#i know hes just some bald guy but god . slaps his bald spot making the sound of a screenshot . he means sm to me

[ufogoo]

not to swtor post on main but i am Not normal about the minister

[i-think-i-did-it-again]

Distressed VI

“We’re going to have so much fun,” a voice sneers at you slowly regain consciousness.

Your head is throbbing and your eyes feel like they’re on fire. Sluggishly, you look around and realise you’re still in your living room but it’s darker. All the blinds are closed and there’s no lights on. The light allowing you to make anything out is streaming in under the front door from the hallway. You’re not sure how much time has passed but you don’t think it’s much. There’s a tall figure standing in front of you but you can’t make out too many features as their back is turned to you. You’re fairly sure it’s a man, based on the height and the deep bass of his chuckle. You can see dark brown hair, almost black, a slight bald spot at the crown of his head. He’s wearing a dark hoodie and black jeans with dirty black army boots.

You look down and can immediately feel the stinging sensation of your hands and ankles bound to one of your dining chairs with duct tape. You try your hardest to stretch the sticky vices but it’s wrapped so many times that you can’t free yourself no matter how hard you try. Your straining has alerted the stranger to your consciousness and you immediately still.

“Well, well, well. Look who’s finally awake,” he taunts. As he turns you’re finally able to make out his features.

“You,” you gasp in horror as you recognise the man from the night before. “How the hell did you find me?”

“You can call me Julian. The police did not hide your information well while they interrogated me for 5 fucking hours,” he boast mighty proud of his spying skills.

“What do you want with me?” You ask, terrified of the answer.

“To have fun, finish what we started.” He leans down so he’s level with you and you can see a mad glint in his eyes. “And this time, there’ll be no one to interrupt us. But I have some rules,” he begins to pace and you again try to stretch the tape but a violent slap against your cheek stops you as you cry out. “Rule number 1, if you try to escape I will punish you. Rule number 2, if you don’t do what I say I will punish you. Rule number 3, if you hurt me in anyway I will punish you. Finally, rule number 4, and this is more of a warning, there’s no one here to save you this time.”

Hours have passed and the anticipation of what’s to come is killing you. After being told the rules, your attacker disappeared into your bedroom and then the kitchen where he still is now. You’re fairly sure he’s testing you to see if you try to escape again. Instead, you pray to any god who will listen to help you, save you, protect you. You could hear your phone ring several times while he was in the bedroom. Every time it rang, he hung up each and every call before eventually turning it off. You’re hoping it’s Sarah who was calling because you know she’ll come and check on you if she can’t reach you through your phone but that had to have been at least 2 hours ago. You decide it’s probably best she didn’t come. You don’t want her getting hurt trying to help you.

The stranger comes back into the living room and he strokes your tender cheek as he passes. He kneels in front of you, one hand palming your left breast roughly while the other taps his chin as if in thought.

“I’m racking my brain, trying to decide what I’m going to do with you first,” Julian explains matter of factly.

Before you can respond, he tears your t-shirt, exposing your bra. He almost drools at the sight of your cleavage and you just pray in your head that this will not be the guy you lose your virginity to. While he gropes both your breasts now, he slams his lips onto your’s and begins to kiss your mouth viciously. You try to resists and he punishes you by slapping both your breasts. The pain makes you open your mouth to cry out and he takes this opportunity to stick his tongue into your mouth. You almost gag at the sheer force of his rough tongue in your mouth. He’s pushing on you so hard now that you can feel the chair leaning back under the pressure. You close your eyes and imagine that you’re anywhere but right here, in this chair, trapped with this monster. In your mind you know he won’t let you walk away from this. You mentally say your goodbyes to everyone you love and care about.

Your mind travels to Colson and you feel tears prick your eyes. You pray he won’t feel guilt about any of this. You pray he won’t be the one to find you. The creep finally pulls away from your mouth and you try to catch your breath but it’s stuck in your throat as you hold back a sob.

“I’m going to untie you now and you’re going to stand up and turn around. Do you understand?” You know your voice won’t come out if you try to speak so instead you nod. He pulls out a switchblade from his right boot and begins working at cutting through the duct tape. As he’s working, thumping knock sounds at the door and your heart stops.

Please don’t be Sarah, please don’t be Sarah. Oh god, let it be a neighbour.

“Do not say a word,” he breathes almost silently, grabbing your face roughly in one of his hands. He plants a wet sloppy kiss to your lips and you try your best not to dry heave.

He walks to the door quietly and looks out through the peephole. He doesn’t say anything and you assume he’s going to ignore it but instead, he turns to you with a menacing look in his eyes before unlocking the deadbolt. He doesn’t open the door fully, just enough to let a crack of light in. He uses his body to hide you from the stranger and you breathe as quietly as possible.

“Can I help you?” He asks gruffly but tries to hide his annoyance.

“I’m her to pick up Y/N,” the stranger has a deep voice that you don’t recognise.

“She’s busy tonight,” Julian replies and tries to close the door but it stops against something hard.

“Well, she’s got other plans. My boss told me she’d be ready at 8, it’s now 8:30 and he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

You look out the window and realise the sun has completely disappeared and is replaced by darkness and the slight glow of a moon. You finally connect that this must be Colson’s bodyguard coming to collect you for the concert. Has he told Colson you’re late? Is that why he’s now standing at your door a mere 5 feet away from you? You feel the loosened tape on your ankles and begin straining to try and stretch it out.

“You can tell your boss that Y/N doesn’t care that he’s waiting. She’s not coming to see him tonight. She’s busy with me and only me for the evening.”

Something about the way Julian speaks must spark something in the bodyguard because you can see him strain himself, not hard considering how tall he is, to see over the top of Julian’s head and his eyes make contact with yours.

“What the fuck?”

He pushes through Julian as if he is nothing but a feather, flinging him to the ground. The switchblade falls out of Julian’s back pocket and the bodyguard kicks it away. Before Julian has a chance to compose himself, the tall brooding man lands a hard blow into his stomach with his boot and Julian grunts and then remains unmoved on the floor, curled into a ball.

“Are you ok?” The bodyguard beelines over to you and his large hands make little work at removing all the tape. “I’m Spencer. You go downstairs and wait in the black Audi for me. I’m going to call the cops.”

You nod but your feet stay frozen as Julian sluggishly climbs to his feet and heads straight for Spencer. He spear tackles him to the ground into your coffee table, splintering the wood. Catching him by surprise, Julian has the upper hand and when he gets up on top of Spencer, he begins to lay punch after punch into him. You can’t tell what’s going on exactly as it’s just a mad frenzy of limbs but you’re fairly sure a lot of Julian’s blows are landing. You stand completely frozen but your mind is screaming at you to do something, anything. You look around helplessly and spot your dining room chair in the middle of the room. You pick it up and swing it over the top of Julian, causing him to buckle under the blow. Spencer quickly regains himself and gets up on top of Julian. In the mad scurry, neither you or Spencer had noticed that Julian had found his switchblade until he plunges it into the left side of Spencer, causing him to cry out in pain. Julian is able to easily remove Spencer’s large frame off him and shove him to the side. His eyes glint at you and your body stiffens in pure terror.

“That wasn’t very nice, darling,” Julian snarls at you and slight yelp escapes between your lips.

He grabs you by a large scruff of your hair and drags you to your bedroom, shutting the front door closed on his way. You try to stop yourself but it just makes him pull harder on your hair. Your begging doesn’t nothing to placate him. He slams you onto the bed, his switchblade, now covered in Spencer’s blood, still in his hand. He cuts your already torn t-shirt and jabs the blade into your chest, just enough to make it hurt but not enough to fully break through your skin.

“Remember my rules,” is all he says as he runs the blade over your skin.

He makes it all the way down to your jeans and he uses the blade to slit through the material. He drags them down your legs and rips them off you in a frenzy. You lie their terrified as his eyes rake over your body. He licks his lips and just as he’s about to take off your Pattie’s, someone yanks him by his neck and flings him off you. Your eyes connect with angry, piercing blue eyes and a strange calm washes over you. Colson.

[levis-hazelnut]

Summary: when you and your best friend, Hanji, were younger, you had made up stories about your dream guys - what they would look like and how you would meet. What happens when the one you had made up appears to be real?

Warning(s): mentions of abuse (if you squint). Please do tell me if there are anymore.

Taglist: closed

Status: completed!

part 1 > part 2

series masterlist

(a/n: i love mikasa, she’s a queen. But I’m sorry because she’s gonna be a bitch in this lol)

"(Y/N)! (Y/N)! (Y/N)! (Y/N)!!!!!!!!" Before that call, I was peacefully eating lunch with my friends and didn't wish for any interruptions from my crazy, loud best friend. I was just sitting there with some of my calm friends that I was in the mood for; quietly speaking about life, no stress, no laughter, no loud talking - just nice conversation. Other times (most of the time), however, I would be in the mood for my best friend, wanting laughter, craziness and loud talking. But this wasn't one of those times... So why the hell was she here sprinting and screeching for me? "(Y/N)!!!!!!!" "For fuck's sake," I murmured. "What do you want, Hanji?" I asked when she pushed off Connie, who was sitting opposite me, and sat in his place. She leaned forward and caught her breath as her gaze was not at me, but behind me. Before I could turn around, she grabbed my head and forced me to face her which made me frown. "What the hell is going on?" "Okay, so... Remember about five years ago when we would talk about our dream guy and meeting them later in life. And remember when we said that you would find your dream guy in university..."

"Hanji--" "Don't talk. Let me finish the story of the past." *FLASHBACK* With the sun beaming down on me and Hanji as we ate our lunch together on the grass, we stupidly and crazily told each other about our dream husbands. The appearance of my dream guy was based on a character from a show I watched. And because we were still young, horny and stupid, we let our imagination create stories of how we would meet our dream guy. Let's forget about Hanji's and skip to mine... So, Hanji had thought of it with that extraordinary brain of hers. She said that, "We would be having lunch with our new friends, and maybe some of our school ones like Connie, Eren, Sasha, Jean and Armin. Anyway, you would be talking to someone as I sit next to you, quietly eating--" "Hanji, that's already not going to be true. How are you going to be quiet?" "Hush, let me carry on. So, I'll be eating, maybe not quietly, and then I look around the canteen and see him... walking with his lunch in his hand. Standing there in his handsomeness, with black hair, grey eyes, a light complexion, emotionless expression. I don't know what his personality is when he's there, but his appearance is pretty similar to how we imagine him to be. I gasp and smack your shoulder many times to get your attention which you click your tongue at. I point towards him and you look where I'm staring, which is when you gasp as well, trying to find the words but I already know what you're going to say. And we get up and stalk him. As we do that, I spot his keys in his bag and cleverly take them, passing them to you. When he sits down, I tell you to give it to him but you're too shy so I push you forward until you're in his sight. He looks at you and you shyly hold them out to him, saying: 'I think these are yours. You dropped them'. And then he thanks you and you live happily ever after." "... That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. But, if that does happen, then I love you and your brain." And since that day, she kept on adding to the story which made me excited to meet my future husband. Of course, however, I knew this story of hers wasn't going to come true, no matter how young, horny and stupid I was. *END OF FLASHBACK* "Yes, Hanji, I remember that. But why are you telling me this?" "You idiotic fool! He's right there behind you!" "I swear, if you're lying--" "I'm not, I'm not!! Just look!" I slowly twisted my head to see the man I've wanted to marry for many years. Was he really there? Is Hanji just playing a prank on me? I took a deep breath and looked to see who she was talking about... And there he was, exactly how I had imagined. Well, maybe not exactly, but extremely similar. "Hanji, you already know what we're doing?" She vigorously nodded as both of us got up and raced towards him, and then slowed down when we got closer so we don't look like weirdos or creeps (which we technically were). He was holding no bag, but luckily, Hanji saw his credit card in his back pocket and somehow got it without him realising.

I never knew how much I loved her until this moment. This mysterious, kind of magical man sat down on a table with two of his other friends. But I could care less about them. Taking a deep breath, I tapped his shoulder and he looked up at me with the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. They may have had no shimmer or emotion in them, but they still entranced me. I didn't realise I was staring for too long until he spoke, "Are you just going to stand there and look at me, or actually say something, brat?" Maybe those weren't the first words I expected to hear, but at least it was something. His voice was deep and velvety and void of any emotion and I wanted to hear him speak more. It probably wasn't even that attractive to other people, but this was someone I had made up in my mind and he's right here in front of me, so I'm going to fall in love with every aspect with him. "Oh, sorry... Um, you dropped this," I said quietly and held out his card to him. He lifted an eyebrow at first before taking it from me, his fingers skimming my skin as he did that. "Hey, are you okay? Why do you keep staring into space like that?" "Uh, yeah, I-I'm fine. Just a little tired. Anyway, um... I'm going to go... eat my lunch. Bye." "Thank you, by the way, random person." I laughed lightly. "(Y/N)." "Thank you, (Y/N)." "So--" "Hey, (Y/N)!!" I mentally rolled my eyes when my name was called and my best friend appeared beside me, throwing an arm onto my shoulders. "What do you need, Hanji?" I murmured. "I just wanted to know who your new, little friend is. Looks like you were having fun." "Um, no. I just gave him his card since he dropped it." "Oh, so you're best friends now! Why don't you sit right next to him and have lunch together?" "Hanji," I said in a tone for her to back off. But she carried on anyway, pushing me onto the seat next to the man. "I'm so sorry about her. She's... insane." "I can tell," he said, eyeing both of us up and down. We were both definitely going to be the weirdos he should stay away from. "Well, you can go--" "(Y/N), I think you should stay! You seem like a delightful person!" the girl with pigtails opposite me squealed and I smiled at her. "It's nice to make new friends," a blonde male next to her stated with a polite smile. "Let her stay, Levi." "Oh, it's fine. My friends are probably wondering where I am," I stated, turning to find Hanji, but she wasn't there. "Shit," I mumbled. "What's wrong?" "Oh, nothing. I mean, I literally just came to give him his card and now I'm having lunch with you three. It's kind of weird." "'Him' has a name," he muttered bitterly. "It's Levi." "Sorry, Levi." I want to marry you, Levi. "You can leave now if you want." "Uh, yeah, I should probably go," I said and started to get up. "No, stay! Levi, you can't just push someone away!" the female with green eyes scolded him. "We barely even know her." "So? It's good to meet nice people and become friends." "Tch. You two can do whatever you want, then." "Maybe I can join you guys for lunch another time. Looks like Mr Moody doesn't want company." "Mr Moody?" he repeated and lifted an eyebrow at me. "You just met me and you're giving me that nickname?" "Uhh... I'm going to go now." "Bye, (Y/N)! I'm Isabel, by the way, and this is Farlan." "Bye, Isabel, Farlan. It was nice talking to you." I got up without addressing the raven-haired male and made my way back to my table, huffing as soon as I sat down. "I messed up bad," I complained to myself, causing the bald male beside me to inquire what happened. "It's nothing. Just me being stupid and childish to think that I'll magically be able to become some gloomy guy's girlfriend." "Who is this 'gloomy guy'?" "It's (Y/N)'s crush who's sitting right over there with that grinning girl and some other guy!" "Hanji, just forget about it. He hates me." "I've never seen him before," Connie stated, taking a secret glance at him. "We just saw him today as well." "And he's already your crush?" "Basically--" "Hanji, we promised that we won't tell anyone," I snapped. "It's stupid and I never want to talk about it again." "I mean, it's not really stupid if he's real. It could just be your fault because you were nervous and acted awkward around him. But then again, it could be my fault because I kind of forced you to sit next to him. Maybe I should let you do it your own way. So, for once, (Y/N), I won't get involved. I don't want this chance to go." "I doubt you'll be able to keep that promise." "I will! I don't want you to be annoyed and depressed forever. So you do whatever you want. And you can slap me if I get involved in the tiniest way." "Okay. Thank you, Hanji." "I'm still so confused," the baldie said. "Maybe I'll tell you one day, Connie. Maybe when I make progress." "Okay--" "Oh my god!! I just realised - he's actually real and right there!" I suddenly yelled, causing the canteen to quieten as students looked at me with confusion. "Ugh, I'm such an idiot. I need to stop making a fool out of myself. Did Levi look at me, Hanji?" "No. But he obviously still heard you." "God, I just want to die..." ~/~ Thanks to my roommate, I had to rush my morning routine and miss breakfast since I had to run to the university, which was about a five-minute walk away. Since I was running, however, it took me three minutes. I was definitely going to give Hanji what she deserves for not waking me up. I stumbled into the lecture hall to find that they had already started. I quickly apologised for being late and found a random spot to settle down and catch my breath. I took my laptop out of my bag and gulped on some water as I waited for it to load. And I soon got to work, focusing on the lecture and not taking notice of the people around me. As I was listening to my professor, someone beside me whispered my name and so I rotated my head to look at them. Act cool. Be calm, (Y/N). Just because you're taking the same course and you're going to see him more than you thought, doesn't mean you can freak out. "Do you have a pen I could borrow?" Levi asked in a hushed tone and I sifted through my clothes and bag to find a pen that he can use. After about a minute of looking, I found one at the bottom of my bag and passed it to him with a smile. He thanked me before both of us got on with our work. I could barely concentrate now that I knew who I was sitting next to, but I still tried my best. Towards the end of the lecture, which seemed like hours, my stomach rumbled and I froze and internally cringed. Why did that have to happen? Well, I didn't have breakfast so I guess it's understandable, but still. Shortly, I was able to leave, so everyone filed out and I packed my things away, slinging my bag over my shoulder as I made my way out. As I was leaving the hall, a familiar, husky voice called for me and I stopped. "You know, for someone that doesn't like people, you sure like saying people's names," I joked. "I was just going to give you your pen back and ask if you wanted to grab something to eat since it sounds and looks like you haven't had breakfast." "Shit, was my stomach that loud?" "I couldn't hear Professor Erwin," he said with no amusement, but something told me that he was just joking with me. I playfully rolled my eyes and let a small laugh escape my mouth before taking the pen from his hand and walking out with him following after me. "Hey, so yesterday, I was kind of in a bad mood which is why I acted like that. Though, I am usually cold and unfriendly and--" "What are you trying to say?" "Let's start over. Isabel and Farlan made me feel guilty, so let's get you some breakfast and know each other some more. All I know is that you and your glasses friend are weirdos." "Well, thank you very much for saying that, Mr Moody. We are weirdos, and we're proud." "Hey, Levi!" "Hey, (Y/N)!!" There were two different voices and two different names being called at the same time, yet they were coming from the same direction. Two sighs sounded when I saw Hanji and Levi saw Isabel. "What did I miss? Why are you two walking together?" Isabel asked. "We're going to get some breakfast. Since you, Hanji, never woke me up," I replied, arching an eyebrow and folding my arms over my chest. "I didn't know when your first lecture was, and I thought you would've put an alarm. How late were you?" "You weren't that late, you know. We started about a minute before you came." "So, I look like a mess and didn't make coffee for no damn reason? Ugh, I'm so glad I have no more lectures today." "Well, I need to head to my next lecture, so I guess I'll see you at home," Hanji smiled before fast-walking. "Me, too. Bye!" "Let's go?" I suggested and he nodded in response. Some words were spoken as we took our time in getting to a cafe that was a two-minute walk away. I told him a bit about myself, but he had very little to say as if he was hiding a shady past or something like that. Nevertheless, I didn't pry. "So you're not only a weirdo, but a perv as well?" "Hey! I'm not a pervert," I pouted, trying to fight back a smile. "It was a dare from Hanji... Though, I don't regret doing it," I muttered. "Perv." "Hush. Eren's ass is perfect to squeeze." "I don't want to know that," Levi said with a hint of disgust as he opened the door to the cafe, letting me go in first. We walked towards the queue and continued our conversation. "Well, if you want to start over and get to know me, then you have to know that I'm a weirdo, maybe a perv, and let's just say that you don't want to make me angry." "So you are a perv?" "Okay, fine. Yes, I am a perv," I announced. "And just like how I'm proud of being weird, I'm also proud of being a pervert." "Are you proud of letting your stomach rumble as well?" "Shut it, Ackerman." "Oh, hey, (Y/N)," the male at the register smiled. "Hi, Eren." I grinned back at him, seeing his gaze on the raven beside me. "This is Levi. I guess you could say we're acquaintances." "This is Eren?" Levi inquired and I saw a certain glint in his eyes. That is when I realised that I had told him I squeezed Eren's butt after getting a dare. Oh, why did I have a feeling that he was going to embarrass me? "Yeah. Nice to meet you, Levi. What do you guys want?" "You go first," I told the male and he nodded. "An Earl Grey, please." "Okay. And you, princess?" "Well, loverboy, could I get a coffee and pain au chocolat?" "Of course. Anything else?" "No, thanks," I replied, searching my pockets for my purse. Then my bag, but I couldn't find it. I bit the inside of my lip and turned to Levi. "I don't have my purse on me. Sorry. I'll pay you back." "You're too broke to do that, princess," he murmured and paid for our food. "Shut up. Thank you, Eren. Thank you, Levi." "No problem. I'll bring your drinks and food in a bit." I shot him another smile before strolling to a table with two seats facing each other. I took a seat, hanging my coat on the chair and dropped my bag to the ground, under my feet. "You and that kid in a relationship or something?" he randomly questioned after there was a moment of silence. "Me and Eren? No, no. We just have that kind of friendship where we act like a couple and call each other names. We don't actually like each other or anything. And he has a girlfriend, well, sort of." "What do you mean 'sort of'?" "It's not a stable relationship. There have been a few problems, and I've tried to tell Eren to just forget about her but he can't. I just want him to be happy with someone that truly cares for him and doesn't cause him any distress. He's come to me so many times just to cry over her." "What's her name?" "Mikasa." "What about Mikasa?" Eren spoke with a slight frown, placing down our things in front of us. "Oh, I was just talking about how she has the same surname as Levi and was wondering if he knew her." "Okay. Well, here's your coffee, tea and pain au chocolat. If there's anything else you need, just tell me." "Thank you." "... You're a good liar." "I'll take that as a compliment. Also, I'm surprised you haven't taken the chance to embarrass me yet." "Embarrass you? Why would I ever do that?" he remarked sarcastically, but obviously my dense ass couldn't sense that. "Because you know which boy's butt I squeezed, and you could expose me for being a pervert. Though, he already knows that I am. Everyone I know knows what kind of person I am." "A weirdo and a pervert," he stated after taking a sip of his tea. "I wonder what other traits you have." I snorted. "Are you sure you want to know?" He gave me a small glance, perfectly arching his brow. I felt as if I've known this person for longer than two days. Probably because me and Hanji have spoken about him for many years now. But, even then, I feel like we have a certain bond. And no, I'm not just saying that because he's the love of my life; I truly think we can create a strong friendship... and then, maybe something a little more. Even though he's a made-up person that became true, I sometimes forget who I'm talking to and just internally scream when I realise. But, seriously, how did this happen? I don't think I'll ever be able to believe that he became true (and maybe one day, I won't believe that I'm marrying him hehe). "Oi, you're spacing out again. Is that a habit of yours or are you just always tired? Or do you have someone on your mind?" "There's no one on my mind, I'm just always tired. Boys can piss off and leave me alone... apart from you, Levi. I love you-- Uhh, I mean, obviously I don't love you. We literally just met, I don't love you. It's just, uh, it's fun to hang out with you. You aren't like others... Ugh, I'm an idiot." I facepalmed the table and refused to look back at the male in front of me. "You aren't an idiot, you're a weirdo. Don't forget that. Anyway, I think we should head out because you look like you're going into a meltdown or something." "Sure. I'm just going to quickly finish my coffee." I gulped down the last few sips and left the mug on the table, thanking Levi for paying. He only nodded as I waved at Eren, who stopped us from leaving. "Could you wait like two minutes? My shift's over and I just want to relax at yours." "Yeah, sure. Levi, you can go if you want. I feel like I'm just dragging you around." "I'm the one that brought you here. I don't care about waiting for a brat." "Brat? He's the same age as us." "Yeah, I know. I just call people that, don't get offended, darlin'." "Darling? What's with these nicknames you're so generously handing out?" "Says that one that called me 'Mr Moody' in the first ten minutes we spoke." "Hey, you said yourself that you were in a bad mood." "Thanks for waiting. Should we go?" the teal-eyed boy beamed and I nodded, hooking my arm with his as he stuffed his hands into his pocket before all three of us left the cosy cafe. "So, where did Levi magically come from?" "He joined my uni yesterday, but we got off on the wrong foot and decided to start over. And since we're both doing biochemistry, he saw my miserable entrance, looking like a mess. And, my stupid belly chose to rumble so Levi kindly offered to get me breakfast. Now, we're just getting to know each other." "She's a pervert," Levi curtly said. "Yeah, that basically sums her up. Along with her being weird, tired, broke and an awesome friend." "You're lucky you added that last one before my fist was in your face." "Oh, she's also an adorable threatener. But, do not get on her bad side because she will be a monster towards you." "Yeah, Levi knows most of this already." "And I already regret talking to you," he teased. "Shut up, Ackerman." "Anyway, I'm going this way," Levi announced, pointing to the left as we were about to turn right. "We don't have any lectures tomorrow, so maybe I'll see you on Wednesday?" "Yeah. Bye, Levi." "See you later, darlin'. By the way, Eren, (Y/N) likes your ass." "Jerk," I muttered before looking at Eren, who just grinned at me. "And that's why you're a pervert." Both of us started to walk again but since I was holding onto him, I came to halt when he stopped in his tracks, pulling me to the side. "Tell me: why are you so comfortable around someone you just met?" "I'm not that comfortable. And you know I'm always friendly to new people." "Yeah, but not like this. What's the deal with you and him.?" "Nothing, Eren. Stop worrying. I'll tell you what this is all about one day." "... Fine. But, I have a bad feeling about him." "Levi? Why? He's perfect. I mean, I don't know that, but his friends seem to be really nice. And you can't get friends like that unless you're nice, too." "If you trust him, I'm going to have to trust you to not get into any trouble." "Yes, yes. Now, stop worrying." Eren rested an arm around my shoulders as we carried on going towards mine and Hanji's apartment. We walked there in silence, but my keys broke that serenity when they jingled against the door as I unlocked it and opened it, allowing Eren to walk in. We both took off our shoes as I locked the door behind us. Eren plopped down onto the sofa as I went to the bathroom to see my reflection. God, I looked like something out of a horror movie. How did people stand to look at me, or even talk to me? But I was home now, so I didn't bother fixing my appearance as I went to the living room and dropped onto the comfortable furniture next to Eren. "I would ask you if you want a drink, but we went past that stage of formality ages ago. Help yourself to whatever." "Thanks, but I just want to rest." "What's up? I know there's something you need to tell me," I said, ruffling his brunette hair like he was a little kid. "... I barely got any sleep last night. I was meant to go on a date with Mikasa yesterday after my evening shift. I reserved a table at some restaurant that has great reviews. So, after my shift, I dressed all nice and left to go to the restaurant. I took the bus and it took me half an hour to get there. She then called me as I walking up to the restaurant, saying she can't make it because she's sick. Obviously, being my stupid self, I just said okay and said that we can postpone our date. However, I was starving so I wasn't going to put that reservation to waste. When I got there and told them about the booked table under my name, they told me there were already some people that took the table, telling them that their name was Eren. I was so confused and looked over at a table, where I saw Mikasa and that jerk: Reiner." "And then you stormed off, went home and cried?" I asked, saying it like it was something ordinary. "... Yes..." "What's this, like the fifth time you've seen her with a different boy? I swear, it's not the same boy every time as well. I still don't get why you don't just break up with her. She doesn't deserve you, she doesn't make you happy, which is what you deserve. I say you break up with her sometime this week." "(Y/N), that's too soon." "I don't care. She's causing you into depression, and I don't like seeing you like this. I haven't seen you be happy once after you got into this relationship. And I don’t want to hear any excuses. You know that you aren't happy with her, so I don't get why you don't break up with her. Is she threatening you or something?" "..." "... Eren?" Shit. Eren, you better say something before that silence gives me the wrong idea. That bitch better not be hurting or threatening you, I thought, biting my lip as I waited for him to speak. "Eren, please say--" Once again, I pulled him into an embrace when he requested it and he quietly sobbed, nestling his face into the crook of my neck. This time, I truly felt sorry for him because he wasn't crying over another wrecked date, or another man he caught Mikasa with; it was something I've never heard about. I still haven't, but his silence implied it. I didn't want to say anything as I got lost in my thoughts. What kinds of things has this girl done to Eren - one of my closest friends? As I was in the middle of pondering, a phone's ringtone sounded in the room. It was Eren's and I didn't know if I should pick it up or not. When I saw the name of the caller, my bitchy side took over and I grabbed his phone which was on the coffee table in front of the sofa. I answered it with a sweet 'hello', waiting for a reply as I continued to hug Eren with one arm. He soon lifted off of me and tried wiping away the tears as he looked at me with an expression that destroyed my heart. "Who are you?" "It's (Y/N). You probably can't recognise my voice since I haven't seen you in so long," I said with fake politeness. "Oh, (Y/N)... Where's Eren, by the way?" "He's in the bathroom. I can take a message if you'd like." "No, it's fine. Just tell him to call me when he's free." "Yeah, like I'd do that, whore." "Excuse me? What did you just call me?" "(Y/N), what the hell are you doing?" Eren whispered angrily so I retracted the phone from my ear and covered the speakers. "Teaching her a lesson. How's she going to threaten you, cheat on you, reject every date, and still have the balls to call you? She's stupid to think that I'm going to let that slide. I don't like her, and neither do you, so I'm going to invite her here and you can talk to her." "(Y/N), please don't do this. I know you're doing this for me, but I don't know, I just can't break up with her. Even after everything she's done." "Eren, this is for your own good. You're always depressed and tired because of her. You need to let go and be free. This isn't how you're meant to be enjoying life." "... Fine. Bring that bitch over here." I smirked. "Good." I brought the phone back to my ear. "Sorry about that--" "What are you going on about? Why did you just call me a wh0re?" "If you want to know, come to my apartment. You know where I live. You can see your precious boyfriend as well." "I will. Because no one talks to me like that." She cut the phone and I passed Eren's phone to him. I got up and gave him some tissue to wipe his face that had some snot and tears. "Hey, I'm kind of nervous." "That's normal. Anyone would be nervous if they were about to break up with someone. Though, I feel bad. Did I just force this onto you?" "It's fine. I'm glad I'm finally getting it over with." "Also, was she threatening you?" "Yes..." "I would say you should've told me, but that was obviously something you couldn't say since she would do something. Damn, she's some messed up girl. Sorry. But I just had to say that." "No, I understand. I don't even know what I saw in her in the first place." "Don't beat yourself up about it. Everyone makes mistakes and you're going to learn from this for your next girlfriend. First of all, if she cancels a lot of your dates, break up with her. Second, if she cheats on you once, break up with her. And third, if she barely talks to you, or tries to avoid you, break up with her." "Okay. Thank you, (Y/N). I'd literally run back to her every time if you weren't here." "No worries, love. Just helping you with your problems." "Well, let me help you with yours, baby girl. What's on your mind? You've been acting a little distracted." "Mm... I guess I'm thinking about Levi..." "What's so special about him?" "... All right, I'm going to tell you this. But don't tell Levi, or anyone, because it's a stupid thing me and Hanji made up." "What happened to trusting me all the time? You always told me everything." "Yeah, but since you got with Mikasa, you've been a little occupied. Don't worry, though, you're still my second best friend," I grinned at the statement I had said years ago when I was around ten years old. I then changed the subject and told Eren about what me and Hanji created in our young, horny and stupid minds. "Wow... That's actually crazy. You guys never thought he was going to be real, but damn... Still, I don't think you should trust him too much. To be honest, that guy's suspicious, even supernatural if he was just someone made up." "That's what I was thinking. But, half the time I forget that he was someone I dreamt about. I feel like I've bonded with him before and we're just catching up with each other's lives." "I understand. But, unless he proves to be completely normal, don't get too attached to him." "Okay. And, it's been about twenty minutes since Mikasa hung up. I think she's going to be here soon. Do you know what you're going to say?" "Kind of. I've been thinking of a breakup scenario for a while, but I was never able to make it happen." "Hey, me and Hanji made up a guy and he happened. I think you can make this breakup happen; I believe in you." "Thank you so much, (Y/N). You honestly don't know how grateful I am for you." "Whenever you need me, I'll be here." I heard the buzzer echo through my apartment, meaning someone was asking for an entrance. I shot a glance at Eren before getting up and walking towards my front door, answering the phone and speaking a confident 'hello'. "It's Mikasa." "Oh, it's you," I spat with disgust. I pressed the button for the main door so she could come in and waited a couple of seconds before opening my front door. She barged past me, and I muttered: 'Never met someone so rude'. My bitchy side was locking in again and I locked the door before following her into the living room. Eren was now standing up, appearing as bold and someone who was ready to break up with Mikasa. "Eren, why did she call me a 'whore'?" "Well, is she wrong?" he pointed out.

