,” Killian continued. “And you are. Tough and brave and bloody fearless. But beneath that armour you wear you have a soft and caring heart and that’s worth more than all the rest of it combined. You must never, ever let your heart grow hard. That’s not toughness, it’s death.” 

She had no idea how to respond to that, or the ache of self-loathing she heard in his voice. So she said nothing, pressing closer to him as his hand moved down her hair in soothing strokes. 

“Cry as much as you need,” he murmured. “Let yourself feel what you’re feeling. It’s the only way to heal.” 

She clung to him, sobbing into his shirt until her tears were spent and she was exhausted, with a pounding ache behind her eyes. When at last she sniffed and straightened up, Killian let her go without hesitation. 

“Better?” he asked. 

“Yeah,” she smiled wryly. “But my head hurts.” 

“I can help with that, at least.” He went to the bathroom and returned a moment later with a bottle of Tylenol, which he handed to her then moved to the kitchen to fill a glass with water. “Take some of those and drink the whole glass,” he instructed. “Then go to bed and try to get some sleep.” 

“Thanks.” Emma turned towards the bedroom then stopped and looked back. He was still standing there, watching her. “Are you—are you coming?” 

He smiled. “Later. You go now.” 

“Okay.” She turned to go again then immediately swivelled back. “And thanks, Killian,” she said. “For everything.” 

His smile widened into the boyish one that made her chest feel tight, and too small to contain the leap of her heart. “You’re welcome, love,” he said. “Sleep well.” 

Emma went to the bedroom and shut the door behind her, leaning back and letting her head fall against it with a soft thunk. “Do not do this, you idiot,” she whispered to herself. “Do not go there. Not again.” 

--

@thisonesatellite @ohmightydevviepuu @kmomof4 @mariakov81 @katie-dub @spartanguard @darkcolinodonorgasm @courtorderedcake @squidvisious @cluttermind @teamhook @lfh1226-linda @shireness-says​ @stahlop​

[verai-marcel]

The Things That We Could Be (Charles x F!Reader, Biker AU, 18+, 3 of 3)

Tags, Summary, and Notes in Chapter 1.

AO3 Link is here, angel.

Word Count: 2454

Chapter 3 - A Story For You

Inside of the bathroom, the two of you stood under the fluorescent lighting, a first aid kit on the countertop. He was close, too close, but he had ushered you in without a word, a gentle hand on your elbow guiding you.

You had wanted to help Charles with his injuries, but he had insisted on seeing to you first. His movements were careful as he cleaned your face with a warm washcloth, his eyes sad when you winced on occasion. After he finished cleaning your wounds and putting on bandaids, he removed his jacket and let you help him put some ice on places he couldn’t reach while he cleaned up.

“I wish I could’ve protected you more,” he said as you put the last bandaid on him. “You didn’t have to join the fight.”

You shrugged. “I couldn’t just stand there like some helpless princess.”

He smiled. “I know. That’s why I worry so much about you.” Caressing your cheek softly, his fingers lingered over the bruise that was starting to form near your jaw where the man had gripped your face. “You seem like the type to jump into danger without looking.”

Then Charles suddenly pulled his hand away. “I guess you want to get some rest now.” He stood and turned to leave the bathroom, but you reached out and grabbed his wrist.

“Were you really part of the VDL Riders?” you asked.

Charles’ eyes hardened for a moment, his shoulders tensing slightly. “Yeah.” When you said nothing, he asked, “Does that change anything?”

You shook your head. “You’re still you. Just makes you more interesting.”

His shoulders relaxed and his eyes grew kind once more. “What, being a cafe owner wasn’t interesting enough?”

You laughed. “You were plenty interesting to begin with. I had always wondered, what kind of man, looking the way you do, runs a cafe in conjunction with the local animal shelter to help pets get adopted?”

“Looking the way I do?” he asked, an eyebrow raised.

“Yeah. Tough guy haircut, leather jacket, rides a motorbike into work, muscles upon muscles, could probably throw me around with one arm…” You trailed off when you saw him looking at you with much more interest than you expected. “Wh-what?” you stammered.

“Noticed my muscles, did you?”

You sputtered helplessly. He caught your slip-up, and your quick wit had left you high dry, like a fish gulping for air.

He laughed and stepped closer to you. You quickly looked up at him, watching guardedly as he leaned down to look you in the eye. 

“You want to see all of my muscles then?”

You swallowed and nodded.

He grinned and took off his shirt, throwing it in the corner. You saw a few scars on his torso, probably from fights in the past, but mostly you just saw a big, brawny man, who probably could pick you up with one arm.

Your heart raced and your body heated up with desire. 

“Please manhandle me,” you mumbled.

“Speak up, baby girl.” He stepped close and pulled you into his embrace, his hips pushing you against the counter, his warm chest pressing against yours. “What do you desire?”

“I want you to manhandle me!”

He grinned. “As you wish.”

Suddenly you were lifted up, his hands gripping your ass as he placed you on the countertop. Spreading your legs, you wrapped them around his waist as you put your arms around him, touching his back, splaying your fingers out to feel as much of him as possible. He leaned in and brushed his lips against yours, quietly waiting for permission.

“Kiss me,” you whispered.

As if your words had unlocked the floodgates, Charles kissed you passionately, devouring you with each passing moment. His soft grunts of need filled the air as his hands pulled at your clothes, steadily stripping you down between heated kisses, his lips bringing a fiery wave of lust each time. He pulled off your jacket, your shirt, and as his hands nimbly undid the fly of your pants, you started to get off the counter.

Instead, he wrapped one arm around your waist, lifted you up, and pulled your pants down. You held onto him, surprised by his sudden movement, but it only made you hotter, your thighs feeling wet as he dragged your panties down. Kicking them off the rest of the way, you stayed in Charles’ arms like a ragdoll as he placed you back on the counter, the cool surface against your bare ass contrasting with his warm body.

He stepped back for a moment and quickly unzipped his pants, shoving his boxers down with them. Kicking them off to one side, he stepped back towards you, his cock hard and ready. You reached down and wrapped your hand around him, stroking slowly, watching his face as he took a deep breath. His eyes fluttered closed as you touched him.

You pulled on his cock, spreading your legs to give him access. Kissing your forehead, he reached past you and opened a drawer. Pulling out a condom, he kissed your lips as he opened the package. “I’ve wanted you for so long,” he whispered as he rolled it over his thick cock. “You ready for me?”

“Yes, please, fuck me Charles,” you begged.

Encircling your hips with his large hands, he pulled you to the edge of the counter, the tip of his cock nudging your slit. He leaned his forehead against yours, and together you watched him take you, pushing into you slowly. Both of you moaned together, a synchronous sound of ecstasy as he hilted inside of you.

“Oh my god,” you moaned. “You feel so good…”

“So do you,” he murmured. He slowly pulled out and then pushed into you again. He gradually increased his pace, his eyes meeting yours as he started to lose control. His mouth opened slightly as he panted, his grip on you tightening, and you swear you felt his cock swelling inside of you.

“Grab my neck,” you demanded.

After a moment’s hesitation, Charles wrapped his hand around your neck, gently enough that you could still breathe, but tight enough that you could feel the strength of his grip. You felt so aroused that you dared to beg for more.

“Fuck me from behind and pull my hair!”

“Anything you want, baby,” he rumbled as he pulled out of you, lifted you off the counter and roughly turned you around. His hand still around your neck, he bent you over and shoved his cock back inside of you, hitting a spot deep within that made your toes curl. 

“Oh fuck,” you moaned as he grabbed your hair by the base of your neck and started to pound into you. Your hands shot out to brace yourself against the mirror, and you got a good look at the scene.

Charles was behind you, his hands around your neck and in your hair, his hips thrusting hard into you, while you were bent over, tits bouncing, looking like a porn star, begging to be fucked. You caught Charles’ eyes and smiled.

“Your cock feels amazing,” you slurred, drunk on lust. “You feel so fucking good, I wish you’d fucked me sooner,” you babbled.

Charles grinned as he leaned over you and spoke into your ear, his low voice sending sensual vibrations through your brain. “I’ll give you as much of my cock as you want, baby girl.” He thrust upwards, hard, making you cry out with pleasure. “To make up for lost time.”

His hands left your hair and neck to grab at the rest of your body instead. He trailed down your breasts, playing with them while he was leaning over you, his hips giving you short, shallow thrusts. Trailing one hand down your belly to your center, he found your clit and started stroking you without mercy.

You started cursing and moaning, losing yourself to everything but his touch, his soothing voice as he wrapped a hand around your neck again and arched your back upwards. His thrusts became deeper, longer, as he commanded you to look in the mirror.

“See that? See your lovely face while I’m fucking you?” He kissed your cheek. “I want to see you come for me. Can you come for me, angel?”

“Oh fuck, yes!” you cried out. His words, his cock pounding you, and his fingers stroking you made your body release all the pent up lust you’d had for this man for so long. You spasmed in his arms, reaching back and clawing at his body as he continued to fuck you, riding out your climax until you began to slump over.

“So beautiful,” he moaned as he came, his eyes focused on your blissed out face as he thrust hard inside of you, holding you tightly as he finished. He kept holding you as he caught his breath. 

“You okay?” he asked after a few moments. 

“I’m better than okay,” you said, smiling. “I… I’ve wanted you for a while. I’m happy you feel the same.”

Charles carefully pulled out of you. Making sure you could stand steadily on two feet, he cleaned you with a washcloth before cleaning himself off. Always you first, you noticed. He really was a nice, goodhearted man.

Naked, Charles wrapped his arms around you, picked you up, and carried you to his bedroom. “Bedtime,” he said as he tucked you in.

“Are you staying with me?” you asked hesitantly. You knew some people could comfortably have sex and yet could feel that sleeping in the same bed was too intimate. Looking at Charles, you doubted he was like that, but couldn’t hurt to ask.

Charles nodded. “Of course I’ll stay.” He slipped under the covers with you and held you close. “I wouldn’t give up cuddling.” Nuzzling your shoulder, he let out a content sigh. “Good night, angel.”

Your heart raced, and not because of lust this time.

You were falling in love.

***

You woke up, your arm wrapped around a warm body. As you blinked awake, you heard a low moan, almost like a pur. Focusing on the man next to you, the first thing you saw was the profile of his face; so peaceful in sleep. You slowly got up to get a better look at him, but he stirred and opened his eyes to meet yours. He broke into a radiant smile.

“Good morning,” he said softly, his voice caressing you like a lover’s touch. Two simple words, and yet it felt as it was the first time you had truly heard them.

“Good morning,” you replied, leaning down to kiss the tip of his nose.

He suddenly wrapped his arms around you and pulled you close. “I wish I could wake up next to you every morning,” he mumbled.

You froze. It was a little too soon; after all, you just shared an explosive night of action and adrenaline-filled sex. 

Charles’ hands pet your back soothingly, like one would a kitten. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“But is that how you really feel?”

“Yes.”

You pulled back, resting your arms on his wide chest so you could face him. He was looking at you so lovingly that you had to look down for a moment and collect yourself. When you looked back up, you spoke your mind. 

“I need some time. But I’m not opposed to the idea.”

He caressed your face. “Of course, angel. I understand.”

***

You went back to your apartment and decided to stick it out through the end of your lease; it would only be six months, after all. 

Finishing your article about the ODB MC, you managed to get people talking about the issue again. For so long, people had been ignoring the problem, but bringing it back to light again had sparked a fire, and complaints started pouring in as people wrote in with their own stories of harassment, both to the local government and to various local news outlets.

Things were turning around, and while you were a little worried that they might come to get vengeance, you took steps to avoid the possibility. You did as Charles asked, going home at night, making sure to text him when you were home and in the morning so he wouldn’t worry about you. Talking to the landlord, and then to your neighbors in the apartment building, you all agreed to report any suspicious activity to a group email list that you had set up so that everyone would be aware of anything happening nearby.

Six months flew by, your career steadily growing as you became a trusted voice of the press. While there were tough days, there were also days when you could bring the stories of the people to everyone and help bring solutions to those who needed them. That satisfaction was worth all the hardship, the long days interviewing and researching, the rewrites, the retractions, everything.

During all of this, you and Charles grew closer and closer. You realized that your weekends were mostly spent with him, and slowly, more and more of your things ended up staying at his place. You realized that he had been rearranging things slowly, making space for you as he observed your habits.

***

By the time your lease was up, half of your things already had a home in Charles’ apartment, but you still had to sell some of your furniture and pack up the rest before the last day. The weekend before the big move, you noticed his apartment looked a little different.

“These weren’t here last week,” you commented idly when you saw the second chest of drawers in his bedroom and the additional bookcases in his living room.

“You’re moving here next weekend, I figured you’d need them,” he said matter-of-factly. You had mentioned that you had been living out of boxes for some time now, but that had been at the beginning of your relationship and you didn’t think he’d remember such a small detail.

The fact that he just did remember, and he did something about it without being asked was making you feel a little guilty. “Sorry you had to make room for me,” you said. I think I love you, you thought to yourself. You weren’t ready to say it, but you could feel it.

He shook his head as he took your hands and brought them to his lips, kissing your fingertips. “There will always be room for you here, just like there will always be room for you in here,” he said, bringing your hands to his heart.

You swear you heard his thoughts in his gentle, solid heartbeat. I love you too.

--------------------

End Notes: This turned out waaaaay longer than I thought it would. Hope you enjoyed the story! Did you guess that the title of this fic is from Counting Stars by OneRepublic? Or that the other two fics in this series also are song lyrics? (Before This Dance is Through = The Beatles, I’m Happy Just to Dance With You; The Light That You Shine = Seal, Kiss From a Rose) Anyway, Javier is next up! I can’t wait to nerd out and talk about some of my other interests in his tale!

[bibibuckleyy]

my thoughts on ‘The taking of Dispach 9-1-1′

this was SUCH a good episode from start to finish! *pulls out a slide show* Now i’ll show you breaking down every. single. scene-

jk lmao...unless?

spoilers below the cut!

lord. have. mercy.

these hoes are givin me major heist vibes

tiffany bby ur the driver but for me to acknowledge you as such you better be Letty Ortiz good hun

wow these thugs are a lot my organized than i first thought like i know they was carryin guns but i aint know they was packin this much like damn

Oceans 8 who?

so i wanna know where they just...got a cop car???

OH HELL NAH Y’ALL BEST NOT MESS WITH TERRY

I MEAN ANA MAY BE HIS SISTER

AND  SHE MAY BE MAKIN MOVES ON EDDIE 

BUT IN THIS HOUSE WE LOVE TERRY FLORES SO YOU GET YOUR GUN AWAY FROM SUNSHINE BBY

it’s kinda funny rewatching this scene when you know what’s about to go down

like i’m cacklin like ‘oh shooooot dramaaaa’

but i’m also like ‘SOMEONE GRAB JOSH AND RUN’

“temporary maintenance, happens all the time” cool cool cool 

i’m not freakin out you’re freakin out

josh and maddie are like friend goals i love their dynamic like yoooo

hi yes could you please get that gun away from terry’s head i would really appreciate it.

