#kyle: aw yeah rooming with my best friends this will be great

[marjoriestotch]

Rich sheltered only child + man baby youngest child + they're potheads + they're fucking = worst roommates

[angst-king]

Mr Perfect chpt 2

(mention of vomiting, weight loss, bullying)

It's been a while, I’m losing more weight, my girlfriend is hanging out with me more. Taking more pictures, smiling at me, but. It's not enough, she stares at the other guys in our class. I don’t look like them, and I know that I’m working on it but. I’m not losing weight fast enough, sure some of my pants are getting too big for me, but some parts of me aren’t getting any smaller. Yeah its only been a few days, yet I expected more considering I’m still weight lifting. I was 200lbs when I started, now I’m 188lbs. Though I’ve lost 12lbs, it's not enough, I’m not losing it fast enough.

 I constantly think about how it's not good enough. I fear Hannah will leave me because I’m still some fat fucking loser who is clinging onto control. I fear my parents getting mad at me for my less than good grades, so I stay up late to get classwork done. Even if that means reprinting and re-doing the work just for my parent’s approval to turn it in. Even if that means staying up even later to punish myself which is one of my few ways of gaining control. This also means coming up with excuses and lies about why I’ve got a bandage on my arm. I’m smart enough to inflict my wounds in places that aren’t easy to see or obvious. Weight lifting makes it harder but I've found my ways. 

My friends during weight lifting have noticed I’ve been losing weight. They’ve started making comments, some more desirable than others. “Oh dude, you’ve lost weight!” “You finally slimming down? Great you’ll actually be a good quarterback once we start again ``''Good now it wont be so cringey to watch you run ``''maybe your uniform will actually fit you ``''what made you change dude?” “Are you sure you can lose all of that by the time our senior year starts?”

The comments are constant, it's not just in the weight room. It's irritating because I know I’m not getting slimmer faster, but I'm trying. So to shut them up temporarily I go back to being aggressive. Shoving, name calling, telling them off, the more they instigate the further away I feel from my teammates because I start yelling so easily. Not the best idea but I’m careful to avoid physical confrontation. We all are, we wanna stay on the team.

So I cut out the protein shakes. Well I drink them in front of people to keep down suspicion but throw it up later. I’ve been buying more gum which cuts out the hungry feeling, as well as helps me think a little better now. I barely feel my stomach growl much any more, hopefully cutting out the protein shakes works.

Its been working out great so far, sure I’m feeling exhausted, and it's getting harder to lift but. I’m losing weight, besides it's probably gonna be easier if I start from the ground up anyway. I’m constantly cold but that's most likely my body not adapting to the cold weather as well, not to mention our school is freezing. I’m getting tired from walking from one class to another, and I get dizzy when I stand up. 

Its worth it though, as long as things go well, that’s all that matters

She still stares at boys, she still giggles at them, talks to her friends about them. But she’s started contributing to our relationship. Sure it's mainly through tik tok, Snapchat, and Instagram but. She’s started kissing me, hugging me, holding my hand even though she complains that my hands are cold. It's worth visiting my second home, in order to keep her with me. Even if I come out and she immediately calls out how awful I look afterwards and goes to talk to Kyle.

Kyle is a guy who is in our history class, he’s pretty smart, smarter than me. He’s always answering the teacher’s questions and giving off witty comebacks for those who call him a teacher’s pet or nerd. He’s got street smarts and book-smarts. He’s also on the wrestling team, so I see him in the weight room frequently. He’s asked about Hannah a couple of times, now they’re talking. 

Well more like he helps her out with classwork since I’m not very good at it. The last time I helped her out, Kyle interrupted and corrected me, ever since then, she went to him. So now I watch her sit at her desk with him hovering over her shoulder. Leaning his body close to hers. Now I’m having thoughts…..He’s smarter than me, so much smarter, he’s probably not afraid of a relationship either. He’s got just as much money as me, probably more from the car he drives. A 2021 range rover, it's beautiful and I know it's expensive! 

Now he’s sitting at our lunch table, in front of me, next to Hannah. I try not to pay him much attention and have my ‘lunch’. Which consists of me eating a six inch long sub, and being mentally prepared to cough it up later. I don’t even have much of an appetite to eat the entire thing, I’m only able to eat a few bites for a while. 

I feel his eyes on me, I feel his stare, it's freezing me to my core. I only move my gaze, I remain still like a kid playing freeze tag. He acknowledges my gaze by looking back to Hannah and talking with her. “So Hannah, are you still free tonight?” Wait, didn’t we have date plans tonight?! “Yeah I believe so” I wait and politely question her, “Hannah, I thought we had pl-” “Well I still need help with History and Chemistry.” She interrupts me and she’s quite cold about it. I was about to say something else but I thought against it and forced another bite of food into my mouth.

After lunch, I wait a bit during study hall, ask to use the restroom, and do my usual thing.

I come back out of the stall to see Kyle walk into the bathroom. I sigh and go to wash my hands, take a swig of water I keep on me and spit it out into the sink to get rid of the taste. As soon as I stand up fully, I give a cough to clear my throat and pop some mint gum into my mouth right as he speaks. “She’s gonna leave you ya know, you’re not worth her time.” He’s tagged me, and now I’m frozen, but now I’m shocked he would say it. I raise a brow, wondering if I heard him right. “Huh?” “You heard me”  He comes up behind me and shoves me into a wall. “You’re weak. Just because you’re losing weight doesn’t mean she’ll find you desirable when you’re not smart enough for her.”

 I couldn’t believe this guy was really saying that. I’m the one dating her! She’s with me so of course she loves me! She just shows a different way of showing it than I’m used to. I’m the one buying her stuff, holding her hand, carrying her book bag, kissing her. If she didn’t love me then she wouldn’t post sweet things about our relationship on social media. If she didn’t love me then she wouldn’t have given me the great idea on how to lose weight. It's a win-win situation, she’s paying more attention to me because I’m more desirable to her. So of course she loves me.

I couldn’t help but feel angry by Kyle saying she doesn’t love me. I may not be the brightest but I’m not the dumbest. History and Chemistry just are not my strong suits.  How dare he say those things, I love her isn’t that enough?!!? “Well you’re wrong, she loves me very much. You’re just someone she goes to for help. Last time I checked i’m the one kissing her and holding hands with her.” I replied back with venom in my tone, and a smirk on my face to prove I had no reason to believe him. 

He rolls his eyes and shoves me harder, cornering me. “Yeah, we’ll see about that.” His shoving knocked me into the sharp sink, it hurt a lot. Not immensely, but enough for me to wince, probably leave a bruise maybe? I’m not tubby enough for my fat to ‘save me’ from taking a hit. I rub it off and look in the mirror and see that my cheeks are like a pinkish red color, while also being rather pale. Never seen that before, strange.

I shrug it off and make my way back to the study hall where I decided to sleep until my next class. I was so tired that as soon as I laid my head down I dozed right off.

When I woke up to the bell, I opened my eyes, quickly grabbed my stuff and-woah okay, super dizzy, shit, the world is spinning! My chest hurts, and I’m reaching for something to stabilize me. It's almost too late before I just get the idea to sit back down and try and calm down. As soon as I do, my head starts to pound harshly against my skull. I can’t hear a thing around me as I grit my teeth. Holding my head with one hand and my chest with the other. Both are hurting to the point where I’m hunched over almost in a ball. My heart is slamming against my chest beating fast, its rate is like a freight train that doesn’t seem to slow down. 

I do the only thing I know to do. Force myself to breath, take in deep breaths and stay in that position until it's all over. Shutting my eyes like a window to brace for the storm of pain I’m in. I don’t move much at all. My fingers clutching onto my hair, as well as my shirt, I can feel my joints pop as they fasten for impact. The storm slowly starts to calm down the more I breath, the pounding against my ribs decreases its harshness and speed. My head is still hurting but it's lessening.

By the time I’ve opened my eyes, everyone is staring at me. Some confused, others worried, most couldn’t care. They must think I look stupid or something, and I probably due. I don’t blame them for staring, but its over now, they could go away! Instead they stand there and gawk before the teacher asks me. “You okay over there Mr. Perfect?” I quietly nod, they’re still staring, why are they still staring? Maybe if I get up slowly and leave? No. They watch me leave, I feel their eyes, no matter how fast I get away, they’re still watching me!

I felt as if the rest of the day, people were watching me, my every move. How I wrote things down, how I answered a question. Watching me with an expectation that I have no idea about.

[hueningshaped]

☆ crown | xu minghao and jeon wonwoo

▰ genre: college au! / NO READER INSERT = ORIGINAL CHARACTER / drama, coming of age, romantic, angst ... so original characters and seventeen *gasp* you guessed it — a svt fanfic

▰ word count: about 2.7k

▰ a/n: interest check of a full fledged story i’ve planned but am refraining to put effort in due to possible, complete lack of reads or audience (nobody’s fault but mine). i’d love to hear your feedback! this is chapter one; please let me know if i should continue or just leave it at this LOL

▰ synopsis: jo woolim can’t juggle to save her life, and yet she is somehow managing to stay with her boyfriend: jeon wonwoo, who is possibly cheating on her (again), her strained friendships, fitting into her new school, estranged family, learning to wholly love and forgive herself - in a time unprecedented and searching for the boy of her dreams, xu minghao, the prodigal foreign exchange student. she’s looking for real love, where it’s lacking, where it’s needed, and where it’s always been. by the way, it is not easy!

▰ additional: i listened to epilogue by justin hurtwitz as well as mia and sebastian’s theme (which is somewhat a reprise of it despite it being previous to epilogue, of course) as i wrote it so here u go!

Jo Woolim's feet hurt for multiple reasons, but getting stood up, time and time again, to now, at the age of twenty three is the main contribution to the pain.

The stairs are a pretty humiliating choice of seating, especially to conduct her double digit calls to the person who stood her up, which is her harmless best friend, Sookyung. So, no hard feelings, right? (Right?)

She shouldn't even be that embarrassed because it's not Wonwoo — the Jeon Wonwoo, her very own boyfriend — that stood her up, but she supposes she can be since he'd refused to go and even teased her about wanting to go.

The staircase is fine marble, allowing each footstep to click and clack with each heel that ascends because the party's just beginning. With this venue mimicking a palace, Woolim feels way out of place. Some girls have poofy dresses and others possess thinner material, accentuating the hills of each girl's curves and edges walking in. The boys are all the same, offering the bare minimum. Why does everyone get to be beautiful except her?

Shaking the last thought off, Woolim exerts so much effort to make it look like being alone and ugly doesn't bother her. But, she has to bite the bullet and make a move.

So, her legs spring up, taking her up to the rest of the party. She ignores the heat accumulating from the small of her back to just about every part of her body as she walks in, trying to take everything in and not look like such a loser. Jesus, is everyone looking at her? Are they talking about her?

There were definitely perks to this new university and one of them is the commencement of her class, which arrives in the form of a ceremony with a festivity that follows immediately after. Of course, as a transfer, she gets the initiation that throws a theme, so she has to wear the clown paint and clothes that they inform you to wear to match.

All she is missing is a crown and she's a royal fool.

The Masquerade Ball, as the provost and student affairs staff, had been rumored since before she'd even transferred to the school, which added up to just two months ago. Three months before, she had received that acceptance letter.

She should've known.

Woolim stifles a cough, hoping that the callousing - painful callousing - in her soles due to her starchy dress shoes would be able to mask the humiliation that was beginning to sting behind her eyes.

Of course, she had no identity, but everyone still looks over at her in pity.

The room offered dim lighting, romantic hues of pinks, and citrusy chardonnay beading the adjacent walls. Woolim thirsts for an exit.

The song changes to something unattainable audibly but she must not even be able to hear herself, and before she knows, someone to the side of Woolim bumps into her, back slamming against her body and into the wall.

A frantic, male voice follows, yelping out apologies, as he reaches down to pull her up.

"Jesus, I'm so sorry. Told him to not try and shake what his mama gave him and here we are, here you are, we're both so sorry..." Woolim's vision focuses as she returns to eye level and manages a minor grin at the boy as much of his appearance stands out wonderfully.

With heavily dyed platinum hair, a turquoise suit with rhinestones in various floral designs across the front and wrists, tiger eyes, and led lights curling around the outline of his mask, this boy looked like a lot of fun. A head of chestnut locks remain bowed by his shoulder.

The blond grabs her palm desperately, and he's making wailing sounds.

"I apologize for not only Seokmin but for his upbringing. May Satan guide him in return." He prayed aloud, apology too comical to be real but nonetheless real.

Woolim finally speaks up when the music quiets down just a touch and she doesn't have to stammer to be heard.

"No, you're fine! I can't really see with this mask." She reveals, voice too out there for its own good, but at this, the boy's eyes expand in shock and the bowed head lifts up with intrigue.

"Are you sure? It was pretty rude of us, wasn't it, Seokmin?" He nudges his friend, who's dressed in a simpler, humbler suit, who nods sullenly.

"I'm really, really embarrassed... besides, I think she gets it, Soonyoung."

"Whatever, Oprah singer."

"It's opera!"

The air around them hardens as they begin to bicker. Seokmin places his hands on his hips to deliver his rebuttals but the last thing that Woolim wants is to make two friends fight, let alone cause trouble while she has no date.

"I really am alright! No harm done. I'm just...a little relieved actually that someone's speaking to me," she admits wincingly. There's no need to be as honest as possible, but that doesn't stop her from adding, "I didn't come to the ball with anyone."

The two boys frown and coo, letting out maple syrupy aw's, surprisingly sympathizing with her.

"If it makes you feel any better, our dates were too busy to come, so he and I came together. We also do have another buddy with us, officially making it a threesome!" Soonyoung chats loudly and Seokmin elbows him in the chest at the last comment.

"That's not what a threesome is, Soon."

"Whatever," he waves his hand dismissively. Woolim notices that despite the gravity between the two friends, they remain focused on her. It feels nice. "We did lose him a little while ago though. Maybe he's around here somewhere."

Woolim then levels with them to form a line so she could follow their eye as they peer around the venue, which seems futile since their view is obscured by the angle, decorations, and crowds. The opaque curtains of the many entrances within the main venue gave the illusion that this place was endless. It feels like a trance that went on forever. Reality washes over Woolim and she can feel the weight of being the person one meets and should leave.

"Uh...I'm sorry for getting in your guys' way initially," she announces with a tone that makes her seem unsure of the words on her tongue. Seokmin rolls his head over at her, eyebrows drawing inwardly and puppy dog eyes. She's about to coolly and casually make her leave to no longer bother the boys, but Soonyoung has a different idea.

"Nonsense! It was our fault to begin with, and to repay your gracious hand," Soonyoung then motions to Woolim's bare hand as the other apparels one silky dress glove. "We're trying to at least become an even foursome with you and our friend! God knows where the hell the great Minghao is though!"

"Right behind you." A chilling, oolonged voice speaks up suddenly and startled enough, Woolim's disposition remains unaffected despite her heart catching up to leap in her chest with her delayed reaction.

"Minghao, you wanted to give me a heart attack, didn't you?" Seokmin sighs dramatically, voice hitching to imitate crying. Upon hearing the rich laugh, Woolim tips her head slowly and changes her footing to turn round.

The supposed Minghao peers down at Woolim, unreadable expression through the simple glow of his ivory mask. His raven black hair, lengthy and healthy, adorns his crown like he deserves a throne to come with the apparel.

"We found a person and we found you!" Soonyoung hesitantly wraps his hand around Woolim's wrist, loosely keeping his fingers around to lift and wave.

Minghao snickers delicately.

"I found you actually," he corrects, eyeing his friends, even meeting Woolim's to speak. "And I'm sure you didn't meet because of an accident, right?"

"That was on my part," Woolim speaks up but bites on her bottom lip once his piercing gaze trains upon her. "Sorry..."

"You’ve done no wrong, though?" Minghao's lips stretches into a wonderful smile.

" — yeah, it was Seokmin." Soonyoung mutters, earning himself a tiny shove.

"Minghao, you didn't come here with anyone for a date, right?" Seokmin poses. Woolim notices from his accent that Korean is not his first language but has such a grip with his words, it almost passes one's mind initially.

"Not this time," he answers nebulously. Woolim has to hold back a scowl. "If you’d like, I would love to have you... er, and what's your name?"

She can feel Soonyoung's and Seokmin's excited watch upon her but since this is the first night that she's seen boys be so decent, she figures she might, as well, make their night. They certainly have made hers, after all, excluding this Minghao at the moment.

"I'm Woolim. W-Woolim," she says twice, one too many. Minghao's expression loosens with pleasant awe.

"No surname?" He quizzes, voice too serious for it to be a joke. Woolim feels absolutely no urge to joke around, anxiety fizzing in the very marrow of her bones, so she just shakes her head and hopes he wouldn't see her cocked eyebrow.

"Well," he clears his throat. "I'm Xu Minghao. Seo Myungho. I've got 4 names."

"I've got three," Soonyoung pipes up and everyone groans.

"Soonyoung, don't say it in front of her. That's so gross." Seokmin leans over to shake his head but eye Woolim, in the way that friends who’ve known each other for a long time do. It's a nice feeling.

The music changes, taking a turn from some pop electronica to some heavy pulse from a contemporary rhythm and blues type, and the bass rocks hard enough to shake her ribs.

Minghao locks eyes with her and beams charmingly. He even takes her surprise further by reaching a hand out, fingers long and elegant.

"Would you care to dance with me? Or do you want to take this chance to leave like you were looking for earlier?"

Woolim feels like she merely imagined him asking the last question, which leads her to consider bolting for the doors last minute. Surely, Wonwoo would be home and maybe tonight, he'd be in the mood to love her and like her.

Oh, what she'd do to be loved and liked at the same time.

"Do what you would like," his tone lightens into something sweeter like rosehip. "I don't think you should put your lovely ensemble to waste."

Woolim swallows hard at that and just when she is about to acknowledge the two excited chitters from the other two boys, Minghao takes her hand into his. A cool grip overtakes a clammy warmth. Wordlessly, they somehow sail across the linoleum floor.

All the half hidden faces that had been judging her now evaporate with the blue and green lighting, hues and keys ascending into reds and minors.

Minghao is the type to maintain eye contact and Woolim hates it.

In the back of her mind, bits and pieces of her mind offer memories of what she could see of herself in the reflections. Since Sookyung shared the same favorite color that she did, Woolim went with another: sleet blue. Thin straps hang off her thick shoulders that had a loose, lace cover across her biceps and chest. The hems are riddled with sparkles and flowers. The rest of the silk sticks to each and every edge of her body before drifting off past her chronically swollen ankles with the extra layers adding volume. Her skin appears mottled but overall amber. Her mask is ridden in silvery lace and false white gems and roses. Woolim never knew she could look lovely.

"Do you mind if I hold you close?" He leads, raising their joined hands to sway.

Woolim opens her mouth only to nod. Despite the darkness of the brown and the dim lighting, she sees that his eyes are dotted with flames of the bits of lighting around the venue. The night of his pupils burn right through her and yet she only feels sparks from him, especially once his other hand comes to gently graze her waist.

"Are you okay with this?" He sways them a little more to the right with each movement. Woolim doesn't fancy being this quiet and immobile so she moves his hand into her. His hold is gentle and electrifying as if eternities have passed since she's last been embraced as sweetly as this.

"How long have you gone to this school?" Minghao leans in to better emphasize his question.

"I just transferred, actually," she says as casually as possible since the strokes they make when they sway are becoming too grand for her to catch up.

He's incredibly quick on his feet, so much so that her eyes must drop to follow their direction. Many bodies and pairs round about the two, but they all blend in with the backdrop of the room.

"Follow my counts. One, two, three ─" He drifts into quadrants, slow enough for her to catch up but she continues to knock into his chest. "─ and four. Let's go again. You're alright, I promise. Seokmin used to firmly believe his body was not built at all for anything besides existing."

Woolim glances to the side to see Seokmin rocking his hips next to Soonyoung side to side within frequent increments. They also somehow manage to can-can despite the slow synth and phrases of the song.

"Are you always this quiet?" Minghao breathes and this question catches her off guard. Perhaps taking her breath away had been his intention and he uses this to intertwine their fingers like they're meant to be.

"I’d tell you a lie but since you don't know me, I'm going to tell you the truth; I think I like having you try and get me to talk." Woolim purses her lips tightly as soon as she finds herself smirking.

Minghao steps back, which she nearly leaps to follow, but with the gentlest pivot of his wrist, Woolim twirls like one of the toys she'd wanted all her childhood. Her chest rides past the clouds and her heart pursues, shuttling upwards.

"My goodness, you're a natural!" He comments when he swings her to one side and right back into his embrace. She's smiling.

The song is still playing, and if at all possible, it's hanging above her head precariously and it's just the two of them on the planet.

"Are you sure you don't want me to know you?" He asks once more, and this time, she sheds a few feathers of her insecurities.

The song is still as powerful enough to beat as her heart.

"You ask a lot of questions, Minghao." She manages to grin and their steps narrow to continue to tread the same space.

He peers down at her and the flames are still lit.

"I can't help it. Honestly, honestly. I want to know you truly, honestly."

His loving smile buckles under the bite into his lip. She must be lying when she sees his eyes drop to her mouth. This must be a dream.

"I'm-I'm an open book," she murmurs, captivated by his own lips, and gasps quietly when the hand on her waist is suddenly cupping her jaw. No, she is not, the more authoritative Woolim reprimands silently. But it matters not - she's not loud either.

The song is still playing. It could play for eternities.

He rubs her cheek so tenderly and it has her eyes all a twinkle without realizing.

Wonwoo is no longer a thought. Sookyung no longer crosses her mind.

It only takes a few more countless seconds of wordless confirmation before Minghao dives in to take her lips with his and something behind her rib cage blossoms. He speaks against her mouth, but she doesn't care. She doesn't care.

He continues devouring her lips for the taking and she's left speechless, breaths searching for something to hold onto in between their own mouths.

The daily lows of her life are a fleeting death as she now soars high in a fairy tale-like limelight that only pertains to the two of them. All she's missing is a crown.

Where is her crown? Her mind's whispers fade with every proceeding second. And for once, Woolim feels so good that nothing matters.

[project-rosewood-476]

Chapter 2 part 4 of 4 Of Every Rose Has Its Thorns is out now! the AU and some of the ideas and characters belong to @creepypasta-shtick and Maplehood Creek, Rosewood, and Tabby Anderson belong to me.

TW: character death, mentions of blood and gore

They needed to find Angelina and Kyle. She looked for landmarks that she saw earlier when Toby was showing her around since she was awful at street names. She kept her hands in her pockets and kept her head down to avoid any attention drawn to them. Jane continued to walk, a little uneasy. Tabby was a lot less safe with her than she was with Toby, mainly because people disliked Jane. Tabby was pretty confident that she could hold her own for a good 20 minutes in a given fight and even protect Jane if she had to. If she died then she dies and that's that. Although she was pretty sure that Jane could hold her own as well for the most part. She walked with a mixture of confidence and lack of self confidence all at the same time. Jane was a very capable person. She was good at what she did. She could easily protect them both but it would get her into trouble. She was disgraced, so her attempting to defend herself from other highly ranked proxies was a no go. Kayla had given them a picture to work off of. Kyle was a sandy blonde with a nice smile. Angelina was a very pretty Korean girl with twinkly eyes, a playful smile, and a large tattoo of a devil on her thigh. Erica was a girl of middle eastern descent, with black hair pulled into a pony tail and a slim physique. Nico was a tall kid with wavy dark hair and a dark complexion. He had a cheeky smile and looked like a very friendly person. They got to the library. Tabby was wringing out her shirt since her anxiety was sky high again. She marched right up the library steps and headed inside and waited for Jane. Jane followed her inside. The cool air sent goosebumps up her arms. She saw the librarians on edge. Tabby took note of the librarians uneasiness to the back of the library. She assumed that not a lot of people go to the way back and she assumed that there would be plenty of hidden places for others to hide in there. If they looked hard enough.

Jane turned and saw one of the librarians right behind her.

"Are you here for the special package?" The librarian asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Jane was a little confused.

"The special package." The librarian stated, pointing at one of Jane's pockets. The pocket the photo was in.

"...I might be. Is..." She whispered the last part. "Is he here?"

The librarian nodded slowly.

Tabby breath a visible sigh of relief and gave a small smile to Jane.

"We got one alive so far. So far so good" she whispered.

Jane wasn't too sure. She wouldn't call him alive until she saw him. The librarian led them to a room further in the back. It was much colder back there.

"He is sedated." The librarian said.

"We are not allowed to kill. That is for you to do."

Jane, thinking quickly, replied, "We won't do it in the library. It will be done in private. You don't have to clean up our mess."

The librarian nodded. Tabby nodded too going along with the situation.

"We'll take it from here" Tabby said faking the confidence that was in her voice.

The librarian led them to a locked room. They unlocked it. Kyle was huddled in the corner, tied up and gagged but seemingly unharmed.

Tabby nodded at the librarian "thank you very much we got our jobs from here on out".

The librarian nodded and slunk out of the room. Kyle looked up at them with fear in his wide eyes. His face was bruised. He looked like he had been through a lot.

Tabby bent down to his level.

"Hey we're not going to hurt you in fact we're going to get you out of here with your friends and try to send you guys back home tonight. Do you understand?" She whispered.

She looked over at Jane.

"Where are we bringing him exactly?" She whispered.

"We take him home. Or I can while you search for the others. Maybe Toby's there with one of the others." Jane whispered back to her.

Kyle was still trembling, but looked hopeful.

"I'll go with you. I mean two is better than one" she helped Kyle up.

In reality she didn't want to be left alone when it's only day 2 in this new life for her. She didn't trust that she would be safe enough by herself. And she certainly didn't want to have the chance of getting caught by herself or worse for Jane to be by herself if they got caught. Jane nodded. She was a little worried that something would happen if either one of them were alone. She waited for a bit before untying his ropes. Tabby helped. She was a master at tying and untying things since she has tiny hands so she can undo any knot and she went through a phase when she was 4 when she would tie her stuffed animals up like they were being captured and then untie them. Soon Kyle was freed up. Jane found something on the floor.

