#he opened his mouth and i went YEEET

[lover-of-mine]

Me 2 minutes ago: *opens Instagram* *sees Oliver posted a story* *expecting the usual dog content* *it's actually a video of him* *it takes a second to load* *anna.exe stops working* *eyes way too clear because sun* *beard* *he's about to talk* *not ready for the accent* *yeets phone away*

[wooobuddyletsgetnasty]

Yamato x Reader

there is alcohol in here, no actual sex though. Just drunk confessions and dry humping lmaooo. Drunk Yamato is wild. I don’t take criticism. 

You drug him along carefully, shuffling through the village. Yamato was clinging to your arm, drunken giggles ripping from his mouth with every stumble of his feet. He was drunk. Drunker than you had ever seen him. Granted, you weren’t doing much better. Hell, you were lucky you were still able to pull him along. It was a bad idea, and the rational part of you wished you would have told him no when he had ordered shot after shot for the two of you. It was a mistake. You knew it was, but here you were, dragging him back to your house. It was closer than his, and damn it all, you were excited to just get there, and lay down for bed.

Yamato clenched tighter to your arm, a low whine of your name ripping from his mouth, followed by a slurred, “Are we there yeeet?” You stumbled, the fog in your brain making it hard for you to multitask, “Almoost!” He seemed content with your answer, and went back to pointing at the stars, “Look! It’s another one!” You nodded, “Yeah! They’re so pretty!” Yamato managed to pull you even closer than before, “Like you!” There was a tone to his voice that made your heart flutter. He sounded so earnest, even though he had drank enough to tranquilize a small horse.

It took you a longer than it should have to hastily open your door, and when you stumbled inside, Yamato hot on your heels, the first thing you did was begin to strip. Yamato followed in your steps, and broke into giggles when his shirt got stuck on his head. You had managed to help him, which led you to where you were now. His lips were sloppily pressing against yours, with you placed haphazardly in his lap. He tasted like whiskey, and that and the natural scent of trees that seemed to follow him everywhere seemed to clear the sluggishness of your mind. You shifted, hips grinding down against his, “I like you.” The sloppy kisses he was pressing against your t-shirt clad upper half paused, “I like you too!” 

The excitement that bubbled though your veins was short lived as he moved to press you back first into your mattress, his clothed sex dragging against yours eagerly, “C-Can I?” You mirrored his eagerness, nodding quickly. Yamato eagerly pressed against you, hips rolling wildly. You keened, the alcohol burning though your veins upping the stimulation of his cock pressing against you. His face pressed into your hair, and he inhaled deeply, the scent of your hair breaking though the haze of his drunken thoughts, “Pretty, you’re so pretty.” Your hips canted up, toes curling into the mattress when the hard length of him brushed along your clit, “There! Ah! There!” He nodded, speaking between the sloppy kisses he had began to press against your throat, “Okay.. Okay.. I’ll do it there..” 

Your fingers tangled in his hair, tugging him closer to your covered chest. He came against you, hips stuttering, a broken cry of your name ripping from his throat. The noise alone made you clench down, your toes curling as you shuddered, thighs shaking around his hips. He continued to rock his hips against yours dragging out your orgasms. When he rolled off of you, still huffing, you couldn’t help but to hope that he would remember this in the morning. 

[wrecking-man]

Komi-san Can’t Adventure Chapter 7 - A Situation

Click here to read on AO3.

Before Tadano could actually do anything, he felt... something... going on in his head. It was a curious, indescribable sensation. It was accompanied by a somewhat muted crunching sound. It was concerning, but it was at least painless.

Divine Perception Level 2.

“Huh?” he asked no one in particular. Level up? I thought that was already max level since my Insight went to 100. “Whatever. This is no time to worry about that.”

He could sense Yamai had already returned to her residence. It was as if he could now feel her exact location in relation to him. She was getting closer―fast.

“Ah. Ah! Ohhh shit...” Tadano panicked and looked around. He could vaguely sense he had potentially fucked up big time. He scrambled to put anything he may have moved back to wherever it might have been and quickly sat back in the chair.

As humiliating as it was to admit, he knew he was no match for Yamai. He removed the very nice rope and fine cloth from his personal storage dimension in such a way that it appeared around him exactly as it was before he sucked them in.