OMG SECURITY DUDE NOOOO

wow ur like the only line of defense in the dispatch center and they just kicked ur ass

is this where our tax dollars are goin??

fly high josh’s mug, fly high

that absolute look of fear on his face tho, still breaks my heart

josh russo defense squad post up homies

“i love you, howie” nope nope nope didn’t like it the second time either

when that gun went off

LET ME TELL YOU

i just,,,waited for the blood to start comin out of terry

thank god it wasn’t him

good scene lmaooo 9-1-1 writers i hate you all lmao lmao

“bees are the least of your troubles here, sweetheart” I HATE YOU DUDE

someone call mama grant please

“we’ve got dispatch” i do not like this ma’am i’d like to speak to the manager

“you’ll shoot us” man shut the hell up-

“no, we’ll shoot the person next you you” this dude is insane

lookin like mr.clean’s evil cousin LMAOOOOO

“you only do something like this so you can do something...worse”

um whAT-

“you’re being paranoid, she’s fine” CHIMNEY NO NO NO

i don’t think i’ve ever thrown this much popcorn at my tv in my life

as chimney said “don’t do it man” just picture a 5′5 lightskinned girl tripping over her blanket while yelling “DO IT CHIM, DO IT!” and you’ll have me

“sorry, we are experiencing a high call volume” BITCH MORE LIKE A HIGH CRIME VOLUME SOMEBODY GET MAMA GRANT DAMNIT-

*screams* BUUUUUUUUCK 

HI BBY

ooh nice shirt, i guess pink isn’t the only color that suits ya

he looks good in all the colors

whole damn snaaaaack

not to be an idiot on main but seriously, who watches the watchmen?

“i miss like an earthquake or something?” lmao chim is a whole vibe

“wait....why are you calling 9-1-1, is everything ok?” paired with that cute adorable concerned face he made is making me cry ok we don’t deserve buck T-T

“she’s at the call center, what could happen?” AT LOT ACTUALLY

OH THANK YOU JESUS IT’S ATHENA FUCKIN FINALLY 

*cries* mama grant you won’t believe the day i’ve had

“he’s my husband” LMAOOOOO WHAT

whoa tiffany we’ve already had our fair share of mail bombs here that bet’ not be what i think it is

THE PACKAGE IS VIBRATING AND BLINKING TAKE COVER-

ohhhhhhhhhh

it’s just takin out the security systems lmao 

“technical difficulties” BITCH MORE  LIKE CRIMINAL DIFFICULTIES

“i bet this woman really thinks you’re...worthwhile.” JOSH BBY DON’T LISTEN TO A WORD HE SAYS EVERYONE LOVES YOU

ahaha thanks i did not need those flashbacks it hurt enough the first time 

“a woman called about an omelet, i dispatched an officer”

“to the restaurant?”

“not exactly”

???

“i tried calling josh, but no answer” aww josh and buck are friendssssss :)

JOSH HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY THE FIREFAM PASS IT ON

:0

JOSH YOU GENIUS

YOU SMART SMART CINNAMON ROLL

MAMA GRANT IT’S TIME TO MAKE SOME MOVES

“nO NO CHIMNEY DON’T HANG UP!” i shouldn’t have laughed so hard

oh great he’s hastily grabbing his jacket. he’s about to do something rash and irresponsible

....someone call eddie.

that’s some good heist music right there

the bad guys look stressed....good.

“you’re here so i can keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t do anything foolish” BUT YOU LEFT BUCK

OK BUCK I LOVE YOU BBY

BUT YOU HAVE THIS HABIT OF TURNIN INTO SPECIAL AGENT 007 REAL FAST WHEN YOUR FRIENDS ARE IN TROUBLE MAN

LIKE

HE’S THE ‘EVERYONE BEFORE ME’ MEMBER OF THE FIREFAM

mama grant i ain’t questionin your authority or nun but like???

WHY WOULD YOU NOT KEEP AN EYE ON BUCK TOO?

HE’S THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATE TO DO SOMETHIN STUPID

thats some reckless drivin there buckaroo

buck who were you tryna fool tho

athena only knows one golden retriever dude in this city who drives a grey and black jeep

“ok now, don’t be mad” LMAOOOOOOOO

HANDS DOWN ONE OF MY FAVE SCENES

HE KNEW HIS MOM WAS PISSED TOO LMAOOOO

athena’s look is sending meeeeee 😂😂

omg my god😭😂

“hey buck”

“...hey chim”

athena has some dumbass kids yo

the best part is, she knows it

the way mr. clean broke his neck when dude said ‘police cruiser’ LMAOOOO

“and if it’s not normal?”

“we’ll find out”

*blasts boss bitch*

i love the way buck is kinda concerned for his mom tho

and athena’s just like ‘it’s no sweat sweetie i do this every day’

“shoot her”

BITCH I HOPE THE FUCK YOU DO

YOU’LL BE A DEAD SON OF A BITCH

I’LL TELL YOU THAT

“shoot her, now”

try her bitch, see what happens to yo ass. 

the 118

the call center

the entire fandom 

we will collectively end you

“we got a report of a code 77″

THANK GOD THAT GOT ATHENA OUT OF THERE

what is a code 77 you say?

“ambush, proceed with caution”

well it sure nuff aint indecent exposure

*boss bitch keeps playing cause that was super smart for her to give out a code 77*

“maddie is smart, she can take care of herself until help gets there”

HELL YEA SHE CAN

SHE KICKED DOUG’S ASS SHE’LL KICK YOURS TOO

“they’re not gonna wanna leave behind a room full of witnesses”

i’m-i’m fine, i swear-

“killing people, your solution to every problem”

excuse me? do i hear morals??

they’re really fighting each other

they some grade a stupid right there 

there’s no way they are pullin this off

terry

terry what are you doing

TERRY

RUN TERRY RUN GO GO GO

OH SHIT

JOSHHHHHHHH

i thought they were gonna shoot terry

BUT JOSH CAME THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH

wowwwwww dispatch is a lot more badass than i thought

these dudes are hard core

OH

OH JOSH NO BBY

THAT LOOKS LIKE IT HURT

aii square tf up mr. clean we don’t hit josh here and you gon have to pay for that one

the way everyone is just quietly sobbing tho

it saddens me

“I need another thirty minutes”

i’m really enjoying watching this dude’s plan crumble around him

swat posted up aii i see yall

“we’ll try to get eyes in a damn windowless room”

well when you put it that way it sounds like this is hopeless

“i’m sorry i thought you were crazy”

“i’m sorry i wasn’t”

wow i don’t think i was supposed to laugh at that

and chim bein concerned for maddie is literally one if the best things ever y’all.

completely unrelated note, anybody else see bad boys for life?

“yeah i’m ok, my ears are just ringing a little” with the TEARS and the SNIFFLES and him SMILING THROUGH THE PAIN JOSH IS TOO PURE FOR THIS 

“why do you think we asked for so many RA units?” BITCH I KNOW YOU FUCKIN LYIN

for those of y’all that ain’t kno, RA units are rescue ambulance units

way to reassure people, lady

it’s like she said ‘everyone might be lightly shot by the time this is all over’

“so you are worried. it makes sense, cause all your friends keep dissappearing are they even in the same building?” WITH THAT LOOK OF STRAIGHT SPITE DAMN MADDIE BUCKLEY, DAMNNN

we stan the BAMF BUCKLEYS

“oh my god, LINDA??” lo key thought this was real for a second

“latex! is there latex in your gloves?” greg come on man you planned a heist you can’t be this stupid

SURPRISE! LINDA IS ALLERGIC TO BEES

ENJOY YOUR EPINEPHRINE ASSHOLE

OH

OH WOW

WOW DISPATCH

Y’ALL JUST-

WOW

EVERYONES GOT GUNS AND EVERYTHING OH MY GODDDDD

GIVE IT UP FOR DISPATCH 

you know it’s really funny, cause tiffany ain’t nowhere to be found

“next one goes in your head” OOOOOOOOOOOH SHE’S A BOSS ASS BITCH BROOO YESSSSSSS

(i know, two different songs, but ya gotta admit, it applies)

“you don’t get to die” 

i just-

hands down, most powerful line in the whole episode.

it’s an odd form of vengeance, saving the man that attacked you multiple times from the release of death

 that’s what it would’ve been tho

a release

he would’ve died, and he wouldn’t of had to pay for any of his actions

but instead, josh saved his sorry ass

so he gets to pay for this in the land of the living

the best revenge, actually

and, josh saved a life

he’s worthwhile

“i’m not goin back” well i knew mr. clean was gonna die from the beginning sooooooo

“we’ve got dispatch”  and it’s finally over

i’m kinda bummed that we didn’t get to see SEAL!buck or the rest of the firefam but we got  BAMF!dispatch and that was enough lmao

kudos to those off duty dispatches as well, like y’all just walked past the dead body and moved on from the whole hostage situation to do your already stressful job

CHIM’S FACE WHEN HE SEES MADDIE I AM SOBBING

THEY SAID MADNEY RIGHTS Y’ALL😭😭😭

this hug is everythinggggg 

lo key buck watching from afar breaks my heart ahaha

“she already has everything she needs”

....this is tea for another day, but...

buck, you do know people need you as much as you need them, right?

....right?

still not over that hug tho

ayeeee wassup bobby!

how was the camping trip i was extremely against?

oooooh i love the crime recaps!

i may or may not have been like buck in the bank episode when he said ‘i’m some confused, can you start over’

...ahem....

“wait....you didn’t round her up too?”

ok listen....

while i don’t condone stealing and and the extreme amount of violence they used,

i do condone outsmarting men that think less of you because you are a woman

you are a boss tiffany, and i’m actually kind of sad you got caught

“tiffany was the real mastermind” can i just.....

*BLASTS BOSS BITCH FROM THE ROOFTOPS CAUSE WOMEN OWNED THIS EPISODE! THEY WERE SO DAMN BADASS*

thanks 9-1-1 writers for that, btw. 

gotta admit, as much as they rip out our hearts and stomp on em, they know what they are doin

jake you shady shady bitch

ngl tho both plans were solid 

maybe if it was done completely by women it would’ve worked :)

“looks  like your trip’s been delayed...by about 5 to 15 years” athena you got the best lines yo

jake f’ed up the other plan too lmaoo

like i said, if it was all women, they would’ve pulled this off

and they end it with madney

gosh i loved this episode

So! These were my thoughts on 3x14! Let me know what you think, and hit up my ask box if you want me to post my thoughts on another episode! Later taters!

Oh yeah, if you liked this you can find my thoughts on ‘Pinned’ here!

[my-yuujin]

​Ryusoulger Solo Interview from Mynavi: Osaki Ichika

-It has been more than half of a year since the filming of “Ryusoulger”, has there been any change in your daily life before and after that?

Because the shooting is always early in the morning, it also changes my life schedule. I used to sleep until evening (laughs), but recently I can sleep and wake up early, even when I don’t have any shooting schedule. My body is already used to it.

-Is there anything that changed a lot as you are now playing as Asuna?

Recently, people told me that I have become a cutesy girl (laughs). I can see that Asuna’s fluffy character is slightly absorbed inside me. When I play as Asuna, I tend to speak with a slightly higher voice tone, and because I spend a lot of time as Asuna, my voice is a little higher even when I’ve returned to Osaki Ichika (laughs). “I may end up letting out a little flirty personality?” sometimes I also ponder about that.

-While it doesn’t suit her appearance as a cute girl, Asuna actually has tremendous strength. She shows extreme monstrous power, such as lifting someone with one hand and throwing it away easily.

Asuna is a cheerful character. It’s very fun to make her involved in many funny scenes with Kou and Melto. “Strong, but reckless” is the impression of Asuna’s personality that we try to convey, as she has been showing a lot of power since the first episode.

However, what worries me when playing Asuna is “How far should her strength be shown?”. I often consult with the directors, “Since Asuna has monstrous power, should she touch things like this, or should she be careful not to touch anything?” I myself am not strong like her, so sometimes people forget about that and say, “Huh? Shouldn’t it feel much lighter?” when I lift something. Oppositely, when it’s a scene when I want to use Asuna’s strength, I usually remind everyone, “I will hit this with a “BOOM”, so you all must react exaggeratedly, alright?” They will actually help me out with that.

-In Episode 1, Kou who teases Asuna as “Monstrous Power”, gets pushed and crashed against a rock. While Melto who witnesses that, seems to be reminded how strong Asuna is. That scene sure has huge impact in introducing Asuna.

Actually, Kamihoriuchi (Kazuya)-san directed that scene with a little surprise. In its rehearsal, I was told that it should go like: Asuna got angry with Kou, pushed him, and Melto reacted “What a strength!”. But when we actually did it, after I pushed Kou, suddenly an explosion happened with a loud “BOOM!!”. I was so surprised, and went “EHHH??” inside my heart. But since I didn’t show it on my face, the recording was regarded as an OK. Director Kamihoriuchi laughed and asked, “How’s that? Are you surprised?”(laughs). And thanks to that little surprise, Melto’s startled expression went out very real.

–Director Kamihoriuchi directed Ryusoulger The Movie, and also was in charge of episode 1 and 2 from the TV series. It can be said that he was the one who built the foundation of Ryusoulger’s shooting environment. Osaki-san, what was your impression of Kamihoriuchi-san?

When I played my part, but didn’t know how I should act for the next scene, the director said to me, “Your acting back then, when you play it by yourself, it gives you bad feeling, doesn’t it?”. He totally saw through it right away. And when I replied, “Yes, it feels bad. I can’t properly digest it within myself.” Then, he told me, “At this part, how about you do it like this?” That side of him really helps us the actors. While he does sound strict, everything he says can be easily understood by us. Even though it’s an important shooting, he’s a director who can make the work environment feel relieving.

-Action scenes are things that can’t be separated from a hero show, and you are now being challenged to perform those. Are you also good at action?

Action scenes are fun, and I love them. But I myself don’t really have a good sense (laughs). I thought I was good at moving my body, but since everyone around is a boy, it’s still hard to keep up with their speed and range. After being shown how it goes, the boys could do it quickly. But for me, it usually takes longer. So when there is time, the suit actors will teach me how to move my body and how to use the sword. After all, it must be fun if you can do at least one technique, but if you can’t, it will not be fun (laughs). There are some parts in me that hate losing. Therefore, I’m practicing every day so that I won’t be defeated by the boys. Basically, the action scenes are always exciting, as it really feels that you are being challenged.

–Asuna is presented as a character who loves to eat. In episode 9 she was shown eating yakiniku. In episode 13, it’s potato chips. In episode 16, she’s holding two fried chickens with her both hands. It’s a simple question, but did you really eat those?

Yes, I did. I originally like to eat, and the staffs also always prepare some snacks for Asuna. Even for myself, when it is a scene that I don’t have to do anything, I usually ask if there is any snack, as I’m really conscious of Asuna’s personality who always wants to eat something.

