#guy who everybody hates but he just will not stop showing up uninvited and making himself the most important person there.

[prommytheus]

a quick jokey comic for mr phoenix wright’s 30th birthday. kristoph is an ass but i love him

[totebagchiqbarista]

Heyy can i request a luka x fem!reader fic? Like you know how how luka is always calm and cool? What if he turns into a living mess after he meets reader? Like no stuttering or something but hes ranting about her to juleka all the time and cant concentrate when shes around??

what are you doing to me? // luka x fem!reader

request: anonymous

warnings: fluff, swearing?, Luka being a mess

pairing: Luka Couffaine x Fem!Reader

a/n: I really wanted to write some Luka stuff and this kind of stretched out to a good amount of words so I hope you like it! :)

"Dear God, Luka, stop talking!" Juleka shouted at her brother who entered her room uninvited for the 4th time today. She had understood he didn't have anybody really to talk to, but Lord was he getting annoying at this point.

"But I have to tell you something"

Pushing him out of her cabin one last time, Juleka stood at the door frame and stared at the blue boy. "Go out and find a life!" Of course, she didn't mean it like that, but before she could manage what she is doing, she slammed the door shut in front of him.

Luka was taken aback by the change in Juleka's attitude. He didn't flinch though. He was always that one collected and calm person in every group. Anger never fulfilled him in the ways it sometimes filled his mother, for example.

Anarka had never been the type to prohibit them of their freedom, but she tends to let her emotions take over her. When somebody mentions their dad, she turns red, wrathful at the memories that flow across her head. And it's never long until she completely lets rage form her.

But Luka was different. He was always the serene boy you would find in the back of the class writing songs, practicing riffs. When somebody took it out on him, Luka sucked it in, forgetting about the scene in a few days. He had never lost his temper, beat someone up, melted at someone's touch...

He didn't mind it, after all, there was nothing to whine about. He had all his emotions under control, and even though he would never admit it- it made him feel superior to others.

So Luka decided to go to the park. Whenever he had nothing to do, a simple solution always came to his mind- a warm walk through the park.

"Hi, Nino" he exclaimed seeing the familiar couple by the water fountain. "Hi, Alya."

Alya offered him a soft smile, taking a piece of Andre's ice cream. Nino lent him his famous handshake. "I'm excited for tonight!" said Alya, referring to the private hangout at Couffaine's that was yet to come.

Luka had completely forgotten about it. How could he do such a thing? Still, he kept his cool exterior, nodding his head in agreement. "Me too"

"Oh shoot! I forgot I was supposed to meet Y/n tonight" Alya looked back on her schedule.

"Who's that?" Luka questioned, having never heard of that name before

"An old friend of mine. She just recently moved here"

"She can come, too."

"Really?" Alya's face lit up in joy "You would do that?"

The blue-haired boy laughed "If there's one place in Paris everybody is welcomed, it for sure is the Couffaine's ship!"

"Great, we'll see you there soon!" Alya added before collecting her phone and her boyfriend, running to meet up with her long-term friend.

Luka was left alone by the fountain, staring faintly at the water drops in the pool. Hot summer day took a toll on him and his eyes closed slightly under the pressure of the beaming sunshine.

A wooden bench called out to him and so he sat underneath the cooling shade of the trees. Moments passed and Luka grew to be more impatient. Guests were to come tonight, maybe he should return and help Juleka set up for the evening hang out...

Just on a mark, a girl ran to the park, out of her breath. She seemed worn out as she breathed heavily from the excessive physical activity. She looked at the phone in her hands, it responding with a typical GPS lady voice.

"Shit" she mumbled as she frantically tried to get the directions from the small machine.

"Hey" Luka called out to her from his sitting position in the corner "Are you lost?"

The girl looked around, making sure the blue boy was talking to her. "Yeah, I guess I could say so." Just as she returned him the look, Luka was struck by her beauty. It seemed like such a cliché, really. And Luka hated clichés. Yet, he was mesmerized by the girl who stood before him.

"Right... Where do you need to go?" He asked, collecting himself by her feet.

"Uh," she let out an unknowing hum "Here"

The picture she showed was blurry but Luka figured the place. It was a place he liked to visit sometimes, too. He showed her the directions, making sure she knows all the tracks.

"Thank you so much" The girl beamed with happiness in her eyes "Thank you for helping me"

Luka nodded, and the girl turned around to leave in the direction he just showed her. Luka contemplated for a second before asking a question just as she was about to leave "Can I know your name, at least?"

Hope in his eyes, he stared at her for a full moment until she broke the silence. "We only just met. Besides, where's the fun in that?" Sending him one last wink goodbye, she disappeared into the streets of Paris.

Juleka wasn't a person one could easily talk to. Except for Luka. Luka knew his sister was quite an introvert and a rather shy soul. He respected it and grew to watch over her, protecting her privacy with others. But with him, she was sometimes an extremely cheerful and bubbly person. Hell, there were moments he wished she could stop talking!

So when the two of them collaborated in decorating the harbor for their friends, they finished rather quickly. In under 2 hours, the duo managed to make the best party ship anyone has ever seen.

"Alya is bringing a friend," Luka said as he and Juleka tried to put the last fairy lights around.

"Really? Who?"

"An old friend who just moved here. Y/n as I recall."

Juleka nodded, trying to remember the name "Oh yes, Y/n. Alya told us about her. I'm glad to finally meet her."

Soon enough, the guests started to gather and their home was erupting from chit chats and music. Luka talked to everybody, getting lost in the crowd. His mind always found its way back to the silhouette of the lost girl from the park. There was something he couldn't get enough of in her...

"Luka, could you play us something?" asked Marinette to what Luka only nodded, heading to his room for the guitar.

"Alya is here!" Rose exclaimed when she noticed her friend at the entrance. Next to her stood a girl, a girl Alya has told them almost everything about.

"Hi, guys! This is Y/n" everybody welcomed them, all eyes prying on the newbie.

Marinette came closer and hugged her "I'm Marinette" she addressed as she offered her a soft smile "I've heard so much about you!"

"I could say the same" Y/n returned the sweet gesture.

"What took you so long?" Nino asked looking at his watch and then back at them.

"My bad. I got kind of lost."

The moment Luka stepped on the ship, the last thing he expects to see was the girl he couldn't stop thinking about. The girl that has been playing in his head all day, since the moment they met. Well, not exactly met.

"You" he blurted without thinking as he set his guitar down.

The pair of orbs he remembered from this morning, looked up at him, as surprised as him. "You" she joked back, not breaking the eye contact.

"You two know each other?" Marinette asked looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Not really. He helped me find the way this morning" Y/n explained

"And she didn't even tell me her name"

"It's more fun this way, don't you think?"

Luka chuckled offering her a handshake. "I'm Luka"

"Y/n"

The night moved slowly and Luka found himself growing more and more nervous whenever Y/n was around. This can't be! He's always the calm one, the collected one, the untouchable one. No, no. It's just a mire admiration. Nothing much, really. He's as steady as ever...

"Spin the bottle!" Alya shouted out of nowhere

Numbers of confused faces turned to her in a moment. She proceeded, explaining her outburst. "Let's play spin the bottle"

The teens looked around, meeting with other's sights, nodding in agreement. Soon enough, the group was sat on the floor. Upon choosing a seat, Luka looked around. There were 2 left: beside Y/n and opposite of her. He wanted to sit beside her, really. Oh, just how he wanted to sit beside her, their knees touching... But he was so nervous. His palms sweat just for the thought and his heart raced with a speed unknown to man.

So he sat opposite of her.

"Right, so, we are playing spin the bottle combined with truth and dare. A person spins the bottle and they ask "truth or dare?" the one who the bottle has sat on." Alya explained.

Marinette went first, the bottle landing on Y/n. The bluenette smiled softly and asking the question. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth"

"Are you happy to be in Paris?"

"Very!" The two exchanged graceful smiles earning a groan from Nino.

"Where are the fun questions! C'mon dudettes!" he cried obviously disappointed in his friends.

Marinette looked at him in confusion "What do you want me to ask?"

"I don' know, something interesting. Like, describe your perfect type, or something"

Y/n laughed for a second. "Well I don't really have a type but guitarists hold a special place in my heart"

Luka looked at her in surprise but wasn't met with her gaze. That was it. He'll lose his mind because of this girl and there's no turning back. He'll be defeated, if only he wasn't already.

Y/n grew to be a great addition to the class and the friend group. And she grew closer to Luka's heart, more close than he liked to admit. When she was around, his mind was rollercoasters, when she was away her melody played in the back of his head. It was exhausting, really. Luka had never acted this way, especially not for a girl. It was all new to him.

It had been almost two months since Y/n's first day in the city of love. Never had she imagined that she would fall so in love with the people, the culture, the capital of France in general. She was standing on her balcony, looking at the most beautiful sightseeing- the Eiffel tower.

"Mom, Dad, I'm leaving, see you later!" she shouted as she closed the front door behind her. Juelka had invited her to help her out with band stuff. She was a bit surprised to say at least for Y/n wasn't much of an intellectual in that field.

The traffic was light and soon enough she stepped foot on the magnificent ship. The boy she already knew very well was strumming his guitar in the corner.

"Nice tune" she whispered, coming behind him

Luka jumped a little, taken aback by her unexpected figure. "Y/n? Why-"

"I invited her, I need some help," said Juleka from the door. "I'll be back in a second" and with that, she disappeared.

Y/n sat on a chair beside him, feeling the tension rise. Luka's melody became more insecure, more unsteady. It felt as if he was trying too hard.

"What happened?"

"I don't know" Luka answered, regretting holding the guitar now. It was true, when she was around, it was not much he could do. His mind always wandered elsewhere.

An uncomfortable silence took over them. Juleka was nowhere in sight. After some minutes of complete dull, Y/n stood up eager to leave. "Tell Juleka I'm sorry, but I just remembered I have to go."

Luka wanted to say something, but he couldn't. He was afraid of blurting out something way more stupid. So he nodded, regretting his decisions. What has she done to him? He can't even think straight, what to do, what not to do. He's a mess and it's all because of her.

"What are you doing you, idiot, go after her!" Juleka stormed out of the ship, scolding her older brother.

"What?"

"Go after her! Tell her how you feel! God!"

"What are you talking about?" Luka played it off dumb

Juleka's anger only grew "Oh please, mister untouchable, you're not so secretive about it. You can never concentrate when she's around, when I mention her, you grow all impatient. You talk about her ALL THE DAMN TIME. I can't listen to you anymore!"

Luka shifted in his spot "I don't talk about her that much"

"You literally stormed in my room last night talking about her humor and how cool she is. Go tell her how you feel, Luka"

He contemplated for a minute making Juleka impatient "Now! Go!"

The blue boy nodded, setting his guitar aside, and running as fast as he could. He ran the way he remembered Y/n to go. His legs could sprint only so fast but somehow he managed to run it all the way through.

Just by the bridge, she saw her walk by herself. It was already getting late, the sun was just around the corner, held by its fingertips to not yet say goodbye. She was looking to the river, calm and alone. "Y/n!" he shouted, putting all the energy he had to pull it through.

"Y/n!" he screamed once more to what the girl turned around. Just as she was about to ask what was happening, Luka panted taking her hand in his the moment he got the chance.

"No, no, I talk." He said taking a deep breath and looking right into her eyes. "Y/n from the moment we met in the park, I couldn't stop thinking about you. You took a tool on me, god, I'm wrapped around your finger! I can't focus when I see you, I lose all my senses when you smile"

Y/n smiled at the ongoing love declaration. "And no matter how hard I tried to cover up my feelings, to forget you, there just is no escape. I am lost, I'm losing my mind. God, what are you doing to me? I rant about you to Juleka, dear Lord. You made a mess out of me, Y/n, and I love, I love, I love you."

And before thinking, Y/n pressed her lips against his. She kissed him long and lovingly, making him melt under her touch.

"That makes the two of us"

[angelicyoongie]

desolate (2)

— summary: you just wanted a cute little normal cat to keep you company. so, you're not really sure how you ended up with the grumpiest hybrid on earth that seems hellbent on making your life difficult.

— pairing: cat hybrid yoongi x  reader

— genre: angst, fluff, eventual smut

— word count: 2.9k

— tag list: @mrcleanheichou​ , @ladymidnightt​ Part one Part three Part four Part five Part six Part seven Part eight Part nine Part ten (M) Part eleven Part twelve Part thirteen Part fourteen (M)

A sharp tone rips you out of your dreams, your alarm screeching at the top of its lungs to make you get up. You groan, fumbling around before you find your phone to turn it off. You look at your screen through bleary eyes, annoyed that you forgot to turn off your alarm considering it’s a Saturday and you absolutely do not have to wake up at 6.30 am today.

You huff, throwing your phone further down your bed and turning over to go back to sleep. The noise startled you enough that you can still feel your heart racing, and even though you doubt you’ll be able to slip back into the dream you had, you can still take a few minutes more to just rest.

You stare at the sunlight that has started peeking through the gaps in your curtains, everything still a little hazy from the vivid dream you had. But the more you look out in your room, the more the golden eyes and black soft fur you thought was only a dream starts melting away and the day before comes rushing back.

You actually adopted a cat! Your stomach does a funny flip, excitement rushing through your veins as you quickly sit up in bed. The floor is cold as you plant your feet on the ground, and you hurry over to your closet with a grimace.

In a few weeks it’ll become too cold to have the heater off, and you already dread how high your electricity bills are going to become in the following months. But it’s either that or freezing to death, and frankly with your busy schedule, you don’t have time for that. You throw on a hoodie and some sweatpants, happy that the only thing on your agenda today is just lazing around the apartment.

You hurry to your bedroom door after tugging on some thick socks to ward off the cold, only pausing for a short second to take a deep breath before opening it. You didn’t know what you were expecting, but finding your kitty lying directly outside of your door definitely wasn’t it.

You freeze, foot caught mid-air as you stare down at the black ball of fur curled up on the floor. You carefully set your foot down again, clutching the doorframe as you slowly slide down to a crouch. He's so fluffy and cute that your legs wobble, and you have to put a hand down on the floor to keep from toppling over your cat.

You wince as the cold seeps into your fingertips, and you don’t like the thought of your kitty sleeping on it. What if he gets sick? Can cats get sick? You’re not sure, but you don’t want to find out either.

“Kitty?” You murmur, watching as one ear twitches in your direction. You reach out slowly, hand hovering over the furry body hesitantly. You want to touch him, but the band-aids along your forearm serves as a reminder of how much he didn’t like that last night.

“Kitty?” You try again, and this time, golden eyes slide open at your voice. You let out a small coo as it blinks slowly, obviously still sleepy. You figure it might be safe to touch it now that it’s awake, but the moment you fingers inch closer it hisses, golden eyes suddenly wide and alarmed before it quickly scampers under the couch again.

You sigh, pushing yourself up to get some breakfast. You desperately want to cuddle and coddle your new cat, but it’s obvious that it needs space and time, and you need to respect that. Owning pets isn’t always sunshine and butterflies and you figure it probably had a rough life on the streets before you picked it up. It was alone in a shelter, after all.

You change out the water in the bowl you put out for your cat the night before, a frown settling on your face as you realize the dry food you got from Yeonjun hasn’t been touched. You sprinkle some more kibble on just in case, hoping that the fresh bits might smell good and entice your cat to eat something.

It’s still early and you’re feeling a little too lazy to make anything, so you decide that today’s breakfast will be yesterday's leftovers. You bring your meal to the couch, placing the plate with rice and chicken on the coffee table in front of it. You hear a low grumble from underneath the couch as you take a step closer, and you decide that maybe delaying getting your feet mauled for another minute is okay as you run back to the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

You don’t like the thought of being scared of your own cat, but you figure he’s probably way more scared than you are, and so you just need to suck it up for a while. You gasp as you round the corner, shocked to find your cat eating away at a chicken breast on your plate.

