#l.a. guns imagine

[iovesia]

RUN, RABBIT, RUN.

𝒔𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔. you've had your fun— trying to escape his clutches. now you better run and hide. because with constantine on the way, he'll make sure you won't slip away so easily again.

warnings. extremely dubious consent. blackmail. toxic relationship. p in v. degrading. size kink. dacryphilia. stalking. slight god complex. manhandling. not proof read.

pairings. mean!perv!constantine ⠀𝒙⠀crybaby!fem!reader.

josie’s note .⁺ ˖ ⌒ this is my first official constantine fic, i'm so excited to share with you guys! i tried to combine the loads of asks i got about him and the blackmail trope, so i hope you guys like it. this is my first time writing a full smut fic, so please be nice 🫂 — hope you enjoy ♡ !!

#. requests are open. ⠀masterlist.⠀keanu reeves masterlist.

Two weeks.

Two weeks since you broke up with Constantine 

Fourteen days since you cried, and shakily told him to get out. 

Three hundred, thirty six hours since you slammed the door shut in his face.

Twenty thousand, one hundred and sixty minutes since he’s been lurking around your place, unbeknownst to you. His naive, little dumb thing. Watching your every move.

The rain pattered harshly against the roof of his taxi, as he glared upwards at you through your window. Your run down apartment complex was generous enough to have a giant glass panel, to which Constantine could admire you through. He watched as you gently rubbed lotion on your hands, caressing your own soft skin.

His eyes fluttered shut, remembering how those hands felt wrapped around his co—.

“John, what are we doing here?”

Chas, Constantine’s young apprentice, sighed and rested his head against the steering wheel. Constantine resisted the urge to roll his eyes, his gaze fixated on you as he placed another cancer-stick in between his lips.

“Investigating.”

“We’re not investigating, we’re stalking your ex—”

“She’s not my ex,” Constantine snapped uncharacteristically, even Chas raised a brow. For someone as calm and collected as Constantine, seeing even an ounce of passion behind those dark eyes was a shock.

“Jeez.. sorry,” The younger boy mumbled. He shifted in his seat, leaning over to the passengers seat to catch a glimpse of what captured Constantine’s attention.

“Focus on the road,” The older man commanded, momentarily shifting his eyes to Chas, shooting daggers at his eager apprentice. Unfortunately, when Constantine looked back out the window, he watched disappointedly as you pulled your curtains closed. The silhouette of your tantalising figure left a lot to the imagination.

His hand trailing up through the valley of your breasts, while the other cups your cun—

“Let’s go,” Constantine scoffs, tossing out the butt of his cigarette onto the dirty L.A sidewalk. Chas nods wordlessly as he pulls the gear shift, the engine of the car humming to life.

⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀

This was next level insanity, even for John Constantine, who specialises in paranormal and demon-hunting. Having been stalking you for the last two weeks, he gathered a rough outline of your daily routine. When he wasn’t busy loitering Midnite’s bar, or gunning down half-breeds back to hell— he invited himself into your apartment. 

Invited is a generous euphemism for what one would call “breaking and entering”. Amidst your heated argument, two weeks ago (now, two and a half— but it’s not as if Constatine’s not keeping track..), you hurriedly pushed him out the door, leaving him with his own copy of your keys. 

If the first crime wasn’t heinous enough, snooping was slowly edging itself onto the list. Constantine traced his finger along your dresser, before carefully pulling open the first drawer, revealing your undergarments. Constantine swallowed the lump in his throat, ignoring the slow blood rush down his lower body. 

Hooking his index finger into the waistband, he lifts up a pair of undies. Oh, his favourite pair. The white panties with red waistband and a pretty red bow in the front. 

“I’m ready, I-I really want to,” you pressed your lips into a thin line, glancing upwards at Constantine. You laid back on the bed, with him straddling you as he cranes his neck to the crook of your neck. 

“Want to.. what?” He teases, coaxing the words out your mouth. "Use your words."

Embarrassment flooding your face as you close your eyes. A heat blooms in your lower regions when you feel Constantine press his thumb against your panty-covered clit. “I-I want you to.. be my f-first..” you stammer as he begins rubbing soft circles.

Granted these weren’t the original ones, as he had ruthlessly torn them off your pretty little body that night. Must’ve gotten another pair, he thinks to himself as he slowly slides them into his jacket pocket.

The demon-hunter turns his attention over to your bed; dishevelled as ever, with half the blanket on the floor. You were never very organised and Constantine often chastised you for it.

“It’s like a damn tornado blew in here,” Constantine grimaces at the state of your room. Not that he particularly cared— his place looked considerably worse, but he just could never seem to stop those cruel taunts from slipping past his lips.

“Sorry,” you murmur, shame evident in your voice. 

Constantine smirks to himself as he glances down at his magnum opus. His first trick up his sleeve.

You were always the photographer in the relationship, but it's time you were the muse.

⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀

“Oh, son of a bitch!” You rattle your keys in the keyhole, internally cursing at the landlord for never considering a renovation for this decrepit apartment complex. The rusty door squeaked open, allowing you to rush in and dump the bag of groceries onto your kitchen counter. 

Since you’ve last seen your ex-boyfriend, you’ve practically eaten (or thrown in a fit of rage) all the food in your apartment in a state of heartbreak and depression. The empty silence was deafening, as you were normally used to the sound of Constantine cleaning his guns or pouring you two a glass of whiskey.

The floor creaked as you walked through your unlit hallway to your room. Along with rusty doors came the lack of electricity. Constantine always pushed for you to move into his place, as he was getting sick of coming over to this “dump”— but clearly that wasn’t a plan for you anymore. 

You enter your dreary bedroom, ignoring the sudden prickling sensation spreading across the back of her neck, as if something was watching her. 

“Jesus, it’s so dark..” you continue muttering to yourself, vehemently pressing on and off on your lights. The lights finally flicker on, revealing the horror splashed across the room.

Your heart drops.

Hundreds of polaroids lying on your bed, and the floor. Most of them— if not all of them are of you, in very compromising positions. You rush towards your bed, tears pricking your eyes and fear washing over you as you pick up a random polaroid with faint scribbling on the back. Upclose, it was a photograph of you splayed on the bed, your breasts covered in hickeys and stomach covered in cum. You see a familiar tattooed forearm in the photograph, his fingers plunged deep into your cunt. Looking at the bottom of the polaroid, you’re able to make out the poor penmanship. 

“For.. my.. bunny,” you whisper aloud.

“Took you long enough.”

A sultry voice interrupts your thoughts. You whip your body around, and gasp at the sight of him in the corner of your room. Constantine’s hand reaches for the door handle, slamming it shut and curtly locking it.

You were now trapped in the lion's den— and he was starving.

“You’re sick,” you spit at him, tossing the polaroid at him. Your chest tightened and your breath shaking as you tried to put distance between you and the devil incarnate. The tall, brooding, man edged closer to you. “W-What is this? W-Where?.. When?”

“I have plenty more, so I wouldn’t worry your empty little head of yours about how I got them,” Constantine quirks a brow, a shit eating grin etching on his lips. Your lower lip wobbled, and the familiar sting in your throat bloomed. 

“You’re s-sick!” You stammer, overwhelmed with this betrayal. Even from the start you weren’t a fan of Constantine’s obsession with using a camera during sex. But, with his smooth tongue, and honeyed words, you were too fucked out your mind to even care when he pulled out a camera from the nightstand.

“I want you out! Now!” Your fists push against his chest, barely even knocking him back. His eyes narrowed into slits, letting out a small scoff. Suddenly, he reaches for your forearm, spinning you around till your back connected with his chest. Letting out a cry, you thrashed fruitlessly in his grip. 

“Now, now. Play nice,” he shuffles through his jacket pocket and retrieves a small camcorder camera. Out of breath, you remain in his firm grasp, your nails digging into his arm. Constantine flips open the side of the camera, and the screen freezes for a second before loading. Even with the poor pixelated quality, you recognized it immediately. You swallow  a lump in your throat as he presses play.

“Oh— Oh, god, John. Mhmm.. y-you feel so good.” 

The distorted audio echoed through the room, and you felt your ears burning. Shutting your eyes, you turn your head away from the video. 

“No, no, no, you don’t. This is the best part,” he nudges the back of your shoulder, and reluctantly you glance back at the camera. 

“Please, please, please, let me cum. Oh fuck!”

“Turn this off!” You shout, feeling as though you were going to implode with humiliation. Constantine, on the other hand, couldn’t get enough of this. He watched intently at the twitch of your brows, the wobble of your lower lip, and the hot tears brimming your waterline.

⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀

Constantine finally released you and your body met the soft comforter of the bed. Before you could try to scramble away, a weight was pressed down on you as Constantine straddled you. With one knee planted in between your thighs, a hand wrapped around your wrists, pinning you down.

“Oh God, John— let me go!” you wail.

“I am your God.”

His knee shuffles closer to your clothed cunt, applying enough pressure to make you throb. You hated the pain he inflicted on your heart, but craved the pleasure he inflicted on your body. You clenched your fists, aching to have something to hold onto. 

“You stupid, little thing,” he huffs, as his hand reaches for your jeans, unbuttoning them. Instinctively, you feel a wet patch in your panties, and the pulsing in your cunt. “You barely even tried to run, it’s almost as if you wanted me to get you back.”

You shake your head, goosebumps appearing on your skin as he pulls your pants down your legs, revealing your thighs. Covered in purple love bites, your face flushes with embarrassment. Constantine pushes your panties to the side, exposing your glistening cunt. Your breath hitches as he spreads your pussy lips with two fingers. He leaned closer, a glob of spit hitting your clit, making you arch your back. 

“My bratty girl, you like making a fuss, don’t you?” He coos, his thumb rubbing painfully slow circles on your hard bud. His grip loosens on your wrist and attaches itself to your neck. You press your nails into his wrist, leaving crescent moon shaped marks as you try to suppress the bubbling moans in your throat— not wanting to give him the satisfaction. “Look at that.. just a little attention from me, and the brat shuts up,” he snides.

You feel two fingers plunge into your hole, and a desperate mewl escapes your lips. You don’t miss the way Constantine’s eyes light up, and his grip tightening on your throat. “You’ve been a bad, fucking, girl, baby.” 

Your eyelids flutter as you try to keep them open, the overwhelming pleasure triumphs over the absurdity of the situation. “Think you should be punished? Maybe, I should show our little movies to your friends?”

Your head shoots up, but he quickly pushes you back down. “N-No, please— John, don’t.” Incessant pleas fall from your puffy lips. You start to squirm, moving your hips in momentum with his fingers, chasing for relief.

“Uh, uh, uh—” he tuts, stopping all motion and earning a choked sob from you. “Bad girls don’t get to cum. Now, what’d you say? I’ll make a couple copies… send them out—”

“John, p-please, I’m begging you. D-Don’t.”

His fingers retreat from your pussy, your hole empty and begging to be touched. The edging was torturous— as if your entire lower regions were aching. The shuffling of his belt buckle hits your ears as you close your eyes, letting the stray tears fall down your face. 

His hands were now harsh on your waist, as he positioned his flushed cock to your hole before slowly thrusting inside. A sinful moan escapes your throat, and your legs naturally wrapped around him, pulling him deeper inside. The sound of skin slapping fills the room in combination to your weak mewls, and his low groans. 

Constantine’s face now inches from yours and you could feel his hot breath on your cheek. You wrap your hand around his bicep, hiding your sweaty face and glassy eyes. Your fluttering walls haven’t gotten re-used to his large size quite yet. “I hate when y-you’re so mean to me,” you sob pathetically, with a heavy heart.

“I know, baby, I know,” he purrs, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek, and tasting your salty tears. “But, she doesn’t.” 

Your walls clench tighter around his cock at his words. Constantine’s low groans vibrating in your ear, you felt the knot in your core tighten.

“You pull this shit again, and I’m sending it to every goddamn person in Los Angeles. You got that, bunny?” He whispers venomously, pressing his face into the crook of your neck.

You reply with a weak nod, as he slows down his thrusts. 

“Say you love me,” he demands. Constantine’s fingers dig painfully into your cheeks as he forces you to look at him. Your vision blurry from all the tears, you could barely make out his silhouette.

“I-I—” you were interrupted by a particularly hard thrust. “I l-love you, John..”

“And?”

He begins to pick up the pace once again, his balls slapping harshly against the curve of your ass. Your puffy cunt was begging for release.

“I need you. I need you so badly, John,” you give in. You tell him what he wants to hear— what he knows. You do love him. Even with his vicious tongue, and cruel touch, you’ve never loved anyone more than him.

“There’s my girl,” he presses his lips to yours, swallowing your moans.

One day, just maybe, he’ll need you just as much as you need him.

﹙ ♡ ﹚─ taglist: @desoolate @ruskaroma @vezuiv @hypnoticvamp @sughcashsaiki @slutforsoldierboy @jaga2137 @br-2408 . . !

let me know if anyone wishes to be added ∗ ୧ ‧ ₊ ˚

[oweninadaydream]

𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 || 𝐂𝐇.𝟏

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 : Hangman is the certified ladies' man and everyone thinks they can read him like a book, but what neither the Dagger Squad nor anyone else can even begin to imagine is where the hell Jake has been going every Saturday night for the last few months…

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x male!character

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 : mentions of alcohol, some making out but nothing too smutty, emotional distress lmao, age gap relationship (27-35), some religious trauma, self-deprecating thoughts, post Top Gun : Maverick, the Dagger squad is stationed together.

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 : 2k

𝐚/𝐧 : Gif by @tay-swifts , M/N (Male Name). Hello beautiful people!!! I'm so exited about posting this project I've been working on for a while. I just wanted to say that since it's my first time writing for Jake this might be a bit OC Jake but I do hope I got it right hehe. Enjoy the fic and stay tuned for the next parts!!!

It was well after midnight when Jake arrived at the club’s entrance. The throbbing bass emanating from inside made the whole building shake, making his mind wonder what it would be like to live on top of such an obnoxiously loud place, contrasting with the quietness of the accommodations the Navy offered. The reflection of the neon sign reading  “Mon Ange” turned his natural olive-toned skin into a vivid dark azure that matched perfectly with the baby blue in his eyes. The smokers (all with stamps on their hands) were all gathered some feet away from the door to get back in after dragging a final puff from their cigarettes. The queue was not very long, mainly because everyone who was meant to be there had arrived way earlier than him. He reprimanded himself for getting there so late ; in less than two hours the nightclub would shut its doors and Jake would feel like he wasted four hours of his life for nothing. Well, his journey would not be in vain if he caught a glimpse of- 

“Jake”

This was L.A, a city 118 miles away from the Marine Corps Air Station located in Miramar, which is a two-hour long drive away from everything he knows. He had to remind himself of those facts to avoid spiraling  at the sound of his name in such a place; he hated how his body kept reacting to these kinds of situations, but not even a skilled lieutenant like himself could take the reins of these unnamed emotions that coursed through his entire being.

"What are you doing here by the door? I was worrying about you not showing up today, I was just about to send a search party. C'mon , let's grab a drink. Perhaps I can even convince you to dance this time" A wide playful smirk accompanied the flirty comment exquisitely and, even though Jake was more than used to these antics, his heart skipped a beat. Trying to compose himself, he answered while staring at the concrete floor. 

"I don't belong on that dance floor and y'know it, darlin' "

“Oh don’t say that, the 30s are the new 20s! … Even if you’re not planning to dance, you must’ve driven all the way over here for something, right?”

The damn question hit him like a truck. He could try to think of the right answer, but putting something into words made it terrifyingly real, and that was exactly what he'd been avoiding for months. The breeze made them both shiver, as the party outfits didn’t properly protect them from the chilly weather. 

“You're right” he muttered “Okay, lead the way. Make it worth the while, mh?" he teasingly replied. Even if what he was doing was definitely outside of his comfort zone, something about the constant banter between them calmed him.

"Don't you always have an amazing time with me? I thought that was why you only talk to me" a fake pout appeared on the face which Seresin couldn't help but to stare intensely in awe. Their hands intertwined and the pilot quickly melted into that comforting touch. His companion briefly exchanged some words with the bouncer and the doors opened for them. 