–Surely when you look at Asuna who excitedly eats anything, it is as if giving you energy, too, isn’t?

Of course, I’m also careful not to eat too much. That being said, after one scene is cut, and I don’t have to take part in the next scene,  I will ask “Can I eat the leftover?”, and they let me (Laughs) Everyone else also takes part in eating them. The curry from episode 3 and yakiniku from episode 9 were delicious. I recently did a scene where we ate takoyaki. Every time Asuna eats something, I also always eat it, so I look forward to that because every food that has been prepared were so delicious.

-Ryusoulger ending song “Que Bom Dance” seems pretty popular on (T/N: Toei’s) Youtube official channel. Can you tell us some tips on how to dance “Que Bom Dance” well ?

The choreography for every dancer is the same, but when you dance, you may bring out your own  personality, too. I’m not that good at dancing, but I dance with a feeling to have fun. If you bring out that kind of feeling, anyone who see your dance would say that it’s energetic, or looking cute. I guess such simple stuff is what makes you dance well (laughs).

-In episode 12 “The Illusion of scorching flame”, Asuna grew huge, because of that illusion, along with Ui and Melto. I guess it’s rare to see a real character standing on the stage of miniature set where Kishiryu and giant Minusaur usually fight. How was your feeling when being huge around buildings?

Dime Volcano really gives cool impression. Its face is small and looks stylish. I was entering the shooting site, thinking that the scene would be filmed with (T/N: green screen) compositing. I felt glad to be able to stand among Tokusatsu’s miniature set.

-Using a green screen, it seems difficult to act in the absence of anything, doesn’t it?

It is difficult to play emotions in such situation, because it is important to receive emotions sending by seeing the other person’s eyes. Instead, I have to act against the green screen, so it’s hard to insert my feelings into my acting.

–Ichinose-san, who plays Kou/Ryusoul Red, said that all six members of Ryusoulger have slight difference between their roles and their real personalities. Do you feel that you are also different from Asuna?

It’s a little different … but I guess recently, it may not be as different as before. Among the six members, Asuna and I may be the most similar in term of personality. I’m usually a very talkative and energetic person, so I feel that those parts are naturally brought out as Asuna. It’s also the same with her fond of eating. If I have to say the difference, I think it’s Asuna’s habit of puffing out her cheeks when she’s angry.  I don’t do such cute expression (laughs). But, that part isn’t so difficult to act, and I can become Asuna very naturally.

-Asuna is always full of spirits, cheerful, and happily eats a lot. She is a very important character among the members, as their mood maker, isn’t she?

There are people who look forward to what expression Asuna will show, and what action she will take. Therefore, I’m working hard to enrich my expression, so that I can answer their expectations.

-On Twitter and such, we can find lots of Ryusoulger’s off-shot photos. Everyone always seems to have very much fun. Among the members, who is the most amusing when you are taking such pictures?

It’s none other than Melto’s actor, Tsuna (Keito)-kun, I think. He’s recently been bullied by everyone. It ‘s amusing because he’s a serious character. There are times when I tease that seriousness of Tsuna-kun (laughs). In episode 13, Asuna tells Melto her “real feelings”, and their friendship is broken. While it’s not realistic to reconcile that quickly later, but I guess it’s how the trio childhood friends are. I myself can be relaxed the most when there are Kou, Melto, and Asuna being at the same place, like they usually are.

-In “Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger THE MOVIE: Time Slip! Dinosaur Panic!!”, Kou, Melto and Asuna experience taking different moves among themselves. Is this a fresh sensation for Melto and Asuna?

Certainly, it was a great experience for us to not have Kou around. However, Melto works hard to pull everyone together, in place of Kou. And I think he’s done well in covering Kou’s absence.

-I would like to ask you some highlights in the movie. What was your impression when you were with Sano Shiro-san (Velma) as the the movie’s guest star?

In the scenes when I was co-starring with him, I felt overwhelmed by Sano-san’s aura. It’s not that it was scary, but when I was watching the scenes where he was playing, as expected, I goosebumped. But in usual situations, Sano-san was very kind, and he was even willing to start conversation with us.

-Please tell us Asuna’s important highlights in the movie.

Asuna on the TV series is always smiling and eating, so she makes lots of funny scenes. However, in the movie, the story itself is serious, and there are scenes where Asuna shows an explosion of emotions that exceeds the usual “emotions”. They’re not “anger” or “sadness”, those feelings filled my heart so much, that I didn’t even understand…. In one scene, the director (Kamihoriuchi) asked me, “Those lines, can you act them while laughing and crying?” I was worried for a brief, “What should I do?”, but I just tried to digest it within myself, and act it out by being myself. At that time, I left everything to the momentum, and the atmosphere that was created by the director and staffs. I acted while leaving my feelings going bare, so…, if I try to remember it now, the memories at that time were almost nothing. It almost felt like I was so high, like being suffocated. I was able to put out fierce expressions that may not be found on the TV series, so I would like you to check what kind of emotion Asuna expresses in the movie.

-Is there any trivia scene that you want the audiences to pay attention to in the movie?

Asuna is not only cheerful, as she also can sometimes act firm. There is a scene in the movie where she throws a peculiar gaze towards Banba, so please be sure to pay attention to it. I haven’t confirmed it (by seeing) the completed movie yet, so I’m sorry if it was ended up being cut out (laughs). Asuna is also expressive in the movie, and I hope you can support Asuna exploring those expressions.

-In the movie campaign, there should be more opportunities to meet children fans directly. Have you ever had any interaction with those children fans before?

Recently, we get talked to more often by the mothers who bring their children outside. There are a lot of girls who say they like Asuna, but boys who likes Asuna are quite a number too. Many children appeared in the movie as extras, but since my turn was in the afternoon, I couldn’t get involved with them. It seemed that one of the girls who had been filmed since morning cried, “If I don’t meet Asuna, I won’t go home!”, so I rushed immediately to meet her. I’m very grateful to her feeling, and the children’s support always become our energy. I would like to create an environment where I can interact with the children directly in various places, so please continue to support Ryusoulger and Asuna!

source: news.mynavi.jp/article/20190725-ryusoul/

[jinxfirebolt18902]

Lux Vitae Part 2 (Salvatore Brothers Imagine)

Salvatore brohters x sister reader.

Part 1

Words: 1848

—What?! You have to be kidding me Evie. Speak. Now. —Damon’s short temper was beginning to show.

—Please! I am not ready to talk about it yet. I will tell you I promise, just... not today. Let’s not talk about touchy subjects today.

—Says the one who slapped me for dating a girl. —Stefan mocked her.

Her look turned serious —It’s not funny Stefan, she’s not just “a girl” and you know it. —He let out a sigh and nodded negatively. —Are you hungry? —She nodded yes without speaking a word. Just then her system was starting to ask her for some blood.

Two empty bags of blood and a cup of Bourbon after, Evangeline was more than ready to go to bed. It had been a long journal to Mistyc Fall. Plus the emotional encounter with her loved ones, the blood satisfying her hunger and Damon’s fingers running through her black locks got her completely asleep, once again laying on his elder brother’s chest.

The cold sarcastic Salvatore was in a trance. His light blue piercing gaze never left her body, following her movements when his own breaths moved her up and down lightly. In a moment he rested his pink lips against her head and remained that way for long minutes. Of course Stefan had never had such a good oportunity to give his brother a taste of his own medicine but two things stopped him from doing so. One the deadly glare in form of warning Damon was sending him the second he noted his brother was about to talk. And in second place the peace that surrounded the room now they were all together.

Since the beginning the Salvatore family had always been easy to crack. All the men from the family tended to get into heated arguments, fights and it was due to their short tempers. But Mrs. Salvatore was the key to keep them united. She had always been able to calm them down and make up the broken bonds between her husband and her sons. Specially beetween Damon and Giuseppe. As years passed by the little Evangeline had also developed the same talent. Slowly she had become the symbolical happiness of the family. She could even fix her parents’ relationship whenever they had a disagreement. She had earned herself the place to be the sunshine in the darkest times.

Evangeline woke up in a king sized bed with soft covers. She remained laying as she took a deep breath. A gentle smile adorned her angelical face. As she waited for the sleep to entirely leave her body her gaze wondered taking in every detail of the room. She finally felt safe, comforted and loved thanks to her siblings.

—Someone had a good night apparently, huh? —Damon was standing in the doorframe resting his shoulder against it. His arms were crossed and he had a side smirk on his face. She let out a small laugh then stretched her muscles.

—Good morning —her voice was sweet yet raspy for the sleep. Damon thought it was the cutest thing in the world. —Where is Stefan? —at this his eyebrows moved up and down one time accompanied by a heavy sigh.

—He’s with Elena, his girlfriend. —Evie’s content expression dropped to an annoyed one.

—Of course he is. 

—Oh c’mon baby sis, you aren’t jealous, are you? —he laughed as he started to walk away down the corridor. —Breakfast is ready!

Evie and Damon had spent the whole morning updating her on the actual Mistyc Fall, their new friends, their new enemies and all the recent events that had taken place. She noticed this Alaric guy was the only one who really understood and cared about the new Damon. A new Damon he had omitted to detail but that she was beginning to discover.

He hadn’t told her about his behaviour so she wasn’t aware of how much he had changed, why he had changed and how he was now. Neither she knew how distanced he and Stefan were now. But she was suspicious about that in particular because she hadn’t forgotten her family issues and if you added their lack of comunication she had witnessed in just a few hours, she thought you had to be really stupid not to notice their damaged relationship.

—So... a lot of shit going on then... —she drowned in her thoughts for a moment to process all the information she just got. She began to put some pieces together. —I wanna meet them.

—Who?

—All of them. Bonnie, Jeremy, Matt, this Caroline souds cool. Oh and I’m dying to meet Alaric!

He puffed some air as he rolled his eyes, he couldn’t believe it. —You will, eventually.

—Oh c’mon D! Invite them to have dinner—That’s not happening Evie.

—Why not?!

—Because most of them wish I was buried alive, Ev. That’s why.

She let out a burst of laughter. —I knew you had screwed shit up. —he gave her a glare. —At least Alaric?

A knock in the door caused Damon to walk there. When he saw who was outside he let his head fall backwards along with a sarcastic laugh. His body moved aside to let the person in. —Alaric, always at the right time.

The history teacher frowned at his words. —Is everything ok?

—Yeah, come in. There’s someone who's dying to meet you. —Damon gave him one of his so usual sarcastic smirks. The human was even more confused increasing his frown. They walked to the living room where she turned her head to look at them with a smiley face. —Did I ever mention you we have a little sister?

Alaric’s eyes went wide. —What?

—Hi, my name is Evangeline Salvatore. Don’t worry, I actually had been missing some years so it’s no surprise they didn’t tell you about me. —she shook their hands.

—Because we thought you were dead, not missing.—Damon couldn’t resist to add. He was kinda mad at her for not looking for them.

Alaric reciproccated the greeting. Right after he sent a look to his vampire friend.

—I’m Alaric. —she smiled bigger.

—Nice to meet you. I, unlike you, have heard a lot about you.

Alaric and Damon took Evangeline for a tour around the town. Everything had changed since she had been there. Obviously. The streets were paved, shops of all sizes took place all aroud and now there was a big modern restaurant in the centre of the small town. the three of them walked in and took a seat at the bar. She was observing everyone around her when a piece of the conversation her companions were having caught her attention.

—Women mess with your head, mate. Don’t try to understand Jenna, cause you won’t be able to. —the blond took the last sip of his whisky and nodded defeated.

—Well I guess you know pretty much about women, bro. Don’t ya? —she provoked him on purpose earning a glare and a grunt from him.

A couple of hours had passed between chats, drinks and food. Most of the time Damon and Alaric, or Rick as Damon nicknamed his friend, talked and discussed about different subjects while she limited herself to watch the place and take in the activities happening in the Grill. People getting in and out, teens playing pool, the waitress working and cleaning the tables. Suddenly a young boy appeared in front of her. She blinked at her sight. A light brown irises were piercing through hers. The cute boy gave her a pretty smile then proceeded to introduce himself.

—Name’s Thomas. Yours? —he offered her his right hand along with another flirty smirk.

Her gaze checked in her brother’s direction. She remembered her brothers being the classic jealous-protective kind. But Damon had always stood out being more of an overprotective. So she had guessed the years apart hadn’t changed that. In any case it could have gotten worse now having her back after so long. Fortunately Damon wasn’t paying attention right then.

—You can call me Eva. —she smiled back, of course with a mischievous grin. She knew this wouldn’t get too far, even if she wanted and if her siblings allowed it, which wouldn’t happen.

Ten minutes had passed quickly with her in deep conversation with Thomas. Sure enough the boy was pretty interesting and knew how to get a girl, even one like a hundred years old vampire. Thing that isn’t easy to find Evangeline thought. But of course everything comes to an end and so she wasn’t surprised when she felt another person’s shoulder rest against hers. Damon was making his presence notable. He had crossed his arms and flashed the guy a cocky smirk. Classic, Damon. Thomas’ smile fell off, his expression quickly becoming worried. Evangeline rolled her eyes and sighed in frustration.

—Why don’t you get the hell out of here, as far away from my little sister as your ass can take you. —she hitted his shoulder with an spontaneous frown on her face.

—Damon! No need to be rude!

—Of course yes. Now shu shu boy. —Damon waved his hand at the guy as he was a lost dog in the street that he was trying to get rid of. Thomas sent her a glare and slowly walked backwards out of the diner.

—You needn’t do that. 

The scowl on her face made his smile grew bigger. Then he slided an arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

—Oh c’mon baby sis, don’t hate on me.

The younger and the eldest of the Salvatores were sitting chilling out on the couchs of the big living room when Stefan walked in at the evening.

—Look who decided to come back home —she said out loud not even looking up from her phone.

Damon let out a burst of laughter. He was determinated to pay attention to the scene that was about to develope in front of him.

—Oh shut up you baby little girl —Stefan ran at supernatural speed and pounced over her small figure. Soon her shouts interrumpted with giggels were heard all around the house. Stefan was tickling her taking her breath away in delicious laughs. Both brothers had missed her so much it hurt. Her laugh and her voice immediately transported them to when they were all together and their mother was alive. When everything was okay, no vampires in their life, no Katherine bothering inbetween their relationships and no abusive father.

—Stop calling me baby and little you assholes. I’m 169 now.

Damon couldn’t resist himslef. —You’re 19 Evangeline.

She sent him a deadly glare and crossed her arms to add power to her statement. —Yeah but I’ve been 19 for 150 years. So either way, I’m not baby nor little anymore.

—You still are the youngest of us —Stefan smirked cockily and positioned himself next to Damon. She glanced at them biting her bottom lip. She sighed and let out a small laugh to then get closer to them and embrace them in a group hug.

[spirit-of-the-void]

Ebony and Ivory (V x Reader) Chapter 4

Author’s notes: You guys are great, thanks as always for the support. A word of warning, this chapter has scenes with anxiety and panic. So if you have issues reading such things, there’s some caution there.

