#maybe i should hang them in my room when the walls dry so i can gaze upon them with the splendor they deserve?

[namedawesomeog]

GUYS LOOK AT THIS ART I BOUGHT FROM THE AMAZINGLY TALENTED @winslow-arts LIKE LOOK AT THEM THEYRE THE MOST PERFECT ARTS EVER!!!!!!

i can't wait to find the perfect place to hang them!! i'm obsessed and i can't stop looking at them like man the colors just pop so much and the details are just so perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! seriously if you guys like these then you should check out the art they have over on their blog because its all so cool and perfect like these are. i had so much trouble choosing just two pieces because there were so many i wanted!!!!

[moonhoures]

Thin Walls

🕷️ kinktober — day 19: masturbation🕸️

pairing: matthew (zb1) + reader (afab/fem)

genre: non-idol!au, college!au, smut

warnings: 18+, minors do not interact, explicit smut, masturbation (f and m), exhibitionism (? matthew hears reader masturbating through the wall, so i’m tagging this just to be safe)

word count: ~1.5k

synopsis: you become sexually frustrated over your crush for your next dorm neighbor and decide to (privately) do something about it, but fate is one cruel entity, so of course he hears everything

posted: october 20, 2023

“Looks like Taerae is out for a while,” Matthew noticed as the two of you strolled up to his dorm room.

The two of you lived in a co-ed dormitory at your local university, and your rooms neighbored each other. The dry erase board on his door showed a message from his roommate that said he would be back in a few hours.

You nodded, “Liz texted me earlier that they were going to study together after her last class.”

He twisted the handle of his door and turned back to you as he opened it, “In that case, would you like to hang out until they get back?”

You considered it for a moment, but decided against it. The last couple hours you had spent with him—in class plus the long walk back to your dorm—were spent with you daydreaming about him, and subsequently being in denial about it. You had known Matthew since your very first day of college. You were both in the same major, and he was super friendly. He was the one that approached you and began your friendship. It seemed to be some weird stroke of fate that his dorm room was next door to yours; an even weirder coincidence when your roommates started dating each other. Then you two were the single friends that were dragged into “double dates” all the time.

You really didn’t mind it, though, hanging out with the three of them. You liked all of them, but you had slowly begun to gravitate towards Matthew more. Maybe it was because the two of you were usually left to each other by the couple of the group. Maybe it was because you had more in common with him. Maybe it was because you had developed a crush on him . . . You had tried to deny that possibility for so long, calling your roommate crazy when she had suggested the two of you go out. But now, you just couldn’t deny it anymore. You did have feelings for Matthew. You just weren’t sure if he felt the same, and you were worried that if he knew, it would ruin everything. So you continued to act normal with him, or at least you tried.

“I’d love to, but I should really work on my paper for Mr. Jang’s class.”

Maybe it was the delusion or just the trick of the hallway lighting, but you swore you saw a look of disappointment in his eye, “Oh, okay, well maybe the four of us can hang out later?”

“Yeah, sure thing.”

Matthew watched you retreat to your door just a few feet away, and then your doors shut with soft thuds. Once your door was closed, you tossed your bag onto the floor and pressed your back against the hard surface behind you. You groaned, feeling like the lowly coward you were. Why did I say no? Of course I want to hang out with him. But then again, you had never hung out with him alone in his room. You hung out alone in public, but never in your dorm. You weren’t sure if you could handle that.

Trying to get your mind off of your neighbor, you decided to climb into your bed and go on the first app that drew your interest. After half an hour of flipping between apps, you still couldn’t stop thinking about him. You kept rewinding your day with him, thinking about the way his eyes crested as he smiled. The way he laughed. The subtle veins in his hands as he wrote notes in class. You thought about his face as he earnestly paid attention to you when you spoke, and you remembered trying to focus on what you were saying when really you were getting lost in his beauty. You remember holding yourself back from reaching up and booping the freckle by his eye. You remember biting back the thoughts of what kissing him would be like—were his lips as soft as they looked?

Eventually, you couldn’t take it anymore. You needed to let out some steam, so you did what any normal, horny woman would do. You locked your door and crawled back into bed, closing your eyes to let your mind wander as you dipped your fingers below the band of your underwear.

Now, you didn’t masturbate too often, considering you shared a room with someone. But you were still a woman with needs, and so you did what you had to do. It started with slow, teasing movements, just enough to get yourself wet. Then, you were picking up pace, spurred on by images that your mind created for you of the guy just on the other side of the wall. Your legs parted at the idea of his lips on yours. Your hand moved faster at the thought of his fingers along your skin. Your breath became rugged at the idea of his body over yours. You wanted him so bad, and it showed in how desperately you chased your own orgasm. It showed in the noises you made. Noises that weren’t as quiet as you thought they were . . .

Matthew was lying in his own bed, separated from your bed with just one, thin wall between the two. He had his head propped up with his pillow while he scrolled mindlessly through TikTok. Several minutes had passed since he parted ways with you, and he had told himself he would waste just a few more minutes before he started on his assignments. All of those plans, however, were tossed aside when he heard it, or rather, when he heard you.

At first, he didn’t think anything of the sound he heard. It just sounded like muffled talking that could have been from a podcast or a movie or a YouTube video you were watching. But then they got more frequent, and louder, and well, pornographic, for lack of a better word. Matthew found himself gulping, turning his phone off to focus on the noises coming from your room. Were they really what he was thinking they were? Were you really doing what he thought you were doing?

You got quiet for a moment, but then you let out another noise—a moan, undoubtedly. The sound went straight to his dick, making it stir under his briefs. He groaned softly, covering his pelvis with his hand before he cupped it gently. But there was no stopping it, he was growing harder by the second. All because you were masturbating a few feet away, just within his earshot.

Something about this made him feel guilty, dirty even, like he was intruding on you. But he wasn’t really, not intentionally. You had no idea he could hear you, or did you? Were you doing it on purpose to entice him? He knew from Taerae that Liz was certain you had a crush on him, but you had never acted differently around him than before. Was this your odd way of making your feelings clear to him? Was he just projecting his own desires?

Regardless, Matthew couldn’t take the strain against his jeans. Fuck it, he muttered to himself, unzipping his pants. He shoved the band of his pants and underwear down enough for him to pull out his cock. He lubed up his hand with spit, then he was fisting his cock to the sound of your voice. The soft moans and breathy whimpers were driving him insane.

You, on the other hand, were nearing your end. The scene in your head of Matthew fucking you was getting too real too fast, and soon enough you were diving off the edge into your climax. Your toes curled and your muscles tensed as you felt the intense warmth spread throughout your groin. You were so enthralled in your release that you moaned out his name without even thinking.

And of course, your eavesdropper didn’t miss it. His hand came to a halt over his shaft after his name fell from your lips, and then your room fell quiet. Matthew couldn’t believe what he had just heard. He was wondering if he had fallen asleep watching TikToks and was dreaming this entire time. But no, he was wide awake, and he was close to cumming at the thought of you masturbating to him.

He thought for a moment about just finishing quietly and going on about his day, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to act normal around you after this. He would have to confront you—and the sooner, the better. So he decided now was as good a time as any to put his cock away, zip his pants back up, and get out of bed. Next thing he knew, he was knocking on your door, waiting for you to open it. It took a few moments, but then the knob was unlocking and twisting.

“Hey, uh, did you need something?” you asked once you opened the door, eyes slightly wide when you realized it was him. The first thought that came to mind was had he heard you?

“No, but it sounded like you could use my help.”

— taglist #1

@jaylaxies @xiaoting999 @kookthief @zaddywilk @wonrangwoo @pedriswrld @ikykleeknowww @odisdad @abby-grace @jungwonloveer @pinklemonadeflav @celestialplatinum @luvkpopp @nlklstan @kisses4denji @jenos-eye-smiles @a-l-i-y-a @channiesprincess @bekah931215 @heerinnie @fairygirl18 @cinnikoi @im-ur-calico-cat @unlikelysublimekryptonite @k-drizzle @iguanas-world

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Don't Speak 28

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, obsession, stalking, manipulation, reclusive behaviour, disordered eating, dissociation, allusions to abuse, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Reader is a reclusive loner who ventures down to the library on a simple mission. Her task is complicated by the man she meets there. (f!short!reader)

Character: librarian!Andy Barber

Note: here was are again…

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me <3

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

Love you all. Take care. 💖

Your bath is less than relaxing as the residue of your argument lingers. You sit among the bubbles as they dissolve and stare at the ceiling. You didn't mean to make Andy mad. You weren't trying to argue. You thought it would be a good idea to make amends.

Perhaps it is best to focus on one thing at a time. You let your eyes close as you fight to keep your nerves contained. You have that jittery feeling where you just want to scatter into pieces.

You don't stay long in the tub. You climb out, foam dripping from your legs down onto the mat. You dry off slowly and dress even more deliberately.

Your eyes wander and you pinpoint on the blank space on the wall. The speaker is gone, Andy must be dealing with the battery issue. You shrug and pull on your sweatshirt and hang the towel on the rack.

You gather your old clothes and near the door. You inch it open and peer out into the hall. You go into your room and dump your armful in the hamper.

You wander around, restless, and go to the dresser. You made sure to tuck away your journal with Kemp's gift. You don't want either to be discovered. 

You take your tablet and carefully slide back the cover. You jump as a knock comes on the door frame. You face Andy as he leans against the wall.

"You hungry, honey?" He asks. It seems like he's cooled down.

"Um, I guess..."

He clicks his tongue, "I'm not mad. You know? You're the one who holds onto these things. We can just move past it. That's a part of a relationship, we argue and then we work through it."

"Right," you agree hollowly, "I know."

"Hm, maybe I'm interrupting? You were planning on hiding in here all night? When we're trying to make progress." He crosses his arms, "therapy isn't cheap. It's hard work so are you gonna try this time?"

Your heart plummets. He says he's not angry but he sure sounds it. You hug your tablet and take a step forward.

"I just wanted to grab this," it's a half-lie; you weren't planning on coming out of your room. "What should I make for dinner?"

"You want to cook?" He arches a brow in surprise.

"Sure, why not? It'll be something to do..." you smile, you can put it in your journal too!

"Alright, whatever you want, dove," he pulls his arms apart and backs up, letting his shoulders slump, "can I ask you a favour?"

"Uh, okay?"

"Will you stay in my room again?" He lowers his voice, so quiet you can barely hear him. He rubs the back of his neck as if he's embarrassed, "it's just... been a while since I slept as good as last night."

"Oh..." you make an an O with your lips, "I guess... I could."

You don't want to, not really. You're tired and you didn't sleep very well yourself. But you don't want to annoy him. Maybe tonight will be better. Maybe you'll get used to it.

🕊️

You make macaroni and cheese for supper. It's a classic and simple enough. Andy's content with the meal and thanks you with a kiss that leaves you standoffish. You want to like it for him but it still feels so new and different. Just another thing to get used to.

After, he watches a ball game as you draw on your tablet. The picture of a lily wilting beyond your original vision of plush ivory petals. Different, not bad, just like everything else, right? 

You yawn and slump down, closing your tablet and laying it on your lap. You look at Andy as he sips from a beer. He offered you one but you don't drink. You don't see the appeal.

"Andy," you murmur, "do you mind if I lay down? I'm tired."

"Sure," he leans in to sling his arm around you, "you can keep the bed warm, huh?"

He kisses your forehead, the smell of alcohol clinging to his breath. You keep from shying away and grip your tablet tight. When he lets you go, you stand and smile at him.

"Okay, um, good night."

"I'll be up shortly," he winks, "don't worry."

"Alright."

"Love you," he lilts curtly.

"Love you too," you return, hesitating as he stares expectantly.

You shift on your feet then take a step closer. You bend as Andy's lashes flutter up at you. You angle your head and squeeze your eyes shut as you kiss him, his lips slightly rough and his beard tickly.

You pull away and wiggle your nose, scratching along your mouth.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"Nothing," you try not to sound upset, "just scratchy."

"Oh, uh," he drags his hands down his beard, "sorry, honey."

"Not in a bad way," you insist defensively.

"Good," he chuckles, "like I said, I'll be there soon."

He sits back as you sidle away. You don't let put the air trapped in your chest until your at the doorway. Your feet threaten to run but you keep your pace easy.

You climb the stairs and turn down the hallway. You slow near your door but continue to Andy's room. You sift through the dark and tentatively find your way to the bed.

You set your tablet on the pillow and click on the lamp. You climb beneath the covers as the yellow orb of light surrounds you. Despite the nagging displacement, it's cozy. The duvet is fluffy and the mattress is cushy.

You grab your tablet from behind you as you lay back and prop it up on your stomach. You open a colouring app and lazily fill in the lines. The mindless work keeps your mind from racing.

Your eyes droop as you find it more of a task to scribble with the digital nib. You let your hand rest in front of the screen as you shut your eyelids, letting the moment enshrine you. You don't even feel yourself sinking into sleep, your subconscious recreating the scene in a slightly off-kilter reflection.

It's like floating. You're not in your body, you're like air, weightless and free. Your snores rumble just beneath the haze, threatening to break your shallow slumber.

You feel a shift but don't stir, clinging to the embrace of your fatigue. You haven't slept in more than a day, not truly. Short spurts but nothing more.

A sudden heat enshrines you, like you're dropped into a furnace. The visions dim and you're trapped in a dark void, nothing to see, the rustle of noises you can't decipher. Floating still but on a stronger tide, rising and falling abruptly.

You snort, a break in the veneer. Then again, a soft snore that catches on your throat. Your eyelids part slightly and you find darkness around you and something else.

Your tablet is on the night table, a shadow folded and closed, just beside the dead lamp. The bed frame rocks and you figure it's Andy rolling over but his arm is around you snugly, and he's against you. Oh, he is flush to you, hugging you as his hips tilt oddly.

You feel that stiffness between you again. Your eyes go wide on the darkness but you cannot make a noise. He nuzzles your crown as he holds onto you, rubbing his… part against you as he carries his motion. Your heart spins, tangling up your breaths as his own grow shallow, interspersed with gritty groans.

You lock up. You don't know if he realises you're awake but you don't want him to. His arm slips down and he tugs at the bottom of your sweat shirt. He growls as his fingers slip beneath the fabric.

You quiver as his thick fingers tickle your stomach, the shirt rising with his advance. He brings his hand over one side of your chest and he gropes you. You squeak as you feel your nipple bud beneath his touch.

You don't think he heard you as he keeps going, voice droning louder and louder. You shut your eyes, hands balling to fists as you bite down. Just be over, just be over…

He snarls, a deep flow that courses into you as he spasms. He squeezes you tight, pushing his pelvis into you hard. He keeps you against him, puffing again your head, his hand nestled between your tits. You don’t dare let on that you’re awake.

Your eyes sting and you roll them back to keep the tears from spilling. You focus on your breathing, keeping it even and slow. That’s all you can do to keep from hiccuping or sobbing shock. You know what he’s done but you’re too afraid to confront him. What do you have to say about it? Is it wrong if you’re together like he says?

🕊️

You lay awake just like the first night in his bed, this time confined in his grasp. It isn’t until Andy falls asleep that he lets you free. He pulls away slowly, his arm sprawling over the other side of the mattress. He’s still crowding you.

You shudder as you fix your shirt. Your hand wanders further down as you feel something damp. You touch the back of your pants and suck in a sharp breath. It can’t be… you know what it is and it makes you feel gross.

You’re too nervous to drag yourself out of bed, afraid to disturb him too much. You don’t know what to do. You know you won’t get any real rest.

When you hear Andy start to snore, you dare to reach for your tablet. You cautiously shimmy up enough to bend your neck. You turn the brightness down and scroll through your files. You can’t decide what to work on so you close out and open solitaire.

After a few games, you’re bored, still too wary to get out of the bed. Something tells you if Andy wakes to an empty bed, you’ll be in trouble. You stare at the icons along your home screen and thoughtlessly hit the little envelope.

Your email opens up. A few receipts from your sparse Etsy sales and promotional emails about drawing apps and software. Nothing too pressing. You’re very unimportant.

You don’t have any contacts. Just one. The newest. Dr. Kemp. You stare at his name and think. You should write him an email for the morning, you’ll likely forget by then and leave it too long. You have a horrible habit of procrastinating to the point of losing track.

You turn onto your side and awkwardly type with one hand. It takes you a few tries to just get your opener right.

‘Hey, Dr. Kemp’.

No.

‘Dear Dr. Kemp’

Nope, not that either.