Were it not for the cloth in his mouth, he would be clenching his teeth together in frustration at his situation. There was simply nothing he could do.

Had he been any later, he would have been in quite some trouble indeed. Yamai’s footsteps echoed loudly down the hall. S-she’s coming!

He was shook to his core with fear. Yamai was definitely not messing around with him.

The door creaked open, just a crack. Her fingers slowly appeared from the other side, soon followed by her head.

It was like death itself was staring him down.

She entered the room, and gently closed the door behind her, then locked it.

She approached him slowly, none the wiser of what all he may have seen. Perhaps this was his saving grace... Or perhaps not.

H-hii― I’m gonna get ki…

She kept walking until she was at the wall behind him.

?!

Yamai busied herself with removing her photographs from the wall as she gently asked, “Tadano-kun, sea or the mountains, which do you prefer?”

?! “M-mhmn? (Mountains?)” Tadano answered.

“Is that so?” Yamai answered with a smile that did not at all reflect her intentions, “Alright, then. I’ll bury you later.”

In the mountains!? Tadano realized.

Najimi’s loud voice could be heard calling out from the front gate.

There was a small red gem embedded into the adamantite bars of the gate that, when one’s thumb was pressed onto it, either unlocked the gate, or acted as a voice amplifier. It depended on who the person pressing it was.

The adamantite bars surrounding the estate acted as a catalyst for a strong barrier that would have been able to repel all but the most dedicated and powerful of trespassers.

The estate was massive. Yamai’s family, as it turned out, was filthy stinking rich. Her family had big money, and liked to show it.

“Yaaamai-chan!” Najimi yelled at the top of their lungs. This startled Komi, whom was standing beside them. “Caaan we cooome in?”

Yamai dashed to her window, which overlooked the front gate, but was not exactly within clear earshot. She could just barely see them. They looked like ants... Oh. But Komi she could see in vivid detail. “Not yeeet!~” she responded in turn, using her adventurer’s ring to amplify her own voice back.

She smiled and waved despite the obvious fact that they would hardly be able to see her.

Yamai glared back at Tadano as if he were lucky to still be alive. It was indeed a fact she wasn’t quite happy about. Not that she truly had any intention of killing him.

“A dear person to me is here now. If you’re noisy, I’ll bury you...” she told him flat out, “Ah, no. If you’re not noisy I won’t bury you… Alright?”

Tadano, long since drenched in nervous sweat, felt as though he were going to wind up buried either way, but he had no say in the matter.

Yamai shoved him into one of her closets, chair and all. There were a few boxes of shoes, and a couple of cute outfits on hangers, but it was otherwise empty. Empty like Tadano’s self-confidence in this given moment.

There was a soft knock at her door.

“Yamai-chan,” the most angelic voice called from the other side, “Shall I invite in your guests?”

The owner of this voice had bright red hair, which was styled into a messy-yet-adorable bob cut, and her skin was also red, just less so. She was a red oni. Like all other oni, she also had a pair of cute little horns on her head; the length of which increased during bouts of heightened emotion, just as it did with demons. She was always energetic, and always wore a smile. She had a nice personality, and everyone liked her. She was a super nice girl who would even greet someone like Tadano with a smile if she met him... I love her!!!

“Thank you, Akako-chan,” Yamai answered cheerfully, without opening the door, “Please do.”

While Onigashima Akako was a maid, that was merely an excuse for her to spend more time with her childhood friend.

Like Yamai, she too was also enlisted with the Itan Adventurer’s Guild―as a matter of course. She was to escort Yamai as a bodyguard any time she went on a quest. For that, she was very qualified.

Being a red oni from the island of Onigashima, Akako was easy to anger, and her anger fueled her strength. It was something few would dare to test... I could go on about her for days, but let’s save it.

With a simple movement of Yamai’s hand, all of the remaining photographs were flicked from their positions on her walls and ceiling, and filled her adventurer’s ring’s storage almost to capacity―not that they were the only thing contained within it.

She hardly wanted to use that method to collect them, just in case some of them might become damaged, but she was short on time.

“Okay! Welcome!” Yamai bid her guests welcome into her room, “Come in, come in. Sit down and leave a lot of your scent behind!”

“What? Scent?...” Najimi asked, as the three of them sat around a small, circular white table in the room.