[supersoakersokka]

men? gross! (maybe)

warnings: cursing, mentions of alcohol

there’s writing in this!!

part 1 - part 2 - part 3

party time

Y/N quickly shoved her phone in her pocket and pretended to be very interested in her drink. The way her heart was pounding in her chest made her so angry, knowing that it was because of a boy she had never spoken to before. She ignored him as he leant against the wall next to her, and continued it while he cleared his throat.

“Hey, I’m Sokka,” he said, his voice cracking slightly. She looked down at the hand he held out for her to shake and decided against it, instead just shooting him a small smile before starting to walk away. Sokka followed after her, keeping pace by her side. “You’re, uh, friends with Toph, right? Angry little blind girl? Probably has rabies?”

She did her best to hold in a snort at the description. It was spot on, honestly. She nodded, turning to face him slightly. “Yeah, her, Zuko and I shared some classes in high school. Now they won’t leave me alone.” She glanced at him. “Guess that runs in your group.”

His cheeks grew red at the response, suddenly realizing how rude he might seem. “Oh- oh my god, I’m so sorry. I’m not trying to be creepy or rude or pervy or anything I just- Well, I just think you’re really pretty and I wanted to talk to you I guess,” he said. “I know you don’t really trust guys after whatever happened with you and your ex, which is totally understandable! Men suck, we do, I won’t sugarcoat it, but I was wondering if we could just.. talk, I guess? I want to get to know you, if that’s okay.”

Y/N took a big sip of her drink, trying to think normally and block out the thoughts that said HE HAS A PONYTAIL AND HE’S PRETTY PLEASE HOLD HIS HAND or the ones that weren’t as sweet, like HE’S A MAN ABORT MISSION, GO FIND THE SCARY BEAUTIFUL LADY FROM PSYCHOLOGY. She almost fainted in relief right there when Zuko walked up to them, a new bottle of some shiny liquor in his hand.

She grabbed the bottle from him and started pouring it while he spoke. “Yep just go ahead and take the whole thing, you freak- anyway, how’s it going over here?” Sokka gave him a panicked look, which made his brain start running in emergency mode. He quickly grabbed the bottle from Y/N, placing it down and grabbing her’s and Sokka’s shoulders. “You know, I don’t think you’ve seen Appa and Momo yet, have you Y/N?”

She shook her head cautiously, not at all trusting what Zuko was doing. She was distracted slightly by the glow that lit up in Sokka’s eyes when the names were mentioned though. “I forgot they were still locked upstairs! Oh my god, you’re gonna love them,” the boy turned toward her with a huge grin, “Appa is this absolutely gigantic ball of fluff- he kinda smells like meatballs even though Aang has him on a vegetarian diet, which is strange. And Momo! That fucking devil of a cat. The sweetest thing, but once you wake up suffocating cause there’s a cat ass on your face, your views tend to change.”

He almost stopped walking at the laughter that came from the girl’s lips, trying to replay the sound in his head as many times as possible. If he tomorrow, he’d sure as hell die happy knowing that he’s made her laugh at least once. The two of them didn’t even notice that Zuko had left their side. Sokka opened the door to Aang’s room, letting out a wild screech at what he saw behind it.

“SOKKA! KNOCK!”

“STOP MAKING OUT WITH MY SISTER IN THE HOUSE I LIVE IN, YOU BALD FUCKING VEGAN!”

Y/N quickly slapped her hand over his eyes and slammed the door shut, slowly erupting into a fit of giggles. “Bald fucking vegan,” she repeated, Sokka joining in on her laughter. They started walking towards his room, where they just sat on his bed with gentle talking passing between them. His grin got wider everytime she laughed, which was pretty often.

“I’m glad you appreciate how entertaining I am, I mean really, I’m quite a hoot.”

“If I hear you call yourself a hoot again, I’m dropkicking you.”

“That’s fair.”

tag list: @moon-spirit-yue @xxoperatexx

[prettyinlimegreenboots]

"Life's full of surprises. You could find the love of your life tomorrow, but you could also wake up bald" for whoever you like :p

Back to high school

He walked into the school that morning, the first day of freshman year and he was excited, not that he would tell a soul. There was something about a brand new school year in a new school with a hundred kids lost as he was.

He was brushed on either side as students rushed past him. He sighed, hiking up his book bag before walking down the hallway, keeping an eye out for someone he knew.

He made it to the freshman hallway, glancing at his schedule before making his way to room 118, Mrs. Johnson’s home room. Stepping through the doorway, his eyes quickly scanned the room, grinning seeing his best friend sitting in the third row with just as much excitement. “RACETRACK!”

Race laughed, walking over to collapse into a seat adjacent to him. “ALBERT! Why are you yelling my name like you didn’t see me just last night? I think you may be a bit excited for school.”

“Dude we’ve got a few classes together today. It’s gonna be a great day.” Albert slapped his back as Mrs. Johnson stood in front of the class.

“I’m glad to hear it, Mr DaSilva.” She gave him a look as he shrunk in his chair and Race laughed. “Now if I could have your attention….”

She droned on about typical first day of school stuff and Race half listened while already thinking of lunch and catching up with his brothers. They promised they’d do it today just to check up on him, to ensure he was doing good.

Soon the bell rang and Race sighed, heaving himself from his chair before following Albert out the door, onto Math class.

Lunchtime

Slamming his tray down on the table his brothers already occupied, Race sat down with a groan. “Why does high school suck?”

“Rough day, sweetheart?” Jack pushed his head, laughing at the loud groan.

Race picked his head up and glared at his brother. “Go to high school they said …. it’ll be fun. I had 3 classes and I’ve got about 2 hours of homework. Why do teachers have to assign homework the first day of school?”

“Awww poor Racetrack.” Crutchie cooed, grinning. “The freshman teachers are notorious for giving out homework the first day to show how serious they are. You’ve got a last period study hall so just start it there. What do you have?”

Race sighed, knowing Crutchie was right. “Math and Biology. You didn’t mention VanRyn was going to be a hardass.”

“There are some things you’ve got to learn on your own, Race.” Jack shrugged, grinning at Katherine, his girlfriend, as she approached the table. “Right love?”

“What am I agreeing to?” Kat gave him a kiss before sitting beside him. “Hi boys. Day going good?”

Jack laced his fingers with hers. They were THE senior couple of the school. “There are some things Race has to learn on his own and we’re not going to divulge everything.”

“You could be a good big brother and help him out.” Kat shook her head. “You doing alright?”

Race groaned. “So much homework and VanRyn’s a hardass.”

“Your brother’s an ass for not telling you that.” Kat leaned closer to him to whisper. “Anything else?”

Race shrugged. "Life's full of surprises. You could find the love of your life tomorrow, but you could also wake up bald"

“Anyone catch your eye?” Kat looked at Race, with an eyebrow raised. “I doubt you’ll go bald overnight, but good try.”

Race’s eyes went wide as he looked at his brother’s girlfriend. “Uh … no?”

“Did you mean that to be a statement or a question?” Kat grinned, slamming her hand on the table before looking around the room. “Who is it?”

Picking at his pasta on his tray, Race suddenly found it very interesting. “I’ve only been in this school for 4 hours, how do you know I like someone?”

“Hmmmm ….” Kat smirked, grinning, starting to flick her fingers with the reasons. “You won’t meet my eyes, you’re jumpy, you mentioned love of your life, and Spot Conlon is heading this way and you won’t look at him.”

Race’s eyes went wide, knowing full well he just gave himself away. “Hey Race, wanna get together and do the Biology homework after school?”

“Uh … sure. That sounds like a plan.” Race rubbed the back of his neck before giving Spot a grin. “Library after school?”

Spot nodded, hiking up his book bag before smiling. “See you then.” He nodded to the table before turning on his heels and walking away.

“Oh. My. God. That was so awkward.” Jack shook his head, looking between Crutchie and Kat who both laughed. “Who knew Racetrack would be so starstruck?”

Race smacked the back of his head. “Don’t be a dumbass. And that wasn’t awkward at all.”

“If that wasn’t awkward, I’d really hate to see you two being normal.” Jack grabbed his tray, standing up. “The last half of the day is upon us. I’ll see you at home, Race. Crutchie, you riding with me?”

“Yup!” Crutchie stood too. “We have to pick up Smalls before we go home.”

They continued the discussion as they walked away, leaving Race with Kat. “You okay?”

“Yea.” Race stood, grabbing his tray and bag. “It’s just all new.”

Kat smiled. “You’re a good guy, Race and if Spot doesn’t see that, then it’s his loss.”

“Don’t put the cart before the horse, Kat.” Race warned. “Let’s not get too excited. He may not even like me.”

Kat scoffed. “Are you blind, Antonio? He couldn’t take his eyes off you, even when he walked away.”

Patting his shoulder, she left him with that thought, walking away. Race let a smile cross his lips. Hmmm … maybe he has met the love of his life already.

Thanks @cutesiewoojin for the prompt!!

[findingyouagain]

𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴 𝚆𝙴 𝙶𝙾 ( 𝙰𝙶𝙰𝙸𝙽 ).

Do not grieve. Anything you lose comes again in another form. —Rumi

"I'm late. I'm late!"

She rushed down the staircase, feet pounding against each step. The third step to the bottom creaked beneath her weight as it did every day. Damp hair dripped onto the white railing. Reaching the first floor of the house, Kennedy made her way to the kitchen, sliding across the hardwood floor with her blue socks and pulling her hair into a messy ponytail. "Dad, I'm late!"

"I see that."

Bryan Steele sat at the kitchen table. His horn-rimmed glasses rested on his nose as his hazel eyes scanned the newspaper in his hands. Kennedy could only make out the headline: something about a missing couple. The sunlight streaming from the window above the sink reflected off his glass of orange juice, shining onto Bryan's brown hair. He was already dressed for the day—tan khakis and a navy button-up shirt. His blue scrubs for work lay on top of the few patient folders he had brought home from the hospital the night before.

"Well, why didn't you wake me up?" She had one foot pressed against the pale yellow, almost white wall, tying the laces of her Nike tennis shoes.

Bryan ran a hand through his hair, dropping the paper onto the table and grabbing a piece of bacon off his plate. "I thought you had decided to jog to school this morning and already left." He took another bite. "That's what I told Bonnie when she came to pick you up a few minutes ago."

She finished tying her other shoe and sighed. Great, she also had no ride to school. "Well, now I definitely have to run—unless I can borrow Mom's bike?"

"Tires are flat," came his gruff reply. He was biting back a grin. "You'd be even later if you tried to air them up. Besides, jogging to school won't kill you. Consider it early track practice."

Kennedy let out an incoherent grumble before slinging her bag onto her back. "Yeah, well, guess I'm going to stink of sweat all day. Great way to start off my senior year!" She opened the side door. "—and wipe that smirk off your face, Dad. It's not a handsome look on you." The door slammed shut, and the slap, slap, slap of running feet on asphalt could be heard.

Heart racing, Kennedy leaned against her gray locker and let out a ragged breath. Despite jogging every morning, running three miles to school left the teen breathless, as well as hot and sweaty. For once, Kennedy was glad to have stored a spare pair of clothes in her gym locker for after track practices.

Her eyes scanned the crowded hallways. Already, colorful posters about clubs to join and student government elections littered the walls. Eager teenagers wandered, chatting about which beach they had visited and who they had hooked up with over the summer break. Kennedy sighed, not quite understanding why she was supposed to miss this in ten months' time. Mindless babble and petty drama? She wasn't interested in dealing with it for another year, let alone after she graduated from high school.

Spotting Elena Gilbert and Bonnie Bennett by their lockers, she picked her bag off the ground and squeezed her way past lost freshmen with their eyes glued to their schedules.

"—no, that's over."

"What's over?" Kennedy asked, smiling at her two best friends.

"Ah, nothing important. Thinking about finding man, coining a new phrase. We've got a busy year ahead of us," Bonnie replied, but her gaze trailed behind Elena. The two brunettes turned to see Matt Donovan clad in his red and black letterman staring at Elena.

Kennedy watched as Elena waved at him and the blond ignored her, grabbing books out of his locker and walking off.

Elena sighed and leaned against the locker while Kennedy placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "He hates me."

Bonnie shook her head. "That's not hate. That's 'you dumped me, but I'm too cool to show it, but secretly, I'm listening to Air Supply's greatest hits.'"

Kennedy held back a giggle. "He just needs some time. I mean, it's not like you guys bumped into each other muchover the summer. He'll get over it, and you'll be best friends again. Trust me."

"Speaking of time," Bonnie began. She grabbed the red junior history book from her locker. "How'd we beat Miss Track Queen to school when you left before us?"

"Funny story, I woke up late, and my dad just assumed I had already left for school. So, I ended up having to run here just like he told you. Now I'm all gross."

Elena folded her arms across her chest, ignoring the yells behind them of friends congregating for the first time since May. "Don't you keep spare clothes in your gym locker?"

Kennedy nodded. "Yeah, I'm actually headed that way to speak to Coach Sharpe about track tryouts. As captain, I'm going to have to oversee them, and I can't have them interfering with my work schedule at the library. I figured I'd change while I was down there."

"Elena! Oh my god!"

It wasn't seconds later that Kennedy had been gently shoved to the side, almost knocking into Bonnie, as a blonde in a blue blouse and black heels enveloped Elena into a tight hug. Elena patted the girl's shoulder reassuringly.

"How are you? Oh, it's so good to see you." She released the olive-skinned girl from her embrace before turning to Bonnie and Kennedy, blue eyes laced with concern and wringing her pale hands. "How is she? Is she good?"

"Caroline, I'm right here." Elena gave a weak but believable smile, nodding her head for good measure. "And I'm fine. Thank you."

"Really?" Caroline asked, and Kennedy felt sorry for Elena. Although it was a brand new school year for everyone, no one could forget how last year had ended. In a small town, the car crash that had wrecked the Gilbert household had affected everyone, even if just in minor implications. Elena had miraculously survived the car's plunge over Wickery Bridge, but her parents had not, leaving Elena and her younger brother to be taken in by their Aunt Jenna, who was only eleven years Kennedy's senior. Now, everyone was sensitive to Elena's feelings, perhaps too sensitive, and no matter how much it seemed Elena wanted to move past the accident and start afresh, everyone else couldn't let the girl forget. Pity parties weren't Elena's thing, that much Kennedy knew.

"Yes, much better."

Caroline enveloped Elena into another hug. "Oh, you poor thing."

Kennedy threw Elena a knowing look and a small smile before tugging the blonde off of her. "Okay, okay, give the poor thing a break, Care. She's had enough touchy-feely for the morning."

Caroline nodded, clapping her hands together. "Okay, see you guys later?"

The three nodded, and Bonnie mumbled out a quick bye to their friend as the blonde strutted down the hall.

Kennedy let out a laugh, and Elena just shook her head. "No comment."

Twisting the bag on her shoulder, Kennedy pointed towards the gym and coaches' office. "Well, I better get going if I want to change out of these clothes. See you first period?"

"Remind me again how you ended up being Tanner's student aid for the junior history class?" Bonnie asked, picking up her own bag. Kennedy was already turning in the other direction.

"Because I'm the only one to ever laugh at his history jokes and make a hundred on his finale, duh!" she threw over her shoulder. Kennedy could hear Elena's giggle as she walked down the hall to change.

"How about next Tuesday afterschool? Will that work for you?"

Finally changed into some fresh clothes and sprayed down with perfume, Kennedy nodded her head at Coach Sharpe's suggestion. Her schedule wasn't hectic, just full. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays afterschool, the brunette worked at the Mystic Falls Public Library—shelving books, tutoring younger students, and updating the online catalogue. Plus after work on Wednesdays, Kennedy attended church with her mom, helping in the kitchen and with the youth bible study class. Every other Saturday, she volunteered at the hospital and shadowed her father in the pediatrics department. Sundays, there was church again and then her family dinner in the late afternoon. Tuesdays and Fridays were her only free days, mainly because last year they had been dominated by track practices and meets.

"That works for me." She smiled at the man. He sat, arms folded over his linoleum desk, where papers and handheld timers lay scattered. A red baseball cap embroidered with the high school's initials covered his bald head. His eyes were kind but empty, vague, like they couldn't capture the emotions the rest of his face expressed. Kennedy watched as a smile tugged at his lips, and she wondered what thought had crossed his face that she had missed.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked. It was a rather blunt question, and if the man hadn't been Kennedy's track coach since the sixth grade, she probably would have never asked him.

His smile widened, and he tilted his head. "Just that we're going to have an amazing team captain this year."

Kennedy let out a small laugh before ducking her head in embarrassment. "Well, thanks, Coach." A bell rang out throughout the school, and Kennedy glanced at the clock. Five minutes before class started. "I've got to get to class, but I'll stop by later this week to confirm the tryout list, okay?"

Coach Sharpe nodded. "Yeah. See you then."

"Once our home state of Virginia joined the Confederacy in 1861, it created a tremendous amount of tension within the state—" Mr. Tanner droned on, pacing in the front of the small history classroom. His hands were kept clasped at his waist, and he stood tall, eyes roaming the room in hopes to catch students off task.

In the back of the classroom, Kennedy tapped, tapped, tapped a red pen against the wooden desk. A stack of papers sat in front of her. Tanner had handed them to her when she arrived to class with two minutes to spare before the tardy bell went off. This was the junior history class, or as it was better known as, the period Kennedy and Mr. Tanner had designated as her teaching assistant period, meaning she was in the room to grade papers and help write up lessons. Today being the first day of school, all she had to do was staple and organize the practice U.S. History exams the juniors would take tomorrow, but she didn't feel bothered to organize them just yet, instead opting to doodle on the back cover of her notebook. So far, a small clearing surrounded by tall trees had appeared, and she was debating whether to draw a crow in the corner as well when something caught her eye.

Glancing up from her drawing, Kennedy caught the new boy—didn't Mr. Tanner's role sheet say his name was Steven or something like that—staring at Elena. Matt and Bonnie must have noticed it too because Kennedy could see Matt glaring before reading a text Bonnie was sending over her shoulder. Rolling her eyes, she smiled at how oblivious Mr. Tanner was to Elena pulling out her phone, confirming Kennedy's thoughts that her two friends were texting each other during class.

Kennedy pulled out her own phone, typing out a quick message: What did you text Elena? And clicking send before returning to stapling papers.

A short buzz vibrated the desk, causing the red pen to roll onto the floor. She ignored the pen and slid the unlock button on her phone.

That the H-O-T new boy was staring at her. Didn't you see? came Bonnie's reply.

Oh, trust me, Kennedy typed out, I saw.

She turned back to the class in front of her, eyes narrowing in how the new guy—maybe it was Ian?—continued to stare at Elena as the girl kept her gaze locked to the front of the room, smiling wide. Kennedy shook her head, shuffling the papers in her hands. Was this about to be the start of young love or more drama? Whichever the case, Kennedy was just happy to see her friend truly smiling again.

"Guess who."