“Kitty!” You rush forward, scared that he’s eating something he isn’t supposed to and hoping to stop him, but your cat is back under the couch before you even reach the table. There’s an obvious gap on your plate from the missing chicken your cat brought with it under the couch, but from the sounds of it, it seems like your cat was starving.

You can hear the hurried bites from where you’re standing, and your heart aches a little at the thought of it being so hungry. Despite your better judgement, you quickly grab another breast from your plate before you can second-guess yourself. Placing it close to the edge of the couch on the floor, you snatch your fingers back just as a black paw comes out and swipes the food in.

You tentatively sit down on the couch, perching on the edge so that your legs are as far away as they can be. Your cat seems to be too busy eating to notice your presence, or maybe it just doesn’t care as long as you bring it food, but you’re nearly all the way done with your meal before you hear a soft hiss from underneath you again.

“I’m done soon kitty,” You mutter, shoving the rest of the food into your mouth before you hurry off into the kitchen with your plate. You know you still have a long way to go before your cat starts to like you, but it still feels like a small victory.  

.

“He hates me,” You groan as you slump down in your chair, Jihyo’s bright eyes staring at your over her computer screen.

“Who? Your cat?” She tilts her head, a small frown on her face as she takes in your tired appearance. You didn’t sleep well all weekend.

You felt terrible for making your cat scared, and so you tried to steer clear of the couch as much as possible. But you also realized you needed to make your presence known if he was ever going to get used to you - so you spent the weekend feeling guilty for both staying away and staying close.

“Yeah,” You mutter as you blow a stubborn piece of hair away from your face.

“It probably just needs some time to adjust ..” She trails off, but you can see the words on the tip of her tongue forming already.

“Don’t–” You start, but Jihyo interrupts you.

“This is why you should’ve gotten a hybrid! It would never be so mean to you,” She pouts. You take a deep breath, trying to push down the annoyance that wants to bubble up and explode.

You love Jihyo and she’s one of your closest friends, but she doesn’t really share the same reality as you. She has money, and you don’t. And while it sounds trivial, it’s enough to create a rift in situations like these where she just doesn’t get it. You don’t have money for a hybrid. Period.

“Jihyo. Let it rest,” You grumble, tone serious and eyes narrowed as you stare her down. She opens her mouth, but seems to think twice and clamps it shut instead.

“Fine,” She huffs. She lets you work in peace until lunch, but you can tell she’s practically bursting with the need to say something as she tugs you inside the lunchroom. It’s empty, you two usually taking your break a little earlier than everybody else just to get some privacy when you eat and talk.

You’ve barely taken a bite of your sandwich when Jihyo sighs dramatically, eyes wide as she throws her arms out across the table.

“I know I’ve only had Sana for three days, but if something happens to her I’m going to kill everybody and then myself,” You roll your eyes, but can’t help but smile at how fond Jihyo seems to be already.

“Stop being so dramatic,” You snort. A man quietly makes his way inside the break room; you think you vaguely recognize him as being one of the IT guys in your department.

His eyes grow wide as your eyes meet, and he hurries off to the little kitchen in the corner of the room with his head hung low when you give him a small nod as a greeting. Jihyo seems obvious, too busy dreamily staring out of the window behind you as she continues.

“Sana is so cute. She’s so happy and cuddly,” She gushes, quickly bringing out her phone to show you some of the pictures she took over the weekend. You two have been texting of course, but you knew she wanted to talk about it in more detail over lunch.

“She even picked out her own collar! Look!” You see the IT guy slip out the kitchen as you take Jihyo’s phone, paying him no mind as you smile at the picture of her Pomeranian hybrid.

“Aww, how adorable,” You can’t help but grin, happy that your friend found someone she enjoys spending her time with.

“Y/N!” Jihyo suddenly exclaims, “Maybe I can bring Sana over on Friday? She’s been dying to see you again,” You mull it over for a second.

You do really want to see Sana and Jihyo, and since your cat pretty much lives under the couch you’re sure an hour or two will be fine. Sana seems to sweet and quiet that you don’t think it’ll be much of a problem even if she is a dog hybrid.

“Sure!” You agree, happy to spend some more time with your friend.  

.

The moment you step inside your apartment after work, you’re sure you see a black tail hurry around the corner.

“I’m home!” You call out, but the silence that greets you feels heavy and uninviting, and you suddenly feel more alone than what you did before when you were actually by yourself. You quickly shed your shoes and your coat, briefly slipping into your bedroom to pull on some more comfortable clothes.

You’re hungry; the lunch you brought today definitely wasn’t enough to keep you sated until work was over. You quickly fry up some vegetables and meat, mindful to keep away from any seasoning. Your cat has made it clear it’s not eating the cat food Yeonjun gave you, and so you’ve been letting it eat some of your own food until you can get him something else.

Once you’re sure the meat has cooled down enough, you slip some on to a plate, bringing it into the living room. You’re about to place it down under the couch when you hesitate. If you keep doing this you’re sure it’s only going to get harder to get to know your cat, and that’s not what you want to happen.

So you carefully place it a little further away, so that your cat needs to take a few steps out to eat it. You hurry out to the kitchen to grab your own plate, and when you return, you find your cat halfway out from under the couch, golden eyes trained on you as he eats.

“I’ll stay over here kitty. Take your time,” You make sure to sit on the other side of the couch, giving you cat some space while still being close. You turn on the TV, getting more and more absorbed in the show as your dinner grows colder.

You eat absentmindedly, the plot too interesting to tear your eyes away from. So it comes as a surprise when you move your hand to pick up your fork, but your fingers come into contact with soft fluffy fur instead.

You eyes snap down in panic as you find your cat looking up at you with wide eyes, a piece of meat caught between its teeth. Your fingers twitch involuntarily at the feel of fur against them, and the motion seems to remind your cat suddenly as to why it doesn’t like you.

Its ears flatten against its skull, and you can practically see the murder written in his eyes before he jumps down and crawls under the couch again. You don’t realize you were even holding your breath until your lungs start burning, and you drop your outstretched hand into your lap as you gulp down air.

You stay in the living room for a little while more, ignoring the disgruntled noises coming from the floor as you finish your show.

“Night kitty,” You say as you turn off the lights, hurrying down the hallway to your room and closing the door behind you. You can still feel the brush of fur against your fingers even after you’ve gone to bed, a small smile tugging at your lips.

Even if touching him was an accident, he has still started to feel comfortable enough around you to take the risk to steal your food, and that has to count for something.

.

Nothing really changes between you and your black menace until Thursday evening. You have been tiptoeing around your apartment all week, apparently the cat’s mood has only soured after you accidentally touched it, and you have no idea how to make it better.

It’s grown colder outside as well, and you can only hope that your cat at least sleeps on top of the couch when you’re not there. You’ve taken to laying out some blankets on the floor, just in case. Work today was particularly exhausting, and curling up on the couch with a blanket and some mindless television watching sounds like dream come true. So that’s exactly what you do as soon as you get home and finish dinner.

You’re skipping through channels until you find something mildly interesting - a documentary on hybrids. The narrators voice is soothing, and it doesn’t take long before you start drifting off, feeling comfortable and full after your dinner. You vaguely listen as the soft-spoken voice tells you about hybrids habits, almost lulled completely to sleep before you feel the slight dip in the cushion near your feet.

You’re so far gone that you barely pay it any notice, not even when you feel the presence getting closer and closer. You’re on your back, head tilted to the side as you watch the TV through half-lidded eyes as something steps on your stomach.

The blanket you have over you is so thick you can barely feel it, but you catch a dark mass out of the corner of your eye. He thinks I’m asleep, you realize, just as you suddenly feel a weight drop down on your body.

You don’t move, afraid that you’ll scare him now that he finally seems to have gained some confidence and trust in you. Your neck is starting to cramp from the awkward position, but you refuse to move, opting to just watch him get comfortable out of the corner of your eye.

You count to two hundred in your head after the moving stops, and turn your head the slightest bit just to make some of the pain go away. Golden eyes blink open immediately, staring you down as you look back at your cat.

“Comfy?” You ask, slowly reaching your hand to see if he'll let you pet him. You feel claws digging into the fabric despite the thickness when he notices your hand, a hiss rumbling in his chest until you drop it back down.

“No touching. Got it,” You mumble, somehow feeling a little chastised. You almost feel shy having him so close, especially when your cat won’t stop looking at your face, almost as if he’s scrutinizing it. But that’s ridiculous, you decide, he’s just a cat.

Any trace of sleep is long gone by now, but you cat however, seems to be growing tired of his staring game, eyes slowly slipping closed with each breath you take. You can still see that he’s a little tense, but just the fact that he’s here, on top of you, warms your heart.

You watch him rest until you feel your own eyelids become heavy again. You know your back will kill you tomorrow if you sleep here, but you don’t want to wake up your kitty, not when you can provide him with some warmth. So, you fall asleep with a lighter heart than you have had in days, hopeful that maybe this will turn out better than you first thought.

Oh, if only you knew what you really had gotten yourself into.  

- - - - Hello! Hope you enjoyed the second chapter of desolate! Next chapter will be Jihyo and Sana coming over to visit you and your kitty, which said black fluffball might not be so happy about .. Not when he’s just starting to warm up to you.

OT7 version is coming soon as well, so keep your eyes peeled for that :) Thank you all for the lovely feedback on the first chapter, it made me really excited to continue working on this! My inbox is always open if you want to chat about the story or just fics or life in general! See you all soon!

[tosikoarts]

SFW Alphabet | Sugimoto Saichi

You can check tosikowrites tag for more. Hood guy is next in line. Warning: there’s a lot under the cut.

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

The more cruelty you encounter in life, the more efforts you put into bringing something to oppose it and establish the balance. Perhaps, this is why Sugimoto is so caring in relation to his partner. He treats them with warm affection as he does with Asirpa or Shiraishi. They are his friend and one of his second family, not by blood but by spirit.

At the very beginning, Sugimoto is terribly awkward: to hide the blush, he has to pull his favorite cap directly over his eyes and turn away. If he does something and the person he is interested in is watching, everything will surely fall apart. It does not matter how good Sugimoto is in his work, he is cursed to disgrace himself in front of them. But, on the other hand, he is so happy to see their broad smile and hear them burst into laughter. That’s why he loves to sneak up and mercilessly tickle them until their eyes fill up with tears.

Sugimoto rarely uses words to show his affection, at least not in a classical way. “I care about you”, “I like you”? No. First of all, if he ever tried to say that, Asirpa or Shiraishi or (worse) Ogata would pop out of nowhere and ruin the moment. Second of all, why be so trivial, when you can veil the same meanings behind the intimate conversations about life and death, war and peace, friends and enemies? Sometimes he inserts phrases with implications that make sense only to Sugimoto himself or someone close to him. You know, that would be nice to share dried persimmons after gold hunt ends…

Oh, the other special way of showing his love is being dumb together! It's always nice to mess around, prank someone (try not to get shot tho), simply grimace and stick tongue out to show cruel world that you don’t care.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Time spent with Sugimoto is divided in three equal parts: in first part you need to get him out of trouble, in second part he has to bail you out, and in third you both stuck in the weird situation in which role of savior is passed to someone else. Pleasant bonus: everything ends well with no people harmed. Usually.

A type of friend that will follow you through the thick and thin. Even in questionable situation, Sugimoto will stay by your side. It is important for him that person remained true to their promises as well and stuck by him no matter what happens.

With a wild and unpredictable life, Sugimoto needs friendships that do not require constant contact. One day he disappears to knock on your door months later but established ties have to stay there. Every reunion ends up in huge celebration with consequences of The Hangover.

How would the friendship start? There is a plenty of options but the most possible ones are: a) Sugimoto’s group stays in the new city and person happens to be one to host them; b) Sugimoto manages to lost all of his belongings including clothes and money and person happens to pass by. Second one is more likely

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

“I can't protect you without holding a sword. I can't embrace you while holding a sword.” This proverb works well with gun and riffle too. Sugimoto prefers to cuddle only in complete safety when there’s no chance for uninvited blood-thirsty guests to interrupt them. Prefers sitting positions in which he can rest his chin on the top of their head and, also, pet their back. He is such a sucker for good cuddle session that he can’t stop smiling all the way through.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Yes, sure! Small cozy house surrounded by fruit trees overlooking the river is his little secret dream. All Sugimoto wants is sitting on the sun-warmed porch with loved one, holding hands, fingers intertwined, no poisonous thoughts on the mind. He is mediocre cook, knows some recipes but like any soldier cooking they lack finesse. There are few favorite dishes he rotates like miso soups, udon, fried fish, and onigiri. He doesn’t care about cleaning so you can expect bare minimum in sweeping and washing dishes.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

He doesn’t seem like a person who takes it easy so ending relationship is something he is afraid to do. Hell, running under the rain of bullets and blood wasn’t that hard. No matter what words he chooses result will be the same: they will be hurt, they will hate him, they won’t want to see him ever again, and conscience will gnaw Sugimoto for his harshness. He just takes one deep breath and spills everything in under the minute, ending monologue with a deep bow and “I am so extremely sorry” in a loud desperate voice.

After years, Sugimoto keeps their dimming photo as a reminder of all they had. If their passes cross again, he won’t be able say a word because of a lump in the throat. He may fall for them one more time.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

After six months of relationship, Sugimoto is ready to slip some questions about the marriage in the dialogue and ask them about the vision of future together. If they are positive, he would propose on the first anniversary. If not, that’s okay too, he can wait until they are ready for a next step. When the day comes, everybody knows about proposal. They whisper and giggle behind Sugimoto’s back because he looks like a mess, happy grinning mess, walking from side to side with the most expensive pawnshop ring clenched in his fist.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Hurting someone he loves is Sugimoto’s worst nightmare. His whole being was dragged through hell and back and sometimes hidden pain can splash out on loved ones. You can physically feel weird aggressive aura coming from him in those rare vulnerable moments. That’s when Sugimoto surpasses emotional baggage and presses them tightly against his chest. No soldier can be soft baby, not after what they’ve seen, but Sugimoto does his best to be gentle with them in every way.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Sugimoto uses hugs as greeting, as comforting, as apology. Wherever possible, he will pull his loved one in hug. They are very warm and tight, accompanied by stroking on the back and pressing his cheek to the other person’s cheek. Truly, in the beginning you can feel how he trembles with joyful excitement and holds himself off in order not to come off too needy. After a long time apart Sugimoto may just knock them down in bear hug, completely forgetting about hectic world around.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Around the same time he is ready to propose so half of the year. However, Sugimoto never says the coveted three words aloud, replacing them with simpler ones “Well, yes, I like them very much... I really like them. Well, you know” when talking with others. At some point Asirpa will surely begin to actively push him towards confession, as well as Shiraishi. It all turns into the game in which they both keep an eye on Sugimoto and his loved one: Asirpa keeps swearing in ainuic because Sugimoto is such stupid indecisive sisam, and Shiraishi gives him thumbs up like. Bro. Just do it already.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

You don’t want to make that man jealous.  If he notices anyone hitting on his loved one, he’ll by their side in an instant, frowning, with small dark wrinkle between the eyebrows that does not bode well. Sugimoto immediately strikes a confident pose between possible rival and significant other, jokes passively-aggressively, and if this poor soul insists, he will take them out to have Mano-a-Mano moment. On the other side if it’s loved one who acts flirtatious Sugimoto will act childishly. Almost petty. Oh you a want a kiss? Go ask that man you talked to type of petty. He doesn’t really mean it but he definitely expects both explanation and apology.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Sugimoto’s kisses vary from slow and passionate to fast and shy depending on the situation. Through the day trying to avoid unwanted attention he may give them peck on the nose or cheek. In more intimate atmosphere Sugimoto doesn’t care where to kiss. He just does. From head to toes and all that jazz. Taking into account how many scars there are on Sugimoto’s body and how sensitive they can be (nerve damage is a bitch) he loves to be kissed along these darkened lines. Gently and with cautious.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Initially, when encountering child, Sugimoto is overwhelmed with enthusiasm. It slowly dies down when he realizes how capricious kids can be and how loud they can scream. He tries his best with babies (fails) but has more luck with older children, like Asirpa’s age because, thankfully to acquired experience, there is already a rough understanding of their psyche. Anyway, Sugimoto still needs someone to reminder him that not everybody is so independent, and smart, and self-sufficient. And, yes, it’s one of his dreams to become father, and not just father, but amazing, proud, cool dad. He will 100% cry when his kid makes first steps, says first dada, and smiles at him too.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Even after Sugimoto decided to settle down, his heart desires adventure. No matter how lazy the morning is, which, incidentally, is not often, he will find a moment to offer to go somewhere. Incredibly beautiful sandy coasts and crystal clear water beckon to the south, Kanazawa looms with magnificent castles and temples in the west, the capital of Tokyo beats with life in the east. North is always calling, north is much more than a direction. In the mornings, Sugimoto likes to talk about the future, about plans, while breakfast is getting cold in the pot. He never leaves home without a morning kiss goodbye.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Usually Sugimoto comes home tired so he needs time alone, but after this, he is ready to start household chores while talking about his day. He likes to embellish events to make his loved one have a good laugh. Otherwise, evenings with Sugimoto are spend on the fresh air: he is one of those people who jump into the yet cold river to open the swimming season, or go look for mushrooms in cool weather to enjoy the forest view.