‘Hello, Dr. Kemp’.

Better, but not quite.

‘Good morning, Doctor Kemp.’

Okay, that’s good, he probably won’t see it until the morning. And it’s friendly. What next? Just pretend it’s like your journal.

‘Thank you for your visit today. I’m going to really try to listen and learn. I wrote down everything we talked about so I can go over them again tomorrow.

‘Me and Andy talked. He’s mad about Amber so I didn’t mention her again. He ran me a bath so I made him dinner. I drew for a little bit but I’m having a hard time finding focus. I went to bed shortly after that.

‘When I woke up, he was touching me and I was scared. But I let him finish and he’s sleeping now. I think that’s good.’

No, no, you won’t include that last part.

‘I hope you had a good night too.

Yours truly.’

You reread it and hit send. That feels better. Like you accomplished something. If you waited until the morning, you wouldn’t know what to say. You lay back and lean the tablet on your stomach. You listen to Andy’s rocky snores as they mount, louder and louder.

Your tablet bings and frightens you. Oh, shoot! You didn’t turn the volume down. You peek over at Andy and quickly hit the button to bring the audio all the way down to mute. The new notification surprises you.

‘Steve Kemp has invited you to chat.’

You look at Andy again. You have the tingly feeling along the nape of your neck, like you’re doing something wrong. You tap the notification and your email switches to a new window. You had no idea there was a chat function.

‘What are you doing up?’ Steve’s message pops up after you accept.

Your mouth opens. You don’t know what to say. Should you answer? It’d be rude not to.

‘Can’t sleep. Why are you awake?’

You wait for the response. You think maybe he’ll wait until morning to reply, thinking it may have been a rhetorical question. A sort of admonishment telling you that you should be asleep.

Three dots pop up then turn into a message.

‘You got me. I haven’t been able to settle down either’.

‘Oh. I’m sorry.’

‘Why are you sorry?’

You hesitate, ‘I don’t know. Because I know what it’s like to not be able to sleep.’

‘You’re sweet. Don’t worry about me. I don’t sleep much.’

You don’t know what to say to that. You don’t want to come off strange. You had the same problem with Andy, you just felt awkward about chatting through a screen. You couldn’t see the other person’s reaction.

‘Alright. I’ll tell you the truth.’

You’re surprised by his sudden message. As if you had challenged him or even had the thought that he was lying. You type in just ‘okay?’

‘I’ve been awake. Thinking about you.’

Your heart seems to stop and the world narrows to just your tablet. What? Your hand hits too many keys and you have to backspace before you sit and ponder your response.

‘Me? Did I do something wrong?’

You send and swallow, waiting. Andy snorts and you quickly press the screen to your chest, hiding the light. He grumbles and moves his arm but doesn’t wake up. You watch him as you raise the tablet to check the new message.

‘Nothing wrong. You’re special. So I think about you and how proud I am already. You’ve come a long way already. You’re a very good girl, sweetheart.’

You smile. You don’t know why. He can’t see it but his words make you feel bubbly. He never has anything bad to say. Andy coughs and you wince again.

‘Thank you, doctor. You’re very nice too but I don’t want to wake up Andy.’

You feel bad as the message blips into the chat. Your dread worsens as it takes a whole minute for dots to pop up on the other side. You nearly let out an audible sigh as you read his answer.

‘No worries. I’d rather you get some sleep. I’ll check in in the morning. Sleep tight, sweetheart.’

‘Good night’ you punch in the message and tap the arrow before closing your tablet.

You wriggle back down to your back and lay stranded in the dark next to Andy’s loud rumbles. You won’t sleep but that’s okay. You feel better now. The doctor said you’re doing a good job.

[chaotic-orphan]

Defiant Leader x Confident Villain: part 2

Read part one here:

This was basically finished in my drafts so enjoy (it was not proof read so caution to those who read here)

I just love some strained arms over the head Whump, best way to keep your Whumpee’s on their toes ahehehehe anyways~

*~*~*~*~*

Leader didn’t wake up to their alarm. That was the first sign that they should be more alert than they were, but they woke up groggy, the world moving too slow, their eyelids far too heavy. They were swaying forward, balanced on their toes. Their eyes shot open as they faltered, their feet slipping. The jangle of chains going taut had them cursing as they tried to get their feet back on the ground, getting the strain off their shoulders for just a second.

Leader got their toes onto the floor just barely, enough to take their weight off their arms and they were able to breathe again properly. Leader looked down at their feet and found their socks and shoes taken off. Not only that but Leader’s jacket was gone too, leaving them in their under shirt and combats.

Leader looked up next, seeing their hands no longer cuffed together but instead locked in heavy duty iron manacles. Leader couldn’t help the scoff at their manacles because of course Villain had fucking manacles to chain them up with.

Leader shook their head sharply, shaking the foggy sleep from their mind and said to themselves: “okay, Leader. Okay.”

Leader pulled down their hands as much as they could, trying to grasp the chain holding them up but the manacles were so thick Leader could barely touch the chains with a finger.

“Motherf— come on!” Leader huffed with an exasperated sigh. Okay. They can break their thumb. It was fine. They still had time. Leader sucked in a steadying breath and yanked down as hard as they could on the manacles. All it did was hurt Leader’s wrist, the manacles wrapped so tight around Leader’s skin that all they successfully did was bruise their wrists more.

“Fucking— FUCK!” Leader yelped, their foot slipping again and leaving them struggling, hanging by their wrists until they managed to get a grip on the cold wooden floor.

“I thought I heard your charming voice,” said Villain behind them and Leader froze in their chains. The halting rattle was the only sound in the room for a moment, followed by Leader’s soft exhale. A hand pressed itself between Leader’s shoulder blades and Leader suppressed the shiver that followed, forcing themselves to stay still. Show no fear.

That’s what Villain wanted, for Leader to react.

“You know,” Villain said, their hand moving around Leader as their boots clacked against the concrete floor. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long that I don’t know what to do with it. With you.”

“I do. You can let me go, it solves both our prob— fuck!” Leader gasped as Villain shoved them and their feet lost grip on the ground. Their wrists caught in the manacles and their body slumped as they tried to get purchase on the ground again.

Villain was laughing as Leader finally got their bearings, coming around to the front of Leader with their smirking grin. A bag of snack peanuts in their hand that they were eating out of.

Dry roasted.

The easy laugh, the peanuts, the familiarity of Villain being so at ease and comfortable — it made their heart lurch in their chest, their hands tightening into fists above them.

“You’re a fucking arsehole, Villain.”

“I know,” Villain smirked, popping a peanut into their mouth. Then they looked at Leader and back to the peanuts. “You want some?”

“No,” Leader said, looking at the wall behind Villain instead.

Villain hummed thoughtfully. “You never used to say no,” they mused. “You’d always take one when I offered.”

“That was a long time ago, Villain. Things are different now. You made them different.”

“Maybe,” Villain shrugged and Leader’s eyes cut to Villain’s.

“No. No maybe,” Leader said, furious, going to take a threatening step forward then remembering their current predicament as the chains rattled.

Villain whistled, looking up at the manacles and the chains then brought their gaze back down to Leader who decided to just lean forward instead, getting their face close to Villain’s.

“You had us! You had a family and you threw it all away, for what?! Because Supervillain stroked your ego?!”

“That’s an old wound, Leader. Has it been eating you this entire time?” Villain asked with their same mocking lilt. Eyes burning into Leader’s, uncaring and wild. They stepped closer to Leader, filling the empty space between them and said: “have you considered that maybe I just wanted to kick you off your high horse?”

“Villain—“

Villain swiped Leader’s legs from under them again, face impassive as they watched Leader grunt and yell under the strain on their body. When Leader was just about to get their feet under them again Villain kicked their thighs and Leader swung back with a sharp cry. Villain halted their momentum, grabbing Leader’s hair and yanking them up. Leader just barely got their feet on the ground when Villain pulled harder on their hair.

“You and Medic and Rogue, all so perfect. All exactly what the Hero commission wanted you to be. All loyal dogs willing to avoid helping the people who needed it most over the missions you were assigned,” Villain hissed, taking pleasure in the shocked pain on Leader’s face. “Why would I stay?”

“Because you were one of us,” Leader said softly. “Because we were family.”

Villain didn’t even miss a beat. Hard eyes staring into Leader’s.

“And how many good people were you willing to sacrifice for the sake of our family?” Villain let go of Leader then and stepped back, allowing Leader to get their footing again.

“I’d sacrifice the world,” Leader replied and Villain’s eyes widened a fraction at the frank honesty. “I don’t care for it. The number one rule of our job was always that you can’t save everyone.”

“Yet you keep trying to save me,” Villain said, a lopsided smile on their face.

“No,” said Leader. “I don’t. I gave up on you when you gave up on us.”

Villain’s smile fell. The lightheartedness in their face fell and their expression turned cold. It broke every fibre of Leader’s being to see their words hurt Villain, but they were supposed to, because then Villain would get angry.

Anger Leader could use. Direct. Take advantage of.

Villain ran a hand through his hair and Leader sucked in a sharp breath as Villain let out a soft laugh. Then they pounced.

A second before Leader had taken their weight on their wrists, gritting their teeth as they swung their legs up and kicked Villain back against the wall: one foot landing on their chest, the other kicking Villain in the face before going up up up. They let out a cry of pain as they swung themselves up all their weight unbearable on their wrists until they found purchase again high above Villain’s head on the wall.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Villain hissed from below and Leader desperately grabbed the chains holding their wrists together and pulled with all their might. To their surprise the chains came loose. Not just the chains. The entire pulley holding them and Leader was without tension as they were dragged back to the floor by their wrists, taking the brunt of it on their shoulder and gasping as the air was stolen from their lungs.

Villain stomped a boot clad foot onto Leader’s chest and leaned down, putting all their weight behind it. A grin on their bloody face and the pulley that Leader hadn’t noticed until now in their hand.

“You some spider monkey now?” Villain laughed, touching the blood slowly trickling from their nose with two fingers and pulling them away to look at it. They laughed again and let out a breathy: “fuck,” followed by another laugh.

Leader swiped at Villain’s other leg but Villain sang in warning: “ah-ah-ah. Leader. You slippery little hostage, hmm? So bold.”

Villain plopped down on Leader’s chest, both knees digging into Leader’s ribs and Leader gasped, letting out a harsh cry of pain. Villain put one knee on either side of Leader’s torso then, leering down at them with a grin.

“I see why you like being on top now. There’s something powerful about it. Very sexy.”

Leader looked away from Villain, so Villain yanked on the opposite end of the rope attached to Leader’s manacles. Leader’s arms shot up over their head and half pulled them up under Villain so they were forced to look at Villain. Villain’s body trapping them, pinning their lower body to the floor while yanking the pulley to stretch their arms above their head, Leader felt like they were going to be ripped apart.

“Say Sorry.”

Leader said nothing. So Villain pulled harder and Leader let out a startled cry.

“Say Sorry, Leader.”

“Mmmm!” Leader cried through gritted teeth. “Fuck you!”

“Don’t give me ideas,” Villain chuckled darkly. Their free hand went to Leader’s chest and Leader swallowed, trying to look anywhere but at the Villain. Villain’s fingers crawled up Leader’s chest, neck, before two lithe, graceful fingers grabbed Leader’s jaw and turned them to look Villain in the eyes. “Tell me, Leader… and be honest, there’s nobody here to judge you, least of all me, but which of us was your favourite, hmm?”

The question stumped Leader. The words flowing through their ears, worming their way into the brain and emptying it with the speed and devastation of a rippling tornado.

“You can’t ask me that,” Leader said, confidence they didn’t feel colouring their voice. “That’s like asking a parent to pick a favourite child.”

“And yet, every parent has a favourite child,” Villain said, eyes probing. “Go on. You can tell me. It was me, wasn’t it? The lost sheep. The rebel.”

Leader just stared at Villain. Villain’s lips pulled into a pout.

“Don’t tell me it was that wet towel Medic, or Rogue,” then Villain snorted, as if the thought of Rogue being Leader’s favourite was unthinkable. “I mean we all love Rogue but let’s be serious—“

Leader jerked in their manacles, forcing their body up to get in Villain’s face, anger wiring every muscle in their body.

“You should know better than anyone to not bad mouth my team behind my back, Villain. Let alone to my face. That’s the only warning you’re getting,” Leader said, their voice a quiet simmering of rage. The look of familiar fear flashing across Villain’s face was enough to satisfy Leader’s anger.

Villain hadn’t forgotten everything so it seems.

They still knew how far to push Leader, and when to concede. Even in chains and deep in enemy territory, Villain still feared Leader to a certain extent. It wouldn’t last forever, and Leader knew they wouldn’t be able to pull this card in front of other Villain’s but for now it was enough.

It meant the Villain Leader remembered was still in there somewhere.

It meant the Villain Leader remembered, their Villain, could still be saved.

*~*~*~*~*

Continued Here

[vesselslut]

One more secret won't hurt / Bunny x reader

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Notes: I saw a fancasting on pinterest and they put Dane Dehaan as Bunny, and like... yeah.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4: Critters on my mind

The Sunday hike lifts my spirits after the overwhelming Saturday I had. After Judy left, and with half a bottle of wine inside of me, I was able to sit down at my desk and get some work done before going to bed. The Frankenstein essay remains unfinished (unstarted if I’m being honest), but that one’s due in a couple weeks so I’m not too worried.

I decide to take one of the southern trails that goes behind the dorms. It covers a few miles of woods, then goes down a steep slope, leading to a small creek, then back up to come out near the cafeteria in the eastern side of campus. I take my camera with me in case I run into any critters. I like decorating my walls with photos of my little findings. My favorites are the frogs and newts near the water. But with the temperature going down a few degrees every week into autumn, I don’t expect to find many down by the creek.

Despite my efforts to focus on the hike and the beauty of nature surrounding me, I still find myself going back time and time again to wondering about the Greek club. Were they all really as awful as Judy said? Not that I don’t trust her, but actors can be a bit dramatic, specially when trying to prove a point. Do classics majors have a dress code? Maybe they just enjoy dressing like pretentious dorks. They look good though. I look like I belong in the woods, living under a toadstool. ‘Cottagecore’ some might call it. Though it’s not so different from what Camilla and Charles were wearing.

I photograph a few moths I find perched on tree trunks. I think I see a snake, slithering away under a bunch of dry leaves, but it’s gone before I can even point my camera at it. I wonder if Bunny likes critters too, being nicknamed after one. I wonder if he likes hiking. I wonder why I keep wondering about all these irrelevant things. I scold myself every single time my mind wanders back to the mysterious boy.

I eventually reach the end of the trail and spot the cafeteria in the distance. From there, it’s another 20-minute walk across campus to my room. I don’t feel like interacting with anyone, so I lock the door once I’m inside my room and spend the rest of the day listening to music and rearranging my critter photos to accommodate the new ones on the wall. Hopefully the new week will go more smoothly. Maybe going to classes will help push the Greek club away.

Thankfully it does work. With each passing day, I find myself spending less and less time thinking about them. It also helps that they seriously disappear inside the green building all day long, and campus is big, so I don’t see any of them around. I go to my classes, do my reading, hang out with Judy, and avoid her friends at my usual spots. The routine resets my brain into its normal settings. However, as Saturday approaches again, I notice I’m more eager than usual to go down to the library. There’s no guarantee they’ll even be there again. But the hope that they might carries me seamlessly to the end of the week.

I walk into the library, shaking with anticipation, and to my delight, I immediately spot them sitting at the same table, Bunny happily chatting away in a similar volume as the last time. I can feel my brain chemistry rearranging itself and wonder if I should start taking some meds after all.

[prince-rowan-of-the-forest]

Ribbons and Rainstorms

Chapter 2 : Blanket Nest for Two

----

<- Previous | Masterpost | Next ->

----

When Roman returned to the house his mother immediately started fussing, calling one of the two maids they hired to get him some dry clothes whilst she made him a cup of tea and chittered about how worried she had been and how long he had been gone and how dangerous that was. She had pushed back his bangs to check him for injuries and gasped, stepping back with her hands clutched over her mouth in surprise. 

“Ma?” Roman asked, now worried by her actions rather than the other way around, “Ma what is it? What’s wrong?”

“My Roman…” She breathed, lowering her hands, “You… you bare the mark of a God, Roman, when did you… how did this happen?”