Kennedy laughed, rolling her eyes behind the hands clasped over them. She hummed, pretending to mull over the endless possibilities as to who had snuck up on her. After a moment or two of contemplation, she shrugged her shoulders. "No idea…is it the reincarnation of George Washington here to set the country straight again?"

The hands were removed from in front of her eyes, and she blinked, readjusting to the brightness of Mrs. Halpern's calculus classroom at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. She turned in her desk, spotting the tall blond boy with mischievous green eyes staring at her. "George Washington, really?"

"What did you want me to say, Ollie? J.F.K.? I'd be disgracing his good looks by comparing them to yours."

"Hardy-har-har." Oliver took the desk next to her, digging into his backpack and grabbing a notebook, calculator, and pencil. He opened the notebook up to the first page before turning back to face her. "Was that you I spotted all sweaty this morning next to my sister?"

"Depends," she countered. She leaned over the aisle, brown eyes raking over him with judgement. "Was that you I spotted walking the halls this morning with Vicki Donovan on your arm?"

"Maybe." He shrugged, suddenly much more interested in his blank notebook than her, but Kennedy wasn't having it. She grabbed the notebook off his desk, folding it closed again. He tried to grab it back, but she pushed it inside her backpack. "What? We're back together."

"And when did this happen?"

"I don't know. A while ago."

She frowned. "Why wasn't I informed of this, Ollie?" Arms crossed, Kennedy gave him her ultimate 'I-thought-we-were-past-the-whole-not-sharing-information-thing' glare. Five months her senior, Oliver Forbes had been Kennedy's best friend since the sixth grade; however, they had known each other since the beginning of elementary school, back where playground rules dictated who was friends with who. To the kids in their kindergarten class, a girl beating another boy in a race across the field was unheard of, well, until Kennedy ran across the finish line with Oliver several feet behind her. The excited six-year-old she was, Kennedy had jumped up and down, the biggest smile plastered on her face. Oliver had been a sore loser, however, and tugged hard at one of her pigtails. A call to Sheriff Forbes later, and the unspoken 'we're not friends and probably never will be' hung thick in the air between them until sixth grade. Kennedy never talked to Oliver, and Oliver continued to think of her as a smartass and show off who wouldn't shut up. Who knew science fair projects could form a friendship between two people who couldn't stand each other?

Oliver let out a long sigh. "Because it didn't seem important at the time?" He held out his hand expectantly. "Can I have my notebook back please?"

Rolling her eyes, Kennedy huffed before grabbing the object back out of her backpack and handing it over. As more students filled into the classroom, Kennedy leaned over her desk, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "So, how did Tyler and Jeremy take the news when they found out?"

Oliver only glared in response.

"So not well then." Before Kennedy could get another word in; however, Mrs. Halpern walked into the room, placing down the calculus textbook onto the front desk, and began the lesson.

It was two o'clock in the afternoon when Kennedy finished all of her classes for the day; like most of the other seniors, she had gotten her schedule moved around for an early dismissal so she could make it to the library in time for work. The elementary and middle schools released their students at 2:40 P.M., and the library's tutoring sessions began at three. Walking down Main Street, Kennedy grinned, allowing her arms to swing back and forth at her side. Her tan shorts and navy blue top kept her cool, and the aviator sunglasses concealed her eyes from the bright sun. With a clear sky on a day like this, the sun found entertainment in reflecting off every surface—car mirrors, shop windows, even Mrs. Lockwood's emerald necklace as she passed Kennedy on the sidewalk. Seeing the five rather large bags Mrs. Lockwood carried, the brief thought of what the mayor's wife was doing out shopping in the middle of the day crossed the brunette's mind, but Kennedy shook the thought out of the way.

"365 more days," she muttered under her breath. "365 more days, and I'll be out of this town and away from all the drama and gossip that goes with it."

And had those all bags been from the liquor store?! Kennedy turned on her heels, skidding against the concrete pavement to try and catch another glance at the logo on the bags, but Mrs. Lockwood had already gone into another store. With a sigh, Kennedy frowned in disappointment of herself. Living in a small town could drive you insane if you let the urge to know everything about everyone and their activities consume you.

"365 more days."

Kennedy made to turn again, but this time, her tennis shoe caught onto a small pebble, and before the brunette could process it, she felt herself fall forwards. Or she would have, if her shoulders hadn't been caught between two hands.

"Whoa, there," a male voice rang in her ears. The hands steadied her, and Kennedy looked up to see a man in what she assumed to be his early twenties staring at her. Raven black hair, leather jacket, black V-neck, the typical attire of a rebel with a James Dean philosophy on life, he had to be at least six foot, the way his tall frame hovered over Kennedy's petite body. A shiver ran down her spine at the sight of him, and she watched in confusion as his bright, electric blue eyes scanned her face for something.

Kennedy bit her lip. They were too close, and it didn't appear his hands were releasing her shoulders out of their own free will anytime soon. So she took it upon herself and forced her feet to move backwards, allowing her body to move away from his hands and put a decent distant between the two of them. She tilted her head as she noticed his eyes were still scanning her. She noticed a brief flicker of recognition and surprise on his face, but she didn't understand why.

"Eliza?" he mumbled. His hand reached out to grasp her shoulder again, but she shook him off, folding her arms across her chest.

Okay, so maybe he wasn't a creep. Just confused. "I'm—I'm sorry, I think you have me confused for someone else." She paused, eyes locking with his. Had this happened before? Why…the leather jacket, the sounds of people chatting away in the background, the clear blue sky…why was she feeling the strangest sense of déjà vu right now?

He blinked, looking hurt but also perhaps hopeful. He retracted his arm, pushing both his hands into his pockets. "Oh. My…my mistake. You just look like an old friend of mine."

Is that how he always greeted old friends? With a look full of surprise, remorse, and longing? If so, she wasn't sure if she ever wanted to become one of this man's old friends. "I'm Kennedy," she corrected.

"Yeah."

"Yeah," she repeated lamely, looking for an escape route. This conversation was headed down hill, and she was beginning to run late for work, despite the public library being only five feet away.

Luckily for her, the blue-eyed stranger took care of it. "M'sorry for bothering you. Have a nice day." He took a step to the right and began walking down the street, but not before turning around and leaving her with one last word of advice. "You should be careful where you walk. You don't want to bump into the wrong person next time you trip on a rock."

She let out a short laugh. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

He nodded, walking away. "Anytime, Kennedy. Anytime."

When he was out of sight, Kennedy released the tense breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Walking the few steps left to reach the library doors, Kennedy shook her head, moving the interaction between her and Mystery Blue Eyes to the back of her mind.

Time to get to work.

"His name is Stefan Salvatore. He lives with his uncle at the old Salvatore boarding house. He hasn't lived here since he was a kid. Military family, so they moved around a lot. He's a Gemini, and his favorite color is blue," Caroline explained. She waved her hands around as she talked, and Kennedy fought the urge to grab them and tape them to her blue dress so they wouldn't move.

Bonnie stared at Caroline in shock but mostly disbelief. "You got all of that in one day?"

Caroline waved her hand again, dismissing the notion. "Oh, please. I got all that between third and fourth period. We're planning a June wedding."

"Yeah, in your dreams. I'll make sure to tell Ollie his sister's getting hitched." Kennedy giggled as the blonde huffed in annoyance, turned, and walked over to another student from school.

The trio just arrived at the Mystic Grill, the town's local bar and grill. Most of Mystic Falls' teenagers could be seen spending their afternoons and early evenings there, whether to study or to just hang with friends. A loud hum of activity always filled the air; the restaurants' patrons chatting amongst themselves. Clinks from shot glasses could be heard towards the back, where the bar sat next to the pool table. The lightning in the building was dim, warm, yellow lights shining down from the ceiling. A few standing lamps could be found scattered around the room as well, casting shadows on the faux stone walls. Spotting Oliver cleaning up a now-empty table in the middle of the room, Kennedy pointed it out to Bonnie.

"Shall we?" she asked.

"We shall."

An order of French fries and two Cokes later, Kennedy and Bonnie sat across from Matt. Although Kennedy wasn't thrilled to be involved in the conversation, she knew that she and Bonnie, as both Elena and Matt's friends since they were children, had to set the boy straight.

"How's Elena doing?" he asked. His elbows leaned against the rustic-looking wood, and he had his face propped up by his hands. His face was solemn, and his blue eyes were laced with concern. Kennedy understood he was genuinely interested in Elena's well-being; he was just being too much of a chicken to check up on the girl himself.

"How do you think she's doing, Matt?" Kennedy asked, and it came out a bit harsher than she intended.

Bonnie shrugged her shoulders. "Her mom and dad died. She's putting on a good face, but it's only been four months."

And here it comes. "Has she said anything about me?"

Shaking her head, Bonnie rolled her eyes and leaned back in her seat. "Oh, no. So not getting in the middle. You pick up the phone and call her."

Kennedy nodded, biting into a French fry. "Yeah, and while you're calling her, make sure to apologize for not speaking to her all summer long. It made you look petty."

"I feel weird calling her. Hell, I feel weird even seeing her. She broke up with me."

"Give it more time, Matt," Bonnie explained. But her face fell into a soft frown, and Kennedy remembered why she never played poker with Bonnie on her team. Worst poker face ever.

Their three gazes followed Elena as she walked into the Grill, followed by the new boy—whose name according to Caroline was apparently Stefan, not Steven nor Ian—close behind. Kennedy watched as the two glanced around the restaurant before smiling at each other. And there went her chances of the year being drama free.

"More time, huh?" he muttered, eyes downcast. Kennedy felt sorry for him and reached out to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, but Matt had already stood up from his seat, walked over to Elena and Stefan, and introduced himself.

Kennedy smiled softly. "Way to be the bigger man, Matt."

A few minutes later, Elena and Stefan had joined the table, along with Caroline, who know doubt had just joined to further learn more about the town's new eye candy. Not that she couldn't learn most of it from the gossip she spent most of her school days filling her ears with. Matt had left the table to play with Tyler Lockwood, another football player.

"So you were born in Mystic Falls?" Caroline asked.

Kennedy sipped on her Coke, swirling the straw in her drink between breaks. She was interested in Stefan's responses, but she could tell the others seemed more eager. While she sat relaxed in her seat, legs crossed and head leaning against the back, the others leaned against propped-up elbows, eyes never straying from Stefan's face. Kennedy couldn't be bothered to put so much effort into the conversation. Not because she didn't care or didn't want to make any new friends, but because she felt like she didn't have to try too hard. This Stefan was friendly, even if a bit reserved. Perhaps he was shy, but to Kennedy, he gave off the vibe of someone she could chat to about most anything, the same vibe she received from people who were her friends. She felt like she already knew him, even if she knew virtually nothing about him.

"Mm-hmm. And moved when I was still young."

"Parents?" Bonnie asked.

"My parents passed away." Kennedy sat up, intrigued, not at the information but the way he said it. His voice didn't soften nor crack; his face kept the same neutral expression he had worn all evening. He barely even blinked during the sentence. He said it so matter-of-fact that Kennedy felt it was just that and nothing more: a fact.

He turned towards Elena. Oh, Kennedy thought, so he heard about the accident. Are people really still gossiping about that at school?

Elena frowned, and before she could speak, Kennedy dragged the conversation away from her, wanting to avoid a pity party to start for Elena and Stefan. "I'm sorry. Any siblings?"

Stefan's eyes glanced towards her. To Kennedy, it appeared to be the first time he had truly noticed her existence at the table. He blinked, his green eyes searching her face for something. It was the same look of recognition she had seen early that day on Mystery Blue Eyes's face. He shook his head. "None that I talk to. I live with my uncle."

"So, Stefan…" Caroline was quick to redirect the conversation to herself. "If you're new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow."

"Party?" Kennedy asked. "They're still doing that after what happened last year?" She felt an elbow dig into her stomach. "Hey, ow." She glared at Caroline.

"It's a back to school thing at the Falls," Bonnie explained.

Stefan nodded, turning to look at Elena. "Are you going?"

"Of course she is," Bonnie and Kennedy answered together. Having both seen the glances Stefan and Elena kept sending each other's way, the duo had picked up on the mutual interest and decided to run with it.

A phone rang, and Kennedy glanced down at her cell. Reading the caller I.D as Mom, she got up from the table, grabbing her purse with her. She waved and mumbled out a quick goodbye before answering the call.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Dear, do you mind picking up some groceries on your way home?" Marian's voice came through the phone's speakers.

"Sure. What do you need?"

"Eat your vegetables, Kenn," Bryan instructed, fork raised and pointed at his daughter.

Kennedy glanced sheepishly up from her plate, feeling much like a five year old being commanded by their parent, before shrugging her shoulders. "Sorry, Dad. M'not really hungry."

Letting out a small laugh, Marian shook her head. "That's why we don't eat a big snack at the Grill before dinner."

"It was the first day back at school," Kennedy defended, twirling the green beans on her plate with her fork. "Everyone wanted to meet up afterwards to catch up."

Placing his napkin on the table and pushing his clean plate forward, Bryan sat up in his chair. "Everyone being the same five people you hung out with all summer, yeah?"

Kennedy laughed, nodding. "Yeah, except Oliver was working so we weren't really hanging out." She bit into a green bean. "Oh, and the new junior at school joined us at school—Stefan. I guess he just moved back in with his uncle. I think he has a thing for Elena. He was making the googly eyes at her in history class this morning."

Bryan's eyes raised at the information. "Stefan? He wouldn't happen to be a Salvatore, would he?"

"I think so." Kennedy shrugged her shoulders, not understanding the significance. "Why? Were you one of his doctors as a child or something? He said he used to live here, but his parents were in the military, so they moved around a lot."

Bryan picked up his empty plate, as well as his wife's and walked over to the sink. "Uh, yeah…Him and his brother both."

Marian turned towards her daughter. "You said he was interested in Elena? Isn't it a bit too soon for her to be getting back into a relationship? I mean, her and Matthew just broke up."

"Mom, they broke up months ago. Haven't talked to each other all summer, in fact. Although, I'm not sure Matt's ready to give up on them, but I think Elena's ready to move on with her life. Start fresh. I think she wants to get past all the sadness and negativity and be happy again."

Kennedy picked up her own plate and scraped the remaining green beans into the white trash bin in the dim pantry before handing it to her father. She leaned against the counter. "Besides, there are more important things than worrying about guys in life, and I'm sure Elena agrees. I'm not even positive she's interested in Stefan too, just that they seemed to click at school today."

The next morning went smoothly. Kennedy woke up on time and was dressed and ready by the time Bonnie came honking in her driveway with her Prius. However, Tanner's junior history class was not having the same luck as Kennedy. As she sat in the back, scribbling red marks across the practice exams the juniors had taken towards the end of class the day before, Mr. Tanner was getting frustrated with the students' lack of response to his lesson. Kennedy couldn't blame the students, though. Even she grew bored with his lectures, and she loved history. His monotone voice and bland classroom made his teaching style and environment boring and allowed his students to grow tired easily. It didn't help that this was an 8 o'clock class, and most of the students still wanted to be curled up in their cozy beds.

"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war in our very own Mystic Falls," Mr. Tanner continued, eyes focusing in on the back of the classroom. "How many casualties resulted in this battle? Ms. Bennett?"

346, Kennedy thought as she watched Bonnie's face fall and a small grimace take hold. "Um…a lot?" she answered, dropping her pen onto the desk. "I'm not sure. Like a whole lot."

Mr. Tanner shook his head, clearly not amused with Bonnie's witty response. "Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms. Bennett." And there was the reason everyone called Tanner an asshole behind his back. "Mr. Donovan? Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?"

A quick shake of his head should have been enough of an answer in itself, but Matt decided to grace his teacher with a verbal response as well. "It's okay, Mr. Tanner, I'm cool with it."

Kennedy held back a giggle at Mr. Tanner's exasperated sigh. Sometimes she caught herself wondering why he even bothered teaching if he hated his students and didn't want to deal with smart-mouths, but then she remembered the high school's policy that all coaching staff had to also be teachers.

"Hmm, Elena? Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events?" Tanner had placed himself right in front of the brunette's desk, and even from the back of the classroom, Kennedy could tell how intimidating he appeared looming over Elena.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. "I—I don't know." Her eyes were downcast, and Kennedy felt sorry for her friend.

"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena. But the personal excuses ended with summer break." Kennedy's eyes hardened, and the red pen slipped out of her grip and onto the tile floor. Unwilling to participate in a pity party was one thing, but wrongly informing Elena that her parents' deaths were not a legitimate excuse for knowing an answer on the second day of school was another. Tanner was such an asshole.

Kennedy began to raise her hand to inform Tanner the answer so he would back off the other students, but before her hand even reached mid-air, Stefan Salvatore's voice rang through the class.

"There were 346 casualties. Unless you're counting local civilians."

Mr. Tanner looked taken aback, and the fluorescent lighting seemed to cast a shadow on his face. He almost looked disappointed that he wasn't able to continue humiliating the rest of the class until he would then make Kennedy answer. "That's correct, Mister…?"

"Salvatore," Stefan answered.

Mr. Tanner nodded, leaning against his desk. "Salvatore. Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?"

"Distant."

"Well, very good. Except—" Of course, there had to be something wrong with Stefan's answer. Tanner always had to find something wrong with everyone's answer. "Of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle." Mr. Tanner turned back to the chalkboard, clearly having assumed the conversation was over.

Kennedy frowned at that. She distinctly remembered reading something in the library about there having been a fire at a church or something during that battle, but she couldn't remember the number of casualties or if anyone had actually been in the church that day.

"Actually," Stefan raised his voice, "there were 27, sir. Confederate soldiers, they fired on the church, believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great lost. The founder's archives are, uh, stored in civil hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts, Mr. Tanner."

Kennedy's mouth dropped, and she heard the other students begin to murmur amongst themselves. No one had stood up to Tanner that way, at least not in their history class. The only one who any of them had heard of doing it before was Kennedy, and she had only did it on rare occasions with physical proof in hand to settle her case.

"Hmm…" was the only response the teacher gave.

Back at home, Kennedy had changed into a blue summer dress and laced up a white Keds. Tonight was the Back to School at the Falls party, and although she didn't seem like it, she wasn't one to miss a party. Partying was one of the only opportunities for Kennedy to let loose and have fun. Between work, school, track, church, and family commitments, she didn't have much room for relaxing and enjoying herself. Sure she'd read for pleasure or watch Gossip Girl before bed and hang out with her friends on the weekend, but sometimes a girl had to get out for more than an hour or two at a time and have some fun. Especially if that fun involved booze.

Grabbing her purse off its hook on the white door of her bedroom, Kennedy walked down the stairs. Reaching the living room, she plopped onto the brown leather couch next to her father. His eyes never strayed from his book. Sighing dramatically, she glanced around the room, mentally noting the clutter gathering on the coffee table—a few bills that needed to be paid, manila folders that were no doubt patient files, a couple of photos from their family trip to Washington D.C. last summer that her mother was just now getting around to scrapbooking. Kennedy picked one up, glancing at her sixteen-year-old-self standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

She let out another sigh, glancing back at her father.

"What?" He looked up. His glasses had fallen down and now rested on the middle of his nose.

"The Back to the Falls Party is tonight," she replied, a bright smile stretching across her face.

"And…?"

"And I was wondering if I could go. You let me last year, and I just wanted to make sure I was still allowed before I leave with Bonnie and Elena."

He placed the book down on top of the patient folders, and Kennedy recognized it as one of the ancient medical journals he collected in his home office. There seemed to be thousands of them lining his bookshelves. He gave her a look and opened his mouth to speak, but Kennedy interrupted before any words could spill out.

"Oh, come one. Are you really about to tell me no? You've let me the last three years. Why wouldn't it be okay now? It's my last chance to go to one!"

"Now, I haven't even said anything yet," he argued.

"I know that look," Kennedy explained, folding her arms.

"I'm just not sure it's a good idea. It's a school night, and with it being in the woods, I'm nervous. There was just an animal attack not a few towns over."

"Dad, I'll be fine. I promise! No drinking, no anything even remotely dangerous. I'll just be hanging out with Bonnie, Elena, Oliver, and Caroline all night, and I'll be home before you know it." She gave him a pleading smile, brown eyes begging for permission.

He shook his head. "Fine, fine. But you have to be home by 11. No later than 11, got it?"

"Got it," she muttered before seeing the look in his eyes. "Got it, sir," she said a bit more enthusiastically. She smiled, hugging him before rushing out the door. "Thanks, Dad!"

For a summer night in the south, the air was cool and dry against Kennedy's skin. She was leaning against one of the park's banisters, standing next to Elena and Bonnie. The music was loud, and the only sources of lighting were the bonfire warming the large group of teenagers surrounding it a few yards away and the string lights the sophomore class had set up an hour before the party began. Sipping on the punch, Kennedy could tell by the awful taste it had been spiked with more vodka than it should be. Next time, she'd have to suggest the freshmen weren't in charge of the drinks. They had been so eager to get drunk that one of them had poured a bit too much alcohol into the bowl. Kennedy's eyes scanned the area, and a smile spread across her face. Laughter and chatter filled the air as teenagers stood too close to each other and enjoyed the last freedom they would have until Christmas Break.

"Just admit it, Elena," Bonnie nagged, a smug grin across her face.

Elena sighed and pushed on her jacket sleeve. "Oh, okay, so he's a little pretty."

"He has that romance novel stare," Bonnie argued and nudged Kennedy to help her out.

"Oh, she's right." Kennedy nodded, tossing the empty cup into a trash can. "Those green orbs could pierce right through your soul. Plus, have you looked at his hair? He's definitely been catalogue ordered off a sports model magazine."

Elena laughed at her friends, running her fingers through her long hair.

"So where is he?" Bonnie asked, and the trio glanced around the party. None of them spotted him amongst the familiar faces of their classmates.

"I don't know." Elena's eyes brightened with an idea. "You tell me, you're the psychic one."

"Psychic?" Kennedy asked, eyebrows raised.

"Grams," she explained, and with that one word, Kennedy understood. Bonnie's grandmother was a very interesting lady and quite the character as well. According to Grandma Bennett, Bonnie and the rest of her family through her mother's side of the family were descended from witches, going back all the way to Salem. Growing up, the girls used to joke with Bonnie and pretended to cast spells on the kids who were mean to them in elementary school. Well, until Kennedy's mom found out and informed them it was not nice to make fun of Bonnie's grandmother nor was it appropriate to poke boys with a stick and tell them they'd turn into toads the next morning if they weren't nicer.

"Okay, so give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate." Bonnie closed her eyes, but Elena held up a finger to stop her.

"Wait, you need a crystal ball." Turning around, Elena glanced around until she found an empty beer bottle on the ground. "Tada."

"Now tell us the future, Bonnie the Mystic," Kennedy laughed as Elena handed the girl the glass bottle.

Bonnie reached for the glass, and her eyes widened as soon as her hand connected with Elena's. She frowned, and a brief second went by before she tore her hand away from the glass.

"What?" the other two girls spoke in unison.

"That was weird. When I touched you, I saw a crow."

"Oh, the omen of death..." Kennedy sang jokingly, taking the bottle and tossing into the trash.

"What?" Elena asked, head tilted and body leaned forward. Wait, she wasn't buying into this was she?

"A crow," Bonnie repeated. "There was fog, a man…" Seeing the look on Elena's face, Bonnie shook her head. "I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. Yeah?"

"Yeah," Kennedy agreed, looping her arm with Bonnie. "Wanna go get a refill?" With a nod as confirmation, Kennedy pulled the brunette with her. "Well, catch up with you later, okay?"

"Okay?"

It didn't take long for Kennedy and Bonnie to grab another round of drinks—a bottle of beer for Kennedy and another glass of punch for Bonnie. Hearing a laugh, the two spotted Oliver a few feet away, red solo cup in hand. As he brought a red solo cup to his lips, Oliver rolled his eyes, shoulder bumping with one of the guys from the football team. Hooking her thumb towards the blond, Kennedy motioned for Bonnie to follow her. By the time they reached him, Oliver had glanced up and noticed their presence.

"Well, if it isn't the Psychic and the Brainiac," he announced, lips curled up into a cheeky smirk and arm crossed over his chest.

"Ha ha. You're such a comedian," Kennedy spoke dryly.

He shrugged. "I know. It's a curse, what can I say."

Meanwhile, Bonnie's elbow connected with Kennedy's ribcage. "Ow," she mumbled, free hand rubbing her side. Why was she always getting elbowed?

"You told him?" Bonnie asked, eyebrows raised. It wasn't that Bonnie cared about Oliver knowing, but she didn't need the whole school knowing that her Grams was convinced she was a witch. It was bad enough most of Mystic Falls thought Grams was crazy every other day. Talk of witchcraft? In a small southern town? That was an easy way to get thrown into a mental hospital.

"When did I have a chance to tell him? I literally heard about this story two minutes ago."

"Elena told me," he interrupted the two of them. "Sometime earlier today when I passed her in the hall. So your Grams thinks your psychic?"

"Yeah, can we just—not talk about it?" Bonnie's voice softened as she took another sip of her punch. "Besides there's much more important things to be talking about."

"Like what?"

"Like you and Vicki," Kennedy interjected, raising her eyebrows. She watched as Oliver rolled his eyes. The news that he and Vicki Donovan were back together had spread through the school like wildfire, and although Kennedy had heard about the news from the horse's mouth, it didn't mean she hadn't taken the time to listen to what everyone else was saying.

Cheeks puffed out, Oliver sighed. "Yeah, Kenn, What about it?"

"I just—"

"We just care about you, Ollie." Bonnie interjected, and Kennedy nodded in agreement, eyes locked on the blond in front of them as Bonnie shrugged, an air of nonchalance surrounding her. "And we just want what's best for you."