"Thankfully it was Joseph working tonight, I don't think Marcus would have let you in for free just like that" “I’m sure you would've charmed him into doing whatever you wanted anyway”

The thick air of the room embraced him as soon as the doors closed and the familiar feeling appeared in the pit of his stomach almost instantly; it seems like it was yesterday when he first stepped into the nightclub he now knows like the back of his hand, but in reality, that day was what it feels like ages ago. Still, the contradictions that manifested within him every time he returned persisted and only grew each day.

“I’ll go to the bar while you stay here and look pretty, okay? Same drink as always?”

It was because of moments like these that Hangman felt comfortable enough to let his guard down and be his usual extroverted self. Grabbing his wrist to stop him from going any further, he raised his voice so his words could be heard even though the music was top volume. “ Don’t you even dare to try to pay for those drinks, they’re on me.”

“Here it is, the Texan charm of Jake Seresin. I didn’t know you could apply those rules to this situation. Are you trying to imply I’m the girl in this whole affair? Shouldn't we at least draw lots for it?”

"Very funny, M/N'' the hostility that emanated from his rolling eyes made the other man realize his comment had affected Jake on a deeper level than intended. “Hey I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t hav- I know it’s  a touchy subject and I’m extremely sorry, please forgive me” the regret was visible in his expression and it also could be detected in the stuttering caused by the words rushing their way out of his mouth trying to obtain his forgiveness as fast as possible. Jake took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second. 

Hangman was no saint, he didn’t go to church every Sunday or tried to look for a good christian wife to have kids with like his father did in his day. He knew God was not exactly pleased with the way he was running his life but he used to think that when the time came, He would welcome him with open arms (after having apologized profusely, that is). But now that he had fallen for the most vile trick in the book, he couldn't trust that previous statement anymore. Lust was a capital sin, pretty serious if you asked any priest from the church the Seresin family attended back in Texas, but sodomy? Say goodbye to eternal salvation, son. If Jake was being honest, the promise of heaven or the threat of hell didn't scare him. It was the destruction of all the life lessons that made him act the way he acted,  of his purpose as a son, as a man. The thing that truly haunted him at night  was the thought of a deity (and his father)  designing him to be this flawless individual with a very clear life path , only to end up as a filthy, disgusting f-

“Hey, are you okay? Would you like me to leave you alone for a bit?”

The thought of M/N walking away while he sank deeper and deeper in the sea of guilt and fury frightened him. “Please don’t” he begged “everything’s fine, I promise. Let’s down a couple shots and , who knows, maybe I’ll be in the mood to dance for a bit” the last comment was a futile attempt to hide the everlasting agony that clouded his mind. M/N moved so they were a few inches away and raised his hand to caress his cheek. His next step consisted in resting his arms around his shoulders and starting kissing him delicately in the neck and in the whole face in general, in hopes to kiss the discomfort away. 

How could something so delicate and sweet be so dirty? Was it even dirty to begin with? What about the women he had dated? He was attracted to them but now he- Too many questions Jake was not willing to answer that night. He only wanted one thing, and he was about to claim it. 

After regaining control of himself, Jake put his right hand on the younger male’s back to guide him to the counter where people were piling up fighting to get the barman’s attention. Being as attractive and well-built as he was, he obtained the alcoholic beverages rather quickly. After the last drop of tequila had made its way down their throats, Hangman took control and led him onto the dance floor. His mind was only filled of the smell of M/N’s cologne mixed with his natural scent enhanced by their bodies crashing against each other while swaying to the 2000s pop remixes, his eyes fixed on his partner’s hypnotizing movements and his hands focused on feeling what they can reach, testing if they can go further in their journey through M/N’s body. Jake was simply standing close and moving according to the song's beat but in a subtle way, just like he would do at the locals he frequented with his coworkers ; manly enough to keep his dignity intact but provocative enough to awake that lustful hunger in the other person’s soul.

‘Mon Ange’ had finally closed down and the two men were still all over each other on the angelino streets. The tingle settling in his chest could only be compared with the adrenaline rush he had previously experienced on those wild nights spent in college, the farewell by the porch of the first girl he had taken on a date or the night out after his first deployment; if he closed his eyes he could swear he was 20 again, but reality made sure to remind him of those fifteen more years that had passed. 

M/N had this juvenile thing about him, Jake couldn’t guess confidently his age from afar and his curiosity was finally satiated after befriending him and asking him about it directly ; he was 27, even though he looked some years younger. His bold character combined with his kindness and humor made M/N resemble a butterfly flying around collecting the pollen from every flower in the garden and making it seem effortless. That was one of the many things that hooked Jake on him as if he were the most addicting drug out there, making him throw away his plan of not getting attached and limiting this experience with sporadic hookups that would end then and there, never with the same person twice. That was the problem, he appeared and started moving his hips to some song, making the whole room turn around him and ever since then (even if Jake was still in denial), he was a goner.

The next thing he knew, he was laying down on M/N’s bed, a king size mattress close to a very big window that allowed him to take in the beautiful sight of the sleeping city. He had only been to the apartment twice, but he had always  left before the sun had made its appearance in the sky, moved by remorse and skepticism. This time though, he had stayed the whole night that was filled with passionate sex and heart to heart conversations and finally some cuddling that lured him to rest for a while. Now he was wide awake, sitting against the headboard, resting his eyes on the sunrise and on the slumbering figure facing him. He looked so calm, so peaceful. In that moment, turning his gaze away, he tried to repress a sob that came with a single tear falling through his left cheek. 

M/N had always known he was queer, embracing his bisexuality in childhood. Jake had never had any problems with people who were not straight, even if the people around him growing up did, but everything was different when it came to himself. For fuck’s sake, he was closer to being 40 than from his teenage years, what was he doing? He could only paralyze at the idea of anyone seeing what he was doing. It was definitely too late for him. Risking his life everyday up in the sky felt like a minor burden compared to the endurance of the dilemmas he carried with him everywhere, just like Christ had carried the cross all the way to Calvary.

He could feel himself falling for the person right next to him, and that was the worst thing that had ever happened to Lieutenant Jacob Seresin. His calloused hand cupped M/N’s soft face, making the other man lean in closer in search of that delightful warmth. Jake’s lips burned in desperate need to say something out loud. His heart started palpitating at a dangerous speed, as he knew the thing trying to escape from his mind was a cruel thing to say and that he was a horrible being just by thinking that. It was no one’s fault and it had no solution, yet the idea popped up in his mind like an unwanted ad appearing on your phone. His chest ached at the possibility of M/N hearing the words, so he tried to whisper as quietly as it was humanly possible. 

“I wish you were a girl”

[bxlleville]

C.I in making

summary: you were on the streets before Lucy and Tim found you.

DO NOT REPOST OR TRANSLATE MY WORK

The time line and story is a little different from show so don't mind that.

My imagination's gone a little wild for this one so don't mind me LOL

this fic is happening through S04 ep1

word count: 12k

****************************************************

"police! stop what you're doing and put your hands in the air!"

"aw shit" you cursed under your breath. you placed your spray can into your backpack and zipped it up before placing your bag over your shoulder. you had been in this situation before, and you knew what you were going to do. you took your skateboard and skated the opposite direction of the police officers.

"control, 7 adam 19, we got a runner. purple hoodie blue jeans with a black backpack on a black skateboard, requesting back-up to our location" you heard one of the officers called out as the 2 officers started chasing you and you smirked, they were not going to catch you.

you skated faster and rounded the corner and was stopped by a different police car. how did they get here so fast? you used your feet to kick up your skateboard and caught it with your right arm before running towards the alleyway and you used your left arm to help you over the fence, you slipped a little but you continued running. Before you could use your skateboard to skate away, you felt someone push you to the ground and placed handcuffs around your wrists and made you stand up. you groaned in anger at yourself for slipping after jumping over the fence.

"you're under arrest for property damage. wanna tell me-" the woman officer pulled down your hoodie and her eyes widened as the other officer lowered the gun he was pointing and you saw that her name tag said "Chen".

"control, suspect in custody." he placed his walkie talkie on his belt and came over to Chen and you saw his name said "Bradford"

"you're a child." Chen stated and you rolled your eyes.

"way to state the obvious." you said out loud. Chen didn't say anything and took you and your skateboard and brought you to their car and put you in the back seat before both of them got into the car and drove off.

"do we really have to bring her to the station? I mean she's just a kid." Chen told Bradford.

"It won't be very serious. she didn't do any harm, but she still has to be checked. I'm sure she won't be there for long." Bradford reassured her.

"do you want to tell us why you were spray painting on the walls?" Chen asked you.

"what can I say? I love showing off my skills." you told her.

"does your parents know you are spray painting the walls?" Bradford asked and you looked out the window and didn't say anything. He looked at you through the rear view mirror before focusing on the road. Chen looked at you and saw the sadness in your eyes and thought something had happened to your parents and felt bad for you. the rest of the way was silent and you were grateful that the officers didn't press on about your parents.

once you reached the police station, the female officer brought you in and made you sit on the bench and uncuffed you before sitting opposite from you while the male officer stood next to her.

"let us do this properly this time, I'm Lucy and this is Tim. what's your name?" Lucy asked nicely.

"Tasha" you answer.

"Why were you spray paiting the walls. do you know it's illegal to spray paint the walls?" Lucy asked in a soft tone and you sighed.

"I don't have anywhere to paint so I just like painting wherever I can, which is the walls of L.A" you told them and Lucy nodded.

"you don't have any bad intentions so i'm sure you can get off with a warning. we'll be right back." Lucy and Tim were about to leave but you stopped them.

"Am I gonna get those back?" you asked, referring to your skateboard and backpack that were in Tim's hands.

"you'll get it back once we're done with it." Tim told you and they both left and you sat there, contemplating whether to run or to sit, but you might just get caught again and be put in jail so you decided it wasn't worth the risk and after 10 minutes, Lucy and Tim came back.

"we did a check and nothing seems to be wrong so you're off the hook. do you have anyone to call to pick you up?" Lucy asked as she and Tim led you to the front of the station.

"that's alright. I know my way home." you lied.

"well I can't let you go on your own so how about we drive you home." Lucy suggested.

"no that's ok! trust me, i've gone home alone multiple times, my parents are fine with it." you insisted, you weren't going to tell them you were living on the streets.

"alright fine but i'm giving you my number, promise me you'll call me to let me know you're home safe" Lucy told you and handed you a piece of paper.

"alright fine I promise." you lied and took the paper before taking your bag and skateboard from Tim and thanked them before going out of the station.

you place skateboard on the ground before putting your hoodie up and you place your hands into your pockets and skated off. Once you reached the alleyway you spend most of your night in, you got off your skateboard and picked up your skateboard. you were about to walk deeper into the alleyway when you heard police sirens behind you. you groaned and turned around to see Lucy and Tim coming out of their car.

"you live here? you were never going to call me were you?" Lucy asked.

"I was!" you told her and she raised an eyebrow and you sighed.

"I would if I had a phone ok?" You told her and her eyes softened.

"you don't have a phone but you have a laptop?" Tim asked.

"my laptop was a gift." you explained.

"how old are you?" Lucy asked.

"16" you simply answered.

"where are your parents?" Tim asked.

"dead." you said.

"how long have you been living on the streets?" Lucy asked.

"about a year." you told them.

"I'm sorry, must be hard living like this." Lucy told you.

"why do you care?" you asked in an irritated tone and Lucy sighed.

"how about this, you come with me to my place and take a nice shower and i'll give you a place to stay for today and tomorrow we can think of something for you ok?" Lucy said and Tim cleared his throat.

"oh right, I'm still on shift, what about after my shift, I'll come find you here." Lucy said and you were skeptical but you agreed. Lucy smiled at you and her and Tim went back into their car and drove off. you weren't really sure if she was really going to come back but you had hope so you went to the mat you sleep on every night and took a nap because you felt tired.

****************************************************

"hey, tasha, wake up" you felt someone shaking you and you groaned and sat up.

"I didn't think you would show up." you told Lucy and she smiled.

"my shift just ended. come on." Lucy gestured and she helped you get up and led you to her car.

"can I ask you something?" you asked her.

"shoot"

"why are you helping me? I'm just some random girl on the street. There are other's like me." you stated.

"It's just who I am, I helped another girl who is a year older than you, she was living on the streets too before I took her in. you can meet her later." Lucy smiled and you smiled back before leaning back on the passenger seat. you couldn't believe how nice Lucy was being so nice to you. This was the first time anyone was nice to you and you thought it wasn't normal.

Once Lucy parked the car, you got out and carried your backpack on one shoulder and held your skateboard in the other as she led you to her apartment.

"hey Lucy, you're back, can we do the interview-" The girl sitting on the sofa turned around which caused you to drop your skateboard on the ground in shock.

"Tamara?" you asked out loud.

"Tasha." she said at the same time.

"you 2 know each other?" Lucy asked.

"she's my sister." you said and Tamara looked at you with an apologetic look.

"this is the sister you were talking about?" Lucy asked Tamara.

"you left me. you left me with our cousins when you promised you wouldn't. you said you would come back but you didn't." you said with angry tears in your eyes as you looked around Lucy's apartment.

"and you hit the jackpot I see." you scoffed.

"Tasha, I-" Tamara started but you raised your hand and stopped her.

"save it, I can't do this. I'm out of here." you picked up your skateboard and left the apartment.

"We have to go after her." Lucy told Tamara and she nodded

"I'll talk to her." Tamara told her and left the apartment, she knew where you would be, it was your go to place whenever you were sad or angry. she climbed up the mountain that you and her used to climb when you were younger and saw you sitting at the edge of the cliff, watching the beautiful view in front of you. Tamara came up to you and sat beside you.

"I needed you, and you left." you said with tears.

"Tasha, I'm really sorry for leaving you. but I had the chance to leave that awful place. I know I should have take you with me but I thought it would be better for you to stay with our cousins because I didn't have money and couldn't take care of you myself." Tamra explained.

"It didn't matter, I would have come with you either ways and we cou have worked it out together." You told her.

"I see that now and I'm sorry. I can't rewrite the past but I promise to do whatever it takes to make it up to you." Tamara vowed.

"don't make promises you can't keep." you told her.

"Tasha look at me." she told you and you looked at her.

"I know I broke my promise before, but I love you, so much, you are the only family I have left and I will do whatever it takes to gain back your trust and I will make it up to you." She told you with determination in her eyes and you just burst into tears and hugged her and she hugged back tight with tears in her eyes. you missed your older sister so much and you still loved her, after all, she was your older sister. The 2 of you hugged each other for a few minutes before pulling away and staring at the view.

"I missed you." you told your sister.

"I missed you too." Tamara told you.

"you know my life wasn't all that good." Tamara told you and you looked at her, intriged with what she said.

"remember scott?" Tamara asked and you nodded. Scott was one of your cousins that you hadn't spoke to in a long time.

"well I lived with him and his girlfriend for awhile after I ran away from the place we lived. it wasn't the best experience but beggers can't be choosers right? And I after I found an apartment which I would move to, he was happy that I wasn't free loading off of him. But there were some complications and when I told scott I needed to stay with him longer, he went off on me and he wouldn't even let me get my stuff from his place. If Lucy never helped me i don't know what I would have done." Tamara explained to you.

"that sounds awful. I'm glad Lucy was there to help you." you smiled at Tamara and she smiled back. you two sat there in comfortable silence for awhile, soaking in the view.

"come on, let's go back, Lucy is worried about you." Tamara said and the both of you got up and went back to the apartment.

"from the looks of it, you guys are in good terms again. i'm glad." Lucy said with a smile as you and Tamara came into the apartment.

"do you guys want take out? we can get some for dinner." Lucy suggested and your eyes lit up.It's the first time in a long time you have had take out and you were excited.

"yes please! i'm starving." you groaned and Lucy laughed.

"alright pizza?" Lucy asked.

"yes!" Tamara and you both exclaimed and Lucy chuckled and she ordered the pizza.

"while the food is arriving, i got to work on something." Lucy announced.

"you guys didn't manage to find Angela?" Tamara asked and Lucy shook her head.

"find who?" you asked.

"a detective who was kidnapped by a mafia boss named La Fiera, we've been trying to find where she's holding Angela captive." Lucy explained.

"well I can help you if you'd like." you offered and Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"you know how to find out where La fiera is holding angela?" Lucy asked.

"yea sure" you shrugged.