Th-this voice. It’s Najimi? Najimi! Tadano was about to cry. He was somehow more relieved and more worried at the same time. Without thinking, he jostled the chair around. Najimi! Save me! As if Najimi could in the first place.

Najimi and Komi were both freaked out by the sudden noise coming from the closet. “Wa! That scared me!!” Najimi sputtered.

Yamai laughed cheerfully and banged on the closet door rhythmically, “Sorry. Akako-chan must be moving furniture around to clean.”

Komi and Najimi both got the impression that she was used to it.

Tadano wasn’t sure what exactly to do. On the one hand, he could easily get out of his binds, just as he did before. But on the other, would he survive long enough to explain the situation? Would Komi be too nervous to help him in time? Could Najimi even be of any kind of use? He couldn’t be certain of any of that! But he continued to make noise, since that seemed to have no consequences thus far.

Najimi laughed nervously. “A-Akako-chan sure is going at it...”

Yamai stood up from the table and knelt in front of her closet, muttering in a voice low enough for only Tadano to hear.

She then smiled at Komi and said, “Ah, everything’s fine. Don’t worry.”

But they were worried. They were super worried!!

“Ah, wait here,” Yamai insisted politely, “I almost forgot the reason I brought you here.”

“Ah, okay,” Najimi responded.

“Don’t open the closet,” Yamai said darkly, “...Alright?”

“O.. Okay,” Najimi responded again.

Yamai left the room.

Big mistake.

Najimi went open the closet right away.

Upon seeing it was Najimi who opened the door, and not Yamai, Tadano began to cry tears of relief.

“Err.. Sorry, are we interrupting you maybe...?” Najimi asked while averting all eye contact, unsure if this was just a side of Tadano heretofore unknown. Maybe he was an M?

Tadano violently shook his head ‘no’! He sucked in his binds once more and started to explain, but they were interrupted by Yamai’s door slamming open.

“So you saw it,” Yamai said flatly as she closed the door behind her. She already returned!

Along with the food and drinks she had returned with, which were now on the table, Yamai also came back with a knife.

Yamai let out a hopeless laugh. What kind of situation had she put herself in? All she wanted was to make Komi her friend. And then of course later something a bit more… “Don’t misunderstand, Komi-san. It’s not like Tadano-kun was a nuisance in my getting closer to you. This was all for your sake, Komi-san.”

Tadano’s heart was practically beating out of his chest. He could sense the death coming off of that knife.

“I mean, I’m right, aren’t I?” Yamai explained, “He’s neither smart nor good-looking. His height, weight, and muscles are all average. He doesn’t do anything particularly interesting, he has a stupid-looking face, and his only recognizable feature is a dull cockscomb. Isn’t it weird that such trash of a guy is getting close to a goddess like you, Komi-san?”

Those words pierced Tadano like a knife. A metaphorical knife. Not the literal one, which Yamai held loftily in front of her chest. Hearing someone actually say it kinda hurts…

“Don’t you think so too, Komi-san?” Yamai asked.

Komi couldn’t respond.

“After all... Komi-san is beautiful, stylish, and elegant. She’s interesting and has a nice personality, and doesn’t make you envy her. Yes, you’re an existence that brings me happiness. That a silver-rank adventurer at best, a low class bastard like Tadano-kun would dare to be near such a wonderful existence like Komi-san is itself weird. You think so too, don’t you, Komi-san?” Her heart cried out everything as she continued to air her complaints. “You would be happier with more noble friends, right? That’s why you don’t need Tadano-kun. That’s why you need me. I am by far the cutest in the Adventurer’s Guild, and everyone likes me… I gave it my all, you know? To be liked like that. To be able to become friends with someone like Komi-san.

She began to cry. Knowing full well her own hopelessness. “Isn’t it me who is suitable to be Komi-san’s friend? You do want to be my friend, right?… Isn’t that right, Komi-san?” She held her knife out a bit.

Uwah~. She’s terrifying.

The three didn’t know what to say to all that.

Komi shook her head ‘no’.

“Eh?” Yamai was surprised. Well, not that surprised.

Komi wrote in her book, then showed it to Yamai. [Sorry for intruding.]

She’s so polite!...