When one of the acquaintances pops up on the horizon, he always goes with them and his loved one to a diner for a strong drink and latest news. Sometimes such nights last longer than expected. Tipsy merry Sugimoto stops right on the doorstep of the house, turns around, crushes on the ground, and invites them to do the same. Does he remember the names of the constellations? No. Will he show off and introduce them to a loved one? Absolutely.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Pretty open about his past from the beginning because he never had a dark mysterious background at the first place. Any questions you ask Sugimoto will answer with straight truth. Well, maybe, he’ll hold back some facts that may put person in danger or distress like extreme violent incidents from the army days. In addition, Sugimoto doesn’t need special moments of revelation to open up, he is just consistently outspoken.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

In everyday life, Sugimoto appears laid-back, you need to try hard to piss him off. Little troubles don't bother him much, he quickly cools down if unforeseen situation occurs. However, once someone starts to bully his loved ones, his hair spikes up and the formidable Sugimoto the Immortal shows up. Trust me, he is not averse to shouting and kicking some ass.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Either way he is inattentive or his memory is that bad but Sugimoto manages to forget almost everything about his loved one. It is not on purpose, you can see him listening very carefully to your words, but it happens. After conversation ends, his brain goes in “no thoughts, head empty” mode, and, no matter how long he stands in front of grandma’s flower stand, Sugimoto can’t remember your favorite flowers. Don’t start me on dates. Reminders the day before are essential if you don’t want to hear “Wait, what do you mean what day is it today?” on your anniversary.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

First meeting. He giggles nervously when talking about it since not only Sugimoto got to show off in the buff but also brought menace in the form of 7th division on their place. Who knows what was more shameful? While apologizing for unfortunate inconveniences, Sugimoto felt a spark between them, subtle chemistry, that was growing stronger the longer he watched their lips moving. On the day of departure he pulled a cap lower and promised to see them again but this time he was going to bring something more pleasant than Tsurumi’s hellhounds.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Sugimoto is as protective as a personal guardian. He is sensitive to a change in general atmosphere and can easily sense evil intentions even if person hides behind a mask of geniality. In that case, Sugimoto warns his loved one about his misgivings and refuses to leave their side. For example, he’ll be extra wary around Ogata and you can tell he is almost waiting for a mistake to stab him between the ribs. Sugimoto doesn’t expect to be protected by anyone but if they do shield him, he’ll have one more reason to be proud and give thanks to heaven for such amazing partner.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

With his hectic lifestyle, Sugimoto has no other option than to make every meeting special. There is not much he can do to surprise them with expensive gifts, like jewelry or clothes, but he can pick a modest bouquet for them or save unique things from endless journeys. Even if it’s just outdoor recreation or evening spent in each other's arms Sugimoto tries to make it unforgettable. If he remembers about anniversary (see Quizzes), he will involve other people in order to do something exceptional. As an absolute sweetheart, Sugimoto puts a lot of effort to make his partner happy, happier tomorrow that today, every day.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Do troubles follow Sugimoto wherever he goes or does he choose the path with the highest number of adventures? It doesn’t matter because either way his life is a mess consisting of dangerous ventures and questionable acquaintances. It may be fun in the beginning but if you are not ready for continuous strength tests and psychological thrillers, relationship with Sugimoto will become a pure torment.

In addition to this Sugimoto never makes plans for the future. He has assumptions about where he will be tomorrow and, possibly, the day after tomorrow but nothing more.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Sugimoto doesn’t give his looks a lot of thought. He tries to keep clothes in wearable condition and wash them from time to time, especially beloved scarf and cap, but if there are some spots on the outwear, Sugimoto won’t give that much attention. If we talk about overall appearance, uncountable scars do not bother him either. One more, one less, at some point you stop noticing their present, even on the face. Complement Sugimoto on how scars adorn a man and you’ll get a smug smirk in response.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

So heartbroken and dejected that Sugimoto can’t contain himself and seeks confrontation with everybody around. No matter if they had to leave him or they were deceased, he seems to be on the edge all the time. Irritated. Overthinking. He looks for a time alone, subjects himself to extreme challenges to get all negative emotions out. Sugimoto gets attached easily, no wonder he feels so torn. Takes about three months to cool down and year more to stop thinking about them. If anyone dared to take significant other from Sugimoto the Immortal, he will find this person and make them pay. Sugimoto is merciless in his revenge.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Sugimoto has a clear understanding of his own mortality. Screaming lungs out doesn’t cancel it, layered wounds do not give him resistance as cumulative effect. So one of his wish is in case of his death during the skin-hunt, he doesn’t want anyone to bring this message to his loved one. It may seem cruel from one’s perspective, but he wants to support an established name of a warrior whom death itself could not defeat.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Unreasonable blind violence, both to people and animals, disgusts Sugimoto to the core. Protecting yourself from the attacking soldier, bandit, bear is one thing, justified and valid, but taking anger out on innocent stranger or scared animal that did nothing to deserve such suffering is too much. If person is also proud of it, they will receive unbelievable amount of backlash.

Egocentrism and mind-games. First one comes from the bitter experience. You can't expect the universe to revolve around you, there are millions of people, thousands of fates, and they all depend on each other, they work just because another one exist. Show him a person that acts like a center of the world and Sugimoto will run run run. Second one is tightly connected to egocentrism since to force world build around yourself, you have to force it. Often it’s done by manipulation. If person tries to have him wrapped around their finger, Sugimoto will confront them once. There won’t be a second time.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

Military orders are so ingrained in Sugimoto’s brains that his organism automatically shuts down at the same time every day. He wakes up at dawn, fresh and full of strength, and there’s not a chance he will fall asleep again.

Never remembers dreams and is thankful for this. He has no dreams but gloomy nightmares, filled with people who are no longer alive, sounds of firing canons and harrowing screams, bombed-out trenches and blackened bunkers. They force Sugimoto to jump up in bed in the middle of the night, covered in cold sweat, breathing like a cornered animal. At such moments, he checks for loved one by his side and watches their chest going up and down with each breath. It calms him down a little but not enough to put him back to sleep.

[jasonrae117]

This is my first post on Tumblr. I have an ongoing story on fanfiction but I felt like trying something new. I was heavily inspired by @flyingkiki because timrae is too good of a pairing and there needs to be more stories. This is my contribution. I will be using songs throughout since its a band au but only this first chapter will have the whole song typed out. Furthermore all songs in this story exist in our world but for sake of my storytelling some will be "written" as originals by the character while others still belong to their respective artist which I will note.

For part one:

1.Dear Society- Madison Beer (As is)

2. Ribs - Lorde (As is)

3. Like That - Bea Miller and Aurora (Intended as band original)

4. COPYCAT - Billie Eilish (intended as band original)

Bad Idea, Good Intentions 

Part 1

Tim wondered why he found himself at a club on this Saturday night. Him and his friends had just graduated with their bachelor's degree in their respective fields and they convinced him to celebrate with them at this club.

By 'friends' he meant primarily his best friend Connor. The other two guys were more of Connor's friends than his but Tim knew them well enough to consider them his too. However, Connor had called him the day before and practically begged Tim to come. Apparently there was this new band that he knew the drummer and this was their highest profile gig yet and Connor wanted to support his friend by bringing whoever he could. Tim reluctantly agreed, feeling like he should get out more and spend time with his friends outside of college.

Tim already felt like this was a bad idea when he walked into a packed club with flashing lights, a fully stocked bar, and a large stage. 

"Tim! You made it!" Connor walked over to him and gave him a one armed hug as the other was occupied holding a half empty pint of beer. 

Tim smiled at his long time best friend. "Of course buddy, I keep my promises."

Connor dragged him over to the bar where their other friends Garfield and Garth were sitting. Both greeted him with cheers and hugs.

"Dude, this place is fucking great! So many hot girls!"

"Good God Gar, can you keep it in your pants for one freaking night?" Garth shoved the blond playfully and took a sip of his drink.

"What can I say, the ladies love me. I just wish your stupid band played something easier to dance to." Gar crossed his arms and glared at the stage where the four person band was performing.

"This is your friend's band?" Tim directed at Connor.

"Yeah, this is Nevermore! Wally West is the drummer. Jinx is on bass, Argent is keyboard, and Raven is the lead singer and guitarist." He pointed to each of the members.

"What the hell kind of names are those. That Raven girl already has a creepy vibe and she chooses a name like that? What's with the Edgar Allan Poe obsession?" Garfield looked bewildered and shook his head.

"I'm shocked you even know who that is. But dude, it's just their stage names."

Tim looked back to Connor wanting to know more about the band that made him come here. "What are their real names?"

"I don't know." Connor shrugged.

"Are they single?" Garth had asked grinning.

"I don't know about the other two, but don't even try with Jinx, that's Wally's girl." 

The guys entered a discussion about Connor's and Wally's friendship and what his stage name was. Tim heard it was something like Kid Flash but he wasn't paying too much attention. He was focused on the band onstage. 

The song sounded familiar but Tim wasn't big on music. Each member seemed to have their unique style and color but they all worked well together. Wally was wearing yellows, Jinx wore black and hot pink striped knee high socks with a short leather skirt and black mesh top. Her hair was dyed entirely bubble gum pink and wrapped up in two space buns. Argent had black hair with red highlights running through it and an all black outfit with a studded leather jacket. The lead singer, Raven, really caught his eye. She has a short purple bob that fell to just below her chin. 

Her outfit is what really had his mind stopping. She had on a black long sleeved ribbed shirt with a large keyhole neckline, showing off the tops of her full breasts, which was tucked into royal blue shorts that seemed to be barely long enough to even be classified as shorts with frayed edges. Her legs were encased in black fishnet stocking ending in a chunky heeled combat boot. Tim liked to think of himself as a gentleman that Alfred would be proud of but...the woman was hot. She had an hourglass figure but probably the best set of legs and ass he's ever seen. She was almost unreal how incredible she looked. 

The banter of his friends regained his attention as the band switched to another song. 

"Hey fellas, let's go hit the floor, this song is much better!" Garth and Connor finished their drinks and placed them on the bar agreeing to Garfield's request. They looked to Tim when he didn't move. 

"You guys go ahead, I'll be there in a second. I haven't even gotten a single drink in."

Connor threw an arm around him. "That's what happens when you arrive late." He ruffled his hair a bit. "Alright man, we'll try to find a spot close to the stage. See you there." 

With that his friends mingled within the crowd. Tim turned to the bar and ordered a bourbon on the rocks, he wasn't great in heavily social settings like this so he needed to calm his mind a bit. As he waited, his focus returned to the band.

They were actually really good. While he was slightly confused since their music was slower than he expected, the songs themselves were great. The lead singer had a lower voice of an alto but in the next song they started, it was clear she had a wider range. It was smooth when it needed to be but raspy and gritty, adding to the unique sound. The other girls added to the dynamic with their higher notes and he found he really liked it. 

The slow beat of their next song reverberated around the bar, drawing everyone in, particularly Tim. He moved from his spot at the countertop to one of the metal standing tables that was currently unoccupied. It stood to the mid-right of the stage with a small gathering of dancing patrons between him and the stage. He gently placed his hand that held the almost empty glass of bourbon on the surface of the table as he leaned into it. 

The lead singer Raven, he recalled from Gar's description earlier, slowly grasped the microphone. One delicate hand curled around the mic while the other laid gently in the supporting pole. Her almost raspy voice fluttered through the speakers.

 

Don't be cautious, don't be kind

You committed, I'm your crime

The low octave sounded almost sensual and her hand slid down the pole in time with the held note.

Push my button anytime

You got your finger on the trigger, but your trigger finger's mine

Her left hand formed into the shape of a gun and as she 'pulled the trigger' she collapsed her hand save for her single index finger that she spun slowly in a circle. Tim grinned at the small gesture representing being wrapped around one's finger and he couldn't pull his eyes away from how delicate and smooth her hands were. Even from the distance he sat she looked flawless.

Silver dollar, golden flame

Dirty water, poison rain

Perfect murder, take your aim

I don't belong to anyone, but everybody knows my name

Raven removed the microphone from the stand with her left hand and held onto the pole with the other as she slid down to a squat. On the beat she pulsed up and down to the next lyrics.

By the way, you've been uninvited

'Cause all you say are all the same things I did

Tim swallowed, eyes having never left her body he watched as the muscles in her legs contract and saw how her amazing ass peeked out slightly more from her bottoms. The routine had certainly taken a turn to a sexual nature and he couldn't help being turned on by the attractive lead singer. Her voice seemed to just purr in his ear. She rose to her feet again as she began the chorus.

Copycat trying to cop my manner

Watch your back when you can't watch mine

Copycat trying to cop my glamour

Why so sad, bunny, you can't have mine?

Did she just make eye contact with him? Holy shit, she definitely did. And was that a smirk? Was he drooling? Tim wiped at his mouth to confirm that he did not embarrass himself. He shook his head a bit to rid himself of the ridiculous idea that she could pick him out in the growing crowd. Many more patrons, especially the male ones, drew in closer and he found that he only had a small space around his table left. No way she looked directly at him. 

Call me calloused, call me cold

You're italic, I'm in bold

She sauntered to the right side of the stage before flipping around and doing a body roll on "italic" followed by a deeper and more exaggerated one on "bold" where she popped her ass out more. There was a cheer from almost all the guys in the building and a flurry of whistles. 

Call me cocky, watch your tone

You better love me, 'cause you're just a clone

Was Time seeing right? He could have sworn she winked at him as she strutted to his side of the stage. He knew he wasn't imagining things when she deliberately pointed at him accusingly while swaying her hips. Damn it was hot in here. He knocked the rest of his drink back hoping to steady his thrumming heart.