Kennedy knew Oliver didn't like when the two of them ganged up on him about his relationship with the older Donovan, but to be fair, Oliver and Vicki had been the longest on-again, off-again relationship Mystic Falls High School had. The two had been at it since ninth grade, and Kennedy had never been a fan of it. When Oliver was dating Vicki, Tyler was. When neither of them were dating Vicki, the older Donovan could be found hanging out with Elena's kid brother Jeremy, smoking pot and doing whatever other drugs they could get their grubby hands on. Although it was obvious that both Oliver and Vicki loved each other, Kennedy just didn't have faith that he understood what would happen if their relationship truly ended. Tens of break-ups over the course of four years took enough of a toll on Oliver, yet every time, the two of them seemed to get back together. Kennedy just didn't want to see him get hurt when something happened, whether it was because the duo broke up or because Vicki got hurt from her poor life choices.

"Yeah, you guys, I know." Another sigh, his arms folded across his chest. "I swear you guys act like I don't know what I'm doing."

"No, Ollie. It's not that. We just want you happy, that's all." Bonnie's voice grew soft, a touch of sympathy lingered in her eyes.

The male's gaze fell, eyes locking on the beat up, white Chuck Taylor's that he'd managed to wear to a sole. The chatter between the three had grown to an awkward silence, and Oliver leaned back against a wooden post, his left hand used as support, right hand holding his cup of beer as he brought it back to his lips.

"Have you met the new guy? Stefan? Earlier in history, the two were giving each other googly eyes. We think Elena has the hots for him." Kennedy chirped, hoping to steer the conversation away from Oliver's relationship.

Slowly, a grin crept on the blond's face, and Kennedy smiled.

"Of course you guys do. I swear, that's all you chicks ever talk about. Us guys."

"That's not all we do," Kennedy threw at him, despite knowing he was joking. "Right, Bon?"

"Huh?" She drew her glance back to the duo. "Oh, yeah. We talk about other stuff. Like shoes, nail polish, clothes—we always talk about clothes, feminine stuff."

"Alright, alright. I've heard enough." Oliver shook his head, cringing from an imaginary chill.

Kennedy's grin grew, and she high-fived Bonnie.

"You guys are the worst," he groaned, lips holding back a smile.

Rolling her eyes, Kennedy pushed at Oliver's shoulder lightly. "We aren't that bad. And either way, you still love us."

"Eh." he shrugged. He peeled his gaze away from the two of them, and Kennedy cleared her throat.

"Oliver!"

"What?!" Eyes immediately narrowed at him as she crossed her arms over her chest. A large huff and a playful roll of the eyes later, he finally gazed back at them.

"I guess I love you both," he teased.

"You better, or else I'll make your life a living hell with my so-called physic powers." Bonnie smirked.

Oliver threw his hands up in defense, and Kennedy let out a giggle. "Yes ma'am." Oliver laughed, bring the red solo cup back to his lips.

A few more drinks later, the party was still roaring, and everyone was having a good time. Kennedy, Oliver, and Bonnie were dancing by the bonfire with some of Kennedy's friends from track and Oliver's friends from football; however, their fun didn't last long when Elena's call for help rang over the loud music and chatty partiers.

The three glanced at each other before rushing over to the help their friends.

Matt had reached Elena and Jeremy first, spying his sister's bloody and unconscious body on the ground. "Vicki? Vicki, what the hell?!"

"What happened to her?" Oliver demanded, hovering over his bleeding girlfriend.

"Yeah, what happened to her?" Tyler repeated. His eyes glared accusingly at Jeremy, but Kennedy was quick to step in between Tyler and Jeremy. She didn't have time for any of the petty drama revolving around who was in love with Vicki and who should be dating her.

"Somebody! Call an ambulance!" Matt yelled, and Kennedy nodded, pulling out her phone as Tyler instructed everyone to give the poor girl some space. Meanwhile, Oliver had ripped off his t-shirt and was holding it against Vicki's neck while Matt tried to get a response out of her.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"Hello? We're at the Mystic Falls Park, and someone's been seriously hurt. She's lying unconscious on the ground. We need an ambulance immediately."

"We'll have one on the way now, ma'am. We'd like to keep you on the line while it's on the way. Can you tell me how she's been hurt?"

Kennedy placed the phone against her hand. "Does anyone know what exactly happened?"

"It's her neck," Elena spoke up. "Something bit her. She's losing a lot of blood."

"Something bit her, and she's losing a lot of blood. Looks like it might have been an animal attack."

"Okay, can you apply pressure to the wound?"

"Yeah, we've got a t-shirt pressed against it now. Please hurry."

A few moments later, the ambulance wheeled Vicki and Matt to Mystic Falls General Hospital, leaving the teenagers to disperse and rid the evidence of alcohol from the park given the abundance of cops now at the party, gathering statements.

Kennedy had just finished giving her statement to the police, glad to have switched to water after just one glass of punch and one bottle of beer, when she saw Bonnie walking away from Elena with Caroline and Oliver in tow.

"Where are you three headed?"

Oliver sighed, rubbing at his hands. "M'heading to the hospital to keep Matt company while Vicki's in surgery. You two mind making sure Care gets home safe and sound?"

"I'll be fine, Ollie," Caroline insisted, but both Kennedy and Bonnie could hear the slight slur in her words.

"We've got her. Don't worry." Oliver nodded, patting Kennedy on the shoulder with the hand not covered in blood and walking away.

"So Mainline Coffee then?" Bonnie suggested. "Figured we can wait for news there and sober this one up while we're at it."

"Sounds like a plan to me. I could use a coffee before getting back to my folks."

"Let's go then."

Kennedy sighed, rubbing her hands against her face. She was exhausted, and although the coffee was delicious, it wasn't doing much on the whole keeping her awake bit.

"Are you sober yet?" Bonnie asked Caroline, glancing at the clock.

Caroline shook her head. "No."

"Well, keep drinking. I gotta get you home. I gotta get me home. It's—" Bonnie glanced at her wrist before realizing she wasn't wearing a watch. "What time is it?"

"11:45," Kennedy answered before the words sunk in. "It's 11:45. My dad's going to kill me. I was supposed to be home 45 minutes ago."

"Do you need a ride?" Bonnie asked, pushing away her coffee and reaching for her keys.

"No, no. I'll walk home. It's not too far from here. Besides, I'm already late. A few more minutes isn't going to kill me, and you're need here to get her in condition to deal with her mom. I'm sure the sheriff won't appreciate her daughter coming home drunk."

"Okay, if you're sure."

"I'm positive. Stay. I'll see you guys tomorrow at school."

Kennedy stood up, grabbing her phone and purse before walking out of the coffee shop. She had just finished closing the door when her shoulder bumped into someone.

"M'sorry. I wasn't looking where I was—" She glanced up to meet a pair of intense blue eyes and raven hair. "—going."

"And we meet again. Where are you rushing off to, Kennedy?" he asked, leaning against the window to the coffee shop.

"Home. Out past my curfew."

"It's not even midnight," he argued.

She laughed. "My dad's a bit of a stickler for rules, so my curfew's a lot stricter than others around here."

"Need a ride?" He pointed to an older model of pale blue Camaro parked across the street.

Kennedy shook her head. She knew better than to ride in a car with a stranger, even when still a bit tipsy. "Sorry, but I'm already late, and my dad would freak even more if I was driven home by a boy. Especially one he's never met before."

"Ah, I get it. Well, have a safe walk home then."

"Thanks," she gave him a small grin and wave before walking off.

Weird.

<>

"Do you know what time it is?" Bryan barked before Kennedy was even fully through the door of her house. She sighed, having expected this. Walking into the living room, she saw her father sitting in the same seat he'd been in when she left, the same medical journal in his lap.

"Ten minutes past midnight, I know. I was planning on being home on time, but Vicki Donovan got attacked by some animal after she went off in the woods by herself. Elena's kid brother found her, and I called for an ambulance. I had to stick around longer to give my statement to the deputies and such. I'm sorry, I meant to call, but by the time I remembered my phone had died."

Kennedy heard her father sigh and knew she was going to be let off the hook, if only reluctantly.

"I'm really sorry," she pleaded.

"I told you I didn't want you going, and just because I'm letting you off with a warning this time," he pointed his finger at her to emphasize his point. "doesn't mean this will happen again. Curfews are non-negotiable. Especially with the animal attacks in the area becoming more present. I don't want to receive a call from work saying you're in the hospital because a bear or cougar mauled you."

"Yes, sir," she nodded her head, backing up towards the stairs.

"Now go to bed. I'm sure your mother will have a few things to say about this in the morning as well."

With that, Kennedy scampered off to her bed, glad to be able to relax against the cotton sheets and sleep.

[fanficsrusz]

Beach Fun - Johnny Utah oneshot

A/n: requested by anon and its just a fluffy fic. Its sunday and im relaxing so its not got a lot of detail. Kinda wish this turnt into a smut but anon wanted fluff so i delivered 😊😊

Summary: y/n and johnny spend a day at the beach where Johnny tries to teach reader how to surf.

______________

y/n smiled as she stepped onto the beach. The feeling of the warm sand under her feet calmed her and the sun on her face excited her. It had been so long since she was able to enjoy the beach. 

The car door behind her slammed behind her but y/n ignored it, too excited about jumping into the cool water. 

It was only when she felt a presence next to her that she opened her eyes. 

Y/n turned to her boyfriend, johnny and smiled. It was their first day off in God knows how long and johnny had promised her that he would teach her how to surf. "im so excited" y/n exhaled as she walked with johnny back to the car, grabbing the surf boards out of the boot. 

Johnny laughed at his girlfriends eagerness. "babe you only learnt how to swim last month, i can't believe you want to learn how to surf. Honestly i don't think you're ready" he watched as y/n stopped what she was doing and pouted at him. That was how she got whatever she wanted, she knew he couldn't resist her and she used it to advantage. "oh my God fine. You're ready" he laughed and watched as she smiled once again.

Y/n began to walk off dragging the board behind her and johnny watched as she moved to set up a spot on the beach for them. 

He continued to gather the last few items from the car before turning to face y/n. 

He stopped suddenly, his mouth going dry as he tried to swallow the lump that formed. 

Y/n stood in the middle of the beach as she pulled her t-shirt over head and her shorts down, leaving her in a simple black halter neck bikini. It was so simple, yet she still managed to look sexy. Johnny gulped and tried to hide the bulge in his pants as he made his way other. He couldn't help the smile that happened just by looking at the Goddess in front of him. 

Y/n turned around just as Johnny approached. "umm excuse me have you seen my girlfriend? This is our stuff here but all i see if you, a sexy, hot, beautiful woman" he dropped the board to the floor and pulled her closer with each word he spoke. Y/n laughed as she hooked her arms around his neck, a playful smirk across her face. "I don't know where she is, but im sure she wouldn't mind if i looked after you instead" she moved her hand up and cupped his face before bringing him down to kiss him. Their lips moved against each other, slow and tender. Johnny's hand dropped to her bare waist as he pulled her closer, hoping the kiss would never end. 

To his dismay, the kiss was short lived as a child ran past shouting a loud "ewwww" followed by the child's mother shushing him. This caused the pair to pull apart and laugh at the child's actions. 

Johnny looked into y/n's eyes, losing himself in her y/e/c eyes. The sun bounced off her y/h/c hair, creating a sort of halo effect around her; she was truly an angel.

" how did I ever get so lucky to have you?" he smiled as he kissed her again and she just slapped his chest playfully. "stop it. Go get changed so you can teach me how to surf" she pushed him away as she watched him walk towards the changing rooms, he took a quick look behind him before he disappeared. 

Y/n laughed as she sat down on the towel she spread out. She began to apply sun cream onto her body just as someone blocked the sun out. 

"that was quick" she looked up assuming it was johnny but was shocked to see another guy stood over her smirking. "hey little thing. I can help you with that" he was so smug with the way he talked it made y/n gag. He was short, bald and older than her father. 

She leaned back to peer around his as she saw Johnny walking back now dressed in his swim shorts. She smirked as her boyfriend stood behind the man. "no im good. Oh hi babe" y/n jumped up quickly and ran to hug Johnny. Johnny smiled at the girl, pulling her to his side protectively as he turned to face the stranger. Johnny loomed over him, the height and size difference evident. He shot daggers at the strange man and the man held his hand up, not wanting to start a fight. "sorry bro, didn't know she was taken. You're a lucky man" y/n couldn't help but laugh as the guy walked away, his tail between his legs. 

"I can't leave you alone for 2 minutes without some sleaze ball hitting on you can i" johnny joked and y/n just laughed "hey don't pretend that you haven't noticed the group of girls over there ogling you the whole time you've been here" she gestured to a group of 5 teenage girls who were looking and giggling. Johnny blushed and kissed the girl quickly before pulling her to the water. "well let's get in the water before anyone tries to break us up".

 Y/n pulled her arm back and crossed them sheepishly across her chest. Johnny turned to her, a confused look on his face. "what?" he asked confused as to why y/n didn't follow him. She shrugged and looked around quickly before her eyes caught sight of the sun cream. Quickly she picked it up and held it out to him. "you haven't put on sun cream yet" she said quickly, Johnny threw his head back in laughter. 

He knew exactly what she was doing and so he walked over to her, looking down at her before placing his hands on her shoulders.

 "you are not backing out of this. You've been pestering me for weeks to teach you how to surf and you're getting in the water whether you want to or not" y/n stepped back and johnny followed her movements without hesitation. "I was just thini- ahhh Johnny" y/n was pulled off her feet as Johnny picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. "PUT ME DOWN" she laughed as she hit his back and johnny just shook his head. "nope. You're going in the water". Within seconds y/n was flying through the air as he threw her in the sea.

 "I am so getting you back for this" the girl spat as she stood from the water, her hair now drenched. Johnny laughed as he started to walk back to get y/n's surfboard.

 "you can get me later now let's surf" 

Johnny pulled the board over to the girl and instructed her on what to do. "ok so first you need to get on it" he held it still and patted the board. Y/n stared at it before making her way over and climbing onto it with the help of Johnny of course. After a good 5 minutes of her trying to keep her balance, she finally sat still on the board. 

"good. Now stand up" she looked at him as if he just told her he had three heads. "what? How can i stand?" Johnny looked up at her and smiled "you need to stand up if you want to surf babe" y/n groaned and moved to stand. Her legs wobbled as she moved to a crouching position and slowly stood, her arms extended and her body rocked side to side and soon she stood.

 Laughing with glee she looked at Johnny who held the board still. "ha i'm doing it" Johnny let go of the board to clap slowly "well done. You just need to learn now to actually surf now but you're doing great".

He had spoken to soon because the second he let go, a small wave came along knocking y/n of the board. With a small yelp, y/n fell backwards into the water. Johnny just laughed as he watched the girl surface from the water. 

"you think this is funny?" she asked as she moved the board to the side, creating a path towards a still laughing Johnny. "y/n its fucking hilarious" he continued to laugh and y/n swam closer to him. 

When she reached him she stroked his face and kissed him. He stopped laughing as her lips locked onto his, he could taste the ocean water on her lips as she deepened the kiss. She moved her hand down his chest and into his pants causing Johnny to let out a moan. He pulled away and looked at her with lust filled eyes. 

He was so glad that the beach was practically empty now. "I've had dreams like this y/n" he said darkly and moved to kiss her again as he became hard in her hand. "take your trunks off" she whispered into his ear and without questioning it he took them off. He moved to kiss her again but she suddenly pushed him away, beginning to swim towards the beach and johnny looked at her confused.

When she reached the water's edge she turned back and held his shorts up in one hand before she shouted at him. 

"TOLD YOU I WOULD GET YOU BACK" Johnny realised the game she was playing with him and moved to cover himself with his hands as he awkwardly swam closer to where she stood. 

"y/n babe. I love you so much but you're an evil evil girl" he chuckled and y/n watched as he looked around. "you're not going to give them back to me are you?" he asked sounding defeated and y/n shook her head "nope" she popped the P and watched on as Johnny made an awkward dash towards the towels.

She fell to the floor laughing as Johnny quickly covered himself in a towel, earning himself a few wolf whistles from the group of girls from earlier. 

Y/n made her way back over to him and hugged him. "I love you too" she said sitting next to him. Johnny laid down and y/n handed his shorts back to him as she laid her head on his chest. "at least I stood up on the board" she said proudly Johnny snorted "yhh for a whole 3 seconds y/n" they both laughed. 

Y/n kissed him quickly before standing up, extending a hand to Johnny. The sun had officially set and it the air had become cold. "come on let's go home" she said as she helped him up. He leaned down to her ear and whispered sweetly to her. "when we get home, we are going to shower and you will finish what you started" he walked off in front and y/n laughed running after him. She slapped him butt jokingly as she ran past causing johnny to chase her all the way back to the car. She would be in for it that night.

The end

_________

Taglist: (just ask to be added to the permanent taglist)

@gwenebear @celestiaelisia @blondieee-me

[clansayeed]

Bound by Circumstance ― Chapter 3: Of Monsters and Men

PAIRING: Nik Ryder x trans*M!MC (Taylor Hunter) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Circumstance ⥽

Taylor Hunter (MC) has made it good for himself in New Orleans; turns out moving to a new city fresh out of college to reinvent yourself isn’t as hard as people make it out to be. Things only start to get confusing when he finds himself the target of a malevolent wraith. Good thing someone’s looking out for him though — because without Nighthunter Nik Ryder as his bodyguard he definitely won’t survive long in the twisting darkness of the supernatural underworld he’s tripped into.

Bound by Circumstance and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing dramatic retelling project of the book Nightbound and the rest of the Bloodbound series. Find out more [HERE].

Note: Circumstance only loosely follows the events and plotline of Nightbound, and features a separate antagonist, different character motivations, and further worldbuilding.

*Let me know if you would like to be added to the Circumstance/series tag list!

⥼ Chapter Summary ⥽

Taylor meets his new bodyguard, debates casual necromancy, and learns the truth behind his hallucinations. All while a fae makes him cream soda.

[READ IT ON AO3]

Taylor doesn’t remember waking up — one second he’s asleep and the next he just isn’t.

Despite the things he’s seen (not really seen, but thought he’s seen) he’s not a fan of these kinds of wakings. Would rather emerge slowly as if from a cocoon. With enough time between breaths and heartbeats to let the dreams that plagued him fade away into fuzzy oblivion — forgotten despite all efforts to bring them back to recent memory.

He prefers it because when he wakes all at once there’s no helping remembering his dreams.

And all of that — the cemetery, Vera’s gloves, Kristin’s tears, the moon and moldy flowers — definitely isn’t something he wants to linger on.

“Are you gonna freak out now? Because these walls ain’t soundproofed.”

The voice resists its accent; clips sounds the Louisiana slang wants to let hang. He’s never heard it before but doesn’t need to.

It does the trick. Reminds Taylor how easily the world of dreams can blend with reality.

He takes in his surroundings with eyes still shut. The scratchy pilling on the cushions underneath, the stale air that’s made his shirt stick sweaty to his body, the repetitive squeak of a portable fan that should have retired a lifetime ago.

If he keeps his eyes shut will it all go away? Can it really be that easy?

Of course it isn’t. He knows it, the stranger knows it… but still a guy can dream.

“I know you’re awake, kid,” the stranger continues, “sleepin’ people don’t breathe like that.”

Taylor’s nose scrunches. “Don’t watch me breathe.”

“Then don’t breathe weird.”

The fact I‘m not hyperventilating right now is a fucking miracle, Taylor wants to say back — doesn’t in favor of inhaling so hard his nostrils burn before letting it out in a whistle on his dry lips.

Instead he snaps his eyes open and stares at the bald patches of peeling paint on the popcorn ceiling.

Something shifts behind him; the squeak of leather on pleather.

“You’re handlin’ this awful well.”

No, he’s really not. “I’m not unfamiliar with waking up on strange couches.”

“Is that so?”

Taylor doesn’t like the way the voice drops into a suggestive purr. It’s enough to get him to sit up on his elbows and try to shake the fog from his head. The familiar words, “how much did I drink last night?” are on the tip of his tongue but without the pounding headache there to accompany them they just don’t feel right.

A hand appears out of the corner of his eye. He watches scarred knuckles on tanned skin flex silvery as a nondescript flask is placed on one of the coffee table’s few bare spots.

“Here — this’ll help. Trust me.”

Taylor takes it. Can smell the familiar simmering honey and spice of whiskey. But he isn’t even tempted — screws the cap back on and sets it pack with a little too much purpose.

The stranger gives a ‘huh’ of surprise. “You sure? It’s not top shelf, but —”

“I’m gonna say this once;” as he does Taylor sits up and digs his knuckles into his eyes to quell the dizzy rush, “don’t ever offer me alcohol again. Please.”

As bright and inconsistent colors flash before his sight there’s silence.

Then, “fair enough,” and takes back the flask.

He can’t immediately tell if the stranger is just prone to dramatics or if the positioning of the lamp-sans-shade is purposefully there to shroud his rescuer (or kidnapper) in all the shadows the apartment can offer.

But it’s definitely him: the guy from the dive bar. Where his memory ends his eyes pick up the slack and fill in the sharp face like a puzzle. Dark eyes — almost black — and evidence of a five o-clock shadow. A little bit of a greying sheen to the hairs at his temples. And a strange scar like an inverted triangle brushed flippantly from left temple to eyebrow to the top of his cheekbone.

So he’s the quintessential ‘rugged, grizzled, don’t-play-by-the-rules’ type. Which, in Taylor’s opinion, just makes the worn leather trench coat overkill.

And his very presence makes things very very complicated.

Makes his head incite a full-on civil war between the things he knows and the things he’s seen — not to speak of the independent faction trying to resist both.

The man grabs something small off of the stand beside him and a glass of water — takes one of Taylor’s hands off of his jeans and pushes it into his palm in a very non-negotiable style.

“At least take this. That headache looks real fierce. Won’t work as fast as the booze, though.”

Oh, he knows. But he’s glad for something to help no matter how little and washes down the aspirin tablet with the entire water glass.

Judging by the awkward silence that follows neither Taylor nor the man know how to actually… begin. Because there needs to be a beginning — maybe not right now but there was earlier and if he thinks about it too much, if he lets his imagination run wild and spiral, he’ll start to panic.

Last time he checked panic wouldn’t bring Kristin back from the dead.

Kristin. Oh god. He needs to find her body.

“Can I…?” He raises the glass. The stranger slaps his knees and hauls himself up with possibly too-much dramatic effort and takes it to refill. “Thanks.”

“Sure.”

It’s a small apartment with only as many walls as needed. Ideally Taylor would prefer a room between him and the man to make his escape (which will be the exact opposite of stealthy) a little bit easier, but…

He waits until the leather-clad back is turned before slowly starting to stand. Not one step and the fucking floor creaks underfoot.

Shit. “Uh — can I get some ice?” Taylor asks; louder than necessary to cover it up.

The man (probably) rolls his eyes. “Want a straw while I’m at it? Maybe a little pink umbrella?”

“I’d prefer yellow.”

“I bet you would.”

Taylor waits, poised like a viper, and strikes when the ice maker on the fridge door begins to rumble to life. Dashes as fast as he can — though it isn’t until he moves more than an inch that he realizes just how sore everything is — to what looks like every closed front door he’s ever seen.

Aaaand it’s locked.

There’s a deep rich laughter behind him as Taylor yanks on the brass handle; twists the lock this way and that in his growing panic and previously undiscovered claustrophobia.

When he looks back the man is behind him, glass in hand — with ice, too.

“Stop laughing!” Taylor’s voice cracks — makes him wince.

With a shake of his head the man approaches. Taylor tenses for some sort of assault but instead watches dumbly while his personal space is invaded. Damn this guy is tall.

“Stop being so funny.”

“What kind of fucking sicko locks an apartment from the outside?!”

Bemusement falls into a slight frown. He flinches, feels the stranger reach around…

The door unlocks with a click.

“Dunno, but I’ll let you know when I meet one.”

Not a second into looking up and up into the man’s face does Taylor push him back. Keeps his back pressed against the door and blindly searches for the knob but forces distance between them.

It doesn’t take a psychic to know he’s wary. The stranger sighs and scratches the back of his head.

“Listen — I ain’t holdin’ you hostage, or anything. You’re free to go.” But before Taylor can even twist his wrist he adds; “Not that I’d really wanna run the risk of facing Casper’s Cannibal Cousin again but that’s just me. You seem like a strong, capable guy. Lemme know how it goes.”

Fuck.

Taylor gives him a wary eye. “Are we — I mean… am I actually safe here?”

“With the wards on this place you’d have a hard time being stung by a really pissed-off mosquito.”

“Not funny.”

“Who’s laughing?”

Somehow they end up back in the same positions they were a minute earlier; Taylor’s fingers wet and numb from the glass and the other, well, he couldn’t look more like a middle-aged drunk if he tried; especially now with the coat off and thrown over the back of his chair.

“Do you have a name?” Taylor tries — and fails — not to let it get to him when he gets only a nod. “Wanna share?”

“Just call me Ryder.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“It’s not your name.”

“Yes it is.”

“It’s dumb.”

“You’re dumb.”

A tense and silent stand-off follows. This is why he doesn’t spend much one-on-one time with cis-men, not that Taylor would say that out loud.

Finally ‘Ryder’ relents; “My first name’s Nik. Nobody calls me Nik — they just call me Ryder. That means you’ll call me Ryder, too.”

Well he won’t, but that’s beside the point. “And where are we? Are we still in New Orleans?”

The question catches Ryder by surprise.

“‘Course we are. Just a couple’a blocks over from Bourbon.”

“Oh, good.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah.”

He tries not to feel peeled back into layers by the scrutiny of Ryder’s gaze but with eyes like that it’s kind of impossible. Makes him freeze up — words forgotten.

“Is that really all you wanna ask?”

His face flushes hot. “No, of course not.”

“Then ask.”

“Ask what?”

“You know what.”

“No I don’t,” again his voice cracks — makes him focus on the wet spot the glass leaves on his jeans rather than the look on Ryder’s face, “like — I really don’t. Because… because my head is telling me to ask ‘what happened’ but when I think about it I automatically default back to the fact that nothing about it makes sense — nothing about it could have been real.”

Ryder takes too long to respond.

“Just because it doesn’t make sense doesn’t mean it wasn’t real, Taylor.”