“I what?” Roman yelped, rushing to the hall where they had a mirror hanging on the wall. He lifted his bangs to find that there was indeed a mark on his forehead. A subtle mark that obviously— to Roman at least— showed a stormcloud that glittered purple right in the spot where the God had kissed him. Immediately Roman went bright red, he hadn’t quite clocked the action in the moment, and had all but forgotten about it as he walked back, but Vi had definitely kissed him. Being touched by a God was something special in itself, but being kissed? What on earth does that mean?

“-oney? Roman honey?” His mother called, waving a hand in front of his face, finally he snapped out of it and looked at her, “Thank goodness, you were staring at yourself for a good five minutes, what on earth is wrong? And how did you get touched by a God? I swear you were only gone an hour!”

“Oh I… well— um—" He shook his head to let his bangs fall back into place, “Well y’see I—"

“If you really don’t want to tell me,” His mother sighed, “I won’t force you, but… just… are you safe?”

“Yes, well, I think so…” Roman sighed, “I… well… we didn’t talk for long, but he didn’t smite me, so… that’s a good start?”

His mother laughed, “Then that’s what matters, okay, honey? A God’s mark can be a great blessing or a great curse, just… all I ask is that you’re careful, alright?”

“Yes ma,” He nods with a smile.

“Good, now get to sleep. You have training in the morning,”

He nodded, taking the clothes from the maid as she appeared around the corner and handing her the cloak before running upstairs, taking them two at a time until he reached his bedroom in their converted attic. 

—-

The next time a storm hit, Roman didn’t stay in his room.

Instead this time as he saw the storm clouds gathering, Roman got his nicest blankets, a few pillows and the book he was reading and stuffed them into a basket before heading out of the door. He hoped to make it to the temple before the rain started to fall. Now that he knew it was safe there he could… well not relax, exactly, but he would feel safer. The God of the Temple himself had told him that it was safe there, and Roman had concluded that he really should have faith in the God whose mark he now bore.

He’d ended up building a makeshift blanket nest between a wall and a pillar far enough away from the entrance that he wouldn’t get wet but not too close to the back wall either. As the rain began to fall he took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself before he attempted to focus on the words he was reading to distract himself from the first booming roll of thunder.

Really, having a fear of thunder in the portion of the country prone to thunderstorms almost year round was a little ironic, really.

There wasn’t much luck to come with reading, though he kept trying. The sound of the rain and occasional crash of thunder was more distracting than the words and he kept getting stuck on a passage. He was certain he had only read a few paragraphs in what felt like hours he had been sitting here (in reality it had only been about half an hour). 

Just as he was starting to think he should give up on trying to corral the words that were swimming across the page and maybe just attempt to sleep, Roman heard something— no— someone— shift next to him. He yelped as his eyes met violet ones and jerked back so hard in surprise that he dropped his book. It must have looked so undignified— wow he’d just completely embarrassed himself in front of a God. Great.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Vi said idly, picking up Roman’s book and offering it back to him. Roman took it back carefully, not breaking Vi’s gaze. The God was so close to him, only just sitting outside of the blanket nest. Roman hadn’t expected to see him again, to be honest. He hadn’t expected to see anyone when he came here. Though, this was Vi’s temple. He supposed he was the trespasser here.

“Um,” Roman said dumbly, “It’s— fine? I wasn’t really doing anything anyway.”

“You were reading,” Vi said, gesturing to the book in his hands.

“I wasn’t really, more like staring at the page and hoping the words would magically make sense,” Roman mumbled, before sighing and putting the book in his basket. 

“I see,” Vi nodded, before poking at his blankets, “I also see that you’ve constructed a… fort?”

Roman couldn’t help but laugh at their curious expression, he supposed Gods weren’t so all knowing after all, “It’s— more like a nest? Of blankets— I guess— It makes me feel safer.”

“Right, and you’re here instead of at your window again because-?”

“I’m… not really sure,” Roman shrugged, “In all honesty, I just— thought I would feel safer here.” 

“I’m glad,” Vi nodded, “It’s nice, to have a visitor, most of my temples remain empty.”

“That’s… sad,” Roman said, hoping that was the right word choice, he really didn’t want to offend the God sitting next to him, “I’m glad I can look after this one, at least.”

Vi nodded, before leaning back against the stone walls and staring forward, not at Roman. He looked uncomfortable, coiled up like a spring and fixated on a single spot. Roman took a deep breath, he wanted to help— of course he did, because he always put himself into stupid situations playing the hero. 

“Hey um—" Roman started, hoping to get their attention, “You look— kind of uncomfortable sitting there, would you… like to sit in my blanket nest with me?"

Vi stared at him, purple eyes wide, before glancing down at the blanket nest and then back up at Roman, "Is… there enough room for us both?" 

"I might have to expand a little— but it shouldn't take long!" Roman announced, carefully raising himself into a crouch and rearranging the pillows and blankets slightly so the nest was better suited for two.

"There," He said, brushing off his hands, "Room for us both, um, it may be a little tight though, I ran out of blankets." 

Vi raised an eyebrow at him and Roman had just long enough to feel sheepish before he stood from his seat outside of the nest and stepped into it, sitting back down. 

“Here,” Roman said, offering Vi the blanket that had been wrapped around himself. Vi stared at him, violet eyes unblinking and Roman wondered if he’d done something wrong, He shivered involuntarily at the cold of the storm wind and Vi’s trance seemed to break. He looked down at the blanket in his hands.

“This is your blanket,” Vi said, it wasn’t a question, they had taken it from Roman, but somehow Roman thought he looked… apprehensive, “You’ll be cold without it.”

“Maybe,” Roman shrugged helplessly, he wouldn’t lie— he wasn’t sure how Gods felt about lying and he was definitely colder now— “But you should have it.”

Vi spread out the blanket with their hands and looked at it, eyes narrowed and Roman watched his face as he came to a conclusion before looking back at him, “I believe it is big enough to share.”

Share? Share?? Was he really about to share a blanket with a God? This was a dream, right? Some kind of weird, whacky dream? He pinched himself, nope, this was definitely real. Vi was definitely here, sitting in his blanket fort with him and offering to share a blanket. This was really, actually happening. Vi was offering him a corner of the blanket. 

Of course he took it, because what the hell else was he supposed to do? 

And besides… the way Vi smiled at him after he'd taken the corner was probably worth it. 

—-

Roman woke up to an unusual discomfort. 

He first registered that he was freezing cold and then that everything seemed to hurt. 

When he looked around, Roman very quickly worked out why. He had fallen asleep sitting up against the wall of the Storm Temple. That definitely explained the pain moving caused in his neck and shoulders and back. The blanket he had shared with Vi — oh stars and storms had that actually happened? — was tucked neatly around his shoulders and his pillow nest had been disturbed in some way he couldn’t pinpoint, though the blankets and cushions seemed different somehow and were packed closer around him than before.

He stretched, letting the blanket fall from his shoulders into his lap and the cold morning breeze hit him fully— even through his clothes (from yesterday, he really needed to change) — making him shiver. 

Maybe he should get going, his mother would be worried that he’d been gone all night, and he really needed something to eat.

From last night there wasn’t much to remember after Vi had joined him in the blanket nest. Being in such close proximity to someone so powerful was surely an experience, Vi had almost been crackling with a passive energy that Roman could never hope to put a name to. He had smelled like an interesting mix of stormy air and the soil after rain and he’d felt so strong and somehow so safe when Roman had leaned on his shou— oh shit Roman had fallen asleep on Vi’s shoulder.

Ok, ok, this was fine, except it completely wasn’t! Sharing a space with a God is one thing, being touched by one is another, but falling asleep on a God’s shoulder when he hadn’t even really been given permission to touch him in the first place? That was something else.

Roman was certain his face was pale as chalk as he gathered up his things into a pile so he could shove them in his basket and run home. It was fine, he was still here, which means that he hadn’t offended Vi enough to get smited (smote?— smitten? no, definitely not smitten). He would just have to come down here next time it stormed, apologise to the God and then never show his face here again! It would all be fine!

When Roman turned to shove his blankets into the basket he realised there was already something in there— besides his book— that he had definitely never seen before. Immediately dropping his blanket pile, Roman reached to pull it out.

It looked to be the size of a handkerchief, or something similar. A square of deep purple fabric embroidered delicately around the edge with a circular border of swirling clouds and silver swords. The centre of the fabric depicted a house, the top window lit featuring a tiny silhouette with a stormy sky and a lightning bolt striking in the distance. 

Stabbed through the fabric was the most interesting looking needle Roman had possibly ever seen. Roman carefully — very carefully — pulled it out from the fabric (after checking to make sure that it wasn’t attached to anything of course). Looking at it, Roman realised it wasn’t a needle at all, but a pin. A hairpin, so be more specific. Roman would not freak out any more than he already was right now, a hairpin?

It was translucent and looked to be made of some form of glass— or perhaps crystal? And it was possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. 

Roughly, it was just slightly longer than his hand. One end tapered to a sharp point (enough to draw blood, Roman found out almost immediately) and the other ended in a cut circle, precise and immaculate. At the point the pin was almost black, fading almost like mist into purple and then lighter into a translucent silver nearer the other end. When he looked close enough at it, it seemed to be full of tiny, tiny clouds. 

The only thing left in the basket was a piece of… paper? Though it was a dull purple and almost heavy when he picked it up. The corners were decorated with some simple page decor— in sparkling silver ink, the same as the words that were written in staggering handwriting that cut across the page in a way that wasn’t smooth, but also didn’t feel like it should have been.

It started: “To you, because I’m certain you’ll be the only one reading this, and I don’t have a name to call you by regardless.”

The words made Roman smile, of course, he hadn’t introduced himself, had he? He sort of just assumed Vi would already know somehow.

“You looked so peaceful sleeping that I felt it would be a shame to wake you, I hope you enjoy my gifts.  -Vi.”

Vi’s name was signed larger than the rest of the writing, and next to it was a small drawn smiley face, Roman laughed when he saw it, a little smiley face, from a God. It was just so… unexpected, just like… basically all of this. 

Carefully he folded the paper around the pin and slipped it into his pocket, figuring it would be safer there, before folding the fabric and placing that carefully into a different pocket. He couldn’t help but smile as he packed up his blankets. Vi wanted to see him again, which must mean that he hadn’t completely messed everything up by falling asleep. Roman sighed in relief as he picked up his basket and walked down the steps of the temple.

With a wave of surprise, Roman realised he was excited for the next storm when he would get to see his God again.

----

<- Previous | Masterpost | Next ->

[bcbdrums]

The Voice - ch. 4

First Chapter | Previous Chapter AO3 | FFn

A Drakgo story.

Suspense/angst, injury, hurt/comfort multi-chap. Spoilers ahead if you've not read the first parts.

-------------

"I, um...would you like to hear another story?"

Of course she didn't respond, and Drakken felt the sick feeling return to his stomach. He frowned and looked away to where the red of the sunset had all but vanished. He wondered if he should turn the flashlight on when it got dark... He could still hear the rain through the hole in the cave's ceiling.

"The hover-car really won't take long to fix, as soon as the rain stops. I know you've been telling me to put a dome on it for years... Eddie would call it 'tricked out.' But it does have some utility... As long as I'm adding things, do you think it needs more seats? I know the last model had three in the front... It would be useful if we ever capture Kim Possible...although I suppose we could just stuff her in the trunk... Yes, I know that's what you would prefer... But I'd like her to hear my gloating before we imprison her for life in the dungeon... Oh! That...that was supposed to be a surprise..."

Drakken felt his chest constrict in pain again.

"I built a dungeon, under the new lair..."

Tears came to his eyes again. They would never capture Kim Possible together. Shego would never see the dungeon he had built. But...he could tell her about it.

"You...you might not like it. It's entirely cliche... I even put a fake skeleton in there, hanging from a wall with shackles... But I had it built it out of the natural cave, so lava is running through..."

Drakken realized just then that even though his clothes were dry, he was still very damp. The cave was hot and humid, and his hair hadn't dried at all in the time they had been inside. He tugged at his collar uncomfortably.

"It has those...old medieval cages that are only big enough for a person to stand in...hanging from caves over the lava flow... And it has a drawbridge over the lava, with the controls only on one side. Oh! You'll like this. I calculated the length of Kim Possible's grapple gun from various security footage and made sure the ceilings are higher. Even if she escapes the cages or shackles, she wouldn't be able to use that thing to get out. And I want to find something that she's afraid of to put inside, too... Maybe—"

He had been about to say 'spiders' but stopped short. The last thing Shego needed reminding of was spiders.

"Maybe I can build a projector...or a Pepper's ghost stage... What do you think the odds are that Kim Possible knows about Pepper's ghost? I'm sure her computer kid knows about them, but there wouldn't be anything digital for him to scan. That's what I'll do..."

He tugged at his collar again and suddenly felt itchy all over. He gently placed Shego's hand on her leg and noted how cold she seemed to be despite the heat in the cave.

"I'm just...going to take my shirt off. It's too hot," he explained as he moved off of the wall.

He stayed within her line of sight as he undid the buttons and then yanked the sweat-soaked garment off of his back, the sleeves sticking to his arms slightly. He tossed the shirt away in the direction of the unopened chip bags. He untucked the t-shirt he was wearing from his waistband and pulled at the front of the shirt a few times to air out his chest.

He looked at Shego's still-damp hair and the sheen of sweat over her face. He reached his hands cautiously toward the zipper of her suit.

"Do you want me to... Ah...n-never-mind," he said with a blush, changing his mind. She definitely would not want him undressing her, even if she was hot. And...it wouldn't matter anyway.

He leaned back against the wall and found the stone cool and a slight relief, though his back was still sweaty inside his t-shirt.

"Actually, that...that reminds me of another story. Do you want to hear it...? You probably don't... But my first year in college, I'm sure my dorm room was haunted."

He shifted to put his shoulder against hers, and when he picked up her hand to hold he noticed again how cold she was even through her suit. It wasn't a good sign. Or...maybe it was? Would a quick death be better?

He fought the urge to cry, and leaned his head against hers.

"It's a scary story... You can tell me later if you think so or not..." He paused to gather his emotions as he recalled the memory and decided where to start. "The dorm room I was assigned was on the top floor and in a corner. Oh, I should explain... This was the old building, that had been part of the old campus before MIST was founded. I...can't remember what the old college was called. But my dorm had been part of the original buildings that were built in the 1920's. So it had all the original plumbing, the walls were thicker...the windows had no screens and were single-plate glass... Some rooms, like mine, didn't have a shower and only an old claw-foot tub. And the water was fed from a natural hot spring. It would have been interesting, if not for the haunting...

"When I moved in I also had a freshman roommate. His name was Jonah... He was from Kenya. But that's not relevant... The room was very nice and we both liked it, but all of the upperclassmen told us we had the haunted room. They told us that back in the twenties...a man and woman had been shot and killed in our room, because the woman was the young wife of one of the professors...and the man was a student apprentice to that professor. It was the professor of course who murdered them, after catching them together.

"The story we were told was that the ghosts of the two victims haunted the room, and if anyone ever did anything at all dishonest...horrible things began happening to them. Freak accidents and injuries... Things going missing..."

The light from the sunset had vanished entirely, and Drakken found himself feeling afraid. He turned on the flashlight and set it facing up on the floor right between his and Shego's legs.

"I know what you're thinking. I'm being a baby... But it was really haunted, Shego! After the first couple of months...first, our laundry was destroyed. Down in the washroom... In the same machines we always used. Both mine and Jonah's, but no one else's was ruined. You could say that was just a coincidence... But later that week when I tried to take a bath... I filled the tub as usual while I shaved, but then when I went to get in...the cold water hadn't worked. The tub was only full of hot water. I could have been scalded! And...and before you say it's just coincidence or the old plumbing...that same night the window fell closed while Jonah was studying and the pane shattered. He had so many cuts on his arms and face.

"After that, Jonah admitted he had stolen the answers to the first chemistry test. I was livid. I couldn't believe he had done it, knowing our dorm was haunted! And I know you'll just say...it's still only coincidence. But that night... It was the night before the test... I was asleep, and I woke up when I heard Jonah shout. I saw...I saw two people standing over his bed. It was a man and a woman, and they were wearing clothes from the 1920's. And they both turned and looked at me and...then they vanished."

Drakken turned and looked at Shego's half-lidded eyes. Nothing about her expression had changed.

"I know you don't believe me... Or you think I dreamt it, because of the upperclassmen trying to tease us... But Jonah saw them too! We moved out of the dorm that weekend..."