Kyle pointed to it, and said "That's my hearing aid."

Jane handed it to him quickly, looking around. Kyle spoke very loudly. After he had put them back in, he spoke in a whisper.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome" she whispered back. "Now let's get you out of here. We have Kayla she's safe. And we're trying to find the others"

"Oh god..." Kyle seemed incredibly stressed out. "At least you have Kayla-I think Erica might have her phone on her. I could try to call her but I don't want to put her into any trouble-"

"I wouldn't recommend that" Tabby whispered quickly "technically we're not supposed to be doing this. We could get caught and be in serious trouble. It would be easier if you just let us look for them okay?".

Kyle nodded. He understood but was so frustrated that he couldn't help.

Jane handed him a mask.

"Put that on. When we walk, act like you belong here."

"Also keep you head down low, keep your hands in your pockets and don't make too much eye contact".

Kyle nodded again. He wished he could go out looking for his friends but understood that by protesting, he would be endangering their lives. Tabby nodded and turned to Jane

"So where are we going from here?"

"Let's take him back to the apartment. Unless you want to risk taking him with us."

"Apartment is better. Less risky”

"You're right." Jane said.

Kyle looked a little unhappy at the idea of not being able to see the action and try to help, so Jane said.

"Kayla needs someone right now. She would be delighted to know that you were okay."

Kyle's face softened, and he nodded.

"Yeah she seemed really worried about you and the rest of your friends", said Tabby,

"Kayla's like that." Kyle said with a small smile.

Jane smiled at him.

"Alright let's go" she whispered with a mischievous smile.

Jane nodded and led them out. Kyle did his best to look cool and confident as they walked through the library and out the door. On the inside, he was looking around, praying to see one of his friends. God...what would Nico do? He was good at this stuff...

Tabby kept sauntering forward and kept her head low and her hands in her pockets. Jane essentially powerwalked them home. They didn't get any weird glances. Tabby kept checking behind her to make sure that Kyle was still with them and to make sure that no one else was following them. She kept her mind blank too so that no one could read her mind as someone could walk by. Jane kept them clear of areas where there were a lot of mali, or even monsters that had a strong sense of smell. They managed to get to the home without a hitch.

She breath a sigh of relief.

"That wasn't so bad. We actually make a great team".

Jane smiled slightly.

"I suppose we do."

She got to the apartment and unlocked it. Toby wasn't back yet but that didn't mean anything.

"Okay. Kayla is in Jane's room sleeping just stay here and hide and we'll be back with Angelina hopefully. That's the goal here", said Tabby.

Kyle nodded.

"What about Erica and Nico?" He asked quietly.

"Our other....teammate is working on it. Since Erica is on the run always it would be hard to pin point her down for where she is. As for Nico since he likes to try to hide in plain sight it would be hard for us to pick him out. Our other....teammate is good at tracking and picking out people like that" Tabby explained.

She hesitated on what to call Toby since he was Jane's friend but she didn't consider him a friend just yet. He needed to earn her trust more for to be considered that. She just considered him as an acquaintance that she feels like she owes. Kyle nodded. He remained hopeful that his friends were alive. He sat down on the couch right when there was a knock on the door. Kyle almost jumped out of his skin. Jane quickly ushered him into the bathroom and closed the door behind him before going to the door and peeking outside. Tabby felt the familiar adrenaline coursing through her full blast in overtime and felt the familiar dread in her stomach. She tensed up and stood in a defensive potential fighting stance ready to grab her knives out if needed. Her anxiety spiked up again. Jane gave her a look to tell her to put the knives away. She opened the door a crack. An unfamiliar proxy was at the door. He was tall and muscular, and honestly rather good looking, with neatly groomed red hair and grey eyes.

"I'm here for my teammate's mask." He snapped at Jane.

Jane nodded and forced a smile. "Of course. For Styx, yes?"

The man nodded, looking past Jane into the apartment. Tabby quickly put them away and gave a sheepish apologetic look. She looked at him with a hint of nostalgia and sadness. He looked like a male version of her best friend Autumn. With her Auburn hair and her stormy gray eyes. Jane went to go get the mask. The unfamiliar man came inside the apartment and sat down on one of the couches while he waited. He glanced at Tabby. She gave a shy smile and a small wave with her bandaged left hand. The man gave her a small, somewhat approving nod.

"You new?" He asked in his somewhat stern voice.

It wasn't like he tried to sound that way. He just did.

"Yeah my life turned into this last night", She said awkwardly as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"Ah, I see." The man said.

He was the leader of his own group of five, and he had been a proxy for about 20 years. He had been turned at just 12 years old, so this was the only life he knew. He understood that Tabby was probably stressing about it. Usually he didn't care; she would learn. But he was training a new proxy in his own group so he was feeling much more sympathetic than usual. She fidgeted with her shirt slightly looking down. She wasn't good at keeping conversation with strangers.

The man looked away for a bit.

"My name's R." He told her plainly.

"Are you waiting here for a mask, or has Jane not told you what she is?".

She looked up quickly "my name is Tabby. No I already have my own mask. She's just keeping me company until my mentor for lack of better words to come back" which was sort of true. The only form of lying she can do is lying by omission. She looked down.

"Ah, I see. That's kind of her." R said, looking away from Tabby. Jane soon came out of another room with the mask in a box.

Tabby nodded still not looking up. Jane handed R the box. He thanked her and stood up to leave. Tabby said a quick goodbye. R nodded at her and left. Jane closed the door behind him with a big sigh of relief. Tabby also gave a big sigh of relief too as well now that her anxiety died down. She let kyle out of the bathroom. Kyle was physically shaking from nerves. He sunk onto the couch, holding his shaking hands.

"You're okay now" she understood.

When anxiety is sky high it makes her too wound up to the point of attacking every little thing that moves sometimes. Other days it's really bad to the point of where she throws up or dry heaves. Jane got Kyle some water to settle him down. She checked in on Kayla. She was out like a light, snuggled into the blankets. Jane checked to make sure she was still breathing and whatnot due to how peaceful she looked. Kyle looked so relieved to see his friend okay. Jane glanced at Tabby.

"We should probably go..."

Tabby nodded "You're right" she looked over at Kyle "you sure you're going to be okay here by yourself?"

Kyle nodded. "Yeah-I will be." He said, sipping his water.

"Alright...." she said a little unsure she looked like she didn't believe him but left it alone. She looked over at Jane

"Let's go".

Jane nodded.

"If you see a man with goggles and a mouth guard at the door, let him in. If it's anyone else, pretend that no one's home. If you smell Sulphur, hide. If worst comes to worst, every door in this house locks."

Tabby nodded and waited for Jane. Jane left and closed the door behind her. She could have sworn she heard footsteps. Tabby followed her still keeping her head down and keeping her hands in her pockets as to not draw attention to herself. Just as they were about to leave, Toby came straggling up the stairs, holding someone in his arms. Both Toby and the figure were covered in blood. Jane could tell that the figure was a girl, and assumed it was Erica. Toby looked very pale. Neither he nor Jane knew anything more than basic first aid and it was clear the girl needed more than that. Tabby was frantic when she saw the sight of Toby.

"What happened? are you okay?" She saw the the state of the girl.

Tabby knew what to do somewhat she knew slightly more than basic first aid since her mom used to work at a hospital as a CNA before she got fired. So she taught Tabby what she knew when she had the time. The rest was research and figuring it out to patch herself and her friends up after fights. She become more calm and took charge of the situation.

"Alright lay her down. I'm going to need some sort of cloth, water to put pressure on the wounds to stop the bleeding and clean up the blood so we can see just how much damage there is. Possibly some bandages too please".

Toby didn't feel any pain but that didn't mean he wasn't injured. He had come across a malus just about to take a bite of the girl after overpowering her. The girl had multiple deep lacerations on her head and body, multiple deep bite marks, claw marks, a couple stab wounds, and probably even more that Toby couldn't see. Jane opened the door to her apartment and ordered Kyle to go wait with Kayla. Toby laid the girl on the couch and went to go get some water and cloth. Jane took one look at the girl, and left the apartment to go get someone with actual medical training. She knew Tabby would be able to help a lot, but she also knew a medic could ensure the girl's survival. She knew Kate would do it and keep her mouth shut about it. Tabby knelled by the girl's side. She gulped as the sight made her have flashbacks to when her friends jumped and the state of their bodies after. So much blood, and cracked skulls and contortions that wasn't normal for a body to make. Ones that told you that they were most certainly dead. This girl looked worse than them. Her stomach was doing flip flops and she felt like she was going to throw up. her tan skin looked pale and clammy. Toby began wiping some of the blood off. He noticed Erica's breathing was shallow. Cleaning the wounds revealed how deep they were, but thankfully the head wounds were only sort of surface level. Head wounds just tended to bleed a lot. Jane soon came back with Kate, who glanced at both Tabby and Toby, and sort of gestured for them to move so she could get to Erica. She had her medical bag with her. Tabby was helping too getting some of the blood on her hands and clothes. They actually managed to clean up half of the blood. There wasn't so much blood as she started out with. When Kate and Jane got there she moved out of the way along with Toby. She turned to Toby, "Sit down and try not to move too much. I'm going to clean you up. And don't say that you can do it yourself. just because you can't feel pain doesn't stop the damage from happening" She said it in a way that said that it wouldn't be wise to argue with her.

Kate immediately got to work helping Erica. Thankfully, it looked like she would be okay. Nothing was deep enough to get to any organs and no arteries or veins were cut. All of her wounds looked like self defense wounds. Toby didn't protest. He didn't know if he was wounded or not. He had killed the malus that had attacked Erica, mainly so there were no witnesses. Hopefully no one would find the body until his scent was gone from the scene. Jane was helping both Tabby and Kate. Kate was silent for awhile, before speaking.

"Why are you trying to save the human?" She asked plainly. Just because Kate didn't agree didn't mean that she was doing a bad job on Erica.

Tabby was gentle with cleaning Toby. Her bandaged hand was dirty and bloodied and her hands were rough and calloused in general. But that's from fights and working in a kitchen. She and Jane cleaned up most of the blood. He only had a few deep lacerations but nothing fatal. If he could feel pain he would just be sore for a couple of days. She answered Kate while helping Jane Bandaged Toby up. Taking the blame for the both of them.

"It was my idea to begin with. She could potentially have what I couldn't have which was a real family and friends. I recently lost the only people I considered family in one fell swoop. I-I don't know. I guess it was an attempt to make sure that no one else has to go through what I went through the best I can in the circumstances that I'm given" she said quietly.

Which was true that's why she wanted to help Jane in the first place. Not only because it was what she thought was the right thing to do but she saw it as a chance to make sure that they could have what she can't have. Their friends all together, alive and in one piece. Doesn't help that she has has a weird form of a hero complex that she got from her step dad. so she also saw it as a chance to attempt to be some form of a hero in a small sense.

Kate gave her a little nod. She was quiet as she stitched up the girl's wounds, being very neat and tidy with her work. After she finished, she began to apply bandages. As she did, she spoke.

"I understand why you did this, but just know that you can never do this for a human again, alright? " Erica was still barely conscious.

Jane gulped a bit.

"You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"No, of course not. But I won't lie for you either.", said Kate.

Kate finished patching up Erica.

"Jane, do you have any room you can put her in? A bed of some sort?"

"I can put her in my own room. The guest room is being used." Jane said, looking down at Erica with a curious look in her eyes.

Toby massaged his bandaged arm, also glancing at Erica, then at Tabby. Tabby looked down and look everywhere but at the people. some of the color came back to her she was less pale now but she still looked like she was about ready to throw up. She massaged her left hand making sure that there wasn't anymore damage to it. She winced as she felt the phantom cramping pain in her hand. Jane and Kate moved Erica to Jane's room. It would be comfortable in there. They came back out. Jane's living area was covered in blood, but they could clean it later. Toby looked a little uneasy, but at the same time unbothered. Tabby was fidgeting with her left hand and shifting uncomfortably. Kate left soon after. Toby sighed.

"I would have come back with Nico but...but he's dead." He said quietly. "He was the human that was murdered earlier. The one we overheard."

Tabby had that look of dawning realization like an "Ohh" moment.

She nodded.

"Well no one said life had to fight fair. At least we got 3 out of 4, That ain't bad" She sounded harsh, tired and indifferent all at the same time.

"Three out of the five. We still need to find Angelina. Alive or dead." Toby reminded them.

"Right sorry" she looked at them with tired eyes and a small apologetic smile.

"Kayla said that Angelina would hide out in the woods somewhere. The logical places to hide there are in the shrubs or in the trees"

Toby got up to start towards the door, but Jane pulled him down.

"You need to stay here and rest. Look after the apartment for me?".

"She's right. You're in rough shape. I'll go with her" Tabby gave him a soft reassuring small smile.

Toby sighed.

"Alright, fine."

He seemed a little dejected about being left out of the action, almost like a little kid. Jane hid her grin behind her mask, but her eyes twinkled.

"You being here will be beneficial, I think. You can start asking these kids where they live and whatnot. So we can figure out how to get them home”.

Tabby hid her giggle in the guise of a cough. She couldn't help but squeal internally in her head at how adorable Toby was being. Thank god there was no one here that could read her mind. She shook her head to focus. She would not and could not afford to get attached or care. She promised herself that she wouldn't forget her friends and moving on means forgetting. She cleared her throat and became more serious

"we should get going".

Jane nodded.

"Of course." She hoped the girl was alive, but wasn't too hopeful. They had been much too lucky lately. Toby went to go let Kyle out of the bathroom.

She gave one last look at Toby before disappearing out the door with Jane.

Jane sighed.

"You ready to do this again?" She asked.

Jane looked very tired. She checked to make sure Tabby had her mask on.

Tabby had her mask on. Tabby also sounded tired but resigned at the same time

"I'm going to have to be. I've made my choice to help and I'm sticking by it regardless of what the consequences might be".

I mean the poor kid has never made a good decision in her life why start now?

Jane nodded.

"As long as we're not caught, it's fine." She assured Tabby with a smile.

They walked out of the apartment building. Tabby nodded and had her usual walking position and began to humming the prologue song from into the woods since that's where they were heading anyways. Jane didn't know the reference. She didn't ask, however. They soon ducked into the large expanse of woods and began to walk. Tabby relaxed a little since the woods were like her natural habitat. but not by much. Her town was surrounded by woods and at Rosewood in the way back like behind the boarding section of Rosewood there was a semi hidden clearing in the woods where she and Autumn would spend time together ranging from 10 minutes to 2 hours after school together on most days. It was a place where they could be themselves and speak their minds and just relax for a short time. Jane was much more on edge. The woods were where the non-humanoid monsters lived. Large and small, and all aggressive. She knew The Rake lived close by here. She hoped and prayed that Angelina was still alive but her hope slowly dwindled as they got deeper into the woods. Tabby was on high alert at her surroundings. She was looking everywhere. Up at the trees, down and around. Not only looking for Angelina but also keeping an eye out for other dangers that could be sneaking up on them. Jane heard a low groan, and creaking among the trees. She heard the rustling of leaves and the crunching of grass. The forest loved to play tricks on them. Tabby jumped a little and was ready to jump in front of Jane in a fighting stance to protect her. She just continued walking ignoring the forest tricks. Jane heard whispering and crying from deeper in the forest. She ignored it, knowing how the forest worked. It was easy to get lost. By chance, she looked at the ground, and saw footprints.

"Should we follow them?", asked Tabby.

"Well, we have no other leads.", said Jane.

Tabby slowly and cautiously followed to where the footprints lead to. Jane did as well, humming tonelessly under her breath. The footprints led deep into the woods. Honestly with the way the shadows were in the forest. They covered Tabby really well she actually blended in with the forest. Jane soon smelled smoke, which she found was odd. The aura of the part of the forest they were in now was very eerie. Something was seriously wrong in these parts. The trees were twisted and groaned with every breeze. The grass was a sick, almost peach color. The trees' bark was light in patches, suggesting some sort of corruption. Tabby was familiar with the dark aura considering she had one from the darkness of Rosewood following her around. On top of her own raw personal darkness that's just barely beneath the surface. But this....this was different....it was close to the dark, powerful, suffocating aura that the entity who gave her more knowledge on the supernatural had 13 years ago. But not quite it since she could tell it was something else beyond that. She was fighting to keep that flashback from happening. She was more on edge and uneasy. The footsteps seemed to disappear little by little until they became scarce.

"Are you sure we should keep going this way? I mean the footsteps seems to stop right around this area anyways...." , trailed off Tabby.

Jane pointed to the distance. She could smell smoke. And in the distance she could have sworn she saw a small figure, wrapped in a coat, sitting next to the fire. It really did look like Angelina from a distance.

"Should we approach it?".

"I don't see why not..."

Tabby took a deep breath and walked forward. Jane joined her. One of them stepped on a twig and it made a loud crack. The figure turned and looked at them. She didn't flee. Tabby froze and gave a small wave. Jane slowly approached closer. Tabby continued to walk closer. Jane soon saw a girl who looked a lot like Angelina. But something was...wrong with her. Tabby noticed something was wrong too. She stopped walking. Her intuition was screaming at her that to stop and run. But she didn't raise herself to be a coward and it was beaten into her not to be one. So she just froze. She gave Jane a look that said "are you sure that we should continue?". Jane frowned softly. She decided to call out to the girl. "Angelina?" The girl looked up at them. She had some weird markings on her hands that were definitely not on the photo that Kayla had shown them, but otherwise she was a dead ringer.

"Are you Angelina? Because we can get you out of here and somewhere safe" Jane finally said.

Angelina nodded. She turned away a bit and coughed into her elbow before offering them a small smile.

"Let's get you out of here" Tabby offered her right hand to help her up and to show her that they weren't going to hurt her.

Angelina took her hand. Her hands felt very cold. Jane noted the marks and felt a little uneasy. Tabby helped her up and eyed her to see if she had injuries. She began to walk with her. Angelina didn't look injured. Just a bit off. She walked with Jane and Angelina. Making sure that she was still with them. Jane looked at Angelina's hands.

"How long has that been going on, hon?" She asked politely.

"About two days." Angelina responded.

Tabby listened intently. Jane was just chatting to Angelina to calm her down, and get her to open up. Tabby paid attention to her surroundings to make sure that they weren't going to be attacked. Jane learned that Angelina had never met her father, that her mother was a principal at a high school, and that she had a little sister named Amanda. Tabby was making comparisons from Angelina's life and her old life in her head. Tabby had two brothers. One older and one younger she is the middle child. Mother worked a lot so she never really saw her. Real dad died and her step dad was an abusive stay at home dad. Jane could tell by the way Angelina talked and spoke about her life and the events within them that she was a hybrid. There was no question about it. She would be a lot safer there than any of her other friends. Tabby continued to say nothing as she listened and kept walking. They soon got to the entrance of the woods, almost like the forest was trying to spit them out.

"Ah finally it's good to be out".

Jane nodded. Angelina looked at the ground and avoided Tabby's face. Tabby looked at Angelina curiously. Wondering why she was avoiding her gaze. But she assumed it was just a nervous thing. After all she did the same thing with Toby at first. She didn't say anything on it so she dropped it. Jane felt a weird aura coming off of Angelina.

"Are my friends okay?" She asked Jane quietly.

Jane nodded.

"Well most of them are....Nico is well....dead" Tabby put it bluntly and she shifted uncomfortably and looked down.

Jane expected Angelina to break down in tears. To cry. But she didn't. She just kept her eyes on the ground.

"It's my fault." She whispered softly.

"Hey listen it wasn't your fault. You didn't know. From what Kayla told us you kinda all went separate ways after you all landed. How could you have anything to do with his death. He's the one who got himself killed. Not you", Tabby said softly.

"No, you don't understand." Angelina said quietly. "It was my fault-" She stopped talking and looked at the ground.

Tabby nodded.

"You can tell us later once we get somewhere semi safer. Let's keep going".

Jane nodded. They would be much safer with Angelina if she was correct in her assumption that she was a hybrid. Tabby sighed and rubbed her face. Her insomnia was wearing off and it wasn't until now how she realized how tired she was. She kept walking forward. Jane saw the apartment building in the distance. Tabby continued walking, making sure that Jane and Angelina were right behind her. Jane caught up with Tabby.

"Do you see the marks on her hands?" She whispered to Tabby.

Tabby nodded and whispered "yeah but I didn't say anything about it".

"It looks a lot like the corruption of the woods now that I think about it."

"Why would the woods be corrupted by that though?".

“No, that's not it. I think the woods are starting to corrupt her."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think she's telling us the full truth.".

"Well once we get into your apartment we'll ask her again since we're not going to be out in the open"

Jane nodded. They soon got to the apartment building entry. Jane pulled the doors open. A couple of proxies were hanging by the front desk. Tabby stood up straight and kept an emotionless expression and just stared straight ahead not giving any of the proxies any attention. Jane did the same, and Angelina followed suit awkwardly, also ignoring the group. They were picking on a younger proxy. Tabby gave a quick pitiful look at the younger proxy who was being picked on but quickly looked away deciding not to do anything as she had bigger fish to fry with Jane and Angelina. Jane sighed and just quickly ushered them along. Angelina kept her head down. Jane noticed how tired she was, and how frayed she must have been for the whole day. Tabby sighed in relief as it was good to be back somewhere familiar. Jane opened the door to the apartment. Toby was talking to Kyle softly. It looked like Kyle had been crying. Erica had gotten out of bed and was settled on the couch with Kayla, who had also been crying. Tabby sighed and sounded tired.

"What happened?"

Toby sighed.

"I told them the news about Nico. Kid was really popular." He muttered to Tabby.

Tabby rolled her eyes. Which made her look insensitive. Death happens all the time. To her they were acting really sensitive. They should just get over it. In fact they should be goddamn lucky that they only lost one friend and not all of them like she did. Then she gave a guilty apologetic look because she knew better. She understands what it's like to lose a friend. She cleared her throat.

"We've found Angelina. Have you found out where they all live yet?" She said quietly after awhile.

Erica was really the only one who noticed Tabby's eye roll. The rest were too busy in their own grief. Erica drew further into herself, eyebrows furrowed. Angelina didn't go to talk to her friends. She just lingered by the door.

"I have." Toby said. "They live pretty close to Rosewood actually.".

Tabby palled at the mention of her old school.

"Well that's convenient. I know where that is. How do we get them back?".

Toby sighed.

"I'll take them. Don't worry about it."

He wanted this over and done with.

"You sure?" She leaned against the door.

If she took one more step then she would collapse onto the floor and her body would shut down to get the sleep that she desperately needed.

Toby nodded.

"Yeah. You should rest." He said.

He was tired too, but Jane and Tabby had done a lot of heavy lifting that day.

"I'm not tired" but that was a bullshit lie.

Toby saw straight through it.

"Uh huh." He said. "Just stay here until I get back."

"Fine" she said like an annoyed child reluctantly giving in at being told what to do.

Toby sighed, and smiled at Tabby. Jane looked exhausted as well. She wished Toby luck.

"Hey try not to die, okay?", said Tabby,

"I can't make any promises." Toby joked a bit.

"That's why the key word here is 'try'" she said with a slightly annoyed tone but it was more playful and she managed to give him a small smile.

Toby laughed. "I will."

He looked at Erica.

"Can you walk?" He asked her.

She nodded.

"The rest of you good?"

He got nods. Angelina stood near a corner, away from her friends. Tabby looked at all of them and wish them luck. Kayla thanked her softly. Kyle nodded to her. Erica was remembering her eyeroll, it seemed, and just glanced at her with a slight nod. Angelina thanked her quietly but didn't look at her. Tabby gave them all a slight nod back. Toby led the group of teens out.

Tabby was going about Jane's apartment helping to clean up the blood. She felt like she was going to drop from exhaustion and go into a coma for a week like she normally does when her insomnia wears off. She willed herself to stay awake but it was clear that she was struggling. Jane had gotten most of it. The apartment was soon pretty clean. Jane was exhausted. Her feet and body were sore from the long day. It was hot, so she turned on the ac and took off her wig to put it away. Since Tabby was here she would keep her mask on, but when she left she'd take it off. Tabby finished the last bit of it. She stood back up. She swayed back and forth a little. The adrenaline wore off and her anxiety was gone now that it was done and they wouldn't get caught. Tabby felt herself collapsing on the floor. Her breathing was shallow and her mind retreated further into the dark dreamless void that she called sleep. She was out. ane sighed. Poor girl. She gently picked her up and brought her to the guest room. Toby could bring her back to her actual room when he got back. She tucked Tabby into the comfortable blankets and kept the lights soothingly dim but not all the way off. Jane was tired, but she would wait for Toby to get back. Satisfied that Tabby was alright, she went back out to the living area and took her mask off. Tabby was in her natural sleeping position. Her knees were brought up to her stomach, her arms were crisscrossed across her chest with her hands covering the back of her neck, and her back against a corner of the wall and bed so no one could even have the chance of getting to her vital areas while she slept. Because once she actually gets to sleep she's dead weight she can't hear or feel a thing. Which is dangerous to her in the state that she's in. Jane relaxed in the living room for about an hour. Toby still wasn't back yet. She knew the portal closest to those kid's houses was a while away but she was still a little worried for Toby. Toby had only been doing this for at the most two years. He was still, by their society's standards, new. Tabby was still dead asleep she was slightly more relaxed and let a little slack in her sleeping position. She was still curled up in her protective position but she wasn't as tense about it. If you really paid attention you can hear her snoring quietly. About three hours later, Toby came back. He looked absolutely exhausted. He was unharmed thankfully. Jane hurriedly put her mask on and led him inside the apartment. Tabby wasn't aware of anything that was going on. Tabby was still unconscious. Toby looked tired and annoyed with everything. He sat and talked with Jane for awhile about what had gone on, and then offered to take Tabby back to the room. Tabby was still out. She's going to hate herself in the morning more than what she already does. She hates the vulnerability that she showed and was about to show Toby. She's going to have to explain how her sleeping process works when her body finally gives out. In the meantime she was unsuspecting of anything. Jane offered to help Toby take Tabby back to the room, but Toby could do this alone. Tabby was still curled up and she was dead weight when she was dead asleep. But she's generally light for the most part so it should be easier for him to carry her. Toby picked her up quickly to help her to her room. Tabby rested her cheek against his chest and hung on to him him for dear life. It was a weird form of cuddling almost that she was unaware of. You could hear her snoring gently.