And doesn’t that just fire off a spark in his brain. Makes him turn and slam the glass down and give Ryder the hardest, worst, and most rueful look he can.

“Fine — you want me to ask questions? We’ll start with — with that. How d’you know my name?”

The man shrugs. “Because I’m being paid to.”

“You’re being…” —oh the headache— “so you were stalking me in the bar?”

“No.”

“Uh, you just admitted it.”

“Uh, no I didn’t.” Taylor must’ve hit a nerve judging by the tick in Ryder’s scarred brow. “Strange as it may seem — and we really ain’t short on strange with all this — I wasn’t hired until after I left the Touristy Unicorn.”

That doesn’t help. “Hired for what?”

“For protection detail; bodyguard stuff. For you, kid.”

Does he look like his brain is short-circuiting, because that’s definitely how he feels. And in his silence Ryder takes the opportunity to keep talking without being harassed. “I wouldn’t’ve taken it on a normal day but, shit, you ain’t normal. Not even taking into account that you saw me in my booth —”

“— No shit I saw you. You were just sitting there.”

Ryder shakes his head. “Sure was but I was glamoured up to the nines. Nothing under a century or without some heavy magical aid should have been able to see me.”

Taylor disregards his crazy talk — he has proof. “My friend saw you first.”

“Who, the tipsy co-ed?” he barks a laugh, “Nah, she was more focused on the two mashing mouths to my side. Was too hard to enjoy my drink with the sound of sloppy spit-swappin’ for me to forget.

“She may have been seeing the world a little liquored-up but she definitely didn’t know I was there. But you? You looked right at me; saw right through my glamour and with no small amount of effort judgin’ by how sick you looked after.”

His headache. And wasn’t that what had started all of… of whatever this was? His headache and wanting to go home, getting lost with no signal, and then…

There’s no resisting the permafrost that blankets over his bones. When Taylor looks at Ryder he doesn’t see him; just sees the outline of him and that awful haunting thing in his mind’s eye.

Ryder continues; “You can turn the paranoia down a notch. I was content to mind my own business until I got a call on a damn payphone nearby.”

“A… payphone?”

“Well they don’t ring on their own. And in this town if someone in the know crosses by a phone ringin’ on its lonesome then that means its for them.” He sniffs; brushes something off like it’s no big deal and Taylor’s the fool for not just knowing. “Picked it up and there it was in my head: your face, your name, and the message. That’s how you know there’s something heavy hangin’ in the air… the kind of spellwork that can dig into your head without a trace.”

Magic. Spellwork. This is too fucking nuts.

Still, he has to ask. “What was the message?”

“‘Protect him.’”

How foreboding and creepy that is — well he’ll deal with that later. Because up until shit went down he didn’t need protecting. Had done a fair job of protecting himself all his life. But how can you protect yourself from things you don’t know about?

“What was it?” When there’s no quirky quip Taylor knows he’s starting to ask the right things. “What was that thing in the cemetery?”

“I…”

“Come on, Mister Answers. Where’d your answers go?”

“Hey, now you just —”

“What was it?”

“I don’t know!” Ryder growls through gritted teeth. It’s the first time his posturing slips — shoulders slumped and instinctively seeking comfort in the contents of the flask. “I don’t… I don’t know. I’ve seen a lot of crazy shit; the dead, undead, the undead-dead. But I’ve never seen anything even remotely close to whatever the hell that was.”

Some bodyguard, he wants to say — doesn’t. Strange as it is Taylor finds himself comforted by the fact that he’s not the only one completely ignorant.

Not that it lasts long. Because when his brain finally puts everything together — shadows and skeletal killers and spellwork and the fact that the thing he’s been thinking was a flagpole leaning against the wall has a bright crystal atop it and is most likely something ridiculous like a wizard’s staff — it shuts off.

At least he’s got his answers.

Ryder knocks back the rest of the flask and tucks it between the cushions in his chair. Leans forward elbows-on-knees and studies Taylor’s face.

“I’ve been waitin’ for you to ask me what happened before you keeled over,” he says finally, “but now I’m not so sure you wanna know.”

“I do,” he answers on autopilot.

“You sure?”

He’s sure.

The story Taylor expects goes something like…

“I drew a circle around the creature, sated from its kill. Using the blood of my ancestors and sacred herbs I’ve been cultivating for this exact moment, I conjured magical holy fire and banished the demon back to the depths of Hell.”

But that’s not what he gets.

“I thought I had a shot when you went into hiding — you know how damn hard it is to chase something chasin’ somethin’ else through that shit? — but lost it again. Finally found you at the entryway and used the thing’s distraction to get a few arrows lodged in its, uh, well I think it was its back.

“Thing is those were holy light arrows I used. Blessed by every priest in every religion you’ve heard of and some you ain’t. I’ve used those things to take down malformed conjurings, hundred year-old revenants, the works. But it was about as effective as throwing a rock at its head.”

“I’m guessing that’s a bad thing.”

“You’d be guessin’ correctly.”

Taylor runs his hands over his face. Shoves down the thickness that wants to consume his lungs and keep him there; solid, immobile.

“Okay, okay —” talking more to himself than Ryder, “— okay. This is good. Crazy, but good.”

The look he’s given really shouldn’t be a surprise. “Did I break ya?”

“No — I mean, maybe, but not with that — no you… actually you saved me. So I’m grateful for that. Thank you.”

Ryder snorts. “Finally…”

“But you didn’t save Kristin. So I’m going to push down every… every problem I have with everything you said and pretend with all this crazy that conjurings and holy arrows and whatever-the-fuck-else is real —”

“It is. But, kid —”

“— And you’re gonna help me find some voodoo or hoo-doo or whatever kind of spell you can that’ll bring her back.”

The fact that Ryder doesn’t look the least bit remorseful is an issue he’ll deal with later — though that plate is starting to get a little crowded. But if the universe seems intent on throwing him into this fucking insanity with no warning or even a tutorial mode then he’s going to meet it head-on and screw the rest.

He leans forward and starts rifling through the leather-bound books, tomes, and sheets of paper scattered on the coffee table. “So what here can help us? Do we need a lock of hair, or a personal item, or —”

“She ain’t dead, kid.”

Taylor nods but doesn’t really register what he hears. “Got it. Dead meaning, what, her soul hasn’t crossed over yet? Is she still on the, uh, the mortal plane or something?” He looks around wildly; lifts up his feet like he’ll find her hiding there in miniature.

“Shit — is she here with us? Can you see her? Kristin? Krissy?”

“Whoa — okay, yep, you’ve cracked.”

Then Ryder’s hands are on his shoulders and oh hell no. His body reacts before the brain can catch up and he’s pushing Ryder away — giving himself breathing space.

“Don’t touch me.”

Much like the flask it’s an issue Ryder doesn’t push. Holds his hands up and gives a curt nod but that doesn’t make him look any less concerned. Now he’ll start to argue with the man, because technically it’s his fault Kristin died in the first place.

“There’s gotta be something —”

“To get you to chill out and listen to me? Yeah I doubt it.”

“— No. To help us contact her.”

“Could try a phone.”

Taylor snaps. “This isn’t a joke! I don’t know this crazy stuff like you do. So stop making jokes and — and help me!”

“Christ,” Ryder rubs his head — leans forward but doesn’t make a move to put his hands on Taylor again, “if you’d listen you’d not sound so damn stupid! She’s not dead, Taylor. The thing didn’t kill her.”

No, no… he saw…

“I won’t say it didn’t get close but she wasn’t the target. I don’t know if that limits it’s powers or… or hell, maybe it was feeling merciful or malicious. But your friend ain’t dead. — In a bad way… but not dead.”

It’s not even in the realm of good news — what did that mean, ‘in a bad way’ — but it’s the best news he’s heard yet so yeah he fucking runs with it. Leaps to his feet and doesn’t even bother trying to misdirect Ryder this time because not only is the door unlocked but he’s going to see Kristin alive.

And, really, with the zeal in which he was ready to pursue some form of necromancy to bring her back he’s kind of disappointed in how surprised Ryder sounds behind him.

“Kid — where d’you think you’re goin’ exactly?”

Still walking to the door, only backwards now. “Where do you think? Is she at the hospital, which one? Come on — take me there.”

“Well that ain’t happening but regardless how about we stay up here instead?”

“How about we don’t?”

“Kid —”

“First I need you to stop calling me that. Second I’ll grab a cab if I need to. Thanks, Nik—Ryder—whatever for saving me but I need to go see her.”

Ryder doesn’t stop him from slamming the apartment door behind him and finding his way out. That must mean he’s not entirely devoted to this bodyguard job, right? If that’s even really the case. Not like he has any proof.

It’s probably guilt at not saving her in time, rationalizes Taylor as he looks around the crowded hallway only to spot a winding, iron-wrought staircase almost hidden in the corner.

That makes the most sense. He feels guilty and there was nothing he could have even done in the first place.

Though, finding out where Ryder gets those hallelujah arrows might help.

He’s at the bottom of the steps when he remembers Vera had his phone last — is halfway through entertaining the idea of going back up to ask Ryder if he could borrow his when he takes in the ground level.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

It’s still dark outside but dawn has to be on the approach — last call having already been there, done that.

The bar is small and he can only think of it as oaken. Wood floors on wooden-panel walls with a wooden bartop in the corner decorated in carvings so small and detailed they could only have been done by hand. Even the booths are wooden on the outside with what look like rich mossy-green velvet lining.

But the place doesn’t smell like a woodshop — not how one would expect what has to be a quarter of the population of Louisiana’s deforestation, has to be — rather a forest. Like all the wood is still growing and alive. Pine needles and sap and mulchy earth digging into his bare toes and proving life continues to live underfoot.

Though when he wiggles his toes Taylor is almost surprised to discover he’s got his shoes on.

The place is empty save for two patrons and a lanky young man behind the counter.

One man, hulking in stature no doubt even if he’s bent over the table before him, scribbles diligently in a notebook with a glass of something bright at his side. Must have one of those cheesy lite-cubes within because he could swear the drink is pulsing color.

The other is a woman mostly obscured by the bar and her ombre violet sheen of hair. She’s gotta be decorated for Mardi Gras though the bone-white hand she twirls a lock of hair around would be more suited for a Día de Muertos party.

She notices him first — offers a flawless grin of black lipstick and white teeth before she learns forward and whispers something to the bartender.

He rounds on a practically choreographed flourish of his heel. Beams wide and unabashed as though he’s greeting an old friend and not a complete stranger.

“Taylor, my mortal! Good to see you again. You look famished. Are you famished? You look famished. I should get you something. Are you a vodka-type or a gin-type? You know what — I’ll fix a couple options up. Variety is the spice of life!”

Before Taylor can even process the English language enough to turn him down the bartender disappears in a shock of his albino-white hair. Leaves him staring at the silvery fabric of the partition.

“Garrus is a hoot, isn’t he?” asks the goth girl — she waves over a hand and pats a stool beside her in invitation. “Come, come! I wanna see what he whips up and you will too.”

He casts a longing look to what has to be the front door of the place — the only thing that isn’t wood, as he notes the iron decor with irony. But can’t even step in that direction before she clears her throat in a way that says she won’t take no for an answer.

So… he sits? He sits.

“I’m surprised Ryder didn’t come down with you. Or did you let him drink himself asleep?”

Taylor shakes his head. “No, he’s… he let me go.”

“Huh, funky.” She taps long dark nails against her cheek and stares at him with wonder. Underneath the strange combination of lights she looks even more pale than he thought — almost translucent. It must be her makeup that makes it look like her veins run black under her skin.

There’s a throbbing in his temples so Taylor looks away out of habit.

“You should call your friend back.”

“Why? It’ll be a good show — and even if it’s not your fancy you’ll still get free booze out of it.”

“Well I don’t drink.”

“Drink what, vodka, gin? I knew I called you for a tequila man.”

“No,” and headache aside he looks grim into her purple color-contacts, “like at all. I’m sober.”

Just as the girl’s expression falls into embarrassed horror the curtain brushes back as if by a gust of wind. The bartender Garrus barrels forward with an actual cauldron in his arms and every nook and twiggy-armed cranny filled with various corked bottles and vials.

“Not for lo~ong!” he sing-songs. Drops his things carelessly on the bar surface and starts picking through them intently. “Now I could have sworn I had more cane root than this, but maybe if I sub in —”

Taylor goes to speak but the gaunt hand on his arm stops him short.

“Garrus, he’s sober.”

“I know, Ivy my love, I heard. Honestly what was Ryder thinking trying to unload all this on the poor man without even offering him a drink?”

Ivy gives a sigh of honestly and precariously balances on thick-sole heels to reach over and grab Garrus’ next glassy victim out of reach.

“H-Hey,” he practically whines, “that’s not in the spirit of things!”

“Listen to me,” and Taylor’s grateful she’s going through all the trouble but can’t not laugh when she sandwiches her friend’s face in both hands, “sweetheart — he is sober; dry, straight-laced, whatever you want to call it — go for it. But this human no drinkey.”

If that’s what it would have taken for Taylor to get the man to stop he isn’t entirely sure he’d have had the guts to do it.

As it is Garrus looks like he’s taking it personally before their eyes meet and his face goes flushed pink all the way to the tips of his rather pointy ears.

“Oh.”

Ivy resumes her seat cheerily. “My work here is done.”

“S-Sorry,” Taylor tries to offer, “I’ll take a coke if you’re really, uh, insistent.”

Garrus is interrupted before he can answer. And by a voice that rings startlingly familiar, too.

“Why not whip up one of those old cream colas for him, Garrus? You were just talking about how much you missed making them.”

It’s enough to put the pep back in his leather-booted step. Has Garrus clapping in delight and pointing between them to the only occupied booth with a wink.

“Darling, you’re a genius!”

Garrus gathers up his cauldron and brews; dashes back behind the curtain. Taylor meanwhile whirls around on the stool cushion to the vaguely recognizable face previously ducked in concentration.

Krum — that was his name, right? The more-mountain-than-man he had bumped into heading home from rehearsal earlier that day.

Who gave Taylor the early triggers of a panic attack in how his skin seemed to turn to a literal mountain under the company lights.

Who pushes up an almost comically tiny pair of spectacles and gazes back at Taylor with similar vague recognition.

“Understudy-boy?” He pulls off his glasses and wipes the lenses with the hem of his sweater — as if he’s the one hallucinating things and not the other way around. “Well I’ll be, it’s you!”

Ivy joins the conversation while sipping her margarita through a stirring straw. “You know this guy, Krom?”

“K-Krum.” corrects Taylor.

“Well actually,” says the man in question sheepishly as he slides out of his seat and comes to join them, “it is Krom. It’s a family name, too, and I’m very proud of it. But mortals never hear it right and I just sort of stopped correcting them.”

Ivy croons. “You gotta get thicker skin you big lug.”

When Krom tries to take the stool next to him, though, Taylor flinches back violently. Practically falls off his seat in his haste to get back. His ‘little throbbing’ is a full-on migraine now; the lights too bright and the smells too weird and he has to back up and steady himself on the nearest support column to keep from vomiting all over the nice shiny floors.

Like most concerned samaritans Ivy and Krom are on him in an instant. Their voices blurring together with the ringing in his ears; “Honey are you okay? — what happened — oh no did I hurt him — go get Ryder!”

“NO!”

He’s startled when he realizes it’s him yelling — not them. Blinks through teary eyes to look into the expressions of two ordinary people warped and twisted by his traitorous mind.

Ivy’s makeup looks melded to her face — like if she catches the light a certain way he’ll see her skeleton and the lines above are the tension of her muscles. And Krom is still a literal mountain man but in high-granite definition; he swears he even hears stone grind with every movement.

“Oh god…” he wails and covers his eyes. Scratches at them like maybe he can claw off the tears instead of just wiping them away.

In the bright darkness there’s muttered, muffled noises. Footsteps echoing on wood, then metal.

Then the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He knows there’s a hand hovering just above the surface of him.

“The more you go on fightin’ it, kid, the more it’ll hurt.”

He doesn’t have to open his eyes to imagine the look on Ryder’s face.

Words seem impossible but he finally manages to grit it out. “I won’t.”

“Won’t what?”

“I won’t give in. I’m sober. I’m sober!”

He manages two good smacks to his skull before Ryder snatches his wrist ironclad. “Hey—Hey! Stop that!”

“I’m sober fuck’s sakes! This should have stopped! I’m sober and I’m not. crazy!”

They struggle over his hand but Ryder’s strength beats out Taylor’s fright and panic. Just lets it hang limp in midair in the calloused grip.

“You were up there with me fully ready to take on some high-level necromancy bullshit and this is what sets you off?”

“You were gonna let him do what?!”

“Relax, Iv’, relax,” Ryder sighs, “I wasn’t gonna let him do it. But still he believed. You did believe, didn’t you?”

Did he? He doesn’t know. Can’t even tell if he’s still awake right now or if this is all some awful feverish nightmare he can only hope to never have again with the help of his sponsor.

Ryder tries again. Closer, this time — almost a whisper.

“Didn’t you?”

“I —” the whole bar hangs on his every word, “— I think so.”

“So believe me now when I say this: you aren’t crazy. Weird I guess, and maybe a bit gutsy. But not crazy.”

It isn’t much. But it’s enough for him to pry his eyes open and look at the man above him through the tears.

“You don’t get it. I… they look like…”

“Like what?”

He shudders the words out; “Like monsters.”

“HA!”

The cackle — or shriek — is so loud and so close it startles both of them out of their closeness; out of the intimacy of his admission. Makes them both look at where Ivy sits cross-legged on the floor with them sucking on a lollipop.

“Well I should sure hope so,” she teases, “because my glamour looks like a cheap imitation of the real thing! That’s what I get for skimping with B-O-G-O spell goods.”

Glamour. He knows that word. And Ryder knows he knows too judging by the wry little smile he gets. “Yeah, them too.”

“But —”

“Glamours are for all kinds’a things, kid. Here, c’mon up ya get,” with both hands Ryder helps him stand, “that particular one of mine was for secrecy. Most common ones you’ll run into though are harmless little shifts — ways to make the not-so-human look a little bit more that way.”

There’s a gasp and all eyes fall on Krom, now fully stone. His hairline replaced by filed-off pointed edges and skin rippling with crystalline sediment.

“You can see through glamours?” He asks, mortified.

Ivy’s black lips peel back with her grin. “Wicked.”

Garrus appears from around the bar with interest. Still pale but there’s no denying the actual point and tilt of his ears or the way his skin seems to almost shimmer. His eyes pale but reflective like bright diamonds.

“I wondered what set off my wards when Ryder here dragged you in. Seeing through glamours is some high-level magic. What’ve you charmed?” He looks Taylor over with interest.

“What have I… what?”

Ryder answers for him. “Already did my due diligence, guys. He’s not wearing anything charmed — he is charmed. Can see through the veil au natural.”

“Wicked.” repeats Ivy.

“Guess you’re my not-so-mortal, huh?”

Krom shakes his head with hands clasped together. “No wonder you were so frightened at the company. I’m so sorry, Taylor. I had no idea.”

Taylor swallows but manages a smile. “It’s… it’s okay. Not your fault, right?”

And the more he looks at them — really looks instead of seeing passing glimpses and resisting their existence — the less everything hurts. The ringing in his ears fades and like a drum at the end of a song his head abruptly clears. Along with the clouds that seem to hang invisible over his head every time he has one of his hallucinations.

But they aren’t hallucinations. They’re real.

It’s all real.

There’s a hesitation before Ryder lightly touches his shoulder. Taylor doesn’t flinch away — in fact a little human (maybe?) warmth is kinda comforting.

“You good?”

“Y-Yeah, I think so,” he inhales shakily, “I just can’t believe it’s all… I mean that it’s not in my head. It’s real. Everything I’ve seen is… is real.”

But everything means everything. Makes his heart settle down somewhere in the region his stomach ought to be occupying.

Makes him look Ryder head-on.

“So why does it want me dead?”

[queenofthefallenangels]

Eye Candy

Dean x Reader

Warnings: smut and swearing

Summary: Dean and reader have been secretly seeing each other, but what happens when Dean reveals it all on Miz tv?

A/N: This is my first fanfic in awhile plus my first WWE and imagine, so please don't be too mean.

Enjoy

“Dean,” she moaned out as he kissed down her neck, nibbling at her sweet spots. His hands were roaming around her curves. He pushed against her, making her sink further into the wall. His hands moved to the hem of her shirt and moved his hands under it. His hands went under her bra, squeezing them gently at first, but than harder. He pinched her nipples twisting them in his hands. She moaned his name again.

“(Y\N)” He said into her ear. “I want you so bad.” He rubbed his core up against hers, so she could feel how hard she made him.

She moaned, “Than what are you waiting for? Take me.” She playfully raised an eyebrow at him.

A grin appeared on his face as he began to rip their clothes off. He spun her around so she was facing the wall. She bent over slightly pushing her ass out. He ran a finger against her slit. “You're already so wet for.” He slipped one finger in moving it in and out. She moaned her head falling back. He slipped another finger in kissing her neck. He curved his fingers to hit her G-spot.

Her legs began to wither under his touch. She was having trouble holding herself up still. He wrapped his other arm around her waist to help her out. She could feel her walls begin to clench around his fingers. “Dean, I am not going to last much longer if you keep doing that.”

He slipped a third finger, “That's okay, I might try to break my record on how many times I can make you cum.” He bit her neck sucking on her neck as he moved his fingers in and out as fast as he could. She moaned his name out as she came onto his fingers.

〰️〰️〰️

“I got a very special guest tonight. The international continental champion, De-” Dean's music started before the Miz could finish introducing him. The Miz sighed giving (Y/N) a look. She shrugged at him. She watched the muscular man begin to walk down to the ring. She couldn't help, but get slightly turned on by the sight of him.

As Dean got into the ring, The Miz moved the microphone back to his mouth to speak. “Dean, are you ever going to get how this show works.”

“I find it much more enjoyable not to.” He smirked at The Miz knowing that it irritated  him so much when he ruined his show. He took his show very seriously. Dean on the other hand, didn't.

“Well, will you at least sit down so we can get this interview started.” Dean nodded and sat down, but he didn't sit down normally. He slouched in the chair sticking one hand down his pants. The Miz sucked in his cheek at his appearance. He tried his best to ignore it and move on with the interview. “Are you ready for your fight with Lashley this Sunday?”

“Yup,” he said shortly.

“You aren't nervous about him beating you?”

“Nope.”

Dean’s one word answers continued for awhile. The Miz was getting more and more frustrated with it by the second. He put a hand to a face, “Can you please take this interview seriously? My show is not a joke like you like to make it out to be.” Dean mocked him as he spoke. “You are such a sorry excuse for a champion. I don't know why they keep giving you chances after chances when you obviously don't deserve it. You are sitting here with your damn hand down your pants, for God's sake.”

“Maybe they think of your show as much of a joke as I do and they only put it on to humor you.”

“No, no.” He stood up walking over to where (Y/N) stood. She was watching the whole thing go down from the corner of the ring. It was where she was supposed to stand and with how mad The Miz was already at it is. She didn't dare move from her mark for a second. She was what The Miz called eye candy for his show. She had been dating the Miz for over a year. He was the one who helped her get a contract with the WWE without him, she was nothing.

“You're a disgrace to what the WWE stands for.” The Miz continued.

“Oh, am I? Than why do I have a title and you don't?” Dean said standing up to face The Miz. “You haven't even had a match in awhile. I guess the WWE look more at talent than people who dress up in fancy suits and pretty girls on your arm.” He turned to (Y/N), “Hey there,” he winked at her. She bit her lip, trying best to ignore how it made her heart skip a beat. She knew he was just doing this to piss the Miz off more.

“Don't wink at my girl. She doesn't want a man dirty like you. You aren't even in the same league as her.”

Dean didn't know what possessed him to say the next part,but as soon as it left his mouth he regretted it. “Really, because she was singing a different tune last night in my hotel room last night.”

The Miz laughed, “You're lying to yourself if you even think you could get a girl like her when she has me. Girls like her don't want dirty men like you, right babe?”

(Y/N) was trying her best to act like it was all a joke as well and keep her composure. “Right,” she finally got out after a couple breathes. She shot a glare towards Dean's direction.

“You see,Dean, I get women who have with class while you get some trailer trash.” The Miz said putting his arm around (Y/N), pulling her close to him.

Dean clicked his tongue walking over to them. He licked his thumb as he came up next to (Y/N) and whipped against her neck where he knew he had left a mark pushing her hair to the side.

“Hey, get your grimmy hands away from my woman.” The Miz said as he pulled her away. As he did, he saw the hickey on her neck. “What the hell?”

“You see, Miz, sometimes girls with class want guys like me.” He dropped the mic and rolled out of the ring, leaving the Miz in disbelief.

〰️〰️〰️

“What the fuck, (Y/N)?” The Miz hollered once they were backstage.

“Mike, it's not what you think.”

“That's why there is a damn hickey on your neck. You told me you burned your neck on the curling iron.”

“I did!”

“Than how did he know exactly where to find it?” He demanded.

“He must of saw the makeup artists cover it up.”

“No, he wasn't. I was there with you. Thats when I asked you about that, you dirty fucking whore.” He started backing her into the wall, pointing a long finger at her, “You embarrassed me infront of millions out there tonight. You cheated on me with Dean motherfucking Ambrose. How do you expect me to go out there again after that?” She looked down at his question. Their relationship was faker than the extensions in her hair. It was all for show. The Miz was always sleeping around with models and such. She always wished she could break up with him, but if she did, there went her contract with the WWE. Everything she worked so hard for would be gone. It looked like it was already going down the toilet.

He slapped her across the face,pulling her from her thoughts as she felt a sting on her cheek. “Answer me, slut!”

“Hey!” Dean yelled from across the hallway as he began to run towards them. “What the fuck you think you are doing?” He pushed The Miz off of her.

“Stay out of this, Ambrose. This doesn't concern you.”