The chorus repeated with her returning to center stage and moving the stand off to the side. She dropped to the floor and threw her legs over the side where some of the guys tried to touch her before a bouncer pushed them back. As she finished the chorus she swung her legs back onstage but pivoted so she was parallel to the edge. One leg straightened while the upstage leg was bent.

I would hate to see you go

Hate to be the one that told you so

You just crossed the line

You've run out of time

Raven brought her upper body down flat with such ease and no doubt incredible core control. She gracefully placed an arm above her head as it turned to look out at the audience all keeping in time with the now soft melody of the song.

 so sorry, now you know

Sorry I'm the one that told you so

On the extended note she curled back up and hugged her knees briefly before sitting up and resting her ass on her heels. Tim was not only impressed with her fluidity and the hot choreography, but the range she held in her vocals. He was starting to think this wasn't such a bad idea after all. 

Sorry, sorry, I'm sorry, sorry

Raven bowed her head and sang softly into the mic looking like she was praying for their forgiveness. The music silenced for a beat before she snapped her head up with a devious glint in her eyes, a small curl to the side of her lips, and a quirked brow.

Sike

She got up to her knees and swayed back nearly to the former sitting position before thrusting forward again on each beat.

By the way, you've been uninvited

'Cause all you say are all the same things I did...

...you can't have mine?

She had risen to her feet again through a combination of swaying hips and body rolls. She retrieved the mic stand again and returned the mic to its post before the last lyric and ended the song in the same pose she started with.

At the song's last note the crowd erupted in applause, whistling, and to Tim's displeasure, sexual comments from some of the more rowdy and drunk guys. The band bowed and waved before thanking the owner and the audience and retreated off stage. 

His earlier worry about the band playing songs inappropriate to the occasion was thrown out the window because all parts of him thoroughly enjoyed their last song. He wouldn't dare say that to anyone but damn him if it wasn't true. That lead singer was just so gorgeous and had such a unique and fantastic voice, this must be every guy's fantasy. It was his now but who was he kidding, she must have a boyfriend. Wait...but didn't she wink at him? No, it was all an act. God he needed another drink. 

Tim made his way back to the bar and ordered another bourbon on the rocks. He paid his tab and leaned on the bar, replaying the movements of Raven's body. He felt a little shameful for not watching the other bandmates as the whole song was performed well, but she was too captivating. Probably why she was the lead singer.

 A pat on the shoulder interrupted him from his non-stop overthinking and he turned to see the smiling faces of the friends he came here with. The friends he had completely forgotten about until now. 

"Dude where the hell did you go? We had a great spot just left of center stage! There were a ton of hot girls dancing with us!" Gar waved his arms around almost smacking Garth and Connor. The two just shaking their heads and laughing.

"Not to mention a great view of the performance." Connor nudged Tim and an almost wistful look came across his eyes. Tim swallowed hard again.

"And what a performance that was. Shit that lead singer has a great body." Garth swung his arm around Gar's shoulder.

"And voice." Tim coughed and immediately took another sip of his drink realizing that it didn't help.

Garfield chuckled. "Who was listening to the music when she worked that ass like that. She probably got ninety percent of the guys in here hard by the first chorus."

"And you said she was creepy." Connor poked Gar in his chest. 

He held his hands up defensively. "Hey, that was before I knew she could get down like that! I mean her name is the bird of death, a bad omen. The other girls' names are kinda hot."

"Raven is just her stage name." Tim interjected. He didn't know why he felt like defending her, he quite literally didn't know her at all and this was typical Garfield behavior.

"Woah chill Tim. Got the hots for the lead singer? Wouldn't be the only one. Do you think she's single?" Garth lightly pushed his shoulder and took a seat next to him at the bar, flagging the bartender down. The other two looked at Connor who seemed to have the most information on the girl.

He head flicked back and forth between the two men staring at him before he understood their eager silence. "Look, I don't actually know that much about her. I just know about the fake names and mostly about Jinx. Wally doesn't really talk about the other two and I don't ask." 

Garfield groaned. "Why the hell not? Your friend is the drummer for a hot girl band and you don't ask about their relationship status, or what their real names are?"

"No I don't because that's weird and I'm sure he's told me their names, I just don't remember right now. Not like you'd have a shot with them."  The three men laughed at Garfield's expense and he crossed his arms and pouted.

"I don't see a line of girls wanting to dance with you Kent." 

"It doesn't bother me all that much Logan. Plus, I came here to support my friend not hook up with some random chick."

"Ugh you guys are all lame. I'm heading back out there. This band is playing music more my speed." Gar grounded out and spun on his heel, disappearing into the sea of bodies. 

"Good job Con, you made him all grumpy. Now I gotta calm him down." Garth grabbed his beer and followed his friend.

Tim was now reminded of why he was hesitant to come tonight. He wasn't the best of friends with Garth and Garfield and he came solely because of the desperate plea of Connor. He looked over to the stage and saw the main band playing their hearts out, music blaring over the speakers in an uptempo beat. Although it was more along the lines of typical club music, he found he preferred the darker melodies of Nevermore. 

"Yo buddy! Where'd that big brain of yours disappear to?" Connor waved his hand in front of his face dizzying him for a second. Tim reached and snatched Connor's arm to stop him and dropped it once his motion stilled.

"Sorry, I was just trying to remember something. How are you doing? Enjoying yourself?" 

"Yeah it's great. Awesome way to celebrate getting our degrees. I wish I had someone a little more special with me though, better company than those two numbskulls. How'd they graduate anyhow?" Connor took the seat the Garth vacated and spun facing the bar.

"Well, shockingly, Garth is actually pretty smart and Gar just copies off him when he can. He certainly didn't graduate magna cum laude." The two shared a laugh, lightening the mood once more. "You'll get that someone soon. Why don't you go back out there and see if she's there?"

"I feel like my soulmate isn't dancing in a club right now. I wouldn't be if my good friend wasn't playing for a big audience tonight."

"Fair enough. His band was really good. Do they play often?"

"At smaller venues yeah. I'm sure they'll be playing more here though, if any of the guys have anything to say about it." Connor smiled as if replaying a fond memory. "What do you think about Raven and Argent?"

"They're cool, great voices and Argent is amazing on the keyboard. How she keeps track of all the sounds is beyond me."

Connor let out a lighthearted chuckle. "I meant as attractive women, not their talents. Dork."

"Oh, yeah they're attractive."

"Wow, you're just not into this dude talk are you?" Connor swiveled to face him.

"I'm sorry, what am I supposed to say? I'm not going to sit here and objectify them." Tim looked seriously into his glass. It wasn't his intention to ruin the fun but he wasn't a fan of talking about his romantic interests, it felt too personal even though Connor was his best friend. 

"Sorry Tim. I didn't mean to offend you, just dumb guy stuff. I guess I've been hanging out with Gar squared too much." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Damn Tim really had a way with being a downer.

"Nah, it's all good. I think I'm just constantly in my head too much. Gotta be professional all the time and all that jazz." 

"Yeah man, well I'm gonna check on those idiots. Try to relax and have fun." Connor stood up and began to move before Tim stopped him.

"For what it's worth, I think Raven is the hottest. Her voice is positively sinful." Tim smirked at him and Connor's eyes widened as if Tim had spilt some highly classified secret. 

"There you go man! Hey maybe I can see if Wally can hook us up with a meet and greet." He winked and came back toward Tim to clap him on the shoulder. He started walking backwards toward the mass of people dancing to the music while pointing at Tim and sending him a knowing wink again. Tim just shook his head and laughed. 

[iustories]

Vodka and Danger Never Tasted This Sweet

IU x KSH

The delicious smell of bacon and eggs wafted through the air, calling her to rise from the bed after a long night of partying. She reached for her throat, feeling its dryness from within then swallowed carefully, gauging its condition. She sat up and proceeded to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. Her head was throbbing, hangover catching up to her. She tried recalling the events last night only to retrieve fragments of memories that don't even tell a story. It was a blur. Like all other nights—she blacked out. She ruffled her hair as she swung her door open then went straight to the dining table.

"Eonni, cook extra eggs for me please," she requested then propped her elbows on the table, resting her head on the palms. 

Her best friend, Inna shows up the morning after parties because she obligated herself to cook Jieun's recovery meal.

Today was particularly worse for Jieun since she didn't eat before chugging mouthfuls of vodka and whiskey. Her stomach growled relentlessly while her head felt like it was being split in half.

She glanced over to the kitchen door. "Eonni—what the fuck. Who are you?"

She quickly rose upon seeing a man holding plates in his hands appear from the kitchen. He chuckled then rolled his eyes before placing perfectly cooked fried eggs and bacon on the table. She salivated, hunger intensifying after catching a glimpse of the sumptuous food. He strode back to the kitchen without answering her question to collect the bowls of rice and soup he left there with the help of a tray.

"Eat," he ordered as he sat on the chair across her, ignoring the death stare he's been getting since they met. "You're probably famished. It'll help you recover."

"Ya!" she called him, her lip twitching up when he returned her gaze. "Why are you here? Did you do something to me last night? What happened?"

He sighed then tilted his head. "I brought you home, Miss Lee Jieun. You're welcome."

She frowned. "How do you know my name?"

"That's all you've been muttering since I saw you lying down on the curb." He put down his chopsticks. "I'm Lee Jieun, okay? Lee Jieun. Everybody knows me. I'm a regular here. Lee Jieun," he imitates her, causing Jieun to feel embarrassed yet she still kept a straight face.

"I was passed out on the street?"

He took a piece of bacon from the plate and put it on top of his rice. "Yup. I was about to go home when I saw you. To be honest, I was going to turn a blind eye, but I wasn't drunk enough to not care."

She finally decided to take a seat, but she remained guarded since she doesn't trust him enough yet. She began mentally checking the current state of her body.

Does anything hurt? My arms? My Legs? she asked herself.

"Why didn't you get out after dropping me off here? You didn't call anyone from my phone or whatever?"

He began eating which she found rude. "I was drunk too you know and I got tired from carrying you on my back from the ground floor so I laid down on the bed and—"

She slammed the table, turning livid before he finished explaining. "Mwo? What did you do to me? I will report you to—"

He met her eyes again with such confidence and it irked her. "I passed out beside you and woke up just a few hours ago. I didn't mean to sleep that long." She waved her hands as she changed the subject. "Wait. Wait. How did you know where I lived in the first place?"

"I asked you."

"And I answered?"

He nodded then took another bite of bacon, its fat melting into his tongue, causing him to shut his eyes in pleasure. "Don't worry. I'm not a bad person and I didn't do anything to you last night. After this, I'll get going and you'll never see me again."

He quietly finished his meal while Jieun dug into hers. She would take quick glances at him, calculating his movements. She soon gave up nitpicking because he seemed harmless. Once he finished, he offered to fix the mess on the table and wash the dishes which delighted her since she's lazy to do the chores.

She plopped on the couch and turned on the television while he was busy shuffling in the kitchen, doing all the work. As she settled herself comfortably, the doorbell rang. She scrambled to her feet when she remembered her best friend is coming to cook her breakfast. If Inna sees a man in here, she will definitely believe that she's the kind of person others have been naming her.

She was panicking, her mind running on different directions. Before she could even decide what to do with him, the lock clicked then the door opened, revealing Inna.

"I'm done—"

"Jieunah—"

Great. Just great. Jieun thought.

The uninvited guest came out of the kitchen the moment Inna stepped in to greet her. There was a stretch of silence, making everyone uneasy.

"Ah," Jieun started while rubbing her nape. "He's uh—my friend?"

She was so uncertain that Inna immediately confirmed that he was some random guy she met.

"Annyeonghaseyo. I'm Kim Soohyun," he introduced himself in a calm manner then bowed his head.

"Hey, I'm Yoo Inna." she shifts her gaze at Jieun. "Her best friend."

"I'm sorry to be here at this time. It wasn't planned at all. I'll leave now."

He bowed again then swiftly made his way to the door and quietly disappeared. Inna and Jieun were left standing in the middle of the unit, basked in the deafening silence that soon took over after the guest left.

"So..." Inna's voice sent chills down her spine. Jieun never brought a guy home and unfortunately, her best friend saw the first one who set foot in her unit.

"I'm not seeing him. I don't know him. I didn't even meet him until today. I was passed out in the curb according to him and he couldn't ignore me so he took me home. For some reason, I gave him my address and I probably told him the key was under the mat. Then he fell asleep here cause he was drunk too—"

"Jieunah!" She called her name, snapping her fingers in front of my face.

Jieun stopped rambling instantly then looked at her quizzically. "What?"

"I wasn't going to ask about him. I was going to ask if you've eaten breakfast," she stated, a smile trailing off her lips. "You look so pale. I can't believe you'd think I'd judge you for having a guy over.

"I was just worried that you'd think the rumors were right, okay," Jieun retorted as she rolled her eyes.

"Like I would believe them. I know you party hard and sometimes get a little feisty on the dance floor. Maybe you have kissed some guys before, but I'm sure you never took them home." Inna was teasing her with her eyes. "Well, that's because you're always knocked out dead after the night. It's a feat that nobody bothers to harm you. Your guardian angel must be favoring you a lot."

"Tss." Jieun crossed her arms. "If you want your mornings to be less stressful, you should be the one taking me home. You'll be certain that I'm safe. I hate it when you call me so early to check if I'm still alive."

"I don't want to carry a wasted person. I'm too weak for that. Let your drinking buds take you home. I'm your best friend not your nanny Jieunie."

"Yeah, okay,” she replied while making faces.

"So back to my question. Have you eaten?"

Jieun nodded reluctantly.

"Oh, you cooked? Wow."

"He did."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Jinja? The guy who just left?"

Jieun hummed in response. "He even offered to wash the dishes before he left. A nice guy. Well, it was just creepy that he slept over here but yeah I'm unharmed."

Inna pursed her lips as she tilted her head. "I agree. He seems like a good guy. That part is weird though but if nothing happened to you, then thank God he's the one who took you home."

"Anyway, I'll call Eunji, Baekhyun, and Hanna now. They all left me last night. I need to give them a good scolding."

"Sure. I'll hang around for a few hours to kill time. I have to meet someone after lunch."

--

She hadn't seen the guy since that day. He sure knows how to keep his word. The thought that she'll never meet him again was a huge relief because she's done shameful things on their first encounter.

When she thought his chapter in her storybook had ended, fate found a way to bring them together again. The familiar smell of bacon and eggs woke her from a dreamless sleep after another night of partying, but when she opened her eyes, she realized that she's in a different room. The walls were painted white and green. The door was on the right side. Everything is not in their rightful place. She frantically inhaled the scent of the sheets and panicked further when she whiffed a musky cologne.

No. No. No. This is not it. This is really not my room.

She tipped her head down to check if her clothes were the same and to her shock, she's wearing a checkered boxer short that barely hung around her small waist and an over-sized shirt.

Oh my God. What have I done this time? Who changed my clothes?

She balled her fist into her hair as she attempted to scavenge her memory for clues but failed to capture anything useful.

"I blacked out again," she concluded.

She proceeded to scan the room for her things, but spotted none. However, the picture frames on top of a wooden dresser drew her attention. She cautiously walked and checked them out. Upon seeing the photos, her knees almost buckled.

It's him. That guy again. Shit.

She groaned and shook her head in disappointed. She felt angry for putting herself in another awkward situation. But pondering further, she was more annoyed at him for taking notice again. He should have just left her on the street so the police could take her to the station or something. Well that is if the police finds her first before any other person takes advantage of her.

She debated whether she should come out or climb out of the window and jump to her death from the second floor. The second one seems tempting because all she wants right now is to disappear.

Jieun took in deep breaths to calm herself. "Okay. I'm going to wait until he comes in and then I can sort things out. Sounds good."