The three of them slowly made for the exit. Tadano and Najimi being more on guard than Komi, who was certain that Yamai wouldn’t actually attack them.

Yamai let out a breath. Everything she did. Was it really going to come to nothing in the end? What kind of face could she show the world if she gave up now?

“W-wait, Komi-san!” she pleaded, tears running down her face, “I-I have... for your sake...”

Cold silence. Or that’s how it was perceived.

Komi pulled her notebook out again, and looked for somewhere to write, eventually deciding on the floor. [I will decide my friends myself.]

Yamai lowered her knife as Komi left, followed quickly by Tadano.

Najimi stayed behind, although they were extremely reluctant to do so.

“I couldn’t say anything back...” Yamai said in pure dejection as she fell to her knees. She couldn’t help but laugh. “She hates me...” She continued to laugh at her own pitiful existence, and sobbed into her hands.

Najimi had backed up to the wall. Still unsure why they even stayed behind. It would have been so much easier with at least Tadano around. But no~.

Click here to read on AO3.

First Previous Next

[krizaland]

Enter the Zimvoid Chapter 29

First Chapter  Previous 

Just a few more chapters until the end! Prepare for spice and spoilers!

Zib shook away his shock and stood up a bit straighter.

A crazed grin spread across his face as he burst into maniacal laughter.

“What are you laughing at?!” 2k snapped as he folded his arms.

“Yeah, you were just verbally slaughtered! If I were you, I would just surrender now.” Palindrome added as he shook his head.

“Me? Surrender? Oh ho no! The only ones surrendering here are you! COMPUTER! CAPTURE THE PRISONERS! Except for Y/N and Number 2. I have something special in store for them” Zib giggled as he rubbed his hands together.

Before anyone else could respond, more tentacles jutted out and captured everyone save for you and Majestzee.

“Guys!” You yelped as you tried to run to help the others.

“Beautiful one, no!” Majestzee wailed as he pulled you away.

FWEE!

ZAP!

A large electric forcefield jutted out from the ground in front of the others.

“Nice try, Y/N but you can’t help your precious Zims now! I’ve already activated a special forcefield. If you try to touch it, it’ll give you quite a nasty shock!” Zib giggled as he sauntered towards you.

“Maybe the beautiful Y/N can no longer protect their Zims and… Dib-Stink but that doesn’t mean I can’t protect them from your FILTHY, lies!” Majestzee snarled as he made a lunge for Zib.

FWHAP!

Majestzee was snatched up by another tentacle that jutted up from the ground.

“Majestzee!! No!” You wailed as you reached out to him.

“You’re lucky you’re such an advanced Zim, Number 2. otherwise I’d have you executed along with the rest of these pathetic Zims.” Spit fired from Zib’s mouth as he lowered the tentacle to meet his gaze.

“My name is Majestzee now and you will release me or suffer-”

“Yeah, yeah yeah, I’ll suffer your wrath. Blah, blah, blah. Man, I liked it better when you were worshiping me, Number 2.” Zib grumbled as he clamped a hand over Majestzee’s mouth.

“And I’d like you better if you were a chair!” You quipped as you shot Zib a death glare.

Your words seemed to have hit a nerve as Zib’s face burned with rage.

“You….You really don’t mean that do you?” Zib’s left eye twitched as he spoke through clenched teeth.

“I do mean that! If you were a chair, then maybe you wouldn’t be such an insufferable creep!” You snapped as you put your hands on your hips.

“Oh? Is that what you think? Is that what you really think?” A crazed giggle escaped Zib’s throat as he pulled out a bright blue microchip.

Sweat poured down your face as you quickly realized that you had just messed up. Big time.

“W-Well um-”

“Well tell me, Y/N, could a chair do this?!”

Before you could respond, Zib jammed the microchip into Majestzee’s PAK.

BZZAT!

Majestzee’s head filled with static as the microchip begun to take effect.

“Beautiful one…..I…love…you…..”

Those were the last words that left Majestzee’s lips before his body went limp.

“MAJESTZEE! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM, YOU MONSTER?!” You demanded as you burst into tears.

“Oh, ho. You’ll see, Y/N….You’ll see….” Zib’s voice was cold as his crazed smile remained

Majestzee’s eyes popped open. His once ruby eyes were now clouded by an eerie blue glow.