Toby smiled to himself. She reminded him a little bit of a little kid at the moment. He set her down in her bed and tucked her in. Tabby still clung onto his hoody, practically pulling him into her bed.

"Stay...please....Autumn....don't....don't leave me again..." she whimpered in her sleep.

It would be cute if it wasn't so sad. She sounded like a hurt lost puppy. Toby let out a surprised squeak, now very confused. But he could tell Tabby wasn't doing okay. He let her hold onto his hoodie as he slowly moved to slip out of it. As soon as Toby was out of his hoodie. Tabby shifted her sleeping position to where she wrapped herself around his body. Or vice versa? But she was cuddling with it and had her cheek to his hood semi breathing in his scent. She actually calmed down a little and her breathing went back to taking rythemetic shallow breaths. Toby decided to let her hold onto the hoodie while she slept. There was no harm in it. The real harm would be if they were caught in a compromising situation. Proxies could have relationships, sure, but they had to be approved. Tabby continued to sleep and was more relaxed after her nightmare had passed. Toby went to go to sleep himself. Tabby would stay asleep for awhile. Normally when her body eventually gives out it's a solid 3 day coma before it's just regular sleeping as much as she can for that week and maybe possibly get into a sleep routine until another bout of insomnia comes up. Toby would check on her in the morning. He figured she was exhausted. He understood that. When he first came here, he rarely slept. If anything needed to be done tomorrow then Toby would have to wake her up himself. If not then its comatose for a week with her to catch up on sleep. Toby would wake her up the next day for the meeting then let her sleep more if she needed to. Tabby was nuzzling Toby's hoody and holding onto it. Almost like a security blanket. Toby let her do so. He was pretty tired himself. He went to his own room and flopped on the bed. The moment Tabby collapsed on the floor of Jane's apartment is the moment that she blacked out. So there's going to be a lot of explaining to do on both parts. Her head and body is going to hurt tomorrow morning from how hard she hit the floor but she'll deal with that tomorrow. Toby hadn't known she'd fallen, but wanted to leave her to sleep. He began to doze off into sleep. He felt...vaguely rewarded helping them. While Tabby was still knocked tf out. For the first time in forever she felt at peace with herself for doing what she thought was right. At least she could give those kids what she couldn't have. The majority of their friends/family back and in one piece. In a sense it made her feel like the hero she once was and not a god awful person that just about everyone else including herself thought of her as. And in a little vague sense she was making it up to Autumn just a fraction. Toby eventually was about to fall fast asleep. But then he heard a knock on the door. Swearing a little, he got up to go answer the door, rubbing his eyes. It was Hoodie. Tabby was not aware of anything that was going on. Hoodie looked Toby up and down.

"You look like a mess. Can I come in?".

Toby wordlessly moved so Hoodie could enter the apartment.

Tabby was vaguely awake. She knew something was going on but didn't care enough about it. She quickly fell back to sleep. She shifted so she could hide Toby's hoody underneath the covers more. So they wouldn't get into trouble..

Hoodie looked at Toby.

"We have a little mission to do before we do the long mission with EJ."

Tabby was still asleep but everything was entering her head subconsciously. Hoodie explained that there was a family that needed executing in the human realm. Tabby hoped that it wasn't hers. Or Horacio's for that matter. She needed to kill him herself. Although she would be grateful to whomever killed him she would be pissed because that was the whole point for her taking this second chance at life. If someone else did it then it wouldn't be her fulfilling her promises that she made. But it would be someone else doing it for her. It wasn't hers. It was a random family. They had specific instructions. The family was five people. A father, aged 36. A mother, 34. A boy aged 12, a girl aged 9, and a newborn. The father and mother were to be killed. The boy would be trained as a proxy. The older girl would be given a trial period to see if she could be a proxy as well, and if not, she would be taken to The Valence Institution. The two men knew what was meant by that so they didn't go into details. The baby was to be taken to the boss himself. At least she didn't have to die. They would be doing it tomorrow before leaving on their other mission. The plus side is it would give them a bit of cash. Tabby hoped that she wouldn't be involved. With the first mission.

Toby looked at Hoodie.

"Anything else?"

"The boss wants Tabby to carry out the killings."

Toby shook his head.

"No. It's too early. I'll do it."

Tabby slept on not knowing about the horrendous things they planned for her to do. Hoodie and Toby argued for a while, but eventually, Toby was just too tired to argue anymore. Hoodie was on the verge of hitting the boy. He may not be new...but he was still young and stupid for a proxy.

"We leave to go in 12 hours. Be ready by then.".

Oh. Poor Tabby. The many more hard choices that she'll have to make come tomorrow.

[2ndstar-ontheright]

“I’m Sorry..”

Fandom: Ginny & Georgia

Characters: Ginny, Georgia, Ellen, Clint, Marcus and Max. 

Words: 1513

Summary: Ginny and Marcus apologize and discovers that there’s more to him then meets the eye. 

Warning: Swearing, implied masturbation (it’s very slight though. More of a blink and you’ll miss it sort of thing.), dead character reference, parental caregiver terms (Ex: “Mama”). 

Author’s note: I know you're probably thinking, "WTH did I just read?" But hear me out! I wrote this because I wanted to give more depth to Marcus' character, and of course I had to do that with age regression. Hah! And to have him apologize since we didn't see that yet in the show. (Plus while watching the show I got some kind of vibe. Not really sure how or why, but I did for some reason.) Anyways, I'm planning on turning this into it's own fully fleshed-out story. And I would love to hear y'all's feedback and opinions in the comments. As always, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy! 

    Ginny was lying in bed, unable to sleep. Her mind was racing as she recalled the events of the past week. Breaking it off with Hunter, Marcus and his bullshit, Georgia (as always), and how she managed to push all her friends away over 2 dumb guys. She sighed, trying to take her mind off things, she picked up her toothbrush from her nightstand and slumped under the covers. “Great. Your life's falling apart and all you can think to do is masturbate? Lovely, Ginny. Just lovely”. As the brush slowly made its way down, she then had to go to the bathroom. Sighing even harder this time, she put the toothbrush back on her nightstand and left the room.

“Mom! It’s Marcus! Your idiot, stoner, “Kyle Scheible” wannabe son! Of course I’m pissed and betrayed as hell that my so-called “best friend” was cheating on her boyfriend with my brother! God! Everything is the worst!” Max equally signed and exclaimed to her parents, angry like a wakened bear. “Well I’m sorry! I’m sorry I don’t know anything because my kids don’t tell me shit anymore!” Ellen replied. “Well I’m telling you now mother dearest!” Max said, stomping up to her room. Slamming the door behind her, she flopped on her bed and scrolled through her pictures. She stopped when she saw a picture of the 4 of them together at the Sophomore Sleepover.“Ginny, why couldn’t you have just talked to me?” Her voice broke as she started to cry.

Downstairs, her parents discussed the situation and what they could do to help. “I just don’t get it Clint. Ginny is a good kid, much better than our own. If we're being honest. How are we gonna fix this?” Ellen asked her husband. “I don’t know dear. But, it’s probably best if we stay out of it. I think we can trust the kids to work it out themselves. Besides, all we can do is watch and intervene when it gets too serious, right?” Clint replied. “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks. I love you.” “Anytime, Ellie. I love you too”.

Marcus crossed the street towards Ginny’s house in hopes of doing one thing, apologizing. If there was any time to do this, it was now. Hopefully. That day, after hearing what Ginny said he realized what he was doing. He finally broke things off with Padma, stating how he had been a dick to her and that she deserved better, to which she agreed. He took time to look at himself and think “Why? What’s wrong with you? Climbing up to the window he reached for the latch and lowered his hand. He instead climbed back down, knowing how inappropriate and weird his entrances are. “You’re not J.D, idiot.” He joked to himself, while inside he was terrified.

Hearing the door knock, Ginny went downstairs. She looked through the window and jumped. “Jesus fucking Christ. Why is he here?! And at the door of all places? Well, at least it’s not my window, ``she whispered. Her mind began racing again. She wished she could go back to her room, but now she could not. “Peach, who’s at the door?” Georgia called from the other room. She halted for a moment,”No one mom!” “Okay! I must’ve just been hearing things then. Aw shit! That means I’m gettin’ old!” “Georgia Miller’s one adversity, aging!” Ginny said. “Oh hush!” Georgia said, fake offended. Ginny sighed, opening the door. She leaned on the door frame, ready to face whatever was gonna come out of the teen’s mouth.

”What do you want, Marcus? Because frankly, I don’t want to hear it”. “Hey can we talk outside? Please? I just don’t want your mom to hear, if that’s ok?” “Yeah cuz she hasn’t heard everything already about us! But, whatever. I guess we can talk”, Ginny glared at him. “Look, I just wanted to say, I’m sorry. You deserve so much better and should’ve just stayed out of everything..” “Yeah you should’ve. That would’ve helped. My life would have been a lot less shitty, y’know.” “I-I know..and I told Padma about everything a-and broke things off. I mean, it was the least I could do. And I’ve also started to evaluate myself and realize, I am an awful person. Like, what the hell dude? What’s your problem?” Marcus said.

Ginny looked at him surprised, “He actually went and acknowledged his mistakes? Huh, things are certainly changing for both him and I”, “I.. that’s.. I’m really proud of you Marcus. And yeah, you are an asshole, but I’m glad you took the time to realize that. Especially after all the things you went through.``''And I know that doesn't excuse what I did. Someone’s past or whatever they're going through doesn’t excuse them for doing something wrong, but thanks Ginny. I’m not asking for you to forgive me for what I did, I just want you to know that I am truly sorry. Also I’m seeing someone! I forgot their name, but they work with Abby’s Dad, I think. And after this, I’ll stay out of your way so I don’t hurt you or anyone else.” Marcus said, turning to leave.

Ginny gasped, “He’s truly pouring his heart out! He is sorry! Do I want to lose him? Cus I really don’t think I do” Her thoughts swirled in her head. “Marcus, I-I don’t know what to say. You’re right. But, I think that since you’ve taken the time to talk to someone and help you evaluate yourself, you know better than to play with people’s hearts. A-and I don’t want to lose you because you’re more than just hot. Y-you’re nice, introspective, and caring. I don't think I’m ever going to find someone who’s impacted my life like you. I-think I forgive you,” Ginny choked out, crying. “Wow..Seriously! Well, thanks Ginny! Is it okay if I hug you?” Marcus said, surprised. “Seriously. And yes! !”Ginny laughed. “Okay!” He said, wrapping his arms around her. After a minute had passed, Marcus took that as his cue to leave. “Well, I should go,” He said walking to her door. “Yeah. I’ll see you later, creep”. He smiled and left. And Ginny, for the first time in a while, felt relieved.

The next day, Ginny walked to the cafeteria hoping that her friends wouldn’t loathe her entirely. She planned on apologizing to them today for all that happened, especially to Hunter. She was about 5 feet away from the door and saw Marcus on the floor with his head buried in his arms. “Marcus? Are you okay?” She asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Marcus had not had a good day so far. For one thing, Max was still mad at him, his head was screaming, he couldn’t stop thinking about his best friend, and he failed an english test. And his secret almost got revealed when he dropped all of his stuff on the floor trying to get into his locker. So yeah, you could say today was a shit day. So, when he went into the lunchroom and noticed all the people, he turned around back into the hall. For the second time in 12 hours he started to cry. And when Ginny asked him what was up, his head felt fuzzy and couldn’t say anything.

Ginny looked at him in concern waiting for him to answer. He looked up and she noticed his eyes were all red and puffy from crying, “I-I’m sow-sorry. I’m not supposed to... “Supposed to what?” “Be small!” He sobbed, hiding his face. “Aw buddy, it’s okay! But, can you explain? I don’t understand?”

He took a deep breath and began to explain, “So, ever since my y’know accident, my brain goes to this space where it’s kind of like I’m a little kid? Y’know? I know it’s-it’s weird. And ever since my best friend died, I feel a lot younger than I am. So, basically I’m a little kid when I have bad days or get really upset. Which explains what “being small” means, I guess”.

Ginny looked back at him processing this, and if she was being honest, it made a lot of sense. It was his way of dealing, and who was she to judge? “Well, that makes a lot of sense. And I’m guessing it helps, but why were you so upset to tell me?” “Because I was worried you were going to think I’m gross or more weird than I already am.” She chuckled, “You’re already one of the weirdest people I know Marcus. SO, there’s nothing you can do that can make you more weird to me. Now, quit crying! I’m not really in the mood for you to crash into a ditch again, y’know? Lol.” “Heh, yeah. Thanks Ginny.” “Anytime, Marcus. Now come on, the floor’s pretty gross.” She said, standing up and pulling him off the floor. “Okay, mama,” He said, feeling better than before. Ginny gushed and the 2 of them walked back into the cafeteria ready to face their friends.

[kohanayaki]

Caught in the Middle (Steve Harrington x Reader x Billy Hargrove) Ch 1

Just before the school year begins, a new girl drives into town in a black 84' Jaguar with a New York license plate. But you weren't new to Hawkins at all. As a matter of fact, you were returning. While reunited with your old friends you soon find yourself making some unexpected new ones as well; namely the hair of Hawkins high himself and a certain hot-blooded Californian bad boy. Little did you know, dark forces were at work just beneath your feet. How the hell did you get caught in the middle of this?

Links: Ch 1  Ch 2  Ch 3  Ch 4  Ch 5  Ch 6   Ch 7

___________________________________________________________

Ch 1 .:Something Old, Something New:.

Nothing really changed much in Hawkins, Indiana. It was always the same people working the same jobs or going to the same high school. However one thing that was definitely different was the fact that a giant, glass-topped complex decked out in neon signs and flashing lights stood tall in the middle of town square- a stark contrast to everything else around it. Starcourt Mall looked severely out of place in your small town, but then again it had been almost six years since you've been here.

Your gaze swept over the impressive building, swarms of teenagers weaving in and out of the stores. Your eyes suddenly settled on a cute blue and white striped sign that read 'Scoops Ahoy!'

“You up for ice cream?” you asked.

“I'm down,” your brother said from the passenger seat.

“Good, because I was going to pull over anyways,” you grinned. 

You backed into a nearby parking spot, getting out of your car and stretching out your arms. The ten hour road trip from Rochester to Hawkins did not do great things for your body or your sleep schedule, especially when you had to live off of nothing but McDonalds and 7-11 food for a few days. As ready as you were to flop face first onto your old bed, some ice cream sounded really good in the sweltering heat.

You headed into the ice cream shop as you took out your wallet, a cute little bell ringing out as you opened the door. 

“Ahoy,” a pretty girl with shoulder length blonde hair greeted you as you walked in. She wore a sailors uniform and hat and looked like she couldn't wait to go home. However, she seemed to regain a bit of energy as she saw you. She stared at you curiously for a moment, looking you up and down before smiling. 

“Hold on just a second,” she said. 

“Uh, sure?” you said, a bit confused by the girl as she quickly disappeared into the back room,

“You're gonna want to take this one, Harrington,” Robin said. 

“I'm on break,” Steve said, his feet up on the table.

“You've been 'on break' for over an hour, dingus,” Robin rolled her eyes, “Besides, you'll thank me later if you play your cards right.”

She reached behind the table he sat at, pulling up a white board with two columns reading 'You Rule' and 'You Suck'. 

“You're 0 for 6, Popeye,” Robin said, “Let's see if you can flip the odds.” 

She gestured over to the window where you stood in front of the display case, looking around for another employee. Steve seemed to perk up at the sight of you. It was a rare occurrence in Hawkins for Steve to run into someone he's never seen before, and hell if you weren't beautiful. 

Robin chuckled as he shot up out of his seat, straightening out his uniform with new enthusiasm.

“Alright, I'm going in,” he said, pausing for a moment before he opened the door, “And you know what? Screw the company policy.” He took off his hat and threw it over his shoulder with a flourish, “Totally hiding my best feature.”

“Yeah,” Robin said under her breath, “That's what's holding you back.”

“Ahoy there!”

You nearly jumped at the overly-loud greeting you received as the door to the back room swung open, revealing a guy about your age in an equally ridiculous sailor uniform as his coworker.

“Sorry for the wait, I hope you're still available to set sail on this ocean of flavor with me. I'm your captain for today, Steve-”

“Harrington,” you finished, surprising the boy behind the counter. He blinked a few times, letting his brain catch up with itself.

“Do. . . do I know you?” he asked.

“Probably not,” you chuckled dryly, “We went to middle school together. I moved a few weeks before freshman year.”

“Oh,” he said, feeling kind of bad. A lot had changed in the last year- mainly that he almost got killed by flesh eating beings from another dimension on no less than two accounts. But he'd also changed a lot as a person. He was one to acknowledge that he wasn't the greatest person in the past; Maybe it was better that you didn't know him in high school.   

“Well, I'm sorry we didn't get to know each other back then,” Steve said honestly. 

That took you by surprise. This wasn't the Steve Harrington you knew. He was the King as far back as elementary school and, as far as you knew, a grade-A asshole. He seemed a lot different than when he was smacking down lunch trays at the sixth grade table in the cafeteria, but he was still just as stupidly attractive.

“Let's start over, then,” you said, “I'm (Y/n), and this is my brother Kyle.”

Steve looked over to the (h/c)-headed boy who looked only a year or two younger than you and gave him a little salute-wave. 

“Nice to meet you,” Steve said, “What can I get you two?”

After taking your orders Steve started scooping up the ice cream, piling them into waffle cones. As he handed you yours he seemed to hesitate before talking. 

“So, are you just back in Hawkins to visit, or. . .” he trailed off.

“I'm back here as long as my dad's business is,” you said, “He moved us out to New York for work, but he's setting up base back here.”

“Oh, New York!” Steve said, trying to come up with something to say, “That's, uh, the- where the Statue of Liberty is and. . . hot dogs, and. . . taxis?”

“Yeah, that pretty much sums it up,” you laughed, the sound making Steve smile.

You looked over to the wall clock and bit your lip as you saw how late in the afternoon it was.

“Hey, we have to get going,” you said reluctantly, “I still need to finish moving in. You know, unpacking everything I own and all.”

“Uh, yeah, no, I totally get it,” Steve said, mentally kicking himself as you turned around to leave. 

Just before you closed the door you turned to look at him over your shoulder. 

“You know, I start my senior year in a few weeks at a little place called Hawkins High,” you said. 

Steve rose an eyebrow, his expression a little more hopeful, and you grinned.

“Who knows? I might see you around,” you said, a mischievous glint in your eyes.

Robin smirked as Steve watched you walk away, a little in awe.

“I like her,” she said, “Although, I'm not really sure if this one counts as a win or a loss.”

Steve was fine with that, so long as he got to see you again. 

~2 weeks later~

Hawkins High was always bustling with activity, even in the early morning. Chatter from groups of students walking to school together along with the hum of car motors filled the air. Everyone was either sitting on the steps of the school or leaning against their cars to show them off, trying to avoid going to first period as long as they could. 

Suddenly, a low rumble sounded out in the air as an unfamiliar vehicle rounded the corner. It seemed like everyone in the school was watching as the sleek, black car pulled into the parking lot with the windows down, music blasting. 

You enjoyed the feeling of the wind on your face as First Blood from AC/DC's new album sounded out through your car's stereo. You turned it down slightly only to talk to your brother.

“Got everything you need?” you asked Kyle.

“Everything but a doctor's note to get me out of here,” your brother joked.

You chuckled as you grabbed your jean jacket from the trunk; You slung it over your Black Sabbath t shirt before killing the engine and locking the door. 

You were about to start walking in until you were tackled into a hug from multiple children.

“(Y/n)!!” Dustin yelled, running towards you from the middle school next door.

“You're here!” Mike said, grinning wildly as he joined the group hug that Will and Lucas piled onto. 

“Hey, guys,” you smiled, “Good to know you avoided setting fire to this town without me.”

“Hey what am I, chopped liver?” Kyle said. 

The group quickly shifted their attention from you to your brother, each of them doing the secret handshakes they'd come up with together when they were little.

“I didn't know you guys were coming back,” Will said, “Why hasn't anyone said anything?”

“Your mom wanted it to be a surprise,” you admitted, “I already talked to her.”

“Are you kidding me?!” Will exclaimed.

You noticed two girls you didn't recognize were standing somewhat awkwardly to the side, not really sure what was happening.

“New party members?” you asked, smiling at them.

“This is El and Max,” Mike said, introducing you, “El, Max, this is (Y/n) and Kyle. They used to live across the street from us.”

“Nice to meet you,” you said to them before turning back to the boys, “Damn, I'm gone for a couple years and you all go and get girlfriends?” you teased. 

Mike and Lucas blushed and your smile widened.

“How do you know them again?” the redhead girl named Max questioned, “It's just. . . I don't know, you actually seem cool.”

You laughed at that, much to the boy's chagrin. 

“I used to baby sit them when we were kids,” you explained. 

“God knows why,” Lucas said, “It's not like you were any less trouble than us. You were only, like, thirteen.”

“Ok, but you were, like, seven and completely out of control,” you countered, mimicking his tone of voice.

“Woah, hold up, hold up,” Dustin said, circling around your Jaguar, “You have a fucking car?!”

“Hey, language, you little shit,” you said playfully, ruffling his hair, “And yes, I got it last year.”

“Sweet,” Dustin said, wide eyed as he continued to stare at your new ride. 

“If you guys want I can drive you to the mall this weekend,” you offered. 

Excited shouts followed, effectively giving you your answer. 

“Ok, but there's no way you'll all fit back there, so someone's riding in the trunk or I'm going to have to strap one of you to the roof,” you said, only half joking as you tossed your keys up, catching them with your other hand and pocketing them.

“I'll see you guys later. Hell awaits,” you said, gesturing to the school building. Kyle fell into step next to you as you walked up the stairs. 

As you entered the halls of Hawkins High you couldn't help the sigh that escaped you. Sure, it was good to be back in some ways, but school was not one of them. You liked your school back in New York. It was so different from here. The people were more diverse, more open minded, and just less dickish overall. 

One of the biggest downsides of a small town like Hawkins was that you were pretty much stuck with the same kids from kindergarten until high school, and you knew you'd have to see the same people that made your life hell in middle school for another year.

“Well shit, look who's back!”

Speak of the devil.

Your expression immediately hardened as Tommy and Carol walked up to you, looking just as pleased to see you as you were to see them. Among their posse were a couple of brainless football players and a guy you didn't recognize.

He had long, curly, dirty blond hair and blue eyes that took no shame in raking over your body. He had his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket as he chewed absentmindedly on a piece of gum.

“You just had to come and infect this school again, huh?” Tommy sneered.

“Nice to see you too,” you said sarcastically. Carol said nothing, just glaring at you behind her protective shield of a boyfriend. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes; you both knew she wouldn't do shit.

“You know, I don’t think New York changed her at all, guys,” Tommy said, leaning into your face, “You still a bitch?” 

You shot back without skipping a beat.

“I don’t know, Tommy. You still finger banging cheerleaders in the bathroom behind Carol's back?”

The new guy let out a small chuckle at that while the rest of the group looked stunned.

“You what?!” Carol said, eyes wide as she shoved Tommy away from her. 

“Carol, she's lying!” Tommy panicked as she started walking away, “Babe, it's not true, I swear!”

You sighed as you finally got them out of your hair, turning to your brother. 

“You better get to your first class,” you said, “I'll meet you at lunch, okay? And let me know if any assholes give you a hard time.”

“Will do,” he smiled, “See you.” 

And with that he bounded up the stairs.

You started to make your way across the hall to get to your locker when you found your path blocked by a muscular chest, barely covered by a half-unbuttoned shirt.

You looked up to see the guy who was with Tommy just now and your breath caught in your throat as you tried to put some distance between you two. Everything about this guy screamed red flags, from the scent of his cologne to the slit in his eyebrow, but wow he was handsome. Then again he was friends with Tommy, so that placed him in the category of 'shittiest humans ever' by default.

“You've got a smart mouth on you, I like that,” he drawled, his voice smooth and deep. He hooked his thumb through one of his belt loops, pulling his tight-fitting jeans down even lower. “I don't think I've seen you around here. The name's Billy Hargrove.”

“Cool,” you said before walking away. You were going to be late at this rate, and you knew he was nothing but trouble no matter how hot he was.

Billy was slightly taken aback at your disregard towards him, but he was persistent. He caught up with you easily, sliding into your view again as he walked backwards in your peripheral vision.

“So-” 

“No thanks,” you said, shutting him down fast.

Billy's face fell slightly as he kept up with your quickening pace.

“No thanks what?” 

You stopped at your locker and started putting in your combination. He leaned against the wall as you did.

“I’ve heard about you, Hargrove, and I know your type. You’re good looking, you know it, and everyone in this place seems to follow you around like a herd of sheep. You’re gonna make some kind of lame pass, ask if I wanna take a ride in your mediocre car which is definitely a euphemism for something else, expect me to jump into your pants, and then never talk to me again afterwards. So to that I say: no thanks.” 

Under ordinary circumstances Billy would have been in uproar about you reading him or calling his car mediocre, but instead his lips twisted upwards into a shit-eating grin.

“So you think I’m good looking?” 

You sighed as you slammed your locker shut. Of course that’s all he got out of that. 

“If I say yes will you go away?” 

Billy laughed at that, still insistent on following you.

“Quite the opposite, sweetheart.”