“Then you shouldn't be doing out in public. Kind of makes it everyone's business then, huh?”

“Whatever, I am done with this garbage anyway. You're fired, (Y/N).” He straightened himself and walked away.

“What does he mean, you're fired?” Dean asked her.

Tears were beginning to well in her eyes, “He means I no longer work here and all the work I did was for nothing.” She put her hands in her face.

“Hey, hey,” Dean said. He pulled her into his arms. He felt bad for her. He couldn't believe he had let his emotions get the best of him in the ring.

“No,” she pushed him off. “You did this. I told you we have to keep this a secret. You go and show the whole damn world the hickey, you left on me. Now, I am fired and lost my dream job just because you had to one up him.”

“(Y/N), I didn't mean to.”

“Well, you did, Dean.” She said pushing past him. “I should probably go before The Miz calls security on my ass.” She walked off.

Dean watched her walk away, “Fuck!” He yelled punching the wall.

〰️〰️〰️〰️

“There has to be something I can do, Hunter.” Dean was in Hunter's office, begging to help get (Y/N) job back. “He can't just replace her just like that.”

“He can and he already has. His new girl starts this week actually.”

“But what about (Y/N)?”

“He fired her so her contract is done with us. She knew this when she signed it.”

“She can't even come back as her wrestler by herself.”

Hunter sighed, “Look, Dean, I know you want to fix things after what happened, but there is simply nothing we can do.”

“There has to be something.” Dean began pacing in front of his desk. Dean couldn't sleep after that night. He had fucked up a lot cause of his pride. (Y/N) wouldn't answer any of his calls or his texts. He knew that what they had was supposed to be meaningless sex, but he had started to catch feelings for her. He didn't want to admit it. Maybe that's why he let his feelings get the best of him with The Miz. He never liked that she was with someone like that. She deserved so much more than being someone's eye candy. She was talented in the ring. She deserved to make a name for herself without The Miz.

Hunter ran over his bald head, “Well there is one way that someone brought up.”

“Do it!” Dean said without even listening to the idea Hunter had in mind.

〰️〰️〰️

“Alright,” The Miz said. “I have a very special guest with me tonight.” He said pointing to the blonde next to him. “My new girl, Maryse. She helped me through a lot of my break-up with (Y/N). I am forever grateful to have her by my-”

All of a sudden Dean's music started to play as he began to walk out. “Hey, Miz, I wanted to congratulate you since it was thanks to me you found each other. But, I also wanted to thank you. After I beat Lashely, I decided there was something missing in my act. A beautiful woman on my arm like you always got. Might make me look better.” The sound of your new music began to play as you came out in ring gear. The Miz mouth dropped. Dean smiled evily. “And we are ready to show you what you lucked out on.”

[zachsreaderinserts]

Crash ‘N’ Run

ship: basicallyidowrk x female!reader x fourzeroseven

warnings: homophobia, racism, it's the 50s babe what do you expect, inspired by a webcomic called rock and riot

"This is complete and utter bullshit." Marcel raged, kicking an empty can angrily. I watched him from the sidewalk as he stomped around. Scotty was attempting to calm him down, following him around as he paced.

I couldn't help the disappointed sigh that left me as I buried my head into my knees.

Being in a relationship with two guys wasn't as easy as it seemed. For one, there are many comments about me being a "whore" for dating two men, as well as Marcel and Scotty being called "cuckolds". Two, because we're an interracial couple, we get even more flack for breaking society's roles on us.

And because of those two reasons, we couldn't go to prom together.

We weren't the only ones either. There were Craig and Tyler, a gay couple; Evan and Jonathan, an interracial gay couple; and Anthony and Melina, an interracial couple. We all were rejected from being able to go to prom.

Unwilling to face the principal's wrath, we retreated to Marcel's cul de sac, where he currently was raging his ass off.

"Marcel, Marcel!" Scotty comforted his boyfriend, quickly calming him while I sulked on the sidewalk. After a quiet few moments, my boyfriends joined me on the ground.

"This fucking blows." Scotty murmured, holding my hand. I nodded solemnly, leaning onto his side. I felt Marcel's hand on my back, which meant his arm was around Scotty. "I wish people would just accept us."

"We knew what we were getting into when we got together," Marcel whispered, rubbing my shoulder lovingly. "I just wanted a night with the two most beautiful people in the world."

"Shut up." I grinned, slapping his chest lightly. "That's so cheesy." We all sighed together, enjoying one another's presence.

But that was when I got the idea.

"What would happen if we somehow got into prom and got caught?" The two of them gave me a confused look. "Like, what are the repercussions?"

"Suspension, maybe?" Scotty thought it over, moving his hand from my own to my waist, his letterman jacket providing warmth. "I mean, we aren't seniors, nor are we troublemakers..."

"Don't lie to her, Scot." Marcel teased, grinning softly. "She knows us enough to know that we're anything but angels."

"Then let's go to prom," I suggested, smiling in excitement. Marcel smile changed into a frown once more.

"You heard the principal. No dates that are homosexual or interracial are allowed." I turned my body to face my boyfriends, grinning with mischief.

"Since when did we decide some fat fuck was gonna dictate how we get to spend our Saturday nights?" Scotty's face lit up with hope while Marcel's lit up with boldness. "I'm sick and tired of being shoved around by some balding white man. I'm gonna crash the fuck out of that prom." Scotty sat up, grinning handsomely.

"What's the plan, babe?"

---

"I can't believe we're crashing prom together!" Melina sang happily, thumbing through dresses. "I mean, I knew you were rebellious, but I didn't think you were this rebellious!"

"We all want a night out, so a night out is what we're gonna get." I declared, finding a sparkly f/c dress. It puffed out at the waist, reminding me of a princess dress. "I want that one." I plucked it off the rack, holding it up to my body.

"Oh hell yeah." Melina chirped, looking me over. "Go try it on!"

After wrestling with the zipper, I looked in the mirror, pleased with how I looked. I normally looked like an innocent teenager, but this dress made me feel like a glamorous, rich woman. Give me pearls and I'll knock off the socks of every straight man in the county.

"Y/n, are you done yet?" Melina asked, knocking on my dressing room door. I peeped it open, seeing her yellow, sweetheart dress. "Oh my God."

"You look great!" I squealed, causing her to blush. "Anthony is going to pass out when he sees you."

"Shut up." She nudged me, shaking her head. "You're a riot."

"I know." I winked at her, closing the door.

---

"You look wonderful, Y/n." My older sister, Ryb, complimented me. "Mom would've loved to see you."

"I'm sure wherever she is, she's proud of me." I retouched my lipstick, looking in my vanity mirror. "I'll call you if we get arrested."

"Knowing you, you'll find your way out of it." She teased, taking a photo of me. The doorbell rang, causing me to grow nervous. "That must be your boys. I'll go let them in." As she walked away, I looked myself over one last time.

I was really about to do this. I was about to crash my junior prom. And somehow, the only thing that made me nervous was Scotty and Marcel's reactions.

But as I descended from upstairs and saw their reactions, I knew that there was truly nothing to be nervous about.

"Holy shit." Scotty cursed while Marcel just gaped at me. I couldn't help but gasp at their appearance.

Scotty's unkempt hair was brushed neatly, going very well with his grey suit and f/c bow tie.

Marcel's hair was gelled to create a masculine look, his scruff shaved which made him look older in his black suit and f/c skinny tie.

It took me a moment to remember that these handsome boys were dating me.

"Hey, guys." I meekly smiled, going down the stairs. They stayed silent, still staring at me. The flashing of Ryb's camera brought them out of their stupor.

"Y/n, you look stunning." Marcel smiled, visibly awestruck. "Like, damn."

"Wow." Scotty murmured, cupping my face gently. My face went hot at their attention and I began to giggle shyly.

"You guys clean up nice," I whispered, smoothing out both of their suits. Marcel held my hand to his heart, tearing up slightly.

"If you guys are done being sappy, I'd like to take some pictures." Ryb cut in, making us chuckle. After doing ridiculous poses with one another, we made it out to my car. As I turned on the engine, Scotty leaned in from the back seat.

"So, we're having post-prom sex after this, right?"

"Oh, hell yeah." Marcel and I nodded in agreement as I pulled out from my driveway. "My house?"

"Where else?" I quipped, speeding out of my neighborhood. After a few minutes of driving, we reached the school parking lot. Waiting there for us was Melina, Anthony, Evan, Jonathan, Craig, Tyler, and a lot more people. "Uh..."

"It's all our friends!" Scotty pointed out as we parked the car. I stepped out, recognizing the faces around me. Everyone went silent, smiling proudly.

Gay couples, lesbian couples, mixed couples, couples of all sorts surrounded the few cars in the parking lot. I couldn't help the excited smile that was on my face as I climbed onto the hood of my car.

"I can tell many of you are here for the revolution." Various cheers erupted from the crowd as they looked up at me. "That's perfect. Because we're done being docile. We're done listening to this stupid principal and what he thinks is right for us! I say fuck the norm!" The cheers were slowly becoming louder. "Fuck the homophobic assholes! Fuck the racist assholes! Fuck everyone who says what you can and can't do! Are we gonna take this bullshit or are we gonna riot?"

"Riot!" A booming cheer rose over the parking lot, causing me to giggle with adrenaline.

"That's right, baby! Let's go fuck this prom up!"

And with that, we burst through the entrance of prom, quickly slinking into the crowd. The teachers lost us as we all split up to go wreak havoc.

I spotted the picture booth and immediately grabbed Marcel and Scotty's arms.

"C'mon!" I squealed, dragging them over to pose in front of the cameraman. We did one normal picture before doing stupid poses with one another. I gave the man a twenty before swiping the polaroids off of him and continuing to dash through the prom. Students were watching as we all made our mark, cheering us on.

I made my way to the stage, getting ahold of the microphone.

"I want you all to know that this is a revolution! And we won't be stopped!" I yelled, before turning around and grabbing Scotty's face.

I gave him a forceful kiss before turning to Marcel and giving him an equally passionate smooch. After a moment, I turned back to the mic, slightly breathless.

"And to this stupid motherfucking principal, suck my left tiddy!" I sent out a graceful middle finger before the three of us ran off again. Though this time, we ran out of the gym.

I giggled happily as we circled the school and went back to the parking lot. Marcel was practically skipping, swinging his intertwined hands as we rushed out. Scotty's high pitched laugh pierced the air, his giddiness similar to a child's.

"Last one there's a rotten egg!" He squealed, dropping our hands to run. I followed in suit, picking up my dress so I wouldn't trip. Marcel and Scotty were easily further ahead of me, which was a telltale sign that I was gonna be the rotten egg this time.

As we reached the clean car, we all stopped to catch our breath again. I bent over the trunk, laying flat on my stomach to try and calm down.

"That's a pretty sight," Scotty smirked, looking at me. Realizing my compromising position, I gave him the middle finger.

"You're unbelievable." He laughed again, straightening up his suit. "What do we do now?"

"Let's go get milkshakes." I heaved myself up, stretching.

"Then victory sex?" I snorted, looking at the two loves of my life.

"Then we'll have victory sex." Both of them fist pumped the air before high fiving, making me snicker again.

"Get in the car, you dorks."

[erikismybitch]

Drillmonger conclusion

Part 2

There will be a Part 3 because it was too long for 1 mobile post .

-

Candy didn’t call him , he called her and sent several messages. It took a lot of convincing but eventually she caved in.

Who better to show you around than me?

To Candy’s knowledge Erik was sending a driver to come and pick her up . The two of them would meet and explore . But she wasn’t the least bit surprised when Erik pulled up to her hotel. How devious of him, she didn’t reason with her true feelings . Either Candy was blinded or she simply didn’t know it was a tactic to win her back . She got into the car , it was odd though . She had never been in his passenger seat nor outside of a room with him . Restaurants and pools inside of hotels but never anything like this .

They drove on the opposite side of the road in Wakanda , Erik seemed to navagate just fine , in fact , he knew the roads well . Candy told him that she was hungry and he knew the perfect place to bring her . She insisted it be a Non-Touristy place .

“I know , believe it or not ... I do know things about you Candy“ he pulled into a spot parallel to a small run down restaurant. It had a half built wooden porch in the front of it . Where a few old men sat at a card table playing dominoes and drinking country branded alcohol. Blocking the semi opened door were two small boys wresting. Erik snapped at them , speaking a few words in Xhosa. They stopped fighting eachother right away. Candy smiled because that was the first time she heard him speak his native language. She would often try to make him speak it in the past but he refused. Erik pushed open the frail door and lead them into the restaurant . Instantly they were welcomed by the cool air from the raggedy air conditioning.

Wakanda was hot .

They were also welcomed by the wonderful smell of garlic and sizzling sounds of simmering meat. “Njadaka!”

The woman’s voice carried through the room . It was deep , and if Candy hadn’t seen where it came from she would have assumed she was a man. The woman was short and round, and had those big arms that flapped when she held them up . Her coarse hair was braided neatly in a crown . “Njadaka?” Candy repeated lowly under her breath.

“It’s my name-name”

Erik walked over to who he called “Auntie” And kissed her cheek . She stood behind the food counter and they spoke to each other in Xhosa . They both looked over at Candy and smiled . His aunt waved and Candy waved back . Which made her feel awkward more than anything . So Candy took a seat , she figured they were talking about her . She found a small table that wobbled and the three chairs didn’t match . Candy didn’t complain, she was extremely humble and appreciated every experience .

A little time had past when Erik and “auntie “ walked over to the table . He placed two bottles of water down and told Candy that he had ordered some food . Her stomach growled with anticipation. Besides having sex with Erik , eating was her favorite thing to do . Candy introduced herself , the woman was a family friend and had known “Njadaka“ since he was born . That was the reason he called her auntie . Candy was taken by surprise when she hugged her , nice and tight . Which made Candy’s eyes bug out in shock and caused Erik to laugh .

“He looks nice and healthy. He used to be so skinny !” His auntie slapped her calloused palm onto Erik’s belly .

“Well , I make sure he eats when he’s with me” . Candy said in a way that insinuated something else . Erik mouthed a “wow”, thanking god that his aunt didn’t catch on. Candy sipped on her water, while the two began to speak Xhosa amongst eachother. Again Candy could tell they were talking about her. His aunt could speak fluent English . She found it to be a little rude , but this was the local dialect . Candy made a note to mention it to Erik later .

“N’jadaka... is he your boyfriend no?” the aunt blurted this almost as a statement , rather than a question . Candy had forgotten about his real name and almost said “who ?” But once she caught on , she looked to Erik for help . She didn’t know where they stood , but a couple was way far fetched.

“Umm” Candy mumbled . Erik looked straight ahead, avoiding her gaze on purpose . His aunt threw him off guard too “No, just friends “ she answered.

His aunt yelped a loud “Ah!” And slapped Erik’s back hard . And as strong as he was, she made him hiss in pain . “Well, I have a son who needs a good wife!”

Erik interject by yelling in Xhosa. Loudly . With his nostrils flaring in anger . His aunt gave him a few choice words herself that Candy did not of course understand , not before she hit his back again and walked off .

Candy rubbed the exact spot his aunt struck, she tried her best to hold in her giggles . She could tell that one hurt worse than the first one .

“Wish I could hear you speak your language more often” Candy stopped comforting Erik and sipped her bottle of water . “I like it”

Erik digressed and took a sip of his water. To him, his language wasn’t a big deal . Besides , he was a little embarrassed at the scene that just unveiled.

“You guys we’re talking about me ” she spoke in an apprehensive manner . She didn’t want to hear the actual answer . She just wanted Erik to know that she noticed. Erik didn’t answer her right away so Candy’s attention turned towards the two boys who were still fighting outside . They were filthy from the dirt roads , Candy knew their mothers would be pissed when they saw them . She figured they weren’t brothers, they looked nothing alike .

Her gaze reverted back to Erik, on account of his fingers turning her chin towards him. “Don’t trip“ he told her . She rested along the back of the chair, therefore his hand couldn’t touch her anymore . Don’t trip? She crossed her arms .

“She said you’re pretty... which is true “ Erik tried to sweeten up the mood. Candy gave him an expression of disbelief. He and his aunt talked for a while , that wasn’t the only topic .

“And you yelled at her when she mentioned me marrying her son”

Erik blinked a few times as if he was chasing a thought . He drew his plump lower lip into his teeth before he spoke . “I told her that was my job “ he smiled as if his words were some kind of joke.

“Yeah whatever, Young Kill” Candy hid the delight that wanted so badly to spread across her face .

The food came , thank god . It was tension between the duo . Nothing bad , just two people who couldn’t quite express how they really felt about one another . Well, more so Erik in that manner.

He told her about everything he had ordered . Rice , fried fish , a wet chicken dish and some kind of bowl filled with stew . Erik taught her how to eat it . Some of the dishes called to be eaten with their hands. Erik spoke about the traditional way to eat . He told Candy that the women fed the man. Candy informed him it would be “over her dead body” before she would feed him in public .

“What about in private ?“ he joked . They were Seemingly enjoying things . So much so that Candy peeled off a fatty piece of fish and put it to Erik’s mouth . Feeding him caused him to boast and she promised to never do it again .

“What does her son looks like” Candy refered to the son that Erik’s aunt was sure her match. Erik stopped chewing and peered over Candy’s shoulder.

“He’s right over there “ he pointed his nose over to a man sitting near the kitchen area. He was short , round and bald . His eyes were crossed and as soon as he noticed Candy looking at him, he smiled. Revealing that his front left tooth was half gone .

Candy turned back to Erik, buggeyed holding in her laugh . Erik couldn’t help it , his laugh was loud and obnoxious. Which broke Candy and she wailed out too . So hard that tears fell from her eyes .

Erik stopped laughing for a moment and watched her . How beautiful she was when she was carefree and not trying to be . He had grew in that time period of them being apart . Erik knew he couldn’t lose her again. In the midst of her amusement, Erik quickly squeezed out a question .

“You wanna meet my people ?”

Candy took a deep pause , and tried her best to gain composure. She took a huge bite of food to buy her time. Twenty four hours ago Erik was the last thing on her mind . And now she was being faced with the decision of meeting his family.

“We can go to the hotel and get your stuff” he began ranting like a child . Candy quickly shook her head, but it didn’t phase him at all . “Come on, my parents have a really big house , it’s clean , you can even sleep a guest room”

She held her hand up in defense and finally swallowed her food to speak . “I don’t think that’s a good idea”

Erik picked off a small piece of the fried fish , slowly he held it up to her mouth . When she wouldn’t open up , He opened his mouth to show her what to do. When she laughed , he tried to put it in her mouth . When he missed the fish smashed amongst her chin.

“If you not feeling it , I’ll bring you back” Erik wiped her chin with his hand.

“Straight back ? “ Erik’s sudden act affection made her giddy , and it toyed with her logic .

Erik took her question as an indirect yes . Erik could still read her , as if no time had passed at all . Candy agreed to go, but staying the night was out of the question . Erik would have to work harder for that .

(Sorry it’s so short , the last add will be worth it!)

And sorry for typos . I’m sleepy .

[somuchanemoia]

The Cocoa Bean

I heard you were having a rough day at work, @delta-roseblr , so I hope this brightens up your day a little. Enjoy. As always thank you for writing a beautiful ship.

“Dude, I need coffee.” Dean groaned from the passenger seat, “Damn, my back and my ass hurts.”

“You need coffee?” Felix shot him an irritated glance from behind the wheel, “I was up most the night driving. You snore louder when you’re sitting upright, you know.”

Deans cheeks flushed a little, “I tried staying up. You told me to get some shut-eye because I kept yawning and making you tired, remember” Dean arched an eyebrow before turning to look out the window, “I also don’t snore, thank you very much.”

Felix rolled his eyes but grabbed for Dean’s hand, “You do.”

“Where are we anyway?” Dean asked as he looked around at the forest whipping by occasionally being broken up by a short view of some farmers field. The air conditioning of Felix’s Jeep was blasting on high, the humidity and the hot Southern Sun beating down on the car and its inhabitants mercilessly. He liked his car, but god, maybe he should’ve taken Dean up on his offer to drive his Honda down to help him move up to Stanford and then drive his Jeep up over Thanksgiving break when they both flew back down to Tennessee for the holidays. Dean’s car, as ancient as it was, still got better gas mileage than his Jeep Liberty got -- the thing guzzled gas like his Dad guzzled gin on a Tuesday night after he came home from work.

“Arkansas.” Felix squinted and looked out to at the seemingly never-ending stretch of highway, “As to where exactly, I don’t know. The last place we passed was a while back but we should be coming up to an exit soon. We’ll stop then. We both need a good cup of coffee and I gotta stand up before my ass falls off.”

Dean smiled, “Seems a bit drastic that, that would happen, but aight.” He pulled out his phone and began to scroll, looking at what Felix guessed was their GPS directions, “Looks like we got another 10 miles before we come up to a place with a gas station and at least someplace to get a halfway good cup of coffee.”

“No Starbucks?”

“Nope.” Dean hummed and zoomed in on the image, “Looks like a little Mom and Pop cafe off the highway, little place called the Cocoa Bean.”

“Alright, good enough for me,” Felix glanced over his shoulder before switching lanes and taking Dean’s hand once more.

The miles flew by and soon a sign began to crest the hill, telling them that there was a gas station off the next exit and soon another large blue sign welcomed them to Pottsville, Arkansas, home of 3,095 strong people and a Volvo dealership. Felix put on his blinker and got onto the off ramp, finally shifting his foot from the gas to the break as he slowed them down and onto a small two lane road.

“Left or right?”

Dean looked down at his phone and shoved his thumb to the left, “That way, towards Crow Mountain.”

“Crow Mountain?”

“That’s what its called,” Dean hummed, “Take a left and then up the hill a little ways. There should be a gas station and a little farther north than that, should be coffee.”

The road was entirely empty except for them, which was a little eerie, but Felix couldn’t deny that Pottsville, Arkansas was very scenic. The road up the mountain wound through the forest, the sides of the road decorated with the prettiest wildflowers he had seen since he and his dad had driven down from Vermont. The sun shone down through them in little pockets through the thick branches of the trees and made the car cool off considerably within the few minutes they drove up the hill.

“It should be just up ahead,” Dean hummed as he looked out the window, “Seems like a nice little town.”

“Quiet, for sure.” Felix said as they passed by a small little church on the side of the hill, its white steeple stark against the dark green forestry around it and the rust orange truck parked outside of it, “Finally spotted someone.”

Dean snorted, “A sign of life. The locals must live further up the hill then.” Felix hummed as he finally saw the gas station. It was old timey and looked like it had been around since the early 50s.

Nonetheless, it was gas.

He turned off the road and put the Jeep in park, before stepping out of the car. Dean followed suit and they both stretched for a moment before Felix began to pump their gas.

“Good news, coffee isn’t far away,” Dean said as he came round the front of the Jeep to lean against the side of the car next to Felix, “We can walk if we want.” He pointed across the street and there stood the little shed looking place with the words, “The Cocoa Bean” painted on the side in a sharp white scrawl.

“Place looks like the wind could knock it over.”

“But it’s coffee and coffee is needed.” Dean reasoned, “We still gotta make it into Oklahoma by tonight so we can get to our motel.”

“True.” Felix sighed, “Let me finish this up and we’ll just run across the street and come back.”

With the car locked and their gas pumped, the two ran across the street, their legs almost rejoicing for the opportunity to move and stretch after the seven hour drive already taking its toll on them.

The Cocoa Bean looked just as rickety and shed like up close, the big wreath on the dark emerald front door making it only look slightly more homey and less abandoned. Dean reached out a hand and opened the door into the cafe and immediately they were hit with the most heavenly smell. The place must’ve been baking for their days customers because the smell was definitely sweet and all consuming as they took a step into the place. Unlike the outside, the inside of the Cocoa Bean was warm and cozy albeit a little outdated as well, making the place look like a cafe from the late 70s. A few tables sat around on the checkered floor, their matching chairs peeling with leather. Each table had a vase filled with wildflowers, dandelions and bundles of Queen Anne’s lace looking radiant even in the sunlight that shone through the big windows on the side. The Jukebox in the corner was playing “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” softly, making the woman behind the counter sway to it as she worked.

“Good Mornin’, Ms. Billings!” The woman called to them, not even turning around from working at the back counter, her back still to them, “What can I get for you today? The usual, or are you feeling adventurous? I was just tellin Rod that I thought you’d like our new special, but he wasn’t sure.” She let out a laugh, one that had sounded like it had been used multiple times over the past twenty plus years. The woman would’ve been in her 50s, her red hair swinging around her waist as she moved in long strands of curls.

“Uhm,” Felix said as they walked closer to the counter, “I’m afraid we’re not who you're thinking of.” The woman turned at the sound of Felix’s deeper voice that still hadn’t lost that East coast accent. Even after being in Tennessee for two years and being around Dean so much, his accent hadn’t fully left him even if it had softened rather dramatically.

Her big brown eyes widened as she spotted them and a large smile came onto her face, making her laugh lines crinkle around her eyes, “Well, hello there, new friends! What brings you to the Cocoa Bean?”

“Uhm...Coffee?” Dean asked as he smiled back at the woman, “Heard you have good coffee.”

She laughed and leaned over the counter to patt Dean’s cheek, “That we do, honey bee. My name is Doralee and me and my husband Rod own this place. What’re your names?”

Felix opened his mouth to retort that it was none of her business, but Dean nudged him and stuck out his hand, “I’m Dean,” He nudged Felix again,”And this is my friend, Felix, we’re just passing through town.”

“Nice to meet you boys,” She cooed and reached over the counter to shake Dean’s hand and then reached for Felix’s which he gave to her after a moment of hesitation, “What brings you through Pottsville?”

“We’re on our way to California.” Felix hummed as he began to look around the place for a menu.

“Sounds exciting! Vacation?” She leaned against the pastry case next to the register where a collection of the most beautifully decorated cakes where sitting, thick cakes frosted with pastel pinks and oranges making Felix’s mouth water slightly at the sight.