Chapter 4

You made it to the warehouse without incident, Griffon perched and ready on your shoulders and V walking in step with you as you went. The building had long been cleared out, dust settling on the floors and a set of doors broken off its hinges. You realized with some surprise that it was getting a lot cooler outside now that night was falling, probably due to it being the earlier days of summer. It was probably around sixty degrees when your group made it in, searching for a good place to sit and rest your weary bones. You leaned against a pillar as V sent Shadow to search around, eyes wandering over to abandoned crates and pallets left behind. Luckily, there were none of those husk-corpses in here—you appreciated that. They were far too macabre for you to sit and sleep next to.  

You closed your eyes as you waited, passing the seconds by humming a light tune. You could feel V’s gaze on you occasionally—you didn’t have to look at him to tell he was still worried. He kept tapping his cane lightly, sometimes in rhythm with the song you hummed. Griffon was sitting on V’s shoulders now, keeping an eye on you regardless. You felt bad, he was supposed to look after his master and was spending more time worrying about you. Although V didn’t seem to mind, or at least he hadn’t said anything yet about it. You hoped it wasn’t secretly bothering him, or at least you hoped that if it was, he’d say something and it could be worked through.

Regardless, Shadow came back moments later, announcing its presence with a low growl and a flick of its tail. V stood up from the pallets he found for you and he to sit on, holding out a hand to help you up again. Gratefully, you accepted it when lightheadedness hit you again. You would have summoned food to help, but that expended more energy. You would just have to rest and wait again, spend some time under the moon and recharge. The energy of the Void came back fairly quick, but after extending like you had your body had to repair some of the damage. You felt kind of bad, like you were holding back the group in some way. Mind you, the plan had already been to rest for the night, but you didn't like worrying others.  

Shadow lead your group into what looked to be an abandoned office of sorts. There was a desk with a long-forgotten laptop, a personal cot on the far side, half facing the door with two tables on their side.  There also seemed to be a mini fridge and what looked to be a coffee and snack station next to a utility closet. Much to your relief, there were a few candy bars and other things left behind to eat if hungry. As you sat down at the desk, V tested the light switch, letting out a soft noise of surprise when the lights still turned on. How this place still had power, you would never know—if you put any thought in you would have reasoned that there may have been backup generators or a remaining power grid still working somewhere. Instead, you tiredly laid your head on your arms, releasing a sigh now that you no longer had to stand.

Griffon landed on the desk next to your head, letting out a low snicker as you slowly looked at him, “Ohh you’re looking like shit there, Girlie. Didn’t your daddy ever tell you to stretch before working out?”

You let out a low, neutral hum, tapping your fingers on the desk as you replied, “I don’t remember my parents, so let’s go with no.” Not a lie. After selling your soul, a lot of your old memories were taken to help you cope with trauma. You only got back random bits and pieces at intervals undecided by you. The Deity only let you remember what he felt was appropriate at any given moment. Honestly, it didn't bother you. Making new memories along the way, looking forward and not back. At least...that’s what you were trying to do.

Griffon let out a low whistle, fluttering his tail as he tilted his head at you, “Shit, you may be more depressing than Shakespeare over there, toots. Got any more skeletons in the closet? Ever kill a guy? Witness murder? Were you left on a doorstep at a ripe age of a day old?”

You rose a single brow, saying in an amused tone, “You’ve got quite the imagination on you, Griffon.”

He snickered lightly, which made you smile a bit through the exhaustion. You liked the banter you and the bird could share, now at least where it was on friendly terms. You thought you saw V smirk as well in his pursuit to get the utility closet open, seeming to grow ever so slightly frustrated. You watched with quiet interest as he gestured to Shadow, the creature extending a single spike forward to break the lock. You giggled a bit, looking away before he could see you entering your final level of tired. Which happened to be insanity. You were getting tired to the point you were getting giggly, pressing your face into your arms with a low groan at yourself. Sleep was definitely a need now, but you were trying to will yourself to eat first.

Then there was the sleeping situation. There was a single cot in this room with one pillow. The idea of snuggling up to V after hanging out with him for a half a day wasn't the worst idea, but you didn’t want him to be uncomfortable. Intimacy with people you barely knew was kind of strange. And no matter how you tried to slice it, laying on a cot that small with a lanky man would be very up close and personal for knowing him for half a day. But there was that annoying, touch-starved part of your brain, aching for contact of any sort. You were pretty sure that wasn’t a good thing, considering your impulse control being what it was—mind you, your brain knew well enough not to touch people without permission.  

You were more so afraid of bursting into tears or something over small things. Or laughing fits.

“You should eat something,” V’s voice pulled you out of your musings, making your shoulders jerk as you looked up at him. He was still smiling, eyes dark in the dimly lit room as he tossed what looked to be a peanut bar at you, “You need to regain your strength in whatever way you can, right?”

You felt like he was mocking your food quotes from earlier. You frowned, eyeing the generic bar of food with skeptical eyes, “You should practice what you preach, pretty boy.”

Humoring you, he plucked another bar from the tray of snacks. Like a good boy.

Brow raised, he very obediently took a bite, chewed, and swallowed. You fought another laugh that threatened to burst out, opening your own snack with a shake of your head. You hoped he knew you were going to eat no matter what, but you were glad he was at least complying with your demands and eating himself. You looked at Griffon apologetically as you chewed the sweet and salty treat, realizing for the time being you couldn’t conjure up any snacks for him and Shadow. Did they need to eat, or was it just for the sake of enjoying food? You were pretty unsure on that, but you reminded yourself to ask at another time that wasn't then.  

You saw Shadow come out of the closet with a spare pillow in its mouth, staring at you with glowing red eyes. You let out a sigh of relief, finishing the food quickly. A pillow was definitely good enough for you—You had slept on the floor before. You were starting to feel less fatigued already, but you were still so tired that you were sure as soon as your head hit that pillow you would be dead to the world. On the flipside, you were sad this room had everything but a god damn shower. That’s what you were aching for the most, the feeling of hot water and good shampoo. Especially considering fighting left you feeling a little grimy and gross.

Giving Griffon’s beak a little pat, you stood up from the chair, stretching as far as your body would allow. The food was definitely helping, but sleep was a definite need. The dizziness was now gone, but the feeling of being stretched too thin was not. Some sleep would definitely help with that.

But much to your surprise, V was already taking the pillow from Shadow, putting it on the cot next to the already present one. You blinked, rubbing some of the tiredness from your eyes as he sat on the simple bed, removing his sandals. You felt some strange surprise upon seeing him remove the things—for some reason you expected them to keep his shoes on. Even more weird, seeing his feet without them felt very scandalous. Further proof you were losing your mind.  

“V,” You yawned, deciding to go with the flow and sitting on the other side of the cot to remove your own shoes, “Why do you wear sandals?”

He seemed amused by the question, tilting his head back to level his jade eyes at you as he replied, “Is that your foot fetish speaking?”

You huffed at that, crossing your arms over your chest, “It was a hand fetish, get it right.”  

“Ah yes, a hand fetish,” He chuckled at your response, lifting a hand so he could wiggle his fingers a bit. The action sent his ring glinting in the low light, seeming almost mesmerizing in your tired state, “And I apologize—I don’t wear the sandals for any particular reason.”

You let out a low, tired hum, pulling off a combat boot and tossing it to the other side of the room unceremoniously. You would keep the thigh highs on at least, since they covered your feet and kept them warm. Then again, you had slept in those boots before too.

“Do my questions bother you?” You asked, yawning again as you again debated where to finally lie yourself down. You’d spoon with the goth if he was cool with it, but guessing by Griffon’s taunts and jibes there would be no chance of not being made fun of the next day. Speaking of the bird, he was watching you both from across the room, eyes ever intent and filled with mirth. Like he was watching a play and the climax was about to unfold. You tried not to focus on him, instead waiting for V to answer your question.  

“I don’t believe I said that,” V replied in a low murmur, almost sultry, leaning back on his side and facing the door in one fluid motion, “More questions can be asked...tomorrow. For now, you can use some rest.”  

Your mind went racing at the implications of his actions, but out of your mouth came, “Aww no sweet poetry to help me slumber? No bed time stories?”You didn’t actual want either of those things, but your brain was trying to come up something witty to say.

He let out another low chuckle, hand sliding off the cot to pick his book off the floor, "Lie down and maybe we can compromise." His tone was so soft and lilting, coaxing and suggestive at the same time. How were you supposed to ignore a request like that?

His wiry frame took up exactly half of the cot, feet hanging off the edge slightly. His pretty black hair sure was a stark contrast to the pillow, and something about the sight of it sent your heart racing like a caged bird. You were a complete idiot, an easily excitable idiot. You didn’t want to make anything uncomfortable, but V seemed fine with the situation--either that or he was oblivious to it. You found yourself smiling, deciding to just go with the flow. Both of you seemed to be way to stubborn to ask the other about the sleeping situation, and if he was fine by it then so were you. The idea of him reading sweet poetry while you both shared a bed...maybe that was your true kink.

Willing your heartbeat to slow, you stretched once more, leaning to the side so your head hit the pillow of the cot. A sigh left you as soon as your face touched the cool fabric, tired body fully relieved now that you were horizontal. The energy of the Void settled to a low rumble, body instinctively curling up a bit as you wrapped your arms under the pillow. Thus, began recovery time, which you were desperately trying to focus on. That was short lived, considering any movement lead you to touching the goth behind you. Your back aligned with V’s as soon as you did, you immediately taking a deep breath to stop yourself from jerking away in surprise. Focus on sleep now, focus on feeling nervous at another time.  

You thought you head V let out a slow breath, his back relaxing ever so slightly against yours as the quiet seconds began to tick by. He flipped to a page in his book, a low hum coming from his mouth as he decided on what to read.  

When he spoke, his voice was soft and sultry, soothing to you in small space.  

“Oft when the summer sleeps among the trees,

Whispering faint murmurs to the scanty breeze,  

I walk the village round; if at her side  

A youth doth walk in stolen joy and pride—”

You recognized this poem. It was the same one he was speaking when you first saw him earlier in the day. It also ignited an older memory in you, one that made your body relax gently and eyes close. A memory of the sun flitting though bright green tree branches, of flower petals falling from blooming buds. Of laughter, the only laughter you could remember from that time. Sleep was already gripping you, heavy and heady as the Void’s embrace. Still V continued to quietly read, voice melodic and smooth.

“I curse my stars in bitter grief and woe,  

That made my love so high and me so low.”

You thought you heard Griffon chuckle very quietly, settling himself on the desk to rest for the night. The soft padding of Shadow’s feet followed, stopping near the door. You were sure if you looked, you’d see the big cat curled up to make sure no one and nothing came through. The guard for the night, one you were sure no one would mess with. In that moment you felt very safe and content, toes curling into the cot and letting the sleep V was bringing  slowly starting to take you over.

But as you fell asleep, your subconscious mind realized so many things. Things you were sure you’d feel things about upon waking, if you could remember them.

Had you put any thought into it, you would have realized V made sure earlier to put himself in harm's way to protect you.  

“O should she e'er prove false, his limbs I'd tear—”

Had you put thought into it, you would have realized he tried to put himself before you so you wouldn’t have to take the brunt of hitting the ground.  

“And throw all pity on the burning air—”

You would have realized he put himself on that side of the cot so he was facing the door—insuring that if anything burst through the door to attack, he’d get hit first, and not you.

“I'd curse bright fortune for my mixed lot—”

Had you put any thought into it, you would have realized he was just as lonely, touch-starved, and tired as you.

“And then I'd die in peace, and be forgot.”

But instead, sleep claimed you.

(V’s POV)

When he finished the final line of his poem, he could tell you were already asleep.  

Your breathing was slow and even behind him, shoulders brushing his with each breath. He turned slightly to look at you, making sure not to jostle the cot too much. You made very little sound during sleep, pale blonde hair spilling over the pillow in a sharp contrast to the black of his own. Like Ivory over ebony. V released a breath, closing the book quietly and setting it on the floor next to the cot. He found himself oddly content, and he couldn’t quite place why. He had known you for half a day, hours at most. Yet you already felt like you belonged to their little group, like a missing puzzle piece he wasn’t aware was missing. He pressed a hand to his head, thoughts drifting as he went over all that had happened.

For once in the past month, he had felt...relieved. Energized. Like he was...complete. Whenever you shared your energy with him, it removed so many layers of pain. He could never bring himself to ask you for it, especially after knowing you for such a short time. But you seemed happy, downright eager to help, to relieve his pain, to worry about him. No one had done that for him before, not in any of his memories.

The image of you, smiling and saying you would look out for him, left a hollow feeling in his chest. He closed his eyes, the realization of how much he craved in reality a heavy burden. The years of neglect had caught up with him, and even he wasn’t aware of the extent until now. No one ever worried if he was in pain, fatigued, or unhappy before. He was unsure how to handle it, what to do or say. Even before you shared your energy, there was something about you that made him feel incredibly light—you brought an optimism to an otherwise dismal situation, one he had been content with dealing with alone...until now.

Yet there was an uncertainty there. Until that moment, he had been driven in his task. Focused, yearning for the deed to be done. You, in just a day, made him forget for brief moments what he was meant to do. His focus waned, his inner torment forgotten in brief spurts of laughter, sometimes joy. The task still remained despite the small moments of peace; he knew that without doubt. The levity remained, and that was always important. But...how was he supposed to react when being around you made him feel...

He couldn’t think about that. But was he not allowed to find happiness wherever he could get it? He squeezed a hand to his chest at the thought, hating himself and all the thought implied. To do what he wished and still remain on the task...It didn’t just involve him anymore, not just his happiness. And that wasn’t fair.

He wasn’t sure what to do.

As if sensing his thoughts, Griffon let out a low snicker, causing V to open his eyes once more.

“Ohhh but you’ve got it bad too, dontcha lover boy?” He mused, sounding absolutely delighted, “You two have spent less than a day together, mere fucking hours, and look at how bad you are. Honestly what am I going to do with you?”

V tilted his gaze, a half smile on his lips as he replied, “You’re very presumptuous, Griffon.” He was, unfortunately, right about V. But as for you...he shouldn’t assume your kindness translated into attraction. And neither should V.

Griffon scoffed, shaking out his feathers as he flung back, “Don’t give me that bullshit, V. I know you too well, remember that,” He pointed a talon at your sleeping figure, eyes glinting the light in the room as he purred smugly, “You’re like a little boy with his first crush. Didn’t take you for the hopeless romantic type.”

“Griffon.” V’s voice held slight warning, eyes narrowing a bit on the bird.

“Loosen the jock strap, lover boy,” Griffon snickered, “Just pointing out the obvious. Why not go for it? Trust me my special eyes see all, I'd definitely be your wing man.” He let out a low chortle at his own joke, one that made V internally sigh.  

“You know why.” V replied simply, not elaborating or explaining. He didn’t have to—Griffon knew damn well what he meant.  

That made the bird pause, a few blessedly quiet moments ticking by while he thought over what V said.