But two hours passed and her stomach grumbled like crazy while her head ached so bad that she wants to slam it on the wall to knock herself unconscious. She couldn't take it any longer and exited the room to search for him. He was sitting on the couch watching television with his legs crossed. When he heard the door close behind him, he turned and gave Jieun an amused look.

"Took you long enough to come out," he remarked. He knew she was already awake but only refused to show herself. It's impossible to be asleep for 14 hours without feeling hungry after the kind of night she must have had.

"Why am I here?" She asked, her tone had a touch of irritation in it.

He chuckled. "I brought you home obviously."

"Obviously," she replied in a sarcastic tone.

“I know what you mean, silly. I was messing with you. Don't be so agitated."

"Who changed my clothes?"

Her heart thumped faster as she waited for his reply. She silently hoped it wasn't him or else she'd be traumatized. No man has ever seen her bare. She might have shown some skin with the type of clothes she wore, but it was nothing out of the ordinary. She placed limits on that aspect. 

"Oh I called a friend to do it. She's a girl," he stated plainly. "You threw up on your shirt and I washed it last night. They should be dry by now. It's in the laundry room."

"How did I end up here?"

He shifted his position, propping his arm on the backrest of the couch. He closed his hands to form a fist and rested his cheek there. "Well, Miss Lee Jieun. I saw you walking side to side on the street with your eyes half-open. I was in a nearby coffee shop studying for my upcoming exams. I think you were trying to hail a cab but it wasn't that obvious that you were cause you were flailing your hands everywhere."

His lips quirked when he paused, trying his best to hold off his laugh. "When I got out, you were rambling like an old lady. You said—"

Jieun raised her index finger to stop him from speaking. "No more re-enactments. I get it. I'm sure it was embarrassing, but no more details, please. I wouldn't be able to sleep for the next few days if you let me know."

"Oh, I brought you here because the key wasn't under the mat and your phone was missing so I can't call your best friend. I couldn't leave you in front of your door. It's cold."

She sighed. "That's very considerate of you. Thanks. If this ever happens—I'm sure it won't though—but if it does, please just leave me wherever you found me."

"Okay. If you say so." He went back to his original position. "There's food on the table. Eat."

Jieun gobbled down the delicious greasy meal, savoring every bite. She noted that he cooks good breakfast meals. 

He must have been taught by his mother well, she remarked. 

When she finished, she cleaned up and took her clothes from the laundry room then changed into them. Clearing her throat, she stood tall and attempted to look confident but deep inside she was utterly ashamed. He gracefully twisted his torso then turned his head.

"I lost my phone and other stuff right?" She asked, still hoping he was able to recover her things. 

"I'm afraid so."

She sighed. "Bad luck. I don't usually lose things. Anyway, I'm going now."

Then she bowed, a tad lower than usual. "Thank you for everything. I hope we don't see each other again."

"You're welcome," he replied with a small smile.

--

A month later, he found himself tagging along with his friends after attending a talk for a class. They went to eat grilled beef at a nearby restaurant then spontaneously decided to go clubbing. But it's not just some random club. It was that club.

Her words rang in his head again as he recalled the night they first met, unconsciously bringing a smile on his face.

"Wah, look at Soohyun. You must be dating. You're smiling like a fool out of nowhere," Minho commented, causing his other friends to take notice. They ganged up and teased him until they were satisfied. Defending himself would be a waste of time so he let them. He knows they'll insist that he is dating even though he isn't.

They entered the place and walked straight to the counter to order their drinks. After downing a couple of shots, his friends dispersed into the dance floor while he stayed behind and watched. He wasn't in the mood to party so a few bottles of beer would be enough to help him unwind after a long day at school.

I'm a regular here. Her voice echoed again, a little louder this time.

He desperately held the urge to look for her and was successful for a few short while. But later on, his eyes began searching for her in every table. To his disappointment, she wasn't there.  He shook his head in disbelief, chuckling as he took a swig of beer.

Fool. Why are you looking for her? He thought.

He decided to take a seat on the bar stool, turning away from the chaotic scene and finished three more bottles. He's deliberately feeling the buzz at the back of his head, quietly energized and slightly tipsy. When he looked back, the lights flashed on his eyes continuously, escalating his high and the catchy music was pulling him to the center. There was no stopping him now.  

He danced to the song with his eyes shut. If he was sober, he would never consider dancing or even move his shoulders to match the beat. He thought he moved awkwardly and was pretty insecure about that, but he's letting himself loose tonight since he feels surprisingly good. Contrary to how he views himself, the girls that laid eyes on him believed he was pretty hot. They gushed over the guy who was swaying his body smoothly with both of his arms raised halfway. Some women attempted to get him to dance with them, but he successfully got rid of them by subtly turning his body away.

A few minutes later, he stumbled forward when someone crashed into his back. He quickly looked over to see who it was. The lady was facing the opposite direction, yet as he examined closely, he found her figure familiar.

Long jet black hair. Hoop earrings. Fitted sleeveless crop top. High waist shorts.

No way. It's her. I can't be wrong. 

He watched her attentively and noticed that she was quite drunk again. She almost stepped on the foot of the person beside her, but her friend helped her to regain her balance at the last second. Moments later, she started to move her hips side to side while her fingers ran through her hair in one swift motion. It was like she's demanding attention and she successfully got what she asked for, particularly from men. Including his. Especially his.

He was mesmerized, allured by the way she moves. It was easier to hold himself when she was unresponsive. He didn't realize how dangerous it was to see Jieun in this place, conscious.

He was so near yet he couldn't get himself to grab her hand and take her away. The longer he looks, the more he noticed everything about her. He couldn't ignore her like she instructed—she was too beautiful and enchanting to disregard.

He attempted to reach for her arm from behind but a guy inserted himself in the scene and joined her. He can see half of her face now, her red lipstick standing out whenever the ray of LED lights shines above her for a split second. The guy casually slid his hand on her waist and brought her close to his body, but she quickly broke free without a problem. She was such a tease, winking at him before casually leaving him. Soohyun thought he's invisible to her at this point so before she could disappear into the throngs of people, he clutched her wrist and spun her around. She gasped, eyes widening as shock registers in her system. He caught just as she was falling, supporting her weight with his arm then leaned his head forward, their faces now inches apart.

She blinked repeatedly as she made sense of what has happened. The guy she had been praying not to meet is holding her close—dangerously close that is—and his gaze was intense. Her intoxication slowly dissipated while her heart threatened to escape her chest. The immense tension from the sudden encounter caused her to involuntarily press her thighs together.

His face drew closer to her ear and said, "It was so hard not to take notice, Miss Lee Jieun. When I'm buzzed and you're dancing like you were a while ago, I don't think I can ignore you."

He took small steps backward after lifting up, almost hitting the person behind him. "I was thinking..."

"What?" She answered, unable to make out the words leaving his lips because of the blaring music.

"I was thinking," he said it louder this time.

"You're thinking what?" she shouted back.

"That you should go out with me." It was bold of him to assume that she's single but he thought that it's likely that she is since her actions were unrestrained.

"Like date you?" she clarified.

She wished to overlook the tingling sensation in her stomach, but it was stubborn enough to cling unto her until she reconciled with the idea that maybe she's captivated by his charms and gentle demeanor. She was thankful they're in a dark place. Him seeing her all disheveled and untamed was enough humiliation. Her flustered reaction shouldn't add to that list or she'll have to disappear from his sight at once.

"Yeah, date me," he confirmed then beamed at her. "If you do, then from now on, I'll pick you up after your night outs and I’ll take you home even if it's at five in the morning."

They know they probably looked ridiculous since they're in the middle of a disorderly crowd, talking in a raised voice.

She pointed at her ear. "I can't hear you."

"I want to be the one to take you home so date me!"

Jieun pretended she still couldn't hear him, squinting her eyes and contorting her face. Growing frustrated, he approached her, their bodies in close contact when he halted. "I said—"

A playful smile appeared on Jieun's lips before grabbing the hem of his shirt, tugging him forward. Without warning, she snaked her palms around his neck, locking her fingers as they meet in the middle. Closing her eyes, she tiptoed to kiss him. She did it so tenderly and held his nape with utmost care. It was unlike those she shared with others on a night out. She wants him to feel her sincerity and as soon as he did, he returned the favor. Her lips tasted of vodka and danger—an addicting combination—but she was also sweet and that's what he liked the most. He slid his hand and held her waist carefully as he kissed her more. He felt the cracks of her lips and its softness, and he refused to stop. They were not bothered by those surrounding them. They can judge all they want because there's nothing more rewarding than this infinite moment. A few seconds later, she broke away. She smiled again, but wider this time, showing all of her teeth.

"I heard you and yes, I think we should go out," she declared before hauling him out of the club.

She realized that some things just fall into place as if they're meant to be there and those people who meet under these circumstances are lucky. Not everyone can have it this easy so she's giving this guy Soohyun a chance.

[zen3to5]

J/H 4-26: Everybody Loves Casey

Okay, back to the full scripts! Jackie and Kelso broke up early in this timeline, which means other events might be moving up too. And what does Hyde think of that?

(We assume, following production order, that 4-25, "That '70s Musical," is unchanged. I admit that's a bit of a stretch, given the "Love Hurts" number, but since Jackie and Kelso never explicitly state they're together outside of Fez's fantasies, and because that episode is pretty much a one-off within Season 4, I think we can get away with it.)

FF.Net AO3

***

SHOW TITLE   INT. FORMAN KITCHEN - DAY   A sunny afternoon. ERIC is at the stovetop, scraping peanut butter out of the jar for a PB&J sandwich. HYDE enters from the living room and crosses to the fridge.   ERIC: Oh, Hyde, get this. Casey just came by to pick up Donna, and he was out in the street just revving his Trans Am real loud, and then he peels out in the street, and he started doing donuts. And then, out comes Donna, all smiling and, like, looking at him.   Hyde grabs some juice and crosses to Eric.   HYDE: What a slut!   ERIC: Look, if she wants to date him, that's fine. But he doesn't have to be all loud and jerky about it. Jerky, loud, donut jerk.   RED and KITTY enter through the patio door, grocery bags in hand. Kitty hurries to set hers down and cross to the boys.   KITTY: Oh, guess what, boys? I entered the big wiener contest at the Piggly Wiggly, and I won a year's supply of all-beef hot dogs! (laughs) I'm a wiener winner! (laughs again)   She gives the boys a chance to react; they aren’t impressed.   KITTY (cont’d): Well, anyway, we're having a barbecue.   RED: No, Kitty! I thought we were going to talk about that.   KITTY: Mm-hmm. (to Eric) Oh, and I saw Donna at the grocery store, and she said she's bringing her friend Casey.   ERIC: What? No. I hate Casey. He's Donna's new boyfriend. You have to uninvite him. (to Red) Dad, tell her.   RED: Kitty, you've done a horrible thing. It could scar the boy for life. Now, let's do the right thing and cancel that barbecue.   KITTY: No. We're having it, and it'll be fun. (to Eric) And... and we just... we won't give Casey any relish.   She and Red step out to fetch more groceries. Eric turns to Hyde.   HYDE: All right. Once Casey finds out he's not getting any relish, he'll dump Donna for sure. (laughs) You are so screwed.