“I’m not your sweetheart,” you glared.

“Would you like to be?” 

You rolled your eyes. This guy just doesn't know when to quit.

“Do you pull these cheesy one liners out of your ass with every girl you see?” you asked, a wry smile tugging at your lips.

“Not every girl,” he said suggestively.   

“Oh, really? Because I’ve only been here for half an hour and your hand’s slipped into the back pockets of at least five different willing participants,” you said.

“Jealous?” he smirked.

It was at this moment that you realized when you stopped walking he basically had you trapped between his body and the rows of lockers lining the walls. His gaze was hot and heavy as he loomed over you, purposefully giving you a full view down his shirt. A sudden spark of confidence made you smirk right back at him as you replied:

“You'd like that, wouldn't you?”

As the bell rang out into the hall you used it to get past Billy and continue on your way to your first period. He turned around, staring at your retreating figure. 

“I never caught your name,” he said.

You stopped in your tracks to look at him over your shoulder. 

“I never threw it,” you said, a playful tone to your voice, “(Y/n) (L/n). Don’t rack your brain too hard trying to remember it. If you’re a friend of Tommy’s we won’t be talking much.” 

Your words were harsh, but the way you said them and the grin on your face made it sound like a challenge, and Billy Hargrove has never backed out of one of those.

Read Ch 2 Here!

[goldandbluesmiles]

A Surprise Engagement

Summary: Jacie is expecting to have to break up with her boyfriend to go through with an arranged marriage. She is pleasantly surprised by her father's slyness.

Ao3

XXX

"You believe they want to talk to you about marriage?"

Lady Jacie turned away from the mirror to look at her lover, still splayed out on her bed.

"Yes," she told him, "You know how it is. I and my siblings are not the blood children of Lord Wayne. However, due to the legal inclusion of us in the family and state, we are good for making alliances. This much wealth comes at a price Kyle. Those born into this family, like Bruce and Helena, die in service to Gotham, giving their blood life to the people. Those like me, adopted in, find other ways. For Richard, it meant marriage to Kori. For Timothy, it meant allegiance to the Kryptonians of Metropolis. For me, it means whoever they pick out,"

"You don't even know who they might want you to take?" he asked

Jacie sighed and went to sit by him.

"No," she said, running a hand through his soft hair, "They might give me a few to choose from but I don't know who,"

"Are you okay with this?" he asked, "What about us?"

"I told you about this when we got involved," she said softly, "I told you we couldn't get attached,"

"That's it?" he demanded, sitting up

"I don't know what you want me to say, Kyle,"

Kyle sighed, "I guess I thought it could be different. Sorry for snapping,"

Jacie smiled tightly. Kyle was not a royal but the Lanterns were a governed entity. They made their dealings similar to those of royal families. He understood even if it hurt.

"I should probably go before your maid comes in," said Kyle

"Yes," murmured Jacie

Kyle put his clothes on quickly, taking her hands in his when he was done.

"May I?" he inquired

Jacie nodded.

Kyle leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss.

"I'll see you sometimes my lady," he said

Jacie nodded but did not say anything.

As soon as he was out the door, she flopped back into the bed, wondering once again if getting involved with Kyle had been a good idea. It wasn't as if she hadn't had lovers before. She had actually had quite a few. All of them had. Bruce had never been a stickler for staying pure before marriage and let them do as they wanted as long as they were all staying safe.

However, as soon as she had met Kule, she had known something was different. The first time they had met, they had both just entered their twenties. She had been getting used to being alive again while he had just joined the Green Lanterns. A part of being a Lantern had been visiting the important families of his sector, which included Gotham.

Kyle had stumbled on her reading in the library and from there they had gotten to talk. Kyle was not passionate about reading however, he was passionate about drawing the characters from literary books. They had gotten into a strong debate on what certain characters from literature would look like. From there. their friendship had blossomed which had them lead to more. On her birthday, he had given her a sketchbook full of Jane Austen's characters, making her gasp in awe and wonder. She had known then, that they were becoming too close but she had not put a stop to it. She had understood from a young age that her marriage would be arranged and she not only accepted it but seen it as part of her life. She knew Bruce would never force her into anything she didn't want and had been at peace with the whole thing.

Until Kyle.

Sighing again, she sat up. She had made a commitment to the idea. She couldn't just leave it now that she hag gotten involved with an amazing guy.

"Oh, Fuck,"

xxx

After, putting on a dress of her signature red, a black leather jacket and having the maid pull her hair into a bun, Jacie made her way tp the Meeting room. Inside there was Bruce, Selina, Cassandra, the Kanes, the Crownes, the Dumas's and the Glavans. All sitting in their perspective seats and waiting for her to join them. Once she entered, everyone but her parents stood up to greet her.

When they were all seated, Bruce started to start the meeting with some gentle words and explanations but Jacie just shook her head.

"Come now, Old man," she told him "Cut it. I know why I'm here,"

Some of the others, especially the older ones, frowned but her dad had an amused twinkle in his eyes, which was the only thing she cared about.

"Well then," said Bruce, "Uncle Phillip, please,"

"Well, child," said Phillip, gentle smile in place. He had always been her favourite.

"We have four options that you can choose from,"

"Okay,"

"First, Roy Harper,"

She listened to them go on about his family and qualifications but already knew that it would never happen. He was her friend and his daughter caller her Jayjay for fun. It would be too awkward to be married to the older man.

"Next, Jericho Wilson," said Phillipe, going on to explain his background

Jacie bit back her surprise and cast a glance at her dad and was instantly relieved. He didn't seem to like that option either.

"Wally West,"

Oh hell no.

"And last but not least," said Phillipe, "Kyle Rayner of the Green Lantern Corps,"

Jaycie's blood froze in her veins.

"Rayner?" she choked out

"Yes," said Phillipe, "I realize he's not a royal but it was your father's idea and the rest of us agree. He's quite formidable and it is always a good thing to have a further connection with the Lanterns,"

Bruce's idea. She looked at her father and found that his face was carefully blank.

He knew.

Jacie cleared her throat.

"I would like some time to think about it," she said

"Of course," said Phillipe, "We're in no hurry. Here are the files, child. Meeting adjourned,"

Jacie took the files and quickly made her way out of there before any of her family could follow her. She basically ran the rest of the way to her room and shut the door behind her.

She put the files on her table and flopped down on the bed, trying to calm her racing heart.

So Bruce new about her and Kyle. Not the biggest surprise. But he approved. Or was he just trying to make her happy? And what about Kyle! Did he know? No, he would have been so dejected today if he had. Did that mean that the Lanterns just wanted a deal and wanted them to choose-

There was a knock on her door.

So much for being left alone.

She got up to open the door and was shocked to find Kyle standing at her door.

"Can I come in?" he asked, sounding out of breath

"Yeah," she murmured, moving aside to let him in.

"So-" he said as soon as he stepped inside, "I had the most surprising call with the Corps. Apparently I'm a candidate for being your husband. There are two options here. You didn't know at all or you knew and don't wanna marry me so you lie-"

"I didn't, Kyle," she said, taking a step and holding his hand, "I didn't know,"

"Oh," he said, letting out a long breath, "That makes me feel better,"

"Come on," she murmured, "Come sit down,"

They both sat down in the, his hand still in hers.

"So," he said, "Do you want to marry me?"

"I- Kyle this is a surprise," she said, "What about you?"

"We get along. I care about you, I really really do and I mean we don't have to yet, right? It would be great. We could read books together you could critique my drawings and-"

"Kyle, baby," she said, letting out a chuckle, "You're rambling,"

Kyle stopped, let out a long breathe and smiled

She couldn't help but smile back and think to all the time they know each other. The meals they had had together, the walks they had taken through different cites around the country the many flights he has taken her on.

Jacie had never classified the relationship as more than an attachment, thinking it was best. But sitting here now, thinking of continuing their care for each other - it filled her with warmth.

"Kyle?" she murmured

"Yes," he said

"I-," she took a deep breather, "I think I might love you,"

He let out a breathless chuckle, joy dancing in his eyes, "I think I might love you too,"

Jacie laughed and threw herself into his arms, covering his face with kisses. Kyle pulled away to say something when there was another knock on the door.

"Jacie, it's me," called out Bruce

Oh no.

"Hide," she whispered to Kyle

Kyle instantly vaulted across her bed and laid down on the other side, half under the bed.

Jacie fixed her hair and dress

"Come in," she called out

Bruce came in and closed the door behind him. For a few seconds, he awkwardly stood at the threshold before sighing.

"I didn't mean to spring this on you," he said, "They had been talking about it on and off for some time but they didn't say anything explicit so I didn't bring it up. However, this morning they more or less forced me to call the meeting. I think they were afraid I was avoiding it on purpose,"

"And Kyle?" she whispered

"The Lanterns brought up an alliance through marriage and told us to take their pick of their non-married members. I wasn't going to, there is no guarantee that they wouldn't be forced but then Kyle came along. I added his name to the roster this morning,"

"Oh," she murmured, trying to hide her actual excitement

"Now I don't know how much Kyle knows," said Bruce, stepping a little closer, "But I'm sure if you talk to-"

Bruce's eyes then slid around the room and he frowned. After a few moments, he rolled his eyes and sighed.

"He's in here isn't he?"

Jacie couldn't help but smirk.

Bruce sighed, "Hello Kyle,"

"Lord Wayne," Kyle called out, still staying in his place

"Well, I suppose that takes care of that," said Bruce, "I'm going to go now. I will see you at dinner. Both of you,"

Jacie nodded. Bruce gave her forehead a kiss and left the room.

Kyle slowly came out of his hiding spot and they both collapsed on the bed laughing.

"Can't believe that just happened," he said

Jacie just laughed some more.

"So," said Kyle, "The engagement?"

"We don't have to get married instantly. We can have a long engagement. Get used to the idea,"

"Yeah," said Kyle, "Yeah,"

Kyle smiled at her, a soft look in his eyes.

"What," she asked

"I wanted this," he murmured, "But I never dared to think about it. I knew you had a commitment to Gotham. I just buried it. But now..."

"I know," she said softly, "I know,"

Kyle smiled wide, taking her hands in his, "We're gonna get married,"

"Yeah," said Jacie, placing a kiss on his hand, "Yeah. We're gonna get married,"

And it was going to be beautiful.

[valmerappreciationhours]

Ain’t No Lie (Baby I’m Bi Bi Bi)

Clenny Week Day 1--Fake Dating

Clyde's fake-dating plan needs a boy for it to work. Kenny McCormick seems like the best option. There's no way this could go off course.

(or read on Ao3 here)

how down wud u b 4 pretendng 2 dte me

               Clyde gave the almighty message a nod and folded the ripped notebook paper into a sloppy airplane. He aimed when the teacher’s back was turned, sending the paper careening across the room. Clyde caught Craig’s eye and flashed a toothy grin alongside a big thumbs up. Success! Craig leaned over the gap between their desks and whispered, “You remembered to sign it, right?”

               Best friends as they may be, Craig had always been one to bring down the mood.

               The comment had the desired effect of Clyde straining across his desk to try and see the location of his airplane on the other end of the room, knocking off a flurry of papers in the process. Vaguely, Clyde could hear Craig and Token’s simultaneous sighs, Tweek’s startled yelp, and Jimmy’s chuckling. None of that was what he was looking for, though. That was being picked up off the floor by bandaged fingers in frayed gloves.

               The airplane was examined just long enough to read the name scrawled out in pencil before being unfolded. The reader gave no visible reaction before tucking the sheet inside a beat-up parka and critically glancing around the class. Tired eyes raked over the crowd of faces and-

               Kenny saw Clyde.

               They made eye contact. The teacher droned on. Kenny rose an eyebrow; Clyde nodded as the answer to the unspoken question, grinning just a little sheepishly. Kenny pulled the crumpled paper back out and reread it, then grabbed the nearest pen (which happened to be on Kyle’s desk) and made a few marks. The paper was sent back by airplane, and Clyde tore the paper with the speed in which it was unfolded.

               Y

               Clyde blinked down at the paper. He tapped his pencil to his chin, thinking what to add. What could he say here that would wow the fabled Kenny McCormick? He passed the sheet over to Craig to see as well, whispering, “what would you say are some of my best qualities?”

               Craig glanced back up with a deadpan expression. “He’s asking why you want to pretend date.”

               One could practically see the lightbulb flick on above Clyde’s head. “Oh! That’s way easier to answer!” Before he could turn back to the paper with newfound spark, it was whisked off the desk. Clyde looked up to see the teacher looming with the note, a dark shadow of doom cast over the desk.

               “I must kindly ask you not to pass notes in my class, Mr. Donovan. Last warning.” The paper was promptly tossed out and the lesson returned to, leaving a very distressed jock and a poor kid with a little more interest than he walked into class with.

--

 When the bell rang and students hastily pushed their way out, Clyde was a man with a mission. He and Craig shared a nod and went separate directions, one with the goal to distract an inquisitive friend group, and the other to find a blob of orange in the dense crowd. Clyde fought his way through, sights trained on the orange coat he’d spotted. Almost there—

               “Hi, Clyde.”

               Clyde stared at the boy. That couldn’t be right. “Wait, Kyle, since when do you wear orange?”

               Kyle gave back a funny look. “Since always?”

               “Cut him some slack, Kahl.” One of Eric Cartman’s more prominent skills was surely butting into conversations uninvited. “He’s been playing sports with Stan; you can’t expect him to stay smart.” Cartman cleared his throat and dramatically turned, ignoring Stan’s protest. “What. Do. You. Neeeed?” He blatantly overenunciated, and was happy to do so loudly.

Clyde’s cheeks reddened, but he pressed forward. “Isn’t Kenny usually with you guys?” Cartman was quick to make a wisecrack about Clyde and Kenny, and Stan answered while his friends argued.

“Dude, he’s just in the bathroom. He can’t afford a vape so we know it won’t be too long.”

Not too long, huh. Clyde adjusted his varsity jacket, leaning against the wall in a futile attempt to look cool and chill next to Stan’s infamous gang. The sacrifice would be worth it if he could just get Kenny’s response.

True to Stan’s word, Kenny stepped out after a moment, wiping his hands on dirty, ripped pants. When he looked up and saw Clyde intermingled with his group, his body language lit up. Smooth as anything, he sidestepped his usual crowd and held out a hand to Clyde, who was simply a little confused, but had the spirit and took the hand. Kenny confidently stepped off with Clyde in tow, flashing back a finger-gun and a wink, leaving Stan, Kyle, and Cartman in varying states of shock.

“I totally knew they were gay, you guys! I totally said it!”

The resulting shouts reverberated around the hall, but they were easy enough to tune out. Besides, it just meant the plan was already kicking into gear.

As for the pair, Kenny had yet to put his gloves back on, and Clyde could feel the ridges of every bandage on his hand. The skin was cool to the touch, but surprisingly gentle. If pressed, Clyde would claim that any embarrassment he felt in that moment was simply because Kenny grabbing his hand was out of the blue. Still, he was quick to snap back to the cool-guy demeanor he so desperately wanted to achieve.

“So. Class.” Maybe not as cool as he might’ve been in his imagination.

“Mhm,” Kenny hummed behind his coat. “I was actually thinking we should skip.”

Clyde grinned. “Cool.” His math homework lay unfinished in his folder, so a little postponement would be beneficial on all fronts here. He’d take Kenny over algebra any day. Clyde swung their joined hands aimlessly between them, smile still dancing on his features. “Where were you thinking of going?”

Kenny looked over, eyes twinkling. “Well I don’t take cute boys to the Goth hangout.”

Led by Kenny, the two dashed out a forgotten exit at the end of an abandoned hall. From there, it was a short walk through overgrown weeds and unshoveled snow to a weary-looking shed. Clyde eyed the building warily; the hinges creaked when Kenny pried open the door, and the thing seemed to sway with the wind. Besides, the whole structure was grimy and rotten. Clearly forgotten, it was the perfect place for sneaking away to, at least.

Inside, Kenny had already plopped onto the floor. He waited for Clyde to join in the dirt before starting the conversation with about as much taste as one could expect from the most troublesome gang in school. “Trying to impress the Asian girls or what?”

“Huh?”

Kenny leaned back, casual. “Creek was a big hit; my first guess is that you wanted a piece of that attention. Guy and guy, people eat it up.”

“Well—actually, I hadn’t thought about that…but no! No one believes I’m bi.” Clyde paused, waiting for a reaction—there was always a reaction—but his companion was living up to his reputation of being the quiet type. “Token thinks it’s the jacket, but Jimmy thought it was a joke when I told him I like dudes!” It had been upsetting at the time, but remembering his friend laughing and snorting chocolate milk out of his nose helped. “I thought, if I showed people I could date guys, then they would be lining up after we stage a break-up!” It was a fool-proof plan, if he did say so himself.

Kenny nodded. “Solid. So what brought you to Kenneth McCormick?”

“Aside from being one of the only out guys in school, come on! You’re Kenny McCormick!” Clyde gestured to his friend, voice loud and excited. “Everyone knows you’re basically a relationship god! Besides, it won’t be as much of a big deal, because, uh…” Clyde’s spark fizzled out awkwardly, one hand rubbing his neck.

Kenny’s expression remained unchanged. “Because I get around.”

“Which is like, so cool.” Clyde said quietly, afraid of disturbing the tense atmosphere. The awe, however, was genuine to its core.

Kenny’s right eye crinkled ever so slightly. “Yeah. ‘Cept the dying from syphilis.”

The cold air that filled the shed didn’t seem to matter at all in that moment, nor the dilapidated and disgusting wood they were sat on. What did matter was that the atmosphere between them was warm, just two bros hanging out and skipping class. Clyde watched the small puffs of warm air drift up out of Kenny’s parka and watched the way those blue eyes shone with mischief. This was gonna be such a great idea.

 --

 “Hey, babe!”

               Token, Tweek, and Jimmy watched with wide eyes as Clyde hailed Kenny over to their lunch table, draping an arm around him. Clyde’s round face was lit up with a grin.

               “The m-m-madman actually did it.” Jimmy’s mouth hung open, braces glinting in the light.

               “Oh my god.” Token’s salad lay forgotten in the wake of this much more important news.

               “Gah!” Tweek grabbed onto his boyfriend’s sleeve. “Did you know about this? Has this always been happening? Kenny?”

               Craig continued to poke at his mashed potatoes. His voice maintained its flat nature, but those who knew him well could notice the small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Clyde’s my best friend; I knew. They’re kind of perfect for each other.”

               Kenny continued to hover at Clyde’s side, the two of them deep in conversation. Kenny was laughing, Clyde looking insanely proud of himself. It was Token who recovered from the sheer shock first.

               “Uh, why don’t you sit down, Kenny?”

               A pleased noise made its way out of the thick orange parka, and Kenny slid onto the bench next to Clyde. His arms were noticeably empty, but he used that as an opportunity to sling one around Clyde’s shoulders.

               Tweek stared, eyes as large as saucers. “How long?”

               “A whole week,” Clyde proudly announced, spraying half-chewed food across the table.

               “I g-gotta hand it to—to you, Clyde. I didn’t think you could get a b—bo—a bo--, I didn’t think you could s-snag a man.” Jimmy leaned on the table, soaking up the news.

               “Yeah, man,” Token smiled, ever the diplomat, “Congratulations!”

               Tweek tapped his fingers anxiously on his thermos, continuing to stare directly at the new duo. Jimmy leaned farther across the table, stage-whispering to Clyde, “h-how much did you p-p-pay for that one?”

               Kenny leaned onto the table, matching the other, calm. “You couldn’t afford me.”

               That sent the table into a fit of laughs, save for Tweek, who only produced a weak chuckle and narrowed his eyes at Kenny. When the object of scrutiny looked over, Tweek mouthed a small “I don’t trust you,” and twitched. If a member of Stan’s gang thought he could just waltz into their clique and manipulate Clyde’s heart, he was sorely mistaken. Tweek would be cautious. He’d protect his friends.

               Tweek was startled out of his thoughts, yelping when he felt a sudden hand on his arm, but looked over into the concerned face of his boyfriend. “Are you okay?”

               “It’s Kenny,” Tweek whispered, agonized.

               “Clyde’s happy,” Craig responded casually.

               Tweek nervously glanced back to the intruder. Clyde was leaning on Kenny, waving his hands as he told a story. Kenny watched with passive interest, blue eyes alight. The two looked so comfortable next to each other, bright and content. Tweek twitched. “Clyde’s happy,” he had to admit. “But if Kenny turns out to be an evil monster from another dimension, it’s—gah! —it’s not my fault when all our souls get stolen!”

               Across the table, Kenny snorted.

 --

 “Do you want Doritos or barbeque chips?” Clyde called out from his perch on the kitchen counter. His arms were already laden with food, but chips were mandatory to complete the hangout.

               “Barbeque!” Kenny yelled back from the other room. Clyde added the red bag to his collection and climbed down to head back. He rounded the corner into the living room and dumped his snack spoils into a heap on the ground. Kenny’s blue eyes were wide as he took in the size of the pile.

               “Just grab whatever, I don’t know what you like.” Clyde plopped himself down on the carpet and extracted a soda. It hissed as he cracked it open and took a sip. Kenny scooted over, abandoning his notebook, hand hovering over the snacks. He finally grabbed a packaged cupcake and eagerly tore in.

The weather may have been getting colder, but the inside of the Donovan household was plenty warm. Clyde had ditched his varsity jacket for a t-shirt and some old sweats, while Kenny still donned his heavy parka. It was making Clyde sweat just looking at the faux fur trim and heavy fabric. “You wanna lose the coat, dude? My dad’s got lots of heaters.”

Kenny looked up from his food and shook his head. “Nah,” and his eyes crinkled, “you couldn’t handle all the looks I’m packing.”

“Maybe I should get a parka then,” Clyde mused. “It would help from having to fend the ladies off with a stick. This beauty is a curse.”

Kenny raised an eyebrow at the last comment, but didn’t say anything. Clyde was getting used to that; after hanging out with his group who always had something to say, the silence was a bizarre shift. He supposed it balanced out the constant screaming and arguing by the people Kenny hung out with.

Kenny happily moved to grab the bag of chips, and Clyde slid him a soda and juice as well. Kenny opted for the juice box, maneuvering the straw through the zipper of his mouth guard. Clyde stared down the fabric, curiosity ebbing at his thoughts. Maybe Kenny was right; maybe he was unspeakably attractive behind that coat. Kenny caught his eye, and Clyde quickly glanced away.

The snack pile slowly wore down, no match for their combined appetites. Clyde led the conversation between mouthfuls of food, from video games to the latest drama to why Red Racer was actually cool and not a nerd show, and no, Craig did not have him brainwashed. Clyde was happy to blabber on, and the jokes Kenny intercepted with were of the utmost quality. Indeed, Kenneth, that is what she said.

Clyde swallowed his chewed cheese snacks, and made the spur of the moment decision to drag Kenny into the current topic. “How would you rate the guys in our class?”

Kenny wiped his mouth. “Stoley’s a zero. Don’t like that he has the same name as my brother.”

“You have a brother?” The little Karen McCormick he knew about, but another sibling was a surprise. “How come I haven’t seen him?”

Kenny shrugged, leaning back on his hands. “He dropped out. Kev’s working at a car garage now.”

The pieces fit together in Clyde’s head. “Oh! Because your family’s poor!” He felt proud of his innocent realization, but that soon dwindled. Kenny’s tired eyes stared him down, and Clyde was suddenly struck with the sheer number of wrappers that surrounded his friend on the floor. “But cars are cool!” he tried. “I can’t wait to drive!” The wind in his hair, a shiny new vehicle, impressing everyone around; it was a dream.

“I’ve already driven,” Kenny proclaimed, happy to share his accomplishment. “And I didn’t even die once.” Of course, Stan’s gang would’ve gotten into that. Nothing stood between those guys and doing whatever they wanted.

“I hope you didn’t die,” Clyde shot back, smile tugging at his lips as he climbed up onto the couch. He grabbed the remote from where it was wedged between two cushions.

“You’d be surprised.” Kenny laid back on the carpet, arms crossed behind his head and eyes closed.

“It would suck so bad if you died, dude.” The noise of various channels filled the room as Clyde flipped through, but things were weirdly quiet in Kenny’s corner. When Clyde looked over, his companion had a strange look on his face.

“Yeah,” he finally responded, gaining humor in his voice, “you’d have to find some other sorry guy to fake date you.”

“Hey! You suck!”

“I didn’t know we were at that stage of our relationship,” Kenny taunted, waggling his eyebrows.

“Shut up, dude!” Block it out, Donovan, block it out. This is just some temporary stuff, chilling with a homie. Grabbing the attention of some cute guys in the school while casually respecting the cute guy in front of him platonically. Still a good plan. “Wanna pick a movie? My dad gets home in like three hours.”

Kenny gave an enthusiastic thumbs up and leaned against the couch as the film played. Clyde had to keep himself from inviting his friend up to the couch as well. Cuddling during movies is not a bro activity, he reminded himself. Kenny’s parka would be stifling pressed against his skin anyway.

 --

 “No, he’s dating Kenny McCormick.”

               “Yeah, he’s hella bi.”

               Clyde strolled through the halls, head held high, confidence levels way up. Being a topic of hallway conversation made his heart swell and put a little skip in his step. His eyes caught on a poster hanging on the wall, and it only made his grin spread.

               Art Club Wednesdays, the sheet announced. Beneath the colorful lettering was a drawing, bursting with oranges and reds. The shading was bold, and the fabric folds boasted a level of artistic expertise. The limbs may have looked a little wonky, but it got the point across.

               Clyde raised his phone to take a quick picture. He’d say they captured his roguish handsomeness pretty well.

 --

 “You guys are so cute!” Bebe had gushed in the back row of Home Ec. In the seat beside her, Kenny poked a needle and thread through his project, making a noise of agreement. “I think it’s good he’s found someone, I felt so bad for the guy after we broke up.” She pressed another pink sequin to her own swatch of fabric and set to stitching it on.