“Well shit, if it's meant to happen it’ll happen, right?” Griffon finally spoke, voice very matter-of-fact, “Fate and all that sappy shit. No use fighting it, or avoiding it. That garbage just makes it worse.”

V let out a quiet laugh, determined not to wake you.

“Why, Griffon,” He said in mock surprised, “I didn’t take you for a believer of fate.”

The bird responded with a mere snort, head rolling back a little bit as he huffed, “Not really, but I do believe in humans and their stupid fucking chemistry. And hormones. If your bits are compatible with her bits then there’s no use running from—”

“Griffon.” V’s tone implied violence if the demon didn’t end that line of thought where it started. He definitely couldn’t think about that in that moment.

Griffon let out an amused hum, eyes practically twinkling with delight.

“Are you blushing, Shakespeare? I think you are,” He immediately backed down when V raised his book threateningly, with intent to throw, “Alright alright, jeez. Don’t get your panties in a twist there. I’m just spitting the truth at you, mister poet."

V closed his eyes again, trying to focus on sleep as he replied, “Our only truth is the task at hand, and the burden of completing it.” His thoughts could wait, the wondering could wait. In a way, what Griffon spoke was true. If things were meant to happen, they would—he knew there was no fighting that. That aching sense of grief he carried wouldn’t go away, like he was mourning something already that he hadn’t yet lost. He focused on the sound of you breathing again, trying to align his own breaths with yours. Griffon let out another low chuckle, almost akin to a sigh, and reached out with a claw to turn off the lights. Now in the dark and calm, V tried to will himself into a peaceful sleep, despite knowing he hadn’t had one in a long, long time.

And for once, he just might get one.

(Your POV)

“Pain is a reminder, one you should heed.”

Agony filled your lungs, filling you to the brim. You writhed, breathing glass shards that ripped apart your throat all the way down your chest. Your screaming made no sound, hands clawing at nothingness. Everything was nothingness. Your eyes saw the dark, skin so cold and body so numb. And yet you still felt pain, you felt it everywhere. You drifted in a sea of burning sand, and the sand was eating you alive. You hadn’t felt this pain a single day in your mortal life, not this physically. But somehow, this pain was welcome. Stripping away your torment, your memories, replacing it with fire and ash. And the cold, so very cold.  

His hands held your face, though you couldn’t see him. His breath smelled of the dark, of all the icy nothingness. You could feel it from everywhere. His nails dug into your skin, but his voice was so gentle.  

“Little sparrow, destined to sample the fruits of happiness,” He whispered in your ears, inside your head, your soul, “And to never be full of them.”

They took your happiness. It never stayed. It was always taken away.

You screamed silently again when the burn flared more, razing you to ash. Surely you were burning, this cold fire was burning you. You felt his hands on your neck, on your legs, on your arms. Each part of you touched was another part scorched. Razors cutting out from your own skin, yet you felt no blood. Your bones never broke, but throbbed with agony. You couldn’t remember anymore, didn’t want to remember anymore.

“Pain is a reminder that you are alive,” He whispered again, voice all that reached you in the sea of torment, “A reminder of the gift I have given you.”

You thrashed in his hands, wailing with fear and grief. Grief that had no weight, no meaning, no purpose. You couldn’t remember what you were mourning, but that grief was there. You wanted to be a clean slate. You decided on this pain, it was yours to keep—the truth, and an escape from that mortal pain.

This was your choice.

After all choices had been taken from you.

His lips brushed your ear, whispering those forsaken words to you, “You are overflowing with emotions in a glass too full.”

Were you? You could hardly remember anymore, couldn’t remember feeling pain twice as much, the loss twice as much, the ache twice as much.

“To fix you, I will remove your excess, and make the glass bigger.”

If your fate was only ever taste happiness, then have it snatched away, you would go kicking and screaming into the night. You accepted the pain and the burn, hands curling into fists as you let yourself submit. You were a mold meant to be shaped, a blank canvas to be painted on, a lost soul to be saved. A soul to be sold, damned in servitude for a taste of some ironic freedom from fate.

Eyes wide and staring, crying tears that refused to be shed, you stared into the Void.

And it stared back.

You awoke from your dream with a heavy gasp, one you immediately stifled with your own hands.

Your breaths were heaving in panic, eyes wide and searching the dark room as you sat up from the cot. It was still night. It was the same room you fell asleep in. You were safe.  

You desperately tried to will your breaths to slow, hands shaking as you brought them down from your mouth. The panic had begun to make them go numb, prickling like needles were gently piercing your skin. You had to calm down, it was just a dream. A long, broken memory from the past—something worth forgetting. You leaned forward and rested your head in your hands, wishing you knew what time it was in the night at the very least. A brief glance at V confirmed he was still asleep, and you thanked god for that at least. You tried to focus on grounding yourself in reality again, counting breaths, griping the cot so hard it hurt. Pain would remind you that you were awake.  

Pain is a reminder that you are alive.

You squeezed your eyes shut, desperate not to cry because you knew once it started you wouldn’t be able to stop. It had been a while since you had a dream like that, since you relived that memory. Of when you died, and were found in the Void. When he chose you, and gave you the gift of his “Blessing.” That was such a long time ago, something you were determined to bury and move on from. But it always returned, and always when you least expected it. Sending you spiraling back into vulnerability, into panic and anxiety. It was not welcome.

It was never welcome. But it always reminded you.

As you sat and tried to calm the racing panic, you heard the soft, familiar pap of footsteps. Shadow, you realized right away. You heard them approaching you, then saw their glowing eyes and pelt a moment later. You held your shaking hands in your lap, trying to calm yourself as they watched you with unblinking eyes and tail swishing back and forth. Barely visible in the dark, but you could see it. You couldn't focus on them in that moment, with each passing second the panic from your dream threatened to come back. You closed your eyes again, feeling tears burn and threatening to spill. You couldn’t cry, you refused. A sob was stuck in your throat, clawing for release, but you couldn’t wake up V. You wanted him to think you were strong. You wanted to be useful to him. Your nails dug into your wrist so hard you were sure you bled, but you couldn’t stop yourself.

Pain is a reminder.  

Just as you were afraid of breaking down, on the very cusp of bursting into tears, something surprised you.  

You heard the soft footfalls of Shadow drawing closer again, and a second later felt their breath on your fingers. Your eyes opened, a couple stray tears tracking down your cheeks as you met Shadow's gaze, the mighty beast letting out a soft noise at you as it leaned its head forward and let it plop softly onto your lap.  

You felt your breath catch in surprise, shaking hands stopping in their pursuit to hurt yourself and instead gently cupping the cat’s head, stroking over the soft feeling of its fur and ears. Shadow released a low huff, closing its eyes as you found your comfort in that moment. The feeling of its fur, the warmth it gave, and the solidity of its weight on your lap was enough to slowly start grounding you in reality. A soft smile formed on your lips, eyes have closed as you stroked Shadow’s snout to their ears, finding that satisfaction you had been craving all day with the cat. Strangely enough, you were glad they caved now, in this moment, right when you needed it most. A little joy, a little victory, made real and easy to cherish. Your heart rate began to slow, pain in your chest easing, and the shaking in your hands finally ceasing entirely.

As soon as the shaking left, Shadow began to purr. A low, deep rumble of sound as the cat rubbed its mighty head into your hands. You could have almost cried of happiness then, scratching both sides of its head and letting out a pleased sigh. This was a perfect way to forget, to remind you of what moment you were in. With Shadow’s help, the lingering dream settled to a dull roar, mind trying to focus on the soft feeling of Shadow’s fur.  

You heard the soft flap of wings a second later, the bed shifting slightly when the bird landed to your left. He was more visible in the dark, glowing with a light blue along his wings and beak. His eyes landed on you as well, voice uncharacteristically quiet in the small space, a welcome thing in that moment of vulnerability. You felt bad though—you hoped you hadn’t woken him up.

“You okay, girlie?” He whispered, tapping your shoulder with his beak.

You nodded at his question, continuing to stroke the panther’s head resting in your lap. Griffon’s concern was welcoming, and only sought to warm you further from the cold of the Void.

“I’m okay,” “You whispered back, quickly looking behind you to confirm V was still asleep. He looked...peaceful. And soft. Lips slightly parted, hair draping over his face and usual smiling expression gone. Replaced with a gentle expression of rest. You looked away before you lost yourself, letting out a slow, relieved breath as you continued, “It was a nightmare. That’s all.”

You were okay. You had to be. You had to be strong.

You heard Griffon shuffle closer, letting out a very quiet trill as he looked at Shadow indulging themselves quietly.

“Look who’s finally turned around,” He snickered, earning him a grunt from the mighty beast, “About time. And don’t mind Shakespeare, toots. He’s sleeping like the dead, probably ‘cause the dumb bastard never actually takes consistent, normal rests.”

You found yourself smiling in the dark at Griffon’s mocking. Somehow, it was just as comforting as Shadow’s purring.  

“I'm glad he’s resting,” You murmured, “He deserves rest.”

“So do you, girlie,” Griffon countered, leaning down and resting his head on your arm, “Go back to sleep. Don’t be a dumbass like the poet, I can’t deal with two dumbasses.”

You shook your head, but still yawned despite your best efforts. You were fucking exhausted; you couldn’t deny that. But you were scared of going back to sleep, scared of dreaming like that again. Although, in your experience, those things never happened in twos—you didn’t want to take that chance. Still, you could feel the exhaustion still there, your energy only half replenished by your short rest. If you stayed up, you’d be tired when you needed to be focused the next day. You couldn’t risk that either. Fear and necessity were splitting you in two, and you hated that quite a bit.

Griffon seemed to sense your racing thoughts, letting out an exasperated sigh as he shook out his feathers.

“How about this, toots?” He said in a tone that implied annoyance, but without any heat, “Me and the overgrown house cat will stay with you, how about that?”

You found yourself smiling again despite yourself, continuing to stroke Shadow's fur with both hands.

“This cot is pretty small,” Your voice sounded tiny, vulnerable. There was no hiding how much you actually wanted that to happen when you were that god damn obvious, “We can’t wake up V.”

Griffon scoffed, nudging your elbow with his beak, "We'll make it work. Now lie your ass down before I start squawking up and storm and purposely wake pretty boy up, see what he says.”

You couldn’t really argue with a threat like that, letting out a light sigh.  

Carefully, as not to jostle the cot, you lied back down, resting your head on the cool pillow. Shadow immediately huffed, hoping up on the bed right between your legs. You curled up a leg, letting the mighty cat rest its front half there on your thigh as the other half of its body curled around your feet and V’s. Its head snuffed in between your arms, beginning to purr again when you cradled them to your chest. They rolled onto their back a bit, paws curled against their chest akin to a normal house cat. They were so soft, so warm, and so very welcome. Sure, the bed was cramped, but you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Griffon contented himself with curling up on the pillow over your head. Beak resting by your face, tail wrapping around the top of V’s head. He let out a quiet, exasperated huff, wings tucked comfortably against his side as he watched you close your eyes, comfortable and contented. Your touch-starved, affection craving body had never been so relieved. The big cat cradled against your front, V back to back with you, and Griffon tucked against your head. If you thought you felt safe before, you felt downright invincible now. Protected, for once in your life, and happy enough that sleep could start to claim you again. V breathing behind you, Griffon above you, and Shadow purring below made a comforting chorus for your ears, washing away any traces of that dream and forcing restfulness.

As your concentration drifted again, you thought you heard Griffon sigh happily, mumbling without any anger.

“What am I gonna do with you two idiots?”

Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18136193/chapters/42910745

Tagged: @silentwhispofhope @just-call-me-no-name @nightshadow4713 @slightlylunatic @efiicitia

[duhragonball]

Dragon Ball Z 176

The Cell Games start now.   Goku wanted to fight first, but Mr. Satan thinks he’s the protagonist, and he’s got the zany hair to prove it.

Goku tries to warn Mr. Satan, but he won’t listen.   Jimmy Firecracker asks Larry to zoom in on Goku, calling him “that dimwit.”

Smile, Goku, you’re on Dumbass Cam.  

Meanwhile, at King’s Castle, King Furry is checking all of this out.   His attendants agree that this guy doesn’t know anything, but King Furry thinks he might resemble that boy who saved the world from Piccolo years ago.    Of course, Goku’s hair and eyes look different, and King Furry’s had that kid on the brain for a while now.  Furry was one of the few witnesses to Goku’s battle with King Piccolo, and while he never learned Goku’s name, he’s hoping that he would return to put Cell in his place.   

Also, he notices Piccolo in Goku’s group, which strikes him as odd.    Well, that’s Piccolo Junior, to be specific, and he looks a little different, and the cape and hat are enough to throw King Furry off, but he knows something’s up.  

I dig how most of the world knows nothing of the Z-Fighters, and they all admire Mr. Satan instead, but imagine being King Furry, and being vaguely aware of all this cool Dragon Ball Z stuff, but not having he full picture.  Like, you sort of know who Goku and Piccolo are, but you have no idea that they became best friends forever, and teamed up with a bunch of other super-cool dudes to yell a lot and punch monsters.    That’s kind of sad.

So Krillin convinces Goku to just let Mr.  Satan go first, if only to get him out of the way, and Goku agrees, so it looks like we’re finally going to get underway when...

This big pink helicopter thing shows up and these three characters jump out of it.   Say hellow to Piroshki, Caroni, and their manager Pizza.  

Wait, is this a Yukio Ebisawa episode?    Yes it is! I thought Piroshki’s legs looked awfully triangular.    The hips don’t lie. 

So here’s the deal.  These three weren’t in the manga at all.    I’m pretty sure Toei invented these characters because they wanted to devote a whole episode to the Cell/Satan fight, and it’s pretty short, even with all of the posturing.   Piroshki and Caroni are Mr. Satan’s apprentices, and Pizza calls them the second and third strongest fighters in the world.  They’re so caught up in the hype of the Satan/Cell showdown that they believe Cell isn’t worthy to fight their master, so they ask to take Cell down themselves.    Satan agrees, they lose of course, and then Satan steps into the ring to proceed with the events in the manga.   

The hitch is that Pizza, Piroshki, and Caroni never actually leave after they get beaten.   So they end up sticking around with Mr. Satan, Jimmy, and Larry, watching the Cell Games from a safe distance.    This is why it’s not a simple thing to say that you can just skip all the filler in Dragon Ball.    Yes, there’s entire episodes of filler, and there’s filler scenes that you can skip, but sometimes the filler is so interwoven into the anime that you can’t separate it from the canon material.    In this case, everything Mr. Satan says and does from here on, he’ll have Pizza and his two apprentices hanging around next to him.   

Dragon Ball Z Kai is often described as a re-edit of DBZ with all the filler cut out, and that’s mostly true.    I’m pretty sure Maron never appears in Kai, because you can cut all her scenes and lose nothing.    But they had to keep the stuff with Pizza and the others, because the alternative would be to edit out almost every scene with Mr. Satan, and we need those, because he’s important to the story.    