MAIN CREDITS   BUMPER   INT. FORMAN BASEMENT - DAY   A gathering of the guys. Eric sits on the back of the couch, FEZ in the far seat of it, and KELSO in the lawn chair. Hyde ambles in from his room, records in hand. He sets them down by the record player and starts going through them. “Good Times Roll” by The Cars plays on the radio.   FEZ: (to Eric) So your mom invited Casey over for hot dogs? Well, that's a plump, juicy, all-beef burn.   KELSO: Ah, it's just typical women stuff. Like Jackie kissing that guy.   Hyde lunges, frogs Kelso in the arm.   KELSO (cont’d): Ow! Hyde!   HYDE: Yeah. Okay? I've decided if anyone brings up any more stupid girl stuff, I'm gonna throw something at 'em. This time, I threw a fist.   He goes to his chair and sits.   KELSO: I'm sorry. It's just - everything reminds me. And I dumped her over a week ago, and she hasn’t once called to say “hi” or offer me sad-but-hot break-up sex!   HYDE: You two broke up?   KELSO: Yeah, and it’s the worst one yet.   FEZ: All because of the cheese guy?   KELSO: Hey, I changed, and became responsible, and stopped my cheating. Then she goes and makes out behind my back, and keeps calling me names and putting me down?   He pouts, folds his arms, taps his foot.   KELSO (cont’d): You know what? If she’s not gonna call me, then I’m gonna go over there and yell at her some more.   He stands and exits out the basement door.   ERIC: You guys, I've been thinking about Donna. And I –   Hyde grabs a magazine from the coffee table, tosses it at Eric.   HYDE: This time I threw a magazine.   ERIC: No, guys, seriously. This barbecue might work out in my favor. You see, Donna's only seen Casey around his smelly, tattooed Molly Hatchet-loving friends. But when he comes to the barbecue, he'll be around us. Good, clean, Lynyrd Skynyrd-lovin' Americans. And the comparison will not be kind to him.   HYDE: And then Donna will come running home to you.   ERIC: No. (beat) Well, maybe. You think?   HYDE: So, instead of pounding Casey like you should, you came up with this zany scheme? Forman, you've officially turned into Daffy Duck. (doing Daffy) You're “dethpicable!”   He makes a show of shaking his head.   FEZ: You know, I have lady problems too.   Hyde grabs a Packers’ football and chucks it at Fez, who dodges it without even looking up.   FEZ (cont’d): Rhonda won't let me get past second base. I even said “please.” Magic word, my ass. Hyde throws another ball, and this time, it hits. Fez frowns at him and chucks it back, and they get into a throwing war.   BUMPER   EXT. FORMAN DRIVEWAY - DAY   Concurrent with the previous scene from Kelso’s exit. He storms around the house and into the driveway. From the other direction comes JACKIE. They meet, lock eyes.   JACKIE: Hey.   KELSO: Hey.   JACKIE/KELSO: I just came by -/I miss you.   They step back.   JACKIE/KELSO: What?   JACKIE: Did you say you miss me?   KELSO: No.   JACKIE: Look, just say you miss me!   KELSO: Fine, I miss you!   Jackie takes his hands in hers.   JACKIE: Michael, I miss you too. And, look, I was thinking - since we broke up because I kissed another guy, what if I let you kiss another girl? I mean, we could be even, and we could get back together.   KELSO: Jackie, if you think that me kissing another girl is gonna bring us closer together, I'm totally willing to make that sacrifice.   JACKIE: Thank you, Michael.   KELSO: Yeah! (beat) I better go wash my face.   He pulls his hands free and heads down the street, and Jackie heads into the Forman’s kitchen.   BUMPER   EXT. FORMAN DRIVEWAY – DAY   The weekend, and the barbecue, have arrived. A table loaded with hot dogs, condiments, and drinks is out on the driveway, and a healthy population of neighbors enjoy the party.   Hyde and Fez, on the porch, lean against the house. Eric comes around the house, crosses to them.   ERIC: Okay, Fez, when Casey gets here, ask him for advice about your second-base problem. My advice is gonna be way better than his, and Donna will see that he's a greasy dolt.   HYDE: Hey, Forman, I have an idea. Set up a wacky system of ropes and pulleys, and when Casey gets here, drop an anvil on his head.   It gets a laugh from Fez, at least.   FEZ: (to Eric) Because that's what Daffy does.   ERIC: Yeah, I got that. DONNA and CASEY walk up the driveway, arms around each other’s shoulders. DONNA: Hey, guys.   ERIC: Hey.   CASEY: (to Eric) Hey, Foreplay. Getting a little shaggy up there, buddy.   He ruffles Eric’s hair.   ERIC: Okay. Well, that's enough of that!   He throws Casey’s hand away.   ERIC (cont’d): Okay. So, uh... hey, you guys are just in time. Fez was telling me about, uh... (to Fez) Some kind of problem you're having with Rhonda?   FEZ: Yeah. Rhonda won't let me get past second base, and I really want to explore further.   ERIC: Gosh. Well, I don't know. I think if you're patient and you're respectful, when Rhonda's ready, she'll, uh... she'll wave you over.   FEZ: Well, thank you, Eric. That is very gentlemanly advice.   ERIC: Gentlemanly? Well, uh, guilty as charged, I guess. (to Casey) Hey Casey, what do you think?   CASEY: Well, sometimes a seasoned lady like Rhonda, she's gotten used to the usual order of things. So, I think the next time you're fooling around, just skip second and go right to third.   ERIC: What?   FEZ: It's genius! (to Eric) No wonder you never get any.   DONNA: (to Fez) Yeah, with Rhonda, you know, that just might work.   ERIC: (to Donna) Wait, you like that?   DONNA: Well, the words are wrong, but they sound so good coming out of his mouth.   CASEY: (shrugs) I got a way about me. He pats Eric on the shoulder, and he and Donna head into the party.   Hyde comes up behind Eric. HYDE: (doing Daffy) That worked out “thuper.”   CUT TO:   EXT. FORMAN BACKYARD – DAY   More of the barbecue, not as crowded as out front. Several of the local ladies have gathered in this part of the house, and Kelso strolls up and down, checking them out. Behind him follows a scowling Jackie. Kelso keeps glancing behind him to see Jackie’s reactions; he’s enjoying this.   KELSO: Let's see... which chick do I want to kiss?   Jackie takes his arm, spins him around.   JACKIE: Oh, no, no, no, no, Michael. I get to pick the girl.   KELSO: But you'll pick an uggo.   JACKIE: (shrugs) You didn’t call “no uggos.”   KELSO: I just thought of something. Your plan’s good and all, but what if the girl that you pick doesn't wanna kiss me?   They both consider that for a moment, then break up laughing.   KELSO: “Doesn't wanna kiss me!”   They laugh some more.   CUT TO:   EXT. FORMAN DRIVEWAY – DAY   The party continues. Red works at the grill. He passes a hot dog onto Eric’s plate, and Eric takes it over to Donna, who is at the table with Casey.   ERIC: Hey, Donna, would you like a hot dog?   DONNA: Um, maybe half. Casey draws a bowie knife from his back pocket. He takes the plate from Eric and slices the hot dog in half. ERIC: Whoa, man, you carry a knife?   CASEY: Yeah. You never know when a lady's gonna need a half a hot dog. It's funny, man. You're the boy scout, but I'm the one who's prepared.   He and Donna head toward the basketball hoop. Fez crosses to Eric’s side.   FEZ: He's like a gladiator.   ERIC: Okay, that's it. I'm bringing out the big guns. Oh, yeah. I'm introducing him to my folks.   He spies Kitty coming out from the kitchen. He takes her by the shoulders, steers her over to Casey and Donna.   ERIC (cont’d): Oh, hey, Mom, meet Casey. This is Donna's new boyfriend.   Casey gives her a nod. Kitty stares up at him, wide-eyed.   KITTY: Well, you're certainly not a girl. (laughs)   CASEY: Nice to meet you, Mrs. Forman. You know, you couldn't have picked a prettier day to win a year's supply of hot dogs.   KITTY: (laughs) Yeah, sure is a hot dog.   She falls into laughing again. Eric leads her away.   ERIC: Mom!   KITTY: Sorry, honey, it's just, he's just... I am sure you are much smarter.   Red crosses over to them.   RED: Kitty, the idiot neighbors drank all my beer.   ERIC: Uh-oh. You're in a bad mood. Hey, meet Casey.   CASEY: (shakes Red’s hand) Pleasure, sir. Hey, maybe I can help. I always keep a spare case of beer in the Trans Am. Little tip I picked up in the army.   He walks off down the driveway. Beaming, Donna crosses over to the porch to talk to Hyde.   Red and Kitty turn to Eric. Red seems impressed, Kitty smitten.   RED: I don't know. Seems like a pretty good kid.   KITTY: Uh-huh. On the porch, Hyde is back to leaning against the house as Donna stands across from him. HYDE: So, you and Casey, huh?   DONNA: Look, Hyde, whatever you heard about Casey, he's changed now. He's... he's mature.   HYDE: Oh, yeah. He's real mature.   DONNA: Well, I like him! We're together, and if you can't deal with that, then you can just go to hell!   She turns, runs after Casey.   HYDE: Hey, that's not barbecue language, young lady!   Donna meets Casey as he comes back up the driveway with a case of beer. A grape soda is balanced on top. Casey hands the case to Red.   CASEY: Here's that beer, sir. I got a soda for the minor.   He hands Eric the soda can.   CASEY (cont’d): (to Eric) Now, you make sure to drink that real slow, 'cause I don't want you to get a tummy ache, little guy.   He pats Eric on the stomach.   KITTY: Well, that's thoughtful.   RED: Yeah, he cramps up easy.   Eric, at a loss for words, shifts on his feet and cracks open the soda.   FADE TO BLACK   COMMERCIAL   BUMPER   EXT. FORMAN BACKYARD - DAY   Most of the gang has moved back here. Eric and Kelso lean against the door into the garage. Kelso’s eye scans the crowd, lingering on all the women; Eric looks down at the ground with his arms crossed. Further into the yard, Hyde and Jackie sit and talk on lawn chairs.   ERIC: Casey and Donna, man. (to Kelso) Hey, remember when we were 12? We didn't even like girls yet.   KELSO: (still scanning) I liked girls when I was 12.   ERIC: Well, at least I gave it my best shot, right? If Donna loves Casey and not me, then... I mean, I guess it's over.   Kelso stops scanning, turns to Eric and puts a hand on his shoulder.   KELSO: Forman, you can't give up. Look, who knows what’s gonna happen with me and Jackie, but what you and Donna had? That was, like, real. And I'm telling you, as his brother, Casey is bad news. He's either gonna get bored and split, or something worse is gonna happen. So, you gotta do something.   ERIC: (beat) Hey, since when did you get all serious?   KELSO: Well, I’ve been broken up with Jackie, and she cut me off for a while before that, so I think the lack of lovin’ is making more blood flow to my brain.   In the lawn chairs, Hyde massages his temple; Jackie’s just explained her plan.   HYDE: So, you’re letting Kelso kiss some other girl so you can get back together with him?   JACKIE: Yeah. That way, we’ll be even.   HYDE: Jackie, by that logic, “being even” means that you sleep with, like, four guys. This is nuts.   JACKIE: Steven, I don’t care if you don’t think it makes sense! If this is the only way for Michael and me to get back together, then that’s what I’m going to do!   She stands and storms off. Hyde stands too, looks around at the guests.   HYDE: This is a hot dog party, people! Not a yell-at-guys-with-good-advice party!   CUT TO:   INT. FORMAN KITCHEN – DAY   The next day. Fez and Hyde sit at the kitchen table, bowls of soup in front of them. Red sits on a stool at the island. Kitty comes over from the stovetop with one last bowl and a tray of sandwiches. KITTY: Okay, everyone. Here's lunch: hot dog soup!   HYDE: (groans) No more hot dogs! I'll just eat the grilled cheese.   He picks up a sandwich.   KITTY: You mean, grilled cheese with hot dogs!   Hyde throws the sandwich back down.   RED: Kitty, for God sakes, I ate 14 hot dogs yesterday!   KITTY: Well, what do you want me to do, Red? They're everywhere. They're a curse on this house!   RED: Oh, fine. Let's make some calls. Maybe we can unload the damn things on a nursery school.   He stands and leads Kitty out into the living room.   Eric enters from the basement, sits down at the table. ERIC: You guys, I’ve let this thing with Casey go way too far.   HYDE: Yeah, no kidding. Donna's pretty far gone. She's starting to lash out at people at barbecues. You gotta kick his ass, man.   FEZ: Hyde, Eric cannot beat Casey with his fists. He's a special boy who must beat him with his special strengths. Now, let's think. What is Eric's special strengths?   He puts his hands together in thought. Slow pan in, and we cut to:   INT. GAME SHOW SET   FANTASY SEQUENCE. A true ‘70s game show set – tacky as hell. Boxes are everywhere. Fez, in an equally tacky suit, spins around and flashes a grin for the camera. Two boxes flank him on either side. FEZ: Welcome back to TV's favorite game show - Get Into That Box!   The title flashes across the screen as he says the name.   FEZ (cont’d): Now, let's meet our returning champion, Eric Forman!   Eric’s head pops out from the box on Fez’s left.   ERIC: Thanks. Good to be back, Fez.   FEZ: Let's meet our challenger, Casey Kelso!   Casey walks onto set, to the applause of the off-screen audience.   FEZ (cont’d): Casey Kelso, it's time to...   He points out to the audience.   AUDIENCE (v.o.): Get into that box! Casey steps inside the box on Fez’s right. He tries to sit in it, but it bursts open at the side and Casey spills out onto the floor. CASEY: (to Fez, indicates Eric) How does he do it?   Donna, in a tacky dress, comes running from off-stage to hug Eric – or, rather, his box.   DONNA: He's so tiny!   She caresses his box as Eric shakes his hands in celebration.   CUT TO:   INT. FORMAN KITCHEN – DAY   Back to reality. Fez nods contentedly at his fantasy.   FEZ: I would watch that show.   ERIC: (beat) Okay. That was great. Guys, I'm going over to Casey's. And I don't know what I'm gonna do. But if things get physical, I'm just gonna have to drop the hammer.   HYDE: And if all else fails, kick him in the stones and run like hell.   ERIC: Yeah, that's what I meant by “drop the hammer.”   And out he goes through the patio door. BUMPER   INT. FORMAN BASEMENT - NIGHT RHONDA’S POV. She makes out with Fez on the basement couch. Fez pulls back and smiles. FEZ: Rhonda, your lively tongue has made me thirsty.   He lifts up a soda can, takes a sip through a straw, and offers it to Rhonda.   FEZ (cont’d): Would you like to wet your whistle?   Rhonda (the camera) nods. Fez passes the soda can. A long, loud slurping sound unnerves him; Rhonda’s drained the whole can.   FEZ (cont’d): Wow, thirsty lady. Well, we're off to a nice start. Shall we move on to second base? He reaches his hand out, places it where Rhonda’s breasts would be. His smile grows at first, but quickly falls when Rhonda’s big hand closes around his wrist and pulls his hand away. Her other hand shoots out and takes Fez by the throat. FEZ: Ai, no!   CUT TO:   INT. HUB – NIGHT   A decent nighttime crowd. “I Just Want to be Your Everything” by Andy Gibb plays on the jukebox. Jackie and Kelso stand near the counter, Kelso nursing a soda. He scans the crowd for women, and one walks by. KELSO: How about I kiss her?   JACKIE: No way. She's too tall, too tanned, too rich.   KELSO: Damn, Jackie, I don't wanna kiss a short, pale, poor girl.   JACKIE: Okay, look, Michael, all I know is that I don't want to stay broken up. Okay, you know what? You choose. Kiss any girl you want.   Kelso makes a brief show of looking around, then bends down and snakes a kiss from Jackie.   KELSO: I choose you.   JACKIE: Michael, that is the most romantic thing I've ever read, heard about, or seen on TV.   KELSO: Yeah, it was pretty romantic. I could tell while I was doing it.   Jackie sighs and sits down at the nearest free table. Kelso joins her.   KELSO: What?   JACKIE: No, it's just... look, one week you break up with me, and the next week you're Prince Charming?   KELSO: (shrugs) I'm an incredibly complex man, Jackie.   JACKIE: Michael, I can't do this anymore! Look, Michael, if you wanna choose me, then choose me. I mean, really choose me.   KELSO: Jackie, you gave me a free pass to kiss any girl I wanted, and I kissed you. And that was a big choice, ‘cause there’s a lot of hotties here.   He waves his hand to indicate the other patrons.   KELSO (cont’d): But there’s only one girl I wanna be with forever. And that’s you.   JACKIE: (beat) You want to be with me forever? You want to be together forever?   He nods. She takes his hand in hers.   JACKIE (cont’d): Okay, then, Michael, let’s commit to that right now. Let’s get married.   Very slowly, Kelso leans back. His jaw hangs slightly open, and he can’t stop blinking.   KELSO: (beat) Hold on. You wanna get married?   JACKIE: Yes, Michael, yes, I accept!   She jumps to her feet and kisses him on both cheeks.   JACKIE (cont’d): Oh, my God! You know what? I gotta go tell my dad. And you - you have to buy a ring! Just think about it! We are gonna be the “Burkhart-Kelsos.”   She runs out the door, squealing in delight.   KELSO: (in shock) The Who-hearts What-os?   He looks up to the window; Jackie is no longer in sight. He leaps to his feet, races out of the Hub, and takes off down the street in the opposite direction she took.   CUT TO:   EXT. KELSO HOUSE – NIGHT   Casey sits alone on the porch, reading an auto magazine. Eric walks up to him. ERIC: Casey, we need to talk.   CASEY: Well, I'm a little swamped right now, Foreplay.   ERIC: I think Donna thinks you love her, and if you don't, you shouldn't act like you do.   CASEY: What are you? The love police? Hands up! Love police is here.   ERIC: Hey, all I'm saying is that if you don't love her, just don't be with her, okay? Because she's a really special person, and someone out there could really love her.   CASEY: Someone out there or someone right here?   Eric doesn’t have a ready retort to that. He’s spared thinking of one by Donna stepping out from the house.   DONNA: Oh. Hey, Eric. What are you doing here?   CASEY: He was just leaving.   DONNA: Oh. Well, I gotta go, too.   CASEY: Hey, Pinciotti.   He stands and gives Donna a lingering kiss on the cheek.   CASEY (cont’d): Love ya.   DONNA: Oh, well, I...   She turns away from him to Eric, who looks down at his shoes.   DONNA (cont’d): (to Casey) Thank you. Okay, well, I'll... I'll see you later.   She walks off. Casey crosses to Eric.   CASEY: You see, Forman, it's just words. You don't have to mean it.   ERIC: If you make her cry, I'm coming right back here to kick your ass.   He walks off too, the opposite way from Donna.   FADE TO BLACK   CREDITS INT. FORMAN BASEMENT - NIGHT   THE CIRCLE. “Barracuda” by Heart plays on the radio. For once, the weed hasn’t made Kelso laughy. He looks downright paranoid. KELSO: You guys, I found something worse than Jackie kissing another guy: she wants to get married! TO ME!   He looks frantically around the room, the stairs and the door especially.   Pan to Eric.   ERIC: Well, if kicking Casey's butt is the same as babbling at him from a safe distance, then boy, did I do it! But seriously, you guys, the days of Daffy are over. It's time for action. I'm goin' Road Runner on his ass. Meep, meep! POW!   Pan to Fez.   FEZ: Good. Because thanks to his stupid advice, Rhonda dumped me. I tried to steal third, but she blocked me. And choked me. Now there’s no more baseball for Fez. It's back to handball.   Pan to Hyde.   HYDE: Girls, man. They'll make you miserable. Well, I got a date. (doing Daffy) Tho long, thuckerth!   He stands and makes for the door.   END.

[zigbaby-blog]

AU: Bad Boys | Part 3

Book: His

Characters: The Freshmen

Pairing: Zig x MC (Eunice)

Summary: The dinner with their new neighbour finally came. In a turn of events, that neighbour became Eunice’s knight in shining armor.