“I’d say he’s pretty satisfied right now.” Kenny winked at Bebe, who bumped him on the arm, careful not to disrupt their stitching.

“You’re a dog, McCormick.” Bebe’s eyeroll was betrayed by the smile playing at her painted lips.

“Maybe so.” Kenny shrugged, slipping the needle through again. “No complaints so far.”

“Hey,” Bebe prompted, “Has he fallen asleep on you yet?” Her eyes were bright, and the lift of her mouth just a tad mischievous.

Kenny raised an eyebrow and leaned closer. “Oh?”

Bebe adjusted her project on the table. “When we were dating, he would always be so affectionate. It’s like moving a cat.” When she finished her current loop stitch, she fished out her phone and unlocked it. “I think I still have pictures of him drooling everywhere. It’s always important to have blackmail material.”

Kenny bit the end of his thread off with his teeth, and began threading a new one. “But he’s real soft for cuddling,” he provided, “like a built-in pillow.”

“That was top-tier snuggling,” she admitted, sliding her phone over. “Check out these pictures.”

“Holy shit.” Now that was the good stuff. Equal parts adorable and terribly embarrassing. Bebe Stevens was truly an artist.

Caught up in the photos, Kenny’s hand and needle slipped, effectively intercepting his other arm at an angle that tore open a line of skin. The blood gushed out, and he hissed, covering as much of the wound as he could. His glove and fingers quickly stained red. Bebe yelped at the sight, but reacted fast, grabbing both of their projects out of the splash zone. “You’re a real one,” Kenny smiled at her, albeit weakly. He shot off a quick and earnest finger gun before falling out of his stool.

 --

 Bebe was right in the statement that Clyde was affectionate. He was always pressing his knee against Kenny’s at lunch, or swinging their hands together when they walked. Kenny had made an educated guess in saying that Clyde was like a pillow, and he was indubitably pleased to find that it was true.

               Kenny was finding a lot of things about Clyde pretty great, actually.

 --

 “—but Craig doesn’t like coffee at all so I wonder how he kisses Tweek so often, you know?” Clyde prattled on, breath forming puffs in the cool Colorado air. The layer of snow left on the sidewalk crunched as the duo strolled through, hands wound together.

               “Maybe the homo cancels out the coffee,” Kenny theorized, the idea doubly muffled by his hood and the whistling of the wind.

               Clyde tapped his chin. “That does make sense, but I was also thinking that Tweek probably kisses all quick since he gets nervous like that and Craig isn’t affectionate anyway—”

               “How would you kiss me?” Clyde looked over to the glittering blue eyes of his fake boyfriend. The wind was rough, and had blown out a few strands of blond hair from the confines of the parka. Despite the time they’d known each other, Clyde still had trouble distinguishing the other’s mischievous teasing and genuine intrigue. It probably had something to do with the small amount of uncovered skin or the already quiet nature. He doubted Stan or Kyle or Cartman could do any better.

               Clyde opted to answer with the guess that Kenny was messing around, which he thought was pretty likely. He stopped in his tracks, moving the hand that wasn’t holding Kenny’s to the latter’s hood. The crinkle that characterized a typical Kenny grin was quickly replaced with wide eyes. “Ken, dude, babe, I would kiss you into next week. People would talk about it for generations as the best kiss ever conceived. It would be legendary.”

               Kenny gingerly took Clyde’s hand from his hood, holding it in his own. “I think you’re mistaken,” he hummed. “I’m sure the school would agree that I would be the one kissing you into next week.”

               Clyde considered. “It would get a lot of attention…” That was the goal here, after all. If giving Kenny a smooch would help accomplish it, so be it. There were definitely worse people to kiss.

When it came to it, attention was certainly grabbed. Deemed the perfect time by the amount of student traffic between classes, Clyde and Kenny nodded like the genius agents they believed themselves to be. After exchanging quick conversation, they knew it was time to enact.

               “I’ll see you after class,” Kenny cooed.

               “See you later, babe,” Clyde concurred, and reached over to pull down the piece of the coat covering Kenny’s mouth.

               The worn fabric bunched, and Clyde was struck with the face of an angel. Pink and purple bandages hugged the curve of Kenny’s cheek and the point of his chin. Freckles exploded across his thin cheeks, darting across his nose, cut by various scar lines. Dried blood still presented itself on the corner of his lip, which had obviously been busted. Kenny was missing a tooth on the right side, prominent and unspeakably adorable when he grinned. Clyde could have stared forever, but was interrupted by Kenny leaning in and pressing their mouths together.

               And he thought just looking at Kenny was good!

               When the fireworks finished, Kenny’s coat was back up in half a second. Clyde had decided that damned parka would be his new greatest enemy. Sorry, Arby’s cashier on Maple Street, there’s new priorities. “You were right,” Kenny proclaimed with a teasing lilt, smile evident in his voice, “you were doing some serious kissing.”

               When Kenny turned tail and went to class, Clyde stared after. He continued to stand in the hallway after the bell rang, too focused on the phantom brush of heavy fabric on his face and the metallic taste of a bleeding lip in his mouth.

 --

 “When are you going to break up?”

               Clyde looked up from where he was struggling with his essay. “Break up with Kenny?”

               Craig spun around in his desk chair, so Clyde could clearly see him roll his eyes. “Unless you’re dating someone else. Yeah, Kenny.”

               Clyde blinked. “Why would I break up with Kenny?” This conversation was making about as much sense as his homework. Craig always seemed generally supportive, and Clyde thought his escapades with Kenny were going well.

               The two stared at each other for a few awkward moments before Craig finally gave in. “You’re fake dating. You thought it would be a great idea to use him to start raking in the boys.”

               “Oh yeah!” It was all clicking back into place now! “Oh god.” They weren’t actually dating. That forgotten fact came back around like a freight train.

               Craig gave him a long hard look. “How do you forget you’re fake dating someone?”

               Pink tinged Clyde’s cheeks. “It felt very real!” he defended.

               Craig set his pen down, lab report abandoned. “Well, do you think it’s real?” Clyde paused, and Craig continued, voice as even and monotone as ever. “You’ve talked more about Kenny in the past month than Red Racer. It got on my nerves but you looked sooo happy.”

               “He’s a really good kisser,” Clyde added fondly.

               Craig leaned back. “I would say just ignore emotions until they go away,” he sighed, “but Tweek would tell you to talk to him.”

               Clyde grinned cheekily at the mention. “You mean, all this time, Tweek was the master of relationships?”

Craig’s mouth twitched into what might barely count as a smile. “Yeah. He’s way better than you could ever be.”

Clyde fell back onto the carpet, clasping a hand over his chest. “The betrayal! From my own best friend! You are not getting invited to my wedding!”

The words fell on only half-interested ears, as Craig had turned back to his science papers. “Bold of you to believe I would show up anyway.”

“You wound me, Craigory.”

“Then perish.”

 --

 It was the perfect location, in Clyde’s opinion. The Taco Bell on the corner of Gibson Avenue was a shining pillar of all that was right and delicious in the world. The third table by the window had been there for so many special moments and endless menu combinations. There could be no better place.

Clyde figured if Kenny fake-real dumped him, he could just drown his sorrows in nachos and spicy chalupas. Taco Bell would understand.

The two slid into their usual seats, the familiar smell of seasoning and meat easing some of Clyde’s nerves. Truly the best place, and today had to be the day. If Tweek was utilizing relationship knowledge that could help Craig Tucker of all people, Clyde was smart enough to take it to heart. It was just a matter of bringing it up.

“So, how’s dating me going?”

Kenny looked up, bemused. “You’re the man of my dreams, Clyde Donovan. I’m swept off my feet.” He pulled some coins out of his coat and began counting them out on the table.

Clyde flushed. “I mean actually. I wanna talk about dating you.”

“Oh.” Kenny looked up, shifting a penny to a second pile. He looked disheartened, but Clyde just had to push through, and then he could cry into his tacos. No backing out now.

“I wanna date you for real.” The words tumbled out in a rush, destroying any façade of cool.

The seconds ticked by. This was it; the deciding moment. The answer that would determine the rest of their interactions for forever. The two stared at each other, brown eyes against blue.

The tense silence was broken by Kenny leaning far back in his seat, fists in the air, punctuated by a muffled “woo-hoo!” The clatter of the chair and boy hitting the hard floor reverberated through the restaurant. Other customers looked over, undoubtedly irritated by the disruption, but the employees, upon seeing the two familiar faces, didn’t bother to bat an eye.

Clyde leaned over the table, eyebrows bunched, concern cut across his face. He found Kenny sprawled, limbs caught in the topped chair, grinning like a madman. He made no move to get up from the greasy tile, but his eyes glittered. “I was hoping you would.”

A matching wild smile spread across Clyde’s face. “Wanna celebrate with tacos?” He stretched over to better look Kenny in the face.

Kenny got a hold on Clyde’s jacket, closing the space between them. He shrugged. “Can’t afford it. I’ll see what I can get off your face.”

Clyde quickly pulled his boyfriend to his feet, rushing toward the register. “Then what are we waiting for? Finally, my two favorite things combined into one!”

“Me and tacos?”

“You and tacos!”

 --

 A month had passed, and the two were lying on the Donovan’s carpet amidst cola stains and snack wrappers, when a question hit Clyde. A question he hadn’t considered before, but was important enough that he knew it wouldn’t go away until he asks. He looked up from his Animal Crossing town to gaze at his boyfriend.

               “Why did you agree to fake date in the first place, anyway?”

               Kenny grinned, and Clyde knew seeing that missing tooth and freckles would never get old. “I thought it would be fun.”

               The simple phrase made Clyde smile, and he knew he had Cheeto dust caked on his cheek, but he couldn’t be bothered to care. “You were right.”

               “You know what else would be fun?” Kenny set down his PS4, and Clyde could swear that the glow from the screen didn’t match any graphics he knew of, but there were more important things at the moment.

               “Making out?”

               Yeah, he was always gonna love seeing that smile.

[confusedhost-archive]

Alright

Ao3 link

Warnings: Fae, knives, blood, gore, descriptions of injury, major character death, death, panic attack, body horror

Summary:  Xe breathed in. Out. "I'm alright." And xe were.

Kyle grinned up at the cottage. It was large, nearly brand new, and the area around was beautiful, with lush green grass and flowery fields. She grinned, grabbing her best friend's hand and pulling xem to the front door.

Alex stumbled, surprised. "Excited, huh?" xe laughed.

Kyle rose her brows, adjusting the pink bracelet around her wrist and grabbing the keys to the house. "You're kidding right?" she asked, inserting the key into the lock. "Of course I'm excited, I get to spend a whole week in this super awesome house, with my bestest best friend, and just- Oh gosh, this is going to be great!"

Alex's lips curled into a soft smile. It really was going to be great. Xe squeezed Kyle's hand, careful not to press xeir nails into her skin. "Yeah," xe whispered.

The two opened the door and moved apart to look over the house. Kyle gasped, jumping up and flapping her arms. "Oh my gosh!" she giggled. "Look at it, Alex!" She spun around, trying to take in the whole house immediately.

Alex moved over to the fireplace, taking in the intricate woodworking. "I'm looking," xe breathed, running a finger along the design. "It's beautiful."

Kyle grinned, bouncing over to the kitchen. "It's beautiful and it's ours!" There was a moment of awed silence between the two.

"I'm checking out the second floor," Alex decided, tracing a finger up the railing as xe walked. Down the hallway, there were two bedrooms (although, with Kyle's fear of the dark, they would probably end up sharing a room), a bathroom, and a closet. Alex peeked into one of the bedrooms, eyes widening when xe saw the start of the sunset. It was nearly 7:30, and the colors of the sky were blending together.

Alex stayed and waited for a couple minutes, ears ringing with the song of the forest and sun. The sky wavered, and the trees came alive, weaving a story of time and light. Xe listened, a calmness settling on xeir shoulders.

"Alex!" Kyle called, making xem shoot up. "I think we should go bring our stuff in!"

"Oh!" Alex gasped. "You're right, we should-" Xe rubbed at xeir ears, trying to get rid of the last notes of the song. "We should grab our bags."

Kyle grinned at Alex, and xe smiled back, teeth shining in the dim lighting. Kyle grabbed Alex' arm and pulled xem up. "Let's go!"

---

Alex grabbed the last three bags from the trunk and closed it with xeir hip. "That's it!" xe hummed, making their way into the house.

Xe dropped the supplies by the door, grabbing their suitcase. "I'm going to put my stuff away." Xe tilted xer head thoughtfully. "Actually, I'm not going to eat today. I'll be lying down to sleep, so don't wait up for me."

Kyle smiled, grabbing Alex' free hand. "Okay! Good night!" He gave xeir hand a squeeze, before letting go, pulling at the blue bracelet around his wrist. "Sweet dreams!"

Alex gave a tired smile in response, waving. "Night." Xe hefted xer bag up easily, carrying it to the room xe had been sitting in before.

Shoving the case into the closet, xe pulled out a pair of pyjamas and frowned. Xe were really tired. Did xe need to change, or could xe just stay in these clothes? Xe sat there for a minute, considering, until xe noticed the way xeir clothes rubbed against skin that wasn't xeir's. Xeir face scrunched up - even that feeling wrong - and rubbed against the body that didn't belong to xem. Disgust pooled in xeir stomach (Not xeir's, not xeir's-) and xe turned xeir head, disliking how xeir neck twisted too far and yet not far enough. A whisper of doubt plagued xeir thoughts, insecurity and fear almost shutting xem down.

Not right, shouldn't be here, need to go, knife, hurt, stab, rip, kill die not safe bad idea imposter not you run away unfair monster leave danger goawaypleasegetoutdon'twanttobeherenotallowednononoNONONONO-

Alex took a deep breath, xeir entire body straightening with it. The following exhale left with a shudder through xeir body, bringing some of the thoughts with it.

Again. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Again. In. Out.

You're alright.

Alex nodded to xemself. "I'm alright." And xe were. And xe would be.

---

Alex woke up the next morning, groggy and chest hurting. Xe didn't move for a minute, only perking up at the smell of eggs. Stumbling down the stairs, xe found Kyle cooking. "Oh!" Alex gasped, breathing in the aroma. The kettle whistled just then, and Kyle rushed to turn it off.

Alex noted absently that Kyle wasn't wearing a bracelet. No pronouns right now.

Kyle grinned up at Alex, gesturing to the breakfast that had been prepared. "Bone apple tea!" Kyle joked, taking one mug and a plate to a spot at the table.

Alex laughed. "Bone apple tea," xe responded, grabbing tea and a plate of xeir own. Xe smiled down at xeir food, then looked up at xeir best friend. "Kyle? Do you know what we're doing today?"

Kyle shrugged. "We could check out the fields, maybe pick some flowers?" Kyle's eyes were drawn to the tattooed crown of flowers that wrapped around Alex' upper arm.

Alex gasped. "Please? I would love that so much actually, thank you!" Xe looked hopefully at their best friend.

Kyle smiled. "It's settled then!" Kyle ate in silence, looking up to see Alex' clean plate. "You wanna put that away?"

Alex nodded, sliding xeir chair back and putting the dish back in the cabinet. "Alex?" Alex paused. "Could you grab the marshmallows? You can reach higher than me," Kyle continued. "Second shelf to the right- yeah, there!"

Alex reached up, snatching the marshmallows from their place on the top shelf. When xe turned around, xe were grinning, eyes wide and bright. "You told me we could have my first campfire soon." Kyle's brows rose, lips twitching into a smile.

"Campfire?"

"Campfire."

---

They had a campfire. They ate dinner, roasted marshmallows, and told each other spooky stories. They stayed out to watch the stars after it got too dark and the fire started to dwindle. It was fun, Alex acknowledged as Kyle's arms wrapped around xeir waist.

"Scared?" Alex asked, wrapping one arm around Kyle in a comforting squeeze.

Kyle nodded into Alex' side, murmuring a muffled, "Pitch black," and, "Don't like."

Alex smiled softly. "That's fair, but I'm right here, and I'll protect you!" Xe carefully didn't promise.

Alex felt Kyle smile and squeeze xem, giving a whispered, "Thanks."

Alex didn't respond, instead frowning as Kyle's grip didn't loosen. "Kyle? Hey Kyle, you can loosen up, I told you that-" Xe choked on xeir breath. "I told you that I'd protect you- Kyle-"

Kyle squeezed tighter, a snake devouring its prey.

"Kyle- Kyle, stop that, Kyle that hurts , Kyle- Kyle please- " Xe gasped, hating how Kyle was restricting xeir ability to breathe.

Xe inhaled quickly as xe felt the edge of a knife press against xeir skin. Bad, bad, bad, sharp, hurts, can't breathe, can't- no, NO, why is Kyle doing this, why is Kyle happy it hurts and it's starting to cut and it's badbecausecan'tdealwithcutslikehumansfragilenotstrongenoughtrytogetoutjustbreathebreathebreatheandliveandgetout-

Alex tried to wiggle out of Kyle's grasp, finding that xe were only succeeding in losing more blood and air. In a split second decision, xe pushed xemself away from Kyle, shrieking when the knife split a hole through xeir stomach. Xe tried to remember everything xe had learned about when xe were losing a lot of blood.

Keep the knife in.

Easier said than done, but- Alex tried to stop wriggling, only pushing away from Kyle, pushing into the knife. Xe gasped in pain, a small whining sound emitting from the back of xeir throat. Apparently Kyle knew what Alex was trying to do, deciding to pull the knife out and stab it back in, opening a new hole in xeir torso.

Alex screamed.

It was a horrible noise, like nails on a chalkboard, or the ringing in one's ears after an explosion. The Souls of the Lost shrieked with xem, grief and pain carrying across miles of area. Rows upon rows of teeth ripped through Alex' jaw, each one sharpened to a needlepoint. Xeir eye's widened, becoming bigger, less human, more predatory. Fingers elongated until it teetered on the edge of unnatural and nails sharpened to claws.

"We're far from any form of life. No one can hear you," Kyle growled, taking in Alex' new appearance.

Alex' eyes focused on Kyle, pupils narrowing into slits. Xeir jaw unhinged and xe dove in, aiming to rip Kyle's windpipe out. With a gasp, Kyle pulled the knife from Alex' stomach, and stabbed it into xeir cheek.

There was a moment of silence. Kyle didn't try anything, and Alex sat there, attempting to not pass out on the spot.

It was gone not a moment later. Alex slumped, tears mixing with blood around xem. Kyle got up and took a step away, looking mildly unsettled. Alex was using xeir last breaths to pray to spirits, ghosts, gods, anyone who could hear.

Kyle's face hardened and Kyle walked closer. "Shut up. The point was to get rid of a fae, not bring more." Kyle squatted down, pressing a hand to Alex' mouth, muffling xeir already troubled breathing.

Alex could hear the blood rushing in xeir ears, feel the burn that touched every inch of xeir body. Xe have no energy, so it's a wonder that xe managed to reach xeir arm up to pull Kyle's away from xeir mouth. Xe saw - barely - the surprised expression that crossed Kyle's face.

"What are you doing?" Kyle asked. Alex couldn't hear. Instead, xe laughed, or, made a sound that was close enough. Words in a language that humans could never hope to understand poured from xeir mouth, twisting into a symphony of pain. There was a rumbled note, and a high one, magic swirling and adding a beat. It was hypnotizing.

Kyle's eyelids drooped.

At the climax of the song, Alex cut off, timing Kyle's scream perfectly. Blood poured from Kyle's arm, both being's eyes drawn to the claws that ripped into the human's skin.

Kyle gasped for air, feeling panic take hold. Alex had stabbed right through the bone, and punctured a vein. The likelihood of Kyle surviving long after Alex pulled xeir claws out was low. "No, no, I can't-" Kyle pressed a hand to the cut, trying to stop the blood from pouring out. "Please, I can't- I can't-" Kyle sobbed.

Alex stared up at the stars, completely unaware of Kyle's dilemma. Xeir functions were shutting down, one by one. Hearing was gone, as was touch. All xe could do now was look up at the stars, and take one last breath. And so there Alex lay, frozen in stone, for a long, long time. 

Kyle wept, pain and fear taking over the human's brain until the end.

---

"Don't go near the campsite, you understand?" A mother would tell her children, years later. "The fae protect the murdered one, and if you disturb xem, you will be punished for your insolence." Her children would nod, glancing nervously at the forest whenever they went out to play.

Far deeper in the forest, fae lurked, surrounding a statue of a child, long dead. The stone was cracking, and the fae would giggle, sure to stay clear of the shell. The chrysalis was opening, and soon the beast would appear.

It would be alright.

For the fae, it would be alright.

[bluboothalassophile]

Damned Prince Of Gotham

Hello,

Due to the requests for Athanasia, Damian, Jason bonding I have been spurred into showing the first chapter of Damned Prince of Gotham.

When forces at play behind the scenes rear their ugly heads, of course they come in the form of Jason’s past. And of fucking course it won’t just stay in the closet with the rest of his fucking skeletons.

Ghosts Amongst the Living...

It was just after Thanksgiving, he had managed to survive PT, and no longer needed the fucking cane. Though Alfred had been kind enough to find him a cool cane with a sword in it. And the bigger bonus, he no longer needed his leg brace.

That was what brought him here.

It was the first time since her funeral he had come here. It was nice, quaint, peaceful, everything Gotham couldn’t be. Her grave marker was simple, how she’d have wanted it.

Rachel Roth, Beloved Daughter, Fearless Sister, Loyalist of Friends.

Slowly he crouched down, the flowers in his hand felt heavier. He saw that Ivy had planted a beautiful set of flowers here, something rare, and the gravesite was cared for. His leg was throbbing in protest, but he didn’t care about that, feeling the Pit burn through him in an attempt to heal him.

“Hey, been a while, little bird,” he whispered looking around the graveyard. “I’ll be honest, not really my scene, but you know me, going to go out in a blaze of glory, getting cremated the second time around but maybe they’ll lay those ashes here. You’d like it. It’s still, almost eerie, but in a peaceful sort of way.

“I survived Joker, killed the fucker. B’s pissed about that, but it helps Alina sleep at night. You know, Alina, B’s bastard daughter, she’s a sweetheart, her mom tried to keep her out of the Bat bullshit, which is fair. Her mom’s dead, OD on Joker gas, Cat and B took Alina in.

“Kori was murdered, it’s fucked up Dick. He’s got Jake, but it’s really fucked him up, Rae. He won’t even look at Jake, or Mar'i, and honestly, none of us know what to do. I didn’t think he was a drinker, I never thought that would be his poison, but he is, and god knows what else he’s doing, he’s not good Rae. And if you’re in touch with Kori I ask you to send her his way. I know it’s not fair, you’re at peace and all, but anything helps.

“Other than that, not a whole hell of a lot is happening here with us living folks. I miss you,” he said as he stared around them. “I miss you Rae. It’s nice, Roy, Biz, Kyle and Arty, they try. Never had friends who were so stubborn to cling on, but they just aren’t you. They aren’t you. And it’s not fucking fair you got to die and left me here,” he snapped. “I can’t even be mad at you about that because we were saving Mar'i, but goddamn it, it’s not fucking fair. Damn demon.

“And it’s really not fair I miss you; you were a pain in my ass. Don’t get me wrong, you were the Queen, but life was so much easier before you went about dragging me back to the land of the living. Now I can’t escape my siblings, and I watched the entire series of Game of Thrones. I blame you for that,” he warned her. “It was great, I started the books, but then I saw the last season, and Thank God you’re dead Rae, because it was awful. I don’t even get where the writers took that, it wasn’t good at all, and it… death is a mercy to watching that. And yes, I binged with the Replacement, Steph and Cass; in my defense I was on pain killers and on bed rest.

“I saw an advertisement for a Netflix show, looks very promising and interesting, but after Game of Thrones I hesitate to watch the genre. I think I should just stick to Jack Ryan; I binged that with the kiddies. Violet little blood suckers the lot of them. I mean seriously, Terry and Helena somehow talked me into letting them watch Bosch, Jack Ryan and Law & Order and shit like that with me, and B caught us, suffice to say we were all grounded, but then we did again. Being stuck in a bed sucks Rae.”

There was a snap which had his head snapping up, and he saw her duck behind a headstone.

“And also, little bird, they won’t leave me alone, I feel like a duck with a trail of ducklings. Over here Alina,” he called out. The small girl stepped out; he smiled a bit at her as he rolled to his feet. His leg screamed in protest. “Come meet little bird,” he said.

“I…I don’t want to intrude,” she said.

“You’re already here pipsqueak, might as well say hi to the reason we escaped the Joker,” he said and offered the twelve-year-old his hand. Alina hesitated but she darted up and accept it. “Alina this is Raven. Rae this is my newest of siblings,” he said.

“Hi,” Alina said softly. She was so shy and gentle, he wondered how the hell she could be B’s, but she was a Bat, he remembered that with how she had poisoned Joker. “You talk to her?”

“All the time. It’s a one-sided conversation, isn’t too different from when she was here.” True he and Rae bantered, and could have conversations, but for shit like this, she’d just let him talk. “She’s my best friend, Alina. I’ll always talk to her.”

“I talk to my mom,” Alina admitted. “And Mar'i talks to Kori. Is it normal?”

“Normal?” he snorted. “Is it normal, Rae? No, probably not, not to this degree, but Alina, we’re Bats, normal flew out the window. And you’ll find that as life goes on, there’s people you’ll want in your life and they’re the people you want to talk to. And Raven was my person, I’ll never stop wanting to talk to her.”

“You seem sure about that,” Alina said.

“Yeah, I am sure of it,” he smiled tightly. “I’ll see you around little bird.”

“It was nice to meet you,” Alina said to the grave. Jason offered Alina his hand again and they carefully navigated their way to where he had his car.

“How’d you get here?” he asked.