"yea she can do it within a few minutes." Tamara backed you up. you placed your skateboard on the ground and took of your shoes and went over to the sofa as you removed your backpack and took out your laptop and removed the protective screen and it showed your real screen, filled with protected files of different types of information for different occasions. Lucy and Tamara were watching from your side. (idk if it's called a protective screen but the protective screen is used so that if your laptop is stolen or smt the people using the laptop will see that screen instead of the real screen which has all your stuff. honestly im just using my imagination so bare with me LOL)

"did you just put down a protective screen?" Lucy questioned and you just shrugged. you continued to type on your laptop and after a few minutes, you did it.

"here, La fiera is holding Angela at a compound outside Guatemala City." you showed her and Lucy the address and the live camera footage in Angela's room showing she's fine and that someone was in her room, guarding her.

"how did you do that?" Lucy asked jn disbelief

"well ever since I was a child my dad taught me a lot about hacking and coding and i have been hacking ever since." you explained and Lucy looked at you with disbelief.

"you know hacking is illegal right?" Lucy told you.

"well is it illegal if you are hacking for the right reasons?" you asked and Lucy scoffed.

"i got to let the other know." Lucy told you guys and stood up and started dialing her phone.

"good job sis, you just helped them get a back a dear friend." Tamara congratulated you and you smiled, proud if yourself. At that moment, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." you got up and went to the door and the delivery guy was at the door with the pizza. you thanked him and took the pizza and brought it in and placed it in the counter. Lucy put down the phone and looked at you and Tamara.

"they want me and Tasha to meet at Wesley's house. Tasha bring your laptop, Tamara you will okay right?" Tamara nodded and you took your laptop and placed it in your bag and followed Lucy to her car, you didn't know who wesley was but you just followed. Once you guys got to what you assumed was wesley's home, Lucy led you inside and you saw other people in the living room looking at you.

"this is the girl that found out where Angela was held?" a guy asked.

"yup this is Tasha, Tasha, these are the others, you've met Tim, and these are Nyla, Sargent Grey, Nolan and wesley." Lucy introduced everyone and you said hi.

"so could you tell us where La Fiera is holding Angela?" Sargent Grey asked.

"I can show you" you smiled and took out your laptop from your bag and a stuffed teddy bear fell out and you looked at everyone sheepishly before putting it back into your backpack and continued with what you were doing by connecting your laptop to the television and you showed everyone what you showed Lucy and Tamara.

"how did you manage to get a location when none of the officers were able to come close to it." Sargent grey asked.

"i'm just really good at hacking sir" you told him and he raised an eyebrow and everyone looked at you with a fixed expression and you gave a sheepish smile.

"she knows its illegal but now is not the time to talk about this." Lucy butt in and Sargent grey agreed.

"now that we know where Angela is being held, I am going to get her back, but i could use help." Wesley announced.

"i'm in" Tim said with no hesitation.

"me too" Nolan announced.

"we all are" Lucy said.

"I mean I can help too" you told them.

"hold on, the only people qualified to even think of doing this craziness is bradford and Harper. And there's no way im letting a 16 year old join this mission." Sargent grey told everyone and you grunted.

"are you saying we don't even try to save her?" Tim asked.

"of course not, but we can't just go running into hostile territory without a good damn plan. La Fiera is gonna have sicarios and half the police force protecting her, she'll know the second we step of the plane." Sargent Grey told him.

"so then we don't fly commercial." Nyla said.

"last time I checked, LAPD doesn't have an air force, and the DEA isn't gonna lend us theirs." Sargent grey informed everyone.

"well I might be able to help with that." you announced, making everyone turn to you.

"i know a guy named max, he works in the shadows at the defence department." you started.

"oh yes max! how do you know max?" Nolan asked.

"I have a lot of connections." you told him.

"ok who the hell are you?" Nyla asked and you just shrugged.

"who the hell is Max?" Sargent Grey asked and everyone looked at him.

"I'm listening." he said.

"Um, you remember that counterfeiting case a while back, that started with the murder of a transient?" Nolan asked.

"you mean the case where the killer came wandering up to you at the docks in long beach? Yeah I remember it" Sargent grey said.

"Yeah well you weren't fully "in the loop" for some aspects of that arrest" Nyla told him and he looked at her with a confused expression.

"like Tasha said, Max works in the shadows at the shadows at the Defense Department. His unit runs covert operations around the globe, they printed that counterfeit money to to fund them." Tim explained.

"and we let him walk with it in exchange for our killer." Nyla continued.

"he would have the resources to fly us under the radar, maybe even provide tactical support on the ground" Nolan said.

"and why would he do that?" Sargent Grey asked.

"oh I know he would" you told everyone and everyone stared at you.

"what? i told you I have connections." you said with a shrug.

"he owes me one, he will do it if I tell him to." you told everyone.

"and he doesn't want his sins put on blast." Lucy added.

"do you have a way to contact this guy?" Wesley asked.

"of course. I will help you guys, but i have a condition, I want in on this mission." you told everyone.

"like I said, there is no way I am letting a 16 year old in this mission, we don't know what might happen." Sargent Grey told you.

"with all due respect sargent, I'm more capable than you know." you told him and he raised an eyebrow and you sighed.

"come on, all of you, come at me." you told them and stood in a fighting position with 2 fists in front of you. everyone looked at you with a questionable look.

"you want us to fight you?" Tim asked.

"yes" you told them and they all stared at you.

"alright if you guys won't do it, I will" Nyla announced and ran and attacked you but you stopped her and twisted her wrist and kicked her legs, making her fall to the ground. Tim decided to come at you but you took his arm and did a back roll over and kicked him onto the ground. Everyone stared at what the hell you did while Tim and Nyla groaned and laid on the ground for a bit.

"she's got skills" Nyla groaned as you stood back up.

"ok what the hell is going on? who are you? we are not going anywhere until you tell us everything." Sargent Grey told you and you sighed.

"When I was younger, my dad would teach me self defence, he thought it would be good to be able to defend myself you know?" you explained to everyone as Tim and Nyla got up and you stared into spaced for a moment as memories of your training days flooded your mind. you shook your head to shake off the memories and looked back up.

"does Tamara know about this?" Lucy asked.

"she does now" you told her.

"alright fine, you can join this mission, but you are not doing anything dangerous, you will come with me and Chen to the station and work on a murder case we've been trying to solve. Nolan, you fold in with Bradford and Harper, start a mission plan." Sargent Grey told everyone and everyone nodded.

"Tasha can you contact Max?" Sargent Grey asked and you nodded. You went over to your laptop and typed a few things before looking up.

"He is asking where he should meet." you announced.

"text him the address to my house, we'll take it from there." Nolan said and you nodded your head and continued typing on your laptop.

"Nolan, come here" Sargent Grey instructed and Nolan looked confused but did what he was told and went over to Sargent Grey.

"Given everything that happened, it's easy to lose sight of what today signifies for you, the end of your time as a rookie. you accepted your punishment with grace and humility and i'm proud to say you are officially P2, congratulations." Sargent Grey said and shook Nolan's hand and everyone clapped for him and you decided to go along and clap too as Sargent Grey picked up his phone that was ringing.

Nolan went around hugging and shaking his friends' hands, and you sat there, happy for him for whatever he accomplished and that was when Sargent Grey got off the phone.

"The DNA came back, we have an ID on Jackson's killer." Sargent Grey announced and everyone's face fell.

"who's Jackson?" you asked.

"I'll tell you later." Lucy told you and you nodded.

"ok everyone needs to get some rest, we have a big day tomorrow." Sargent Grey announced and everyone nodded their head and dispersed. You packed your things and followed Lucy to her car and she drove off.

"you know, you don't have to tell me anything, I saw how your eyes fell at the mention of Jackson's name. I shouldn't have asked." you told her.

"no that's ok, you should at least know a little of what is going on. Jackson was another friend of ours who were rookies with me and Nolan. but he was killed on the day Angela was taken." she told you and you could see the sadness in Lucy's eyes and you knew Jackson meant something to Lucy.

"I'm so sorry." you told her and she smiled sadly at you.

"now you tell me something." Lucy said and you raised an eyebrow.

"your father taught you self defence right? but there's gotta be more, you hid some details, i saw your face." Lucy said and you looked down and she saw your sad expression.

"oh you don't have to tell me anything if you're not comfortable." Licy told you but you shook your head.

"no it's ok, I was just thinking about my training days just now, during the times he trained me, he would push me to do my very best, we trained and trained until my legs gave way but he still pushed me to train some more and there were times I would train until I bled out." you explained and Lucy gave you a sorry expression.

"Is there a reason why he trained you so hard?" she asked.

"him teaching me how to hack and code wasn't just for fun, it was so that I could learn about what he does at work, and his line of work is very dangerous, he had enemies and knew that bad men would try and come for his family and he wanted to be prepared."

"and what about Tamara? how come she wasn't in on any of this?" Lucy asked.

"she was never the one who loved to hack and code like me, so my dad agreed never to let her in on any of this, she wasn't part of the family records so nobody knew she was family." you explained.

"and your mother is in on it too?" Lucy asked.

"yup, but after awhile, everything went south, my parents started taking drugs and then OD'd, I don't know why our parents took drugs but after our parents died, Tamara and my life changed so much. We went to children shelters and our family homes which was never permanent by the way and the rest you know" you told her and she sighed.

"I'm really sorry about all this, but now I'm sure your life will be so much better" she told you and you smiled at her.

"you cannot tell Tamara what I told you today, she doesn't know what our parents did for a living and what I had gone through during the trainings. She only knew our dad taught me those for fun" you told her.

"I promise, but I think you should know let her know that, she deserves to know that your parents aren't who they said they were." Lucy told you and you nodded, promising yourself you would tell Tamara when you were ready. The rest of the drive was silent and once you got to the apartment, Tamara was waiting on the sofa, watching television.

"how did it go?" Tamara asked.

"it went great, we identified Jackson's killer and we are planning a rescue mission to save Angela tomorrow." Lucy explained and you were grateful that she didn't mention that other thing that you told.

"I was waiting for you guys to come back so we can eat and watch a movie." Tamara smiled and you giggled happily and placed your bag on the ground before sitting beside her and Lucy sat beside you and Tamara put on the movie "Tangled" and you guys ate and watched the movie before falling asleep on the couch with you sleeping on Tamara while Lucy slept on you and the 3 of you snuggled together. (i'm imagining the scene and it is so cute oml)

****************************************************

The next day, the 3 of you woke up and got ready for the day. Tamara got ready for school while you and Lucy got ready to go to the station. Tamara lent you her clothes and you went to take a shower and changed into the clothes she lent you.

once you were done, you packed your backpack was about to leave with Lucy when Tamara stopped you. She came to you and hugged you.

"I cannot believe my baby sister is going on a rescue mission while i'm stuck in school." Tamara said as you guys pulled away.

"I will tell you all about it tonight." you smiled at her and she smiled back.

"just don't die ok? I just got you back J can't lose you again." Tamara told you.

"Don't worry, dad made me take defense classes remember. I'll be fine." you told her and she nodded and looked at Lucy.

"you too, don't die, and take care of my sister." Tamara told her and she nodded her head. You and Lucy left the apartment and started going over to the station.

"remind me to enroll you to Tamara's school once everything is settled." Lucy told you.

"what? no you don't have to. I'm smart enough not to go to school." you told her. you didn't want her to spend money on your school

"I don't need to, I want to. you deserve to live a normal life with Tamara." Lucy told you.

"are you always this nice? you're so willing to do anything for me and Tamara." you asked her.

"I told you, its just me, and it's fate that I found into you and Tamara." she told you and you smiled. You felt so touched someone is willing to do so much for you even though you just met.

Once you guys reached the station, Lucy helped you get a visitor pass and then she led you to the roll call room before she went over to change to her work clothes as the other officers started coming into the room so you went to the back and sat at an empty table.

"His name is Armando De Leon, 17 years old, Gang unit says he was jumped into malos Dorados 6 months ago. Murder weapon is outstanding and he's considered armed and dangerous. Shooting policy is the following, even if he's fleeing deadly force is authorized." A guy you didn't know explained as a picture of the guy came up. you recognised the face but didn't announce it.

"he already killed on of us." the guy started but Sargen Grey cut him off

"hold up sargent. we're not in the retribution business. This kid comes in handcuffs unless there's no other choice is that understood?" Sargent Grey announced and everyone said a "yes sir".

"good, an no solo riders today. everyone doubles up. Be safe out there." with that, officers stood up and headed out to do their jobs. You went over to Lucy who was talking to Sargent Grey.

"Look at him, he's just a child." Lucy told him

"no he's a killer, now let's go find him." Sargent Grey said and left.

"Lucy I need to telk you something." you told Lucy.

"yea what is it?" you look in the room to see that no one was in it before looking back at her.

"I know the killer." you told her and her eyes widened.

"what?"

"not really know him know him but I've seen him before. Remember how I told you my dad works for bad men?" you asked her and she nodded.

"when I say bad, I mean really bad, and my dad and I hacked into the system and it gave us a list of a lot of bad people and we met some of them before and worked for some of them before. which means I've worked for Lafiera as well." you explained.

"we have to tell Sargent Grey, you can help out with the mission." Lucy said and was about to leave but you stopped her.

"I know we have to but I'm really scared. all this might lead to me being in jail and I don't want that. I've put all that in the past and never continued working for those bad men. I can't go to jail, i have my whole life to live I just can't." you told her with a shaky breath and tears were forming in your eyes.

"hey hey hey, come here." Lucy said and pulled you in for a hug and you sobbed and hugged her back.

"I promise I will do everything I can to not let that happen. everything will be alright." Lucy soothed your back and you calmed down and pulled away and wiped your tears away.

"I promise everything will be fine." Lucy told you and you nodded your head before going over to take your bag before following Lucy as she led you to Sargent Grey's office and knocked the glass door before going in.

"may I help you with you guys with something?" Sargent grey asked as he stood up and crossed his arms.

"actually, we are here to help you." Lucy told him and he raised an eyebrow. Lucy gave you a nodded and you stepped forward.

"the guy who killed Jackson, I know him." you told him and he unfolded his arms.

"do I want to know how you know them?" he asked.

"you will know, but now is not the right time." Lucy voiced and he nodded.

"Tasha, you will come with us to arrest, if it goes south, you will talk to him and distract him so we can arrest him." Sargent Grey instructed and you slowly nodded. He expected you and Lucy to leave but you both stood where you were standing.

"is there anything else?" Sargent Grey asked. You looked at Lucy and she gave you an encouraging nod and you took a deep breath.

"I know Lafiera, I worked for her before." you spoke with a shaky breath. Sargent Grey crossed his arms again and took a deep breath.

"ok then, change of plans, you will meet Nolan, Tim and Nyla at Nolan's house and they will get you to meet with Wesley and you both will go to Lafiera. with you there, Lafiera will let her guard down a little bit knowing her former employee is there. I'll let Tim know you are going over. Chen, go get ready for the arrest." Sargent Grey instructed and Lucy looked at you and you nodded your head, telling her you would be okay. Lucy nodded her head and left the office. Sargent Grey called Tim to let him know you were coming and told him why then Sargent Grey led you out off his office.

"I'm really sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I didn't think I would have to go back to my old life until now, I left it all behind you know? I'm going to Jail aren't I?" you asked him.

"we will talk about this later. for now I need you focused, one wrong move and you will end up dead." Sargent Grey told you and you nodded your head. He led you to the front of the station where an officer was waiting for you. the officer led you to a police car and you got in, hugging your backpack

Once you reached Nolan's house, you got out the car and thanked the driver as you sling your backpack over your shoulder and closed the door. you walked over to Nolan's place and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, Nolan came by and opened it.

"oh hey! come on in!" Nolan let you in and you went in and saw Tim, Nyla and Max. you waved at Max and he waved back.

"Heard from Grey Lafiera knows you so you're helping with the mission." Tim said.

"yes, you will know more after the mission is done, I promise." you told him as you place your backpack on the sofa the going to the kitchen counter and they continued going on with the mission.

"like I said, I can get you in and out, provide basic supplies on the ground but no personnel, and if you get caught, you're on your own" Max told them and Nolan looked at Nyla, who nodded her head and he looked at Tim who also nodded his head.

"alright next stop, guatemala" Nolan announced and everyone packed up for the road. you took your backpack and followed them.

****************************************************

Once you reached guatemala, the helicopter touched down and all of you exited the helicopter. Max led you all to 2 trucks that were parked up nearby.