Drakken's skin was crawling for the horrid memory, and he moved the flashlight closer. But it was casting ominous shadows on the ceiling of the cave and on Shego's face. He noticed how she was much paler than usual, and thought again of how cold her skin was to the touch. He checked her pulse and found it perhaps slightly slower...and her skin was definitely cold.

He realized that in the dark he wouldn't be able to work on the hover-car, even if the rain stopped, which it hadn't.

"I think...maybe we should sleep now," he said as his chest constricted in pain. Was she dying quickly? Would he wake up in the morning to find her gone? "It's too dark to work on the hover-car...and...and you're right, I probably should have just done it in the rain. But...there is no anti-venom for tarantula bites. Because they're..." He swallowed shakily. "They're not fatal."

He let go of her hand as his emotions got the better of him, and he picked up the flashlight.

"I'm turning this out now...um... I'll close your eyes for you, so you can sleep better..." He very gently closed her eyes one at a time with his index finger, and then he took her hand again before turning the flashlight off. He set the light down next to him and then moved closer to her, pressing his hot and sweaty side to her cold one. He leaned his head gently against hers.

"I know it hurts... But that's what it does," he said, trying to reassure her. He hated to lie to her...but he couldn't tell the truth. "And I know it seems like it's not getting better. But the venom just has to...run its course."

He stared into the darkness for a minute and listened to the rain above. He wondered what he would do in the morning... Whether it was raining or not...if she was still alive, he would fix the hover-car. But if she wasn't...

"When I was a child...I would use my glasses to burn bugs and spiders... You know, by focusing the sun's light through the lenses..."

Drakken yawned and let tears fill his eyes as he closed them.

"Don't worry Shego... Try to sleep... Don't worry."

[matrixxsystem]

Terrapin Soup Part 4 (2/3)

"Mostly just cutting things up, cleaning things out, hanging things up to uh.. Well I don't think you'd like to hear all the messy parts, so I won't get into it. But that's where I work mostly when I have no active missions."

"Gotcha.. How long have you been.. Working down there?" 

Usagi thought for a moment, leaning back as he tried to remember when it started, "Hm.. Well, I was pretty young actually. I was orphaned as a baby, my parents were killed and I was left alone for a time before my teacher found me. He raised me to be unphased by these sort of things. I remember watching him work, talking to be about the process. And when I was tall enough to reach the table myself he let me assist him, I think I was maybe.. Seven? Seven years old when I was able to do it by myself. So.. It's been about nine years since then."

"Jeeze no wonder you're so calm about it- I've only been eating this stuff for about a year and I haven't made any of it myself.. I'm not afraid, I mean I don't want to kill anything but if I saw it I don't think I'd be too phased." "Oh- That reminds me." Usagi came around to Leos side gently grabbing his arm, Leo tensed up at first but relaxed when he wasn't moved yet, clearly he was waiting for him to collect his thoughts. "You told me about your arms before, may I?"  "I haven't uh- I mean I change the wraps when I'm alone but I've never showed anyone.." "You can say no. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but I would like to put a liniment on the scars. Would that be okay?" Leo blushed a little, maybe it was because no one every really tried to take care of him in a way that didn't feel like he was being babied, or because he could finally say his boyfriend gave him first aid, or even just because it was one of the only times he could have no walls up and still feel seen and cared for.. God he was so gay... "I-I uh... Yeah, here. I'll take em off. Should I go sit somewhere o-or" "Right, this way then. All the oils are in another room." He moved his hand back, guiding Leo to a room further back, the floor was covered in a thin mat. It didn't feel quite like a sparing area, but it didn't have any furniture in it either.. Just some pillows for sitting on piled neatly in the corner, and a few shelfs, cabinets and drawers around the walls. There was something in the center of the room as well, that caved into the floor. Oh! Leo knew what this was, he'd seen it in movies! It was a fireplace, for making teas an stuff. How cool was that.. Usagi took two of the pillows from their stack and set them down, gesturing for Leo to take one as he went to the other side of the room and got what he needed. Leo sat down and slowly started taking off the bandages, he felt a bit odd without them on.. He'd been wearing them for years now, even to bed. And as the fabric hit the floor he felt an uneasy feeling seeing all the rough marks in his skin, some of them were raised up and sticking out. He wasn't sure why it was like that, and why others weren't.. What did that sort of thing even mean?

"..Leo?"

Leo perked up snapping out of his thoughts to see Usagi dangerously close to him. He tried to scoot back and fell, like an idiot, onto his shell. "Ah- You surprised me-" Usagi raised an eyebrow, holding back a laugh as he reached his hand out and pulled Leo back up into a siting position. "Sorry, you weren't answering." "No no it's fine- What were you saying?" Usagi put his hand out again waiting for Leo to place his arm there when he was ready. "Nothing important, this wont hurt so don't worry. And I'll rewrap it once it's dry. Though.. From what you told me I'm a bit surprised there's not more scarring. You heal very well." It was an odd compliment but he'd take it, "Oh, thanks? I don't know why they look so... Wonky" "You mean the keloids?" He asked as his ran a finger over one of the raised scars, it felt kind of weird, not bad or anything. But he still wasn't used to letting people see him as anything other then the face man, the best looking and flawless one. And those in his mind were many many flaws that he'd been trying to hide, but Usagi didn't even care.. He took a clean rag and the colored glass bottle with an unreadable label lightly soaking it as he held Leos arm in place with one hand while the one with the rag gently dabbed over the scars. 

"Is that what they're called?" "Mhmm, there's nothing wrong with them, it's caused by extra proteins in the skin when it's healing. Sometimes once bigger wounds heal they leave interesting shapes, I've always found anatomy interesting so I used to read about things like this a lot when I was younger." "Oh. Hm.." "I have a question for you now. If you don't mind." "What's up?" "Why do you cover these scars? They wouldn't be very noticeable from afar, and your adversaries might even find you more threatening with them showing." Leo shrugged a little, "It's mostly because of my brothers I guess, Raph is really over protective of me, even if I told him I got these in a fight he'd probably throw a fit! Or worse if I was honest and said I gave these to myself? He'd have me on lockdown!" He sighed softly, glancing the his arm as Usagi continued, "I don't think I could ever tell him that I was so hungry for something so terrible and was scared I'd hurt them so instead I hurt myself like this.. He'd somehow think it was all his fault and I don't think I could handle making him feel like that. None of them should feel that way.." Usagi nodded a little, pulling back to motion for Leo's other arm. "But they worry about you anyway? If they still worry, regardless of what you do, doesn't it seem better to not keep things from them? I've never had siblings so I don't have much insight.. But it's just a thought." Leo turned letting Usagi take his other arm into his hand, "I dunno.. You're probably right. It's just hard to be honest with them about this kinda stuff, you're the only person I've ever told, like, really really told." "I feel so honored." "..I can't tell if you're being sarcastic right now." "Me? Sarcastic? Never~" Leo rolled his eyes a little, looking back as Usagi spoke again. "But I wasn't, just then, so you know. Out of your extensive support system I do feel a certain.. Pride, in being the one you've chosen to confide in." Leo smiled a little, "Well you're my boyfriend now so get used to it haha-" "Speaking of.." "Speaking of?" Usagi let go of Leos arm, leaning in a bit closer till he could sense Leo tensing up a little, "You didn't give me a proper answer earlier, so I'll ask again. Won't you stay the night with me?" He tilted his head a little as we waiting for a respond, Leo unconsciously mimicking his movements. "O-Oh, right.. I uh. I..." He sighed a little, "I can't. Not tonight, we have a mission tomorrow and I shouldn't be late again.." Usagi sat there a moment longer, possibly debating weather he wanted to try to convince him to stay away but soon backed away, "Okay, another time then." "Yeah, sorry-" "Nope, you don't have to apologize. Missions are very important and I don't want to get in the way of that. Really I understand, we'll plan ahead next time." "Okay.. I still feel bad though, I like spending time with you" Usagi smiled a little as he put the liniment and rag away. "Well you're staying for dinner still right? So we have a fair amount of time left." "Oh right, I'd already forgotten about dinner. What were you thinking of making?" Usagi turned back to see Leo stand back up, he smiled more as he held his hand out for Leo, "Would you like to choose? I hadn't made up my mind yet, but maybe you can help narrow it down hm?" "..How would I do that?" "Well it's a surprise, but I think you'll understand what I mean when you see it." "..Oh. You mean in the basement." Part 4.3

Part 1

TS Master Post

[thomasshelbydrabbles]

Everything’s a Negotiation (Part 2/?)

Pairing: Modern!Tommy Shelby x OC

Warnings: series typical violence, language, sexual situations

Summary: Mackenzie receives multiple offers from the officers of the Shelby Brothers Company Limited.

Word Count: 3075

A/N: Here’s another bit. Let me know what you think and if you want added to the tag list.

Mac stood at the window overlooking the city. It had taken her a lot to get to where she was today, and she’d promised herself to never take her success for granted. She knew how easily it could all disappear. It was why when she’d briefly considered taking a personal day when she’d awoken with dry eyes, a rats nest for hair, and a headache that made her wish she were hungover, she’d forced herself into the shower and then to the office. Zeus laid on the couch on the opposite wall. The thought of leaving him at home this morning never crossed her mind.

The phone on her desk buzzed, and again, she wanted to ignore it. She had a clear calendar for most of the morning, but with a shake of her head she crossed to the desk and answered. 

“You’ve got a walk-in, but he’s willing to wait or make an appointment if you don’t have time now.” 

Mac pinched the bridge of her nose. “No, it’s alright. Send him in.” 

Zeus perked up as he heard the knock on the door. 

Thomas Shelby strode into the room wearing another three piece suit and peaked cap. Before she could utter a command, Zeus jumped from the couch, dashed to where he stood and jumped up, trying to lick Tommy’s face. Tommy scratched between his ears before uttering Sitz. In awe, she watched Zeus do as he was told.

“Looks like you’ve made a friend.” 

“I’ve a way with animals,” he glanced up at her, mirth dancing in his eyes. “It’s the Gypsy in me.” 

“Since I doubt Zeus is the reason you stopped by my office, what is it I can do for you, Mister Shelby.” 

He took off his hat and gloves, shoving both into his coat pockets before glancing up at her. 

“Tommy. After last night, I think we’re a bit past the formalities, eh?” 

She blushed like a schoolgirl and hated herself a bit for it. What was it about this man? 

“Very well, what can I do for you, Tommy?”

“I’ve come to discuss business.” 

“I appreciate what you did for me last night, truly. Don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to Zeus. He would have shot him, too. That’s the only reason I called him off. He’s a good dog, don’t deserve to die from a bullet shot by a fucking cunt of a coward. Knew he wouldn’t kill me, right? No point in it. I’m the golden goose, and he was going to serve me right up. Use the gun to get me into his car, or mine - drive me right to you or some other nefarious type he’d made a deal with, maybe someone less inclined to be polite about it all.” 

Mac heard the words streaming out of her mouth, felt her heart rate increase as they came out more rapidly. She couldn’t stop though, not the words, not the pace, not the frantic way her heart pounded in her chest, the way the air seemed too thin in the office, as though it was being sucked out and there was none left for her. 

“Who kills a dog? But, he would have. And Zeus wouldn’t have let go, see, so you would have come inside and seen Zeus’ teeth still buried in Rodney’s arm, but he’d be dead, so he’d just be hanging there, maybe the force of the shot would have taken them both to the ground, but what would be the point because he’d be dead - ”

“Mackenzie!”

Warm hands on her cheeks startled her out of her spiral. When had he crossed the room? How had he closed the distance between them without her noticing? She felt his thumbs wipe the tears from her cheeks. God, she didn’t even know when she’d begun crying. Perhaps she should have taken that personal day. Distantly, she heard Zeus whine, felt his bulk leaning against her legs.

“Breathe with me, love,” Tommy’s voice was quiet, soothing. “Look at me.” 

Blinking rapidly, Mac glanced up. Tommy took one of her hands in his, placed it against his chest. She could feel the finely woven material of his vest, the heat of him, the beating of his heart. 

“That’s it. Listen to me voice and breathe when I do, right?” 

She did as he instructed, felt his chest move in and out, forced hers to do the same. 

“There’s a good girl, keep breathing with me.” 

They could have been standing there for hours or minutes, but eventually she felt herself calm. Tommy’s hands slid around her back, pulling her all to willing body against his. His body was like a furnace, warm, safe. He held her as though he had nothing more important to do, as though he could stay in that moment forever. 

She shook her head to clear the last of the fog from it. Taking a step back from him, feeling his warmth leave her, she bent down to sink her fingers into Zeus’ fur. What an idiot she must look like. Mac forced herself to stand firm, not to throw herself back into his arms. 

“Thanks.” 

He inclined his head. 

“You wanted to discuss business, but I’ve already given you my answer.” 

“I’m here to renegotiate.” 

“My display last night and this morning might have given you the wrong impression about me, but Stronghold is a fairly successful security firm. Granted, I do rely a bit too heavily on digital security, which after last night I will need to reassess - thanks, by the way, for the new door. And sneaky of you slipping the new key on last night when you dropped me off.” Mac paused, tilted her head. “I know exactly why Rodney offered my services to you.”

She moved back to the window and pointed across the street. “See, if I ran that cafe down there, I doubt you would have been so keen to accept Rodney’s offer no matter how famous the Bakewell tarts are.”

He had that same damn smirk on his face as he leaned against the wall, hands tucked into his pockets. 

“Me younger brother, Finn, he enjoys a Bakewell tart.” 

Mac chuckled and shook her head. “I know what you do, Tommy. I know what type of business a man like you operates.” 

“Ran a background check on me, eh?” 

“As soon as you left the office, I pulled up everything I could find. You’re a dangerous man with an interesting portfolio of business.”

“Then you know exactly why I want your services.” 

She crossed her arms. “That’s not what you wanted from me last night.” 

Why had she said that? 

Tommy crossed the room in quick steps. He braced his hands on the window on either side of her head, effectively boxing her in. She swallowed thickly as his cerulean eyes snared her again. 

“I still want that, love. Been thinking about bendin’ you over that desk, flippin’ your skirt up and fuckin’ you. Wanna hear your voice shout me name as I make you come on my cock.” 

“Oh.” 

He chuckled darkly at her reply. Her mind was filled with nothing but white noise. Then she felt his nose along her neck, felt the faintest press of his lips to her skin. 

“Smell bloody amazing.” 

“Tommy - ”

He pulled back. She noted his dilated pupils, the way his breath wasn’t quite even. Knowing she affected him made her feel a bit smug, especially because he utterly destroyed her, kept her completely unbalanced. 

“Work for me, Mackenzie.” 

“You’re a liability.” 

“I’m a businessman who could provide access to other businessmen with interestin’ portfolios.” 

“I know something about those other businessmen. I run a security company, and you’re too big a risk. You’re just as likely to make friends as you are enemies. Some of your friends are, have been, and likely will be your enemies…again. I can’t take on your business and then take on the business of someone you’re doing work with because when one or both of you decides to go to war, I’m caught in the middle, knowing too much for either party to be completely comfortable.” 

Mac took a breath and walked over to where Zeus had settled himself on the couch. Sitting next to him, she scratched behind his ears. 

“I know that look,” she said, watching Tommy pull a cigarette from his pocket. “You’re going to assure me there won’t be a war, but I know that look in your eye. Man like you gets bored easily, so you like war because it keeps your mind occupied. Then you’ll tell me, or even better, you’ll promise me that I won’t be caught in the middle. Or that you’ll protect me. Use last night as an example of your expert protection skills.” 

“Got me all figured out then ‘ave you?” 

She smiled at him. “Wouldn’t be very good at my job if I didn’t have a decent start at it.” 

“Go out with me.”

“What?”

It was like whiplash keeping up with this man. She’d always been good at solving puzzles, and filling in the missing pieces, but every time she thought Tommy would zig, he’d zag and she wasn’t prepared for it. 

“Friday.” 

“I haven’t said yes.” 

Tommy rolled the unlit cigarette along his bottom lip. He pointed at her with it as he moved towards the door. One hand on the knob, he glanced at her from over his shoulder. 

“I’ll pick you up at 8.” 

 Mac didn’t hear anything from any Shelby for the next twenty-four hours, and she allowed herself to believe she wasn’t a little disappointed about it. Not that Tommy had been too far from her mind. No. She continued to run various searches on the Shelby family and their known associates. Just as she’d suspected with her initial background run, he was a ruthless businessman in both his legal and less legal dealings. He’d been in business with Alfie Solomons, Darby Sabini - betrayed them both, gone back to work with Solomons. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she closed her laptop and pushed back from the desk. Standing at the window, she glanced down at the cafe. Maybe she could change her career. Reinvent herself and move back to the States, put the charm of London behind her. 