Zib let out another crazed giggle as he released Majestzee.

“Majestzee?” Your voice was small as Majestzee’s dull eyes looked at you.

“H….Hail Dib!”

You and the rest of the group gasped in unison.

“Oh my god….Majestzee…..What has he done to you?” You whimpered as you covered your mouth.

“What’s wrong Y/N? I let him go! Aren’t you happy to see that he’s still alive?!” Zib cooed mockingly as he stuck out his lower lip.

“W-What have you done to him?!” You spluttered as you backed away a bit.

“Oh, I’ve simply reprogrammed his PAK with my Dib Virus! Now I don’t even need to trick him into obeying me, isn’t that right Number 2?” Zib chuckled as he gestured to Number 2

“Yes, oh great and glorious Dib.” Majestzee’s voice was cold and robotic.

“WHAT?! THAT’S DISGUSTING! I’M DISGUSTED!” 2k gasped.

“I never liked the guy but he doesn’t deserve this.” Palindrome added as he tried to look away.

“Is this how you plan on executing him?! By corrupting his PAK?!” Specs snapped.

“Oh, ho no. No, you sad, little Zim. I’m not going to execute Number 2. Not yet anyway. He is going to Y/N’s timeline to unleash my Dib Virus onto their Irken Armada! Once my Dib Virus takes down the Armada, then I’ll execute him!” Zib cackled as he threw his arms into the air.

“WHAT?! THAT’S SO MUCH WORSE! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU’RE TOYING WITH! NO IDEA AT ALL!” Specs shrieked as he thrashed about.

“Oh I know waay more than you do, space boy! And as for you, Y/N! You will be marrying me! Right here! Right now! I’ve already taken the liberty of bringing the Mental Reprogrammer Helmet!” Zib sang as he held up the helmet, “Number 2! Hold them!”

“Yes, oh great and glorious Dib”

Before you could respond, Majestzee swiftly scooped you up into his arms and pulled you into a tender hug.

Zib let out an annoyed growl as he dragged a hand down his face.

“NOT LIKE THAT, YOU IDIOT! HOLD Y/N IN PLACE! YOU KNOW, RESTRAIN THEM! SO I CAN PUT THE HELMET ON THEM!” Zib roared as he stomped his feet.

“Oh. My apologies, oh great and glorious Dib.” Majestzee reluctantly let go of you for a moment before restraining you properly.

“Majestzee…please..” More tears trickled down you cheeks.

“I apologize, but I must obey the great and glorious Dib.” A sliver of sadness peeked through Majestzee’s robotic demeanor.

“Thank you! Ok, so it looks like it might take a while for the virus to take full control but this will have to do for now.” Zib muttered as he rubbed his temples.

“I never thought I’d say this but, looks like my Zim is our only hope now…” Dib whimpered as he stared up at the ceiling.

Meanwhile, your Zim was tinkering away at the Dimensional Zapper.

“Are you done yet? Are you done yeeet? ARE YOU DONE YET?!” GIR sang as he dangled from the Zapper.

“No GIR! I already told you! I’m reprogramming the Dimensional Zapper so that it sends all of the other Zims back to their own timelines! This process is going to take much more time! Just give me a few more minutes and I’ll have everything set up!” Your Zim snapped as he continued to tinker away.

“Oooh! Everyone’s gonna go home?” GIR giggled.

“Yes, GIR,” Your Zim sighed as he wiped a few beads of sweat off his forehead.

“Everyone’s gonna go home.”

Next

[voightsgirl]

crossfire: volume i - chapter 18

a/n yeeet so i’m off to oxford for a four-day university interview (lowkey shitting myself) so i probably won’t be posting much for you over the next few days!! but i will post quite a few chapters over the weekend to make up for it, and I think, with what’s coming your way, you’ll probably appreciate that!!            & previous chapters can be found here

☆ it never gets easier ☆

Although Erin and Jay made an effort to dress up nice for the dinner with Avery’s social worker, Erin wearing a gorgeous burgundy dress and Jay his suit jacket, Avery clearly hadn’t received the memo. She traipsed out of her bedroom a few moments after Erin called her name, dressed in ripped jeans, her black doc martens, and an old t-shirt and hoodie.