On the other hand, when Team Four Star did their abridged version of the Cell Games, they went ahead and had Cell destroy the apprentices helicopter before they could jump out.    It was hilarious, because I never expected that to happen.   I just figured they’d be forced to do something with those characters, since the only alternative would be to painstakingly edit them out of every Mr. Satan scene afterwards.   Turns out, that’s exactly what they did, all through DBZA Episodes 58-60.    I’m guessing that’s why it took so long for those episodes to get made.    Was it worth it?   I’m not sure, but I do like that there’s a sidekick-free cut of the Cell Games episodes, even if it’s just a parody version.  It’s just interesting to see.   

Don’t get me wrong, these guys are cool.   I like how Piroshki is clearly modeled after wrestling legend Big Van Vader, and Caroni looks like every pretty-boy wrestler from Gorgeous George onward.    And Pizza’s pretty cute.   Also, it’s just cool that Mr. Satan has students, and they’re just as ridiculous over-the-top as he is.  

The problem is that it reaaaaallllly kills the pacing of this story.  The whole gag here was originally that Mr. Satan would show up as a joke character, try to fight Cell, and get beaten easily.    Then Goku would get in the ring and we’d get down to business.   It’s a good gag.    Once.   But Toei wanted to fill time, and so we’re now getting the same joke repeated three times. 

And Pizza provides color commentary alongside Jimmy Firecracker.   It’s just redundant.   Why do we need two people calling the action here?    It just slows things down.    Jimmy worked fine on his own in the manga.  

I remember watching this episode and getting really impatient, because they had already established a ten day waiting period before the Cell Games.   So we had to spend Episodes 166-175 marking time.   And those episodes are good, don’t get me wrong, but when you’re watching it for the first time, you just really want to see Goku mix it up with Cell.   By this episode, the tension was unbearable.    Goku’s here, Cell’s here, the Cell Games are officially on, and then Mr. Satan insists on going first.    Okay, fine, let’s get him out of the way... no wait, two other guys have to go ahead of him.    And guess what, each of them have to do their own pre-fight shtick and cut their own promos and so on.   And then Pizza and Jimmy have to comment on their fighting styles and attributes.  And before you know it, the episode is over, and you have to wait for the next episode to see Goku fight Cell.  

And when I was first watching these, Cartoon Network was airing DBZ like four times a week.   I can only imagine what it was like for some Japanese kid in 1993.    Those poor kids must have been going nuts.

Nonetheless, these two are still fun to watch.   Cell beats Caroni by using his ki to shove him up into the air in mid-jump, causing him to land out of the ring.   Then Piroshki is up, and he removes his cool Vader helmet and CRUSHES IT IN HIS BARE HANDS!   Awesome!

Then he EATS IT.     Ha ha ha, this is wild!   This is weird wild stuff we’re seeing right here.    Piroshki came to play.

But he can’t beat Cell either.    Cell uses his ki like some sort of invisible force field, and when Piroshki charges him, he can’t even get close.    He finally gives up and rolls out of the ring.

At ringside, Mr. Satan calmly explains how both of his students lost.    For all his skill, Caroni is prone to overdoing things, so he believes that Caron accidentally launched himself out of the ring when he put too much oomph into his leap.   As for Piroshki, Satan suspects that Cell may have covered his own body in green pepper juice, which Piroshki despises, and that’s why he couldn’t get near Cell.   

So now it’s finally time for Mr. Satan to fight, right?    Not quite.    First he pulls out a capsule, which contains a bag, and inside the bag are roofing tiles.    Toei really milks this for as much time as they can get.    They really don’t want Goku fighting Cell in this episode.  

So Satan breaks 14 of the fifteen tiles he brought, and his hand smarts, but he’s still pleased with himself because that’s an insane number of tiles, and he pulled it off.   

So all that’s left is to beat the shit out of Cell.   Satan jumps the big cat and just lays into the guy.   I mean, he throws kicks and punches and all sort of offense on the dude.    I’m not expert on power levels, but I’m pretty sure a lesser opponent, such as Frieza, would be turned to jelly by this vicious onslaught.

Then Satan goes for the coup-de-grace and Cell swats him away, sending him into a nearby hill.

Amazingly, he’s still alive after that.   Mr. Satan’s built Ford Tough. 

Krillin’s been all smug throughout this farce.    Look, I love you Krillin, but you smashed that remote.    None of this would even be happening right now if you could have focused for like two seconds.   

The audience is stunned.    As far as they were concerned, Mr. Satan was the first, last, and only fighter who could win this thing for them, and he just got clobbered with one hit.   In particular, this extremely triangular woman in red looks very upset.    I think we see more of her later, so I’m gonna start calling her Triangle Woman.  

Cell’s like, “Goku get your ass in here this instant.”  

And Goku’s all “Yaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy, I get to punch him now!”

Yes, surely this will be the decisive match of the Cell Games, and put an end to this nightmare once and for all.   Right?   Right?

[unboundpen]

Pandemonium [2/3]

[Previous] [Next]

Fandom: Batman

Characters: Jason Todd, Damian Wayne, batfam appearances

Pairing: JayDami

Rated: T

Warnings: Damian is aged up, should be in college.

Summary:

In which Damian is way too oblivious and Jason suffers. 

Read on AO3

A/N: So I haven’t picked up a DC comic since Damian died in Nu52 timeline. So everyone in the batfam follows pre-Nu52 here.

Tonight there was something off about the kid. They'd hit a dead end with their case yet again, but Robin was more annoyed to have that happen. Usually, he would be fine with calling it a night or go off to patrol on his own if it was early. Red Hood would often join him if the kid decided to stick around his part of the city. Even now, as Jason surveys the scene before him, it isn't very hard to see that the kid was using more force than necessary. More than necessary for Batman, not enough for Red Hood. But hey, he was trying to work within the limitations he was given. If Robin wants to break more bones than needed, then that was his prerogative.

However, with hours of fighting bad guys, Jason can tell Robin was going to run himself ragged. It was nearly two in the morning, and Red Hood had only jumped in to help once. Robin's stamina was impressive and his fighting was always exhilarating to watch, but even now, when the last baddie drops to the ground, Jason can tell that the kid was going to get hurt if he continued like this.

Any protests Robin gives him are ignored and only cease once they're in one of Batman's safe houses, one with a communal shower, and clothes and within walking distance of Jason's favorite diner in the city.

"I don't see any reason why we have to go out for food, Todd," Damian glowers across the booth at Jason

After the two of them had showered and changed, Jason had dragged the kid back out into the night for some grub.

"Can it, Babybat. I'm willing to bet if I had sent you on your way back to the manor, you'd be a lot worse than you are now."

Damian shakes his head, now glaring at his menu that was laying flat on his table. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

Jason sighs before taking a long, noisy sip of his milkshake. Damian takes the straw covering Jason had removed, and fiddles with it, eventually rolling it into a ball.

"Must you?" The kid growls.

The older man savors the taste of his milkshake, smacking his lips, "Must I what? Drink my shake like how I'm supposed to?"

Before the Damian could make a comeback, a shadow casts over them. “Decided on what you want to order, sonny?”

“Onion rings and French toast with extra powdered sugar. I also request an empty ketchup container with my food, thank you.” Damian’s tone is cold while he hands the menu to their server and then slouches against the window with his arms crossed, looking pensive as he looks out into the city night.

“Don’t mind him, Merv,” Jason says to the big guy, “Kid’s in a mood.”

The other guy chuckles, “No worries at all. I get all walks of life at this time. Believe it or not, your friend there is part of the better half.”

Jason raises his glass to him, “Well, you’re always good company.”

“You have to say that for the milkshakes.”

“Best in the city, Merv, best in the city. Better yet add two more shakes to the order."

Jason smiles brilliantly while their server walks away to get started on their order. His eyes slide back to his companion him study him. “Wanna know how I came across this place?”

“Not particularly.”

“It was sometime in the fall of the year I turned sixteen,” Jason continues, completely ignoring Damian’s snide answer, “after having one too many arguments with B, figured I needed more time to cool off.”

“Let me guess, you walked past and decided to come in for food?”

Jason taps his glass patiently, “Nope, now don’t interrupt story time. Anyways, I was getting into fights just like you were doing tonight, just not as Robin -all in civvies. Got into a nasty fight with one baddie in particular and we just so happened to be trading blows right outside of this place. Guy got ahold of me and actually threw me through the same window behind me.” His right-hand goes up to point a thumb at the booth behind him.

Damian’s eyes flicker past Jason’s shoulder with intrigue then looks back at him, sitting up straight.

“My arms were pretty cut up, this one especially,” Jason flexed the fingers of the same hand that he had used to point, “So I couldn’t get a good hit on the other guy, who was pretty much pummeling my face at that point. Hurt like a bitch, but I didn’t pass out. Merv was actually the one that pulled him off of me and turned him into the police. He was gonna hand me over too but saw that I was just a kid. So he sat me down at the counter, handed me a shake and patched my arms up. Turns out he worked medical during the Korean War.”

Damian, at that point, was giving Jason a skeptical look, “What about the window?”

“I got B to pay for it and hire some quick workers to replace it. Technically, he was the one responsible. Wouldn’t have broken that window if he wasn’t on my case about everything that night. I’d come in from time to time, help out Merv if the place was swamped with customers or help clean tables and sweep the floor, but eventually, it was the milkshakes that got me coming back.”

Merv comes back with their orders, setting Damian’s steaming plate of French toast before him and the onion rings next to it. The shakes come clinking in after, this time in front of Jason. “Enjoy,” he states before moving to a booth that had called him over.

Jason takes a meaningful sip as he watches Damian primly cut his French toast in strips with a fork and knife then reaches over to take the syrup container and pour its contents into the empty ketchup container he asked for. Jason’s eyebrows raise up when Damian takes a strip and starts dunking it.

Hmm.

Elbow on the table and chin in hand, Damian takes a bite.

“So, Bruce issues?”

The kid looks up at Jason with a blank expression as he chews.

“Look, as an experienced veteran of navigating through the complicated waters of your dad’s disapproval, it’s not that hard to figure out that he’s the source of all of your…this.” He gestures to all of Damian.

“That was quite...poetic of you, Todd, but if it’s all the same to you, I would prefer not to talk about it right this second.”

Jason holds up both hands in surrender with a bitter smile, “Hey I get it. I’m not Dick. Sometimes talking makes it worse if you’re not up for it. I’m just here to keep you company and for when you are ready to talk about it. In the meantime,” Jason slides one of the milkshakes across, “unwind and enjoy the food."

And for the rest of the night, they eat in comfortable silence. This was nice. Jason wouldn’t mind getting used to doing something like this on a more frequent basis. For the most part, living on his own left him craving companionship. It’s also why he had Kori and Roy as teammates. They were two of the most affectionate people he knew, aside from Dick.

From there his thoughts wander, how would they feel about him potentially being with Damian? Better yet how would they interact with the demon spawn overall. Now that would be a very interesting thing to witness.

xXx

It's been about two months, closing in on three, of them working together on this case and Jesus Lord Almighty, Jason was frustrated in every conceivable way. Yes, there is the never-ending sexual frustration -which he doesn't even want to delve into right now, lest he gives himself continual blue balls...again- but he's aware that this thing he had for Damian was going further than just sexual attraction. It's so bad that he's so close to swan diving off of one of the bridges in the city.

But no, that would be the easy way out, and while he was lazy for the most part, this wasn't something he was trying to half-ass. Especially with how fucking clueless Damian was with everything he's been doing. If Jason did anything subtle, it went over the kid's head.

Jason has to resort to his biggest move. Yeah, it’s gotten that bad. So here he was, on a slow day, and arms full of groceries, walking up the steps of the manor, per Alfred's request. He would reach down to get his own set of keys, but why struggle when the doorbell was a lot more accessible.

Jason didn't have to wait long for the door to open, and who was at the door but none other than the owner of the manor.

"Jason?"

The look of surprise on Bruce's face was something the younger man appreciated. There were a few things that could take Bruce Wayne by surprise, and even less for Batman.

"Uh yeah, just here to..." Jason fumbles over the next few words in his head.

To get your son to like me by cooking him his favorite foods so that hopefully I can get in his pants?

"Get a few recipes off of Alfred," he finishes slowly.

Bruce's face relaxes back into neutral and holds the door a bit wider so Jason can enter. Half of the bags are taken from his arms as Bruce shuts the door, and they make their way to the kitchen.

Bruce hums in reply, "How's the case going? Damian hasn't said much on it."

"Because there isn't much to say to be honest. We're looking into any leads we come across along with stakeouts on their warehouse." Which was true, yeah they have the location for drug storage, but they weren't searching for the drugs. It was the child trafficking Jason was trying to put a stop to. Old habits of some of the criminals on his side had resurfaced while Jason was away. Five months of operation may not seem like much, but that's still one too many kids out there.

Bruce nods as they enter the kitchen and places the food on the island, which Jason copies. Then they just kinda stand there, the air turning awkward. Jason's skin starts to crawl from the way Bruce is not so secretly studying him. While their relationship may have gotten better, this stagnant air between them would always be the norm when they weren't talking about something related to crime fighting.

"Hey, I'll be making enough for everyone in the manor, probably even more than that. So you can let the others know if you want." There, now he can claim that he tried.

Jason would be lying if he said he wasn't blinded by Bruce's sudden smile. And just like that, Jason was brought back to the more happier times of his teenhood. Jason wasn’t an exception to the need for approval from Bruce Wayne. There was a reason why once you’re a part of the batfam, no one can never really leave. You become hooked and once you're flying high on it, he can take it all away for weeks, even months. However, another result is actually leaving for a time. Dick, Jason (obviously), Tim, Cass, and Steph, even Babs. They had all left at some point, but even from those breaks, the wash of Bruce’s approval was imprinted. Jason had fought that instinct for so hard and so long that all his relationships would never go back to what they were. Eventually, everyone comes back to try and coexist with it.

It was only a matter of time before Damian had to pass through the final leg of this long endured initiation into the batfam. But to Jason, he hopes that the kid can maintain this somewhat decent relationship with his father.

“The last time everyone was here for a family dinner was Thanksgiving three years ago.”  

Jason’s eyebrows raise, “Everyone?”

Bruce nods confidently, “Barbara is visiting, Stephanie is back for spring break, and Cassandra -as I’m sure you’re aware- has moved back almost half a year ago.”

“Oh wow, full house tonight.”

The older man looks wistful. Jason watches Bruce get that far off look, where he can only imagine how Bruce’s ideal family dinner unfolds. Thankfully, Alfred chooses that exact time to push through the kitchen’s swinging door.

“Well then,” Bruce clears his throat, broken out of his reverie, “I guess I better tell everyone else to stay for dinner.”

“Splendid idea, sir,” Alfred responds smoothly then turns to Jason as soon as Bruce leaves the room. “I’ve taken the liberty of pulling out the recipes we shall be using tonight. Although, I do have to say this may be a bit…much.”

Alfred pulls out a stack of index cards from his coat pocket with an amused look. Jason whistles, “The kid likes to eat.”