With a sigh, she moved back to her desk. She wouldn’t leave; it would feel too much like giving up. The knock on her door caught her off guard. Looking down at the clock on her desk, she muttered a curse under her breath. So caught up in her wayward thoughts, she was completely unprepared for her two-o’clock appointment. 

Smoothing down her skirt as she moved to the door, Mac reminded herself that she was a goddamned professional and opened the door with a bright smile on her face. 

“Hi, please come in.” 

Her two-o’clock smiled at her, and she swore there was something familiar about the look of his face, the cut of his suit. Shaking it off, she rounded her desk and took a seat at her desk. Opening her laptop as he situated him across from her, she quickly glanced through the notes she’d prepared for this meeting. 

“Hi, Mr. Gray. Welcome to Stronghold. Can I offer you a coffee or tea before we get started?” 

There. She could be a professional. 

He flashed a smile at her and she had to blink to dissipate the overlay of Tommy’s face that came to her mind. Maybe she should have let him fuck her over her desk, then she get him out of her system. She frowned at the thought, not sure she wanted him completely out of her system. Focus. Damnit. 

“Tea would be lovely, thanks. And please, call me Michael.” 

Pressing the intercom on her phone, she waited for Katie to answer.

“Yes, Miss Theil?”

“Hi Katie, can I please get a cup of tea for Mr. Gray and I could use another coffee while you’re at it, thanks.”

“Be right in with that.” 

Mac pulled a notebook and pen in front of her and looked up at her potential client. 

“While we wait, Michael, why don’t you tell me a bit about the company, the needs, and any budgetary concerns you might have. We personalize all of our services here to best meet the needs of each client we sign on.” 

“‘Course.” He pulled a file from his briefcase and handed it to her. 

Taking it from him, Mac felt her eyes grow comically wide as she took in the company name in bold font on the front page. Glancing up at Michael Gray, she noted a familiar grin tucked into the corner of his mouth. 

Before she could say anything, Katie came in with their drinks. She forced a smile as her assistant placed a fresh mug of coffee on her desk, and - not for the first time this week - she wished she kept a bottle of something strong in her desk. When the door clicked closed, she pushed away from the desk and stood to her feet. 

“I’ve already given Mister Shelby my answer.” 

“Didn’t even read the offer.” 

Lips pursed, she glanced at him. He hadn’t moved, and from the way he’d settled himself into the chair, he had no intention to leave. 

“Gray your actual last name, or did you make it up to get an appointment?” 

A full grin split his face. “Why would I lie about me name?” 

“You’re a Shelby.” 

“Cousin.” 

“Ah.”

“Hear me out, alright? Before you throw me out on my arse.” 

She felt her shoulders slump. If she asked him to leave now, she had a strong feeling that he’d be back. Or one of the other brothers, or another cousin. Given what she’d learned about the family, it wouldn’t at all surprise her if Tommy filled her entire schedule with brothers, cousins, friends until she capitulated. She sat back down.

“Outlined in there,” Michael gestured towards the folder. “Is a business offer that would have any other security firm creamin’ their pants to sign. As you might have gathered, Tommy’s not used to havin’ someone tell ‘im no.” 

“Being told no is character building.” 

Michael laughed. “See why he likes you.” 

Mac took a gulp of her coffee, pretended it didn’t scald her. Fuck, it was hot. 

“I understand you have some reservations about our business operations and the impact it would have on your firm’s reputation and current client base.” 

It was Mac’s turn to smirk. “Ah. You’re the good cop.” 

He raised an eyebrow. 

“The brothers came into my office like a deleted scene from The Godfather and when that didn’t work, they send in their consigliare to make nice. Deal of this size would take approval from all the officers, and the CFO - ” she looked at him meaningfully. “Would likely have the most to say given the financial impacts.” 

“Fuck Tommy, I like you, Miss Theil.” 

“Mac.” 

Her correction was automatic, and even as she said it, she remained unsure as to why she’d invited him to address her so informally. Never one to stand on ceremony, she often had people address her by her first name. Katie insisted on Miss Theil because it sounded more professional. Rubbish, but it made Katie happy, so she’d stopped fighting that battle months ago. 

“I’ll be honest, Mac. I didn’t want this deal. When Tommy first brought it to me, I thought he was mad or drunk. We don’t take payment like that, especially not from women. Rodney Bouchard’s a fuckin’ cunt. It would be stupid to have the company further involved with his family, right? Then, I looked into your company. You’ve an impressive background for an American.” 

Mac flipped him off. 

Michael laughed. 

“Oh my god,” Mac exclaimed, dropping her hand. 

“That was fuckin’ brilliant, sweetheart, don’t be apologizin’.”

“It was unprofessional.”

Michael stopped laughing, looked at her with the most serious look she’d seen on his face since he’d walked through her door. 

“It was honest.” 

She nodded. 

“Look at page five.” 

Flipping through the pages, she stopped on page five and read through the impressive listing of businesses and holdings. 

“Now, page ten.” 

The number on the page had to be a joke. No way anyone would pay that for what her company did.

“You’re insane.” 

“We pay a good price for a good product.” 

“Fuck.” 

“Should be enough to cover any concerns you might have about doin’ business with Shelby Brothers Limited.”

“It’s not what’s listed that I have concerns about.” 

“We’d only expect you to work with the businesses listed.” 

Mac nodded. “Just me knowing you have business that aren’t listed is a security risk, something easily exploitable by…competitors.” 

“For what we’d pay you,” Michael said with a wink. “We’d expect you to sort all that out before it became a problem.” 

“I’m not fucking omniscient.” 

“I’ve a second proposal prepared for you, one that lists all of the Company’s assets complete with a new number adjusted for the increase in workload.” 

“What you already gave me would require a dedicated team, full time.” 

Michael raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t do exclusive contracts.” 

Michael pulled the second contract from his briefcase and slid it across her desk. Mac glared down at it as though she could light it on fire with her eyes. 

“Look it over. I understand why you have reservations ‘bout working for us, but Tommy takes the safety of his employees seriously. He’d protect you.”

Mac chuckled. “There it is.” 

“Wot?”

“Told Tommy not two days ago that he’d make some sort of offer about protecting me.” Mac paused. “There it is.” 

“We make better friends than we do enemies.” 

Mac narrowed her eyes. “Are you threatening me?”

“Absolutely not. Tommy’d bloody well hang me by me balls if I did. What I’m sayin’ is our enemies know how powerful we are. You’d be safe.” 

Flashes of the Rodney holding a gun to Zeus’ head flashed behind her eyes. They couldn't even properly protect her from her own family. No. This was madness. Nothing good would come from taking either of the offers on her desk, no matter how tempting they were. 

“Think about it, Mac.” 

Michael stood from the chair and headed for the door. He paused, glanced over his shoulder with a smirk on his face. “Enjoy your date with Tommy.” 

“Fuck me.”

Part 3

Master List

Tag List: @allie131313

[callivich]

So sorry this too me so long @arrowflier! 😭💖

Part 1 (Calli) // Part 2 (Arrow) // Part 3 (Calli) // Part 4 (Arrow) // Part 5 (Calli) // Part 6 (Arrow) // Part 7 (Calli) // Part 8 (Arrow)

“Something tells me Nat won’t be too surprised to hear it.”

And she really wasn’t surprised when they’d told her the house was a no. Or a big fuck no, in Mickey’s words. They headed home with the promise that she would send “one more place they might like”. Neither was feeling particularly optimistic as they reached their apartment.

Mickey stomped through their front door, leaving Ian to trail behind and close it. He collapsed on the sofa and ran a hand down his face. He looked tired and as Ian settled next to him, he couldn’t help but feel the same way. House hunting was fucking hard.

“Told you we should have done this shit ourselves.” Mickey grumbled, stifling a yawn.

“Maybe we can try looking on our own, after we see this last place?”

“What’s the point? She’ll probably show us a fuckin’ houseboat or an underground bunker or some shit.”

Ian snorts and leans his head against Mickey’s shoulder. “Houseboat might be kinda cool, we could sail places and swim off it.”

“Fuck no. I’m sleeping on dry fuckin’ land, thank you very much.”

“You sure you don’t like the idea of Captain Milkovich?

“Mmm, what’s that make you then?”

“Uh, I’d be a captain too.”

“Don’t think so, there’d only be one captain.”

Before Ian could dispute that or make a joke about walking the plank, his phone buzzed. An email from Nat - the final house. It was just on the outskirts of the South Side in an area that neither of them were that familiar with but they knew enough that it was one of the ‘nicer’ parts. It kinda reminded Ian of the Gallagher house - a yard in the front and in the back, steps up to the front door, a smallish two storey - but built more recently. Perhaps it could do with some fresh paint but it looked sturdy and well built, not like some of the houses in their old neighbourhood that looked like they were ten seconds from falling down.

“What’s it this time?”

Ian held his phone so Mickey could see as well, and scrolled through the pictures. There were three bedrooms upstairs - two large and one small - and a bathroom, which Ian noted with glee had both a big bath and a shower. Downstairs there was the kitchen with space for a dining table, living room, a small bathroom with a shower and toilet, and a little utility room. And a finished basement with carpet and lighting, that looked like a comfortable place to hang out. There was minimal furniture, clearly no one was currently living there. But it was easy to imagine their own furniture in the rooms. It was nice, really nice. Ian felt excited to see it.

There was one strange thing about it - the living room. It was all white - walls and floor - with white curtains. It gave Ian the strangest sense of deja vu. He’d never been there before, he knew that. But just looking at the picture made him think of something….a dream, maybe? Him and Mickey in a room like that? He wasn’t sure, his memory wasn’t clear but what he did know is that the picture made him feel happy and content. He kept scrolling back to the photo, zooming in on it and trying to remember the dream exactly.

“This is gonna sound weird but I had a dream about a place like this once.” He felt faintly embarrassed saying it but if Mickey found it stupid, he didn’t say anything.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Perhaps it was the softness in Ian’s voice or the way he shifted closer, but Mickey didn’t tease him.

“A good one?”

“Really good. I think. Can’t really remember but I can just remember this idea of us in a room like this. Happy. Kissing.”

“Let’s go see it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Kinda surprised to say this but I like it. Got everything we need. And…looks like it could be home, y’know? Can already see our bed in that bedroom with the window overlooking the backyard.”

“Perfect for viewing my vegetable patch.”

“Sure. Gotta see those tomatoes, right?”

“And we could put a gaming setup in the basement. No more playing on our phones.”

“Sweet. Was thinking it could be our sex basement but gaming works too.” Mickey joked, putting his arm around Ian, who gave him a kiss on his knuckles.

It felt good, imagining their house like this. Imagining a future, both of them together. Still, Ian had to ask…. “You sure you wanna see it?”

“Yes.” Mickey turned to look at Ian, his palm gently catching Ian’s cheek, fingers giving him a comforting scratch. “Yes. I wanna see it. This is by far the nicest place she’s shown us. Plus, I fuckin’ like it. So stop with that anxious, guilty bullshit that’s going on in your head. We’re on the same page here.”

“Ok.” And because he could never help it. “I love you, y’know?”

“Love you too. Now let’s see this house.”

[yutafrita]

Through the Webs- CHAPTER SEVEN

"And through it all, I will fearlessly love you."

Sungchan x Reader (y/n pronouns are she/her)

Chapter Warnings: References to deceased parents, mild to graphic depictions of violence, psychological horror elements, spider(s),

Chapter Word Count: ~3.7K

Through the Webs Master List

Synopsis: Therapy. Medication. Wallow. Repeat. You have gotten the daily routine down pact. Your visions or “delusions” as the doc would say, haven’t helped you when it comes to recovering from your amnesia, though. What has helped are the times when Sungchan visits you in the hospital. He says he’s your best friend, and since no one else has visited, what else are you to believe? Certainly not your own delusions which keep telling you that the asylum is more than what it seems.

Tag List! @nini0620 @maleegayuh if you want to be added just send an ask or comment <3

Chapter Seven

You had laced some old webbing through your hair in an attempt to make you look older and different, at least at a first glance. The final preparations for going above ground into the town were commencing, and everyone was trying to think of the best possible way to keep themselves concealed.

A lot of students have gotten the message. They’ve been smart enough to remove the webbing as soon as they see it, Pauk the spider explained to you. The small thing had somehow managed to collect input and messages between a large chunk of your spiders, and Pauk seemed to deeply enjoy doing so.

“Any non-students?” you asked, hanging clothes up now on a clothesline to dry since you had finished your hair.

Quite a few. No one seems to have told Capsik, no one that we could tell that is, Pauk seemed more annoyed than you that Capsik had managed to keep spiders away from himself.

“We’ll be on the surface soon. If anything and I mean anything comes up, have the rest of the spiders report it immediately,” you encouraged. Pauk did a spider's equivalent of a salute and scampered away, through the walls and away from you.

“How strange,” Jaemin appeared at your side, picking up the wet clothes and helping you hang them up to dry through the garage.

“Says the guy who can control electricity,” you hummed. He had managed to get himself as close as possible to his past skill level, proudly utilizing it to help all parts of the underground.

“Fair. You wouldn’t happen to know where Taeil is, do you?” he asked, smirking. You had managed to get a few spiders to drag a few insects over to the storage room with Taeil, leaving him to practice with his powers on his own.

“Maybe, why?”

“Nope, just curious. Wanna know what else I’m curious about?”

“I feel like I shouldn’t ask.”

“Too late- are you going to keep being a vigilante after all of this?” he was airing a question you yourself had already been mulling over.

“I’m not sure yet, you?”

“Me neither. My uncle doesn’t want me to but Renjun and Yangyang think we all should,” his emphasis on we struck you.

“You can operate on your own if you wanted to,” you added, your smile forced as you continued opening the wet clothes and hanging them up, Jaemin taking to handing you clothespins.

“I know, but… all the memories I have of us all working together are far better than when I worked alone,” he admitted. You paused, your hand holding Sungchan’s shirt on the clothesline before you continued pinning it up.

“Same for me too,” you muttered. “I think… I think I just want to be normal.”

“The only way that’ll happen is if we lose our powers,” Jaemin sighed. He quietly helped you put up the rest of the wet clothes, both of you lost in your own heads.

“Do you think the white in my hair makes me harder to recognize?” you asked him once you finished. Jaemin squinted at you for a moment before shrugging his shoulders.

“Maybe, but I’ve seen all of our faces so much for these past few months that I could easily pick you all out no matter what.”

“That’s fair. Jisoo’s dying her hair last I checked,” her sister was in the process of bleaching Jisoo’s hair in the workroom. You had no idea what the results were going to be, but you were all doing the best you could to make yourselves seem less obvious.

“I can’t wait to see how Sungchan looks with light hair,” Jaemin smiled, and you raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“... Oh, I wasn’t supposed to tell you,” Jaemin raised a hand to his forehead in embarrassment, having realized his mistake. You couldn’t help but laugh, and started from the garage to the work room, having to listen to Jaemin beg you to not say it was him who told you. After you unlocked the door and entered the space, you saw everyone else had formed a small circle near the monitors. 

Kun, who was watching the streams sighed loudly, and without looking away from the screen announced, “she’s here.”

Rosé and Doyoung turned around first, bright, forced smiles on both of their faces.

“It was supposed to be a surprise!” Rosé laughed loudly, sending a glare to Jaemin.

“It was an accident! I wanna see,” you moved forward, only being stopped when Rosé placed a hand on your shoulder.

“No! You don’t need to see it,” she tried spinning you around, but you laughed as you removed her hands from you.

“I’m sure he looks great!” you smiled, moving past the pair of siblings only to be wrapped in the overwhelming embrace of Ten.

“Did I mention how much I missed you? We should go play some checkers!” he spun you around, trying to disorient you before you broke from his grip.

“We can play after dinner!” you promised, moving again towards the circle despite the slight dizziness you felt. Finally, you saw Sungchan perched in a chair with Jennie quickly combing through it in an attempt to make it look less burnt than it was.

“Sur… prise?” Sungchan smiled sheepishly. Looking up, you saw that Jisoo’s hair was also the same burnt shade as his, and started laughing as you looked at them.

“Jennie, you really did a number on ‘em,” you swiped at the tears on your eyes as everyone else began to laugh also.