Warning: Slight mention of rape

Dustin was her high school lover, but he was always on-and-off with her. Being one of the troublemakers in school, his playboy attitude won him hearts easily. He often hung out with different girls and Eunice convinced herself that he would always come back to her. However, showing up drunk and uninvited at her door wasn’t one she would put up with.

He wrapped his arms around Eunice and pulled her close to his chest. Clothed in a light denim vest with tshirt underneath, his breath reeked of cheap whiskey. Gross, he stinks.

He could barely stand straight as he tried to make his way into the house.

“Dustin- I never invited you. Why are you here, drunk?” Eunice asked, standing frozen at the entrance.

“You look hot as hell, babe. Let’s make out,” his mischievous grin revealed the dirty thoughts in his head.

“This isn’t a good time. My family has guests over, you can’t be here!” Her mind flooded with tons of questions and uncertainty. But she was sure she couldn’t just leave him outside in that state.

As she adjusted his shirt, Tammy came around the corner meeting both of them on the way. She lifted one of her brow and glanced at Eunice, jerking her head at the unfamiliar person. Dustin then winked at Tammy, letting out a soft whistle.

“Don’t hit on my sister!” Eunice muttered in disbelief, using a single finger to poke into his chest.

“This is gonna be so much fun,” Tammy giggled, “that’s your friend right? Here, I’ll bring him in.” She grabbed him by his hand and rushed him towards the dining room.

“No, wait! Don’t bring him there!” Before Eunice can get the words out of her mouth, Tammy dragged him in and announced his presence to everyone. Dustin stood speechless, appalled at the unexpected situation.

Fuck. Eunice dashed in and felt all the eyes on her, especially her mother’s. “This is Dustin, and this is... everybody. That’s right, Dustin’s just about to leave.” Her face turned pale in embarrassment while Zig lowered his half-hooded eyes questioningly and observed the circumstance.

Eunice tried to yank Dustin out of the dining room but his drunk body was too heavy for her. Mr. Ortega rolled in on a discussion with Dustin to break the tension. Dustin could barely answer in his slurred language as he clamped his arms around Eunice, while Zig stared daggers at the couple.

“So... you and Eunice are friends at school?” Zig broke the silence.

“Well... kinda. Eunice’s my girlfriend,” Dustin answered sheepishly, leaning his weight against her.

The awkwardness became unbearable. “Hah. I’m his friend who happens to be a girl, not girlfriend. Just friend.” Eunice emphasized as her mom gave her a terrible look of anguish. She hurriedly changed the topic and dragged Dustin to the bathroom, whom was so plastered that he can barely keep his balance.

———

Now stuck alone in the bathroom with Dustin, he started laying his hands all over Eunice, pawing her breasts. He had always tried to make moves on her, but she was certain she doesn’t want her first time to be in a rush.

“Dustin, my parents are in the dining room!” Eunice pushed him away.

“Then let them be. I don’t care,” Dustin responded, fighting his way to her neck. He shoved his hands down her pants and against her will, began to rub her clit. Despite her constant pleas to stop, he refused.

“Shut up and just let me do it fast,” Dustin snarled, his face turning red from annoyance and outrage.

The bathroom suddenly transformed into a warzone as the both of them struggled with each other. Eunice tried to keep the noise down, yet amidst her soft purrs of resistance, Dustin pinned her against the wall. He hastily ripped of her panties while she wiggled her body, trying to escape from his grip. Tears welled up in her fearful eyes as she begged him to stop, but Dustin was nowhere near giving up at this point.

He spreaded Eunice’s legs wide open and rubbed his hand hard against her core. He pulled down his pants, which his distinct boner could be seen through his boxers. While he kept stroking her inner parts, he inched closer to her, making her feel his rock hard crotch.

“Please, Dustin,” Eunice wailed, her anxiousness of being caught by her parents worsen. “You’re hurting me, don’t do this. I’m begging you.”

“Stop struggling, that’s why it hurts. You want to be my girlfriend, this is what it’s gonna be like.” He tightened his grip on her wrists.

All of a sudden, someone could be heard opening the door and a strong punch was thrown into Dustin’s face. She turned her head towards his, while he laid on the ground with bloodied lips. Her mind couldn’t process what happened until she saw the knight who came to her rescue.

“Are you okay, Eunice?” Zig looked endearingly into her tear-filled eyes, not paying attention to her half naked bottom.

She gasped, glancing down at her lower part and swiftly pulling up her jeans. The fear of being caught settled in as she mumbled her words. “I- um- yeah, what are you doing here?”

“You were gone for a while, so I came to check on you,” Zig replied as if he hadn’t witnessed anything, in a way to keep her calm.

Her heart pounded faster as she watched blankly at Dustin who didn’t seemed to move. “He was just drunk... I could barely recognize him.”

“I don’t care how drunk he was, that doesn’t give him the right to force himself on you,” rage began hitting Zig as he peered down on the guy’s unbuckled pants on the tiled floor.

Just then, Eunice’s mother shouted for her from the kitchen. In a bid to prevent anyone else to come, she screamed back, “Nothing- my friend just fell!”

At the same moment, Dustin woke up, barely conscious. Zig lifted him up to his feet. Dustin couldn’t make out what happened, hence Zig took the chance to diffuse the situation. “You fell, buddy. Eunice asked me to help you up, end of the deal.”

Zig coughed and warned, “be careful where you put your hands next time. You put them in the wrong place again, you’ll fall much harder and you wouldn’t understand what hit you.”

“Zig!” Eunice called out, her mind in a whirlwind. She urgently pushed Dustin out the bathroom, demanding him to leave while she returned to the table.

After dinner, her dad and Mr. Ortega left in the direction of the living room. Dad signaled for her to join them, with a little smirk. The three of them sat down on the couch and made small chit-chats, mostly around her life. Her curiousity got the better of her as she began to ask about Zig, and Mr. Ortega revealed that all Zig does was to ride his motorcycle and be around girls. Figured, he’s a player.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Mr. Ortega continued, “when he sets his mind onto something, he’s just like a shark. He’ll keep chasing it until he gets whatever he wants.” The conversation went on as he mentioned the achievements Zig had so to not ruin his image in their new neighbour’s head. “But- well... he got into an accident last year and hasn’t been passionate about anything since then.”

Hmm. There’s more to him than meets the eye.

———

Half an hour passed before Eunice could leave the men to their beer. She entered the kitchen to find her mother enjoying a glass of wine with Mrs. Ortega, while Zig was washing the dishes. As she made her way to strike a conversation with him, the words that Mr. Ortega said replayed in her mind. Sometimes when a person has a tough exterior, it’s because they’re a big softie inside.

While Zig talked about giving Eunice’s mom a break, her mom began making sarcastic remarks about her own children. As if he could sense the latent hostility, he rapidly came to Eunice’s defense. Knowing her mother, Eunice decided to exit the room before all hells gone loose in the presence of their guests.

Ignoring the comments, she stormed out of the kitchen but Zig ran up and caught her gently by the arm.

A wave of sadness seeped in as she stood there, without retracting her hand. “Did you hear what she said? She’s so mean to me, and she hates me. I didn’t-“

Zig stayed to console her, assuring that he’s there for her. As she calmed down, she climbed up the staircase and noticed the lights of her room were switched on. She entered with Zig following behind, and that’s when the scene of Dustin and Tammy kissing like two lions on her bed appeared.

Eunice cringed at the sight of them and immediately turned tails and ran. Dustin sauntered away without any guilt.

“You want me to go kick their asses?” Zig smirked, cracking his knuckles.

She knew they weren’t worthy and retreated back to her room to make sure they were gone. She slouched against the legs of her bed on the floor, while Zig squatted by her side. His constant politeness came as a surprise when she least expected. He confessed that he saw something special in her, and it wasn’t out of sympathy. He was the sort to fight for others, even though he’s quite a danger himself.

“I’m worried about your safety, and I’ll make sure you don’t get hurt by that asshole or anyone else,” Zig reaffirmed Eunice, with a light pat on her shoulder. He leaned in to her and reached into her back pocket, retrieving her phone and saved his number into her contacts list.

“Here, you have my number now and on speed dial,” Zig returned her phone, grinning. “Whenever you’re in trouble, call me right away.”

Eunice had asked to repay him, yet his form of repayment was to protect her instead. She stared at him in astonishment, words not quite forming. She questioned his motive for handling that responsibility, especially when they barely know each other. He leaned in and whispered a secret in her ear, “I’d go to the end of the world for the one I love.”

Zig smiled and licked the bottom of his lips, strolling out of her bedroom. Eunice was left alone with her thoughts that night, as she recalled everything that happened.

[bangtan-spells]

Taehyung Scenario: Fire To The Heart.

Request: I would like to request a scenario where the reader & tae are royal vampires! And he loves her since babies, but she has a besfren (hoseok) & he's a werewolf! (u know vampires & werewolves are rivals). PLIS WRITE TAE SUPER CUTE LIKE ALWAYS STOLEN KISSES, BEING JEALOUS AND A LOT OF CUDDLES 😍😍😍😍😍😍

Genre: Romance / Drama.

Saying no to Taehyung was always hard. You had known each other for as long as you could remember, and in that time spam you hadn’t exactly figured it out, although you tried, but when he stared fixedly at you, when he touched you you felt your whole body giving in. But for the sake of not letting Taehyung go ahead of himself you knew there were times when you had to say it, in the decades you had knowing each other you two had grown so much together it was difficult to set you apart, Taehyung hated it, you suffered when being away from him for too long, but you had also learned that you liked to be with other people too. Perhaps your choices in friendship were nothing but scandalous for the vampire court, but for you it was ok.

Taehyung and you didn’t live together, as much as both of you wanted that although for you it was a bit harder to admit, but you couldn’t do that until you were formally and publicly engaged to each other, as prince and princess of two powerful vampire clans your liaison was more than suited, expected even, but vampire tradition was strong even in the middle of the twentieth one century.

-Please, stay with me tonight- he whispered in your ear making you have goosebumps. You were at his manor for a social gathering, something small between just a group and when they were all gone and you thought it was time for you to do so as well Taehyung opposed.

So you had stayed for a few more hours, dawn would break anytime as the time with him ran fast, too fast, it was almost your one hundred birthday and you had barely noticed. -The morning, you mean-

He grinned. -Stay- he whispered again, this time pecking your ear after he spoke, going down slowly tracing your neck with his lips. -Let’s sleep together-

As much as you were delighting yourself with his touch your hands went to his chest, you knew you had to set a limit. -I can’t- you kissed his cheek and Taehyung groaned cutely, too cute for a one hundred and fifty year old vampire, but then you thought even after reaching his first thousand Taehyung would still be cute.  

-It’s not like is the first time of us sleeping together- he smiled mischievously. -It will be just sleep, I promise-

-I can’t, you know we must be a bit more diligent now that the party is almost here-

Taehyung huffed. -To hell with diligent, you are going to be mine anyway, I don’t understand all this prudery-

You laughed. -It is the rules of the court- you leaned closer to kiss his lips, this time allowing the kiss to go a bit further as you let your tongues play for a while. -Not mine-

-Pure rubbish- 

You laughed again. -Besides, you know that evil uncle of yours doesn’t like me that much, he’s looking for all kinds of motives to set me aside-

-That won’t happen- Taehyung assured more seriously. -It doesn’t matter what he or anybody say, you and I will be together, we will rule together- You nodded, letting him hug you and nuzzle you as you felt safe in his arms. -We belong together, I don’t understand why so many rules at this point- he smiled mischievously and you knew he was remembering something.

-What?-

-They should have said that a few years ago, remember, that time in the gazebo- You blushed but laughed with the memory, that time it had been the first time he ever kissed you, not the little pecks you’d share every now and then, but a real kiss and you had almost ended up taking it to the next level at plain air. You were always all over each other, as Taehyung was very clingy and you liked it, but no matter that you had never gone beyond it, as a princess of your clan you couldn’t allow yourself that before your hundred birthday. 

-We knew it, only that- you sighed and Taehyung took the chance to steal a kiss in a fast move, you glared a little but smiled nonetheless. -We chose to ignore it, that won’t be happening tonight either way- you said teasingly and Taehyung groaned.

-You are a bad girl Y/N, you hurt me-

You laughed, getting from the sofa in which you were lounging to go for your purse, Taehyung also stood up surprising you with a back hug. -I really wish I could stay- he squeezed after hearing that, skimming his lips over your neck, you could imagine his fangs, and then the bite. You had never allowed him to bite you as it was only reserved for your partner, but you dreamed about it as much as you dreamed with your first time.

-I’ll see you tomorrow- he stated as a sure thing and you felt your stomach drop. -We can have dinner, not like hunting but here, I’ll have it all arranged for us-

You caressed his cheek and smiled. -Tomorrow I can’t Tae-

-Why is that?-

You sighed, knowing he wouldn’t like your answer. -I’m meeting Hoseok tomorrow-

You were right, the first few seconds he was surprised but then he frowned. -Until when are you going to be keep being friends with that dog?-

Laughing lightly you shook your head. -He’s a good friend Tae, he’s actually a good person, really open minded, it doesn’t hurt to be friends with different people-

-I don’t like it- he resolved. -How open minded? I’m open minded, but werewolves are other thing Y/N, they could harm you- he groaned. -They hate us-

-That isn’t true, you know it, Hoseok doesn’t hate me-

Taehyung huffed. -Because he loves you, doesn’t he? He loves you so much- Taehyung was being sarcastic and immature, you knew it was all more out of jealousy than of the werewolf issue, but this was one of the things you didn’t want to give up. You loved Taehyung, but Hoseok was a great guy and you truly enjoyed his company as a friend, not more than that.

-He does, but not like you are thinking, so stop it, we will meet another day- Taehyung just scowled and you stole a kiss from his lips, he didn’t see it coming so you surprised him. -We will have eternity Taehyung, just the two of us, so don’t worry-

Taehyung kept scowling but you saw he was a bit more relaxed. He leaned in and kissed the crook of your neck, gracing it with his fangs for just a second but just that made you hold to his shoulders as your breath got caught in your throat. -Don’t let him too close to you, call me if you need me, I… I don’t trust them Y/N, I don’t like it-

-Then trust me- you whispered pulling his face so he was staring at you. Taehyung didn’t answer but instead he kissed you, longer than you thought he would, his lips and all his body calling for yours and you felt your own body corresponding. It was this fire going all over you that made you want to do all sort of things to him and for him to do them to you, it was a mystery how you had achieved to contain yourselves for so long.

-Be good- you panted after you broke apart. 

-You be good, and if you don’t text when you are there you are in trouble- You laughed and waved as you went out of his manor directly to your car where your chauffeur was waiting.

Hoseok lived far from city, all werewolves did, it was funny actually, how vampires were more accepted and lived closer to humans than werewolves, not that humans were aware of it, but it seemed ironical how they preferred someone who could suck their blood until they fell dead to just people who could be a bit hairy sometimes. You laughed a little to yourself, seeing Hoseok who was at the gates of what it appeared to be just a private residential zone. It was private, that was true, but only because in there they gathered the werewolves around town, they were pack creatures, and thus they loved to be in groups, to live together. 

If vampires gathered in a large group like that for more than a few hours they would end up killing each other. But werewolves were different than that, and although you wouldn’t want to live that way it was refreshing to see it or at least hear of it from Hoseok.

They were having a bit of a party there, werewolves, some humans but certainly you were the only vampire. Even if you were open to the experience it was a bit odd, everyone was staring at you, everyone wondered what were you doing there, some of them just frowned, some of them were actually growling a little. Your instinct told you to bare your fangs to protect yourself, but you couldn’t do that, you had to show them you were not a threat.