Alfred places the stack on the island, “To be fair, Master Jason, you did say all the food he likes. That is a very broad guideline to go by.”

The younger man grins and starts to take everything out of their bags. “Would it help if I said his favorites then?”

Alfred taps the pile thoughtfully, “That does cut this down considerably…."

Jason stops moving and steals a glance at Alfred who was studying him. He was somewhat prepared for the questioning that may have come with the request, he just wasn’t prepared for it this early. He was hoping that he would be busy prepping at least.

“Is there a particular reason why we are only cooking food palatable to Master Damian?”

“Not really.” Yes, yes he is very aware just how higher pitched that sounded.

Alfred lifts an amused eyebrow at Jason, but the younger man does not budge. A moment of silence later and the butler concedes with a sigh, “Very well then, Master Jason. Shall we get started?”

xXx

Jason had to say that this dish was the most unique thing he’s ever attempted. This was apparently Damian’s favorite by far, and the whole recipe was copied down word for word straight from the kid’s mouth. And according to Alfred, that was from the first night Damian started living with them. Oxblood was something he never would have expected to cook in his lifetime. However, the smell was pretty appetizing.

That was one conversation he attempted with Damian on one of their nights together. Considering that the kid had gone vegetarian, was he going so far as to go vegan? The answer had been that the kid was not opposed to eating meat if they were killed humanely and all body parts were used, but considering that this was a hard thing to keep track for each and every animal, vegetarian was the easier option for now.

When I was younger, mother had a specialty soup made with oxblood.  Thankfully, Pennyworth has a source where the animals are not killed for it.

So like donating blood to eat, interesting. What about lab-grown meat?

-Tt- I've tried the impossible burger. If they make lab-grown meat without it tasting like liver, then I will consider it an option.

He gives the stew one final stir and then covers it to let it simmer. He sidesteps to the setup beside the stove and picks up where he left off. Alfred had left him to deal with the manor’s laundry. Considering that the manor was almost at full capacity, it would be a while before the butler came back. But before Jason could get lost in the motions of making dolmas, there was some commotion outside one of the two doors to the kitchen.

“Alfred is definitely cooking up a feast. I wonder why-”

The door swings open and in walk Dick, Tim, and Cassandra, with Dick and Tim freezing at the sight of Jason standing there surrounded by steam, hands full of lab-grown meat filling, and covered in an almost frilly apron. For a moment, he freezes too. Of course, Bruce had said everyone was here, but another thing he did not mentally prepare for was actually interacting with his siblings until dinner.

“Not Alfred,” the second eldest in the room states and sidles up comfortably next to Jason. That wasn’t much to go by since they were about the same age anyway. She uncovers the oxblood soup and basks in the smell before she takes up stirring.

Tim is the first of the other two men to unfreeze, inspecting Jason’s handwork while walking up to the island.

“Soooo,” Tim drags that word on for a bit, “what’s the occasion?”

Jason, without missing a beat, places his finished dolma onto the forming stack located slightly to the left. “You don’t gotta worry your head about that.”

He hopes that he looks at least collected on the outside, but his nervousness rises as he watches Tim look around, studying all the food that Jason had made or was preparing. It wouldn’t be long before he figured out what Jason was doing, and he curses the kid for it.

Dick, the last to recover, follows Tim and sits at one of the bar stools opposite of Jason and Cassandra.

“It’s sort of a big deal when it’s you that’s cooking, Jay,” Dick says, reaching over to pluck one of the piping hot potstickers out from the steam basket.

“Hah!… Hah,” Dick breathes through his mouth while he fans at his face.

Tim nods in agreement, ignoring Dick’s sounds of pain. “This all seems to be Dami-”

Jason coughs loudly, catching Cassandra’s small smile of amusement. She’d probably already deduced it too.

“Maybe I just got tired of the taste of beer and ramen every night,” he spouts, then directs his gaze to the woman standing next to him who had taken a spoon to taste the soup, “Cass had the right idea, you guys could make yourselves useful and help me out with these. Ah, except you Dickie-bird, you’re fine right there. Just don’t eat everything.”

Tim shrugs, not objecting before he washes his hands and takes one of the wooden cutting boards from a shelf. The smaller man situates himself on the other side of Jason, who had rearranged the station so the growing pile of dolmas, the grape leaves, and the filling were between them.

“And why can’t I help?” Dick whines, once he manages to swallow a bit of the food in his mouth.

“Because you burn what you cook.” Jason doesn’t hold back the laugh that comes tumbling out of his mouth. Cassandra’s childlike bluntness always took him by surprise while Dick’s pout was just the additional cherry on top. The eldest takes another and suffers through the burning sensation, much to everyone's amusement.

"You remember that Damian is vegetarian right?" He says once he's able to talk again.

"It's made in a lab."

"No kidding?" Dick holds it up into the light like it was a diamond to inspect it, "It tastes like it's real pork. He's okay with that?"

Jason shrugs, "I mean technically, it still is pork. As long as it doesn't taste like liver, he should be cool with it."

And then Jason shows Tim how to prepare one before they fall into an easy silence. He had made about five different dishes for tonight, with this batch being the last of it. The thing was he had already steamed a lot that the leftover ingredients were for him to take home and prepare for himself and a few for Alfred to make at a later date.

After about half an hour of Dick eating half a dozen potstickers, Cass sampling the other dishes, and Tim obsessively making sure that the grape leaves were secure (Jason has to admit that the atmosphere was actually really pleasant), he sees a flash of light across the room followed by the distinct sound of a shutter flash.

Whispers and giggling coming from the other side of the door before the culprits burst through. Barbara wheels herself in followed by a grinning Stephanie Brown, her wrist flicking in the air as she fans the polaroid she just took.

Jason rolls his eyes. “Just need the two actual Waynes in here and then it’ll be a true reunion.”

“It’s a sight to see when Jason is the one that’s cooking. What would be even better is if Dick actually manages to make something without ruining it that isn't cereal,” Barbara teases.

“Ouch, Babs.” Dick gives her a weak smile.

“Well,” Stephanie singsongs, coming around to be beside Cassandra to hip bump the other woman, “she ain’t wrong there, Dick.”

Dick grabs one of the cooled potstickers he had plucked out and handed it over to Barbara, which she takes thankfully. “Alright, that’s three against three.”

“Actually,” Tim cuts in, “make that four.”

Jason nods, “Five.”

“Aw, screw all of you,” Dick shoots back without malice.

Stephanie frowns at the pot in front of Cassandra. “Uh, Jay, you do know that Damian and Cass are the only ones that really eat this, right?”

“No worries, there’s plenty of other food.”

“Yeah about that,” Tim starts.

“-all of this stuff is what Dami likes to eat,” Stephanie interjects.

Jason goes still, avoiding eye-contact with all of his bat-siblings, then rolls his eyes upward and counts the tiny speckles on the ceiling tiles. The underlings of the Greatest Detective in the world...of course, one of them was bound to say it out loud. His skin really starts to itch from everyone's eyes on him. Once he finally gathers the nerve to look around, the range of expectant faces overwhelms him and he feels his face start to heat up. Gone were the familiar conflicting emotions on some of their faces, which made his chest tight from giddiness?

Welp, that was new.

“You guys could set the table,” he grits out.

None of them move, much less say anything. And fuck, Jason knows he can’t avoid not talking.

“This is to say thanks for helping out with the case we’ve been working on.” Even now it sounds really weak to his ears.

Babs crosses her arms under her chest and gives him a pointed look over her glasses, “There’s gotta be more than that, or else you’d have been cooking our favorite meals for ALL of us for a while now.”

“Yeah, last I checked, I didn’t get a homemade meal courtesy of the Red Hood-” Stephanie gasps and clasps her hands to her mouth, eyes comically going wide at Jason. The raven-haired beauty between her and Jason gives an imperceptible nod, while Tim’s grin grows sharp within Jason’s peripheral.

Jason swears and wipes his hands on his apron roughly. He turns around to get the pot he used earlier and turns back with a not so subtle bang on the counter to Dick and Barbara leaning in a lot closer than before, unflinching at the sound.

“Why can’t you guys mind your own damned business?” He puts the prepped dolmas into the pot none too gently.

Dick has his head in his hands, staring intently at Jason. “The only time I’ve ever seen you cook food was for that one girl that came over for dinner when you were a sophomore in high school.”

Babs glances over at Dick with curiosity while Tim finishes his last roll and pops it in next to the one that Jason put, deftly avoiding Jason's jerky movements.

“If I remember correctly, you had this huge crush on her and wanted to impress her with your cooking,” Dick furrows his brows in thought, “but that wouldn’t be right. You don’t like Damian, and you certainly don’t have a…crush…on Damian.”

Dick pauses, then lifts his head off of his hands, locking eyes with Jason, and then straightens in such a way that you'd know he'd been around speedsters for a certain amount of time. “Unless you do have a crush on Damian.”

Jason tries to keep his face neutral, but his silence was answer enough for the rest of them. The air gets thick before all chaos breaks loose. The barrage of voices came from all sides of the room.

“Oh My God, you like Damian?!” “How long have you liked him?” “It was pretty obvious.” “Called it.”

Jason places a plate on top of the food in the pot before he fills it with water. “I do not confirm nor deny having a crush -of all things- on the demon spawn.”

Stephanie pushes away from the island and points at Jason in accusation with the corner of the Polaroid, the picture half-formed, “Oh you so do.”

“There’s no hiding it, Jason.” If Tim’s grin got anymore sharper, Jason could probably use it to chop more vegetables. Jason chuckles at the thought of banging Tim's head on the counter repeatedly but stops when he sees that Dick has not budged at all.

“You,” Dick emphasizes by holding his hands out towards Jason, then he moves them to the side, lost in thought, “and Damian.”

Barbara adjusts her glasses and gives Jason a rueful smile, “Odd pairing, but it makes sense.”

“Right? Your immediate reaction would be like ‘Woah!’ but then if you think about it, they would be good for each other.” Stephanie says with animated hands.

“Fuck. Me.” Jason mutters under his breath.

“Nah, Damian could do that,” Tim counters.

“Or Jason to Damian,” Cassandra adds.

This time Jason snatches a clean towel from the counter and hides his face in it, knowing that it was way beyond the suitable normal color of pale. He hears the loud, ringing smack of a high five behind him, followed by loud giggling from the two.

"I swear, I will shoot each and every one of you in the foot.” Was his towel lessening the threat? Yeah, but it was a better option than looking at any of them at the moment. Then hears a snort from Barbara.

Ah crap,

Poor choice of words, but she was always a good sport when it came to her injury. If there was one thing she was fond of with Jason, it was his anger towards the one that caused them the most hurt. He-who-must-not-be-named, if you will. Yeah, he took that from Harry Potter. Voldemort wasn't the only unspeakable name.

“Is there a reason to be this loud?”

The only person -or well, one of the two people who would have made the situation much worse had stepped in.

“Nothing, no reason at all,” Barbara responds way too quickly for Jason's liking, “Cass, Steph, why don’t you guys help me set the table. Better yet, you two too.”

“Todd?”

Jason sighs and lowers his arms to the sight of the other batsiblings filing out with plates and cutlery, which had been set there by Alfred. They were all abnormally silent but each one of them with shit-eating grins. His gaze slides to Damian whose head was tilted in a questioning manner as his eyes sweep over the scene before him.

“Uh, hey, Damian.”

“What’s all this?”

Jason replaces the pot of oxblood with the pot full of dolmas. “I was getting tired of the taste of my usual recipes,” Jason does a one-shoulder shrug, ignoring the heat of his probably red face, “I figured that since I was here, I may as well cook for everyone.”

The kid’s face was really unreadable.

“With Alfred’s help…of course,” he adds.

Jason’s breath hitches when Damian comes around to his side, peering at what was on the stove. The kid was close enough that Jason could smell what hair product and body soap he had used. It wafts and mixes with the other scents in the kitchen.

While most cologne would counter the scents of the kitchen, the smell of lemongrass is fitting with the smells of the Asian dishes that Jason had cooked up. Jason starts to drown from the kid's presence, his smell, the water droplets that dripped from his hair and trickled down his neck. He gets lost at the thought of following those water trails with his tongue but snaps back to Earth when he hears Damian's voice.

“I doubt you would have much of a taste for seonjiguk.”

“While I do go for the more traditional chili dogs and pizza, I’m not opposed to trying new food.”

Damian hums absently, then reaches down to take the spoon that Cassandra had used to sample the soup with and dips it into the pot to taste. He would have warned the kid about the used spoon, but one, he was still nervous with the kid's close proximity, and two, all of them have shared food with one another that sharing germs wasn't much of a concern anyway. However, he was envious that Cassandra had just shared an indirect kiss with Damian.

Jason balks at the ridiculousness of that thought. Indirect kiss? What was he ten?

"This," the kid starts thoughtfully with a fond smile, "tastes the closest to my mother's."

"I uh-," Jason clears his throat, "made sure to go to Alfred's place so it's ethically to your standards. All the other dishes that have meat in them actually contain lab-grown meat. So those are also ethically safe."

Damian reaches across to get one of the leftover potstickers that Dick left out to cool. Unlike the eldest Robin, he takes a bite into it rather than stuffing the whole thing in his mouth, and Jason almost groans at the sight of the younger man’s lips wrapping around the appetizer. There was a light glistening on Damian’s upper lip from the grease of the filling, and Jason goes cross-eyed when he sees Damian’s tongue follow the trail. It seems his eyes have been doing that every time the kid was around.

Damian takes no notice in Jason's discomfort as he savors the taste with his eyes closed. With each methodical chew, the kid’s face softens.

“Decent.”

“Thanks,” Jason gulps. Two compliments in a row. Jason feels his pride wash over him and his pants go tight until he hunches over in hopes that his pants aren’t tenting that much. God, is the addictive nature of Bruce Wayne’s approval genetic? It had already been a confusing time for Jason and his hormones when he was Robin, but getting turned on from praising words from Damian Wayne?

“Why don’t you help me take the food out to the table?” He suggests, ignoring how gruff his voice sounds.

Damian’s eyes open and it feels like the kid already knows what’s going on, and Jason’s breath catches in his throat.

“You made rice, yes?”

Jason deflates and then snorts, “After the rant that you and Cassandra gave. How could I not remember to?”

Damian nods with no joke. “Good.” Then he takes one of the plates and heads out of the kitchen. Jason sighs and shakes his head then takes deep breaths, trying to calm his beating heart. He knew it was pathetic, but there wasn’t much else to do other than bulldoze forward. And he thought he did pretty well with bulldozing since the kid should have definitely caught wind of Jason’s interest. It was pretty obvious.

He walks around and picks up the sweet and sour eggplant dish.

Maybe he'll see after this family dinner.

xXx

How?! How the fucking how? Three fucking days and not one word, not one inclination that Damian was aware. Hell if he did something obvious, the kid would still not notice. At this rate, he would probably have to kiss the kid to get his feelings across.