“I did my best!” Jennie defended through her own fits of laughter, sadly passing a hand over Jisoo’s head.

“Once we get above ground, you can get it fixed,” you comforted, moving closer and swiping your fingers through Sungchan’s hair.

He looked up at you, smiling, “that’s the goal.”

That night, you, Sungchan, and Taeil were in charge of dinner. 

“So I can incapacitate with my voice! Apparently you all had these soundproof ear pieces that let me use my powers so I wouldn’t knock you all out.”

“Or so you couldn’t accidentally compel them,” Sungchan added, mischievously lifting an eyebrow as he opened the can of vegetables. 

“That too,” Taeil smiled. “I guess that’s why the Siren was my hero name.”

You helped Sungchan prepare and cut the vegetables, moving between him to pass the prepared food to Taeil to finish his work. While what you all had was nowhere near a working kitchen, you couldn’t deny the great feeling of being able to cook and help. You were elated to be outside soon, but small moments like these were certainly going to be ones you would allow yourself to smile at.

That night, you sent a few spiders to collect and eat the dead insects Taeil left in the storage room, also moving to help Jennie and Lisa pack up their bags.

“Here, I forgot to get these to you,” Lisa handed you a sack. 

“Mouse and… are these wireless earbuds?” you took the pair out from the bag with a questioning look.

“They’re noise canceling so Taeil can use his powers and also allow us to communicate from ranged distances,” Jennie clarified, shoving other items into a different sack as she did so.

“Cool, thanks!”

It was a strange atmosphere in the garage- well, stranger than the past fews weeks. With most gears of the final plan being set into motion, everyone moved with a newly invigorated buzz- collecting final pieces of gear, asking each other last minute questions, and packing up a proper go-bag.

After helping the sisters, you sat at the edge of the van you had called yours, organizing your few possessions into a backpack Lisa had given to you. Digging through the small pile of clothes you had, you heard a small crinkle. Smiling, you took out the letter from your robe. In the haze of that night, you managed to stuff the letter from Sungchan into the pocket of your robe before their arrival.

“I didn’t know you kept that,” Sungchan stood behind you now, his height sending a shadow over you.

You shrugged, “I didn’t want to get rid of it.”

“I don’t think I properly apologized for that day,” he scratched at the back of his neck, his discomfort obvious.

“I know. Don’t mention it,” you nodded, tucking the letter into the bottom of your backpack. “It was the best way to get the letter to me.”

“I know, it still doesn’t make it any better though.”

“We were able to escape, I think it gives you a pass,” you chuckled, meeting his gaze now. Sungchan was tired, but the way his eyes gleamed as he looked at you made you feel warm and complete.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” now he chuckled, his eyes scanning your face.

“Like what?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know, you’re looking at me like I saved the world or something.”

Embarrassed, you turned your attention back to packing your bag, Sungchan still looming overhead. There was a screech from across the room, and neither one of you bothered to look back, knowing it was Rosé freaked out by a spider.

“You’d think she’d be used to them by now,” you sighed, watching as Sungchan knelt down to pick up the spider for you.

“Everything okay?”

All is well! You should all be okay to return, you were able to discern this voice as Pauk and nodded.

“Perfect, thank you,” you smiled before Sungchan placed the little guy back on the floor so he could easily run off.

“What did he say?”

“I forget that no one else can hear them. We have the all clear at the moment,” you confirmed. You looked back inside of the lit van, staring at the gym bag Sungchan had moved into the corner shortly after you started to share the same bed. “Can I ask you something?”

“Always,” Sungchan sat next to you, the van creaking a bit at his added weight.

“If something goes wrong-.”

“Nothing will happen to you,” he frantically cut you off, taking your hands in his suddenly shaking ones.

You laughed awkwardly, shaking your head. “Let me finish. If something goes wrong, I want to have something with me.”

He tilted his head, confused as he still squeezed your hands. “My engagement ring, Sungchan, I want to have it.” Your memories of the engagement came back to you a few nights ago. He had taken you on a trip where you saw the northern lights, and under the beautiful sky was when he had asked you. It was perfect. 

“Y-you… are you sure?” his voice was shaking, his eyes widened in the most endearing way. You nodded, leaning forward and dropping a small kiss on the tip of his nose.

“I’m sure,” you confirmed, and within that same moment he let go of your hands, springing fully into the van to dig into the gym bag. Taking out a small jewelry box, he sat next to you again with a bright smile on his face, his expression matching the ones from your memories.

“I put the ring on a chain because I didn’t want it in the way while you were fighting. I just figured it would be better to have it out of the way,” he rambled, the box in his hands shaking. Carefully, he opened the box, his fingers moving to lift the ring out with the chain following. “Do you like it?” he asked nervously. The ring itself was gorgeous- the stone of your favorite color accentuated by a thin black band that matched the dainty chain it hung off of.

“I love it, Sungchan… I love you,” you smiled fully. Things were confusing and weird- your memories, while almost fully restored, still felt out of sync, and the real world still seemed like a mess, but one thing was for certain- you loved Sungchan. Every memory, feeling, thought, and part of you knew this as truth. 

Sungchan smiled back at you, his eyes squinting as he watched you take the ring from his hands to look at it. “I love you, too. More than anyone else in the world.”

He pressed a kiss to your forehead, and without missing a beat took the ring from your hand, clipping the chain around your neck.

“God you guys are so gross,” a groan surprised you, and you looked over to see Ten with crossed arms glaring at you both. Jisoo on the other hand was beaming, clapping her hand together.

“Don’t be mean Ten! You guys are so cute,” she cheered, moving forward to look at the ring that now rested on your collarbone.

“Thank you… did you guys need-?”

“Oh yeah! Taeyong wants to go over the plan one more time,” Jisoo explained. Glancing over at your finacé, you nodded knowingly before standing up to meet the group at the center.

---

When you first got your powers, you remember immediately rushing to your mother. She was doing the dishes in the kitchen, and as you went to hold her in panic she got dish water all over you.

“Woah! Is everything okay?” She had instinctually hugged you back despite the confusion. You looked up, eyes still welling with tears and snot dripping down your nose as you shakily lifted your wrists, showing her the webbing coming out of them.

“And… and… I can hear them,” you sobbed, squeezing your mothers shirt. She paused, brushing a hand over your wrist before bending down slightly to meet your gaze.

“What is it you can hear honey?”

You turned your head slightly, trembling as you looked down at the three spiders that were standing a few feet behind you. She’s upset. She’s upset.

You screamed, burying your face in your mother’s shirt as you continued sobbing.

---

You and Sungchan were last to leave the underground, much to his brother’s chagrin.

“You text me as soon as you have a signal, and get to the location as soon as possible,” Taeyong repeated, which earned another groan from Kun. In order to avoid moving in a large group and attracting unneeded attention before reaching shelter, it was agreed that everyone would move into town in either pairs or trios with a few hours in between. With the curfew in place, it was one of the only smart ways to move around.

Kun, Taeyong, Sungchan and you by default were set to be amongst the last people to leave. Kun as he handled the way everyone else would be moving into the city, and Taeyong as he was helping you and Sungchan destroy most of the underground.

“I still don’t understand why we can’t leave together,” Taeyong huffed, tightening the gloves on his hand.

“Let your brother be a leader and let y/n finish using her spiders. Now move it,” Kun was tired of having to hear Taeyong whine, and lightly shoved him down the sewer passage that led to the exit. Kun glanced back at you two, “remember, your cycles are in the parking lot.”

“I know. We’ll see you guys soon,” Sungchan assured.

“I promise,” you affirmed, looking directly at Taeyong. He huffed, and sent you a curt nod.

“Let’s go, Kun.”

The pair left the sewer, and you two watched as you were slowly enveloped in the silence of the tunnels and the realization that you were alone for the first time. Beyond the occasional patter of spiders, it was the two of you in the underground.

“What’s left to do?” you clapped your hands together, mentally analyzing the rooms. Most of the cars were debadged and coated in webs, any electrical wires that were still in them being yanked out or scavenged for parts.

“Let’s check the work room again,” Sungchan moved quickly, moving almost frantically as you followed behind him.

“Why are you moving so quickly?” you giggled, keeping pace despite his long legs. You caught the small blush on his cheeks as his fingers fumbled with the locks. “Why are you nervous?”

“I’mNotNervous!!” His words blurred together as he undid the locks, running inside and away from you. You raised an eyebrow, turned the lights on and took in the nearly empty room. Lisa and Jennie had properly dispersed their inventions, destroying anything else and leaving it in a pile at the center. Renjun had Taeyong pawn off his monitor set up, leaving the gaping holes in the wall with the computer itself kicked in. With the only things upright left being the workbenches and parts of the makeshift infirmary, it felt surreal. You were here for a few weeks, and were able to regain your memories and powers, but now staring at the broken remnants of the room it was like you couldn’t even tell.

“I guess I’ll get to covering all of this up,” you sighed, moving to the center pile. Slowly, you opened your arms and began coating the center pile in webbing, making it difficult to discern what exactly it was. A hand was placed on your shoulder.

“Maybe have your spiders take care of this, you don’t want to exhaust yourself,” Sungchan suggested, his eyebrows creased. He was right- you were feeling a bit strained and it was getting difficult to create more webbing, especially after taking care of the garage and storage room earlier. You nodded, and watched as several spiders entered through cracks of the room, making quick work of picking up where you left off.

“How long until we have to go?” you asked mindlessly, sitting on the cot as you watched the spiders work their webs on the workbenches.

Sungchan looked at the watch on his wrist, “two hours and fourteen minutes.”

“That’s a while,” you sighed, and used your elbows to casually lean back on the cot. Sungchan looked at you, and with the blush returning to his cheeks, he quickly turned his face away. “Oh my god. What’s the matter with you?”

“N-nothing!” he defended, still not looking your way. “Lots of spiders here!”

“Why do you look embarrassed?” you pressed, not moving from where you sat.

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

“Then why are you blushing so much?”

“Because it is the first time we’ve been alone and all I want to do is-!” he stopped himself, his body fully turned towards you. Standing up, you crossed the room to where Sungchan stood, the spiders all quickly taking their leave. You didn’t consider yourself to be in your most attractive state- you had on the black ripped jeans you found to easily help you climb up walls, a black t-shirt that was a size two big for you with the photo of an outdated joke, and your hair was still in a disarray from the webs plaited into it.

“What is it you want to do?” you furrowed your eyebrows, listening and waiting for all of the spiders to leave the work room. Alone! Alone! Leave them alone!

You watched as Sungchan’s ears turned red hot, his Adam's apple bobbing as he bashfully looked at you, “nothing.”

You smirked knowingly, reaching up and pinching his cheek softly in a teasing manner.

“It’s not funny,” he groaned, looking away from you now. Rolling your eyes, you lifted your other hand to hold his face in your hands steadily.

“I think it’s cute.”

“I’m not cute.”

“You are very cute, Sungchan.”

“No adult man wants to be called cute, especially not… now,” he huffed, his eyes trying to look at anything but you as the heat continued to rise in his cheeks.

“I think that just makes you more attractive,” you went to pinch his cheek again only for his hand to come up and stop you. His eyes were different now- he was looking directly at you instead of avoiding your gaze, his pupils blown out like they were in all of your other memories of intimacy with him.

“I don’t want our first time together to be here.”

“This is not our ‘first time.’ I thought I was the one with the memory problems,” you boldly moved closer only for him to place his hand on your shoulder to stop you.

“… Second… first time,” he decided to settle on a different choice of words.

You moved your hands from his face. Crossing your arms over your chest, you asked, “what did you have in mind for us to do before we went up to the surface?”

“I was hoping there would be more for us to cover up… to kill time,” he admitted, scratching the back of his neck. It was brief, but you caught his eyes quickly darting from you, to the cot behind you, and then back to you.

“What if we die?” It was a thought scratching at the back of all of your minds. It was a dumb, risky plan with so many things that could go wrong. Chances of success were slim at best.

“Why would you say that?”

“Because it’s the truth! God, Sungchan- I had my memories and powers stolen from me for months. You had to watch me and everyone else become lab rats- empty fucking shells of ourselves. Did you learn nothing?” You were struggling to keep your voice from rising, despite the sense of fear and frustration you felt. “Being together… no days are guaranteed. This plan has such a low chance of even succeeding and you want us to wait? For what?You’re being-.”

Maybe he finally understood your thought process, or decided to give in to his own instincts, or maybe he just wanted to shut you up. Quickly though, he had grabbed your face in his hands, his lips crashing into yours.

“I love you,” he moaned, his lips barely leaving yours as you collapsed onto the cot.

“I love you, too,” you whimpered back, clinging closely to his body now hovering over your own.

It was different from your memories. In your memories there wasn’t any urgency or fear of the future as you touched each other. Now, you were constantly repeating I love yous and pleading for the other to be as close as possible for fear of this being the last time you could. In your memories, there was no frantic fumbling of each other's clothes and never once could you have imagined yourself naked in a sewer system of all places.

And yet, you admit, you wouldn’t have changed a thing.

[smokinholsters]

The Lucky Horseshoes - A Heartland Season 16 AU - Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Amy sipped her coffee as they gathered around the stack of equipment in the center of the kitchen. “Ok, Lilac for Lyndy’s walls, that light green, Drizzle for the master and the master bath above the wainscoting. The grey, Krypton for the guest bedroom and sunflower for the kitchen walls. Oh the second bath gets that light rose over the wainscoting. Snowflake white for all the trim, doors and wainscot.”

The house was freshly painted matte white so closets and ceilings didn’t need to get done.Let’s start taping, who’s taking what room ?”

The painting crew for the time being was Amy, Lyndy, who insisted on helping, Jack, Lisa, Tim, Jessica, Lou and Katie. It was Katies job to keep Lyndy busy and not causing too much trouble. They had a stack of tarps for the floors, painting tape, rollers, brushes and a stack of paint cans.

“I expected your boyfriend.” Tim announced grabbing two rolls of tape.

“So did I, emergency call to the rodeo, one of the cutters threw a bad shoe. The owner was adamant, Caleb set it up. They’ll be here in a couple of hours and Cass will bring lunch from Maggie’s, the nanny gets to her at noon.”

“Finn is momma’s boyfriend.”

Lou smiled “and how do you know that sweetheart ?”

“They hold hands.”

“Holding hands is important.” Lou said the smile not leaving her face.

“And they kiss.”

“Ok.” Katie cut in with a giggle “you’re helping me today Lyndy bug.”

They all smiled when Lyndy held out her hand which Katie took.

Since Lyndy declared that she wanted to work on her room Katie and she started taping the floor board together and promised not to deal with ladders without an adult to supervise. Amy and Lou would work on the master bedroom, Lisa and Jessica in the master bath and Tim and Jack would work in the kitchen. The priority of the day was taping with painting starting later if there was time.

“What’s the schedule for the rest Amy ?” Lisa asked

“We paint the kitchen and bathrooms first thing this week and the cabinet guys will install their stuff on Friday and place the appliances which are coming Wednesday. The plumbers are coming next Monday to install the wet fixtures. It looks like most of the furniture is coming the week after so figure 3 weeks for the move in give or take.”

“Excited ?”

“It’s a combination of excitement and out and out fear Lou.”

“You’re just down the road Amy.”

“Yeah, that’s what keeps me going.”

“You got home pretty late last night sis.”

Amy smiled as the memories of the day and night before flooded back to her.

She actually gave herself 3 hours to get ready for the evening and started with a long hot mid afternoon shower. Lyndy was out with Jack and Tim for a slow ride out to see, in Lyndy’s case, and check the herd which was the actual reason for the trip.

It was strange being all alone in the house and she laughed as soon as she thought it when there was a knock at her door.

“Amy it’s Lisa, can I come in ?”

“If you don’t laugh.”

“What would I laugh at ?” She answered walking though the door. “Ok, maybe a little laugh, look at you !”

Amy smiled. She was laying in the center of the bed in a robe with her hair up in a towel having just finished polishing her nails and waiting for them to dry. Her fingers were splayed open on the bed beside her, her toes separated by cotton balls.

“That’s a nice color, it’ll go well with your dress.”

“Light coral, I like it. I should have gone in for a manicure and had tips but time ran away and they would never last.”

“He won’t be looking at your nails Amy, can I help ?”

“I don’t mind the company Lisa.”

“Then I’ll stay, tea ?”

“Tea would be great and these are dry, guess I’ll start on my hair.”

“I’ll be back in a few minutes, anyone else coming ?”