"two unspeakable vehicles, full gas tanks. 4 ARs, five mags each." Max told all of you.

"we won't need them, if this turns into a shooting war, we lose ten times out if ten." Tim said to him.

"sure, but i'm gonna take mine" Nyla announced as she opened the car boot.

"In the bags, there's pistols, an RC ground drone, scrambled radios, flashlights, food, and water. you have 10 hours to get your woman and get her back here for exfil. we won't wait and we will not make more than one pickup is that clear?" Max asked and everyone nodded.

"happy hunting." Max said and turned to leave.

"alright the first thing we need to do is to plan on how to protect Tasha if anything happens." Nolan announced.

"you really won't be able to do that. we will be separated. don't worry, I know how protect myself. I will need a gun just incase." you told them.

"there is no way u're getting a gun." Nyla don't worry.

"don't worry, I know how to use a gun, my dad trained me. I won't use it unless absolutely necessary." you told her and she nodded her head before handing you a gun and a loaded magazine and you loaded the magazine into the gun and placed it in the secret pocket at the side of your backpack.

"alright, we're gonna set up an overlook, recon the compound while you go steal the blueprints from the architect, find us a way in." Tim told Nolan.

"wait a minute, what blueprints?" you asked.

"we need the blueprints of the compound so I can come up with a plan to rescue Angela, you and Wesley." Nolan explained to you.

"oh? I can get you the blueprints." you told them.

"and you didn't think to tell us?" Nyla asked.

"nobody asked." you shrugged and they all rolled their eyes as you took out your laptop from you bag

"wait you brought your laptop?" Tim asked.

"yes? I don't go anywhere without it. don't worry, it can't be tracked if that's what you're worried about." you told him and started typing on your laptop before a blueprint showed up on your screen.

"I got it, I'll send the blueprints to you." you told them and started typing on your laptop and sending it to the 3 of them.

"this puts us ahead of schedule. wesley's plane will be landing any minute. we need to get Tasha to the airport, stat." Nolan announced.

"I'll drop her off." Nyla told everyone.

"i'll let Wesley know you're on the way." Tim said as you took you stuff and followed her to the truck.

"look, I don't know much about you, and I don't trust you one bit. you are mysterious, mysterious isn't good. If you do anything to betray us which gets Angela or Wesley killed, I will not hesitate to comw for you myself, got it?" Nyla threatened.

"I assure you, I'm fully on your side. I would never do anything to harm you and your friends. I know you probably don't care about me and if anything happens you'll probably leave me to save your friends, and it's fine, but if everything goes smoothly and we make it out alive, I hope to gain your trust. Once the mission is over, I promise you'll know everything about me." you told her and her eyes softened as she stared at you for awhile before looking back on the road. Once both of you reached the airport, you thanked her and got off the truck and went into the airport where you saw Wesley coming out of arrival.

"Wesley!" you called out and went up to him. the 2 of you walked further out of the airport when 2 guards came up to both of you.

"hola senor" one of the guards said and Wesley said hi back. The 2 guards looked at you and nodded their head to acknowledge your presence and you nodded your head back.

"this way." the guard grabbed Wesley and pushed him against the pole.

"spread your legs." the guard demanded.

"take it easy" Wesley said as he did what he was told so the guards could pat him down. the other guard cane to you and you knew the protocol, you took your backpack and gave it to him and he looked into your bag to check for any weapons. you hoped he didn't find the gun and luckily for you, he didn't. he didn't pat you down of course because it's invasion of privacy. after he was done, he handed your backpack to you and you wore it.

"I'm here to talk to Sandra de la Cruz." Wesley told the guard.

"man guess what? she doesn't want to talk to you. so it looks like you flew a long way to meet death." he said the last part in spanish, yup you speak spanish, your dad made you learn all the languages in the world so that you can understand every conversation going on between him and the clients. and also so that he could talk to you in secret if needed.

"Pero ella hablará conmigo. (but she will talk to me)" you told the guards and they looked at you before grabbing you both and leading you both to the trucks. they drove you both up to the compound and once they reached, they brought you into the compound where you saw Lafiera pouring wine into her glass.

"Hola hermana, se suponía que estabas muerta. (hello sister, you were supposed to be dead)" Lafiera told you.

"Y sin embargo, aquí estoy. (and yet, here I am)" you said to her.

"Mis condolencias por el fallecimiento de tus padres. (my condolences on the passing of your parents)" she told you.

"gracias, Mis condolencias por tu hijo. (thank you, my condolences on your son)" you said and she nodded her head.

"¿Quieres un poco? (do you want some?)" she offered you some wine but you politely declined.

"¿Qué te trae aquí con el Sr. Evers? (what brings you doing here with Mr Evers?)" she asked you.

"Dijo que quería negociar contigo. (he said he wanted to negotiate with you.)" you told her and she did the same "hmm" face.

"you know I speak English, why'd you speak to me in spanish?" you asked

"it's nice to speak to a friend in my native language, I don't get to do that often" she said and you scoffed at the mention of "friend". she never cares for anyone but herself and her son diego. you missed diego, he wasn't the bad guy, he was like you, destined to follow your parents' footsteps. whenever your dad was discussing with Lafiera, you and diego would hang out and it would be so fun and you loved hanging out with him so much, he was the only one who understood you.

Lafiera turned to Wesley.

"Mr Evers, you surprise me, didn't think you were the type to die for love."

"I'm here to negotiate." Wesley told her.

"I've heard, your office is next to an aquarium supply store, what could you possibly have to offer me?" she asked.

"If you know about my office, then you know thag my family has money. a lot of money." he stated.

"I have more" Lafiera simply said.

"no doubt, but what you don't have is a U.S. senator in your pocket. One who is standing ready to insert language into the trade deal that's currently being negotiated with your country." Wesley explained.

"trade deal doesn't apply to what I sell." Lafiera simply said.

"no, but they do apply to the export companies you use to launder money to the U.S. Tariffs are killing you right now, I could cut them in half with one phone call." Wesley told her.

"If I let you walk away with Angela."

"and my baby" Wesley said and Lafiera stared at him with the "are you serious?" look

"come on Lafiera, you know what it's like to have a son, you loved him, you know what it's like to love someone so much. I know you miss him, I miss him too, but don't take that away from 2 innocent people who had nothing to do with Diego's death." you told her and that got her deep in thought before looking at Wesley.

"I'll make a few phone calls, ensure that you can deliver on what you promise." Lafiera said.

"then we'll have a deal?" Wesley asked with hope.

"Maybe." Lafiera said as she walked up to Wesley.

"or maybe I don't care about the money, and I feed you to my dogs" she said and Wesley looked defeated and you couldn't just stand there and do nothing.

"Lafiera, please, at least let him see Angela." you told her.

"Fine, guards, take them to Angela." Lafiera instructed and you sighed with relief and Wesley thanked you silently and you nodded your head. the guards brought you both to the room Angela was held and when you both got in, wesley rushed over to angela

"hey hey are you ok?" Wesley asked.

"what the hell are you doing here?" Angela asked as she went to hugged him.

"Negotiating for your release." Wesley told her.

"hey! hey! back it up! she's not yours anymore, no, she's mine okay? and you don't touch her unless I say you can." Abril threatened.

"hey hey abril, it's ok. Lafiera let us in here." you told her and she glared at Wesley before stepping back.

"who are you?" Angela asked you.

"I'm Tasha, nice to meet you." You offered your hand and she took it and you guys shook hands.

"you were supposed to be dead." Abril said to you.

"I've been told" you answered and Abril looked at you. you, angela and wesley went to the sofa and sat down while Abril stood guard of you all. you didn't remove your backpack incase of anything, you can't trust anyone here. Suddenly, you heard a huge fireworks explosion and Abril went outside to take a look.

"that means there's a problem, we have to go to plan B." Wesley told you guys.

"what's plan B?" Angela asked. you also would like to know that.

"we have to get Lafiera to get us out of here." Wesley explained.

"how? she's not letting me leave until I have the baby." Angela told him.

"I can try to talk to Lafiera again." you offered.

"no, there's no time." Wesley said and looked at angela, telling her to trust him.

"hey! go get a doctor! she's feeling really lightheaded. she's had blood pressure issues during the pregnancy." wesley called out as you and he helped Angela up from the sofa.

"lay her on the bed." Abril instructed and you 2 did what you were told as she went out to get a doctor.

"hey, it's ok." Wesley told Angela as he took out a needle from his pocket.

"what the hell is that." angela asked.

"pitocin, enough to start contractions." Wesley told her and he was about to inject it into Angela but she stopped him.

"no no, it's early. we will lose the baby." angela told him and you could see the fear in her eyes.

"there has to be something else we can do, what about me? If i'm hurt she will have to take us to the hospital." you told him.

"if you get hurt she will not bring Angela, it has to be Angela." Wesley said and turned to her.

"I know you're scared, I am too, but this is the only way, Harper will be at the hospital with the drug to counter the effects. trust me ok, everything will be fine." Wesley told her and she stared at him for a moment before nodding her head and Wesley injected the pitocin into Angela.

After awhile, a lady came into the room and instructed both of you to bring Angela out as she called the hospital. Once the 3 of you were out of the compound, you could see Lafiera and some of her men waiting for you with 2 SUV vans waiting as well.

"what the hell did you do?!" Lafiera asked angrily as you and Wesley helped Angela to the van.

"nothing!" Wesley said and Angela stared at him before looking at you. Abril then came up to you and dragged you towards the other van as 2 other men dragged Wesley beside you. This whole time angela was shouting, calling out to wesley and telling them to stop while the 2 of you were forced into the other van. you were shouting and asking where abril was taking you but she ignored you as she shoved you in the van

"where are you taking us?" you asked worriedly.

"we were instructed to take both of you somewhere else and take away your life" Abril answered and your eyes widened in fear.

"wait why her? doesn't she work for Lafiera." Wesley voiced out.

"worked. past tense. she's now with you and Lafiera doesn't trust her anymore, she's now a liability and her life was instructed to be taken." Abril told him.

"she's just a teenager." Wesley said to her.

"it doesn't matter, she knows too much about us and it's a risk having her around." she said in annoyance and you turned to wesley.

"wesley." you called his name as tears started to formed in your eyes in fear.

"hey hey, it's ok." Wesley said as he pulled you in for a hug. he calmed you down by rubbing your back gently. you 2 didn't know each other that well and he still comforted you and you were grateful for it. once you calmed down, you could think clearly again.

"I have a gun in my bag. I can use it to kill Abril and the other guy when I get the chance." You whispered to him.

"no, when there's a chance you toss me the gun, got it?" he instructed and you nodded your head.

"hey, hey back it up, we're here." Abril said as you both pulled away. you were forced out of the van by Abril and Wesley by another guy. you both were forced to a spot with a lot of dirt and trees around.

"oh this is very dramatic." wesley called out, referring to the trees.

"life is sacred no? we should honour it when we take it no? plus, they use your bodies as fertilisers." Abril explained as she pushed you forward.

"alright this is enough." she stopped you and the guy stopped Wesley.

"where do you want it? in the face or the back of the head?" Abril asked.

"Neither." Wesley told her. suddenly, you all heard a noise and turned around to see an orange tractor driving on it's own. this gave you the chance to take out the gun from your side pocket.

"wesley!" you called out as you tossed him your gun and he caught it, pointing the gun towards abril.

"it's over Abril, surrender now." Wesley told her.

"you and what army? even if you shoot one of us, the other won't hesitate to kill you and the girl." abril told him.

"him and this army." you heard nolan's voice as he came out of hiding with a bat and hit the guy closest to him and started fighting him. Abril started shooting which gave Wesley the green light to start shooting too. you ran and dodged abril's bullets and tackled her to the ground and punch her face. she groaned and kicked your stomach and you groaned and fell beside her. she pointed her gun at you and was about to shoot you when Nolan tackled her and started fighting her.

You got up, a little blood dripping from your forehead. you saw the guy choking Wesley and you ran up and kicked the man's face and he fell back hard, fainting.

"good job." Wesley said as you helped him up. you guys heard something and looked up to see a helicopter flying past.

"come on, that's our ride." Nolan said and you started running towards the helicopter. Wesley handed the gun back to you and you placed it back in your bag when suddenly you heard gunshots and you looked back to see Abril trying to limp towards all of you and she started shooting at all of you.

you continued running towards the helicopter with Wesley and Nolan behind, dodging her bullets when one of her bullets tore a hole on your backpack, making the contents of your bag fall out. you stopped running and ran to get your stuff but wesley, who was running behing you, grabbed your arm.

"leave them, we have to get out of here!" he shouted and you nodded sadly before continuing to run towards the helicopter.

"ah." you grunted and your hand immediately went to the side of your stomach, when you looked at your hand you saw blood and you knew abril had successfully shot you. you ignored the pain and continued running towards the helicopter that was landing on the ground and Tim and Nyla came out and stood guard as the 3 of you got into the helicopter and Tim and Nyla got into the helicopter and closed the door as Max ordered the pilot to fly back home.

"this mission was a success, sort of." Nolan announced.

"and we have Tasha to thank. we couldn't have done it without her." Nyla told everyone and everyone smiled at you.

"thank you, but guys, I, I don't feel so good" you looked weakly at them and before you could say anything else you fainted from the blood loss. The last thing you saw was Tim catching you before you succumbed to the darkness.

****************************************************

you slowly opened your eyes and you looked around and you realised you were at the hospital. you also realised there was a tube in your nose. what the hell happened? you turned and saw Tamara with her head sleeping on your hospital bed and you smiled. you sat up, tired of lying down and Tamara stired awake and yawned.

"you're finally up, I'll let everyone know" she told you and started typing on her phone.

"how long was I asleep?" you asked.

"2 days." tamara told you and your eyes widened.

"what? how is that possible?! I was only shot once, it's not that bad." you told her.

"It was actually, by the time you came to the hospital, you lost a lot of blood and you had to go into surgery, you almost died in there, you had me worried." Tamara told you. That explains the tubes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think it would be so bad." you apologised. At that moment, Lucy, Tim, Nyla, Angela, Wesley, Nolan and Sargent Grey came into the room.

"wow, that's a lot of people in one room." you joked and everyone chuckled.

"I just wanted to personally come in here to see if you're ok, and to thank you for all your help, we couldn't have done it without you." Sargent Grey told you.

"it was no big deal." you told him.

"oh here's a thank you and get well soon gift" Nolan said and placed a bouquet of flowers on the table next to your bed and you thanked him.

"how are you feeling?" Lucy asked.

"Much better than when I was shot that's for sure." you told her and she smiled. you looked over at tim and he smiled and nodded at you and you did the same thing back.

"I'm just worried about the hospital bills." you spoke up, you knew it would be expensive and that you couldn't afford it.

"don't worry, it's covered by the city." Sargent Grey said and you relaxed. Just then, the nurse came in and stood at the end of the bed.

"you're awake, great. I checked your vitals and your stats that you healed properly, we just need you to stay for a few days before we can discharge you." she told you and you thanked her and she left.

"could you guys excuse us for a sec, I would like to talk to Tasha for a while." Nyla announced and everyone nodded and left.

"am I in trouble?" you joked and she chuckled.

"no, I'm here to apologise." nyla said and you raised and eyebrow.

"the way I treated you, like you were an outsider, I'm really sorry, I was an outsider of the group once and I should have know not to judge anyone before getting to know them." she told you and you smiled.

"thank you." you smiled and she smiled back.

"does this mean I gained your trust?" you said with a hopeful smile.

"you're getting there, once I know more about you, then we'll see" she said with a smile and you smiled back. but something was bothering you, you will have to tell everyone everything soon, but you decided it was a later problem and put it at the back of your mind. Nyla pat your shoulders before heading out of your room and Tim, Lucy and Tamara came in, with lucy putting her hands behind her back.

"so everyone had to go for work, but, Nolan gave me something before heading out." Lucy said and you were curious as to what she was talk about.

"he told me he was able to save one of your things." She said as brought the item from her back to the front and you recognised it as Mr snuggles and your smiled widened.

"oh my god mr snuggles!" you exclaimed and took it from Lucy and hugged your stuffed bear.

"thank you." you told her.

"I'm sorry your laptop couldn't be saved. I know it meant something to you." Lucy apologised.

"that's ok, it's high time I let go of that laptop anyways." you told her and she smiled.