“Uber.”

~~~*~*~*~~~

She sat there in her warehouse typing code, as she studied the research of her current contract. It was about an AI program called Brainiac, she was employed with retrieving and destroying. Her cropped hair was ruffled in the slight breeze of her drafty hide out. She had settled in Stockholm off the grid from her grandfather’s grasp since Jason had helped her escape the League. She went by Lisbeth Head, it was a safe alias, one she created because of her favorite books, and because it was safe.

She had gone to Europe rather than America, it would be easier to hide if she was not worried about Bats noticing her. True she kept her identity to herself, and the only two who had met her didn’t know who she truly was.

She had altered her appearance since her escape, true she had drawn inspiration from her favorite books, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but initially it was because she was young and the impression it had hit her with was inescapable. Now it was because this look was the one she found worked for her. She looked intimidating without attracting too much attention and in many places she blended in. Short cropped hair, and piercings did so much to hide her, and the tattoos were a bonus; Ra’s had never come looking for her though.

Still, her vigilance was high.

One of her alarms sounded which had her looking over at her security monitors. Tearing her attention away from her work she studied her empty security monitors for the threat, slowly pulling away from her chess game with c4ff1n4t3dR3 as her hand picked up her glock. Eyes scanning over her monitor she tensed when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up which had her turning around as she turned off the power of her hide out and secured her workstation before exiting the area.

“You got comfortable,” a voice sneered, and she kept closer to the shadows.

“Been a long while Athanasia, or is it Lisbeth now?” he demanded.

She slid low, keeping silent.

“Mmm, still not talkative, thought that’d change,” he grumbled. Her heart was slamming mercilessly in her ribs as she scanned her warehouse for him. “Still doesn’t fucking matter,” he growled, she shot up where his voice had come over her and stood, spinning as she shot at him, moving back, grabbing a knife.

“Still have that hair trigger, babe!” he jeered, she was prepared.

She stood there in the dim light filtering into her apartment.

“Fuck you’re hot, but I’m here on business,” he snarled, she didn’t see him but she felt the hit on the back of her head which had her world disappearing as she crumpled to the ground. “Not fucking pleasure.”

~~~*~*~*~~~

He walked past his downed slave and straight to her work station. Breaking into it would’ve been tricky but the Light had seen to it he’d have the needed Skeleton Key. He didn’t spare Athanasia a glance, he had always had her as his shadow and companion until she took his eye in her escape from the League of Assassins. That fucking slave had interfered, and Grant remembered seeing red until he was down in the sand and about to be killed by the SOB. Of course no one killed that slave, and no one chased his slave, Athanasia, no one cared about them. They were slaves. Defective to begin with.

Still, he was pissed that she had run and hidden herself from him.

Athanasia had been his favorite pleasure slave, she always was a bitch to put up a fight.

No matter, he walked into her little room and saw her computers, working quickly he went for what he had been ordered to get. The program AI, he was aware he was stealing it from the theif who had stolen it from New Krypton. The Light wanted assassins and to do that his employer had to gain their favor before his rivals’ could make their moves. The League of Assassins wasn’t what it used to be, fracturing drastically with the death of Ra’s al Ghul.

The different fractions followed the different children of Ra’s.

“Is it done yet?” an impatient graveled voice demanded over the intercom.

“Almost,” he said.

“Hurry up.”

“Patience, Demon’s Thumb,” he warned.

“Father has no more patience,” she snapped.

“I got it, and extra information.”