“No, ma’am,” Dean gave her that award winning grin that Felix swore was magical. Dean could win almost any adult over with that smile, “We’re going up to school.”

As always, Dean’s smile seemed to have made Doralee explode in a flurry of giggles and flushed cheeks, “Well, you two looked smart, i’m not surprised.” She ran a hand through her long hair before reaching for a pocket in her white apron, bringing out a large order pad and a pencil, “What can I get for you boys?”

“Coffee.” Felix reiterated, starting to get a little irritated. He was tired and starting to get a little grouchy.

“He’ll take a latte and I’ll just have a coffee, black.”

“House blend, okay, sugar?” Doralee asked as she scribbled their order down, “Rod says the house blend is to pansy, but I think its delightful.”

“Sure…” Dean hummed.

“And you, honey bee,” She turned to Felix, “Wanted a Latte?”

“Yeah.”

“Sorry, boy,” A gruff voice came through the air as a tall wiry looking man came through a door in the back, a huge tray of muffins balanced in his arms. His dark brown eyes came to rest on Felix as he walked behind the counter and set the muffins down in the case, “We dont do lattes here. Besides, a nice boy like you looks like he could use a mans drink…”

Felix’s eye twitched a little as he tried to hold in the irritation that was watching over him, “Guys can drink lattes.” He mumbled.

“Not here they don’t.” The man pulled the faded red baseball cap off his head and wiped his forehead with the back of his arm, giving a brief glimpse of his greying blonde hair before he slapped the cap back down onto his balding head, “I got the perfect thing for you.”

“Rod!” Doralee turned to the man, Rod, and frowned at him, “I told ya to be nice to my customers.”

“Dora, the boy is drinking lattes like some fancy namby from the East Coast.” Rod grumbled as he leant over and snatched a muffin outta the case.

“They’re new customers, Rod.” His wife retorted and came round the counter. She swayed as she walked, her sandaled feet shuffling across the floor as she came to stand between the two of them. She put her arms around both boys who towered over her and pulled them both to either side of her.

“We’re gonna give them a warm Pottsville welcome, you hear me.” She pinched both their cheeks as she spoke, before letting them go.

Felix was losing patience and fast. If it wasn’t for Dean’s hand that came to rest of Felix’s shoulder, he was sure he would’ve snapped something at the man, but instead he stayed quiet while Dean spoke, “We’ll just take two coffees, black, please.”

“Sure, thing sugar,” She cooed at them again before turning to her husband, “Now, out with you. I expect those banana breads to be done before Mr. Meyers comes in for his morning tea. The poor man missed his bread yesterday, and I’ll be damned if he’s gonna miss it again, Rod.”

Rod sighed and rolled his eyes, mumbling something about getting himself a stiff drink already in the morning.

This didn’t go unnoticed by Doralee, “What was that?”

“Nothing,” He said turning back around to give her a smile, “Nothing at all.”

“That’s what I thought you said.” She called to him before turning back to the two of them, “Sorry about that boys. It’s on the house today.”

“It’s alright, Miss, We don’t mind paying.” Dean reached for his wallet but she waved him off.

“No, no no no no no,” She said as she pulled out two large cups and began to fill them with coffee, “It’s on the house.”

Dean went to argue that they wouldn’t mind paying for it before Felix elbowed him, “If you insist, Miss.”

“Ooh!” She said as she popped a lid on to each cup, “Let me get you boys a slice of pie too. It’s a bit early in the morning, but both ya’ll look like you’re gonna keel over.”

No matter how much Dean insisted they would be fine or that he could pay for their food, Doralee insisted them until they were out the door with a boxed up pie, two forks, two large cups of black coffee and enough hugs to last Felix till Christmas.

“Well, that was a nice place…” Dean hummed as they walked back to the car, “Bit awkward, but...nice…”

“She kept hugging us,” Feli said as he took a large gulp of his coffee, “Why did she keep hugging us?”

“Because she’s a southern woman who’s determined to hug you.” Dean chuckled taking a swig of his own coffee, “And let’s face it, with how adorable you are, who wouldn’t want to hug you?”

Felix answered him with a swat to the arm, “Bite me, Solace.”

“I’d be glad to.”

Check out my Delix tag for more Delix ficlets.

[vertigoambrosia]

road to bttr!

it’s kinda weird cause i think this was taped before 18th anni but whatever

well now i’m mad about that fuck finish all over again

ARGH WHAT WAS THE POINT OF HAVING THAT ASSHOLE THERE TO DO ok no we all already agree about this let’s move on

i find it funny that avalanche’s part of the opening now is him on the phone

true businessman

also tarkan’s new portrait is hilarious

uhhh wait didn’t we literally just have irie vs bobby?

and here’s this asshole

“at 27″ oh my god

andy thinks he’s younger than me

IT WAS A CONFERENE CALL WITH ODIN AND ZEUS

“bro you’re one of us!”

DINNER AT MOUNT OLYMPUS

haha i almost got whiplash from andy going from spouting shit to dragging nick hein

i think andy’s championship reign needs to end but damn do i love his insane promos

WHY

no i don’t want to see or hear this guy

i was gonna say “he looks like a douche” but he’s an mma fighter so....

oh HAHAHA you’re so clever ice cream hahaha

nick hein voice: i’m not here to make friends

OH HE WAS A COP TOO

wow ummm especially considering what he said about police brutality that sargeant promo is umm....really bad

emil you don’t have your happy face

oh no now emil’s depressed too

*avalanche voice* how am i going to explain the level of turnover in this position to interviewees

i hope this means julian will return soon and not that monster consulting is done as a gimmick

but avalanche going back to the purple worries me

what jurn, did you leave your gear at home?

jurn: i can’t wrestle, i’m sick *cough cough* avalanche: boo you whore

oh wait we haven’t seen markus in a little bit, have we?

god i love AJ he’s such a pretty garbage child

i do like alan pain as the crown’s serf

wait did alan call kellyanne alan’s “main squeeze”

ewwwwwwwwwwwwww nooooooooooo

he’s her dad having a major mid life crisis and i refuse to hear otherwise

i can’t remember if they announced avalanche as being on the new york show or if i just dreamed it lol

he deserves attention outside germany

HAHAHAHA avalanche tossing alan at aj was awesome

boo these mean boys

the medieval ages were dark times for europe where people threw their piss out windows

markus so wee

wait what no you can’t do that!

markus that’s bullshit and you know it

lmao alan is so over the crown “look at jurn, putting his foot across the chest of avalanche, like he’s agtually acheived something of worth here”

hahaha julian’s hair is awful

LOL melanie

DAMN that was a good ass beatdown

yuu is adorable

hahahaha is jurn fucking up another tag relationship

jurn is such a gaslighter

*jurn voice* why can’t i find a tag partner that doesn’t have all these stupid feelings

oo we getting the technical grap shit here

and slams

i can’t tell what the crowd is chanting at yuu

it better be nice

i hate that the move is actually named shades of shibata

yuu’s pace can be a lil slow but i hope she goes far

oh shit toni’s maaaad

i wonder if this is her sendoff before going to nxt uk

friendly reminder that the only dude not involved at all with wwe got the pin in that match!!!!

awww junior

aww tim’s smiling

icarus no don’t slap tim

see?

oh man this match is on fire

protip: do not slap or chop walter

do not slap tim either

~holding hands~

boys maybe if you didn’t stop to pose and scream your finisher you’d hit it more

look how fired up tim is!

jurn’s angry face is still funny

HAHAHAHAHAHA TIM that was a lil mean he was right there

is veit wearing suspenders? that’s kind of adorable

tim in a feud all by himself! and kind of being mean to david for no reason

it’s weird that they didn’t tape like, an interview or smoking break before this rematch to add some emotion or plot

esp since this was taped before the first match, i think?

wow there’s a dude on irie’s corner of the screen that looks like tom laruffa , or maybe tarkan if he were bald

OH BOY IT’S THE GAYEST SPOT IN WRESTLING

that move where irie fucking sits on a dude owns super hard

bobby i saw u touch his butt for no reason

yo that cannonball is so fucking good

rip bobby, defeated by fast spinny meat boy

yeah no alan is def a dad on coke

HAHA YES KRIS

amazing

i love how she stood on the bench to be taller than both of them

vinny!

vinny telling bobby to chil? he truly has changed

no really tho veit’s suspenders are adorable

oh snap! soembody’s moving up in the world!

yeah bobby don’t forget you were shotgun champ for literally 8 months

vinny’s matured so much

GASP

THESE PEOPLE ARE AWFUL

i think the little wolf’s name is jermaine? she mentioned it in her conversations episode

it might be michael

but see yeah this heeling from kellyanne is what i wanted to see more of

oh snap she just stepped up on her knee!

alan is kinda weird too cause he’s almost distracting from kellyanne sometimes

DON’T LET HER GET THAT PUPPET ok maybe i should shut up casue that was great

ok kellyanne also has a real good cannonball

lmaoooooooo andy’s meditation “music”

OOOOOO DAVID STILL GETTING HIS SHOT

three segments later bobby is still mad

not sure why irie would agree to that but sure

i know ‘kafigschlacht’ literally means ‘cage fight’ but i wish they had specifcally kept that title for the wargames-esque match

it is a very cool name to americans

also man the graphics for this event are bad

like, unsually so

look at the portraits - that filter on them is awful

and that music is awful

*andy voice* i know you still love me, marius

hahaha i love that it’s official kayfabe that andy faked that shoulder injury

david shaves once a year and i finally am used to it

ILJA

aw i don’t know what they’re chanting at A4

hahaha tommy begging for one on one

the tables are turned! marius is messign with andy

aww i thought we were gonna get a flex off

these shenanigans are actually amazing

shit wait i realized we haven’t seen nice rise yet

or tarkan and mack, but they’re less desirable

and finally, the match starts

ilja is a very good teammate

‘if they will do illegal double teams so will i!’

ilja’s posted a few pics with constantin and even though he covers the face that child is adorable

his hands are so wee

his hair is so pale

he probably says words now!

this is all irrelevant to the match and i probably already said it but still

also, thank you bielfeld for being 100% anti-andy

real talk if anything happens but ilja winning clean in the cage we riot, corect

tas y u being such a dick

you know euros are worth more than american dollars

HE TIED HIS SHOES TOGETHER WHAT A SHITHEAD

see starr is speaking the damn truth - the longer andy is champ the more tas seems like he just doesn’t learn

i know it’s regular cheater heel tropes but after 4 months it does get old, especiallt when it’s the same ref who over and over again

which i guess is why wxw thinks shitty cop special ref makes sense...except that special ref means shenanigans and also everyone hates him and oh IT’S A CAGE MATCH

*marius voice* shit it’s been almost 15 minutes since i posed better show off the guns

hahaha andy fuckingup the hurricarana is a great spot

ok this is going on a little long

forearm/elbow exchamnges this late in the match really slow down the pace, in my opinion

or i am just largely sick of them - see why i was never that into goto/ishii matchups

and this segment is a little ‘let’s get our signature shit in’

dammit you shouldn’t have two ‘everyone is dead’ spots!

i don’t even know who’s legal anymore

i was gonna say another dive is stupid, but ilja and david looking at each other with crazy in their eyes sold it for me

it’s totally the insane but ill advised thing ilja would do and i can imagine david getting caught up in FEELINGS

also they did it in pretty cloe to perfect unison

hahaha david can’t quite do ilja’s shtick in sync with him yet

tarkan your hair is a little

“(angry arguing)

YEAHHHH TITLES ON THE LINE

hahahahaha tarkan and mack are Not Pleased

nice rise gonna come out on top :)

[loki-hargreeves]

Curiosity Killed The Cat - Bucky Imagine [PART 3]

[PART 2] [PART 4]

Warnings: gore, drugs/medicines

Your P.O.V.

Oh God my head was killing me!

I wasn’t sure if my eyes were open or not. Everything was pitch black around me. I tried to move my head when I noticed I had a bag around it. Instant panic kicked in and I attempted to get up, only to learn I was tied to a chair. Oh God.

What happened? 

Where on earth was I?

‘‘You’re up early’‘ A manly voice filled the silence I woke up in. Although I couldn’t see, I could tell the voice came from behind me. My heart jumped to my throat from fear and I stopped tugging the chains that kept me down. This couldn’t be real. This had to be a fucking nightmare! Whatever this was, it was more than just terrifying. 

‘‘Did we gag her? Why is she so quiet?’‘ The same man spoke again, apparently to someone else in this room. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to see my surroundings. Footsteps approached me and soon, someone took the black bag off my head, throwing it on the floor. My eyes met some bright lights so I shut them immediately. Another reason was that I was terrified to see what was around me. ‘‘Ah - she’s just scared’‘ This man laughed at me when he noticed that nothing kept me from speaking.

‘‘Where am I?’‘ I dared to propose a question. Finally, I opened my eyes to reality. I was in a very dull room. Everything was grey and metallic. I didn’t focus on details because I was too scared to do so. Then I saw the people in here. By the huge, security door I saw two armed guards. Behind a computer stood a bald man dressed as a scientist and the man in front of me was dressed in a blue suit. He had blonde hair and a very familiar face.

He was just smiling at me.

‘‘Do you really think we’d tell you that?’‘ The man laughed at me, making me feel bad. I had no idea what they wanted from me or why I was here in the first place. I wasn’t a bad person. I wasn’t rich, so they couldn’t use me as a hostage to get money. I didn’t know anyone super important. I.. oh god. That’s when it hit me. This had to be about Bucky!

The same second I realized that, I remembered what happened outside by my home. The phone call, the dreadful elevator ride down, James Barnes himself out there and Timmy’s dad, Owen.

‘‘Is Owen alive?’‘ I ignored what he just said because I was worried. If he was dead, I could never forgive myself. TImmy would be devastated! He’d be all alone. Tears began to gather in the corners of my eyes as I waited for an answer from this man. He sighed at me before he pulled a chair from the desk further away.  I watched as he put it in front of me and he sat down. 

This man looked so much like some guy who was always on the papers. Too bad I was unable to think clearly so I couldn’t put a name on the face. 

‘‘Is that all you can do? Ask stuff?’‘ He spat rudely. I didn’t expect him to be polite. He was a part of this madness, whatever it was, I just knew it was bad. They had a man that should be dead and they had kidnapped me because I knew. ‘‘Journalists are so foolish. You are not a cop, Y/N. You shouldn’t have investigated these things’‘ I was scolded like a child. At least now I knew for sure why I was were. It was because of James Buchanan Barnes. Because I fucking bumped into him at his friend’s exhibit. 

‘‘You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat’‘ The man told me like some sick maniac. Was he threatening me? Would he kill me? Although I was utterly terrified, I knew they hadn’t gone this far to let me go. So begging for my freedom would be useless. ‘‘But satisfaction brought it back’‘ I tried my best to sound less scared, just to displease them. 

His ugly smile was wiped off his face once I said that. ‘’Don’t get sassy with me, I’m not in the mood for that’’ He warned me very sternly. Yes, it freaked me out but I wanted to hide that. The Avengers knew I looked into this. Maybe they would find me? But then again, who was I kidding? I was a nobody, people like them couldn’t waste time on me.

The man nodded to the guards who then opened the heavy door. ‘’Come here!’’ He yelled at someone and only a second later, the person entered the room. Once I recognized who it was, I shrunk in my chair. It was James! ‘’Shit’’ I whispered what I thought. James wore the same black outfit that made his strong, metal arm visible. This time he didn’t have the mask on his face nor the black eyeshadow but he seemed just as intimidating. He held a gun and he had that deadly, blank look in his eyes.

He didn’t even look human. The man who once used to be Bucky was just a killing machine. He probably killed my neighbour and I was damn sure it wasn’t his first victim.

Seeing him pushed my tears to my cheeks. I feared this was it. I would soon and no one would ever find me. Just the thought of being wiped out of existence like this made me tremble. No words could possibly explain my fear. I just sat there and watched as James walked further in and he stared at me so intensely it almost hurt.

‘‘W-what do you want?’‘ I stuttered weakly, hoping there was a way out of this mess. The blonde man sighed again which was disgusting. He seemed like that rich snob who couldn’t care less about a human life, as long as he was successful. Wait a minute - was that Alexander Pierce? The resemblance was striking. It had to be him. But I had learned to keep my thoughts to myself now. At least about identities. 

‘‘You know too much, sweety. We cleaned your apartment, your desk, all your devices. The last place with all that information is your tiny little mind’‘ Alexander told me mockingly, probably trying to make me feel bad about myself. I clenched my jaw and held my breath to hold back some hateful words. ‘‘We killed your boss too. Damn, you shouldn’t have showed him that article’‘ He added more horrible information. Yes, my boss could be an asshole but he was a man and he had a family.

‘‘No!’‘ I cried and attempted to tug myself out of the chains. I could feel my heart breaking in my chest as the news sunk in. Someone died because of my mistakes! Someone’s husband, a father, a friend was dead because of me! Knowing that put a weight upon my shoulders that crushed me. ‘‘No..’‘ I whimpered sadly as hot tears kept streaming down my face. They were unstoppable now.

This was a living nightmare..

‘‘Oh yes, sweetcheeks. Don’t deny the truth’‘ Alexander purred and cupped my cheek. It wasn’t gentle either, he really held onto the side of my face. I wasn’t sure what was happening to me but my entire body screamed that I had to hurt him. So once his hand made contact with my cheek, I tilted my face and bit him hard. Honestly, feeling how my teeth sunk into his flesh was disgusting but he was an asshole who deserved it. It was all I could do anyway. It made him shriek out in pain and he pulled his hand back forcefully. ‘‘You psycho bitch!’‘ He spat and slapped me.

The blow to my face stung like hell. My entire cheek felt like it was burning thanks to the pain. No tears could cool that down. It took me by surprise and it also took all my words away from me. ‘’Do that again and I’ll make sure the soldier here plucks out all your teeth one by one’’ Were the last things Alexander said before leaving. I heard the guards shutting the door which meant I was left alone with James and the scientist guy.

What would they do to me?

‘‘Can I please go home?’‘ I breathed out and faced the scientist. He was just on his computer like this wasn’t anything new to him. Finally, he faced me and I saw his small, ocean blue eyes. ‘‘After I’m done with you, this will be your home’‘ He answered me eerily. His respond sent shivers down my spine and I stared at him like he was a monster. What would he do to me? Would this mad scientist fuck me up? Would I be an experiment? 

I glanced at James who still just stared at me. His empty expression crept me out so I looked away, facing the floor. I didn’t want to end up like him. These people just minded their own business as I sat here against my will, crying as I feared for my life. Now all I could think about was my boss and all the other people who were possible victims of these maniacs. The guilt would never let me be. I felt horrible..

‘‘Be quiet, I can’t focus’‘ The scientist nagged. I wanted to yell at him but I remembered the threat. I could be killed. So I bit my lips together, tasting blood while doing so but I did my best to drown my sobs. For a while, it was quiet. Silent tears kept rolling down my face, making me feel pathetic. Then they stopped. My pain didn’t leave but I was convinced I ran out of tears for a while.

It felt like forever but I decided to look at James. He stood stood there on the same spot with the gun in his hand. Although I was terrified of the man standing in front of me, I couldn’t say he was ugly. Yes, right now he looked like he could kill but I couldn’t forget my first thoughts of him. It bugged my mind how he seemed so sweet in the exhibit and now there was barely a resemblance of joy in his eyes. They were just..blank. 

What had they done to him here?

‘‘D-did Owen die?’‘ I asked him, hoping he wouldn’t be as angry as Alexander. ‘‘I never shoot to miss’‘ He responded coldly which felt like a punch in the gut. Was that a yes? I didn’t wish it to be but I wasn’t stupid. This was so unfair! Poor Timmy. That kid didn’t deserve this and neither did Owen. 

‘‘Time for your medicines’‘ The scientist interrupted my mourning. I didn’t even raise my gaze to look at him. I couldn’t find any energy for that. Now I was the one with a blank gaze as I stared at the grey floor. What on earth had I done? People were dead because of me..

It was my fault.

The scientist grabbed my arm and I decided to see what he was doing. He was holding a needle in his other hand and it made my heart skip a beat. ‘’No, please don’t’’ I pleaded as the sharp thing neared me. His grip on me tightened and soon, he injected some mysterious and questionaly substance into my body. The pain of the needle was nothing compared to the feeling of the chemicals going into my veins. I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath to shut up. It didn’t surprise me when I failed tho.

Whatever he put into me felt like acid burning through my veins. It spread wildly, taking over my arm, my chest, my abdomen and legs and soon my entire body was trembling from pain. Desperate whimpers and cries filled the room and I began to yank my limbs. I had no control over my body anymore. ‘’Help!’’ I screamed although I knew there was no help to get. Then I gasped for air. What the fuck did he do to me?!

I locked eyes with Bucky again and I could almost swear I saw the slightest hint of remorse in his eyes. Before I got my hopes high, my vision blurred. Every sense in my body weakened. I fell limp against the chair, my ears locked all sounds out and I couldn’t see anything. My body got covered in a thin layer of sweat although I wasn’t doing anything. It was clear that whatever that asshole of a scientist injected in me was not good..

‘‘What the hell?!’‘ Someone yelled which was the first thing I heard once I woke up. This time, I noticed I was on a surgical table of some kind. My body was pretty much numb but it didn’t seem like I couldn’t walk. There was a horribly loud mess near the room I was in. It sounded like some wild animal had stormed in and a dozen people tried to put it down. 

I didn’t have a memory of my last few hours and my head was foggy, like I was on drugs or something. So I got on my bare feet on the cold ground and decided it was a good idea to go to the source of the loud people. Slowly but surely, I got out of the room I was in and into the dark, grey hallway. I turned to my right and took support from the wall as I walked. Damn I felt strange. 

I blinked slowly, walked slowly, thought slowly. My vision was blurry and I had slight double-vision. I felt sick. Was this a hospital? No. I was here before but why? I couldn’t remember.

Once I saw armed people from a distance, I stopped walking. They were all pointing at someone with guns who was strapped down to a huge chair device. I narrowed my eyes and tried to see the person clearer. The metal arm gave it off, it was James Barnes. The soldier. Was he the reason I was here? It had to be. I had some sort of a memory of him by my home but it was very unclear.

Some old blonde guy stood in front of him but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. Everything was a mess in my head right now so even if I would’ve heard, there was no way I could’ve processed anything. The man was familiar too. It’s like I knew everyone here so I didn’t hesitate to walk even closer to them. ‘’Hey’’ I tried to speak but it came out as a whisper. My voice was nowhere to be seen. Maybe I was sick after all?

All of a sudden, James shrieked out in pain. It wasn’t a small, scared shriek. It was loud, raw and full of pain. It was so awful it made me stop again. Although my state wasn’t the best, I felt sick as I listened to the cries of pain. Hearing it made me sick. I wanted to cover my ears and eyes but I couldn’t. My body was so weak and dumbfounded by everything. I didn’t think that could help someone. This wasn’t a good place..

I just stood there as it seemed like he was going through literal hell. I was close enough to see he had something in his mouth and a device that was connected to the sides of his head. It didn’t look good. I wanted to go in there and help him but I was scared. My mind was running in circles because I struggled to remember who these people were or why I was here. So I stood there and tried to think and so I lost time.

The blonde guy walked away from James and he spotted me. It was Alexander Pierce! ‘’Where am I?’’ I mumbled very quietly but he seemed to hear me. Pierce looked at me for a while until he decided to come closer. ‘’How do you feel?’’ He asked me mysteriously, almost curiously. I just watched as he nodded to some armed guards who approached us immediately. Would they strap me down to a chair like that too? I looked over at James who had passed out and some doctor removed the thing from his mouth.

That doctor or scientist seemed familiar as well. Then I remembered something. He injected something in my body and it hurt like hell. It was probably actual acid or something close enough because it had knocked me out like a bullet. ‘’What have you done to me?’’ I asked Pierce slowly, finding it strange how I spoke. Everything about me seemed off.

‘‘It’s not finished yet, Y/N. You should return to your room, let the professionals do their jobs. You’ll be as good as new, trust me’‘ Alexander told me darkly as a guard grabbed my arm harshly. It stung because it was the same arm that took the needle. Helplessly, I was forced to walk with him back to the room where I came from. I didn’t want to go there. I just wanted to grab James and escape, for some reason I didn’t know. But one thing was for sure, if they treated him that bad, there was no way in hell he wanted to be here.

Just like that, I was tossed back into the room. My legs didn’t carry me and I landed on the floor, face first. All air was knocked out of my lungs from the impact which scared me. Luckily, only a few seconds later I gasped for air and began to breathe again. Before I got up by myself, a guard grabbed my shirt harshly and literally picked me up. Then he placed me on the table I woke up on. ‘’No, please. This is..wrong’’ I attempted to talk him over but I failed desperately. He tried to strap me down, starting with my wrists.

But I wasn’t planning on giving up that easily. As the guard grabbed my wrist, a sudden burst of energy seemed to come out of nowhere. I gritted my teeth together and pushed him away from me, hitting his chest and caused him to hit the wall a few feet away. The guard grunted out harshly as another one took out his gun. 

What the hell did I just do?

I couldn’t believe that I sent a heavy, strong man flying into a wall just like that. It shocked me, to say at least. Whatever they had began to do to me was definitely not good. Were they turning me into a emotionless monster as well? ‘’Oh my..god’’ I gulped and finally lowered my hand. As if on cue, a bunch of guards stormed into the room and some of them grabbed my arms and legs. The rest held me at gunpoint, preventing me from doing anything. They were all yelling something but it got all mixed up in my head. I couldn’t focus on anything else than the insane thing that just happened.

I had to get out of here..

[PART 4]

Author’s Note: HYDRA gotchu now

Tags:  @buckysleftarm1  @twigleektribute23  @iraniq  @embrycallsgirl  @blackroseyaz @puddins-princess  @r-alexandra01 

[the-voice-of-hell]

Rent is Theft, part 25

Read from the beginning here, read the previous chapter here.  Note:  My MC is a Filipina trans woman and I am not.  If you have notes on that or anything else, hit me up.