"if everyone had to go to work, how come tim's here." you asked.

"well I'm Lucy's T.O so if she doesn't go to work, I don't either." Tim explained and you gave an "ohhh".

The next few days, you stayed in the hospital and the nurses came in regularly to check up on you. Tamara stayed with you in the hospital and you 2 would hang out, catching up on the time you had lost. Lucy and Tim would visit you everyday to see how you were doing, be it on shift or after shift, tim probably came because Lucy came, but you were glad he didn't restrict Lucy from coming to the hospital on shift hours. You had gotten the tubes out since the doctor gave the green light and said you didn't need them anymore.

Today was the 3rd day you were held in the hospital and Lucy and Tim were visiting you when the nurse came in

"you are all healed up and ready to be discharged, whenever you're ready, just go to the front desk and you can sign out." she told you and you thanked her and she left.

"I'm guessing we'll have to go to the station after this?" you asked Lucy and Tim.

"only if you're up for it." Lucy told you.

"I'll have to face it eventually so why not just get it over and done with." you told them and they nodded.

"wait why do you have to go to the station?" Tamara asked.

"can you give me a few moments with my sister first? I think she should hear this from me first." you told Tim and Lucy and they nodded before leaving the room. you turned to Tamara and she was looking at you expectantly.

"you know how I said dad taught me how to hack and code for fun? and that the self defence classes were also just for fun and that I wasn't hurt during my training?" you asked her and she nodded.

"well that was all a lie" you said and started explaining everything to her, not leaving a single detail out. By the time you were done, you saw tears in her eyes.

"I can't believe it, I thought all this time it was all for fun and now I find out it was life threatening? I am the older sister and I was supposed to protect you." Tamara said with tears in her eyes.

"you weren't into hacking and coding so I made dad promise to leave you out of this. It's ok Tamara, it's all in the past, but now I have to come clean to the LAPD and hope that I don't get my a*s kicked in jail." Tamara came and hugged you and you hugged back.

"you can't go to jail, you were just a kid and they can't blame you for it." Tamara said as she pulled away.

"let's just hope the LAPD thinks so too." you told her.

"come on, let's get this over with." you said and you got off the hospital bed and you and Tamara left the room.

"I'm ready." you told Tim and Lucy and they nodded.

The 4 of you went to the front desk and you signed out and the next stop was to the police station. Once you guys reached, you and Tamara got a visitor pass and Tim and Lucy led you to the interrogation room. you felt nervous being in the police station so you grabbed Tamara's hand for support.

"I think it's best if you wait in the observation room." Tim told Tamara when you reached the interrogation room and you gave Tamara once last squeeze before entering the room, where you saw Angela and Nyla sitting at the table, waiting for you. Lucy came in after and you were grateful for her presence.

"Tasha, glad you're here. please have a seat." Nyla said and you went and sat across from them.

"don't worry, we aren't here to interrogate you, you don't have to be nervous, we just want to assess you better." Angela said and you nodded your head.

"start from the beginning." Nyla told you.

(full story coming up)

"when I was young, I went into my father's room while he was working and saw that he was doing something on his laptop and I was curious so I went up to him and he told me about all what he was doing, I was invested and he decided to teach me all about coding and hacking and I fell in love with it and my dad decided to bring me into his work and from that day on, I worked with my dad and we worked for a lot of bad people like Lafiera, Elijah and so many more, we had a list of a lot of bad people and my dad would choose the baddest of the bad, helping them hack into the system about information of each other, the government and basically do whatever they ask us to do. he chooses the baddest of the bad because they pay more, and he would do anything for money.

He also trained me in self defence, knowing that his line of work is dangerous and that I could be kidnapped for ransom or just to get my dad to work for them. He would train me so hard, so that I make no mistakes and that I can defend myself in every situation every way possible, he trained me till I was tired but still continued to push me. there were times I even bled out but he still pushed me to be the best. I know it was for my safety but sometimes I wished he would let me rest for a while. Anyway, Tamara was never the hacking or coding person so I made my dad promise not to bring her in, we never told her about my dad's work and we left her out of the family records so that she could live a normal life and so that people never would come for her.

But as I grew older, I realised that what we were doing was wrong, but I had no way out of it, so after my parents died, I took the opportunity to leave it all behind by faking my death, I hacked into the system and pronounced myself dead so no one would come looking for me, and I kept my past life hidden from everyone, thinking I wouldn't need to talk about it anymore until now, so now you know the whole life story of Tasha Collins, the one I kept hidden anyway." you explained your whole life story. Angela and Nyla looked at each other before writting some stuff down on the paper they had and Lucy looked at you, proud of what you just did.

"thank you, Tasha, it was brave of you to talk about it after wanting to leave it all behind." Angela told you.

"not like I had a choice." you said under your breath.

"sure, but most people would run away from the police, knowing they might end up in jail, but you decided to face it and that was very brave." Nyla said and you smiled.

"we're done, you can wait outside and we'll get back to you." Angela said and you nodded and left the interrogation room where Lucy and Tamara were waiting for you. Lucy led you to the roll call room and you sat at a table, Tamara sitting next to you.

"wait here alright, I'll be with the others to discuss your case, don't worry, I'll make sure you won't end up in jail." Lucy promised and you smiled at her.

While waiting for the result of your case, you were really nervous, Tamara saw it and place a hand on yours and you smiled at her, grateful she was by your side. After what like forever (it was 30min), Sargent Grey and the others came in and you and Tamara stood up. He had the same look he has every day and he had his arm crossed. you thought it must be serious if all of them were in here and you became really nervous.

"your case was really hard, no matter how we look at it, you end up in Juvie." Sargent Grey told you and you look down, you already knew this would happen but you were hoping for a different outcome.

"but," he said and you looked up with hope in your eyes.

"if you don't want to end in Juvie, we have a different solution." Sargent Grey said to you.

"what do I have to do?" you asked.

"you become a C.I" he told you.

"you want me to become a confidential informant?"

"It's the only solution we could think of"

"it was actually Lucy's idea" Tim said and you looked at her with a smile.

"hey, I told you I would do anything so that you don't end up in jail." Lucy told you and you smiled gratefully at her.

"all you need to do is give us information on everything you know when we need it." Sargent Grey told you.

"It would mean you have to go back to hacking and coding, but for the right reasons this time." Angela told you.

"I know you wanted to leave that all behind so it's really your choice if you want to do it or not." Lucy told you.

"honestly it's really clear what I should do." you said and turned to Tamara for approval, you didn't want to do it without her support. She nodded her head and you looked back at Sargent grey.

"I'll do it." you told him and he smiled and unfolded his arms.

"I was hoping you would say that." he told you and nodded at Angela. she came up to you and handed you a brand new laptop and phone and your eyes lit up at the sight.

"a new phone and laptop to replace your old one." she smiled at you and you beamed at her.

"Thank you!!" you exclaimed and smiled happily.

"I added all our contacts in the phone, you can text us whenever you feel like it. i'm sure we'll being hearing more from you soon." Angela told you and you smiled.

"alright, everyone go home and rest up, tomorrow we got another case to solve." Sargent Grey told everyone and everyone nodded.

"wait a damn minute. the night is still young, party at my place!" Nolan announced and everyone smiled and you and Tamara left with Lucy.

Once you guys reached Nolan's place, everyone was reaching and Nolan went to his door and unlocked it and let everyone in. everyone went in and Nolan went to the fridge and took the drinks out and he ordered a lot of food. everyone were drinking and talking to each other, having fun, and you felt awkward because you don't know them well. Halfway through, Tamara pulled you aside.

"so, I have a surprise for you," Tamara told you and you raised an eyebrow.

"while you were on the mission and I was in school, I took the liberty to talk to my principal and applied for a scholarship, I told him about you and he agreed to let you sit for a test and when you pass, you can join my school!" Tamara exclaimed and your eyes widened with shock.

"oh my god Tamara, this is amazing, thank you!" you hugged her tight and she hugged you back with a smile. you smiled at the thought that Tamara had said "when" and not "if" and you were touched she thought you were going to pass.

"it's the least I can do." she said as you guys pulled away.

The rest of the night, you mingled around and got to know everyone better and you guys played some board games and charades. you never thought you would meet these people, it was all thanks to lucy you met them and you were so grateful to have bumped into her and you were grateful that you didn't have to live on the streets anymore.

your life became much easier after that mission, you worked for the LAPD whenever you were needed, putting your hacking skills to use. you also go to school every day, unless there was an emergency at work. You also hang out with Tamara a lot, and sometimes the other people you met. Tim and Lucy eventually got together and they were like adopted parents to you and Tamara. Tamara also got a new car and she brings you everywhere with it. your life couldn't be much better and you were finally happy.

[mayybirds]

The thing about Ethan is that I can barely believe this man knows how to use a pistol, let alone all the other shit he pulls in RE7. RE8, fine, he's had some training and probably googled how to make ammo to assuage his PTSD-sourced paranoia just in case he ends up back in that sort of situation.

But RE7, this man looks like he's never held a gun in his life and it's not like he came prepared for a fight. Does he even know where the safety is? I know the US is a pretty gun-centric place but I don't think Ethan is the type of guy to be part of it. Maybe he went out to the shooting range with some buddies but... does Ethan look like the guy who has friends who go shooting for fun? This man is from California and works as a systems engineer.

Leon at least was a police rookie, he had training. Scientists working in high-security and high-risk fields of research, especially in the RE universe, they also probably know how to use a gun at least theoretically. I don't have to explain the soldiers or spies. Having family in the military can also explain at least a basic proficiency with firearms, or coming from an area where hunting was at least semi-common or your dad might keep a gun in a locked box for emergencies. But Ethan is so painfully average in a very specific middle-class suburban California way that I can't imagine him having any sort of weapons training, let alone the ability to use a grenade launcher. He went out to the middle of bumfuck Louisiana looking for his missing wife in a dress shirt and apparently he's worldy enough to know how to use a revolver? Mia had her secret identity as an evil scientist for the military industrial complex but where tf does Ethan's weapons background come from because I bet it's buckwild.

(Of course then you came in with your Raccoon City Survivor Ethan desperately trying to paper over the trauma with the illusion of normalcy even though the knowledge and habits remain just beneath the surface, which is fantastic. But still I wonder what the people at Capcom were thinking when they made Mr. Whitebread build explosives out of scraps in a shack)

Yeah when you get away from like…the kind of patchwork cover me and other fanfic writers do to excuse Ethan’s knowledge of weapons… Canon Ethan’s abilities with firearms get that much more ridiculous and hilarious. Like…I’m someone who plays survival horror games regularly but if you put me in front of a real gun I’d have very limited knowledge of how to use it. So how tf did Ethan know what he was doing.

It’s him being from Cali that’s really the icing on top for me. TtVtL Ethan is from around the L.A. area but canon Ethan in my head is from the greater San Fran area because…systems engineer in chinos. Tech people in San Fran do not fuckin have guns lol. Literally they could have made him from Texas like Mia and I’d have at least bought into it a little more because… Texas.

[hydrangeawise]

Oof, El Cazador de la Bruja EP24 was rough.

More than anything, it was also tragic, and man. One thing after another though: I adore how protective Ricardo is of the girls. It was a relief to see that, while he was hired to watch over Nadie and Ellis, that contract was the extent of his interactions with Glasses Guy. I was worried for a bit that he was sort of spying on them for Glasses Guy, but thankfully that turned out not to be the case! (Did we basically start chanting for Ricardo to shoot Glasses Guy to pieces as soon as he pulled the gun on him? Yes.) It really bothers me how self-assured and confident Glasses Guy is, like he's not the most unhinged man. His interactions with Camera Guy made my skin crawl, like ungh! This whole thing about "I'm basically your god, I gave you everything and you will proceed the way I want you to" is seriously unsettling and upsetting to watch, it is no wonder that Camera Guy was unstable as fuck. (Honestly, that whole scene in the clouds or whatever with Glasses Guy eating and Camera Guy's new look? So creepy, so incredibly creepy!)

I enjoyed how Blue-eyes was reuinted with her ladies, and how they brought helpful information with them. I was worried that the passing man from the title would turn out to be Ricardo, basically the whole time (and: so many warm feeling for Nadie 'paying' Ricardo to stay safe and get back to them!). SO MUCH TERROR FOR WHEN LIRIO WENT WANDERING OFF IN SEARCH OF HIM THOUGH! I was already imagining horror scenes of Lirio getting caught up in the fight! The end was - well, like I said, kind of tragic. L.A. coming back to himself after seeing the little doll he made of Ellis' hair dissolve was something, and I don't know how to express it. After seeing the flashback on his first impressions of Ellis, it's almost outrageous how proud(?) Glasses Guy was being the one who gave L.A. the capacity to feel. Like, no, he didn't do shit actually. That was L.A.'s own all along. Lirio serving as a vision of Ellis during his last moments was a neat throwback to that one earlier episode where Ellis pretended to be the mafia boss' dead daughter before he died.

I do have some more thoughts on Blue-eyes's remark that Lirio also changed during her time of watching Nadie and Ellis, but first and foremost, I am once again SO WORRIED that Nadie cut off Blue-eyes like that and decided that they would go on without the others!! I mean, sounds familiar doesn't it? Sounds like what Ellis did when she hurt Nadie, doesn't it?? Especially with the preview of the coming episode!

[hungrydogs-if]

I’m not sure if this was ask before but could you please tell us why HDMC was made?

it hasn't been asked, but i love the question!

i'll attach the first ever draft of the night of the decision below a cut, but let's get to the explanation first.

it was dane's idea, of course. he'd been running with some crews in the past, all in an attempt to find a place he'd belong; it wasn't his job, it wasn't his family, it wasn't any of the other gangs he tried to join. the only place he felt like he belonged was whenever he and vp hung out, and he wanted to cling to that feeling as much as he could. maybe even bring it to the other misfits in san maro who were tossed aside to favor the rich and famous.

so it's a robin hood story, in a sense, but with a sad tinge. it was a stupid idea that felt more and more like a possibility, and a chance to do something with their lives other than follow the masses. it was a cry for freedom, and helping those who felt lost find a place to feel included and appreciated. it didn't start as a criminal club, but slowly it became a part of it. it was just recreational use with the drugs first, until the business of buying and selling became a norm. the guns were almost an accident, one member tangled into something they shouldn't have; it was the club that brokered a deal that worked in everyone's favor. it's a bit difficult to back out from international arms dealing, sadly. but the money is good and has taken care of many of the members' debts.

then it just grew to something bigger than either dane or the vp could imagine.

and so we come to the draft that begun it all; the night the dream became reality.

A sunset paints the San Maro skyline in a brilliant vibrancy you could almost call beautiful, if it wasn't for the superficial hellscape of a city it set behind.

Driving up to the Roxmar Overlook was a blessed break from that nightmare. A break from the rich, the entitled, and the desperate. Knockoff L.A. is starting to light up against the natural light, and you tear your eyes away from the high-rise buildings and antennas reaching too far up in the sky.

You shift on the concrete bench and guide your focus to you left, to your only companion on these weekly trips. Dane sits quietly, lounging on his Harley, arms stretched over the handlebars towards the horizon. Slack fingers flex, the multitude of rings glinting in the dying daylight. You almost let out a laugh at the sight; Very calendar-esque, the modeling industry would eat him up.

"I've been thinkin'."

The leather of his jacket creaks as he pulls himself upright and turns to you. You make a noise and raise a brow, tossing him the most unimpressed look you can manage.

"Watch out, might hurt something," you deadpan, and Dane's chuckle draws a smile out of you as well. "Asshole, oughta toss you off this cliff one of these days." Empty threats, and you give him an one-shouldered shrug.

For a minute, there is silence between you, and for a moment you're sure he forgot what he was going to say; It wouldn't be the first time. There's a pensive look in his eyes when you meet them, gunmetal blue almost white in the fading light washing over his face.

"We should found a motorcycle club."

Words don't conjure in your head and you blink, meeting the serious stare Dane has set on you. Finally, a very eloquent "what?" comes from you, and your brows furrow at the thought. The gravel crunches beneath Dane's boots when he shifts, face lit up with giddy excitement.

"Just us to begin with, but we could grow. Can you imagine? You and me against the world," his hand shoots to the side, gesturing over the city skyline, "and it begins right here."