“Destroy everything that remains, and dispose of the Failure.”

~~~*~*~*~~~

He lay alone in his bed in his warehouse, a huge bed and he couldn’t fucking sleep. He couldn’t even close his eyes.

Jason no longer had nightmares about his coffin or his death, or anything in his past, but he always saw them. He’d see her falling, her golden hair everywhere as the blood splattered from the impacts of the shots while she fell back and he struggled to get to her. Then he’d feel something colliding in him, larger and harder than a bullet, as a force moved him aside and he’d twist around in time to see Raven, her black hair flowing and her four eyes open to focus on saving, her soul was already attacking an armada and he saw the knife hit the side of her ribs, shoving her off her course, knocking her down as her body rolled from the impact, and he’d see Ryand’r there.

He couldn’t sleep.

All that blood, she was so small, she rarely bled, and there was so much blood. He could see them both, as one, Isobel and Raven, laying there, in near identical positions, their hands curled, and their hair fanned around them as they both lay there in a pool of blood, and he couldn’t sense their lives.

In the dreams Raven and Isobel were one in the same, some twisted mix of both them laying there, showing him the price of his failure.

He couldn’t sleep.

Sleep, Raven’s voice whispered in his ear, he could swear she was right there as he gave in and closed his eyes.

[finderskeepersff]

53. Part 3

Cassius eventually drifted off, he didn’t speak to me at all. He just slowly drifted off to sleep and I am just happy he is asleep, I want him to rest and heal, I want him to heal so we can just move on from this. Looking down at him, imagine if I lost him, imagine if I couldn’t see him ever again. I thank god he bought him back to me, he was there for me with what happened and never once looked at me different and I will do that for him, he thinks that he has done bad and I will think differently of him but I don’t, I honestly don’t. This whole thing that has happened has helped deal with this, Amira has really helped but I know how to deal with it. I have to remember how he was holding me down when everything came back on me about my family, even the fact I got abused. He didn’t change on me at all, he loved me even more and held me down, so I will do the same until we are old. I can’t wait to start my future with him, I have finally accepted this. I wanted him to leave that life but I will not pressure him into doing it, I don’t want to add to his pain of pleasing me “hello” Amira said outside the door and knocked on the door “are y’all naked?” I just laughed “come in” I said aloud, Cassius ain’t about to wake up for nothing so it’s ok “sorry” Amira said in a whisper “he is not settling” seeing Cartier’ grumpy face, I knew it “great, neither of the two are, I mean I got him settled” Amira cooed out “look at him, you busy though. I can just like walk around with him” slowly moving my body away from Cassius “it’s ok, he won’t settle. I assumed he would sleep, I think he has a little colic, not too much” sitting up on the bed “least he is asleep, I mean Cassius. You both ok? You both spoke?” nodding my head “we did” taking Cartier from Amira “he’s very emotional but all is well, we still have things to speak on but right now I just want him to sleep and rest up” cradling Cartier in my arms and he would cry with me “grumpy, I will just feed him and he should fall asleep, thank you though. Good night” Amira smiled at me.

Cartier is really playing up with me “ok so you don’t want bottle and you don’t want breast, what is it?” Cartier just cried out again “ok, ok” placing his pacifier in his mouth, he can suck on that but not milk. I don’t like he is not drinking either, he didn’t drink much earlier either. Placing Cartier onto his stomach “I don’t like this baby boy, you need to drink your milk” rubbing his back lightly, I am not sure at all. He has been like this at home too and I think it’s me, maybe it’s because I am stressing so he don’t want it “sorry” Amira said walking in “heard him crying still, is he not well?” I shrugged not knowing “like he’s been like this at home, you and I both know this but he seems to not want it even more” he’s not feeding as he should “I am thinking of going taking him to A and E, it’s just worrying that he is not feeding as much, am I doing too much? Just tell me” Amira eye balled me “as a mother, you know” she said “true, I don’t feel it’s right. I am going to take him, I need to rest my mind. You know he don’t drink all of his bottle as much. He’s grumpy as anything and don’t sleep like he does” getting up from the bed “I will come with you” Amira said.

I am just concerned, I don’t have a mother to run too, I thought I had Monique but no, I know girls run to their mothers but I don’t have that and I am not sure if I am going wrong “is he ok?” Kyle asked “yeah, I mean I don’t know. I don’t want anyone to worry but it’s just don’t feel right with the feeding and then sleeping, I need someone that knows you know. I don’t have the knowledge, when Cassisu does wake up please tell him it’s ok. I will be back, no need to worry” Kyle nodded his head “Fabien is going with you guys, no questioning this” oh god, these big guys will be with us “erm, does he speak?” I am confused, they don’t say much “he is the same one that picked me up, he will just drag me again?” Kyle laughed “nah, he won’t. He was ordered too, look I will stay here and wait for whenever Cassius wakes up but Fabien is going, he does speak. Just he likes to put in work and not have too much play. I hope he is ok” I think Cartier is ok, just I need help in if I am doing right. I am scared that my son is not drinking what he needs “y’all got your things. Let’s go” Amira held the baby bag for me and my bag, she is the best “yes let’s go” following behind Kyle “these guys are big though, are they trained killers?” Amira asked a good question “I think so, I didn’t really ask Cassius this but yeah” knowing these guys they are.

Fabien looked at us “come to think of it, he looks Italian, he cute” Amira said in a whisper “he is, it’s weird because he held me. Like the way he picked me up was nothing, so I know he got strength” Amira whistled “what are you whistling at?” Kyle said as he made his way back to us “nothing at all, so can we go now boss?” Amira and Kyle are so cute, I love them together “yes you can, lady boss” I cooed out at them “anyways, call me if you need anything ok? Take care, bye little man. Hope you get better” Cartier is not asleep, he is just resting his head on my shoulder “Fabien, you got a big job here. All times, you hear me” I wonder what Kyle meant by that, there is another guy here and he just didn’t look our way “that is us then” Fabien walked ahead of us, Amira and I slowly walked “why are you like this?” she is giggling “it’s just funny, be quiet” she lightly hit my arm “this life, it’s just weird at times” she ain’t wrong there.

It’s a weird to wait in this hospital, with this huge guy, he cleared most people off to not sit near us “so your name is Fabien, cute” Amira has started, while she is doing that I am attempting to feed him again by bottle of course “thank you” he got a cute accent “no problemo amigo” what is wrong with her, placing the bottle between his lips “he may drink” but he does this all of the time and then moves his head, like he doesn’t want it but I know his feed “that is good” Amira touched his head, Cartier did what I knew he would. He turned his head is disgust and then cried out “ok, ok” moving the bottle back, he cries like I am forcing his ass “here” Amira took the bottle from me “ok Cartier, sorry I tried” placing him over my shoulder, he is just not having this at all. Rubbing his back “ok baby boy, it’s ok” rubbing his back as he cried out “I think it’s best you did come, I mean he is just getting worse with it” don’t I know it, I knew he was.

Cartier is screaming this room down, like I hate it so much that he is feeling like this. Did I do something, is it me “does he bring some milk back up at all?” the doctor asked, I poked my lips out at tears coming out of my sons eyes, this is hurting me “Miss Bundy” I did hear him “uhm yeah, sorry. No he doesn’t bring any back up recently” the doctor nodded his head and went back to touching Cartier’ stomach, I feel so awful that my baby is going through this “is he pain? Is this my fault?” Why is he not saying anything “no, I don’t want you to worry thinking it is. Cartier is a little unsettled” he said, my baby is having a meltdown crying “you can pick him up” I rushed to Cartier “I am so sorry, I am here” holding him close to me over my shoulder, closing my eyes as I did. Placing my hand over his head “I know baby” this is hurting me so much that it’s making me emotional “he’s got acid reflux, instead of vomiting the milk out he’s keeping it and it’s going back down his throat and burning him, so he’s reluctant in having milk because it hurts him which you won’t know this as a mother, but he is fine and healthy, some colic but he’s fine. We will give him some medication to soothe it for him, and then for you to give him before feeding” nodding my head as I rocked Cartier in my arms, my poor baby.

Putting Cartier shoes back on “I can’t imagine how hard it is as a mother to see your baby in pain and stressed” Amira said, looking over at Amira “it’s hard, got me crying. I would give my life to him, I nearly died to give birth to him, he means a lot to me. He is mine, it’s hard Amira. And to know he was in pain, I hate it. It’s like I failed him” Amira rubbed my back “you wasn’t to know, stop it. We just need to get back to normal now ok?” nodding my head, the doctor came back into the room “if you would like to lay him down, just need to give him some medication, soothe his stomach” nodding my head as I got up, Cartier is going to cry out and I don’t want him crying in pain. Laying him down “so we will give this him orally, through a syringe with him laying down ok?” nodding my head, Cartier is all quiet, I am staying very close to him. Cartier held my finger so tightly “I am here baby boy, it’s ok” I smiled at him “take his pacifier out, I measured it right for you. You can do it and I will watch ok?” nodding my head, taking his pacifier out, Cartier is not letting my finger go but he is watching me very close “he does drink but then rejects it” I said, Cartier is not stupid he knows something is different “that is good, he trusts you. He knows his mom, so just place the tip in his mouth and he will take it” I just want this over with, placing the tip near his lips. My little heart is just staring at me, I just put the medication straight away in his mouth and he did take it “my big boy, you my big boy aren’t you” my love for him is eternal, god I love my son so much.

I am so tired, imagine having to sit in A and E and then Cartier crying through it all. It was so stressful, the sun is rising and Cartier is still awake but I need to settle him, I really want to go back home. That is what I need to do “good to be back at the hotel, thank you so much for coming with me Amira. I appreciate you so much, I am supposed to see my friends but I can’t, I am so tired from everything, I need to go home. It is time to go home” Amira opened the hotel room door “I want my damn bed too” the door got dragged open “Sofia!?” Cassius spat, I did hope he was asleep still “I am back, it’s fine” Cassius is not happy, I did tell Amira to ignore his calls because I knew he would go crazy on me “why didn’t you wake me? My son went to the hospital, what the hell?” walking into the room “yes, I am back” Cassius walked around me “let me see the boy, is he ok? Are you ok?” he asked him “he just had, well has acid reflux but I got him medication. I didn’t want to worry you, honestly wanted you to not worry” Cassius is touching Cartier’ forehead like this changed anything “worry? This is my son, like fuck anything else. That is my boy, I should have been there, and you ignored my calls” I am honestly so tired to be listening to this, I need a nap or something before I end up crying for nothing.

Cartier is not crying with Cassius, he held him while I got his bottle so I am hoping that he don’t cry so here we go. Climbing onto the bed “he knows me, you know me don’t you” resting my back against the headboard “is that daddy, you missed him didn’t you” Cartier gave a slight smirk, I can take he is happy with that “so what did they say? You good yeah?” I shrugged “it’s whatever, they said it’s not something I could really know but I still feel I am useless that I didn’t know or pick up on it, I don’t know. It’s just something I feel” passing the bottle to Cassius, he can feed him “I don’t think you should feel that, you did what you need too right? You are a great mother Sofia, and you are a great wife to me” so he says “I just really want to go back home now Cassius, we both need to get back to normal” Cassius nodded his head “how are you feeling? Sorry I couldn’t hold you all of that time” Cassius smiled at me lightly “I am ok, still a lot to take in but I was so much more concerned about Cartier, I was ready to go there but Kyle told me to relax. He is my everything, like you are so I got scared and I hate feeling like that” Looking over at Cassius “don’t be scared” I said lowly, Cassius bought his head closer to mine and pecked my lips.

[og-doubletrouble-kinnie]

SPOP Season 4 notes

Spoilers obvi

Gonna be a bit different from my s3 notes, as I’m p much just gonna liveblog stuff here- Since I dont wanna spoil my friends... Rip 😔

Ep 1:

Mom: Icecream cake :-D me, sobbing: Mom I love you

Every time my mom does something I cry. I love and miss her sm

YALL JUST HURTIN PERFUMA LIKE THIS-

WHY CAN THE SWORD BE A MOP-

Ya know I always thought Hordaks red teeth were fuckin weird af

GRANDMA GRANDMA GRANDMA GRANDMA

GO GET MY GIRLFRIEND YOU UGLY KITTY

EMILYYYYYYYYY AWAAAA

They really out here just reusing the princess prom outfits huh?

Really though I swear if Entrapta doesnt come back I’ll scream. You cant just trade in my beautiful amasing gf for me. I know I’m great but I swear.

Rip Auntie Angella.... 😔

I wasn’t even there for the corrination- I kinda feel bad for that but... I was alittle busy... With somethin- Hell if I know what.

HELL YEAH QUEEN GLIMMERRR

Oh hot diggity Catra-

Look I may not like her but I can really respect her tactics....

EP 2:

Okay what does Perfuma have against the crimson wastes- Hopefully its (Rightful) fear!

Oh nooo the gooooo

One does not simply call Adora soft

Aweeee Perfuma and Bow bonding...

Perfuma is cacti-phobic hahahaha

O.O Wheres the ship

Huntara eats sand and theres nothing you can do about it.

OOOO NEW TOWN NEW TOWN NEW TOWN

MEMEMEMEMEMMEMEMEMEMMEMEMEMEMMEMEMEMEME

AH YES MY FIRST WORDS ARE BEING SCORPIA AND FLIRTING WITH CATRA. HOW FITTING.

God im so dramatic I love it

Perfuma Im so proud of you bb

Hot take? Perfuma x Huntara

AWEEE IM SO HAPPYYYYYYYY

Honestly being Catra was always fun

Ep 3:

Pajamas Catra? Catra without her headband? Wild shit. Wild shit.

She cute tho ngl

Oh hecc its time to fuck with the rebels-

I s2g its rly lookin like my tl may just be flip flopped on which side I helped- Idk... its only ep 3 jfkbgf

Wittle moth society... so cute...

Flutterina... Adorable

SHE RA CAKE

The moth town leader is adorable. Precious old lady. I love her. her design is amazing. 10/10 I love her

Wait what-

Ohhhh my god what happened-

Catra if you dont start appreciating Scorpia right this second I swear to god I will appreciate her myself.

Flutterina is so precious. All her fangirling...

Are we gonna explorer the whole.. reaction catra has every time someone mentions the Portal??

MAGICAL SACRED BOND TIME

FLUTTERINA IS A PRECIOUS BABY AND I LOVE HERRR

SCORPIAAAA SIS GET OVER HERE LEMME HUG UUUU

Oh....

OH

O H

OKAY

I AM ON BOARD WITH THIS

Ep.4

Spinerella and nettossa are precious 100%

Okay but I’m right. tiny cute and pink. I didnt even catch it. I done fooled myself.

Am cutie

GRANDMAS BA C K BOIISSSSS

god I love shadow weaver. I miss her sm

B O BB N O

OKAY SPOT ON BO IMPRESSION!

IM SO CUUUTTTEEE

Yaaayyyyy Catras having fun!

WEAVER LIKES DAISIES. PRECIOUS. AWA. GWANDMAAAA

She makes great bait and u know it.

Oh no are the gfs fighting-

Catra legit thought glimmer was me I love this-

CATRA WHY DO YOU KNOW WHAT GLITTER TASTES LIKE-

..... Okay literally as I type thet I get mems of her eating glitter okay cool

Ohhh That was cool-

Hey Catra dont hide your grateful attitude you dick

God I love these girlfriends

LET WEAVER BE GOOD ADORA

This is cute

Ep 5

Kyle you precious little boy

Oh are they finally gonna develop these three?

Ditzy light hope is cute light hope

SHES ALL SMILEYYYY

I love Kyle launie and roheleo... Precious

“I made a crystal :-D”

“I know what will help!” “no dont-”

Kyle I love you

“Oh trust me the information is never gonna load for you.”

Lookit these... three siblings.... Blessed babes

COMPUTER MOM HAS EMOTIONS

AWA

KYLE BABY NOOO

HARD SQUINTING AT LIGHT HOPE

EP 6

Oh boi Scoria episode here we go

God I love that she kept Emily....

Scorpia is too bright and cheery for the hoarde. Redeem her damnit

Hecc I hate that Im being so mean to the best friend squad but oooog its so fun to watch

Emily’s personality is so cuuuteee -w-

Emily scared of Catra.. precious

SCORPIA YOU DESERVE SO MUCH BETTER-

I wanna hug her so bad

Hehehehehehe >:)

Damnit Bo, ruining my work-

CRYING

Scorpias entrapta impression tho

SCORPIA YOU TOUCH THAT GARNET GOD DAMNIT

Im gonna cry, emilys recordings....

GOD I LOVE MY GIRLFRIEND-

..... Whats goin on with the Garnet...

LET GLIMMER BE DARK

THE GREATEST HUGS, SCORPIA. GREATEST HUGS

Emily youre so smart.

SCORPIA FINALLY KNOWIN SHES WORTH BETTER HELL YEAH YOU GO SISTER

Catra rly needs a hug tbh

OHHHH HELL YESSSSSS

God I wanna know more about the scorpion kingdom....

Ep 7

Mermista you are too happy when holding everyone in a room against their will

OH OKAY THAT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY

SPOILERS MERMISTA

Ohhh hohoho I am lovin this story~

Shadow weaver bein an embarassing mom to Adora, adorable

Adora was absolutely suspicious of Weaver in my tl 100% Sure I made her more trusted, but Adora is stubborn

BFDJKGBFJKD ENTRAPTAS HELPERS ARE IN THE CASTLE

Ooooooo This is a great ep...

Ohh Im having fun arent I~

Ohhhhhhh Shiiiiiiiiiiit Rip selenious

Ep8

I hope yallre keepin an eye on me, Or I’ll get out >:-)

Awee depressed baby :-(

SHANTYYYY

OH THIS IS PRECIOUS

Seahawk this is a terrible idea....

This better be a musical episode

BDHJFBD WRONG KIDNAPPERS

I love depressed mermista

Return of the she-mop!

Oooo seahawk past....

Awee Catra misses Scorpia

And is finally realizin shes gone

O u c h poor Seahawk

OW GLIMMER

HELL YEAH MERMISTA

“A SEAGULL TOLD ME!”

Oooo Catra, a natural born killer~

I love bein able to finally see Octavia in action

Low key musical Ep, hell yesssss

I already shipped mermista and seahawk but this ep... Is just makin me ship it more....

SCORPIA HAS MOMS

The fact that it took this long for Catra to finally go to scorpias room and check on her

How the fuck do the boats work

Ep 9

OHHHHH Razz gets the sheras mixed up thats honestly so cute-

Razz... I lov u

I love her refrences to the old charas

Razzzz awe precious.. The first time...

Oooo I love seein Mara

AWEE LIGHT HOPE SOFT FOR MARA

Good I feel bad for Razz tbh??? hoppin back and forth between Sheras

MARAS TRANSFORMATIONNNNN

God she looks so much better than Adora holy fuck

NOOO RAZZ DONT CRYYY

HOLY FUCKING SH I WHAT THE F U CFDHFDJBKJGBSKED

Hot fucking damn I didnt expect this what the sh iiiiiii

I STILL WANNA HUG RAZZ-

Ep 10

DAMN IM SO COLD XD

That fuckin POOF

PLEAAASSEE LET ME AND WEAVER BOND PLZ I WANT MY GRANDMAAAAA

Let Frosta nap 2020

SCORPIAAAA

DONT SNEAK UP BEHIND SCORPIA

Daaaamn Catra... Go take a nap hun, you look terrible

Oh sweetie.....

Glimmer please you didn’t see what they saw.

Aaaannnnd Okay the queenliness is goin to her head cool

SCORPIA BABYYYY

Caaaatttrrraaaaa

LOOPY LOOP BETRAYAL

God I love them learning the ship

FBHJSDBFSJHVFD OH MY GOD FAKE TEARS

SHE DID IT IM SO PROUD OF HERRR

Ep11

Eeeeee I hope they find my blessed gorl.....

Whats swifty hearin..

OH SHIT SHERA DOESNT WORK-

I cant believe the first ones just have a fucking dump

MICHA MICHAM ICHA ITS MY UCLE I KNOW IT

HELL YEAH BAEBEEEEEE

I KNEW HE WAS ALIVE

Sweet my uncles just a lil crazy haha

MICHA I LOV YOU

Awaaaaaa

Glimmer loses one parent and gains the other. Girl only gets one parent at a time. Hahahaha

The world has to nerf her lmao

Hell yeah hes cool!

Okay cool proof that Lighthope just wants to activate the weapon

Guys just tell him she’s a teenager omfg

Hoooooly hecc

NOOOOOOOO aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

SHE RAAAAA

MY WIIIFFFEEEE

AAAAAAAA

YAASSSS

EEEEE

Ohhhh Scorpia is the key.....

Interesting.......

Ep 12

EVEN WEAVER IS CONFUSED

You bet you ass Ive escaped bitches >:)

-cries- I’ve missed my wife

Awaaa she never changes!

Someone hug Catra I s2g

DT nooooooo

SHE SHOWS NO CONNECTION BECAUSE YOU TOOK IT WEAVER-

I adore Weaver in this season- Who am I kidding, I adore Weaver in every season

THe hoarde is led by two kids who just need some tender love and care

God Ive missed her...

SWEETIE WHY ARE YOU SO CHEERY ALL THE TIME- AAA I LOVE YOU

squinty

Uhhhggggg I now hate that I remember having a runestone of my own

Tho I DO wanna know what kinda powers Scorpia will get....

Sweetie no non onononononononononononononoono

BABY NOOO NO NO O NONONONONONONONONONO

IM GONNA CRY SHE BETTER BE OKAY-

YESS BABY

AWAAA ENTRAPTA I LOVE YOUUUU

bdhsvfbjskbfd I can only do her hair bjkvfdbgfkd

OWO IM SO SMART YET SO DUMB

HORDAK TEARS?!

Hehehehehe YES I HELPED GLIMMER

Ep 13

Nobodies followin Catra anymore lmao

Ohhhh shit Catras gonna d i e

Rip in pieces Hordak

Ohhh shiiiiiiii

SEAHAWK LIL HEART EYES

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I love callin Catra out ohhhh my g o d

OOoooooo Lightning!

I gotta question that rn Glimmer...

Damnit Hordak aint dead...

Ohhh hecc hecc hecc hecc

OH SHIT THE SWORD-

Ya rly just teleport a whole room like that-

I like horde prime-

His eyes are cool and his palette is so much nicer aaaa

Fffffuck

Fave season so far

And not just cause I’m finally in it xD

Expect more posts when the mems really start pouring... Gotta figure out how all this changed in my TL since it DEFINITELY wasn’t just like this-

[erisgregory]

The Reason Is You Chapter 7

cross posted to AO3

or start with chapter 1

Authors:  Crysty09, erisgregory

Crysty09′s tumblr

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M/M, Multi Fandom: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019) Relationship: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes/Kyle Valenti, Alex Manes/Kyle Valenti Characters: Michael Guerin, Alex Manes, Kyle Valenti Additional Tags: background Isobel Evans/Maria DeLuca, background Max Evans/Liz Ortecho, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Threesome - M/M/M, Angst and Fluff and Smut Summary: Michael has been gone five years and when he finally returns to Earth it’s to find that Alex is married to Kyle. Isobel is about to be married to Maria and Max and Liz have a son. The world isn’t as he left it, which he should have expected, but now how will he find a place for himself? Will he ever get used to the new normal?

Before he even made it back to the cabin, Alex could feel guilt overwhelming him; guilt for causing a scene at his best friend's wedding, guilt for the awful things he said to Michael, guilt for leaving Kyle to clean up his mess. He entered the cabin, quickly stripping off his tux and hanging it up and slipping into a pair of shorts. Then, without a second thought, he started cleaning. He scrubbed forcefully at any surface he came across, the small cabin quickly filling with the smell of bleach and he let his mind wander through the events of the last few days.

Kyle suspected he might find Alex cleaning up a bit when he got home, but it was a little worse than that. He had the bleach out and was scrubbing. That meant it was bad.

“Babe!” He called coming into the living room. “We should talk, don’t you think?” Then he went to change out of his suit.

Alex jumped when heard Kyle's voice and he noticed that his fingers were wrinkled and slightly raw. He looked up and bit his lip, suddenly it all rushed back and his eyes burned with unshed tears, "yeah," he whispered, nodding slightly and dropping the sponge into the water before standing up.

Once Kyle was in his shorts and soft tee, he sat on the end of the bed waiting for Alex. They had a lot to talk about and Kyle still wasn’t entirely sure how to broach the subject. He just knew he needed to sooner than later because it was tearing Alex and Michael up. Kyle didn’t want to be the one standing in their way no matter how much Alex promised to stay and love him.

After a second, he made his way into the bedroom, his hands and prosthetic aching from the strain. He looked at Kyle, his eyes sad and exhausted, "hey," he croaked, walking over and sitting down on the edge of the bed beside his husband, "I'm sorry about earlier," he said quietly, "I shouldn't have blown up and I shouldn't have caused a scene at the wedding, and I shouldn't have left you to clean up my mess."

Hey.” Kyle said gently, turning to rub at Alex’s back. “You don’t have to apologize to me about anything. I understand. You just gotta give me a little credit. I love you and I can see what all of this is doing to you.”

Alex sighed, running his hands over his face, "Kyle, you have been so amazing through all of this and I feel like shit that it is all getting to me so much and that it is effecting our relationship," he looked up, "I really do love you, so much." He bit his lip, "but this is all just kind of a lot."

“Of course it is! It would be a lot for anybody. I think you’re doing great all things considered. And I know you love me. You just happen to love Michael too.” He took a deep breath. “I think maybe it was always like that, you just weren’t expecting him to come back, so it was never a problem before.”

Kyle's words made his chest ache and he could feel tears brimming in his eyes again, quickly threatening to fall. He started shaking his head, he knew that Kyle was right, knew that he had always loved Michael but be didn't really know how to say that to his husband. "I-" he started, shrugging slightly and dropping his head.

Seeing Alex in such distress was killing Kyle. “I’m going to say something to you and I just want you to think about it, okay? Promise me you’ll just consider what I’m about to say without jumping to conclusions.”

Alex looked up at Kyle, frowning, his cheeks tear stained, he couldn't imagine what his husband was about to say, "o-okay," he whispered, "I'll do my best to consider it. You aren't going to suggest that I leave you are you?" He lip quivered slightly, he was suddenly terrified.

“No, not at all. I know you said you weren’t leaving me and trust me when I say I wouldn’t let go without a fight. This isn’t about anybody leaving.” Kyle thought carefully about his next words.

“What if you could have me and Michael too? What if you never had to choose? I’ve been thinking a lot about this and I think there may be a way that all of us can be happy.” He said, trying to gauge Alex’s reaction.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, his frown deepening. His brain wasn't really computing, "are you like suggesting that you are just going to to look the other way, Kyle I will not disrespect our relationship like that!" He glared at him, "you are my husband and I love you."

“No. Not at all, sorry this is hard to explain.” Kyle dragged a hand through his hair.

“I’m talking about the three of us being together.” He said taking a deep breath before continuing. “Like polyamory. And I have no idea if we could really work it out or if Michael and I would be compatible, but I’m talking about bringing him in to our relationship. Caring for him, together.” Kyle swallowed hard. “Will you at least think about it?”

Alex felt like his brain was short circuiting as he just stared at Kyle, his mouth falling open. Was he really suggesting this? And despite his better judgement, Alex could feel himself considering this option. He considered being able to be with both of them freely and not have to feel the constant ache in his chest any time he looked at Michael and Kyle. "A-are you serious?" He stammered, suddenly wondering what Michael would say about this.

Kyle reached for Alex’s hand. “I am. He’s all alone right now and it’s killing you. I can’t help but feel like this is the best solution. We have all this love, why not share it?” He squeezed Alex’s hand gently.

All he could do was blink at Kyle for a few minutes, "but I thought you and Michael hated each other?" He bit his lip, trying so hard not to get his hopes up, "I-" he squeezed Kyle's hand, taking a steadying breath as he looked at the other male.

“I don’t hate Michael, and I really don’t think he hates me, but like I said there’s no way to know we’ll be compatible. We just have to feel our way through it. It won’t be easy. But I think it might be worth it.” They’d have to see what Michael thought of course and who knew how that would go.

After a minute, Alex nodded, "we have a lot to figure out if we are going to consider this," he said, his voice quiet, "but maybe you're right," he breathed, "maybe, if Michael agrees, and that's a big if, then maybe this is worth trying." He bit his lip as he looked at Kyle.

Kyle laid his hand on Alex’s cheek. “I love you, I hope you know that.” And he would do anything for Alex. Anything at all. Now they just had to figure out how to talk to Michael about it.

Alex turned to face Kyle, his hands grabbing the other man's face, "I love you too, so much," he said, kissing his husband gently, "thank you for being the best husband a man could ask for."

[jennycalendar]

very really married (8/?)

read it on ao3!

return of the s1-rewrite fake-married giles/jenny fic!!! i am feeling extremely good about myself right now.

also there’s a lot of giles and jenny being Very Soft in this chapter, which i will justify by saying that canon had them making out all over school property. so this is definitely not too much of a stretch

“You’re kidding, right?” said Buffy. “You want to know if my Slayer sense is picking up on anything spooky about Ms. Calendar? As in your wife who sometimes brings us pizza Ms. Calendar? As in Willow’s favorite teacher Ms. Calendar? As in—”

“—yes, yes, my wife is incredible, I just wanted to check,” said Giles irritably, who was beginning to realize how ill-conceived his idea of asking Buffy’s opinion had been. “There have been a few…oddities…in our relationship as of late—”

“No one needs to hear about your sex life, Giles,” said Buffy, wincing a little. “Frankly, I’ve seen enough of it to know I never want to hear about it.”

“Buffy, I most certainly would not be discussing those portions of my life with you,” said Giles flatly. “Ever.”

“Why? Too busy having sex in a morgue drawer?”

This sort of thing was exactly why Giles would prefer death over telling Buffy about his drunken Vegas marriage. “We weren’t—never mind,” he said, hoping against hope that he didn’t look as flustered as he felt. “My point is that the way Jenny reacted to vampires was rather unusual, and I thought your Slayer sense might be of some use in ascertaining whether—”

“You trust me?” Buffy beamed, flipping her hair over one shoulder. She looked genuinely touched.

Giles sighed. “Quite,” he said.

Buffy rolled her eyes a little. “Then trust me when I say I get no bad vibes from Ms. Calendar,” she said. “The only thing spooky about your wife is that she’s spooky cool.” She giggled at her own bad joke, then added, “And anyway, Giles, I came in here to tell you that I think Xander’s being possessed by something. He’s been hanging with the mean kids, teasing the kids nobody likes, and he’s dressing super weird!”

Giles looked at her for a long second. Then he said with some disbelief, “So your slayer sense tells you that Xander is being possessed?”

“Uh huh!” Buffy nodded impatiently.

“He’s taken to teasing the less fortunate?” Giles began, echoing Buffy’s words.

“He has.”

“And there's been a noticeable change in both clothing and demeanor?”

“Yep,” Buffy agreed.

“And his spare time is spent lounging about with imbeciles,” Giles finished.

“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Buffy asked anxiously.

“It's devastating,” Giles agreed matter-of-factly. “He's turned into a sixteen-year-old boy. Course, you'll have to kill him.”

Buffy glared. “Giles, I’m serious!”

“So am I!” Giles objected, then amended, “Except for the part about killing him.” Off Buffy’s frustrated look, he explained, “Testosterone is a great equalizer. It turns all men into morons. He will, however, get over it.”

“I cannot believe that you, of all people, are trying to Scully me!” Buffy began.

“Who’s trying to Scully who?” came Jenny’s voice, and Giles winced. “Oh, Rupert. That makes sense.”

To Giles’s absolute horror, Buffy turned to Jenny, gave her an assessing look, and said, “Ms. Calendar, you know stuff about weird stuff going on in Sunnydale, right?”

Jenny blinked, flushing. “Wh-what?”

“You know that this town isn’t exactly what it looks like,” Buffy persisted.

“Buffy, don’t—” Giles began.

But Jenny held up a hand, eyes on Buffy. “What are you getting at?” she said almost warily.

“I think something’s going on with Xander,” said Buffy seriously. “I think he’s in trouble. He’s been acting super weird and I don’t know why—”

“Buffy, boys can be cruel,” Giles cut in, exasperated. “They tease, they prey on the weak. It’s—”

“Don’t boys-will-be-boys this situation,” said Jenny sharply. “Buffy, keep going.”

Buffy, however, had a strange expression on her face. “Wait,” she said. “Giles, what did you say?”

“They…tease?” Giles said tentatively.

“They prey on the weak,” said Buffy slowly. “I’ve heard that before. Where have I—” She stopped, eyes wide, then stared. “Xander has been acting totally wiggy ever since we went to the zoo!” she burst out. “Him and Kyle and all those guys, they went into the hyena cage. Oh, God, that laugh...”

Giles opened his mouth to point out how very unlikely it was that Xander had been turned into a hyena (or perhaps just start giggling), but Jenny was frowning a little. “Buffy, can we talk for a sec?” she asked, sounding a little uneasy. “This might not be a conversation we should—I mean—” Her eyes darted to Giles.

“Whatever you have to say to Buffy can certainly be said in front of me,” said Giles indignantly.

“I don’t know about that,” said Jenny.

“If it’s about the weird supernatural stuff, definitely say it in front of him,” said Buffy pointedly. “I said all this stuff to him and he totally brushed me off!”

“Rupert,” said Jenny reprovingly.

Giles exhaled, frustrated. “Buffy’s evidence is spotty at best!” he persisted. “In most of these ultimately unproven cases—”

Jenny was getting the same look in her eyes that she’d gotten when Giles had inadvertently (and then intentionally) insulted computers. “No,” she said. “You know what? Buffy’s right. This town is weird. Weird stuff happens. And I’m certainly not brushing off a concerned student. Whether or not Buffy’s right about Xander and some other kids being taken over by a hyena, the fact still remains that as a faculty member, it is absolutely my job to take a look at whatever is worrying Buffy.” She fixed Giles with a pointed glare. “And your job too, for that matter.”

“Jenny—” began Giles, helpless.

“Herbert!” Willow announced, running into the library. “They found him.”

“The pig?” said Buffy.

“Dead,” said Willow dismally. “And also eaten. Principal Flutie's freaking out.”

“Testosterone, huh?” said Buffy to Giles.

“Hyena it is,” Jenny agreed. She hesitated, then sighed, crossing the room to Giles. “You’re still a high school faculty member,” she said. “Even if you took this job so you’d have some time to research, you have to take care of these kids.”

There was genuine disappointment in her eyes, and that fact made Giles feel worse than any of her anger and frustration ever had. “You’re right,” he said quietly, because she was. Buffy had come to him with concern for her friend. Even if he was first and foremost a Watcher, he was beginning to become aware that compassion towards his charge was still important. “I’ll—look up hyenas, then?”

“I’m sure I can dig up some articles,” said Jenny, and stood on tiptoe, giving him a soft kiss.

Buffy gagged.

“Can it, Summers, I’m helping you,” said Jenny, a laugh in her voice as she pulled away from Giles. “Okay. I’m going to boot up that library computer and see what I can find about animal possessions. Rupert, you’ll look through your books?”

“You’re taking this claim quite in stride,” said Giles, feeling a strange mixture of suspicious and smitten.

“My husband’s an occult nerd,” teased Jenny. “I pick things up.”

Jenny found an astonishing amount of relevant articles in a very short amount of time. “Part of the job,” she quipped, even though it really wasn’t. Giles, meanwhile, was finding himself rather jealous of the star-struck way Buffy and Willow continued to regard her, especially since her motives were now in question. She was certainly witty, and intelligent, and kind, not to mention stunningly beautiful, but the fact remained that he couldn’t trust someone who had clear knowledge of vampires and wouldn’t tell him anything about them.

Granted, said a rather infuriating voice in his head, you are continuing to do the exact same thing with her.

Stuff it, Giles informed the voice, going back to paging through the book he’d been looking at.

“Anything useful?” Jenny asked earnestly, peering over his shoulder. Seeing the illustrations, she winced. “Yikes. This whole thing doesn’t look at all pretty. And if it’s what’s happening to Xander…”

“…then direct action must be taken, and soon,” Giles finished, glancing over at her. “I’m sure if we figure out exactly how and why this happened, we’ll be able to piece together how to help him and the others.”

“Hopefully before they do something really awful,” Jenny added. “Any kind of soul placed in a body that wasn’t meant to hold it—” She stopped, a strange expression on her face. “Anyway,” she said awkwardly. Bemused, Giles waited, but she didn’t elaborate.

“Why couldn’t Xander be possessed by a puppy, or some ducks?” Willow was saying plaintively.

“That's assuming 'possession' is the right word,” Buffy answered.

“You bet it is,” said Jenny, all but hurrying over to the girls. Giles, still frowning a bit, followed. “The Masai of the Serengeti have talked about animal possession for generations.”

“I should have remembered that,” Giles added ruefully. Jenny gave him a clear yes you should have expression, but still tucked her arm into his.

“So how does it work?” Buffy asked.

“There’s this sect of animal worshipers, Primals,” Jenny began before Giles could start. “They’re pretty much of the mind that human consciousness is this whole unnatural dilution of the spirit, and that the animal state is holy. They came up with this way to draw the spirits of different animals into their own bodies through trans-possession.”

“Succinct,” said Giles, impressed.

“Yeah, Giles takes way longer when he’s briefing us,” said Buffy, then clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide.

“Um, on studying things!” Willow added hastily. “In study group! Where we all study together! It’s not like Giles ever talks about the occult with us, ever, at all!”

“Calm down,” said Jenny, amused. “I know more than anyone that Rupert’s almost always working on research for his occult book. It’s not exactly surprising to me that he might bring it up with you kids on occasion.”

“Oh,” said Buffy.

“Occult book,” said Willow.

“That makes sense,” said Buffy.

Giles did his best not to look too worthy of suspicion.

“Anyway,” said Jenny, “the Primals are really only big on the predatory-type animals, so it makes a lot of sense that Xander might have ended up with a hyena spirit in him. My articles talked about that…”

“…and my books gave us a rather graphic depiction of what might happen if that spirit goes unchecked,” Giles finished, handing the book to Buffy and Willow.

Buffy took one look at the book, then set it down, face grim. “I have to find Xander,” she said flatly, then hurried out of the library without waiting for a response.