                                                     ***

      I felt a chill.  My body was too beaten to react with a shiver, but there was a chill, like my most exposed flesh was draining of blood, stung by the air with pain.  But low key.  My eyes stung with the salt of dried sweat as I opened them, and my nostrils burned with lingering smoke.

      I forced myself to a sitting position, feeling almost too lightweight and airy, a dried piece of driftwood.  My limbs were very stiff.  It took a while to figure out what time of day it was - early morning, the light gray and dim, glowing like cathode ray tubes where it peeked through the windows.  Smoke hung in the air from the day of burning, but I sensed that nothing was currently in flames.  How much of that had I imagined?  The apartment hadn’t melted completely into a coal-black abyss, so the worst of it had surely been in my head.

      Leimomi.  I jolted awake and staggered around the apartment, trying to call to her, my throat too dry to make a sound.  She was on the bathroom floor, at first only visible to me as a sprawled mass of dark mangled hair, in parts sunk to deeper black, smoking.  How had she gotten in there?

      I pulled her head and shoulders up onto my lap.  She was easy to slide across the floor because the sweat underneath her body didn’t dry the way it had on top.  Something alarmed me badly.  As I pulled, her hair was coming out in dramatic clumps.  It felt like I was killing her.       I gasped, the choke finally bringing enough saliva to my throat to start making sounds again.  I used my voice to hyperventilate and make incoherent plaintive noises.  I know what they meant.  She woke up crying as well, which was a massive relief.

      I kissed her mangled salty forehead, pressed my cheek there, tamped down my panic enough to make soothing noises.

      “What happened to us?  What’s... Am I... Where is..?”

      I took the questions seriously, looking over her head and body for answers.  “Your hair… You’re OK, you really are, but your hair is burned... Don’t worry, it’s OK.”

      She cried and I held her, though my body ached and cramped so badly I almost spasmed with the pain.  At last she calmed enough that I felt bold enough to do something, to say something beyond my soothing.

      “Hey, when I say your hair is burned, I mean just your hair.  It’ll grow back, your head is fine.  But we should get this gross stuff off of you, honey.  I’m going to run you a bath, OK?  You get in and wait for me.”  I choked.  “I’ll geh- water too.”

      I helped her into the bathtub, and she sloughed off almost all of the mass of her hair at once, leaving flimsy thin strands half glued all around her face, head, and neck.  Her forehead was knotted from crying and I kissed it, wishing I could smooth it out.

      Just as I was leaving to get our water, she cried, “Oh no!  It’s your hair too!”

      I turned to look at her and felt up my head.  Some of my hair was coming loose, and I quick stepped to the mirror in panic.  Please don’t be male pattern.  It wasn’t as bad as hers, wasn’t bald in the front at all.  Tears streaked my face again, this time in relief.

      But then I felt it.  Just below the crown, there was a bald area, the flesh warped and numb from a burn.

      “Courtney, it’s gone.  The mouth!  And my hair.”

      She was right.  Our curses had been burned out of us.  And the bald spot was low enough I could probably work with it, if it ended up as a permanent thing.  “That’s good, I mean... That’s good.”  I peeled myself from the mirror and smiled at her one time before going for the water again.

      The grey light was already more fully formed than when I first woke, though still weak.  Maybe it was an overcast morning out there.  I remembered using warm saltwater to gargle when sick, and added some table salt to the first glass I poured.  I gargled it, I swallowed some.  As my voice healed under the effort, I spoke to Momi through the rooms.  “We’re doing good, baby.  We got through the worst of it!  It’s good...”  I trailed off, unsure if she could hear me over running water, realizing I was talking to myself more than her.

      I cut off two slices of cheese and tossed them in a bowl with some chips, poured Momi a tall luke-warm glass of water, and went back to the bathroom.  She turned off the water as I came in, looked at me with her big eyebrows scrunched up.  As long as she still had those, I was in love.  I smiled much more easily then, and sat beside the tub.

      “Drink this.  Kinda gargle it a little too.”

      She did.  “Bleh.  Gross.”

      “I think warm water goes down easier when you’re dehydrated like this.  At least I didn’t add salt to yours.”

      “Ew.”

      “Heh.”  I gobbled up my share of the cheese and chips, then smiled at her again.

      “Why are you smiling at me so much?”

      “I’m just so glad we’re done with the curses, that we’re alive.  I swear, I’m gonna get more interviews, get something going.  If we have to move to Kalamazoo and flip burgers, we’re going to be OK.”  I wanted to help wipe away the rest of the loose hairs, but she was eating the food, drinking the water.  “When you’re done I just wanna take a super quick shower before we check in on everyone else.”

      “Oh god, I hope Marcie is OK.”  She hugged herself.

      “You can bet she is.”  What could possibly be wrong with the world right then?

      My gaze drifted through the smoke, took in some details as the weak sun revealed them.  There were blisters and warps in every surface.  The mirror’s backing was badly oxidized into rusty splotches and speckles.  What the hell?

      I helped wipe away Momi’s burned hairs and wrapped a scarf around her head, cancer patient style.  Then I hopped into the shower and rinsed the salty crud off my bones.  I heard voices in my apartment, towel-dried and put on a bathrobe as quick as I could.

      There was no bedroom door to obscure me as I hopped around, trying to get ready.  Methadone Mike and Deandre glanced at me a few times.  At last I slouched against the door frame like Mae West.  “Hey boys.  How’s everybody doing today?”  Momi looked embarrassed.

      Deandre said, “Fit to get eaten.  We just got slow roasted las’ night.”

      Mike said, “That’s ta say, like, why are you in such a good mood?”

      I slapped the back of my head with both hands.  “Only one mouth today.”

      Deandre grabbed his body and started patting himself down.  “Huh.”

      “I did ask you a question.  You talked to anyone else yet?”

      Mike said, “Uh, just to check in.  Everybody’s alive except... Graeme ain’t answerin’ his door.”

      I was startled, then thought better.  “Sometimes in crunch time programmers’ll work overnight.  Bet he isn’t even home yet.  Stayed out on purpose just to beat the heat.”

      “Well shit, you think everybody is cured?”

      I shrugged.

      “Except Graeme,” Mike added.

      “Alright,” said Deandre, “Let’s find out.  But look at this shit.”  He gestured around the place.  Every surface was blistered or warped from the heat.  The air was hazy from old smoke with no way to vent.  “We gotta get out of here.  We’re lucky to be alive.”

      I nodded eagerly and swept Momi along with us as we stepped into the hall.  “This is our chance.  We got through it, guys.  We can walk away...”

      In the hall, the lights were all dim and irregular - the light somehow blotchy.  Glancing up, it looked like they had little bubbles in the glass of the fixtures.  Heat damage?  We went to Olivia and Knobby’s door and knocked.

      Suddenly, the elevator softly chimed its presence on the floor.  I glanced that way over Momi’s shoulder, expecting Grime to step out of the door looking like a semi-pleasant zombie.  Instead, before the door fully slid open, a horrible animal’s head ripped free, thrashing and tossing spittle.

      We all leapt at the noise.  It was surging, slamming to get into the hall.  The scrape and bustle coming from inside the elevator - meaty flanks beating the sides of the box, impatient hooves scratching.  It was a wild boar with a head the size of my torso.  The bug-sniffing pig?

      “No!” I shouted, “You’re supposed to have an appointment!”

      Momi dragged me out of the hall as it came in, slamming against a wall in its mad scramble.  I was in an apartment, it was out of sight, but I could still hear it, still feel it in the floor - an ogre, a giant.  Olivia and Knobby were bedraggled and terrified, looking like twelve year olds in their sweaty underclothes.  Deandre was shoving at them, yelling something.

      I found Momi’s eyes and hardly had a moment to catch my reeling mind before she was thrown against me.  She had been blocking the door, and one bash from the beast sent her crashing.  We scrambled to push the door back into place as the monster wound up for another attack.

      Momi cried, “We need a gun!”

      Deandre might have said something about that, but the pig crashed into the door again like thunder.  The door was knocked off the hinges, Momi and I were mashed together under it as the monster barreled past us into the room.

      My head was spinning, ears ringing, when I heard the voice of that fucking bug man out in the hall.  “What’s that boy?  You smell somethin’ good?  Get ’em boy, get ’em!”

      I tried to tell him to fuck off and die, but couldn’t breathe.  I struggled to stand, slipping against the wall.  To one side, the boar rampaged through Olivia and Knobby’s apartment.  Right in front of me, Momi was pushing the door out into the hall like a massive shield.  She smashed it against the wall and I saw a spindly white man’s arm flap behind it like a spider in death throes.

       I caught my breath and she was lifting me up by an arm.  We faced the living room.  The boar had already annihilated the coffee table and upended every piece of furniture that remained.  The children were hiding, Deandre and Methadone Mike facing it from either side, armed with stools.

      “Hey!” I yelled at the thing.  “We didn’t call for you!”

      It whipped around to look at me, and the guys charged in.  It looked mildly surprised to be stabbed from both sides, and spun in place again.  This time, the power of its movement sent the guys down.  Deandre was shoved back by his own stool, losing his grip and going end over end.  Mike’s stool flipped away and exploded on the ceiling.  His body went ragdoll to the floor and bounced.

      Before I could even blink, it reached a leg over - with almost no effort at all - and drove it down onto Mike’s back with a horrible noise.  He spasmed one time and fell still.  It wasn’t even looking at him.  It was staring at me.

      The thing was so full of power, its barest movement made things explode.  I knew if it touched me I’d die badly.  The kitchen had a window to the living room and I tried to dive through that, hoping Momi would take the opportunity to shut herself in one of the bedrooms.

      I only got my upper body through, snagging my thigh on the wall.  My legs were hanging out, wagging as I scrambled to get in.  The pig was so fast.  I felt it crash into me, into the wall.

      I think it had tried to bite my leg but missed, then when it pulled back to bite me again, its tusks flipped me the rest of the way into the kitchen.  Lucky, but it still felt like taking a baseball bat to the thighs.  I was on a high counter trying to get my balance when sharp hooves kicked me onto the floor - it had reared up to attack me.

      Fortunately it knocked me out of its own reach.  I yelled, “Momi, hide!” and hoped she’d do the smart thing.  I heard it hit the floor again and scrape hooves to come get me.  I jumped up on the counter again, planning to go through the kitchen window back to the living room as soon as it got close.

      The kitchen had a clear view of the apartment door and as the beast rounded the corner, I saw Richie stepping into the apartment behind it.

      “No!  Run!  It killed Mike!”  I screamed.

      It whipped around again, crashing into every wall as it went.  I tried going through the window, but again got tripped up, falling out headfirst and landing like a pile of bowling pins.  I blacked out.

      Deandre was pulling me to my feet, Olivia and Knobby were behind him.  They were waving for us to come join them in the bedroom, in safety.  Deandre looked very frustrated.  “Just ’cause I’m gangster doesn’t mean I have a gun.”

      My head bobbled in shock.  “Uh-huh, hm - fuck.  Where’s Leimomi?”

      “I’ll go help her.  You get in there with the kids, dammit.”

      My heart sank and I almost collapsed again, sliding out of his arms.  Then I shook my head and steeled myself.  “Where did she go?”

      He shook his head.  “Out there.”

      Pretty quickly, we were both out in the hall.  Knobby gave me his aluminum bat and Deandre got a knife.  I heard the pig in one of the other apartments, heard movement from others as well, heard voices.  Olivia and Knobby’s door was where Momi had left  it - on top of some unmoving fucko who was dead for all I cared.  The pig had also knocked the doors off of Methadone Mike’s apartment and Leimomi’s.  I heard a buzzing overhead like moths around an electric lamp. I glanced up and saw the light fixtures were actually full of eyeballs, which obscured the light and bobbed around each other like they were boiling.

      Patrick and Marcie came out of Patrick and Perry’s apartment, both carrying short spears made from halves of the same broken mop handle.  Marcie said, “Where’s my boy?”

      We exchanged very emotional looks in that moment, but the sound of the pig thrashing in Momi’s apartment drew our attention.  We all hustled to that broken door, gathered outside it in the hall.  I said, “Hey, pig!  Suey!”

      In response, I heard it wreck some more furniture before storming back into our line of sight.  It surged toward us, toward the hall, and we all stepped to the sides of the door.  Patrick and Marcie were on one side, Deandre and I on the other.  As it came into the hall thrashing - a grey-brown tornado of bristling hair and gleaming tusk - we all did our best to attack it.

      Hitting it with the baseball bat was like hitting leather-covered steel.  The shock and its thrashing threw me to the ground again.  It stomped Deandre’s leg and he collapsed, though he barely managed to escape another stomp by lurching out of the way.  His face was completely unrecognizable from the pain, doubled in on itself like a baseball cover.

      It jerked back into the apartment, leaving the four of us in the hall, splashed with blood.  Another calm before another storm - it would surely come attack us again in less than a minute.  Deandre couldn’t get up, Marcie had lost her spear, Patrick’s face was purple and swollen.

      To Marcie I said, “Help Deandre get to Olivia and Knobby!  I’ll help Richie.”

      She shook her head, grabbed Patrick’s spear, and went after the thing in Momi’s apartment.  I looked at Patrick in desperation, he shook his head.  I knew he had to get back to Perry.

      I grabbed Deandre’s shoulders to drag him, but he pushed me away.  “Don’t!  Find your girl!”

      “That thing’ll stomp you dead!”

      “Go!”  Blood spewed from his leg in time with his pulse.

      I took the permission and ran into the apartment.

      Richie was dodging it over by the window, bouncing around like a too-tall marionette on a string.  The pig had a spear and a knife sticking out of its flanks, but wasn’t slowing at all.  Marcie was throwing a stool at it, again to no effect.  Where the Hell is Leimomi?

      “Come on!,” Marcie yelled. “Suey suey!,” I yelled.  That’s a thing they say on farms, right?

      The boar was obsessed with Richie in that moment, ignoring anything we threw at it.  He was more agile than the thing, like a cowboy at an unusually sadistic rodeo event, but it was so much faster.  It whacked him in the shin with its tusks and flipped him off its head.  He spiraled in the air like a starfish before hitting the ground.

      The beast came rushing at him, and Marcie blocked it with a cushy chair.  When it failed to flick the furniture aside quickly enough, it decided to burrow its way through, sending a snow of stuffing and wood chips flying.  As it dug, its weight had Marcie and Richie sliding tangled across the carpet.

      I pushed a couch upside down, covering the pig and the chair, and I jumped on top.  I waved for Marcie and Richie to get away from the chair, and they did.  Just in time, the monster ripped out through the chair, out from under the couch.  I bucked loose and the couch rolled over me.

      When I got loose, I saw it headbutting Marcie full force in the guts, then spinning to face Richie.  He kicked it but it just lurched into the foot, pushing the boy on his ass again.  Marcie was too winded to help, I was still getting to my feet, and the horrible thing’s massive jaws were perfectly poised to start devouring Richie’s softest parts.

      Momi came into the room with a long flat metal rectangle, gripped in two places with rags.  She slapped the wall to get its attention.  “Hey!  Hey!”  She waved the metal closer to its face, swooping dangerously close to Richie’s head to do so.

      The pig lost interest in Richie and nipped at Momi’s clumsy weapon.  Unfortunately for Richie, it was stomping all over him to get to her.  He was bloody in a split second.  I found my footing and charged in.

      I grabbed its tail, jerked with all my strength.  It really hated that, bellowed and turned to face me, trampling Richie again.  I lost my grip on the tail.  It was facing me almost instantly.  This was it.  Deranged animal fury, blood and bristles, gleaming tusks - and me completely without a weapon.

      It hit me with its face, a battering ram of bone and enamel.  We went to the floor together, prey and predator, jerking and screaming.  I pulled myself out from under it.

      Leimomi was coming to help me, Marcie to Richie.  The boar was on its side, twitching.  Momi had stabbed it from behind with the metal, and deep.  She pulled me into her big arms.  I gasped as my diaphragm started working again.

      “Where did you get that… spear?”

      “Bottom of Mikey’s bed.  Are you OK?”

      “Uh… I think so.”  I sat up.  “Deandre.  Mike.  What the fuck is happening here?”

      Marcie had Richie sitting up again.  “We got it?”

      I pulled myself up to my feet on Momi’s shoulders.  “Checking for bed bugs.  We gotta get Deandre to a hospital.  And you.”

      “Huh?”

      Marcie said, “Hush up, baby.  Let’s get you walking, OK?”

      I went into the hall.  Deandre was gone, a trail of blood leading back to Olivia and Knobby’s place, past the corpse of the bug man.  Overhead, the eyeballs in the lighting fixtures were seething, angry.

      Momi came into the hall behind me.  “What should we do?”

      “Get everyone together, down there.  Fucking... Hell, I don’t want Marcie to see... Mike like that.”

      “Should I tell her..?”

      “We should all go down there.  Get Patrick and Perry.”  I yelled to Marcie, “Hey, we’re going to Olivia and Knobby’s apartment first, OK?”  She made some kind of noise back, then we went to work.

                                                       ***

Read next chapter here.

[cartoonfangirl1218]

Just like Fire ch. 5

“We gon' drink drink and take shots until we fall out like the roof on fire. Now baby give a booty naked, take off all your clothes, and light the roof on fire. Tell her baby baby baby baby. I'm in fire, I tell her baby baby baby I'm a fireball." - Pitbull (Fireball)

"Happy birthday to me...” Claire muttered to herself in the car as she headed back to headquarters from the airport. 

She had just spent her sixteenth birthday in a island near Polynesia using a tank to crush "the enemies of the state." Then burned their military base to the ground.

She didn't know what exactly they did to become enemies, but it didn't matter. Kurt and the other agents always repeated the same stupid phrase.

"You're a weapon. You don't need to know. Just take your orders and do them!"

"What was that?" Dr. Novak asked from the front seat next to the driver. He was the new head scientist. Kurt replaced Dr. Greene after his experiment didn't bring any new test results. He had only been there for a few weeks, but he was a lot less strict.

"Nothing, just can't believe I'm sixteen." And haven't seen the world in 6 years.

Dr. Novak smiled. She liked it. He reminded her of the Director. Bald, a little less fat and wide smile.

"My daughter is almost sixteen like you, Amber eyes. I wish you could talk, I'm sure you would find some things in common."

"Umm, not exactly allowed." Claire pointed to her shock collar "But I would like that too. I haven't seen anyone my age in forever!"

Dr. Novak gave a small frown, then he started to shift.

"I know I shouldn't let my feelings get in the way but it's such a shame you're living like this...." He looked around as if the limo had security cameras watching them. Then leaned closer "Okay, maybe we can let you go for one day. But you must come back to the Center before 1 okay. I don't want to get into too much trouble."

"But the, the collar?" Claire stammered, feeling giddy. Was she actually going to be let out and free alone? 

Dr. Novak pulled out a Swiss Army knife from his lab coat pocket and cut it off.

"Now go, pretend I couldn’t have stopped you" he instructed. Claire pushed herself out the door and rolled out to the busy sidewalk of Metropolis City.

It was huge! Skyscrapers seemed to be everywhere and shops crowded every corner. It was already 7 in the afternoon but Claire felt like it was 9 in the morning.

She was free!!! Free!

But what do regular people do on their birthdays. They had cake, but she had no money. They had friends and gifts but that was not happening.

So she looked around and followed a crowd of teenagers that looked to be her age to a club, Pulse it said in pink neon.

Her body felt electrified and she couldn't keep from bouncing on her feet. She was normal person, going to a club. She felt if she smiled anymore her face would break.

As she got to the bouncer, he glanced at her. "You don't look 20,” he wrinkled his nose. 

Claire lower her eyes and smiled. Pressing her body against him oh so suggestively.  "But couldn't you let me in. I have a sister waiting inside," she purred, nudging her chest against his. A move that was practically engrained into her body. She had done this many times before on poor foreign enemies of the state before she knocked their head into the roof. The man melted like putty and she glide past. Swinging her hips to the music. The club was hot, flashing strobe lights bounced around the wall and shiny silver dance floor. There were a few couches packed in back of the room and two tropical bars with palm trees near the bathrooms. And cages of hanging from the ceiling with shirtless men and girls in their underwear dancing in time to the drums. Claire stared at the whole place in wonder. And slowly she started to copy the others. Waving her arms in the air, grinding and jumping around. 

But as she started to get tired, she felt bored. She wanted to use her powers. When was the last time she used them for fun? But she couldn't think of any trick that would seem normal without attracting attention that she was a meta human.

As she looked at the people dancing around the tikki torches by the bar, she had an idea....Fire breathing. Take a stick with plastic palm leaves, she ripped them off and blew. A woosh of fire covered the stick and Claire brandished it proudly. 

A few screamed but others started crowing and yelling. She did a few more tricks, twirling sticks in the air, making shapes out of fire discreetly using her powers to help.

Then two gawky guys, both with brown hair came up to her. One black tips said to her, "I.. I'm I know you might not know what I'm talking about. But trust me, it's a compliment from the highest degree of nerdom." He cleared his throat,"You, me world domination?" "Sorry if you don’t get the reference but it’s a paraphrase of this firebender named Azula. It’s from Avatar: Last Airbender," The other guy with glasses explained.  "I loved that show!" Claire cried. She had been banned watching it after she found out about her powers. Her dad thought she would be too influenced. But Claire still remembered fondly. And now apparently these two cute guys her age knew it too. 

"No way someone as hot as you knows that." The black tips cried..

"Well yes. I'm a fire bender all the way. As you can see.." Claire smirked, waving her flaming stick.

“Nah, not me. I'm more air bender," Black tips said, ““All peace, no war.”  "That's cuz he's too scared of fire," Glasses mocked whispered.

"Shut up!" "You are too!" 

"Hey, how did you even do that without draining alchohol?" Black tip asked, changing the conversation to Claire, motioning to her flaming torches.  Normal people need to alchohol to do it? "Uh what makes you think I haven't been drinking?" Claire winked.

The guys smiled.  “I'm Damian" glasses said "And this is my younger bro and room mate, Francis," he motioned to black tips.  "Claire." They spent the rest of the time joking and talking about avatar episodes. Then Francis invited her over for dinner at the apartment and she eagerly accepted. It was almost eleven but she wasn't planning on going back. Sure, Dr. Novak might get in trouble but she her freedom meant more than any scientist. And with such nice guys too. She could stand to hang around them for a little while until she found her own place. 

Plus Francis looked quite cute. Chiseled checks, floppy brown hair, studied something called botany which only seemed to remind her how much school she missed. 

She hadn’t even finish middle and she couldn’t recall what photosynthesis was. She thought it had to do with cameras but they didn't mention anything about it yet.

"Well I'm gonna hit the sack. Good night." He slapped Francis' shoulder, "Make me proud," he whispered.

They spent a little time siting on the couch when Francis turned to her and leaned closer, heading in for a kiss. Claire tried to suppress a cringe as she felt her face flush. Her body started tingling again like all those years ago. Oh god, she was aroused. He was probably aroused too, and he'll want the sex. But then his mouth pressed against hers and all her thoughts flew out. His lips were so soft and warm, she wanted to melt against him. She gripped him closer and held his hair as his tongue pushed further into her mouth.

"This is amazing! How could I think kissing was bad? Wait....did that other guy even kiss me? No, no. This is my first kiss. OMIGOD I'M HAVING MY FIRST KISS!”

Slowly he took off her clothes and she grabbed his pants. His touch was so soft and gentle and warm. She welcomed it. All the muscles she was clenching released and she just let him take the lead. This sex thing was great, and Claire held onto him like howler monkey. 

After the first release, she felt hotter, and heard Francis mutter, "You're boiling." Claire briefly opened her eyes, and saw her her hands, flames sparking up her fingers. She held them out in the air and tried not to touch Francis or act like anything was wrong. 

But her hands wouldn't stop burning, no matter how much she tried to imagine it away. Francis' body blending into hers was so distracting, especially as another wave of pleasure rippled through hers.

She flipped Francis in a way she would be positioned ontop of him and smashed her boobs against his face, suppressing a moan of ecstasy. It was honestly very frustrating. Here she was having the best sex ever and she had to stop it or else he would freak over her burning hands. 

So she pretended to accidentally knock over the lamp, touched the lightbulb and it exploded from the heat.

Francis jumped and Claire sat on her hands, trying to cool herself. "Dude!! I'm happy for you, but seriously!" Damian yelled from another room. 

"Sorry, sorry." Francis flushed, his neck turning white "We should probably stop" he bent over to pick up the pieces.  "Yes, you probably should." a chilling voice added. 

In the doorway stood Kurt and four agents. "Claire," He intoned. Two agents grabbed her, and forced her outside as she heard Kurt talking to Francis.

"Take this pill, you don't need to remember what's gone on here tonight-" amid Francis' questions. Claire's face burned with shame and humiliation. 

How the hell, did they find out?

"How?" Claire whispered when Kurt entered the car with a blanket to cover herself. "Security cameras. Though you were acting like a stripper at the club, not many people have knee length orange hair." He spat at the word club. 

"It was simple to spot you from the rest. We asked questions, found out who you left with. Now you are coming back. First discipline, then you'll have to work through the night to catch up with what you missed." Kurt informed her.

Claire self-consciously gripped her hair. She never thought about how recognizable she looked with it, uncut from years gone by. Once they got to the headquarters, she was disciplined with the routine of water boarding and foam spray until she had passed out. When she came too, she had been redressed in her usual black outfit, a new shock collar and brought to the training room. 

Where Dr. Novak stood, handcuffed and crying.

"First we thought you should get rid of your accomplice." Kurt said. Claire held her breath and hesitantly complied, forming a circle of fire around Dr. Novak, close but not touching him. Claire wanted to apologize to the man. The man with a daughter her age, who had thought she should be out on her birthday and let her have that one day of freedom. 

But Kurt was waiting, nudging her back with the fire extinguisher nozzle. A water board would await her if she didn’t comply.   Claire closed her eyes and let the circle of fire creep closer and closer until the smell of burnt skin and smoke filled the room.