“Cass is coming by in about an hour to hang, she’s leaving her BMW for the date.”

“I was going to ask if you wanted the Porsche, just had it detailed.”

“Hmmm, Beamer or Porsche, what’s a girl to do ?”

Lisa smiled “let me get the tea.”

After leaving Amy her tea Lisa took her place on the bed leaning against the headboard with her feet up while Amy brushed out her hair.

“Nervous ?”

Amy turned to answer “off the wall butterflies, I never felt like this with Ty, at least I don’t remember it.”

“I remember your prom dance, you were pretty antsy.”

“I don’t think that was this Lisa, I mean this is bordering on nausea.”

“Sip your tea Amy, it’ll calm you down, it’s chamomile. You do realize this is all different. I don’t know how to say it buy you and Ty got stretched out into one long soap opera and had he not had a relationship with Heartland, I just don’t know.”

Amy sighed and nodded, took a sip and a deep breath and went back to brushing before reaching to plug in her curling iron. She sprayed the edges of her hair as the iron heated.

“One of the things I’ve thought about since, I don’t know. Anyway, not the time to think about it. Lisa could you pull out my dress and fluff it out, you can hang it on that hook.”

“What about make-up, think you’ll be able to handle that on your own ?”

“It’s embarrassing but my hands are shaking, Cass volunteered to do it for me.”

“She’s a good friend.”

Amy smiled and started curing her hair “she’s enjoying this.”

“She’s not alone.” Lisa answered smiling when the knock came. “That’s probably Cass, I’ll get her.”

Amy was surprised hearing two other voices and then realized that one was Jessica’s who had apparently shown up together with Cass.

They both came in a couple minutes later each carrying a cup of coffee. Lisa followed them in a few minutes later.

“Jess, I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“I’m leaving right away, my meeting’s at 6 but I wanted to be here for the gift.”

“What gift ?”

“The gift Jess and I had made for you.”

“What gift Lisa ?”

“This gift Amy, for you from both of us.” Jess said handing her a small wrapped box.

Amy smiled and looked at the box.

“Well, open it.” Cass said from her spot on the bed.

The box was wrapped in blue paper and tied with a matching blue bow which Amy pulled and set aside before unwrapping the box which when opened contained two smaller boxes, one a long and flat rectangle and one square.

“You two should not have done this.” Amy said before opening either.

“Of course we should have”, Jessica said  “who else do we have to give it to ?”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Open the boxes Amy.” Cass said for a second time.

“Oh my.” Amy exclaimed when she opened the larger rectangular box “this is too much, is that a sapphire ? A Diamond clasp ?”

“Shhhh, calm down Amy”, Lisa said “my grandmother gave me that pendant when I went to college and the earrings in the smaller square box, well some of them and Jess had the pearls so we had a jeweler in Calgary work their magic and there you are.”

“The pearls are from my grandmother’s estate, they’re called Golden Biwa, she bought them years ago in Hawaii.” Jessica added.

 The necklace was a double strand of pearls with a diamond and sapphire pendant hanging from the center, the earrings, sapphire studs with a cluster of four Biwa pearls that hung from each. Both Amy and Cass thought they were beautiful.

“They’re on the Fairfield insurance policy and my agent said that as my granddaughter you’re covered so don’t worry of that account.”

“I’m not worried Lisa, it’s just …….”

“Please Amy.” Jessica said “This is no way to accept a gift from your step mom and grandmother.”

Lisa was closer and Amy stood and wrapped her arms around her and then Jessica telling each that she loved them and thanking them.

“Really glad we haven’t got to your make-up yet.” Cass said laughing.

“Oh Cass, I forgot, we can take Lisa’s Porsche which will make it much easier in the morning. You can just meet us at the center and we won’t have to swap.”

“Fine with me, I would have had to come pretty early, Caleb has to be at the rodeo grounds at like 7:00.”

“I haven’t told Finn, I’m sure driving either will thrill him.”

“Give me a kiss Amy, I have to get out of here.”

Amy got up and kissed Jess staying for a brief hug.

“Thank you so much for everything Jess.”

“Please let Lisa take a picture.”

“I promise.”

“I’ll walk you out Jess, I have to start dinner. I’ll be around if you two need me.” Lisa said leaving the room right behind Jessica.

“We have time but which first make-up or dress ?”

“Does it matter ? Let’s do make-up first and we’ll be careful.”

Amy walked over and scooted up onto the bed alongside Cass who had kicked off her boots and was up against the headboard.

“So, just a few weeks until the move, you doing Ok ?”

“I’m good, I mean it’ll be different but I’m looking forward to a new experience and Lyndy’s off the wall excited.”

“Well, I’m happy for you, I think it’s a good step getting away even if it is just down the road.”

“It’s not an escape Cass.”

“I didn’t mean it was, just new.”

Amy smiled and reached over to take Cass’s hand, “glad you’re on my side.”

“Everyone’s on your side Amy.”

They both stopped and smiled when they heard the door and heard Lyndy call out “Home momma !!” a second before she ran into the room.

“Hi Auntie Cass !!” She announced before Cass stopped her from climbing onto the bed.

“Hello sweetheart but you need to get washed up before climbing onto mommy’s clean bed.”

“Cass is right Lyndy, go on wash up good and then hugs.” Amy added with a smile.

“Make-up after hugs ?”

“Works for me, thanks for this Cass.”

“With you all the way kid.”

A few minutes later, with Lyndy perched on the bed watching, Cass sat across from Amy and applied a light foundation with a brush before starting on her eyes. Amy didn’t go in for much make-up and Cass commented that with her natural glow not much was necessary. The last touch was Amy’s lips which took a matching light coral before she turned to the mirror.

“Thanks Cass, it’s perfect.”

“Ok, get your lingerie settled and I’ll be back in a few minutes to help with the dress. Can I refill your cup Amy ?”

“Some water would be great Cass, Lyndy, feel like a snack ?”

Lyndy nodded yes and Cass put out her hand leading her from the room while Amy reached for the box that contained her new undergarments.

Cass returned a few minutes later with Lyndy who climbed back up on the bed with her small s plate of apple slices and Lisa who was going to help get the dress set.

Amy giggled as they lifted it over her head and carefully shielded her face so not to upset the make-up or her hair. Cass stepped back while Lisa zipped it up and attached the small clasp at the top. A moment later Amy turned to the floor length mirror and smoothed it down.

“You’re beautiful momma.”

“Thank you sweetheart, think Finn will like it ?”

Lyndy smiled and nodded as did Cass and Lisa.

“It’s perfect for you Amy.” Cass said.

“Absolutely.” Lisa agreed. “It really sets off your features. Get the earrings on honey, it’s almost time.”

Amy sat down and got her earrings on and waited while Lisa attached her necklace. Once done Amy slipped on he shoes she’d been practicing wearing for the past week while home she stood and looked at herself in the mirror.

“What do you think ?”

Cass smiled “Hell, I’d date you in that get up Amy, it’s beautiful.”

“Lisa ?”

“I’ve got nothing to add to that Amy, you’re positively glowing.”

“Lyndy, what do you think ?”

Lyndy smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

“Guess that’s it, who’s out there ?” Amy said grabbing her clutch which she had filled with some tissues, touch up makeup and sliding her phone into the hidden pocket on the back.

“Jack and Tim are on the porch.” Lisa said “Shall we ?”

“Might as well.”

“Any advice Cass ?”

“Just keep breathing Amy, everything else will come naturally.” She answered helping Lyndy from the bed who naturally reached up for Cass’ hand when she was down.

Lisa led the way through the house and opened the porch door for Amy and the rest to follow. She was surprised to see Lou and Katie on the porch as well.

“Lou ?”

“I know, I got cover for me and Katie so we could see. You look beautiful Amy.” Katie was glowing looking at her and nodding.

Smiling ear to ear Amy turned to Tim and Jack.

“I don’t know what to say Amy, Lou’s right beautiful covers it.” Jack said.

“Beautiful really doesn’t Amy.” Tim said getting up and looking her up and down. “You look so much like Marion.”

“She does, doesn’t she.” Jack agreed.

“Ok, Amy first picture for Jess and then one of you together when he gets here.”

“Lisa, it’s not prom.” Amy said laughing before she posed.

Nobody thought Amy’s smile could get brighter until Finn’s truck pulled through the gate and down the road to the ranch house.

He stopped when he got out of the truck and then reached in for a large bouquet of a dozen red roses before straightening up and turning to the porch.

She stood waiting at the top of the stairs and immediately notice that he was freshly shaved and had gotten a haircut. His suit was dark blue covering a crisp white shirt and a silk blue and red tie. The only hint of cowboy was his highly polished black boots. His eyes were bright and piercing as he took her in, his smile as bright as hers.

He glanced at the crown on the porch for a second while climbing the stairs and stopped when he reached her, leaned forward and gently touched his lips to hers.

“You’re beautiful Amy .”

“Not too shabby yourself.” She said.

“For you.”

“Thank you so much, they look and smell wonderful.” Amy said taking the flowers and holding them close.

“Let me take those for you Amy, I’ll put them in your room.” Lisa said.

“One second Lisa.” Amy added stopping her and reaching over to the bouquet to break off one of the buds that she put through Finn’s lapel. A second later she unlined on the the safety pins she had secreted in her bag and maneuvered it around to hold the flower in place. “There, now I can appreciate your gift all night.”

“We ready ?”

“Wait prom pic !!” Lisa said which made both Amy and Finn laugh and turn to pose.

After both men stood and shook Finn’s hand where Tim added “don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

In response Jack pointed at him “definitely words to live by.” Which made everyone laugh.

“You two have fun tonight.” He added with a smile at Amy who took a moment to lean over to kiss Cass and then Lyndy.

“Thank you Grandpa, Finn ?”

Lisa took that moment to palm her keys to Amy who took Finn’s crooked arm while she went down the stairs. Once down and walking to the vehicles she revered her arms and led him to the Porsche dangling the keys beforef him.

He smiled again taking them and turned to the porch to spot Lisa and mouth “Thank you.”

As he backed out and turned the Porsche toward the gate they saw Amy wave as they pulled away.

“Anyone remember the last time she looked that happy ?” Cass said from where she was standing with Lyndy.

“It’s been a while coming.” Jack muttered quietly.

[riversofmars]

Songs of Love - Day 16

Prompt: Height Difference

Rating: Explicit

Summary: There are some aspects of Liv’s friendship with Molly that she’s never thought to share with Helen, casual and long past as they were. Helen however connects the dots when her girlfriend wakes up hot and bothered in the middle of the night.

My Kind Of Woman

“Okay that’s it, I’ve had it!” Liv exclaimed angrily as she marched into the living room at 107 Baker Street.

“Did you get it to work?” Molly asked hopefully, watching her from the sofa as she marched in. The foul mood she was in pretty much answered her question but she was polite enough to inquire anyway. Liv had been in the basement trying to fix the heating for hours, she was covered head to toe in grease and dust, and clearly had had limited success.

“Did I- NO. I didn’t bloody get it to work. 1970s heating is a- We got to call the landlord or-” the med-tech raged as she tried to wipe grease and sweat off herself with a tea towel.

“The Doctor is the landlord,” the nurse pointed out and Liv groaned, annoyed.

“Then whoever you call in this time to repair your heating! It’s bloody freezing and there is no hot water and-” She threw her hands up in the air.

“You don’t look that cold to me,” Molly observed as she looked her up and down. The med-tech’s skin was flushed from both anger and effort.

“Well, I’ve been trying to fix the bloody thing for hours and can’t even have a shower now!” Liv scowled.

“Would you like me to help you wash up?” Molly shot back with a smirk, half-joking to distract her from her annoyance, half - well - not. The thought of peeling the dirty clothes off the med-tech appealed rather and they had precious else to occupy their time.

“I-” She had certainly succeeded on the first count as Liv forgot all about her annoyance. She just stared at her friend.

“Well, you got yourself into a right state Dr. Chenka,” Molly pointed out and approached her. “So the heating is broken. Big deal. I’m sure we can last a couple of days without it. Find other ways to keep warm. What you need to do is relax,” she hummed knowingly. The med-tech was on edge and tense and she had several ideas about how to resolve those issues. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the sound of it.

“I- I don’t do relaxed,” Liv stuttered and instinctively took a step back, and then another as Molly continued to advance towards her.

“Maybe you should start,” the nurse pointed out with a knowing smile.

“Molly… What are you…” The med-tech knew that look, the look of someone who saw something they liked and decided to take it. For a moment she thought she had managed to fix the heating after all as the temperature in the living room seemed to have jumped.

“We could have a game of doctors and nurses…” Molly smirked and, suddenly, Liv’s back collided with the wall as she couldn’t retreat any further.

”A- What?” She had no idea what her friend was talking about but her actions were quite clear. The nurse smirked at her as she leaned in close.

“My, my, Dr. Chenka, for an intelligent woman such as yourself you are quite slow on the uptake,” she hummed and Liv found her throat had suddenly gone very dry. She couldn’t speak, she just stared at her for a moment, a moment of tense anticipation between them and it was Molly that took the plunge.

She grasped the opportunity and the med-tech with both hands. She grabbed her hips, pressed her to the wall and kissed her. For a moment, Liv stopped being able to tell up from down, she just about managed to find the nurse’s shoulders to hang on to. Her body responded instinctively before her brain had caught up with what was happening. She kissed her back, parted her lips, and Molly took advantage and encouragement from her eager response. She pushed her tongue into her mouth and her thigh between her legs. The med-tech groaned into the kiss, she wrapped her arms around Molly’s neck and pulled her closer.

“Get out of these dirty clothes,” the nurse husked, pushing up her top and Liv nodded in agreement. Molly pulled the shirt off and brought her lips to the side of the med-tech’s neck. She ran her hands down her toned stomach to the waistband of her jeans.

“Molly, are you-” Liv wanted to ask if she was sure about this but the words died on her lips as she trailed kisses up to her ear.

“Can you think of anything better to pass the time? We will be here a while yet. Might as well make the most of it,” she hummed and a smirk was audible in her voice.

Liv couldn’t think to protest. Her head was spinning and Molly was already easing her jeans down her thighs while trailing kisses along her collar bones and across her chest. The med-tech ran a hand through her hair and wiped the sweat off her forehead but to no avail. She was running hot and it had everything to do with her friend crouching down to help her out of her jeans.

“You can always tell me to stop,” the nurse pointed out with a smirk, though she knew full well Liv Chenka wouldn’t be able to say anything in a few moments time. She leaned forward and eased her legs further apart to settle between more comfortably. She trailed kisses along the insides of her thighs and Liv bit her lip, doing her best to suppress a throaty moan and not quite managing.

“Fuck- Molly-” The med-tech squeezed her eyes shut and buried her hands in her friend’s hair. She lost her train of thought when Molly reached for her underwear.

“Oh shit- bloody hell- fucking-” Liv clasped her hand to her chest as she awoke with a start.

“Are you okay? What’s going on?” Helen mumbled sleepily beside her. Her arm snaked around her middle and gave her a tug, bringing her closer in an effort to make sure she was okay.

“Fine, yes, all good-” the med-tech replied, willing her heart to stop racing and her head to start spinning. Rationally she knew she couldn’t be held accountable for her dreams and yet she felt a sting of guilt as Helen - her girlfriend! - nuzzled into her side and pressed a reassuring kiss to her shoulder.

“God you’re so hot,” the linguist observed drowsily and Liv was already wiggling out of the covers. Her t-shirt was sticking to her with sweat. “What sort of dream have you been having?” There was a teasing quality to her voice, despite her sleepiness. Helen knew her very well by now, she knew what arousal looked like on her.

”I-” The med-tech didn’t want to lie, of course, but she didn’t necessarily want to burden her with the truth either. So much had happened since she had stayed with Molly at 107 Baker Street, it almost felt like a different life! She still thought of her from time to time but she had made her peace with what had happened, just as Molly herself had been at peace with her choice. Now, Liv had no idea why her brain had brought back things she had almost forgotten about. Not because they had been forgettable - oh no - they had had a lot of fun in a carefree casual sort of way. Friends with benefits as one might call it. For a moment Liv wished Molly could have met Helen. She was sure she would have approved of her. Theirs was a relationship that extended far beyond friendship and the occasional shag when the mood struck. Liv loved Helen deeply and guilt closed up her throat.