“Yeah, that’s fair,” said Jenny, squinting at the illustrations. Willow looked a little pale. “Rupert, I think we should start looking into ways to reverse this trans-possession. Something that’ll get the hyena back into the hyena without putting it in anyone else.”

“I don’t know if my books contain that ritual,” said Giles apprehensively.

“I’m sure the web can find something,” Jenny began.

There was a knock on the door, and a small sophomore peered in. “Um, Mr. Giles, Ms. Calendar?” she said uncertainly. “Emergency faculty meeting. Vice principal says all staff have to—”

“Thanks, Emily,” said Jenny, giving Giles a worried look.

Giles quite understood Jenny’s unease. Emergency faculty meetings almost always meant a death. Very deliberately, he took her hand, squeezing it tightly. “I’m right here,” he said quietly. “Remember?”

Reluctantly, Jenny smiled, though the worry hadn’t quite left her eyes. “Yeah,” she said. “Yeah. You are.”

Principal Flutie had been found, completely devoured, in his office.

“Oh,” said Jenny, much too loudly, right after the vice principal delivered this news. Then she got up, shrugged off Giles’s hand, and all but ran outside. The vice principal looked too distressed by the news to object to anyone leaving, so Giles followed, hurrying after her and making sure to shut the door behind him.

Jenny was leaning against a locker, her face in her hands. Her shoulders were shaking.

“Jenny,” said Giles. His heart caught in his chest at how small she looked.

Jenny straightened, looking humiliated, and roughly scrubbed at her face with a sweater sleeve, but she was still shaking too much to stand upright. Without hesitation, Giles crossed the hall, taking her in his arms.

“He’s the reason we got married,” Jenny said, her voice shaky and thick with tears. “Or…” She trailed off, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “He’s the reason we stayed married,” she said. “He’s the reason we’re married right now. It was all about appearances, remember?”

Giles was quiet for a moment. Then he said, “I don’t think it’s…I think this marriage might be something else, now.”

Jenny raised her head. “I don’t like that,” she said. “Make it stop.”

“I—”

“No, okay, maybe not,” Jenny whispered, and buried her face in Giles’s coat, taking a steadying breath in. He felt the way she relaxed in his arms, felt her curl closer, and realized in that moment that he couldn’t at all imagine what his life would be like when Jenny left it. It wasn’t the loneliness that would hurt—it was the absence of her. Small and kind and fiercely loyal.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly.

“For what?” Jenny mumbled into his coat.

For a lot of things. Most of them things he couldn’t tell her. “I feel as though I’m an entirely unsuitable husband for a woman of your caliber,” said Giles, which was true enough that it alleviated some of the guilt.

Jenny snorted, raising her head. “Bet you wouldn’t have said that on that plane ride,” she said. “All that stuff you had to say about decency and respectability—”

“Sod decency, Jenny,” said Giles with a wet laugh. “Decency didn’t bring us here, did it? Our marriage is a horribly unromantic story, but I don’t know if I could handle this town alone. I’m grateful I don’t have to.”

Jenny suddenly looked rather nervous. “I don’t know if I’m up for long-term commitment,” she said.

“Is this that?”

“Well, we’re married,” said Jenny awkwardly. “And we never actually talked about what all that kissing meant, I just thought—”

“Jenny, no amount of kissing means that we have to stay married,” said Giles, alarmed by her presumption.

“We just started talking about feelings and how this marriage wasn’t just appearances—”

“We are in an entirely unusual situation,” said Giles, choosing his words carefully. “You yourself mentioned that before our date was derailed.”

Jenny exhaled. “Yeah,” she said. “Yeah, okay. I just—it’s hard for me to wrap my head around this whole thing. I mean, god, I like you, I really do, but marriage isn’t ever something I would have chosen for myself. Being in a relationship with you means I’m at least considering—”

“It absolutely doesn’t have to mean that,” said Giles firmly. “This marriage is only a marriage from a legal standpoint. Even if no one but us knows it, we’re really just two people who have realized—albeit in the strangest possible way—that we would like to know rather more about each other.”

Jenny smiled slightly. “So this is just us dating,” she said.

“Yes.”

“But, like, we’re also legally married.”

“I did say it was the strangest possible way to get to know a lady,” Giles quipped. His smile softened. “If it would help, even a little…would you like to set an end date? Some point in time where we—”

But Jenny shook her head. “I don’t think that’s what I want,” she said, and reached up, lightly touching his cheek. Giles’s heart fluttered. “I meant what I said about not wanting to be married, Rupert, but…so far, marriage to you has been kind of okay. Stamping an end date on any possible relationship seems kinda pessimistic.”

“So—”

“I think we’ll know when it’s time to split,” said Jenny simply.

Giles found that he agreed. “All right,” he said. “So for now we’re legally married. But that’s a side thing that we can work out if this doesn’t.”

Jenny nodded, then settled further into his arms with a shaky sigh. “It’s been a really tough day,” she said. “And it doesn’t help that people are being eaten on campus, but…I’m glad I’ve got you here too. Sunnydale can’t possibly be a fun town to live in by yourself.”

“Principal Flutie was married, I think,” said Giles distantly.

Jenny raised her head. “Well, he wasn’t married to me,” she said matter-of-factly, as if by determination alone she could keep Giles from anything that might wish him harm. The look in her eyes made Giles quite believe that she could.

“I trust you, you know,” he said, and it was more for himself than for her. An affirmation that this was, in fact, someone he could trust, regardless of the secrets she might be keeping.

Jenny blinked, then smiled, and the guiltlessness of her smile confirmed it: whatever it was she was hiding from him, she didn’t think it something that might hurt him in the long run. He could understand that sort of secret. “I trust you too,” she said, a half-laugh in her voice, like she couldn’t possibly understand why he might want to tell her this.

Giles tried to smile in return.

They walked to the library together. Jenny, while still clearly shaken by Principal Flutie’s death, did seem comforted; Giles had no idea what he was feeling. Almost all of the secrets kept from Jenny had been justified by the fact that she would eventually be leaving his life, but now…true as it was that he didn’t know everything about her, it was also true that she was clearly a woman to be trusted. Staying married to her while not telling her what she had signed up for felt thoroughly dishonest.

Thankfully, the children were discussing the matter at hand when they entered, which meant that Giles was once again back on the Watcher clock. “Right now I'm a little more worried about what the rest of the pack are up to,” Buffy was saying, and Giles felt Jenny wince next to him.

“The rest of the pack were spotted outside Herbert the mascot's cage,” said Giles, doing his best to keep his tone steady. He wasn’t quite sure if he managed. “They were sent to the principal's office.”

“Good! That'll show 'em,” said Willow emphatically. When Giles and Jenny didn’t respond, she faltered. “Did it show 'em?”

Jenny let out a shaking breath, her hand tightening around Giles’s.

“They didn't hurt him, did they?” Buffy asked, but it sounded as though she already knew the answer.

“They ate him,” said Jenny quietly.

Willow sat down, slowly. “They ate Principal Flutie?” Buffy asked.

“Ate him up?” Willow added.

“According to the vice principal, wild dogs ate him, but, uh, that’s about as likely as…” Jenny trailed off, waving a hand.

“A science teacher with his head missing,” Giles finished darkly. Jenny flinched. Belatedly, Giles remembered that this amount of death wasn’t something Jenny was at all used to. “Jenny,” he said quietly, “we can continue to look into this without you, if you need some time—”

“No,” said Jenny. Her hand was now gripping Giles’s tight enough to cut off circulation.

“Xander didn’t eat anybody, though,” said Willow suddenly. “He was with Buffy.”

Jenny let go of Giles’s hand to step towards the book cage, which was when Giles noticed the slumped figure of Xander lying across the floor. “Oh!” he said. “Well, that’s a small—no, Jenny, don’t get too close,” he added sharply, pulling her hastily back. “We don’t know what he’s capable of.”

“Guys, how do we stop this?” Buffy asked, still visibly shaken. “How do you trans-possess someone?”

“We’re missing a lot of pieces,” said Jenny, “and we’re running out of time.”

“There’s some talk of a predatory act, but the exact ritual is, um…” Giles trailed off, thinking. “The Malleus Maleficarum deals in—”

“That’s demonic possession, Rupert,” said Jenny shortly. “We don’t want the demon transferred from human to human, we want the hyena back in the hyena.”

There was a strange, surprised silence. “You know my books,” said Giles, unable to stop himself from smiling.

“Light reading,” said Jenny, blushing. “My point is that until we know more—”

“Betcha that zookeeper could tell us,” said Buffy suddenly. “Maybe he didn't quarantine those hyenas because they were sick.”

“We should talk to him,” Giles suggested.

“Okay,” said Buffy, and took two steps towards the exit before stopping. “Oh, wait, somebody's gotta watch Xander—”

“I will,” said Willow.

“No way,” said Jenny sharply. “If he wakes up—”

“I’ll be fine!” Willow objected. “I know Xander, it’s—”

“That’s not Xander, Willow,” said Jenny. “That’s something else. If you’re staying, I’m staying with you.”

Giles’s mind immediately jumped from dead pigs to Flutie’s remains to coming back and finding Jenny in pieces across the library floor. “Jenny, I don’t think—” he began.

“You’re not leaving a teenager alone with a possessed kid!” Jenny snapped. “That is a recipe for more people dead, and I won’t be having any more deaths today if there’s anything I can do to stop them!”

Buffy and Willow both looked a little impressed at this, though the latter also looked somewhat annoyed at being labeled a teenager. Jenny had a point, Giles knew, but the thought of leaving her anywhere that wasn’t with him, especially when there were possessed hyenas on the loose…

The words tumbled out of Giles before he had quite realized what he was saying. “You talk so much about the deaths you want to prevent, Jenny,” he said. “What do you think it would do to me if I knew I could have prevented yours?”

The furious look on Jenny’s face froze. She looked honestly speechless.

Giles found himself stunned by his own words as well. Trusting Jenny was one thing, but this unexpected depth of emotion she inspired—this was altogether another. “I care—deeply—about you,” he said clumsily; it felt woefully inadequate, but it would have to do. “I think you should know that.” Turning to face his wife, he took her hands. “You’re right to stay with Willow,” he said. “And it’s selfish of me to want you at my side. Please, dear, just be careful.” Nodding to a stunned Buffy, he let go of Jenny and headed out of the library, not entirely ready to look back. If anything happened to Jenny while he was gone, he didn’t know what he would do.

Of bloody course the pack would come back for Xander. The abject terror that Giles felt as he raced through the hallways was unlike anything he had experienced before. Jenny had stayed behind to help. If anything had happened to her…

Giles caught sight of Buffy hitting one of the pack members with a fire extinguisher, and then Jenny tumbled through the half-open classroom door and into his arms. On impulse, he kissed her very hard, then held her tightly to him as Willow stumbled through as well. “I’m so sorry, I hadn’t thought they’d come back for Xander—” he stammered, all but dizzy with relief.

“Adds some spice to life, doesn’t it?” said Jenny, just as they caught sight of three other pack members down the hall.

“Run!” Buffy shouted. Willow obliged. Giles, absolutely unwilling to let go of Jenny, scooped her up in his arms before she could object. “Rupert!” she shrieked, but he was already following Buffy and Willow into the computer lab, slamming the door shut behind them. Buffy pushed past him to lock it; he set Jenny down.

“God, are you five?”Jenny demanded, face flushed. “I can run by myself!”

“I didn’t—want—I thought you might be dead,” Giles managed, touching her cheek very gently.

Jenny blinked, startled, then gave him a small, relieved smile, leaning into his hand. “Well,” she said. “I’m not. So no worries.”

“If you two are done being married,” said Buffy, but without as much of her usual exasperation behind it, “we’ve gotta get the pack back to the zoo.”

Giles wavered. “Individually, they’re almost as strong as you,” he began. “As a group, they’re—”

“Tough,” Buffy finished, “but getting stupider. You guys head to the zoo and I’ll figure out a way to get them there.”

Giles nodded, taking Jenny’s hand. Willow followed.

“There’s the Hyena House,” said Willow, pointing down the path. “Where’s the zookeeper?”

“He must be preparing for the ritual,” said Giles. “I’ll go in to help—” He paused, glancing at Jenny. “Jenny, would you come with me? Your expertise in this area has served us well thus far.”

“Just laying on the compliments tonight, aren’t you?” said Jenny, looking genuinely flattered. “Willow, warn us as soon as you see them coming.” She fell into step with Giles as they hurried down the path, then tugged on his sleeve, stopping them once they were a good distance away from Willow.

“What is it?”

“What you said,” said Jenny. She looked a little nervous. “About…caring about me, and, and wanting me next to you. And then kissing me like that when you got back, I didn’t know…I mean, I knew you and I finally reached a kind of okay place, but Rupert, I’ve never seen you like that before.”

“This is uncharted territory for both of us, to be honest,” said Giles, which was the closest to the truth that he could give her.

Jenny gave him a small, fluttery smile, one of those special ones that he’d begun to realize only came out around him. “Hey, c’mere,” she said softly, and gripped his scarf, pulling him gently down into a quiet kiss.

“Um, Giles?” called Willow from up the path, sounding a little exasperated.

Jenny pulled back, wincing. “Duty calls,” she said, looking a little embarrassed.

“And here I was sure it was too dark for her to see us,” muttered Giles, grabbing Jenny’s hand and pulling her along. As they ducked under the tape, he called, “Doctor? Um—zookeeper?”The zookeeper rounded the corner, face painted. “Ah,” said Giles, relieved. “The traditional Masai ceremonial garb. Very good.”

‘We all set for the trans-possession?” Jenny asked.

“Almost,” said the zookeeper.

Giles then noticed the markings on the floor. “Oh, right, yes!” he said. “The sacred circle! Yes, you’d need that to…” He trailed off, frowning. “But this would be here when…”

“Rupert,” said Jenny slowly, “it’s not possible to pull off a trans-possession without some planning beforehand.”

“I’m quite aware of that, Jenny,” said Giles, looking again at the zookeeper. The man was watching them both with a sharp, wary expression.

“People died,” said Jenny. Her eyes were flashing as she tugged her hand free of Giles’s, stepping forward and towards the zookeeper. “You are so much worse than some fucking vampire. People died because of your stupid attempt at a power trip. Kids are going to have to deal with the knowledge that they ate a person.How do you justify inflicting that on children?”

Without warning, the zookeeper lashed out, hitting Jenny hard with his staff. She fell to the ground, unconscious.

The last thing Giles thought before the staff swung in his direction was I really need to get better at figuring these things out.

He woke up in a cramped storage closet, Jenny leaning against him. Wincing, he pulled himself to his feet, keeping a steadying hand on the small of Jenny’s back.

“Does every night with you end with us knocked out?” Jenny mumbled as he opened the door.

“I’d say it’s an unfortunately safe bet,” said Giles ruefully. “My apologies.” Blinking up and around at the Hyena House, he added to Buffy, Willow, and Xander, “Did we miss anything?”

“More like everything,” Buffy began, then winced sympathetically. “You guys get knocked out?”

“The amount of head trauma that this job entails is ridiculous,” Giles muttered, hugging Jenny to his side. “You’re all right, dear?”

“Ugh,” said Jenny.

“My sentiments exactly,” said Giles.

“Listen, you guys should, uh, probably head home,” said Buffy, who was looking a little worriedly at the disoriented Jenny. “Or maybe to a hospital?”

“No, I’m cool!” said Jenny, tried to stand up without help, lost her balance, and fell into Giles’s side. Giles fell into the wall.

“Sure,” said Buffy, mouth twitching. “Okay. You two can meet us at the car, then?” Without waiting for an answer, she turned to Willow and Xander, beginning to gently fuss over the latter.

“Hey, I actually have a quick errand to run,” said Jenny, raising a hand to rub the back of her head. She still looked a little shaky on her feet, but she wasn’t quite as unsteady. “Is it okay if I meet you back at home?”

“Jenny—” Giles began, then stopped.

“Yeah?” Jenny met his eyes, holding his stare with a determined resolve.

Giles considered. Then he said, “I’ll see you at home, dear. Do be careful,” and dropped a kiss to her forehead.

He trusted her. It felt like the right choice.

[kohanayaki]

Caught in the Middle (Steve Harrington x Reader x Billy Hargrove) Ch 4

Links: Ch 1   Ch 2   Ch 3  Ch 4  Ch 5  Ch 6  Ch 7

_____________________________________________________

Ch 4 .:A Date?:.

Sunlight streamed in through your window, ribbons of light cascading across your bed sheets. You could hear the faint sound of birds chirping as the morning greeted you.

And you felt like complete and utter shit. 

You groaned, your head pounding, as you tried to block out some of the light with your pillow. You'd gotten home last night at 2:00 on the dot, feeling fine. In fact, you even caught up on some homework before you went to sleep. Now you just felt like you'd been hit by a truck.

You looked over at the time, reluctantly getting out of bed when you saw how late in the morning it was. The kids were biking over in half an hour to go to the mall and you looked like hell.

You padded down the hallway, mustering up a weak laugh when you saw your brother passed out in his room, knowing he'd probably wake up to the same fate as you. 

As you made your way downstairs the smell of breakfast food made your stomach rumble on instinct. You were 'hydrated' plenty last night, but there wasn't much actual food. Your eyes lit up as you rounded the corner and saw your dad plating up some eggs, bacon, and pancakes. He grinned as he saw you, setting the plate down on the table in front of you. 

“And how is my daughter doing this fine morning?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“Swell,” you said sarcastically.

He laughed, walking over to the cabinet to get you some Tylenol and a glass of water. 

“Trust me, I know the feeling,” he said, “I can't really say anything on this one, I'd be lying if I said I haven't done worse when I was your age. That hangover is punishment enough. Just drink water throughout the day, and go on and eat something greasy while you're at the mall too. But get your blood sugar up right now, I don't want you back in that car until your head's clear, you understand?”

“Will do,” you said, already stuffing your face, “Thanks, dad.”

“You're welcome,” he smiled, “Love you, drive safe.”

“Love you too,” you said through a mouthful of bacon. 

As he retreated back into his office you savored the taste of the feast he made for you. You smiled fondly as you did. Your dad didn't really cook until he became a single parent. When he took on the full responsibility of raising you and your brother, he tried his best to fill your mom's role, following the old recipe books she'd left behind. His first attempts were a general health hazard, but as time went on he actually turned out to be a great cook.

The sudden ringing of bicycle bells outside your house made you scarf down the rest of your plate, snatching your car keys off the table. 

You opened the front door to see the whole gang waiting for you.

“I swear, the only time you guys are on time for anything is when you're leeching off of me,” you said, unlocking the car and leaving them to figure out the seating.

“You know us so well,” Dustin said, hopping into the shotgun seat before anyone else could take it. 

“I forgot to ask earlier, but how was that summer camp you went to, Dustin?” you asked, turning on the engine.

“It was so cool,” he beamed, “Our counselor taught us how to make all kinds of inventions. I made a self-nailing hammer, a wind powered clock, and a radio tower so I can talk to my girlfriend whenever I want since her parents monitor her phone calls.”

“Girlfriend?” you turned to look at him. He smiled back at you, bright as anything.

“Yeah, we were surprised too,” Max said from the back.

“Although we're not sure she actually exists,” Mike chimed in, “Apparently she's as hot as Phoebe Cates.”

“Hotter than Phoebe Cates,” Dustin corrected, “And she's a genius too.”

“Riiight,” Lucas said. 

“Well I think she sounds great, Dusty,” you said, “It's pretty romantic you built that radio tower just to talk to her.”

“It's the strongest communications network in Hawkins across 150 channels,” he said proudly.

“Well, that's certainly impressive,” you grinned, ruffling his hair. 

Soon you pulled up to one of the many entrances to the mall, stopping at the curb. 

“Well, this is your stop, guys,” you said, “What are you gonna see?”

“The Stuff,” Mike said excitedly. 

“Isn't that rated R?” you questioned, a brow raised. 

All of them looked at each other, slightly panicked.

“Well, we'll see you later, (Y/n)!” Lucas said, flinging open the back door and getting out as fast as he could. Everyone else quickly fled after him, running towards the theater. You shook your head. They got themselves into a lot of shenanigans, but admittedly you were the one instigating it most of the time when you were younger, even if you were the babysitter. 

However, as soon as the kids left for the movie you were painfully reminded of the throbbing headache you had. You groaned as one of the strobe lights around the movie theater glared in your face, not helping matters in the slightest. 

You knew eating a bunch of greasy food technically didn't do anything for a hangover, but it sure made you feel a hell of a lot better emotionally. With that in mind you decided to walk over to the Burger Chef located inside the mall for a little pick me up. 

Luckily for you there wasn't much of a line. Only a few people were scattered around the seating area at the food court. You were looking over the menu hanging on the wall when a familiar voice broke your train of thought.

“(Y/n)?”

You looked around at the sound of your name to see Steve looking back at you, just as surprised. 

“Hey,” you said. You took a moment to look over him. He looked just as awful as you did, if you were honest. The deep-set bags under his tired eyes aged him an eternity, and he looked a bit green as well. 

“You too, huh?” You bit back a grin as you gave him a short laugh through your nose.

“Yeah,” he admitted, “In hind sight I probably shouldn't have mixed liquors, but hey, there's nothing I can do about it now. Figured some fries might help.”

“They always do,” you said, “What are you doing here, anyways? Aren't you on your shift at Scoops?” You noticed he was still in his work uniform.

“Lunch break,” he explained, “I don't really have long, but we can grab a table if you want.”

“I'd like that,” you smiled.

Steve was a little surprised at his own forwardness. Apparently he was hungover enough to not overthink everything that came out of his mouth. However he was even even more surprised at you agreeing to sit down with him. He didn't know why his brain was making such a big deal out of this; you ate lunch with him every day and hung out together all the time, but then again that was also including a group of other people. You and Steve had never really spent time together when it was just the two of you, except for when you iced his busted face after the basketball stunt, which hardly counted as a first date. 

He felt uncharacteristically nervous as he slid into the booth next to you. A year ago he would have been pulling out all the stops to make you his, but now he just wasn't so sure anymore. He was never afraid of rejection before, but when he thought of you as the one rejecting him he figured it would be better to not say anything at all. 

'Get yourself together,' Steve thought to himself, 'It's just lunch with a friend. Friends do that!'

“Penny for your thoughts, Popeye?” you said, flicking the fabric of his sailor hat. 

“Huh?” Steve said, snapping out of it, “Oh, nothing, just, uh. . .” he quickly picked up a menu, hoping to cover the majority of his reddening face with it, “Looking at the XXL Supreme. 2Lb beef patty with bbq sauce, ranch, fried pickles, beer cheese and. . . yeah, that sounds pretty gross.”

“I'll probably stick to a regular burger,” you laughed, glancing at the menu over his shoulder. 

You were so close he could feel the heat coming off your body and smell the sweet scent of your perfume. He scolded himself for being so weak, forcing himself to concentrate only on the food. 

Right at that moment a waiter strolled up to you, writing pad in hand. 

“Hi. Welcome to Burger Chef,” he said, sounding just as dead inside as he looked, “How may I serve you today?”

“A double patty melt with cheddar,” Steve said, “And a coke, please.”

“I'm trying to decide between-” you stopped yourself as you looked up, staring at the waiter. You thought he looked familiar and it was then that you realized he was one of the guys that bullied your brother in middle school. Your eyes narrowed as you recalled how he and his friends cut the strings on Kyle's guitar when he brought it to school one day. 

You saw a flash of recognition in his eyes and your lips curved upwards.

“The classic burger, simple,” you said, the fakest smile you could muster on your face, “But on a sesame bun instead of the brioche, no mayo, extra mustard, add caramelized onions and extra cheese, and don't forget the pickles. If you could add shredded lettuce instead of the whole leaf that'd be great. Oh, and a Neapolitan shake with chocolate syrup and no whipped cream.”

“We don't have a Neapolitan shake,” he said irritably and slightly panicked, trying to write everything down. 

“Well I heard in your commercial if you just ask, an employee would be happy to mix any of the milkshake flavors together,” you said, your smirk widening. What could you say? Being a bitch was fun sometimes- especially when the person on the receiving end was a total dickhead. 

“Coming right up,” the waiter said through his teeth.

Steve looked between the two of you before the waiter stormed off to the kitchen window, slamming his hand down on the bell with more force than necessary.

“So, what'd he do?” Steve chuckled.

“Bullied my brother really bad in school,” you said, “What goes around comes around, though. In a few years Kyle will be off to LA to start touring with his band and this guy will still be here covered in fry grease wearing a burger shaped hat.”

“Well I hope that's not my fate,” Steve said, only half joking as he took his uniform hat off, twirling it in his hands. 

You could tell even though he tried to hide behind the humor it was something he really was concerned about. 

“Hey, don't worry about it,” you said, nudging his shoulder lightly, “You're not an asshole. . . anymore.”

You managed to get a laugh out of him at the end and you smiled, glad you were at least able to cheer him up some.

“Seriously, though, it's fine to not know what you want to do with your life yet,” you said, “Hell, I know grown ass men who still don't know what they're doing. You don't have to go to some fancy college to do something great.”

Steve looked at you, thinking over your words. He thought it was crazy how you were his age but you were so much more mature and optimistic than he was. The way you thought was unlike anyone he's met before in Hawkins, and it only further intensified his wanting to get to know you.

“Thanks, (Y/n),” he smiled.

Meanwhile, your little crew of gremlins had finished their film, now making their way to the food court for lunch.

“What do you think The Stuff tastes like?” Lucas asked to no one in particular.

“I bet it's like Betty Crocker frosting,” Dustin said dreamily.   

“Um can we not talk about how sentient parasitic goo tastes? Because we're literally about to go eat,” Max said.

Suddenly Dustin stopped in his tracks, making Will run into his back. 

“Dustin, what the hell?” Mike said, screeching to a halt before he could collide with Will. 

“No way,” Dustin said, staring far off some place the others couldn't see.

“What's wrong?” El asked, confused. 

Dustin pulled his friends behind the shrubbery next to the fountain, ducking in the cover as he peeked his head out slightly. 

“They're on a date!” Dustin said, a little too loudly. He ignored the stares he got from passersby as he continued to watch you and Steve laugh over your burgers in your shared booth.

“(Y/n) and Steve?” Mike said, “I thought he was still hung up over Nancy breaking up with him.”

“Well clearly the man's moved on,” Lucas said.

Max rolled her eyes, hitting him on the arm.

“Ow!” Lucas exclaimed, turning to her, “What was that for?”

“Just because a guy and a girl are hanging out doesn't mean it's a 'date',” she pointed out, “Maybe they're just good friends. I've seen them around each other a lot at school.”

“I think he finally worked up the courage to ask her out for real,” Dustin started theorizing, ignoring Max completely. 

“What do you mean for real?” Will asked.

“It's so obvious he's into her but he's scared of striking out,” Dustin said, “That whole Nancy situation really struck a blow to his self confidence.”

Mike tried to get a better look at what you two were doing, leaning over El's shoulder and squinting at the burger place. Suddenly his footing slipped from under him as he accidentally took a step on the wet tile near the fountain and fell on his ass into a bush. 

“Shit!”

You and Steve stopped eating your burgers and turned around at the sudden noise, but saw nothing but a ruffle in the plants nearby. 

“That was weird,” you said, looking around. 

“Yeah,” Steve said, “Well, it's bear season, you never know when they'll sneak up on you.”

You laughed at that, the sound making Steve's heart flutter. He loved your laugh, even more so when he knew he was the cause of it. 

Suddenly Steve remembered his shift was probably starting, his lunch break was less than an hour long.

“Shit, I should've been back ten minutes ago,” Steve said, looking down at his watch, “My shift already started.”

“Oh, sorry,” you said, “I didn't mean for this to go on for so long.”

Steve looked surprised, shaking his head vigorously. 

“No, no, I liked it,” he said, not fully registering how the sentence sounded out loud until your cheeks flushed.

“I-I mean-”

“I get it,” you laughed softly, “I liked it too.”

Steve felt like his heart was just shot through with cupid's arrow as you smiled up at him and offered to walk him back to Scoops. He hadn't felt this way since Nancy. After she broke his heart he was convinced he would never get over her, but now you were here, occupying all the free space in his mind despite only knowing you for a short while. What the hell was going on with him?

His mental debate came to an unceremonious stop when he realized you were already in front of the ice cream shop.

Steve turned to you and did his best to sound indifferent. He had a really good time, but he didn't know if you felt the same way.

“Well, I better get back to it,” he said, clearing his throat awkwardly, “You know, suit up, sling ice cream, appease the masses-”

“We should do this again sometime,” you said, effectively flipping the 'off' switch on his rambling. 

Steve seemed to freeze in this plane of existence, staring at you with wide eyes.

“Yeah! I mean, that's what I was gonna ask you, but I didn't know if you wanted to, and. . .” he trailed off, kicking himself again.   

'When you talk you just make it worse,' he mentally scolded himself.

You laughed a bit at his flushed face.

'Adorable,' you thought. For being the former king of Hawkins High, he was still a giant dork.

“Well I'll definitely see you around this time, then,” you smiled, reminded of your first day back. Things were different between you two now, but that wasn't a bad thing at all.

You walked out of Scoops Ahoy feeling lighter, a smile on your face and your headache long forgotten. With your disastrous dating history, maybe Steve Harrington was the kind of guy who could be good for you right now.

The very thought made you feel giddy inside, but as you said yourself before, life had a funny way of changing your plans completely.

Read Chapter 5 here!

Taglist: @in-my-dreams-2000 @ggclarissa @iris1697 @5sosxgrethan @ohnoniella @sarcasticalphaofthelooserspack @aspiring-fangirls-world @wow-im-so-tired @hopesxxhigh @justanothercrazyassfangirl @too-many-lanes @whimsylavender @bish-ima-clown @amarachoren @mosiacbrokenheartstf @mcuvlxgs @xapham @metuel18 @immirandaq @nellaphine @multi-madison @gingertalksshit @jojo-buttercup @kyberhearts @mvdelaine @minnie-marvel @caitlin-rose28 @zandaleekrz @r3inventedd @void-fire-rose @macymafia @wanna-be-idle @newtsshelbys @kimmydespell @weyheyokay @r4ttusr4ttus @cynthianokamaria

[riderfastsentaistrong]

A Return from the Void

It was early morning in the back streets of Fuuto. An old repair shop sat untouched for almost three years. The sign had been torn down and the entrances boarded up. Supposedly the owner had disappeared without a trace. Another unsolved mystery in the Windy City.

The air in the alleyway out in front of the shop filled with an inexplicable energy as the sun broke the horizon. The energy increased as sparks started to fill the air. Soon, arcs of electricity and a strangely colored fog filled the alleyway as an awful grinding noise made itself known. Finally a thundering KRAK echoed through the alley as space itself tore open and deposited a blue Police Box into the alley, spinning and crashing from wall to wall.

Smoke poured from the doors and windows of the box and soon two young-looking men with tattered clothing stumbled out from it, spluttering and gasping for air before falling over onto the ground, taking long, labored breaths and savoring the crisp feeling of fresh air as it entered their lungs.

The two men slowly stood and attempted to gather themselves. The confused men in the alley were Kevin Allistair and Kyle Powers - warriors of justice who had been plucked from the same world, but different places in time, to fight a great evil.

Kyle was kidnapped by SHOCKER in 1994 and put into cryostasis until 2016, being gradually upgraded over the course of 20 years in the hopes of being their secret weapon against the Legendary Seven Kamen Riders. Instead, like his predecessors, he escaped, and found tutelage under Shigeru Jo, whom SHOCKER had used as a template for his early-stage cybernetics, taking up the name Kamen Rider Ohm. His hands and forearms were bare, unlike his usual habit of wearing gloves. Without gloves or a long shirt to cover his hands and arms, the cybernetics beneath were visible. The small motions of his fingers were accompanied by the clicking of neglected machinery and the sparking of energy.

Kevin is a Kyoryuger from a potential version of the year 2025, and the son of Kyle’s younger sister, though the two did not know of their relation until they were plucked out of time. Kevin is a psychology major at Tintreach University in America. He serves as the Red of his team, KyoryuShield, with ZyuDenRyu Styrashield serving as his partner. Kevin stood with his arm trained on his NEO Gaburivolver, a model of the Kyoryuger’s sidearm that had been granted to his team in the future, trading the yellow & black with silver highlights color scheme for blue & white with green highlights. 

Kevin was the one who broke the silence first, his clenched fist wiping sweat from his lips before he spoke.

“Uncle Kyle…where are we? What happened?”

“Last i remember...I think John sent the TARDIS away from where we just were. That last fight wasn’t looking good. And now…” Kyle walked up to the abandoned repair shop and ran a trembling hand over the boards covering the garage door. “I think we’re home, kiddo. Or at least, our home world. The time factor…to be determined. I don’t think the TARDIS was really worried about precise days when getting us out of that mess.”

Kevin sighed and let his hand fall from beside his Gaburivolver. As he did, a beam of light shone through the smoke pouring out of the TARDIS’ doors. The light coalesced into a three-dimensional image of a man. A tall, slim man in a suit with coiffed hair. John Smith.

‘This is Emergency Program One. Boys, if you’re watching this, it can only mean one thing. We’re in danger; it’s something immensely dangerous, and I see no way out for us. I’m either dead...or about to die at the hands of whatever you were just facing.’

Kevin’s heart sank and he tried to sprint into the vast interior of the blue box, only to be held back by his uncle.

‘It’s okay, boys. I lived a good life. But when we started this journey together I promised to protect you. So that’s what I’m doing. Emergency Program One is designed to take you back to Earth. For good.’

Kevin struggled against his uncle’s grip, tears streaming down his face as the program continued to play.

‘I know you can’t be taking this well.’ The hologram lamented, breaking its stoic stance, and rubbing the back of its neck. ‘Over the past few years I’ve grown to regard you two as family. And I’m sorry that I have to break your trust like this. But I can’t let my overconfidence in my abilities put you, or the rest of the multiverse, at risk.’

“JOHN!” Kevin yelled, sobbing as he struggled futilely to free himself. Kyle, also, quietly cried, pulling his nephew into a tight hug.

‘If I may, though, I would ask a few tiny favors, if you’d be so kind.’ the hologram teased, looking at the ground pensively, and smiling in spite of itself, before returning to attention. ‘First. Leave the TARDIS where it is. Lock it up and let it rot. Let it become an oddity. Second - and this one’s a bit selfish, but humor me - I think I left my Sonic in the console room. Find a nice place to put it to rest, yeah? And lastly...I want to thank you for letting me be a part of your family these past few years, boys. It was something I didn’t realize I needed. So take it from me...don’t forget to cherish each other, alright? Because take it from me, Kyle. Kevin.’

The hologram took a step toward the two and for a fleeting moment, it seemed like John was there with them again.

“You two are brilliant, you are. Never forget that.”

The hologram faded and Kevin let out a yell of anguish as he finally broke free from his uncle’s grasp and darted into the TARDIS. He looked around, trying his best to ignore the malfunctioning, broken, or otherwise dangerous- looking equipment on the alien ship. He went to try to blind pilot the ship but suddenly became aware of all the lights dimming and the engine grinding to a stop. Kevin started frantically throwing levers up and down in a display of futility before his shoulders were gripped by his uncle.

“Kevin. We can’t go back for him. We need to get out of here before the dimensions start collapsing on each other.”

“Kyle, we can’t just leave him there. We were fighting JUDO! He’s going to--”

“Exactly. He knew what we were up against. He knew what going against that alone meant. He knew what sending us back here without him meant. He’s gone, Kevin. We need to move on.”

Kevin stifled a sob, before frantically glancing around. He noticed a futuristic-looking sword protruding out of the console, as if it had been deliberately jammed into the mechanisms to deter a return trip. The young Kyoryuger pulled it free of the alien metal and fled the ship. The two locked the doors behind them and felt the TARDIS give a shudder as its insides started to collapse on themselves.

Kevin and Kyle exchanged a morose glance before tightly embracing and finally let the tears flow unstifled. As the two mourned the loss of their friend and comrade, a gentle shower of rain began to fall on Fuuto.