-It’s ok, they are just, you know, intrigued-

-I’d say angry- you whispered back and both of you laughed a little easing up the tension.

The point of you being there was, aside from you to have fun with your best friend, for everyone to see that vampires didn’t have to be these atrocious ruthless creatures everybody talked about. So little by little you stepped up and talked with some of the people there, werewolves that were friends with Hoseok and some humans that knew about the mysteries of your world, as a princess of a vampire clan you wanted the reputation of your race to be a lot more than just blood thirsty beings.

Everything was fine, the conversation going smoothly enough until you started to hear a ruckus, it was far, you could tell, you just had to sharpen your senses a bit more to recognize what was happening and as you started to walk in that direction you cursed, checking your phone to see a couple of messages and missed calls, you hadn’t said anything to him. Of course Taehyung would made a scandal, as you were starting to feel angry at him you rushed to were the ruckus was, he was in werewolf territory, uninvited, he could be killed.

-She set us up for an attack- one of the wolves said growling at you as you approached the entrance were another group of wolves, already turned were surrounding Taehyung who had his fangs bare and his eyes red ready to fight.

-She didn’t- Hoseok growled back getting in between as you were closer. Taehyung noticed you were approaching and stepped forward but the wolves circled him further in. Taehyung hissed and you groaned in frustration.

-Stop it, he won’t hurt you, he’s not here to attack anyone-

-Shut up you filthy leech- one of the werewolves said as he stepped too close, Taehyung darted forward but was retained by the other wolves, Hoseok put himself in front of you and Taehyung slapped away one of the wolves making him whimper, and he would have made the same with the next one if it wasn’t because you raised your voice.

-Taehyung! Hoseok do something-

-No, he won’t do anything- he glowered. -Let me through- he glared at the wolves.

Hoseok made a noise that was between a howl and a growl that somewhat broke with the tension as he gained attention. -Let’s not fight, if she says he isn’t here to fight he has to prove it- Hoseok stared with raised brows at Taehyung who only glared back.

-You are not the alpha- one of the members who hadn’t turned resented.

-I’m higher in rank- Hoseok imposed as he shot the wolf a glare. -We are not going to get in conflict with the vampires because of nothing, and believe me they we will be in trouble, he is the prince of one of the clans-

Taehyung smirked and you shook your head, why was he being like this? The wolves seemed to get the picture, it wasn’t like they couldn’t hurt you, but have two clans against one pack wasn’t definitely very positive. The wolves stepped away letting Taehyung pass, he went straight towards you, but as he did that he encountered with Hoseok who was still shielding you with his body. Taehyung glared and looked at him defiantly, Hoseok looked back at you and you nodded, so he stepped away.

-Let’s go Y/N-

-You don’t have to go if you don’t want to Y/N- Hoseok said a few meters away, you didn’t want to exactly leave, but you didn’t feel good after being threatened. Taehyung wrapped a protective arm around you, as he fulminated Hoseok with his eyes, he really didn’t like him, you understood that it was in your history to hate each other, but Hoseok was a good guy.

-I’ll call you later- you told him pulling Taehyung away, taking him away from the wolves.

-I don’t know how can you be friends with these animals, Y/N, is dangerous, I don’t understand what are you doing here-

You were on your way to your manor, sitting at the back seat as you thought how could you solve this without both of you getting angry.

-Taehyung- you breathed in. -Everything was going fine until you arrived-

He scoffed. -So is my fault? I thought you were hurt, you didn’t call me-

-And you didn’t trust me-

He groaned. -It’s not the same, they could have hurt you, I couldn’t let that happen Y/N-

-I know, but there is a way of doing things, Hoseok and I…-

-Hoseok and you what?-

You glared at him. -Stop it, he’s my friend and just that, I don’t know sometimes if your issue is because of him being a werewolf or because you think bad of me-

He huffed, taking your hand in his. -I think bad of him-

You almost laughed, he was so childish, so cute, and such a strong head when it came down to these things, usually Taehyung was more easy going, very friendly for a vampire, but with Hoseok or when it came to you he changed a little, or like today a lot. -Well that’s unnecessary, he’s nice and he knows…- you sighed. -He knows about us-

-You talk about me with him?-

You nodded. -Well he’s my best friend-

Taehyung scowled again. -I thought I was your best friend, I met you first, we have known each other for way longer, this dog comes out of nowhere and now he’s just best friend- he snorted.

You shook your head. -Really?-

He shrugged like it wasn’t important anymore but you knew he was jealous. -What did you say to him?-

-That you aren’t the typical angry vampire, although after today I don’t know if he believes me-

Taehyung sighed. -You can’t blame me for that… what else?- He curled his arm around your waist and pulled you closer. 

-Yes, he knows, so he isn’t trying anything, don’t think that, he knows you and I are together-

That lightened up his mood as he smiled and kissed your cheek. -I was very worried Y/N, you have to understand-

-I do, but you have to trust me, we are going to spend a very long time together, we have to trust each other-

That made him smile more and you almost slapped him as it made you smile too. -I know, I just… I can’t wait- he placed his head very close to your neck, breathing there making you lose focus, you should feel angry at him, you should put up some boundaries to him, but the truth was you didn’t want any sort of boundaries between you, the ones you had to keep for the sake of the court were painful enough. He pecked you there and then kissed your cheek and then your lips. You could kiss here comfortably as the chauffeur was on your side and he wouldn’t say anything, just a few kisses weren’t scandalous enough to defy your authority. But as he nuzzled and skimmed your skin with his lips and hugged you tighter massaging your body you felt your fangs coming out, suddenly hungry, of blood, of him. Taehyung noticed and smirked, showing he had his fangs out as well. -Keep it together- you whispered getting as far away of him as possible in the back seat of the BMV.

Taehyung left after he said hi to your parents who were going out for a party, the favorite of vampire royalty, or of any royalty no matter the race, they loved their parties even if the scheming was the main course of the night, maybe they loved them so much because of it. Either way you were glad you weren’t going, after today you wanted to drink a few glasses of blood and go to bed. What you didn’t expect was encountering Taehyung when you set foot inside your chambers.

-Tae! What are you doing here?-

-I never really left-

You smiled. -You know, you are like those vampires in the movies, haunting and obsessed, creepy-

Taehyung laughed. -Was that a compliment? I don’t see how, you are like those vampires in the movies too-You started to take off your jewelry as he observed you standing near the window. -Breathtakingly beautiful- You snorted softly and he laughed. -It is the truth-

-I was joking, although you are a bit insistent-

He shrugged. -Nothing new there, you love it- he took a few steps to you until he could hug you from behind. -You act all bothered but you love it, I’m irresistible-

You laughed caressing his hands over your tummy. -Is that so?-

-Yes, you love it so much you’d go crazy without me doing these things- You only smiled at that, turning your head to kiss his lips because it was actually true.

The kiss extended, no matter if it wasn’t the most comfortable position but just being in his arms with him moving his lips to yours made you feel in paradise, your senses expanding, Taehyung squeezed your hips closer to his own and the kiss stopped as he started placing kisses around your shoulders, you wanted to touch him as well but as you were right now you couldn’t do much, the parts you could reach you didn’t dare to touch, not even if you died to, but you knew that if you did there would be no turning back. Finally he turned you around and you threw your arms around his neck kissing his lips again, but Taehyung went down slowly, licking your neck, kissing you, nibbling at it just slightly with his fangs to make you moan.

-Please Tae, don’t, I… I want it but…-

-Y/N, everyday I dream about this- he kissed the spot right above your vein. -About us, we have waited so long, and after today I…-

-I dream about it too, about the whole thing-

-I was so angry today, the werewolves, Hoseok, the stupid court rules- You lips met again-. -They are stupid, yes- you desired him, you wanted him to bite you, to posses you, to bite him, to make love, you wanted it all, how he could be jealous when he had you like this? Your virginity would be tested by his clan, so you couldn’t. But a bite. Doing it was so tempting, the wound would be little and you’d heal right away, the only problem was that for vampires bites usually became something else rather quickly.

-I love you Y/N- he said looking at you in the eyes -I don’t need a court or a law to bind us together, we already are- 

You panted a little, feeling the emotions running through you stronger than ever, you were indeed connected, so much. -You want to…-

-I’ll wait if that’s what you want, I know they are going to make a test on you- he made a face of disapproval -I know that, so I won’t insist, but as much I want us to be officially a couple you have to know it is more than just that-

You kissed him, of course you knew, your feelings for each other were too strong to be just casual, this was something more, something that would last. You tilted your head to the side and looked at him. -Taehyung-

Now he was the one panting, his eyes turning red as he saw your neck like that. -Don’t Y/N, I…-

-Do it, I can’t wait anymore, even if it’s just that I want… I want to feel you-

That made him groan and he resumed kissing your skin, slowly and sensually, taking his time as he also used his hands to please you. And then you felt them, the fangs. You held your breath as he embraced you tighter and just a second later he bit you. It was glorious, a torrent of pleasure and sensations that flooded your body, it hurt a little as well, but it felt too good for you to stop it because of it. It smelled like blood and something else, maybe sex, maybe just the two of you together, but as he sucked and licked and you let yourself live that moment you thought that Taehyung was the one, he held you until it was over, both of you dizzy and giddy with the feelings, but you smiled at each other. 

-Forever- he said hugging you tenderly.

You nodded, at the moment you didn’t know about courts of werewolf feuds, you only knew you loved him. -Forever.

[liesmithusa]

north of Altadena

When I first reached the high-mountain campsite, it was just me and the host. He was in Ranger digs but his badge said volunteer. He was a troll, or as close to a troll as any person I’ve ever seen. Looking up periodically from the book I was reading, I’d find him lurking behind a tree, his car, or the cinder-block outhouse, facing my way but never really making eye-contact. He’d ignore hikers clearly in need of guidance but then harangue anyone who managed to track him down with a stump speech about his ‘hybrid’ religion, which boiled down to him mentioning, repeatedly, things like heaven, and heavenly father, and Jesus. Talk of how all religions contain the golden rule. Praise of a life lived in virtue, warnings about one lived in sin. An email newsletter for his non-profit. He’d address men as ‘brother’ in what seemed to me an unconsciously racist manner. He was an Internet troll come to life. He even looked like a troll, all chubby and red-faced, his hair so blond it was almost white. After the first day, I learned to simply walk away from him whenever he got to talking. I felt bad about treating him like that, but I had recently started practicing being conscious and respectful of my own time - even if it meant hurting a few feelings, here and there. The site next to mine was occupied when I crawled out of my tent on the morning of my third day. A couple of attractive girls. A few cool dudes. I helped them get set up. We became friends quickly. The drugs we’d brought soon became communal property. Except for the troll stopping by randomly every couple of hours to remind us of rules we weren’t breaking, the day progressed smoothly. Things took a turn when one of the girl’s boyfriend showed up with a sack of cocaine in one pocket and a handgun in the other. A bunch of us were enjoying an early evening campfire, laughing and telling stories, sparking blunts, snorting lines, sipping beers. A cellphone was playing upbeat music. “Hey, man,” the campsite host said to me, yelling over from the road before walking uninvited toward us. Someone grabbed the bong and hid it from view. “I’d like to talk to you about what we spoke about yesterday, about the futility of existence.” I stood up and headed him off a dozen feet from the paraphernalia-strewn picnic table, enduring his sophomoric rant for long enough that my beer got warm. He kept looking past me while talking, staring at the bikini-clad young ladies dancing near the fire. As soon as they realized he was watching, they put on shirts and sat down in a protective huddle. I eventually removed him by backing away from him until we were standing next to his tent. After the third such intrusion into our friendly congress, the boyfriend said, “If motherfucking Bobby Hill comes over here again for no reason, trying to creep on my girl and her friends, I’ll… fuck… I’ll kill him.” I glanced over at the troll and couldn’t help but laughing out loud - his resemblance to the son in TV’s ‘King Of The Hill’ was uncanny. The boyfriend had arrived drunk that morning and hadn’t stopped drinking, since. During a dinner of burnt sausages and cold beans, he had placed his automatic pistol on the table in front of him. The sun was just starting to set when the mountain above us caught fire, blocking our only exit route. We had enough water and food to last us for a couple of days, and our campsite sat near a running stream in a moist hollow. This knowledge, and the stupefying drugs, calmed our fears. Often, when fire destroys a region’s upper vegetation, its fauna escapes the flames by heading downhill. Soon, the underbrush around us was thick with small animals, rodents fleeing and snakes crawling past us, headed for the nearby stream. Then, the animals got bigger. We saw a desert fox. A small herd of deer. A mountain goat. The rising plume of smoke caught the sun’s dying rays, scattering them downward to bathe our campsite in a fading, ethereal glow. “I hate to break up the party, but everyone has to get ready to evacuate,” the troll called over to us from the road, adjusting the straps on his oversized hiking backpack. Pots hung from it, clanking loudly. A radio sat at his waist, crackling. Although there was still light in the sky, his headlamp was turned on full blast, causing those of us facing him to wince. “My friend just texted me that the only road out of here is blocked, bro,” the boyfriend said, yelling drunkenly over his shoulder. “So relax. Nobody’s leaving here anytime soon.” Bobby Hill stood there for a moment, shocked. “I said get ready to move out,” he hissed through clenched teeth, his voice shaking with rage. He stepped over the rocks that bordered our campsite. As his light played over the ground in front of him we could see that his hands were balled into fists. The boyfriend fluidly shifted position to face him, picking up the pistol in the same motion. He fired three shots, two of which hit the troll in the torso. Bits of cloth shot from the backpack as the rounds exited Bobby’s body and kicked up tufts of dirt on the embankment behind him. Before any of us could speak, a brown bear came crashing through the underbrush near the cinder-block outhouse. The apex predator turned our way and focused in on the troll, who was stumbling backward, geysering blood, and making a strange, burbling, screaming sound. Behind the bear came two cubs scampering. She hit Bobby in the chest with a massive paw, knocking him clear out of his backpack, then pounced. As we ran for the nearby food pantries that were big enough to fit a full-grown human and strong enough to resist a bear attack (according to the manufacturer’s sticker), she started to chew his face off, throwing chunks of meat back at her mewling cubs. In the shelter next to mine was the boyfriend. He was breathing heavily but didn’t seem too upset. “Is everybody alright?” he shouted, once the sounds of dragging and snarling had stopped and the night had once more grown silent. I cracked the door to my shelter and peered around carefully. “I think we’re good,” I said. “As far as I can tell, she’s gone.” The boyfriend crawled slowly from his own pantry. “This shit stays between us, right?” he said, getting to his feet and wiping dust off of his pants with the hand not holding the pistol. The troll’s backpack was still there, but his body was gone. The boyfriend followed the trail of Bobby’s blood with a tactical flashlight attached to his sidearm. It led downhill, disappearing into the stream’s gloomy, gathering shadows. We looked at each other, then shrugged. “All I saw was the bear attack,” I said, whereupon the boyfriend tucked the pistol into his waistband, threw his arm over my shoulder, and walked me back to the picnic bench. “I knew you were the homie,” he said to me. Everyone had a good laugh as we cracked open fresh beers and the boyfriend cut up thick lines of blow. Then he stood, gathered up the three spent shell casings, grabbed Bobby’s backpack, and spent the next hour carefully burning every bit of it and its contents in a distant fire-pit. “As long as we make it out of here alive,” his girlfriend said, “you guys wanna do this again, uh, next month?” I was the first to nod. [This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or individuals is purely coincidental.] ​ © JPR / whorphan / americanifesto / 場黑麥