You catch a wistful sigh when he turns away, his eyes on the city below. You follow the line of sight, mind churning with thoughts you can't quite slot together. The city sprawls tall and wide - No one would notice if you carved a piece of it for yourselves.

Yeah. Why the fuck not.

---

Hungry Dogs MC.

Laughs and jokes were tied to the origins of the name, but when registering it, Dane had been dead serious. He'd stated that hunger for something was relatable to anyone, all smiles, and the 'dog' came an afterthought. Though you heard his dad call him a mongrel more than on one occasion; later you found out this was one way of reclaiming the insult as something good.

[human-antithesis]

Ænema

Some say the end is near. Some say we'll see Armageddon soon. Certainly hope we will. I sure could use a vacation from this bullshit three-ring circus sideshow of freaks.

Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call L.A. The only way to fix it is to flush it all away. Any fucking time. Any fucking day. Learn to swim, see you down in Arizona Bay.

Fret for your figure And fret for your latte And fret for your lawsuit And fret for your hairpiece And fret for your Prozac And fret for your pilot And fret for your contract And fret for your car.

It's a bullshit three-ring circus sideshow of freaks.

Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call L.A. The only way to fix it is to flush it all away. Any fucking time. Any fucking day. Learn to swim, see you down in Arizona Bay.

Some say a comet will fall from the sky. Followed by meteor showers and tidal waves. Followed by fault lines that cannot sit still. Followed by millions of dumbfounded dip shits.

And some say the end is near. Some say we'll see Armageddon soon. Certainly hope we will I sure could use a vacation from this stupid shit, silly shit, stupid shit.

One great big festering neon distraction, I've a suggestion to keep you all occupied.

Learn to swim. Learn to swim. Learn to swim.

'Cause mom's gonna fix it all soon. Mom's comin' 'round to put it back the way it ought to be.

Learn to swim. [repeat]

Fuck L Ron Hubbard And fuck all his clones. Fuck all these gun-toting Hip gangster wannabes.

Learn to swim. [repeat]

Fuck retro anything. Fuck your tattoos. Fuck all you junkies And fuck your short memory.

Learn to swim. [repeat]

Fuck smiley glad-hands With hidden agendas. Fuck these dysfunctional Insecure actresses.

Learn to swim. [repeat]

'Cause I'm praying for rain I'm praying for tidal waves I wanna see the ground give way. I wanna watch it all go down.

Mom, please flush it all away. I wanna see it go right in and down. I wanna watch it go right in. Watch you flush it all away.

Time to bring it down again. Don't just call me pessimist. Try and read between the lines. And I can't imagine why you wouldn't welcome any change, my friend.

I wanna see it come down. Bring it down Suck it down. Flush it down.

[sanctum-musica]

TOOL - Ænema

Some say the end is near

Some say we’ll see Armageddon soon

I certainly hope we will

I sure could use a vacation from this Bullshit three-ring Circus sideshow of

Freaks Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call L.A.

The only way to fix it is to flush it all away Any fucking time, any fucking day Learn to swim, I’ll see you down in Arizona bay

Fret for your figure and Fret for your latte and Fret for your lawsuit and Fret for your hairpiece and Fret for your Prozac and Fret for your pilot and Fret for your contract and Fret for your car

It’s a Bullshit three-ring Circus sideshow of

Freaks Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call L.A.

The only way to fix it is to flush it all away Any fucking time, any fucking day Learn to swim, I’ll see you down in Arizona bay

Some say a comet will fall from the sky Followed by meteor showers and tidal waves Followed by fault lines that cannot sit still Followed by millions of dumbfounded dipshits

And some say the end is near

Some say we’ll see Armageddon soon

I certainly hope we will I sure could use a vacation from this Stupid shit, silly shit, stupid shit

One great big festering neon distraction I’ve a suggestion to keep you all occupied

Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim

‘Cause Mom’s gonna fix it all soon, Mom’s comin’ 'round to put it back the way it ought to be

Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim

Fuck L. Ron Hubbard and Fuck all his clones Fuck all these gun-toting Hip gangster wannabes

Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim

Fuck retro anything Fuck your tattoos Fuck all you junkies and Fuck your short memories

Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim

Yeah, fuck smiley glad-hands With hidden agendas Fuck these dysfunctional Insecure actresses

Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim

'Cause I’m praying for rain I’m praying for tidal waves I wanna see the ground give way I wanna watch it all go down

Mom, please flush it all away, I wanna see it go right in and down

I wanna watch it go right in, Watch you flush it all away

Yeah, time to bring it down again

Yeah, don’t just call me pessimist Try and read between the lines

I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t Welcome any change, my friend

I wanna see it come down, Put it down, Suck it down, Flush it down

[sanctum-mundi]

TOOL - Ænema

Some say the end is near

Some say we’ll see Armageddon soon

I certainly hope we will

I sure could use a vacation from this Bullshit three-ring Circus sideshow of

Freaks Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call L.A.

The only way to fix it is to flush it all away Any fucking time, any fucking day Learn to swim, I’ll see you down in Arizona bay

Fret for your figure and Fret for your latte and Fret for your lawsuit and Fret for your hairpiece and Fret for your Prozac and Fret for your pilot and Fret for your contract and Fret for your car

It’s a Bullshit three-ring Circus sideshow of

Freaks Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call L.A.

The only way to fix it is to flush it all away Any fucking time, any fucking day Learn to swim, I’ll see you down in Arizona bay

Some say a comet will fall from the sky Followed by meteor showers and tidal waves Followed by fault lines that cannot sit still Followed by millions of dumbfounded dipshits

And some say the end is near

Some say we’ll see Armageddon soon

I certainly hope we will I sure could use a vacation from this Stupid shit, silly shit, stupid shit

One great big festering neon distraction I’ve a suggestion to keep you all occupied

Learn to swim, learn to swim, learn to swim

‘Cause Mom’s gonna fix it all soon, Mom’s comin’ 'round to put it back the way it ought to be

Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim

Fuck L. Ron Hubbard and Fuck all his clones Fuck all these gun-toting Hip gangster wannabes

Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim

Fuck retro anything Fuck your tattoos Fuck all you junkies and Fuck your short memories

Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim

Yeah, fuck smiley glad-hands With hidden agendas Fuck these dysfunctional Insecure actresses

Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim Learn to swim, learn to swim

'Cause I’m praying for rain I’m praying for tidal waves I wanna see the ground give way I wanna watch it all go down

Mom, please flush it all away, I wanna see it go right in and down

I wanna watch it go right in, Watch you flush it all away

Yeah, time to bring it down again

Yeah, don’t just call me pessimist Try and read between the lines

I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t Welcome any change, my friend

I wanna see it come down, Put it down, Suck it down, Flush it down

[thesmokingguns]

Bad Day, Worse Night

Word Count: 2051

Summary: You’re having a bad day and just want to come home and stay in bed all night but your boyfriend is on a mission to cheer you up and turn your bad day into a good night. But he doesn’t have the best of luck. 

A/N: I wasn’t going to post today after dropping a bunch of stuff yesterday but kind of like writing Kelly Nickels so I had to write this piece today. I know you’re all probably getting tired of this but I want to thank everyone for engaging in the posts. Let me know if there are any characters you prefer me writing for or if you want something more specific please feel free to request HERE. Thanks everyone!

Tag List: @thenobodies-inc​ , @littlemisscare-all​ , @that-80s-chick​ @ayablackwood

It’s not letting me tag the following people. Please check your settings on Tumblr, thank you!

@agroupiewhore , @ayablackwood

Part One: Bad Day

The door burst open with a crash so loud Kelly looked up from the couch where he was picking at his bass. When the door slammed shut with a louder slam, his eyebrow shot up. You stormed past him into the bedroom slamming another door making the beer he had on the table shake from the force. If he didn’t reach out it would have spilled all over the coffee table.

“Love, by slamming the doors are you trying to tell me something?” He called from the couch. Instead of a response he heard muffled screaming coming from the room. “Take that as a yes.” He muttered to himself as he moved to the bedroom, opening the door that was just slammed.

“Go away.” You mumbled into the pillow. Kelly sat down beside you on the bed, pushing your hair behind your ear. You were so mad about the day that you had at work and just needed to calm down.

It had been one of those days where if it could go wrong it had. Everyone had been screaming at you all day, from customers to the manager it seemed everyone had a bone to pick with you. It felt like you had gone through a boxing match with your emotions and you were holding on by a tiny string. A string that was frazzled, tired, and ready to break at the slightest provocation.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked, rubbing your back. You shifted, laying your head on his lap, his fingers working through your hair. His touch calming you down and make you take a mental step back from the ledge you were about to fall off of.

“I hate the world.” You muttered curling into him and sighing out a deep breath. You heard your boyfriend scoff at this.

“How can you hate the world when I am your world?” Kelly countered. The smile tugging at your lips let him know that he was on the right track to putting you in a good mood. “We can’t go about wallowing in misery. The first option is we go take a bath, drink whiskey, invite some people over and have a party or you can get dolled up and I’ll take you out so that you don’t retreat into yourself like a hermit.” You thought for a second about his offer. Not really wanting to be around anyone.

“I pick C. I stay here in my moody bubble and wallow in my self pity feeling sorry for myself.” You told him, kicking off your heels and reaching for the blanket so you could stay in bed all day. He stood up, letting your head fall to the place he was just sitting and a whiny sound came out of your mouth. “Kelly, come back and rub my hair. That was so nice.” You propped your head up on your hands, looking as he opened the closet door, flipping through some hangers.

“Here. Get dressed.” He threw you a dress that you recognized, it was one of his favorites, smirking as you hit your head against the mattress. “Hey, Y/N stop being dramatic.” You threw a pillow at him as he left wishing it was a lamp and could do more damage. You’d show him dramatic if he wanted to be like that.

Kelly had picked out a short silky dress for you that was skin tight and showed off all the parts of you that he liked to touch. Instead of giving him the satisfaction of being a little sleaze doll for him you pulled on a pair of combat boots and grabbed your leather jacket. You were going to be as comfortable as possible.

“I’m going to get so drunk you’re going to have to carry me home or bail me out of jail. It will be a fun game of which one happens first” You warned, watching the way that he smirked at you. His arm wrapped around your waist pulling you to him and planting a kiss on your lips. The feeling of his lips melting some of your anger.

“Will you get drunk enough to let me take you out to the alley?” He flirted his hand sliding down your curves to your bare thighs and back up trying to creep back up. You smacked his hand away shaking your head annoyed. He always had a one track mind.

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Kels.” You shook your head taking a step away from him and trying on one of his hats that were hanging by the front door. Thinking of how he had mentioned the alley you thought of how to change his mind to staying in and letting you wallow, “You know, whenever you’re in a bad mood-“

“I’m a ray of fucking sunshine. I’m never in a bad mood.” He interrupted earning him a glare from you as he took the hat off your head and put it on his own head.

“Ray of fucking sunshine, my ass.” You snorted. But your mind was on how you wanted to stay home. Maybe order a pizza and eat it in the bathtub or eat it well crying on the couch watching a movie. Maybe you could convince him to stay home with you if you played your cards right and used his weakness against him..

Taking a step forward you ran a finger down his chest, making sure you kept eye contact and held his attention. You let your tongue slip out wetting your bottom lip, watching his eyes follow the simple motion. You let your arms slip around his neck pushing your body into his, loving how he couldn’t stop his hands from skimming your body.

“When you’re in a bad mood I always cheer you up by going down on my knees. Maybe you can return the favor?” You asked, batting your eyelashes. He definitely was reconsidering going out now. You could see the hesitation to move as he tried to process what you were saying to him.

“Giving me a blowjob will cheer you up?” He asked, tilting his head slightly. “Because if that’s the case we have plenty of time to-“ you threw up your hands shaking your head as you took a step away from him.

“Let’s just go.” You said moving to open the door. Kelly slid his arm around you, practically dragging you outside and into the fading sunshine. Part of you wondered if you should ask where you were going, the other part was just hoping there would be drinks. The sooner you left the sooner you could go home.

Part Two: Bad Night

It had been about two hours since you had been dragged out of your apartment after having a miserable day at work. Your head was throbbing and you were thinking about how you could be wrapped in blankets on the couch watching the VHS of Beetlejuice you had bought last week. Maybe be halfway through a pizza and on your second bottle of wine.

Instead you were at The Roxy, packed in the upstairs bar where people kept bumping into you and where you had lost Kelly at least a half hour before when he had gone to the bathroom. You had managed to get drunk but instead of bringing out the laughter and dancing that your boyfriend had been hoping it would bring out you were just getting more upset.

You slammed back another shot of whiskey, tapping two fingers on the bar to signal you needed another. If Kelly didn’t appear after the next shot you were going to go home. You felt like you were on the brink of tears. They were burning, ready to fall if you could just get back home. The overwhelming feeling of a bad day setting you on the path for the worst mood to break open.

“Hey beautiful, are you here alone?”

“Fuck off.” You didn’t even bother to look at the man who had slid into the free spot next to you. You were not in the mood to have strangers talk to you or flirt with you.

“Aw, why are you being rude to me? Bad night?” You slammed back the last shot. Time to go. Standing up, ignoring the man you felt the hand on your arm. You turned expecting to see Kelly but some stranger was holding onto you. It had been a bad day and now a bad night. You slammed your head forward headbutting the guy who had tried to talk to you at the bar. He broke contact with you, you could feel his blood drip onto you as you turned to walk out of the club, your body shaking in annoyance.

Bad day turns into a bad night, who saw that one coming? You lit a cigarette, sucking on the filter and sighing out a cloud of smoke. You just wanted to get home and into your bed, away from everyone. You were mad at Kelly for dragging you out and vanishing. You were mad about work. You were mad about that fucking weird guy grabbing you at the bar. You were mad that you were… crying.

The stream of tears coming out, burning as your mascara poured down your face.  Wiping furiously with the leather sleeve of your jacket, you depended on muscle memory to get you home. It was aggravating to be so upset and crying because of it. Pushing open the door to a dark apartment you headed straight into the bathroom, filling the claw foot tub with hot water. You needed to wash off this day and have a little bit of a fresh start.

Kelly threw the front door open, eyes wild as he looked around the apartment. A glow from the bathroom had him nearly sprinting across the apartment opening the door and freezing when he saw you. Your hair was pulled up, face a mess of mascara lines from tears and someone else’s blood, a bruise from where your head met a face, naked with an arm crossed over your breasts, the other arm resting in it and holding a cigarette.

“What the fuck?” Kelly rushed towards the tub. His hands checking you for any other injury, “Where are you bleeding from? Are you okay?” He was touching you everywhere but you were so numb, everything overwhelming you that it was like you were outside your body watching it happen. “Y/N? Y/N, please, say something.” Your eyes snapped up watching him, the concern for you swimming in his eyes.

“Who goes to the bathroom for a half hour?” The guilty look he gave you had you shaking your head, taking a drag of your cigarette, “Just leave me alone. It’s been a bad 24 hours.” You drew your legs up, resting your chin on your knees.

But leaving you alone was the last thing he planned on doing. Kelly was stripping, easing himself behind you in the tub. His arms wrapping around you and dragging you back against him. He grabbed a washcloth filling it in the water before starting to wipe the makeup and blood from your face. With each gentle movement of the washcloth you could feel your bad day starting to fade. The way Kelly rubbed your shoulders, kissing them after they were clean started to crack your anger.

“How are you, Love? Any better?” His hands tucking a strand of hair away from your face. His fingers feeling like they were soft kisses on your skin.

“I’m still a little grumpy.” You admitted.

“Well you’re always a little bit grumpy so that seems fine. As long as you’re back to your normal amount.” Sinking back against him, you felt thankful for him being here with you. This is exactly what you had needed.

“Hey Kelly, I love you.”

“I love you more. Sorry for doing coke in the bathroom.” You rolled your eyes at his confession snuggling into his arms. The way he was stroking you arms and laying kisses on the back of your neck made you aware it might have been a bad day but Kelly wasn’t going to let you go to bed in a bad mood.

[born-to-lose]

Can you do a first date headcanon with Kelly Nickels

Again a kinda short one, but I hope you like it!