“You ready?” she asked, and Erin just nodded, smirking slightly to herself as she noticed the similarities between Avery’s wardrobe and that of her fifteen year old self. It made her smirk slightly sadly as she caught a glimpse of herself in the window over the mantelpiece, actually, because all the lipstick in the world couldn’t cover that little girl up – but, with Avery here, for once Erin didn’t feel like she needed to. That little girl was her, so why should she bother?

“Let’s go,” Jay said, and, placing a reassuring hand on the small of Erin’s back, he ushered the two women out of the door and shut it behind them, taking a deep breath to prepare himself for what – and who – came next.

☆

When they arrived at the restaurant, Sharon was already sat at the table.

“Are we late?” Erin whispered out of the corner of her mouth to Jay, shocked at the idea that her constantly-on-time-for-everything boyfriend could possibly have been late to something as important as this.

Jay checked his watch. “No,” he shook his head. “She’s early.”

Sharon had noticed them and waved them over enthusiastically. Jay frowned. This was a very different woman to the one he’d met (and yelled at) earlier.

“Erin, Jay,” Sharon greeted them both with a friendly handshake. “Avery,” she smiled. Avery just nodded her greeting, looking bored.

Sharon seemed to notice Jay’s raised eyebrows and confusion at her change in character – as well as attire – and she winked at him, which just made him look even more baffled.

Seeing the awkwardness, Erin spoke up. “Shall we sit?””

Sharon nodded, retaking her place at the table. Avery sat down next to her, leaving Erin and Jay the seats next to each other and opposite her and Sharon. Erin took the seat next to Sharon instead of the one next to Avery that was the one she was naturally drawn to, noticing Jay’s reluctance, and he smiled at her gratefully.

“So,” Sharon began after the awkward silence that had fallen after the waiter had taken their order and left had become too much. “I assume you both want an explanation?”

Erin and Jay nodded, exchanging glances.

“Yes,” Avery said. At the looks on the adults’ faces, she continued, “I mean, Jay yelled at you. Of course I want an explanation – hey, maybe if it’s good enough, I can sell the movie rights! I would so pay to see that.” The sarcasm dripped from her tongue, heavy and thick as lava.

“Okay,” Sharon continued as if Avery had never spoken, while Erin and Jay put on their best adult listening faces and tried not to laugh. “I find that in cases like these, where there’s a couple – and, usually, an unmarried one – applying to look after a child, there is always one of the two who is more keen than the other, one who initiates the situation, as such. Erin was clearly the one who came up with the idea, and I needed to ensure that Jay, you too, were up for this and ready to fight for custody of Avery.”

“You mean it was a test?” Jay exclaimed, not quite believing it.

The social worker shook her head. “Not exactly,” she told him “But if it were, you’d have passed. I was, however, genuinely concerned about both of your histories, and your work arrangements and how your timing would work out with Avery’s schooling, but Erin proved to me that you could handle school and work timings, and Jay, well, you more than showed me that you and Erin are going to give Avery her best chance.”

Jay smiled. “We will,” he assured her – but everyone around the table knew that he was talking more to Avery than he was to Sharon. Erin reached across the table and squeezed Avery’s hand.

“He’s right,” she said. “We will.”

Avery smiled for a second before she drew her hand away and looked down at her knife and fork.

Erin smiled sadly. Baby steps, she thought. Even a small genuine smile from Avery was progress.

“Besides, there was something Jay said that really got me thinking,” Sharon said.

“Oh?” asked Erin.

“That maybe your pasts are exactly the reason why you would be able to look after Avery well.”

Erin smiled, and she met Jay’s eyes above the table, reaching her hand down underneath it to pat him gently on the knee.

Avery looked slightly confused by the whole situation, whether it was the newness of having someone there to fight for her, or because at no point during this conversation had anyone talked about what these “histories” and “pasts” actually were. Erin’s, she had an idea of, but what had Jay been through that raised such a red flag for Sharon? Avery had no clue, but something told her that dinner probably wasn’t the best place to bring it up.

Luckily, the waiter chose that moment to arrive with their food, and Erin chose that moment to launch into a fond description of Will and Natalie and Owen, and they eased gently into conversation.

By the end of dinner, Avery almost believed that they could be a proper family. Almost.