“Seems like you were having a fun dream,” the linguist hummed, almost teasingly and Liv’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. It would have been one thing if she had been dreaming about the woman beside her, she would happily have rolled over and carried on where her dream had cut off, but this was uncharted territory. She didn’t know how to handle the situation. Would Helen want to know? She knew of Molly of course but that part of their friendship - casual as it may have been - was not something she had thought to share.

“I- I don’t even know why-” Liv dropped back into the sheets, she covered her face with her hands in an effort to calm down, and she gasped, surprised, when suddenly, her girlfriend’s hand found its way between her thighs where her shorts had turned wet.

“How about you tell me what it was about? Maybe we can see it through,” the linguist suggested in a husky voice, more awake now, as she climbed on top of her.

”Helen, really-” The med-tech’s cheeks burned with embarrassment but her words of protest were cut off by a passionate kiss. Helen has grasped her chin and angled her head up and claimed her mouth. Liv realised - and not for the first time - that she liked a woman who could take charge - much like Molly had been able to. She felt another stab of guilt.

“Humour me,” Helen insisted hotly against her lips and snaked her hand inside her shorts. “Come on, I won’t get offended,” she carried on and her smirk was audible, even as Liv squeezed her eyes shut at the maddeningly slow dragging of her fingers through her wetness. “It wasn’t me you were dreaming about, was it?”

Liv’s eyes flew open.

“How do you know-” Liv exclaimed, shocked, and pushed herself up onto her elbows and Helen off of herself. The linguist laughed but not unkindly, as she perched in the space between her legs.

“Molly?” She quoted and the med-tech realised she must have uttered her name in her sleep.

“Oh-” She gave back, deflated as the guilt settled back on her after the initial shock.

“Relax, Liv, I trust you,” the linguist reached out and grasped her hand.

“Good, because there is nothing… She was a friend, like I said before! We may have had a brief fling but nothing… it was casual! We weren’t in love or anything, not like-” Liv felt the need to justify herself regardless, to explain, to make Helen understand that she was the most important - the only! - person in her life. Past or present.

“Liv, it’s okay, you don’t have to apologise,” she gave back kindly and then asked: “So what was she like? Your friend Molly?” She moved to lie beside her again and encouraged her girlfriend to settle down as well, to tell her, if she was willing, about another part of her past. Liv shuffled down and rested her head on her outstretched arm as she conjured up her memory of Molly.

“She was good, kind, brave,” she answered as she considered her accomplishments and her sacrifices. Even after all this time, she wished she had known her for longer, shared in more of her life, but large parts of it she had played no part in. She had been there at the end, though, and that she was grateful for, as grateful as she was to Molly for what she had done. “Bit like you,” Liv mused and looked over to her girlfriend in the twilight. Helen also had a self-sacrificial streak, she had proved as much by flying a TARDIS in the Resonance Engine and by travelling for forty years, forfeiting her life to save Liv, the Doctor and the people of Salzburg. The med-tech’s heart swelled with pride as she couldn’t believe her luck, to be able to call such a wonderful person as her, her own. And she thanked her lucky stars that none of her sacrifices had been final. Unlike Molly’s. “She was, perhaps, a bit more brash than you,” she considered and grinned at the comparison of the brisk nurse and the well spoken linguist. “She was a good person.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Helen smiled kindly. “But I do have to ask, do you - perhaps - have a type?” There was a teasing quality to her words now and Liv immediately regretted the comparison but things were only going to get worse: “What did she look like?” The linguist inquired curiously.

“Uh, well-” The med-tech blushed when something occurred to her that she had never really considered before.

“Liv?” Helen prompted, clearly realising that she was stalling. Liv knew she couldn’t lie to her girlfriend and even if she tried, she would see through her immediately so, begrudgingly, she opted for the truth.

“She may have been blonde… and tall…” she mumbled without looking at her and Helen rolled onto her side, leaning over her with a wide grin.

“You do have a type!” She smirked, using her height to her advantage as she hovered over her. It wasn’t difficult, Liv was slim and short. “I mean, Tania was tall too!” The linguist continued, clearly having no qualms about bringing up more of her past.

“Well-” The med-tech blushed but couldn’t think to mount a defence, not when she had to admit that her girlfriend had a point. It certainly explained the pull in her gut she got every time Helen pushed up her chin to kiss her. It explained why she relished being in her arms, held close. And it explained why she struggled to think when Helen hovered over her, imposing and demanding, like a predator about to devour its prey. Things always became obvious in hindsight.

“Do you like your women towering over you?” Helen smirked, sensing she might have found a sore spot.

“Helen, really, you don’t have anything to worry about, I love only you and I don’t know why-” Liv felt like she had to make her assurances, otherwise she might end up regretting it. Her girlfriend certainly seemed intent on having her fun with this new found weakness.

“You’re adorable when you blush,” the linguist hummed and pressed her lips to her throat, and then, her teeth, which made her girlfriend gasp and groan.

“Helen-” Liv looked up to her and she couldn’t keep her voice as steady as she would have liked, or less needy, as her hand reached back into her shorts.

“Must have been some dream,” Helen mocked as her girlfriend instinctively moved her hips to meet her hand, demanding more she was only too willing to give. She grasped her free hand into her hair and pulled her head back, just as she buried her fingers inside her.

Liv gasped and the linguist grinned against the soft skin of her throat where she pressed her lips once more. She could feel her pulse quickening and she held her head close by her hair.

“Don’t worry, Liv, I’ll look after you,” she mumbled to the shell of her ear. “Just be sure it’s my name you moan.”

[thatsmeif]

Chapter one 

My friend just got cheated on by her boyfriend, Thomas. Now she's preparing to murder him, in a way.

 -I don't know what I'm going to do, she said between sobs.

-Okay, he cheated on you, but with who ? Like, do you know the girl ?

-IT'S SARAH ! she abruptly yelled at me.

Sarah is her best friend. She met her in kindergarten and since then, they have stayed friends for what seems like decades. She's devastated by the news, plus, it was at Chris's party at his place.

-Can't you talk to Chris to know how they got there ? It was at his place after all, he should know.

-He's my ex, we're not in a relationship anymore.

-Yeah, but, you guys are still quite close.

-No, I won't talk to him.

-Please ? I'm really desperate about it, Thomas and I were together forever and I still can't understand why he did this. Especially when he knew that she's my best friend. She responded with teary eyes.

-I- I… I'll try. But I can't promise anything.

-You know that I love you ?

-I love you too, Sofia.

Sunday, 11pm, Los Angeles

Love,

Love.

What is love ?

What's the point in believing in love when your closest friend and yourself got destroyed by it?

The cigarette between my fingers is ready to destroy my damaged poor lungs. Trying to help me get all the accumulated stress out of my burning body. To be honest, I want to believe in it. But, I still need advice from someone comforting. Someone that I feel safe with. I went to Sienna's contact and pressed call, the ringing loud in my eardrums.

-Hey, how are you ?

-I'm good, but you ? Your voice sounds a bit tired.

-To be honest, I really need to relieve stress, and someone to talk to.

-Wanna come to the beach ? There's a chill party out there. Maybe a glass or two can help you loosen up ? And maybe finally find someone else?

-That sounds good, why not ?

-You can come anytime, you're always welcomed.

-I'll be there in a bit, just… let me just put on a decent outfit.

I ended the call and got dressed. The roaring of my motorcycle feels good and the salty breeze feels refreshing. I stopped the engine and walked on the soft sand, looking for Sienna's soft green eyes. Instead, I recalled what she told me earlier, and saw a cute guy sitting by the bar.

I missed the way I could feel the sand on my feet.

In fact, I missed everything that’ll help me forget about him. So I went to see that guy, because, why not?

I casually talked with him, enjoyed the sea breeze and even laughed a bit, something I didn’t do in months, maybe ? We got to know each other. He likes music and is in a band. He likes soft rock and is a hopeless romantic. He’s really sweet and has a good sense of fashion, that’s important because some guys just don’t know how to dress at all.

Bzz… Bzz…

The constant ringing of my phone in my pocket annoys me, but I still check who’s calling.

Christopher is calling…

-Hello ?

-Hannah ?

-Ash ?

-Yeah it’s me.

-Can you come home please? H-he’s on the floor…

-WHAT ? WHO ? HOW ?

-Chris ! I-I have no idea what happened i was in my room studying then I heard a loud thud and I freaked out and called you I’m so sorry I know you guys aren’t  together anymore-

-Hannah !

-Yes !?

-Stop apologizing, I’ll be here in a minute. 

-Thank you so much…

I rushed back to my motorcycle and started driving so fast without knowing. I didn’t even think about what directions I’m taking because deep inside of me, I knew that this was the way to dangerous memories. Where this city of lights went to sleep.

I knocked abruptly on the door, waiting for Hannah to open it for me. With shaky hands, she turned the doorknob, letting me in. While my eyes were searching for someone’s ebony hair, they fell on a picture of us, hanging on the wall, when we were kids. Some tears pricked my eyes but I pushed them away, running to the kitchen only to find his body on the floor.

As I checked his pulse, Hannah came over only to see the hidden tears staining my face.

-You still love him, don’t you?

-I-I don’t know, I managed to get out of my dry mouth with a shaky voice.

-Don’t lie to me, he can’t hear us.

-I do, I miss him, you, everything.

-I miss you too big sis’.

-I’m really sorry.

-Don’t be.

That’s when Chris realized that he missed Ashley too.

He felt like he was breathing again and felt something on the side of his neck. His eyes cracked open, only to be met with dark brown pupils staring at him with worry. The beating of his heart fastened, same as his pulse, then everything went black again.

He feels like this relationship is going to turn into hell.

[saucymalum]

Checked Out pt.7

Crystal Leigh x fem!reader

Originally posted on my Instagram

Summary: It's not easy navigating a friendship with someone you have feelings for. Especially not when that person also happens to be your friend's girlfriend.

I also made a playlist of the songs I listened to while writing this series!

College!au but barely mentioned

Pt.1, pt.2, pt.3, pt.4, pt.5, pt.6

-----------

After breakfast, I wash the dishes while Crystal and Noah sit on the couch watching TV. I can hear their laughter bounce off the wall. A smile curls my lips at the sounds of her laugh. I'm glad she's feeling a bit better. 

As I'm drying the now clean dishes a song starts playing. I look over into the living room. I see Noah pause the show and Crystal showing her phone to Noah.

"Who is it?" I ask, placing down the dish towel.

"Put it on speaker," Noah says

Crystal nods and answers the phone on speaker. Levi's voice comes through the speakers and I almost wanna roll my eyes at him.

"Hey…you didn't come home last night. I got worried."

"I was at Y/N and Noah's place. They let me stay the night."

"Oh…why'd see them? You hardly know them."

She rolls her eyes and looks over at me. "Why did you really call Levi? Cause it better not have been to question my choice in friends." 

"No no, of course not. I wanted to apologize. Look, I'm really sorry baby. I know I don't show any interest in your passions and I should. So I wanted to start putting in an effort. It really hurt when you assumed-"

"Assumed? Assumed what, Levi? The truth? I've asked you time and time again to at least try to ask and maybe even care but you ignored me. But the second I get a friend that shares my passion and WANTS to talk about my interests you suddenly start to show an interest too? Of course, I'm going to question it!"

Noah looks over to me with a smirk, 'drama' he mouths to me.

I almost laugh but manage to hold it in.

"I know, I know, that's not what I meant. Let me make it up to you, yeah? We could go see a movie and then go to the restaurant you love. The whole shebang, let me show you how sorry I am, please."

Noah and I watch as Crystal's walls slowly fall down. 

"Fucking jealous prick" Noah mutters not so quietly.

Crystal's eyes snap to Noah and she frowns. 

“Who was that?”

“Oh- uh- Noah- he’s watching a show," Crystal says.

"Ok just- Crystal will you please come home? We can talk about it at home. Please?"

Crystal sighs, "Ok, yea but you owe me a date night like you promised."

"Cross my heart." 

"Ok, I'll see you at home." Crystals finger hovers over the end call button.

"Ok, I love you"

"I love you too." Crystal mumbles and hangs up the call.

Noah scoffs and Crystal shoots him a softening glare, “What now, Noah?”

“Dude he- avoided the whole topic of the fight. That wasn’t problem-solving. He was jealous and made YOU feel bad about it. What the hell”

“ He was just trying to be nice and I overanalyzed and he got upset about it. That’s what happened. And besides, what could he possibly be jealous of? It’s not like he has competition!”

Even though it shouldn't have hurt that felt like a punch in the gut. I know she doesn’t have feelings for me and I’m trying to be ok with being her FRIEND but shit, that hurt. I twiddle my thumbs and stare into my lap, ignoring their back and forth until Crystal gets loud and I raise my eyes to look at them.

“You know nothing, Noah! You don’t even know me! Stop pretending like you know what our relationship is like!” 

“Guys! Would you stop! Noah, I know youre trying to help and I appreciate that but youre making things worse. Crystal I think you have you go home, you promised Levi.”

Her firey gaze latches on me and I know she wants to take her anger out on me but her gaze softens. “Youre taking his side?”

“There are no sides, youre both my friends.” 

She nods, picks up her phone and I walk her to the door. “Have fun on your date, ok?” 

She lets out a slightly bitter laugh and looks into my eyes, “Yeah”

I close the door when I see her safely in her car and stand in silence “He has no competition.” echoing in my mind.

I need to get over her.

Next

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Hoping desperately that “it will all come out right in the end.” With all due respect, it ain’t a gonna happen.

I read with great interest the treatise on how things would have been a lot better in the Unification Movement if, instead of having short-sighted goals, they would have done better to build a better foundation. Unfortunately, to me this seems now like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The ship is going down, so no matter what you do, it’s just cosmetic. The problem is a top-down problem.  The top is rotten to the core, meaning “True Father” and “True Parents” and “True Family” are just catch-phrases to many members who have left or who are hanging on by their fingernails, hoping desperately that “it will all come out right in the end.” With all due respect, it ain’t a gonna happen. 

The internet has exposed Sun Myung Moon for what he really was. And the Divine Principle is just another theological theory which he apparently didn’t even come up with himself. So if something is based on a lie and more lies are perpetuated about the founder himself and his history and his accomplishments…well, the universe will not support a lie indefinitely. Only force can make people live a lie. The kind of force that North Korea and Communist China and dictatorships throughout history have used. The kind of force that was sometimes used in the Unification Movement by leaders who thought they were following SMM’s pattern of “tough love” which really amounted to bullying, threatening and shaming. But I, like many others, had enough and voted with my feet to leave such an organization because my spiritual freedom and right to live by my conscience instead of fear and psychological manipulation was paramount. I think I speak for many. 

So if you who are still “card-carrying members” want to make things better, you are facing an uphill battle all the way, because the leadership is still corrupt and mostly Korean, and they will not listen to you or be influenced by you one whit.

Patricia H.

[the above was slightly edited]

__________________________________

Buh-Bye Barrytown Well, it’s happening before our eyes. I’m sure there will be an “outcry” amongst current members when the news is known about Barrytown being sold. I’m sure we’ll hear all the quotes from “Father” about how Barrytown is a precious historical site for the church and should be preserved forever. It’s “historical” just for the fact that the Lord of the Second Advent walked its halls! And spoke in its auditorium! And probably prayed on its grounds!!!! Yet, there it goes. Maybe it will be torn down and something else erected in its place.

Can Belvedere and East Garden be far behind? They are even more historical, because the Lord of the Second Advent and His Family actually LIVED there. A good friend told me that he visited Belvedere several years ago. He used to be the bookkeeper there and worked in “the vault” in the basement. It was actually his office. The current staff couldn’t open it and asked him for help, so he went down to help them. He happened to look in some of the rooms in the basement and there were all these “coffins” there made of steel or some other strong metal. He asked what was in them. The brother proudly told him there were scores of “Father’s” clothes. His suits, his shirts, his shoes, even his underwear. All being preserved for future generations to see in some far-off museum. I wonder what will happen to those coffins if they sell Belvedere??? Will anyone be left to build that museum? Will anyone care to visit it to stare at Father’s empty clothes? I think the handwriting is on the wall. The UC is dying. The money to fund it is drying up. The membership is dwindling and what members are left cannot prop it up much longer. Someday books will be written about how it all went so wrong. Then again, maybe no one will care. Time moves on and religious movements that were once “new” and “different” fade away. Buh-bye Barrytown. I guess your time is over.


Patricia H.   2016

__________________________________

Sun Myung Moon makes me feel ashamed to be Korean

Where Sun Myung Moon got his theology

Divine Principle – The Parallels of History examined

WIOTM – It's official - UTS has been sold