Obviously, Kelly is the one to ask you out

For your first date, the two of you go to the cinema

He lets you choose the movie and while he'd preferably watch a comedy or action movie, he'll be fine with anything you pick

You share the snacks you bought (popcorn, nachos - whatever you like)

He'll casually have an arm around you throughout the movie, but won't try to get uncomfortably close

When you get ice cream afterwards, he lets you order first and then takes the same flavor as you

He definitely makes jokes about the ice cream dripping down your chin

While you continue eating, you walk around the city together, talking about random stuff

You make fun of some obscure things you see in store windows and sometimes even go inside and leave without buying anythin

In the end, he'll give you a motorbike ride home and immediately ask you for another date

[you-can-call-me-wanda]

Protective & Pregnant

Pairing: Kelly Nickels x Reader (Requested)

Author’s Note: I’m really sorry if my writing has gotten worse and that it has been coming out so slowly. Please know that I’m really trying :)

“I got it babe.”

Kelly ran down the hall to meet you at the door of the recording studio. You had just taken a cab over to drop off a couple of things for Kelly and the boys.

“Kelly, it’s fine. It’s just one bag,” you said, shooing away Kelly’s hands from taking a hold of the bag you were carrying. In it were assorted items the band had requested you bring: new guitar strings, cigarettes, a forgotten pedal, and a surprising amount of snacks. 

Kelly ignored your protests though and grabbed the bag from your hands anyways. Taking it into his own hands, he began leading you through the door and down the corridor to the studio where the rest of L.A. Guns were.

“We’re upstairs,” he said motioning to the stairwell you were both approaching. “Are you good to take the stairs?”

“My god, Kelly,” you groaned, rolling your eyes. “I’m pregnant, not helpless.”

Kelly lifted his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. I just worry y’know?”

You smiled up at him. You actually found it to be quite precious the way Kelly worried about and doted on you. He had been like this ever since you had first told him you were expecting. “I know,” you said. “Trust me, I know.”

Despite your teasing, Kelly still grasped at your arm as you made your way up the flight of stairs. You had already been holding the railing with your other hand, but Kelly must have felt you needed his help as well. You decided to just let him help you, knowing it was an action done entirely out of love and devotion to you and your baby.

“(Y/N)!”

You heard your name immediately after exiting the stairwell with Kelly. Phil was standing in the doorway of the first door in the hallway with a big grin on his face. 

“Hey Phil!” you greeted enthusiastically. You were close with all of the boys in L.A. Guns, but got along especially well with Phil. “How are you?” You approached him as Kelly entered the room and began a conversation with Steve and Tracii.

“I’m great! And you, oh my, you’ve gotten so big,” Phil gushed, embracing you in a hug before reaching down to place a gentle hand on your growing belly. “Christ, how far along are you now?”

“Seven months,” you replied, smiling fondly at the excitement in Phil’s eyes caused by your baby bump. All the boys had been so excited when you and Kelly had announced you were going to be parents. “Am I really that much bigger?” you asked. You had seen Phil only a couple of weeks ago.

“Well yeah,” Phil said. “But, um, in a good way! Not fat, just bigger.” Phil’s eyes grew wide. “Not that if you were getting fatter that would be a bad thing!”

“Um thanks?” you said, confused as to why Phil was acting so strangely.

“What I mean is you look good! What’s that word Kelly told us?” Phil paused to think of what he was trying to say. “Glowing! That’s it! You look glowing.”

“Kelly told you to say that?” you asked Phil, turning back to him.

Phil reached up to play with his hair, a small embarrassed smile on his lips. “Well, not exactly. But he did tell us to be extra nice to you when we saw you today.”

You squinted your eyes in confusion. “Why?” you asked, unsure as to why Kelly would say that to his friends.

“Oh well, I don’t know. He just said you were getting to be a little, hmm how should I say it, sensitive is all. I think he just didn’t want any of us upsetting you. You know how Mick and Steve’s jokes can get.” Phil explained, looking slightly like he had just accidentally let the cat out of the bag. “Kelly’s just looking out for you I think.”

You smiled. Being pregnant had made you a tad more emotional than usual.The other day you had cried over seeing your neighbor’s cat sitting out their porch, something completely ordinary. Your hormones were all out of wack and that made you a bit more inclined to react strongly or out of the ordinary to things. You found it extremely endearing and a little humorous that Kelly had instructed the boys to be on their best behavior for your benefit. 

“Speak of the devil,” Phil said as you felt an arm snake around your waist.

Kelly came up behind you and rubbed soothing circles on your side. “Were you talking about me?” he asked, eyebrows raised, looking between the two of you. 

“Only about how much I love you,” you replied, standing up on your tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek. 

Phil smiled at the two of you before silently excusing himself to go talk to Tracii. 

“What were you really talking about?” Kelly asked, suspicious of what you and Phil had been conversing about.

You only responded with your own question though. “Did you really tell the guys to be extra nice to me today?”

Kelly huffed out a laugh and you turned around to see a little color rise to his cheeks. He put a hand to the back of his neck.

“Um, well, kinda. I didn’t say it like that,” he explained. “I just suggested that they not be as crude as they typically would since you’ve been uh, well kinda, um,” he fumbled to find a word that wouldn’t seem offensive.

“Sensitive?” you supplied, thinking of what Phil had said.

“Yeah,” he said. “But I just meant it as a precaution that some of their typical teasing ways might not go over well with you right now.” He grinned and shook his head a little. “I didn’t mean that they had to walk on eggshells around you.”

You giggled a little. “Well Phil was definitely trying very hard not to offend me.”

“I’m sorry,” Kelly said. “I didn’t want you to know that I had said anything to them, but I should've known Phil wouldn’t be able to keep his mouth shut. Maybe I should’ve just left it alone. I know I’ve been too overprotective lately,” he sighed. “I’m just nervous is all, that something may happen to you or the baby. I know I’m being a lot.”

“Kelly,” you said, wrapping your arms around him in a small hug. Your protruding stomach made it hard to fully embrace him. “I’m not mad, baby. I think it’s really sweet how protective you’ve been.”

“You do?” he asked.

“Yes! I mean, sometimes it is a little unnecessary but how could I be mad at you for being so loving and supportive. You’re already such a good father for this baby.” You both looked lovingly down at your baby bump. “We’re so lucky to have you.”

“Hey lovers!” Mick yelled, interrupting you and Kelly’s private moment. “C’mon, we have shit to do!”

“Mick,” Phil hissed, elbowing Mick in the side, “(Y/N)’s pregnant remember? We can’t say stuff like that anymore.”

Kelly just shook his head while you laughed.

[80s-motel]

Dating Kelly Nickels would include...

Him spoiling you and buying you everything you can imagine

When you both knew that your relationship was getting serious, he dropped the big question: “Wanna adopt a puppy together?

Yeah, you obviously accepted. The puppy was really cute and playful, so Kelly got quickly attached to it. You loved to see them play in the dog park and the little animal always slept with you two.

He is a good puppy dad, ngl. The puppy also got attached to Kelly and it always waited for him to return home in the door.

The L.A. boys shipping you two in a hardcore way, specially Steve and Tracii

If something goes wrong with your relationship, Tracii is the first to find out. He also is like your love counselor and he turns out to be your best friend, so if you have any problems with Kelly, he will sue the fuck out of him.

Kelly having lots of nicknames for you, but he usually calls you “doll”

You calling him “duckling” since you heard him quacking

Nothing more, just him being a sweet cuddlebug whenever he can

Forehead kisses and soft peaks in your lips for literally anything

Him loving to pinch your cheeks until they become red

And you tickling his neck as your revenge

If you’re sad, he will go with you and do dumb faces until you smile

Then, he would hug you and squish your face and give you kisses

[sunjaesol]

serendipitous encounters

juke | human au | fluff

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

"I think I met my soulmate!" Luke shouted as he barrelled through the front door, announcing his presence.

Alex, cuddled up with Willie, groaned from his place on the couch. "Not this again. Luke, soulmates do not exist!"

"Well, I'm curious," Willie joked. "What happened?"

Bouncing through the small living space, he propped himself on the coffee table. His eager lips spouted everything he knew so far. "Her name's Julie and she's beautiful and she drinks lattes with caramel syrup."

The two boys blinked at each other, an amused smile growing on Willie as the scowl deepened for Alex. Yeesh. How did these two work?

The blonde tried keeping composure. "You think... you met... the person you want to spend the rest of your life with... in a coffee shop?"

Luke nodded. What was his point?

Luckily, Willie was on his side. "Did you talk to her?"

Sighing, he slumped to the floor. "No. But I'm telling you, it's her."

"This oddly feels like that Zooey Deschanel movie," Alex mused.

"No! She's not some fantasy! She-I can't explain it." Dreamily looking up at the ceiling, he added. "She's it. I'm calling it."

"I think you're horny," Alex deadpanned. Willie snickered.

He rolled his eyes and swatted their legs. "Very cool, you guys.”

The doorbell rang. Jumping up and saving himself from further embarrassment, Luke went to open it.

And it was her. Holy shit.

She smiled up at him, holding up his trusty songbook.

"Hello. You left this journal on your table at Starbucks? It has your address inside."

Gobsmacked, Luke stared at her. Holy fucking shit. Because of his whole daydream about her in Starbucks, he forgot his book and then she took it upon herself to find the rightful owner. That was fate, right? Take that, Alex!

Stammering vowels, he plucked it from her grasp and let out a breathy laugh.

"Y-Yeah, thanks, that's- yup."

An amused smile pulled on her lips, nodding. "No problem. Have a nice day!"

Her goodbye snapped him out of his stupor, calling out for her with a raised hand.

"Wait! I didn't catch your name!"

She turned around, the girl looking so foreign in the grimy hallway of the apartment complex.

"Why do you need my name?"

Cause he knew it already and didn't want to seem like a creep.

He shrugged. "I want to thank you."

"It's Julie," she said after a beat.

"Thank you, Julie." His grin must've been comically wide, heart beating a mile a minute as he was still convinced she was his freaking soulmate.

And then she left. He was certain he'd see her again. In a non creepy way, that was.

— — — — — —

It was wholly coincidental once more. 

It was an early Sunday morning, Luke donned in sweatpants and a ratty cut-off and bedhead, as he meandered in the the shop of a tailor. Reggie owed him for this. 

The bassist loved buying vintage clothing, but never stuff that quite fit him. Hence, a tailor. His name was Peter and basically Reg’s best friend at this point, based on the disappointed look the man gave Luke as he handed him the the slip. He could hear the question on his tongue - “Where’s Reggie?” - and was happy when he didn’t ask. 

One, cause that was fucking rude. 

Two, cause Reg was currently fighting for an exclusive comic book on the other side of Los Angeles with a hurdle of other nerds. 

As Peter was sifting through the clothing racks, searching the order, the bell jingled behind him. 

“Oh, Journal Boy?”

He stilled. Holy shit. 

Whirling around, he came face to face with Julie. Just as beautiful as a week ago; maybe even more disarming in sandals and her curly hair up in a messy bun.

“Hi,” he breathed, unsure if he wasn’t just imagining her. It was a pretty hot day. It could easily be a sun stroke. 

Her smile widened. She was probably amused by his goofy behaviour, but he couldn’t help it. What were the odds he’d see her again, in a different location, this early after the first encounter? What was the statistical probability of meeting his soulmate twice? 

Before he could say anything else, Peter appeared from his rack and placed a leather jacket on the counter. Their attention diverted, Luke couldn’t help but feel heat travel up his back from having her so near. 

— — — — — —

No, he didn't want to go to silent disco.

Alas, Willie and Alex were that quirky type of couple that always liked to do the weirdest shit, including the most impersonal activity ever: a silent fucking disco.

They told him to bring a date, as Reggie was bringing his Tinder match Kayla, but he wasn't feeling it. One, because he still couldn't believe he saw Julie again at the tailor-

("It's Luke, by the way," he added.

She smiled and tasted the name. "Luke. Haven't lost your journal again?"

His name sounded heavenly on her tongue. Keeping the blush at bay, he nodded with a grin. "Yup. Uh-"

And then the man came back with her stuff, and that was that.)

-two, cause he wanted to win from Alex. Soulmates did exist and he hadn't lost hope it was her.

So there he was, in some old factory turned disco, with hundreds of idiots wearing headphones as they danced in a frenzy to whatever song was playing. The whole point of art - connection - was lost. Luke wanted to die.

Until he saw Julie from across the space. Again. And she saw him.

They smiled and waved and suddenly, this whole thing wasn't so bad anymore.

— — — — — —

There were about a 130,000 people living in East LA. It had sprawling neighbourhoods and hundreds of communities and subways that connected it to the other parts of LA. She could’ve been anywhere. 

And yet, he found her again. 

Even though he was still sticking to his guns that Julie was someone special, he also had his own needs. Which was how he found himself slipping out of a redhead’s bed at seven in the morning, dazed from being in an unknown place, and pulling his clothes back on. He was pretty sure her name was Meredith, though that could also just be entirely false. It was a weird, albeit good night. 

She mumbled in her pillow he could let himself out, waving half-heartedly and rolling on her side. 

Softly closing the door behind him and cracking the knots in his neck, he didn’t notice how he bumped into a person. 

Into Julie. 

His eyes widened in shock, the two letting out a surprised yelp. Her hand clutched her chest and took a step back. 

“Whoa!” he exclaimed. “Sorry!”

Her mouth opened and closed in confusion, about to say something, when her gaze trailed past him to the apartment he just left. She cleared up. 

“Meredith? Good choice, she’s nice.”

Luke flushed red. What the fuck was he supposed to say to that? 

Awkwardly scratching the back of his head, he drawled, “Uh, yeah... what’re you doing here?”

It was then that he noticed she had athletic wear on, duffle bag around her shoulder and keys dangling between her fingers. She confirmed his suspicions when she replied. 

“I, uh, live here.” She laughed. “So... have a nice rest of the day?”  

He wanted to say a lot. He wanted to ask if she wanted to grab breakfast, that Meredith wasn’t his girlfriend, that he had this crazy feeling they were always meant to meet - again and again and again ‘til they got it right. 

But he couldn’t. He’d sound insane. Hell, it was insane. Instead, he wished her a nice day as well and scurried out the hallway. He didn’t look back, but he did wonder if he was imagining he felt her eyes on his back. 

— — — — — —

Luke was typing on his laptop, the hustle and bustle of Starbucks at three in the afternoon and the methodical tap tap tap of the keys lulling him into a fast-paced trance. As always, he procrastinated some work for Pitchfork and had to get it done in two hours or else his boss would be yelling in his emails.

The bell jingled, Luke looking up automatically and almost rolling his eyes at the sight of her. This was getting insane.

Julie saw him too, changing her course from the register to his round table with a confused grimace twisting her features. As always, she looked pretty; the girl never looked bad and it was kind of messing with his head.

"Alright, fess up," she exclaimed, slipping into the seat opposite of him. "Are you stalking me?"

He snorted and leaned forward with a wry grin. "I can ask the same about you."

Her lips pursed, assessing him for a beat. With a sigh, she mellowed down. "I guess... we live in the same neighbourhood..."

"Still kinda crazy though," he mused. "East L.A. is big."

She nodded, pensive, and then looked over her shoulder to the menu board. "Is it okay if... I sit with you? I was going to grab a latte to go, but since you're here..."

But since you're here - rang in his ears, a careful smile blooming on his lips. Fuck, he really needed to work, but Julie wanted to sit with him, hang with him, be friends with him, outside of all the coincidental meetings they've had.

He wouldn't call it a date yet. He wanted to properly ask her when that day came.

"Sure," he mumbled, biting down the smile from becoming bigger.

His reply satisfied her, the tendrils dancing around her bright eyes as she matched his smile and stood up to make an order.

— — — — — —

Weeks passed with quick meetings here and there, Julie slowly bleeding into his life with laughs and smiles and whirlwind stories about her life. She was always on the go, always bright-eyed and easily matching his energy. He knew his enthusiasm could put people off, but she was never taken aback.

Wit against wit. Snark against snark. A dumb joke met with an amused roll of the eye. It worked. For a while, he even settled on the fact that hey, they might be platonic soulmates. Julie was a great friends and sometimes he felt his emotions fleeting. If they remained friends, he'd be perfectly content.

But then she closed gaps and barriers that had pointedly been kept before. After they got boba, her hand wrapped around his bicep, stretched on her tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss on his cheek. Before he could register it, she was back on her feet waving him goodbye. Luke had a dopey look on his face for the rest of the day.

She kept up cheek kisses, he let his warm embraces linger, their short hangouts turned into hours.