After dessert, they began to gather their things and made to leave. Sharon insisted on paying the check even though Jay and Erin protested persistently (persuaded, eventually, only by Avery’s “Jeez, guys. Just take the free meal!”). Jay and Avery left first, leaving Erin and Sharon behind and making their way to the parking lot, still chatting.

Erin smiled as she watched them, and it was only what she bent over to pick up her scarf from where it had fallen during the meal, that she realized that Sharon was doing the same. “You know, I’ve been Avery’s social worker for the past four and a half years, and every single placement that I’ve found for her has fallen through. It never gets easier, you know? Getting their hopes up only for them to lash out and blame you when it all goes wrong and inevitably ends.”

Erin looked at her. “At least this time, she knows it’s only temporary?” she offered in an attempt to make Sharon rest easier.

Sharon nodded, and then suddenly, as if a light had been flicked on inside her brain, she snapped her head up to face Erin properly. “But what if it didn’t have to be?” she asked, the idea sparkling in her eyes.

Erin’s jaw dropped. “You mean –”

“I mean, this dinner went well. Extremely well, in fact. I can see how dedicated you and Jay are, and from what you were saying about your friends and family, you have plenty of support. What if you, maybe, considered – considered becoming official, long term foster parents for Avery.”

“Sharon…” Erin breathed. She didn’t know what to say. “I really, really don’t know if we’re ready for that…”

“I – of course,” she backtracked hastily. “That was unprofessional of me. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s not that,” Erin reassured her. “It’s just…Avery just moved in. This is all happening really fast…”

“I know,” the social worker told her. “I’m sorry. I got ahead of myself. But seeing you guys with her really got me thinking.” She paused. “Do you want to know what else Jay said to me earlier that really persuaded me?”

Erin nodded.

“’You take Erin Lindsay away from this kid and you take away the best chance she’s got.’” She quoted Jay’s words perfectly.

Erin choked up a little at the phrase. “I…” she began, but she didn’t know how to respond.

“Erin, I think he’s right. And I’m not asking you to make any decisions right away. You have until your case is over, after all, and the protective custody can be lifted…but just think about it?”

Erin took a deep breath. She wanted it. So badly. Of course she did. If Erin really was Avery’s best chance, then she’d do whatever she could to make sure that Avery stayed with her. But first, she needed to know that this was actually the case – and that she wasn’t just clinging to Avery for personal, or worse still, selfish reasons.

“Okay,” she caved. “I’ll consider it. But no promises. And no one else finds out, understood?”

Sharon nodded. “Understood. Thanks, Erin.”

The two of them followed Jay and Avery out to the parking lot. They had taken refuge from the bitter cold in the car, and were bonding excitedly over their mutual disgust of Erin’s music taste. Apparently classic rock wasn’t Avery’s thing, either. She said goodbye to Sharon and made her way to the car, and threw open the door to the driver’s seat where Jay was sitting, looking like a guilty puppy.

“Out,” Erin commanded, and Jay saluted ironically, nudging Avery out of the passenger’s side. She just shrugged and climbed over into the back seat, ignoring both Erin and Jay’s protests at her dirty shoes scuffing the leather seats of their precious car.

Erin shook her head and twisted the key in the ignition, starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot.

Jay’s phone rang suddenly and he answered it within seconds, seeing that the caller ID was Will.

“Hey, brother,” he greeted him. “What’s up?”

“Well, you seem awfully chipper. That got anything to do with a phone call I got from DCFS earlier?”

The knowing tone of Will’s voice made Jay panic.

“Why did they…?”

“Relax, Jay,” Will chuckled down the line. “Erin wrote Nat and I down as emergency contacts, and they rang to check that this was okay and that they had all of our information correct.”

“Phew,” Jay smiled. After this morning, he’d half expected Will to say he’d been interrogated by Sharon the way that he had.

“Anyway, where are you, little brother?” Will asked.

“Who’s asking?” Jay raised an eyebrow. They were nearly back at the apartment.

“Me and Nat. We’ve been waiting at your place for the past ten minutes with a bottle of wine. Please tell me you’ll be back soon. I’ve been dying for a drink all day.”

“Uh…” Jay covered the speaker with the palm of his hand as he spoke to Erin and Avery in the car. “Will and Natalie are waiting for us to celebrate and meet Avery. You guys okay with that? I know it’s late and we’re working tomorrow, so I can get rid of them if you want…”

“No, I want to meet them,” Avery smiled.