The dinner had been torturous, the constant teasing from everyone while Bruce and Damian were oblivious as to why. Well, maybe even then Bruce caught on, but Jason didn’t want to even think about that possibility. The focus was on Damian and this case of course. He can face daddy’s wrath once he gets the kid. And even then that was a very small chance.

But now that all of them knew, they went out of their ways to bring it up as much as possible. Even earlier this evening, he had received several texts within the batkids family chat, with all but Damian in there.

“Hey,” he starts, still laying on his back on the rooftop ledge, even now he knows that his phone is getting messages from the chat. Hell, there probably was a comm-link opened with them plotting several different ways to take him down with embarrassment via his attraction for Damian.

“You ever just think about not being in the gig anymore?”

Robin lowers his binoculars and places the mask in his direction.

“Not at all.”

Jason sits up slowly and pops his back before picking up his cigarette again. "That's gotta be a lie.”

Robin’s lip purse in the thought, then softly, “I was created for this. It is all I’ve known.”

Jason notices the kid's choice of words. Created...not born...

“Come on, Babybat. You have to have some frustrations with being Robin.”

Damian’s cheeks twinge with movement before he turns back to face the warehouse.

“Frustrations, yes, but none that I cannot deal with on my own. They have been new…relatively speaking.”

New frustrations for the kid?

Jason takes in Robin’s frame and notes all the tiny clues: stuttering breathing, rapidly beating pulse and avoiding eye contact. The kid was embarrassed.

Oh.

OH.

Jason swallows with difficulty. “Everyone gets that at one point or another on patrol. Best is to just find release before you start swinging again.”

“I do,” the kid admits quietly.

Oh okay, so he could not breathe properly. Jason can only hear the blood rushing through his veins. And it’s a while before Jason can even utter another word. Maybe now would be the best time? Maybe not? God, would it be creepy if he did?

Fuck it.

“So, I’m just gonna go ahead and say it,” Jason curses under his breath before continuing, and what comes out is just babbling words. “I’ve been doing this for a few weeks now, and it’s like you’re not noticing what exactly I’m doing. It’s obvious, so obvious that everyone else knows. I mean I cooked a dinner of your favorite foods. How is that not hint enough for you? But for Superman’s cape, which mating dance do I have to do for you to realize that I like you?!”

He’ll admit, he does sound hysterical near towards the end there. His chest heaves with the exertion of finally telling the brat outright.

Robin directs his gaze back at Jason. “-Tt- Of course, you like me.”

His mouth drops open, speechless. Wow, that was said so simply. As if it was the most obvious thing. He had to hold back a laugh, a laugh he would have no control over. Oh, it was over! Now was just to wait for the kid’s acceptance or rejection, and if Jason were at all honest with himself, he'd take either option. They were a lot better than Jason continuously up in feelings limbo.

Robin’s lips stretch into a fond, close-lipped smile. “We are partners after all.”

The shock is instant. Jason isn’t sure how the kid could be this clueless. Then the too familiar act of free falling towards the dirty street flows around him. Jason's instincts kick in, with his hands reaching for his grappling gun before shooting it in a random direction. His body flips once more and then jerks with the sudden change of momentum. The gun reels him in, only for Jason to realize that the warehouse was coming in way too quickly, and he struggles to get his other grappling gun to shoot.

BANG

Thank god for the fucking helmet, is his first thought, but then it’s quickly overpowered by a sharp pain in his left shin. While there was a bang from his helmet connecting with the long windows of the warehouse, he vaguely recalls that it was one of his legs connecting with the ledge first. There’s no way he can move right now, however, he feels his arm lifting then a smaller body presses up against his side. Jason feels an arm wrap around his torso before they’re moving upwards.

His eyes closed and all he can just focus on is breathing through the blooming pain. It may also be the growing paranoia, but he thinks his leg is swinging in a place that should not be swinging. Just from that, it takes all his might not to throw up in his helmet.

It was always a bitch to clean whenever that happens.

Pretty soon they land, none too gently, a good 50 rooftops away from their location. The kid was fast on the line.

Jason throws off his helmet and falls onto his palms, leaving no weight on his injured leg, before he starts throwing up. While his pain tolerance was fairly high, unexpectedly (potentially) breaking his bones can get him to upheave his dinner.

Through his retching, Jason hears Robin tsk in disgust beside him. “I did not take you for an easy fainter, 'Hood.”

Jason spits away the bitter taste left in his mouth when his body stops, then wipes away any bile from his lips before he scowls up at Robin. “I didn't faint,” he grits out, maneuvering himself until he’s sitting and blinks away the involuntary tears that come from throwing up.

Robin’s expression screws up in concern, then he crouches down, reaching out for the older man’s leg.

“Don’t touch,” Jason snaps.

The kid frowns, dropping his hand, but keeps crouched next to Jason. “Don’t be even more of an idiot, Red Hood, it may be broken.”

“Oh,” Jason chuckles darkly, “more of an idiot?”

“Yes,” Robin stresses, “your carelessness alerted them of our presence.”

The older vigilante sucks in a breath. Then struggles to his feet, favoring one leg over the other. He notices that Robin stands up with him, but doesn’t try to reach out to help him again. Instead, the kid opts for crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’m heading home.”

Robin nods once, “I suppose it would be best to call it a night. Do…Do you need assistance returning home?”

“No, the idiot can manage just fine, thanks.” Jason knows his sarcasm is scathing right now, but he couldn’t care less, even when the kid straight up scowls at him.

“Fine,” Robin responds icily. Then doesn’t wait for Jason to be the first one to leave.

Once Jason is sure that he’s gone, he spends a good minute cursing loudly up at the sky. Of all the outcomes that could have happened, it was just his luck that it would be something like this.

xXx

He could say he is ashamed of how he’s been. After that disastrous confession that made him feel like he was in middle school again and almost breaking his leg, which would have left him out of commission for a good two months -thank god that wasn’t the case, just a very ugly bruise that took up half of his leg- he had not seen the kid since. His phone had been blowing up within the chat group, but instead of light teasing, there were concerned messages all around. After that night, Jason’s mood wasn’t the only one that had turned sour. Sure it may be a petty thing, but it did lighten Jason’s mood knowing that the kid was bothered too.

But after some coaxing from Roy and Kori, Jason had finally mustered up the will to get changed and went to where the kid had texted to meet him. Since this was in a place with a lot of foot traffic, it would have brought them more attention if Jason went out as Red Hood. The kid was probably out undercover too.

Jason rolls his shoulders under the jacket he had chosen for tonight. He muses that this was a jacket he had gotten before his trip to space. Oh well, it’s not like he’s strapped for cash anyway. He makes a mental note to go to proper clothes shopping.

Just then he feels the full force of someone trying to barrel him over. His hands reach up to steady the person and himself. Damian’s scent is what he registers first before he looks down at Damian’s annoyed glare.

Before Damian could say anything, sounds of heavy running came from around the corner. The kid pulls both of them into an alley next to them. It was a bit too forceful of a pull since Damian’s head hits the brick wall hard enough to make his teeth chatter.

The sounds of footsteps get louder.

Damian’s eyes flitter over Jason’s shoulder then zing right back, wide with panic. “Kiss me.”

“What?” Jason blurts out, which gets Damian to roll his eyes before he grips Jason’s shoulders with both hands and pulls him in until Jason feels the surprising softness of Damian’s lips.

Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck.

The kiss wasn’t even a kiss by Jason’s standards, it was purely the basic definition of the act. Lips touching lips. And once Jason realized that his eyes shut close from the pure bliss he was enjoying. It was scary that all the worry and bad juju feelings he had for the past week all seems to evaporate. Nonetheless, he lets himself get lost and unconsciously initiates more of the kiss.

The older man hunches over Damian, unconsciously putting all of his weight against the kid, who doesn’t protest at all. This was all too much and happening too fast for Jason’s mind to keep up. The scent of lemongrass and herbs ropes around Jason, binding him that closer to Damian. With every breath he takes through his nose, he gets even more lost. The flat hand above Damian’s head adjusts so Jason’s weight was on his forearm instead, allowing him to completely cover Damian’s body with his own.

Once he’s situated better, Jason angles his head then slowly deepens the kiss. He almost stops when Damian moves underneath him, feeling lithe hands grab fistfuls of his shirt. The anticipation, the expectation of being pushed away, it levels Jason from the weightlessness that is quickly spreading throughout his body. But it never comes. Instead, the kid tentatively kisses back.

Jason knows he’s shaking from the adrenaline. Not like he cares at the moment though. Especially when he can reach up to cup the kid’s neck and jaw. Damian goes rigid for a second, most likely the fighting instincts preparing to attack back, but Jason caresses the kid’s cheek with his thumb.

God, it’s so fucking smooth. If given the chance, Jason could probably keep stroking that spot for hours.

Damian’s hands flatten to palms on Jason’s chest, then slide around Jason’s torso to pull Jason in until they are flush against each other.

Welp, there’s no hiding the erection now.

The kiss is suddenly broken, with Jason following after the kid’s lips for a split second. He inwardly groans. Not opening his eyes at all, he rests his forehead on the hand against the wall. Damian’s ear is right next to mouth, so he’s aware the kid can hear his ragged breathing.

“I believe they are gone now. They saw me around the entrance, hence why I needed you to kiss me.”

Jason takes pleasure in the fact that Damian’s voice was husky.

Wahid

Talatha

“Todd?”

“Give me a moment, Babybat,” Jason whispers hoarsely, but his mind blanks when the kid shivers against him. So he starts again, out-loud this time.

“Wahid…talatha…khamsa…saba,” the older man trails off, wracking his currently putty-like brain for the next number.

“Ahad ashr.”

Jason startles out of his thoughts, then backs off a little to look at the kid. He was a sight that Jason appreciates: pupils dilated, eyelashes long and curling to frame the baby blues with one eye slightly closed from Jason’s thumb still stroking his cheekbone, face darker from the flush of his skin, and his lips full and plump. However delectable Damian looks in this exact moment, his face is neutral.

“You’re counting in prime numbers?” Jason nods. "Eleven is ahad ashr.”

“Oh, shukran.” May as well thank the kid in his language anyway.

Jason doesn’t want to pull away, especially not when Damian gives him a smile that makes his eyes crinkle at the corners. To his credit, Damian doesn’t seem to be making a move to push Jason away either, just that his arms drop from the older man’s body.

“Do…do we have to go after them?” His hand drops away to hang awkwardly at his side.

“No.”

It’s at that instant that the floaty, post-kiss air dissipates and Jason can see the kid remembering the last time they were together. He sighs but doesn’t take a step back just yet.

“Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t faint. I also didn’t mean to be an ass-“

Damian snorts and Jason glowers back at him, “I’m trying to fucking apologize here. Not like it was entirely my fault.”

The kid looks aghast. “I understand I was…difficult when I first came here but-“

“No. No. Nono. That’s not…” Jason sighs, “Do you remember what we were talking about before I fell off the roof?”

His face scrunches up in concentration, “We were discussing our mutual respect for each other.”

Jason sighs again, this time with his whole body, “Not exactly. I said I like you.”

“Right, which is necessary for two people to work together.”

“No, you dipshit." Jason gives the two of them more distance between by stepping back a few more steps and quickly continues before the kid starts swinging, “I like you, Damian…like you like how Bruce likes Selina."

So the thing with assassin babies, and their beaten in assassin training, was that when trying to process new information, they were good at maintaining a poker face. And Damian wouldn’t be Damian if he wasn’t doing that right now. To cope with the silence, Jason amuses himself with the thought that Damian’s head was record-scratching back to what he had just said and Damian’s brain melting from it.

The kid then starts to blink rapidly, getting Jason to think maybe he did break the little Wayne.

“So,” Damian starts quietly, so quiet that Jason strains his ears to hear, “that was what Grayson and the others were talking about."

"I don't know what they said to you exactly."

"All those looks and jokes they were making to each other. They knew. And I was the last to know?" Damian questions incredulously.

This time Jason bursts out laughing. It's a laugh mixed with hysteria, absolute amusement, and just a smidgen of relief. He brings his hands up to his face and presses his bare palms to his eyes and continues laughing for a good moment.

By the time Jason is calmer, he drops his arms back to his side to the view of Damian looking petulant. It was cute.

Jason can't even erase the grin on his face, making the kid's pout even deeper. "It's not like I was trying to hide it. I've been trying to tell you that I like you for a few weeks now."

That does nothing to stop Damian's sulking.

"I literally told you I liked you last week. I even specifically said I made dinner with your favorite foods, which I did. Considering that everyone caught on that all of those dishes were the food you like, we all would have thought you'd have caught on. But for the actual biological son of Batman, you can be incredibly dense."

Well, the sulk does turn into a scowl, and it's fitting. "Is that how you talk to someone you like?"

"Yes."

It's interesting to actually see the kid blush from embarrassment. "But...how? Why?"

This time Jason steps closer to Damian, forcing the kid to look up at him again. "Can't really explain how. Not now anyway. I don't want to scare you off with that info. But for the why?" Jason's tone is soft, "I think out of everyone I know, you've understood me best. Sometimes I get into those moods and you just understand that that happens, and you don't bug me about it. Not everything has to be talked about, not for every time anyway. Trying to explain to someone who hasn't been resurrected so violently like we have, that the violence and anger and frustration that we have is like telling B to go kill someone with a gun." He smiles wryly at that and the kid does too.

"Not to mention how much hotter you've gotten."

Damian rolls his eyes.

"Right, yeah, can't make you blush from compliments since you already know how attractive you are." Jason runs a hand through his hair in exasperation.

"Todd...Jason, I..." Jesus, Damian looks like he's constipated with his loss of words.

"Don't strain yourself," Jason responds in bemusement, then after a beat sigh, "Look, you don't have to answer me right away. I know you never really considered me or anyone for that matter-"

"Not true," Damian cuts in sharply, then his cheeks turn a few shades darker. "That is to say, it is not true that I have not considered you romantically, nor are you the only one. However, those few times were brief thoughts."

That brightens Jason's mood greatly. "Well, again, you don't have to answer right away."

The younger man nods, "I cannot make an immediate decision based solely on those few times."

"Right, but now that you actually know," Jason steps closer to Damian, bringing one arm above Damian's head to lean on the wall, almost getting as close as they were when they were kissing, "would it be okay to kiss you again? I was actually holding back before. I wanna give myself a more lasting impression, ya know?"

It's a lot easier to seduce someone when they actually know Jason's intentions, and with Damian, it is a lot more amusing. The kid was so caught off guard, having really only used his own charms and seduction as a means to achieve a goal. His lack of experience was endearing.

His other hand comes up to cup Damian's jaw again, and his breath hitches just the tiniest bit.

Jason, in his element now, leans down until his forehead touches Damian's, his hooded eyes boring into Damian's, as his thumb slowly caresses Damian's bottom lip, soft lip. God so soft.

The older man says nothing else, knowing that this slow seduction was working for him. He makes no other movements, just his thumb running over Damian's lip over and over.

This time when Damian says, "Kiss me, Todd," it's the barest of whispers.