Then one night, she kissed his cheek after they got ramen and he shifted his face 'til their noses brushed. Julie held her breath. Tentatively, their fingers curled together - the simple touch sparking lightning up his arm.

"Is it weird that I've dreamed about you?" he asked, cautious, looking at their joined hands.

Luke wanted to tell her about his initial gut feeling; that he saw her and he knew. But it was too insane and he didn't want to scare her off. But he knew. He's always known.

"No..." Her mouth ghosted his. "I've dreamed about you too."

Luke closed the little space between them, lips slanting together and instantly deepening as one hand came up to cradle her cheek. His heart was bursting with euphoria. It felt as if his body sighed in relief, like it had finally come home. And then he did: he sighed and grinned and giggled when her arms wrapped around his neck.

Oh, man... he might already love her.

— — — — — —

Nothing definite happened afterwards. Though this is what he wanted, he felt weird confirming their relationship when he had always somehow ‘known.’ It had to come from her side, the more level-headed person in this situation. 

So, it was casual, even though he was anything but casual. 

It was pretty great though, walking past Meredith’s door towards Julie’s, having her yank him inside and kiss him like she’d been waiting for years. Kissing Julie was fucking heaven. 

Besides that, they were the same Luke and Julie as before. They got boba or ramen or any new spot that opened up like weeds. She listened to new music with him, sharing earbuds, for his Pitchfork articles. He watched her sing and play the piano at music clubs, becoming more and more enamoured each time simply by the sound of her angelic voice. He built a shelf for her. She taught him how to make friendship bracelets. He met her best friend Flynn. She stayed over for dinner with the guys and got drunk on white wine, giggling along to the jokes.

They fit. But they weren’t exclusive. He had no clue if she was also seeing someone else. He presumed she didn’t, the two constantly revolving around each other, but he couldn’t be certain.

Alex was gobsmacked the first time he properly met her. Stunned that Luke had been right, that it worked out, that East Los Angeles was apparently nothing more than a small town. Luke reckoned he was just jealous he didn’t have to meet his person by getting maimed on the street - ha! 

His finger trailed along her sleeping silhouette, gently and drowsy, observing in awe how a smile subconsciously quirked on her lips and shifted closer to his touch. He closed his eyes and pressed his nose in the back of her neck. There were worse ways to wake up. 

— — — — — —

Eventually, Julie simply decided for him.

She was moving apartments and he was helping her pack, move furniture, throw shit out, the whole nine yards. For one person, she had a lot of stuff, her cabinets an endless supply of decor, souvenirs and memories.

They were whirling around each other like clock-work, never bumping and smoothly handing things over. Rap music was playing from the stereo, its sound drifting from her opened front door into the hallway.

One of her neighbours popped their head in.

"Oh!" The old man perked up, surprised. "You're moving, Julie?"

She looked up from rummaging through her CD collection to shoot him a tired smile. "Yeah," she puffed, "my lease is up, so..."

"Change of pace, I get it. That's wonderful," he nodded, gaze shifting to Luke walking out of the bathroom. "Hello!"

Luke smiled at him, waving with the box of oddly shaped soaps Julie had for some reason. "Hi."

"This is Luke, my boyfriend," Julie introduced, Luke freezing in his tracks all at once as the words utter from her lips. Boyfriend. Holy shit. It didn't faze her, smoothly babbling more than he wasn't processing.

Boyfriend. Which meant that she was his girlfriend. Which meant that now, he had to threaten the guys to not say a fucking word about how mentally deranged he was the first week after meeting her. This wasn’t planned. This was fully her. This was past fate and serendipity - this was by choice. It felt better than he thought. 

The man bid goodbye and left. Luke dropped the box on the coffee table, sliding towards her with a shit-eating grin.

"Boyfriend," he drawled exaggeratedly.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes. ‘Cause you are. I know you well enough to know you can only do exclusive."

"Can you?"

"I said you were my boyfriend, didn't I?"

His smile widened, leaning in to kiss her. She met him halfway, loose curls tucked behind ears before her arms were slung around his waist. I love, I love you, I've loved you forever.

And then the truth tumbled out. Part of it, at least.

"I, uh," he gulped, looking at her through his lashes. "I saw you, that first day, and I thought you were the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

Her face turned tender, a pout jutting from her lip as she gauged his reaction, like she was waiting for him to make a joke. He wasn't.

"Really?" she whispered, voice so small it took him aback for a beat.

His thumbs gently caressed her cheeks, withholding himself from saying anything more. This was enough. It was the truth without the crazy - being with her was crazy enough. Luke settled on a simple nod.

Her head tilted, shy amusement lilting her tone. "Good thing I'm moving closer to your neighbourhood then."

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@blush-and-books​ @bluefirewrites​ @willexx​ @pink-flame​ @constantly-singing​ @unsaid-emily​ @ourstarscollided​

[power-chords]

Realized something while watching the Collateral director's commentary + reviewing the script again (yes, I am bugshit nuts but never mind): I assumed that Michael Mann had actively trimmed much of the dialogue, that the version of the script I'm in possession of is not the final version — and indeed, it may still not be. But I don't think that's actually why like maybe 15% of the lines don't make it into the final cut of the film.

Admittedly I don't have much basis for comparison, so I'm not sure what proportion of Mann's "method directing" distinguishes him from other so-called auteurs. (I also really hesitate to call Mann an "auteur" because if there is any director who would insistently acknowledge the collective labor and artistry involved in producing a movie . . . ! I digress.) But I do know that he has his actors spend months upon months learning the professional skills their characters would possess, to turn them into muscle memory — Jamie Foxx actually driving cabs with L.A. cab drivers tutoring him from the passenger seat, doing high-speed maneuvers around a racetrack in a Crown Vic; Tom Cruise posing as a FedEx driver until he was able to deliver packages around Hollywood without being recognized (!!!), training with ex-Special Forces operatives until he could nail every shot, draw and holster a gun in seconds without looking, as if it were an extension of his own arm. (I would also be remiss if I didn't mention the complete character backstories Mann developed for both Max and Vincent, which you never get access to in the text of the film and Stuart Beattie himself did not bother to write, but both actors knew exactly what each character might be thinking, and where they were coming from within the full context of their personal histories, at every moment in the movie.)

The idea being that Tom and Jamie (and Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Mark Ruffalo!) are not so much playing their roles as inhabiting them, at the very least the parts which demand a kind of instinctive physicality, a deep familiarity. Not even thinking about it anymore, closing as much as possible the gap between acting and doing.

And then, once the cameras start rolling, Mann shoots a million takes. Everybody's done the blocking, the movement, the dialogue, everything, over and over and over again. The effect of this — aside from, I imagine, quite a bit of frustration on the part of the actors lol — is a gradual distillation, the same kind of second-nature, not-even-conscious approach to the scene that was achieved with the building of characterization. Words, phrases, whole lines get dropped or they mutate because the actor was just going with whatever flowed out in that moment, with what felt organic, maybe even inevitable. The only thing that character would have done or said during that exchange, in that sequence.

I also suspect this is why the best Michael Mann movies are the ones that ought not to work on paper, that manage to balance this intense thematic self-seriousness with an almost operatic indulgence, bordering on ridiculousness. Heat is fucking ridiculous! It is RIDICULOUS. And it works, somehow. Thief is very similar in that regard. Cruise and Foxx's chemistry notwithstanding, Collateral would collapse under its completely un-fucking-believable pattern of coincidences — and those coincidences are the point, the question of fate and destiny is necessarily the point — if it weren't tempered by a jarring realism, if it weren't likewise elevated by its surreal, dreamlike romanticism. This is a style of filmmaking that is almost impossible to pull off (i.e. why like only half of Mann's movies are actually, strictly speaking, Good). But when he does . . . ? Holy shit!

[lady-divine-writes]

The Hitchhiker - Chapter 1/4

Picking up a hitchhiker isn't exactly the dumbest thing Kurt has ever done, but it's not exactly the smartest either. When he comes across Blaine Anderson caught in a sudden downpour, he can't just leave him on the corner to drown... can he? (1756 words)

Read on AO3.

“Excuse me? Sir? Do you need a ride?”

Kurt flashes as confident and honest a smile as he can to the man standing on the side of the road. But the second those words leave his mouth, he hears his father’s voice in his head yelling: “Kurt Hummel! What the hell are you doing? Picking up a hitchhiker? Are you out of your mind!?”

And Kurt has to admit, the voice is right. 

There is a fifty-fifty chance that this man, standing alone in the dark by the side of the road, is a violent serial killer. His outfit alone perpetuates the stereotype - indigo jeans, white t-shirt, leather jacket. He has an olive-green duffel slung over one shoulder and he's carrying a guitar case, for God’s sake! What are the odds that there’s actually a guitar in there!? If Kurt picks this man up, he has a greater chance of becoming a statistic than of that man being a musician! Kurt should drive away now without an inch of guilt, floor it without looking back.

And he probably would have deferred to his better judgment and stepped on the gas had it not been for a few things. 

It's pitch dark out for a start. Only a handful of street lights line the curb, installed twenty or so feet apart, which creates long expanses of shadow in between. The road they're on is in the middle of nowhere, with trees towering on both sides of them. This doesn’t help Kurt’s argument any since it seems like just the place a killer would lie in wait for a potential victim. But, in that same vein, someone or something could be stalking him, waiting for Kurt to drive away so they can pounce on him from the trees. Then it would be up to the reach of this man's legs and his athletic ability to save him.

This leads directly to reason two: the man is a klutz. In the five minutes Kurt has been stuck at this red light, he’s seen him smack himself in the face with his own bag, drop his sunglasses (pink rimmed Wayfarers, no less), catch them, then fumble them again, and step in the same puddle twice. If this man is a serial killer, he may not be the most competent one on the planet. 

Three, just as Kurt’s light turned green, it started raining. And not the light drizzle he has come to expect during his infrequent forays to San Diego, but an honest-to-God downpour. Kurt saw the man turn his face up to the sky, his shoulders slumped, wholly defeated by this new development. He put the butt of his guitar case on the toes of his shoes to keep it out of the mud, then attempted to wrap his jacket around it.

And Kurt’s heart melted. 

Kurt is a musician himself. Singer more than musician but he has friends who play the guitar. His stepbrother Finn owns a Fender that he sold plasma to afford. Puck's Gibson is the only thing he has never hawked when he needed money. And Sam, in this man's position, would take off every stitch of clothing to protect his Blueridge if it came down to it. Kurt can imagine this man’s whole life wrapped up in that case, which he is now convinced does hold a guitar.

Kurt isn't a gun enthusiast by any means, but he thinks a semi-automatic should be able to withstand some weather. He may want to Google that one later on… provided he’s still alive.

And about that guitar case: it isn’t a plain, generic, black guitar case. The thing is covered in travel stickers and bling. It has a personality all its own. An easily identifiable personality. If this man is a killer, Kurt is pretty certain every human on the West Coast would know about it. He’d be nicknamed the Kitsch Case Killer or something along those lines. That case sticks out like a sore thumb. There’s no way a man carrying a guitar case decorated like an old-school Lisa Frank binder is getting away with swiping a pack of gum, not to mention murder.

To a lesser degree (Kurt tells himself so he doesn't have to admit how idiotic this idea is), this is the most a-dork-able man Kurt has ever seen. He looks more like a puppy than a predator (weak reasoning, he knows). But Kurt has instincts about people that are usually on the money. He has to give himself credit for making it this far in life. Kurt is tougher than he looks. He has taken his fair share of licks, and he’s still ticking. 

Plus, he has bear repellent in the pocket of his jacket the size of a can of Aquanet. He feels he has his bases covered.

The man walks slowly towards Kurt's car, the curls piled atop his head hanging heavily down his cheeks the wetter he gets.

No, Kurt can’t leave him out here.

“Um. Thanks. Thanks a lot,” the man says, cautiously eyeing Kurt up and down as if he may be asking himself Kurt’s same string of questions in his head. “But I… ” The fact that he isn’t jumping at Kurt’s offer, that he’s glancing anxiously down the road, mulling his options even as rain pours down his back, puts Kurt at ease. The man looks like he’s trying to gauge if Kurt might have a weapon hiding somewhere on his person, contemplating if he’ll come out of this alive if he accepts this ride. 

Ironic, but that proves that there are two sides to every situation.

The man looks about to step away and decline until a fork of lightning turns night into day for five seconds, a boom so loud following it shakes Kurt’s rental car. 

“Sure. Okay. Why not?” He pulls open the rear door in a rush but still wary as he puts his belongings into the backseat and joins Kurt in the front. “Thank you so much. I didn’t expect it to rain this hard, or I might have stayed in my hotel room one more night.” He runs a hand through his hair, cringing at the water that sprays the headrest.

“Not a problem.” Kurt reaches behind the seat and grabs the towel he’d fished out of his luggage earlier when he’d done the same thing. But the rain was only a sprinkle then – angel spittle, his mom would have called it. “I couldn’t just drive by and leave you out here to drown.”

The man chuckles. It, much like the rest of him, is too cute for words. “My name’s Blaine.”

“Kurt.” Kurt extends a hand for Blaine to shake. Blaine looks at it, hesitates a second before taking it, still questioning Kurt and his intentions, Kurt assumes. Despite being stuck in the rain, Blaine’s hand is warm, comforting in a way Kurt speculates a serial killer’s hands would not. “Well, Blaine, where you headed?”

“Oh, uh… I’m trying to make my way to L.A. But you can drop me off anywhere between here and there.”

“Ooo. Actor? Producer?”

“Unemployed schlub, unfortunately. Currently riding my brother’s couch. He’s the actor. I’m the… the failure.”

Kurt pulls onto the road again and heads for the highway. “That’s a really unkind thing to say about yourself.”

“It’s what… well, it’s what my father would say.” He wrings his hands uncomfortably. “He’d also say I’m a disappointment, a waste of a Harvard education, a bum… ” He shivers. Kurt raises the temperature of the heater. Blaine glances at Kurt in embarrassment, and Kurt gets the hint that it’s not the cold that has him trembling.

“I know it’s not my place to say, but I’d stop listening to your father if I were you. It doesn’t seem like he has anything worthwhile to say.”

“How can you say that? You don’t even know me,” Blaine says under his breath, with an edge like a growl, the kind wild animals give when you stumble into their territory unaware. It sets the hairs on the back of Kurt’s neck on end, and he starts second-guessing this decision. 

Relax, Kurt. The man’s just beat down. Exhausted. You understand what that’s like.

Blaine sighs, sinking into the passenger seat and leaning his head against the window. "I'm sorry. I know you're trying to be nice. It's been a long day." 

“I understand. And I may not know you, but I know fathers," Kurt continues. "A father’s job is to be supportive of their children, no matter what they do in life. Succeed or fail, win or lose, they should always be in your corner. And if he’s not, screw him! Surround yourself with people who want to lift you up, not tear you down.”

Blaine winds his arms around his torso, hugging himself tight. “I---is that the way your father treats you?”

“Yup,” Kurt answers with a subconscious smile at the mention of his dad. “He supports me in everything, even the stuff he doesn’t entirely agree with. And when things don’t work out, he’s the first person there, helping me to my feet and encouraging me to try again.”

“Sounds like a great guy. You’re lucky.”

“He is," Kurt says proudly. "And I am.”

Blaine fixes his gaze to the road ahead as Kurt merges onto the highway. He chews the inside of his cheek, stares too hard at the rain-slick asphalt, not shifting focus. It's as if he can't bring himself to look at Kurt when he asks, “So, you think you’re a good judge of character?”

Kurt nods. “Yes, I do."

"How do you know?"

"Experience. I have a decent track record.”

"Surround yourself with a lot of questionable people, do you?"

"I guess you can say that," Kurt agrees with a laugh, thinking of the people who have come into his life that he has adopted as his own: Rachel, Dave, Santana, Puck, all of them rivals or bullies. Or both. But now, a cherished part of his found family.

People he hopes will miss him if SDPD finds him by the side of the road tomorrow with his throat cut.

Stop it, Kurt! Relax! You're in no danger! Everything is going to be fine!

Blaine shrugs, examining his wet hands as if he’s reading something etched on his skin. “Someday you’ll be wrong.”

“Probably." Kurt meets Blaine's eyes in the reflection of the windshield, flashes his confident smile again. "But I don’t think that day is today.”