“It’s not that late,” Erin said. “And it’s not like you have school tomorrow or anything.”

“Okay. Yeah, Will,” he returned to the phone conversation. “We’ll be five minutes.”

“Sweet. See you, Jay. And by the way…I’m really proud of you.” He hung up before Jay could respond, but a huge grin spread across Jay’s face nonetheless.

☆

“Avery!” Erin called from the kitchen the next morning as the light streamed through the huge glass window and bathed Chicago in the fresh glow of a November morning. Jay had made breakfast – eggs on toast, Erin’s favorite – but so far Avery hadn’t emerged from her bedroom. Erin frowned. “Should I be worried?” she asked Jay, who just shrugged.

“It’s only seven, and she’s a teenage girl. She’s probably still asleep.”

Erin chuckled lightly. “After last night? I’ll bet.”

Will and Natalie had been at their place for hours – drinking beer and laughing and chatting away to Avery. They told stories of their work, of Owen, of each other and how they met and of times they’d spent with Erin and Jay, and Will even cracked out some of the old baby Jay stories and told Avery some of the things the two brothers got up to when they were growing up, which made her laugh.

At some point during the night, though, Avery had snuck out to the bathroom without anyone noticing. She had stood over the bathroom sink, staring at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t explain what was wrong – she was having a great time, and everyone here was being so nice to her, and not pity-nice, either, genuinely nice – but for some reason she just felt incredible detached. It was like she was floating above herself, watching her body talk and laugh and have fun, and she couldn’t get back down to earth.

Maybe it was the drugs. Or, more specifically, the lack of them – she hadn’t had a fix since Erin and Jay had found her in the alleyway and although she wasn’t feeling it just yet, she had become slightly twitchy in the last hour or so, and she figured that the withdrawal was on its way.

Erin didn’t know any of this, of course, and Avery didn’t want her to. Although she was grateful to Erin for helping her out, she knew it was only temporary. And, in spite of herself, she hated the feeling that being here gave her: that she was a charity project. That she was dependent on somebody else. She didn’t like needing people.

So she splashed a bit of water on her face, smiled into the mirror and stepped outside.

“Erin?” she’d said quietly, and Erin had turned around.

“Is everything okay?” she asked her, a look of fond concern on her face as she put down her drink.

Avery nodded. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I’m just – really tired. Do you mind if I go to bed?”

Erin smiled. “No, not at all! Hey – I know this was probably a bit overwhelming for you, and I’m sorry if you feel that way…?” she said it as if it were a question, and Avery felt the need to respond.

“Uh…no – no, it was fun. Your friends are really nice.”

Erin narrowed her eyes slowly, but didn’t push. “Okay, well. Sleep well. Thanks for being so brilliant today, I know it’s tough.”

Avery just nodded. “Night.” She looked over at Jay, Will and Natalie who were still deep in conversation. “Night, everyone. Nice to meet you.”

“Night,” Natalie and Will chorused and everyone started to chuckle at how utterly adorable the pair were. Even Avery smiled slightly.

Erin watched as she disappeared into her bedroom and shut the door. She had the feeling that something was wrong but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it – and if being in Avery’s position herself had taught her anything, it was that she would never violate her trust by going into her bedroom when she wasn’t wanted. So, even though she wanted to, she didn’t go and check on Avery until the next morning.

She left Jay in the kitchen and went to go wake Avery up. Although her rule about Avery’s bedroom being her own private place, she really did need to wake her up soon as she was supposed to be starting the school Voight had gotten her a place in today, and they were not about to be late.

“Avery,” she called again, knocking twice on the door, but the second she flung it open, she noticed that Avery was nowhere to be seen – and the window was wide open, the curtains flapping in the early morning breeze. “Son of a…” Erin whispered, staring in disbelief.

Where the hell had she gone? And, more importantly – why?

☆ ☆ ☆

thank you all so much for reading and supporting this fic!! if you’d like to be notified when it’s updated either head over to my ff.net account or message me and i’ll tag you at the end of the post :)

@allenting @sophiaxjesse @writteninthestarsandthesky@riverdaleangels@chillmydude @halsteadpd